#Illegal Working Closure Notice

[lexlawuk]

Guide to Civil Penalties for Illegal Work in the UK

The UK government has intensified its crackdown on illegal working, leading to an increase in enforcement activities across England. As a result, we are witnessing a growing number of civil penalties being issued to employers found in breach of immigration laws. The Home Office imposes severe sanctions on businesses that employ individuals who do not have the legal right to work in the UK. This…

[funghettoo]

Unused minedai idea: Circus AU

Mine and Daigo are trapeze artists, with Mine as the flyer and Daigo as the catcher.

The circus is old-fashioned, a traveling troupe with animals, etc. It is managed by Sohei, who runs it poorly by exploiting the artists, mistreating the animals, and using the circus as a cover to run smuggling operations.

Daigo comes from a family of performers, so he started when he was a child.

Mine is an orphan who became a street performer to survive. As a child, he was noticed by a circus company that took him in, and since then he has been trained as a trapeze artist.

Despite gaining some fame for his talent (he's called: the flying kirin✨), he is kicked out of that company.

Mine's problem is that he struggles to trust the colleagues he has to perform with so they argue constantly, creating problems with the execution of the show.

So he ends up in Sohei’s company where, for the first time, he is able to completely trust a catcher: Daigo.

At first, Mine is distrustful because he thinks Daigo is a privileged brat who had an easy life and a ready-made career. But he has to change his mind when they start working together and he gets to know him better. Daigo is talented, brutally honest, and most importantly reliable.

No one has ever made Mine feel this safe. He confirms it when, during a training session, they fall and Daigo’s first instinct is to protect Mine's head with one hand and hold him tightly to keep him safe. Daigo laughs amused and asks him if he's okay... and ofc Mine inevitably falls in love with him.

The constant physical contact doesn’t make things easy, especially when Daigo starts blatantly flirting with him.

Mine begins to have trouble working, for an entirely different reason. He’s stiff when they train, with the growing tension between them.

Until Daigo suggests they try dancing together to loosen up a bit, pulling him into a sensual dance... Mine can’t resist anymore and kisses him.

From that moment on, everything goes smoothly and their chemistry is stronger than ever.💖

At some point Sohei dies involved in his illegal activities, which are discovered resulting in the arrest of all actively involved members. So the circus falls into ruin, risking closure. Daigo decides to avoid it by taking control of the management and change things. No more illegal trafficking, no more animals in captivity: the new circus focuses solely on the artists.

With their talent and Daigo’s leadership skills, they bring the circus to its maximum splendor, making it famous.

And yeah, ofc we have Majima clown with the knives and Saejima tiger taimer... the tigers are the only animals who stays in the circus because they are only domestic big cats by now.

[novalein]

(Cross posting from Wattpad) (Part 1/13)

You sighed as you tossed and turned around in bed. Her smile, her touch, her cute habits she had no idea of doing. You hadn't talked or texted in 6 months now; the break up was a clean one. You two talked about the issues and decided to part ways peacefully. But you still missed her. Crazily.

You groaned as the thought of her consumed your mind. No matter how much you tried to move on, nothing helped. You had forced situations on yourself before you realised it's useless. Nothing can make her disappear from your mind.

You missed her so much it should have been illegal. Missed her so much you dreamed of her at nights and daydreamed of her during the day. You've gotten a new job since then. The one you told her about which she was so excited for. The moment they accepted you, you were excited to tell her about the news.

Until you realise you two didn't talk anymore.

You had heard things of her from mutual friends. Some rich guy offered her to play in France for a delicious amount of money. Deep inside you smiled; she must have been over the moon of the news. Rantaro said that she immediately accepted it. She had packed her things to fly to France. All inclusive five-star hotel. Business class flight.

Your amazing day had turned terrible in a split second. Rantaro noticed the way your mood shifted and immediately muttered an "I'm sorry", falling silent. She had been achieving everything she wanted. You were so happy for her but you'd be happier with her. All you wanted was her in your arms. To kiss her. To touch her the way no one had touched her before.

Who knows if that's still the case. Maybe she let someone else touch her already.

Your face scrunched up in disgust. Just the thought of another woman, or even worse, a man, touching her, pleasing her, left a bitter taste in your mouth.

Life was so unfair. You were so sure she was the one. She caught your attention almost immediately when you saw her walking down the busy hallway in Hope's Peak. You couldn't help but stop and stare as she decided to finally make a move instead of waiting for someone to make the move instead.

Thinking about the time you nervously looked away as she semi-awkwardly stood there was enough to make you tear up. Damn it. Damn this. Damn everything.

You had thought about reaching out to her for so long. Thinking and thinking. You had talked to your friends about it but they called you stupid for thinking about it. But you needed more closure. The "What If's" lingering in your mind, making you want to bang your head against the wall.

You took your phone and went through the chats. All the messages marked with stars; I love yous, compliments, things that made your heart skip a beat back then. Now you just look at the messages as you feel your eyes tearing up. I miss her so much.

You put your phone away, sitting up as you try to push these tears away. She'd hug you and tell you to not cry. That everything will be okay. That you'll figure things out. Yet, you're alone in your bedroom, things of her still scattered around, reminding you of her again and again. This sucked.

Another day where you decided to not text her. Three in the morning seemed too desperate anyways. "I'll do it tomorrow. At a reasonable time. Maybe 2pm?" You thought to yourself. That little promise to yourself was enough to ease your mind a bit. You'll do it tomorrow. You'll get your answers tomorrow.

The morning comes by. Your alarm rings at six in the morning, making you groan. You turn off the alarm as the first thought of her strikes you. You feel your stomach fill with butterflies... or is it anxiety? "I'll text her today." You reassure yourself as you get ready. Work starts at 7am. You're finished by 4pm, yet you still hadn't texted her. Something held you back. You thought of her, of that kind smile, of those beautiful eyes, the entire day. Yet, something had held you back. What if she had blocked you? Or if you ignores you? What if she doesn't want to talk and tells you to fuck off?

God, why was everything so complicated?

You walked to the train station. You recieve a call from your friend as you talk to her. You eye a girl from behind, she seems oddly familiar. That bag, that hair. Even the jacket is something you had recognised. Just then, she heard your voice. She turned around to look at you. It was her. It was Kaede. The love of your life. She hadn't changed at all.

Your eyes lock for a moment. You grow anxious, not knowing what to do. You avert your gaze again and you see the surprise in her eyes turn sad in the corner of her eyes. She turns away again, facing away from you. You end the call with your friend. You don't know what to do.

You two take the same train, you acknowledge. If she's standing at this platform, you will take the same train. You gulp. Your hands grow sweaty, a knot in your stomach. You're unsure on what to do before she walks away from you. Your heart sinks as she does that. That little gesture made you feel guilty. You shouldn't have turned away. But it just happened. You grip your phone tightly. You thought you ended on good terms? Was she upset with you? Did she think you were upset with her because of the way you turned away? There wasn't enough time to think as the train arrived.

She got in further back in the train. You on the further front. What could you do? Should you do something? Your hands were trembling as you took a seat in the train. Your eyes wandering around in hopes she'd walk to you anyway. Hoping, she would approach you. But she didnt, because your train station arrived faster than usual, forcing you to step out.

You immediately call Rantaro about it. He was one of your closest friends, really. You told him about the situation as he carefully listened.

"I didn't know what to do. I was so... anxious at that moment. My hands are still shaking." You told him as he nodded, though you couldn't see it.

"Don't stress yourself out about it. You two didn't end in bad terms, did you? It was probably the initial awkwardness of seeing an ex." He tries to reassure you. It almost worked. Almost.

"I hope so." You murmured in return as you walked back to your apartment. "Should I... text her?" You asked Rantaro. He simply hummed. "If you want to, you should. You shouldn't always rely on what other people say. If you feel like doing it, do it."

You nodded in acknowledgement. "Thanks, Rantaro. You're a lifesaver."

He laughed at that. "You're welcome."

[beardedmrbean]

OAKLAND, Calif. - Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao issued an executive order on Monday aimed at clearing the city's homeless encampments more thoroughly and with more alacrity.

In a news release and video statement, Thao said that in light of the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision granting cities more power to dismantle homeless camps, she is ordering all city departments "to fully execute the Encampment Management Policy" that the city council approved in 2020. 

While citing some recent examples of the city's effort to clear camps and connect inhabitants with homes and services, she said her order directs the city to focus on camps that encroach on safe routes to schools, tot lots, and playgrounds or impede access to small businesses. 

Also, prioritized will be camps that block traffic lanes, bike lanes, or sidewalks, impede first responders, create fire hazards by blocking hydrants, burning fires within 30 feet of structures or illegally tapping into electrical wires, pose risks to things like freeway overpasses or BART tracks, contain combustible materials like gasoline and propane or if biological waste from a camp poses an environmental risk to drains and waterways, Thao said. 

"Being unhoused is not a crime in Oakland, but it does not give anyone the right to break other laws," she said. "We must return public spaces to the public -- and do so with compassion." 

Thao also mentioned that she was homeless and living out of her car with her young son for a time but said she never sought to "pitch a tent" but "sought affordable housing and services, for which I was deeply grateful."  

Ant Moreno lives under the overpass near the Oakland Police Department headquarters.

When asked what he would do if workers swept his encampment - "Wouldn't be the first time," he said. 

He added that he doesn't have a place to go. 

Thao's order also states that a camp found to pose an imminent risk of serious injury or death, is damaging critical infrastructure, or obstructing traffic and bike lanes can be broken down with less than 12 hours' notice, according to the order.

Camps posing other problems, such as obstructing sidewalks or hosting disease or vermin infestations, can be cleared with a 24-to-72 hour notice.   

Camp residents will be offered temporary emergency shelter space but "in no case, will emergency or urgent closures be delayed for shelter unavailability," according to the order. 

Shasma Clarke lives in Section 8 housing thanks to help from a health center called Lifelong Medical Care.  "I was homeless for 12 years. I want to see some crew or a crew of 20 come out here or some outreach, psychologists, counselors, doctors," said Clarke. "It's sad to see [Thao] be so ignorant. She doesn't understand. She doesn't understand, people don't want to live outside, this is a mental health issue."

"The City of Oakland's encampment management team is already hard at work implementing the Encampment Management Policy adopted by our City Council, and this year alone has already accomplished numerous closures and guided scores of unhoused residents into programs and shelter," Assistant City Administrator Harold Duffey said in a news release. "With Mayor Thao's executive order we have a clear mandate to step up these efforts." 

The Oakland Police Officers Association issued a news release in response. They called this effort on Thao's part a "last-minute political stunt before voters decide to recall her on Nov. 5."

They also claimed the Oakland Police Department has not been notified about these plans and that the police force are an instrumental component when it comes to clearing homeless encampments. 

It's statement to KTVU read in part: "The mayor and the city of Oakland has exactly two (2) officers assigned to the encampment unit. There will be many more of us required to fully carry out this "order" – where are they coming from? The already understaffed patrol beats?"

Tamie Canalan, who is formerly homeless, was visiting friends at an encampment near the Home Depot located on Alameda Avenue.  "You do have to clean the streets, because it's ugly," said Canalan. "This is the Bay Area, this is supposed to be where [visitors] come to vacation, but it's kind of hard to say, ‘look at the Bay Area’ and it's a mess." 

[catdotjpeg]

[Image ID: Eight workers with Chipotle Workers United stand outside the Augusta Chipotle location. End ID.] 

Chipotle Mexican Grill has agreed to pay out $240,000 as part of a settlement for illegally closing its Augusta location to quash a fledgling union.

That settlement comes after the National Labor Relations Board found Chipotle violated the National Labor Relations Act when it closed the Augusta location after workers went public with their union campaign and subsequently blacklisted them.

Under the settlement, the workers will get between $5,800 and $21,000, based on their average hours worked, pay rate and their length of employment at the Augusta Chipotle, according to the Maine AFL-CIO.

“This isn’t just a victory for Chipotle United. It’s a win for food service workers across the country. It sends a message to corporations that shutting down a store and blackballing workers didn’t work for Chipotle and it won’t work for them either,” Brandi McNease, a former Augusta Chipotle worker and lead Chipotle United organizer, said in a Monday morning statement announcing the settlement...

Chipotle workers at the location on Stephen King Drive in Augusta voted to form a union in late June 2022. That came just a week after the Chipotle workers staged a two-day walkout in protest of what they called unsafe working conditions and low staffing.

It was the first Chipotle store in the nation to file for union recognition. It came amid an upsurge in union activity across the country, particularly in sectors that aren’t traditionally unionized, such as food service.

But Chipotle closed the location effective July 19, 2022, the same day as the National Labor Relations Board was set to hold a hearing to determine the union election process. The location’s workers were informed of the closure in an email that morning.

Laurie Schalow, the chief corporate affairs officer for Chipotle, told the Bangor Daily News at the time that the closure was prompted by staffing challenges, saying the chain went to “extraordinary lengths” to recruit new workers at the location.

But the location’s workers said the move was in retaliation for the union drive, calling it “union busting 101” and challenging the closure at the National Labor Relations Board...

The Augusta Chipotle workers then found they were blacklisted at other locations in the state. McNease, who was widely quoted about the first-ever union campaign at a Chipotle location in local and national press, attempted to apply for an opening at the Chipotle in Auburn, but found her email address on file with the chain was blocked. After using an alternate email address and getting an interview, she was later told she wasn’t eligible for hire there.

As part of the settlement, Chipotle will give the former Augusta workers preferential hiring at other locations in Maine for a year, as well as post notices at 40 stores in Maine, New Hampshire and Massachusetts stating it will not close stores or discriminate against workers based on their support for unionization.

Chipotle maintains it didn’t do “anything wrong” surrounding the closure of the Augusta location, saying in a statement that it settled because “the time, energy and cost to litigate would have far outweighed the settlement agreement.”

“We respect our employees’ rights to organize under the National Labor Relations Act and are committed to ensuring a fair and just work environment that provides opportunities to all,” the company said.

Jeffrey Neil Young, an attorney with Solidarity Law in Cumberland who represents the Chipotle workers, said the settlement won “substantial gains” for the workers even though it fell short of forcing Chipotle to reopen the location.

“Not all of the workers have secured work elsewhere and offering them preferential rehiring rights as well as substantial back pay helps remedy Chipotle’s blatant union-busting. The labor laws need to be changed to impose greater penalties to more effectively deter companies like Chipotle and Starbucks from closing stores and blackballing workers in the face of union organizing efforts,” Young said Monday.

-- “Chipotle pays out $240K to Maine workers for illegal union busting” by Christopher Burns for Bangor Daily News, 27 Mar 2023

[sampark25]

Sampark’s mission is to help vulnerable and poor people, especially women, to gain direct control over and improve their lives. This is achieved through educational interventions primarily aimed at increasing people’s income earning ability. Sampark is Best Child Care Centre in Bangalore for Poor Migrant Kids. Read more.. https://sampark.org/.

Empowering Voices of Compassion: Stories from the Frontlines of Social Sector

In today’s fast-paced world, finding meaning in our careers is crucial. Many individuals are fortunate enough to choose their profession, but few embark on the path of social service with a clear sense of purpose and dedication. While words like happiness, satisfaction, and fulfillment are often associated with working in the social sector, the reality is far from glamorous. Despite the lack of fancy offices and low pay, individuals in this sector tirelessly strive to make a difference in the lives of marginalized communities.

Every day brings new challenges, from overcoming resistance and deep-seated conditioning to rallying community members to participate in essential programs and training. It’s not uncommon for dedicated workers to go to great lengths, such as personally engaging with individuals or even helping with household chores, just to ensure attendance at these sessions.

Yet, amidst the struggles, there are moments of triumph that keep these compassionate souls going. Harish, project coordinator shares Abdul’s story. A migrant laborer who found himself burdened with medical debt until the intervention of Sampark’s dedicated team helped him receive much-needed financial assistance from the Karnataka Labour Board. Stories like these remind us of the impact of our work and serve as a source of motivation. Manjunath, a committed staff member, recounts the transformation of Bairapur village, where the concerted efforts through an SHG of empowered women led to the closure of illegal liquor shops, marking a significant victory in the battle against addiction and social ills. Similarly, Latha’s experience highlights the importance of early intervention and access to healthcare for children in need at Rohan Ekanta child care center. She noticed an unusual

growth near the child’s earlobes and took him to the Public Health Center. Her quick action led to the timely treatment of a child, alleviating the worries of both the child and their family.

Even though there have been lots of happy times, there are also some really sad moments that stick with us. For example, Yamuna, who teaches at our child care center, saw something really unfair happen. The landowner suddenly told the migrant workers living in tents there that they had to leave. It was heartbreaking to see how lost and confused the women and children were.

And then there’s Kamala, another teacher at our center. She told us about a family she knows with three kids. The dad used to work, but he was an alcoholic. Even though we tried to help him stop, he didn’t listen, and he got really sick and passed away. Now, every day, Kamala sees the mom struggling to take care of her three kids all by herself, and it’s really tough to watch.

Working in the social sector is not without its stressors. The weight of responsibility is palpable, knowing that every task left unfinished or follow-up forgotten could directly impact the lives of those in need. Unlike traditional jobs, where deadlines may seem abstract, the clients in the social sector are tangible, their struggles visible and immediate.

As our CEO aptly observes, the enduring presence of civil society organizations speaks volumes about the complexity of the challenges we face. Yet, it is precisely this challenge that drives us forward, fueling our passion and determination to create a better world for all. In closing, let us take a moment to acknowledge and appreciate the unsung heroes of the social sector, who confront adversity with unwavering compassion and resilience. Their voices may be soft, but their impact is profound, echoing far beyond the confines of their offices and into the hearts of those they serve.

Keywords: social sector, compassion, migrant laborers, community empowerment, healthcare access, addiction, marginalized populations, civil society organizations

Read more.. https://sampark.org/.

[techtired]

End of an Era: RealmScans Concludes Its Journey in Manga Scanlation

As we move into the digital age, manga reading has become possible across borders and languages. "What Happened to RealmScans" is a story of quick rise, tough challenges, and an effect that will last in the manga community. This in-depth look tries to find the complicated tale of RealmScans, a website that used to be essential for manga fans all over the world. What happened to the Realm Scans? RealmScans, a widely known manga and webtoon scanlation site, ceased operations in early July 2023. This closure was primarily due to increasing legal pressures from publishers and copyright holders, as scanlation activities often violate copyright laws by distributing unofficial translations without authorization. Legal actions, including DMCA takedown notices and cease-and-desist letters, contributed significantly to the site's shutdown. The closure of RealmScans impacted its user base by eliminating access to a wide range of manga and webtoons, disrupting communities that engaged with and discussed the site's content. The event underscores the legal and ethical challenges faced by scanlation sites and highlights the importance of supporting official sources to ensure creators receive proper compensation for their work. Figuring Out What RealmScans Left Behind? Realm Scans started as a lighthouse for manga fans by translating a huge number of manga titles into English. It quickly became a place where fans could go to read stories that weren't available in official versions. A lot of people really liked the platform because it wanted to bridge cultural gaps through translation. It set a high standard for quality and timeliness in fan-translated material. The Problems And Legal Issues That Come Up With RealmScans Realm Scans had to deal with many problems that tested its strength and adaptability as the digital world changed. The biggest of these were legal issues that came up because of copyright issues and manga companies being more careful. Some licenced sites, like Crunchyroll, VIZ, and ComiXology, now have official versions of manga. This has changed how people read manga and made illegal translations less necessary. Realm Scans was having a hard time getting through these rough seas at the time of this change. More laws were making it hard for Realm Scans to stay in business, and manga was moving towards fully licenced release. To protect intellectual property rights and stay true to its original goal, the platform tried to keep up with these changes, but it got harder and harder to do so. It was hard for it to stay true to its roots and follow the new rules at the same time. This was a big problem that caused it to fall slowly. Legacy and Cultural Impact That Lasts People who read comics will always remember Realm Scans, even though it eventually stopped running. The platform's commitment to making manga available left a lasting impression on its users, making them long for the days when fan-translated material was common. Realm Scans not only let people read manga, but it also built a group of readers who all loved Japanese comics. Insights for Reflection Realm Scans' journey through the constantly changing world of online manga distribution is a powerful lesson about how hard it is to follow the law and do good things for the community at the same time. Its story can teach us a lot about how to make better tools in the future and shows how manga reading is changing constantly. Realm Scans Closinh and Manga Scanning Rising The closing of Realm Scans forces one to consider the path of scanlation in a society growingly occupied with official releases. Although some communities might be able to adapt to the change, the terrain stays dynamic and continuously debates on how to involve people in this new age properly. The Rising Popularity of Manga Scanlation Originating from China and South Korea, respectively, Manhwa and Manhua have seen an amazing global rise in popularity. These comics are loved by a worldwide readership, surpassing their local reach. For new readers like me, the accessibility offered by fan-led translating groups—including the now-defunct Realm Scans and its successor, Rizzcomics—has been vital. People worldwide, including me, have become passionate manhwa and manhua fans, integrating them into the worldwide comic book scene because of their growing availability online. Manhwa has been popular in South Korea via webtoons, digital platforms, and specialized apps; in China, it creates waves both in print and online with its distinctive art and narrative approaches. Exploring Various Genres in Manga Scanlation Manhwa and manhua are celebrated for their variety and for spanning several genres to suit a broad spectrum of tastes. Every taste has a narrative, from provocative dramas to action-packed adventures and complex relationships. These stories offer innovative and gripping narratives that keep me and many others interested, blurring the lines between conventional genres. Maintaining Sustainability and Standards in Manga Scanlation Working with Realm Scans, I have found two crucial elements fundamental to its operations: the constant dedication to excellent manga releases and the necessity to maintain scanlation methods over time. Realm Scans raises a high standard with their scanlations and emphasizes producing perfect translations and crystal-clear images. Using careful proofreading and advanced typesetting to preserve the original's visual attractiveness, they know that readers value both the graphic creativity and the complex narrative of manga. Their commitment is clear as they regularly produce releases in clarity and spirit that are as near to the original work as feasible. In scanlation, sustainability goes beyond site maintenance. It's about striking a balance between ethical and legal issues with fan service. They follow this road by interacting with the manga community to build support and create a voluntary donation mechanism to cover their running costs. They also consider how scanlations affect the manga business and discuss their part in supporting and reviving official releases. The Future of Reading Manga The end of RealmScans marked the start of a new age for manga distribution. The current platforms follow the law and work directly with publishers to keep the manga business going. Even though the time of free fan-translated material may have passed, platforms that have been around for a while and newcomers to the market are still working hard to make manga available to everyone. Finding Lesser-Known Facts About RealmScans When I look for fresh manga readings, I often come across works that haven't become mainstream. For someone like me, platforms like Realm Scans are essential in revealing these pieces to a larger audience. They shine in elevating less well-known manga works, greatly extending readers' vista. They are curators who value the huge manga universe outside the most popular series, not only a venue. This improves the profiles of new manga artists and satisfies our taste for varied and fresh material. Stories that really speak to me captivate me; however, they are not discussed in popular culture. These hidden treasures have opened themselves up to a worldwide audience through several translations. Readers will not have to wait for official translations to savour fresh stories. Thanks to the fan-driven translations project on these platforms, we have an assortment of genres right at hand. However, formal internet outlets that provide authoritative translations have grown rather rapidly. This guarantees that fans like myself may still find fresh titles and help the creators to be rightfully successful and recognized. Similar platforms and Realm Scans link the several worlds of manga writers and readers. It's where I travel through unexplored tales highlighting the beauty of lesser-known works deserving of attention rather than merely reading a manga. Similar Sites Like RealmScans 1. MangaDex Website - link Overview: MangaDex is a highly regarded platform in the manga community. It's known for its extensive library and strong community involvement. Unlike some other platforms, MangaDex is community-driven, meaning fans often upload and maintain the content. Key Features: - Vast Library: MangaDex boasts an extensive range of manga in various genres and languages, making it a hub for diverse manga content. - Multiple Languages: The platform supports multiple language versions of manga, making it accessible to a global audience. - Community-Driven: MangaDex relies on fan uploads and translations, ensuring a wide variety of content and allowing users to contribute. Pros: - Free to use with a strong emphasis on community and user engagement. - Regular updates and a wide selection of manga, including lesser-known titles. - Customizable reading settings and no intrusive ads. Cons: - Since it's community-driven, the quality of translations can vary. - Some content may not be as up-to-date compared to licensed platforms. 2. MangaPlus by SHUEISHA Google Play Store = link Overview: MangaPlus is an official manga platform by Shueisha, one of Japan's largest manga publishers. It offers legal access to a broad selection of popular titles. Key Features: - Official Releases: MangaPlus provides access to the latest chapters of popular Shueisha manga, often the same day as their Japanese release. - Legal and Free: The platform is free and legal, supported by ads, and respects the rights of manga creators. - User-Friendly Interface: The app and website are designed for ease of use, with features like bookmarking and customizable reading settings. Pros: - Access to official and high-quality translations of popular manga. - Regular updates with the latest chapters from popular series. - Supports the creators and the industry by being a legal platform. Cons: - Limited to titles published by Shueisha. - Older chapters may be locked behind a paywall or only available for a limited time. 3. Webtoon Website - link Overview: Webtoon, by Naver Corporation, is a popular platform primarily known for its webcomics. However, it also hosts a significant number of manga-style webtoons that appeal to manga readers. Key Features: - Vertical Scrolling: Designed for mobile reading with a vertical scrolling format, making it ideal for on-the-go readers. - Original Content: This section features a wide array of original webtoons, many of which are manga-inspired in style and storytelling. - Community and Creator Support: Allows independent creators to publish their works and build a following. Pros: - A diverse range of content, including genres not commonly found in traditional manga. - User-friendly mobile app optimized for scrolling. - Supports independent creators. Cons: - Focuses more on webtoons than traditional manga. - Content quality can vary significantly as it includes works from independent creators. 4. Crunchyroll Manga Website - link Overview: Crunchyroll Manga is a sister service to the popular anime streaming platform Crunchyroll. It offers a selection of manga titles from various publishers. Key Features: - Simulpubs: Provides simultaneous publication of new chapters alongside their Japanese release, allowing fans to stay up-to-date. - Integrated with Crunchyroll: Offers seamless integration with Crunchyroll's anime streaming service, providing a one-stop shop for manga and anime fans. - Licensed Titles: Features officially licensed manga, ensuring high-quality translations. Pros: - Access to the latest chapters of popular series. - High-quality, official translations. - Benefits from being part of the larger Crunchyroll ecosystem, which includes anime and drama. Cons: - Requires a subscription for full access, though some content is available for free. - Library size may not be as extensive as some dedicated manga platforms. 5. ComiXology Amazon - link Overview: ComiXology, owned by Amazon, is primarily known for comics but also hosts a large collection of manga. It offers a blend of mainstream and indie titles. Key Features: - Wide Selection: Features a diverse range of manga, including popular titles and lesser-known works. - Smart Lists: Offers curated lists and recommendations, helping users discover new manga based on their preferences. - Sync Across Devices: Allows users to sync their reading progress across multiple devices. Pros: - Extensive library with a mix of mainstream and independent manga. - High-quality digital versions with features like guided view for a better reading experience. - Integration with Amazon, making purchasing and managing titles straightforward. Cons: - Mostly a paid service, although it offers some free content and a subscription model. - Not as community-focused as platforms like MangaDex. Conclusion The closure of Realm Scans closes a significant chapter in the scanlation field. Being ardent supporters and admirers, we are conscious of the group's legacy. The terrain is always shifting; one age finishes, and another starts. The narrative of Realm Scans serves as a moving reminder of the fine line that separates honouring the artistic subtleties of this worldwide art form from making manga accessible. A turning point in the scanlation scene, Realm Scans' closing marks the beginning of fresh possibilities and difficulties as the community develops. Manga scanlation's future is probably going to see further changes that present both possibilities for development and problems. FAQs Realm Scans closed for what reason? The organization decided to dissolve after changes in the comics business and a change in our emphasis on helping official licensed translations. What responsibilities do volunteers carry, and how do scan groups run? To keep the quality of translated material, scanlation groups depend on volunteers who translate, edit, typeset, and proofread. Read the full article

[legalhub16]

LABOUR & INDUSTRIAL LAW

STRIKES AND LOCK OUTS

Introduction Both lockouts and strikes are dynamic, complicated, and intricately connected with the laws and regulations that govern the labour market. There is the potential for their results to have a substantial impact on the lives of workers, the well-being of enterprises, and the consistency of industries. Consequently, it is of the utmost importance for all parties concerned, including employees, employers, labour authorities, and the legal system, to manage these labour actions with caution, understanding, and a dedication to fairness. In the end, whether it is the demand for better working conditions through a strike or the assertion of management's position through a lockout, these actions serve as means to resolve issues that are occurring in the workplace and to advance the interests of individuals who are participating.

I. Strike in Labour Law

Section 2(q) of the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947 defines a strike as “a group of workers in an industry stopping work together, or a joint refusal by any number of workers, who are or have been employed, to continue working or accept employment.”

II. Legal Status of Strike in Labour Law

Section 22 of the ID Act says that strikes are illegal in Public Utility Services, and Section 23 says that strikes are usually illegal in any business. This means that most strikes are illegal. Section 24(3), on the other hand, says that a strike in reaction to an illegal lockout won't be against the law. There are also times when a strike is okay. Section 20(1) says that the conciliation process starts when the conciliation officer receives a notice or when the disagreement is brought to the attention of the Board.

A legal strike can happen in Public Utility Services between 14 days after a strike notice is sent out and six weeks after that date, as long as the issue hasn't been taken to court yet. Another situation where a strike is allowed is this one: If a new strike notice is sent out over the same problem as an old dispute that the conciliation officer said couldn't be solved, the union can go ahead with a legal strike after the required 14 days, unless the government takes the case to the Labour Court or Industrial Tribunal. The new strike notice is based on the failure of earlier conciliation proceedings for the same reason.

When it comes to private Utility Services, there is no set time frame. Workers can go on strike at any time without giving notice, as long as the company's Standing Orders don't say anything against them or get in the way of ongoing negotiations or conciliation procedures. Section 23's general rule that strikes are illegal in all workplaces could be called into question. The answer lies in the fact that this rule only applies when breaking a contract. It's against the law to strike if:

Breaks the employment contract.

Happens in Utility Services for the Public.

Does not follow the warning rule in Section 22(1).

Starts during a settlement or award time.

Starts during or within 7 days of the end of the Conciliation Proceedings.

Starts during or within two months of the end of the adjudication proceedings.

III. Lockout in Labour Law

Section 2(I) of The Industrial Disputes Act, 1947 defines a lockout as the “temporary closure of a workplace, the suspension of work, or an employer’s refusal to continue employing any number of workers during their period of employment.” A lockout is when an employer temporarily closes a workplace or stops work. It’s different from permanently closing a business. Before 1860, a lockout was referred to as a “turn-off.” A lockout serves as the employer’s counterpart to a strike.

IV. Legal Status of Lockout in Labour Law

Declaring a lockout after an industrial dispute has been submitted is a violation of Section 10(3) and Section 10A(4A), which is deemed illegal. The declaration of a lockout in violation of Sections 22 and 23 (i.e., the failure to provide notice prior to the lockout) is also unlawful (Section 24(1)). A lockout that is called in reaction to an unlawful strike, on the other hand, is deemed lawful (Section 24(3)). In extreme cases, a legal lockout can provide employers significant leverage.

In Section 2(1), the word "lockout" is defined. Having said that, it is not fully defined at this time. The original and accurate definition of the term was provided in the Trade Dispute Act of 1929. While the current definition is borrowed from the Trade Dispute Act, the phrase "when such closure, suspension, or refusal occurs as a result of a dispute and is intended to compel those persons or to assist another employer in compelling persons employed by him to accept terms or conditions of, or affect employment" is removed from the current act. The term "lockout" was defined by the Madras High Court in the case of Sri Ramchandra Spinning Mills v/s State of Madras, which includes the deleted paragraph. The Court has ruled that a lockout qualifies for penalties under the Act regardless of whether a natural calamity (such as a flood or fire) closes the company, suspends employment, or the employer refuses to hire the prior employees. The existing definition fails to adequately describe a lockout, as this shows.

V. When is Lockout Legal?

The Act treats strike and lockout on the same basis, treating one as the counterpart of the other. Therefore, the provisions of the Act that prohibit strikes also prohibit lockouts.

The reasons for banning or prohibiting lockouts are the same as those for banning or prohibiting strikes. This is because employers and employees are not discriminated against in their respective rights in the field of industrial relations between the two. As such, a lockout, if not in conflict with Section 22 and 23, may be considered legal or not legal. Sections 24(1)(iii), 10(3) and 10A(4A) similarly govern lockouts. A lockout in response to an illegal strike is not deemed illegal. However, if a lockout is illegal, Section 26(2), 27 and 28 come into play to address the situation. The Act does not provide specific guidelines for settling claims arising from illegal lockouts. Courts have adopted the approach of assigning blame between the employer and employees. This once again highlights the concept of the justifiability of a lockout.

VI. Laws related to Strike and Lockout

Sec 23 - This rule applies to all industrial places, including public utility services. Workmen can’t strike against their work contract and employers can’t impose a lockout as follows: The difference between Section 22(1) and (2) and Section 23 is that in the former, a notice of strike or lockout is required, but in the latter (Section 23), it isn’t needed.

Sec 25 - No one should knowingly provide money to support any illegal strike or lockout directly.

Sec 26 to 31 - Section 26 outlines penalties for both strike and lockout. However, before imposing a penalty under this act, it must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt that:

In Madurantakam Co-op Sugar Mills vs. Vishwanathan, (2005) 3 SCC 193, an employer charged all the workers who participated in an illegal strike with allegations of misconduct, instigation and participation in an illegal strike. Some workers justified their actions, while others apologised. The employer sent warning letters to those who apologised but didn’t fire them, whereas they fired those who didn’t apologise. The apex court ruled that workers can’t be dismissed since they didn’t all stand on the same footing and the same view can’t be applied.

Sec 27 - Anyone who encourages, incites, or lures others to take part in illegal strikes or lockouts commits a crime and can be punished with imprisonment for up to six months, a fine of up to one thousand rupees, or both.

Sec 28 - Anyone who encourages, incites, or lures others to take part in illegal strikes or lockouts commits a crime and can be punished with imprisonment for up to six months, a fine of up to one thousand rupees, or both.

Sec 31 - The Supreme Court, in India General Navigation and Railway Company Ltd and Another vs. Their Workmen (AIR 1960, SC 219), held that when there’s an illegal strike, the workers wouldn’t be entitled to any wages or compensation and they could be subject to punishment through discharge or dismissal.

VII. Conclusion

In the field of labour relations, lockout and strike are both effective instruments that let employers and workers to express their concerns and gain negotiating advantage. Though both acts interfere with work operations, their origins, goals, and legal ramifications are essentially different. Not only are strikes and lockouts different procedurally, but they also reflect a basic difference in viewpoint. The desire of workers to level the power dynamics at work is embodied in strikes. In contrast, lockouts show how the employer is using its power, frequently in an effort to get a better deal in talks.

[cashapp-closedmyaccount]

Most common reasons why is your Cash App account closed?

Cash App is one the most popular digital payment app among millions of smartphone users. It allows you to send money, receive it, and manage your account with just a couple of taps. Cash App is a convenient app, but some users find that their account has been closed unexpectedly. Your Cash App account closed due to several reasons. These include violating the Terms of Service, engaging in suspicious or unauthorized activities, having verification issues, and suspicions of money laundering. A notification will usually be sent with specific instructions for what to do after an account is closed. Cash App may have closed your account due to a violation of their terms and conditions.

Cash App will ask you to follow their instructions and provide documentation, such as your transaction history or proof of identification. This will ensure that your account is treated fairly and impartially. Let's start by learning about the most common reasons why did my Cash App get closed. We will also discuss what you can do if this happens to your account and how to avoid it in the future.

Why Your Cash App Account Was Closed?

Cash App aims to offer a smooth and secure financial experience to its users. However, Cash App accounts can be closed for a variety of reasons which are mentioned below:

Cash App account closed for violating terms of service. This includes fraud, the use of false identities or illegal transactions. Accounts may be immediately closed and funds seized if someone violates the rules.

Cash App accounts can also be closed if they are suspected of being used to gamble. This is a violation of their terms of service agreement, and it allows them to close any suspected account of gambling activity.

Cash App's policy is to close any account that has been dormant or inactive for an extended period. This ensures users are active on the platform.

Cash App monitors account activity closely to detect signs of fraudulent or suspicious behaviour. Cash App may close your account if it is flagged as having unusual activity. This will protect you and the platform.

Cash App's security measures require users to confirm their identity. Your account could be closed if you do not complete the verification process or provide incorrect information.

Excessive chargebacks can cause account closure. These occur when customers dispute transactions through their bank and request refunds. Cash App may consider many chargebacks to be a sign that the platform is being abused or fraud.

How to Avoid Cash App Account Closed?

Cash App users are often in the unfortunate situation of having their accounts closed. This can be frustrating and confusing if they still have money in it. Do not worry: you can recover your money with the right knowledge. It is essential to follow the Cash App's guidelines and terms of service to avoid frustration and inconvenience. Here are some helpful tips to prevent account closed issues on Cash App:

Cash App will only allow you to keep your account operational if you adhere to the terms of service. For example, using Cash App to fund gambling activities is against their rules and could result in its closure. Other instances include unapproved behaviour, identity verification problems and suspicious behaviours.

If you have a Cash App account closed with money that was intended to be there, your first step should always be to contact customer service to explain the situation and get clarification. If an account is closed for violating the terms of service or due to fraud, all funds will be returned.

Cash App should be notified immediately if you notice any suspicious or unauthorized transactions.

Avoid engaging in prohibited activity such as fraud, money laundering or excessive chargebacks.

Cash App customer support takes all allegations of fraud or illegal activity seriously and will work hard to resolve any issues quickly. Please follow their instructions, including completing any requests for identity verification and documents. Also, be sure to review your account activity regularly and report any suspicious or unauthorized transactions.

[atlanticcanada]

Jackie Vautour's family's belongings boxed up from Kouchibouguac National Park

The personal belongings of the family of a man who laid claim to land in New Brunswick's Kouchibouguac National Park are being removed, says Parks Canada.

Jackie Vautour's "family's belongings are being carefully boxed and securely stored outside of the national park," Parks Canada said Tuesday evening in a statement.

Vautour died in 2021 and the Crown agency said it will ensure his family has the details on how to retrieve their belongings.

Parks Canada had given the family until March 31, 2022, to remove their belongings from the park.

"A year ago, Parks Canada respectfully requested that the illegal occupation of Kouchibouguac National Park be brought to a conclusion within a reasonable period of time," it said.

"We offered to work with the Vautour family to help transition Mrs. Yvonne Vautour's belongings and structures to a desired location outside of the national park. This offer was refused."

Vautour was compensated by the New Brunswick government for the expropriated land in 1987, said the statement.

He was given two parcels of land totalling 44.5 hectares outside of Kouchibouguac National Park and $228,000, it added, noting it was an "amount significantly more than the average amount received by the other expropriates."

"Despite accepting the money and the land and signing an agreement to relinquish his claim on the land, Mr. Vautour returned to occupy lands in the park," it said.

The Vautours have claimed they are Acadian-Metis and have the permission of Steven Augustine, a hereditary chief of the Mi'kmaq Grand Council, to remain on the property for more than 50 years.

However, Mi'kmaq chiefs in New Brunswick have said they hold title to the land that includes the park and the rights have not been extended to the Vautours or the Acadian-Metis.

The Societe de l'Acadie du Nouveau-Brunswick also issued its own statement in support of the Mi'kmaq chiefs.

Parks Canada said that over the past few years, New Brunswick courts rejected claims by Vautour and his son, Roy, of Indigenous harvesting rights as Metis in Kouchibouguac National Park.

"The courts determined that there is no historic rights-bearing Metis community in existence in the area of what is now Kouchibouguac National Park," it said.

"Mr. Vautour made a request to appeal to the Supreme Court of Canada, which was denied in 2017."

On Tuesday, Parks Canada said it had "temporarily closed" Route 117, which runs through the park and suspended all visitor services until further notice.

New Brunswick RCMP spokesman Cpl. Hans Ouellette said the Mounties were assisting Parks Canada with the road closure.

About 250 families were displaced through expropriation when the park was created in 1969.

"Parks Canada acknowledges that the past practice of expropriation in the establishment of national parks and national historic sites greatly affected many families and individuals," it said.

"The families and communities of what is now Kouchibouguac National Park remain an important part of the history of this region of Canada."

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 11, 2023.

from CTV News - Atlantic https://ift.tt/8L6jbrX

[dulcewrites]

Fool Me Once (part 5)

Pairing: Aemond Targaryen x reader (Aegon ii x reader 👀) (wc: 6k)

Summary: As the further truths are uncovered, the battle for the Iron Throne begins

A/N: soooo, I said part 5 would be the last part, but in typical annoying writer fashion I’m not so sure now 😭. Either way, I truly cannot express how grateful I am for all the followers, and support I have received since starting it. I consider fmo my brain child but our baby with how interactive people have been. I’d love to get feedback or request on what hotd stuff you guys want to see from me. My inbox is always open so please let me know how you liked fmo (any thoughts or headcanons) and what you want to see 🫶🏽

Fmo masterlist

“We should run away to Yi-Ti.”

You look up from Aemond’s desk at Aegon with an exasperated expression. It was not the first time Aegon had thrown out the idea of leaving King’s Landing for good. There always an idealistic nature about Aegon that is as sweet as it is delusional. You know the guilt he would feel about leaving, and he knows you would too.

I have a dragon we can who can drop us anywhere. I can shave my head and we can change our identities

“You are supposed to help me be looking for this map,” Not bothering to give the same speech you tell him every time he brings it up.

Gently placing everything where you found it, you squat down to check the cabinets of the desk. Aemond kept his study annoyingly tidy, and you are sure we would notice if anything were out of place. The last thing you need is another argument.

There are multiple books, all of them relating to Westerosi histories, and a plethora of written works of poetry. Nothing stands out till you find a pile of letters. Your throat tightens. It shouldn’t hurt anymore, but now the situation has moved past just Aemond wanting to be with someone else. It affects your kids, your relationship with everyone in the family.

You are just tired, and you just want it end. Or at least to have some sort of closure through an explanation or an apology. You are not holding your breath for the later.

With a sigh, you sit, slumped against the wall. Across from the desk. Noticing you are out of his view, Aegon walks around the desk and sits next to you. The two of you sit in silence before Aegon speaks.

“We can skip dinner,” he suggests softly. “I am sure our absence will not be noticed.”

It is a lie. You both know that if you do not show up, you will be in for an earful from Alicent. Especially now that Viserys has finally worked up the strength to leave his chambers. Aegon reaches over to grab your hand. You look at the large ring on his pinkie finger. The golden scales an ode to Sunfyre. Even with all the problems Aegon has with family, he has always fully embraced his dragon. A bond you have never seen before between rider and dragon. You run your hand over the cool metal.

“You know, despite my hesitance towards dragons, sometimes I am envious of you guys for having them.” you laugh flatly. “It is not even the beasts themselves, but everything they represent. This strange strength that means you are better than everyone else. A free pass for destruction.”

The past year and a half had been a sobering one. You feel so disconnected from yourself. Depleted by actions outside of your control.

“But then I think maybe it is good I do not have a dragon; or more so I do not have the power that comes along with it. I have spent my whole life doing exactly what I was supposed to, just to still get dealt a hand of misfortune,” you murmur emotionless. “I fear that there was tiny seed of hate put in me when I first found out about Aemond’s actions, and that everything that has happened since has only made me more bitter and revengeful. I was told that fighting wrong doings with more destruction was never the answer. I do not know how much I believe that now.”

You look over at Aegon with an illegible look in your eyes. “I would go mad with the things I would do with that kind of power.”

Aegon swallows thickly. Honestly, his first instinct is to make a joke. You, the girl who got teary eyed when she learned about the field of sheep kept in the Red Keep for the dragons, speaking with such gravity. But his eyes travel to the faded scar on your arm and back up to you. The harm done to yourself, grief-stricken eyes, and tired frown. He’s only seen that type of look on his mother. The most persistent person he has ever known, and probably will ever know. She wakes up every day to tend to a man that has never done right by her and run a kingdom she did not want in the first place. There is a simmering type hate in your eyes that he is sure only comes from being around his family for too long.

He wonders if this is how his mother felt when she had him. Young, exhausted, and utterly pissed.

“You are not the only one who feels that way,” he softly. “But - you cannot let it get the best of you. Once you get in that place, it is hard to get out.”

You know he speaks from experience. Resentment leaves a bad taste in the mouth of those who feel like life has let them down.

You want to say that another worry is what will happen if you ever find equal footing with the men in your life. Would the spell wear off you were a flight risk? Would you be seen as a volatile powder keg if not a maiden to come to the defense of? Would you be seen as the prize in his eyes if you were not in the position you ate in? In that moment, you think you should tell him about what you let his grandsire do. If anyone would understand, it would be Aegon. Instead, you lean your head against his shoulder.

You do not have the words for that just yet.

————

The search for the map in Aemond’s study goes unsuccessful. You decide to change tactics. There is a slight uneasiness you get digging through his things in the chambers. Soft whiff of lavender and citrus hit you nose as you look through folded clothes of his. You heart rate spikes when you see a scroll of thin parchment. Looking back to check the door, you then unroll the paper.

There is various lines and arrows, but the words are all in high Valyrian. You have picked up and word here and there since being in the Red Keep, but not well enough translate every word. Instead, you follow the arrows. Walking around the room in a way you are sure would look silly to someone if they walked in.

You find yourself in front of the small outline wall next to your clothing wardrobe. Blinking blankly at the wall, you frown. You run your fingers gently across the fabric on the wall. The deep red and gold stitching smooth under your hands. You push harder than intended and gasp when the wall swings open.

In front of you are stairs that lead down a pathway. A tunnel. You do not venture too far, but you see where the path is leading to. Daemon had given Aemond a direct line to outside the Red Keep. And a direct line for anyone to come in.

But why?

As you walk down the tunnel, something shiny catches your eye on ground. You pick up a single earring. A gold plaited coin earring. It is oddly familiar, but you cannot seem to put your finger on who it belongs to.

All you do know is that someone has been using the tunnel recently.

A part of you wanted to storm through the castle and find Aemond. Have him explain what the Seven Hells has been going on. Or if he even used the tunnels. But you surprise yourself when you knock on the Hand’s study door. Perhaps he is not the best person to go to in this state. You know it is not comfort you will find. But for all his faults, Otto Hightower will tell you want you need to hear or at least you will have his ear.

You are now not naive to how much Lord Hightower seems to want to keep you around.

After it was decided Aemond and you were to get married, you were not clueless enough not see the clear advantages not only for you house, but also for his. Your only naive thought being the mutual benefit would keep you safe or protected.

When you walk into the study, you find Otto sitting at his desk, staring out of the window. You know Viserys’ surprise appearance at the petition hearings rattled him as much as it pleased Rhaenyra and her family. You do not know where to begin or what you are even expecting of this conversation.

“Did you know about the tunnels,” you blurt suddenly. “The ones that run under the castle.”

In typical Otto fashion, his face does not give anything away. But he does shake his head, and gestures for you to continue.

“I…. I think Prince Daemon may have had something to do with my… problem.”

That makes Otto lean forward in his seat, the mention of Daemon clearly stirring something in him. You aren’t ready to put anything on Princess Rhaenyra yet. Partly because you are still wonder where her limits are opposed to seeing exactly how Daemon operates. And because just saw what happens when you question Rhaenyra, even if you have proof or a valid criticism.

“And if they had something to do with her, I cannot help but wonder if they had something to do with what happened to Alaric’s blanket,” you still shudder thinking about it.

You already had a deep sense of guilt since giving Otto the go ahead to find Alys. Taking a life is not something you want on your hand and conscious, and it only doubles knowing how this all could have been a perfectly plotted scheme. Your anger at your husband reaches a new level. Whether Alys was the shiny poisoned apple or a woman in love that has gone rouge, this still involves your kids.

“It seems your family’s influence is something many have noticed,” Otto finally speaks, voice gravely and tone even.

Your brows furrow. “They think threatening my son is going to make me tell my parents or uncle to back Rhaenyra’s claim?”

Your grandsire was an old man by the time Rhaenyra was named heir; your uncle took over for your house shortly after that time. And your uncle was just as thrilled as your parents when you married Aemond, clearly excited to have familiar ties to the Targaryen family. Now that you thought about it, you had never asked him where he stood when it comes to Rhaenyra being heir. But based on knowing how your family acquired their wealth and how they operate, they have never been ones to stray from tradition. Despite your grandsire bending the knee to Rhaenyra, you get the feeling everything is up the air especially with you being the good sister to the other possible claim.

“No, dear girl,” Otto sighs, eyes growing tired. “But I am sure they think you feeling unsafe here and having no love for your husband’s actions will.”

Your mind goes back to Rhaenyra’s offer. You are always welcomed at Dragonstone.

They hoped you would seek refuge in them, and in turn feel compelled to drop any allegiance you have to this side of the family. Did they know about how close you had grown to Aegon or to Helaena? Or that even through this turbulent time, you still find yourself having a soft spot for Alicent. You are sure they would reassure your safety if you ever switched side, but you know your safety was not a priority to them. Only the men or ships that would come with it.

“I am not shocked Daemon would go to such lengths, if true,” Otto says. “I would say I am shocked Rhaenyra would go along with it, but the Princess has always found a way to involve herself in things while feign innocence.”

His words make you raise a brow. You never knew if the Hand’s anger towards the Princess came from how she treated Alicent or his grandchildren, or if it came from the pressure he felt to get Aegon on the throne. Perhaps it is Alicent, even all this time and animosity, still craving a relationship with Rhaenyra that eats him up the most.

“You do not need to worry about that. Everything will be put to rest once the rightful heir is put on the throne, and any possible threats have been ridden,” his tone turns stern. You scoff sardonically in response. This is never going to end till there is a clear winner, and win to means there was a fight. War. That would only start if…

“The Queen would never let you do that. Usurp the throne or kill Rhaenyra,” you say immediately. Otto eyes narrow; the tell. It will always be Rhaenyra for his daughter, and it burns him inside. But that can be used in your favor. “Not unless she had more reason to. Rhaenyra could be a good queen for all we know, but her brazenness will always be her pitfall. Now she has Daemon at her side. Spilled blood is clearly not something he is worried about.”

You sit back in your chair and think for a second. Entitlement is like a dangerous herbal, and many members of this family get off on it.

“If you want Aegon on the throne, it may be best to take your time with this. Give Rhaenyra the chance to do what you think she does best… mess it up.”

By the time the power struggle between Rhaenyra and Daemon finally comes to fruition, maybe Aegon think differently. Your mind goes to Aemond, stewing silently about how his brother manages to get everything handed to him. You bite back a smile. Is a miserable existence to always be in the cards for him? If being with you is so terrible to him, maybe that is exactly what he deserves.

“I think I know how to start this off.”

———

You leave Otto’s study, but not before he leaves you with a long, meaningful glance and tells you he needs to discuss somethings with others. You assume it is the council, but you have a feeling his daughter is not privy to that.

The next time you see everyone is at dinner. Your eyes strained on the empty plate in front of you. A sick feeling coming over you every time you look down the table at Daemon and Rhaenyra. A large gap for the king between Rhaenyra and Alicent.

There is something unsettling about how everyone seems to think what happened in the Grand Hall was nothing. You all saw a man beheaded, and now are to sit down to a "family meal" at the behest of the King. The only mention of Vaemond comes in a prayer from Alicent; you catch the eyeroll given by Daemon. The lives of others are expendable if it prolongs or prompts up whatever claim is being fought for.

False promises do nothing to move you while that is all that makes up the Targaryen family. False promises to make up for future deceit. The gull of Viserys to plea for peace when many the broken relationships in the family can be tied to him. Tied to his indecisive, feeble reign as a king. The King That Never Should Have Been perhaps.

A sick sense of irony rushes over you watching his rioting body and empty eye socket while sitting next to Aemond. You have learned that the Gods can be deliciously cruel.

The crown not stand strong is the House of the Dragon remains divided

It’s all flowery words that seem to go in one ear and out the other for your peers. You can tell by the way Aegon’s eyes gloss over, Helaena brows burrow as she fiddles with whatever butterfly Aegon gave her, and how Aemond’s back stiffens that this final push for family unity comes too late. But it seems that all the older adults in the room are moved by the Viserys' speech, or at least Alicent and Rhaenyra are.

You and Otto, sitting across from each other, share a look when Alicent says that Rhaenyra would make a fine queen. The Queen and Princess exchange shy smiles and peripheral glances; for a moment, they look like young girls, untarnished by the world around them.

Your eyes catch Jacaerys’, and he gives you a warm smile. You try to replicate it to the best of your ability. None of Rhaenyra or Daemon’s children have done anything to make you suspicious of them, especially Baela and Rhaena. But you do notice how Lucerys never seems to look you in the eyes. You are still trying to figure out if that is a byproduct of you being Aemond’s wife or if he is privy to information.

When you were receiving offers for your hand, Jacaerys’ name had come up by members of your house but was instantly shut down by your parents. Though the idea of you being future Queen of the Seven Kingdoms was tempting, but they did want to risk the embarrassment of the worst kept secret being spoken. Marrying a bastard was not the vision they had for you, Queen or not.

But when the music behinds, you do get an idea.

“I going to dance,” you whisper to Aemond.

“You know I do not like dancing,” Aemond sighs, and Aegon gives you a look at the corner of his eye. You roll your eyes at him. You remember the lecture his mother had to give him before the wedding festivities about being a good sport, and dancing with you.

“I never said I wanted to dance with you,” you hiss at him, and get up. You feel Aemond and Aegon watching you as you walk to Jace.

“I was wondering if we could dance,” you hold your hand out. Eyes going from Jace to Baela. “If your betrothed is fine with it of course.”

Baela gives you a good-natured shrug and smile. Jace looks surprised by your offer, but nonetheless grabs your hand and leads you to the free area near the table. You turn back briefly to see Aegon and Aemond look at you with mirrored looks of disbelief and disgust. You have duck your head to keep from laughing.

“I have to warn you I am not much of dancer,” Jace smiles as you begin to dance. “But I am sure I cannot be any worse than my uncle.”

You raise a brow at the comment but say nothing. While you are dancing, you see Viserys get carried out. The fact that he has lived to this point is a marvel… and a confusion. He refuses to go away.

“I do hope after that all of this, our families can see each other more often,” he lowers his voice slightly. The sentence seemed sincere enough, but he has also grown up having pretend half of him does not exist. If it is something Alicent and Rhaenyra’s children have in common, it is knowing when to put on a front. They learned it beautifully from their mothers. “I am sure Daella would appreciate seeing Dragonstone. And the girls would love you around.”

There is that mention of Dragonstone again. Before you can even reply, a commotion disturbs you. You turn to see Aemond standing with a drink in his hand.

“I want to make some final tributes,” a small smirk comes onto his face, and his eye flicks over to you. “First, to my dear wife. A gracious mother, and always keeps me on my toes.”

Your face gets hot when everyone’s eyes turn to you. Alicent looks at her son with a nervous look in her big eyes, confused by his sudden need to speak after a dinner of silence.

“And to health of my nephews - Jace, Luke, and Joffrey,” a sinking feeling comes into your stomach. There’s a glint in Aemond’s eye that you recognize all too well, and know not to trust. You see Jace’s shoulders tense at the mention of him and his brothers. “Each of them handsome, wise…. Strong.”

Your throat tightens. Even putting aside, the absolute irony of that coming from him now, you all just saw what happened to someone who questions the parentage of them. And now he is doing here in front of everyone.

“Aemond,” you begin, not even caring to use formalities with him. He cuts you off and continues.

“Come, let us drain our cups to the three Strong boys.”

And of course, to make matters worse, Aegon confidently raises his goblet in the air. They’re imbeciles. Everything seems to happen in slow motion - Jace punching Aemond, Aemond pushing Jace with ease, to out of the corner of your eye, Aegon slamming Luke’s face into the table. You wince at the scene before you as Helaena gets up to move you out of the way of the guards restraining Jace and Luke.

Alicent and Rhaenyra both get up from the table, yelling at their boys to stop. You take notice of the roasted pig on the table; you had heard about the pink dread prank from Helaena. It was never something you pushed with Aemond or Aegon, knowing it led to a large rift in their relationship. You know they love each other; you can tell by the way they backed each other up that they do. They just do not have the words to express their love, or their pain.

A dinner that was meant to bring everyone together ruined. There will probably always be too much bad blood, and not enough honest or apologies for reconciliation. Before Daemon leaves the room after staring Aemond down, he gives you a smile filled with mirth. A chill runs up your spine.

You watch as Alicent all but walks up to Rhaenyra, eyes soft and pleading. She gently rubs her arm as they smile at each other.

With the dinner going wrong, Aemond stalking out of the room, and learning about the map - everything seems to be put into perspective. As you watch your good mother, you wonder if that is how you will be with Aemond. Always waiting and ready for reconciliation, even despite mistreatment. Foolishly dismissive to how you can be hurt again if it means just moments of reprieve. Or maybe a better comparison would be Rhaenyra and Daemon. Knowing exactly what situation you got into, but still finding yourself wanting more because you thought you would be the exception. Both scenarios mean being in a constant loop of love and hate, praying for the day you reach apathy.

Rhaenyra seems to share Alicent’s warm disposition. Everything is warm and lovely when Rhaenyra smile. She is the Realm’s Delight for a reason. Even with the little time you have spent around Rhaenyra, you see how she operates. It is the way all Targaryens are treat her like the world revolves around her, and she’s yours. Entitlement and confidence used to mask a hallow shell, a trait she shares with her husband.

The possible reconnection of old companions would be a sweet affair. Instead, you finally get the complaining Aegon does about his half-sister. To hear the praises of those who have little regard for you.

Daemon giving Aemond the map, Alys introduction into your life, Rhaenyra telling you Dragonstone will always be a place you can go, and your families ties to this family are all connected. The same way your marriage to Aemond was always leading to something.

It was always a question you pondered since coming to the Red Keep. Does the Iron Throne corrupt those who vie for it or do those who vie for it corrupt the Crown itself?

Now not only have you been caught in the crossfire, but you children as well. And who knows what will come of the rest of your family once King Viserys dies. One thing you do know is that you will not leave any stone unturned by the time Rhaenyra tries to sit the throne. If your involvement is what they want, your involvement is what they will get. If your happiness and well-being is worth the price of the throne, what would happen if it was taken away right when she had it? Like your stability or sanity, ripped away without any caution or care.

This power that Rhaenyra is sure is hers to claim. The one that those want so badly for Aegon. The seat Aemond watches enviously as Aegon scoffs at the idea of it.

“Princess Rhaenyra,” you call out after her before she leaves the dining hall. You reach out to grab her hand in a similar manner to Alicent. “I want to talk with you about Dragonstone.”

If they are willing to rip each other apart for the Iron Throne, so be it.

Aegon and Aemond stare at you like you have three heads when you tell them about wanting to stay at Dragonstone. Aegon goes as far as to giggle at your proposal. His eyes wild and glossy from the abundance of wine.

A part of you thought maybe you should just leave, but you know them. There is nowhere you can go that they cannot find you on dragon back. Plus, you still had to explain everything to your parents. You let them in on you leaving while holding some cards to your chest. Their faces go through a mirage of expressions. Aegon's brows shooting up when you mention the tunnels and Daemon while Aemond's going painfully stoic. You know he does not want you or Aegon to get a read on what he is thinking.

"So, you think Daemon and by extension Rhaenyra knew about the Strong whore, and wanted you to be upset enough to leave," Aegon begins sardonically, and Aemond's eye flickers to him when he says whore. "And in response.... you are leaving. Wow dearest, you are really sticking it to them."

You glare at him. You know he is hurt that you are leaving, even if it is for a short time. He is upset that this all leads back to the throne. For every part of Aegon that is loyal and loves deeply, there are parts that are equally selfish. It hits you that Aegon has never had to try with relationships; the only ones he knows are with women that are his family or with ones where he can buy their affection. Those women have no choice but to be around. But you are leaving, and without him… that would be a blow he would not recover from.

"I am not going for long, and I will be taking Quinton with me," you say, and Aegon rolls his eyes in response. "They involved my son, so I will get to the bottom of it."

"I'm sure Jace will be thrilled to hear it," he scoffs.

"You have no right to be jealous; you are not my husband."

It was cruel to say, and you can tell by the way his resolve turns from anger to bitterness. "I am needlessly reminded of that, thank you."

Your brows furrow at that. Who is reminds him of that? You sigh, running your hands over your face.

“This is punishment. This is because of me.”

Aemond finally speaks up, interrupting your argument with Aegon. He looks away from the fire and at you with a look you have not seen in moons. Sadness. You are sure this news is a lot for him to take in. It would be a lie to say that you are not at least a little happy that he feels uneasy about you possibly leaving. Or a little happy that the love story he had built in his head was not exactly what it seems.

It would serve him right. He felt comfortable enough to do what he has done because there was always the expectation you would be around. Sitting in the Red Keep, taking care of your children and waiting to him to finally come around.

“Give us the room,” you whisper to Aegon. He leaves in a huff, not happy with you. You walk over and sit on the seat opposite to Aemond's.

The only noise that permeates throughout the room is the crackling of the fire in front of you two.

“It is foolish for you to think they would not harm you, especially now,” he starts to fiddle with his fingers, a tick he has picked up from his mother. “You would in place surrounded by her people… by dragons.”

“She would not hurt me. Not now, she wants my family’s support,” you rebut.

He does not answer right away.

“You would be giving her exactly what she wants. Us apart.”

Us. You two have not been an ‘us’ for quite some time, and Aemond referring to you as that makes you chuckle coldly.

“That’s the point, dear husband,” your eyes drift from him to the burning flames. “You know how your sister is. She wants everything entirely too much, and now she has a guard dog, planning and watching her every move. This just one step in her 'preparing' for the throne, and what may happen if she takes it."

“She is not fit for the throne. Neither of them is,” he says bitterly. “It would cut her up inside and out just like it did my….”

He trails off softly. Viserys was never made to be King, but then again who is. By the time everything falls into place, things will be different.

“So, we let it.”

Your conversation is stopped by Quinton opening the door for Jayne.

"Sorry, my lady but your parents were asking for you," she says softly. You notice how her eyes seem to survey the room. Taking inspection of anything and everything in it. Your parents watched Daella and Alaric for you during dinner. You nod in acknowledgment, but as you get up you notice the necklace she wears.

A gold plaited coin dangling on a dainty gold chain, perfectly matching the earring you found in the tunnel. Your blood runs cold.

"Thank you, Jayne," you stand up slowly as your eyes go to Aemond. You hope he can read something, anything from the look in your eyes. Your eyes travel to the wall where the secret door is. His eye looks at you, then to Jayne, and you watch him swallow and sink back into the chair.

"Ser Quinton, if you do not mind staying," Aemond says softly, going back to staring at the fire. "I have something I need you to tend to."

Quinton gives you a skeptical look, knowing the tense history between him and Aemond but you give him a reassuring smile.

Maybe it is time Quinton proves his unwavering loyalty to you.

“I just need…. to get away,” it was not a complete lie. On top of having things to figure out, you were looking forward to getting away from the Red Keep. Even if it was to Dragonstone of all places.

Your father had giving you a skeptical look when you mentioned going to Dragonstone. You tell him this the perfect time for him to stay in King’s Landing in your stead. You whisper to him to stay close to the Hand and to Prince Aegon. When his resolve still did not chance, you told him about this being an opportunity for Daella to get connected to her ancestral home, and he understood. He always has a soft heart when it comes to his grandchildren.

It was your mother who gave you the most grief about the proposition. She stays in the room after your father has left.

“I do not think it is appropriate you leave your husband,” she sighs. “Especially at a time like this.”

It has always been her concern. Your allegiance to Aemond and in turn to the who she thinks should sit the throne. A part of you wants to tell her the plan. Maybe rub in her face that Aegon wants you.

But you know you would not be met with an impressed gaze or her questioning how your life has come to this place. Instead, she would ask why you haven’t debased yourself for him yet? Why haven’t you jumped at the chance to be in his bed, in his mind, under his skin the way real lovers do. Sometimes you look at Aegon and ask yourself the same questions. The most frustrating part is you know he would take you up on it. Aegon would indulge the most depraved parts of you because those of the ones he likes the most.

Your mother always manages to seep her way into things that should be good for you. It happened moons ago when you first became friends with Helaena. It is how you are in this mess now. Telling her about Aegon before the right time would be fatal. A blow to your plan, and the last remaining pieces of your heart.

“Perhaps he can come with you?”

“The point is to have some time away from each other. He thinks it would do us some good too.” Your spine feels tight as you are painfully aware of your posture in front of her, “The Princess offered, and it would be rude not take her up on it. She is till the heir till otherwise.”

Your mother stares at you for a moment. She scrutinizes every part of your face, the face she gave you wholly. Her only daughter. The person she has invested so much in.

“You always do this,” she starts coldly. “Shrivel up when things do not go your way. You have so much put in front of you, and you do so little with it. Leaving your husband when things are tough? I thought I raised you better than that.”

A lump grows in your throat. You are taken back to your wedding day. Your mother talking you through a panic attack, telling you to think of your future. That not going through with the marriage means throwing away years of work. In the end, you walked down the aisle. You followed through, and now the debt comes due. You are her biggest star, and her gravest disappointment.

Everything she could have had, and nothing she ever was at your age. You know your mother is happy with her position now, later in life. Reaping the benefits of your father’s house, but it was not always like that. There was never an opportunity to be draped in silk or have the ear of the royal family when she was your age.

“When this does not work, I hope you will not go running to your father.”

And with that she gets up and leaves you in the kids’ room.

You flinch when the door slams. As you sit in silence, you wonder if you would have gotten a different response if you told her about Alys. Maybe she would have pulled you into her arms like she did when you were younger. Deep down, you know she would have asked you what you did wrong; what did you do to make Aemond want to find comfort in another woman. Regardless of the pretenses, he still jumped at the first chance he got at something he saw as real. She would see it as a sign of failure on her part. She did not instill the right values in you to keep your husband happy. She has a funny way of flipping everything on its head, and yet you still crave any validation from her.

Your mother is as cruel as she is dutiful. As cold as she is charming. And as calculating as she is hurt and wounded by the world, she grew up in. The more your plan falls into place the more you find solace.

You are your mother’s daughter.

Taglist: @hydrationqueensworld @xkennobi @dc-marvel-girl96 @lyannesworld @msmarvel-19 @tremendouswolfsaladranch @widemiffyhappy @thenovelcarnival @hanihoney88 @kore-of-the-underworld @xoprincessmel @strawbrryquinn @targaryenmoony @blazzlynch @curlszx88 @crazymusicgirl104 @fanfics4ever @anndraco0523 @weepingwitchofthewest @alinagonewlid @signyventia

[randomshyperson]

New Romantics - Chapter One - Wanda Maximoff Series

Summary: Trapped in a loveless relationship that has cost her friendships, Wanda watches her senior year of school turn upside down after a party. She will make new friends and may end up learning that not every relationship is doomed to failure.

Warnings: (+16), straight and toxic relationships, making out, underage drinking, language, co-dependency, conversations about insecurity and self-worth, attempted romantic comedy, unrequited love at first, friends to lovers. | Words: 4.236k

Skamverse Collection | Series Masterlist | AO3 | Wattpad |

--//--

Chapter One - Parties and Makeups

“The global mentality is moving toward free world trade and increased market liberalism. A world full of opportunities. A world where dreams can come true. It sounds fantastic, and it is fantastic. For a very small percentage of us. But for the vast, poor majority, the capitalist system only means one thing: death and suffering. While we live out our days thoughtlessly and stuff ourselves with cheap food. The poor people of the earth struggle in factories. Wages are forced down to the minimum, while the work hours keep increasing. Unionization is illegal, and the working conditions are intolerable. Before applauding freedom, we must remember one thing: Our over-consuming society stands on the shoulders of the coffee beans from Peru. We gorge on cheap food produced by underpaid children hands from India[...]”

Novi Grad, Monday, 1:00 pm.

"So what do you think?"

Wanda licked her lips, trying to choose the right words to define the monologue her boyfriend has been reading the last few minutes. Vision stares at her in anticipation.

"It's smart." She says, and he gives a soft laugh.

"Is that all? Don't you think I should change something?"

She sighs, shrugging. "I don't know, it's just good." She murmurs, thinking for a moment before adding. "Maybe exclude cheap food? You used it twice..."

Vision leans over to look at the paper. "No, you see, because that's a technique to emphasize the idea I picked up..."

Wanda stopped listening - Yes, she hated doing it, especially at how often it happened. But her attention was diverted to the other side of the courtyard, where a group of girls was leaving the school building. Most of them didn't notice that Wanda was watching, but one of them did. Eve, once she realized it, assumed an icy expression that made Wanda's stomach churn. The girl next to her was Jean Grey, and as soon as she followed her friend's gaze, she raised her middle finger in Wanda's direction before continuing walking.

Wanda swallowed dryly and looked away. Vision cleared his throat, waving in front of his girlfriend's eyes to attract her attention.

"Hey, don't let that get to you." He tried, leaning in to peck her cheek. "Okay?"

"Forget about it." Wanda forced a smile, kissing him. Vision smiled, enjoying the closure of the subject much more than she did since the one who had to deal with the free hatred was not him. The boy pulled away a little to take a breath before deepening the kiss, but a sheet of paper was placed between their faces and caused them both to jump away.

"No more making out my sister." It was Pietro, shoving the test in their faces. He wasn't alone, Clint Barton was with him, and he was the first to greet Vision. Pietro leaned on the railing behind where they were standing, "How did you go in the Geography assignment?"

Clint greeted Wanda with a kiss on the cheek, and Vision answered the older twin with a proud smile, "I got an A+."

"Typical." Pietro retorted chuckling. "What about you, sestra?"

Wanda sighs, gripping the handle of her backpack tighter as if the crumpled test at the bottom was going to jump out and give away her lie. "Hmm, I got a C minus."

The trio made sounds of trouble, and Wanda rolled her eyes. Pietro gave a little chuckle. "Papa will be so disappointed..." He teased, receiving an impatient sigh in return.

"What about you? Did you get an A?" She inquired. Pietro chuckled.

"No, but I'm an athlete." He reasoned. "I don't need the brains when I have the muscles." The boys thought it was funny but Wanda rolled her eyes at the foolishness.

"Okay, Pietro, keep believing that one."

"Better than having neither..." He teased low, and Clint pulled him out of the range when Wanda threatened to push him into the railing. Vision laughed, holding his girlfriend by the waist.

"We're going to Barton, see you later?" Vision announces, and she takes her attention from her brother who walked a few feet with Clint to the boy in front of her.

"I thought you were going over to my place."

Vision shrugs. "I went to your house yesterday, Wanda. And the day before, and before, and before..."

"I get it." She cuts in with a clumsy laugh. She kisses him quickly. "Call me later?"

He smiles, nodding before kissing her intensely. Pietro gets in the way again, asking him to hurry up. Vision leaves with the boys, and Wanda stands at the school entrance, alone for a few minutes even after they have turned the corner.

Novi Grad, Monday, 8:00 pm.

"Don't forget to feed little Chaos, that stinky cat." 

Wanda smiled at her father's message, typing that she had already done so before turning her face to the other side of the bed, where an orange cat was sleeping heavily. She reached out, and scratched him behind the ears, receiving a purr in return.

"Papa is being mean, you smell good, Chaos." She says to the kitten, who doesn't wake up. Then sounds of door and keys ring out in the apartment, and Wanda leaves her cell phone on the mattress before getting up and leaving the bedroom.

Pietro is dropping off his shoes in the doorway. "Hey, good evening. Is Papa home yet?"

She denies it, hands in her sweatshirt pockets. "Double shift. Were you at Barton until now?"

The boy chuckled shortly, letting his jacket hang down and turning his back to go to the kitchen. "Ne (no), I left hours ago."

Wanda frowned, the image of Vision chatting messages and unanswered calls in her head. "Vis left too? I tried calling him..."

"I don't babysit your boyfriend, Wanda." Pietro cuts her off from the refrigerator door, and she swallows dryly ready to leave the kitchen. He regrets his aggressiveness and sighs. "I left early because Crystal wanted to talk. Or rather, fight. I'm sorry for taking it out on you."

Wanda shakes her head. "No problem. Are you guys okay?"

Pietro takes out the dinner saved for him to heat up in the microwave, shrugging. "She dumped me for the ninth time, but she didn't throw anything at me this time so I'd say that was progress."

Wanda sighs. "What was the problem now?"

He chuckles, rolling his eyes. "I don't know, she saw me talking to the new girl at school and thought I was being too nice. She's as hot as she is crazy."

"Don't be sexist Pietro, it doesn't make you any cooler." Wanda retorts turning her back on him, and the twin rolls his eyes again, focusing on dinner.

Wanda returns to her room, and Chaos is stretching out on her bed. He's lying on top of her cell phone now, and she has to push him slightly to get the device. She tries to call, but Vision doesn't answer like all the other times.

Before she can go back to watching the paused video classes on her laptop, there is someone on her porch.

Wanda rushes over to help her boyfriend get inside.

"Weird, it seems to have gotten harder to do that." He comments on the small tear in his jeans made by the railing and Wanda laughs lightly.

"Maybe you just need to exercise more." She teases, making him chuckle. He kisses her, pushing his way inside, but Wanda pulls away with the excuse that she is helping him take off his backpack and jacket. When he sits down on the bed to pet Chaos before kicking the cat out of the room, Wanda asks. "Where were you?"

Vision begins removing his shoes. "At Barton's."

"Until so late?"

The boy lets out a confused laugh, raising an eyebrow at her. "You know his mother is never home to care. Pretty much like your daddy..."

"I tried calling you." She insists. 

He sighs wearily. "My cell phone died."

"Clint didn't have a charger?"

Vision laughs. "No, Wanda, he couldn't find it or whatever. What's this, huh? Some kind of interrogation?"

She swallows dryly, looking away, "No, I just... I was worried."

"Well, don't be, I'm right here." He retorts with a smile. "And you, well, you're quite far away..."

She laughs shortly, moving closer to sit on his lap. He is the one who initiates the kiss, and she cuts him off when she is starting to get out of breath. "Let me get the door." She gasps as she gets up, and Vision just nods.

But when Wanda returns, he notices the study items next to the laptop on the bed, and there is a test with a red note in his hands, and a little smile on his face. "I thought you said you got a C minus, Miss."

Wanda snatched the paper from his hand with rosy cheeks to the red F who seemed to mock her as much as her boyfriend. "Shut up." She says, and he gives up tormenting her when she kisses him again.

Novi Grad, Wednesday, 9:30 am.

"Hey, Wanda." 

The greeting comes accompanied by a tap on the shoulder because the brunette is wearing headphones. Wanda pulls out both items at once, looking at her colleague, Darcy Lewis, with curiosity.

"Hi, Darcy, good morning."

The one with glasses smiles. "Are you going to the welcome party on Friday? You didn't confirm the invitation on Facebook, and Jane is being a bit uptight about the organization. She and Thor are taking care of the drinks." Wanda superficially recognized the names mentioned, they were popular people at school, but they were not her friends. She looked at the book - Dracula - in her lap for a second before turning back to Darcy.

"I don't know, I'll probably..."

"What, be reading on a Friday night?" The girl interrupts with teasing, but not mean smile. "You know, I have nothing against interesting habits, but the welcome party is the first opportunity to meet new friends at the very beginning of the year. This, and also to show the spirit of solidarity with the new freshmen who will fund our graduation. It’s important they know who you are, even if you have chosen to adopt the position of the emo geek of this school. Right?”

Wanda hesitates, half unsure of what to say about the whole thing. Before she can think how to respond, Jane - who was addressing other tables in the study area - approaches Darcy.

"Can you believe Thor told me that Loki just texted that he's taking some friends? What part of Students only did he not understand? The principal won't be happy to hear that they had strangers at the party." Jane blurts out angrily, offering a forced smile of greeting to Wanda before returning to typing on her cell phone. Darcy clears her throat.

"The end of the world really." Murmurs the one with the glasses. "See you Friday, Maximoff?"

"I think so." Wanda retorts, and Darcy smiles, offering her a wink before leaving with her friend.

Wanda doesn't have much time to get back to reading in peace. The class bell soon rings, and she has to collect her unfinished book to get to the next class.

Novi Grad, Wednesday, 5:41 pm.

Watching Vision play soccer with his friends is never fun, but Wanda doesn't complain anyway.

She busies herself with her book, finding it definitely more interesting than watching the boys, and it is only at the first break that Vision interrupts her.

She complains about the kiss because he is sweaty.

"You look pretty when you're focused, you know that?" he compliments, hands resting at her side. She twitches her nose.

"Am I not pretty at other times?"

He chuckles. "Don't be silly, being pretty is your greatest talent." He retorts, and she forces a smile, trying not to look bothered by the phrase. He doesn't notice, moving away to get a bottle of water. 

The soccer field is not empty, but Wanda doesn't know the kids there besides Clint, and her twin obviously. She has seen some of them, but they were Vis's friends and not hers. So she has a big empty space around her in the stands.

Stealing glances at the surrounding groups of friends and couples, Wanda sighs before turning her gaze back to her boyfriend.

"Vis, will you go with me to the school welcome party?"

He makes a confused face, finishing a large sip of water before retorting, "That cheesy thing? Why do you even want to go to that, we've never attended it before."

She frowns softly. "It's not cheesy. It's important that the freshmen get to know us now, they are responsible for over half of the fundraising for the graduation trip-"

"Didn't your father say he was going to pay for yours?" He interrupts her with a raised eyebrow. 

Wanda sighs. "Yes, but I'm not going to think only of myself-"

"I have money too." He cuts in again shrugging. "Clint works, Pietro is your brother so he's insured too. You don't have to care about a dumb party full of brats, Wanda." He mocks with a chuckle, leaning in to kiss her, but Wanda turns her face away. Vis doesn't notice, distracted by the boys rushing him to get back to playing, and Wanda sighs at the thought that he almost never notices anything that bothers her. 

"I just think it would be nice to meet new people." She murmurs, and he sighs, looking down at the field and nodding that he's going already.

"Well, I guess we could drop in for a few hours, free booze is a nice thing..." He suggests, and her face immediately lights up. Vis extends a hand to her strands of hair. "But you have to do something for me."

She frowns. "What?" 

"Can my brother spend Easter with us?"

Wanda's excited expression drops. "Seriously? Can I bring mine?" She retorts wryly and angrily, closing the book. Vision sighs helplessly.

"Baby, come on..." She rolls her eyes, starting to put things away. "Hey, I know I said I didn't want anyone bothering us, but Dad grounded Tony and I don't want to leave him alone for the whole holiday..."

"If Tony would stop screwing up he wouldn't be grounded." Wanda retorts now standing up, with her backpack in her hands. Vision chuckles, making puppy dog eyes at her. 

"Please, darling. A party for a party." He negotiates, and she rolls her eyes.

"Okay, fine." She agrees, and he grins, grabbing her by the waist to spin her in the air despite her protests. With the delay, Clint approaches them, just as sweaty as his friend.

"Come on man, you two can hook up after the game." Says the boy, busy with the water as Vision lets go of Wanda with little grace, who pulls down the hem of her skirt with her cheeks slightly flushed with embarrassment. 

"I'm celebrating, Wanda has agreed to let Tony spend Easter at her family Cabin." Vision tells. Wanda wryly chuckles:

"Maybe you'd like to come too, it seems the holiday for two has turned into a holiday for everyone." 

Clint chuckles, wiping his mouth before commenting, "How did he convince you, Maximoff?"

She sighs. "He's taking me to the welcoming party on Friday." She says, and Vision shrugs, but Clint frowns.

"Friday? Don't you have that fancy dinner with your dad and the uni people? You haven't shut up about it for months." Clint recalls and Vision puts his hand to his head. 

"Oh, shit, it's true. Baby, I completely forgot..."

"Whatever." She says wearily with her hands in the air lightly. "See you tomorrow, Clint." He said leaving, and Vision patted the back of his friend's head before following his girlfriend.

Novi Grad, Friday, 07:12 pm.

"I'm already at the restaurant, good thing I wore a suit. Try to go to the party, it will be good for you." 

Wanda reread the message for the ninth time, trying to understand what in the last sentence bothered her so much. She sighed, looking at the little Chaos adjusting himself on her bed.

"What do you think, buddy? Do you think I should go to a stupid party?" She asks the cat, who doesn't even meow back. 

Wanda risks checking Instagram, only to be bombarded with pictures in her feed about the school party, which grew in popularity apparently because Loki wasn't the only one who took other than students.

She glanced around her messy room, and at the paused sitcom on her laptop. The Addams Family was not being efficient in distracting her tonight. Vision was at a dinner party with her father's contacts from Europe's top universities, Pietro was sleeping over at Crystal's because they got back together the day before, and Clint was supposed to be working. And there were no other friends.

Wanda forced herself to her feet. She could do this. New friends at a party, right? It shouldn't be that hard.

She got ready in record time and changed from her comfortable sweatshirt into a wine-colored cotton dress. Maybe it didn't scream friendly energy, but it definitely made her look pretty. 

Chaos meowed at her when she stood in front of the mirror, and Wanda thought she was good to go. She texted to Vision that she was going to have fun knowing he wasn't going to answer tonight before she left.

Novi Grad, Friday, 08:40 pm.

Music from the loudspeakers echoed throughout the room. The welcoming committee did a good job, because they had booked the whole night at the Panther Club, two blocks away from the school, and the place was completely full.

Wanda managed to get in at the ticket booth with her school ID and was given a different wristband for being of legal age. She imagined that this would guarantee alcoholic drinks for her inside the bar, but she doubted very much that anyone was respecting these rules of the amount of drunk freshmen around.

She was trying to have a good time. She didn't rely too much on the colorful drink that the bartender said was alcohol-free and decided to enjoy the Club's trademark live music show.

It wasn't exactly her idea of fun, being around hundreds of drunken teenagers, but Wanda tried to ignore the discomfort of her own boots to dance a little. 

It was not a good idea.

She returned to the bar area after three songs way too long for the good health of her toes and was considering leaving when she recognized the red-haired figure only a few feet away.

Jean was waiting for her drink, and saw Wanda out of the corner of her eye, assuming a defensive posture.

"Hi." Wanda greeted, receiving only an icy stare in return before the redhead looked forward again. Wanda sighed, "Jean, please. You can't ignore me forever."

"Not forever, it's already senior year." She retorts coldly, turning her body toward Wanda, one arm resting on the counter. The brunette swallows dryly, but the redhead smiles wickedly, the other hand reaching out to push the strands of brown hair behind the smaller girl's shoulder. "What do you want from me, Maximoff? A chance to stab my back, too?"

Wanda tenses her jaw, her eyes burning. "Please don't be like this." She pleads and takes on courage. "I miss you, you know. And Eve... Please just say something."

Jean licks her lips and tucks a strand of hair behind Wanda's ear before lowering her hands. She looks her in the eyes.

"Next time, try to use less eyeliner. You're looking like a slut." She declares, turning away before Wanda can really process what was said to her.

She feels her throat tighten with the urge to start crying and takes a deep breath. And then she feels a presence behind her.

"Very nice friend you have." Ironizes an unknown voice. Wanda turns around and is surprised by a slightly familiar face. 

You smile and stare back at her. "Did you know that girls who call others girls sluts are statically more likely to get chlamydia?"

Wanda frowns slightly. "Really?"

You grin "No, but it would be fun karma." You say, and it is her turn to chuckle. You then extend your hand to her. "I'm Y/N, we're in the same Literature class."

"Oh, that's right. The new girl." Wanda murmurs finally realizing where she recognizes the face from. "I'm Wanda."

"I know." You retort biting back a smile and when she blinks curiously, you half-heartedly clarify, "Your brother, Pietro, right? He's been very considerate of the new students, even the ones who aren't freshmen. He pointed you out in the courtyard once."

Wanda nods, a little out of frame. She wasn't very good at socializing, especially with those she thought were kind of attractive.

You noticed her distance and cleared your throat. "Just for the record, Wanda, and well, I'm no makeup expert but..." You extended your hand again, this time to her face, wiping with the tip of your finger a bit of eyeliner smeared by the tear she let fall. "I wouldn't say you look slutly, I'd say you look quite beautiful."

You compliment, and Wanda feels a shiver spread through her body. So surprised by her own reaction, she can barely smile back when you do so in farewell, leaving the bar.

She decides to run to the bathroom and check her makeup even though her legs are still shaking a little.

The sound of the party is muffled inside, and Wanda sighs as she sees her own reflection. She wants to believe what you said, but since Jean treated her like that, it's been a little difficult. 

With a wet piece of paper, she carefully removes the eyeliner, and just as she is finishing, she hears a soft cry coming from one of the booths.

Worried, Wanda throws the paper in the trash and follows the sound. "Hello?" she needs to call out another two times for the girl to sniffle and answer.

"Hey."

"Sorry to bother you, but are you okay?" It's kind of a silly question to ask someone who is crying in the bathroom, but it's the best that Wanda handles. And the girl seems to enjoy the kindness.

"Yeah, just... it's stupid." She replies in a small voice.

"Can you open the door for me for a minute?" There is a pause, but the keyhole unlocks and the girl pushes the door slightly. Wanda offers her an understanding expression and pulls her by the hand. "Come, I can help with the smudged makeup." The girl agrees to be led out of the booth, to the sinks. "I'm Wanda, by the way."

"I know, your brother is pretty popular." Mumbles the other one sniffling softly. Wanda smiles, "I'm Yelena. Can you call someone for me? The team captain?"

"Oh, sure." Wanda assures, kind of getting the impression that the girl is kicking her out, kind of uncomfortable with the attention.

She leaves Yelena and heads back to the party, spending a good ten minutes asking about this team captain to the people around - most of them too drunk to know - until finally one of the third-year girls points to a tall boy at the back of the club. "The only captain I know is Steve Rogers, sweetie. That pretty boy over there."

Wanda approached him in a circle of people, it was as uncomfortable as she expected. Steve, at least, seemed like a nice guy and followed her with some concern about that girl crying in the bathroom.

But when Wanda returned, Yelena was not alone. Another blonde girl was finishing helping her with her make-up.

"[...] you and Kate need to stop this push and pull, that's what I think." Advised the stranger. Yelena sighed.

"She left me crying in a bathroom, I'll never speak to her again."

"Come on Yelena..."

"Sorry." Wanda interrupts the interaction with Steve trailing behind her. "I brought your friend, Yelena. The team captain."

The two look at her as if she is crazy. Yelena points to the other, "This is my friend. Carol Danvers, captain of the basketball team."

Steve nods. "What's up, Carol?" he greeted her with a smile half confused by the whole thing. 

"Oh, I didn't know we had more than one...team." Wanda mumbles clumsily, and Yelena sighs half impatiently.

"Look, thanks anyway, it's the thought that counts. But we were in the middle of a conversation here..."

"God, you're so rude when you're mad at Kate." Carol complains. "Come on, Natasha was looking for you. Thanks again, sweetie." The blonde pulls her friend out of the bathroom, and Wanda decides she has had enough for the night.

She makes her way out of the bar, but on the street, she realizes that Steve Rogers has followed her the whole way.

"Hey, sorry, are you Jarvis Stark's girlfriend?" He asks and she takes her time assimilating her boyfriend's real name instead of the nickname everyone has used since elementary school. 

"Yeah, why?"

Steve smiles awkwardly. "Any chance you have his brother's number?"

Wanda has a good few seconds of pure surprise before muttering that she really wasn't talking to Tony. The blond gets a little disappointed but forces a smile. 

"Sorry, see you at school." She babbles, honestly tired from this night.

[beardedmrbean]

Five suspected MS-13 members are now facing murder charges following the discovery of human remains belonging to missing 15-year-old Limber Lopez Funez in Maryland earlier this year, police say. 

Ismael Ivan Rivera Canales, 20, Alexis Alfredo Ayala Lopez, 21, Jose Roberto Ramos Lopez, 22, Elmer Bladimir Reyes Reyes, 28, and Ismael Lopez Lopez, 29, also are all "noncitizens illegally present in the United States," according to the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office. 

"Since Mr. Lopez Funez was first reported missing back in late February, we have had officers and detectives working tirelessly, investigating this case," Frederick Police Chief Jason Lando said in a statement. "Our team spent countless hours following leads and conducting searches all over the county. We were all hoping to find Limber alive and well, but sadly that did not happen." 

Frederick Police say Lopez Funez was first reported missing by his family on Feb. 25. 

"In the early morning hours of February 26, while conducting a search for the missing teenager in the wooded area near Orchard Way, detectives discovered a crime scene that indicated a serious assault had occurred there," the department said in a statement. "The scene was processed, and detectives continued their investigation to find Lopez Funez." 

"During the investigation, detectives developed information that Lopez Funez may have been in the area of Gambrill State Park," police added. "Multiple searches were executed by detectives and on April 24, during one of the searches in the Gambrill State Park area, human remains were located and confirmed to be those of the missing teenager, Limber Lopez Funez." 

Lando also said "While we know it will not bring Limber back, we hope the arrests in this case will offer some closure to the Lopez Funez family." 

Each of the suspects has been charged with first-degree murder. A Frederick Police detective told Fox News Digital on Thursday that they are all suspected members of MS-13. 

The motive for the killing has not been revealed. An investigation is still ongoing. 

"Following their arrest, Designated Immigration Officers within the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office 287(g) Program placed an Immigration Detainer-Notice of Action, form I-247A, on all five noncitizens illegally present in the United States," the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office said. "ICE lodges detainers on individuals arrested on criminal charges who ICE has probable cause to believe are removable noncitizens." 

"Once they have satisfied their local criminal charges, ICE will take over custody of all identified suspects," according to the sheriff’s office. 

[songmingisthighs]

[4.11] mafia!wooyoung × reader

⇀ you thought he didn't care, he was sure he doesn't, he had said it so himself to you. that was, until he almost lost the chance of being able to care for you.

⇁ tw : running away, mafia life (criminal/illegal acts)

⇁ part 1 / 2 / 3

⇁ disclaimer : the author does not support any and all criminal/illegal acts. the narrative written in this story is purely fiction out of the author's imagination. the things written here does not portray real mafia life nor is the author aware of how the mafia life is like. the author is a hermit loser.

At first, Wooyoung thought you had really ran away from him. After the fight you had the previous night, how could he not ?

"All I ask is a little bit of attention! I know you could spare some for me," you exclaimed, following after Wooyoung into the home office in his mansion. Yes, his, he never once said it was yours too so you treat it as such.

Wooyoung rolled his eyes at you, "and I ask you shut that big trap you called your mouth before I shut it for you, but we can't all get what we wanted now, can we ?" He spat.

You're used to his aggressive words, it used to hurt but now the pain just comes and goes. But you're at your wit's end, he was distant when you both were first forced into engagement but he was still polite so you thought that was just the shock, but now that you're married, things got worse.

"Wooyoung," you called, leaning both of your hands on his desk aa he sit on his office chair, "it's been 8 months since we got married," he glared at you when you said that, so you sighed and change your choice of words, "since we were force into marriage... But I've been trying so hard to make this less of a chore for both of us, I don't know what else I could do! You're not even bothering to hide the fact that you hate my guts to your very core even though it wasn't my fault that we got into this! Heck, you don't even bother to acknowledge that I exist!"

Wooyoung slammed his hands down on the table, standing face to face with you, "that's right," he chuckled darkly, "I don't even bother, you know why? Because you're nothing in my life, I never ask for you, I never wanted you, you're still here because your dad's business fell through with my dad and he used you as mean of escaping because that's all you are, princess," he leaned closer to your face and spoke through gritted teeth, "a worthless burden that people toss around,"

It would've been a lie if you said that his words doesn't affect you whatsoever. Because it does.

Maybe deep down that was one of your biggest fear and having someone confirmed that made you feel sick to your stomach. You recoiled from the table, as if having been struck across your face.

Though Wooyoung had a satisfied smirk on his face, "you should know I've been planning your assasination ever since you said 'I do', I would've made it look like an accident so that my dad wouldn't be up in my ass talking about losing his insurance of control over your dad, maybe I should move the schedule up so I can get rid of you quicker,"

You stared at him for a while, not knowing that he actually hated you that much. All this time you thought it was just petty reluctance of being tied to you, but this just brought things to a whole new level.

"No..." you choked out, trying to hold back tears, "I'll take care of it myself," and with that, you ran out of his office to pack all your belongings with tears streaming down your face.

And that was the last time Wooyoung had seen you. He had heard from one of his butlers that he had seen you running around the house retrieving your things where it supposedly was earlier, you looked frantic and you hadn't even taken a second to take a break.

"And did she got out of the house today?" Wooyoung asked from his position on the couch, loosening all of the buttons on his shirt. "No, master, not that any of us know of," said butler then leaned close to Wooyoung's ears, "the cctv has been cut off, her bodyguards are dismissed, no one has tended to her nor got close to her, and I personally see to it that all windows and doors are unlocked just as you had requested,"

Wooyoung couldn't believe that he's probably a free man now, that YOU had left him so that he wouldn't be in hot water with his father.

With a glass of whiskey in his hand, he decided to look around to see whether or not you had really left while telling his maid to prepare dinner for him.

True to what he expected, he made two laps around the mansion but not once did he find you. Not even in his office with a divorce paper, as dramatic as it sound.

He finally step into his shared bedroom with you to make his final confirmation.

At first he knocked on the door, not really knowing why he did that, but when no sound came from the room he simply opened the door and walked in. He hadn't returned the night before, spending half of his night in his home office before going out with San to a bar, not realizing that it was his guilt that drove him out to drink his memory away.

Looking around the room, he couldn't really tell whether or not you had ran away. The room looked like it had been slept in the night before, he could see the spot where you laid in comparison to his side that's perfectly neat.

When he stepped into the walk-in closet, he was quite surprised at the sheer contrast to the bedroom. Your clothes thrown haphazardly, it seems like you were urgently looking for things to pack, and the more he analyze the items on the floor, the more he realized that you hadn't taken anything that was bought with his money.

But that wasn't the thing that got his attention.

It was your wedding dress that had been taken out of its garment bag, across from it, an empty bottle of wine and a box of tissues with crumpled tissues surrounding it. It looked straight out of a movie.

He walked closer to the dress and trailed a hand down it.

He remembered seeing you wear it on your wedding day. He remembered being too pissed at his father to be able to fully appreciate how ethereal you looked. He remembered how when you looked at him, he could see the redness in your eyes, indicating that you had been crying.

But over all, he remembered how his heart skipped a beat when he saw you walking closer to him. Of course, he would never admit it outwardly.

His train of thought was broken when his butler knocked on his bedroom door, "master, dinner is served," he said.

Wooyoung cleared his throat and straighten out his posture, "yes, of course, I'll be there soon," he called out.

As the footsteps of his butler fade, he carefully zip your wedding dress back into its garment bag, making sure that the dress is stored perfectly.

After that, he went to the dining room to have his dinner.

Usually, you'd be seated in your seat, across from him at the other end of the table that seats 10 people. He'd have to admit that it feels weird not seeing you smile at him after a long day of working, but he forced himself to believe that it was a good kind of weird.

Strangely, as he eat his food he felt that it doesn't match his palate, that something feels off. So he called for his head butler and asked him about it.

"Did we change cooks? Why does today's dinner taste so bland?"

His butler seemed hesitant to answer him, looking at the head maid for a bit. The middle-aged woman stepped forward from her spot, bowing slightly to avoid Wooyoung's eyes, "we did not have any change in staffs, sir, it's just that the mistress used to prepare all of your meals and considering... the circumstances, she had not prepared anything for you," she said, not even bothering to hide her bitterness that he had drove you away.

Considerably, he was shocked that you had never brought the fact up to him. But as usual, he masked his true feelings and just nod at her, continuing with his meal even though he can't seem to enjoy it.

The shock didn't stop there, though.

Over the course of the first 5 days of you leaving him, he began noticing the things that indicate your presence in his house. Or used to indicate your presence.

He never knew that you were the one who always put flowers around the mansion. He noticed this when he passed by a vase of wilting aconite. It almost broke him when he see the maids cleared all flowers, leaving an empty vase that he now associate with your absence.

He never knew that you kept tabs on food he likes and dislikes. After 3 days, he gave up on eating the food his cook made for him, firing the poor man on the spot and resorting to take outs.

He never knew that you were the one who personally arrange his wardrobe. Usually, every morning he'd find his favorite shirts or favorite sets of clothes on the front, ready for him to pick out and wear. Now that you're not here, he had to spend extra time deciding what to wear.

And lastly, he was surprised at the fact that you had never made it to your hometown.

"What do you mean she's not with her parents?" He growled at his henchmen, making them visibly scared. "W-we tried looking for her, even asking around, but no one had seen her," he explained.

All Wooyoung wanted was to hear about how you're happier without him, how you've settled back to your life without him, how he'd be assured with the fact that you leaving him was the best thing that could ever happen to you two.

Feeling that he owed this for the sake of his own closure, he ordered everyone under him to find out your whereabouts.

The desperation suffocated him, he hated the feeling.

So he ran out of his office to his garden, going to the furthest side where it is practically abandoned so that he'd be all alone to calm his mind.

What he hadn't expect to see though, was several pieces of clothes on the ground. At first he just thought that the laundry might have flown away due to the wind, but when he inspected them closer, he recognized them as yours.

"Why would these be here?" He muttered to himself as he began picking up the scattered pieces of clothes one by one. When he picked up the last piece, he noticed your suitcase by the corner of the tall wall that surround his house for protection.

The sight that made his stomach drop was a rather huge hole that could fit a person.

Wooyoung's brain put 2 and 2 together and the only reasonable conclusion made him feel like blowing up.

You had been kidnapped.

[fragilefangirl]

Ok since i'm neck deep into Shang-chi craze i just want to point out that for all its amazing potential, this movie missed one thing and it's an exploration Xialing and Wenwu's relationship.

Asian daughters are not ignored to nonexistence. We interacted with our fathers. It's just that when it comes to important stuff like serious family matters, we are never involved. As a result, conversations with our fathers usually involve annoying things like physical appearances and marriages.

Here is what should be understood; most Asian dads, especially traditional ones at that, dont know what to do when they have daughters. With sons, the purpose is clear; an heir, a successor, someone to pass the torch to. With daughters, they're not sure. Asian family emphasizes a lot on roles; fathers are to protect, mothers are to nurture, sons are to continue. But daughters are a grey area, and for some reason thousands of years of civilization had yet to manage roles for daughters that are not just a preparation for their future role as mothers.

Contrary to popular belief, i don't really believe Wenwu is outwardly sexist i.e. discriminative to his daughter. He fell in love with a woman who could kick his ass, for fuck's sake. He gave up everything to be with her and followed their vows through until she died--men don't behave like this when they think women are inherently an object. Wenwu doesn't see women as objects, or if he did he saw them the same way he saw men were in the context of his ongoing rampage and colonialization.

Instead, i think at his core Wenwu is afraid. He might not be outwardly sexist, but he is a traditional man, and when he had a daughter i think the instinct to protect is even bigger than when he had Shangqi. Not because he loved one of them more, but because Xialing is a girl, and in his eyes girls are more vulnerable, more prominent to threats. He managed to interact properly with her in the first 4 years of her life because this assumption was never proven, but then Ying Li died and he couldn’t help but to think that his line of thinking is true.

So I believe that Xialing was prohibited from training for this very reason; for Wenwu, she was vulnerable. For Wenwu, She has to be protected. It adds salt to the wound that she has similar features to Ying Li, which only reminded him of how he failed to protect his family the first time.

Regarding the ignorance, I truly believe she wasn't forgotten, per say. Wenwu knew where she was, knew how her ring worked in order to infiltrate them (dramatically) properly. He puts enough attention to her to gain these updates. He probably watched her fight with Shang-chi and waited until they were done. He cares for her, just not outwardly the way he cared for Shangqi. Also, I do believe that he thought Xialing was capable, because not once did he interfere with her illegal ring fight thing up until 3 days before his death.

One occasion I can't help but to notice was the dinner table talk. When Wenwu droned Katy into his monologue, Xialing and Shangqi exchanged glances, made faces, rolled eyes, sighed in exaggeration. This wasn't the first time he did this, and he'd probably done it enough times for a.) Them to expect it and b.) Him to not be pissed at them for being dramatic about it. So I took it that dinner was still an occasion even after their mother died, and perhaps even after Shangqi left, but what used to be a platform to exchange each other's day turned into a one-man show where Wenwu drilled repetitive values to his children that they could probably repeat in their head word-per-word because he isn't creative and even 1000 years old warlord can run out of stories.

And interaction with children, with daughters, are usually like that; we're not conversing, we're listening. Dads don't usually know our interests, so they fall into old patterns of giving us unsolicited advices on life that's probably outdated. When it's over, they leave, thinking they've done their share of parenting when they haven't listened to us once. It's shitty and really disheartening, but that doesn't mean the care isn't there, or that there aren't other forms of care exhibited. Like, there is no way that Xialing has never opened the door to a platter of sliced fruit in front of her door. There is no way that she had never received a scolding when she fell and hurt herself. These, too, are interaction and care.

I would love to see more interaction between Wenwu and Xialing addressing this. She lived the longest with him, and they lived in one house. There is no way that he just kind of forgot she existed, and never talked to her once during those 12 years of sharing a space. I wish this movie portrays more implicit interactions between them, and finally addresses it in the final act. I wish Xialing, too, got the closure from her hurt. That would've made her Ten Rings takeover even sweeter.

[waitimcomingtoo]

touch

chapter four: closure

Synopsis: you love him but you can never touch him

Pairing: Peter Parker x Reader

Series Masterlist and Regular Masterlist

“Op. Timers up.”

You rolled off of Peter and reached for your phone to turn your alarm off, sighing sadly as you did.

“I hate that sound.” Peter groaned as he rolled onto his back. “That sound should be illegal.”

“Well if you feel that strongly about it, you can gather a group of strong willed individuals and start a petition.” You teased him as you sat up.

“Are you sure that was 20 minutes? That went by really fast.” He pouted as he rolled onto his side. He lazily played with your fingers as he looked up at you with puppy dog eyes. You sighed deeply, eyes filling with regret as you pulled your hand away.

“Pete.” You said apologetically. “It was 20 minutes. No more touching.”

Peter nodded in understanding and withdrew his hand, letting it rest on his chest instead.

“It’s not long enough.” He mumbled as he stared out the window. “No amount of time is long enough.”

“I know.” You agreed with him. “But it’s better than how we used to be. At least we get to touch now.”

“For less than half an hour a day.” He grumbled as he sat up, his mood entirely altered now.

“It’s for the best. You don’t even know what I’d do to you if I could touch you all day.” You smiled coyly, trying it bring him back to a good mood as you stood up on your knees and crawled towards him. Peter perked up with a curious gaze as he turned his body to face you.

“What would you do?” He cocked an eyebrow as he leaned towards you but didn’t make contact.

“I’d tell you, but you wouldn’t be able to handle it.” You teased him before swiftly pulling away. Peter groaned and threw a pillow at you before his mood shifted.

“I don’t mean to sound ungrateful.” Peter said apologetically as his eyes softened. “This is so much better than what we were doing before. I would prefer if I had all the time in the world to touch you, but I’ll take my 20 minutes. I’m lucky I get even that.”

You bit your bottom lip and checked your phone, seeing that it was two minutes past your allotted 20 minutes.

“We still have a minute.” You lied, focusing all your self control on not hurting him as you leaned in to kiss him. Peter eagerly kissed you back, rising on his knees to hold you closer to him.

“I love you so much.” He whispered against your lips. “I’m never going back to what we did before.”

“Me either.” You smiled fondly at him as you stroked his face with your thumbs. “Okay, times really up now. No more touching.”

Peter pouted and let go of you before flopping on the bed with a huff.

“No pouting either.” You teased him as you rubbed your aching temples.

“It would be a lot easier to stop touching you if you weren’t so pretty.” Peter chuckled as he watched you get dressed.

“Sorry about that. It’s all my fault.” You sighed dramatically as you pulled your shirt over your head.

“It is.” He nodded repeatedly. “It’s unbearable trying to resist kissing you every time you walk into a room.”

“I know the feeling.” You told him as you looked at him through the mirror on his dresser.

“Don’t look at me like that, peaches.” He warned. “The 20 minutes are up.”

“I know.” You smiled a little sadly. “I’m just looking.”

“I have to get to training.” Peter sighed as he checked his phone. “I’ll see you after, okay?”

“I’ll see you later, lover.” You blew him a kiss. He caught it, despite how corny it was, and held it against his heart.

“You make it so hard to leave.” He whined as he walked up to you, leaning his hands on either side of you but never touching you.

“Go. You don’t want to be late.” You reminded him playfully. “I’ll see you soon.”

“All right.” He jutted his bottom lip out. “Bye.”

As soon as Peter left the room, you ran to the connected bathroom and threw up in the toilet. You brushed your teeth with the toothbrush he had left there before sliding against the wall and putting your head in your hands. Your brain was pounding in your head, as if it had a heartbeat of its own. You rubbed your temples as hot tears of anguish rolled down your face, the pain worsening before going away.

~

“What’s wrong?” Bruce asked once he noticed the pained look on your face in the living room.

“Nothing.” You shook your head as you sighed. “I just have a headache.”

“Again?” Bruce began to worry. “You’ve been complaining of one all week.”

“Yeah. I don’t know, it’s probably just a cold.” You lied as you adverted your eyes. Bruce didn’t buy into your lies and pressed a hand against your forehead. You immediately jumped back, fearful that you’d hurt him.

“Y/n, you’re burning up.” He really began to worry now.

“Careful, Br. Banner. It’s not safe for you to touch me.” You reminded him as you kept your distance.

“Could I run some labs?”

“Is that necessary?” You asked. “It’s just a headache.”

“You’ve only been using the stun gun once a week right? Like I told you?” He asked making you stop in your tracks.

“Yeah.” You lied. “Just once a week.”

“Alright, good.” He sighed in relief. “I made it with gamma radiation, you know. Too much of that will kill you.”

“Kill me how?” You wondered as your mouth went dry.

“Well, you were born with your powers.” He explained. “Your abilities are a part of your nervous system. Temporarily taking your powers away for 20 minutes holds up with nervous system. Too much radiation will slowly weaken you until you die.”

“Oh.” You nodded slowly. “I see.”

“But once a week is fine.” He assured you. “That shouldn’t do too much damage. It might give you a headache though. Would you mind if I ran some labs?”

“Sure. Whatever you need.” You said quietly as a panic set it. You used the stun gun 7 days a week and you we’re finally feeling the consequences.

“Let’s go.” Bruce escorted you to the lab.

An hour later, you left the lab with an anxious feeling in your tummy. You ran into Peter in the hallway and plastered a fake smile on so he wouldn’t worry.

“There you are.” Peter smiled as he approached you. “I burnt my hand on the oven again.”

“You did?” You worried as you tan to him. “Let me see.”

You took Peters hand in yours and squeezed it but didn’t feel his pain transfer to you.

“That’s weird.” You blinked in confusion. “I don’t feel anything.”

“Hm.” Peter fought a smile. “Weird.”

“You’re such a liar.” You playfully hit him when you realized his trick. “You didn’t burn your hand.”

“No. I just wanted to hold my girlfriends hand. I’m sorry.” He looked at you with his puppy dog eyes, still holding your hand.

“I forgive you but don’t do it again. This isn’t a game, Peter. I could seriously hurt you.” You reminded him. You began to worry he was gonna make a habit out of tricking you to touch him. You were feeling horribly sick, and you were a fast healer. You had no idea what would happen to Peter if you accidentally transferred your pain to him.

“I know.” Peter smiled apologetically. “I think I have a paper cut, though.”

“Where?” You raised an eyebrow, not believing him.

“My lips.” He said sheepishly.

“Uh Uh.” You shook your head teasingly. “Not fooling me, Parker.”

“I thought that would work.” He whined. “Fuck me.”

“Aw, I so would but we already had our 20 minutes today.” You teased him, making his jaw drop.

“That is not what I meant and you know it.” He narrowed his eyes at you. Before you could respond, you heard your name called from behind you.

“Y/n.”

You turned around, your smile immediately fading when you saw Bruce standing there with a frown.

“I’ll catch up with you.” You told Peter before jogging over to Bruce.

“Hi Dr. Banner.” You smiled weakly. “Is everything okay?”

“I’m so sorry.” Bruce whispered, looking incredibly guilty as he held your lab results in his hands.

“What happened?” Your mouth went dry.

“There must be something wrong with the gun. I must’ve calibrated it to disperse more gamma radiation than I intended. Your whole body is full of it. There should not be this much. I don’t know how this happened.” He apologized as a sick feeling settled in your tummy.

“Dr. Banner, it’s okay.” You assured him. “It’s not your fault.”

“It is. I must’ve gotten the calculations wrong or left out a variable or-“

“I use it everyday.” You blurted, cutting him off. Bruce’s face twisted in confusion as he processed what you said.

“What?”

“The stun gun. I use it everyday so I can touch Peter.” Tears came to your eyes as your confession came out. “It’s not your fault. It’s mine.”

“Y/n, your body needs at least a week to recover from a blast of gamma radiation.” Bruce told you. “That’s why I told you to only use it once a week. Your body can’t heal in just a day, even with your enhanced abilities. Every time you use the gun, you make yourself sicker. Your ability to heal quickly is the only thing keeping you alive right now.”

Your jaw locked in fear as the tears fell down your cheeks. You didn’t say anything as you sucked in a shark breath.

“Hey, it’s all right.” Bruce rubbed your shoulder. “My body is full of it too.”

“I’m so sorry. You told me it was dangerous and I did it anyway. I’m so stupid.” You whimpered as you wiped your face on the back of your hands.

“You’re not stupid. I’ve been here before.” Bruce sighed. “I pushed people away, even when I really loved them, because I was scared of hurting them. You’re not a monster for wanting to be loved.”

“Am I gonna die?” You whispered.

“I don’t know.” Bruce answered honestly. “How long have you been doing this?”

“Everyday for the last three months.”

“You should stop for at least 6 months then, and we’ll reassess then.” Bruce advised. You felt the air get knocked out of your chest when Bruce told you you wouldn’t be able to touch Peter again for 6 months.

“Dr. Banner, I can’t go back to how I was before.” You protested. “I can’t do that to Peter.”

“The only other option is poisoning yourself with the radiation until you die. I think Peter will understand.” Bruce told you.

“What about me?” You shrugged sadly. “What if I don’t understand?”

“Go talk to him.” Bruce advised. “Just have a calm, adult conversation.”

“Okay. Calm and adult.” You nodded. “I will.”

You immediately went to Peter’s room and knocked on his door, waiting to enter until he told you to.”

“Hey, peaches.” Peter smiled brightly as you shut the door behind you. “To what do I owe the pleasure?”

“Peter we have to break up.” You blurted out, making Peter sit up and go to the edge of his bed. So much for your calm and adult conversation.

“What?” Peter’s face fell at your words.

“I…I did something really bad.” You shook your hands as you began to panic. You paces around his room as the guilt and anxiety ate away at you.

“Peaches, it’s okay. Talk to me.” Peter reached out to touch you but quickly withdrew his hands when he remembered he couldn’t.

“I lied to you.” You confessed as tears came to your eyes.

“About what?” Peter asked slowly as you stopped pacing.

“Dr. Banner told me I could only use the stun gun once a week. I knew it was dangerous to use everyday but I did it anyway and it’s killing me.”

“Killing you?” Peter’s eyes darkened.

“The radiation. Dr. Banner said if I keep using it, it’ll kill me. I’m so sorry.” You began to cry, wishing more than anything that you could reach out and touch him.

“Then we just won’t use it anymore, peaches.” Peter said calmly. “Not if it’s killing you.”

“But we can’t use it for at least 6 months.” You cried. “You said so yourself, you hated the way we were before. You don’t want to go back. So I’m letting you go. I’m not gonna make you stay in this relationship if we can’t touch each other.”

“Peaches, I don’t love you because I get to touch you.” Peter chuckled softly. “And don’t get me wrong, I love getting to kiss you and hold you, but just being with you is my favorite part. I can go another 6 months without touching you if it means you’re still my girlfriend.”

“But…but you said you’d never go back.” You calmed down long enough to realize Peter wasn’t mad.

“I’d never go back to us being just friends. I can go back to us not touching if it keeps you safe. That’s all that matters to me.” Peter promised you.

“Really?” You asked hopefully.

“Really.” He nodded. “I love you in any way I can have you.”

“I love you too.” You smiled gratefully at him before pulling him into a kiss. In the heat of the moment, you didn’t think about the pain you were holding inside and kissed him deeply. Peter kissed you back for just a moment before you heard a small gasp emit from the back of his throat. You felt him slid off your lips and opened your eyes to see him collapsed on the floor.

“Peter?” You asked as you knelt down beside him. You rolled him over and let out a gasp when you saw how pale he was.

“Peter?!” You shook him aggressively. “Peter?!”

When Peter didn’t respond, you let out a guttural scream for help.

“Dr. Banner!”

Bruce rushed into the room when he heard your scream, stopping shortly when he saw Peter.

“What happened?” He asked as he knelt down beside you.

“No no no the radiation.” You cried as you shook Peter. “I just gave him the radiation.”

“Okay, calm down. Let me get him to the lab.” Bruce instructed as he grabbed Peters feet. You hooked your arms under Peter and helped Bruce carry him to the lab. You laid him on the table and stood anxiously as Bruce hooked Peter up to a monitor.

“You said the only thing keeping me alive was my healing abilities.” You worried as you chewed on your nails. “He doesn’t have that.”

“But he has something like it.” Bruce reminded you. “He’s still enhanced. He might not die from this.”

“Might?” You whispered at the little hope he was able to offer you. Bruce gave you an apologetic look as he continued to work on Peter. You felt useless as you stared at Peter’s lifeless body until you got an idea.

“Wait.” You spoke up. “Let me take his pain. I’ve done it before.”

Bruce was quiet for a minute as he stared at Peter’s monitor.

“He’s not in pain.” He said quietly.

“He has to be. He has to be if I was.” You reasoned.

“Y/n, Peter isn’t in any pain.” Bruce repeated. You realized he had stopped working on Peter and felt a sinking feeling in your tummy.

“Why?”

Bruce looked away from the monitor and took his glasses off for full dramatic effects.

“Because he’s dead.”

“What?” You shrieked as all the color left your face.

“I’m kidding. Was that a bad joke?” Bruce grimaced as you gasped for air. “You can take his pain. It’s just gonna hurt a lot.”

You gave him a frustrated look before placing your hands on either sides of Peter’s face.

“Come on, Peter.” You willed him. “Come on, Spiderman.”

It took a minute, but his pain slowly drew out of his body and into yours. Your veins darkened to a jet black as the radiation seeped back into your body, making you let out a scream.

“Y/n, be careful.” Bruce warned as Peter’s vitals began to improve.

“It’s killing me.” You screamed in agony as the color began to return to his cheeks.

“Because it’s three months worth of radiation at once. You’ve been building it up.” Bruce grimaced when he saw the toll it was taking on you.

“It hurts so bad.” You cried.

“It’s almost all out.” Bruce told you. “Just hold on a little longer.”

“Dr. Banner, I need you to do something for me.” You said breathlessly, your body beginning to shut down.

“What is it?” Bruce asked.

“I need you to recalibrate the stun gun to permanently remove my powers.”

“What?” His eyes widened. “Why?”

“So nothing like this ever happens again.”

“Then you can’t be an Avenger.” Bruce protested.

“But I can be a human being.” You shouted. “I want that more. I want that most.”

“But-“

“Please.” You cried. “Just do it.”

“Okay.” Bruce agreed. “I will.”

“Thank you.” You nodded. “I’m gonna pass out now.”

“Okay.” Bruce told you, but you had already hit the floor.

~

Once Peter’s vitals were stable, Bruce transferred him to his own room. As soon as he was awake and responsive, you went to visit him.

“Hey.” You greeted Peter in a soft tone as he woke up from a nap.

“Hi peaches.” Peter lit up when you sat on his bed. “I’m surprised you came to see me. I’m…I’m really glad you did.”

“Why wouldn’t I come to see you?” You smiled teasingly

“Dr. Banner told me what happened.” Peter admitted. “I thought you were going to blame yourself for what happened and be too scared to come near me.”

“Are you scared that I’m near you?” You asked him softly as you kept your eyes down.

“No.” Peter shook his head immediately. “I want you to be near me.”

“Good. I want to be near you too.” You chuckled as you laced your fingers through his. Peter looked at your hands in happy shock before giving them a squeeze.

“You’re touching me?” He asked happily.

“After what happened, I had two options.” You explained. “I could’ve shut you out to ensure I never hurt you again, or I could make sure I never hurt anybody again.”

“What do you mean?”

“I had Dr. Banner remove my powers.” You smiled sheepishly. “I told him to take them all away, but he found a way to let me keep the healing aspect. I can still heal, but I can’t hurt.”

“You had him take away your powers?” Peter asked in shock as he sat up straighter. “Why?”

“Because human beings need to be touched.” You shrugged. “I didn’t want to live without that anymore. I didn’t want to be allotted 20 minutes a day to touch the boy I love.”

“You did this for me?” Peter asked fondly as you stroked his cheek with your thumb.

“No.” You shook your head. “I did this for me. I didn’t want to worry anymore. I wanted to be free.”

“So this means…” Peter raised an eyebrow. You nodded a little before leaning in to kiss him, feeling weightless as the fear of hurting him was long behind you.

“It means we get to do this all the time, lover.” You whispered against his lips. “Anytime we want.”

“Anytime we want?” He asked for comfirmation.

“Yup.” You popped the p for emphasis.

“In that case.” Peter raised an eyebrow. “What were you saying before about what I couldn’t handle?”

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