#Josh average talks

[implausiblyjosh]

I was watching youtube video essay about how Picard "ruins Star Trek". They're talking about Star Trek (2009) and how it "reboots the timeline" and I'm just like... no? It doesn't? That's a core part of the on-screen plot is that this is not a "reboot"! It's not trying to replace what came before, it's just remixing ideas, iconography, aesthetics, and characters from Star Trek TOS. Leonard Nimoy basically looks into the camera and says that! If you're getting such basic shit wrong about this movie you decided to talk about for 5 minutes in your almost 4 hour video, mayyyyyybe you're gonna mess up more things later.

[synnamon-hearts]

I wonder if you have any hcs for poly! Climbing class x Reader like Josh and Chris are both fine asl and can't decide

𖹭~𖹭~𖹭~𖹭~𖹭~𖹭~𖹭~𖹭~𖹭~𖹭~𖹭~𖹭~𖹭~𖹭~𖹭~𖹭~𖹭~𖹭~𖹭~𖹭~𖹭~𖹭~𖹭~𖹭~𖹭~𖹭~𖹭

Heyyy, this is interesting! I've never been a huge climbing class shipper but I once read a Josh x reader x Chirs fic and it stuck with me every since. 😂 So, with that, let's get started on these headcanons!

NSFW and a bit of a plot down below!

𖹭~𖹭~𖹭~𖹭~𖹭~𖹭~𖹭~𖹭~𖹭~𖹭~𖹭~𖹭~𖹭~𖹭~𖹭~𖹭~𖹭~𖹭~𖹭~𖹭~𖹭~𖹭~𖹭~𖹭~𖹭~𖹭~𖹭

So let's say you have known Josh and Chris for quite some time and have always been so close to them. They are both super charming, goofy, loving, and also pretty cute. So of course you would gain a crush on both of them over time.

And like all these tropes go, Josh and Chris also end up falling down the little rabbit hole that is feelings for your good friend. Expectedly, this causes some issues between the boys. When you laugh at one of their jokes or look at one of them a certain way, the other gets jealous.

It isn't until one drunken night at a party does the truth come out, when Chris nearly clocks Josh for kissing you! Both the kiss and the small fight between the two was heavily unexpected and kind of scary. Once Mike and Matt broke up the fight, you pull Josh and Chris into a nearby bedroom to talk.

The boys finally confess their long-lasting feelings for you and as reluctant as you are, you confess your feelings for both of them as well. Thank God for the liquid courage you drank before coming in here! But this leaves a dilemma. What now? You would hate to just choose one and hurt the other. And how would you even choose? They are both so special for you.

After voicing your concerns to the boys, Josh and Chris begin to think for a solution in the few minutes of silence that follow your worrisome confessions. But then, seemingly at the same time, Josh and Chris both get an idea that makes them smile. After sharing a knowing look between each other, they give you a proposal. You could be their girlfriend.

The suggestion shocks you. A relationship with the two of them? Could end messy, but could also end up to be a beautiful thing. So with tears in your eyes, you accept their offer, sealing the deal with a kiss on both of their lips.

The thought of having your first time with the boys that night lingers, but it doesn't happen. No, you all agree that it is better to give each other a chance to adjust to this new lifestyle before making that big of a commitment. That comes 5 months later.

After many date nights of going to the movies, amusement parks, and other fun stuff, you and the boys decide that you are all finally ready for that special night you have all been anticipating. It takes place in Josh's bedroom, who has the biggest bed out of all three of you. It begins slow, a bit of making out with one while the other kisses your neck and feels you up, and then vice versa. This continues on until the clothes come off.

Chris is the shy one of the two, there is no doubt in that. But even a bit of insecurity glimmers in Josh's eyes when he reaches down to undo his belt. Not that either of them needed to be though. They both have amazing bodies, Josh having a bit more meat and muscle while Chris is a tiny bit skinnier but still so appealing to the eyes. They are both fairly average, Josh being a tiny bit longer by an inch and Chris being just a little more thicker. And oh man, when they finally enter you, it feels like heaven.

They are both careful not to hurt you, both taking turns while the other jacks off while watching to keep himself satisfied until his turn is up. It's definitely a special night to remember. Every time you are with them naked and in bed or even in a shower or a car, it feels so right and perfect. They love it when you lay on your back and take one of them down below while sucking the other off. It's such a hot sight for the two guys.

It doesn't take long for either of you to realize the love you all share for one another, and that's what makes this interesting relationship work so well. There are ups and downs but the ups are just so beautiful that the downs do not matter. The others may think you are crazy, and they are right; you are crazy in love with these two dorks that mean the world to you.

𖹭~𖹭~𖹭~𖹭~𖹭~𖹭~𖹭~𖹭~𖹭~𖹭~𖹭~𖹭~𖹭~𖹭~𖹭~𖹭~𖹭~𖹭~𖹭~𖹭~𖹭~𖹭~𖹭~𖹭~𖹭~𖹭~𖹭

[tomorrowusa]

Trump probably can't win the presidential election without North Carolina. 🤔💡

It would be difficult though not out of the question for Kamala Harris to win without Pennsylvania. But it would be close to impossible for Donald Trump to win without taking North Carolina.

If Trump loses North Carolina, it could be an early night — and curtains for GOP

Democrats hope that momentum determines the presidential winner and even changes the contours of election night. North Carolina polls close early, at 7:30 p.m. Moreover, state law allows processing of mail-in votes well before Election Day, making an early count possible. (Some states, including Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, cannot start processing until Election Day, which could result in delays of several days before a winner is determined.) Should Harris win North Carolina’s 16 electoral votes, Trump’s chances of victory diminish greatly. He would need a virtual sweep of other battleground states (and likely all of the blue-wall states).

A quick reminder that North Carolina was the state which gave Trump his narrowest victory in 2020. It was won in 2008 by Barack Obama. So we're not exactly talking Tennessee or Idaho here.

An early-evening victory in a state Democrats have not won for 16 years would reverberate through the country, potentially depressing GOP turnout in Western states and diminishing the appetite for stunts to refuse certification of results in states such as Arizona and Georgia (which would not be determinative if Harris holds the blue wall and wins North Carolina).

Republicans are more likely to vote on Election Day than Democrats who have adopted early voting in greater numbers than Republicans. So an early call for Harris-Walz in North Carolina on the night of the election would more likely depress Republican votes in the Western US.

One thing which may negatively affect Trump in the state is the awful Republican candidate for governor of North Carolina.

[T]he North Carolina governor’s race might have a “reverse coattails” effect. The Republican nominee, Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson, is an extremist conspiracy nut, a “fount of social media conspiracy theories and vile proclamations about the LGBT community, Jews, and other minority group,” the Daily Beast noted this year. From Holocaust denial to thundering that “some folks need killing” to his support for an abortion ban from “zero weeks,” he symbolizes everything wrong with today’s MAGA Republican Party. Robinson’s Democratic opponent, Josh Stein, the state attorney general, has opened a 10-point lead. If Democrats tie Robinson (a Trump favorite) to Trump, voters might run from both. At the very least, Republicans could suffer a drop in turnout as disgusted North Carolinians simply stay home.

A better than average turnout of Dems in NC would help flip the state. If you live just over the border in deep red South Carolina or Tennessee then consider doing some volunteer work in North Carolina. It could have an impact which extends far beyond the Tar Heel State.

[epiphainie]

can you elaborate on why you think 911 is conservative with its queer rep

sure, i mean i talked about the show's conservative approach to systems of power while looking liberal with its diversity etc. before and i think it also goes for queer rep in the sense that it has many queer characters but queer characters are only allowed to be queer without reminding the average cishet audience they're that different from them. they can be queer but they need to conform to what is digestible to a heterosexual/heteronormative audience. they're queer when the show needs to remind the audience of their romantic partners (or in josh's case when he needs to play the gay bestie) or in very rare moments they make a statement (hen's speech in s2).

i don't think this is the type of show that'll ever have a pride episode, for example. or explicit queer solidarity between buck and hen. or women flirting with hen on calls like they do with buck and eddie. or a talk about open relationships or polyamory which i think realistically would be a talking point for queer men in buck and tommy's situation. i seriously doubt it can show what dating for a bi person looks like (a lot of biphobia, let me tell you) once buck starts dating again nor show him explore and join queer spaces. i don't think we'll ever see a lesbian friend group/support system for hen and karen. etc etc.

i know many people would disagree with this because there's a very queer found family feeling to the show and none of what i said changes the fact that this type of rep is valuable too but it's only a queer show as much as it can be while keeping in that conformist space.

[implausiblyjosh]

I know we all love to hate copyright here (completely understandable and agreeable, tbh!), but like… cmon now.

As far as I can tell from this article, it’s very specifically targeting AI models that slurped up any and all artistic works to try and push itself as a replacement for those artists it scraped from. There’s always the risk that one of these things can go south or go after fan works, of course. But it seems to be pretty specific in its anger and its scope. I just can’t get too worked up over tech bros getting fucked over because they wanted to replace artists.

Good morning everybody

[simply-ivanka]

Why the GOP Is Winning Over Minorities

The Democrats have nothing to offer but grievance, victimhood and welfare.

Josh Williams -- Wall Street Journal

On Election Day, Donald Trump revealed the new coalition underpinning the modern Republican Party. As a proud black elected Republican, I believe today’s GOP represents people like me better than the Democrats ever have.

My early life could be considered an “authentic” experience as a black man in America. I was once a homeless high-school dropout. As a young adult, I endured a devastating workplace accident that left me disabled. At 30, I pulled myself up and enrolled in college, determined to rewrite my story. Within the next seven years I became a practicing attorney and, in 2022, the first black Republican elected to the Ohio House of Representatives in 50 years.

I understand the needs and concerns of my community, because for many years I lived them. All the Democratic Party ever offered me was grievance, victimhood and welfare. What any American—black or otherwise—wants is the opportunity to work hard and achieve his dreams. The Republican agenda champions economic prosperity, energy independence, border security and community safety. Opportunity lives within the modern GOP, and last Tuesday people of color agreed in record numbers.

To understand why the Democratic Party has failed, just look at how its agenda has affected my hometown of Toledo. Toledoans are very proud of our Jeep plant, the backbone of our local economy. Unfortunately, it has been crippled by big government. New regulations and mandates have led to assembly-line shutdowns and thousands of layoffs. Decades of unfair trade practices and an oppressive tax code leave Toledo and cities like it in decline.

For our gritty town, the Jeep plant has been a leg up for generations. This work has been passed down from fathers and mothers to sons and daughters for longer than I’ve been alive. Without it, many people who grew up like me are simply left with one less option to succeed.

When I walk into the barber shop, people are talking about Jeep jobs, inflation and crime, not identity politics. They ask questions about border security and the cost of living, not culture wars. The average American who looks like me simply isn’t concerned with the fake issues being peddled by the Democratic Party and the elites who set its agenda.

My message to Washington after the election is simple: Stop pandering to us. Treat us like adults. Treat us like Americans.

Whether you love Mr. Trump or loathe him, you can’t accuse him of inauthenticity. Minority communities not only can handle that approach—we appreciate it, and we will vote for it.

Mr. Trump’s Republican Party is where I belong. It’s where my friends, neighbors and pastors belong. The voters have spoken loud and clear that his GOP is the party of the people. All of us.

Mr. Williams represents the 44th Ohio House District, which includes much of the Toledo area.

[implausiblyjosh]

Earlier today I said out loud, to no one and while no one was around, “not beating the friend visitor allegations” and then whipped my head to look behind me as if I wasn’t the one who said those words out loud.

[shroomiethefrogwhisperer]

It’s a pretty average day aboard the ship. Karen is high off her ass, Moss is trying to make friends with the feral ratbirds that live in the pipes, and Steve is trying to teach Bastier (the newest crew member) how to juggle.

Zzgnaru walks through the ship with a deep sense of satisfaction. None of the humans have said anything weird lately, nothing’s caught on fire for weeks, and Karen’s almost out of drugs. That won’t be a problem at all in a few days!

As xey pass the common room, xey hear Steve talking to his boyfriend, Josh, and Bastier. “Yeah, I think I’m gonna buy a few new skins. My current one feels kinda lame.”

Zzgnaru immediately feels like xey’ve heard something xey weren’t supposed to. Xey retreat to the bridge, where Moss and Karen sit with Amethyst (a Penaconian), Douri (an Aaki), and Banana, Moss’ current situationship, braiding each other’s hair. Karen takes one look at xir face, and excuses herself.

“Zzgnaru, hon, what’s up?” She asks, walking with xem through the corridors. “I heard Steve tell Josh and Bastier that he was going to purchase some flesh,” xey explain. Karen gives him a confused look, and asks, “Do you remember exactly what they said? Because Steve doesn’t strike me as a serial killer or a dude who’d like human taxidermy.”

Zzgnaru thinks for a moment, and then says, “I believe that he said he was going to ‘buy some new skins.’ Josh and Bastier seemed to think this was completely normal.” Karen stops, and just stares at him for a second. Then she bursts into laughter. “Oh, Zzgnaru, bae, they were talking about video games. ‘Skin’ is slang for the outfit your character is wearing. It’s not actual flesh,” she crows. Zzgnaru sighs in relief. “Thank the universe. I thought I was going to have to call in the authorities.”

Karen just laughs harder. “You know you wouldn’t. I mean, I’m literally in possession of highly illegal drugs all the time, Moss is a stalker, and Amethyst and Banana have blackmailed almost everyone on our ship- and others- at least once.”

Zzgnaru sighs in resignation. She’s right, though. Xey’re not about to sell out xir crewmates.

[implausiblyjosh]

i used to work at a coffee shop, and during the winter holidays they would play one (1) holiday CD on repeat all day long. at a certain point i could judge how long the day was by how many times i heard one specific song on the CD.

God's strongest soldiers are retail workers that have to listen to that dog shit music all hours of the day

[a34trgv2]

Why It Worked: Inside Out

Introduction: Inside Out is an animated coming-of-age film produced by Pixar Animation Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Pictures. Directed and co-written by Pete Docter, with the screenplay being co written by Meg LaFauve and Josh Cooley, the film stars Amy Poehler, Phyliss Smith, Lewis Black, Mindy Kaling, Bill Hader, Kaitlyn Dias, Diane Lane, Kyle MacLachlan and Richard Kind as Joy, Sadness, Anger, Disgust, Fear, Riley, her parents Bill and Jill, and Bing Bong respectively. Released on June 19, 2015, the film was a major box office success grossing $858.8 million on a budget of $175 million. It also received critical acclaim from critics and audiences alike. According to Rotten Tomatoes, out of the 384 reviews aggregated, 98% gave a positive review with an average rating of 8.9/10. It also received numerous awards, including an Oscar for Best Animated Feature, several Outstanding Achievement Awards at the Annies, a Golden Globe for Best Animated Feature, and a Critic's Choice Movie Award for Best Animated Feature. It is often seen as a culturally significant film for mental health and the importance of expressing one's emotions. I saw this film for my birthday back in 2015 and I loved it right out of the gate. After multiple rewatches over the years, I stand by my personal opinion that this is a masterpiece of animation and visual storytelling. I'm overjoyed to talk about this film now that it finally has a sequel out.

The Plot: This film has 2 stories that are interconnected to one another, taking place in the mind of an 11 year old girl. On the outside, it's a bout a kid moving to a new city and being overwhelmed by the sudden changes happening all at once. On the inside, it's about Joy and Sadness trekking through Riley's mind, while along the way understanding each other's importance. Together, they create a very unique and engaging plot about growing up and learning to express yourself. The film brilliantly cuts between Riley, Joy and Sadness' journey, and what's happening at HQ to organically show what Riley's feeling and how her actions have psychological consequences. In addition to having powerful gut punching drama, it's also a very funny film with plenty of slapstick, goofy gags, and impressive word play that always gets me to belly laugh. Michael Giacchino also provides an enchanting, dreamlike score with great use of the piano and brass sections. The true highlight of the story is, of course, Pixar's masterfully crafted and innovative animation. The film makes Riley's mind so vibrant and expansive with Dream Productions and Imagination Land being major highlights. The outside world also looks very well done with the people looking very appealing, San Francisco looking grimy yet lived in, and Riley's old home in Minnesota looking very welcoming and colorful. Speaking of color, the use of colors in this film is nothing short of excellent from the radiant colors of Riley's memories, to Riley's clothes reflecting her current state of mind throughout the film. I also love how they use black and gray to represent faded memories and lack of emotion. If there's one word to describe Inside Out's story and animation, it's colorful.

Cast and Characters: This is an outstanding cast they brought on board for this film. Shout outs to the film's casting directors Natalie Lyon and Kevin Reher for picking out some excellent actors. Amy Poehler was phenomenal as Joy, perfectly capturing her bubbly and eccentric personality while also naturally showing her vulnerability and frustrations. Phyliss Smith sound perfectly dower and soft spoken as Sadness, yet at the same time making her sound so innocent and relatable. Lewis Black was the best match for Anger, making him sound crusty, cynical, and having a short fuse. Mindy Kaling brought in the right amount of sass and pettiness as Disgust and her comradery with the other emotions was brilliant. Bill Hader did a great job making Fear funny and relatable as a character. Kaitlyn Dias also deserve major props for her vocal performance as Riley, making her sound like a soft spoken but fun kid who goes through a great character arc in the film. Lastly, Richard Kind was the absolute surprise standout of the cast as Bing Bong as not only did he do a great job making him funny, but also made him relatable, selfless, a bit of an airhead, but also really resourceful. The cast did such a great job bringing these characters to life, with all of them being iconic and memorable in their own way.

Where It Falters: Outside of maybe adding another scene or 2 with Riley's life in Minnesota, I wouldn't change a thing with this film. It's one of those films where the only nitpick I have is I wanted more. Fortunately, that's remedied with the existence of the 2024 sequel. Coming out a couple years sooner wouldn't have been so bad either, but like I always say, quality>quantity.

Conclusion: There are a select few movies I consider to be a masterpiece. Inside Out is most certainly one of those movies. With outstanding writing, iconic characters, wonderful voice acting, masterfully crafted animation, and an enchanting score, it has more than earned its cultural significance. I cannot recommend this film enough, especially for those who struggle with expressing themselves such as yours truly. I promise this film will speak to you as it has for me after all these years. Thanks so much for reading and I'll see you soon ;)

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

[Rebecca Solnit: photographer unknown]

* * * *

LETTERS FROM AN AMERICAN

January 10, 2025

Heather Cox Richardson

Jan 11, 2025

Today the Department of Labor released the final jobs report of Joe Biden’s presidency. The nation added 256,000 new jobs in December, a number significantly higher than economists expected. That brings the total number of jobs created under Biden to 16.6 million and makes Biden’s the only administration in history to have created jobs every month. Under the Biden administration, the nation has also had the lowest average unemployment rate of any administration in 50 years, ending at 4.1%.

Dan Primack of Axios reported that the U.S. gained more jobs during Biden’s four years than it did under President Donald Trump, Barack Obama, or George W. Bush.

In a statement, Biden noted that when he took office, economic forecasts projected that it would take years for the country to recover fully from the effects of the coronavirus shutdown. In fact, the U.S. economy has grown faster and created more jobs than any other country with an advanced economy. Working-age women are now employed at record levels, and the gap in employment between Black Americans and their white counterparts is at the lowest level on record. The administration has brought the inflation of the early recovery back down almost to target levels, while incomes have increased about $4,000 more than prices. The administration, Biden said, has “achieved the soft landing that few thought was possible.”

CNBC economist Carl Quintanilla quoted Matt Peterson of Barron’s, who wrote: “It looks a lot like U.S. consumers are happy with the way things are...[a]nd so are the markets.... The only one who doesn’t seem to be happy with the way things are is Trump.”

Brian Platt of Bloomberg reports that Trump’s threats of tariffs against Canada already have Canadian officials drafting plans for retaliation. Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau told CNN yesterday that Trump is talking about annexing Canada to divert attention from how significantly his tariff plans would raise consumer prices.

As Josh Marshall of Talking Points Memo noted late last year, MAGA was never an ideological movement so much as a vehicle to pull together different constituencies in order to get Trump elected president. Since members of those constituencies have little in common, that effort centers around creating a false world that demonizes Democrats and insists they have created a dangerous world that is biased against MAGA. The only one who can stand against them, the story goes, is Trump, who is being persecuted for his defense of his supporters. That narrative has helped MAGAs to find common ground in their defense of Trump and his cronies and their support for Trump’s vows to retaliate against those he considers his enemies.

That impulse appears to be stronger than ever after Judge Juan Merchan sentenced Trump today in the New York election interference case in which a jury found Trump guilty of 34 felonies for covering up payments to an adult film actress to keep her quiet about their sexual encounter before the 2016 presidential election. Merchan said that he could not impose a punishment without encroaching on the presidency, so in an unusually light sentence, he released Trump without restrictions. As legal analyst Joyce White Vance explained, Trump knew he would not get jail time or a fine, but wanted to avoid the sentencing itself because just a month after the sentencing, the designation of convicted felon will become permanent.

Although a unanimous jury convicted him, Trump insisted the trial was “a political witch hunt…done to damage my reputation so that I’d lose the election…. The fact is I’m totally innocent.” He seemed to think that ratings should override reality, telling the judge: “I got the largest number of votes by far by any Republican in history,” he said, “and won, as you know, all seven swing states—won conclusively all seven swing states.”

Trump’s version of the case appeared to be convincing to MAGA pundits and lawmakers, who echoed his calls for retribution. Trump’s lawyer Mike Davis warned: “Right now the Democrats think they’re the hunters. And guess what? On January 20th at noon, they’re going to become the hunted.” Representatives Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA), Nancy Mace (R-SC), and Ronnie Jackson (R-TX) all echoed Trump. “Trump will win in the end and America wins in 10 days when we get Trump back!!” Jackson posted on X.

MAGA supporters have embraced Trump’s attacks on Democrats and on the government, most notably with their fact-free attacks on the Biden administration's handling of natural disasters—first the terrible flooding in North Carolina, when the right wing spread the lie that government officials were stealing people’s land, and now the terrible fires in Los Angeles that have been fueled in large part by the climate change that cut rainfall since last May and brought an unusually hot summer.

While local, state, and federal officials are doing their best to battle the Los Angeles fires in raging winds and dry conditions, Trump and his allies are lying to create the belief that the Democratic government is to blame for the fires. Trump lied that there is a shortage of water because Democratic governor Gavin Newsom refused to divert water to the area. Others claimed—falsely—that Democratic Mayor Karen Bass cut the budget for the Los Angeles Fire Department, when in fact a 7% increase in funding came through negotiations outside the budget.

They have blamed diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts for the blazes because the Los Angeles Fire Department is headed by Kristin Crowley, an LGBT woman who came up through the ranks in the department over twenty years. And Trump sidekick Elon Musk agreed with conspiracy theorist Alex Jones that the fires are part of a “globalist plot” to trigger “total collapse” in the United States. “Gavin Newscum should resign. This is all his fault!!!” Trump posted.

In reality, firefighters are hard at work, with crews from both Canada and Mexico working along with Californians to suppress the fires.

Trump’s false version of reality has been a potent weapon against the Democrats, and he is promising to continue constructing that false reality: this week he has said he would replace the head of the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), who is responsible for collecting the documents that establish the historical record of the actions of the national government. The archivist’s predecessor was the person who pursued the classified documents Trump took from the White House to Mar-a-Lago, and Trump told radio host Hugh Hewitt he would make sure that he had a loyalist in that position.

But it is an open question whether Trump’s false reality will be as convincing when he is back in the White House as it has been when he was sniping from outside. Trump has promised a number of conflicting things to the different constituencies in MAGA, and it is not clear that he can deliver them. And if he does, it’s not clear the American people will want what he is delivering.

Trump says he will nominate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to head the Department of Health and Human Services; more than 18,000 physicians have signed a letter warning that he is “unqualified” and “actively dangerous” to the health of Americans. Trump’s plan to elevate him to a position that impacts Americans is “a slap in the face to every health care professional who has spent their lives working to protect patients from preventable illness and death.”

Trump has vowed mass deportations of undocumented immigrants and the reinstatement of Title 42 to close the border to migrants, but as Biden and others repeatedly pointed out when Trump complained about Biden’s ending it, Title 42 is part of a 1944 public health law that can be invoked only to stop disease from coming into the U.S. Once the government declared the coronavirus pandemic over, Title 42 had to go. Yesterday, Zolan Kanno-Youngs and Hamed Aleaziz of the New York Times reported that Trump’s advisors, led by Stephen Miller, are searching for a disease to invoke to reinstate Title 42. They have even considered invoking the old trope that immigrants might bring an unknown disease.

But, unlike non-emergency immigration law, Title 42 does not impose penalties for those who try to cross the border repeatedly, a reality Trump used to great effect against Biden as border encounters soared when people made multiple attempts. Now those numbers will be on Trump’s account if he uses Title 42 going forward.

In the meantime, the Biden administration today extended temporary protected status for about a million immigrants from El Salvador, Sudan, Ukraine, and Venezuela who meet certain criteria. Their protection will be extended for 18 months under a 1990 law that stops the deportation of immigrants to countries at war or suffering from natural disasters. The new protection does not cover immigrants from 13 other nations who currently have protected status.

Nick Miroff, Maria Sacchetti and Marianne LeVine of the Washington Post noted that when he was in office before, Trump tried to end protections for Salvadorans and others, saying they came from “sh*thole” countries, and that he is expected to let protections expire during his second term.

When he was running for office, Trump pledged he would end Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 24 hours, a vow Russian president Vladimir Putin has dismissed. Yesterday, Trump told reporters that Putin wants to meet with him and that they are setting that meeting up; the Kremlin denied that statement was true and noted it would be more appropriate to meet after Trump takes office.

Today the Treasury Department under Biden imposed new sanctions on more than 180 vessels, many of them in Russia's “shadow fleet” that carries oil, as well as on dozens of oil traders, oilfield service providers, insurance companies, and energy officials in an attempt to reduce the money Russia can realize from energy exports. The United Kingdom and Japan also imposed additional sanctions.

According to U.S. Ambassador to China R. Nicholas Burns, the Biden administration is also making a last effort to try to stop China from supplying Russia with equipment that it can use in its war against Ukraine. The U.S. is warning China that it is aligning “with the most unreliable agents of disorder in the international system.”

Trump may or may not be able to turn his promises into reality, but it is clear that some of his supporters’ plans will not go over well with the majority of Americans, especially as Trump fills his Cabinet with billionaires and spends his time next to the richest man in the world, who spent more than $250 million on Trump’s election.

Today, Ben Leonard, Meredith Lee Hill, and Kelsey Tamborrino reported in Politico that the Republicans on the House Budget Committee, chaired by Representative Jodey Arrington (R-TX), have made a list of more than $5 trillion in budget cuts they could make to fund Trump’s deportation plans as well as his tax cuts for the wealthy and corporations. Options include cuts to Medicaid, the Affordable Care Act (more commonly known as Obamacare), the Inflation Reduction Act’s investment in combating climate change, and the supplemental nutrition programs formerly known as food stamps.

For decades now, there has been enough wiggle room in our system to paper over the gulf between image and reality. That slack may continue.

But at least in some places, reality is catching up to the fake stories. During the 2016 presidential campaign, right-wing media spread the lie that leading Democrats were operating a child sex-trafficking wing out of Comet Ping Pong pizzeria in Washington, D.C. Those lies convinced a man to drive from North Carolina to the restaurant with an assault rifle to stop the crimes, only to discover the story was a hoax. He pleaded guilty to carrying a gun across state lines and assault with a deadly weapon and was sentenced to four years in prison. This week, two North Carolina police officers shot the same man after he pulled a gun on them during a traffic stop. He later died from his injuries.

Yesterday a New York State appeals court refused to dismiss the lawsuit brought by the electronic voting systems company Smartmatic against the parent company of the Fox News Channel for the lies that channel’s hosts told about Smartmatic rigging the 2020 presidential election. Smartmatic is suing for $2.7 billion.

And today the figure the “Pizzagate” conspiracy was designed to put into the highest office in the land, and that the Fox News Channel hosts’ lies were intended to keep there, officially became a convict.

LETTERS FROM AN AMERICAN

HEATHER COX RICHARDSON

[pyr0-kai]

Game Date

Josh Futturman x reader

I was threatened w being cursed if I didn’t write for him

This is short and also kind of bad but its more of a test to see if anyone wants fics w him. He’s super cute imo

Feel free to Give me feedback

Send me ideas if you have any

It was an average day, when you had walked into the local Video Game store in town. Josh was talking to the staff at the counter as you walked in, the bell on the door chiming. They all seemed to take a glance at you as you walked past, before returning to whatever they were chatting about.

You hadn’t really noticed them, as you had headphones on, and knew what you we’re already looking for. But they were whispering about you.

“Yo, they’re pretty hot. What would someone like that be doing here??”

Once you found what game you were looking for and stepped up to the counter, pulling your headphones down around your neck, they acted like nothing happened.

Josh looked at whatever game you were planning on buying and scoffed.

“Ha, you’re playing that? Thats an easy one.”

“Hey, its a classic. I wanted to play it again after this long” you shrugged, getting a good look at him. His brown eyes seemed intrigued about you.

He nods “Well, I’m Josh, and should see me play this one.” He spoke up, showing you the biotic wars case, “Everyone seems to think it’s unbeatable, thats why I play it, to be the best”.

You nod along and pay for your game. “Ah, I’m [Y/N].”

You look at him again after he stops speaking, looking at his pretty face as he grabs the new joystick he was buying and puts it under his arm.

“Well, If your serious about wanting me to watch you play this “unbeatable game”, You say, flipping over your receipt. You take a pen and write your name and number on the back of it. “Then call me, I don’t have much going on”, you say, handing him the paper, before leaving the store, the door chiming behind you.

Josh looks at the paper in shock, and excitement.

“I think I got a date…”

[implausiblyjosh]

I think we have a core disagreement about moderation on social media as a concept. I don’t think an expansion of the “moderator class” is a bad thing, and if we’re acknowledging the current system I doubt that’s much of a “class” to begin with. Regardless, even if we’re going to argue about how moderation is, right now in this very moment, Tumblr still shows that they don’t care!

Tumblr has nuked posts critical of staff and they’ve had a hugely transphobic moderation policy. Even if we agree that the flagging/modding of trans content was automatic as OP and others suggest, that automation didn’t come from nowhere. Tumblr, the website, didn’t decide to start flagging those posts on its own. People put that specific automation in place. People decided to nuke those posts. People decided to take these extreme measures on those specific things, yet ban evasion of bigots is a huge issue. These are choices made by people, and I don’t care if Tumblr staff loves them or not. How they decide to wield their power shows that some of these things are more important than others.

And if we want to talk about “trauma dumps”, again within the framework of the current reality of moderation, you have to grapple with the fact that humans on some level have to look at this stuff. If any moderation is left to some machine learning or automation, there are real people whose whole job is to make sure the machine’s data is correct and the machine is making the right calls. You either look at that shit from the start, with employees paid wages and benefits, or you kick the can down to contract workers paid hourly with no benefits for 6-18 months at a time, or you kick the can to “automation” so you don’t have to think about who makes the automation work and can just abstract those people as just “the machine” or “the algorithm”.

Moderation has to happen. Every community and social media platform knows this, even the shitty and awful ones have moderation and realize it’s important. How these places decide to moderate, and what they decide to moderate, tells us a lot about where their priorities are. We know what Tumblr’s priorities are, and they’re not good!

The number people on this site just solidly convinced that the Nazis and bad people are around because staff loves them and not because moderation of millions of accounts is very very hard and expensive is. Staggering.

"oh just use automation." You mean the one currently mismarking trans accounts as mature? You think they just need to flip a no Nazis switch on the moderation-o-matic?

"oh why did they manage to get rid of that post about staff being Harry Potter fans" because there was a lot of targeted harassment and it was a single account, not the millions that make up Tumblr. And actually it's a very straightforward labor protection to make sure your staff don't get harassed. It's actually very bad to insist that staff gets harassed as long as there are other moderation issues.

[oldiesstationlover11607]

hey i’ve never requested anything from you but ive been devouring your works and holy cow you’re such a great writer!

i was just wondering if you could do a josh x plus size reader? i usually don’t see povs where the readers size is specifically larger than average? idk? it’d just be nice for my self esteem 😭

Movie night - Josh Dun x Plus sized!Reader

Warnings: none really super fluffy

Word Count: 1689

A/N: I hope this is okay! I haven't written for a specifically plus sized reader before so hopefully it's okay. I tend to stay away from image specific stuff bc that way everyone can enjoy the fics and feel good about themselves but anything for an anon who needs a pick me up!

It was Friday night, which meant one thing: movie night with Josh. Ever since we’d started dating, it had become a tradition. At the end of every week, we’d snuggle up on the couch, binge-watch movies, and devour far too many snacks. Sometimes we’d pick a theme—like action or rom-com—but tonight we were keeping it simple. It was just us, our favorite movies, and more snacks than two people should reasonably consume in one sitting.

I’d spent most of the day in comfy clothes, which was my go-to attire for a night in. Oversized t-shirt, leggings, and fuzzy socks. I felt comfortable in my skin around Josh—he never made me feel like I had to dress up or look a certain way. And honestly, he’d never been anything but loving and supportive, always making sure I knew just how beautiful I was to him. No matter how insecure I sometimes felt, he was always there to lift me up.

It was getting close to the time he’d promised to come over, so I busied myself by tidying up the living room. I fluffed the throw pillows, straightened the blankets, and adjusted the lighting just right—soft and warm, the way we both liked it. I’d already picked out a few movies we could choose from, ranging from lighthearted comedies to emotional dramas. We always ended up talking more than watching, but that was part of the fun.

Just as I was about to sit down, I heard a knock at the door. I smiled to myself, knowing exactly who it was. Opening the door, I was greeted by the sight of Josh, arms laden with bags—each one brimming with snacks. He had a grin on his face that was nothing short of contagious, and his excitement was clear in the way he practically bounced on his toes.

“Hey babe,” he said, leaning in to kiss my cheek as he stepped inside. His lips lingered for a second longer than usual, warm and soft against my skin.

“Hey,” I replied, closing the door behind him. “Are you trying to feed a small village or just us tonight?”

He laughed, that easy, carefree sound that always made my heart feel a little lighter. “I may have gone a little overboard, but I figured it’s better to have too much than not enough, right?”

I shook my head, already knowing what was in those bags. He always bought way too many snacks, but it was one of the things I loved most about him. He was thoughtful, always wanting to make sure I had everything I could possibly want—even if it was far more than I needed. He made me feel cared for in the smallest of ways, like remembering my favorite flavor of chips or grabbing extra candy just because he knew I had a sweet tooth.

“I’m not complaining,” I said, taking a bag from him and peeking inside. “You got my favorite candy!”

Josh winked at me. “Of course I did. I know how much you love those.”

I set the bag down on the coffee table and turned back to him, pulling him in for a proper kiss this time. He wrapped his arms around me, his hands resting on my waist as he kissed me back gently. It was the kind of kiss that made me forget everything else for a moment, just sinking into the warmth of him.

“Missed you today,” he murmured against my lips.

“I missed you too,” I replied, smiling up at him. “But I’m glad you’re here now.”

He stepped back, eyeing the stack of movies I’d left on the table. “So, what’s the plan? Are we going with something funny or are we trying to cry tonight?”

“Depends,” I said, raising an eyebrow. “How much crying are we talking about? Like ‘a single tear’ kind of crying or ‘sobbing uncontrollably into each other’s arms’ crying?”

He laughed again, his eyes crinkling at the corners in that adorable way they always did. “Maybe we stick with something in between? I’m not trying to have an emotional breakdown tonight, but I’m also up for something with a little heart.”

I nodded in agreement. “Alright, I can work with that.” I picked up one of the movies from the pile. “How about this one? It’s sweet but still funny.”

“Perfect,” he said, plopping down on the couch and patting the spot next to him. “Now come over here. I’ve got all these snacks to share, and I’m not eating them alone.”

I laughed, grabbing a blanket before joining him on the couch. I tucked myself into his side as he wrapped an arm around me, pulling me close. The warmth of his body against mine was comforting, and I couldn’t help but sigh contentedly. There was something so simple yet so special about moments like this—just the two of us, no distractions, no pressure. It was our time, and it felt perfect.

We started the movie, but as expected, we were more focused on each other than the screen. Josh tore open a bag of chips, offering them to me first before taking some for himself. I reached for the candy, popping a piece into my mouth as I settled even further into his side. His hand absentmindedly played with the ends of my hair, a small gesture that always made me feel so cared for.

“You know,” he said after a while, his voice soft, “I love this. Just being here with you. I know we go out sometimes and do fun stuff, but I think this might be my favorite thing.”

I looked up at him, my heart swelling with affection. “Really?”

He nodded, his eyes meeting mine with that familiar warmth that always made me feel like the most important person in the world. “Yeah. I mean, don’t get me wrong, I love going out and doing things together, but I think there’s something special about just being with you like this. No distractions, no crowds. Just us.”

I smiled, resting my head on his shoulder. “I feel the same way.”

For a moment, we just sat there in comfortable silence, the sound of the movie playing softly in the background. I could hear the gentle rise and fall of his breathing, feel the steady beat of his heart against my side. It was peaceful, and I couldn’t help but think about how lucky I was to have someone like him in my life.

Josh shifted slightly, his arm tightening around me as he leaned down to press a kiss to the top of my head. “You’re perfect, you know that?”

I let out a soft laugh, feeling my cheeks warm at his words. “I don’t know about perfect, but I’m glad you think so.”

“I’m serious,” he said, his tone earnest. “I love everything about you. The way you laugh, the way you take care of people, the way you just… exist. You’re beautiful in every way, and I don’t ever want you to forget that.”

I felt a lump form in my throat at his words. He always knew exactly what to say to make me feel loved, even on days when I didn’t feel so great about myself. It wasn’t always easy for me to feel confident, especially being plus-sized, but Josh never once made me feel like I wasn’t enough. In fact, he went out of his way to remind me just how much he loved every part of me—something I was still learning to accept for myself.

“Thank you,” I said softly, my voice thick with emotion. “I don’t know what I did to deserve you.”

He smiled, pressing another kiss to my head. “I’m the lucky one.”

We fell back into silence after that, but it was a comfortable one, filled with the quiet assurance that we didn’t need to fill every moment with words. The movie played on, but I couldn’t focus on it. My mind was too preoccupied with the way Josh’s hand rested on my waist, the way his fingers occasionally brushed against my skin, reminding me that he was there—that he was always there.

As the movie came to an end, I let out a contented sigh, stretching out slightly but still staying curled up next to Josh. He glanced down at me, a soft smile playing on his lips.

“Want to watch another one, or are you getting tired?” he asked, his fingers still tracing lazy circles on my hip.

I considered it for a moment before shaking my head. “I think I’m good for now. I just want to sit here with you for a little longer.”

“Sounds good to me,” he replied, pulling me closer.

We stayed like that for a while, the soft glow of the TV screen casting shadows across the room. Josh’s hand found mine, intertwining our fingers as we sat together in the quiet. It was moments like these that reminded me why I loved him so much. It wasn’t just the grand gestures or the exciting adventures—it was the quiet, intimate moments where we could just be ourselves, no expectations or pretenses. Just us.

Eventually, the night grew late, and Josh helped me clean up the remnants of our snack feast. He gathered the empty chip bags and candy wrappers, all the while making me laugh with his silly comments about how we’d eaten enough to last a week.

As we finished tidying up, I couldn’t help but feel overwhelmed with love for him. It was in the small things, the way he always made sure I was comfortable, the way he went out of his way to bring all my favorite snacks, the way he made me feel like the most important person in the world just by being himself.

And as we settled back on the couch for a final snuggle before calling it a night, I knew that I couldn’t ask for anything more. Because in that moment, with Josh’s arm wrapped around me and his heart so clearly intertwined with mine, I felt complete.

And that was more than enough.

//

REQUESTS OPEN

[brokenjere]

bad in the bones (c.f) (part 9)

a/n: hey all!! I’m super excited to have this next part out. I know it’s been forever since I’ve posted anything but I have been working on a lot of things outside of this platform that I hope to share with you all at some point. Please let me know what you think!! I miss talking to you all <3

It was fun seeing Conrad in secret. There were stolen kisses in the backyard when no one was around and knocks on the wall that separated us that always seemed to come when I couldn’t sleep. He could read my mind, I think. Always hearing me think about him. I’d sneak out my room and tap on his door and he opened it so quickly it was like his hand was on the doorknob waiting for me. 

He’d grab my hand and lock the door behind me and sometimes, I’d wake up with the birds chirping the next morning and have to sneak back to my room but sometimes we stayed awake as long as possible like we needed to savor every second of this. One night, I laid on my back starring up at his ceiling and he strummed on his guitar almost too quietly and I leaned over on my side, propped myself up on my elbow and Conrad was already staring at me. “What?” He whispered with a smile. 

“Stop,” I told him. His hands ceased to play and he moved the guitar off of his lap. He put his palms down on the bed on either side of me and crawled on top of my body, forcing me down onto my back again. His eyes were too brown, his hair too floppy, and his smile so perfect I couldn’t stand it any longer so I kissed him. 

My fingers found the hair on the back of his neck and he leaned into me, pressing his hips against mine. Sometimes things got steamy like this: our bodies pressed too firmly together until we were just a pile of sweat, saliva, and heavy breathing. I’ve stopped him every time not because I didn’t want to but because I haven’t had sex with anyone except for Josh and the idea of that happening was almost too much for me to think about. Especially in moments like this were I was too flustered to think straight. I stopped him every time except for last night. 

Tonight, I let his hands linger under my shirt for a little longer than normal and when he looked up at me to make sure I was okay, where I usually shake my head no, I nodded my head yes. Our clothes were off and our bodies were sweaty and everything was quiet except for his breathing in my ear. 

I laid next to him with his blanket wrapped around my naked body and I didn’t speak until he turned his head to look at me. “Are you okay?” He sounded guilty and that made me feel guilty and I nodded my head. It was the truth. I was okay. “Do you regret that?” He asked again and this time I shook my head. I didn’t. 

“Did you know people burn 3 and a half calories a minute on average during sex?” I asked, looking over at him. His cheeks were flushed and he smiled and then he kissed me. I leaned into him and kissed him back. “I should go back to my room,” I whispered against his lips. He nodded in agreement and then I got dressed and returned to my room. 

I didn’t sleep at all which is probably directly related to the bags under my eyes that Laurel is packing concealer on right now. “I never noticed how bad they were,” she whispered as she applied more. 

“It doesn’t need to be perfect,” I mumble to her. She gives me a look and I don’t look at her. “I don’t even want to go to this, you know that.”

“Yea, well, Belly is really excited so why don’t you just be happy for her?” 

“I am happy for her,” I lie. Laurel doesn’t reply, just adds blush to my cheeks. “Just don’t make her wear a fascinator, okay?” I look at her through my lashes and she smiles at my joke and the air in the room relaxes. 

“She’s not wearing a fascinator,” she assures me. I nod and Laurel fluffs out my hair. “It’s time to go.” 

Seeing Conrad in a suit is more shocking than I anticipated. I’m so used to his disheveled, salt-air hair and swim trunks that seeing him all put together is making me feel things I wasn’t prepared for. He eyes me from the steps of the country club, careful not to look for too long but I smile and wave at him as we walk up. 

Susannah is on Conrad’s arm and she smiles as Laurel and I approach. “There you guys are!” She exclaims like she has been waiting for us forever. She arrived earlier with Belly to help set up. “You look beautiful,” she tells me as I approach, squeezing my arm gently. 

“Look at us,” she says, looking at all of us standing together. She pauses and her eyes begin to water. “It’s perfect.”

“Mom, you’re not going to cry, are you?” Jeremiah asks from next to me. He and Steven have their suits hauled over their shoulders, waiting to go inside and finish getting ready. 

“What and ruin my makeup? No way,” she says and gives her son a smile. “Everything is going to be different next year. Conrad’s going off to college,” she says, bumping her shoulder into Conrad. He gives her a shy grin. “It might be the last summer we’re all together.” The group gets quiet for a moment. It feels like no one is breathing.

“Just don’t forget, I get to dance with you tonight,” Jeremiah says, breaking the tension like he doesn’t know it’s there but I swear I can see Conrad’s muscles tighten. 

Jeremiah hands his suit to Steven as he grabs Susannah’s hand, twirling her around and dipping her like I’m sure he has practiced many times over this last summer. When he returns her upright, her hand goes to her head and she stumbles, losing her footing. “Mom, are you okay?” Jeremiah asks, steadying her. We all reach out for her like she could break at any moment but Conrad grabs her elbow first, putting her back on his arm. 

“It’s been so long since I’ve danced, I must be out of practice,” she says, waving it off and wrapping her arm back around Conrad’s. 

“We should go inside,” he suggests. Susannah nods and he leads her inside. The rest of us hesitate for a moment but then we all follow Laurel’s lead and head inside too. When we reach our table, Conrad helps Susannah into her seat and then pulls out one with my name on the placemat. “For you,” he whispers quietly, giving me a look only I can decipher. I slide into my seat and as he pushes me in, he leans forward. I can feel his breath on my ear. “You look perfect.” 

Before I can reply, he’s sliding into the seat next to mine. Conrad’s hand finds my thigh under the table. We’re touching but it’s a secret, just the way I like it. We’re sitting around a decorated table - a pretty candle burning right in the center of our perfect china plates. They’re almost too pretty to put food on, but there’s a caterer walking around offering people appetizers and we can’t help but take some.

When the announcements start, we wait for Belly’s. Girl after girl descend down the steps in fluffy white dresses and tiaras on their head with men on their arms. I see her poking her head out from behind the curtian. I can tell she’s nervous even from over here. “Isabelle Conklin. Daughter of John Conklin and Laurel Park,” she starts as Belly and Jeremiah meet in the center of the stage and descend down the stairs. I can’t help but notice how her eyes find Conrad’s, despite having his brother on her arm. I look over at Conrad and he’s focused but I can’t tell on who. They bow and present themselves to our table. Laurel gives Belly a thumbs up and I look down at my lap. 

Conrad’s hand is still on my thigh and he squeezes it. I look up at him and he’s looking at me with furrowed brows. He mouths the words what’s wrong and I shake my head. He holds his hand out palm up and I put mine in it gratefully. Belly and Jeremiah present themselves in front of our table. Belly does a curtsey and Jeremiah bows and they’re both smiling way too big but I give her a thumbs up because she is beautiful. She’s not looking at me, though, she’s looking at Conrad and it makes my chest tighten. I had spent the last few days hiding, avoiding Belly at all costs because I can’t look her in the eyes anymore. Not when all I can think about is Conrad’s voice in my ears, his hands on my skin, and his lips on mine. She sits down next to me for breakfast and all I can think about is if his cologne is still lingering on my clothes from the night before and even as she’s chatting and laughing over her cereal bowl, I’m watching the doorway for him. Even right now, as she stares at him, my hand squeezes a little bit tighter on his and I feel guilty.  

I turn to him and whisper in his ear, not caring who is watching and say, “can we get out of here?” I pull back to watch for his reaction and he nods. When all the debs are dismissed, I slide out of my chair excusing myself from the table. The hallway is all too quiet compared to the ballroom and I lean against the bathroom door and wait for him. The door creaks open and when I finally see him, it’s like I can breathe again. “You’re going to get us in trouble if we skip this thing, you know,” he laughs as his hands grab my waist and pull me to him. I wrap my arms around his neck and shrug, kissing his cheek. 

“The classical music is rotting my brain,” I tease. 

“Didn’t you used to play classical music?” He asks. I move my fingers, tapping my fingertips against his back as if I’m playing the piano. 

“Rotted my brain then, too.” When Conrad smiles, I think my heart stops and I kiss him. He presses his body closer to mine, pressing my back against the door. I pull away from him, kissing his cheek once more. “Want to go outside? By the pool?” 

“We really shouldn’t miss any more of this,” he says. I can feel his heart beating in his chest and his resistance despite the certainty in his voice. “This really means a lot to my mom.” 

“You did it last year, right? It’s Jeremiah’s turn, she won’t even notice.” I push against him, making his grip on me tighter and his smile gets a little bigger as he considers it. “Come on,” I beg, fluttering my lashes at him for just a moment before his lips crash against mine and my feet are off the ground. 

Conrad carries me down the rest of the hall and out the door to the pool. It’s dark out, the only lights are reflecting on the pool but it’s quiet. Conrad lays me down on the lounge chair, making sure my dress doesn’t drag on the ground and he props himself up next to me. “Isn’t it peaceful out here?” I ask after a long moment of silence. 

“You hate the water,” he reminds me. 

“I like the sound,” I say. “Being by the water with you is the only time I don’t feel crippled with guilt.” Conrad’s breathing hitches and I feel him freeze next to me. “Don’t do that,” I whisper and shake my head. 

“Do what?” 

“Tense up like that. Like I said something wrong.” 

“I just don’t want you to feel that way,” he says. His nose brushes against my cheek, moving away stray hairs that fell into my face. He kisses my jawline and leans his forehead against my temple. “I want you to be happy.” 

“I am happy,” I tell him. “That’s why I feel this way. Belly loves you.” 

“And I love you.” His voice is so quiet I barely hear him but then he says it again. And again. “I love you. I love you. I love you,” he repeats over and over again until I shut him up with my mouth and pull him on top of me. He mutters those three words as he kisses me. “You can say it back, you know,” he says, out of breath but smiling. 

“I love you, too,” I tell him. “And I love her and I can’t hurt her.” Conrad’s knuckles brush against my cheek once before he rolls off of me and stands up. “What are you doing?” 

“Just stand up,” he says, holding his hand out to me. I take it and he pulls me up next to him. He traces my wrist and up my forearm and back down to my fingers before taking my hand into his. “We have the rest of the summer,” he says. “And then, we tell her. You tell her.” I nod, not fully convinced. “I know you’ll be scared. I know you’ll try and back out and that’s okay. But you just have to jump sometimes, right?” I look over at the water as he talks. Sometimes you just have to jump. 

“Right,” I mumble. I take a step toward the edge of the pool and hoist my dress up exposing my feet. I use Conrad’s hand to steady myself as I step out of my heels and I dip my toes into the water. “Sometimes you just have to jump.” 

“Not into the water, you fool,” Conrad laughs, trying to pull me away from the pool but I don’t budge. I dip my foot into the water further, repeating his words in my mind. “What are you doing?”

“I’m afraid of a lot of things,” I say. “Which is weird because my whole life has been about trying new things but I’m afraid of a lot of things. Meeting new people, change, bugs, mostly spiders but all bugs, really. And the water.” I pull my foot out of the water and try to catch my breath. “I’m afraid of hurting Belly and I’m afraid to love you but there’s only one thing on that list that I can change.” 

I can feel Conrad watching my every move, holding onto my hand like I might break at any moment. “Yeah, I’m sure I could find some bugs somewhere around here,” he says carefully. I can’t help but laugh. I shake my head and turn around, my back facing the water and I can see his chest deflate, relief washing over his face. 

“I’m not talking about the bugs,” I say, yanking his hand so he stumbles forward and I’m falling backward and it all feels like it’s happening in slow motion until we crash into the water. My arms are flailing, trying to gain traction in the water and my lungs feel like they’re on fire, and for a moment, I feel free. But then the panic sets in and my hands are grasping at nothing and I think I’m drowning but then he wraps his arm around my waist and he brings me to the surface and when I can finally breathe again, I start to laugh. 

“You’re fucking crazy,” he says, trying to catch his breath. “Why are you laughing? We have to go back in there and we’re soaked!” I can see the amusement in his eyes and I know he’s not mad because when I kiss him, he kisses me back. 

taglist: @marajillana@liltimmyst@angelayse@nani-2305@drikawinchester@28cnn@nyenye@isthlsfate@spacefruitsblog@laceandsuch @peotego @hallecarey1

[vanfleeter]

Bound For Earth: Chapter 7

Characters: Jake Kiszka, Josh Kiszka, Sam Kiszka, Daniel Wagner (briefly), Marlie Warnings: 18+ || Language. Fluff. Brother banter. Angst. Self doubt. Relationship doubt. Frustration. Jealousy. Anger. Smut. Talk of sex. Allusions to m/m sex. Penetrative sex. Oral sex (f receiving). (i think i missed something so let me know so i can add it)

Bound For Earth Masterlist

We talked nearly every day, There some days where I wouldn't hear from her at all. Almost every single time we were on video chat, she was either sweaty or just getting out of the shower. I knew better than to push it if I asked so I kept quiet. It couldn’t be that bad.. Maybe I’m just overthinking it and she really is just running every day. Nothing wrong with that. After all, I’ve been doing it too.

After I finish with work, I’ve been running and working up my endurance to Earth’s gravity. If I want to go back there, I have to make sure that my body can last for more than three days. And if sex is the problem, then I’m screwed. That’s one of many basic human needs. It’s not necessarily important, but it just feels intimate and meaningful. I know most people do it just to do it because it just feels good. Of course it feels good. But for me, it makes me feel closer to her.

Considering..

I ran my personal best in the first three months that I’ve been training and not one thing has gone wrong with my body. Marvin checks my vitals and pays extra attention to my heart but he has yet to find something wrong. I felt pretty proud of myself.

These training modules were mostly designed to keep the crew in shape and to also help them stay used to the weight of the gravity on Earth. But for Josh and myself, it would be a way for us to train to get our bodies used to the pressure so that if we ever do get to go back to Earth, we’ll be better equipped and ready to handle the challenges.

They had us running a mile, testing to see how far we could make it before we passed out. The mile seemed easy enough and neither of us had any problems. So they extended it to two.. And then eventually three. Three was our limit. The minimum for an adult is one to two miles and we made it to three which apparently is still pretty good, especially for an average person.

They had us running in all different kinds of climates. Cold weather, in the heat, sometimes they’d make it rain, other days it would snow. They wanted to test our limits in the off chance that we happened to deal with any of these. The heat was their main concern with the added pressure of pushing our bodies further than they can handle. So that’s what we worked on the most. How to survive the heat.

“Stay hydrated”, was something they constantly repeated. Josh made it out to be as if we were plants. Not all plants can survive in the heat, they do need water to keep themselves alive and thriving. If we were a plant, odds are we wouldn't be a cactus. A cactus mostly thrives in heat and they can store their water for a long amount of time, whereas in most plants it can last maybe a few days at most before needing water. That is how humans are, especially on Earth.

So water is the key. Keep myself hydrated and not overwork myself to the point of death.

I had to ask about sex, preferably when there weren’t listening ears. I wanted to know if sex would be something that I’d still be able to do. Lucky for me, I can. “Know your limits,” Ivan told me after one of our mile runs. “If you’re feeling tired or out of breath, slow down or even stop for a little bit. Sex doesn’t need to be fast, it’s just what some bodies crave. You and your brother have different body types than an average human. Both of us need to take your time.”

When he told me sex is different up here than down there really got my brain thinking. Oh god.. Do they actually have sex here?

“Is it easier here?”

Ivan chuckles. “I’d say so. There’s a lighter atmosphere here so it’s not so strenuous. You sweat less and you can endure a little longer.”

“Is that why you never left on the last transport?” I tease.

He chuckles. “I like it better up here, that’s all.”

I unintentionally found out why he preferred to stay here versus going back to Earth. When I was walking past Josh’s cabin on the way to the training module, I could hear noises from inside. And he says I’m loud. We’re twins, we both are apparently.

It wasn't until an hour later when I was coming back that way to go to my cabin when I saw Ivan leaving Josh’s cabin. I quickly hid back around the corner, hoping that neither of them saw me. I peer back around the corner to make sure Ivan was gone. Seeing that he was, I quickly rush down the hall to Josh’s cabin and grab hold of the door before it slides shut.

“Okay, you have a lot of explaining to do,” I say, nearly making him jump with fright.

“Fucking hell, Jake!” He exclaims.

“Come on, spill..” I say as I lean against his desk. “You and Ivan? Since when?”

Josh sighs and sits down on the bed. “When we got back from Earth, he umm.. He was the person I felt comfortable talking with. After everything that happened, I just needed someone to talk to and he was there. It wasn’t anything but just a friend listening to a friend talk. But then we eventually learned that we kind of like each other.”

“Obviously it moved onto something more.” I could see his cheeks flush slightly and I smiled. “That’s good you found someone. Does he make you happy?”

Josh nods his head. “Very.”

I pat him on the shoulder. “Well good for you. You deserve this. But damn.. An hour?”

“Shut the fuck up.” He says as he shoves me over. “It is so much easier up here. I’m telling you, if Marlie ever makes it up here, you’re gonna have to try it.”

“Never thought I’d be taking sex tips from you.”

He chuckles, “Just trust me.”

A few more weeks had gone by and the communication between Marlie and I slowly began to dwindle. She always claims to be busy and that she'll hop on a call if she can. But she never does. Eventually the communication just ended all together. I even had Josh reach out a few times from his own computer but he even came back with nothing.

“Do you think she decided this was too much?” I ask Josh. “Have I been doing too much?”

“I don’t think that’s it. People do get busy.”

“Josh, it’s been nearly a month since the last time we talked. She won’t answer my calls or respond to my messages. What if it is me? What if she decided that she didn’t want to pursue this anymore? Maybe living on different planets just isn’t working?”

“Jake, I think you’re overthinking this.”

“What else am I supposed to think?!” I exclaim, slamming my hands down on the cafeteria table. Several people look over and I huff. “Forget it..” I say as I swipe my tray off the table and stand up to leave.

“No, Jake! I didn’t mean it like that!”

Overthinking. I’m overthinking? Seriously, what else am I supposed to think?

Stepping into my cabin, I flop down on the bed and rest my arms over my head. What if she did decide that and just not tell me? That’d be a shit thing to do. What if she found someone else?

Oh god, thinking about her with someone only makes my blood boil. Fuck.. Am I seriously jealous over something that most likely isn’t even true? Though I wouldn’t blame her. Anyone down there can give her everything that I can’t. Maybe I am overthinking all of this. Maybe she is just busy. But even then, why not just tell me?

So instead of thinking about her, I do what I always do to keep myself distracted. Burying myself into my work. For days on end, I’d only leave my cabin to eat and to train for a couple hours, but aside from that, I’d be holed up in my cabin and working on coding programs and classifying files.

Eventually days turned into weeks of doing the same routine.

Wake up.

Eat breakfast.

Train for a couple of hours.

Dive into work for five hours.

Take a break to eat lunch.

Get back into work for a few more hours.

Then shower.

And go to bed.

Day after day, week after week, which then turned into month after month. I would try to reach out to Marlie maybe once or twice a week, but still I got no response back and my calls still went unanswered. Eventually I gave up altogether. As much as it hurt to let go and just move on, I still loved her. She made my first experience on Earth a wonderful time even with the short amount I got to spend there. I’d be forever grateful for that and for her.

One afternoon while I’m training, Josh bursts into the room, the slamming of the door echoing through the chamber. “The cruiser’s coming in!” He exclaims. “Come on!”

“Josh, it’s just the same–”

“Quit being mopey, Jake. It’s tradition, we have to greet everyone regardless!” He grabs my hands and pulls me off the treadmill.

He drags me through the corridors and until we’re gathering with the rest of the crew by the launchpads. Of course we were stuck in the back, yet again. He was uncharacteristically buzzing with excitement. I’ve never seen him this excited for a crew to come in. Ivan was still here so he can’t be excited about him. So why–

“There they are!” Josh exclaims as he rises on his tip toes. “Sam!”

Sam?

I whip my head around and rise on my toes to get a better look over everyone else. Sure enough there was Sam with a bright smile on his face as he waved enthusiastically at us.

“You made it!” Josh says as they hug. “How was the trip?”

“A blast! You know.. Skim milk really isn’t all that bad.” He chuckles before turning towards me and pulling me in for a hug. “It’s so great to finally see you all again!”

I embrace him in a hug too. “I had no idea you were coming, but it’s great to see you.”

“Well, it’s been tough keeping it a secret.” Sam says when we pull apart. “We wanted to surprise you, knowing you were kind of struggling to adjust to being back up here.”

“Oh dude, this place looks so cool!” I hear Danny exclaim as he comes up beside Sam. “Josh! Jake! So good to see you again!”

“You came too?” I laugh. “Did Dad come?”

“Uh duh!” Sam laughs. “He’s somewhere in there with Mom,” He says, waving his hand over to the crowded corridor. “You have to show me that space car…” Sam begins to say as my attention drifts back over to the doors.

That’s when I see a familiar face stepping out of the cruiser and onto the landing. She was looking around, over the sea of heads before our eyes finally locked. A smile spreads across her face and she starts to weave her way through the crowd. My feet were frozen in place, and I couldn’t move. I had to have been dreaming. She can’t be here. Is this even real?

Soon she’s making it through the back of the crowd and throwing her arms around me. My heart is racing in my chest. She’s here. She’s really here.

When I bring my arms up to wrap around her, all of the walls I had built up over the last handful of months break in a million pieces and I clutch her to my body, afraid that if I let go this will all be fake and I’ll wake up and all of this will have just been a dream. I bury my face into the crook of her neck as the tears wash down my cheeks.

That’s why she was silent all this time. She was coming here. She came up here for me.

We pull away only slightly to get a good look at each other. “Oh Jake,” She giggles as she reaches up to wipe her hands over my cheeks. “I’ve missed you so much.” I couldn’t speak. My voice was in my throat. She reaches up on her toes and brings her mouth close to my ear. “Let’s go somewhere private.” She lowers back down and nods her head, hoping for me to agree.

Taking her hand in mine, I pull her away from the crowd and through the corridors to my cabin. Reaching my door, I slide it open and pull her inside. Before the door was even closed all the way, I grabbed her face in my hands and I kissed her. She smiles against my lips and wraps her arms around my waist.

I backed up towards the bed and pulled her down onto my lap. She straddles my waist and keeps kissing me.

“I have missed you so much,” She says when she pulls away. “I’m so sorry for keeping you in the dark, but I really wanted to surprise you. You really thought I wouldn’t want you anymore?”

“How did–” I sigh. “Josh..”

She giggles and nods her head. “You have no idea how badly I wanted to talk to you but I knew I'd ruin it.. Especially if we were on a video call. You’d figure it out immediately.” She kisses me back and gently nudges me down on my back.

“You came up here..”

“I figured that since you might not be able to come back to Earth, I’d come to you.” She kisses me again and gently grinds her hips down against mine. “I’ve missed you so much.”

“I’ve missed you too.”

I reach for the zipper on her suit and slowly I pull it down revealing nothing underneath. She giggles when my jaw slowly falls open. “I was hoping for quite the reunion.”

“Then that is what you shall get,” I chuckle before sitting up and taking her off my lap.

Within minutes we were both naked and under the covers of my bed. Feeling her again felt so good and so wanted. I missed the soft skin of her body against mine. I missed everything.

Laying her on her back, I leave a trail of kisses down her neck and to her chest. She moans sweetly as I wrap one of her breasts in my mouth and massage the other in my hand. I swirl my tongue around her breast as I suck on it before eventually releasing it and kissing further down her body. Sliding beneath the covers, I kiss between her legs and she grabs a fistful of my hair in her hand as the other one slams flat against the wall of the cabin.

“God… Jake!” She exclaims when I dip my tongue past her folds and through her entrance. I accompany my tongue with a finger and she moans out loud again as her grip on my hair increases. “Please don’t stop..”

I don’t plan on it.

Her back arches up from the bed as I drag my finger down her soaked walls. Eventually I have her crying out my name again as she tightens her thighs around my head. Her release pours out of her and I take in every single drop she gives. Once I lick it all clean, I slowly make my way back up her body before kissing her.

“You still sound so beautiful,” I say as I grind my hips against her.

Her teeth dig into her bottom lip and she pushes her hips upwards to meet mine. “Can we try something?” I ask.

“Anything,” She says.

I give her one more kiss and pull away. Leaning back on the heels of my feet, I grab hold of her hips and gently turn her over onto her stomach.

“Oh I see what you’re getting at.” She says.

“Have you ever done this one before?”

“Once or twice..” She says looking over her shoulder.

“Oh?” I press the pads of my fingers into her hips.

She smiles and turns her head again to look at me. “Way back in high school. Nothing for you to worry about.”

“Mmhmm..” I hum as I lift her hips up and bend her knees beneath her. “Are you ready?” She nods her head. Lining myself up with her entrance, I slowly push inside of her, unsure of how the both of us would feel after so long.

“You don’t have to be gentle.” She says. “I can handle it.”

“Yeah but it’s been a while, are you–”

“Jake..” She glances over her shoulder again to look at me. “I’ve been taking care of myself.”

I pause my movements and lean over top of her. “Pardon?”

She smirks as she looks at me. “Don’t tell me you haven’t pleasured yourself up here?”

“Well..” She giggles, dropping her head forward. “But I bet it wasn’t as good as me though, right?” She shakes her head and I nod mine in intrigue. “Alright, good..”

“Are you jealous that I had to use a substitute?” She asks when I start to move again.

“Pfft,” I scoff. “No..”

“And it’s not like you could sub out with anything except your hand,” She says. “Right?”

“Definitely not.. Never even thought of that.”

“Mmhmm..”

“Why? Are you jealous?” You say as I run my hand up her back and thrust deep inside of her. “Because in my defense, I never knew it was even legal to sleep with other crew members, not that I found any of them attractive anyways.”

“Legal?”

“Yeah, you know.. They are our colleagues at this point since we technically work with them..” I pull out slightly before thrusting back inside of her. “I thought maybe it was against the rules or something–that is until I accidentally caught Ivan coming out of Josh’s room.”

“Woah, woah!” She pulls away from me and quickly turns around. “Josh and who?”

“You can’t tell anyone,” I say. “No one knows except for three of us–and now you.”

“Aww, does Josh have a boyfriend?”

I nod my head. “At least I think he might. I don’t really know the extent of it, but he’s been so good to him while I was–you know.. And he’s a really cool guy too, I like him.”

“Oh this is so fantastic!” She exclaims. “Aw, I’m happy for him.”

“Me too. Even more so because Ivan stayed behind to be with Josh when the last transport left for Earth.”

“Shut up, that is so cute!” I chuckle at her excitement and pull her onto my lap. “Today has just been a great day so far.”

“It definitely has,” I say before she kisses. “I’m still trying to wrap my head around you being here.”

“Well I’m here,” She says. “Now please, please, please no more talking..” She presses her lips to mine as she grinds her hips down on mine. “I need you..”

I kiss her again before laying her on her back. Lining myself up at her entrance, I push myself inside of her until she’s completely full of me. Slowly I roll my hips, dragging myself out before pushing back in until I create a steady rhythm. I kept at it for a little while before I pulled out and laid her back on her stomach. Inserting myself again, I clutch onto her hips as I continue to the steady pace. She’s pushing back on me, making me go deeper. She moans loudly when I press against her sweet spot.

I lean over top of her, never ceasing my movements, and I press my lips to the back of her neck.

“Jake..”

“Wait for me..” I groan against her back. “I want to go together.”

My hand flies to her head and I grab a good chunk of her hair and I move a little faster and just a tad rougher. Josh was right. It is so much easier up here. With less pressure weighing us down, I definitely felt way more relaxed.

“Jake, I need to–”

“I’m right there..” I told her. I can feel her clench around me and I can’t hold it any longer. Within a few seconds and final last thrust of my hips, I’m spilling into her as she’s covering me. I collapse on to her back as my orgasm takes over my body. I feel the same as I did on Earth, just tens times more. “Fuck.. That was amazing..” I say through heavy breaths.

A knock comes on the door and I reluctantly pull myself out of her. The knocking continues and I climb out of the bed, covering Marlie up with the blanket, and grabbing my clothes to change back into. Sliding open the door, I look down to see Marvin in the hallway.

“You already did my daily check..”

“Yes, I know.. But I noticed your vitals are really elevated.”

“Marvin?”

“Yes Jacob?”

“I’m a human.. We have needs..”

“You have–” He pauses and his eyes flicker before he’s slowly backing away. “I see..”

I can’t help but to laugh. “Goodbye Marvin.” I say as before sliding the door closed again and locking it.

“Who’s Marvin?” Marlie asks as she sits up on the bed.

“Marvin is a robot.. A robot who doesn’t quite understand that I am not one and that my vitals will spike every now and then..” I explain as I crawl back onto the bed. I make myself comfortable between her and the wall and drag the covers over my body as well. “Now.. Where were we?”

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Apologies in advanced with this taglist, I have recently been having problems with it!

@watchingover-hypegirl @losfacedevil @ignite-my-fire @ohgodthefeeling-gvf @writingcold (more tags in comments)