#List of national independence days

[xxitsxbillxhaderxnationxx]

Happy 4th of July!! 🥰♥️🤍💙🇺🇸🧨

[rebel-girl-queen-of-my-world]

The ADL is not a trusted source. Not on antisemitism. And not Palestine or Israel. An independent audit of the ADL’s antisemitism data, as well as the editors of Wikipedia, all agree.

The ADL mislabels antisemitism in service of the Israeli government’s hate campaign against Palestinians. It distorts its own data and manipulates its findings. In doing so, the ADL has caused incalculable harm to Palestinians and those who defend Palestinian rights. It has also chosen to minimize the terrifying growth of organized white supremacy, and ignored white nationalism’s increased threat to Jewish people. The ADL’s distorted data makes Jews less safe. We all deserve better.

On the same day that news broke that Wikipedia’s editors had declared the ADL unreliable on issues related to Palestine and Israel — and likely antisemitism as well — Jewish Currents published an investigation into the ADL’s data, pointing out that “serious statistical analysis [should be] done by an organization not beholden to Israel advocacy.”

The Jewish Currents’ audit of the ADL’s own data proves that, once the ADL’s anti-Palestinian and pro-Israeli government bias was removed, white nationalists are the driving force behind all forms of antisemitism. The audit also showed that the ADL’s reporting may “significantly undercount right-wing antisemitic incidents.” In short, the ADL’s attempts to smear the movement for Palestinian freedom not only provided cover for the real source of antisemitism (white supremacy), but actually minimized the “stunning growth of organized white nationalism.” None of this makes anyone safe.

On the same day, in a near unanimous vote, Wikipedia editors declared the ADL to be “generally unreliable” on Palestine and Israel, adding it to a list of sources of propaganda or misinformation that includes the National Inquirer and Newsmax. Wikipedia editors also said that “the ADL should not be cited for factual information on antisemitism as well because it acts primarily as a pro-Israel organization and tends to label legitimate criticism of Israel as antisemitism.”

[plutoswritingplanet]

Vicarious (Homelander x Female!Reader) pt.1

a/n: guys... you can't tell me y'all weren't expecting this. Title from the song "Vicarious" by Tool. Really wanted this to be a one shot, but as usual, I have shit to say. Will be Cross-Posted on AO3 as soon as they open the site back up.

Warnings: Nothing Explicit YET, some sexist remarks and creepy behavior from the man of the hour, Questionable Corporate Ethics, Set Before The Events Of The Show, Reader is written to be Plus Size.

Summary: Sidekick projects have been scraped completely after numerous accidents, but as a viral video of your hero work makes rounds through the public, you're forced to take part in a six moths program, that will forever change your life, as well as Homelander's

PT.2 Pt.3 Pt.4 Pt.5

It all started with a video. An insignificant, minute-long nothing posted to TikTok by an account, that up until then, made short edits specifically of A-Train and some B-list no-name hero. Quickly, it gained traction, making rounds throughout the app, bleeding over to other services, all the way to national television. First, an independent local station, soon picked up by a Vaught-affiliated one. Normally, that's where it would've stayed. Stillwell would extend an offer of a chance at an interview, alongside one of the Seven. But for some unknown reason, that small piece of nothing climbed all the way up to the floor eighty-two of Vaught Tower.

Well, to be quite honest, Stillwell knew exactly why she was in this situation. After a very messy graduation speech at a small college, Homelander lost almost twenty points with a young adult demographic. It would've been an easy fix, if not for the delicate nature of the breached subject, and Madelyn knew, this sudden interest in a nobody from nowhere, who, coincidentally, fit the demographic perfectly, was anything but a happy accident. It was a test, both for Homelander, and for her.

Which is why, Madelyn Stillwell and Homelander, the Homelander, the most American supe to ever exist, are cooped up in your living room, glancing about the modest decor, as you pour iced tea into three glasses with tacky fruit print all over them.

You've refused every single invitation, every single Vaught representative that knocked on your door. Your inbox was flooded with emails, your phone number was blowing up two, three times a day. And yet, your answer remained the same. You were not interested in a collaboration, thank you for the opportunity, please leave me alone.

That wouldn't fly, not with Madelyn, who, pushed by the constant nagging from the upper levels of the Tower, decided a more direct approach was the right one. So, she dragged herself into this… Well, to be quite honest, bum-fuck-nowhere, and brought her star pupil with her. No one would refuse working with Homelander himself, after all. At least that's what they both thought.

-I appreciate the effort - there's a practiced, borderline bored intonation in your voice, and Homelander's hands flex on his thighs - But I've already talked with, um, Jerry? From HR? The answer is still no.

Your house is small, but cozy, with sunshine pouring through the windows, reflecting onto the beaded curtain hanging in the doorway to your kitchen. An artist's home, through and through. Homelander hates it, hates the ordinariness of it all. He was so much above all this, sitting on your worn down couch physically hurt him. And the smell. The smell was the worst part. Reheated lasagna, mixing with a lingering aftertaste of cigarette smoke, and an undercurrent of weed, that almost made him retch. If it weren't for that damned video, you would be nothing more, than another brainless ant under his boot.

-Well, we - Madelyn offers her best, brilliant smile, gesturing to herself and Homelander - are very passionate about discovering new talent.

Your mouth twitches into a knowing smile, and for just a second Homelander feels flames of intrigue rising in his chest. Not for long, though, because you recline back into an armchair, taking a sip of the iced tea, and his eyes flash to the way your throat moves as you swallow. You could be hot, he concludes. Young, and with a truly spectacular rack. But there was something off about you, like you were constantly on the verge of dying from boredom, some invisible weight always on your shoulders. No amount of fake smiles and high-end makeup could cover that up.

He'd fuck you. If you'd beg him.

-We want to offer you a new, revised contract - Stillwell extends her hand with a rather thick binder of papers, and you hesitate for a moment, before reaching over. - Hopefully, it will make you reconsider.

You don't even show them the decency of looking through it, placing it on the table instead, and Homelander feels an itch form itself in the corners of his eyes. Stillwell looks taken aback as well, her brilliant smile faltering for just a second. You on the other hand, take another sip of your drink, before placing it right in the middle of the contract, the moisture from the ice creating a wet circle in the paper.

Your heartbeat is even, it doesn't pick up even a smidgen, when you look between Stillwell and America's Greatest Hero, who is slowly but surely growing annoyed by your persistent indifference.

-Thank you, but I already said no - you repeat, and this time, Homelander shifts on the couch.

-And why not? - he asks, tension entering his voice in a way, that makes Madelyn squirm - Countless supes, with much more impressing powers than you, I might add, would kill to be in your place.

"To work with me" goes unsaid, but he can see in your eyes, you read it from thin air of superiority engulfing him. Annoyingly perceptive. You nod your head slowly, before turning away from them, looking out of the window of your living room. There's a small patch of grass, and a second house, so similar to yours, but at the same time, completely different. Your chin sticks out in its direction, and Homelander follows with his eyes.

There are paper butterflies stuck to the windows, cut out clumsily, most likely by children's hands.

-My neighbour, Missus Johnson - you explain - She lives there, with her three kids. Her husband died in a fire caused by your friend, Lamp Lighter.

Madelyn stills, Homelander raises an eyebrow.

-I can afford this house, only because my mother signed an NDA, after The Deep sank my father's fishing boat. - again, your heart stays completely unaffected - Accidentally, of course.

-I was not aware… - Madelyn starts, and it's hard to decipher whether she's talking to you, or Homelander.

Someone at the research department is going to have a very unpleasant evening.

-That's alright - you interrupt her with a raised hand and a small smile - This whole neighborhood is filled with similar cases. And I'm very, very attached to this place.

Why, Homelander couldn't tell. For all he knew, this was some shit hole, right in the suburbs outside New York. Not even the half decent ones. A forgotten by everyone, dying piece of land, that housed insignificant humans, who would never amount to anything, you included. He lived in a lavish apartment, inside a miracle of modern architecture. Who wouldn't want the same?

-And - there's something new entering your tone of voice - If I'm going to betray everything I stand for, I need to give something back to those people. Does your contract reflect that?

Madelyn bites the inside of her cheek, her scrutinizing gaze making your skin itch. Still, she sighs after a moment, excusing herself with that same, practiced expression she uses on every shareholder. Homelander follows her out, nodding his goodbye to you, but before he can leave this dump, Madelyn stops him with a hand pressed against his chest. She gives him one look, makes him aware that his job isn't over, and he can feel the muscles of his face twitch.

So, obediently, he lingers in your doorway, taking a few calming breaths, before facing you once more.

You've changed positions, your armchair abandoned in favor of sitting by the window, one leg bent in a way, that shows quite a nice view of your calf, your long skirt pooling around you. Homelander's eyes trail up with mild interest, and he indulges in his X-ray vision. He's just being curious, nothing more.

Your underwear is, well, for the lack of a better word, plain. The bra seems to be slightly ill fitted, digging into the sides of your breasts, making them almost spill from under your pits, and Homelander swallows thickly at the sight. There are little, pink hearts on your panties. The colors are dull and washed out from frequent use, and the once frilly lace is starting to fray at the edges.

Apparently Vaught's compensation was not sufficient for you to buy some decent undergarments.

-Do you want something to eat? Drink? - you ask from your place by the window, and Homelander is snatched back to reality - Do you even need food?

The bluntness of the question startles him, makes him feel defensive, but Madelyn wanted results, so he puts on a mask of his trained smile, and crosses the room. Back straight like an arrow, he looks wildly out of place between all the linens and cushions. He doesn't look at you, trapping your smaller form in the confinement of the window, as he watches over the neighboring house.

-I'm not hungry - he shoots down your offer with a wave of his hand - I've already eaten.

A lie, but he'd never stoop low enough to take any leftovers, especially from you. Still, the offer seems nice. He does like being pampered, even if it's with lackluster things. Your eyes linger on his boyish smile, another practiced thing, and Homelander shifts focus to your heartbeat once again.

-Alright then - your voice sounds indifferent as ever - Well, if you don't mind, I'm going to make some dinner for myself.

He offers a small nod, and watches you from his position by the window, as you slip past him. It does require quite a lot of manoeuvering, but you manage to stand without touching him. He has to admit, watching you balance, as you try to avoid him, was amusing. Still, your heart beats calmly, and, not wanting to be left on his own, Homelander follows you to your kitchen. The beads of the courtain drum delicately over the bronze eagles on his shoulders.

The fridge is buzzing something awful. He can see just how run down the inside mechanism is, the hinges squeaking unbearably, as you reach for a box of reheatable spaghetti. There's cheep beer inside, a moldy lemon, a carton of milk pretty close to expiring, and a half-used bottle of spicy ketchup. Homelander doesn't even recognize these brands, they're not sponsored by Vaught, that's for sure.

Cheap, tasteless, basically offering no nutritional value.

-Would you step back for a second? - he asks, already wrenching himself between you and that pathetic excuse of a meal.

Again, your body sways to avoid touching him, and for some unknown reason, he finds it very amusing.

Then, you watch with a raised eyebrow, as he turns towards your spaghetti, a red sheen overtaking his eyes. An unbearably hot beam shoots out, making the insides of the plastic packaging sizzle. Finally, that gets him a reaction, as you gasp and reel back, colliding with the barely functional fridge. Your heart does a flip inside your chest, and Homelander soaks up your shock like a man starved.

Only when the red fizzles out of his gaze do you dare to move, approaching him slowly, your eyes bearing into him in a way that is frankly uncomfortable.

He turns to you with another one of his charming smiles, trying to handle this sudden scrutiny in as flippant a way as possible.

-I had no idea you can control the intensity of your lazer - you admit, voice slightly breathless.

-Pretty neat, huh? - perhaps he's fishing for more attention, but he doesn't care, because your eyes light up for just a moment in sheer wonder.

-Super cool, actually.

Yeah. Yeah, that's fucking right, he is super cool. And your heart is beating so much faster, and finally you're looking at him as if he's more than just some guy, some living advertisement you're determined to ignore.

And then your eyes shift, eyebrows furrowing ever so slightly, as you zero in on his shoulder. Something akin to a wave of amusement flickers across your expression, and to his general surprise, Homelander wants to know what's the cause of this shift. Your lips pull back into a smile, teeth peaking at him in all their glory. He can almost imagine them running down his skin, before he pushes the thought back all together, as the lower portion of his suit becomes slightly too tight for comfort.

-Well, thank you for saving the spaghetti - your eyes hold a spark of amusement - My hero.

Okay, alright, he's hard. There's no point denying it. However annoying and insignificant you were moments before, your quip goes straight to his loins, burning enough, for him to consider just how mad Stillwell would be, if he'd have a taste of this newly discovered talent.

If he stands any closer to you, he might find out, because this special little moment you two have shared, is crudely interrupted by Madelyn clearing her throat. Homelander nearly jumps back, you however barely turn your head, reaching for your spaghetti and arming yourself with a fork.

-I've spoken to my supervisor - Stillwell announces, clearly peeved by the way you start chewing on the noodles - A new version of the contract will be emailed to you as soon as possible. Hopefully it will be satisfactory.

-Thank you, Miss Stillwell - you answer with an inclination of your head.

With that, Madelyn nods her goodbye at you, refusing to shake your hand, which does amuse you, you're not going to lie. Homelander however, goes all out, capturing your fork-weilding arm, his fingers sneaking around your wrist like a bracelet. Or a shackle. Then, you watch with a confused arch to your eyebrows, as he brings you closer, until his lips press onto the protruding knuckles. Now that, admittedly, gets your heart going. You were not an easily embarrassed person, not by a long shot, but you could feel blood rushing towards your face all the same.

He has to hold his breath, as he kisses your hand in that charming, gentleman way he's seen in old movies. The smell of pasteurized tomato sauce blows in his direction, like a direct assault on his senses. Still, he needed something that would make you swoon. If everything failed, he knew how to be intimidating, but for now, perhaps he wanted to try something different. Something that would yield much more pleasant results, for the both of you. Mostly for him, let's be honest.

Madelyn asks him to stay back, spy on you throughout the night, and he begrudgingly agrees, if only to mask the fact, that he would do so of his own volition, had she not brought it up. And as such, he floats into the rapidly cooling air, disappearing into the darkening sky, where you wouldn't be able to see him even if you tried. He could see you however, and hear you, and he was about to make the most of the situation.

He spends the whole evening just watching you exist within your space. Normally, it would piss him off beyond belief. You weren't doing anything scandalous, anything that could warrant his attention. And yet, as he floats on, in time lowering himself just slightly, to get a better view, he just can't seem to look away. The spaghetti is gone in approximately fifteen minutes, as you inhale the supermarket food, walking around the living room, the kitchen, getting a few bites on the porch even. You seem so utterly unfazed by the events of the past hour, like you haven't just had America's Greatest Superhero try to convince you to work with him. It's honestly insulting, this lack of reaction.

Then, finally, he can hear a distinct ping of a new email come from your laptop, and you sit down on the couch with a small huff. Your eyes move, your lips twitch, and then he hears your heart stop in your chest. As if working on autopilot, your hand travels up, covers your mouth in shock, and you lean back against the worn-down sofa, eyes glued to the screen illuminating your face in a blue-ish light.

-...fuck… - you whisper, and despite himself Homelander floats even closer to your window.

Finally, he has the chance to peak over the curtain. To sneak into the backstage of the award winning production of your defenses, and see what goes on in those bored eyes of yours, when they're not guarded. And what he sees makes his suit feel much too tight, his body too warm. Quite an unusual thing to get so worked up about, but he's the goddamned Homelander, he can get hard whenever he fucking wants. And so, as saliva gathers on his tongue, he presses himself against the tiles on your roof, all the warmth of the day soaking into his skin through the thick material of his suit.

With a shaky hand you reach over towards your phone, putting in a number and pressing the call button, before standing straight from the couch, almost knocking the laptop over.

-Hey, what's up? - someone says on the other end of the line, and Homelander tries to focus more on the words flowing from the receiver.

-Oh, you gotta sit down for that one - you warn with an anxious chuckle, taking the familiar place by the window.

With your free hand you reach up to open the window all the way. Then, Homelander sees your fingers slip between the pillows and pull out a rather beaten up pack of cigarettes.

Naughty, naughty, he thinks, watching you produce a lighter from that same hiding place.

-Alright, I'm sat like never before.

The voice sounds vaguely female, although the shitty quality of your phone makes it hard to decipher. Your lips pull back into a toothy grin, and you blow out the smoke through the window. It curls upwards and dissipates into the air, right above the roof, where Homelander swallows thickly around a coughing fit.

-You will not believe who visited me today…

-The ICE - the voice deadpans, and you snort around another huff of smoke.

-Pretty fucking close, let me tell you - he doesn't appreciate the joke, not at all - Fucking Homelander.

The line goes completely quiet for a moment, and with every second your grin seems to be growing.

-Deadass?

-Yup - your lips purse, and Homelander zeroes in on the expression - Flew in all Star's Spangled Glory with some Vaught big fish. They tried to convince me to join the Seven.

-And obviously you said yes, because what the fuck else do you do in that situation?

Your grin slowly fades away, and you lean your forehead on the window frame.

-You didn't?

-I didn't.

Again, it's quiet.

Homelander shifts a bit in his position, adjusting against the warmed up tiles of the roof, his X-ray vision bearing into you. Out of curiosity, he looks deeper, eyes floating over your insides. You're relatively healthy. Some vitamin deficiencies, but nothing too serious. And despite that nasty habit lodged between your fingers, your lungs are clear, at least for now. There's a softness to your body, your muscles barely visible, as if you're just another gray human. Oh, and there's a bit of an eyesight problem forming, not enough to warrant glasses, but that shouldn't take long, considering your lifestyle.

-The contract they gave me was really good, you know - you muse to the phone, your leg dangling from the windowsill - Six months of working under Homelander, a Sidekick kinda situation.

-I thought they scraped the Sidekick program - the person on the other side wonders - Too many casualties or something.

-Yeah, well I guess they want to bring it back.

-Why did you say no then? I'm sure they pay is gigantic.

Again, you smile. This one much more reserved, bordering on sad. There's that strange kind of exhaustion settling into your bones again, same one Homelander noticed when he first saw you. Your shoulders slump forward, and you curl into yourself between the cushions.

-It was, it was… - you mutter - But I needed something more, for the neighborhood, ya know?

Your caller hums softly in understanding, and Homelander feels like something is passing him by. Some unspoken fact, that you and your friend find obvious.

-And - you hesitate, eyes flickering towards the laptop, your heart beat picking up ever so slightly - They sent me a revised contract. And it's fucking good. Really fucking good. It could help this entire place get back on its feet.

-But you still don't want to - the voice says for you, without judgement.

-No - you sigh - I really, really don't.

-Say no then - your friend supplies, and once again Homelander feels a flame of annoyance start to burn within him - No one else knows about the contract, there will be no expectations.

Slowly, you nod your head, clearly relieved by the way your friend reacted to the news. Homelander however, caught you right where he needed you. That's your lever. Not seduction, not intimidation, just plain, stupidly human guilt.

-Thank you - you whisper into your phone, finally smiling again - Oh, wanna know one more thing?

-Obviously.

-Homelander's wearing a padded suit.

Something's stuck in his throat, as he reels back from his position. Before he can stop himself, his eyes begin to glow red, because how the fuck did you know?

-Okay, that's bullshit.

-Unless his shoulder dislocated in the middle of talking, then no, it's definitely not bullshit.

Your friend gives out a choked laugh, one which you mirror with your own. If Homelander wasn't so utterly flabbergasted by your (correct) observation, he would've stopped to appreciate the sound. As it stands, however, he pushes himself off your roof, a couple of broken pieces falling off of the tiles. And then he's up in the air, cutting through the winds, headed straight for the Tower, leaving you in the comfort of your insignificant, smelly home.

The contract is leaked before the sun is up.

You're awoken to thousands of news articles flooding your timeline, all listing the truly wonderful and selfless points in the fated email. With a white face, you read them all, the speculations, the theories, the angry comments about you being chosen without an actual casting, while all those up and coming supes are busting their asses in auditions.

Soon enough, you're visited by every neighbour possible, congratulating, thanking you. A barbecue is set in the street, as a way of celebration, and you want to throw your phone, and subsequently yourself into the nearest river.

Madelyn Stillwell sends you an email, scheduling a meeting at the Vaught Tower. No need for pleasantries at this point, you stare at the bare bones invitation. "We eagerly await the start of our partnership" looks back at you, mocking your resolve. And thus, the end of your life as you know it begins.

"Project Delinquent"

The words are printed in an ugly, corporate font, and they stare back at you, outlining the mold you're supposed to fit in, in such a perfect way, it actually, almost makes you retch. True, during high school you were quite the little rebel, but people grown and learn, and seeing your character be watered down to that simple word, does send a wave of nausea through your insides. Even if this is hell of your own making, even if you're ready to swallow it all down with a smile, there's a pang of humiliation stinging your heart.

The armchair in Stillwell's office is uncomfortably narrow. It barely has enough room to accommodate your hips, and you wonder if this design is intentional. There is a growing ache in your calves, as you sit so close to the edge, you can't fully relax into your position, balancing on your feet instead. The armrests dig into your sides, and the way the sun is shining through the gigantic windows of the office, is shaping this charade of a meeting into an overstimulating nightmare. Still, you endure. For all the wonderful benefits enclosed in your contract, the charity work Vaught is going to supply.

Or at least, that's what you keep telling yourself, stuck between the marketing department representatives and a literal Devil of a woman.

Madelyn Stillwell doesn't know what to make out of you. Your files were filled with all sorts of questionable activity, especially around the college area. It's honestly a miracle you've managed to get your degree, and attend all those silly little demonstrations at the same time. Your criminal record has been wiped clean, weeks before you even agreed to sign the contract, just in case any leaks would find their way into the media. Leaks that were not orchestrated by Madelyn, of course.

High school rebellion was almost too easily marketable, Madelyn decided to focus on that part of your life as much as possible, her vision slowly coming to fruition. All she needed, really, was cooperation. And while you seemed to be mostly receptive to her ideas, she needed to make sure Homelander was on his best behavior. Which, well… Could go sideways in the worst way imaginable, but Stillwell tried to have some faith in her best superhero.

The idea of releasing details of your contract to the public, was a stroke of genius, she did not expect from Homelander, and she made sure he was thoroughly rewarded. With him, it was always better to choose the hands-on approach, unfortunately. With you, however, ideals were the key. Whatever feeling of solidarity you harbored towards your neighborhood, provided a leverage relatively easy to control. Still, as Stillwell looked you over, crammed into her office in your, frankly, lousy attire, she couldn't help but be just a tad worried about your compliance.

-…And then - the marketer continues with a dramatic gasp - Homelander comes in. America's Greatest Hero, offers you a mentorship. And you…

You look up at the representative with a rather sour expression. They have to work on that too. Media training was crucial. You won't be able to sell anything, if you keep grimacing like that all the damned day.

-… Are starstruck - your mouth twitches - You strike up a deal, selfless. A rebel with a heart of gold. Finally, you can make some real change happen, so you push aside your anti-corporate values, to discover, that Vaught is so much more, than you could possibly imagine.

It's hard not to laugh, and you swallow thickly, biting your lip, as a middle-aged woman you don't recognize gets up from the couch, and makes her way to the wall opposite of your torture chair. There, tucked in a corner and hidden under a black cloth, stands a mannequin, roughly your size. With a flourish you find utterly out of place, the woman tugs at the cape, and as it falls to the floor, so does your stomach. You can't hold it in any longer. A rough snort of laughter rips out of your nose, and you cover your mouth instantly.

-That better be a laugh of delight - Ashley, a ginger menace, mutters under her breath, and Stillwell turns to you with a tight expression on her face.

-Something the matter?

-I mean - you take a deep, grounding breath, tying your amusement in the back of your throat - I knew it's going to be skimpy, but this is…

You look around the room, seeing various stages of corporate outrage, and then you lock eyes with Homelander. Stillwell insisted on his participation in the meeting, as the both of you are supposed to work closely together, and throughout the whole ordeal, he looked borderline ready to die of boredom. Now, however, his eyebrows lift in a curious manner, as he takes in the, to be completely honest, horrendous costume, and your full figure. Something dangerously close to disgust twists your features, as he shamelessly drags his eyes all over your body.

Who would've thought America's Sweetheart was a fucking creep?

Rolling your eyes, you get up from the cursed armchair, your knees cracking loudly. Crossing the room, you take a closer look at the clothing, or rather, lack there of. Torn fishnets, plaid tennis skirt, and a corset top, made out of some leather-like material. Truly, a fetishists wet dream. Your fingers sample the fabric of the skirt. Surprisingly stiff, it seems to beg for a wardrobe malfunction. With a frown pulling down your lips, you lift the material up, and as expected, find no safety shorts underneath.

Homelander watches you intently, as you inspect the costume. Just the thought of your soft body in this skimpy, corporate bastardization of a rock star, makes heat rise in the lower part of his stomach. With every disapproving pull of your, and don't quote him on that, perfect lips, he's more and more convinced this whole charade is just an early birthday present. He'll have to thank Stillwell. Or better not, because as soon as he throws her a sidelong glance, he discovers, she's already looking at him. With a rather tense expression at that.

He feigns innocence, almost raises his hands in mock defeat, but decides against it at the last second. You're still watching him, torn between inspecting the costume, and shooting disgruntled looks in his direction.

Then, as if pulled by some invisible force, your hand sneaks to the front of the corset, fingers closing over the full cup, where your breast will soon reside. You give the mock leather two squeezes, and a high-pitched laugh wheezes out of your lips. Homelander's head nearly snaps with how fast he turns to look at Stillwell, confusion clear on his face.

She's looking at you cautiously. He knows that expression all too well, he's seen it multiple times during their partnership. She's calculating, with bated breath, just how much of a problem you'll inevitably become. How to turn it around in the company's favor, how to steer you in the right direction, should the need arise.

But then, you clap your hands, still giggling quietly, and turn to the designer, who's been watching your reaction with a growing distaste.

-That's one hell of a push-up bra - you comment with a raised eyebrow - My tits will fly straight out of this, if I even think about moving my arms.

Now, that's something Homelander would love to see, and you note his leering face with an uncomfortable shift in your posture.

-Your physique has to be god-like. There's no shame in a little padding - the designer answers simply, and your eyes glimmer with amusement.

-Oh, I bet - your eyes float for just a second in Homelander's direction, and he wonders if lasering you down right now would be too harsh of a reaction.

The image had to be kept up, however, and he deflects your blatant provocation with a bright smile. Or rather, it would've been a bright smile, if his cheek didn't twitch in a way, that portrayed exactly how forced his pleasantries are.

-There will be a press conference, seven PM sharp, where you'll be introduced to the public - Ashley informs you, her eyes glued to her tablet - Homelander will give a welcoming speech, explain that you're a temporary member of The Seven. Then, you'll need to say a couple of words. We'll send you the talking points ASAP.

-Right… - you mutter, not particularly thrilled by the idea of public speaking.

Stillwell looks over her shoulder towards Homelander, giving him an expectant, raised eyebrow. Slowly, he moves from his spot by the window, hand extended in a greeting, teeth flashing in a smile. Your eyes involuntarily shift towards his rather sharp canines, and for the first time, since you've signed the contract, you truly feel uneasy. His eyes are almost unnaturally blue, a perfect, American shade, that glimmers just a tad too dangerously. There's no need for super senses, he can feel your nerves in the very air you breathe.

-Welcome to The Seven - his voice is smoother than you've ever heard before - Fireball.

Wait a god-damned minute.

Confusion covers all previous feelings, and to Homelander's growing annoyance, you leave him with his hand extended, in favor of turning towards Stillwell.

-That's not my name - you point out, and Madelyn nods her head in a practiced expression of understanding.

-Due to some copyright intricacies, we can't let you use Smirnoff - she explains.

You suck in a deep breath through your teeth, looking back towards the costume. A moment's hesitation, you close your eyes as you breathe out, and once again Homelander feels as if he's able to peak under a carnival mask you carefully placed upon yourself. He lifts it just enough, sees the way muscles on your neck twitch. Your jaw sets in a way, that is slowly becoming intoxicating, and then you turn back to him.

-I'm honored - your voice is hollow, locked far away in the column of your throat, and you don't have enough strength to even attempt a smile.

That's alright, he has enough charm for the both of you, his imposing stature pushing towards you, as his arm sneaks around your shoulders.

Fuck, you're warm. He can feel the heat of your skin seeping into his costume. There's a vaguely familiar smell clinging to your form, mixing with the scent of cigarette smoke. Jasmine flowers, he concludes, and absent-mindedly remembers a rather large bush growing in your backyard. He wonders, if you'd let him fuck you, if he showed up with a bouquet at your door. Women seemed to like those, and although you didn't strike him as the most romantic person, he's positive he could charm his way into your pants.

-I'll show you to your room, sweetheart - perhaps he's laying it on a bit heavy with the nickname.

He can hear Stillwell's heart jump, and he immediately knows, he's going to have to sit through a stern talk later today. You, on the other hand, wrench your head to the side, disgruntled with this new form of familiarity. Your entire body goes tense, and you try to wriggle yourself further away from him. On instinct, his fingers dig into your shoulder, a mockery of a friendly expression, and with just a small fragment of his true strength, he pushes you forward, out of Stillwell's office.

He can do whatever he wants, and Madelyn is getting awfully pushy with guarding you from him. You're just a temporary toy to satisfy the higher-ups. A six months worth of an experiment, that he's forced to be a part of. After your contract is up, Vaught won't care whether you live or die, and you bet your rather ample ass, he's going to exploit that to the fullest. Not only is it borderline insulting, to deny him life's simple pleasures, it's pathetic.

-Nervous about the press? - he asks in a light tone, his jaw clicking softly, when your slide out of his grasp as soon as the doors close.

The casualness of this question throws you in a bit of a loop, but with a couple of rapid blinks, you're back to normal, letting him lead you towards the elevator.

-Public speaking isn't my best asset - you mumble.

Homelander presses the call button of the elevator, then leans against the wall, watching you with a strange twinkle in his eye.

-Sounds like someone's not a people person - he notes, wiggling his finger at you in a manner that is confusingly playful.

-I am a people person - you defend yourself, albeit a bit awkwardly - Just�� Not when there's a lot of people.

He laughs at that, a practiced, almost theatrical bark that's as fake as his hairdo. All you have the strength to do, is flash him half of a smile. Thankfully the elevator pings before any more small-talk is required, and you slip into the confined space, standing in the corner. His eyes roam freely all over your body, a shameless act that makes your guts twist, makes the already small space of the elevator even more stuffy. And then, he enters after you, pressing a button to the right floor, and taking a spot much too close to you, than what's necessary.

You suppose it's one of the things you'll have to get used to. This constant invasion of your personal space. Perhaps, if it were someone else, someone that wasn't as empty as you, those actions would've been more intimidating than annoying. Alas, as you watch his chest rise and fall in steady rythm, out of the corner of your eye, his actions remind you of a petulant, spoiled child, rather than America's Greatest Hero. "I can't play with this toy? And what if I do this?" For just a second you entertain the idea of gentle parenting Homelander, and the thought makes the corner of your mouth twitch.

-Something the matter? - he asks, tension sneaking into his friendly tone.

-Just happy to be here, sir - you answer, and he knows it's a blatant lie, another one of your snarky provocations.

Doesn't matter for now, there will be a time to teach you some manners.

The elevator arrives at the right floor, and you bolt out of your place as soon as the doors slip open. Homelander follows closely behind, before closing the distance in a couple of long steps. Then, he's in front of you, and you nearly collide with his form, as he suddenly comes to a stop, in front of a pair of large doors. "Fireball" is etched into a small plack, and you throw the offending piece of metal a withering glance.

-That's your stop, sweetheart - he comments, and once again, you grimace at the nickname - Take a look inside, I'm sure it will blow your socks right off.

Why is he talking to you like you're a fucking child all of a sudden, you'll never understand. The door clicks softly, as you open it, revealing your living space for the next six months. The sight chokes a laugh out of you, because truly, the ammount of "punk" memorabilia is staggering.

-Does cocaine addiction come with the package, or…?

He doesn't even react to your joke, and you don't blame him. For all his creepiness and fake interest, he doesn't strike you as the funniest person on earth. There are guitars hanging over a rather large bed, there's a pristine stop sign next to them, which you suppose is meant to look rebellious. The usage of leopard print is tacky at best, and you truly start to wonder if they even consulted someone out of the corporation to design the space. Most likely no, wouldn't want to waste resources on such a small project.

-Fireball - Homelander's voice is barely above a whisper, but it makes your heart jump all the same.

He's standing so closely behind you, you can feel the warmth of his breath at the back of your neck, but for some unnknown reason, you can't force yourself to move. Instead, you feel him take a deep breath trough his nose, his chest brushing against your back. Your eyes stay glued to a drum set, pushed against a gigantic window. Light reflects off of the cymbals, in your mind you're already playing it, far away from this nightmare of a superhero.

-I'll see you at the press conference - Homelander's hand clasps itself over your shoulder, squeezing a couple of times, as if testing the softness of your body - Don't even think about being late, young lady.

You don't know when he dissapears, as you stand there, frozen. One foot over the threshold of your room, breathing shallow and borderline panicked. It could've been seconds, could've been hours, until your head finally snaps to the side. He's not there anymore, you're alone in the corridor, and as you slam the door closed behind you, something you've only suspected before becomes abundantly clear.

There is something deeply wrong with Homelander.

[daretolovemyrambling]

ARCANE TIMELINE

every Information confirmed by lore or the creators is green. Everything I found out through math is orange (because we don't know months, birthdates, exact ages etc.). Things that are purely my headcanon i'm putting in blue. red represents League Wiki information that has not been disproved by arcane canon, that said it's Wiki anyone can edit and is not the most trusted source when the dates don't include a source.

I edit this everytime I find out something new!

some background that is important for the timeline:

BN refers to "Before Noxus". Before the Runewars, there were several rivaling tribes of Noxi in Runeterra. But after the Runewars they had banded together into one nation, Noxus. They establish their own Calender, BN (Before Noxus) and AN which stands for "After Noxus".

"Zaun" was not build at the same time as Piltover. In League lore. Zaun, then called Oshra Va'Zaun, was build 3000 BN, it was part of the Shuriman empire and became independent after Shurima fell.

Valoran is the name of the continent the story of Arcane takes place in. Zaun and Piltover reside in South Valoran. Noxus resides in East Valoran. Demacia resides in West Valoran.

772 BN: Oshra Va'Zaun attempts to create a safe sea-route between East and West Valoran. Their plan is to create a passage with bombs, which results in them accidentally triggering a series of strong earthquakes.

Half of Oshra Va'Zaun sinks and poisonous gas leaks into the city. Janna, a goddess revered by sailors, hears the Zaunites prayers and blows away the toxic gas, becoming their guardian deity.

790 AN: Thanks to the passage, merchant clans aquire an immense amount of wealth and take residence in the newly developed district that was build over the Pilt River. They name it Piltover to symbolize it's position over the Pilt River. In honor of it's founding, they have their first "Progress Day". Heimerdinger becomes one of the founders of Piltover. He is about 114 years old.

940-950 AN: Vander and Silco are somewhere between their 30's and 50's but exact ages are unknown. Same goes for Felicia and Connol. They look like they are in their 30's or at most early 40's when they die. All four must be born around 940 to 950 but I couldn't really narrow it down. If anyone finds information from the creators, let me know!

957 AN: Mel is 26 during season 1 act 1, so she is likely born in this year.

959 AN: Jayce is born in 959 because he is 24 in season 1 act 1. In the League Wiki he is listed as born in 959!

958-961 AN: Viktor is born sometime in those years. Viktor is around Jayce's age. It's unknown if he is older or younger though

965 AN: Vander and Silco work in the mines and meet eachother. (Putting this in blue because this detail comes from the Arcane artbook and we don't know at what age they meet, we just know they worked in the mines together) This could also be the year the last drop is bought or build by Vander!

967 AN: Vi is 14-16 during the events of season 1 act 1 according to Amanda Overton. I'm placing her at around 16 years old. Which means that she was likely born in 967. This is probably also the year the bar flashback with vanco and felicia happens :). This is also the year that is listed as her birth date in the League Wiki! In the League Wiki she is listed as born in 967!

966-968 AN: Cait is around the same age as Vi. If we say she was 15 during season 1 part 1, she would be born in 968. In the League Wiki she is listed as born in 966!

970 AN: year Ekko is born according to the League Wiki! This might be a headcanon from Ekko's voice actor, but I have to fact check it.

972 AN: Powder is roughly 5 years younger than Vi, so she would be born in 972 at the earliest.

978 AN: Felicia and Connol die in the riot at the bridge when Powder is around 6 and Vi is around 11 according to Amanda Overton.

980 AN: Mel says she was exciled ten years ago in season 1 act 3. So she arrived in 980 in Piltover. Mel is around 23 here because she is 33 in s1 act 2 & 3.

983 AN: This is the year were everything from season 1 act 1 takes place. It's not only the death year of Vander, Mylo and Clagger, Benzo and Greyson, this is the year Hextech was invented, Shimmer development was completed and the year the timeline splits into two (one where Vi lives and one where Vi dies)

990 AN: the 200th Progress Day takes place in 1x4. The events of episode 4-9 likely span not even longer than a week, so everything in season 1 act 2 and 3 happens in this year!

991 AN: between 2x3 ans 2x4 3-6 months have passed. I don't know how months and vegetation work in Runeterra, but if Viktor had enough time to build a thriving community and grow and take care of crops, i'd say that 2x4-2x9 takes place in 991 AN.

997 AN: is the year the current "present year" of the League of Legends Universe. In future spin-offs we will likely reach this year at some point.

unknown dates:

- Dr. Corin Reveck (Singed) is born and becomes a respected Doctor in Piltover. He worked together with Heimerdinger but the two parted ways because Heimerdinger disapproved of the unethical and inhumane methods Singed uses to bring Orianna back to life.

- Orianna (Singed's daughter) becomes sick and dies/is in a comatose state. In League lore she becomes sick after trying to help Zaunites escape from a chemical spill.

- Viktor's age when he meets Singed, Viktor's age when he enters the academy and becomes Heimerdingers assistant. Amanda Overton revealed that their (non-canon) idea is that Viktor's parents used their life savings to buy Viktor a Piltover school uniform. Viktor sneaks into the academy and impresses Heimerdinger so much that he doesn't kick him out and makes him an assistant instead.

- Jayce's age when he and his mother are trapped in the snowstorm. The death of Jayce's father likely already occured at or before this time.

- Isha's birthday. She between the ages Powder has in 1x1 (6-11). Since she is wearing a miners helmet we can guess that either he guardian or herself has worked in the mines at some point. She might be getting chased by goons because she escaped her workplace... chilling thought.

- the exact age of Kino and Mel, the date of Ambessa travelling through a regions where she falls in love with a stranger and has an affair with him (in the blood sweat and tears music video she appears already pregnant)

EDIT: Jayce was 24 not 25 in s1 act 1, my bad. Edited it to be his correct birth year (959)

EDIT 2: In a watch party Amanda Overton says that between episode 3 and 4 about 3 to 6 months have passed.

EDIT 3: thanks @darlingitsagathaharkness, you are right. I found this post that pieced together the chronological order of events in season 1 act 2 & 3. That is one hell of a week.

EDIT 4: I found concept art of Mel that confirms that she is imagined to be 26 during season 1 act 1.

If you find any other date or event that can be included here, please let me know :).

sources: 1, 2, 3, 4

[dailynnt]

CAPTIVE OF HIS ATTENTION

♡ Summary: You're an art and design student at Seoul National University, trying to maintain your independence and focus on your studies. Your peaceful life is shattered when you meet Jungkook , a charismatic, stubborn, and unpredictable guy who pairs up with you for a group project. He starts to annoy you by challenging your principles. Jungkook, who loves to be the center of attention, uses his charming and playful nature to play with your feelings and control the situation. You are constantly trying not to succumb to his manipulations, but gradually you find that his influence on you is becoming stronger and stronger. The relationship between you is a game of power, desire, and sensation, where each tries to leave their mark without letting the other take over completely. But will you be able to maintain your independence, or will Jungkook eventually make you his?

♡ Couple: Jeon Jungkook/ Fem!Reader

♡ Characters: The Reader, Jeon Jungkook, Park Jimin, Kim Taehyung, Min Yoongi, Kim Seokjin, Kim Namjoon, Jeon Hoseok.

♡ Age restrictions: 18+

♡ Relationships: ⚤

♡ Number of part: 1/?

♡ Tags: university life, students, from enemies to lovers, everyday life, mild longing, sex, protected sex, unprotected sex, alcohol, smoking, profanity, tags will be added as the story progresses

♡ From the author: So the first part is ready. I'm so excited, will all of you love this story too? Let me know in the comments what you think about the first part 🥹🙏🏻❤️‍🔥

♡ Warning: English is not my native language, so there may be mistakes in the text. Please don't get mad at me too much! Those under 18, please don't read this story!

♡ Tag list : @kooko007, @someoneelse0109, @kelsyx33, @minimoninini, @smokinghotstargirl (Want to be on tag list? Just let me know)

PART 1: Partners in a group project.

The asphalt under your feet was half dry. Your white sneakers contrasted against the gray road surface. You tried to walk carefully so as not to fall into a puddle that hadn't dried.

Yesterday it had been raining all day, and this morning the sun appeared, which seemed to make this world more bearable. It was early spring outside. The end of March, to be exact. You breathed in the cool air, which was warmer than February and promised to more warm soon.

You walked at a brisk pace, looking at your watch at the same time. You were late for an early lecture on "Conceptual Art and Installation."

Last night, you slept poorly and not enough. The session soon is starting and you have been studying hard. You went to bed at three o'clock in the morning as soon as you finished working on the practical assignment for Graphics. You were also helping some of your classmates, so instead of doing one practice problem, you did 3. It wasn't hard for you. You loved to draw, and when you held a pencil or paint in your hands, time ceased to exist. That's why you didn't notice how late you stayed up late at night while drawing the practice tasks.

You also had a strange dream. You were in the arms of a guy. He was taller than you, and you remember wanting to look at his face in the dream, but you were blinded by the sun. You also remember having strange but strong feelings for this guy. Is this what everyone calls "butterfly feelings"? You remember how much you liked being in that hug and what the guy who was holding you said: "Who would have thought that I would change for you?"

You shake your head as if trying to drive away the thoughts of this dream and the feelings that have been overwhelming you since you woke up. You shouldn't fill your head with all kinds of nonsense. It's just a dream.

You run into the building, holding an unfinished cup of coffee. You bought yourself a double cappuccino to keep you going. It's crowded around you. In five minutes you have to be on the third floor in room 3001/b.

The professor is always on time. He is scrupulous and disciplined, and he demands the same from his students. So you are in a hurry. But it's not realistic to get to the classroom in 5 minutes. If you take the elevator, it will take 3 minutes, but seeing the line for it, you decide that you will take the stairs.

You almost ran. In a minute you were in the corridor leading to the stairs. You were holding the materials for today's lecture and the next two, and you had coffee to finish.

You see nothing but the door leading to the stairs. It is your ultimate goal to get there as quickly as possible.

As you reach a group of guys standing off to the side in the corridor, one of them takes a step to the side without noticing you. You crash into each other. You don't even realize it when his arms are around your waist, and you're leaning against his chest. You crash into his chest, knocking the air out of his lungs. You cry out and feel the coffee you didn't finish spilling onto his snow-white sweatshirt and your cream-colored sweater and coat. But you get only a few drops, and all other remainder of coffee on Jungkook.

Time stands still as you look up to see who you've crashed into. The light from the sun coming in through the panoramic windows on the first floor of the campus initially covers his face. But when he lowers his face between your bodies, which are still touched, you recognize him as Jeon Jungkook. The local playboy, and without exaggeration, the genius in your class.

He is a chaebol who is the heir to the "Jeon Art Group Foundation" which owns expensive and valuable art pieces and numerous art galleries in Korea and around the world. That's why he is probably studying at Seoul University. He is supposed to take his father's place one day, so this is where he will get the basic skills and knowledge about the business he will be doing.

But Jungkook seems to have other plans for his future. You study with him in the same stream and almost never see him at lectures. And when he does come down to mere mortals and honors the audience with his presence, he is almost always asleep. He is only at the university because his father is a good sponsor of the institution. If he had even your status, he would have been expelled long ago.

Although Jungkook is a hidden genius. You've seen his work, and it impressed you, to put it mildly. The way he used his drawing skills was absolutely amazing. It's a pity that such a talent was given to such a useless person as Jeon Jungkook.

You stared at the stain on Jungkook's chest, frightened, and didn't know what to do.

"Fuck..." - You hear Jungkook's irritated voice. It vibrates in your ears. You finally feel his arms around your waist, hear the quiet, mocking laughter of his friends from the side, and you fly away from him like a scalded.

You realize that your clothes are spoiled by coffee, and there is a black stains on Jungkook's chest and pants. You bow quickly, several times, apologizing.

"I'm so sorry, I didn't notice you, I was in a hurry..." - You say without looking at him.

"Damn! Girl, you ruined my clothes and my mood, and it's only morning..." - Jungkook says sarcastically. He's assessing the damage you've done.

"I'm sorry, I really didn't notice you..." - You apologize again and bow low. Jungkook finally pays attention to you. His eyes bore into your face. He looks you up and down and thinks he has never seen you before. And really why? Because he likes what he's looking at.

"You should watch your step, not sleep on the go." - He says defiantly. His friends standing nearby are watching the situation carefully.

You straighten up at his tone. Irritation rises in your chest. He's a cocky guy. He stepped into the road, so you hit him. It's his fault, too. You're annoyed that you sincerely apologized twice and this brat didn't even pay attention.

"I was awake." - You say firmly. "I apologized before, you shouldn't talk like that." - You bravely look at Jungkook's handsome face, which for some reason is unpleasant to you. He looks surprised, but he shows a cheeky smile. The corner of his mouth curves up and he hums.

"How is your apology going to save my $1,500 sweatshirt from Balenciaga?" - Jungkook asks you. You raise your eyebrows. Buying a new one is definitely not going to work. You don't have that kind of money. You take a deep breath and look up at Jungkook. His arrogance is off the charts. The situation was an accident, but he seems to have decided to make you look guilty of all the sins of the world.

"Probably not." - You answer in a steady voice, slightly shrugging your shoulders. "But if it's that important to you, I can pay for the dry cleaning." - You notice his friends laughing quietly behind him. Jungkook tilts his head slightly to the side, clearly intrigued by your calm tone and the fact that you're not giving up.

"Dry cleaning?" - He asks again, his voice filled with sarcasm. "You think that's going to solve the problem? This is Balenciaga, girl. Not some cheap stuff from the sale."

You press your lips together to keep from saying anything else. You take a deep breath, reminding yourself not to lose your temper.

"Yes, it's Balenciaga. But it's just clothes. And I've already apologized, so there's nothing more I can do!" - You answer confidently, tilting your chin.

His eyes squint. He obviously didn't expect you to put him in his place so quickly. His friends behind him are clearly interested in your answer. One of them seems to be laughing.

"Nothing you can do?" - He repeats slowly, as if savoring your words. "That's a cheeky answer for someone who just ran into me. Besides, how am I supposed to walk around all day with a black stain on my clothes?"

"Just as bold as standing in the middle of the hallway, disturbing others. It's Balenciaga, say to everyone that it a limited edition." - You say ironically.

This time, you can definitely see his eyebrows rise slightly. But instead of getting angry, he just smiles again, his cheeky smile that almost drives you crazy.

"You're an interesting girl…" - He says, leaning in a little closer, his voice lower. "You don't know your place, but it's kind of... fun. Are you new or something?" - You feel your cheeks start to flush, but you try to keep your composure.

"We've been studying in the same class for two years." - You say colorlessly. He's such an idiot that he doesn't know all his classmates by sight. Of course, why would a jerk like him want to? Maybe it's for the best that he didn't know you and didn't notice you before. After all, he seems to be an asshole. You decide it's time to leave. "I definitely don't belong here, wasting time arguing." - You retort, taking a step back. "Sorry about the stain, but I have to go. If you need to pay for dry cleaning, you'll find me in the classroom." - You say and turn to leave, but his voice stops you in your tracks.

"Hey, what's your name?" - You stop, but don't look back.

"I don't think it matters." - You throw over your shoulder and walk confidently toward the stairs.

Behind you, a voice is heard the soft laughter of his friends and someone's voice.

"That's Turner Y/N. She seems to be an exchange student." - One of them says in a low voice.

"Y/N." - Jungkook says, as if savoring your name on his tongue. Jungkook looks away and remembers your frightened face next to him and your big eyes of an unusual color.

"What? Did you like her?" - Jungkook's other friend asks. His voice is high and cheerful. His eyes sparkled with something sly. Jungkook smiled.

"She's hot, isn't she, Jimin? I've never had a foreign girl before." - Jungkook says cheekily. Jimin and the other friend laugh.

"Jungkook, it seems you've lost your future victim." - Says a black-haired guy who looks like a model.

"I don’t think so, Taehyung." - He replies with the same cocky smile, but now his eyes are curious.

You enter the classroom and apologize to the professor. As usual, he does not miss an opportunity to complain about the student's lateness. You listen to his reproaches for about 5 minutes. Almost when he finishes, you hear the door open behind you. Since you were standing close to the door, you find yourself almost standing next to Jungkook, who, as it turns out, is also late for Professor Park Min-suk's class.

"Look at that insolence!" - The professor was surprised as he looked at you and Jungkook. Jungkook gave you an indifferent look as he stood behind you. You immediately turned away. You noticed that Jungkook was wearing a T-shirt. It looked strange, because it was spring. You knew the reason why he was dressed like that.

"Sorry I'm late, professor." - You heard Jungkook's voice above your head. It felt like he was talking right into the back of your head. You didn't notice that he had come close and was standing almost next your body. "I had an emergency." - Jungkook tried to make excuses. The professor shook his head angrily.

"What situation made you 11 minutes late for the lecture?" - The professor asked for an explanation.

"Coffee was spilled on me and I had to change my clothes." - Jungkook said. You straighten your spine. Professor Park Min-seok frowned and tapped his fingers on the lectern in frustration.

"On you spilled the coffee?" - He repeated, his voice filled with sarcasm. "And surely you couldn't change clothes faster so as not to disrupt my lecture?"

Jungkook tilted his head slightly to the side, his lips curling into a slight smile that looked more like a challenge.

"I'm afraid, Professor, I can't anticipate such cases." - His tone was calm, but you could feel the tension in the room rising. The professor sighed, obviously trying to hold back.

"Okay. Next time, Mr. Jungkook, make sure you don't pour coffee on yourself before my lectures." - He said, turning sharply to the audience. "And find a seat." - Jungkook nodded, but he suddenly leaned down to your ear in what was only a split second.

"Looks like you helped me with my excuse a little bit." - He whispered. His words caused you to experience a wave of mixed emotions, from surprise to indignation. You turned sharply to him, but he had already passed by, throwing you a half-smile.

"Y/N, you should also find a seat." - The professor's voice made you come to your senses. You quickly nodded and headed for an empty seat, feeling the stares of your classmates. Jungkook, as usual, took a seat at the back of the classroom, leaning back comfortably on his chair. You sat down next to your friend Miyon, who was worried about you.

The professor flipped through his lecture materials and exhaled nervously, getting ready to continue.

"So..." - He began again. "In three weeks we have an exam. But in order to pass it well, you have to pass all the practical tasks and complete the pre-exam project." - A wave of dissatisfaction spread through the classroom. You pull out your notebook from your bag and make notes for the upcoming project.

The professor continues. "The grade for this work will affect the grade for the midterm exam. So you should do your best. In addition, it will be a pair project, and at the end of the lecture I will assign you to pairs according to the number of points for the practical assignments for the course." - You heard whispers in the classroom again, and you were not very happy with this decision either. Because you would have liked to be paired with a some easier, Miyon if say exactly, but the odds are just one in sixty.

"It would be great if we were paired." - Miyon whispers to you as if reading your mind. You just nod in the affirmative, listening to the professor. He explains that the project will have two parts: a theoretical part - students will have to answer questions related to a topic of their choice - and a practical part - each student will have to create a concept for their own installation and present it in the form of a sketch or 3D model with an explanation. He also announces that he gives two weeks to complete the assignment.

For the rest of the lecture, Professor Park announces the topics for the project and briefly explains what they are. You make notes for each topic because you don't know what you might get. When the lesson comes to an end, the professor has to divide the two groups into pairs.

"...You have to tell me the topic of your project on Monday, you will have two whole days off to think about it. The topics will be repeated, so I require at least 80% originality. Now let's move on to the announcement of the pairs." - You were determined. You knew you could handle the project. The main thing is that you have a good partner. Of course, it is desirable that it was your friend Miyon.

Unfortunately, your friend is paired with Heran. She sighs in disappointment and you try to cheer her up.

"Y/N Turner..." - You hear your name and tensely turn to the professor. He looks at the list and makes a note. "You'll be paired with Jeon Jungkook." - Your heart drops to your heels. You freeze with your mouth open. Everyone around you is buzzing. You don't know why, because maybe everyone wanted to be paired with him. Everyone except you. Because you couldn't even imagine being paired with him for a project.

Jungkook, who had been dozing on his desk the whole time, stirred and looked up with interest. When he heard that he was going to be paired with you, he immediately looked at you. He could only see your tense body.

And he could not imagine your expression. He smiled slightly. What a gift of fate, now he doesn't even have to hit on you. But he didn't expect you to raise your hand and interrupt the professor who continued to assign students to pairs.

"Excuse me, professor, can I choose another partner?" - You ask. Jungkook laughs when she hears you ask. You so intrigued. Doesn't she want to work with him? That's absurd, everyone in this classroom would love to be his partner, but you're asking him to switch? Just laugh and that’s it. The professor raises his eyebrows and looks at you over the top of his glasses. He nervously takes them off and answers you.

"Dear Y/N. I'm assigning pairs based on your final grades for the practicals. Since you have a high score and Mr. Jeon has a low score because he hasn't turned in most of his assignments, you have to do the project together so that he can pass before the exam." - You grimace, because the professor's words are meaningless. Jungkook doesn't need to turn in any assignments to pass to the next class, and everyone knows it.

"But..." - You want to protest, but Professor Park interrupts you.

"Dear, you cannot choose another partner because I have already assigned you. If I wanted you to choose a partner, I would have let all the students do it. So please, I'm waiting for your and Jungkook's choice of topic on Monday." - The professor cut off and you silently turned away.

You scribbled indignantly in your notebook. It seemed unbelievable. He's talented and popular, of course, but how can you work on a project with him? The thought of him being your partner made you feel a little anxious.

Thoughts kept spinning like a wheel in your head. Jungkook was not just a classmate - he was at the center of everything that was happening at the university, with that group of "Bulletproofs", and his reputation was far from what any student would want. And why did you have to be with him? It was so annoying!

As soon as the professor finished announcing the pairs and everyone started to gather their things, Jungkook suddenly walked over to your desk. You looked up and noticed that his expression had become much more serious. A short silence passed between you. Miyon, who had been waiting for you, nervously greeted Jungkook. He nodded a meek "hello" to her and returned his gaze to you.

"You really wanted to change partner, Y/N? Did I’m that horrible?" - He asks leaning on the desk next to yours.

You shrugged slightly, trying not to let on how much this situation was stressing you out. Jungkook's gaze was attentive, and his words were tinged with irony. You stood up, throwing your backpack over your shoulder and looking at him carefully.

"It's nothing personal. I just want to pass the project with a good grade. Your reputation is not the best." - You said casually. Jungkook laughed, but his laugh wasn't angry or mocking, rather light, even a little relaxed. It was striking because his usually cold expression changed back to a more relaxed one.

"You're jumping to such hasty conclusions. What makes you think I might be the reason for your bad grade?" - He asks without taking his eyes off you. You tower over him, but you know that Jungkook is in complete control of the situation.

"I'm drawing my conclusions based on the facts." - You answer and walk out of the room. Miyon follows you out. Jungkook follows you with his eyes until your figure disappears from view. He bites his lip and feels something inside him twist. Are you trying to get his attention or are you really that buzzkill?

You're sitting at a table in a coffee shop near the university, clutching a folder of materials that has blurry coffee stains. You were waiting for Miyon to go place your order so you could eat before the next class.

Your thoughts were interrupted by loud laughter from the next table. You looked up. A few meters away, a group of young men were sitting. One of them immediately caught your eye. Dark hair, carelessly disheveled, a twinkle in his eye, and a smile that seemed too perfect to be real.

Jungkook. He came here when you were already sitting at the table. He and his company chose the table next to him because he was big and could accommodate all of them. Jungkook didn't even give you a glance when he landed nearby. He obviously never looks around, why would he do that. He's the one who has to be paid attention to.

Jungkook was the center of attention, as always. And even among the “Bulletproof” guys, he stood out the most. He had a lip piercing and a tattoo on his arm, which is not visible now because he was wearing a black sweatshirt over his T-shirt. His muscular body was clearly visible even under all the clothes he wore.

Girls were easily attracted to his appearance and you understood why. You thought he was handsome because it was obvious. Girls like these guys, charismatic with a touch of danger. Someone who can easily capture your feelings and make you want something forbidden.

Your friend Miyon, who had just returned with the order and diverted your attention from Jungkook, sat down next to you. She pursed her lips and served you your lunch. It was a chicken salad and a banana and berry smoothie.

"Just look at him. That Jeon Jungkook. I bet even your skepticism can't resist his charm. Everyone thinks you're lucky to be paired with him." - She said as she put a few lettuce leaves in her mouth. You grimaced. And picked up the chopsticks.

"I would have gladly switched with anyone. You heard me ask." - You said as you stirred the salad. Miyon smiled.

"You be careful. He's such a playboy. If he likes you, you'll be his captivate." - Your friend says. You give her a look full of skepticism.

"Don't be silly. Why should he like me... I'm not going to play these games. My main concern is to make the project." - You stir the salad and realize you're not really hungry. You take a sip of smoothie thinking it will be enough

"I don't know, the way he looks at you..." - Miyon says. You give her a look full of irritation.

"How did he look at me? We just talked for a minute!" - You say.

"Well, I saw him smiling at you. You could hear a hint of frivolity in his tone. You know, that lazy, low voice…" - Miyon says and you laugh. Not realizing that you've caught Jungkook's attention. He noticed you when he heard you laugh out loud. His gaze looks interested. He stared at you and couldn't understand why you caught his eye again. For the third time that day.

"Are you crazy? He was just talking." - You said.

"By the way, he spoke as if you knew him. I've never seen you interact with him before. You're not hiding anything, are you?" - Miyon asked. You tensed slightly. You weren't hiding anything. You really hadn't talked to him until today. And you just didn't have time to tell him about the coffee incident.

"What do I have to hide? I accidentally spilled coffee on him this morning. It was my first interaction with him. This idiot asked me if I was new." - You say, and Miyon oohs and aahs.

"You poured coffee on him?!" - She is horrified. You nod silently. Miyon wants to ask you how it happened, but her phone rings. She sees her boyfriend's name on the screen and excuse yourself to move away.

You drink your smoothie and feel someone look at you. When your eyes meet the Jungkook's, you feel like you're getting an electric shock. But you don't show it. You stare at each other for a long half minute, not wanting to give in. You think that if you look away, he will feel your weakness before him.

But Jungkook reads your challenge in his eyes in his own way. He gets up from the table and throws something to his friends. He walks in your direction and you panic. God, you should have looked away, that's why he's coming to you.

Jungkook walks over to your table and grabs the back of a chair that was standing not far from you. He sits down next to you, almost touching your thigh with his knees. He has a sly smile on his face, and you can see it in his peripheral vision.

"May I sit down?" - He asks. You glance at him, showing him your disgust as much as possible. But his smile sets your insides on fire. You wonder how you can be interested in him. It's probably because of his looks.

"Why do you ask when you've already sat down?" - You answer the question with a question. Jungkook laughs, tilting his head slightly, his gaze piercingly fixed on you, and you feel his presence increasing your tension even more.

"I'm being polite." - He says. You glare at him. The corner of his mouth tightens and you see the dimples in his cheeks.

"Who needs your politeness?" - You ask indifferently. Jungkook is amused by your behavior. You're unconsciously piquing his interest in you.

"Wow, why is such a nice girl so tactless?" - He asks. You try not to roll your eyes.

"What do you want? Why did you sit down here?" - You ignore Jungkook's question, trying to figure out the reason for his presence. He gives you a half-smile.

"I should have discussed with you how you're going to undo the damage you did this morning." - Jungkook says, leaning in slightly. The gesture makes you unconsciously strong grab glass of the smoothie.

"I offered to pay for dry cleaning." - You remind him. Jungkook blinks lazily, looking at your face. As you speak, he thinks about how beautiful you are.

"I'm not interested." - Jungkook replies sharply. You frown. You don't like his tone.

"What are you interested in? Do I have to wash it myself or what?" - You ask rudely. Jungkook bursts out laughing. He is amused by your behavior.

"Can you do it?" - He asks. You set the smoothie on the table, and the sound of glass.

"Tell me what you want for your ruined sweatshirt and go away." - You say irritably. Jungkook feels the pleasure of your irritated voice. He is attracted to your irritation and it makes him even more interested in you.

"Are you always this impatient?" - He asks, leaning closer, keeping his eyes on your face. You try not to react to his closeness, but you feel your heart beating faster. He laughs again, his voice low and a little cocky. "In bed too?"

Your eyes instantly meet his, and you stare at him fiercely, a fire burning inside you. Jungkook leans in even closer, and you feel his warm breath tickle your skin. Your heart starts to beat faster, and you can barely hear his words. His smile becomes even more playful, but it can't hide the anxiety you feel.

"What?" - You barely manage to say, not recognizing your own voice. Several thoughts are running through your head at once, from the urge to push him away to the unknown desire to leave it at that and dive into this game.

Jungkook, as always, watches you with perfect calmness, but you can see something in his eyes that completely disorients you.

"In bed?" - He repeats again, his voice subtly intertwining with your thoughts, touching the deepest points of your emotional state.

You try to collect your thoughts, but his questions and presence put you in a quandary. What to say? How can you not show him how much these words have touched your weakest strings? You look at his face, at his sparkling eyes, and instantly feel the gravity of the situation.

"Hey, Jeon, you're playing with fire. You better not do that." - You say, trying to look away. But he doesn't give you a chance - Jungkook doesn't back down, he just gets closer.

"Maybe I should?" - His words sound like a challenge that you just can't ignore.

The tension in the air becomes almost physical, and you can feel your body reacting to his presence. You can feel your skin pulsing with tension and your heart literally leaping out of your chest as his hand involuntarily touches your hand on the table. "I can't believe you don't want to try it..." - He says quietly, his voice warm and slightly husky, as if he's not only asking, but also seducing.

You feel his words subconsciously pulling you into his web. At first you try to look away, but you can't. The answer he's looking for fills your brain, but you're not ready to say it. You know he's waiting for your weakest moment, your insecurity. And, damn it, you can feel him starting to win this game.

You pull your hand out, trying to maintain your dignity, but he doesn't even move, staying at a distance where there is still enough space between you for those electric pulses that arise between you every time he gets closer.

But suddenly, his gaze shifts to the side, and you notice him glancing over your shoulder unobtrusively. It doesn't seem like anything important until his expression changes - he seems to become more attentive, focused, and even a little distant.

Before you have time to react, Jungkook stands up from his chair, keeping his eyes on your face. You catch his eyes again, his movements clear and calm, like a man who knows what he wants.

"We'll talk tomorrow." - He says, and his voice sounds suddenly serious, almost hard, as if he's decided it's time to end this game. He leans forward, as if for a moment he wants to plunge you back into that tension, but then quickly pulls back. "About your debt. And, of course, about the project. I’ll text you." - He adds, taking one last look at your face, and again trying not to show how interested he really is in your answer.

You understand what he means. It's about a debt - a ruined sweatshirt, and a topic for your joint project.

But while you're still trying to process everything, he turns and leaves without another word. His back is moving away, and you hear his footsteps fade away, leaving you with only a moment to think.

You glance at his friends, but you notice Miyon returning to the table, her movements confident, and she has no doubt that everything is fine. And yet, even though he's gone, you can't shake the feeling that your meetings will be a challenge.

☰ Index 𓏧 ❘ Next chapter ⎘

[mostlysignssomeportents]

Live Nation/Ticketmaster is buying Congress

I'm touring my new, nationally bestselling novel The Bezzle! Catch me THURSDAY (May 2) in WINNIPEG, then Calgary (May 3), Vancouver (May 4), Tartu, Estonia, and beyond!

Anything that can't go on forever eventually stops. Monopolies are intrinsically destabilizing and inevitably implode…eventually. Guessing which of the loathesome monopolies that make us all miserable will be the first domino is a hard call, but Ticketmaster is definitely high on my list.

It's not that event tickets are the most consequential aspect of our lives. The monopolies over pharma, fuel, finance, tech, and even beer are all more important to our day-to-day. But while Ticketmaster – and its many ramified tentacles, like Live Nation – may not be the most destructive monopoly in our world, but it pisses off people with giant megaphones and armies of rabid fans.

It's been a minute since Ticketmaster was last in the news, so let's recap. Ticketmaster bought out most of its ticketing rivals, then merged with Live Nation, the country's largest concert promoter, and bought out many of the country's largest music, stage and sports venues. They used this iron grip on the entire supply chain for performances and events to pile innumerable junk fees on every ticket sold, while drastically eroding the wages of the creative workers they nominally represented. They created a secret secondary market for tickets and worked with ticket-touts to help them run bots that bought every ticket within an instant of the opening of ticket sales, then ran an auction marketplace that made them gigantic fees on every re-sold ticket – fees the performers were not entitled to share in.

The Ticketmaster/Live Nation/venue octopus is nearly impossible to escape. Independent venues can't book Live Nation acts unless they use Ticketmaster for their tickets. Acts can't get into the large venues owned by Ticketmaster unless they sign up to have Live Nation book their tour. And when Ticketmaster buys a venue, it creams off the most successful acts, starving competing venues of blockbuster shows. They also illegally colluded with their vendors to jack up the price of concerts across the board:

https://pascrell.house.gov/uploadedfiles/ful.pdf

When Rebecca Giblin and I were writing Chokepoint Capitalism, our book about how tech and entertainment monopolies impoverish all kinds of creative workers, we were able to get insiders to go on record about every kind of monopoly, from the labels to Spotify, Kindle to the Big Five publishers and the Google-Meta ad-tech duopoly. The only exception was Ticketmaster/Live Nation: everyone involved in live performance – performers, bookers, club owners – was palpably terrified about speaking out on the record about the conglomerate:

https://chokepointcapitalism.com/

No wonder. The company has a long and notorious history of using its market power to ruin anyone who challenges it. Remember Pearl Jam?

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/pearl-jam-taking-on-ticketmaster-67440/

But anything that can't go on forever eventually stops. Not only is Ticketmaster a rapacious, vindictive monopolist – it's also an incompetent monopolist, whose IT systems are optimized for rent-extraction first, with ticket sales as a distant afterthought. This is bad no matter which artist it effects, but when Ticketmaster totally, utterly fucked up Taylor Swift's first post-lockdown tour, they incurred the wrath of the Swifties:

https://www.vox.com/culture/2022/11/21/23471763/taylor-swift-ticketmaster-monopoly

All of which explains why I've always given good odds that Ticketmaster would be first up against the wall come the antitrust revolution. It may not be the most destructive monopolist, but it is absurdly evil, and the people who hate it most are the most famous and beloved artists in the country.

For a while, it looked like I was right. Ticketmaster's colossal Taylor Swift fuckup prompted Senator Amy Klobuchar – a leading antitrust crusader – to hold hearings on the company's conduct, and led to the introduction of a raft of bills to rein in predatory ticketing practices. But as David Dayen writes for The American Prospect, Ticketmaster/Live Nation is spreading a fortune around on the Hill, hiring a deep bench of ex-Congressmen and ex-senior staffers (including Klobuchar's former chief of staff) and they've found a way to create the appearance of justice without having to suffer any consequences for their decades-long campaign of fraud and abuse:

https://prospect.org/power/2024-04-30-live-nation-strikes-up-band-washington/

Dayen opens his article with the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, which is always bracketed by a week's worth of lavish parties for Congress and hill staffers. One of the fanciest of these parties was thrown by Axios – and sponsored by Live Nation, with a performance by Jelly Roll (whose touring contract is owned by Live Nation). Attendees at the Axios/Live Nation event were bombarded with messages about the essential goodness of Live Nation (they were even printed on the cocktail napkins) and exhortations to support the Fans First Act, co-sponsored by Klobuchar and Sen John Cornyn (R-TX):

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/08/arts/music/fans-first-act-ticket-bill.html

Ticketmaster/Live Nation loves the Fans First Act, because – unlike other bills – it focuses primarily on the secondary market for tickets, and its main measure is a requirement for ticketing companies to disclose their junk fees upfront. Neither of these represents a major challenge to Ticketmaster/Live Nation's control over the market, which gives it the ability to slash performers' wages while jacking up prices for fans.

Fans First represents the triumph of Ticketmaster/Live Nation's media strategy, which is to blame the entire problem on bottom-feeding ticket-touts (who are mostly scum!) instead of on the single monopoly that controls the entire industry and can't stop committing financial crimes.

Axios isn't Live Nation's only partner in selling this distraction tactic. Over the past five years, the company has flushed gigantic sums of money through Washington. Its lobbying spend rose from $240k in 2018 to $1.1m in 2022, and $2.38m in 2023:

https://thehill.com/business/4431886-live-nation-doubled-lobbying-spending-to-2-4m-in-2023-amid-antitrust-threat/

The company has 37 paid lobbyists selling Congress on its behalf. 25 of them are former congressional staffers. Two are former Congressmen: Ed Whitfield (R-KY), a 21 year veteran of the House, and Mark Pryor (D-AR), a two-term senator:

https://www.bhfs.com/people/attorneys/p-s/mark-pryor

But perhaps the most galling celebrant in this lavish hymn to Citizen United is Jonathan Becker, Amy Klobuchar's former chief of staff, who jumped ship to lobby Congress on behalf of monopolists like Live Nation, who paid him $120k last year to sell their story to the Hill:

https://www.opensecrets.org/federal-lobbying/clients/lobbyists?cycle=2023&id=D000053134

Not everyone hates Fans First: it's been endorsed by the Nix the Tix coalition, largely on the strength of its regulation of secondary ticket sales. But the largest secondary seller in America by far is Live Nation itself, with a $4.5b market in reselling the tickets it sold in the first place. Fans First shifts focus from this sleazy self-dealing to competitors like Stubhub.

Fans First can be seen as an opening salvo in the long war against Ticketmaster/Live Nation. But compared to more muscular bills – like Klobuchar's stalled-out Unlock Ticketing Markets Act, it's pretty weaksauce. The Unlocking act will "prevent exclusive contracts between ticketing services and venues" – hitting Ticketmaster/Live Nation where it hurts, right in the bank-account:

https://www.klobuchar.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2023/4/following-senate-judiciary-committee-hearing-klobuchar-blumenthal-introduce-legislation-to-increase-competition-in-live-event-ticketing-markets

It's not all gloom. Dayen reports that Ticketmaster's active lobbying in favor of Fans First has made many in Congress more skeptical of the bill, not less. And Congress isn't the only – or even the best – way to smash Ticketmaster's criminal empire. That's something the DoJ's antitrust division could power through with a lot less exposure to the legalized bribery that dominates Congress.

If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/04/30/nix-fix-the-tix/#something-must-be-done-there-we-did-something

Image: Matt Biddulph (modified) https://www.flickr.com/photos/mbiddulph/13904063945/

CC BY-SA 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/

--

Flying Logos (modified) https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Over_$1,000,000_dollars_in_USD_$100_bill_stacks.png

CC BY-SA 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.en

[nowaysguidetothebestkeptsecrets]

Wonders of Norway: A Traveller's Guide to the Best Kept Secrets

By John Kirby, G. Soliven From BSIT-1A

Imagine a land of stunning fjords, majestic mountains, and vibrant cities under the shimmering Northern Lights. Norway is not just a destination; it's my dream vacation, a place I long to explore one day. Though I’m currently studying and can’t visit just yet, this guide will unveil the hidden gems of this Scandinavian paradise for when I can finally embark on my journey. Whether you're an outdoor enthusiast, a history buff, or simply seeking tranquillity in nature, Norway has something special for everyone. Let’s embark on this journey to discover the wonders of Norway!

Norway’s Outdoor Adventure

Why Norway Is Perfect for Adventure Travelers

Norway is often referred to as a dream destination for adventure travellers. The varied landscapes provide a rich diversity of outdoor activities, including hiking, biking, skiing, kayaking, and rock climbing. There’s no shortage of thrilling experiences to be had in Norway's great outdoors!

When I think of my future travels, I can already envision myself immersed in nature, taking in all that Norway has to offer:

Mountain Climbing

With over 600 mountains, Norway is a paradise for climbers. Galdhøpiggen, the highest peak at 8,100 feet, promises breathtaking views for those ready to take on the challenge.

Rafting

For adrenaline seekers, white-water rafting on Norway’s majestic rivers is a must. From beginner-friendly experiences to thrilling rapids, there’s an adventure for everyone.

Dog Sledding

In the winter, dog sledding is an unforgettable experience. Imagine gliding through snow-covered landscapes in Tromsø, led by a team of e nergetic huskies!

Reference Top Destinations/Activities

Activities and Nature Attractions

Norway is filled with stunning natural beauty and activities for every season. Here are some highlights I dream of experiencing:

Must-See Nature Attractions

Fjords: Exploring the iconic fjords like Geirangerfjord and Nærøyfjord, both UNESCO World Heritage Sites, is at the top of my list.

Northern Lights: Witnessing the magical Aurora Borealis in places like Tromsø during winter is a dream come true.

Midnight Sun: I can already imagine the surreal experience of the sun never setting during summer in northern Norway.

Waterfalls: Visiting breath-taking waterfalls like Vettisfossen, the tallest in Norway, would be a highlight of my trip.

Family-Friendly Activities

Norway also offers many activities suitable for families, from outdoor adventures to cultural experiences, making it a wonderful place to visit for everyone.

Reference

Cultural Insights

Family Dynamics

Norwegian families tend to be small, valuing independence and equality. Gender roles are balanced, with shared responsibilities in both work and home life, creating a sense of community.

Official Language and Communication

Norwegian is the official language, but most Norwegians speak English, making it easy for travellers like me to communicate and connect with locals. I appreciate the straightforward and warm-hearted nature of Norwegian interactions.

The Norwegian Diet

Traditional Norwegian cuisine includes fish, meat, and hearty bread. While I look forward to trying local delicacies, I know international influences have shaped the modern dining scene, making it diverse and exciting.

Reference Travel Tips

17 Things You Need to Know Before Visiting Norway

Norway is a Scandinavian Country: It consists of Norway, Sweden, and Denmark.

Polar Bears Do Not Walk in the Streets: They’re found in Svalbard, not mainland Norway.

Currency: The Norwegian Krone (NOK) is the currency; most transactions can be done with cards.

Safety: Norway is one of the safest countries to visit, with low crime rates.

Seasons: Norway experiences distinct seasons; plan your visit accordingly.

Wild Camping: Enjoy the freedom of wild camping in nature.

National Parks: Access to national parks is generally free.

Best Salmon: Don’t miss trying Norway’s renowned salmon dishes.

Eating Out: Dining can be expensive; consider grocery shopping for budget-friendly meals.

Northern Lights: Best viewed in northern Norway between October and April.

Travel Distances: Norway is large, so plan your travel time accordingly.

Wildlife: Generally safe; no dangerous animals on mainland Norway.

Norwegian Taco Culture: Tacos are a beloved Friday night tradition!

Diversity of Regions: Each region offers unique landscapes and experiences.

Midnight Sun: Experience 24 hours of daylight in summer.

Community Engagement: Young people often engage in sports and volunteer work.

Language: Understanding basic Norwegian phrases can enhance your experience.

Reference Norway, with its breathtaking landscapes, rich culture, and welcoming atmosphere, is truly my dream vacation destination. From stunning fjords to vibrant cities, I know there’s something for every traveler. I eagerly look forward to exploring this incredible country someday.

I encourage you to consider visiting this amazing destination and share your thoughts or experiences in the comments below. Have you traveled to Norway? What was your favorite part?

If you enjoyed this guide and want to explore more about travel, culture, and adventures, don’t forget to follow us on social media for the latest updates, tips, and insights, and check out our other posts for more inspiration. Here’s to dreaming of Norway until we can experience it firsthand!

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Courtney Kube, Carol E. Lee, Vaughn Hillyard, and Mosheh Gains at NBC News:

The Trump transition team is compiling a list of senior current and former U.S. military officers who were directly involved in the withdrawal from Afghanistan and exploring whether they could be court-martialed for their involvement, according to a U.S. official and a person familiar with the plan.  Officials working on the transition are considering creating a commission to investigate the 2021 withdrawal from Afghanistan, including gathering information about who was directly involved in the decision-making for the military, how it was carried out, and whether the military leaders could be eligible for charges as serious as treason, the U.S. official and person with knowledge of the plan said. “They’re taking it very seriously,” the person with knowledge of the plan said. The Trump transition team did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Matt Flynn, a former deputy assistant secretary of defense for counternarcotics and global threats, is helping lead the effort, the sources said. It is being framed as a review of how the U.S. first got into the war in Afghanistan and how the U.S. ultimately withdrew.

[...] President-elect Donald Trump has condemned the withdrawal as a “humiliation” and “the most embarrassing day in the history of our country.”  It is not clear, though, what would legally justify “treason” charges since the military officers were following the orders of President Joe Biden to withdraw all U.S. forces from Afghanistan.

A 2022 independent review by the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction blamed both the Trump and Biden administrations for the chaotic U.S. withdrawal in 2021. Trump first reached an agreement with the Taliban in 2020 to withdraw all U.S. forces from Afghanistan, roughly 13,000 troops, and release 5,000 Taliban fighters from prison. The Biden administration then completed the withdrawal and badly overestimated the ability of Afghan government forces to fight the Taliban on their own. Trump’s choice for secretary of defense, Fox News personality Pete Hegseth, has criticized the withdrawal, saying the U.S. lost the war and wasted billions of dollars. In his book “The War on Warriors,” Hegseth wrote, “The next president of the United States needs to radically overhaul Pentagon senior leadership to make us ready to defend our nation and defeat our enemies. Lots of people need to be fired. The debacle in Afghanistan, of course, is the most glaring example.”

[...] The transition team is looking at the possibility of recalling several commanders to active duty for possible charges, the U.S. official said.  It’s not clear the Trump administration would pursue treason charges, and instead could focus on lesser charges that highlight the officer’s involvement. “They want to set an example,” said the person with knowledge of the plan.

NBC News is reporting that Donald Trump’s transition team is compiling a list of senior current and former US military officers who were directly involved in the withdrawal from Afghanistan to face a potential court martial.

This is a fascistic insult to common sense.

[drunkenskunk]

Been thinking a lot about Lancer lately, in case you can't tell. And a thought has crossed my mind.

The various military powers that exist in the world of Lancer. Union. The Karrakin Baronies. The Aunic Ascendancy. The corpro-states like Harrison or SSC or IPS-N. Even the smaller independent nations in the diaspora outside the control of Union or anyone else. How are all the various armies of these different powers organized, and what are their respective doctrines actually like?

Let me explain.

When you play Lancer, the book makes it VERY clear that what you, the players, are doing when you're in the combat part of the game is... the exception and not the rule. 3 to 5 people in absurdly customized and overpowered mechs is not normal. You are exceptional people, piloting exceptional machines, constantly being thrust into exceptional situations.

So how are the armies of regular mechs organized, and how are they deployed against one another in actual war?

By way of an example: Battletech. When it comes to the armies of the Inner Sphere (at least during the Succession Wars), forces of mechs would typically be organized like:

4 mechs in a Lance

3 Lances in a Company

3 Companies in a Battalion

3 to 5 Battalions in a Regiment

Now, obviously I'm oversimplifying here. There's gonna be some variations, depending on the time period and the Successor State in question, and anything larger than a Regiment has it's own problems... but that tends to be the starting point. Usually. And there's also many different variations when it comes to the organization of things like aerospace assets, armored vehicle elements that are NOT mechs (like tanks and artillery), and infantry units. Because even in a setting dominated by heavy metal, the humble footsoldier has never truly gone away.

But that's just how the Successor States of the Inner Sphere do things. Mostly. The Clans have a very different way of organizing their armies:

A Point is the smallest unit for the Clans, either being a single mech, two aerospace fighters, two armored vehicles, five power armored infantry, or a 25-man platoon of conventional infantry.

5 Points in a Star

2 Stars in a Binary

3 to 5 Binaries in a Cluster

3 to 5 Clusters in a Galaxy

The Clans like thing to be simple and organized, which... can be both a good and a bad thing, depending.

In terms of battlefield doctrine, the way the Successor States wage war is an absolute clusterfuck. Tactics can vary wildly depending on which house you're talking about, and when, but for the most part? They're going to employ some form of combined arms, with mechs spearheading an assault, supported by infantry, armor, artillery, and aerospace assets. The Clans, on the other hand, have a completely different doctrine: their Batchall, or "Battle Challenge."

See, the Clans treat war like a game. It's a sport. It's not (usually) about annihilating the other side; it is (supposed to be) a means of settling disputes in a "civilized" manner. Clan Wolverine would probably have some choice words to say about that description, but that's a topic for another day. See, they want things to be an even fight. A test of skill, rather than a test of who can buy the biggest weapons or field the largest number of troops. For example: if your side has warships, and your opponent does not have warships, then you're expected to bid away your warships and you don't get to use them in that fight.

It is a very fair, but very stupid, way of waging war, and that battlefield doctrine came to bite them in the ass in 3052 when the ComGuard beat the shit out of them at Tukayyid.

... I think I may have drifted slightly off topic.

Right, yes, Lancer, that's what I was talking about.

What got me thinking about this? Well, I was reading through the rulebook earlier; specifically, going through the GM part of the book where it has the list of all the different NPC types and the templates you can apply, and how to build encounters and such. And I was also fucking around in Comp/Con. Doing things like trying to figure out how strong I could make the "squad" NPC using the rules available (is it even possible to make a squad of infantry a threat to mechs?), and trying to see what stats a tank would have, that sort of thing.

And as I was futzing around with all this, I noticed that the way you build encounters reminded me a lot of... well, building a Lance of mechs to fight an opponents Lance of mechs in the tabletop wargame version of Battletech. And then that got me thinking about organizational structures and battlefield doctrine, and...

I suppose the point my autistic ADHD-addled mind is trying laboriously to get to is: would it be possible to modify the rules of Lancer to play it like a tabletop wargame instead of an RPG? Y'know, like...

Well, Battletech, I suppose.

And, y'know, from a lore side of things: what would an army of mechs in Lancer actually look like (beyond the squad of player characters who are special by dint of the narrative), and how would those armies be organized?

[weirdestcountryhumans]

Countries and Connections

This is a post that is just going to explore the many ways by which countryhumans are connected to their colonies through a bond that they share.

It's a bit long, so the headcanon is under the cut. I have also added this to my website.

The critical thing to remember is the bonds shared between countryhumans and their subdivisions is that the way they feel the bond is entirely dependent on the personality of the countryhumans whose land they are a part of, so I have a few examples I’m going to explain just to set out the general idea. If there are any not on this list you would like to see, shoot me and ask, and I will explain it.

AMERICA AND HIS STATES

As bonds are determined by the country’s personality, America’s adoration of his children has made their bond feel like a blanket wrapped around them. To many states, this bond feels warm and safe, and many of them often lean into it for comfort. It’s like when it’s a cold day outside, and you wrap yourself up in a blanket and lie down in your bed, warm and comfortable. 

However, while the bond they share is primarily positive, like all bonds between country and subdivision, it can turn harsh and oppressive. While blankets can be a source of comfort and warmth, they can also become hot and suffocating, which is how that bond can turn. Most of the time, this comes about when America is mad at a state, and they can feel the comfortable warmth of the blanket getting hotter and hotter and suffocating. In a way, it is a survival instinct, telling them when to turn back and stop doing whatever it is that they are doing that is causing their country so much anger. This is also completely unintentional on America’s part, as he does not control this bond, and instead, it just reacts to him.

Although all his subdivisions, states and territories, feel this bond, most are unaware of the strength of it, as they have lived their entire life with it. They subconsciously tune out a lot of the bond; to them, it is just a fact of their lives. However, some states and territories are more aware of it than others. 

USVI, Puerto Rico, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Delaware, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, and North Carolina were all colonies of other empires before joining the USA, so bonds have been a natural part of their lives. However, America is very different than the bonds of their original nations, so they are aware of it more due to this difference. The kind of bond changed, and ergo they are more aware of it. The former Confederate states are also more aware of it due to their brief life as a part of the CSA.

To continue this talk of Confederate States, South Carolina, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and Texas were all briefly independent before forming the CSA, meaning all of them know what it is like to not have the bonds of a nation on them. Texas especially, as he was an independent country before even being an American. The same goes for the states of California, Vermont, and Hawaiʻi, each with their histories of being independent countries. 

It is a bond that is very diverse and fluctuating but one that is relatively positive in comparison to other bonds.

BRITAIN AND HIS COLONIES

Britain is controlling. That comes to no one’s surprise. And, like how America’s adoration of his kids affected his bond, Britain’s controlling nature affects how his bond feels.

His colonies will argue a lot about how it feels. Some feel that it is chains on their soul, their arms, and legs, keeping them chained to his side and his empire. Some feel more like it is just ropes that tie them to Britain, but never ones that tie around specific body parts of anything. How they interpret it depends on whether they were an independent nation before their colonization and how strongly Britain tries to control them. The more he tries to pull them closer, the more that rope-like bond turns into chains. 

It was not always something that felt negative for the colonies, as most did not know life without it and thought that it was natural. However, the bond would often feel choking and oppressive, even as they argued that it was good.

When Britain got mad, that was when the bond really became noticeable. Chains became spiked, ropes tightened until they burned, and the colony was left with an oppressive wave of fear that choked them into silence like a noose tightening around their neck. Britain knew this and abused the bond to keep them quiet and docile.

For countries that came under Britain’s control, they were constantly aware of the bond, especially the more they were mistreated and/or hated it. Ireland always felt like chains were on his wrists (once Britain took power, that is, England’s original bond with Ireland felt different), even when nothing was there. He would feel that feeling almost every day up until his independence. It is very dependent on how willingly they joined him, however, and how their personal relationship was defined. 

The bond was definitely marked more by personal emotions than political ones, and it always varied in terms of chains vs. rope on how much Britain believed they needed to be controlled.

FRANCE AND HER COLONIES

France’s bond with her colones is like a storm, a force of nature that rages between them. Bonds are not physical things and, therefore, do not need to be connected by a physical feeling. France, a force of nature in her own right, would not manifest a bond in any other way. To her colonies, they often feel the bond as a gentle rainfall, leading to them being able to define France’s moods based on the weather.

She is not happy; she’s a rainstorm. She’s not angry; she’s a thunderstorm, and so on and so forth (I might put together a list of weather events and how they correlate to her emotions.)

It can be a bit hard to describe this bond when compared to the very psychical and controlling aspect of Britain’s bond, but that is indeed the point. Britain seeks control of his colonies, America seeks to care for them, and France is a force of nature her colonies must contest with. That is not to say she doesn’t care for them; she does, but she is just so bold, brash, and argumentative in her personality that she is far from the stereotypical depiction of a caring mother.

When she is angry, the bond turns into a storm that can decimate land and buildings, a storm that is directed at the colony of her ire and meant to bring them to her knees. France does not expect total control as Britain does, but she still expects those under her to be on their knees and swear loyalty. When she is happy with them, it is like a gentle rainfall after a long drought, the kind of feeling meant to bring about gratitude and thankfulness.

SPANISH EMPIRE AND HIS COLONIES

Spanish Empire’s bond with his colonies is like a cord connecting him to his colonies. Not a rope, not a chain, just a cord tying them together. Since Spanish Empire was not the most involved with his colonies, the cord was not often affected by his emotions, just sitting there and reminding everyone of their connection. Because of this, most colonies did not feel the bond until they started declaring independence.

There was the exception of New Spain, who adored Spanish Empire and borderline worshipped him, so he was always aware of the bond as he tried to wrap it tighter and tighter around himself, but he was the exception.

When Spanish Empire became upset with its colonies, the cord would tighten, but never to a degree that felt painful to them. Spanish Empire cared deeply about its family and never wanted to hurt them. So, his bond reflected that idea and remained just a reminder that they were his colonies, but never as a form of punishment like some countries used their bond.

RUSSIAN EMPIRE AND HIS COLONIES

Russian Empire’s bond with his colonies is like a warm fire in the cold, a light, and heat that those near to it will cling to as a source of heat and strength. Russian Empire was not a very loving or affectionate man, and he saw his colonies more as something to use than their own individual people, which made this bond unique. As Russian Empire had no strong feelings to contribute to the bond, the bond’s feelings were, in fact, made up of how his colonies felt about him. 

To his colonies, he was a good man who looked after them, and since they were both places up north, they viewed that through the lens of something that helps in the cold, a fire, and that was what the bond manifested as. A nice fire that got warmer the closer they were to Russian Empire, as well as when he was happy with them.

When he is angry, the fire goes out. No warmth. No light. No heat. Just a bitter wind and biting cold that freezes you in place under his icy gaze as the cold penetrates your very being. Bitterly cold, his anger is. Even if they were surrounded by real fire or in the hottest place on earth, his colonies would still feel frigid to their very core. It doesn’t affect their body's health, but to them, they are in danger of freezing.

His colonies will do a lot to preserve that warm feeling. It is very reflective of the situation many of his colonies were in, where they loved Russian Empire, but he did not care if he needed to leave them to die.

[phoenixyfriend]

Suggested Listening: Columbia Protests (as of 4/25/24)

Alright, folks, I've seen a couple different approaches to this situation, and I think there's something to be learned from each of the below. I know some of them have a contested reputation, but all media sources have a bias and I will be including some context on those biases.

The podcasts I'm sharing are:

The Daily (New York Times)

The Take (Al Jazeera)

Democracy Now! (independent radio broadcast)

Global News Podcast (BBC Radio)

It's come up a few times on NPR as well, but not in enough detail for me to include. I will be linking Spotify, but these are all available elsewhere, though official transcripts can take several days.

The Daily - April 25th, 2024: This podcast is a production of The New York Times. The paper is left-leaning, but has a noted bias towards Israel, and has run into trouble on trans issues in the recent past. The podcast is further left, though still more cautiously moderate than something like Democracy Now; the podcast has previously been responsible for fact checks against the more biased NYT opinion pieces.*

Why you should listen to it: This episode provides the most comprehensive timeline to what has happened, in what order, and why certain actions have been taken. It is notably more sympathetic to Columbia University President Shafik than other coverage, though that may just be the natural result of explaining the current political pressures. It is still more sympathetic to the protesters than to her, but I do think this is helpful for establishing a timeline of events. It is not the only one, and I will share another below.

* That infamous article about the alleged systemic sexual violence that Hamas committed on Oct. 7th was put through a fact checker by the podcast team when it came time to do an episode about it, and the inability to substantiate it led to not only the episode being cancelled, but the article itself being (quietly) edited to note that it was not substantiated. The NYT did not handle it well, but I want to make it clear that the podcast team is independent in many respects, and while I've taken issue with some of their episodes, they often have more comprehensive coverage of certain matters.

The Take - April 25th, 2024: This is a podcast from the English-speaking branch of Al Jazeera, a Qatari news organization that, while independent, does receive a certain amount of funding from the Qatari government. By that measure, I do hesitate to place it on a left-right scale due to existing outside the Western political spectrum. As a Middle Eastern, Arab news org, Al Jazeera provides a perspective much closer to the action than others, and one that is generally much more sympathetic to Muslim and Arab voices. It is also, like the others on this list, an award-winning journal. At this time, Al Jazeera is considered one of the most reliable news sources for information on what is happening in Gaza, through their Palestinian correspondents; they have also been banned in Israel as antisemitic propaganda.

I need to make it very clear that I am not in any way denigrating it for having Qatari government funding; the BBC shares many of those factors, just British.

Why you should listen to it: Al Jazeera got a reporter into the student protest encampment in Columbia, and got more direct interviews with some of the students on the ground. This is part two of their coverage of the protests; Part One (April 24th, 2024)provides another perspective of the timeline, which focuses on different factors, generally closer to the events in Columbia than the national factors.

Democracy Now! - April 23rd, 2024: This is a far left/progressive radio broadcast (repackaged for podcast streaming) that has been running since 1996. They often have interviews with people that I haven't necessarily seen other podcasts bring in, and while I would not consider them extreme, I do sometimes find that certain details get left out in pursuit of a more black-and-white narrative.

Why you should listen to it: Cohost Juan González has been in the field of progressive journalism for a very long time, but it's more relevant than ever for this episode: González was one of the original organizers for the 1968 Columbia protests that resulted in one of the largest mass arrests in NYPD history. The 1968 protests were massive, and deeply impactful on a national scale. González's perspective on how this current protest compares to the one he helped organize nearly sixty years ago is a fascinating way to think about the current events.

Global News Podcast - April 25th, 2024: BBC is a very centrist source for journalism, funded primarily by the UK government and advertising. As such, their coverage tends to lean in favor of the current party, though they do not 'toe the party line' as such. They do regularly platform right-wing activists, but they also have correspondents in the Middle East with a more progressive perspective. I would compare them to CNN in the US; ineffective in terms of opinion, and comparatively milquetoast on that front, but capable of getting access to high-level events that smaller networks aren't.

Why you should listen to it: ...honestly, this is just a 'round it out' kind of suggestion, to get an idea of what the international community is thinking of the events at Columbia. I don't think they necessarily contribute much in terms of factual discovery, but it helps with getting the lay of the land.

[thoughtroomba02]

TS Film Thoughts Masterpost

As promised.

Let's start things off -

Breaking News - Headlines about the film

Dec 9 2022 - her film contract makes headlines

From what I can find, this is the first that anyone knows she is producing a film. There are no details released other than it's a script she wrote and she will be directing the film.

The next we hear is Dec 7, 2023 from the Tennessean --

It's been crickets, essentially. There are no public details I can find about the film anywhere including cast list, release date, content, ETC.

Interestingly, two days ago -- though uncertain of validity of source -

I don't have access to puck so cannot confirm what the article says; but this was recent! So; in theory, she finishes her Eras tour and moves directly in to film.

More on how Disney+ ties in our next section...

Who is Searchlight Pictures?

Created April 29, 1994 - formerly known as Fox Searchlight/under 20th/21st Century Fox

Biggest success: Slumdog Millionaire 187 Academy Ward Nominations with 46 wins; 5 Best Picture since 2009 117 Golden Globe Nominations; 51 wins 66 Screen Actors Guild Award Nominations; 55 wins 137 Independent Spirit Awards, 54 Wins

Other Notable Films: 12 Years A Slave; Black Swan; Napoleon Dynamite;

20th century fox, prior to the creation of Searchlight, was prominent in the specialty and independent films market in the 1990s; it carried this interest into Searchlight, at least initially.

In 2012, it was incorporated into Murdoch's 21st Century Fox. Barf.

On Dec 14, 2017 Disney put their first bid out on 21st Century Fox/Fox Searchlight. On March 19, 2019 the companies merged and Disney acquired Fox Searchlight; Fox News notoriously split independently. Disney dropped the name Fox; so now we have just Searchlight Pictures. There is also a Searchlight Pictures TV and shorts production, which for the sake of time I will not get into.

For Funsies, here is a short film (Jun 18 2019, after Disney acquired) produced by them called....LAVENDER. About a gay man who has a relationship with a married gay couple. Can't make it up.

Anyway, since merging with Disney especially, the company seems to be LGBTQ friendly.

And yes, Joe Alwyn has worked with Searchlight, with tweets I found dating back to 2018 with Searchlight UK. Make of that what you would like, I have no real objective commentary on the matter.

Taylor as a Director

She also directed the Long Pond Studio Sessions and Miss Americana.

Most of her directorial work has been since the Lover debut. Most of which is very queer coded/sapphic.. and again, make of that what you will.

Appearances/Pap Walks, ETC

Since her split from JA, we have seen her with multiple friends in the film industry. Among these: Ryan Reynolds, Blake Lively, Selena Gomez, Keleigh Teller, Miles Teller, Sophie Turner, Emma Stone...

And dare I say.... Travis Kelce, who seems to want to break his way into the entertainment industry?

(aside from this headline; his failed dating show, his podcast, his multiple PR deals like with ZenWater... etc. I rest my case).

We also know there has been some B roll footage taken at the Chiefs Games.

Additionally, the media coverage of this relationship has been an absolute f*cking circus; with constant headlines of the two and their "engagement" / relationship dynamics. On Taylor's end, we have had constant references to Bejeweled (where she Ghosts); including Keleigh Teller giving her the opal ring.

The Speculation

Yall, this is my opinion - you can agree, disagree, etc; but I have no insider information. Just thoughts.

She makes her film directorial debut with Searchlight - recently acquired by Disney, who is pro-LGBTQ; and is clearly in deep with business deals with them, as seen on Taylor Nation and her Eras Tour Film.

We have rumors of her beginning her film production at the end of the ERAS tour, along with knowledge of her currently with B roll footage from chiefs games. We have multiple highly papp'ed appearances with her + TK; but also with multiple film stars, including Blake Lively (still not over that photo), Sophie Turner (I do think there's altruism here tbh on TS's end), and Keleigh. If you believe Keleigh is her stand in invisible bride.... Holy shit. Between the opal ring shutdown of the media circus as well as her and TS literally taking a page out of TSHOEH and dressing in character...

My ultimate suspicion is that she's using actual experiences of her current life-highly papp'ed - to tell her story. And that Keleigh is her stand in muse in this film.

I also think the @spade-riddles we've been getting about a final act ending, etc, pertain to her film. I don't have evidence aside from speculation.

I rest my case. Enjoy this post and make of it what you will.

[uboat53]

It's two days after the election and Republicans are already insisting that Democrats need to drop their opposition to Trump and try to work together which… yeah, really.

If you find yourself wondering "sure, why shouldn't they?", I'll go ahead and lay it out.

First of all, Republicans have never done this, certainly not in my adult lifetime. Before Barack Obama was even sworn in the top elected Republican announced that his number one goal was to make him a one-term president. They spent eight years stonewalling every attempt he made at outreach and arguably caused a lot of pain to Americans in the process by preventing any efforts to ease the recovery from the Great Recession. In 2016, when everyone thought Clinton was going to win, every elected Republican was vocal about how their top priority was preparing to resist, attack, and investigate every aspect of the expected administration. Even in Biden's term, while some Senators did join him to pass an infrastructure bill, most Republicans spent the entire four years even denying that he was legitimately elected.

There's an idea in game theory where you set up a game that gets played over and over again ad infinitum. On each turn, two people independently choose to either cooperate or not for that turn. If they both cooperate each gets a 70% prize and if they both refuse then they each a 30% prize, but if one person cooperates and one person doesn't then the person who cooperated gets nothing while the other person gets a 100% prize (these numbers aren't exact, but they make the point). So how do you win the game? Well, obviously, long-term, the best strategy is cooperation, but if one person always cooperates the other person can take advantage of this to do even better by refusing their cooperation.

I'll spare you the math and game theory behind this idea, but it turns out that the optimal strategy, the one that leads to the best rate of return, is to cooperate on the first turn and then simply do whatever the other person did before on every turn after that. In this way you always leave open a return to cooperation, but you also prevent yourself from being taken advantage of.

Basically, when Republicans ask for (demand, really) cooperation, they're asking for something they've never been willing to give themselves. Maybe if, for once, they were at least magnanimous in victory, we might able to talk, but that leads me to my second point…

What, exactly, is there to compromise on? Look, if we both think that we need to invest in roads and schools but we have different ideas about what kinds of things need to be invested in or how much to invest, then we can have a conversation and that can lead to compromise, but that's not the nature of the disagreements on key issues. Republicans think that LGBT people should not have basic rights, that states should have the right to gerrymander minorities out of political power, that women have too many rights these days (abortion, no fault divorce, etc.), and that corporations and rich people pay too much in taxes.

Don't believe me? Look at the legislation they're already lining up and the policies they're preparing to put in place, they're not planning a single bill or policy that does anything but the things that I listed above. So what should the Democrats compromise on? Should we agree that LGBT people only deserve some rights? Should we trade women's rights against minority rights? Should we give up on tilting the economy back in favor of working people and accept even more national debt to give money to rich people?

The agenda that Republicans have proposed is so radical and so violently opposed to everything that the Democratic Party stands for that there's no room for compromise. Even if Democrats wanted to set aside party differences and do what's best for the country, Republicans aren't doing anything that Democrats could remotely agree is good for the country. And here's the thing, most Americans agree. Yes, I know, the United States just elected Republicans to power but, while they did so, they also voted almost entirely against Republicans on almost every issue that I noted above that was up for a vote, even in deep red states! Americans may like Republican vibes and messaging, but every time it comes down to actual policy, the policy that Democrats prefer wins over and over again.

So, as a Democrat, I'm expecting my party to resist. They won't be able to stop everything, but I expect them to raise hell, throw sand in the gears, and investigate fully to point out every last bit of self-dealing, hypocrisy, and flagrant disregard for the rule of law that goes on on the other side.

If Republicans don't like this, if they want cooperation, then they need to think long and hard about what they're actually willing to offer. Just getting less of this far-right policy isn't enough, we can probably stop more of it by resisting anyways. If they want cooperation, they need to think about which of our issues they're willing to give. Are they willing to pass legislation to protect the rights of women, LGBT, and minorities? Are they willing to nominate moderate judges instead of Federalist Society operatives? How about giving 80% of their tax cuts to the working class instead of the rich?

They'll find plenty of Democrats willing to talk if those things are on offer, including me. Of course, they're not actually offering anything; to them, "compromise" just means that we give in to what they want and that's why I have no problems saying that I intend to fully resist the policy of the upcoming administration and I expect my party and all its elected representatives to do the same. When compromise becomes a two-way street, I'm fine with going back to it, but I'm done with the one-way "compromises" the GOP keeps demanding.

And, if you're one of the "why can't we all just get along?" people in politics who want politicians to be bipartisan, I hope I've shown you what it will take to get there.

[nateconnolly]

Hozier Reading List of Free Texts You Can Finish in Less Than A Week

Another Hozier reading list is floating around the Internet, and it’s very thorough. Huge respect to @notmysophie for putting that together, they put in a lot of effort and research and it really shows. This is an alternative reading list for people who are too busy or tired to read all the entries on a complete list of Hozier’s literary influences. This list is incomplete—even after finishing it, there will be some very prominent literary references in Hozier’s music that might go over your head. But this will definitely help you appreciate the depth of thought in his songs, and if you read just five pages a night, you’ll be able to finish this reading list in less than one week. 

ONE: ICARUS

Hozier puts the myth of Icarus to song in I, Carrion. You could very easily argue that Sunlight is also a response to Icarus. Many classical writers have told or mentioned his story, but I’ll let my own personal tastes shape this list, and recommend Ovid’s Metamorphoses. He tells the story of Icarus in Chapter 8 Lines 183–235. If you can afford it, I love the Charles Martin translation. You could consult the free Brookes More translation, or the one by A. S. Kline. Remember, you don't have to read the whole chapter--just find the part named "Daedalus and Icarus"

TWO: DOOMSDAY CLOCK

The title track Wasteland, Baby! is such a gentle love ballad, I almost have trouble remembering it’s about the apocalypse. Wasteland, Baby! finds hope and love in the face of annihilation. Hozier wrote this song as a direct response to the Doomsday Clock moving two minutes in 2018, one year before the album was released. 

THREE: GENESIS 1-3

I also recommend reading Genesis Chapters 1-3. You’re probably familiar with the plot, but I think From Eden is such an ingenious twist on the familiar story that you’ll appreciate it even more after consulting the original. Hozier takes the symbols of Genesis 1-3 and uses them to make his own radically different point. The stories of Eden also come up in Be. 

My favorite translation is by Robert Alter, but it’s currently not free online, so you might want to check out the Sefaria translation or the New King James Version (NKJV), both of which manage to capture the beauty of Genesis without becoming difficult for the average English reader. The King James Version (KJV) is also roughly the same level of difficulty as a Shakespeare play. I definitely think the KJV is beautiful, but at the end of a long hard day, you might be better off with the Sefaria, the NKJV, the NIV, or the NRSV. You can Google “Genesis 1” followed by any of those names/abbreviations, and you’ll find it right away. 

FOUR: A MODEST PROPOSAL

Jonathan Swift’s A Modest Proposal, written in 1729, might be the most gutting satire in history. UCLA students put together a very thorough explanation of the economic suffering and the proposed “solutions” that inspired Swift. References to A Modest Proposal form the skeleton of Hozier’s Eat Your Young. 

FIVE: SEAMUS HEANEY

Before learning about Seamus Heaney, you’ll need some background information on the Troubles. I recommend this National Geographic article. I also recommend looking through these Chris Steele Perkins photographs of life during the Troubles.

During the Troubles, Heaney wrote a series of poems about bog bodies. His poetry directly inspired the corpse imagery in Work Song, Like Real People Do, and In a Week. 

Disclaimer: I cannot read Hebrew or Latin. I am evaluating these translations solely by 1) how difficult they are to read and 2) how beautiful they sound. I cannot independently review them for accuracy. Just know that all the translations I’ve listed are widely respected among academics and/or religious leaders.

Anyways if you liked reading this go check out my Substack where I originally posted it. 

[literaryvein-reblogs]

Any advice for those of us looking for supportive friends who also share our love for words and passion for writing? Perhaps online avenues/ (active) writing groups or ways to go about searching for local events or workshops in our communities? ♥️

(First off, love your writing!)

I did a bit of digging on this, and for the most part, it's online writing communities that seem to be frequently suggested. Other than going the university/local community route, which would vary depending on where we live.

Since I can't give you any good advice on this, here are a few tips I found online for finding a writing group:

Find a local writing group near you. Visit a nearby community center. They offer different types of gatherings and courses and might have a writing workshop or group that’s taking new members. Also, check the listings at your local library where people often gather for literary talks or groups. In general, writing groups have a set time and day that they meet. For example, some clubs might meet every second Tuesday of the month. Find a writers workshop that fits your schedule.

Go on a writing retreat. Unlike most other writing groups, going on a writer’s retreat will cost money and is usually a destination event. It’s a writing-intensive place where people go to dedicate all of their time to writing and to connect with other writers. If you have some time to get away, find a writing retreat where you can dedicate a week or more to just writing.

Join different writers’ associations. There are a variety of writer’s associations with local chapters. Connect with an association like National Novel Writing Month—NaNoWriMo—which has group meetups at local libraries. You can also find a writing group by genre, like Romance Writers of America or Mystery Writers of America. Whether you’re in New York City or Milwaukee, you can also find indie writing groups by location. For example, in Los Angeles, there is the Independent Writers of Southern California, which offers workshops, classes, lectures, and writing groups.

Look online. In this day and age, finding a writing group is as easy as searching online. Search for a meetup group near you with other area writers. Narrow your search by genre if you want to commune with writers who have a similar passion. There are groups for authors of every genre.

Find online writing groups. If you’d rather find a virtual group of writers to work with, look online. Here's a list of writing community websites recommended by Writer's Digest.

Start your own writer’s group. If you’re having a hard time finding a community, start your own creative writing group. Recruit other local writers by posting a note at a coffee shop or library, asking members of your book club to join, or posting on social media. One advantage of starting your own group is you can make it what you want. For example, you can start a general writing group that welcomes all writers, like screenwriters, sci-fi writers, fiction writers, and nonfiction writers, or you can keep it to a specific genre. Build your own community, pick a day, find a location, and start realizing the benefits of being a part of a writing group.

Sources: 1 2 3

Hope this helps. But I feel I'm the wrong person for this question. So if anyone has better suggestions, please let us know!

[dailynnt]

CAPTIVE OF HIS ATTENTION

♡ Summary: You're an art and design student at Seoul National University, trying to maintain your independence and focus on your studies. Your peaceful life is shattered when you meet Jungkook , a charismatic, stubborn, and unpredictable guy who pairs up with you for a group project. He starts to annoy you by challenging your principles. Jungkook, who loves to be the center of attention, uses his charming and playful nature to play with your feelings and control the situation. You are constantly trying not to succumb to his manipulations, but gradually you find that his influence on you is becoming stronger and stronger. The relationship between you is a game of power, desire, and sensation, where each tries to leave their mark without letting the other take over completely. But will you be able to maintain your independence, or will Jungkook eventually make you his?

♡ Couple: Jeon Jungkook/ Fem!Reader

♡ Characters: The Reader, Jeon Jungkook, Park Jimin, Kim Taehyung, Min Yoongi, Kim Seokjin, Kim Namjoon, Jeon Hoseok.

♡ Age restrictions: 18+

♡ Relationships: ⚤

♡ Number of part: 2/?

♡ Tags: university life, students, from enemies to lovers, everyday life, mild longing, sex, protected sex, unprotected sex, alcohol, smoking, profanity, tags will be added as the story progresses

♡ From the author: What do you think of this part? Jungkook's proposal has an interesting connotation that Y/N doesn't fully understand yet, but she has a little guess 🤭

♡ Warning: English is not my native language, so there may be mistakes in the text. Please don't get mad at me too much! Those under 18, please don't read this story!

♡ Tag list : @kooko007, @someoneelse0109, @kelsyx33, @minimoninini, @smokinghotstargirl (Want to be on tag list? Just let me know)

PART 2: A debt that will be difficult to repay.

You are finally home. You crossed the threshold of your rented apartment feeling tired, which had been accumulating all week. You took off your coat and kicked off your sneakers. As you hung up your outerwear, you noticed coffee drips that reminded you of the morning's incident with Jungkook. You grimaced at the thought of him.

What an asshole he is. Your encounter with them in the campus cafeteria was even worse. He was so cocky and it was so fucking annoying. Can't he see that you're not the pink mass of glamorous girls who are ready to run after him if he just smiles? And worst of all, he took the liberty of asking you what you're like in bed. A cheeky guy, it seems, of the very first category in the whole university.

You could barely drag your feet to the kitchen, because you were so hungry. You never ate that chicken salad. The reason is the same Jungkook. Why did he become such a pain in the ass for you in one day? You shake your head, shaking off the thoughts of him.

Tonight, you're having fried chicken, spicy tokpokki and chajamen. It's a hearty and high-calorie meal, but you don't mind. You need to relax, and delicious food has always helped you do that.

You've had dinner and decided not to do any studying. The binge night will be your moment before the brewing storm of Jungkook and working with him on a group project.

You were lying on the couch in front of the TV, barely listening to it and scrolling through social media. Suddenly, you received a message from an unknown number on KakoTalk. You logged into the app and saw the name that popped up when the user was registered.

"JK." There were only initials, but you knew exactly who they belonged to. How could he find your number if you didn't give it to him? There are two possibilities: either he got it from Miyon or he found it himself in a group chat in your study group. You're leaning toward the second option, but you'll have to ask Miyon if she gave your number to this asshole. You open the message and read it:

08.47 PM | JK: I'll be waiting for you at Smith's Cafe in Haehwa-dong tomorrow. Around 8pm.

You feel your heart beating fast in your chest. Your palms instantly sweat and for some reason you feel nauseous. Why are you reacting like this to his text? But it seems to be the context of the message itself. He writes confidently, and just puts it to you without asking you if you can come. You nervously tap the keyboard to reply to him.

08.47 PM | You: For what?

08.47 PM | JK: You read it right away. Did you wait for me to write?

You snort angrily. How annoying!

08.47 PM | You: The world doesn't revolve around you. I was just sitting on my phone. That's why I answered so quickly.

08.48 PM | You: What do you want? Why should we meet?

You wait for him to write back, but he doesn't reply for about a minute, so you exit the app, half excited and half frustrated. You scroll through your Instagram news page, but your thoughts are still on Jungkook's text messages.

The message arrives and you open the chat again.

08.49 PM | JK: We need to discuss your debt.

08.49 PM | You: I offered to pay you for the dry cleaning. What else do we have to fence?

08.49 PM | JK: I'm not interested in your money. It's not fun 😉

08.49 PM | You: 🙄 I'm not going to fulfill your wishes. Just throw me the card and I'll pay for the dry cleaning.

08.50 PM | JK: Do you think I have time to take my clothes to the dry cleaners?

08.50 PM | JK: Baby, I've spent many time to texting you than all the girls I've ever texted before. I'm already tired of typing. I'll be waiting for you tomorrow, and if you don't show up, you'll be in a lot of trouble, and trust me, you won't like it.

You squeeze the phone in your hand so hard that you think the screen is going to crack. "Baby?" Does he even hear himself? You take a deep breath, exhale. You write a reply, erase it, start again, and finally put the phone aside. That's all he wants to do, to piss you off.

You go back to the news feed, but you can't concentrate on anything. His last message keeps replaying in your head.

"I'll be waiting for you tomorrow." What does that even mean? Why would he do that? You bite your lip, considering whether to answer, and decide not to.

You put the phone down on the table, feeling the tension spread through your body. His calm tone is more annoying than if he were shouting or threatening. You realize that this is some kind of game, but he hasn't clearly explained the rules to you. You don't like Jungkook's interest in you at all.

Okay, you'll have to meeting with him, and at the same time you'll choose a topic for the project.

You look at the text message you received from Jungkook this morning again.

10.53 AM | JK: Don't be late. I'll be waiting for you on the second floor.

Saturday came and instead of enjoying your day off, you were nervous all day because you had to meet Jungkook. You were worried about the debt you owed him. Your intuition tells you that this guy is up to no good because he doesn't want the money. That's probably a good thing, because you don't have an extra thousand and a half dollars.

You close the message and just stare at the screen for a while, trying to collect your thoughts. The feeling of injustice merges with anxiety, but even more so, you're pissed off by his confidence. As if he's the boss here.

When you take a shower, you still hesitate whether to leave. But ignoring him doesn't seem like a wise decision. You choose a simple but neat look - a beige oversized sweater, black pants, and sneakers. Light hair in a messy bun, almost invisible makeup. You don't want him to think that you're trying too hard for him.

There is a cold wind outside, so you wrap yourself in your coat and try to walk quickly. You wonder why he made an appointment at this particular cafe. It is close to your home. The thought that he also lives in this neighborhood alarms you. But how can this be? He's a chaebol, it's unlikely that he would live in an ordinary apartment complex like yours. And in your neighborhood, there were mostly simple affordable apartments for students.

You arrive at the cafe a few minutes early. You didn't forget to bring your laptop and notes where you made notes about the topics you would like to choose.

With a sigh, you go inside. The cafe is filled with the aroma of fresh pastries and coffee. The music is playing softly, and the tables are filled with mostly students with laptops and pairs of notebooks. The second floor is less crowded, with only a few tables occupied.

You notice him right away. Jungkook is sitting at a table by the window, leaning back comfortably. He's wearing a black sweater and jeans, with a chain around his neck that glistens in the light of the lamps. Noticing you, he smiles slightly and waves his hand, inviting you to come over.

"You decided to come after all." - His voice sounds calm, almost warm, but there is something dangerous in his eyes. "Good girl." - Praises Jungkook. You feel something irritated in your middle when he calls you that. You don't snort loudly.

"As if you left me a choice." - You reply ironically, sinking into the chair across from him.

"There's always a choice, baby. But you made the right one." - He says, leaning forward slightly, his smile growing wider. Your heart races as he gets bolder and bolder.

"Don't call me baby. I think every woman you've ever been with has had that nickname." - You say colorlessly, but Jungkook picks up on your irritation. He smiles out of the corner of his mouth.

"Why do you think that?" - He asks, leaning back in his chair, his tattooed hand on the table, showing you the designs on the outside of his palm. You look down at them for a moment and then turn your eyes to Jungkook.

"I'm more than confident in what I said. You're too predictable." - You say with a challenge. Jungkook's eyebrows fly up and he laughs defiantly.

"Predictable?" - He asks. "That's not a characteristic I have. You can ask any of my girlfriends." - He says without losing his smile on his lips. You roll your eyes defiantly.

"No need." - You say shortly, fidgeting in your chair. Jungkook notices your nervousness.

"Are you nervous?" - He asks you pointedly. You freeze, caught off guard by his bluntness.

"No." - You answer too quickly. But you are nervous. Your heart is beating like crazy. Is it his good looks that make you this way, or his flattering tone of voice? You can't decide.

"I think it is. That's so nice. Do you want something to drink?" - He asks. You give him a killer look and wish this meeting was over. You seem to be starting to realize how hard it's going to be to write this pair project.

"I came here to take care of the issue with your sweatshirt." - You answer dryly, ignoring his offer of a drink. You in anyway wouldn't be able to drink anything anyway. Your nerves made you feel a little nauseous.

Jungkook leaned forward, rested his elbows on the table, and fixed your gaze with his. He was close enough that you could smell him-light, fresh, almost magnetic.

"Want get right to it?" - He asked playfully.

"Yes. Just tell me what you want for that fucking sweatshirt." - You ask nervously.

"I told you I'm not interested in money." - He said confidently. "So I came up with a way for you to pay off your debt. I think it will be convenient for everyone."

You felt your cheeks flush. You pressed your lips together, trying not to react to the tone in his voice that seemed downright seductive.

"So what did you come up with?" - You asked. Jungkook leaned back, his eyes seemingly illuminated by some invisible fire.

"It's nothing complicated. I just want you to be my personal assistant for a week." - Jungkook replied.

"Assistant?" - You clarified quietly.

"Yes. You'll follow me around, help me with whatever I need. And, of course..." - He smiled, tilting his head. "You'll follow my instructions." - Jungkook finished speaking, and you just stood there with your mouth open. What the hell is this? What the hell are his instructions?

You are about to scold him when coffee is brought to your table. A large cup of cappuccino is placed in front of you, and raff coffee in front of Jungkook.

"I already know you drink cappuccino." - Jungkook says as the waiter walks away from your table. There is no end to your fury.

"Are you kidding me?" - You say sharply, but your voice trembles slightly.

"Absolutely serious." - He replied, not taking his eyes off you. "It's better than the other options I had in my mind."

"What other options?" - You asked again, choking on your anger.

Jungkook leaned over, leaning on the table, close to you. He smiled his usual cocky smile that sent a new electric shock through your nervous system.

"You don't want to know." - Jungkook replied. His voice sounded so soft and heartfelt that your chest tightened. You felt your body begin to give in to the tension that was filling the space between you. "A week..." - He repeated, his voice so soft you could barely hear it. "And your problems will disappear."

You clenched your hands under the table, forcing yourself not to look away.

"It's not fair, for some clothes. I'm not your servant." - You speak passionately.

"For me it's a valuable thing. You didn't look where you were going when you ran into me, that's why you're here." - He pauses briefly and continues. "And this offer will cover my losses in full."

You knew it was a trap. But Jungkook's gaze, his low voice, and his absolute confidence somehow made you think he wanted to seduce you.

"I don't want to be your assistant." - You admit honestly. Jungkook played with a piercing with his tongue, and you tried your best to ignore it. He slowly straightened up in his chair and took a sip of coffee. His phone vibrated. He cast an indifferent glance at the screen and quickly returned his gaze to you.

"Y/N. I'm offering you the most loyal option. You're a good girl. I don't want to hurt you, but you're provoking me. Why don't you just say yes?" - Jungkook asks you. His tone is lazy and cautious, but he's visibly restraining himself from speaking to you rudely. You snort and laugh a little defiantly.

"How am I provoking you, Jeon? I'm also offering you a normal option. Why don't you just take the money from me?" - You ask your questions. Jungkook drills you with his eyes and his interest in you grows exponentially. You resist. Why is someone who is not available so magnetic?

"You ruined my thing. And I'm a terrible appropriator. That's why I make the rules, not you." - Jungkook says, a little bossy. You raise your eyebrows. This guy across from you is starting to piss you off. "So what do you choose? Consent or something worse?"

"Something worse? Jungkook, this sounds like a cheap drama!" -You laugh, trying to hide your nervousness, but your heart is pounding so loudly that you think he can hear it.

"A cheap drama?" - He thinks for a moment, and then suddenly stands up, grabs a chair and puts it next to you. He sits down, leans closer, stopping a few centimeters from your face. Your breath catches in your throat. "If you want, I can make it a little more dramatic, but I don't think you'll be able to take it."

You try to say something, but his closeness and the subtle smell of his perfume silence you. He notices your confusion and smiles with satisfaction.

"Well?" - His voice is quiet, but every word sounds as if your life depends on it.

"You're crazy..." - You whisper, finally leaning back.

You think, quickly analyze the situation, and feel that you should agree to his terms. One week of hell, one more week of working on a project you're sure he won't want to do, and you'll be free of this annoying, narcissistic guy forever.

"Okay. But only for a week. And only as an assistant. No... strange instructions."

Jungkook crosses his arms over his chest and smiles even wider.

"You made the right decision, as always." - Jungkook says. His phone vibrates again. He reaches for his smartphone.

You just sigh, realizing that you've just done something you'll definitely regret.

Jungkook is checking something on his phone, and you are fidgeting in your chair to get a few centimeters away from him. He puts down the phone and turns his handsome face to you. A satisfied smile spreads across his lips.

He opens his mouth to say something but is interrupted by an incoming call. Jungkook blocks it without even looking at him.

You clear your throat and pick up your laptop bag. For a moment, you feel protected by Jungkook's closeness.

"Since we've already met..." - You begin confidently. "I propose we choose a topic for our pair project." - You gently push the cappuccino aside and put your laptop in front of you and take out a notebook with notes.

"Great. Let's do it." - Jungkook agrees quickly. He reaches across the table again and picks up his coffee. You click on your laptop, opening the file with the topics dropped into the group chat.

"So. I have two topics that I liked the most. The first one shows how emotions affect the perception of art. I think we can use contrast. Two opposite artistic images that convey different emotions. For example, one artwork symbolizes warmth and hope, and the other symbolizes coldness and alienation." - You explained, gesturing with your hands. Jungkook watched you carefully and didn't really listen to you. His phone vibrated again, and he locked it without looking at the screen, just like the first time. You stumbled for a moment, noticing Jungkook locking his phone, and went on. "Or we can do a project on the duality of human nature. Show how appearances often hide a person's true intentions or emotions." - You said. Jungkook raised one eyebrow and looked at you curiously.

"That sounds... interesting." - He mused out loud. You finally turned your eyes to him.

"What exactly did you like?" - You asked.

"The topic of 'duality'. Why do you choose this topic?" - Jungkook put his elbows on the table, leaning slightly toward you. You were confused for a moment, and then quickly composed yourself and explained.

"I like this topic the most from this two. I think people often show only the part of themselves they want others to see." - You said animatedly.

"Are you talking about yourself?" - Asked Jungkook. His eyes grew serious, and you didn't know how to respond.

"No." - You replied, nervously tucking a strand of hair behind your ear. "I'm talking about people in general."

"Mmm..." -Jungkook leans back a little, picking up his coffee cup again. His phone vibrates for the third time, and you're annoyed. Jungkook presses the lock button again and the phone silently incomes the call.

"Why aren't you answering the phone? Maybe it's important?" - You ask, trying to sound indifferent, even though you're curious about who's calling so annoyingly.

"It's not important." -Jungkook answers without a shadow of a doubt. His fingers slide lightly across the surface of the table, as if he's looking for something to do. You look at his tattoos and want to know their meaning.

"How is it not important? Someone seems to really need your attention." - You say, raising an eyebrow slightly. He hums, and his smile grows even more cocky.

"Are you that curious about who needs my attention?" - Jungkook asks you. Nervously, you look from his face to his phone.

"No. It's just a little disturbing." - You lie. You turn away from Jungkook. He puts his hand on the back of your chair as he approaches a little bit closer.

"Just ignore it, like I did." - He says, and his voice sounds like he's just having fun. You look at him sideways. "But if you can't, I suggest you answer the phone." - Jungkook hands you the phone, there's still an incoming call.

You round your eyes. Why you should do it? You look at the phone and see an unsigned number.

"I'm not doing this." - You say, turning away.

"Oh, you will. Hang up the phone and say I'm busy and can't talk." - Jungkook says a little rudely. You turn your head to him and freeze. "Your duties as my assistant are already in effect. So answer instead of me." - You stare at Jungkook in horror. You open your mouth to say no again, but he presses the green button and puts the phone to your ear.

"Opaaa!" - Some girl screams. "How dare you not answer me?"

You look at Jungkook's sneering smile because he can hear what the girl on the other side of the phone is screaming too. You exhale nervously and take his phone in your hand.

"Uhm. Hi." - You say. Jungkook gives a soft of laughter.

"Who is this?" - Some girl asks. She keeps the silent for a couple of seconds, most likely making sure she has dialed the right number, and then speaks. "Where is Jungkook-opa? I'm calling him."

"Jungkook is busy right now and can't talk to you." - You say colorlessly. Jungkook is amused by the situation. His smile doesn't leave his lips even when he's drinking coffee.

"What do you mean? Who are you? Is he with you now? What are you doing?" - The girl asks one question after another, and her squeaky voice makes you want to take the phone away from your ear.

"He's with me right now. That's all I can tell you. He'll call you back." - You say. Jungkook arches an eyebrow in question. You make a wry your face. God, how did you end up in this situation? You shouldn't have to deal with his girls. "Probably." - Before, that girl starts screaming into the phone, you disconnect the call and put Jungkook's phone on the table. You turn away and sit up straight.

"See, I told you it wasn't an important call." - Jungkook says.

You exhale nervously, trying to recover from this awkward situation. Jungkook looks at you with a smile that only adds fuel to the fire.

"Why did you do that? Next time, you'll have to deal with your girls yourself." - You say angrily. Jungkook laughs out loud.

"Because it's fun." - He answers without the slightest remorse. "And I think you did even better than I expected. Now I'm sure I chose the right assistant."

You roll your eyes, pretending not to pay attention to his words, but everything inside you is boiling.

"I think you need a psychologist, not an assistant." - You say half-jokingly.

"Maybe so. But I'd rather spend time with you." - Jungkook replies and leans closer. "By the way, your voice is very calm. I think it calmed her down a bit. But only for a little while."

You focus on the laptop screen, trying to ignore what he said, but your eyes fall back to his arm with the tattoos. They seem mysterious to you, and your curiosity gets the better of you.

"By the way... these tattoos of yours. What do they mean?" - You ask. You were fascinated by tattoos and the most interesting thing for you was the stories of people who told why they painted their bodies. He raises his hand, examining the ink on his skin as if for the first time.

"Oh, now you're interested in my tattoos? You better be careful with that curiosity, because it might take you too far." - His tone is flirtatious and you're visited with excitement.

"Maybe I'm just trying to find something to take your mind off of silly’s." - You counter. Jungkook smiles, shaking his head.

"Okay. I'll tell you about one of them, but let's have you pick a topic for our project first. Because to be honest, I don't care. I can do a practical assignment on any of these topics." - Jungkook says. You squint your eyes.

"I hope you're not be indifferent to work at project." - You look away and look at your notebook. The topic is duality. It's something you both like. "The theme of the duality of human nature." - You say. Jungkook stretches his lips mysteriously into a smile.

"As you wish. Now it's your turn, Y/N. What tattoo are you interested in?"

You point to the small word tattooed on the inside of his finger and wait eagerly to hear what he has to say.

"What are these initials?" - You ask. Jungkook looks at his hand and thinks about how to explain.

"These are the initials of people who are important in my life. My... so to speak, 'support squad'. Those who made me move forward, even when I wanted to stop." - His voice sounded unusually sincere, and you noticed that his gaze had softened.

You nodded, silently considering his words, but he continued, pointing to another tattoo.

"This one is an eye with a crown. It reminds me that you should always see your possibilities. Not to let yourself be broken even when the whole world is against you. And to remember that you are the king of your life." - Jungkook explains. You smiled involuntarily.

"And this?" - You asked, pointing to the small heart on his wrist.

"Oh, that's..." - Jungkook paused for a moment and then laughed, crossing his arms. "It's a reminder that love can be both the best and worst thing in life. It appeared when I thought I knew what love was. But I think I'm still learning."

"You?" - You couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. "Learning to love?"

He looked at you with an expression that was both serious and playful.

"Yes, Y/N. I'd like to learn how to love." - Jungkook replies. Silence falls between you and you feel tense. Does a guy like Jungkook really want to love someone? He can have any girl he wants, but it seems that no one can give him the feeling he wants. Isn't that why he says that? Then you wondered who the "love" he had that made him think it was the "worst thing". You want to ask, but you just turn away. You close your laptop and pack your things.

"I'm going to go." - You say as you get up from the table. Jungkook follows your movements. "On Monday, I'll go to the teacher and tell him the topic. Let's also start working on the project." - You say. You put on your coat, which you hung on a hanger by the table. Jungkook gets up after you.

"You didn't touch the coffee I ordered for you." - He states disappointedly. You look at the cold cup of coffee.

"I'm sorry. I don't drink coffee at night." - You answer. Jungkook walks over to the coat rack and puts on his black coat as well. You watch and don't notice how fascinated you are by him in this black coat, he is so attractive. It seems to you that everything he would wear would look perfect. Is this legitimate?

"Why are you frozen? Let's go, I'll walk you home!" - Jungkook picks up his phone from the table. You pick up your laptop.

"No need. I live nearby." - You say. Jungkook does not react to this statement. That's suspicious. He can't possibly know where you live, right?

"So what? It's late, I can't let you go alone." - He takes the bag from your hands and invites you to leave.

"I came here alone when it was already dark." - You argue.

"I'm glad you got here safely. But I'll be worried if I let you go alone." - Jungkook says and you laugh.

"So you're afraid I won't pay you back?" - You joke as you catch up with Jungkook. You go outside and it's even colder.

"Yeah, let the world fall, but you have to pay me back." - He jokes and you laugh. You wonder how your normal routine was disrupted by one person. You realize that maybe these two weeks will be the hardest in your life. Jungkook's strange offer, working on the project, and his annoying interest. Is this the horror you hope you'll withstand? Doesn't fate have anything else in store for you?

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