#Oliver;

[magiclwritings]

Isaac closed his eyes and just let everything happen. He let Apollo pull him to him and try to console him. He stood quietly and listened to the sweet words that came out of his mouth again. Because this wasn't the first time this sort of conversation had been had. And at this rate, it surely wasn't to be the last. He'd made his peace with that. For whatever reason, with Apollo came Cassio and by extension, Oliver. The last of them being his particular favorite at that moment. He was at least doing something productive. Like keeping the pair of them the hell away from one another. He slowly breathed in and allowed parts of himself to relax and mold in against Apollo. Whatever that was, was going to have to wait. There was still a child that called priority over all.

"I don' wan' ya ta teach me." He said after a few moments, blinking back the sting of a few tears that wished to be released from the well. Isaac sniffled them back and moved to pat Apollo on his back gently, smoothing over the fabric of his shirt. There'd been a time or two he'd wished he was more like his kind and didn't care all that much about free will. It certainly would have made his life easier, especially after meeting this particular Maddox sibling. "I wan' for once ta jus' figure somethin' ou' wi'h jus' us. I ge' tha' maybe this is a bi' differen'." He paused, pulling back to look at him just then. He did his very best to keep his features neutral because like it or not, there was still company that was more than likely able to hear some of what was being said. "Sometimes i' feels li'e there's no' jus' two of us in this."

Before he could really feel the weight of what he said, Isaac pulled from Apollo's arms and moved to the sink. He flipped the tap on, cupping his hands underneath to splash some water on his face. He stood hunched over the sink and drummed his fingers along the basin. "Maybe you should ha'e called ya sista." His head craned around and tried to ignore the look on Apollo's face. If they were going to have a house full then so be it. "'f he recognized the two o' them then I'd be willin' ta bet he migh' her too." He shrugged and folded his arms over his chest. "Maybe she can fin' his mum o' someone tha' migh' know mo'e than we can fin'."

_______________________

Cassio stood back with his shoulder pressed against the door frame watching Oliver with the boy. He hadn't expected to care so much about a child he knew nothing about but to see Oliver with him, well. He heard the voices coming from the kitchen and stepped inside to stand just behind one of the armchairs as he surveyed the pair of them closer. He clearly didn't understand what the problem was between him and Isaac. Cass had never advanced on Apollo in their time together and they hadn't for some time before that. Especially not when Oliver had come into his life. Jealousy was one thing but whatever that was, Isaac was the only one feeling it. He'd thought to ask Apollo but he also didn't want to put him in an awkward position. Leave it to him to find a male veela that not only didn't have a colony but one with a very nasty disposition when it came to his lover. Naturally.

The blond shook his head and came to join the pair on the floor. "Yeah, his birthday was pretty fun." He chimed in, reaching out to take one of the weird and colorful contraptions Oliver had bought for him. He smiled at how crazy it looked back attempted to make it do ... something. He was really trying to understand where this kid could have come from. The way he spoke about them sounded almost like he'd taken memories from them directly. He sighed and finally gave up on the toy he'd had which made the little boy laugh. He really liked that. How innocent this boy was. It made him want to protect him, if for no other reason than he could understand that vulnerability.

But he also wanted to test that theory. He had a memory of just Apollo and himself that was hold enough and insignificant enough to not totally throw Oliver off but Apollo's worry was getting the better of him. Maybe that's why he hates me. "I was thinking about asking your dad if he wanted to go back to that one spring we found out at your grandparent's house." He smiled and moved to take another toy, this one was a bit more managable. The little boy looked at him and he sighed so loudly just to be dramatic. "The one way out past the garden. The one your aunt really, really loves." He smiled and leaned in to nudge him gently. "I'll ask him if we can take you again. I won't throw you in like that again. I promise."

“I’m not mad, just so you know,” Oliver whispered to Cassio as they made their way out of the kitchen and toward the living room. He tugged on the blonde’s sleeve, stopping him in the hallway before the living room. Oliver wrapped his arms around Cass’ waist, pulling his boyfriend into a hug. “The history between you guys doesn’t bother me. I just saw the look on Isaac’s face, and I felt bad.” They all knew Cassio walked on eggshells around Isaac. Oliver thought it would get better when they weren’t all at uni together, but then Cassio and Apollo started a business together, and nothing changed. He thought about asking Cass what Apollo had said, but he knew better. He knew there was a good reason if his boyfriend kept things from him. He leaned forward, placing a light kiss on the corner of Cassio’s mouth, slipping his hand in his and lacing their fingers together. He had forgiven Cassio for his secrets back when they were in school, but he didn’t forget about them either. 

He pulled Cassio into the living room and stopped in the doorway. The bags he had brought for Theodore had exploded everywhere. Every toy box had been ripped to shreds, and the toddler sat in the middle of all the chaos, playing with a toy train happily. At the sound of their steps, the little boy turned, flashing them the wildest and brightest smile he had ever seen. “Uncle Ollie!! Uncle Cassie, come play with me.” 

Oliver pulled Cassio to the center of the room. He sat down next to Theodore and picked up the blue train. Oliver wheeled it around in a circle and then pretended to crash into the red one Theodore was playing with. “Theodore,” he said gently, “I’m so happy to see you again. Remind me, when was the last time we got to hang out? I feel like it’s been forever.” 

Theodore chewed on his bottom lip, mulling it over in his mind. “Mmm, dad’s birfday, I think,” he said, seemingly satisfied with that answer because he went back to playing with his train. 

“What did we do for his birthday?” he asked, shooting a quick glance at Cassio because they both knew what they had done. They had thrown a surprise party for Apollo because the man had refused to do anything celebratory, and Oliver loved to press his buttons. 

“The prize party,” Theodore replied, that wild, feral grin on his face. “He was big mad.” They had broken into their home before Apollo came home with Isaac’s blessing, so it wasn’t breaking in. When Apollo walked in, he looked at them, shook his head, and pouted in his bedroom. Maybe he pouted, but that was unconfirmed, and he didn’t come back down until Isaac went and got him. He remembered the night quite well but knew Theodore hadn’t been there. Yet he had details of the day as if he was. How? When Apollo’s almost-wife was never there, 

Theodore played mindlessly, and Oliver turned to look at Cassio.

_______________

Not many things intimidated Apollo for his entire life; intimidation had been used against him to keep him in line. Eventually, it stopped working. But the look on Isaac’s face was enough to bring it all back to the front. Apollo felt like a little boy standing before him with his hand in the cookie jar. For a moment, he wondered if this would be enough for Isaac to leave him. If this were the last misstep, he would have freely given Apollo. He moved towards Isaac before stopping himself; his lips pressed into a thin line as he stood in front of his boyfriend.

“Isaac,” He started, wringing his hands together before he shook his head and moved to his boyfriend. “Baby, listen to me.” Apollo cradled the man’s face in his hands, brushing his curls away from his face. He held Isaac’s glare confidently, unwaveringly. “I had panic attacks growing up. Cassio taught me Russian to help quiet my mind when everything got overwhelming. It makes me stop and think. It’s a distraction.” It was not technically a lie because that was how it started until they realized it gave them a way to communicate together without prying ears. He brushed his thumb across Isaac’s cheekbone. “It’s not secrets; it wasn’t even directed at him. I was just commenting. He didn’t even say anything back to me. I just was too in my head, and saw him and slipped into it like I was 14 years old again.”

He pulled Isaac to him, wrapping his arms around his neck and molding his body against his boyfriend’s, waiting for him to return the hug. Stubborn, Apollo thought, but he hadn’t pushed him away yet. “I’ll teach you,” He whispered, soothingly brushing his fingers along Isaac’s neck. “If you want, you can know what is being said so you don’t ever feel left out again.” He propped his chin on Isaac’s shoulder, looking up at his stoic boyfriend. “I didn’t call him for help, Isaac,” Apollo spoke softly, “I called you. You say the word, and I'll kick them both out, and we can figure this out ourselves."

[rammingthestein]

Oliver Riedel in Prague, Czech Republic, for Rammstein's 2017 festival's tour © Milan Říský

[hazemsuhail]

Urgent Help:

Help my family survive and start a new life

Hello everyone, thank you for taking a moment to read our story.

I am Hazem Shawish, and I am trying to save my family from this war.

We live in Gaza, where we face significant challenges due to the current situation.

My family consists of 11 members, including my mother, two daughters, four sons, and three children.

In the shadow of conflict, our family has faced unimaginable hardships. The passing of my father, a victim to the cruel grasp of hunger and inadequate healthcare, left a void in our lives, underscoring the fragility of our existence here. My brother, Samer, battles bipolar disorder, a condition exacerbated by the ongoing war and the severe shortage of essential medications. Without access to the necessary treatment, his life is at risk, and we live in constant fear for his well-being amidst the chaos that surrounds us. These personal tragedies have deepened the urgency of our situation.

Every day is a struggle for survival, and each night is filled with prayers for a brighter tomorrow. We hold onto hope, believing that one day the clouds will dissipate, and we will find the peace we long for.

Our home, which was a sanctuary for us, was destroyed, forcing us to live in a state of uncertainty and fear. We have lost the laughter of our children.

Our entire neighborhood In Gaza Before and after

we had a supermarket that helped as to live and earn money, but it was bombed and we have nothing now, pic of our supermarket

We also face psychological challenges, as we have lost our father, and my brother Samer, who needs expensive medical treatment, is facing imminent danger. My mother, who has endured so much, fears losing another child. We are all suffering from malnutrition and contaminated water.

We dream of moving to Egypt to find safety, where our children can pursue their education.

We seek your support as individuals who understand the value of compassion and community.

Thank you for listening to our story, for your understanding, and for standing with us.

🇵🇸🍉❤️‍🩹🙏

All of our important links are here

vetted and verified by:

@dlxxv-vetted-donations & @a-shade-of-blue (vet)

@gazavetters , my number the list is (#75)

@paliliberation , my number the list is (#171)

[taviamoth]

art by the.gauntlets

gofundme for the family

[susiephone]

Last Week Tonight With John Oliver, 11x14

[victusinveritas]

[lovelylonelymoonlight]

Bruce unintentionally dissing the league while praising his kids is so funny to me

Bruce: we need an expert marksman for this job

Oliver: *getting ready to stand up to fully accept Bruce’s praise*

Bruce: Redhood will be here shortly. We also need someone quick on their feet. Luckily Cass is working on a case nearby so we can ask her

[miametropolis]

last chance to evacuate

as you may know, israel has begun its ground operation in rafah. they dropped leaflets last night ordering people to evacuate, and bombing in east rafah has already begun.

The border is about to become unreachable.

Rafah is trapped.

We have literal hours until no-one, all the GoFundMe's you've scrolled past, all the people desperately begging on TikTok, will be able to escape.

Give now. Give whatever you can.

I am fundraising for the Odeh family, which is only 3k away from meeting its goal.

you will not get another chance.

GIVE HERE

[luthienne]

i wake up thirsty and i think of palestine. i go to the doctor’s office and i think of palestine. a sign in the corner of the waiting room says ‘this is a place of healing, disruptive behavior will not be tolerated’ and i think of palestine. they probably weren’t thinking of bombs and snipers and mass graves in parking lots. i call my parents and i think of palestine. i drive to the grocery store and i think of palestine. i look at the clear blue sky and i think of palestine. i put the dishes away and i think of palestine. i feed my cat and i think of palestine. i listen to music and i think of palestine. i read poetry and i think of palestine. i text my friends and i think of palestine. i think of palestine and i think of palestine and i think of palestine

[pixelephant]

[heritageposts]

I'm reading about how Israel, in the immediate aftermath of the 1948 Nakba, deliberately replaced olive trees and other indigenous flora with European plants. This ecological disaster, which is now proudly hailed under the banner of 'making the desert bloom,' was done to 'de-Arabize' the landscape, and to cover up - often with fast-growing European pine trees -the ruins of Palestinian villages that were destroyed by Zionists forces.

And I just need everyone to read this passage from Pappé, because the symbolism of what happened to those European pine trees in the desert speaks for itself:

The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine, by Ilan Pappé (2006, p. 227-228.)

[lonelyroommp3]

yesterday my flatmate asked what my "olympics schedule" was in terms of what i was planning to watch and when and i was like i can't explain to you how much of a foreign concept that is to me. you don't have an "olympics schedule" in my household you watch whatever happens to be on tv whenever you have a minute of free time and get insanely invested in whatever sport you end up watching. maybe down the line you get so caught up in an event that you start going "i'm sorry i need to have the tv at 8:45pm next tuesday because i need to see the men's sport climbing finals or i'll kill myself" but it's something that has to happen organically you know. that's half the fun

[rammingthestein]

Oliver and Christoph backstage at Rammstein's show in Moscow, Russia, 2019 © Jens Koch

[mournfulroses]

Mary Oliver, from a poem titled "August," featured in White Pine: Poems & Prose Poems

[taviamoth]

art by the.gauntlets

Dr. Huda Abu Khater's Instagram

gofundme to help them