#Proposition 15

[remembertheplunge]

Anti Gay Marriage Prop 22 overturned

May 15, 2008 Thursday. 3:16 pm

Jim puts a room Air Conditioner in our den fireplace for our first hot day. 85 degrees on his hand held thermometer, the talking one.

Bob, a friend, called to congratulate us: The California Supreme Court over turned Proposition 22 for the moment. I million signed a petition to amend the state constitution to out law the out. Laws.

Tom, a  friend (calling to congratulate us re: over turning off Prop 22): “You too persons have a great evening”. Gay marriage hits Modesto. A tsunami!

The cool in the den is delightful from the fireplace AC.

5:35pm

California is the second state to legalize gay marriage. Gavin Newsom, San Fransisco “It’s about human dignity, It's about civil rights, it's about time."

Massachusetts was the first state to legalize it.

End of this part of the entry

Note:

Prop 22 was a law enacted by California voters in March 2000 stating that marriage was between one man and one woman. Prop 22 was overturned by the California Supreme Court on may 15, 2008, In November 2008, Prop 8 was passed by the California voters again banning gay marriage in California. Prop 8 was later ruled unconstitutional by the US Supreme Court and Gay Marriage resumed on June 28, 2013.

Jim was my gay partner at the time. We owned a house together. We spent a lot of time in the den. It wasn’t insulated  and got hot quickly  in the late spring and summer months. Thus, the need for the air conditioner in the fireplace, which was elevated off the ground about 4 feet.

Bob  and Tom were straight friends of ours who were gay friendly and aware that the overturning of Prop 22 was a huge event in our lives.  

[castielsupernatural]

wow can’t wait for my exciting evening of making potatoes and watching live updates for my city’s local election results

[transfem-zen-in]

I love some conspiracy theories because the really good ones are the most outlandish, ridiculous and absurd shit you'll ever hear but they're presented with such confidence and are so in-depth with it's explanations that you start to think of them the same way you think of fantasy/sci-fi stories

The reason i say some is because a lot of the times they just circle back to "ITZ DA JOOZ ITZ DA FREE MAZONS ITZ DA ILUMINATI GLOBALIZT SATANIK KOMMUNISTZ" type shit, like alr bro sure the Antarctica temples sound fucking awesome and cool but what the fuck do the free masons have to do with it, they barely have any real power nowadays, just because they created (colonized and genocided the natives) your dogshit "country" doesn't mean they're still at the top, even scientology is more influential than them

Like they're even in my shitass city, in the middle of nowhere and they literally do NOTHING, they're just pretentious wealthy bourgeois fucks that hang out sometimes. Like they invited my dad to join them, TWICE, my dad isn't even like religious and in fact is VERY opposed to the idea of religion as a whole, he's kind of a dick honestly but he's very smart, probably why they approached him in the first place, first time he brushed them off and second time straight up called them a bunch of pretentious morons

So yeah, main takeaway from this post is that the free masons are mostly a relic of the past and not the world leaders as most retarded conspiracy theorists believe

[back2bluesidex]

We Need Practice - JJK (18+)

A Sequel to Novice.

Pairing: Pornstar!Jungkook X Fem!Reader

Theme: Fluff, smut

Wordcount: 2.1k+

Summary: Jungkook wants you to ride him and you are too bad at that.

Warnings: Unprotected sex, messy cock riding, cumming all over body, they are down bad for each other, more fluff than I intended to have, confessions. NSFW!!

Minors are not allowed in this blog!!

Masterlist | Patreon

“Don’t judge a book by its cover” 

You have heard this phrase for thousands of times in your entire lifetime but you have hardly had any chance of actually implying the same in your life. 

But then you met Jungkook and you understood how true that one sentence can be. 

Jeon Jungkook is the text-book definition of what those cliched bad-boys or fuckboys would look like. 

With a hand full of tattoos, silver rings dangling from piercings, impressively structured body and a small waist that could rival female models, he really looks like someone who would be fucking people and putting on a show out of it. 

And that is exactly what he does. 

Pornstar Jeon Jungkook is actually very notorious. 

But Jeon Jungkook as a person is a completely different story. 

After that one encounter at that porn movie set, he asked for your number and you complied with his request thinking of he could give you some of the best fucks of your life (not that you have had many fucks to brag about in the first place). 

If you are being honest, then you never expected him to be the sweetheart that he actually is. Since the day you two exchanged numbers, he never once asked if he could come over during god-forbidden hours of night. He never once asked for your nude pictures, neither did he ever force you to meet him. 

Rather he sends you funny dog videos, funny tik tok clips and asks you how was your day. And you can’t lie about the fact that your heart has already started acting strange, like it flutters everytime Jungkook’s name glows on your dark phone screen. 

It’s been more than a month since you have been chatting regularly and now you are getting a little impatient. 

As much as you appreciate his good-boy vibes, you would like to see him again, touch him again. 

So you do what you have been thinking of doing for more than a week now. 

“Sleeping?” you hit send, praying to the universe that he doesn’t find you a desperate bitch for what you are going to do. 

The clock reads 2:15 am already, and just then his reply arrives, “nah. Can’t sleep. What about you?” 

“Me too. Can’t sleep.” 

You take a deep breath before typing the next message, “do you wanna hangout?” 

Just when you are about to add “at my place” to complete your proposition, his reply hits your screen, “Send me your address. And wear something warm before I ask you to come out.” 

Wait. is he? Taking you out? 

Even though you were trying to ask for sex but this option feels even better to be honest. 

So you send him your address and he texts you that he will be there within 10 minutes. Wearing your gray padding, you wait for him to arrive at your place. 

Another positive point about Jeon Jungkook is that he is punctual. You might even call him a green flag because your phone dings with a “I am here” text right on 2:27 am. 

The scene that unfolds in front of you once you come out of your apartment, almost leaves your jaw hanging mid air. 

Jungkook has arrived with a bike, dressed in complete black. If you drooled a little at the sight then you would never admit that. 

Once he sees you awkwardly walking towards him, he takes off his helmet and welcomes you with one of his infamous bunny smiles. 

Your heart does a little flip inside your chest. 

His big doe eyes shine amid the darkness as if those are made of some priceless stone. At this moment it’s really tough to believe that he is a pornstar, who fucks people on camera to earn a living. 

“Hey. you look beautiful.” he greets you with a compliment when you come close to him. 

“You look even more handsome today.” you return his compliment genuinely. And at that, the tip of his ears turn red. 

“Ah thanks.” he replies shyly as he hands you a helmet. And gestures to you to mount his fancy bike. 

You take the helmet, slip that on your head and hold him by his shoulders to climb on his bike. 

Once you have settled, he revves the engine. 

“Hold me tightly” he says briefly before setting the bike in motion. You wrap your arms around his waist and hold him just as he asked you to. 

The deserted road, the trees whooshing by, the buildings that look peaceful, everything feels so beautiful. 

Maybe it’s because of the hour or maybe it’s because you are with someone you like. 

The bike comes to a halt at a crossing and you slide up the windshield of your helmet, “where are we going?” 

He looks at you through the mirror, slides his own windshield up and gives you another sickening smile, but doesn’t say anything. 

5 more minutes later he parks the bike beside a huge lake. 

It looks like a secluded area. The lake is mostly hidden amid big trees and surrounded by fishing spots and some benches. 

Jungkook spreads his hand before you once you both are standing side by side. 

You take the cue and place your hand on his. He intertwines his fingers with yours and you start blushing. Thanks to the darkness, he wouldn’t be able to witness it. 

Once you are sitting on a bench, Jungkook starts, “I often come here to fish with my hyungs. This is my first time coming here with a woman.” 

When you look at him, you find him already staring at you, “Really? You look like the type to have a lot of girlfriends, you know?” 

“Is it because of my profession?” there is a hint of sadness in his eyes. 

So you press on his hand, which is still intertwined with yours and say, “no. not because of that. It’s just that you are generally very attractive and charming, Jungkook.” 

His face brightens up with a beautiful smile, “Too bad, I was about to say the same about you. But you snatched my words.” 

Your eyes widen at his compliment, “You find me attractive?” 

“Why? Why are you so surprised? Is it wrong to find someone attractive?” he giggles, staring deep into your eyes. 

“No. Th-that’s not what I meant. I mean, you know, you work with far more attractive women than me. So.. it’s kind of unlikely actually.” you fumble with your words. 

Jungkook chuckles at your explanation, “they are just colleagues, Y/N. Just like any other profession, we have a strict business relationship. And honestly, they are not even my type. You, on the other hand, fit perfectly into the category of women I would love to date.” 

Your eyes go even wider at his confession, “you.. You want to date me?” 

“If you let me. If you trust me despite the nature of my profession… I would love to make you mine.” Jungkook breathes slowly, his eyes drop down to your lips. 

Before you can voice your answer, your intrusive thoughts win and you reach up, placing a chaste kiss on his lips. 

“I think I would love it too.” 

And then you find yourself being pulled by the back of your neck as Jungkook crashes his lips on yours. It’s passionate, it’s overwhelming, it’s so beautiful and you never felt anything close to this. 

He licks the seam of your lower lip asking you to grant him permission, you let him inside your mouth. 

His tongue probes into your mouth testing each corner, you moan into his mouth. His other hand wraps around your waist pulling you even closer. 

And then you feel one, two, three and then multiple drops of rain falling on you two. 

He detaches his lips from yours, “fuck. It’s raining.” 

“Let’s go back to my place.” you reply, trying to cover your heads with your hands. 

It’s been one of your bucket list wishes to ride a bike in the rain with the person you love and probably it’s going to come true today. 

You hold him tightly, pressing your chest on his back, not in a sexual, but in a loving manner. It starts raining heavily within a few minutes, and Jungkook quickens his speed to reach your destination as soon as possible. 

“Where are you going?” you place your question, seeing Jungkook putting on his helmet again after dropping in front of your apartment entrance. 

Even though the rain has turned into drizzle now, it still can be quite dangerous to drive a bike in this weather.  

“Home. Where else?” he adds a little sheepishly. 

“Jungkook, it’s still raining. I don’t think it’s any wiser to go home now, you’re drenched on top of that. Come inside. You can leave after the sunrise. If you want.. I mean.” you propose, he seems to think for a bit. 

“I don’t think I should go inside, Y/N.” Jungkook looks at the ground as if it’s more interesting than your face. 

“Why? What’s wrong?” you are truly confused now. 

“I might not be able to control myself…” his voice fades by the time he manages to end the sentence. 

“Did I say I want you to control?” you bite your lip, hoping that you don’t appear to be too desperate to him. 

His eyes go wider inside his bulky helmet. 

Jungkook pushes your naked body on the mattress. 

“I couldn’t stop thinking of how good you felt that day.” He groans while biting down on the skin of your neck. 

Your hands roam around the smooth skin of his back. Everytime you scratch his back, he moans a little. 

“So pretty, so delicate, so perfect for me.” Jungkook groans again. 

One of his hands reaches down, finding your clit within a moment. It’s as if he has studied the map of your body with earnest interest. 

Drawing tight circles on your sensitive bundle of nerves, he pulls out melodic moans out of your throat. 

“Jun-jungkook mmm..” you moan again. 

“Yes baby. Say my name again.” he urges you while entering your heat with his middle finger. His digit plunges inside you, making you see stars indoors. 

“Jungko- I’m close” you manage to voice somehow. And as soon as those words fly out of your mouth, he empties you. 

You look at him being dumbfounded. He smirks at you, knowing what exactly he has done. 

“I want you to cum on my cock. I am hard as hell, baby.” he confesses blatantly. 

Just when you are about to hold him, he flips you around. So, now you are sitting on his thighs.  

“I want you to ride me.” he adds a little breathlessly. And you almost choke on your own spit. 

“What? I-I don’t..” 

“I will guide you, Y/N.” he cuts you off. 

He helps you in taking off his slacks along with his underwear. Once he is naked, he holds you by your waist and lines your entrance along with his cock. 

“Are you ready?” he asks briefly. You nod in affirmation. And then he is sliding you down his length. 

At first his length is overwhelming but you adjust fast. 

“You should move now.” Jungkook’s voice is laced with lust, his eyes are hazy, making him look even more attractive than he already is. 

You honestly have no idea how to move. So you try to implement your visual experience. However, it’s tough once you start bouncing on his cock. Even though Jungkook is guiding you well, you are messy regardless. 

Your moves and Jungkook’s thrusts don’t match at all and the experience is nothing like that day. 

You really are a novice. 

Even though the friction is delicious for you, Jungkook’s expression tells that he is very underwhelmed. So, you start trying your best. With a few more bounces, you cum all over his cock, creaming it perfectly. 

As soon as you are done, Jungkook flips you around again. He slips out of you and starts playing himself. 

Even though you are in your post-orgasm haze, it’s embarrassing for you. You couldn’t help him finish and he had to take the charge himself. 

With a few more pumps, he cums all over your body. Starting from your face, to your stomach, everything gets creamed in his white hot seed. 

And it’s hot. He is hot. And you are pathetic. 

“I-I’m sorry. I know it was bad.” you manage to voice once Jungkook is done with himself. 

“You are not bad, baby. We just need more practice together.” and then he is sealing his lips with yours again. 

You certainly need more practice with him. 

Taglist:

@phenomenalgirl9 @variety-is-the-joy-of-life @chimchimmarie @coffeedepressionsoup @meowstake @vonvi-blog @nochuel @chimmisbae @i-have-no-life-charlie

[cuntwrap--supreme]

My oldest cousin on my mom's side shot himself dead a few hours ago. His ex had said he was an unfit parent because he sometimes smoked weed and had divorced her after coming back from his most recent tour with the military to be with a woman he met while away, and he had just gotten the ruling that he wasn't allowed to see his daughter unsupervised until she was 18. She's 8. Losing his daughter was what pushed him over the edge. He's never done anything to warrant being separated from her like that. He loved that girl more than anything. She was named after my aunt (his mother) who died about 12 years ago. She had everything a kid could ever need. His ex doesn't have a job because he ensured he'd pay for everything so long as his little girl lived a good life. He's always been a little suicidal. Everyone in the family thought he'd gotten help and had more or less recovered. Guess we were wrong. He was a good guy. Definitely deserved a life with less pain.

[mygnolia]

LOVE ON A FRESH SLATE ༄ TEASER

༄ SYNOPSIS -› Sim Jaeyun might not have many critically acclaimed films in his IMBD, but if there’s something to change that, it’s his upcoming film, ‘diving in love,’ a fresh summer romance that’s caught the attention of everyone on the internet. The only problem is, no one believes the chemistry will be up to rom-com standards. Maybe he’ll save his career by fake dating his cold-hearted co-star, aka you, to sell it?

༄ PAIR -› actor!sim jaeyun x fem actress!reader

༄ GENRE -› fluff, banter, angst, comfort ༄ TROPES -› enemies to lovers, heavy on the fake dating (i LOVE fake dating) ༄ WC -› estimated 15-20k idk lolz

༄ INCLUDES -› will be added!

༄ RELEASE DATE -› november!

༄ REN SAYS... me when summer also haha get it slate cuz they're actors but also it's e2l so misunderstandings heheheh am i funny (im not) | LIBRARY

join the taglist for this fic!

“You’re going to tell me you signed me up for the cult of Scientology, I assume,” You introduce yourself, shaking hands with the man next to Sunoo. 

Once again, there is just one empty seat before Jake Sim walks in, out of breath. “Jungwon, please don’t tell me–” He notices you after he barges in, taking in your poised manner as you wait for him to continue. But he doesn’t. The words die on his tongue when he sees you and the same manager from last week's meeting. 

“Please don’t tell me what?” Jungwon asks, raising an eyebrow as Jake sinks into the only chair left. The latter shakes his head, not wanting to elaborate any further. 

Sunoo sits up, putting his hands together after he finishes the last sip of his drink. “Open up the files, ____.” He motions to the manila folder on the table, and with much confusion, you peel back the cover to find a neat stack of black and white articles. 

Jungwon, who you can only assume is Jake’s manager, gets Jake to lean in and read what’s on the pages. “This,” he starts, spreading out the rest of the articles, “is every article in the past week with a negative outlook on whether or not the film will be up to par with the standards of the 2000’s.”

You scoff, eyes trailing over an article with your face as the cover. “Really? People hate me that much?” Your dry humor really only resonates with Sunoo, who sends you a look before trying to organize the flurry of papers.

“I doubt they’ll keep going,” Jake tries, fidgeting with his ring. Maybe his second rich person problem was figuring out how to get the media to like him again if the movie turns into a failure and he has to scour for another source of income. 

“Unless I solve world hunger, I doubt the media will turn away from the wine scandal any time soon.” Jake considers dropping out and cutting his losses early with the way you comment on your impending future. 

Jake’s manager shakes his head, closing the manila folder and essentially blocking it out before coming up with the worst possible plan in existence. 

“You two can fake date. Then, no one will question your chemistry, because they’ll think you’re in love.” 

There were only so many things you refused to do in your lifetime, but fake dating your co-star made it to the top of your list in record time. 

You shook your head. “Absolutely not.” At least Jake could agree with one thing you said. 

The silence almost turns awkward before Sunoo speaks up in agreement, ignoring you. “I like it, it’ll give them a chance to pretend to bond more. Plus, they’re both young and attractive, and Jake is a change of pace from all of her shitty ex-boyfriends.” If Jake still wanted to jump off a building after hearing their proposition, you’d unknowingly want to join him. 

You cough in your arm, hiding the embarrassment of his last comment before nodding to look at the actor. “You think just because I’m dating someone, it’ll make the movie more watchable?” 

Sunoo rolls his eyes. “I’d much rather watch a rom-com if it was confirmed that the actors found love on set. It’s a good story.” 

Jungwon interjects. “Good publicity.” 

The actor beside you finally speaks up. “And you want to start this arrangement…when?” 

“As soon as possible,” your manager answers, and his response might be some of the worst news you’ve heard in a while. “Hear me out, ‘____ ____ and Jake Sim falling in love the moment they’re casted. It’s fate. They’ve been in love since the beginning. I have to see it, their chemistry will be so good.’ ”

Before you nor Jake are able to come up with a rebuttal, Jungwon adds, “I know both of you can act, and even despite this fake relationship, the movie will be good. But if you can get away from the negative thoughts surrounding the film’s pre-release, it’ll generate so much more hype around it.” 

“Better for your conscience, ____. You don’t need angry Sunghoon fans sending you anymore death threats.” If Sunoo kept airing out your problems like that, you’d drag him out by the ear without any fake boyfriend in tow.

You really think about it, questioning if one PR stunt could get you out of the nepo baby ditch you’ve been trying to fight for years; it wasn’t even that you were bad at your job, your mother just never had anything nice to say to anyone. If anything, she was Hollywood’s actual mean girl.

“Fine.” You agree begrudgingly. 

Jake on the other hand has no idea what he’s getting out of this. How does fake-dating a girl he’s never liked help his reputation at all?

Maybe it’s because he couldn’t find an answer to it, or maybe Jake was comfortable enough asking something so brash in public. “What the hell do I get out of it?” 

You lean back in surprise, not used to hearing him so flustered by something. It was all your fault, Jake thinks as he once again pulls at his hair. 

The room is silent as everyone’s gears turn. Jake puts his hands on both sides of the armchair, about to get up and pretend this failure of a ruse ever existed. “If there’s nothing, I’m-”

“Wait,” you cut him off, eyes still fixed on something as you think. It’s good for you, and mainly you. Jake has a good reputation, people love natural chemistry and love a cute couple even more, and your name would be in summer-y titles for the next two months if your scheme worked out. But him? 

What could Jake Sim possibly want? 

“You want money? Connections? An interview with Justin Beiber?” You try, spewing what every boy would want when they were 13. 

Somehow, his head perks up when he hears his favorite celebrity’s name from your lips. 

“You could do that?” He asks, bewildered. 

“I thought you hated me for having a famous mom.” He stays silent. 

“Look, you’re up and coming. If this movie does well, I’ll send a letter to the top producers in the industry and tell them about how stunning of a performance you gave.” 

It’s a deal that’s extremely hard to pass on–hell, he’s literally getting paid to act in the movie anyways, so it’s not like he loses much if he says yes. But you’re snarky, and although you’re not outright rude, you never seem to be excited for anything, and Jake has no idea why the mood is so sour when he’s with you.

Whatever, it’s not like it’s real, anyways.  

Jake shrugs and pinches his nose bridge momentarily before sighing. “Where do I sign?” 

You thought that Jake had been oblivious to the whole thing as much as you were, but it seems like he knew about a hidden contract. Jungwon fishes out a crisp white sheet of paper from his bag. “You know me so well, and I didn’t even tell you anything,” and his response has you thinking that maybe the actor just knows his manager well. 

Suddenly, the next year of your love life is signed and tucked away into two identical copies for Jungwon and Sunoo, before the two shake hands and smile. “I’m excited for how things will go,” your manager comments before you two leave. 

The moment the door shuts behind you, you let out a long exhale, suddenly finding interest in your manicure. 

“You’re annoying, Sunoo. But I don’t doubt you.” 

The boy smiles and links arms with you, walking to the entrance of the studio building before you both catch wind of the paparazzi. 

A swarm of reporters and cameras catch your casual outfit and sunglasses when you emerge with your manager behind you. Questions bombard you, and you hear amongst the commotion a few reporters who are desperate for their next article to feature you. ‘Is it true that you’ve hated Sunghoon for years?’ ‘What do you have to say about your new film?’ ‘Do you have anything to say about Jake Sim?’ 

You pause momentarily on the way to your car, reconsidering if you should answer any question. “Me and Sunghoon have never had a disagreement, and I know he appreciated the Prada we sent him a few weeks ago.” Smiling at the memory, you choose to answer a few more questions before you have to go. “As for the new film? I’m fairly excited. Me and my boyfriend are more than ready to be filmed together." 

The gasps from the crowd leave you content as you slip into your car with Sunoo. “But don’t tell anyone I’m dating!” You yell out for good measure, knowing that by morning, everything will have changed.

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[mostlysignssomeportents]

How Google’s trial secrecy lets it control the coverage

I'm coming to Minneapolis! Oct 15: Presenting The Internet Con at Moon Palace Books. Oct 16: Keynoting the 26th ACM Conference On Computer-Supported Cooperative Work and Social Computing.

"Corporate crime" is practically an oxymoron in America. While it's true that the single most consequential and profligate theft in America is wage theft, its mechanisms are so obscure and, well, dull that it's easy to sell us on the false impression that the real problem is shoplifting:

https://newrepublic.com/post/175343/wage-theft-versus-shoplifting-crime

Corporate crime is often hidden behind Dana Clare's Shield Of Boringness, cloaked in euphemisms like "risk and compliance" or that old favorite, "white collar crime":

https://pluralistic.net/2021/12/07/solar-panel-for-a-sex-machine/#a-single-proposition

And corporate crime has a kind of performative complexity. The crimes come to us wreathed in specialized jargon and technical terminology that make them hard to discern. Which is wild, because corporate crimes occur on a scale that other crimes – even those committed by organized crime – can't hope to match:

https://pluralistic.net/2021/10/12/no-criminals-no-crimes/#get-out-of-jail-free-card

But anything that can't go on forever eventually stops. After decades of official tolerance (and even encouragement), corporate criminals are finally in the crosshairs of federal enforcers. Take National Labor Relations Board general counsel Jennifer Abruzzo's ruling in Cemex: when a company takes an illegal action to affect the outcome of a union election, the consequence is now automatic recognition of the union:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/09/06/goons-ginks-and-company-finks/#if-blood-be-the-price-of-your-cursed-wealth

That's a huge deal. Before, a boss could fire union organizers and intimidate workers, scuttle the union election, and then, months or years later, pay a fine and some back-wages…and the union would be smashed.

The scale of corporate crime is directly proportional to the scale of corporations themselves. Big companies aren't (necessarily) led by worse people, but even small sins committed by the very largest companies can affect millions of lives.

That's why antitrust is so key to fighting corporate crime. To make corporate crimes less harmful, we must keep companies from attaining harmful scale. Big companies aren't just too big to fail and too big to jail – they're also too big for peaceful coexistence with a society of laws.

The revival of antitrust enforcement is such a breath of fresh air, but it's also fighting headwinds. For one thing, there's 40 years of bad precedent from the nightmare years of pro-monopoly Reaganomics to overturn:

https://pluralistic.net/ApexPredator

It's not just precedents in the outcomes of trials, either. Trial procedure has also been remade to favor corporations, with judges helping companies stack the deck in their own favor. The biggest factor here is secrecy: blocking recording devices from courts, refusing to livestream the proceedings, allowing accused corporate criminals to clear the courtroom when their executives take the stand, and redacting or suppressing the exhibits:

https://prospect.org/power/2023-09-27-redacted-case-against-amazon/

When a corporation can hide evidence and testimony from the public and the press, it gains broad latitude to dispute critics, including government enforcers, based on evidence that no one is allowed to see, or, in many cases, even describe. Take Project Nessie, the program that the FTC claims Amazon used to compel third-party sellers to hike prices across many categories of goods:

https://www.wsj.com/business/retail/amazon-used-secret-project-nessie-algorithm-to-raise-prices-6c593706

Amazon told the press that the FTC has "grossly mischaracterize[d]" Project Nessie. The DoJ disagrees, but it can't say why, because the Project Nessie files it based its accusations on have been redacted, at Amazon's insistence. Rather than rebutting Amazon's claim, FTC spokesman Douglas Farrar could only say "We once again call on Amazon to move swiftly to remove the redactions and allow the American public to see the full scope of what we allege are their illegal monopolistic practices."

It's quite a devastating gambit: when critics and prosecutors make specific allegations about corporate crimes, the corporation gets to tell journalists, "No, that's wrong, but you're not allowed to see the reason we say it's wrong."

It's a way to work the refs, to get journalists – or their editors – to wreathe bold claims in endless hedging language, or to avoid reporting on the most shocking allegations altogether. This, in turn, keeps corporate trials out of the public eye, which reassures judges that they can defer to further corporate demands for opacity without facing an outcry.

That's a tactic that serves Google well. When the company was dragged into court by the DoJ Antitrust Division, it demanded – and received – a veil of secrecy that is especially ironic given the company's promise "to organize the world's information and make it universally accessible and useful":

https://usvgoogle.org/trial-update-9-22

While this veil has parted somewhat, it is still intact enough to allow the company to work the refs and kill disfavorable reporting from the trial. Last week, Megan Gray – ex-FTC, ex-DuckDuckGo – published an editorial in Wired reporting on her impression of an explosive moment in the Google trial:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/10/03/not-feeling-lucky/#fundamental-laws-of-economics

According to Gray, Google had run a program to mess with the "semantic matching" on queries, silently appending terms to users' searches that caused them to return more ads – and worse results. This generated more revenue for Google, at the expense of advertisers who got billed to serve ads that didn't even match user queries.

Google forcefully disputed this claim:

https://twitter.com/searchliaison/status/1709726778170786297

They contacted Gray's editors at Wired, but declined to release all the exhibits and testimony that Gray used to form her conclusions about Google's conduct; instead, they provided a subset of the relevant materials, which cast doubt on Gray's accusations.

Wired removed Gray's piece, with an unsigned notice that "WIRED editorial leadership has determined that the story does not meet our editorial standards. It has been removed":

https://www.wired.com/story/google-antitrust-lawsuit-search-results/

But Gray stands by her piece. She admits that she might have gotten some of the fine details wrong, but that these were not material to the overall point of her story, that Google manipulated search queries to serve more ads at the expense of the quality of the results:

https://twitter.com/megangrA/status/1711035354134794529

She says that the piece could and should have been amended to reflect these fine-grained corrections, but that in the absence of a full record of the testimony and exhibits, it was impossible for her to prove to her editors that her piece was substantively correct.

I reviewed the limited evidence that Google permitted to be released and I find her defense compelling. Perhaps you don't. But the only way we can factually resolve this dispute is for Google to release the materials that they claim will exonerate them. And they won't, though this is fully within their power.

I've seen this playbook before. During the early months of the pandemic, a billionaire who owned a notorious cyberwarfare company used UK libel threats to erase this fact from the internet – including my own reporting – on the grounds that the underlying research made small, non-material errors in characterizing a hellishly complex financial Rube Goldberg machine that was, in my opinion, deliberately designed to confuse investigators.

Like the corporate crimes revealed in the Panama Papers and Paradise Papers, the gambit is complicated, but it's not sophisticated:

Make everything as complicated as possible;

Make everything as secret as possible;

Dismiss any accusations by claiming errors in the account of the deliberately complex arrangements, which can't be rectified because the relevant materials are a secret.

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/2023/10/09/working-the-refs/#but-id-have-to-kill-you

My next novel is The Lost Cause, a hopeful novel of the climate emergency. Amazon won't sell the audiobook, so I made my own and I'm pre-selling it on Kickstarter!

Image: Jason Rosenberg (modified) https://www.flickr.com/photos/underpants/12069086054/

CC BY https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/

--

Japanexperterna.se (modified) https://www.flickr.com/photos/japanexperterna/15251188384/

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

[finethingswellworn]

Currently pretty fucked up about the fact that the reason the final 15 is as painful as it is is because it’s not your typical rejection scene. It’s not a rejection scene at all.

Aziraphale isn’t rejecting Crowley. Crowley isn’t rejecting Aziraphale. They are rejecting each other’s propositions, to go off together or to go back to heaven respectively .but they are both desperately seeking out for each other in their own ways. Unfortunately, because of who they are fundamentally, it doesn’t work out, and they end up separated anyway. Despite everything they intend.

And that’s faaaarmore devastating than one character simply not wanting to be with another character.

[chososdiscordkitten]

Synopsis: Gojo tries to convince reader how fun traveling at night can be ;)

Pairing: Gojo x GN!Reader Content: EXHIBITIONISM, reader is kinda mean, oral (m), mentions of previous sexual acts but nothing in detail, VOYEURISM, cum eating, insinuating intercourse

Dedicated to this ask.

MDNI

Traveling with Gojo was always a hassle. Knowing he could technically teleport wherever he wanted. “I like spending time with you between our destinations.” he’d say in defense. 

He would claim he enjoyed the seemingly empty hours of stupid conversations on the road.

Road trips where you were forced to feed him snacks while he drove, watching the sunset in the rearview window as though you were living in some rom-com movie. 

Short 15-minute walks late at night when you stayed up too late and got hungry. 

Even if you had to spend too much time going through TSA just to get on a plane, you deemed obsolete. Satoru always liked the domesticity of acting like ordinary people for a few hours on a plane. Enjoying when you doze off and tip your head on his shoulder. 

And that’s what this was. Another unnecessary way of traveling.

Satoru had told you he wanted to take you to a strip of many shops that sold tasty treats. Only it was a few cities away, and he refused to teleport to it. “That’s part of it! You can’t just go get the sweets. You have to travel for them!” his defense was. 

Satoru had gotten the later train to leave the city, saying something along the lines of ‘We get there around 4am, and we can spend the whole day there.’ 

“Trains are romantic, don’t you think?” Sitting in front of you, on opposite sides of the table booth, with his hands flat on the top. You perked a brow, looking up from your phone and scoffing. 

“I think.. trains are a dated way of travel,” you muttered, looking back down to your phone with tired eyes. Satoru gave out a small giggle, knowing you were weary and fatigued from sitting in the uncomfortable chairs.

“If we had driven,” crossing your ankles as the corner of your lip perked, “maybe, we could’ve had some fun.” you mumbled with a soft grin, looking down at your phone. Hearing a lecherous giggle leave Satoru’s mouth. 

He hummed softly, leaning over on the table, “You wanna go find out where they keep the luggage?” he whispered, a smug smile on his lips. You placed your phone on the table, smiling sweetly at him. 

“No,” you spoke flatly, watching his expression fall with a pout on his lips. “You sit there and think about the consequences of your actions.” You scoffed, picking up your phone again and scrolling. 

Satoru looked out the window, watching the land zoom past him, then flashing his eyes, looking over to the opposite booth you were in. Noting it was empty, eyeing the dim lights above your head. A pensive smile on his lips as he conjured up ways to convince you to let up. 

You sighed, placing your phone on the table and pressing the back of your head onto the plush headrest, extending your legs and placing one between Gojo’s thighs. Right where the edge of his seat was. 

Holding your foot up as you ignored the sound of Satoru’s mind reeling up the idea he had deemed brilliant. His smile practically beamed as he inched his hand down to your ankle. 

Satoru was no angel when it came to showing his affection in public. He saw travel with you as a form of foreplay, knowing that even if people were around, they wouldn’t remember a seemingly affectionate couple. 

The first time he propositioned, it was on a plane, asking if you had ever fucked in the air To which you scoffed, ‘Those things are far too small for two people standing. Let alone for two people to fuck.’

Gojo proved you very, very wrong. 

Then came a time when you kept teasing him as he drove, sun setting- bordering on being gone as you unbuckled your seatbelt. Leaning over and playing with his unbusied hand. 

That ended with you jacking him off as he drove, kissing his ear and his temple as he kept two hands gripping the steering wheel. “Focus on driving, or else you’ll crash~” you giggled in his ear. 

Eventually, getting frustrated enough to pull over on the side of the empty highway and fuck you senseless. 

The walks you’d take late at night, the excuse of snacks was used whenever someone asked what you were doing out so late. The truth being, Satoru holding a little control in his pocket, watching you stutter over your own steps from vibrations. Finding thrill in knowing you had a little toy burrowed inside of you that he got to control.

Satoru liked traveling with you because the hours spent on the road seemed unreal. As though it was only the two of you held still in time. Quality time spent with you was all he asked for. 

But, the instances where things got hot and heavy only caused that little voyeur part in his brain to itch. The idea of potentially getting caught was exhilarating to Gojo. 

And here he was, thinking of how easily you could be caught here. Holding your ankle and moving it up his growing bulge slowly. Earning your eyes to snap open and look at the deranged man sitting across the table from you. 

You tried pulling your ankle from his palm, only for his grip to tighten with a prize-winning smile decorating his expression. You purse your lips, about to mutter a curse at him for what he was doing. 

That was till you felt the bottom of your socked sole press against his clothed erection. You furrowed your eyebrows and looked at him like a mad man, “I didn’t even do anything..?” you spoke through clenched teeth. Referring to Gojo always blaming you for how reactive his cock was around you. 

He always blamed you for doing something that caused his member to rise. “You told me to think about the consequences of my actions-” he scoffed, his eyes lowering and holding your foot to his bulge. 

You shrugged softly, wanting to know what he would put the blame on this time, “You know how much I like when you talk to me like that.” slowly moving your foot to press firmer on his clothed erection. 

You nodded your head disapprovingly, a smug smile gracing your lips. Flashing your eyes to the side to see if the train attendants were near. “I already checked~” he grinned, loosening his grip on your ankle. 

“It’s almost empty- and the attendants don’t do their rounds right now.” Gojo spoke softly. In retaliation, you pressed your foot down the tiniest bit- causing Satoru to let out a choked whimper. 

“That so?” you whispered, curling your toes in the slightest and watching his eyebrows pinch up. Grinning sarcastically, “You researched the train attendant’s schedules?” pressing the arch of your socked foot onto his bulge and watching him writhe with squinted eyes. 

Satoru fluttered his eyes closed, pressing the back of his head onto the seat and sighing softly, “You’re getting off on this..?” you scoffed in disbelief, continuing the slow maneuver with your foot. He only smiled in response, crinkling his nose in the slightest when you’d apply more pressure. 

His fingers barely wrapped around your ankle, some kind of insurance to be sure you wouldn’t pull it away. Gojo’s cock shed small tears of precum onto his briefs from the small movements. 

You gasped quietly, watching the light blush on his cheeks spread down his neck. “You are, aren’t you?” you teased, seeing his closed eyes flex tightly. You scoffed as he parted his lips, coming dangerously close to letting out a small moan. 

The corner of your lip peaked in a smug half-smile, easing the pressure on his bulge and feeling his grasp on your ankle tighten again. “There’s not much I can do here, ‘toru.” you crooned in feigned pity. 

You pulled your ankle from his grasp and watched his eyes snap open, “Don’t want you to make a mess.” you excused softly. Seeing the slight pout form on his lip from your denial.

And it was true; there was nowhere for Satoru to spurt his mess. And as he was thinking of ways to solve this little issue, only you had already come up with a solution.

Getting handsy in the car, even fucking in a plane bathroom- all that was one thing. Being able to rely on the small amount of privacy, but what you were conjuring- 

Gojo looked off to the side, tapping his foot on the ground as he tried to think something up. Only by the time he looked back at you, you were already shifting off the seat and under the table. He furrowed his eyebrows with a meek smile- realizing that, like most of the time, you were always right. 

He let out a small giggle, looking down at his lap and seeing your hands creeping up his thighs. 

Getting frisky with a veil between you and other people was one thing. Still, what you were insinuating- there was a much higher chance of being caught than any of the other times. All it took was one person to look too closely under the table to see you kneeling. 

You traced your hand to his inner thigh, feeling the light shiver that ran through the muscle. Lip tucked between your teeth as you grazed your fingers on his caged cock. Hearing him let out a small whimper, looking up at him from the small space and shushing him. 

“You have to be quiet ‘toru,” you whispered with an overexcited grin. Reaching for the band of Gojo’s sweatpants and pulling it down, revealing his strained boxers with a darkening spot where his tip was. 

Satrou’s hands gripped the ledge of his seat, pressing his lips tightly against each other to not make any noise. 

You pursed your lips, blowing gently onto the damp spot of his briefs and feeling his legs shift on either side of your arms. Darting your tongue past your lips and leaning in, a stifled whimper fell from his taught lips as you dragged your tongue against his clothed shaft. 

Letting out a small laugh from your nose as you circled your tongue onto the damp spot where his tip was. Feeling his body twitch from the millimeter difference between your tongue and his cock. 

Satoru parted his lips with a slight huff, “You have to hurry- no teasing-” You pursed your lips against the fabric, kissing his veiled tip softly. Causing a shuddering inhale to escape his lungs. 

You smiled as you pulled away, teasingly, “I can just stop if you-” inching your hands onto his knees. 

“No, no-” he breathed, “Don’t stop.” he muttered, looking down to your glimmering eyes and parted lips. 

Trailing your hands back up his thighs, hooking your fingers onto the band of his ruined briefs, and pulling them down. Satoru winced at feeling the tug of the band against his shaft. 

Gojo gasped quietly when his tip almost touched the edge of the table. Placing a light hand on the base of his shaft, angling it down, and hearing his hands grip the seat harshly. Bracing for the warmth of your lips. 

You leaned your head down, lips parted and eyes looking up at his bordering-on pained expression. Placing warm, open-mouth kisses on his suede shaft, leaving light glimmers of your spit as his thighs trembled beside you. 

Gojo’s eyebrows were pinched upwards, bottom lip daring to tremble as you licked a long stripe from the underside of his base up to his pinkening tip. His wrists threatened to plant themselves on the side of your head, trembling as you pulled away. Your lips curl as you pursed them, pressing gentle kisses onto his leaking tip. 

Hearing a slight hum rumble from his lungs as you pulled away slightly, parting your lips and placing your tongue onto your bottom lip. 

Pressing his tip onto the flat of your tongue, sliding down ever so slightly before closing your lips on the edge of his cockhead. Earning a choked exhale to come from Satoru’s puffy lips.

Slightly pulsing your tongue up against the underside of his tip, inciting small huffs of air from his lips as you tighten your grasp on his shaft. Blinking your eyes up and watching his jaw dare to fall.

Circling your tongue on his tip in tandem with your other slow stroking hand on his shaft, holding your other hand on his thigh as you blinked your eyes closed. Softly sucking on his tip as you fisted his shaft. 

Satoru closed his eyes- tight. So tight he saw white dots in his vision, biting his lip hard enough to leave a mark. Bowing his head down, snapping his hand atop yours. Meeting on his thigh, trying his very best not to make a sound. 

Per his request, you wanted to make this as fast as possible. 

But, the tiny trembles of his hand against yours were enough to slowly lap at the tears falling from his cockhead. The stifled whimpers that were muffled from his lips were enough to drag out every stroke your hand made on his shaft.

Sucking in your cheeks around his head, bottom of your tongue licking small stripes on the little v beneath his cockhead. His knees threatened to snap you between them as the tip of your tongue swished up and down his cocks opening, earning an audible shuddering whimper to fall from his nibbled lips. 

The corner of your lips stretched into a smile around his cock, knowing if one whimper came out, more would follow. 

And as he exploits your most sensitive spots, just for a reaction- how unfair would it be if you didn’t do the same?

Humming small vibrations onto his tip, knowing that would coax another whimper from his strained vocal cords. And as you expected, he let out an unpermitted whimper. A lot louder than you were expecting and a lot more pathetic than the ones he would typically voice. 

The hand on his thigh was aching from how hard he was gripping onto you, even if you hadn’t done much. Satoru knew the thrill of doing this in public was what drove him further up his orgasm. 

And as Gojo felt the warmth in his tummy forcefully pool, he was about to mutter a warning. That was until he opened his eyes and saw a stewardess walking down the small walkway. 

He pinched his eyebrows, biting his lip almost too harshly as you stroked him. Looking down at you with panicked eyes as he heard the footsteps pass by him; only your eyes were closed. Too focused on teasing him to notice the distant pattering of steps, Satoru parted his lips with the quietest whimper he could muster. 

He tried murmuring your name as some kind of warning to advise you that he was- “I’m gonna c-” Satoru whispered as he exhaled with a higher pitch at the end of his warning. Only earning for your eyes to blink open as you sucked harshly on his tip. 

Gojo’s torso started lightly spasming as he felt you pull an orgasm out of him- eyebrows pinched together with an eye twitching closed. Lips parted in a quiet whine, and his cheeks beet red. 

His cockhead quivered between your lips as you stroked his shaft with a tenacious grip, working him through the orgasm as his seed slowly oozed from his tip. 

Your tongue greedily lapped up the hot tears of white- replaying the ‘Don’t want you to make a mess.’ in your mind as you swallowed his essence. 

Coating the cavern of your mouth with a light film as he fought off the whimpers and whines you dared him to spill. 

Satoru tried coming down from the pinnacle you threw him off- only your mouth and fist refused to let up. 

Stroking him relentlessly as his hips started to shift in his seat. He looked down at you, nose crinkled with squinted eyes. Feeling your gluttonous tongue lap up any drop that your hand milked from his cock. 

All but telling him with your tongue that you wanted to be sure he wouldn’t make a mess. 

His cock tried to soften in your mouth- but your lips had other plans. Satoru started writhing in his seat, snapping his hands onto the side of your head and pulling you from his cock- too afraid he wouldn’t be able to control his pretty sounds if you kept on. 

Looking down at you- lips puffy and pink, hazy cerulean eyes, and his blush so intense, it looked like he was in the middle of July. 

You grinned, feeling his thumb caress the edge of your jaw, pressing on the tip of your chin, coaxing you to open. To make sure you did as you said you would. 

His nose crinkled in appeasement, a half fucked out smile on the corner of his perching lips. Admiring the way you opened your mouth and slipped your flat tongue out. Showing him you swallowed, getting rid of any evidence or mess he would’ve left had you continued with your arches. 

You assisted in placing his semi-soft cock back into his briefs, patting his thighs before you slipped back up into your seat. 

Smiling at him with half-lidded eyes and crossed arms. Being able to see his expression, his eyes shouting at you for more. 

You pressed your thighs together, watching his shoulders tense. “You wanna go find out where they keep the luggage?” you flashed a toothy smile, watching his eyes light up and nod excitedly. Scoffing with a warm grin as you slipped your shoes back on. 

And in that moment, you thought that maybe- just maybe Satoru had a point in how exciting traveling really was.

-

(a.n) I wanna eat him.

[rohirric-hunter]

It's so funny to me when I tell people, "You can't depend on an AI for that, it has to be done by a human," they're always like, "You're just afraid of technology." I'm not afraid of it. I understand it. And I know that an AI is never going to be able to comprehend things like context, which come naturally to a human and are essential to all kinds of information gathering and parsing.

Like yeah, there are uses for AI technology. The bread-sorting computer comes to mind. But that doesn't mean I want an AI to analyze the results of my google searches. Last night I googled, "Where to find iron ore minecraft," and Google's AI told me to dig 15 blocks down from anywhere and promised me that 100% I would find iron ore. Because the computer lacks the ability to look at phrases like "y level 15" and go, "huh, I wonder what that means, maybe I should look that up." It also lacks the ability to get the first apparent answer (y level 15) and then think that there might be more information (likelihood of spawning, size of spawns) and keep reading for that information. It doesn't know that's relevant information. And you can't teach these skills to a computer. People think that you can solve these problems by simply feeding more information into the computer but you can't. It just confuses it. And even if you could, what's the proposition? To fill a computer with the sum total of all human knowledge? I trust I don't have to say why that's a bad idea? The only thing you can do is manually block bad answers and replace them with good ones. By a human. Which means that all of those fixed answers... are not AI generated. :/

[painted-flag]

OF FLOWERS AND DEATH - Aemond Targaryen

☾⋆⁺₊✧ dark elf!Aemond Targaryen x f!human!reader series.

☾⋆⁺₊✧ Summary: A taint twists through the kingdoms of man and elf, killing all life in its wake. Your father, a brilliant mind, had worked tirelessly for a solution to fight that evil. However, you are left shouldering the burden of his research after he mysteriously disappears.

A newfound companion lands you a position working under the watchful eye of elf healers. You struggle to hold yourself together in the dark woodland kingdom of elves ruled by their merciless king - Aemond Targaryen. Secrets breed more secrets, and figuring out who to trust is more difficult than ever - especially when you cannot even trust yourself.

It is a race to find a cure while unravelling the secret behind your father's disappearance, the origin of the taint, and the troubling stirrings in your heart caused by the elf king. The impending war between humans and elves drives tensions further, casting a dark veil over your endeavours.

Moreso, when death itself seems to come knocking upon your door.

☾⋆⁺₊✧ Chapters:

Chapter 1: The Laws of Humans and Elves Chapter 2: A Modest Proposition Chapter 3: A Study in Death Chapter 4: A Night of Song and Dance Chapter 5: The Young Elf Chapter 6: A Snake in the Garden °｡⋆˚⁺ September 27 Chapter 7: The Dark Woods Deep ⁺˚⋆｡° October 4 Chapter 8: Marked Flesh °｡⋆˚⁺ October 11 Chapter 9: Home and Hearth ⁺˚⋆｡° October 18 Chapter 10: The Art of Potion Making °｡⋆˚⁺ October 25 Chapter 11: A New Ally ⁺˚⋆｡° November 1 Chapter 12: Death's Sting °｡⋆˚⁺ November 8 Chapter 13: Of Taverns and Bathhouses ⁺˚⋆｡° November 15 Chapter 14: The Saphire °｡⋆˚⁺ November 22 Chapter 15: Know Your Enemies ⁺˚⋆｡° November 29 Chapter 16: Every Little Thing °｡⋆˚⁺ December 6 Chapter 17: The Winds of War ⁺˚⋆｡° December 13 Chapter 18: Past, Present, and Future °｡⋆˚⁺ December 20 Chapter 19: The Scars of Betrayal ⁺˚⋆｡° December 27 Chapter 20: An Elf's Rage °｡⋆˚⁺ January 3 Epilogue: An Elf's Devotion ⁺˚⋆｡° January 10

☾⋆⁺₊✧ Content warning: 18+ depictions of violence/gore, eventual smut, warfare, sickness/disease, some moments of misogyny, mentions of alcohol consumption, and Criston Cole (yikes).

☾⋆⁺₊✧ I am extremely excited to begin releasing this series! Ever since season one was released, the concept of writing an elf-based story on Aemond has been living rent-free in my head.

There will be weekly updates to this series. While I have extensive outlines for each chapter, I wish to take this at a slower pace when it comes to releasing. This way, I can balance other works on this page as well. (along with my uni coursework).

Thank you all for the support! <3

☾⋆⁺₊✧ If you want to be added to the taglist, click here!

[bloodlust-1]

You’re too sweet for me ₊ ⊹ part 1

Halsin x fem Tav (dark urge) — Explicit 18+

Summary: Tav takes a dip in the river to calm those pesty dark thoughts, hoping it'd help settle these murderous urges. But things turn interesting when Halsin finds her, offering to keep her company in the water. If only he knew just how pure he was in her eyes, a shame it'd be to destroy such an image.

TW: SMUT!

Note: I like this power dynamic. Halsin’s no match for this attitude. This isn't proof-read yet so pls don't bully me :')

AO3

Lovely photo by @moonslittlestar

Tav pushed back the droplets of water with her palms, fluttering her wet eyelashes against the moonlight by the riverbank. Its light reflected white against the ripples of water Tav bathed herself in.

The cool water was almost therapeutic to her, settling those dark urges so late at night. It'd be a shame if another Alfira incident happened again...

A smile crept on her lips.

Whatta shame for the poor bard.

With a menacing giggle, she ran her fingers through her wet hair, enjoying the sound of the silence of night. It was so calm compared to the rapid evil thoughts that tainted her mental.

Tav knew she had to be a good girl.

At least for now.

A crunching of rocks and sticks startled her, and she quickly wrapped her arms around her bare chest; turning her head towards the sound.

Startled, Tav turned to see Halsin approaching quietly. His tall figure was outlined against the moonlight, and his eyes held a gentle warmth as he looked at her.

“Oh - Tav...I didn't know you bathed around this time. Is it alright if I join you?” he asked, his voice carrying over the gentle sounds of the flowing water.

A mischievous smile played on Tav’s lips, meeting his gaze. “Of course, cause that isn't weird at all,” her tone laced with sarcasm as she nudged her head at him.

Why not? If it was anyone who didn't find this weird, it'd be Halsin.

The air between them seemed thick with unspoken desire while Halsin turned away, undressing each article of clothing off his body.

Tav's eyes trailed down from the bare muscles of his back all the way down to his toned ass. A smirk crossed her lips, turning away to leave him to his privacy as he walked into the water.

What can she say - he was beautiful.

Total eye candy.

With a graceful ease, Halsin stepped into the water beside Tav, the coolness of the river enveloping him. The closeness between them felt electric, their gazes locked in a silent pull.

"It's a peaceful night to indulge ourselves." His eyes traced over the contours of Tav's face and into her collarbones, stopping at the plump of her breasts that hid in the water. His lips parted slowly, "I assume you've been here for some time now?"

Tav caught his lingering gaze and nodded with a small smile, "For only about 15 minutes before you showed up." Tav circled around Halsin, cupping water into her hands and pouring the cool water over his shoulders, "I'm happy it was you who found me."

Tav's hands draped over his back, rubbing the water into his skin, "I am a bit of a lone wolf, but your presence is always welcomed." The coolness from her breath hit against Halsin's damp skin causing him to chuckle at her perfumed words.

"Nature spoils me with someone of your bountiful looks." He leaned back slightly, allowing Tav to run her hands up his back, neck, and then hair with water.

"Have you given thought about what I've said the other day?" He spoke with confidence and Tav let out a laugh.

Oh yeah - that.

Halsin confessed his feelings for her some time ago and she never got back to his proposition. Halsin wanted more than just lingering stares. He wanted to feel her, touch her, please her.

The only problem...He was too nice for her.

These evil thoughts and bloodlust for murder made Tav hesitant to pursue something more with Halsin.

He was so pure and she was the darkness of his shadow.

"Oh Halsin." Tav gently scraped her nails down his back, leaving behind faint red streaks on his skin, "You're too sweet for me."

A chill ran up his back before Tav submerged herself under the water, and Halsin turned his head back, looking around the find her.

Just then, Tav slowly rose up from the dark water in front of him, the water rolling off her body like the softest petal of a flower. Her eyelashes battered with water droplets and it rolled off her bare nipples for Halsin's pleasure.

Tav was an absolute tease. A beautiful mess of a woman who gnawed at his deepest darkest fantasies. Halsin never experienced someone like her and he was practically begging for Tav's attention.

His eyes consumed every detail. Every scar and the faint stretch marks on her breasts. Halsin's eyes gleamed at the soft pudge of her love handles when he noticed them. Tav's body was a piece of art; nature's purest gift.

Tav tilted her head, watching Halsin’s eyes dart around her wet body and then back to her lustful eyes. “You couldn’t handle someone like me,” she teased, a mischievous glint playing in her eyes. “Trust me, I would destroy any innocence you think of me…and maybe it’s best to keep it that way.”

Halsin hummed to her words. Captivated by Tav’s boldness, he felt a wave of desire but masked it with a seductive charm. His voice was smooth as he replied, his words dripping with honeyed persuasion.

“My love,” he began, his gaze intense yet inviting. “Innocence has its allure, but the fire in your eyes tells a different story...Perhaps it is not about handling you but rather embracing the chaos you bring."

He continued, leaning closer to her, his hands resting on her hips, "Even nature's most dangerous of predators has its beauty. You have hunter eyes -" Halsin brought one of his hands to rest on her cheek, bringing her body against his in a tight-knit, "Piercing. Dangerous. But beautiful."

Her breasts pressed against the muscles of his chest and it brought a fever across her cheeks. The sweetness in Halsin's voice was enough to make Tav question her better judgment.

Tav giggled and tickled his muscular arms with the tips of her nails softly, "Mmm, you're so tempting, druid." Tav gently peeled herself away from him. She clutched onto his hands, leading him deeper into the river until the water reached her shoulders.

Tav splashed a handful of water toward Halsin, causing him to chuckle as he playfully splashed back. Laughter filled the night air in this innocent water fight.

Suddenly, Halsin dove underwater briefly, only to resurface moments later in a swift movement, scooping Tav up into his arms, her laughter ringing out.

Tav held onto his shoulders for support as his strong arms wrapped securely around her thighs, locking her in place. Their eyes met in the dim moonlight, their laughter faded into a comfortable silence.

Tav’s gaze drifted down to Halsin’s wet hair and face, illuminated by the soft glow of the moon above. Her fingers traced over his brow, dipping into the crevices of his scars.

She couldn’t help but admire his rugged charm. Had Tav not felt like such a bad influence on Halsin, he would have already been hers since the night of the tiefling party. It’s not like she didn’t already try.

But he denied her.

Oh how the tables turn.

Without hesitation, she leaned in closer, teasingly hovering the plump of her lips over his. Eyes like daggers bore into Halsin, and he shifted her down enough for Tav to hook her legs around his waist.

Tav hummed with her voice soft in a whisper, “I bet you want to kiss me so badly right now, hmm?”

Halsin chuckled deeply in his chest, clicking his tongue softly against his teeth. “You’re making me feel like a young Druid again…I’d chase you like bait on a fishing line.”

Tav wrapped her arms around his neck, laying her head gently against his nape and purring into his ear, “Maybe I’m just waiting for you to bite the bait then.”

Halsin crooked his neck to meet Tav’s gaze. She rested her head on his shoulder and smiled up at him playfully. Tav pressed her thumb over Halsin’s bottom lip, grazing the skin in small strokes, “Remember what you said to me at the tiefling party?”

She dragged her thumb down, pulling his lower lip seductively until it dipped back up into place. His face went hot and she could feel his muscles stiffen.

Halsin closed his eyes, taking in a deep breath before nodding his head to the memory, “I do.”

Tav traced small circles into the nape of his neck, feeling the goosebumps caress her skin as she planted a single kiss on his neck, “And what did you tell me?”

Halsin shamefully answered her with defeat, “That I will not keep you all to myself.” He tilted his head away, exposing more of his neck to her.

“A shame, really.” She scuffed. Admittedly, Tav still held that against him. Rejection was something she never really experienced when it came to sex.

He was the first.

And to see him now, crumbling at the smallest touch satisfied her deeply.

“Now tell me, Druid…” Tav leaned her head up, coming face to face with Halsin, “How are we going to fix this problem?”

She nudged her hips against him, feeling the tip of his hardened length poking at her inner thighs under the water.

“Allow me to take you out of this river and I’ll show you, bratty love.”

Her lips tugged into a smirk at the word "bratty."

Tav's eyes gleamed, and her hands cupped his jaw, forcing his face closer to hers with a tug. A breathy chuckle left her lips before crashing them against Halsin's.

He hesitated at first from her force, but then slowly melted into the kiss, hugging her tighter than before. The drive in her kiss startled him, and he could feel all the emotions spilling out into a sweet kiss on his tongue.

Tav nibbled down on his lower lip, dragging her sharp canine across his delicate skin; causing him to wince softly as the small cut began to bleed.

His blood tasted bitter and warm, but the druid only encouraged her by mixing the flavor between their tongues.

Finally, Tav pulled away with a soft gasp. Her chest rose up and down with lustful eyes, “You talk a big game...I wonder just how well that tongue works..”

Halsin planted a kiss on her jawline, his voice strong and assertive, “I can show you.”

She lifted an eyebrow, “And risk someone catching us out in the open?”

He nodded with flushed cheeks. His eyes fell hazy as the blood on his lips smudged across his skin. The sting of his cut only bothered him for a moment before it all melted away into pleasure.

This painful pleasure was...intoxicating.

She's such a bad influence and he didn't even care.

Tav’s voice was low and husky as she leaned in closer to Halsin, her breath warm against his skin. Her eyes sparkle mischievously, “Very well…but - you got to earn it,” she murmured teasingly with dominance. “Show me, just with your tongue, and maybe then I’ll reconsider your…proposition."

Halsin’s hands instinctively found their way to her hips, fingers kneading gently into the plush of her skin, "A fair bargain. I would have more faith in me, however."

She pressed her index finger across his lips, hushing Halsin. Leaning into him with charm in her tone, "Tongue, not words."

Halsin nodded.

Next part here

Any thoughts? Comment 👇🏼 I love to engage!

[its-raining-brellies]

TUA MASS REWATCH 2.0!

We are currently (as of Jul 16) on S1 E8

As some of you may recall, last summer there was an Umbrella Academy mass rewatch in which a bunch of us watched one episode a day and made posts about it.

This post is my formal proposition that another such mass rewatch should occur. If we start on July 9th, we can watch Season 4 together when it comes out on August 8th.

Season One.

Episode 1: July 9

Episode 2: July 10

Episode 3: July 11

Episode 4: July 12

Episode 5: July 13

Episode 6: July 14

Episode 7: July 15

Episode 8: July 16

Episode 9: July 17

Episode 10: July 18

The tag for the first mass rewatch was “#tuamre”, or for each episode, eg “#tuamre s1e1”. This is the tag that we will use again.

Last year, it was organised by @c0ffeeb1ack, so all credit goes to them for the idea!

Tagging for reach: @someominousecho @charcoalowl @autie-hobbit @nosolaceofastraightanswer @apocalypse-gang @nirby-wirby @thehargreevesfamily @fiveisnumber1 (no pressure to rb if you don’t want to, I am just trying to get people to participate)

[muddy-water-1997]

𝖠𝗀𝖾𝗇𝖼𝗒 𝗐𝗂𝗍𝗁 𝖡𝖾𝗇𝖾𝖿𝗂𝗍𝗌

Immerse yourself in the electrifying aftermath of the concert of a lifetime, where fate unexpectedly intertwines your world with the dynamic lives of Stray Kids. As you journey through the highs and lows of fandom, fate throws you a curveball, thrusting you into their overseas PR agent role. Balancing the euphoria of being a fan with the challenges of behind-the-scenes drama, you must navigate a labyrinth of secrets to protect your idols and sanity. Can you keep the spotlight on their music while shielding the world from the shadows lurking behind the stage?

Last Updated: 09/06/2024 Current wordcount: 40k 𝖶𝖺𝗇𝗍 𝗍𝗈 𝗃𝗈𝗂𝗇 𝗆𝗒 𝗍𝖺𝗀 𝗅𝗂𝗌𝗍? 𝖣𝗋𝗈𝗉 𝗆𝖾 𝖺 𝖼𝗈𝗆𝗆𝖾𝗇𝗍 𝗈𝗋 𝖣𝖬!

Chapter 1: The Concert

Chapter 2: The Incident

Chapter 3: The Car

Chapter 4: The Hilton

Chapter 5: The Fallout

Chapter 6: Getting Closer

Chapter 7: A Proposition

Chapter 8: Time Check

Chapter 9: Suspense

Chapter 10: Release

Chapter 11: The Aftermath

Chapter 12: How Can I help?

Chapter 13: A Dream or a Nightmare?

Chapter 14: Just A Moment of Weakness

Chapter 15: The Fate Of A Muse

Chapter 16: PR, Perfume, and a Private Jet

Chapter 17: Mile High Club

Chapter 18: Do You Want Some Ramen?

Chapter 19: Three's Company, Nine's a Crowd.

Chapter 20: Peace Tea

Chapter 21: It Takes Two To Tango

Chapter 22: A Rose Between Two Thorns

Chapter 23: An Arrangement

[nonotnolan]

Stories I Love (Part 1)

One thing I've seen other authors from time to time is create a list of stories they really liked. Granted, usually it's limited to stories for the past year, but... historically I've been really bad about showing support to other authors in the past, so I'm not going to limit myself. Presented in a vaguely chronological order, grouped by author, here are some stories which I find to be particularly outstanding. The list is also in two pieces since Tumblr does not like long lists of hyperlinks. Here's Part 2.

Strangers on a Train by @21wanderer

Strange Halloween Head Swap by @strangemaleswaps

Warning: Bear Attacks by @onelittlespiral

Untitled 10/12/23 by @the-tfstation

Insert to Grow by @hotmentransformed

Untitled 9/18/23 by @technicallyhardwombat

Untitled 8/22/23 by @change-your-instinct

Bear Trap by @davenporttf

Through the Pain by @betweenthelinesmtf

Personal Afterlife by @unseenbenefactor

Fucked Silly by @fredwkong

Untitled 4/23/20 by @bodyswap101

To Break In New Clothing by @malebodyexhibit

Pop the Cherry by @captainmalewriter

Untitled 6/20/21 by @sdonovan91

Untitled 12/06/16 by @idesofrevolution

Interpreting Your Desires by @soul-controller

Karma by @swapery

Best Friends by @swapper

Super Soldier by @bodyswapr

Reclamation by @theoldfamiliar

Second Chance by @greyswap

Helpful Gym Buddy by @jakelandry

Untitled 2/09/15 by @piosantaibhseil

Untitled 10/30/23 by @alienpossession

By @bodyswapper : Untitled 12/13/23 Untitled 9/30/22 Untitled 2/28/23 Untitled 12/11/22 Brains and Brawn

By @tristswipaccou : Spat Out A Worker's Body

By @hauntedestheart : A Business Proposition and A Business Opportunity Untitled 9/06/23

By @swappingbryn : Untitled 10/29/23 Five Stars, Would Recommend Untitled 5/10/23

By @hyphyphurray : Untitled 5/21/19 Untitled 7/30/20 Untitled 2/15/15

By @mrwavellswaps : Taking It For Granted Gooey Thief

By @malebodyswap45 : Encounter First Day Tradition Handyman Adverse Effects Lost Memory Initiation

By @manswaps : The Cursed Hunk Part 1 and Part 2 Untitled 12/23/21 Be Careful of Truck Stops Untitled 7/13/21

By @mrcavanaughtf : Nothing Has Changed The Roommate Bet Each Other's Perspectives Gamer Skills Don't Hesitate Betting It All A Trip to the Gym Paid Vacation Time Two Year Turnaround Just Helping You Out

By @mergeman : The Cuffs My New Ride