#Solidarity Knows No Borders

[intersex-support]

Help an intersex family in Gaza!

Hi everyone. I'd like to share about a fundraiser that is very important to me. A good friend of mine is in contact with the organizers.

(Described in alt).

Their story:

"Hello, my name is Abeer. I'm organizing this fundraising campaign from Belgium on behalf of my family, who currently live in Gaza. 

Since October 7, all families in Gaza have been subjected to genocide. My family is one of those families that has had to flee its own home several times because of the threat of regular attacks. 

After two months, my family decided to return home and take the risk of being bombed at any moment rather than stay in the street. Our 4-floor building now contains over 100 people who have fled from different parts of Gaza. We always open our hearts for our own people, but we can't do it without your help and support. 

My parents, Kamal (53) and Moukaram (51), are suffering from the war because of their age and health. My brother Suliman, his wife Rawan Abualnaja and their two-year-old daughter Bisan are trying to stay strong, but it's complicated by their little daughter's enormous needs. My other siblings who are not married are Mohammed 25, Inas 22, Ibrahim 17, Abdallah 15.

My family medical condition during the war:

My father suffers from delusional disorders. He can't work or help my family financially. Mohammed and Ibrahim suffer from a chronic disease, congenital adrenal hyperplasia. It is difficult for them to obtain medication in Gaza. One of their medicines has not been available in Gaza for two years. During the war, they couldn't get their medicines because they simply didn't exist anymore. My family members are still suffering. They don't want to be potential victims. They want to escape death and live like other families on the planet.

 On 01/01/2024, they attacked the local mosque and the missile failed to explode and ended up in front of my family's house. My family is in danger and the missile will explode any second.

Since then, my family has decided to be evacuated from Gaza because of the senseless attack on our city. Please help me evacuate my family to Egypt so that they can rebuild their lives in peace.

I've been in Belgium for over five years. I feel useless because I haven't been able to do much except try to help them with their daily living expenses. That's why we created this campaign. We're raising funds to evacuate my family to Egypt, a place that offers a glimmer of hope and stability. However, the cost of the evacuation is high, hence our call for crowdfunding.

Every contribution makes a difference The funds we raise will be used for :

- Evacuation from Gaza for both families (Rafah border crossing fees for 9 people total)  - Two months of temporary living expenses in Egypt, including food, shelter, and transportation  - Passport fees  - Food expences untill they leave Gaza 

No matter how small your contribution, it can make all the difference in breaking the cycle of violence and uncertainty. By supporting our campaign, you are offering a lifeline to our families so that they can rebuild their lives, heal from their trauma and make a fresh start in a safe and secure environment. Please leave a comment and share our campaign with your friends, so we can reach more people and make a bigger impact. Together, we can make a difference!"

They are using a French platform called Papayoux Solidarite instead of GoFundMe. Abeer also has a Paypal account for non European donors.

They are currently at 33 588,78 €/ 50,000 €.

Let's see if we can get them to 34,000 today. Any donation matters, even $1 or $2 donations can add up.

We need to help them meet their goal. Intersex liberation means intersex liberation everywhere--it is so important that we show up in solidarity. Those of us living with CAH know how dangerous salt wasting crises are without medication, and how important it is to urgently help Mohammed and Ibrahim get access to the medications they need to support their CAH. Intersex solidarity means that we need to show up and support intersex people facing genocide.

If you can't donate, please share. Consider doing an art raffle to raise money. Do whatever you can to help this family because it is urgent, and we need to act in solidarity with them now and make sure that the intersex community is here to support them!

[gaza-family1]

‼️Urgent Help Needed, Help Me And My Family to Escape Death Gaza‼️

Please don't ignore, This is my new blog and this is my second post so far. Tumblr has been clossing my accounts, I don't know why?🌷🍉🌺

Vetted by: @fallahfag

@gazavetters

Welcome, My name is Janeursular from Gaza, It is with great sadness that I am reaching out to you today to help get my family members out of Gaza to Egypt. I will talk briefly about my family: During the war, my family was evacuated from Khan Yunis to Rafah. They became homeless and were evacuated more than five times. They are now living on the streets, and have nowhere to live. We have lost everything. Our home, our dream and our future have been destroyed and now I am trying to get my family out of Gaza, but unfortunately we do not have the financial capacity left to pay the costs of leaving Gaza. Each person needs between 5,000 and 7,000 US dollars to leave Gaza.

This is what prompted me to resort to fundraising. My family's situation is getting worse day by day. My mother has an injured foot and needs care and treatment. She has severe pain in her foot, but there is no treatment or care available, and my nieces need milk and food.

They are young, Zahyam is two years old, and Mahmood is one year old. And the situation is getting worse. day after day . In order to facilitate the evacuation of my family from Gaza to Egypt, I am setting up a campaign to raise $40,000, and here is the breakdown of the funds:

🔗A total amount of US$35,000 has been allocated to cover expenses associated with obtaining permits to leave Gaza, as well as transit fees at Rafah, on the Egypt-Gaza border.

This amount is divided into US$5,000 - US$7,000 per person, including my mother, my brother, his wife, and his daughters, Mahmood and Zahyam. Every donation, no matter how small, will make a huge difference in the safety of my family. The funds raised will be used transparently and efficiently to ensure every dollar is spent on ensuring their safety. My family and I are so grateful for your support, and I am so grateful for any help you may be able to provide during this difficult time.

🔗Please Donate Here.

Please share this campaign with your friends, family and colleagues so that we can reach our goal and provide safety for my family Please accept my sincere thanks for your kindness and support, as well as your willingness to stand with us in solidarity, as together we can make a difference and help my family find safety and security.

🔗Thank you from the bottom of my heart.🙏

[tiredguyswag]

one of those masterposts for Sudan 🇸🇩

Disclaimer: I am not Sudanese, and am in no way an expert on the ongoing crisis. Corrections, if any, are welcome.

LAST UPDATED: 26th April 2024 [Please try to reblog the original post as much as possible]

~

So what's going on in Sudan? Sudan was under the rule of the military dictator Omar Al-Bashir for thirty years. He came to power through a military coup in June 1989. His rule saw extreme economic decline, repression, and conflict. In the December of 2018, a democratic revolution began that eventually overthrew the dictatorship on April 11, 2019, and saw the beginning of a military rule by militant parties SAF (Sudanese Armed Forces) and RSF (Rapid Support Forces). This unrest is, of course, funded by western governments.

On the 15th of April, 2023, fighting broke out in Khartoum between the SAF and RSF. Clashes spread across the nation of Sudan, and the civilian populace is still caught in the middle. According to UN officials, Sudan is in “one of the worst humanitarian nightmares in recent history."

There is an ongoing war in Sudan, and it's getting worse. There is a health crisis along with the humanitarian crisis as well: around 2/3rds of the population do not have access to healthcare services. Around 15-20 millions suffer from hunger. There are 70 non-operational healthcare facilities in conflict zones. Thousands killed, millions displaced, and a dramatic increase in sexual violence and rape cases.

~

Links for Learning Resources:

Hadhreen: Hadhreen started as an initiative by a small group of Sudanese youth in 2015. Since its inception it continued to work in a variety of sectors, most notably Emergency response, health, and in supporting vulnerable groups.

Talk About Sudan: Learn more about what's happening in Sudan and actions you can take. Also has donation links for those who are able.

Keep Eyes On Sudan: A website run by Sudanese diaspora to amplify the calls of the Sudanese people. Has donation links, actions you can take, upcoming protests and events, resources, FAQs, etc.

#SudanSyllabus.docx: An extensive and well-sourced document, providing English language resources about Sudanese history. It's really long and has got lots of links to books, articles, and more. Curated by Razan Idris.

Human Rights Watch

~

Donation Links:

List of verified charities providing humanitiarian assistance in Sudan

Help Sudan Tarada Initiative: The aim is to deliver emergency basic needs, food and medicine. Funds will be transferred directly to local charities and organization who are managing those shelters to make sure that the funds are well received and is spent on the needs specified.

One Million Sustainable Pads Campaign: Fundraiser to help provide women in IDPs camps with reusable pads

Zubeyda Adam and family (Sudan)

Our home bombarded and destroyed

Help my family escape Sudan's war

Save a transperson in african Refugee camp from starvation [Unsure about the legibility of this one since its not from the person themself, but if someone can verify this for me that would be great]

Hope For Sudan

Darfur Women Action

Doctors Without Borders

Fill A Heart: Financial Assistance to Sudanese Hospitals

Hometax: Sudan Relief

Cairo Sudan Aid

Amal For Women

Sudan Solidarity Collective

Sadagaat

UNICEF

~

These are all the links I have so far. Please spread awareness about Sudan! Let me know if there are any links I should add to the post and I will update it.

[woodruff]

i love love looove seeing posts in dutch it's like yes i kinda understand but no i wouldn't know how to speak it

[astrxq]

jacaerys velaryon x wife!reader — prompt list 9.3.8 and 9.3.9 from my autumn party!

words: 3.4k

notes: “When their partner comes from a hunt, all injured, with a smile because they won. But they are not happy, because what the actual heck?” and “I told you not to go, love! Now look what happened!”  requested

You stood by the window, watching the dragon keepers below as they readied the dragons for flight, their movements precise and practiced. The sky was clear, the wind gentle – the perfect day for a hunt. Yet, even as you stood there, excitement buzzing beneath your skin, you felt the tension simmering in the room behind you.

"I don't want you to go," Jacaerys' voice broke through the quiet, soft yet firm, as though he had repeated the words more than once.

You turned from the window to face him, his dark eyes locked onto yours with a mix of concern and frustration. His brow was furrowed, his lips pressed into a thin line as he stood near the hearth, arms crossed over his chest. The firelight flickered across his face, accentuating the strong lines of his jaw and the intensity of his gaze.

"You've made your point," you said calmly, moving closer to him. "But I've made mine. This is important, Jace."

He shook his head, letting out a low sigh as he turned away from the fire to face you fully. "No alliance is worth your safety. You know that as well as I do."

His protectiveness wasn't new, nor was the tension that seemed to surface every time you discussed something risky. Jacaerys Velaryon, the eldest son of Princess Rhaenyra, was many things – stubborn among them. His sense of duty ran deep, forged in fire and tempered by the weight of his heritage. But so was yours.

"It's not just an alliance," you insisted, taking a step closer to him. The space between you felt charged, the air heavy with unspoken words. "Lord Rosby's support could turn the tide in the Riverlands, and you know that. A show of solidarity, something as simple as attending his hunt, could be enough to sway him."

"And what if something happens to you out there?" he asked, his voice low, his eyes dark with concern. "You think I could live with that? Knowing I could've stopped it?"

You sighed, exasperated, though his concern wasn't unwelcome. You loved Jace for this, for the way he cared so deeply, for the way he always thought of you first. But sometimes, that concern bordered on overprotectiveness, and it gnawed at you, especially when it came to matters like this – matters of duty.

"I'm not a delicate flower, Jace," you said, your tone gentler this time, trying to ease the tension. "I can handle myself. Besides, I'll have guards, riders, and we'll be on the lord's land. It's a hunt, not a battlefield."

Jace's jaw tightened, his gaze unwavering. "A hunt can be just as dangerous, especially for someone with little experience."

The heat rose in your chest at his words. You were no stranger to these kinds of debates, and while you respected Jace's wisdom, it didn't mean you always agreed. "I have experience," you countered, lifting your chin. "More than enough to handle this."

He shook his head again, taking a step forward until the space between you all but disappeared. His hand came up to gently cup your face, his thumb brushing over your cheek in a familiar, tender gesture. "I'm not questioning your abilities, love. I just don't want to see you hurt."

The warmth of his touch sent a shiver down your spine, softening the edges of your frustration. His dark eyes held yours, full of worry, full of love. It was hard to argue when he looked at you like that, as though you were the most precious thing in his world. And to him, you were.

"I told you not to go," he murmured, quieter now, the words thick with the weight of his worry. "Please. Let someone else handle the hunt."

But there was a fire in you, one that couldn't be easily doused by gentle touches or soft words. You had fought too hard to earn your place in these matters, and you weren't about to let fear – either his or your own – stand in the way. You leaned into his touch, but your resolve didn't waver.

"I need to do this, Jace. For the good of the realm, for us."

He closed his eyes for a moment, his hand slipping from your face as he turned away, running a hand through his dark curls in frustration. "You're as stubborn as a dragon," he muttered, but there was no anger in his voice, only resignation.

You smiled faintly, stepping forward to place your hand on his arm. "You married me knowing that."

A long silence stretched between you, filled only by the crackling of the fire and the distant sounds of the dragons outside. When Jace turned back to you, his expression had hardened, a spark of anger flashing in his eyes.

"And you married me knowing I would protect you," he said, his voice low and intense. "Even if it means protecting you from yourself."

Your own anger flared at his words. "Protect me from myself? I'm not some reckless child, Jace. I'm your wife, your partner. I thought we were equals in this."

"Equals, yes," he said, his voice rising slightly. "But that doesn't mean we can't look out for each other. And right now, I'm telling you this is a mistake."

You took a step back, crossing your arms. "And I'm telling you it's not. I've made my decision, Jace. I'm going on this hunt."

His fists clenched at his sides, frustration evident in every line of his body. "Why can't you see reason? This isn't just about you anymore. We have responsibilities, a future to think about."

"That's exactly why I'm doing this," you countered, your voice sharp. "For our future, for the realm's future. Sometimes that means taking risks."

"Not unnecessary ones," he shot back. "Send someone else. Anyone else."

You shook your head, your resolve strengthening with each passing moment. "No. It has to be me. Lord Rosby needs to see that we're willing to engage personally, not just send envoys."

Jace's eyes flashed dangerously. "And what if something happens to you? Have you thought about what that would do to me? To us?"

His words hit you like a physical blow, and for a moment, you faltered. The pain in his voice was palpable, and you could see the genuine fear behind his anger. You softened slightly, reaching out to touch his arm.

"Jace," you said, your voice gentler now. "I understand your fear. I do. But we can't let it control us. We have responsibilities that extend beyond these walls."

He didn't pull away from your touch, but neither did he relax. "Is it so wrong to want to keep you safe? To protect what we have?"

You could see the battle raging behind Jacaerys’ eyes. His need to protect you clashed with the reality that you were not someone who needed constant safeguarding. You weren’t just his wife; you were his equal, capable of holding your own in the political landscape that surrounded you both.

His hand moved to grip your fingers, his touch firm but trembling slightly. “It’s not wrong, Jace,” you murmured, your voice softening as you stepped closer. “But you can’t protect me from everything. I can’t stay hidden in this keep, waiting for the world to turn without me. We both have to face the dangers that come with our duties.”

He exhaled sharply, his brow furrowing as he searched your face, looking for something – perhaps an argument strong enough to sway you, or maybe the comfort that you would be safe. But you saw the resignation there too, the deep understanding that no matter how much he wanted to wrap you in his protection, you wouldn’t let fear guide your choices.

The room was thick with tension, and the air between you hummed with the weight of your words. You didn’t want to fight with him, didn’t want this to be a rift between you. But it was clear that Jace’s concern wasn’t something that could be easily placated. He would carry it with him, just as you carried your own burdens.

“I do not wish for your hurt,” he whispered, and the vulnerability in his voice tugged at your heart.

Your fingers tightened around his.

There was a long, quiet moment where you both stood, the fire crackling softly in the background, casting shadows across the stone walls. Jacaerys looked down at your entwined hands, his thumb brushing over your knuckles absentmindedly, as though trying to memorize the feel of your skin beneath his.

Finally, he nodded, though the tension never fully left his expression. “If you must go, promise me you’ll be careful. Stay with the guards. Don’t take unnecessary risks.” His voice cracked slightly at the end, betraying the fear he still carried.

You smiled, lifting a hand to cup his face, brushing your thumb over his cheek. “I promise.”

Jace leaned into your touch, closing his eyes briefly as though seeking solace in the warmth of your hand. Then, with a deep breath, he opened his eyes and straightened, his hand slipping to the small of your back as he pulled you close. His forehead rested against yours, and for a brief moment, the world outside ceased to exist. It was just the two of you – no titles, no duties, no looming threats – just the love you shared, solid and unwavering.

* * *

You burst through the doors, breathless and triumphant, your heart still racing from the thrill of the hunt. A wide smile spread across your face as you hurried towards Jace, eager to share your victory. The hunt had been more successful than you’d hoped – an impressive stag taken down, Lord Rosby clearly impressed by your skill.

But before you could even utter a word, Jace's face shifted, the joy he might have felt clouded by something darker. His eyes, usually warm when they landed on you, were now hard, focused on something beyond the excitement in your expression.

"Gods," he breathed, his voice tight with alarm as he crossed the room in quick strides. "You're hurt."

You blinked, the rush of the day suddenly shifting under his worried gaze. “What?” The confusion in your voice was evident. But then you followed his eyes down to your gown, and reality hit you like a cold wind. Your dress, once a rich shade of deep burgundy, was now stained with dark, drying blood. You reached up instinctively, fingers grazing your cheek, where the sharp sting of a gash reminded you of the near-miss you'd had in the thick of the hunt.

"It’s nothing," you said, waving it off, but the concern etched in Jace’s expression deepened. He was already close, his hands hovering over you as if unsure where to touch without causing you more pain.

"Nothing?" he echoed, incredulous, his fingers gently brushing over the fresh cuts on your face. His touch was featherlight, but the worry in his eyes felt heavy, like a storm gathering just beneath the surface. "You’re bleeding. Your gown–" His voice faltered as his gaze flicked down again, a muscle in his jaw tightening.

“I’m fine, Jace,” you assured him, even as the adrenaline started to wear off and the dull ache of the wounds made itself known. “The hunt was a success. Lord Rosby–”

“Damn Rosby!” His words came out sharper than intended, the flare of his anger catching you both by surprise. He took a breath, his grip tightening on your arms as if to ground himself. His dark eyes searched yours, the fear lurking there impossible to miss. “I told you not to go. I begged you.”

The guilt hit you harder than the pain of the wounds ever could. You’d promised him, but in the heat of the moment, in your determination to prove yourself, you’d taken risks. “It wasn’t as bad as it looks,” you murmured, trying to soothe him, though you knew the words would do little to calm the storm brewing inside him.

Jace’s hands cupped your face now, careful to avoid the cuts, his touch as gentle as ever, despite the frustration simmering beneath. His brow furrowed, and he shook his head, his voice low, almost trembling.

“I told you not to go, love” his voice low and sharp as he reached for you, his hands hovering over your injury as though he didn’t know whether to touch you or pull away. “Now look what’s happened.”

You winced slightly, more from the weight of his worry than the actual pain. “It’s not as bad as it looks,” you tried to assure him, though your voice wavered.

Jace’s eyes flashed with frustration. “Not as bad as it looks? You’re bleeding.”

“I won,” you said, a weak attempt at lightening the mood, but the smile you offered didn’t quite reach your eyes.

He didn’t smile back.

“What were you thinking?” His voice cracked, full of fear and anger and everything in between. “I told you – begged you – not to go. And now you’re hurt.”

His hands finally found your shoulders, gripping you gently as he studied your face, his gaze softening just enough to reveal the fear lurking beneath his anger.

His hands trembled as they rested on your shoulders, the weight of his frustration pressing down on both of you. Jace's eyes, usually so full of warmth, flickered with something sharper now, his anger held tight beneath the surface. His grip was gentle but firm, his touch like an anchor, tethering you to this moment and everything unsaid between you.

"You promised you'd be careful," he whispered, his voice barely louder than the crackle of the fire, though it carried the weight of his emotions. His gaze never left yours, dark and intense, as though he was searching for some explanation that could soothe the storm raging inside him. "And now you're standing here, bleeding, trying to tell me it's fine."

The guilt clawed at you, sharp and unrelenting. You had been so focused on the hunt, on proving your worth, that you hadn’t fully considered what it would do to him if something went wrong. You tried to offer a soft smile, hoping it might ease his worry, but Jace wasn’t ready to let go of his anger just yet.

Before you could say anything, he was already moving, leading you towards the bed, his movements brisk but careful. He gestured for you to sit, then grabbed a cloth from the basin near the hearth, dipping it into the cool water. His hands were steady as he wrung it out, though you could see the tension in his shoulders, the set of his jaw.

Jace's touch softened as he continued to clean the wounds, the cloth gentle against your skin. He worked in silence, the steady rhythm of his hands soothing despite the sting of the cold water. Every movement was careful, his brow furrowed in concentration as he wiped away the blood, dabbing at each cut with an almost reverent tenderness.

His fingers brushed against your temple, where a small gash marred your skin, and you winced slightly, though more from the look in his eyes than the actual pain. Jace’s gaze flickered up to meet yours, concern flashing across his face as if apologizing for causing you discomfort.

“Sorry,” he muttered under his breath, his thumb brushing along the edge of the wound. The cool cloth followed, gentle and precise, as if he could erase the injury with a single stroke.

You shook your head, your lips curving into a small smile despite the ache. “It’s fine. Really. You don’t have to be so careful.”

But Jace just gave you a look – a familiar one, full of that mix of protectiveness and quiet stubbornness that you’d grown to love. “I do,” he said softly, his voice barely above a whisper, as though the weight of his worry needed no louder declaration.

The fire crackled quietly in the hearth, casting warm shadows across the room, but the space between you felt closer, more intimate. His fingers lingered longer now, the cloth abandoned as he gently touched your cheek, tracing the path of a now-cleaned cut with the pad of his thumb. His touch was warm, soft in a way that made your heart ache with affection.

"I hate seeing you hurt," he whispered, his voice thick with the emotion he had been holding back. His dark eyes, always so steady and certain, shimmered now with the vulnerability he rarely let surface. "I can’t stand it."

You reached up and took his hand, your fingers wrapping around his, warm and familiar. “I’m okay,” you murmured, pulling his hand down between you.

He let out a shaky breath, his thumb brushing over your knuckles as he squeezed your hand. There was a stillness to the moment, a quiet tenderness as you both just sat there, your knees nearly touching, the firelight flickering gently against the stone walls.

Jace’s other hand lifted to cradle your face, his fingers threading through your hair as he rested his forehead against yours. The closeness, the warmth of him surrounding you, made the tension from earlier seem so far away. His breath was soft against your skin, his fingers slipping down to your jaw, thumb tracing the curve of your cheek in that slow, comforting way that made your heart flutter.

"I’m sorry," he said quietly, his voice barely a murmur. "I didn’t mean to lash out earlier. I was just so scared."

You tilted your head slightly, pressing your lips softly against his forehead. “I know. I understand.”

The weight of his fear, the depth of his love, was palpable in the way he held you now, as though he could protect you by sheer force of will. You could feel it in every gentle touch, in the way his hands never left you, in the way his breath hitched when he spoke.

"Just… promise me next time, you’ll be more careful," he whispered, his lips brushing against your temple as his thumb traced your cheek one more time.

“I promise,” you said, leaning into his touch, letting the warmth of him soothe the last of the ache. 

For a moment, there was no need for more words. The silence between you was filled with the quiet assurance of your presence, the unspoken comfort of being here, together, in the soft glow of the fire. His hands lingered, tracing over your skin as if committing every inch of you to memory, as if this small moment of peace could stretch on forever.

Jace’s thumb traced the curve of your jaw one last time, lingering as if to memorize the sensation. His breath brushed your skin, warm and unsteady, and for a moment, he was utterly still – caught between his worry and the urge to simply hold you, as if that alone could erase the danger that had come too close today.

Then, slowly, he leaned forward, and the space between you dissolved. His lips found yours in a kiss that was soft, hesitant at first, a tentative brush of affection. But as his hand cradled the back of your neck, threading gently through your hair, the kiss deepened, a quiet promise of his love and fear tangled together. You could feel the weight of his emotions, the unspoken apology for the anger and the silent relief that you were here, in his arms, safe.

When he finally pulled back, his forehead rested against yours, and his breath came in shallow, quiet gasps. His hand remained against your cheek, fingers soft but firm, as if grounding himself in the closeness of you.

“I’m going to run you a bath,” he murmured, his voice still thick with concern. “You need to rest.”

You nodded, not trusting yourself to speak as the warmth of his words washed over you. There was something comforting in his need to care for you, in the way he was so determined to ease the aches you hadn’t even realized were settling in.

With a gentle kiss to your forehead, Jace stood, moving towards the basin and reaching for a fresh towel. You watched him in the soft light of the fire, his movements deliberate, shoulders still tense but easing as he busied himself with the simple task of preparing the bath.

And for now, that was enough – this quiet, tender moment shared between you, where the world outside could wait.

[ahmedpalestine]

My heart breaks for my family. How many times must their hands burn just to reach a loaf of bread? And behind each loaf lies the harsh reality: flour infested with worms and insects, expired and damp from poor storage and transport. Yet they have no other choice they’ve already been forced to eat animal feed and wild grass.

Do you know the cost of this single sack of flour? Or how many children risk their lives gathering firewood from the rubble of destroyed homes under constant threat of bombing? Aboudi, for example, should be living his childhood in peace. Instead, he’s the one tasked with collecting wood for cooking.

Can you imagine how many children, how many people, wait eagerly for that single piece of bread, only to share it among so many? How much longer will this suffering and humiliation continue this war of starvation? Do you know how many children have died hungry in this genocide?

Silent solidarity will not save the children of Palestine. We must act and make a difference. Thanks to your support, we have raised enough to secure the escape of three of my family members from Gaza.

Please, continue supporting my family so we can secure the fourth as soon as possible. The border could open at any moment, and we need the funds ready to save their lives before we lose this chance.

Vetted by bilal-salah0

Gaza-evacuation-funds

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[screamingfromuz]

Hi there! I am reaching out because someone sent me a question about how to help Gazan civilians without accidentally helping Hamas or spreading more hate against Israelis. I honestly feel lost on this myself, but as far as I can tell you are someone who has done real activism in Israel. Do you have suggestions for diaspora Jews who want to help fight for peace?

So a small disclaimer to the Gaza problem. We have 2 main problems with getting aid into Gaza, the first is the limited amount of aid that is allowed in, sending more money cannot make it go in faster. Problem number 2 is that much of the physical aid ends in Hamas's hands or in the black market and there is nothing we can do with that. I have heard recommendations to wait and see who opens a field hospital on the Rafah border crossing, and donate to them. Despite that, here are some charities to help Palestinians both in and out of Gaza.

I will admit, most of my activism is focused on deradicalization on the Israeli side and solidarity work, so I had to ask around for some of those charities. Some of the groups I know of do not currently have an international donation link, so if I get more good ones, I'll make another post.

Gaza:

Medical aid for Palestinians-

Anera-

Doctors without borders-

Palestinians outside of Gaza and Peace movements:

Palestinian red Crescent- they also work in Gaza, but as the main source for Palestinian ambulances in the WB, I put them here.

mistaclim (Looking the occupation the the eye)- this group is helping to protect Palestinians from the illegal settlers

Keshet- this is a big one. they support Bedouin communities in normal times, and now they are working on getting bomb shelters to the unrecognized villages, and providing a mental health first aid line.

standing together- totally biased, as I am a member of this organization.

Women wage peace- a feminist based solidarity group

Haqel- they represents Palestinians in cases related to land ownership and access. there work is still ongoing even during the war

Center for Jewish non Violence - a diaspora org that also does a lot of work in the South Hebron Hills.

[fairuzfan]

Hello. I just got in contact with a group in Seattle making "solidarity" art and I wanted to know what that means to you. Is acknowledging the horrors in Gaza the most effective way to make Palestinians feel seen? Or is there more value in incorporating symbols of resilience, like olive trees, watermelons, and spoons?

By acknowledging, I mean create something enraging, like depicting the drastically different living conditions on the Palestinian and Israeli sides of the border wall. Healthy people in open farmland on one side and a warzone on the other. Or is it better to include a little hope? One idea I've been mulling over is painting a Palestinian child and IDF solider in a way that suggests David and Goliath (I found out the most common charge against Palestinian youths is throwing rocks). Another is Gaza as a torn tapestry with Mother Palestine sewing over and repairing the rips with tatreez.

I guess the real question is: Do you think most Palestinians would appreciate an attempt at comfort, or is it better to simply grieve with them?

Thank you so much for sending this in. My personal take is the most inspiring imagery are symbols of resistance. For example, this poster is embedded in many Palestinians' minds (click) as a prime example of resistance. I love images of olives and flowers not because they're soft, but because they represent life to me. Something I also adore is Rafeef Ziadah's poem "We Teach Life, Sir" and Samah Fadil's "Then, A Palestinian was Born," as words that speak to me as core parts of Palestinian resistance.

I think you can definitely mix strength and grief, or comfort and grief together when talking about Palestine. Refaat said it best: "the most dangerous thing I have is an expo marker but if an Israeli soldier were to come to my house I would use that expo marker and throw it at them." To us, the idea that we have to resist is grief and the grief moves us to resist. I personally really love the david and golaith imagery because it reminds me of the poster below.

I guess this is all to say that you can mix them together, the grief of seeing people dying and the strength of resistance against the oppression. What's the most effective thing is portraying the truth: Israel kills and Palestine resists.

Here is the image. I highly encourage everyone to print out this poster and post it around town if you're able. Or even post it around social media if you can, and link back to palarchive so that people can see there's so much palestinian art and history that they can explore.

[save-mohamed-family]

Thank you for documenting my campaign from the following accounts:

@ibtisams @soon-palestine @sar-soor @90-ghost @fairuzfan @ibtisams @fallahifag @northgazaupdates

I am Mohammed Almanasra, 32 years old, married, and a father of three children: Abdulrahman, 6 years old, Sarah, 4 years old, and Lina, 3 years old.

My story began with the loss of my parents and four of my sisters who were bombed and lost their lives along with their children after the events of October 7 and the severe war on Gaza. Now, my wife, children, and I are displaced, without parents or siblings, living with our little cat that we embrace among us.

Recently, I moved to the south of the Gaza Strip, fearing for the lives of my children. We left behind our memories and our new home, for which we had not finished paying the installments, in addition to losing my job. Currently, I live in a tent that does not protect me from the heat of summer or the cold of winter, and without the minimum necessary livinng basics including water, food medical care, clothe and even bedding .

I suffer from a chronic asthma and severe attacks from tightness and an extreme allergy in the ear and I need medicine that are not available, or very expensive .

Under these difficult circumstances, after five attempts at displacement and narrowly escaping death from the bombing, I am trying with all my might to protect my family, the most precious thing I have.

My dreams were shattered, and my house was destroyed, and I found myself living in a tent no larger than 4 square metres. My work turned from a tailor to a street vendor in order to barely buy a few crumbs of bread to feed my children.

My main goal with this donation is to protect my children, my wife, and our scaredy cat and evacuate them to a safe place away from the ongoing wars. The funds will be used to cross the Egyptian border and bring basic needs and treatments to create a more stable conditions for my family. Approximately $18,000 will be allocated for travel expenses, and around $6,000 for securing suitable housing for a couple of months.

As for the medical treatment costs, the exact figure will be determined after undergoing examinations in hospitals in the Arab Republic of Egypt & it gonna be in average $8,000. The remaining amount ($8,000) will be used to establish a small project to sustain our daily living, enabling me to provide for my children and wife.

Look at what happened to my children because of the intense heat and the insects that thrive in the summer season. Every day, I take them to the hospital to treat them due to poisonous insect bites. I implore every kind-hearted soul to help me protect my children.

My son, Abdul Rahman, has a deep passion for playing football and is a devoted fan of Real Madrid. He always dreamed of playing football at his school, but the war prevented this dream from coming true.

Where are you, Real Madrid fans ?

Help Abdul Rahman achieve his dream.

I feel very sad and embarrassed to ask for help, but I have no other options left. I know that this request is difficult, but I also know that there is still humanity and living consciences and I believe in miracles.

If you have any inquiries or questions, feel free to ask me, please!

"I urgently appeal to you for moral and financial assistance to cover the necessary costs to escape to a safe environment, where we can build a secure future for our children and ensure the safety of our family. We thank you for your concern and support, and we hope that you can help us in these difficult circumstances."

Sincere greetings & thanks

Mohammed & the family

[novaursa]

To Win a Princess

- Summary: Once you come of age, the realm seeks to curry the king's favor once more by seeking a hand of his younger daughter. You. 

- Paring: targ!reader/Tyland Lannister

- Rating: Mature 16+

- Next part: the dance

- Tag(s): @sachaa-ff @alyssa-dayne @oxymakestheworldgoround

- A/N: Consider this to be a serious version of A Lion's Leap. I'm not sure where it will fit into my posting schedule. It depends on how well the story is recived.

The quiet of the evening is your only companion as you find yourself wrapped in the warmth of Tyland Lannister’s arms, his breath a whispered heat against your neck. Your pulse is still racing from the sweetness of his kiss, one that lingers with the faint taste of Arbor red wine and the spice of his desire. His hands move over your skin with a certainty, his touch igniting in you a need you hadn’t realized until you found him at the periphery of courtly life. Hidden away from the glare of prying eyes, Tyland is your haven, one of indulgence and escape in a world filled with duty and restraint.

There’s an urgency to his touch tonight, his body pressed against yours as if he can’t bear any distance between you. He captures your face between his hands, his blue-green eyes watching you with that flicker of intensity that only comes when he’s this close.

“You shouldn’t tempt a lion, princess,” he murmurs, his voice a low purr that has you sinking further into him, into this space that is all your own.

“I’ve never known fear,” you reply, your voice a breathless whisper, fingers sliding through his golden hair, the softness of it like silk against your skin.

Just as his mouth descends to capture yours once more, the door creaks open.

“Y/N?”

Rhaenyra’s voice cuts through the charged air, her familiar tones suddenly a sharp and shocking reminder of the world beyond this room. You freeze, eyes widening as the unmistakable figure of your sister stands there, her expression a mix of disbelief and something akin to amusement.

Tyland pulls back, releasing you with an urgency that borders on panicked, though he composes himself as he turns, straightening his disheveled tunic. You, however, find yourself momentarily rooted in place, unsure if this is a dream or a waking nightmare.

“Rhaenyra—” you start, scrambling to find words, but your sister only raises an eyebrow, folding her arms across her chest as she observes the two of you with an unmistakable glimmer of surprise.

“Of all men in Westeros…” she says, a hint of laughter in her tone. “Tyland Lannister?”

Her eyes sweep over Tyland, who’s doing his best to look as composed as any nobleman caught in a compromising position could. He manages a polite, if slightly sheepish, nod.

“Princess,” he greets her formally, though you can see the tension in his jaw as he fights to keep his composure under Rhaenyra’s unwavering gaze.

Rhaenyra’s eyes flicker between the two of you, an unexpected curiosity lighting her expression. “I thought you’d have chosen someone younger,” she remarks with a slight smile. “Perhaps a knight… or a squire. But a Lannister?”

You feel your cheeks burn, heat flooding your face at the implication. “He’s more than just a Lannister, Rhaenyra,” you reply, stepping forward as you gather your courage. “He… he understands me.”

Tyland’s hand reaches for yours, his fingers brushing against yours in a silent show of solidarity, but his eyes are trained on Rhaenyra, calculating the depths of her reaction. He is used to navigating treacherous waters, and he knows that, in this moment, every word counts.

Rhaenyra’s expression softens, her curiosity morphing into something gentler, though her tone remains teasing. “It seems you’ve found yourself an unusual ally, sister.” She pauses, a slight smirk touching her lips. “I suppose there are worse Lannisters than Tyland.”

At this, Tyland inclines his head, his voice as smooth as ever. “High praise from the future queen,” he replies, his eyes meeting Rhaenyra’s without hesitation. “Your sister is…” He pauses, choosing his words carefully, “remarkable.”

Rhaenyra’s gaze shifts to you, a hint of approval glinting in her eyes. “I’m surprised by the choice, but perhaps I shouldn’t be,” she muses, her voice softening as she takes in the way Tyland’s hand rests protectively over yours.

She sighs, her expression growing more thoughtful. “I always knew you’d find someone who saw you for who you are. Even if he’s… well…” She waves her hand in Tyland’s direction, her smile widening. “A lion.”

Your heart aches with the realization that she does, in some way, approve. Rhaenyra, always the fierce, protective sister, has a flicker of understanding in her gaze that you hadn’t expected.

“I’ll leave you two to… whatever it is that brought you here tonight,” she says finally, smirking as she turns toward the door. She glances back, adding in a tone laced with mischief, “Do try to be discreet. Rumors travel fast in the Red Keep.”

With a final, amused glance over her shoulder, Rhaenyra slips out of the room, the door clicking shut behind her.

For a moment, you and Tyland stand in stunned silence, her words echoing in the quiet. Finally, Tyland lets out a low, relieved chuckle, his shoulders relaxing as he pulls you into his arms once more, his lips finding your forehead in a lingering kiss.

“Your sister has a way of surprising people,” he murmurs, his voice laced with admiration.

“She’s always had a knack for the unexpected,” you reply, leaning into him, feeling the warmth of his embrace as a balm against the shock.

His thumb brushes your cheek, his voice soft. “Then let’s give them something else to talk about, shall we?”

And as he kisses you once more, the world outside fades, leaving only the two of you in a moment that feels like it belongs to no one else but you.

Tyland Lannister sits quietly, his eyes assessing each of the faces present as the King’s Small Council convenes. Viserys, resplendent yet weary, presides at the head of the table, his fingers idly tapping against the polished wood. Otto Hightower sits beside him, his sharp gaze flickering with purpose as he waits for the council to settle.

Clearing his throat, Otto finally leans forward, voice carrying the deliberate calm of a man who measures each word for impact. “Your Grace,” he begins, glancing pointedly at Viserys, “I bring before you a matter of some… importance. As you know, your youngest daughter has now reached an age where the question of marriage becomes both pertinent and pressing.”

Tyland’s eyes narrow ever so slightly, and he shifts in his seat, the motion subtle but enough to catch Otto’s eye. The words ignite an unwelcome heat in his chest, but Tyland maintains his silence, allowing the Lord Hand to continue as he carefully considers his next move.

“Many houses have sent petitions for the Princess’s hand, Your Grace,” Otto goes on, his tone professional but carrying a faint undercurrent of ambition. “The opportunity for a marriage alliance is ripe. And House Hightower, already bound in loyalty to the Crown, would be honored to strengthen that bond.”

Tyland clenches his jaw, his fingers tapping lightly against his knee. Otto’s words are too familiar, too practiced, as if rehearsed. Of course, the Hightowers would press for another foothold in the Targaryen family. Alicent was already Queen, and now Otto had the gall to suggest another marriage to his kin.

The silence in the room stretches for a moment, broken only by the slight creak of leather as Lord Beesbury shifts uncomfortably, clearly weighing the implications of Otto’s proposal.

Tyland seizes the pause to lean forward, his golden hair catching the light as he speaks. “Your Grace,” he begins, his voice smooth and calm, carefully measured, “while House Hightower’s loyalty is unquestioned, it would be wise to consider the value in expanding alliances beyond what is already secured.” He pauses, letting his gaze sweep across the council, landing on Viserys with a look of respectful counsel. “There are other noble houses, some with ties yet to be strengthened, who could offer their fealty through a marriage bond. The Princess, after all, is a precious jewel to the realm.”

Viserys nods, seeming to take in Tyland’s words, though his weariness is evident. But before he can respond, Otto speaks again, his tone calm but unmistakably forceful.

“With all due respect, Lord Tyland,” Otto interjects, “House Hightower is not simply any house. It is a trusted pillar of the realm, deeply invested in the Crown’s prosperity. My son, Ser Gwayne, holds the princess in high regard, as he has demonstrated with unfailing respect and admiration. Such a match would ensure not only the Princess’s happiness but the Crown’s continued stability.”

Tyland’s mouth sets into a line, his irritation sparking to life at Otto’s boldness. The Hightowers already held the Reach and the Queen herself—did Otto truly believe the Crown needed more from Oldtown?

Clearing his throat, Tyland leans forward again, speaking with an air of practiced calm. “Your Grace,” he says, directing his words pointedly at Viserys, “Otto’s suggestion has merit, yet the needs of the realm go beyond what House Hightower alone can provide. House Lannister is well-known for its loyalty and wealth, resources that could serve the Crown in countless ways.” He lets his words linger, letting the subtle hint of his own interest shine through as he meets Viserys’s gaze. “A match that unites the Princess with a house of the Westerlands might open new avenues of support and loyalty.”

Lord Jasper Wylde’s deep voice cuts through the tension, surprising everyone as he joins the discussion. “Lord Tyland has a point, Your Grace. House Lannister is an influential ally. Expanding alliances to the Westerlands would create a balance among the great houses, preventing any one house from holding undue influence over the Crown.”

Otto’s gaze hardens, his fingers steepling as he speaks again, his voice low and steady. “The King knows the loyalty of House Hightower, and what could be better than family to ensure trust?” He leans forward, his eyes fixed intently on Viserys. “Gwayne is a devoted knight, one who would honor the Princess and protect her with his life.”

The room falls silent as Viserys considers the weight of each suggestion, his brow furrowed. The aged Maester Mellos clears his throat, his ancient, gravelly voice adding a cautious note to the conversation. “Your Grace, while the idea of strengthening alliances is sound, one must consider the Princess’s own wishes in such a matter. She is not without her own mind, and a union should serve her interests as well.”

Tyland nods in agreement, glancing briefly at Mellos before speaking again. “Precisely, Your Grace. The Princess should be given a choice that does not bind her exclusively to those who already wield power within the realm. A broader reach, a different alliance…” He allows the words to hang, his gaze settling firmly on Viserys, silently pressing his case.

Otto remains unyielding, but there is a flicker of tension beneath his composure. “The Crown should value loyalty that is proven, not loyalty yet to be tested,” he insists, glancing briefly at Tyland, a thinly veiled challenge in his gaze.

King Viserys shifts, his fingers rubbing at his temple. “Enough,” he says, raising a hand, his voice weary but firm. “Otto, Tyland… you both have made your points. The decision will not be made lightly.”

Tyland bows his head, the flicker of frustration barely visible beneath his polite expression. He had not anticipated Otto would be so relentless, but he wouldn’t give up so easily. As the council disperses, he lingers, waiting until the others have exited before catching Viserys’s gaze once more.

“Your Grace,” he murmurs softly, “my only wish is that your daughter’s choice brings her happiness and serves the realm.”

Viserys offers him a faint, tired smile. “I know, Tyland. But these matters… they are never simple.”

As Tyland takes his leave, a fire burns within him, one fueled by the prospect of having to contend with the relentless ambition of the Hightowers. But he is a lion of the Westerlands, and he will not yield his pursuit so easily.

The corridor is cool as Tyland makes his way from the council chamber, his thoughts swirling with a mix of frustration and resolve. The weight of Otto's persistence hangs in the air like a heavy mist, lingering and clinging as he mentally reviews their exchange. He is only halfway down the hall when he hears footsteps approaching—a purposeful, measured cadence he recognizes without needing to turn.

"Lord Tyland," Otto’s voice, calm and composed, cuts through the quiet. Tyland pauses, inclining his head politely as he turns to face the Hand. Otto’s expression is unreadable, his sharp, calculating eyes studying Tyland with the intensity of a man who does not often find his decisions challenged.

“Lord Hand,” Tyland replies, his tone cordial but cool. “I gather you have words left unsaid?”

Otto steps closer, his expression calm but firm, hands clasped behind his back. “Only that I find it curious, Lord Tyland,” he begins, voice smooth, almost conversational, “that you seem so… invested in the matter of the princess’s marriage.”

Tyland raises a brow, masking his irritation with a faint smile. “And why shouldn’t I be? She is the King’s daughter and a Targaryen princess. Whoever she marries will wield significant influence over the realm.” He allows his words to sink in before adding, “Surely, it benefits the Crown to consider all its options, rather than binding itself to the Reach alone.”

Otto’s lips curve slightly, though the smile does not reach his eyes. “The Crown has always valued the proven loyalty of House Hightower,” he says evenly, “and a marriage between my son and the princess would only strengthen those bonds. My son, Ser Gwayne, is an honorable man who would care for her deeply.”

“Indeed,” Tyland replies, his tone deceptively mild. “But House Lannister has long been a stalwart of the Crown as well, with a reach that extends far beyond the walls of Oldtown. We bring not only loyalty, but wealth, resources, and alliances across the Westerlands.” He pauses, letting his words settle, before adding, “Surely, even you can see the wisdom in that.”

Otto’s expression remains unmoved, though his gaze sharpens, a flicker of irritation betraying his controlled demeanor. “And yet, Lord Tyland, you speak as though it is the Crown’s duty to court Lannister favor. I assure you, we are quite capable of holding the realm’s loyalty without undue dependence on the Westerlands.”

Tyland’s jaw tightens, but he keeps his voice steady. “Perhaps, Lord Otto,” he says, choosing his words carefully, “but it would be unwise to dismiss the value of broadening alliances. Overreliance on a single house… can leave one vulnerable.”

Otto’s eyes narrow slightly, a glint of something cold flashing within them. “Are you implying, Lord Tyland, that the Crown is vulnerable with House Hightower at its side?”

“I imply nothing of the sort,” Tyland replies smoothly, though he meets Otto’s gaze with a steely look of his own. “Only that diversifying one’s alliances strengthens a kingdom. Surely, that is something a man of your experience can appreciate.”

Otto regards him in silence for a moment, and Tyland can almost feel the calculations turning behind his gaze, assessing, weighing. Finally, Otto speaks, his voice cool but edged with warning.

“Be mindful, Lord Tyland. Ambition is a potent force, but so is loyalty. My family has served the Targaryens with unwavering dedication, while others… have not always shown the same consistency.” His tone carries a subtle, implicit threat, as if reminding Tyland that House Hightower’s position within the Crown’s inner circle is not one easily challenged.

But Tyland is not so easily cowed. He straightens, his own expression hardening as he meets Otto’s gaze directly. “Loyalty is indeed a powerful thing, Lord Otto. But loyalty should not come at the cost of wisdom. And it would be unwise to assume the King’s daughter would prefer a match simply because it pleases you.”

Otto’s mouth tightens, his facade slipping just enough to reveal a hint of irritation. “The King knows the worth of House Hightower. And Gwayne is a respectable choice—far more appropriate than other… options.”

Tyland inclines his head, offering a slight smile that does not reach his eyes. “And yet, the choice remains the King’s… not yours, Lord Otto.”

The silence between them thickens, charged with a subtle animosity. Finally, Otto’s face smooths, his expression carefully neutral once more as he steps back, as if dismissing Tyland’s challenge. “Indeed,” he says quietly, though there’s a steely edge to his voice. “The choice is the King’s.”

With a curt nod, Otto turns, his robes swishing as he strides down the corridor, leaving Tyland standing alone in the dim light. Tyland watches him go, his fingers curling into a fist as he steels himself. He would not allow Otto to dictate the fate of the woman he cared for.

Tyland continues down the corridor, the distant echoes of his footsteps mingling with the faint whispers of the castle walls. He feels the lingering bite of Otto’s words, flicking like embers. His mind turns toward Y/N, the thought of her lifting the weight of his frustrations, though the path to her chambers is already proving more circuitous than anticipated.

As he rounds the corner, he nearly collides with a tall figure—none other than Ser Gwayne Hightower, resplendent in his polished armor, his posture as upright as his father’s ambition. Gwayne’s brows knit together momentarily before a polite, if strained, smile forms on his face.

“Lord Tyland,” Gwayne greets him, his tone courteous but carrying a faint edge. “A fortunate encounter. I’d hoped to find the princess and offer her my company this afternoon, should she wish it.”

Tyland’s expression remains calm, though a flicker of annoyance rises within him. He bows his head slightly, maintaining the polite veneer expected in the corridors of the Red Keep. “Ser Gwayne,” he replies, his voice smooth. “The Princess has not been one to lack for company, as I understand it.”

Gwayne’s eyes narrow slightly, his head tilting as he regards Tyland with an air of subtle scrutiny. “Perhaps,” he says, his voice laced with a hint of defensiveness. “Yet, as one who holds her in high regard, I believe she deserves companionship suited to her station.” There’s a faint emphasis on the last word, his gaze assessing as though to imply that Tyland’s attentions may fall short of that standard.

Tyland’s jaw clenches, though he forces a polite smile. “Indeed,” he responds, his tone even. “I’m certain she values the company of those who see her as more than a stepping stone toward ambition.”

Gwayne’s expression cools, his own smile thinning. “I assure you, my interest in the Princess is nothing less than sincere. She is, after all, a Targaryen—a rare jewel, worthy of reverence.” He hesitates, his eyes flickering as he chooses his words carefully. “Not all who approach her can say the same.”

Tyland raises an eyebrow, a glint of amusement barely masking his irritation. “The Princess’s worth is evident to anyone who possesses a mind,” he replies smoothly. “Yet, unlike some, I do not seek her company for the approval of others.”

The slight barb does not go unnoticed, and Gwayne’s eyes harden, his polite facade slipping just enough to reveal a hint of irritation. “I wonder, then,” he says slowly, his tone almost thoughtful, “whether your intentions are as noble as you claim. The Princess may find herself the subject of… unwanted scrutiny if certain alliances are encouraged.”

Tyland’s patience wears thin, though he keeps his voice calm. “The only ‘unwanted scrutiny’ the Princess might face would be due to those who believe they have the right to decide her future. She is not a pawn, Ser Gwayne. And if your intentions are as noble as you say, you would know that she deserves respect beyond what can be claimed through marriage.”

Gwayne’s lips press into a thin line, a flash of offense coloring his face. “You speak as if you alone hold her respect, Lord Tyland,” he counters. “Perhaps it is you who misunderstands her station. A Targaryen princess deserves more than whispered conversations and stolen glances.”

Tyland steps closer, his gaze unyielding as he meets Gwayne’s stare. “And yet, I am not the one using her as a bid to curry favor with her father and his council. My respect for the Princess does not hinge on how close it brings me to the throne.”

A tense silence hangs between them, the air thick with unspoken challenges. Gwayne’s hands clench at his sides, though he forces a calm expression, his eyes darkening with a restrained intensity. “Remember, Lord Tyland,” he says quietly, his voice a warning, “the loyalty of House Hightower is not a force to be taken lightly. My father’s position is one earned through unwavering commitment to the Crown.”

Tyland holds his ground, his voice steady as steel. “As is the loyalty of House Lannister. But unlike some, my house does not rely on proximity to the Crown for validation.” His tone hardens, his words pointed. “The Princess deserves a choice, not an obligation.”

Gwayne’s composure falters for a brief moment, a flicker of irritation crossing his features. He takes a step back, offering a curt nod, though the tension remains clear in his stance. “Then let the Princess make her choice,” he replies, his tone sharp. “And may it be one worthy of her name.”

Without another word, Gwayne steps past Tyland, his shoulders tense as he disappears down the corridor. Tyland watches him go, a sense of satisfaction tempered by lingering annoyance.

With renewed purpose, Tyland resumes his path toward Y/N’s chambers, his steps quickening. He would ensure that Otto Hightower and his son did not shape her future. And, if he could help it, he would be the one at her side, proving his devotion beyond the words of a council chamber.

[intersex-support]

Intersex Support FAQ

1. What is intersex?

Intersex is an umbrella term that describes people who have variations in sex characteristics that fall outside of the sex binary. This includes variations in genitals, internal reproductive organs like testes and ovaries, chromosomes, secondary sex characteristics, and/or the way that your body produces or responds to hormones. Some examples of intersex variations include AIS, CAH, PCOS, Klinefelters, hypospadias, and more. 

The three main factors that define intersex variations are: 

Variation in sex characteristics 

The variation falls outside of the sex binary and is different from what is considered typical “male” or “female” development. These variations in traits might often be stigmatized and discriminated against for being outside of the sex binary.

This variation is either present from birth or develops spontaneously later in life. It is not caused by transitioning or by something temporary like a medication side effect, tumor, or other medical diagnosis. 

(This definition is inspired by InterACT).

2. Does ____ count as intersex? 

There are around 40 different intersex variations that are currently known. InterACT”s intersex variation glossary lists out those intersex variations and gives a brief description of each one.

However, we know that isn’t a complete list. People have intersex variations that haven’t been medically researched yet, or might have a rare variation that the intersex community isn’t aware of yet. 

There are also some variations that might seem on the border between perisex and intersex. Some types of hormonal or reproductive diagnoses might not have a clear answer on whether they’re intersex or not. 

Ultimately,  intersex is a social/political identity rather than a strictly medical one. Increased research and changing social attitudes can cause the definition of intersex to expand over time. Regardless of whether someone has a confirmed intersex variation or an “intersex adjacent” diagnosis, if intersex resources are helpful to you, we hope that you continue to use them and act in solidarity with the intersex community. 

On this blog, we do include PCOS with hyperandrogenism as part of the intersex community. Check out our PCOS tag for more posts about our reasoning, and PCOS specific resources.

3. Am I intersex?

We cannot diagnose you with an intersex variation over the internet. We can share resources such as the intersex variations glossary, share tips for navigating the medical system, and share information on other non-clinical signs of being intersex. 

Some questions to ask yourself that can help you start the process of intersex discovery:

What do my sex traits (genitalia, secondary sex characteristics, hormone levels, etc) look like? Does this seem like it lines up with the “typical” descriptions of those sex traits? 

Do I have any information about my birth? Were there any complications? Did doctors do extra testing at birth? Did doctors take me away from my parents for long periods of time? Did it take me longer to have my sex assigned at birth?

What was puberty like for me? Did I have early or late puberty? Did I have to go on hormones to start puberty? Did I have any variations in puberty, such as unexpected breast growth, irregular periods, or other changes? Did I go through puberty at all?

If you’ve tried to have children, are you infertile or struggling with fertility?

Did I have any unexplained surgeries or medical procedures as a child? Was I ever told I had to have organs removed and was told it was because of a cancer risk? Did I have to be on specific medications or hormones throughout my childhood? Did I have to go see a doctor more frequently? Did I go to an endocrinologist or pediatric urologist as a child? 

Do I have surgery scars or scar tissue? Do I have more frequent UTIs than typical?

Do I have access to my medical records? Is there records of hormone panels, ultrasounds, physical exams, surgeries, or other medical procedures? 

This kind of information can help you start to piece together if you think you might have an intersex variation, or if you think your intersex variation was hidden from you. 

If you’re sending in an ask trying to figure out if your symptoms line up with a specific intersex variation, please share as much information as you’re comfortable with so that we can answer with the most helpful resources. 

4. Can I self diagnose as intersex? 

It’s complicated! Intersex is different from other LGBTQIA identities, in that it’s not only about self determination, but also about our embodied experience in a very specific way. In order to be intersex, you have to have an intersex variation. And there are many intersex variations that can only be confirmed through medical testing, so it’s not something that is easy to self-diagnose.

However, we recognize that the medical system is expensive, discriminatory, and often actively hides information about people’s intersex variations from them. (it wasn’t even until 2006 that the AAP stopped recommending that doctors lie to their patients about intersex status, so many intersex adults were born before that policy change!) Considering all that we know about intersex oppression, curative violence, and medical abuse, it feels incredibly cruel to tell people that they have to force themself through that system in order to seek answers. 

So, we understand that there are ways of finding out that you are intersex without having a specific, confirmed, medical diagnosis. Many of us might find out that we’re intersex because we realize that our genitalia visibly looks different, and we can tell that we are intersex, even if we don’t know our specific diagnosis. Others might find out that we’re intersex because of strange discrepancies in our medical record. We might find out through discovering surgery scars on our body. We might go through puberty and realize that we’re developing in an atypical way to our peers. We might do a lot of research into intersex variations and have a pretty good guess into what variation lines up with our experiences. We might have some test results that help us understand we have intersex traits, even if we don’t know our specific diagnosis.  

Before self diagnosing, we think it’s important to do thorough research into intersex variations, so that you truly understand what intersex means, what intersex variations exist, and understand how that information applies to yourself. It’s also important to be considerate of how we interact in community spaces, and respect other intersex people's boundaries as you engage in a questioning or diagnosis process. 

5.  Are intersex people trans?

Some intersex people are trans, and some aren’t. Most intersex people are still assigned a gender at birth, and many intersex people who are raised as one gender and then later identify as another gender identify with the label trans. Intersex people can be cis or trans just like any other group of people. 

Many intersex people have complicated relationships with gender, and don’t feel like labels like cis or trans really fit their experiences. For this reason, terms like intergender and ipsogender were coined.

6. Are intersex people LGBTQIA?

It’s complicated! The “I” in LGBTQIA stands for intersex. Intersex history is intertwined with other parts of queer history. For example, the very first protest for intersex people in the United States was organized by Hermaphrodites with Attitude and Transexual Menace. There are intersex inclusive versions of community pride flags. Many intersex people view their intersex identity as a queer identity. Intersex oppression overlaps in many ways with homophobia and transphobia. 

However, not all intersex people think that intersex should be included in the LGBTQIA community. Sometimes this is for bigoted reasons, with intersex radfems who use this stance as a way to be transphobic. But there are also intersex people who think that the “I” should only be included in the acronym when intersex people are actually meaningfully being included in queer spaces and resources. Many of us feel frustrated when people put “LGBTQIA” on a resource but then don’t actually have any intersex specific information in those resources. 

In general, this is an ongoing intracommunity discussion where we don’t have a consensus. 

7. Are intersex people disabled? 

It’s complicated! Intersex is an umbrella term for many different experiences, and there is not one universal intersex experience. Some intersex people identify as disabled. Some intersex people do not.

Many intersex variations do cause disabling impacts in our bodies and lives. Some intersex variations are comorbid with other health conditions. Other intersex people become disabled because of violent normalizing interventions we’ve survived, such as forced surgery or other types of medical abuse. 

Intersex people are also impacted by many of the same structures of oppression that harm disabled people. Both intersex people and disabled people are harmed by ableism. Both intersex people and disabled people are harmed by pathologization. Both intersex people and disabled people are harmed by curative violence. 

In the book Cripping Intersex, Celeste Orr explores all these concepts and creates something called “intersex is/and/as/with disability,” which is a model to think about all these different and sometimes conflicting relationships with disability. Some intersex people might identify directly as disabled. Others might sometimes think about the way that intersex is treated as a disability. Other intersex people might think about intersex and disability as a way to have solidarity. All of these relationships with disability are meaningful parts of the intersex community. 

8. What is intersex oppression/intersexism/interphobia/compulsory dyadism? 

Intersex people face a lot of oppression in many ways in society. At the core, intersex oppression relies on the idea that the only acceptable sex traits are sex traits that fit into the sex binary. Intersex oppression relies on mythical ideas of the “ideal male or female” body, where someone's chromosomes perfectly line up with their genitalia and internal reproductive organs, with perfectly normal hormone levels and perfect secondary sex characteristics that don’t have any variation. When people don’t fit into that “perfect” sex binary, they are seen as less valuable, abnormal, and threatening. There is then a societal pressure to eradicate any traits and people that fall outside of the sex binary, which causes a lot of targeted discrimination of intersex people. This form of oppression is called “compulsory dyadism,” and was coined by Celeste Orr. 

Compulsory dyadism is also rooted in, overlaps with, and is the foundation for many other types of oppression. For example, ableism is another form of oppression that creates ways of harming people whose bodies and minds are labeled as less valuable for societally constructed reasons. Check out Talila Lewis’s definition of ableism for more information. Another example is how racialized people are targeted by sex testing policies in sports--both intersex and perisex women of color are consistently targeted by sex testing policies designed to exclude intersex people from sports. Another example is that homophobia and transphobia contribute to why intersex bodies are seen as threats that need to be eradicated--society views existing with intersex sex traits as a slippery slope to growing up as a gay or trans adult. Compulsory dyadism is also at the root of a lot of transphobic rhetoric about how transitioning “ruins” people’s bodies. All these forms of oppression are connected. 

There are a lot of ways that compulsory dyadism causes intersex people to be targeted and discriminated against. A huge issue is nonconsensual surgeries at birth, that attempt to “normalize” ambiguous genitalia, remove intersex people’s gonads, and otherwise alter genitalia or internal structures. These surgeries are often referred to as intersex genital mutilation, or IGM. These surgeries do not have any medical necessity, but doctors lobby to continue to be allowed to perform them anyway. These surgeries can sterilize intersex people, cause lifelong trauma, and also cause many disabling medical complications. Alongside IGM, intersex people also face a lot of different types of medical abuse. 

Besides curative violence and medical abuse, intersex people also face discrimination in our schools, jobs, and public places. We face legal discrimination in changing our names and sex markers. We face discrimination from institutions like CPS, which often target parents, especially people of color, that refuse to put their children through intersex genital mutilation. Many intersex people survive targeted sexual violence. We have a widespread lack of resources, visibility, and representation. Many people still have prejudiced ideas about intersex people and call us slurs. These are just a few examples of the many way that interphobia/intersexism show up in our lives. 

9. What is intersex justice? 

Intersex justice is a framework created by intersex activists through the Intersex Justice Project as a way to fight for intersex liberation. 

“Intersex justice is a decolonizing framework that affirms the labor of intersex people of color fighting for change across social justice movements. By definition, intersex justice affirms bodily integrity and bodily autonomy as the practice of liberation. Intersex justice is intrinsically tied to justice movements that center race, ability, gender identity & expression, migrant status, and access to sexual & reproductive healthcare. Intersex justice articulates a commitment to these movements as central to its intersectional analysis and praxis. Intersex justice acknowledges the trauma caused by medically unnecessary and nonconsensual cosmetic genital surgeries and addresses the culture of shame, silence and stigma surrounding intersex variations that perpetuate further harm.

The marginalization of intersex people is rooted in colonization and white supremacy. Colonization created a taxonomy of human bodies that privileged typical white male and female bodies, prescribing a gender binary that would ultimately harm atypical black and indigenous bodies. As part of a liberation movement, intersex activists challenge not only the medical establishment, which is often the initial site of harm, but also governments, institutions, legal structures, and sociocultural norms that exclude intersex people. Intersex people should be allowed complete and uninhibited access to obtaining identity documents, exercising their birth and adoption rights, receiving unbiased healthcare, and securing education and employment opportunities that are free from harm and harassment.” (Source: Dr. Mel Michelle Lewis through the Intersex Justice Project.)

There are seven principles to intersex justice: 

Informed consent

Reparations

Legal protections

Accountability

Language

Children's rights

Patient-centered healthcare

10. What is intergender? 

Intergender is a gender identity for use by intersex people only. It doesn’t have one specific definition-it is used by intersex people to mean a whole variety of things. It’s used to describe the unique ways our intersex experience intersects with and influences our gender.  Some people use it as a modifying term, such as calling themselves an intergender man or woman, as a way to explain the way being intersex affects their identity. Other people identify solely as intergender, and have that be their whole gender. 

11. What is dyadic/perisex/endosex? 

All are words that mean “not intersex.” Different groups will have different preferences on which one they like to use. 

12. Is hermaphrodite an offensive term? 

Yes. It is an incredibly offensive slur that perisex people should never say. Many intersex people have a very painful history with the slur. Some of us reclaim the term, which can be an important act of healing and celebration for us.

12. Can perisex people follow? 

Feel free, but understand that questions by intersex people are prioritized! Anyone is welcome to follow.

13. I’m writing a character who’s intersex…

Check out this post:  https://trans-axolotl.tumblr.com/post/188153640308/intersex-representation. If you’re writing about intersex people for a paid project, you should pay an intersex person to act as a sensitivity reader before publishing. 

Check out our Resources and Intersex Organizations pages as well!

[lonniemachin]

URGENT: HELP A YOUNG PALESTINIAN FAMILY ESCAPE GENOCIDE

I fear for my friend Ahmed and his family every time his campaign slows down -- will GoFundMe delete it before they reach their goal? Will the bank stop supporting transfers? Will the border open before he has enough to escape, and he and his wife and three little children be trapped in Gaza under threat of zionist extermination? And I hate having to tell Ahmed when my appeals aren't doing anything to help move along contributions because it depends on the generosity of others -- that people can't find it in their hearts to give to his family.

At €32,424, his campaign is so, so close to its short term goal of €35,000, and even its overall goal of €40,000. I know we can make it to either of these before the end of the month if we push for this family. I mention with each appeal the extent of their suffering, the ways in which I know they are legitimate, and even show pictures, but I don't know what to do to move people to donate any more than I've already done. All I can do is continue to appeal in all the ways I know how and beg. Your donation can help save them, no matter how small, and a little goes along way.

€32,424/€35,000 SHORT-TERM GOAL.

ONLY €2,576 NEEDED!

Tagging for reach. Please RB if you see, I want to give Ahmed some more hope tonight.

@malcriada @appsa @economicinflationkink @buttercuparry @ahaura

@timetravellingkitty @briarhips @akajustmerry @wellwaterhysteria @rhubarbspring

@schoolhater @pcktknife @transmutationisms @sawasawako @feluka

@fiqrr @irhabiya @3000s @sharingresourcesforpalestine @batmanego

@brutaliakhoa @aristotels @watermotif @stuckinapril @chanafehs

@psychotic-gerard @mavigator @communistkenobi @socalgal @chilewithcarnage

@ghelgheli @determinate-negation @papasmoke @deepspaceboytoy @omegaversereloaded

@xinakwans @givemearmstopraywith @loombreaking @killy @deathlonging

@palms-upturned @blackpearlblast @littlegermanboy @loveaankilaq @sar-soor

@fridgebride @27-moons @tamarrud @familyabolisher @fleshdyk3

@el-shab-hussein @decolonize-solidarity @heritageposts @palipunk @gothhabiba

[fuckyeahmarxismleninism]

Neither bombs nor permanent aggression will be enough to break hope

Havana marches for Palestine

By Carmen Maturell Senon, Granma

The lords of war, which is the horror of the peoples, are indifferent to children, women and men; the human being. It is strange for them to become sensitive and end it in the face of so many deaths; that is why they continue to agonize what is not theirs, what is alive.

The more than seven decades of the Palestinian people resisting the onslaught of Zionist colonialism are not enough; nor are the lives taken from more than 42,000 people since October 2023. The offensive continues, and it hurts.

That is why, aware that solidarity knows no decoys or borders, and that to fight for Palestine is also to fight for humanity, a representation of the Cuban people marched through the streets of Havana, from the Martí Forge to the Anti-imperialist Tribune.

"Our solidarity and sensitivity with just causes summon us to the most anti-imperialist of the tribunes, to repudiate the massacre being committed against the people of Palestine and which is also intensifying against Lebanon, Syria and Yemen," expressed Meyvis Estévez Echevarría, first secretary of the National Committee of the Union of Young Communists.

In view of the vile scenario experienced by the Palestinian people, she affirmed that it is not a question of figures, that they are entire families martyred, disappeared, and that every time a person from that land is murdered, the shame of the world also dies.

"This march of thousands of Cubans, and the rallies that have been held in the country during these days, honor each life taken by Israel; in addition, it reaffirms the political will and commitment of the Cuban State with peace, justice and respect for national sovereignty," highlighted Meyvis Estévez.

The march was led by the First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba and President of the Republic, Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, accompanied by members of the Political Bureau, Esteban Lazo Hernández, president of the National Assembly of People's Power and the Council of State, and Manuel Marrero Cruz, prime minister, as well as other leaders and representatives of political and mass organizations.

[thecraftydragonc]

Hello everyone, I am opening up donation commissions! Specifically for these donation drawings the cause I want to focus on is the ongoing genocide and humanitarian crisis in Palestine. It is more important than ever to donate to help Palestinians as Israel's attacks only get worse by the hour. It may be easy to feel disconnected from something happening on the other side of the world, or that there’s nothing you can do to help. However, even just a small act of kindness can change someone's life. I know this small donation campaign won’t single handedly change the world, but I am hoping it can be that small act of kindness that someone needs right now. 

So, how will this Donations for Drawings campaign work? It’s pretty simple, you donate to a cause that helps Palestinians and I will draw something for you! The more you donate, the better the drawing will be, but no donation is too small! This campaign will run for 2 weeks from 5/29 to 11:59pm PST on 6/12. Additionally the campaign won’t end until we reach the goal of at least $100 in donations (but we can go over the $100 goal in the 2 week timeline). I am accepting donations to family fundraisers, eSims, and donations to organizations/charities, however escape funds and eSims are a priority right now. If you need help figuring out where to donate, here are some options. This isn’t every fundraiser out there but it’s a good place to start.

Family Fundraisers (These are all vetted fundraisers): Gaza Funds (If you’re having trouble deciding on a family to donate to this site will automatically suggest a fundraiser when you open it) Operation Olive Branch Help Gaza Gaza Evacuation Relief Fund fundsforgaza | Instagram | Linktree

eSims: https://gazaesims.com/

Organizations/Charities: PCRF CareForGaza Supporting Displaced Families in Gaza https://piousprojects.org/campaign/2680 State of Palestine | World Food Programme Doctors Without Borders The National Emergency Appeal: Medical Aid for Palestinians Crips for eSims for Gaza | Chuffed | Non-profit charity and social enterprise fundraising (if you can’t donate an eSim yourself you can donate here)

Once you donate you need to send proof of your donation to me. This can be done through a direct message or this google form https://forms.gle/bUzTb4bgCefc3Wec8. Proof of donation should include a timestamp, what type of donation you made, and how much you donated. Please remove or blackout any personal identification or banking information. Also, specifically for eSim donations you must also show that you forwarded the eSim to gazaesims@gmail.com. I am only accepting donations made during 5/29 or later.

For the drawings themselves, I am up for drawing anything (though I’m best at drawing dragons), Oc’s or Canon characters, just nothing that is NSFW, gore, or has hateful imagery. In your message please include a link to the character's profile (like a toyhouse page or wiki for canon characters) and/or include a reference image. The more you donate the better the drawing will be! Images of Palestinian solidarity can also be included in the drawing for free if you’d like, just specify that in your message. Additionally, these drawings will likely be posted to promote this donation campaign as well as donating to Palestinian causes in general. I can either tag you in these uploads or you can remain anonymous if you wish. 

Thank you for reading all of the info for the donation commission! If you have any questions feel free to ask.

Additionally, if you want to help Palestinians but unfortunately can’t donate, there are still so many ways you can help! You can participate in boycotts https://bdsmovement.net/get-involved/what-to-boycott, do your daily click https://arab.org/click-to-help/palestine/, call and email your representatives to demand a ceasefire, and keep yourself educated by listening to Palestinian voices and learning from resources like https://decolonizepalestine.com/.

[threepandas]

Bird4Bird Part 2: Yandere Hawks

(Experimenting with tenses n povs, bear with me, will post the whole thing together in the one I/you guys like best, once it's done.)

His patrol is the exact sort of boring that he both hates and loves. On one hand? More time for flying. Freedom from the office. The watching eyes of... everybody, really. But on the OTHER hand? Boooooored. SO bored!

He's not MADE for bored!

Not that there WEREN'T distraction from said boredom below him. There definitely WERE. God, so SO many. Shiny, fascinating, fast moving distractions. ALL sorts of things to pick apart and hunt down. Rip apart and eat. And fans. So, SO many fans.

Noise and life and stimulus. Calculations and social masks.

He bet he could find a kitten in a tree somewhere.

There had to be at least ONE, rig-?

An explosion catches the corner of his eye. He snaps around, mid air, changing trajectory. Thank FUCK! Excitement fizzing even as cool attention calms him. Warm sunlight heating his back, the smell of smoke already starting to reach him, the rush of wind flying past? Is there anything better?

His eyes take in the scene as he arrives.

Botched takedown. Heavily armed combatant. Panicked crowd. He's already send feathers forward when? The combatant panics, seeing him arrive. Throws everything he has indiscriminately. Probably hoping to overwhelm him. Ha! Cute. Pointless, though.

He's already dragging civilians out of the way, when?

Children's voices. High and panicked. Screaming. The combatant had one last bomb. Is trying to run. Probably thinks he'll have to choose, as though he can't be-...

Wings...

Magnificent, powerful, WINGS. Massive and sweeping. Every feather an unbreakable shield. Catching the light, past smoke and fires, white and a brown so dark it bordered on black or grey. The patterns of a harpy eagle...

A mesmerizing golden sheen, almost impossible for anyone but those with enhanced eyes to pick up, surged from the base of them. Like the spread of smooth ink across paper, the slide of silk against skin. A glint covering those magnificent wings in GOLD.

Quirk?

No. No, concentrate. His Feather grabs the bomb from the air and flings it upwards. To explode harmlessly in open air. He catches the menace blindly behind him. Honestly, he's done far harder with far less. He can't look away.

Even as those wings, still domed up, shuffle to safety. Move ever so gently, like a grand reveal, to release a veritable HOARD of roughed up kids. Some of whom are still clinging to their savior for dear life. Snot and tears everywhere. They bear it with surprising grace.

They're... they're HUGE~

Not a Heros build, but..? Just STANDING there they look like a threat. They clearly can't help it. Clearly have made efforts to NOT look like one. Have tracked down the cutesiest Hero Merch available to slap on their body, like might help.

It's like looking staring down a pissed off alligator in a princess tiara. There WAS An Effort! He'll give her that!

His face threatens to break out into a VERY un-PR friendly, mean little snicker. It's... God it's so FUCKIN CUTE~. She's so big. Trying to make herself so non-threatening. It's never gonna work. Any PR team worth their pay would tell her to just give up and pick a different gimmick. But... but God, those WINGS!

He HAS to know her flight speed.

So he waves off the complaining newbies he wasn't actually listening too, makes appropriate noises to the appropriate people as he passes. And makes his way over. As he get closer? Oh~?

What a SUPRISE. She's getting ripped into by local law enforcement. Which, fair, she DID use her Quirk. But that's not what HE'S talking about. He didn't even see it. He's talking about her WINGS.

Well, well, well. He KNOWS he didn't just hear local law enforcement threaten JAIL TIME over a MUTATION, did he? That's an abuse of power! He can arrest YOU for that, officer~. He decides to cut in.

"Problem, officer?" He chirps.

His hand going to his new friends shoulder in solidarity. The officer jerks to attention. But the living STEEL under his hand? Jerks violently. She jumps. It's only years of training and the warning he got from his hand physically touching her shoulder, feeling her muscles start to move, that saves him a concussion.

The wing closest to him slams out like a battering ram, flicking into an extension just to force him back further. She spins to face him. Eyes locked on, teeth unknowingly bared. And... oh. Oh~!

She has a HARPY Quirk~

Cute like fangs that can probably rip through bone, eyes like his, TALONS that dip the tips of her fingers in a black so deep and glossy, ink masters would weep in envy. And the muscles. Far beyond an athlete. Not quite a top 50 hero, but better then most hero students by far. Not balanced for fighting though, those are PURELY wing and exercise muscles.

And the longer he openly assesses? The more of her teeth are bared. The bigger her wings fluff up. The more her hands spread into clawed, furious, weapons. Ready to swing at his head. Her eyes slowly lighting with aggravation and confrontational aggression.

He used to get like this too. HATED being stared at. He got it trained out of him.

He... he can't help it.

It's too cute. She's SO MAD. He knows he shouldn't. He's supposed to be a top 5 hero. The commission's golden boy. Everyone's watching. Always IS. He needs to behave himself, remember his PR training.

Don't. Do. The Thing...

He reaches out and tugs a feather. She has a mean right hook.

He gets yeeeeeelled at. Sad face. His handlers want to throw the book at her. For once, he puts his foot down. Absolutely Not. HE started that fight. HE'S the one who should have known better. He doesn't CARE if her records show she's a "trouble maker"! (That's a lie. He's CURIOUS now~. Oooooh~ What did you DO, lil harpy? Vengeance? Justice? Speeding ticket?)

They let it go.

He? He does NOT. He knows he should. This is a Bad Habit of his. No, WAS. It WAS a Bad Habit. He's BETTER then this now. There were trainers. Psychological exams. Drugs. All FIXED now! Promise! See? Doesn't even have that Endeavor collection he used to keep.

TOTALLY forgot how they tore it away from him. Destroyed it. Ha ha! He barely even REMEMBERS the EXACT Face, Name, Current Location, and Home Address of every single individual involved in THAT little incident! He's let it GO! Forgot about it, really. Yeeeep, the panic and rage DEFINITELY don't keep him up at night. The helplessness. As they took what was HIS-!!

Deeeep inhale. Exhale. Remember to smile!

So, yeah.

Where was he? Right! His Bad Habit That He DOES NOT HAVE ANYMORE. Because he's FIXED now. All better! He's just... taking responsibility, you know? Wants the chance to keep messing with her. Maybe see if he can get a glorious creature like that her very own flyers license.

Cause, DAMN. Wings like THOSE should be airborne.

God he wants to race her so bad.

Luckily~ he's hired the BEST lawyers. (Love you Tadashi~ say hi to your boo~) and the Judge? A big Fan! Yay, FAVORS! (Guess where YOUR going, little hunter? Run but you can't hiiiiide~) She? Looks SO unimpressed to see him? It's GREAT.

She's even WORSE in a suit. It's hilarious.

Maybe it's just THAT suit. God it's so frumpy. What, did she find it in the "generics weekly" catalog? She should wear armor. Ooooh, a flight suit! Something form fitting and sleeveless to show off them GUNS. Never thought HE'D get to be the one who feels dainty in a relationship, but...

Ah. Wait.

Gotta HAVE a relationship, first...

Unfortunately? Tall, buff, and gorgeous is so pissed to BE here? It's unlikely she'll notice any subtle flirtations....

He's not sure what his face is doing, but the expression is enough to make her HISS, wings mantling in a threat display.

Oh, yeah. Oh this is gonna be FUN~♡

[zvaigzdelasas]

“Cyprus will be part of this war too” if it opens its airports and bases to Israeli forces, Hassan Nasrallah said in a televised address that came just a day after Israel warned the powerful Iran-backed militant group that the prospect of “all-out war” was “getting very close.”

The comments by the Hezbollah leader are the first time he has threatened Cyprus, a member of the European Union that lies in the Mediterranean sea, roughly 125 miles (200 kilometers) from Lebanon, and which has held joint military exercises with Israel since 2014 and as recently as last year.

Nasrallah’s threat came as part of a fiery response to Israel’s warning that saw him boast of his group’s growing capabilities and threaten to “shake the pillars” of Israel if a war “were to be imposed on Lebanon.[...]

[On Tuesday] Hezbollah flaunted a 9-minute video filmed by a drone showing civilian and military locations in and around one of Israel’s largest cities, Haifa. The video prompted Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz to warn of an “all-out war” in which “Hezbollah will be destroyed, and Lebanon severely beaten.”

On Wednesday, Nassrallah celebrated the video as evidence of its growing ability to gather intelligence.

“The enemy knows that no place in the entire (state) is safe from our missiles, and it won’t be arbitrary. Everything will be deliberately targeted,” Nasrallah said in his speech.

“We have long hours of footage of Haifa, of the outskirts of Haifa, and what comes after Haifa, and after after Haifa,” Nasrallah said, in an apparent reference to a Hezbollah slogan from the 2006 war with Israel, when the group’s rockets hit Haifa for the first time.

In response to the threat by Nasrallah, Cyprus’ President Nikos Christodoulides said the island was in “no way involved in the war conflicts.”[...]

Parts of the Hezbollah footage, filmed in the daytime, claimed to show Krayot, a cluster of “highly populated” residential cities north of the Israeli city of Haifa and 28 km (17 miles) south of the Lebanese border, along with malls and high rises.

Other parts claimed to show a military complex near Haifa belonging to Israeli weapons manufacturer Rafael – including Iron Dome batteries, missile storage sites and radar sites – and military boats, ships and oil storage depots in the port of Haifa.

CNN analysis has geolocated the video to a number of locations around Haifa. Those locations include a number of sensitive areas, including at least two military installations: a base in northern Haifa and the port of Haifa. The drone also flew over the oil tanks that sit north of Haifa, the Haifa airport and several residential areas.

CNN also analyzed the shadows in the videos, which indicate the drone mission over Haifa lasted multiple hours, or took place over multiple days. The analysis shows parts of the video have been sped up.[...]

Hezbollah has claimed the video was the “first episode,” suggesting more videos would surface from deep inside Israeli territory.[...]

The release of the footage comes as Israel’s military says it has “approved and validated” operational plans for an offensive in Lebanon and made decisions on increasing the readiness of troops in the field.[...]

Hezbollah has fired more than 5,000 rockets, missiles and drones at northern Israel since October 7, claiming that its attacks are in solidarity with the Palestinian people.

Hezbollah has said in the past that it will only stop firing on Israel if Israel stops the war in Gaza.

"Opening Cypriot airports and bases to the Israeli enemy to target Lebanon would mean that the Cypriot government is part of the war, and the resistance will deal with it as part of the war," Nasrallah threatened.[...]

“Hezbollah is not far away at all. If they can target the outskirts of Tel Aviv then they can hit Cyprus. It’s not something that can be excluded,” Haritos said.

Nasrallah’s threat against Cyprus came as its foreign minister, Constantinos Kombos, wrapped up a meeting on Monday in Washington with his counterpart Antony Blinken.

“Cyprus is an important player in the region, and a partnership for the United States that we deeply value,” Blinken said.

Since 7 October, Cyprus has emerged as a hub for US special forces. US Naval Special Warfare Operators conducted joint training with Cypriot counterparts this year. Cyprus also actively billed itself as a staging ground for aid into Gaza and the Port of Larnaca has been the first point of entry for aid traveling to the US-built pier in Gaza. [...]

In the last decade, Israel has grown increasingly close to both Cyprus and Greece.[...]

Cyprus was a founding member of the Eastern Mediterranean Gas Forum, which sought to deepen energy cooperation with Israel and Arab states, amid maritime tensions with Turkey. Last year, Cyprus pushed to cement its energy ties with Israel by lobbying for a new gas pipeline between the two, MEE reported.

Cyprus, like Greece, has also benefitted from an influx of Israeli real estate investment in recent years, ironically, along with renewed interest from Lebanese investors. [...]

Israel's air force has reportedly also used Cypriot airspace to conduct a drill simulating the scenario of an Iranian attack on Israel.

But Cyprus has been cooperating with Israel on security for years.

Since 2021, it has participated with Greece and the US in annual naval exercises under the moniker "Noble Dina". They also conducted largescale naval exercises in 2023 that saw Israeli naval fleets sail to Cyprus.

Israeli special forces also train in Cyprus where the rocky terrain resembles Lebanon.[...]

Middle East Eye reported on Wednesday, that US envoy Amos Hochstein told Lebanese officials that the US would back an Israeli offensive on Lebanon after five weeks if there was no halt to daily fighting between the Iran-backed group and Israel.

“Throwing Cyprus into the mix means Nasrallah is under pressure and believes Israel may go ahead with an attack,” Harari said.[...]

In 2018, [Cyprus] signed a bilateral security cooperation statement and in 2022, US President Joe Biden's administration lifted a decades-old arms embargo on the island.[...]

Cyprus's burgeoning relations with Israel marks an extraordinary change since its independence from British colonial rule in 1960 when the country's then-leader, Greek Orthodox Archbishop Makarios III, welcomed figures like Gamal Abdel Nasser and the island openly embraced Palestinian resistance fighters.

For years, Cyprus harboured anti-Americanism over lingering frustration that the US quietly backed Turkey’s 1974 invasion of the island after a failed coup attempt to unite it with Greece. Turkey maintains more than 35,000 troops in occupied northern Cyprus.[...]

"[Nasrallah] is saying if you help Israel there will be ramifications."

19 Jun 24