#and these things keep talking and focusing on like. numbers and statistics for things i do not understand

[ff2-soda-pop]

trying to write this paper for english class is so hard because we're meant to have a draft of the Whole Thing (with all the sources!!!) due monday and i still haven't found my last source because unfortunately i picked a topic that involves having to look at sources with a bunch of words i just Do Not Understand

[why-animals-do-the-thing]

average United States contains 1000s of pet tigers in backyards" factoid actualy [sic] just statistical error. average person has 0 tigers on property. Activist Georg, who lives the U.S. Capitol & makes up over 10,000 each day, has purposefully been spreading disinformation adn [sic] should not have been counted

I have a big mad today, folks. It's a really frustrating one, because years worth of work has been validated... but the reason for that fucking sucks.

For almost a decade, I've been trying to fact-check the claim that there "are 10,000 to 20,000 pet tigers/big cats in backyards in the United States." I talked to zoo, sanctuary, and private cat people; I looked at legislation, regulation, attack/death/escape incident rates; I read everything I could get my hands on. None of it made sense. None of it lined up. I couldn't find data supporting anything like the population of pet cats being alleged to exist. Some of you might remember the series I published on those findings from 2018 or so under the hashtag #CrouchingTigerHiddenData. I've continued to work on it in the six years since, including publishing a peer reviewed study that counted all the non-pet big cats in the US (because even though they're regulated, apparently nobody bothered to keep track of those either).

I spent years of my life obsessing over that statistic because it was being used to push for new federal legislation that, while well intentioned, contained language that would, and has, created real problems for ethical facilities that have big cats. I wrote a comprehensive - 35 page! - analysis of the issues with the then-current version of the Big Cat Public Safety Act in 2020. When the bill was first introduced to Congress in 2013, a lot of groups promoted it by fear mongering: there's so many pet tigers! they could be hidden around every corner! they could escape and attack you! they could come out of nowhere and eat your children!! Tiger King exposed the masses to the idea of "thousands of abused backyard big cats": as a result the messaging around the bill shifted to being welfare-focused, and the law passed in 2022.

The Big Cat Public Safety Act created a registry, and anyone who owned a private cat and wanted to keep it had to join. If they did, they could keep the animal until it passed, as long as they followed certain strictures (no getting more, no public contact, etc). Don’t register and get caught? Cat is seized and major punishment for you. Registering is therefore highly incentivized. That registry closed in June of 2023, and you can now get that registration data via a Freedom of Information Act request.

Guess how many pet big cats were registered in the whole country?

97.

Not tens of thousands. Not thousands. Not even triple digits. 97.

And that isn't even the right number! Ten USDA licensed facilities registered erroneously. That accounts for 55 of 97 animals. Which leaves us with 42 pet big cats, of all species, in the entire country.

Now, I know that not everyone may have registered. There's probably someone living deep in the woods somewhere with their illegal pet cougar, and there's been at least one random person in Texas arrested for trying to sell a cub since the law passed. But - and here's the big thing - even if there are ten times as many hidden cats than people who registered them - that's nowhere near ten thousand animals. Obviously, I had some questions.

Guess what? Turns out, this is because it was never real. That huge number never had data behind it, wasn't likely to be accurate, and the advocacy groups using that statistic to fearmonger and drive their agenda knew it... and didn't see a problem with that.

Allow me to introduce you to an article published last week.

This article is good. (Full disclose, I'm quoted in it). It's comprehensive and fairly written, and they did their due diligence reporting and fact-checking the piece. They talked to a lot of people on all sides of the story.

But thing that really gets me?

Multiple representatives from major advocacy organizations who worked on the Big Cat Publix Safety Act told the reporter that they knew the statistics they were quoting weren't real. And that they don't care. The end justifies the means, the good guys won over the bad guys, that's just how lobbying works after all. They're so blase about it, it makes my stomach hurt. Let me pull some excerpts from the quotes.

"Whatever the true number, nearly everyone in the debate acknowledges a disparity between the actual census and the figures cited by lawmakers. “The 20,000 number is not real,” said Bill Nimmo, founder of Tigers in America. (...) For his part, Nimmo at Tigers in America sees the exaggerated figure as part of the political process. Prior to the passage of the bill, he said, businesses that exhibited and bred big cats juiced the numbers, too. (...) “I’m not justifying the hyperbolic 20,000,” Nimmo said. “In the world of comparing hyperbole, the good guys won this one.”

"Michelle Sinnott, director and counsel for captive animal law enforcement at the PETA Foundation, emphasized that the law accomplished what it was set out to do. (...) Specific numbers are not what really matter, she said: “Whether there’s one big cat in a private home or whether there’s 10,000 big cats in a private home, the underlying problem of industry is still there.”"

I have no problem with a law ending the private ownership of big cats, and with ending cub petting practices. What I do have a problem with is that these organizations purposefully spread disinformation for years in order to push for it. By their own admission, they repeatedly and intentionally promoted false statistics within Congress. For a decade.

No wonder it never made sense. No wonder no matter where I looked, I couldn't figure out how any of these groups got those numbers, why there was never any data to back any of the claims up, why everything I learned seemed to actively contradict it. It was never real. These people decided the truth didn't matter. They knew they had no proof, couldn't verify their shocking numbers... and they decided that was fine, if it achieved the end they wanted.

So members of the public - probably like you, reading this - and legislators who care about big cats and want to see legislation exist to protect them? They got played, got fed false information through a TV show designed to tug at heartstrings, and it got a law through Congress that's causing real problems for ethical captive big cat management. The 20,000 pet cat number was too sexy - too much of a crisis - for anyone to want to look past it and check that the language of the law wouldn't mess things up up for good zoos and sanctuaries. Whoops! At least the "bad guys" lost, right? (The problems are covered somewhat in the article linked, and I'll go into more details in a future post. You can also read my analysis from 2020, linked up top.)

Now, I know. Something something something facts don't matter this much in our post-truth era, stop caring so much, that's just how politics work, etc. I’m sorry, but no. Absolutely not.

Laws that will impact the welfare of living animals must be crafted carefully, thoughtfully, and precisely in order to ensure they achieve their goals without accidental negative impacts. We have a duty of care to ensure that. And in this case, the law also impacts reservoir populations for critically endangered species! We can't get those back if we mess them up. So maybe, just maybe, if legislators hadn't been so focused on all those alleged pet cats, the bill could have been written narrowly and precisely.

But the minutiae of regulatory impacts aren't sexy, and tiger abuse and TV shows about terrible people are. We all got misled, and now we're here, and the animals in good facilities are already paying for it.

I don't have a conclusion. I'm just mad. The public deserves to know the truth about animal legislation they're voting for, and I hope we all call on our legislators in the future to be far more critical of the data they get fed.

[bridgetoesoteria]

😡#@! Who is scared of you and why?😰

Honestly, I'm pretty curious to see what the piles hold. Any energy could come through. Professional, romantic, friends/family, etc. 😬

Lets find out! Piles are left to right! (idk why it's so small sorry)

HOPE IT RESONATES. PAY ATTN TO YOUR INTUITION AND HOW THE MESSAGES RESONATE FOR YOU PERSONALLY!!

Pile 1

4 card spread: 6 of wands, 5 of cups, 10 of wands, 5 of swords. BOTD: 8 of swords

Damn Pile 1. Remind me not to mess with you... For some of you, this is a person that perceives you as playing dirty. So you could have "one against them in some "won," in some way. Some examples that are immediately coming to mind would beating a romantic rival or winning some kind of sports tournament.

For others, this could have to deal with the legal system. For the Urban Tarot Deck, the 10 of wands is represented as a man in jail. So this person could be in trouble with the legal system or some kind of institution or authority. For some reason, I do not think you are talking, but maybe its because you can't? Like if they are overseas and its hard to get reliable service, if they are in jail and have limited access to a device, or you have decided to stop speaking. Some of you could be testifying against this person or you could be breaking up/divorcing.

So I used my Bold Perceptions deck and asked how you perceive this person. These are the cards that came out, make of them what you will: "How would you describe or label your style?"// "If you could bring back one fashion from throughout history, which would it be?" (Pile 1, is their fashion sense kinda unique??) If you could see a statistic or number floating above people's heads like in a video game, what would you most want to see and why? (could be a gamer, or someone who you wish you could read better) "What do you think the opposite sex notices about you first?" // "What do you notice first about the opposite sex?" (there could be mutual attraction, one or both of you could be jealous about the attention the other receives)

Why??

Oop! Okay, I see now. I think this person is afraid of you spilling the beans. Interesting that I got a message about the legal system. This does not have to necessarily pertain to the law though. I am also seeing that if you are part of an affair, they could be scared you are going to move on, or that you could expose them.

For some of you this person is scared that you are pregnant. Or there could be something to do with hiding a pregnancy. Some of you it is not that dramatic. This person could be too intimidated to approach you and get communication going again. This will be especially true for situations where you cut this person off over cheating or something. They are trying to keep you from leaving.

There are also a lot of pentacles out. The only cup card is the knight of cups, which is on the bottom of the deck after I pulled clarifiers. So this person could be really focused on stability. Whatever they are scared about ties into their stability and keeping things "under wraps", is what I am specifically hear. But what if you don't want to hear them out?

TL;DR: This is someone that is known to you, but you probably aren't speaking often. There could be an issue with the legal system, a break up, divorce, or secret being exposed. This person could be attractive and have a unique sense of style. You could wish you were able to read their mind. They are scared of you because they do not want to lose their stability or you. They are scared to reach out and get rejected but they are trying to keep everything together.

Pile 2

4 card spread: 6 of swords, 8 of swords, King of Cups, Temperance. BOTD: 10 of swords

This could be family for some of you. A masculine or male figure in your family, so a brother, dad, husband, etc. Or possibly a woman who is more masculine, but I do think for most it is an actual man. I don't think you are in contact with this person. They could have experienced an ending recently or they are under an extreme amount of stress. For some of you, this person could be depressed or struggling with something else mental health related.

There is a sense of trying to find balance with the 6 of swords and temperance. They could also have relocated. I am getting some workaholic vibes. This is starting to remind me of Pile 1... They feel like they lost something and I am getting a lot of "she left and took the kids," type of vibe. Regardless, they certainly feel alone and regretful. For some of you this person has experienced an actual loss and they are trying to find balance again after that.

I used my Bold Perceptions deck and asked how you perceive this person. These are the cards that came out, make of them what you will: "What do you think your best physical feature is?" // "What you think my best physical feature is?" (you and this person may share certain features or look alike or have feature that the other likes) "If you had to rename me, what name would suit me best?" // "What is the worst nickname you can think of for me?" (do they have a cringe nickname? or maybe you call them something else behind their back, like captain poop face lol) "Who would you invite if you threw a party and could bring any three celebrities?" // "What three would least want to come?" (you could perceive this person as being cool, uncool, or well-connected)

Why??

Some of you could be really spicy. Maybe you cussed this person out. If you cut them off they are scared this is a permanent decision. For some of you, they could be scared that you will explore other options. Like maybe you will entire your selfish era and just go where ever your heart tells you. Maybe they pushed you too far this time.

This person could have tried to sell you a dream and you are realizing you can do bad all by yourself. You could be very content on your own, investing in yourself, going out, having a good time. If you aren't in that energy already, they are afraid that you are headed there. For whatever reason, this scares them.

TL;DR: This is a masculine energy, could be a family member for some of you. For example, a brother, husband, or father. They can be someone who is struggling mentally/emotionally right now. They could tend to overwork themselves. You may have left this person. I don't think you have much respect for them anymore. They are scared of you being happier single and realizing that you do not need them. They are scared they have lost you for good. If you haven't entered this energy yet, they are terrified that you will.

Pile 3

**this energy was by far, the most difficult to tap into today!! Some of you might resonate with Pile 2, because I keep mixing them up.

4 card spread: Death, The Tower, Queen of Cups, Ace of Pentacles. BOTD: 5 of wands

So this pile does not have any strong romantic energies like the last pile, but take it however it resonates. I feel more of a friendship that might have gone sour. This could be someone that you fight with or have fought with in the past. They could be a person that is argumentative. You could be the complete opposite of them; Softer, more feminine, gentle... This person could gossip a lot. They could get a lot of attention from suitors but none of the relationships are particularly meaningful or long-lasting. They could like to compete for attention.

Wow, I would not expect a person with this energy to be scared of anyone. But I guess the loudest people are sometimes overcompensating. This could be family or someone you are very close to. They could be used to having control over you or your life in some way. This could be someone that is sad to see you leaving. I think life has definitely started to guide you to different paths.

I don't think you like this person. They could be an asshole fr! The king of swords just came out and that is my "asshole" card. Someone that is pretty selfish. They could also be a liar and harsh with their words. They could be emotionless. You could really dislike them right now. You probably want your space and to learn how to be okay on your own.

Next, I'm pulling from my Bold Perceptions deck. We are asking how you perceive this person. These are the cards that came out, make of them what you will: "In what ways do you think social media has changed dating" // "If you could be in a one-sided open relationship would you?" (this person could be some who cheats, or flirts a lot online. You know, the type of person that stays in people's likes & DMs. You could have met online. They could have tried to play you in some way) "Which emojis remind you the most of me?" // "What are your pet peeves, and what do you think mine are?" (you could text a lot, maybe never went past the talking phase, you could have been roommates) "Ask a Bold question that you have always wanted to." (is there something you want to know about them, or is this someone who you are waiting on to ask you out?)

Why??

They could worry that you are going to find something on their phone. Maybe you already have found out they are flirting with people online or maybe following pages or consuming media you aren't okay with. You could be really defensive toward this person right now. They are scared of your words.

They don't want to lose you. They may have always pictured their future with you in it. They don't want you to make any rash decisions. This person is scared of what happens if you do not accept their apology or offer. They don't want to "start all over," that probably means something different for each situation. But with the 7 of cups being clarified by the 2 of wands and 6 of cups, I think they would rather smooth things over with you. But they are aware it is possible they may have to move on.

TL;DR: Very tough energy to read so maybe this person does not show much emotion. This could be someone you consider an asshole. They could be a big flirt and could use social media to meet people. That could even be how you met. Or this could be the traits of a female friend you fell out with. This person could also be a gossip. They are scared of losing you. They are scared of having to start over if you do not forgive them or accept an offer.

I am trying to stay consistent with posting at least once a week. Kept this one a little shorter cause I have hella assignments 😬🥴

The next reading will be any one of the polls that are left from the poll. What will it be? Mwahaha

👛Tips are muy appreciated.

Ttys 😎😘

~ K

[taffywabbit]

I touched on this during a stream last night but like. the thing that's probably really confusing about Mormonism is, if it's so wildly restrictive and puritanical and alienating, why do people actually want to JOIN the religion and claim to like it and feel that it improves their quality of life?

I've talked at length before about how, like any good cult organization, the church weaponizes rejection from outsiders and a deliberate sense of self-perpetuated othering to keep people trapped in the organization and feeling like they can't trust "the world" - they're only safe and understood and accepted within the confines of this very specific and unattractive in-group who have all been messed up in the same ways they are.

but like, as much as the statistics show that Mormons don't actually get many new converts for the amount of money and resources they spend on missionary efforts (and thus have to focus on long-term retention through the above methods, and also compelling their members to have a dozen kids who will grow up Mormon, in order to grow/maintain the church's numbers), some outsiders DO join, and some members who are more resistant to the feelings of isolation DO remain in the church out of a sincere belief that it makes them happier and more fulfilled. so like, what's up with THOSE people? how do they convince themselves this horrible restrictive lifestyle that cuts them off emotionally from the rest of society is what they actually want?

well, I'm sure there are a lot of deeper psychological factors that vary between individuals, but if you think about good old-fashioned Puritans and why THEY were so focused on the constant denial of basic earthly pleasures, you can get a little insight into this. from what I've figured out in the years since I left, a lot of this religion's supposed emotional benefits boil down to moral relativism.

most people want to feel like they're a good person, and some people have a really hard time feeling like they're a good person unless they have someone who is "worse" than them to compare themselves to. a lot of Christianity in general runs on this - the more evangelical or puritanical a sect is, the more you hear them speaking dismissively of outsiders and nonbelievers and heathens, and sometimes even talking about "purity" (ew). Granny Baker down the street could be the sweetest kindest old lady who volunteers at the food bank every Tuesday, but if she's not an avid churchgoer, especially in your particular chosen denomination, then she's still inferior to you in some meaningless intangible way and you get to feel like you're special for doing nothing. that's pretty much it! Christianity for a lot of people is just about getting to feel better about yourself without needing to improve in any actual substantial ways. you read your special book, say your prayers, sit in a church for an hour every week, never ever think any gay thoughts, and boom! you're "righteous" and god loves you, so who cares if Granny Baker thinks you're kind of a judgy asshole.

Mormons, though, take this to the next level. it's ALL about moral escalation, baby. it's not good enough to just do the basic Christian stuff - you need to prove you've joined GOD'S ONE TRUE RELIGION by being even more holy and special than any other Christians, too! they think drinking is frowned upon? well not only do Mormons NEVER drink or smoke or do drugs, they don't drink coffee or tea either! regular Christians go to church for an hour every Sunday? Mormons go for 2-3 hours, plus potentially some extra meetings if they have additional responsibilities in some kind of council or whatever, PLUS all kinds of other shit during the week to make sure they're in the church as often as possible. PLUS adult Mormons are supposed to attend several-hour ordinance sessions at a temple (those bigger fancier pointier churches that nonmembers can't enter, where all the REALLY cult-y looking stuff goes on) as frequently as they're able. regular Christians (if they're kinda old-fashioned) try not to work on Sundays? Mormons aren't supposed to do ANYTHING on Sundays besides church stuff. don't buy things, don't do schoolwork, don't go to the movies, don't listen to music that's "irreverent", etc etc... at EVERY level of this lifestyle your priority is to make sure you're extra special and holy and living a more devoted life than anyone else so you never have to question if they're more kind or benevolent or accepting or, y'know, actually Christlike than you. you follow all your little arbitrary extra rules and thus win a game that nobody else is playing.

something especially funny that non-Mormons may notice is that SOME Mormons take it EVEN FURTHER, too. not content to just do the bare minimum as set forth by the church's many councils of wrinkly businessmen in Utah, they make up ADDITIONAL personal rules for their family to live by, so they can be extra sure they never step anywhere CLOSE to being morally inferior to anyone. this is why you may have met Mormons who also say they don't drink cola or caffeinated soda or any soda at all, or who don't play video games on Sundays, or who not only don't swear but don't even say substitutes like "crap" and "dang it" and "freaking". (hey guess what! I was all of these at one point! my parents gave up on that last one after a while tho lol.)

they'll often tell you these extra house rules are part of their religion too, even though they're technically not in the books anywhere... and in a way they're not wrong, because that IS largely what Mormonism is about on a cultural level. you don't have to care about being homophobic or racist or uncharitable or various other things that come with essentially just being a Utah Republican But As A Religion, because every week you get to go to a place that praises and affirms you for being better and smarter than everyone else by following all the special little secret arbitrary rules that make you Morally Invincible and immune to anyone else's judgment.

so how does this tie into why people find the church interesting and want to join/stay? well of course, a desire to always win your internal comparisons against others goes hand-in-hand with a desire to be privy to secrets and tricks and obscure knowledge that others aren't. it's not just that Mormon beliefs can make you feel righteous - they ALSO make you feel smarter than all the other dumbasses out there who couldn't figure out that literally all you need to do to be happy is Stop Drinking Coffee and also Give 10% Of Your Income To An Organization With A $100 Billion Stock Portfolio. they entice you with the promise of teaching you stuff that everyone else is apparently just too dense to comprehend, and make you feel clever and special for recognizing the Truth. it's not just a social in-group you're being invited into, it's an EXCLUSIVE CLUB full of SECRET KNOWLEDGE with HIGH STANDARDS and only SMART COOL PEOPLE get to join! if you're going through some rough times or your self-esteem is low or you feel vaguely guilty about your life and don't know how to feel better, you are a lot more likely to be ensnared by what they promise you. (trust me! when I was a missionary they literally trained us to ask questions that would help us efficiently target those people!) and then before you know it, you're isolated inside that ecosystem, normal people find you intimidating and weird, it's hard to get back out, and the church won't leave you alone if you do. oops! aren't cults fun?

[bytewire]

Your analysis-style posts make me sooooo happy!!! I'd love to hear if you have any opinions about a few of the voicelines at the beginning of the 'hope' conversation. Specifically when Robin talks about a hypothetical where the Architects have gone through a 'system update' which is why Al-An can't hear them.

Al-Ans responding voiceline just feels/sounds so hopeless? I know its probably because Robin threw out wildly differing numbers but it still gets me a little bit. Even the fact Al-An doesn't outright refute the idea, like he could actually have gotten left behind in his 1000 year isolation, that thats a real issue he might have to face..

Thank you! Analyzing media is something I very much enjoy, and I’m glad that others are getting something out of it! Here are my thoughts on the hope dialogue.

The Hope Poem dialogue between Robin and AL-AN is one of my favorite parts of Below Zero. Not only is it an absolutely classic poem, but it is also a clear show of Robin's empathy towards AL-AN. It’s part of her realizing that he isn't just an unthinking alien; it’s part of him realizing that she isn't a lesser being. It’s what ultimately drives them to emotionally connect. 

Robin, as she further explores and finds artifacts, comes to learn bits and pieces about AL-AN and Architects. Understandably frustrated with him at first, but as more details emerge, she sees that this isn't just a one-dimensional being of logic but instead a person who is isolated and in an unfamiliar situation. Someone dealing with the implications of potentially being the last of their kind. 

He is part of a race so technologically advanced that death is an unusual circumstance, and even in death their memories and contributions are uploaded to the network. Their ideas live on ad infinitum. It makes sense that he wouldn't understand how to deal with being disconnected from the collective.

Robin picks up on notes of AL-AN’s unsaid distress. His expressions are subtle, but humans thrive with subtlety. He has lost the life he knew and is thrust into this completely foreign situation. Understandably, he is pessimistic about this, so when he begins to voice these complicated feelings that come with being isolated from the network for so long, she comforts him. Trying to broaden his perspective and promote optimism even if it might be illogical. To encourage him to keep looking despite the dim situation. Her stubbornness is more so perseverance above all things. The drive to keep going even if it's hard—even if it hurts.

“Call it whatever you want if it keeps you from lying down and giving up!”

The whole conversation about hope sparked because AL-AN mentioned his feelings about being unable to discern remnants of the network. Not knowing if his species is alive or dead: Not knowing how to cope with a situation so alien to him. That feeling of emptiness he experiences when not being connected to his network. Of course, in a situation so improbable, he would be hyper-focused on everything that could go wrong. Preparing for the worst outcome.

AL-AN is used to seeing things as purely logical. Relying on statistics and probability to conduct his actions. It's drilled into him through his own experiences that it is inefficient to do anything else. After all, let’s think about what happened last time he did something impulsive.

AL-AN doesn’t have a definitive answer to the fate of the collective. He has no idea what happened and is searching for any traces. Paralleling Robin’s situation with Sam. They are so entirely different but they're both looking for answers and dealing with loss. Robin, despite everything she is already going through, chooses to console AL-AN. Goes out of her way to scan artifacts and build a new vessel he can inhabit.

Existence as an individual is complicated for him. It’s stressful having to fully rely on such an unfamiliar being, one so argumentative at times. A member of a species he does not understand due to their vast differences, but one who nonetheless is comforting in a moment of vulnerability. One that absolutely does not have to, yet because their circumstances are similar, expresses empathy.

I think this sticks with him.

Hope is human. Robin sharing the poem with AL-AN is sharing herself with AL-AN—her empathy���an integral part of who she is. It is her expressing herself in a very human way. She mentioned that Sam loved that poem. She is offering to share this raw part of herself. It’s her attempt at confiding in AL-AN’s loss with her own. To express and be vulnerable with her own grief to comfort him. A small reminder to AL-AN that he is not alone in this situation. It is an unfortunate aspect of life, but what pushes one to continue on.

He may not fully understand humanity, but ultimately he tries to connect and communicate with the only person he has left. Robin is the only other sapient being he has talked to in a millennium. AL-AN adding hope to the databank is a genuine attempt at understanding her for who she is instead of just a means to an end.

Hope may just be a survival instinct, but Al-AN realizes the impact it has on him. These emotions are real; they are important. Mimicking Robin finishing Sam's work, AL-AN seeks to get closure of his own by abiding by Robin's direction to not give up. Going to his homeworld despite all the improbabilities. To see for himself the fate of his people. Because now he has someone. Even if his species did not survive, he still has a reason to keep going.

AL-AN has found hope. Robin is a string no louder than his own. Her story is now intertwined with his. She doesn’t ask of him and provides reassurance even when things seem bleakest. Throughout everything that happens, Robin certainly never gave up on Sam, and she never gives up on him either, so he won't give up on himself. It'd be illogical. He managed to survive after so much. While the future is uncertain, AL-AN chooses to continue on that path forward with her. Robin is the personification of hope for AL-AN.

“With you, I am ready to face whatever awaits.”

[sweetlikehoneystingslikeabee]

BTAS!Riddler,Dano!Riddler,Arkham!Riddler and ZY!Riddler with Fem!Reader Flower Shop AU (Btw Happy Valentine's Day!)

"Flower Shop" - BTAS!Riddler,Dano!Riddler,Arkham!Riddler and ZY!Riddler x Fem!Reader

A flower shop au? In 2024? And several MONTHS late?! Lets do it! I'm not going to lie to you, even though I've been around for flower shop aus, I don't ever remember getting into them when I was younger? So that being said, I really hope I've captured it right!

TW: None

BTAS

His flower shop is immaculate. Neat, plants organized by category and then sub-organized by color. Has a small greenhouse focused on more delicate or rare flowers that need special care. Due to his technological prowess, everything is automated to an exact science, down to moisture readers in the soil of the potted plants. Has an eye for arranging bouquets.

He has a criminal past and managed to elude law enforcement on his path to revenge. Instead of going right back to games and puzzles, he opted to lay low. He's successful, but how successful is a flower shop that it gains renown? It's perfect for his intentions.

You catch his eye when you come in and look around. You'd noticed the flowers from the outside and felt yourself being pulled in. After a lovely conversation that made his heart flutter, he just assumed he wouldn't see you again. Such a delightful woman never seems to accept all of him. And yet... you do. You ask questions. You appreciate him and what he is. When the time is right, he'll tell you the truth.

Flowers has been the thing to bring you together. What he plans to do to show his affections will take time- He works. He plots and designs and creates numerous genetic charts. And once the time he right he reveals the symbol of his love for you- A brand new rose variety. It's color and petals are soft. He names it after you.

2022

Hyperfixation career. In this au, there had to be a special moment in which plants became just as much of a comfort area as numbers. Perhaps something about raising them and nurturing them to bloom when he was in the orphanage? Creating something beautiful from nothing. Maybe if he keeps growing these plants, something can grow inside the void in his chest... It's not his shop, but the owner likes how dedicated he is- down to Edward's complex understanding of accounting and statistical numbers that's increased profit exponentially.

He really watches you from afar in the shop at first. The pretty woman who just moved into Gotham, looking to buy a bouquet for herself. He listens in on his boss talking to you, asking general chatty questions. His biggest takeaway is that you're alone... just like him. So when you keep coming in for new flowers, he's enamored.

Very much crushing from afar and if you asked him any questions, he'd make a bouquet that's basically a love confession in flower form- Aster, gardenias, white roses, red chrysanthemum... The actual presentation is a little messy. But it's made with such feeling it's difficult to not find it beautiful; Even if you're not sure of the meaning just yet.

In this au, he'd likely only make a move if someone else was moving in on you or if you expressed interest first. Otherwise, he'd keep a lot of his feelings to the flowers... and his totally not creepy online blog he runs where he talks about injustice and numbers and now you :)

Dumb side thought, if any of these guys was a Seymour from Little Shop, it'd be 2022. Except he was probably killing people already, this is just easier body disposal.

Arkham

He's so gruff but his flowers and plants are so lovely. Really, it's the only reason people keep going in to get them from him. His shop is dimly lit other than UV lamps and the scarce sunlight that filters through the front window for the flowers that need it. It's clean but... cluttered. There's never an instance where he doesn't have dirt and mud on his clothing. Overall, it's pretty unwelcoming for a store. Even the nursery outside is well taken care of but reminiscent of a garden to get lost in.

When you bring him a dying plant that you're desperately trying to keep alive, he looks... annoyed. Hand it over. Obviously you don't know what you're doing. Why even bother buying it if you're not going to learn to take care of it? When you tell him it was a sentimental gift, he pauses. Come back later, he'll have written instructions on how to take care of it.

If someone were to snoop, they'd find that this version of the Riddler was once something of a prodigy. Brilliant with technology and numbers. Yet he was obsessive. Couldn't stand to lose. So when he did, he couldn't accept it. Some... bad things happened and he left the game. He's vague about it. Says the other person cheated. Better to leave it alone.

When you come back in with photos showing you followed every instruction he gave you and the plant flourishing... That's when he starts getting feelings. Hey, young lady, do you- Do you perhaps need a job? He has an opening and you seem competent. He can pay you competitive rates for... whatever it is you're wasting your time on now. Then you'll be close.

Zero Year

Similar to BTAS, Zero Years shop is meticulous and filled with devices he created himself to take care of the plants automatically. He hardly needs staff- yet found himself hiring in case there are clients he doesn't want to deal with. A lot of this is a cover for the hacking and other illegal shit he pulls for giggles and his own ego. It's not nearly the same grandiose level of his crimes in the comics, but it's not nothing.

He can rattle off the taxonomy of anything inside or outside the shop. Tell you the historical and cultural significance if it has any. His flower language game is insane. This results in both flirty messages that no one seems to understand in this bouquets or scathing insults the morons will never figure out.

When you show up, he's shoving away the morons working for him to see to you himself. In his mind, it was very smooth and you probably didn't even notice. In reality, it was very obvious that he was barreling his employee over to talk to you. What were you looking for, sweetheart, hm? Tulips for your mother? Congratulatory bouquet for a coworker? ...He looks slightly annoyed- Roses for a lover? When he finds out it's just for your home. Yellow daffodils, summer savory, coral roses- He picks everything out himself, complimentary colors. He gives it to you for free with a wink.

When you come back another day insisting on actually buying something, he knows he has you. Did you know that giving someone an orchid is a sign of thoughtfulness and charm? He has a whole collection of them if you want to see. Private. If you really want to pay, that's fine. But at least take your pick of your favorite color. He insists ;)

[randomnumbers751650]

I finally have time to talk about Lone Trail. I will be focusing on its depiction of science, technology and its progress. Will get a bit political, but funnily enough less than I imagined.

The thing that called my attention most in Lone Trail were the discussions on the nature of scientific progress. This is a theme that’s dear to me and the stuff I research about. It’s easy to think of scientific progress like an inevitable march forward, like an escalator. After all, we are much richer than we were before, right? Go to OurWorldInData dot org to play around with economic statistics in time – make sure to check the World GDP chart, from year 0 to 2000 and see it taking off like a rocket from year 1700.

What kind of Uncle Ted fan or neoluddite would go against that? Haha…hah…

Truth is that, although its effects are there, it’s not a clear if this is the little, neat process techbros want us to believe. It’s new and produces more, therefore it’s good, right? I could be writing this as a new wave of AI-generated NFTs pollute my algorithm.

That’s what makes the storytelling in Arknights so effective: it mashes together fantasy and sci-fi to really tell stories on the role of beliefs, technology, science and religion. The Rhine Lab saga is definitely an exploration of technology, with focus on the equivalent of the United States. During the period before the First World War, 1870-1913 (which is the one that Arknights draws most from), the world underwent through the so-called Second Industrial Revolution and I’ve read economic historians considering it the most innovative period in human history. I mean, obviously, there is an absolute number of inventions in our current age, but in relative terms 1870-1913 experienced a much larger number relative to the previous one.

The escalator narrative constructs scientific achievements as work of daring people (mostly men, but there were women like Marie Cuire), that combined science and technology to help mankind, like Prometheus giving mankind fire from the gods (in fact, one of these books is even named “Prometheus Unbound”); more than often they have to fight against the establishment. Remember Ignaz von Semmelweis? He just wanted doctors to wash their hands. Even I learned this standard narrative in the university. But that’s not the entire story.

The positivistic paradigm – of a science free of value judgements, made with the power of math – has actually helped build this escalator narrative. In reality, some scientists and scholars are horrible people. Later, I learned that Semmelweis, as much as he campaigned for the right thing, was a very arrogant person, who abused everyone around him, to the point few people went to his funeral.

Narratives focusing on one single hero are easy to sell and the ones building them are always on the lookout. Remember how ten years ago, a lot of people tried to push the narrative Elon Musk was going to create a new industrial revolution? Nowadays he’s just an arrogant loser who keeps dragging on his midlife crisis. The 1880s also had similar people like that, such as Thomas Edison.

Kristen Wright is definitely better than them both, because she is actually an engineering genius. But she’s also just like them, in the sense of unethical experiments, collusion with the military-industrial complex and being an overall superficially charismatic, but rotten to the core person. And she’s surrounded by a lot of people like Parvis and Ferdinand.

Breaking this line of reason, I have to say how much I hate Nietzsche’s ubermensch and master-slave morality, I hate Great Men theory, I hate Ayn Rand; these people are sheep who think themselves wolves. And before you say that Nietzsche didn’t consider himself an ubermensch, well, neither did Parvis and his reasoning was the same. For every person fancying themselves ubermensch, there’s a lot of those whom he’d call untermensch to clean up their messes. You have no idea of how times I stumbled upon people (especially libertarians) that advocate lower barriers to regulations that were written in blood, so that progress can happen quicker. Creative destruction works, as long as some people get “creative” and others clean the “destruction”. Deaths and injuries? Acceptable, just give them a pension (but fight tooth and nail in the court to not do it beyond the barest of the bare minimum, because it’ll lower the shareholder profit in 0.01%). Increase in inequality? Nobody will care in a few years, it’ll make everything cheaper anyway (look up Baumol’s cost disease to see how wrong that statement is, without being incorrect). I’m not exaggerating, sometimes the people saying that don’t even bother lacing it in politically correct language.

Because Lone Trail showed it “worked” – Kristen Wright broke off the ceiling over Terra and that will have consequences (especially with Endfield coming closer). The data from her experiments will advance science, the sight of a broken ceiling will inspire artists and prompt politicians to act. Was it worth it? Well, it will depend on who you ask (like, Ifrit or Rosmontis would have strong feelings), but it’s just there now. Serious history isn’t kind on this question as well – many technologies have a lot of transgressions, both legal and ethical, in their supply chain (both the American and Soviet space program come to my mind – guess who helped them); the difference between an entrepreneur and a criminal are contextual, because both are finding new opportunities of profit and both interlock frequently.

In the end, anyone can put an equation that has its uses, not mattering if it’s a good person or not. But that is no excuse to find good ethical practices. Silence saw everything with her own eyes and I’m really glad she’s leading the initiative for a more ethical science in Columbia – especially because people who are willing to break moral rules tend also to be willing to break research rules (this is why the “research” made in concentration camps is actually useless, it didn’t respect experimental rules). So I’m really glad for the Arknights writers for understanding these nuances and communicating them to the audience through one of the best stories of the game.

[lotus-tower]

covid has really made me realize that most people don't have very good risk assessment or sense of scope, especially when it comes to statistics. part of it is definitely a knee-jerk aggressive response to the word even being said, but a lot of the arguments i hear seem predicated on some kind of belief that Low Percentage equals safe, because that's how people talk about things generally.

putting aside for one moment that the percentages are most likely a lot higher than they think, and that the risk of long-term complications after catching the virus is cumulative--i think people have sort of lost sight of how unprecedented covid actually is, because it's so easy to go back to normal life. covid is the first pandemic in the age of super fast and easy plane travel. covid is the first pandemic in the age of humanity's numbers being over 8 billion.

no one is claiming that your risk of catching covid after going out unmasked just once is high (with the exception of peak season during the holidays). in periods where transmission is low, that risk could in fact be negligible. but you aren't rolling that dice once. you're rolling it several times a day, every day. have you ever played a gacha game where the odds of pulling a SSR were 0.5%? did you ever pull one, or did you know anyone who did? how surprised would you be if you were able to pull one after pulling for 10 hours a day nonstop every day? would you really be particularly surprised?

despite all this, you may not catch covid more than once a year, or maybe even every two years. if you're looking at a time-frame of 5 years, that's pretty good, isn't it? the odds of developing severe, permanent complications from one or two covid infections isn't That high. except... why would we look at time-frames of 5 years? we're in the fifth year of the pandemic and this virus has evolved fast, so the research is obviously laser-focused on year to year changes and working with the timeline that it's got. but i don't know about you guys, i anticipate living about 60 more years. do you think, knowing what we know about cumulative damage, that catching covid 60 times will be completely fine for our bodies? hell, what do you think catching influenza 60 times would do? post-viral syndromes have existed long before covid.

vaccines will never be able to catch up to the rate of the virus' mutations if they keep being tailored to specific variants, and it complicates things for developing effective treatments too. this is because this is a virus that circulates every day among essentially 8 billion people. statistically, it's inevitable that a random mutation somewhere will be successful and then begin to circulate. the fact is that 0.5% (a completely arbitrary number) of the global population is a massive number of people. it's 40 million people, more than the population of many countries. but it can be that amount again and again, because there's nothing preventing continuous reinfection.

no other statistics deals with this kind of situation. you can't use that ordinary benchmark or logic to think about covid. because this is in fact an unprecedented situation. and when new situations arise, people have to adapt and change their behaviour. but that's something that humans really hate doing, unfortunately

[foggyfanfic]

Queer Madrigals

I'm about to post a couple future!fic for Encanto, so I figured I'd take a minute to talk about my headcanons when it comes to their genders/sexualities.

The Obvious: I've posted somewhat in depth about what I think Bruno and Isabela's individual deals are, so I'm not going to really talk about it here, but yeah. Using the labels I am familiar with, I assume Bruno is demi, bi, and nonbinary, and that Isabela is a lesbian who ends up marrying a trans woman.

The Married: I mean, we can sit here all day and speculate, but the only real headcanons I got are that Juli is demi and Pepa has made out with more women than Bruno.

Mirabel: I've mentioned this, but I didn't really talk about it. Due to heteronormativity I suspect it wouldn't occur to Mirabel to question her sexuality until later in life when the Pride movement starts up. I think she's bi, possibly also demi, but most definitely not very focused on her love life (another reason why she doesn't think too hard about her sexuality). She's got shit to do and if somebody wants to date her they better speak up about it because she's got too many projects going on right now to bother with mind games. Mirabel ends up with a man mostly by coincidence, I saw somebody do the numbers and its just statistically more likely that a bi person will end up with somebody of the opposite sex (the math didn't factor for gender). I try to keep all of my headcanons grounded to peoples lived experiences, and this felt historically accurate.

Luisa: I think that if Luisa were a tumblrina she would end up being CIS+, but would have to go through the journey of exploring her gender due to societal biases. In the context of 1950's Colombia, she spends her youth hearing abuelas and tias talking about how she needs to be more feminine if she wants a husband, and struggles with that for a while. Luisa sings "I glow because I know what my worth is" and that's the sort of thing somebody says when they're on the other side of some serious self doubt, so I do think she had to deal with a bit of misogyny and body image issues. The thing is, Luisa likes the way she looks, and she's proud of what a hard worker she is, but she also wears ribbons in her hair and skirts instead of pants to work in. Furthermore, I suspect every bi person in the village, male or female, has a huge fucking crush on her because if she was a modern tumblrina people would be responding to pictures of her with that "not to be a lesbian but oh my god" stuff. I headcanon her as being technically cishet, but culturally gay due to people being people about the whole Woman with Biceps thing, if that makes sense. Once she starts allowing herself some free time, she dates every bi man in the village.

Dolores: Morosexual. No offense Mariano.

Camilo: You know how gender is a product of your culture and different societies throughout history have had different ideas of how many genders there are and what it means to be a man or woman? I think being able to turn into a woman at will would have an effect on Camilo's relationship with his gender. Like, I don't know if he would be full nonbinary, because I have never met a shapeshifter and asked them how they feel about gender, but I can't imagine he sees gender as a rigid binary. Like I said, I try to stay grounded in my headcanons, and I have zero idea what the lived experience of a shapeshifter is, soooooo...?

Antonio: I have spent a long time weighing the options here, his association with animals makes me think he would be the least traditional Madrigal, so I would like to think he'd end up in the least conventional relationship. I posted a list of headcanons where I floated the idea of him being poly, but I like the idea of him being aroace better. I stand by the rest of it, though. He marries a lesbian, let's her girlfriend move in with them, and he's just kinda there. Like, the women consider themselves married to each other and he's just some guy who talks to birds. They're his best friends and thinks he's pretty great but the only time he has sex is when him and the wives want kids, and other than that he's just vibing. I arrived at this headcanon because I love the idea of him being sorta a reverse Bruno. Like, people think he has two wives so everybody assumes he's this total lady killer, they sing songs about how charming he is, rumors abound that he can make a girl swoon with a single smile, then you talk to him and he's just some guy. Occasionally, a woman will throw herself at him and he's like "No thanks" then starts having a conversation with her cat. Do you see my vision? Anyone? I don't care if nobody else thinks it's funny, because I'm giggling at my computer.

[jonathankatwhatever]

It’s now 8 Dec 2024, and it was weird seeing how Pearl Harbor was barely mentioned yesterday. Time marches on! Another dated, sorry historical, reference. That voice of self-criticism. About that in a moment, I hope.

But first, had a huge rush of mathematics. I mistyped it to mathematicas, and I like it because that would be the 2nd person as a verb, and that’s how I feel about you, when a feeling is a gsProcess that leads End to End from a relatively current state of a D3-4 existence to an End. To start with the last, that End is perhaps a vague sense, meaning to a category of uh-uh or oh-no and worse, so from say n of horror to n-1 so the idea becomes clear enough back in the moment in which you experience. That’s the first part, that your body, the tObject part of you, experiences some Things in the moment and some Things over time, like delayed onset muscle soreness or generalized fatigue or an energized state. You can see how manic ups and downs are the gsProcess in which the constancy rotates, meaning your mood rotates along the xK, the spin of life. That spin is iterative in both directions, and both directions are actually composed of iterations in both directions at local levels, as well as iterations in one direction, meaning abelian and non-abelian groups. What happens then is there’s a balance and that balance becomes the differential, and that differential can swing widely or tightly based on the structures Attached.

This suggests a response to mania, high or low, is to shift it sideways by treating it the same as fixing the tObject, statistically, meaning build other Pathways. Oh my word, this is what we worked out in college. When I was in a mania: extraordinarily productive in the long term, but destructive in the near. Unable to do for myself because I was bound up in this, making so much progress.

The way to avoid that appears to be to choose an external point of reference, meaning use n-1 to identify a reality anchor, one that provides the motivation to keep focus on caring for self. Like Debbie. Like the cat. But actual mania, which can be visionary, will do whatever is necessary to maintain itself, because it is being generated into you, and that energy is then reflecting off the Boundary of what is being generated. For me, it’s mathematicas, meaning the experience of you in Triangulars, meaning you into Storyline where you and I mix, and you into math, which embodies actual you, meaning a Triangular connection in which you are given a puzzle and I’m given a puzzle and we both figure it out, meaning it changes as each of us changes it, and that communication is a 1-0Segment.

Oh, I wanted to talk about cardinals, maybe because I miss the birds so much, and they seem to be dying off rapidly with the climate changed. I realized that infinite cardinality issues arise because they haven’t seen yet how the real number constructs and how infinite forms exist and change. It came as an intense Metaphoric Bundle, a series of strong statements. Not like carved into rock strong, but to make the point that I had to accept what I think about the issues to be able to articulate it, for the thoughts to specify. That is how easy it is becoming to find examples: every person, heck every cat and dog, has indistinct thoughts, and specific thoughts. The cat can’t make up its mind. The dog is fearful of new things or bounds at everything, meaning the foolish dog’s thoughts have to be focused to recognize yes and no for this behavior. The cat can stall in front of you, and yet react faster than almost anything, and at high power. The ability organize that much energy in that little time and to use it means there’s a structural Attachment which connects each part of the cat’s body to the same response mechanism, and that exists as a differential.

That explains a lot of their behaviors. The differential, which is CM100 because that’s 50:50 and CM28, expresses in the neurological pathways being efficient: they’re better developed to handle this arrangement where the physical response encodes and organizes across the tObject, and with variation. So they can be immovably asleep because the state they’re in, which places them perceptually in context which allows immovable sleep, organizes as as non-response to stimulus, to the stimulus expected, which is my feet trying to find room or maybe an arm stuck in place, depending on the cat. This differential structure allows animals which hunt extremely well to thrive indoors and without hunting. Working out Attachment Theory has been wonderful because it generally comes on me as a result of applying AT, meaning it Attaches and the Attachment explains itself.

So the cat is content because its differential structure enables it to be happy as a retired hunter because the gap between its sense of now and what now should be is small. You see that in the reactions: no gap at all, and they can easily become distrustful because they react without understanding. This is of course why we see cats so tolerant with babies, and how behaviors that are helpful can enact in them and how they bond to people and places. So to develop working models of cat behavior, consider how the differential structure of their physical reactions enacts their intangible structures. So that becomes a way to explain these ideas to people, especially to kids, because they closely observe animal behavior and thus can take in these ideas without needing to have them taught in book or video form, and so they can then take in these lessons in book or video or audio form. That’s fantastic.

Back to numbers. The reals generate out of D-structure. This entire Storyline process with all its details not only makes the real line but is an End, meaning it’s on the real line, since it inverts as all other reals do into the processes that make it. So if you define the Continuum not properly but from the other direction or perspective, then you see that the CH is true and further that it is true in such a way that it is also not true, because you can in fact construct any infinity form, and can arrange them by consistency as a counting method applied to the counting methods, and all of these are generated within D-structure. This includes the poorly defined forms.

That was a weird thought but let’s go: sending someone to hell occurs in your head, not theirs, since you don’t control their minds and their iObject. I’m trying to use iObject because iThing has other meanings, like the Thing of you exists in intangible forms which are iThings, and each of those iThings contains an iObject which Attaches to the tObject through the iObjects, and thus through those maintaining a sufficiently consistent chain, meaning a Pathway, to a label for the tObject which connects to actual tObjects, etc.

I realized a few minutes ago that differential expresses that connection. And the notable personal example is my relationship to you feels the same as it always has, which means you must be the same in the ways which generate you to me because that becomes more and more true, a use of n-1, as the mathematicas develops. Example before a break is that n-1 is the flailing arm, is the rotational, is the spin, which is the differential, which fills layers, and we can see that in orbitals.

Not ready to talk orbitals at this moment. Please skip. Need more energy. Only partially joking Jo-K’ing.

Identifying Ends. Need break. Obviously.

[bllsbailey]

When the Polling Is Worse Than 'Damn Lies'

The old saying, supposedly made by Mark Twain (perhaps quoting Benjamin Disraeli), goes – “There are three types of lies: lies, damn lies, and statistics.”  

Well, statistics can certainly include polling.

And so, we have learned this maxim anew this election cycle. David Plouffe, a senior advisor to Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign and the former campaign manager for President Barack Obama, admitted that the Harris campaign’s internal polling never had her ahead substantially, and that some of the pro-Harris public polling was just atrocious.

“We didn’t get the breaks we needed on Election Day,” he said. “I think it surprised people, because there was these public polls that came out in late September, early October, showing us with leads that we never saw.”

I can’t say I was shocked by this statement. Not at all.

As all ten of my readers know, the public polling that showed Kamala Harris ahead by more than two points always seemed very suspicious to me very early on. I first talked about the “irrational exuberance” of the Democrats back in July 31, 2024, even before Harris took the RealClearPolitics (RCP) lead. I first mentioned the dubiousness of the public polling numbers showing her ahead in the RCP and the likely response bias problem on September 2. And I first wrote specifically about which public polls were suspect on September 21, when I introduced my normally depressed conservative buddy, Cameron. (He may be a doomer, but he eventually got it right.)

Now (pardon me for tooting my own horn), we all know that my assumptions were accurate. And once again, we see that the campaign polling is always going to be better than public polling because the campaign pollsters need to be accurate to keep their jobs, while the public polling can afford not to be so.    

This shows the problem of a political observer relying solely on public polling. Public polling should be just one tool that, along with other things, can be used to tell us where we are in the electoral contest. But there should always be other things that we consider for the big picture.

For me, the big thing that I focused on was the nation’s troubles. Contrary to the bloviating from Joe Biden and Kamala Harris about Bidenomics, I knew that the economy was poor and that voters were especially hurt by inflation. As any student of history knows, inflation is a killer when it comes to the popularity of governments. For example, since some lefties just love to discuss the Nazis, they should be aware that the National Socialists became popular because the Weimar Republic that existed before them had a hyperinflation problem.    

The border and the world chaos were the other two big problems in 2024 as well. Both had a direct impact on the voters, who experienced the rising crime rates (which were hidden by official crime statistics) and the criminal acts from those illegal aliens, and worried about the foreign conflicts and the resulting at-home effects of the world chaos, e.g., the pro-Hamas rioting. 

Therefore, the idea that a member of the Biden-Harris administration would ever be securely and consistently ahead in this kind of environment was always patently ridiculous. Especially after Biden had been behind Trump in the public polling consistently from September 2023 until he was removed as the candidate.

And it wasn’t like Joe Biden or Kamala Harris were impressive public figures. At his best, Joe Biden had always been somewhat of a doofus, who was liked-but-not-respected in D.C., and now was very obviously senile. (He was no Bill Clinton.) And Kamala Harris was known among even Democrats for her laziness and her poor campaign skills.  

The two also campaigned rather poorly, and they produced ineffective political ads. They talked up Bidenomics. Biden pretended he wasn’t senile. Harris ran solely on abortion and Trump being the devil. They never addressed what the swing voters were really concerned about, or did what they really needed to do, which was undermine Donald Trump’s presidential record from his first term.  

A person who understands U.S. presidential elections and knows our history well would have expected that, under these circumstances, when this vice president was substituted in for this senile president, there might be a short burst of popularity for the vice president, as party partisans rallied around her and celebrated the removal of the unpopular president, coupled with a second-look by swing voters open to the change  But this surge would not last indefinitely. To continue to build on that momentum, the vice president would be required by the swing voters to show that she was going to produce some change from the current poor situation. Harris never did.

Which meant that the idea that Kamala Harris was consistently ahead in the presidential race by two or more points made absolutely no sense.   

One further point – Atlas Intel, Gallup, Rasmussen, and some other public pollsters are currently basking in the glow of 2024 accuracy. They certainly deserve it — this time around. However, in my experience, public pollsters may get things right for a while...before they don’t, as they are supplanted by the next, new public polling wonder. I well remember when Joe Zogby was praised as such a wonder and then later, when he wasn’t.  

This is another reason to always keep in mind the political environment, and to not live and die by the public polls.

[sillypenguinwitch]

to clarify (and some more thoughts): I'm not saying there's no good wlw media, I know it's out there (albeit few and far between), but there's seldom a lot of hype around it, and that generally means that no strong fandom with fan content (edits, gifs, fanfiction, fanart, discussions, etc.) develops. And to a certain extend I think that has to do with how consumers (aka potential fans) respond to wlw media (that's a whole seperate topic in itself tbh), but it also - to a much greater extend imo - has to do with the specific stories that are being told, how they're being told and the context in which the thing exists, e.g. the marketing, cast, (not being cancelled after one season!), etc.

A big fandom is much less likely to develop around one single film or one book even, no matter how well-written, than a show with multiple seasons or a book + series/movie adaptation or series of movies. There needs to be time for the thing to spread and people to recommend it to each other (while there's still new episodes/chapters/seasons/etc coming out) and overall there needs to be enough of the thing to go off of: to get to know the characters, to inspire discussion and to inspire the kind of content that keeps a fandom going! I also think for something to focus on the main couple and romance in the way the mlm examples mentioned in my original post do, it has to be somewhat clear early on that they're going to get together and neither of them is going to die - this is not something that can be guaranteed for a lot of fictional wlw couples.

Which brings me to my next point: shows with sapphic main characters or shows that are known for their wlw couples often have supernatural or otherwise mysterious elements, which takes screen time away from romance and character development to deal with monsters or murderers or worldbuilding - almost as if studios don't think just their romance alone is interesting enough - and drastically ups the possibility of someone dying. And don't get me wrong, I loove those types of shows! Every show with wlw couples, from Buffy to Pretty Little Liars to Sense8 to Killing Eve to Yellowjackets to First Kill - give it to me! This is not about putting down those shows!! First Kill is probably closest to the teen drama wlw-couple-focused type show I'm thinking of, but even that has that supernatural element. Again, I love the show, this is no shade *at all* and I'm not trying to take anything away from any of these shows I just think it's really noticable how there are hardly any shows that are just... regular wlw teens. I think we deserve it all: fluffy romance with maybe a bit of drama and angst but grounded somewhat in the real world *and* scifi/fantasy/supernatural/mystery plots with wlw love *and* everything in between! In fact, like half of those shows got cancelled way too early, so even the shows I'm saying "this is the only type that we get" we don't even really get. Ugh.

I actually think statistically the number of wlw and mlm couples or characters on tv is somewhat similar (I feel like I read that somewhere?) but that doesn't tell us anything about the type and quality of the representation or the amount of screentime. Heartstopper has sapphic characters (more than mlm characters even?) but Nick and Charlie are the main couple. Love Victor later had sapphic characters, but the main relationships are Victor's. The focus is always clear. Studios had no issue shelling out for 3 seasons of an mlm spin off (Love Victor) of an mlm thing (Love Simon), but couldn't adapt the existing wlw spin off book (Leah on the Offbeat) into one spin off movie? Yeah... although even then it would've been contingent on the mlm thing.

I've seen people mention that the other versions and seasons of Skam have wlw couples! I buried this in the tags of my original post but I know: I've watched the sapphic seasons of Skam España and Druck (Skam Germany) and loved them, they're *exactly* the kind of thing I'm talking about - but let's not act like they would've even been made without OG Evak. And there's no shame in using the popularity of an mlm thing as a jumping off point but it's always this conditional thing, it's always contingent on something else, always a second thought...

idk, call me greedy and bitter and nitpicky, I don't care - I think I (we!) have a right to be pissed off about this. And I know these types of things hinge on so many little conditions, there are so many potential reason something doesn't get made, it's not always purely that they don't think wlw romance is interesting, etc. etc., but don't tell me there isn't a pattern. And these are only a few examples, there are so many more! And if you're now thinking: "she's asking for too much" keep in mind that people have mentioned dozens of wlw things in these tags and replies, and none of them have fit these criteria, but I can *easily* name basically a never-ending list of mlm things that do.

Again, I'm not trying to be divisive, all of the things mentioned are great, please don't be upset at me for mentioning them in this way! My issue isn't with the things that do exist, my issue is with the things that don't: the seasons or existing shows that aren't getting made because something got cancelled prematurely, the pitches that aren't being greenlit because studios don't want to give their money to wlw stories, etc. I'm not angry at the mlm things, I'm angry that there aren't also similar wlw things (with the budget and fandom to match).

And maybe I shouldn't compare mlm and wlw media so directly and just accept that there's a different style to them, idk maybe that's what it is, but should we really have to accept that the fluffy, unapologetic, teen (or early 20s) main character romances are only for (mostly) white, (mostly) skinny, (mostly) ablebodied, (mostly) cis boys? Personally, I don't think so.

Sorry this turned into more of a rant than I intended for it to be.

okay so i'm not trying to make this a ~thing~ or a hot take or whatever, but can we talk about how all the hyped up queer shows still predominantly feature mlm couples? i'm not saying there aren't wlw shows/movies or the mlm-focused shows don't also feature wlw characters/couples, just... they either get nowhere near the same amount of hype, have some other main plot, end with at least one of them dying or experiencing something traumatic, get cancelled after one season in the middle of their arc, or they're not the main couple. And that's not to discount the representation you can get from secondary characters of course but just... ugh I want a heartstopper or rwrb or young royals or skam or love, simon or i don't even know... with girls. And I know I'm not the first person to bring this up and I know it's not that simple, but seeing all the hype for heartstopper and rwrb this week makes my heart ache a little bit so i needed to say this somewhere.

[tomuchabotme]

Hmmm that’s funny I went to look at army accounts on multiple platforms and I’m not seeing what you supposedly say is true. Sources? Because statistically speaking (and numbers never lie only people) you would have to have 6 figures worth (probably more since BTS fans/army/casual listeners/solos are in the multi-millions) of proof that those statements are true enough to line up. And you stating that ALL Thai armys are doing this? Wow that’s A LOT of people I’m surprised you had time to speak to all of them, that’s a lot of hard work. I don’t know where you’re reading the math but Jimin’s numbers are amazing and steady and still climbing (well numbers that actually matter in his career and not throw aways which I find really weird you’re obsessed with because you should be more worried about what will help in his career in the long run. The history that will be with him forever and he will be remembered for but yet here you are not focused on the real things. Not surprised). I also find it funny that you say you love/respect Jimin but yet continually do the exact opposite even purposely. You never actually acknowledge the things he says and says to do. It doesn’t even go in one ear and out the other you guys literally run past the point blind to it. You guys spend more time stalking others and aligning your algorithms to hate than actually focusing on JM and the amazing things he says, does, and creates. A disgusting embarrassment is what you guys are. Faking your “love” and “respect” for Jimin and you literally giving proof of it. Talking about him and his loved ones like you spend 24/7 texting him and calling him and braiding his hair. Reality check child!

By your logic we should k i l l ALL males because SOME are bad. Then by your logic JM wouldn’t be here 😔. Also according to your logic I can say you do all sort of bad things and spread that around because just some of the people in your country did those heinous things (and yes we can all see where you come from, you’re not anonymous).

If you see LEGITIMATE harm towards JM report on the platform, report to BigHit, out them on public forms/posts, and then block. And again LEGITIMATE things not lame shit like this. This gets more things done than you constantly seeking out and stalking negativity that are probably trolls (and you fell for it). I’m so glad my feed is filled with armys being kind and working hard for Jimin and that 136,000 accounts of proof (and 3.4 million EGMT just this week) The only reason you popped up on mine because I was upping JM engagements and here you are bringing them down. Disappointing, not surprising.

Also you plan on calling out the thousands of PJMs that recently kept insulting Jimin and sabotaging him because he didn’t do what they wanted him to do? Or it’s only okay when you guys do it? Anyway I already wasted 5 minutes writing all this out spending 5 minutes from upping BTS engagements that’s more important than telling you to get an F’ing clue which is definitely wasted time since you won’t.

You don't know anything about how much I appreciate Jimin in everything he does, you really have no idea.

You have a very solid idea about Jimin's solos when in reality it is quite the opposite, I am not going to deny that there are people like you say (who also bother me) but there are also pjms that we love and give everything for Jimin

you armys want to make us look like the worst shit when in reality all we do is love and support jimin

saying i stalk people and then you look up my country?...

also why i would want to kill all men😭😭😭

i keep blocking armys, jjks, tkks and jkks who hates on jimin every day dont worry about that

[katzemda20009]

WEEK 9: GAMING COMMUNITIES, SOCIAL GAMING & LIVE STREAMING

This week's blog will take a different format because games are a fairly prevalent and familiar topic. We will talk about the game that is now leading in the Computer industry. What made them so popular?

Small note: I am a casual player who has tried various games such as PUBG Mobile, Valorant, Arena of Valour, Identity V, and others. But I'm not a professional gamer. All of the following evaluations and opinions are "personal opinions".

PC GAME

According to the "Top 10 Most Popular Online Games In 2023" list, which was updated on February 10, 2023 on the Sports Browser website, the most popular game among players is PUBG - Player Unknown Battlegrounds.

PUBG was released in 2018 by the publisher PUBG Corporation. According to Active Player statistics, PUBG have around 23.6M average daily players in 2023. In 2018, I watched a professional PUBG gaming competition in the Asia area called "PUBG Sea Championship 2018" and also a global event called "PUBG Global Invitational". The total evaluation of the organisation, the stage format, the presenter, and others is quite elaborate and monumental.

A variety of variables can contribute to a game becoming popular and well-liked by a large number of people. Here are some of the most important considerations:

Compelling gameplay: When it comes to the Batte Royale game mode, PUBG's gameplay has been built rather properly. Players can play alone or in groups of up to four. You will join with 100 other players on an island and battle for survival. The map element, as well as the random occurrence of prizes, make PUBG more appealing. Furthermore, weapons and ballistics are simulated in real life, so players must learn how to use each gun and control the number of bullets and recoil. PUBG is a game that promotes teamwork and communication.

Regular update & support: PUBG, which has a strong development staff, routinely delivers updates and helps players in order to keep the game fresh and innovative. PUBG is very interested in developing anti-cheat methods to maintain player fairness. PUBG also routinely announces new events and features to enable players experience the game from a variety of angles.

GAME STREAMING PLATFORMS

Nimo TV is a streaming platform that is similar to the previously mentioned Twitch, Youtube, Facebook, and Microsoft Mixer.

Nimo TV is a gaming-focused live streaming network. It enables gamers to broadcast their gaming live to a worldwide audience, connect with other players, and form a community around their content. Nimo TV provides a variety of services to assist gamers expand their following, such as in-stream contributions, chat features, and personalised suggestions for viewers. The platform also supports a wide range of gaming titles, including popular titles such as PUBG, Mobile Legends, and Fortnite. Nimo TV's objective is to provide a platform that allows gamers to share their enthusiasm for gaming with others, as well as to build a worldwide community of gamers who can interact, learn, and grow together.

STREAMER

Streamers are people who stream real-time video over the internet while playing video games or doing other things such as talk shows and making music. They build a following of followers who like watching and communicating with them throughout their live streams. Streamers can monetise their content through sponsorships, advertising, and contributions from their viewers.

Streamers are usually individuals who just know about the game and the operating environment on the network's platform. However, today I will show you another side of the streamer. 

MixiGaming is a Vietnamese streamer that focuses on games such as CS:GO, GTA V, ARK, and others. The purpose of MixiGaming is to establish a community of gamers and fans while also providing chances for gamers to build professions via their content. The difference of MixiGaming streamer is that he donates to charity with donations in the last month of the year from viewers and donations from his own fund. This is an annual event that will take place every year from 2020 until the present. Some examples of MixiGaming's charitable successes include:

House of Love (a home for the elderly who live alone) - Nghe An Province

5 schools (build schools for children in underprivileged regions)

Providing assistance to flood victims in Vietnam

If you're interested, you can keep up with him on two platforms: YouTube and Nimo TV:

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@MixiGaming89

Nimo TV: https://www.nimo.tv/MIXI

[everythingiaskfor]

previous

warnings: angst, college au.

you were sitting in the cafe with all your friends, talking about midterms, as most of them were happening in the following week, and how unprepared some of you felt. you could include yourself in that group.

“we could make a study group, just so we can keep each other focused without forcing ourselves too much” you suggest. “we’ve done this before and it worked, we could meet this weekend”.the group quickly agrees and starts to plan the details. you decide to meet at your place, cause it was close to everyone, in the morning so you could study the entire day. he comes in mid conversation, someone explains briefly what the topic was.

“can i come too? i really need to keep my grades up so i don’t lose my position in the team” Kagami asks.

“yeah, of course! we’re meeting at y/n’s house at 9 a.m, saturday. bring some snacks, we’re sharing” one of your friends responds. with all the details decided, the topic shifts, and after some hours of conversation, you go home.

the rest of the week goes by, you attend your classes as usual till the afternoon, and in the night you decide to stay home so you can be well rested and prepared for the study day.

you wake up at 7:30 to the sound of your alarm, especially annoyed cause you had to wake up early on the weekend. you make yourself something to eat quickly and start to organize your small apartment to have your friends over, making a place for the snacks in the kitchen, and some specific spaces to sit down around the living room. some minutes before the decided time people start to come in, choosing their spots around the house, and at 9 o’clock everyone is set and ready to start.

the studying session goes well, some people were together in a corner as they were in the same class, and the rest spread everywhere, stopping time to time to drink water, coffee or an energy drink , and snacks near everyone. around 2 p.m people were hungry, so you make some sandwiches, and after a quick break you go back to work, focused on understanding the definitions of that one class that you simply cannot understand. soon it’s night, and some of your friends start to leave. by 8 p.m another one says goodbye, leaving you and Kagami as the last ones.

“uh, if you want me to, i can go home now. like, if you don’t really have anything to study.” he says, worried to be bothering you.

“no, it’s fine. i actually am still struggling with some stuff, don’t worry.” you respond, offering a smile.

“oh, okay. but if you’re done and i’m not yet, you can tell me, i’ll leave.” he answers, now with a less tense expression.

the two of you go back to studying for another hour, and you decide that you looked at everything you were supposed to.

“what are you studying right now?” you ask, sitting beside a confused looking Kagami.

“statistics. i just don’t get the hypothesis tests. like, okay i get a number, now what does it mean?” he explains, pointing at the paper in front of him with an irritated look.

“i took this class last semester. like, i wasn’t the best, but i was approved, maybe i can help?” you offer.

“yes, please!” he accepts almost instantly, but keeps going “i mean, if that’s not a problem to you. it’s kinda late and you already did your stuff…”

“i literally offered Taiga, it’s fine” you respond, slightly smiling, trying to relieve him.

“thank you!” he answers, looking more comfortable with the idea.

you start to describe exactly what to do and the meaning of the results, and explain how to work the exercises. after almost 2 hours, he has finally got all the answers right, so you decide that it was enough studying for one night. he puts the books and notes back in his backpack.

“i’m so hungry. completely forgot to eat since everyone left” you say, putting your things back in your room.

“me too. maybe we could order something? it’s been a while since we just hung out like this.” he says.

“okay, let’s do this. you order, i pick something to watch?” you answer, and he nods, picking his phone and opening the catalog.

sometime after the food arrives, you’ve been watching a sitcom, as it was the easiest pick. you grab another slice of the pizza, pointing to the screen.

“it’s crazy how that actually happened to us once” you comment about a scene of a party, where some people flud the bathroom and just keep acting normal like it wasn't their fault. he laughs. you two start to dig up memories of your adventures of these times you spent together.

the conversation has been going for a while, you’re not watching whatever it was anymore. you’re lying on the ground, staring at the ceiling, with a lingering smile, provided by the last story told. he’s sitting beside you, looking at you. you feel a change in his gaze.

“y/n” he calls your name, facing the ground. you sit up straight and look at him. “you know we can still live moments like those, right? the fact that i’m with her doesn’t change our friendship.” he looks at you, and now you look away.

“i know what you mean, Kagami. but it’s not the same. it doesn’t mean it’s bad.” you stop for a bit. “it’s just… different.”. he looks at the wall behind you. absorbing the information.

“i just don’t want to lose what we have because of what i have with her. you know you mean a lot to me, and so does she. in different matters. i just want you two to get along, so i don’t have to choose between my best friend and my girlfriend. can you try, for me?” he explains his point. you look at your hands, fidgeting something, thinking what to say.

have you had this talk with her? that’s the first thing you think , but decide not to say. you’ve been trying to not make things weird, and reach for him. in the very start you even tried befriending her, but you realized she just didn't want to. you’ve been trying to be nice to her, but she’s always indifferent. you’ve been trying all along. but she just doesn’t want to make it easy. and you don’t even know why. maybe she’s jealous of your friendship, cause you’re close. but everyone knows you and Taiga are friends, that’s all. right? so why was she acting like that?

“of course i’ll try. i don’t want to lose you either.” is the answer you land on. you look at him. he looks at you, and smiles. you smile back.

“we have to hang out more. we’ve been too far.” he says, standing up. ”i’ll let you rest now. good night.” he continues, going to the door.

“good night. take care, and text me when you get home.” you say, opening the door. he leaves and waves walking down the corridor, you wave back and close the door.

the night was long, you decide to clean everything up when you wake up. you take a warm shower. his words echoing through your head. so he doesn’t have to choose? so he would have to think to make a choice? can you try? he’s really not seeing what’s happening?

you lay on your bed, and the good moments of the night come in taking the place of those weird thoughts. you fall asleep easily, a slight smile hanging from your lips.

next

[blindingdutchy]

share | t.holland

{pornstar!tom x pornstar!reader}

summary: you don't like to share, but Tom's going to show you what happens to stingy girls on the playground.

word count: 10,663

warnings: i consider this a part two to switch. smut, little bit of angst, fluffy ending. language. explicit warnings under divide.

18+!!! minors stay away!

warnings: mean dom!tom, slight dom!fem oc, voyeurism, mff threesome, degradation, oral (m+f receiving), unprotected sex (wrap it up folks), orgasm denial, touch denial, slight bondage (hands tied only), jealous reader + arrogant tom, some daddy + sir kink

divider

There was a familiar ache in your core as you made your way into work that day. It was a sensation that shouldn't have embarrassed you anymore considering it was in your line of work to take a beating of the sexual sort, but your blood bubbled with fluttery shame anyways because you knew it was definitely not from any job you'd done. The handprints that lingered on your skin were Tom's, as was the throbbing between your legs.

Your coworkers had grown accustomed to the funny way you'd been walking; after all, it had been months of you turning up to the studio just like this. Aching all over, exhausted, and all flustered smiles as every little jolt of pain in your body reminded you of him. Tom really knew how to keep a woman coming back for more, to say the least.

Despite the tender way you were forced to move around, you were excited to get into work that day. You'd been working on a new project behind the scenes for almost a month already, and today you were finally meeting with your favorite director and photographer to start the ball rolling. This was what you'd been fantasizing about doing ever since you'd been brought into the agency--straying away from your dominatrix persona and onto a more personal, enjoyable path.

Priscilla was already waiting for you in the conference room, bursting with energy as she always was and chatting the ears off of Archie. The two of them were sliding a few of your scribbled mock-ups around, along with more than a few stills of your naked body, and nestled so deeply into a conversation that they didn't notice the click of the door as it shut behind you. Even clearing your throat couldn't break their concentration.

"Starting without me?" you questioned, loudly, and finally caught the glimmering eyes of Priscilla.

Priscilla was practically buzzing with excitement as she grinned at you, clapping her hands once before waving you over, "(Y/N), perfect timing! So, Archie and I were thinking about your ideas for doing a cam-girl style video--"

She chattered on and on, only pausing every so often to take a heaving breathe before continuing. The more she said, the more you realized just how much work the two of them had done without you--Priscilla was already pitching set designs and potential scenarios for each video, and Archie was doing his best to help you visualize the filmography he had in mind. It was pretty hard to keep up, but you had to admit seeing their passion for the project only spurred your own to burn a little brighter.

The project was something you'd been dreaming of for awhile. A solo series of videos in the iconic style of a cam-girl; just you, your camera, and whatever you felt like putting out there for the world to see. For so long you'd been afraid to even pitch the idea out of fear of being denied funding, and rightfully so.

You'd had to fight tooth and nail to gain the backing of the agency. It had been a month of pitching idea after idea, crunching numbers and screening all the statistics of solo work so that you could propose a target profit for the company. In the end, you'd gotten the green light--but there was a lot riding on this first video.

If you failed to meet the target you'd set for yourself, the agency would pull the plug on the project and you'd be right back to the leather outfits and whining men. The thought of it urged you to outperform all the standards you'd set for yourself. You were peddle to the metal, full throttle ahead, and Priscilla and Archie's sounding board of ideas were exactly the encouragement you needed.

Archie fiddled with some settings on his camera, instructing you on a few head shots until he was satisfied. "That's it!" he cheered, "You like it? Obviously we'll work on better lighting for the videos, and there'll be editing--but I think this suits you."

Peering over his shoulder, your heart soared at the work of your favorite camera man. "Oh, Archie! That's perfect... If you'd just shown me that I'd definitely think it was the real deal." you gasped, and he grinned at you cheerfully. "How about a lunch break before we get back to work?"

The two of them muttered some hushed agreements, nodding absentmindedly as Priscilla looked over the photos and they returned to the scatter of papers and film on the table. "Yeah, yeah, you go ahead, honey." Priscilla cooed, waving a hand over her shoulder carelessly before tilting her head and squinting her eyes at one of your drawings. "Oh, what do you think about--no, that won't do... but maybe?"

With a hushed chuckle, you shook your head at the two of them and backed out of the room quietly. It almost seemed as if they were more excited than you were, but your stomach was rumbling and you needed something to eat before you started chewing on paper like a goat. Only, along the way toward the exit you paused outside one of the studios at the sound of Tom's voice.

Peeking inside, you smiled at the sight of his mop of curls bobbing--the smile faded to a grimace as you realized he was in no position to talk at the moment. You trailed a little further into the room and shot a tentative smile to one of the crew members who nodded to you, no longer surprised by your presence. Many times before you'd sat in on Tom's filming days, as he had done yours, but never before had you seen him at work with his most frequent costar.

Her name was Melaina, a startlingly attractive woman with what you were fairly certain was the world's most perfect face, and she was the star of most of Tom's work. You had nothing against her, having run into her quite a few times at work and never being anything short of pleased with her sweet and charismatic aura, but man was it hard not to feel inferior as you watched the two of them in action. It was as if they knew what the other would do before they even moved, connected on some spiritual level that boosted their chemistry to an astronomical level.

Tom's body was glistening with sweat and oil, his eyes dark and hooded with lust as he towered over her. The muscles in his back, chest, and arms all rippled with every move he made and caught the light just right, and you found yourself shifting on your feet subconsciously as you watched. Your hands twitched with the desire to push that one stubborn curl out of his face as it slid across his forehead, heavy and sodden with sweat.

Melaina gave a breathy moan that had you swallowing down a lump in your throat, her hands raking down Tom's chest only for him to swat them away and pin them to the bed above her head, "No touching!" he snapped, voice booming through the cavernous room, and you nearly groaned in sync with his counterpart. Too many times he'd growled those words to you, just like that, and the heat between your legs throbbed at the memory.

"Please, daddy," Melaina wailed, "I wanna cum!"

For a moment you rolled the name around your tongue, pursing your lips as you pondered what it would feel like to call Tom such a thing. It didn't feel right though; a sour taste compared to the deliciously sweet way sir rolled from your lips. His low, devilish chuckle brought you back to the present as you focused on the scene before you.

With a long, drawn out roll of his hips, Tom leaned down to Melaina's ear and spoke, "Bad girls don't get to come, darling."

Oh, fuck.

Hearing that name, that one little word, spill forth from his lips in reference to someone other than yourself ignited a certain flame within you that you hadn't felt in quite some time. It was green; everything tinged green in your vision like the sickening tone of the clouds before a treacherous storm. Jealousy wasn't something you wore often, but hearing that was enough to sit the crown of envy heavily upon your head.

Almost as if he could sense it, sense your turmoil, Tom's head tilted back until he looked you heavily in the eye. Your jaw tensed as he continued to push his hips harder through Melaina's cries and pleas, fingers clenching into fists as you tried to get yourself under control. It didn't mean anything.

You and Tom were nothing but friends with benefits, heavy on the benefits and light on the friendship, and this was his job. Hell, it was your job too! It didn't mean a damn thing.

His eyes never strayed from yours as that familiar pinch formed between his brows, his entire body growing rigid. He was brutal with the force of his hips, his hands groping roughly at Melaina's perfect ass and his lips parting in a silent 'o' that grew wider and wider until--there it was. His eyes locked on yours, Tom thrust twice more as a gritted laugh burst from his chest and he stilled completely. She mewled beneath him like a vixen, arching off the bed and crying, "Yes, daddy! Cum for me!"

He knew. His haughty smirk, ticked jaw, and glinting eyes told you well enough that he knew exactly what you were feeling, all the bitter and envious thoughts swirling through your mind. He knew, and he was thoroughly enjoying the way you were rooted in place under the weight of all your jealousy, your eyes locked with his and unable to break free.

"Cut!"

The sound of the clapper snapping and the director's loud shout startled you out of the strange limbo of envy and hunger you'd been trapped in. Tom muttered something to Melaina with a flirtatious grin that made your gut twist, and she laughed loudly whilst slapping a hand across his chest playfully. Suddenly, you weren't so hungry anymore, nor were you entirely interested in speaking to Tom.

You were out of focus for the rest of your day at work, earning disgruntled and concerned stares from your two colleagues who were working tirelessly to perfect all of your plans before the test shoot the following day. All of your thoughts were consumed with Tom, though, and it left you feeling nauseous. Never before had you cared much at all that he was with other women, knowing it was just a day's work for him, but seeing him with Melaina had truly rubbed you raw in the worst way.

The ache between your legs didn't make your heart flutter for the moment. Instead, each time you moved wrong and felt that persistent twinge, it made bile creep up your throat and your face burn with a mixture of bitter emotions. It wasn't that you were suddenly craving more from Tom--because you weren't, and as much as you enjoyed his company you weren't interested in a relationship.

Inferiority was a hell of a bitter pill. That was the root of the green eyed monster that was steadily taking control of you; Melaina made you feel inferior, and you hated it more than anything. Clearly he found her to be a better costar than you, considering he'd not once requested you even after starring in your own special. That was the first strike.

But, was she a better lay than you? Did she feel better, make him feel better than you? Did she talk dirtier, obey faster, and mold herself into whatever he wanted better than you? What if you weren't the only one he invited into his own bed at night?

By the time you left work the sun was setting, hours had passed, and you were exhausted from your racing mind. Usually Tom would have come to find you after he finished filming, but he hadn't and that bothered you. You knew it was probably all a game to him, a way for him to get you all riled up and tease you for it, but you weren't playing. You didn't want to play his games today, and when he finally texted you that night you left all of his messages on read with an acrid taste in your mouth.

"Ready for the big day?"

A peculiar sense of deja vu washed over you as you opened your dressing room door to reveal Tom perched on the other vanity seat, a tiny smile twitching at his lips and a twinkle in his eye. You really should have expected him to be there considering he'd been eagerly talking about watching you film for days, but after ignoring him you were more than surprised to see him waiting patiently for you to arrive. The door shut with a dull click, and Tom watched you closely.

Whatever he was playing at, you weren't going to bite--today was a big day for you, and nothing was going to distract you from your work. "What are you doing here?" you asked, huffing as your voice cracked and robbed you of your attempt to play it cool.

He just chuckled, a hoarse and airy sound, and licked his lips, "You think I'd miss the chance to see my girl touch herself for hours?"

His girl?

The words swirled around your brain the entire time you got ready, Marlena eyeing you curiously as you twiddled your thumbs quietly and payed no mind to either of the two people in your presence. What the hell did he mean by that? Why did your heart go on the fritz at those two silly words?

"Are you mad at me, lovie?" Eyes flickering over to Tom, you grew hot under his speculative gaze. Head tilted to one side, brown eyes narrowed slightly, and lips puckered in a tiny pout that made you swoon, he asked, "Have I done something to upset you?"

In the mirror you could see Marlena fighting back a smile, looking between the two of you with quivering lips as she held herself back from interrupting the moment. "No," you muttered, dropping your eyes back to your fiddling fingers, "I'm just nervous."

You didn't have to look to know that Tom was smirking, the sound of his soft laughter cluing you into the fact well enough. There was that deja vu again, your mind traveling back to that first time he'd sat in your dressing room and asked if he made you nervous. Teasingly, he asked, "Am I making you nervous, darling?"

Rolling your eyes, you huffed, "No."

Tom's eyes were all over you the moment you stepped onto the set and dropped your robe into an assistant's waiting arms. Clad in a skimpy lace negligee with nothing underneath, it was understandable that he'd be quite enraptured--never before had you worn something so dainty for your work, nor had you ever worn anything quite like the transparent scrap during any of your visits to his apartment. Even you yourself were quite enthralled by the look of it, having admired your reflection in the mirror for ages before finally joining the crew to start working.

As you soaked up the warm, tingling sensation of his ravenous eyes trailing over every inch of your body, you slowly relaxed into his presence. All the thoughts of Melaina drifted away, and you were biting back pleased smiles each and every time you acknowledged his gaze. It felt nice; it felt like it had every time he'd watched you film before, only better because now you were finally fully enjoying your project.

He hung back beside Priscilla in front of the big screen which displayed all the different camera angles whilst you ambled your way around the set. It wasn't complete, but it was enough for you all to get an idea of what the final design should be. A queen sized bed with dark, silk sheets in the center of a warmly lit stage, piled high with pillows of all sizes--already you were imagining towering bed posts with chiffon curtains framing the beautiful space.

There was one camera posted at the foot of the bed which was to be the main view point for the video. Climbing aboard you shifted until your bottom was posted over the scribbled X and leaned back onto your elbows, your knees propped up and spread wide. "How's this look?" you called out, craning your neck to see Priscilla, Archie, and Tom.

"Slide up a bit," Archie bellowed back, "a bit more--that's it! Oh, fuck, that looks amazing."

Having slid up the mattress half a foot, your head fell onto the bed of pillows that were finally within reach. From your new vantage point you could admire Tom, and the sight of him was enough to already have your thighs dampening. It seemed as if he were unsure as to where to look, his eyes flickering back and forth from the blown up, pixelated version of you to the real deal hastily.

The angle was awkward, and no matter how hard you stared he never made eye contact. It was then that you realized he couldn't see your face, at least not the real one, and a certain thrill sparked within you. Trailing your fingers over your stomach slowly, you reached for the frilled edge of the fabric and bit back a giggle as he tensed all over.

Licking your lips in time with Tom, you shouted, "Should we get started, then?"

Within seconds the clapper was dropped, and Priscilla boomed, "Test one, rolling!"

It was strange having to force yourself to look into the camera, rather than avoiding it so as not to ruin the flow of a scene. But, after a few moments of running your hands over your body and trying to get into the right mindset, your mind drifted away from the crowded room and into your own personal bubble. In there, that secret place you escaped to, it was just yourself and Tom.

Your body heated as you pictured him in place of the camera. In your vision he was bare and glistening, just for you; sitting on his heels with his knees spread apart and his hands ghosting over his length languidly. So many nights you'd laid before him like this, aching and begging for his hands to take the place of your own.

"Show me what those fingers can do, darling." he cooed, voice silky and sweeter than honey. It was a stark contrast to the dark, all-consuming pull of his brown eyes that lusted for you greedily.

Breathing a little harder, you tugged the stretchy lace further down your chest until your breasts were exposed to the chilled air. Tom's eyes glimmered, his tongue swiping over his lower lip, and you desperately wished it were his lips wrapping around one of your pebbled buds instead of your clammy fingers. Your eyes fluttered shut for a second as you imagined it; reminiscing on the sensation of his hot, silky tongue swirling around your nipples and tugging them delightfully into his mouth.

It was incredibly hard not to cry out for him as you descended further into the scenario you'd created for yourself. Nevertheless, you swallowed down all the whimpers of his name that bubbled to your lips eagerly, instead whining soft noises that even turned yourself on. "Love those pretty sounds, (Y/N)." he always hummed down your ear, scorching breathe fanning all across your neck.

The facade didn't fade as you opened your eyes again with heavy lids that begged to fall shut again. You tugged hard at one of your rosebuds in sync with Tom's harsh pull over his cock, and your back arched as you gave a loud cry. He moved his hand faster and clenched his eyes shut for a second as he groaned, "Enough teasing, lovie, show me that perfect pussy. Wanna see you cum all over your fingers f'me."

You couldn't have agreed more. Your heat was hot and dripping, your thighs slipping across the sheets a little more easily as you pooled your juices onto the mattress longingly. Tracing your fingers over the swell of your chest and down your stomach, you peeled your flimsy gown back until it was all bunched up beneath your breasts.

Tom watched with baited breathe, held perfectly in sync with your own burning chest, as you teased your fingers all around where you ached to be touched the most. Just as you finally dipped the tip of your middle finger into the slick, a shuffle and quiet laugh shattered the vision of Tom. You huffed in frustration the buzzing in your veins dulled and your hand fell limp over your bare middle.

"Cut!" Priscilla shouted, and even she sounded frustrated as you sat up and ripped your negligee back down, "That was really good, (Y/N)! Wanna have a look?"

You did, but you could barely hear the words coming from Priscilla's mouth as you took in the scene before you. There was Tom, hands cupped over his crotch like they always were when he watched you film, but this time he wasn't watching you. Instead, he was entirely focused on Melaina who stood beside him with one dainty hand stroking his arm, the other twirling the skirt of her sundress lazily.

Your blood boiled to life once more, but no longer was it out of desire for Tom. Pursing your lips, you called back to Priscilla, "No, let's just keep going." He was still engrossed in his hushed conversation with her, and you added pettily, "Might I remind some of you to be quiet on set!"

Melaina's stifled giggle turned the green hue in your eyes red, but you took a deep breathe and resisted the urge to roll your eyes. It didn't mean anything, it didn't mean anything, it didn't mean anything. The mantra echoed through your head as you did your best to keep your ridiculous envy at bay; Tom wasn't yours, nor were you his, and you had nothing to be jealous of.

You did, however, roll your eyes at the sight of Tom's devious smirk. It only widened at the action, and in spite of your wish to pretend he didn't affect you, your thigh clenched subconsciously. "Sorry, darling, we'll be quiet." he hummed, greedily soaking up the distasteful purse of your lips with his eyes.

It was harder to get back into the groove once the cameras started rolling again. Tom's image wavered in place of the camera, your mind clouded with all the conflicting emotions you were feeling, and no matter how hard you tried you just couldn't get back into that bubble. You pushed through, though, and picked up where you'd left off.

"Look at you," Tom simpered as your fingers dipped into your slick once again, your jaw slackening as you toyed one finger through your entrance, "absolutely dripping for me. Does it get you off to see me with another woman?"

What the hell was that? His words were like a record scratch in your mind, your fingers recoiling from your throbbing core in shock. Trying again, you changed your direction and drifted your fingers to your clit with a soft sigh. Closing your eyes to shut out his smirking face again, you rolled the soft pads over your bud and felt your lips part in a hushed moan.

How easy it would have been to keep them closed and push yourself over that edge with nothing but the sensation to edge you forward, but you knew that wouldn't make for a satisfying watch. So, begrudgingly, you opened your eyes again to the scene you'd created for yourself. Tom was sitting on the bed now, his legs spread wide before him to leave space for you between, and his length was laid against his thigh lazily. The tip was weeping and blazing red, a thick drop of pearly precum making your lips tingle with desire.

His hands wrapped around the footboard of the bed, gripping the solid wood so tightly his knuckles turned white and his arms rippled with unbridled strength. All that muscle, the sinewy, languid curl of hard muscle beneath soft flesh pulled taught in restraint; it was enough to have you drooling. Your fingers slipped easily from your swollen clit to your slit, and you dipped the tip of your middle finger inside with a choked cry.

Tom moaned back at you, his cock twitching as he flexed his stomach, eyes glued to the tight clench of your cunt around your fingers. "Fuck, lovie, do your fingers feel as good as mine?" he asked, "Does that pussy feel as good as hers?"

What the fuck?

Melaina's giggle echoed through the set, piercing the thickened air and startling you nearly as much as the wild turn your imagination had taken. Growling angrily, you slapped your hands onto the mattress beside you and pouted, "Are you fucking kidding me?"

"Sorry, I'm so sorry!" Melaina squeaked, sounding so genuinely apologetic it only irritated you further, "Stop it, Tom, you made me laugh."

Sitting up once more, propped up on your hands, you scowled fiercely at the sight of Tom's arm draped over her shoulders and his head dipped low to whisper in her ear. His eyes were trained on you, though, and you knew damn well that coy smirk that teased at his lips was meant for you alone. Melaina gripped the hand over her shoulder tightly as she stifled another laugh, eyes twinkling to match the beaming smile on her face.

Backing his lips away from Melaina's hair, Tom faced you dead on as his head cocked to the side playfully. Narrowing your eyes, you scoffed as he winked at you. That bastard! You flopped back onto the bed with a growl, wanting nothing more than to kick him off the set, but you refrained. You knew it would only cement what he'd already figured out within his head; it would prove that you were without a doubt, one hundred and ten percent jealous.

"How about we take five, everyone!"

You practically threw yourself off of the bed, snatching your robe from the timid assistant with a huff before stomping off the set entirely. What was he playing at? It was one thing for Tom to toy with you, but to purposefully throw you off when you were working? That was low.

Alone in the small room, you dropped your head onto your vanity with a loud groan of annoyance. So many new emotions were swirling around you, plaguing your mind and twisting your gut up into knots so tight you actually felt ill. You couldn't even begin to unravel the twisted mess to pick apart all the different things you were feeling.

There was a quiet knock on the door, and you didn't have to look to know who it was. "G'way!" you grumbled, hissing angrily when the door opened anyways, "I said--"

Tom crashed his lips to yours, choking your words and the muffled squeal of surprise that escaped you. Pushing his weight onto you and pinning you to the chair, he bit down on your lower lip until you whined pitifully, pulling away to look you heavily in the eye, "You ignored me last night."

"So? I wasn't feeling it." you retorted, the almost lie making your stomach flutter. "Is that why you're trying to ruin my test shoot? Another bullshit punishment?"

He gaped at you for a moment, his lips parting in surprise as he blinked down at you wordlessly. But, just as you were settling into the triumph of finally rendering him speechless, he sputtered a sinister chuckle and smirked. Clicking his tongue reproachfully, he tutted, "Are you jealous, darling? Is that what this little tantrum is about? Are you jealous of Melaina?"

The words of your imaginary Tom echoed in your ears, the thin flesh and cartilage heating up in embarrassment as you scoffed, "No, why the hell would you think that?"

Smirk widening, he leaned close to nuzzle his face into your ear as he hummed, "Mm, I think you're lying, lovie. I think you were jealous watching me fuck her yesterday, and today you're so bothered you can't even perform. Envy is a hell of a thing, wouldn't you say?"

His lips sucked on the tender skin of your earlobe, drawing the faintest of whimpers from your lips, and he released it with a dramatic suckle of a wet, sloppy kiss. He whispered tauntingly, "Did it make you jealous to see me cum for somebody else? To see me fuck Melaina instead of you?"

"N-no-- oh, fuck."

Tom's fingers dragged heavily through your folds, a gush of your juices immediately flooding into his open palm in response. His thumb rolled over your clit faintly, teasing the rapidly swelling bundle as he chuckled right into your ear, "Don't lie to me, darling."

That stupid name that he'd called her made you steel your resolve, stubbornly repeating, "'M not jealous, Tom. You can fuck whoever you want."

His fingers plunged into you to the knuckle, earning a loud gasp as your hands flew to his arms and clutched him tightly. "Yeah? 'S that so?" he asked, nipping the hot skin of your neck until you whined desperately, "Think I'd like a taste then, love."

This was certainly turning out far better than you'd expected. With a racing heart and a quivering breathe, you gasped, "Please, Tom." Tom's eyes narrowed at you, his expression hardening as he pinched your hip in warning. "Please, I want you to have a taste, sir."

He grinned, patting your cheek in a playful slap as he cooed, "There's my good girl. Spread your legs, darling."

Obediently, you eagerly spread your legs until your thighs were digging into the sides of your chair and shaking as you fought to keep them splayed so wide. The lace of your negligee was pulled taught and curled up over your hips at the movement, exposing all of you to Tom's greedy eyes. He licked his lips as he gazed down at his fingers still buried inside you as deep as they would go, flexing the two digits and closing his eyes as you cursed and clenched around them.

You crooned as he pulled them out and thrust them back in slowly, curling until the tips dragged over your spot lazily. "Please, sir, want your tongue, too." you pleaded, digging your thighs further into the seat as you rutted down onto his once again motionless fingers.

His eyes snapped open and he quirked his one ruffled brow playfully, "Yeah? You want my fingers and my tongue?" Tom dug the pad of his thumb into your clit deeply, pressing your button down and making your entire body spasm from the harsh stimulation, "I don't know if you deserve both, lovie. You're lucky you're even getting my fingers."

Whining, you threw your head back childishly and ground your hips into his fingers indignantly. He kept them steady, only slightly brushing your g-spot through your forced motion, and his free hand clamped down on your thigh in a bruising grip. "Please!" you begged, "Please, sir, I'll be so good!"

Your pleas molded into a shout as his lips closed suddenly around your clit, his thumb sliding aside to spread your folds open for him as he sucked at your sensitive nub harshly. Tom's fingers pulled out slowly before slamming back into you, his fist effectively punching your core and making you ache, but you moaned and begged for more. Each forceful blow pushed his fingers right into your spot, the tips curling to drag against your upper wall with every motion.

In mere moments you were seeing stars. Your stomach was tightening beyond measure, that coil winding so tight you feared you might break when it finally snapped, but you met each thrust of his hand with a jerk of your hips eagerly. His tongue flicked against your clit in rapid kitten licks, sparking your body to spasm violently each time. "I'm so close, sir!" you gasped, digging your nails into the armrest of your seat as your back arched in pleasure, "I'm gonna--"

With one last long, hard suck on your bundle, Tom pulled away from you completely. His fingers ripped away from your dripping slit and slid in between his glistening lips, that tongue swirling dramatically around the digits as he sat back on his heels much like he had in your imagination. Gaping, you huffed, "What the hell, Tom?"

He grinned devilishly, "Admit you were jealous, and I'll let you cum."

Sputtering, you spat out, "I told you I wasn't jealous."

"Mm, but I know you're lying, darling," he teased, eyes glinting playfully, "and I want to hear you admit it. You wanna cum all over my fingers and my tongue?"

You nodded hesitantly, swallowing the lump in your throat as you whispered, "Yes, sir."

He leaned in close, his nose brushing against yours and his lips ghosting over your own as he whispered, "Admit you were jealous."

Closing your eyes, you took a deep breathe. You felt hot all over with embarrassment, your skin burning and your blood boiling beneath, but fuck, you really wanted that sweet release that only he could give you. So, with trembling lips, you whispered, "I was jealous."

Eyes still closed, you jumped as his fingers brushed over your clit in a feather light touch. He pressed a slow, soft kiss to your lips that had you chasing him for more when he backed away and asked, "Are you still jealous?" One finger toyed with your slit, drawing a harsh line up and down your entrance as you resisted the urge to push further into his hand.

"Y-yes."

He chuckled, and your eyes snapped open as he backed away from you, his hand disappearing from your core. His eyes were dark in a ruthless stare as he stated, "You need to learn to share, love. Stingy girls don't get to cum." And, just like that, he retreated from the room leaving you staring after him in utter shock.

You weren't sure what you were expecting when you rocked up to Tom's apartment that night following his typical, "You up?" text. What you most certainly had not expected, though, was to find Melaina sprawled out on his sofa in nothing but a sheer negligee--nothing at all underneath. In a strange sense, you figured you should have seen it coming; what better way for Tom to torment you than to make you face the root of your jealousy?

"Mm, on second thought," you hummed, pursing your lips as you took in the woman's sensual form upon his couch, "I think I'll be going."

Turning to leave, you crashed nose first into Tom's hard chest with a muffled grunt of surprise. His hands crept around your waist in a lazy fashion, dragging the fabric of your shirt up until his warm palms found the icy chill of your bare skin. It sent a shiver down your spine, much to your own chagrin.

He pouted, jutting his lower lip out at you tauntingly as he leaned close to brush his nose along the high point of your cheek. "You've only just got here, darling," he mused, "I missed you last night. You left me all alone."

It was really pathetic how easily he broke through your walls. Despite your tireless efforts to re-stack each brick he knocked down, the feeling of his soft lips ghosting along the supple skin of your cheeks had those same cinderblocks crumbling to dust. A gentle kiss on the apple of your cheek, a fleeting peck at the slope of your forehead, one slow trail along the angle of your jaw--you were putty in his hands when his lips finally found your own.

Even as his tongue traced the outline of your lips, you desperately tried to fight his hold on you. Grumbling into his mouth, "I'm sure you could have found company elsewhere--"

Tom bit down on your lower lip, hard, and pulled until it snapped back with a loud pop that made you whimper. Yet, his eyes were tender in a way you'd never seen before as he gazed down at you longingly, whispering, "I wanted you, though."

Yeah, you were fucked.

Breathing a little heavier, you gave into your more animalistic desires in spite of the jealousy and irritation that still boiled deep within your veins. A childish, prideful part of you boasted over his words; he'd wanted you! Not Melaina, not anyone else, just you. It was utterly ridiculous.

Tom's brown eyes were warm, inviting, and curious as he waited for you to make the next move. You could see the questions bouncing around behind them; would you leave? Would you stay? But, there was a familiar glimmer of mischief buried behind the thick honey gaze that had you waiting for the other foot to fall.

Taking your lack of movement as an answer, a desire to stay, Tom pressed another kiss to your lips. Long, slow, and mind-boggling--it felt like your soul left your body with the way he curled his plush lips into yours. Already you were heating up, your body buzzing and growing hotter with desire in each second that passed.

You clawed your fingers into the hem of his shirt, scratching your nails along the flesh of his lower abdomen in a futile attempt to ground yourself. It was a frantic plea to him to hold you there, to keep you from floating away as his kiss took you to higher places. He gave a gentle hiss into your mouth at the sting, but pushed harder into your face as his hands inched higher up your back to toy with the band of your bra.

Fingers gently swept the collar of your shirt down, exposing your neck as fuller, softer lips ghosted along the line of the fabric. Wait--lips? Jumping, you reeled back from Tom's face with widened eyes to find Melaina blinking back at you, eyes blown wide with lust.

"What are you--"

Tom popped the clasp of your bra with ease, looking down at you with darkened irises. "Is this okay?" he asked, glancing at Melaina who was waiting beside your twisted, intertwined bodies for approval.

Her fingers swirled slow, tingling circles on your hip, lip caught between pearly, white teeth as she watched you with enraptured intensity. Two minutes ago, the word no would have spilled from your lips without a moment of hesitation--but now? Now, as your eyes lingered on the swollen, bitten lower lip that called for you to taste it; as you trailed them lower to admire the perfectly soft curve on every inch of her body, it wasn't so clear.

There was a supple rise of her chest with every breathe, hardened nipples poking through the transparent fabric of her dress. Rounded breasts upon a gentle, sloping waist, wide hips that certainly gave way to a perfect handful of ass and thigh, all leading the eye down the length of her sculpted legs. Melaina was like a work of art, and every inch of her that you admired sent tingles through your body.

Glancing back at Tom, you nearly moaned out loud. Her eyes burned the side of your face, but it was nothing compared to the heat of Tom's stare into your very soul. It sucked the breathe out of you and left you feeling dizzy, your vision darkening until all you could see were the artful angles of his face.

You spoke hoarsely, swallowing down the lump that formed in your throat, "Yes."

Tom's mouth parted against yours in an instant, his hot tongue slipping inside and making your eyes roll back as Melaina pressed her body against your side and latched onto your neck. Sucking, biting, rolling the soft muscle of her tongue all along each sharp nibble to soothe the tender flesh--it was an overload of sensation all at once. You didn't know where to put your hands as they both crept theirs all over your body.

It was impossible to decipher where one ended and the other began. Whose hand was that gripping your ass? Whose were peeling your bra straps down our arms under your sleeves? Who was slipping their thumbs along the waistband of your pants, tickling your hot, sensitive skin?

Moaning, you gasped, "Please!"

You weren't even sure what you were asking for, but Melaina quickly stepped aside to let Tom pull your shirt over your head as your bra fell to the floor at your feet. He admired your chest for a long moment, palms cupping the swell of your breasts as his thumbs rolled over the stiffened peaks of your nipples, earning a muffled groan from you. Licking his lips, he stepped back and waved the eagerly waiting woman forward.

As Melaina devoured your chest, you followed him with your gaze through heavy lidded eyes. He watched on with an indecipherable glint in his eyes, lips glistening with a mixture of your saliva and his own. Those long lashes fluttered as he dragged his tongue slowly over the plump of his lower lip, nostrils flaring in a sharp inhale as if he were tasting you all over again.

Her lips were wrapped tightly around your left nipple when he finally disappeared behind you, a shiver wracking your body when his fingers caressed the arch of your spine in a fluttering touch. Chest pressed warmly to your bare back, he dipped low to mix his own marks with the ones she had left behind. You dropped your head back onto his shoulder, lulling to the side to expose the entirety of your throat to him in submission.

When had he removed his shirt? The bare skin of his torso was scorching on your back, matching the heat of his tongue dipping in your collarbone in time with a twirl of hers around your other nipple. Fingers, hands, lips, tongues everywhere; your body was reaching its boiling point.

"Come to bed with us?" Tom's husky whisper directly into the shell of your ear had you whining, arching your back until your behind rolled harshly into his crotch. His length ground into you roughly, a quiet groan escaping his lips at the stimulation, "Fuck, darling, you like this?"

Weakly, barely able to focus through all the pleasurable touches to your body, you whispered, "Yes, yes, sir. Please."

You should have known it wouldn't last. You should have anticipated the shift in Tom's attitude, revealing his true intentions to you as he lead you by the wrist into his bedroom to find a dining chair at the side of his bed. But, you blinked up at him dumbfounded as he held up a silk tie before your face with a devilish grin.

Melaina stretched out on the bed with a hand between her legs, knees propped open wide as she touched herself lazily and watched you closely. Glancing at the tie, then the chair, and then Tom's arrogant smirk, you mumbled, "What is that?"

He just chuckled throatily, grinning as he hummed, "Sit in the chair, darling." You blinked again, frozen in place, "Sit, now, or I promise you'll not like the outcome."

Instinctively, your knees crumbled until you fell into the chair with a frown. He snatched your wrists roughly, twisting them behind the back of the chair until the backs of your hands touched and you whined in protest, "That hurts, Tom."

He pulled further, a sharp ache burning through the muscles of your arms as they dug harshly into the back of the chair. "Watch it, (Y/N)." he growled.

"Sorry, sir." you muttered pitifully, eyes downcast to avoid the amused smile on Melaina's face, "What's going on?"

Tom didn't answer you for a long while, taking his time to tie your wrists with the tie until he was certain you couldn't break free. Testing the restraints, you pouted as the fabric didn't yield in any way to your tugs. He hummed under his breathe in appreciation, though, stroking a finger up the length of your arm as he rounded to face you again.

Melaina sat up and leaned into the arm he reached out toward her, your gut twisting bitterly at the sight of her purring under his touch like a cat. "I told you, darling, that stingy girls don't get to cum." he restated his words from earlier, and your body burned with embarrassment, "So, I'm going to teach you to share. You're gonna sit there and watch me, and you're going to deal with it like a big girl. Understood?"

"But I--"

"Do you understand?" Tom hissed, eyes narrowing in a fierce glare that dared you to challenge him further. You couldn't miss the way his fingers twitched, the familiar sting of his palm on your behind ghosting over the skin in anticipation of impact. He remained rooted in place, though, leaning into Melaina's body that was steadily wrapping further around him.

Her lips were on his chest, leaving a flurry of angry purple marks that made you want to scream like a child. "I understand, sir." you grumbled, slumping into the seat.

He smiled, "Good."

It was as if you disappeared from the room entirely in that instant. He turned to Melaina, completely absorbed in her presence as his hands slid around her waist to grab fistfuls of her ass. Groaning, he squeezed the flesh tighter until she whimpered. Your own body ignited in shame and jealousy, fingers clenching into fists that tugged uselessly against their bonds.

The sound of their lips smacking as they kissed, wet and sloppy sounds that echoed in your ears, made you want to whine. How had it come to this, when only moments ago they were kissing you like that? Was this the only reason you were here?

You watched on with an aching core, racing heart, and sweaty palms as the heat intensified between them. There was that chemistry you'd witnessed on set--their movements so in sync it seemed as if they were connected spiritually, a perfect flow of seamless give and take. It was almost painful to watch.

The jealousy that tore you to shreds was not from a desire to be the only woman in Tom's life, though a selfish part of you did secretly relish in the thought. It was an aching, grotesque and petty desire to know that you were the best. You were jealous of the way he found pleasure in someone else, when all you wanted was to know that you were unmatched. You were jealous to feel his touch on your body, and some part of you was growing desirous of hers as well.

It was a purely physical sort of envy; no feelings attached. Or, at least that's what you told yourself. In some sense there had to be a sort of emotional drive behind it, but it was easier to tell yourself it was stupid pride instead of murky, confusing feelings.

Your eyes clenched shut as you bit back a huff of frustration. Melaina's moans grew louder, until she shrieked, "Please, daddy, wanna feel you!"

There was a smack and a rustle, and when you opened your eyes Tom had shoved Melaina flat onto her stomach. The skin of her still rippling ass was reddened in a blazing hand print, his hand rubbing over the mark soothingly. "You wanna feel daddy's cock, princess?" he growled, "Think (Y/N) deserves to watch?"

"Yes, daddy," Melaina murmured, "want her to watch. Want her to see how good I make you feel."

The green eyed monster in your head was stomping circles through your brain, screeching over the cruelty of the situation. Yet, you kept your lips pursed shut as you glared back at Tom with just as much ferocity. He wasn't going to see you break; you'd come out of this on top, you were sure of it. You weren't going to let him see that she'd hit the root of your jealousy right on it's ugly, rearing head with her words.

You scoffed, and he glared at you with a sort of intensity that made your legs quiver, but you faced his scowl head on with a ferocity of your own to match. You wouldn't let him see that she'd hit the root of your jealousy right on its ugly, rearing head with those words; if he wanted to play, then you were going to play just as hard.

Or, maybe you were just emboldened by the fact that he hadn't called her darling again. Either way, you stared him in the eye until he looked away from you with a clenched jaw and twitching hand. Your first, and only, victory of the night.

It was torture. He moaned as he pushed into her, eyes clenching shut and hands squeezing at her flesh desperately when he bottomed out with his hips buried into her bottom. Yet, you couldn't decide which method of suffering was worse; to keep your eyes opened or closed.

Open, you had to watch his face contort with pleasure and the way he interacted with her eager, willing body. Closed, you had to listen to the sounds they made and feel the way your body reacted in accordance. You were dripping onto the seat, angry tears pooling in your eyes, and your arms were going numb from their restrained position.

"Eyes open, darling." Tom ordered, and you bit back the curse that bubbled to your lips. He watched you with hooded eyes until you met his gaze, immediately blocking you out again to focus on the messy, fucked out woman on his bed. She was wailing, and you were trying your best not to join in the chorus.

He was going an an unrelenting pace, each brutish thrust of his hips eliciting a strangled cry from Melaina. She was clawing at the sheets, incrementally crawling away from him until he pulled her back with a forceful tug of her hips. "Daddy, 'm gonna cum!" she moaned, breathless.

You squirmed in your seat, bottom sliding slickly over the wooden surface from how much you'd pooled into it. "Come on, princess. Cum f'me." he urged, voice strained as he rocked his hips faster into her. The sound of skin against skin mixed with the damp sounds from his force into her slick echoed loudly through the room, but it was unparalleled to the unrestrained scream the tore from her throat.

Watching with wide eyes and strained, clenched thighs, you gasped as Melaina arched into the bed wildly. Her actions were so over the top you'd have assumed they were theatrics, if it weren't for the way you could see her physically quivering with full body shivers. Fuck, why couldn't that have been you?

Tom pulled out of her roughly, turning on you and clambering off of his bed to lean over you. His hands wrapped around the arms of the chair tightly, the muscle of his arms rippling as he gripped it so tight the wood creaked. "Learned your lesson yet, darling?" he demanded, nose to nose with you.

Nodding desperately, you gasped, "Yes, sir."

He disappeared from view, Melaina still crumpled into the bed and spent as she breathed heavily. When his fingers brushed your wrists, untying them slowly, you nearly wept with relief. Finally, he was going to touch you.

Pulling you up from the chair, Tom gripped your chin firmly as his thumb tugged at your bottom lip. "Want me to touch you, darling?" You nodded, begging him with your eyes and whining when he chuckled, "You have to earn it."

He sat back on the bed, scooting until his back was propped against the headboard with his legs spread wide. Patting the space between them, he beckoned you forward until you were perched between his knees on your own. You yelped as Melaina crept up behind you, hands sneaking up the skin of your back until they rested lightly on your shoulders, but you relaxed into her touch as she pressed a feather light kiss to your neck.

As she nipped at the skin, blossoming a new mark amidst all the ones she'd left before, Tom grinned deviously. "Let's make a deal, darling," he breathed, "if you can stop yourself from cumming all over her tongue, I'll let you come on my cock."

You squeaked as her fingers dipped down the front of your body, leaving a trail of fire in their wake as she drew nearer to where you were aching for any sort of touch. Deep down you knew how hard it would be not to finish at any sort of stimulation due to how worked up and ravenously needy you were, but if there was a chance to get Tom where you wanted him then you were going to take it. So, you nodded, "Please."

Melaina pushed you forward until you were bent over, propped up on your knees and elbows. Tom's length was straining against his thigh, and he flexed as your slightly frantic breathing blew across the sensitive skin. He reached out a hand to caress your cheek before winding it to the back of your head, pulling you closer until you wrapped your lips around the tip.

You groaned in sync with him as you felt her blow a cool breeze on your clit, your legs nearly buckling as she forced them apart with her hands. Stars were bursting behind your eyes the very moment she drew a line through your folds with her tongue, but Tom's shove against your head kept you grounded. Focusing, you pushed forward until your nose was buried in his pelvis and he moaned loudly.

Her taste was still all over him. Pulling back until you only held his tip in your mouth again, you swirled your tongue around the head and parted your lips to let your spit soak down his length entirely. You looked up and blinked at him coyly, flattening your tongue under his tip and sucking hard until he clenched his eyes shut and raked his nails into your scalp roughly.

Going down again, you gagged around him and tears sprung to your eyes when he held you there. He was choking you, but you weren't thinking about air--all you could think about was how hard it was not to reflexively clamp down each time Melaina tweaked your clit just right, sending spasms through your entire body.

You were fighting hard to keep from going overboard, your stomach twisted up in knots so tight you felt compressed. Explosive, even. He was moaning above you, dragging your head up and down his length slowly, and there were shockwaves of vibrations in your core as Melaina hummed along with him.

Finally, as you took all of him again and squeezed his thigh with your nails digging in, Tom hissed and pulled you off of him. "On your back, now." he commanded, and Melaina jumped back just in time for you to hastily slide into position. "Fuck, need you so bad, darling."

His hands were hot as they slid up your thighs, spreading your legs apart until he could slip between them and crawl over your body. "Needed you last night, lovie, but you decided to ignore me like a brat." he growled, and you flinched as he dropped to his elbows over you suddenly, "Don't even deserve to feel me, you know that?"

"Please," you whined, "I'm sorry I ignored you, I'll never do it again."

Tom dragged his tip roughly through your folds, scowling at you when you bucked your hips into him, "Do that again and you'll go back in the chair."

You froze, and he hummed in approval before continuing his teasing. Up and down, up and down, up and down, he dragged himself over your entrance and clit until you were shaking with need. Each slow rock of his length through your folds was adding fuel to the fire raging within you, your eyes threatening to roll back from the surface level stimulation alone.

After what felt like an eternity, he finally eased into you slowly. You moaned breathlessly, clenching around him and fisting the sheets in a plea for him to just fuck you already. "Fucking love your cunt, darling," he groaned, eyes falling shut in bliss, "perfect little pussy, all for me. This all mine, lovie?"

"Yes, sir." you groaned, arching off the bed as he pushed deeper against you, "All yours."

He pulled back, dragging slowly against your walls until he slipped out of you entirely and left you feeling empty. But then he forced his way back in roughly, jolting you backward on the bed under the force of his thrust. Your lips opened in a silent yell, hands flying up to claw at his back desperately.

Tom's face dropped into your shoulder, mouthing open kisses into the skin that burned like fire. He picked up his pace with a steady, deep roll of his hips against yours that made you shiver all over. Your legs wrapped tightly around his waist, trapping him against you as you gripped his shoulders heavily.

Your eyes were clenched shut in pleasure as you felt him continue to push roughly against that spot deep inside, sending sparks through out your entire body. The coil in your belly had already been strung so tightly you'd feared you'd burst at the first moment of contact, but you were doing your best to fight it off. You wanted this moment, this feeling of him filling you to the brim, to last forever.

But, Tom shuddered above you and moaned into your ear, "Shit, 'm not gonna last, darling."

He pushed deeper into you with his next thrust, grinding your hips into the mattress as he put his weight behind it. You yelped and your hands left his back to find his face, pulling his lips down to yours in a feverish kiss. It was sloppy, all tongue and clashing teeth, but it matched the desperate, animalistic rhythm of his hips perfectly.

That coil inside you was sparking now, fizzling with pent up energy just begging to burst. "Please, please, please, let me cum, Tom." you begged, and he groaned as you said his name, "Please, Tommy!"

With a sharp snap of his hips, Tom pushed off the bed on one elbow and reached his hand down to the apex of your thighs. His fingers met your clit harshly, swirling rapid circles around your swollen bundle as he stared down at you like a starved man. "Say my name again, darling."

"Tom!"

His fingers moved faster, harder, deeper in time with his thrusts that pushed you to heights you'd never felt from him. His eyes were clenched shut and his lips pulled back in a grimace, jaw clenching as his curls slid all over his forehead in a sweaty mess. He looked beautiful like that--all messy and fucked out, desperate to reach that high that you were pushing him toward.

Your legs were shaking wildly, and your stomach was burning as your muscles began to contract. It was the buildup to the explosive release, and you cried out, "Gonna cum, Tommy, yes! You feel so--oh, fuck!"

Wailing, you clamped your legs around his waist and squeezed your eyes shut so tightly it hurt. The coil snapped and you shrieked, his tip ramming into your g-spot over and over as he fucked you through your high. It felt like you couldn't even breathe, couldn't think, couldn't anything anymore. All you could do was feel him inside you, pushing through your pulsing walls as his fingers continued to rub your clit like a madman.

"Fucking--fuck!" he gritted, hips faltering, "Love it when you say my name, (Y/N). Sounds so perfect coming from your pretty lips."

You were desperate to get him there, feeling the way he was shuddering with each thrust as his body protested the exertion. "Tom, please," you begged, feeling the coil in your belly tightening up again, "cum for me. Wanna feel you fill me up, Tommy."

He slammed into you harder than he had all night, making your pelvis ache but you saw white. The world faded away as you burst into the crescendo again, your throat burning as you cried out loudly. Just when you were about to tap out and push him away because it was all too much, he rolled into you deeply and collapsed onto your chest.

So high in your own climax, you barely felt his cock pulsing against your walls as you milked him of every last drop. It was the warmth, though, that brought you back down to earth. The deep, warmth that filled you up had you sighing and sucking in air desperately, blinking up at the ceiling as Tom breathed heavily into your neck.

The two of you laid there like that for awhile, fighting to catch your breathe as your hearts raced against each other's chests. It wasn't until your vision finally cleared and you could breathe a little more freely, though, that a thought popped into your head, "Where did Melaina go?"

Tom laughed, his chest rumbling against yours as he nuzzled his face into your shoulder with a tender kiss to the sweaty skin. "Mm, don't know. She probably left."

"Oh," you muttered, "I didn't notice."

You hoped he didn't notice how you smiled as he hummed back, "Neither did I, darling."

Curled up in Tom's bed, you shivered as his fingers traced lazy shapes into the bare skin of your thigh that was draped over his own. On his night stand sat two abandoned cups of tea, growing colder by the minute, but neither one of you was in any hurry to reach for them. You were content to just lay there in his embrace, soaking up his warmth.

This was what you'd grown to love the most over the past few months of hooking up with Tom. The sex was great, the orgasms mind blowing, but the time spent just enjoying each other's company afterwards was your favorite part. It felt nice to just be close to him, to feel connected to him in a more domestic sense.

"You know there's nothing to be jealous of, yeah?" he asked, suddenly, and you craned your neck back to look at him curiously. His cheeks were reddened slightly as he peered down at you with tender, timid eyes.

Sheepishly, you shrugged, "It's ridiculous, I know."

He frowned slightly, but the crease between his brows melted as you blinked up at him with wide eyes. "Nothing you feel is ridiculous, (Y/N)," he stated, "and it's okay to be jealous. You think I never felt shitty seeing you with any of the other guys you filmed with?"

The flush on his face deepened at his confession, but you grinned. He felt it too? "Really?" you asked, trying your best to keep from giving him total puppy dog eyes.

"Really." he repeated you, snorting when you grinned wider, "And, you don't need to be jealous of anyone. You're the only one who ends up right here in my bed, like this. Only one I want to be here, darling."

You buried your face into his chest with a flustered giggle, and he chuckled as his arms wrapped around you a little tighter. In a desperate need to keep things from getting too serious, still raw over everything you'd felt the past couple of days, you teased, "Mm, I'm only here for the tea--Tom!"

He dug his fingers into your ribs, fighting through your squeals and slaps as you tried to escape him. Easily, though, he got the upper hand and rolled until you were pinned beneath him. With twinkling eyes, a mixture of emotions you couldn't read, he taunted, "Admit it, (Y/N), you're in love with me."

In love with Tom? Your mind went blank as you stared up at him, but he just grinned down at you. There was a little flutter in your belly, and his eyes sparkled a brighter at your shiver. He knew. He knew the truth.

"Nah, it's definitely the tea--"

"Why, I oughta!"