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khalidplsstfu · 1 year

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The succession finale ruined my life

The title of this essay is not an overstatement. Somehow, against all odds, three fictional nepotism babies have taken things from me over the course of one episode that have yet to return. In this essay, I will focus on that finale episode of the series.

The episode begins with audio from a news report detailing the current situation. Waystar Royco, a legacy company owned and built up by now deceased Logan Roy, is set to be purchased by GoJo, a company owned by eccentric billionaire Lukas Matsson. With this audio playing, we join Logan’s son Kendall as he heads to the office. Once there, he asks about an upcoming board meeting, which I always found fascinating on Succession. The crew’s work brings such gravitas and drama to something as mundane as a board meeting. It sometimes feels like whole seasons lead up to these characters just sitting together in a room. And the actors’ performances in these scenes are phenomenal. The way Kieran Culkin looks physically ill with fear as Logan berates him in S1 E6 feels like a mob movie, not a show about the wealthy elite.

But back to the episode at hand...

Kendall enters the office where his team waits with more bad news (Kendall getting his bubble popped is almost a cliche in this show). Kendall has lost the votes of two key parties needed to stop the acquisition of his father’s company.Starting the episode this way give the writers a chance to slyly tell us directly: “He doesn’t have it. We know you love this rich loser and want to see him succeed, but we promise, he doesn’t have it.” The audience ignores these warnings, just as Kendall ignores the staffer trying to give him a fair warning of impending doom. "I got this," he falsely assures the man who will likely be fired when, not if Kendall fails.

Then the entrance theme starts.

and then we join Lucas Matsson and Shiv Roy, Logan's daughter and Kendall’s sister has conspired with Matsson to assist in purchasing Waystar Royco so she can become CEO. Her desire for Matsson's approval likely connects to her need for validation from her now-deceased withholding father. As they scheme, the conversation turns to Shiv's husband Tom Wambsgans, who runs Waystar’s news organization, and his future role. Shiv advocates firing Tom, calling him a corporate bootlicker metaphorically and a “highly interchangeable modular part” literally. Moments later, Shiv gets a call and we have the first plot twist: the third Roy sibling has been found.

En route to convince her brother to take her side, Shiv calls Tom and shares updates, including on their crumbling marriage. Shiv seems open to rekindling things but doesn’t know how. Even expressing vulnerability, she speaks in the Roys’ calculated way. When she finally cracks and asks if Tom will have a real relationship with her, his ambivalent "I don't know" breaks her heart and mine.

When we rejoin Kendall, he is leaving cringey messages for his friend, unaware Roman has been found. Learning Roman’s location, both siblings head his way.

Roman Roy, the youngest sibling, is at their mother's house. Shiv arrives, then Kendall, and they are ready to rumble. After getting beaten up at a protest, Roman seems to have had an awakening. In his own weird way, he tells Kendall he wants out. He sees their corporate world as bullshit, Kendall as desperately trying to fill undeserved shoes, and doesn’t want to participate anymore. With messy hair and a t-shirt instead of a suit, chilling at mom’s house, his contrast to his polished siblings is subtle but loud. Kudos to him for being over it all.

I won’t delve too deeply into the great Tom and Greg relationship here, so back to the siblings sitting together. This time it’s closer to sibling chatter than rumbling. Roman expresses wishing he could help both, while Shiv is confident she’s on the winning team. She tells them not to make this a reason for her future kids to lose their uncles. “Take it like men,” she arrogantly says, “because I won.”

In the very next scene, we learn Shiv is “pulling a Kendall.” Tom attends a tense dinner with Matsson, feeling his head is on the chopping block. This was a masterclass in Tom Wambsgans. He kowtows completely to be the ultimate corporate tool, and what does it get him?

The fucking CEO job offer, right under Shiv’s nose.

This was the first moment I ever considered someone besides a Roy becoming CEO. Here, a small-town buffoon proves hungrier and more capable than those born for it, which absolutely gutted me. Some things should be sacred, like a man’s birthright. If Kendall or Roman can’t have it, at least Shiv would through cunning. That would be appalling yet understandable given the stakes. But imagining Kendall futilely resenting his father until death without achieving his life’s mission? We must imagine Sisyphus happy.

Remember that Tom-Greg dynamic? Tom brought Greg, who sneakily got intel on Matsson snubbing Shiv using a translation app, then reported it to Kendall at the family dinner table. Before the bombshell, Greg nervously asks Kendall from the bathroom:

“Can you guys win?”

Kendall swiftly springs into action upon learning Matsson is trying to screw over Shiv, who doubts it initially then realizes it's true. Suddenly, the Roys unite like Voltron, full of fire and brimstone to stop the company sale through calls and plots. Cue “The Boys Are Back in Town”

In the next scenes, we get some of the finest family relationship development i've ever seen in media, as the Roys actually bond and enjoy each other’s company for once, like a real family. From preparing a “Meal Fit for a King” to conversing with their mother, this new dynamic humanized them. They depart as a cohesive Roy Voltron.

First stop is getting cherished items from Logan’s possessions, where we see the conclusion of Connor’s storyline. His prostitute wife very likely used him for money, and they’re splitting after a two-week marriage. RIP Connor. As they sort through Logan’s things, they share a somber moment watching home videos and silently grieving together, a surprisingly human moment. Afterward, Tom drops the bomb on Shiv about being offered CEO. Shiv reacts typically, calling Tom an “empty suit” with the man himself mere feet away. The hurt on both their faces is palpable.

The battle lines are drawn with 20 minutes left in the finale.

For context, when I started Succession, I assumed I knew how it would go. Kendall Roy would rightfully become CEO after learning tough lessons. I related to him, so when he humbly asked his siblings’ blessing before taking his father’s seat, it felt real.

Much happens in these gripping final minutes that I won’t delve into here. Please watch the brilliant finale and podcast for the full emotional weight. We fast forward to the pivotal board meeting and shareholder vote.

Kendall confidently walks in ready to claim his birthright, all charm and politics. After pleasantries, he demands that approving the deal requires firing him first. He pushes for an immediate vote, and quick no’s sound off until Shiv’s turn, when she walks out. When questioned by her bewildered brothers, she utters Kendall’s worst fear:

“Uh, I might’ve changed my mind.”

“What the fuck?” Kendall replies.

In the last 15 minutes, I watched my favorite fictional family implode. From rehashing past wounds to Kendall lying about a big secret to the childish fighting, this was clearly the point of no return that severs the family indefinitely.

In the end, they sell the company. Tom assumes the CEO role. Kendall grapples with suicide by a river. Roman grabs a drink at a bar. Shiv becomes a CEO’s wife. Nobody got what they wanted except the corporate yes-man. And yet...

Seven stars on the high-speed scale for this devastating finale.

#succession #kendall roy #shiv roy #stewy #tom wambsgans

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jeniffercheck · 8 months

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tw // but you are the shivpert to ME and I was wondering what you think about the scene early in season 1 with logan and shiv when she goes to visit him and he's delirious and moves her hand down. I know a lot of fandom people don't consider the early season 1 stuff canon because so much was still being figured out but I would love to hear what you think

aw omg i'm honored to be your shivpert, there are so many in our fandom i feel like i am always learning something new from someone else 😭

light TW for SA (not talking about anything outside of the canon of the show) and of course i'll tag it as well -- but this topic is actually really interesting to me, and i've been meaning to think about it more just with myself LMFAO. i can see where a lot of people are coming from when they think these small moments in s1 don't count toward the rest of the show, but i actually do consider them really integral and informative for a lot of things they get into later on!!

that scene, shiv x roman's date rape by calvin klein scene (one of my favorite jokes of the whole show Pilot you will always be famous), and kendall getting a boner for rava in the hospital in s1 all stand out to me as kind of scenes of the same vein. i do believe to a certain extent that Succ was trying to live up to the HBO raunch, and the show seemed a lottt more interested in sex as a plot point then, (the shivnate car sex?????), but that's not to say it was just "needless," because i don't think it was excessive even if the tone is a little bit different than the rest of the show.

that moment with shiv, to me, is the earliest defining moment of shiv's entire "fuck around and find out" arc, and i honestly think that even IF s1 had the same tone as 2-4, they might leave that scene in. it was such an earnest display of the way that her stubbornness/honest efforts always blow up in her face and it's not all that different to her other standout moments in the show, ie. tern haven, the "would you stop buzzing in my ear" at the shareholder meeting, the s3 finale, 'rape me' speech at waystar, argestes panel, etc. etc. etc. -- also all culminating in voting TOM as CEO, which was not her plan when she negotiated a board seat for herself!!

succession at its core is just soooo wild, and that scene was very wild (i would argue kendall's boner at the hospital to be one of their bolder choices i will say) and i do also have more (and different) thoughts about the sexualization of shiv roy, BUTTT like i said above, i think the point of it was to be jarring, (and the jarring part about it is that when you get to that point of that episode, you're not really used to succession's antics yet, so they start at 100 instead of 0) and really show in one isolated incident, Shiv Roy's dedication to fucking around and finding out<33 it's so HER like truly only that would happen to her 😭

[as an aside: i do think it's very interesting under the context of shiv's sexualization as well, especially with all of the slut jokes aimed at her in season 1, and the focus on her promiscuity and obvious daddy issues, but i think it's more intentional symbolism than maybe people like to give it credit for]

#i hope this makes sense #marcia easily could've said 'hey shiv he's been acting a little weird' instead of making shiv think she's got him as a meat puppet up there #but then we wouldn't have had the drama #i love this show #and shiv<333 #answered #tw sa

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aion-rsa · 3 years

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Doctor Who: Perfect 10? How Fandom Forgets the Dark Side of David Tennant’s Doctor

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As recently as September 2020 David Tennant topped a Radio Times poll of favourite Doctors. He beat Tom Baker in a 2006 Doctor Who Magazine poll, and was voted the best TV character of the 21st Century by the readers of Digital Spy. He was the Doctor during one of Doctor Who‘s critical and commercial peaks, bringing in consistently high ratings and a Christmas day audience of 13.31 million for ‘Voyage of the Damned’, and 12.27 million for his final episode, ‘The End of Time – Part Two’. He is the only other Doctor who challenges Tom Baker in terms of associated iconography, even being part of the Christmas idents on BBC One as his final episodes were broadcast. Put simply, the Tenth Doctor is ‘My Doctor’ for a huge swathe of people and David Tennant in a brown coat will be the image they think of when Doctor Who is mentioned.

In articles to accompany these fan polls, Tennant’s Doctor is described as ‘amiable’ in contrast to his predecessor Christopher Eccleston’s dark take on the character. Ten is ‘down-to-earth’, ‘romantic’, ‘sweeter’, ‘more light-hearted’ and the Doctor you’d most want to invite you on board the TARDIS. That’s interesting in some respects, because the Tenth Doctor is very much a Jekyll and Hyde character. He’s handsome, he’s charismatic, and travelling with him can be addictively fun, but he is also casually cruel, harshly dismissive, and lacking in self-awareness. His ego wants feeding, and once fed, can have destructive results.

That tension in the character isn’t due to bad writing or acting. Quite the contrary. Most Doctors have an element of unpleasantness to their behaviour. Ever since the First Doctor kidnapped Ian and Barbara, the character has been moving away from the entitled snob we met him as, but can never escape it completely.

Six and Twelve were both written to be especially abrasive, then soften as time went on (with Colin Baker having to do this through Big Finish audio plays rather than on telly). A significant difference between Twelve and Ten, though, is that Twelve questions himself more. Ten, to the very end, seems to believe his own hype.

The Tenth Doctor’s duality is apparent from his first full appearance in 2005’s ‘The Christmas Invasion’. Having quoted The Lion King and fearlessly ambled through the Sycorax ship in a dressing gown, he seems the picture of bonhomie, that lighter and amiable character shining through. Then he kills their leader. True, it was in self-defence, but it was lethal force that may not have been necessary. Then he immediately topples the British Prime Minister for a not dissimilar act of aggression. Immediately we see the Tenth Doctor’s potential for violence and moral grey areas. He’s still the same man who considered braining someone with a rock in ‘An Unearthly Child’.

Teamed with Rose Tyler, a companion of similar status to Tennant’s Doctor, they blazed their way through time and space with a level of confidence that bordered on entitlement, and a love that manifested itself negatively on the people surrounding them. The most obvious example in Series 2 is ‘Tooth and Claw’, where Russell T. Davies has them react to horror and carnage in the manner of excited tourists who’ve just seen a celebrity. This aloof detachment results in Queen Victoria establishing the Torchwood institute that will eventually split them apart. We see their blinkers on again in ‘Rise of the Cybermen’, when they take Mickey for granted. Rose and the Doctor skip along the dividing line between romance and hubris.

Then, in a Christmassy romp where the Doctor is grieving the loss of Rose, he commits genocide and Donna Noble sucker punches him with ‘I think you need somebody to stop you’. Well-meaning as this statement is, the Doctor treats it as a reason to reduce his next companion to a function rather than a person. Martha Jones is there to stop the Doctor, as far as he’s concerned. She’s a rebound companion. Martha is in love with him, and though he respects her, she’s also something of a prop.

This is the series in which the Doctor becomes human in order to escape the Family of Blood (adapted from a book in which he becomes human in order to understand his companion’s grief, not realising anyone is after him), and is culpable for all the death that follows in his wake. Martha puts up with a position as a servant and with regular racist abuse on her travels with this man, before finally realising at the end of the series that she needs to get out of the relationship. For a rebound companion, Martha withstands a hell of a lot, mostly caused by the Doctor’s failings.

Why David Tennant Lost Hannibal Role According to Bryan Fuller

By Kirsten Howard

Staged: BBC Comedy Confirms Sheen & Tennant’s Double-Act Greatness

By Louisa Mellor

Series 4 develops the Doctor further, putting the Tenth’s Doctor’s flaws in the foreground more clearly. Donna is now travelling with him, and simply calls him out on his behaviour more than Rose or Martha did. Nonetheless the Doctor ploughs on, and in ‘Midnight’ we see him reduced to desperate and ugly pleas about how clever he is when he’s put in a situation he can’t talk himself out of.

Rose has also become more Doctor-like while trapped in another reality, and brutally tells Donna that she’s going to have to die in order to return to the original timeline (just as the Doctor tells Donna she’s going to have to lose her memories of travelling with him in order to live her previous life, even as she clearly asks him not to – and how long did the Doctor know he would have to do this for? It’s not like he’s surprised when Donna starts glitching). Tied into this is the Doctor’s belief in his own legend. In ‘The Doctor’s Daughter’ he holds a gun to Cobb’s head, then withdraws it and asks that they start a society based on the morals of his actions. You know, like a well-adjusted person does.

What’s interesting here is that despite presenting himself as ‘a man who never would’, the Doctor is a man who absolutely would. We’ve seen him do it. Even the Tenth Doctor, so keen to live up to the absolute moral ideals he espouses, killed the Sycorax leader and the Krillitanes, drove the Cybermen to die of despair, brought the Family of Blood to a quiet village and then disposed of them personally. But Tennant doesn’t play this as a useful lie, he plays it as something the Doctor absolutely believes in that moment, that he is a man who would not kill even as his daughter lies dead. It’s why his picking up a gun in ‘The End of Time’ has such impact. And it makes some sense that the Tenth Doctor would reject violence following a predecessor who regenerated after refusing to commit another double-genocide.

In the series finale ‘Journey’s End‘, Davros accuses the Doctor of turning his friends into weapons. This is because the Doctor’s friends have used weapons against the Daleks who – and I can’t stress this enough – are about to kill everyone in the entire universe. Fighting back against them seems pretty rational. Also – and again I can’t stress this enough – the Daleks are bad. Like, really bad. You won’t believe just how mindbogglingly bad they are. The Doctor has tried to destroy them several times by this point. Here, there isn’t the complication of double-genocide, and instead the very real threat of absolutely everyone in the universe dying. This accusation, that the Doctor turns people into weapons, should absolutely not land.

And yet, with the Tenth Doctor, it does. This is a huge distinction between him and the First Doctor, who had to persuade pacifists to fight for him in ‘The Daleks’.

In ‘The Sontaran Strategem’ Martha compares the Doctor to fire. It’s so blunt it almost seems not worth saying, but it’s the perfect analogy (especially for a show where fire is a huge part of the very first story). Yes, fire shines in dark places, yes it can be a beacon, but despite it being very much fire’s entire deal, people can forget that it burns. And fire has that mythical connection of being stolen from the gods and brought to humanity. The Time Lord Victorious concept fits the Tenth Doctor so well. Of all the Doctors, he’s the most ready to believe in himself as a semi-mythic figure.

Even when regenerating there’s a balance between hero and legend: the Tenth Doctor does ultimately save Wilfred Mott, but only after pointing out passionately how big a sacrifice he’s making. And then he goes to get his reward by meeting all his friends, only to glare at them from a distance. His last words are ‘I don’t want to go’, which works well as clearly being a poignant moment for the actor as well, but in the context of Doctor Who as a whole it renders Ten anomalous: no one else went this unwillingly. And yet, in interviews Russell T. Davies said it was important to end the story with ‘the Doctor as people have loved him: funny, the bright spark, the hero, the enthusiast’.

It’s fascinating then, that this is the Doctor who has been taken to heart by so many viewers because there’s such an extreme contrast between his good-natured front, his stated beliefs, and his actions. He clearly loves Rose and Donna, but leaves them with a compromised version of happiness. They go on extraordinary journeys only to end up somewhere that leaves them less than who they want to be, with Russell T. Davies being more brutally honest than Steven Moffat, who nearly always goes the romance route. Davies once said to Mark Lawson that he liked writing happy endings ‘because in the real world they don’t exist’, but his endings tend towards the bittersweet: Mickey and Martha end up together but this feels like they’re leftovers from the Doctor and Rose’s relationship. The Tenth Doctor doesn’t, as Nine does, go with a smile, but holding back tears.

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It’s a testament to how well written the Tenth Doctor is that the character has this light and shade, and with David Tennant’s immense likeability he can appeal to a wider audience as a result. It’s not surprise he wins all these polls, but I can’t help but feel that if the Doctor arrived and invited me on board the TARDIS, I’d want it to be anyone but Ten.

The post Doctor Who: Perfect 10? How Fandom Forgets the Dark Side of David Tennant’s Doctor appeared first on Den of Geek.

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brellhal96 · 3 years

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It’s... pretty complicated

Summary: College dramas in the life of a third-year student who decides to start, not a relationship, but something with a renowned professor.

Okay the GIF is not very related to the subject, but this man dressed in black has me at his feet.

Notes: This is quite cliché actually, but what does it matter, it is worth dreaming. It is planned to be written in several chapters, so the first is mostly to give context to the story, I hope you like it.

I base myself on Loki's physique, although I will mention Tom Hiddleston as the star of the scene, but my perfect image is in the essence of Loki in a black suit.

I study a completely different area to numbers and physics, don't be rigorous with me on the subject, only I think it an excellent area to show Loki's personality, I do not know why.

I will show at the beginning of the series a somewhat possessive relationship, but with the outcome I promise to shape this. It should be noted that not in a toxic sense.

I didn't mention a specific university, country, or geographic location.ical location.

It's the first time I've written anything obscene, I hope you like it.

Precautions: 18+, mention of fear or anxiety, unprotected sex, a relationship at the beginning somewhat possessive.

CHAPTER 1

I NEVER SAID I WASN'T INTERESTED.

Notes: Okay this chapter is kind of weird honestly, I didn't really put so much emphasis on the obscene, but I feel like it ended up fine, I hope you like it.

Word count: 6389

You had gotten used to the hot weather of the beginning of the year, in fact you had always preferred that climate. You spent the summer with your parents on a beach, sometimes you missed them too much, but your father's job and the university of your dreams were right at the opposite ends of the country. The first year was quite complicated, but then you got used to living alone, you actually lived two blocks from campus so your bike was the perfect means of transportation.

You made some friends here, Jared had become your best friend, his bond of trust scared you a bit as you could tell him anything without fear, but it was quite comforting to have someone like that by your side.

You had earned a scholarship for academic excellence, your studies were your priority since you were a child and you loved that. The only unpleasant thing about this scholarship is that it restricted your choice of teachers in half of your subjects since you were supposed to be with “teachers of excellence”.

When you compared your subject strip to Jared and Diane, they only shared one class the three of them together, Diane another, and Jared two more. In the end you weren't going to be alone in all the classes so that calmed you a little, studying physics wasn't so complicated, it was easy for you, but socializing wasn't much for you.

You went to building C, your first class was analytical mechanics and later thermodynamics, the teacher in the second was assigned to you by the institute, a Doctor Hiddleston, you've never heard of him, you just hoped it wasn't a headache. Your mechanics teacher was a love and with the first class you knew it was going to be one of your favorite subjects.

When you finished you went to your other class, you sat right in the middle in the third row, several were in groups apparently with their friends from previous years. You took your computer and got ready to take notes. Suddenly the door closed tightly and everyone sat a little scared.

A very good-looking man came in, tall, thin and dressed completely in black, I honestly he caused you curiosity why for some reason you felt that you had seen him before.

Without seeing the class began to write on the board quickly "I am Professor Tom Hiddleston and I will teach the subject of Thermodynamics" His voice was strong and deep and you immediately recognized it. You frowned when you remembered last year's science fair, you won first place in the area of electromagnetism prototypes against a fourth-year kid, which made you feel completely proud, yet two of the judges had not been what we call nice to the two.

When you remembered Professor Hiddleston's deep look at you that day, the judges asked random questions to the fourth-year kid and you, but apparently your future thermodynamics teacher was one of those who enjoyed making students nervous with difficult questions. His sidekick on that occasion was your freshman professor, analytic geometry, Professor Scott Lawford a fucking genius, you had cried with his subject, but passed with an A +.

They both enjoyed seeing the nerves invading you and your opponent, whispering to each other with their answers. At one point Professor Hiddleston asked you and you remember perfectly well that when you finished speaking he only looked at you and smiled mockingly for then wrote something on his ballot. In the end you won by three points of the total vote and the fourth year boy, currently fifth, became your friend, both came to the same conclusion, the two teachers were crazy.

He began to write down on the board the evaluation and the issues that are always mentioned at the beginning of the year. For a moment you panicked when he wrote that one of the exams was oral, you could not imagine the martyrdom he would create just to get a passing grade.

He took 20 minutes to explain and let us out to start the next class with the course. When you came out unintentionally you stared at him while he was erasing the blackboard, but apparently your look was uncomfortable enough for him that for a second he turn and he stared at you, you rushed out of the classroom after that. When you told Jared about this future journey that you had to go through you felt immense despair, but then you remembered that, if you could the previous years with teachers equal or worse to him, this was only one step more.

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The first three weeks of class were pretty normal, you made two more friends and breakfast in the cafeteria with Jared and Diane made you forget about the pressures of school, but just the moment you felt like you were fitting in perfectly with your new year, the thermodynamics class became strange.

The classes with Tom were very pleasant, he was kinder than his body language showed, only he was certainly of a very volatile character, there were days when he seemed angry and others when he seemed happy, it was weird, but it was even weirder that you were attracted to him.

Your previous class had lasted longer than expected and the teacher extended 5 minutes out of her time which translates into being late for thermodynamics. You panicked when you saw the locked door of the classroom, wondered if it was better not to enter the class and pretend a headache straight to the infirmary, but in the end you breathed for a second and you'd decided get ready to knock the door.

“Can I help you with something?"You had never noticed that he was quite tall, it was the first time you were quite close to him.

"Sorry my mechanics teacher accidentally spread...”

"You were able to leave her class to get to mine on time, don't you think?"His gaze was quite penetrating up close.

“I really sorry, won't happen again,” Your hands were shaking, but in reality, not for fear, but his presence so formal, so rigid and secure made you feel strangely attracted to him, when you thought that, you actually invaded the shame, how do you fall in love of a teacher as strange as him.

He just opened the door and walked aside to let you through. "I asked them to work in pairs, look for your partner and ask him to explain what I already explain”

On the board were written several formulas, you wondered how he managed in 7 minutes to score so much.

You asked several guys over there, but apparently the whole damn world already had a partner, in the end you decided to do it alone, you just hoped he wouldn't flunk you for it. A girl explained the instructions to you, apparently you had to pick up one of the sheets that the professor had placed on the desk and solve it with the formulas on the blackboard, you even had to sit up to the top rows because all the other seats were occupied.

You started cursing internally while taking one of the paper sheets from the desk. "Who are you going to work with?"The professor asked you without seeing you while making notes with a rather nice pen of Indian ink.

"I'll do it alone, I already asked ... ”

"Don't you understand what couples are?"He interrupted you and this time he gave you a rather intimidating gaze.

"Yes, but apparently all my companions already have one and I figured I could do it alone then" Your hands trembled again with the paper sheet between them.

"Who doesn't have a partner?"he looked back at his papers and yelled at the whole group. It was pretty funny for you because he himself proved you were right, no one was missing a partner. When he looked up and saw that no one answered he saw you again and then looked at the blackboard behind his back.

"Well, I'll do it with you then" He got up and brought a chair that was at the end of the living room for you right next to his desk.

For a moment you wanted to run out of there, you knew you shouldn't make a mistake or say something stupid because otherwise you'd die trying.

"Get your stuff and start working it out, just let me finish a few things. To be fair with your colleagues and with you I will let you do it alone and answer any doubts you have, because obviously I know how this is solved, but I also consider that it is a lot of work for one person, do you agree?" His gaze became a little kinder.

"Yes, thank you,” you smiled faintly, but felt an internal shock as he winked at you and continued to write with his fine pen. You sat right in the corner of his desk, they were just three problems but they really left you with little desire to live. The first one, you felt was quite easy to solve, even at one point you felt the professor's gaze on you when you were so focused on your operations.

"Don't you have any doubts?"His eyebrows were puckered and his gaze was no longer mocking but rather with bona fide interests.

"No, not really, well I go in the second exercise, possibly I do" You smiled as you watched your operations with inner pride.

"Can I see?"He extended his hand to give him the leaves you had carried until then. You gave them to him, just hoping he'd tell you you had everything terribly wrong.

As he watched your leaves you watched him, he was quite attractive now that you saw him without fear that he would not let you into class, his hair was dark and apparently a lover of black to wear, his eyes were cute and quite tender while they examined your answers.

"Go on, I don't want to confuse you” He put the paper sheets on the desk and saw you with a small smile on your lips as a sign that you were on the right track.

Just 10 minutes before the class ended you finished all three exercises, you had only asked him one question and it was about whether it was a 4 or a 9 in a formula that wrote the board, so you felt pretty happy that you did it alone.

"Ready" You smiled broadly, you were the first to finish and the only one who had done it alone.

"Are you sure?”

"Yeah, well, I hope it's not a 0 at the end of the day,” you laughed to yourself, and in the end you wondered if you had thought about it or said it.

”Then let's see " took his pen and began to review your work. You froze when you saw that he framed something in your results, but he didn't tell you anything. "Well, I really didn't expect less from the winner of last year's science fair, maybe punctuality, but what does it matter”

You smiled when you saw that your grade was an A, only that he kept the papers, apparently he had to register them on his lists or something. Just as you were about to get up to leave, he asked you to stay at the end of class.

You sat back in the seats vacated by the peers that have already gone, but for a second, remembered what you said I didn't expected less from the winner of the science fair last year, he remembered you, you know that he remembered you, sonreíste for yourself when thinking that.

When the whole room was half empty, he started putting away his things. ”Come with me, " he said as he walked out with a firm and fast pace, so much so that you had to walk faster than normal. You wondered where they were going, it was pretty strange since you'd never been through the labs where it went.

“I've noticed that you're pretty good in the area, actually amazing, I even remember your answers about your prototype against the fourth year kid, former student of mine, you were much better than his” he opened the door of one of the labs and with his arm gave you a signal to enter.

“Thank you, I actually always dreamed of doing this, " you said as you walked into the lab, quite big, you assumed they were the ones that grad boys used.

"I want to propose you something” You sat at one of the practice tables and he leaned with both hands on his desk. "Would you like to work with me on a project I have?, is related to thermodynamics”

For a second you saw him with an expression of if he was joking with you or if he was serious and he seemed to read your mind.

"It's seriously, I'm working on a model related to the second law" he approached you sitting in the chair in front of yours.

"I would love to then, but I do not know how I could be of help”

"In many things" he smiled

For a moment you wondered why suddenly the man who seemed bitter about life was being so kind to you.

“You do not have to tell me your answer now, I will send you the files I have of my progress by mail if you like and you could think about it”

"Sure, I will" You smiled and he too, for a moment everything was silent, somewhat uncomfortable to be honest but his look no longer caused you fear, but somehow attracted you to him.

It was quite strange because they both got up at the same time so you were right next to him and his height difference was no small one.

"Well I think I have to go, I'll see you the next class”

"Wait, I wanted to give you something that I kept here," he went to the back cellar of the lab and came back with a bun that said first place. "I'm sorry, I was supposed to give it to you that day you won, but I honestly didn't remember where I left it, so this belongs to you.”

When you saw the bun with your name on it, you were very happy. "I thought they didn't give anything," you laughed as you put it in your backpack.

"Yeah, excuse me, I tend to be a little clueless about those things.”

"No problem," you smiled and shyly walked out of the room.

The weekend you started to question why Professor Hiddleston made you feel so nervous, now you knew that you were one of his star students, to the degree that you could be his future colleague, but why couldn't you even hold his gaze? you know, for a moment you thought about flatly refusing his project if you couldn't even see it in the eyes, but after you thought about it, you figured it would possibly be a good idea, you could even learn more things by being his apprentice.

It was Monday's class, you didn't know why, but you were in the lab on Friday, apparently you were doing an experiment on the tables with some microscopes on. ”You did it " There was Professor Hiddleston next to you, his command was on your waist and suddenly he began to approach you to kiss you on the lips and it was even stranger because it was quite nice for you, to reciprocate.

Right then you woke up, you're fucking in love with your thermodynamics professor, "Excellent Y / N, that's all that was missing."

Monday's class didn't even look him in the eye and you sat up to the top rows, you felt pretty uncomfortable with yourself thinking of a teacher that way.

"Y / N wait" Just when class ended you rushed to pack your things and run out of the classroom, but it still didn't work. "Did you think about what I told you?"The professor actually looked pretty excited about his own project.

"Yes, I just wondered if the meetings or the times we work could be on Fridays, that would make things a lot easier for me" You said without seeing the professor in the eyes, it was somewhat uncomfortable after that strange dream of the weekend.

"Sure, then it's a deal,” he held out his hand as if they were going to close the deal with a strong squeeze.

"Deal" You shook his hand and when you saw him you felt that his look was not only kind, but he was actually trying to tell you something.

The classes went on normally, you felt a little excited being sincere that you went to work with the professor who was now at the same time your impossible love, but you had to be careful for him not to notice. They agreed to meet after your last class at the lab on Fridays, at 15:00 hours. You knew it wasn't right, but from the moment you were attracted to the professor every time you saw him, you started using lip gloss and curling your hair.

For several weeks they worked on their project, now you understood their sudden mood swings, it was quite frustrating to feel that you had advanced in something and then realized that something did not fit with the rest of the procedure.

One Friday when you arrived he was making notes on the blackboard, had taken off his coat and tie and folded the sleeves of his shirt in a way that looked spectacularly attractive.

"Y / N pass," he smiled when he saw you in the driveway. "Did you read the documents I sent you?"On Wednesday he sent you a very interesting document about some theories related to the project.

"Yes, I just made some notes from some parts that I honestly didn't understand" You left your backpack in one of the buckets at the ends of the room " I'm not very good at some things”

"Neither do I, but don't worry,” he winked at you and you felt like you were melting internally.

For an hour they tried to solve one of the most difficult equations within the theory they chose, it was quite fun as sometimes you would collapse and sometimes he, but both tried to cheer up so as not to erase the whole slate of despair.

”Ready," you said when you finally managed to solve the equation.

”You did it!" saw the board quite surprised and so did you. "Your boyfriend is lucky" For a second he himself kept quiet knowing that the last thing he said wasn't quite right.

"Boyfriend? that species is extinct within my social radar" You laughed trying to keep him from feeling uncomfortable.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean that." He saw you trying to analyze your expression.

"Well sometimes the unconscious makes us a bad move" You smiled broadly "besides I guess the lucky one is his girlfriend" you returned the same move trying to tempt the ground.

"It's also an extinct species to me," he smiled, but he avoid your gaze.

"Well, then we're free to go looking for it.”

"I thought you had a boyfriend," he said as he started writing the equation on the board on the computer.

"Why?"you sat at the desk, watching him write on the computer quite nervous.

"Nothing else" You knew he was lying to you.

"Nothing else?”

"Well you're a very cute and smart girl, I figured a lot of guys are interested in you.” He didn't even look you in the eye when he said that.

”I'm not really interested in anyone" You saw through the window as you answered" well, only in someone, but it's impossible” Oh God, now the unconscious had made the wrong move to you talking too much.

”Nothing is impossible" he looked up and seemed to know what you meant.

"Well, it's just that if I just had a sign I could know it's not impossible" You started fiddling with your wrist bracelet nervously.

"How what a sign?" he stopped writing and stood right in front of you, you were still sitting at the desk.

"I don't know" You felt the adrenaline start to accelerate your pulse as it approached you.

"A date, a kiss, or even invite you to work on a project?" He placed his hands on the edge of the desk rubbing your legs.

”Yes, that sounds good " Clearly you knew what he meant, his look and yours were fixed, you appreciated that the door was closed and it was the third level, the windows were facing nowhere, so no one could see what was happening.

"Well sometimes it is necessary that you also give signals, don't you think?" His gaze and yours really seemed to be completely fixed.

"Yeah, that sounds fair." You started breathing deeper.

Slowly, he tempting the ground, began to approach, for a moment you knew that this was not right, that it was not right, but fuck, your body wanted it as you have no idea. Slowly he started to kiss you, he was nice and actually a very good kisser, then he started to get a little rougher, but both you and he knew you wanted him, his arm held your hip and your hands hugged his neck holding on to him.

"Dr. Hiddleston, I bring the copies you ordered." Someone knocked on the door and immediately the feeling of running out overwhelmed you.

"Sure, I'm coming" saw you and he wiped the lip gloss you had left on him. You packed your stuff fast and when I was going to close the door again you walked out without seeing him in the face.

"Until Monday" You started walking fast.

"Y / N wait" was the last thing you heard when you started going down the stairs two at a time.

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You, Diane and Jared planned to go out that weekend, you weren't feeling well, but you also didn't want to leave them after you had planned this for days.

"Hey, you look pale," Jared saw you worried as they waited for food at the mall.

"Do you feel well Y/N?" Diane picked up a lock of your hair as you looked at nothingness.

”I'm a little worried," you said looking at the table now "Can I ask for some advice?”

”You know you can Y/N" Jared saw you even more worried.

"What should I do if I like someone I shouldn't like?" Dress up Jared.

"Does he have a girlfriend or is he a fuck boy?" Diane asked pretty quickly.

"None, it's just...”

”Then I see no reason why you shouldn't like it."

”It's not that, but, he's like, I don't know how to say this" You didn't want to tell them that he was your thermodynamics professor, you would never actually do it. "I met him some time ago in the cinema, he's cute and kind to me, but he's older than me” you lied a little about it.

"How much are we talking about?”

"14 years, I think" you've never actually asked him about his age, but on one occasion while you were typing on his computer you saw his college professor card that had all his data on it by the way.

”Look at that, my best friend a whole league men" Diane actually got excited, started asking you what he was like and if you had already had something with him which was pretty strange, but Jared's expression wasn't really emotional.

"I can only tell you to be very careful Y/N" Jared took your hand " Do not let the pretty words lead you down a path other than the one you seek. And well, if he like you and you like him, I see no problem”

The weekend you thought about the kiss his gave, it was quite nice really nice, you had only had three boyfriends before and honestly their kiss had been better than all the previous ones. The problem was what were you going to do on Monday when you see him? Well that day you decided to wear a pink dress that your mother given you at Christmas, you never wore this type of clothes so it was going to be something quite new, you combed your hair differently even, you knew that if you were at least going to talk to him and he told you that it was a mistake he would miss something great.

Your legs started shaking when you walked into the classsroom, you sat as usual in the third row, Tom wasn't there yet, so that calmed you down a little more. You noticed that in this class you had not made friends, so to avoid the panic of seeing him in the eyes when he entered in the classroom you preferred to start talking to the girl who always sat next to you.

"He took a while, didn't it?" you smiled so you didn't look crazy.

"Yes something, but for me no problem" the girl smiled as well

"My name is Y / N, and you?”

"Meghan, you're going with the teacher Fox in relativity, aren't you?”

"Yeah, you too?”

"No but my boyfriend does, I've seen you come out of there when I expect it”

"Well, I don't really know many people.”

"Well, college is exhausting," they both smiled, actually Meghan seemed like a pretty nice girl.

"Speaking of the king of Rome, he's arrive." When she said that and you heard the door shut, fear invaded you, so you didn't look at him. You just focused on your computer monitor, but you knew he saw you.

The class felt as if it had lasted 20 minutes and not an hour and a half, the desire to leave was enough.

"Hey if you want we could have breakfast together today, apparently you don't have class now either, do you?" Meghan waited for you to put your things away.

"Of course I would love to and no, I don't have class” You fully appreciated that Meghan will not leave you in the classroom, without looking at Tom you went out with your new friend, you felt that had been a bit cruel, but the nerves were worse.

At the end of the day you didn't do anything about it and neither did Wednesday and apparently Tom wasn't interested in asking you to stay and talk either, or so it seemed.

On Friday you returned to the usual routine with the usual clothes and hairstyle, honestly you no longer felt in the mood to waste time on those things. The class went on normally until at one point you crossed eyes with him, it was a bit strange, but you pretended you didn't care and ignored him after a few seconds. At the same time in the classes you talked with Meghan, even going out to eat the cafeteria.

"Y/N can we talk for a second?"Back to being alone with him in the classroom at the end, Meghan said goodbye and whispered you in your ear that she will waiting for you in the cafeteria.

"Hey I didn't want to overdo you, let alone bother you, I apologize for it and also if you no longer want to work on the project I will fully understand it” His face seemed that he was really sorry about last week.

"I really don't know what to say." You were completely honest.

"I'm sorry I should have known that you're not interested in me at all and it's okay”

"I never said I wasn't interested”

He calmly checked the hallway and closed the classroom door

"You ran away, that tells me otherwise”

"Yes, but that's was I panicked, I didn't want to bother you”

"For God's sake, that doesn't matter anymore.”

"It does matter and quite”

"You want to talk about this then?”

"Yeah, I'm sorry I didn't do it sooner”

"So am I, excuse me too” he hesitated for a second when he finally asked," Do you want to continue with the project?”

"Of course I do" You got a little closer to him.

"See you at 15: 00 then" He too approached and carefully kissed your hand to leave the classroom.

This time you arrived early, your teacher had let them out forty minutes earlier, so you decided to be somewhat punctual to your appointment. You read while you waited sitting on the chairs in the hallway, when you saw him come you smiled and he when saw you, smiled too.

"I'm sorry, I didn't think you were going to arrive so early” he closed the door carefully and just as he turned around you gave him a pretty long kiss and he reciprocated broadly.

"I'm sorry" You saw that he was actually happy about it "I think last time we couldn't finish it"

He held your face in his hands for a few seconds "I like you Y/N, I know what's not right, I know this not right, but fuck, I like you a lot”

”And you me" He kissed you again, this time a little rough, it seemed that he wanted to make his statement clear. ”I really wanted to kiss you in front of everybody on Monday in that cute dress."

"If you like it I can bring it more days," you winked.

After that day working on the project was much more fun, and even in the classes they shared gazes from time to time, it felt good, had passed enough time that you did not date someone. On the other hand, sometimes fear invaded you, you knew that if anyone found out about whatever it was you and Tom had, it was the end of your scholarship and even your college life.

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"Do you like lobster?"He asked you while making notes on the computer and you cleaned the board.

"I've never eaten it"

“What? How can you live without eating lobster in your life?" He came up to you and, holding you by the waist, turned you towards him.

"Well, we're not all millionaires so I can't buy lobster." You inadvertently smeared chalk in his hair when you touched him.

"Then I'll buy you lobster dinner. What do you say?" He caressed your face as he waited for your answer

"Mmmm, when?”

"Tomorrow, I'd wait a few blocks from here, you don't want anyone to see you getting in my car, do you?”

"I'd love for them to, but yes, send me the instructions and I'll see you there then.”

"Why would you love it?"He kissed your neck calmly.

"That they might see that you are mine" You smiled mockingly.

"Well, I mean you're mine too, so it would be a fair deal.”

For weeks now both were texting, it was interesting to see that teachers also have a life apart from teaching.

You dressed up, not so formal or so casual for the occasion, it was the first date you had, it felt a little strange, you wore on a low-cut black dress, something daring for your tastes, but it was the most suitable thing you found. When you arrived at the rendezvous point, you immediately identified his car.

“I can't believe how perfect you are, " he gave you a sweet kiss while you fixed your skirt so it wouldn't wrinkle. He came as always very formal.

The dinner was perfect, you did not know that the lobster tasted that way, you liked it a lot, the place was beautiful, the waiters very attentive and well, talking with Tom about things that were not thermodynamics was pleasant. In the end he invited you to his apartment, which you sincerely hoped was not just with the intention of kissing you.

When they arrived his apartment looked like a palace, it was very nice, very cozy, his kitchen was comfortable enough to cook anything, your apartment was too small for a kitchen like him.

He told you that he should make some calls, that you could explore the house if you wanted and you took his word, it was very nice place, in the hallway to the bedroom had his medals and recognitions, you did not know that he studied chemistry too, he's a genius. When you finished walking, you looked in the fridge for something to drink.

"Want some wine?"Because of its height it was much easier to reach the shelves above where it seemed to have the bottles of wine.

”I would love to"

He served two glasses in half, it was red wine with a very good smell, you knew it because your father was a wine lover, so much so that he had even taken you to vineyards to see how they did it.

"May I?"You asked, pointing out if you could play something on the record player in the room.

“Clear”

When yo put the pen on the record a fairly quiet song began to play, he took the cup out of your hand and put it on the ledge next to his, placed his hand on your waist and with the other he held your hand, you placed yours on his neck.

“Would you laugh if I told you it's the first time I've danced with someone? well, that someone who is not my father invites me to dance”

"Really?”

"Yeah, well I had a boyfriend that I took out to dance, that's why it doesn't count,” you laughed as you remembered that.

"Well, what an idiot, you are beautiful Y/N and I will dance with you as many times as possible”

You felt a lot of peace in his arms, he was much stronger than you, that was clear, but even just seeing him in the eyes you felt that everything was going to be okay. You weren't very good at dancing, but he gave you the confidence to even make a mistake.

For a moment he began to kiss you slowly, slowly while the music echoed to both of us, then he began to kiss your neck which in a way tickled you, but at the same time made you want it with all your soul. After a few seconds as his hands ran through your hips and yours his hair whispered into his ear: "Take me to the bedroom" you stared at him and he understood completely.

He carried you so easily that it seemed that you did not weigh anything, carefully put you in bed and wait for you reaction.

"For God's sake, I want to make you mine from the moment I saw you at that fucking science fair contest.”

"Well now is your time" You bit your lip slightly.

He knew you were too small in comparison to him, so he was very careful when touch you, first he started by your dress, very slowly unbuttoning it. He look you in your underwear the moment he managed to take it off you. On the other hand, you, in a somewhat desperate way, started to take off his belt.

"No, until I say so" Their gaze turned a bit dark, they could see the desire for each other in your eyes.

He started kissing your crotch carefully, you moaned slightly, you had no intimate contact with anyone for a long time, so you somehow didn't remember how glorious this feels. He kept kissing getting closer to your entrance, the heat began to flood your body, after walking your thighs he began to lick your entrance a little desperate, but at the same time touching the exact points to make you see stars. He put two fingers inside you and immediately your back curled, when he entered the third in you pulled his hair as you began to feel the heat in your stomach increase more and more.

”Tom, please, I'm almost there" you moaned as your eyesight began to blur completely.

His fingers began to move faster and for an instant you felt like the heat flooded your whole body, it was the first time that someone managed to make you come with oral sex. You pulled his hair back, but it didn't seem to bother him, even taking it as a way to know where or not to continue. Your legs clenched at the feeling and he proudly began to undress. When you saw it you felt that you really needed to have he inside you, his axis was quite large, more than you imagined and its well worked body made you feel needed.

"Fuck me like there's no tomorrow," you whispered as you recovered from the first round.

You felt the desire going between your legs, again you were so wet just to imagine he inside you.

"You know that if I hurt you or if you want me to stop I will do it immediately” He placed on you and spread your legs with his knee.

You just nodded, he was staring at you as he began to insert his shaft into you, it hurt a bit, tears started running down your cheeks and Tom's face looked worried, "Do you want me to stop?”

"No!" To drown the groans you hid your face on his shoulder as he began to take a rhythm in his onslaught, at one point the pain ceased and he took a stronger rhythm, one after another, you felt as your body began to attach quite well to its axis, to the degree that you glued more your hips to his, demanding more. When he noticed it one of his hands took the headboard and with the other placed one of your legs on his shoulder to give you what you needed. At some point he also started moaning, loud and deep, which made you feel even more excited in the middle of it all.

”Fuck, why are you so perfect?" he whispered into your ear as you began to feel your orgasm was about to bloom.

"Make me yours, only yours" you moaned almost without strength.

"You are only mine" His onslaught, although it seemed that you could not, began to be faster and deeper, you knew that sitting was going to be a challenge for you in the following days.

To drown your groans he gave you a very deep kiss, his tongue did all the work in the kiss, honestly for you it was a sea of sensations that would end you unconscious of pleasure. Just as they both reached the climax he saw you in the eyes and felt you fade away in sobs and moans.

”I'm almost there" he said as he clung even more to you and your legs began to close with pleasure.

"Me too" Didn't know if you understood what you meant, but at least you were trying.

"Let me feel you" His words were your release and his, you felt the heat of his seed inside you and it was enough for your orgasm to reach the necessary point of feeling a deep warmth throughout your body. The veins on her neck were too marked and you could also feel her breathing so heavy as she enjoyed her release.

He was over you for several minutes, the only thing you could hear in the room was his busy, deep breaths. You hugged him fondly and he hugged you, when he came out of you you felt a pretty weird void, but fuck, it was the best sex you'd ever had in your life.

After his breaths managed to take a moderate course he saw you in the eyes as he groomed your hair carefully.

”I didn't want to be too brusque the first time" His hand caressed your stomach, internally you told yourself that if this was not brusque you didn't imagine the next time how sore you would end up, but it's something that really excited you, in every way.

"We'll have many more times to do it" You smiled and planted a kiss on his lips. "Many more" smiled in the middle of the kiss which made you adore him even more.

Thanks for readign me

#tom hiddelston x reader #tom hiddelston imagine #tom hiddelston loki #tom hiddleston #loki (marvel)#loki #loki x reader #marvel loki #marvel tom hiddleston

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mrsren · 4 years

Text

Tom/Hermione Blackmail AU 1

Sharing the first part of this here because I don’t have self-control, but I’m holding back from posting on AO3 until I’m ready to write it steadily. Onto the info/warnings.

I don’t have a summary, sorry to tell you. But I’ve got tags, which will probably give you a pretty good idea of what this story is about.

Tags: blackmail, co-workers, D/s elements, dub-con leaning more toward non-con depending how you feel about blackmail, degradation, humiliation. Most of these come out later on, but there’s a blanket warning.

Now onto the dirty stuff. Admittedly, there is no real smut in the first part, but there is so much sexual tension. It’s about 3k so it’s under the line. It hasn’t been edited, so sorry for the typos.

I would super love to hear what you think, whether that’s on the post, in my messages, or ask box!

At approximately ten past one o’clock, the door to her office swung open. Hermione didn’t raise her head when the handle twisted, when the door knocked against the wall a fraction too loud. Instead, she gestured to the corner of her desk, the only free space and not by much.

“Please leave it in the basket.”

“Do you always speak to the couriers so rudely?” The shadow fell over her desk, and Hermione grimaced before looking up. Tom Riddle peered down at her in the annoyingly irritating way only he had. As though he was sizing her up while simultaneously believing there was nothing to observe. “No need to answer. I’ve sat across from you in enough board meetings to know.”

Placing her quill back into the stand beside a newly opened jar of ink, Hermione folded her arms and gave no reaction. “Ha. How can I help you? Have you gotten lost? Your office is another two floors down, although your desire to be in the DMLE must have brought you here anyway. I hear Harry will be looking for a new secretary soon. Perhaps you’d be a good fit?”

Riddle narrowed his eyes, and his fingers clenched the parcels so roughly that they crinkled in his grip. “The funniest thing happened this morning. Somehow, your mail was delivered to me by mistake. A new courier,” he lamented. “I’m sure you can understand how easy it is to get turned around.” He was enjoying himself entirely too much.

And the slow grin stretching his lips couldn’t mean anything good. Immediately, Hermione’s stomach dropped and her palms grew sweaty. She leaned back in her chair, and rubbed them against her jeans beneath the desk. As she did, she felt his eyes follow the movement.

His lip curled at the sight of her muggle clothes. Riddle had always hated the casual attire that came with Saturdays, when dress code was lax.

“And you’ve come to return it to me, how kind of you.” She reached for them, but he lifted them higher until they would be out of her grasp even if she stood. “Hand over my mail, Riddle. I have work to finish and I’d like to get out of here as soon as possible.”

“I thought you lived at work.” There was an edge to his voice then. “Haven’t you fallen asleep in your office several times now? All Hermione Granger does is eat, sleep, and breathe her work.”

If she ever got her hands on her mail, she was going to smack him with the largest parcel. “Have you been watching me? Perhaps you’re a bit jealous that you were passed over for the position.” That did it.

His eyes sparked, and he slammed a hand down at the edge of her desk. Papers scattered, but she snorted at the vicious glint that had taken over his eyes. “You are undoubtedly the rudest witch to work in the Ministry. What are you rushing to get out of here for, Granger?”

Tom Riddle has called her by her surname since they were first years, and the timeless rivalry between their houses had snapped into place, never wavering. When they were fellow Heads, he had called her by her first name one time, and one time only. There had been liquor involved, and him holding her up while helping her back to the shared common room while hissing that this didn’t make them friends.

She hadn’t needed the reminder. Thing was, this memory was years in the past now and there was no sense in it now. The look on his face reminded her of it though. Crystal clear, as though it had happened last week.

“I’m meeting Harry and Ron.” Hermione waited for him to roll his eyes, but he didn’t. The grin he gave was all the more terrifying. So much that she felt it in her bones, the sense of dread that put her upside down. “We have plans for dinner, and I’d like to get this done. So, if you could just…”

He waved his hand and the door to her office swung shut. The lock turned into place, and the sound of it rattled through the room. “I’m afraid your they’ll have to wait a little longer.” Finally, he hands over a few of the parcels, save for one. His knuckles have turned white from his grip on it. And then Hermione saw that the top of it had been ripped open.

“Did you open my mail?” She shot out of her seat, now regretting that she’d kicked her shoes off the second she got in. Now if she rounded the desk to yell at him from an even closer distance—and it was tempting—he’d only laugh at her. “Riddle, that’s—”

“There was no name on it.” Riddle said slowly, and there was no missing that slow chuckle under his breath. “I had no idea who it was meant for, so of course I opened it. How else would I figure it out?”

“Fine,” slipped through gritted teeth. “Just hand it over and get out.”

Riddle shook his head. “I’m afraid I can’t do that. You see, I don’t think this” –he waves the heavy envelope— “was meant for you. It certainly concerns you, but it seems to me that someone is trying to ruin you.”

Her brows shot up, nearly taking a new home in her hairline. “Spare me the bloody dramatics, and give me my mail.”

He didn’t hand it over, but he pulled the contents from inside and let them fly across her desk.

A knot formed in her stomach, tying itself over and over again. They were all photos of herself in various states of undress—some of them showed her completely nude—and she recognized the hands on her in some as her Viktor’s. He must have kept them after they had broken up. “What the fuck—” Hermione began, but she struggled to take a proper breath. “You’ll hand these over immediately, Riddle.”

He clicked his tongue. “I think I’ll pass, actually.”

“Would you rather be arrested?” Hermione all but snarled it. She’d set them on fire, if it weren’t for the parchment under them. They’d catch fire just as well, but perhaps it would be worth it. A final resort, if Riddle didn’t come to his senses.

Gone was his former irritation, and all there was now was his amusement. He didn’t bother to hide it at all. “Unless you’d like for me to tell them how you blackmailed Cassius Parkinson into voting for your bill last summer…”

Her throat could have closed up with how she couldn’t breathe. I have no idea what you’re talking about. That was what she should have said, but it was nowhere near what fucking came out of her mouth. “How do you know about that?”

The photos were still staring up at her, and he was staring at them too much for her liking. She couldn’t recognize him anymore when he did, or that way his eyes darkened when they lingered. “I have quite a few acquaintances, Granger. His daughter was in our year, you must remember, and when Cassius is pissed, he likes to rant.”

“And I was his most recent topic.”

He shrugged. “A few weeks ago, you were. Now that I have not one, but two things I’m able to hold over that pretty little head of yours, I think you’ll be much more agreeable.”

Voices grew louder as footsteps sounded on the other side of the door, and Riddle came around her desk. Hermione took an involuntary step back, and hated the way he smiled when she did. “Why would you want that?”

He’d foregone his dress robes today, but she wished he hadn’t. The way his trousers fit him were even more distracting, and his sleeves were rolled up, exposing his forearms. Riddle leaned forward, placing a hand on her desk—on the photo, over her bare breasts—and smiled like he knew exactly where his palm had landed. “You’re a quick study, Granger. I think you’ll figure it out.”

She thought she already had with he way he was staring at her. “Please, just let me take the photos. I’ll give you money, or—”

“I don’t want your money.”

Hermione swallowed. “Then what do you want?”

“Right now,” He shifted his stance, and lifted his hand so he could drag his fingertip across the photo. “I want you to tell me why you took these photos and what’s happening in them. You can manage that surely, hmm?”

Her heartbeat was uneven in her chest, to the point that it hurt, and she couldn’t think of a way out of this. “Have you made copies?” The pleading in her voice was very much real, but she knew the answer before he said it.

“Of course.” He lifted his other hand, and brushed her hair over her shoulder. “Now, you know what you’re meant to do, don’t you?”

Hermione would like to snap at him, to yell for the Aurors—which there was no shortage of on this floor. But the truth of what she’s done would be enough to earn her termination, and her achievement of earning deputy department head sooner than anyone else would cease to matter. Not only that, but the legislation it had helped her pass would be called into question.

And he knew it.

“It was for my ex boyfriend’s birthday.” Hermione whispered. “I posed for him on our bed while he photographed me, and charmed the camera when we—”

His finger slid against the base of her throat, warm and coaxing. “Then this was your idea?”

She nodded, and did not lean into him.

She. Did. Not.

“Tell me about this one. And do a good job of it.” The threat was unmistakably clear, and she wished that it didn’t effect her in the way it did.

Fear swirled in the pit of her stomach, sick and vicious, but that wasn’t all. Hermione squeezed her eyes shut, not willing to look at the feeling any closer. “I’m going to get you back for this.” Her voice was ragged, too breathy, and not enough anger.

It didn’t go unnoticed. “I’m sure you will. I’m rather looking forward to it, but I’ve asked you a question. You don’t want to keep me waiting, do you?”

In the photograph he’d pointed out, it was nearly only of her save for the hand on her neck, and the fingers wrapped around her throat. She looked past Viktor’s arm, swallowing, and looked at herself for a moment. “We’re having sex.”

Riddle shook his head.

“He’s fucking me.” Hermione said unevenly. “It was the second time that night.”

“He’s choking you.” Riddle’s voice was low, but not soft, and he curled a finger under her chin to lift her head. When she tried to turn away, his grip tightened and he forced her to look at him. “Was that for him, or for you?”

“For me.” Hermione swallowed tightly, and he watched her. “He never liked it.”

He let go of her jaw, and his fingers drifted lower. Riddle’s knuckles brushed against the front of her throat, and she thought he might try to recreate that photo. “I’m not going to choke you.” His voice softened when she flinched. “Why didn’t he like it?”

Why did he want to know? What difference could it make? From the way this had started and continued on, there was clearly one thing he was after. “If your plan is to blackmail me for sex, you should just get it over with.”

“I can assure you that I have no intentions of simply getting it over with, Granger.”

Of course he would want to drag this out—to savor it for as long as he could. Surely there was something she could find on him so she could turn the tables. It would mean that they would be in a hopefully constant stalemate, but there was no doubt that Tom Riddle was the sort of man that would keep going until he regained the upper hand.

Where would that leave her?

The only option for now was to play along, and to pretend there wasn’t a thrill that came with it.

“Viktor thought it felt like abusing me. He rarely ever choked me.”

“That’s a shame. And what of this one?” He pointed to another photo, but by the time she dragged her eyes back to him, she found that he’d hardly looked away from her.

She was on her back, and it’s a terribly explicit photograph. Hermione’s skin was flush, soft. Her breasts are exposed, and she can see herself in the moment reaching a hand between her thighs.

Her legs were spread, and her head was over the edge of the bed.

“I’m sucking his cock.” Her hands curled into fists.

“It’s impressive.” There were his fingers again, dropping to her shoulder where he nudged her jumper to the side. “You’ve taken him all the way down your throat.”

Under his thumb was a terrifying place to be. “He told me to play with my cunt. Viktor wanted to see me come while I sucked him off.”

He toyed with the hair at the nape of her neck. “Did you come all over your fingers?”

Hermione bit her lip, hard. “I—yes.”

“You’re holding back.” Riddle murmured, and the room grew smaller. There were footsteps on the other side of the door, and anyone could hear them if she weren’t comfortable. If anyone were to unlock the door and come in, the photos— A small sound escaped her when he shifted their stance. He pinned her against her own desk, and he grabbed her by the jaw again. “Tell me.”

“I squirted.”

His breath came out hard, uneven, and she swallowed. For a moment, she hadn’t thought that she should be afraid and yet, she couldn’t drum up an ounce of fear. “Sweet fucking Circe.” Riddle was pressed against her, and she felt him against her lower stomach. “Would you like to know which of these is my favorite?”

No. Absolutely fucking not. You’re a disgusting pervert.

Any of them would have been acceptable. By playing along with this part of his game, she was only being complacent. A dangerous thing to be when he would notice it. Thing was, she desperately wanted to know. Her stomach had turned over on itself, and she knew that she was wet. Hermione did not rub her thighs together, no matter how badly she needed the friction. He would have felt it.

It made her wonder what he would have done if she had.

“Yes.”

The grin he gave her was one she’d never seen. He leaned into her, his chest pressing against hers, and picked up a photo from her desk. “It’s this one,” As he said it, Riddle pushed it into her hands.

Out of all of them, she wasn’t sure this was the one she would have guessed to be his favorite. Perhaps the one where she’s spread out across the bed, her head on the pillows with her legs spread. “This one?” Hermione echoed. “Why?”

She was on her knees, still completely bare, and she’d pressed her chest forward. Hermione’s head was tilted up, her lips slightly parted. It’s not a tame photo—nothing she would ever want anyone else to see—but it’s nowhere near as revealing as the others.

“I want you on your knees for me.” Riddle groaned under his breath. “I want you staring up at me just like this.” He cupped her face, and ran his thumb across her lower lip, then slid it forward.

Hermione took his thumb in her mouth, and swirled her tongue around it, hating how she’d done it.

“You’re going to be a perfect little slut for me, aren’t you?”

She whimpered.

“Oh, do you like that as well? Is that another thing he wouldn’t give you?”

It was, and Hermione nodded.

“What a fucking fool.” When he pulled his finger from her mouth, his fingers came to rest against her throat. He didn’t tighten them as he watched her. “I want to see you on your knees for me, wearing a collar while you take my cock down your throat.”

Hermione caved. She rubbed her thighs together, and gripped the edge of the desk until her knuckles turned white. “Riddle—”

“You’ll call me Tom from now on.” He cut her off.

“And if I don’t?” It sounded more like her.

He flexed his fingers. “I’m dying for you to act like a brat so I can punish you, Hermione.” Her name sounded too good on his tongue. “You’re going to be late.”

Hermione’s head spun. She’d blow off her plans with Harry and Ron. The first thing she needed to do was to get home because she was positively fucking aching.

Riddle gathered the photos, sliding them back into the parcel and left it in the middle of her desk. “I’ll see you soon, Granger.”

#mrsren #tomione #tom riddle jr #hermione granger #Tom Riddle/Hermione Granger #blackmail au #smut

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feverinfeveroutfic · 3 years

Text

chapter nine: yellow tulip

“I can’t believe that,” Zelda groaned.

It was ten minutes before Legacy was about to take to the stage, and Zelda had to take a seat behind their set to better take in the news. Sam, Marla, and Aurora had been there all day in anticipation of her and also Metallica's arrival in the audience. There was already a small crowd that congregated out there, but they needed a moment alone, away from the noise. She rubbed her temples with the pads of her fingers and closed her eyes. Her black hair blanketed the side of her face so Sam and Aurora couldn’t see into her eyes.

“I can’t—fucking—believe that,” she muttered in a broken voice.

“It’s okay—he’s gonna be in good hands with Exodus,” Aurora promised her; after Marla had said about them, Sam knew her words only came to soothe the feeling.

“Yeah, I mean—” Sam hesitated in search of the right words. “—it's like he's dead, too, Zelda. He's just gonna be in another room. Maybe he'll be right next door to them.”

“It's not gonna be the same, though,” Zelda insisted as she raised her head. “It's just—not gonna be the same without him.” She shook her head and rested her sinewy elbows upon her slender knees. Sam rested a hand on her shoulder: even though her black hair spread across part of her face, she could see the disappointment in Zelda's eyes.

“We'll have to enjoy every last minute, then,” she remarked.

“It's the only way, you know,” Sam pointed out.

“It really is,” Aurora chimed in.

“Every last minute of Zetro's singing,” Zelda said in a soft voice, “every last note—every last part of it. Just right there. Just right within my ears.”

Without another word, she climbed to her feet so she could look at both Sam and Aurora in the eye. She tucked a lock of jet black hair behind her ear: those eyes were dry and yet Sam could see it within her. She also noticed a little orange ear plug tucked snugly right in her ear.

“Let's go see them,” Zelda declared, “you ladies have protection?”

Aurora reached into her shorts pocket and took out a handful of those same orange ear plugs, and Sam took two for herself. Once they were closed off from the loud noises of the world, Zelda led the way to that one part of the floor, right front of the stage. Louie had already taken his seat behind the drum kit, and his jet black hair shone under the soft golden light of the overhead lights. He held his drum sticks down behind his snare drum, out of sight. He flashed Zelda a thumbs up and she nodded at him in return. Sam huddled closer to her so she could see his youthful little face in between his yellow hi-hat and the raggedy toms.

Greg emerged from the left side of the stage with his bass already slung over his shoulder: he almost somersaulted into his spot in front of the three girls, and it made Aurora burst out laughing at him.

“Do that again and we'll vote on it,” Zelda called out to him, and Louie burst out laughing. Eric surfaced from the left side, followed by Zetro and then Alex. Zetro made his way to the microphone in the middle of the floor: he glanced about the floor before him with a twinkle in his eye. Sam then felt a tap on her shoulder: she turned her head only to be met with Marla waving at her.

“Oh, hey!” Sam greeted her.

“Nice little crowd we got here,” he remarked: his voice echoed throughout the tiny club. “Better than it has been lately, too.” Sam brought her gaze over to Alex, who had picked up a little black guitar and adjusted the strap so it was closer to his chest.

“Anyways, we are Legacy,” Zetro continued, “buncha California dudes who walked right out of a Bela Lugosi movie opening for our pals Anthrax here in their home turf. This song is called 'Over the Wall'.” Sam could hear it in his voice: he was ready to make his exodus.

Eric took one step forward and let his fingers do the talking. Alex joined in like clockwork; Greg's bass thundered through the floor and all through Sam's bones. His bass tone was big and heavy that it made her bones rattle, as if he tickled her. Louie put his head down such that his black hair sailed behind his head like the tentacles of an octopus. Zetro held onto the microphone stand and pinched his eyes shut.

The three of them were met with a wall of sound, such that Aurora huddled closer to Sam and Zelda. It wasn't as big as it could be but Sam knew they could play in a much larger venue from that point on out. Marla stepped her way through the little bit of crowd towards her left side. Within time, she leaned in closer to her, and Sam realized she was looking at something.

“His guitar is too big for this room.” Even with the ear plugs in, Sam could still hear Marla say that, and she brought her face closer to follow her gaze. She lowered her eyes onto Alex and then she took a glimpse over at Marla, who watched him with stars in her eyes and her expression in awe of him. Sam kept her gaze fixated on his long slender fingers on the frets. He moved about the strings so slowly and yet the sound he made with them was indeed so big and vast. It was as if he painted on canvas with the very sound of the guitar.

From there, she knew this young boy was an artist.

He raised his head and flipped his little fine black curls back away from his face, and the tiny gray sliver shone bright under the lights: a little pearl the size of a nickel up against the helmet of black about his head. He bowed his head again in time for his solo.

“He's just too big for the room,” Sam followed up, which in turn brought a laugh out of Marla. She watched him in awe as his fingers switched about the nylon strings like little baby eels. He played as though he was about to make a king cobra rise up through the floor boards next to him. He never moved from his stance there on the floor but he did kick his hair back with a flick of his head. He let his tongue slither out from between his lips, much like a snake.

Zetro stepped forward and belted into the microphone yet again.

Marla turned her head to Sam to show her the twinkle in her eyes.

“He's going to go far playing like that,” Marla remarked, and she sounded a mile away. “Sixteen year old baby and it looks and sounds like he's been playing for twice that long!”

“Kinda makes you want to see more from him, doesn't it?” Sam asked her over Zetro's shrieking, to which Marla nodded at her. Zelda reached her hands out to him as if about to touch him. Louie hit the big cymbals and Zetro leaned forward to give her a high five.

The next one was “Alone in the Dark”, and a song whereby Alex bowed his head and led the way. He moved forward just like Eric in the previous one and he stood right next to Zetro.

Aurora turned her head to Sam and Marla.

“I like this one,” she declared over the wall of sound.

“I do, too,” Sam replied right in her ear. “Even though it's still real hard and fast, there's something weirdly innocent about this song.”

“It's like a fantasy novel,” Marla added. Zelda nodded her head along with Louie's steady drumming: every so often, he glanced over at her and nodded along with her. Greg stood at the edge of the stage with his head bowed so he gazed down at the four girls. A pocket of Alex's dark hair cast a shadow over his head and shoulders so they could hardly see his face or the little sliver at his forehead. He had turned away from the crowd by the time he let out his solo. He stood there, with his legs spread apart and his head bowed, like a little wizard who created something for the audience to drink up, to help open their minds.

Legacy played one more song before Zetro blew a kiss to the crowd and Zelda reached out to him yet again, that time to take his hand. He mouthed something to her but Sam couldn't hear him over the orange pieces nestled in her ears.

Alex disappeared into the shadows before anyone could grab his attention, and Louie and Greg hustled after him. Eric was the only one who lingered behind with his guitar leaned against the speaker for a ribbon of distorted feedback.

“So dark and violent!” Aurora joked, and the feedback abruptly stopped, which allowed the noise of the crowd to flow over them.

Within a few minutes, Charlie emerged from the shadows and took a seat behind the drum kit. Frank followed with his big black bass over his shoulder, and then Dan with his shirt on his head and a white flying V over his little bare body. Scott and Joey rounded them out, the latter of whom waved at the four girls down below with both hands and a big goofy smile plastered on his face. Sam noticed a wide silvery metal bracelet on his right wrist.

“We're home, New York!” Scott proclaimed through the microphone, and he hustled over to the right side of the stage for his guitar.

“The boys are back in town!” Joey shouted into the microphone head. “The boys are back in the fucking town!” Sam gazed on at Joey's slender body as he held onto the stand with his left hand and the microphone itself with his right. It was then she had an idea. She turned to Aurora and gestured at her purse.

“Do you have your camera?” she asked her, to which Aurora shook her head.

“Not on me, no,” she replied in a muffled voice.

“Ah, damn it—” Sam was cut off by Scott's grinding guitar in front of them. She recognized that riff. It was the song they played for her the first time! She clapped her hands and almost jumped for joy right then. Charlie's drums pounded so hard that it knocked the wind out of her. Frank's bass rumbled like an earthquake. Dan's guitar screeched into the room, the same vastness and power as Alex's guitar.

And then there was Joey. His high operatic voice filled up the place, such that Sam found herself breathless by that addictive chorus: “it's a madhouse!” She tried to sing along but her voice vanished into the wall of sound before them. She could feel the crowd behind them moving and pulsating about.

“We're at the very edge of the mosh pit!” Zelda shouted. “Holy shit—ow!” Someone's sandaled foot beaned her right in the back of the head.

“Oh, damn, you alright?” Aurora yelled back to her; Sam couldn't hear her, and thus she returned to Joey. His black curls streamed behind his head even though there was no breeze in there. He was like a dark prince, a man of shadow straight out of the cavernous woods of upstate New York. If Alex was the sorceror, Joey was the man in the castle.

The curls atop his head even resembled to that of a crown.

Scott stomped about in his big black Doc Marten boots, and his thick black hair covered his face so Sam couldn't see his thick eyebrows. Meanwhile, Dan stood off to the left with his face serene and the little light tufts of hair standing on end like a crown itself. Every so often, Frank flicked his head back so his hair sailed up and then landed back down on his shoulders. He pointed at Marla, who cheered back at him and he showed her a big grin.

Legacy were fierce, dark, and poetic, but Anthrax were bright and colorful despite their own darkness as well. And much like the set before them, they only played three songs, the last of which Joey leaned back and brought the microphone to his lips and let out the longest, highest note Sam had ever heard from him. He did it a few times, the last of which was so high that she could see his stomach muscles tightening up under his shirt and a wave of chills swept over her. Aurora and Marla gaped at each other and Zelda shouted “oh my fucking god!” at the top of her lungs.

He was like an opera singer: this little dark skinned Indian boy with a voice straight out of the Italian opera. He held the microphone stand away from his body so he stood there with his arms spread out in a crucifix shape. The wall of sound around them was utterly deafening, and Sam was a part of it all.

The noise. The feeling. The standing right there at the edge of the mosh pit with her girl friends. There was nothing like it.

The four girls bustled past the railing and made their way after the five of them into the backstage area, away from the crowd and away from the energy behind them. Frank clapped his hands and Dan gave his hair a toss back.

Sam took the plug out of her right ear and brought a hand to it given the sharp sound around her.

“Oh, jesus,” she muttered.

“You alright?” Dan asked her.

“More than alright,” she replied, and she looked into his sparkling eyes. She realized she never really spoke much to Dan.

“Good show, and I'm glad you girls could make it, too!” Frank declared.

“There was no way we could miss this,” said Marla as she took out her ear plugs.

It was right then Sam realized something was missing.

“Wait a minute, Cliff never showed,” she said in a broken voice.

“Yeah, he did,” Frank told her. “Louie said he and James were both near the back. I saw him, too. By the looks of it, it looked like he was lookin' for you, too. He was dressed real nice.”

“Aw!” Sam's heart skipped several beats right then.

“Better go catch him, Sam,” Frank continued as he ran his fingers through his lush hair, “he looked a little disappointed.” He broke a little bit of a smile at her when he said that. And without another word, Sam doubled back to side of the stage.

“We'll be back here!” Marla called after her. She rounded the corner to find most of the crowd had dissipated back outside, and Cliff's wide brimmed hat was nowhere to be found. Sam stepped outside in search for him. Night had fallen over Brooklyn, but the street lights cast that orange light that she knew what to look for through the darkness.

Nowhere to be seen. She fetched up a sigh and she walked past a man with a blunt full of marijuana and a girl across from him, right there on the sidewalk. She peered around the corner to the dark alleyway. No one there.

She doubled back through the cloud of pot smoke and peered around the corner that time. Still no one there. Sam stood there on the sidewlk with her hands pressed to her hips.

Maybe he was all the way around the other side. Indeed, she returned back inside of the club, across the empty floor in search of him. She pushed open those doors, only to be met with more orange light and nobody on the sidewalk.

“God damn it,” she groaned. “Shit...” She doubled back into the club and returned to the little nook of a backstage area. Zelda, Aurora, and Marla all had taken their seats on a lumpy couch pressed against the wall and Dan and Frank were helping themselves to cups of water.

“D'you find him?” Marla asked her, to which she shook her head.

“Oh, man!” Frank declared. “I'm sorry, Sam.”

“Nah, it's alright,” Sam told him, “I was just so caught up in the moment that I forgot he told me he was gonna be here.” She peered about the nook. “Where's Joey, Scott, and Charlie?”

“In the next room,” Dan replied as he handed her a little cup of water. “Joe's dunkin' his head in ice water, and Scott and Charlie are getting things to eat.”

“The dudes from Legacy just bounced, too,” Frank added. “Just got in their van and boogied—so you just missed them, Zelda. Something about getting to Jon and Marsha's house before they turn it in for the night, and Louie getting back to the building before the doors lock, or some shit, I forget.”

“Zetro told me to meet up with him tomorrow,” Zelda replied as she ran her hand over the back of her head, “at least that's what I think he said to me.” She groaned and grimaced at the feeling. “I got kicked in the head.”

“Yeah, I saw that!” Dan told her; Sam took her seat on the arm of the couch next to Marla.

“I'm a drummer, though,” Zelda insisted. “I can take a lot before it really gets to me.”

“A drummer paying Louie Clemente's rent,” Frank joked, and the bunch of them laughed. Right then, Joey stumbled into the room, with his black curls soaked wet and his dark lips twisted into a tight grin.

“Hey, there are my girls!” he said in a loud voice.

“Joey, I had no idea you sang like that,” Sam declared.

“You should hear him in a bigger place,” Frank told her. “He just sings to the heavens.”

Joey made his way over to the couch and took a seat right next the arm: he sat right in front of Sam with his slender legs crossed. His black curls glistened from the ice cold water in the next room, and a single droplet trickled down the side of his face. She could already smell the hops from the beer on his breath.

“I'm so glad we could get here,” he said to her with a few little breaks in his voice.

“Get here in a new car no less,” she pointed out.

“I'm gonna need you to drive, too,” he stated with a flat look on his face.

“Not a problem,” she answered with a shake of her head and a shrug of the shoulders. “I can totally do that.”

“As long as you don't barf,” Zelda pointed out.

“I'd be more worried about Scott and Billy barfin' while in the car,” Dan told her before he took a sip of water. “Joe just has kind of—sort of—a little bit of a hard time holding down his liquor.”

Sam thought about the few times she had seen Joey drink and let it overcome him. She wondered how much he had took in just then, and she frowned at the very thought, especially after her feeling down his body and his hair. He was soft to the touch, and the booze seemed to take that away from him. She didn't want to fix him, but she wanted to find a way to get him away from that lest something happen to his little body.

Charlie called Joey, Frank, and Dan into the next room: he had pushed back his curls from his face, and thus showed off the fine beads of sweat under his eyes and along his forehead.

“Marla's man was workin' extra hard tonight,” Aurora remarked.

“Yeah, I was!” he said with a twinkle in his eye. “It was—being here, being back home in New York and at L'Amour.” He shrugged his fine shoulders. “I just had to go hard and fast tonight.”

Joey tried to stand to his feet by himself but he almost lost his balance and fell right on the seat of his skinny jeans. He giggled and extended a hand to Dan and Sam, both of whom helped him up. He raised a finger at her.

“I'll be—” he hiccuped, “—I'll be right back.”

Sam returned to her spot on the arm of the couch and she watched him stagger after Dan and Frank into the next room.

“Can't hold his liquor,” Marla recalled.

“I know,” Sam said, thoughtful, “I once told him I don't really like the idea of him drinking so much because it can do a number on him.”

“Oh, yeah.” Marla nodded her head at her.

“I'm also gonna have to call Cliff tonight, too. That just kills me.”

“In your defense, Sam, we were all in the heat of the moment,” Zelda pointed out as she ran her fingers through her black hair. “I missed Zetro by about twenty minutes.”

“And that was just because they had to go,” Aurora chimed in.

“They had to go and I'm gonna have to talk to Louie, too...”

Joey returned with a red cup in hand and a smile on his face.

“You wanna go home, don't ya?” Sam asked him.

“Go home and take a shower,” he replied as he guzzled down whatever was in the cup. He gave his black curls a toss back and kept the smile firmly plastered across his face.

“You just got your hair wet,” Aurora pointed out.

“That ain't a shower, though!” he chuckled as he took one last swig of it. Sam stood to her feet and adjusted the bottom of her shirt.

“I'll see you ladies later,” she said.

“I just might have a new hair color when you see me again,” Marla told her with a wink.

Sam and Joey returned outside, where they were greeted by not only another cloud of pot smoke but the aroma of sage burning.

“Yow-za,” he blurted out as they walked past that little circle on the sidewalk. Sam led him through the darkness back to his car, where he almost collapsed right into the front seat. She took her spot in the driver's seat and held still. The silence in the car made her ears ache a bit.

“You got the key?” she asked him.

“I do,” he replied.

“Where is it?”

“It's—it's—hang on a second...” Joey patted down his slender legs and then he reached into his back pocket. He showed her the key ring and she took it for herself.

They rolled out of the parking lot and returned to the streets: lucky for them, the crowd in the club had cleared out quickly, and thus, they only had a bit of the late night traffic to deal with.

“I'm gonna have to call Cliff when we get home, too,” she declared. “I can't believe I missed him.”

“I mean, he did kiss you,” Joey pointed out as he sank down in his seat.

“He did! And he asked me out to that show, too. I have to tell him.”

“Well, remember—we are playin' a second night tomorrow. You can catch up with 'em tomorrow night when we all meet up again for a second time.”

“That's true...” Her voice trailed off and they fell into silence as they made their way towards the freeway.

“By the way, Marla and I really like that Alex kid,” she said. “The lead guitarist in Legacy.”

“Oh, he's from another planet,” he replied with a bit of a slurring to his speech. “He and Danny both.” He hiccuped and lowered his chin to his chest. She peered over at him and his drooping eyelids.

“Just the way he stood there was so—serene. Real dark music but it was like he was beckoning something from the floor.” She peered over at him. “By the way, are you feeling alright? You don't look good.”

“Charlie called me back to the room there for sump'n and I can't remember what—I went back there to get another cup of beer 'cause there wasn't really much to eat there. And I remember us talkin' about the whole thing with the booze but...”

“It's the spur of the moment,” she finished.

“Sweat—fun—that's what it's all about for me, even if it means cuttin' loose for a bit. I gotta say that it's nights like this where I can't really help myself.”

“Joey, I don't know if it's the rush of adrenaline wearing off, but—” She stopped, and he turned his head for a look over her.

“But what?” he asked her.

“After tonight, I strangely feel—a lot closer to you,” she confessed. “I feel like I've seen another side to you. A side beyond what I've done in my art journal and what I've done for you in that alleyway.” She drummed her fingers on the edge of the steering wheel.

“And I dunno if it's the booze talkin' but—I feel closer to you, too.”

“And if I must confess...” She glanced over at him again, that time to look over his black curls, made even darker and fuller in appearance by them being wet. He took another glimpse at her.

“What's that?”

“I need to feel your hair again,” she declared.

“Why, you wanna get yourself lost in it?” he teased her.

“Not necessarily,” she replied. “I just need to feel the texture of it at the roots especially.”

She looked over at him again, at those jet black curls: every so often the lights from the city shone through the window onto them and they glistened like little embers from a fire.

“These curls are so thick and lush,” she muttered, “and coarse. And soft, all at the same time. They're everything and nothing. They're so—they're so—”

“Curly?” Joey asked her with a raise of his eyebrow.

“Curly is an understatement,” she quipped, and he chuckled at that.

Within the hour, they had returned to her building in the Bronx. Despite his word, Joey collapsed on the couch and fell asleep within mere seconds. It was late after all, and Sam knew there was no way she could call Cliff right then. Thus, she took a shower and turned in for the night herself.

Despite the rush of adrenaline and it being such a late hour, she could scarcely fall asleep. Cliff remained firm in her mind, the image of a tall man seated in a spindly chair with his bell bottoms spread wide over his pointed black leather boots and his black wide brimmed hat rested upon the crown of his head. He rested the side of his head against the backs of his knuckles and he gazed on at her. He waited for her. He was ready for her.

She couldn't stop thinking about him, even when the sun arose over the Bronx and she headed into the next room for a pot of coffee and a bite of breakfast. Joey had rolled over onto his stomach and let his right hand dangle down to the floor. She squatted down to examine that silver bracelet: just a flat, smooth rectangle of metal that hugged his wrist, but she wondered where he had gotten it from.

He awoke at ten thirty and he was eager to head back to the club for a second round.

“You sure you're up for it, Joey?” Sam asked him as they bustled back outside and towards his car parked at the curb. “You barely ate anything just now and you look really hungover.”

“I gotta,” he insisted as he slid into the passenger seat. “I woke up late—it'd be like wakin' up late for a class.” She fetched up a sigh as she put on her sunglasses and rounded the front end to the driver's door.

That time around, Alex had taken a seat outside of the side door with his guitar cradled in his lap. His sunglasses obscured his eyes from them, but his stoic expression never changed as Joey climbed out of the car.

“Hey, kiddo—” He was cut off by his own vomiting right on the sidewalk, right in front of him.

“Oh, Jesus Christ, man!” Alex scrambled to his feet and scurried away from there before Sam could get a word in. Joey spat and groaned at the feeling: he rested his hands on his knees and breathed hard. Zetro and Cliff emerged from the side door just then: the former gasped.

“Fuckin'-A, Joey, did the room clear out?” he declared.

“Get him something to eat!” Sam ordered him. “He woke up like an hour ago and he was insistent on it.”

“Yes, ma'am!” Zetro put his arm around Joey's back and guided him into the club. Meanwhile, Cliff turned to her: he wore that wide brimmed hat once again and he held a little yellow tulip in hand. Sam swallowed and she gingerly stepped onto the curb, and she stood right in front of him.

“I can't believe I missed you last night,” she confessed, to which he handed her the tulip. “And—I'm really sorry I did.” To which he shook his head.

“Don't be,” he told her in a low voice. “If anything, it was actually my fault. I called your place yesterday to say I was gonna be here late but—when I never got an answer, I just thought, 'oh, she's probably there already. I'll look for her.'”

“I tried looking for you, but—I didn't see you anywhere,” she confessed. “Frankie saw you, but by the time he told me, you were already gone.”

“Yeah, Lars was hungry,” he explained. “Again, don't be sorry. Be happy that we're here right now for a second shot.”

“And here I am,” she told him as she held the tulip close to her chest.

“And here we are,” he echoed as he leaned in for a kiss on her lips.

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dwestfieldblog · 3 years

Text

A VERY REMOTE ENGLISH TEACHER

Where meditations, rants, reverie and absent seizures cross over... closer to one gun with one bullet, the rose of ruby and the cross of gold...uff, and MENTACIDE IN THE TIME OF MASQUES. Although I have never suffered from the guilty masochistic torture of ‘pleasure anxiety’, Bacchus hath indeed drowned more men than Neptune. So I stopped drinking for 18 days to fool myself I was doing something positive and threw away enough things to be minimalist again. Arf. Beauty and/or function uber alles.

Been treading water for three years and trying not to drown...big round of one hand clapping for the former poet. Meanwhile, in this temporary world and perception I have created of it, I am looking at a very possible exile one way or the other...my ‘plan’...a long phased withdrawal or hasty retreat. My wish is to stay, but once I leave, it might well be very hard to return. Read as many metaphors as you want into that but in spite of my dislike of the conservatively minded Aristotle’s ‘either/or’ nonsense, there do indeed appear to be only two this time. And appear is the operative word. Appearances can be deceptive and emotions (unless raised and focused) cloud over what should be clear. Pain has a tendency to breed worry and fear too but let’s draw a veil over that for now eh? Suppress, suppress, release comes later...breathe deep and try not to cough, onward we go where the game gets rough...Just like Tom Thumbs Blues 65.

Remember Roman Protasevich...As Lukasenko himself said...‘Belarus stood at the edge of an abyss and I helped it take a step forward’. Look good on your tombstone that will Al. Fecking outrageous the Indian PM only admitted in May that covid was transmitted in the air. He needs removing... as do two thirds of all the other world leaders East and West. Hello Bollsanaro. People are very easy to manipulate when they’re are scared or angry...and right now the world majority are both. But, ‘there is a crack in everything... that’s how the light gets in’... and ‘things could change’, doesn’t have to be for the worse. It can take decades to realise this as actual truth, but still nice to read and try internalise the following last week.’The odds actually favour the optimists, since dissipate structures are more likely to evolve into more information rich (intelligent?) forms than into primitive or chaotic forms.’ All my friends bar my best one are optimists..Hello you:-)

Ever onward deeper downward with Orban in Hungary and his mission of ‘Christian values’, which involves a familiar routine of arresting, beating and disappearing dissenters in the name of Christ and taking over the universities to replace professors with those who understand on which side their bread is buttered. Decent judges long gone. Nice fascist communism...and ex soldiers in France and the Czech republic warning of civil war...

And now spiraling we go into the black hole vortex of Disaster capitalism, ‘Let the bodies pile high’. There’s gold in them thar ills....ISLAND PARANOIA and PERFIDIOUS ALBION! A country which demands a contract, agrees, signs to it and then refuses to honour it. We look worse than ridiculous, we look deceitful. Gentlemen, your places please. Boris Johnson is a clumsy, inept, disgraceful charlatan, con merchant and LIAR. A blustering master bullshit artist, the only decent thing about his recent secret wedding is that now he legally has one less bastard child.

Recently I read that British people are displaying signs of Stockholm syndrome...in that they dislike those who hold power over them and make the rules but during the time of pandemic, they are the ones who will release the saviour vaccine and get everything moving again. So rather than rocking the boat and daring to express dissent at the DIABOLICAL handling of the last 18 months, they have mostly kept quiet and voted for the same endlessly failing, corrupt and venal politicians who made a bad situation far worse. (That said, it bears repeating that there are a few million in the UK who didn’t quite understand that that the spread of a highly contagious airborne virus can be slowed by the wearing of masks/applying basic hygiene and even took offence at being told what should have made sense to any adult homo SAPIENS half capable of cogitating for themselves. Morons and scum. Same where you are?

By the way BBC...the colossal dearth of stories about the endless government failures in relation to Covid, death, corruption and the NHS...ever since they blackmailed you with threats of revoking the TV licence fee and got you to change Directors has been noted. Long may Have I Got News For You continue the satire and balance needed in a DEMOCRACY. Obey your public servants? Why, when they do not serve few but themselves? Power OF the people? Which ones...the mob? The same bleating pricks who follow populists?

Four eyed beanpole fop Rees Mogg, with his wonderful line that the benefits of Brexit will be seen ‘over the next fifty years’...well yes, that is why most people vote in democratic elections eh?...So they will be dead or ancient before the change they hoped for comes...and the politicians who lead them now, will have all long moved on to revolving door chairman of the board offshore limited liability company paradise. Bread today jam tomorrow fairytales. What I tell you three times is true.

O, but the English do so love to be told what to do by dumb posh boys who treat them like dirt. Some are forelock tugging and some are self flagellating middle class upper class wannabes who will never get there but still feel proud they are not street level proles. Doby the house elf alien hamster Michael Gove found guilty of breaking the law. Nothing. Internal inquiries run by those connected to the money changing hands find nothing illegal. Corruption for all to see...and ignore. ‘Well, what can we do?’ The uselessly inept serial failure Dido Harding to be in charge of the National Health Service? (she of the collapsed Woolworths, Talk Talk and the 22 BILLION pound loss of the Covid Track and Trace program where non working consultants/insultants, were paid 1000 pounds a day). American style privatisation is coming where only the wealthy or criminal can afford to be repaired and well. Sick.

Meanwhile, All our imported nurses out, and all the lobster red fat Spanish costa de la sol criminals back in. Great exchange, fair trade and forward thinking. The Kremlin are manipulating/supporting Scottish independence... I read years ago about their base in Edinburgh for Russia Today (the foul insert in The Daily Telegraph) and they were already encouraging it. Rees Smug has accelerated and supported their freedom with his snobbish utterances on countries in the UK other than England and their ‘foreign languages’. With every patronising, arrogant pronouncement, the Eton trifles fuel the fire in Scotland which has a long bitter history of being tortured, murdered and subjugated by their southern masters. Perhaps the chumocracy in Downing Street believe the Celts to be as easily cowed as the middle and working classes down south. Here’s hoping not. ‘Rebellious Scots to crush’? Not this time pal.

As for the future of Britain? A dystopian open prison where the lower social classes toil only at the pleasure of their masters. The higher caste getting richer and all others cast into a living Hell of debt, crime, and sickness. Serve until you die and be thankful we allow you to exist. Increasing in utter irrelevance to the world, other than as an example of how wrong a former democracy can go. This future started decades ago...its baobab roots truly deep now. Better education and critical thinking for the masses in the UK (or anywhere else) is highly unlikely now. Optimism huh? As long as I am not in England, I will still be able to tap into it, but once enclosed long term in the group mind there...trapped in a grey quagmire. Keep smiling...

Several weeks ago, I watched a video on YT of apparently English protestors running after the police in London, some attacking and throwing things, one pulling off the pandemic mask of an officer and all shouting abuse at the outnumbered cops who had to keep pulling back. As always, to get my caffeine rush of fury going, I read the comments and was surprised to see two or three from Chinese names. Almost all comments were against the government (fair enough) and dumb against the lock down, masks, vaccinations etc. Checking again, I saw the video had been posted by CGTN...a media company owned and run by the communist party in Beijing...and not one author of diatribes had mentioned this, nor speculated with a critical thought as to why such an organisation might enjoy turning people against their own democratically elected government (however mind rippingly foul and corrupt they are).

I copy pasted the Wikipedia paragraph about the company onto the page and hoped someone else would make the connection. I wouldn’t mind so much IF there were a credible and decent alternative other than the diseased populist poison for which the demonstrating goons chant. China really cares about the standard of democracy in Britain eh? Persuade your enemies to weaken themselves. Destroying countries by encouraging their ‘patriots’.

(That was written on the anniversary of Tienanmen Square...a few days later Xi Jinping gave a speech saying ‘...a lovable and respectable’ China must be presented to the world and must ‘expand its circle of friends’. Tell that to your teenage ‘dissidents’, Muslims, Falun Gong and Tibetans being tortured and brainwashed in prisons or being used for organ harvesting. Tell it to Hong Kong and Taiwan.)

Unholy America...against abortion and the pill, sex education’s not Gods will and in the Name of Christ they kill...if truth be known, we’ve failed the test...but Jesus was a Socialist and Republican conservatives hate them. The founding fathers of America were Very clear about separation of church and state with damn good Reason. Another part time Christian, Mike Pompeo wants to be president. Q Onan deepstorm morons/Kremlin stool pigeons aka POLEZNYYE IDIOTY continue to push for Trump and his Big Lie...He with the brain where ‘In the left, nothing is right and in the right, nothing’s left.’ Arf.

Over the last two decades, the dumb have been finding their voice and are now louder and prouder of their dumbass ignorance. 74 million in the US alone, their egos unable to retreat in the face of endless evidence to the contrary, they all double down. Like children sticking their fingers in their grimy ears sing songing ‘la la la can’t hear you’. 74 million versions of Eric Cartman, loud, proud and wrong. And uuff, Megan Markle, Majorie Taylor Greene, walking Picasso collage (bad car driver) Caitlin Jenner and Ivana Trump in politics...not exactly holding a proud lantern for women eh? I’d like to buy them for what they are worth and sell them for what they think they are worth. Not very PC?

That was the point. Could easily been written about all of the men written about here too. Next examples follow...

Tucker Carlson and Alex Jones compete for who can be as mentally ill as trump. The Miami school where the husband and wife directors told teachers not to return if they had HAD their vaccine shots because their proximity to students was interfering with menstrual cycles and uuuufff...The sickness of utter mind buggering stupidity. I had my first shot, now waiting to turn reptilian when the 5G masts triangulate my position. Fnord. Covid appears to be killing more overweight meat eating males than females...perhaps testosterone is not useful for the coming Race of non binary mutant hermaphrodites...and look out for the end of the Y chromosome, coming to a temporary universe near you...in 4.6 million years. Yes, really.

Glad Netanyahu is out at last, smug corruption is never a good look unless one is a rich criminal. Ha. The Promised land of Israel...If I was in court for serial murder, breaking, entering and stealing and then defended my actions by saying that God had told me to do it, would the Judge; A. Call for a psychiatric report, B. Disregard the statement as unprovable and pass the appropriate sentence, C, say Ok mate, you’re free to go, good luck to you. ? Moses had a good schtick.

The law is only to punish the poor, do you feel as if you suffer from empathy? Once you know, you no longer need to believe. What does ‘reality’ seem to be? The more certain you are, the stupider you get and belief is the death of intelligence. The machine is running the engineers. What is the definition of rationality...the quality of being based on or in accordance with reason or logic.

Nothing is, but thinking makes it so. Epicurus.

EVERYTHING NOT COMPULSORY IS FORBIDDEN.

The glamour illusion of the mass of pointless hot influencers needs a constant renewing of the Banishing Ritual as much as all the pigslop bile coming from Fox News and Sky. Bloody long haired commie liberal faggot they cry against any not identical to them. Some days I have only flamethrowers of hatred for these idiots. Other days...not exactly self doubt, just questions...most of us seem to believe our opinions are more valid when there are emotions connected to them. Including me. Again, this seems like a very weak version of ‘truth’, unless disciplined, channeled and focused to a certain end.

Life appears to exist in order to become via chaos.

Most of us are working only not to be homeless, some because of the joy in our chosen work regardless of finances. Until ‘reality’ kicks in the door...the bondage gets tighter when you struggle. How much hardship is the individual willing to endure these days by choice? Surrounded by a universe of distraction and destruction, Maya mewling for our attention. Five years of Trump, rampant populism and Brexit doing a Hexagram 23 on democracy, compounded by the pandemic...all on top of ‘normal’ daily life. The ego feeds and the immune system breaks down. Hard to ignore without being on a mountain or in a parallel dimension and emotion free other than compassion. But BY GODDESS IT CAN AND WILL BE DONE. Ladies of Life Nin Khursag, Isis, Kali, Aradia...Love one, Love ALL. At very least have respect for thyself but be not thou proud of thine arrogance nor thy suffering.

Or just Remember where you came from, what you were, seem to be and will become.

Heal, heal, more work to do, more love to give, more love to feel, Heal. Stay in drugs, eat your school and don’t do vegetables. Impose your own reality upon and through yourself, breathe, exhale, repeat, and continue, LOVE UNDER WILL. Experience and absorb but ‘It’s a house of tricks, ignore the world’’.

Stay well, be seeing you:-)

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newstfionline · 3 years

Text

Sunday, June 13, 2021

Rash of mass shootings stirs US fears heading into summer (AP) Two people were killed and at least 30 others wounded in mass shootings overnight in three states, authorities said Saturday, stoking concerns that a spike in U.S. gun violence could continue into summer as coronavirus restrictions ease and more people are free to socialize. The attacks took place late Friday or early Saturday in the Texas capital of Austin, Chicago and Savannah, Georgia. In Austin, authorities said they arrested one of two male suspects and were searching for the other after a shooting early Saturday on a crowded pedestrian-only street packed with bars and restaurants. Fourteen people were wounded, including two critically, in the gunfire, which the city’s interim police chief said is believed to have started as a dispute between two parties. In Chicago, a woman was killed and nine other people were wounded when two men opened fire on a group standing on a sidewalk in the Chatham neighborhood on the city’s South Side. In the south Georgia city of Savannah, police said one man was killed and seven other people were wounded in a mass shooting Friday evening.

Summer camps return but with fewer campers and counselors (AP) Overnight summer camps will be allowed in all 50 states this season, but COVID-19 rules and a pandemic labor crunch mean that many fewer young campers will attend, and those who do will have to observe coronavirus precautions for the second consecutive year. “Camp might look a little different, but camp is going to look a lot better in 2021 than it did in 2020, when it didn’t happen,” said Matt Norman of Atlanta, who is getting ready to send his 12-year-old daughter to camp. Even though most camps will be open, reduced capacity necessitated by COVID-19 restrictions and the labor shortage will keep numbers well below a normal threshold of about 26 million summer campers, said Tom Rosenberg of the American Camp Association.

Mexico says COVID-19 has affected a fourth of its population (Reuters) About a quarter of Mexico’s 126 million people are estimated to have been infected with the coronavirus, the health ministry said on Friday, far more than the country’s confirmed infections. The 2020 National Health and Nutrition Survey (Ensanut) showed that about 31.1 million people have had the virus, the ministry said in a statement, citing Tonatiuh Barrientos, an official at the National Institute of Public Health. According to Barrientos, not all of the people in the survey’s estimate necessarily showed symptoms. The survey was based on interviews with people at 13,910 households between Aug. 17 and Nov. 14 last year, and confirmed preliminary results released in December.

Peru on edge as electoral board reviews result of disputed presidential election (Guardian) Peru was on a knife-edge on Friday as its electoral board reviewed ballots cast in the presidential election, after a challenge to the tally by the losing candidate Keiko Fujimori. The final tally gave the leftist teacher Pedro Castillo a razor-thin 50.17% to 49.83% advantage over his rightwing rival Fujimori, which amounts to about 60,000 votes. However, the country’s electoral authority has yet to confirm the win, and Fujimori, the scion of a controversial political dynasty, has refused to concede. She alleges fraud, even though national and international observers said the vote was clean, and has called for up to 500,000 votes to be nullified or reexamined, forcing the electoral board to conduct a review of ballots.

For Cornwall, G7 summit brings disruption (AP) Towering steel fences, masses of police, protests on the beach: The Cornish seaside’s turquoise waters and white sandy beaches are looking decidedly less idyllic this week as leaders of the Group of Seven wealthy democracies descend for a summit. U.S. President Joe Biden and leaders from Canada, France, Germany, Italy and Japan are arriving for three days of talks starting Friday at the tiny village of Carbis Bay, near St. Ives in Cornwall. The region is a popular holiday destination in the southwestern tip of England. Locals may be used to crowds and traffic jams during the peak summer tourist season, but the disruptions caused by the summit are on another level. A naval frigate dominates the coastline, armed soldiers guard the main sites and some 5,000 extra police officers have been deployed to the area. Authorities have even hired a cruise ship with a capacity of 3,000, moored offshore, to accommodate some of the extra officers. A main road is closed for the whole week, and local train lines and bus services have been shut down. A 3-meter (10-foot) tall metal fence nicknamed the “ring of steel” has been erected around Treganna Castle in Carbis Bay, where world leaders will stay. Security is also tight in the nearby town of Falmouth, the main base for international media covering the summit.

World leaders are in England, but beautiful British beaches have stolen the show (Washington Post) When President Biden shared a photo to Twitter on Thursday of him standing alongside British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and gazing out onto an unspoiled, sandy white beach from the Group of Seven summit in Cornwall, England, the post was supposed to be a tribute to the “special relationship” between the United Kingdom and the United States. But to many, it was the image of the picturesque coast that stood out. It looked somewhat suspicious. Too good to be true. Others questioned the authenticity of the scene, wondering whether it was photoshopped. Although it is true that some of Britain’s beaches have a reputation for pebbles, angry seagulls that steal food from unsuspecting tourists and diapers that float in murky waters, the county of Cornwall boasts some of the country’s best seaside destinations—complete with calm, clear waters that are perfect for swimming in and long stretches of soft sand that attract families from around the world. Carbis Bay is one of several beaches that make up St. Ives Bay, which, according to the Cornwall tourist board, is considered by the “Most Beautiful Bays in the World” organization to be one of the world’s best. The bay is described as being “surrounded by sub-tropical plants and lapped by turquoise waters.”

Ransomware’s suspected Russian roots point to a long detente between the Kremlin and hackers (Washington Post) The ransomware hackers suspected of targeting Colonial Pipeline and other businesses around the world have a strict set of rules. First and foremost: Don’t target Russia or friendly states. It’s even hard-wired into the malware, including coding to prevent hacks on Moscow’s ally Syria, according to cybersecurity experts who have analyzed the malware’s digital fingerprints. They say the reasons appear clear. “In the West you say, ‘Don’t . . . where you eat,’ ” said Dmitry Smilyanets, a former Russia-based hacker who is now an intelligence analyst at Recorded Future, a cybersecurity company with offices in Washington and other cities around the world. “It’s a red line.” Targeting Russia could mean a knock on the door from state security agents, he said. But attacking Western enterprises is unlikely to trigger a crackdown. The relationship between the Russian government and ransomware criminals allegedly operating from within the country is expected to be a point of tension between President Biden and Russia’s Vladimir Putin at their planned summit in Geneva on Wednesday. The United States has accused Russia of acting as a haven for hackers by tolerating their activities—as long as they are directed outside the country.

Pandemic relapse spells trouble for India’s middle class (AP) India’s economy was on the cusp of recovery from the first pandemic shock when a new wave of infections swept the country, infecting millions, killing hundreds of thousands and forcing many people to stay home. Cases are now tapering off, but prospects for many Indians are drastically worse as salaried jobs vanish, incomes shrink and inequality is rising. Decades of progress in alleviating poverty are imperiled, experts say, and getting growth back on track hinges on the fate of the country’s sprawling middle class. It’s a powerful and diverse group ranging from salaried employees to small business owners: many millions of people struggling to hold onto their hard-earned gains. The outbreak of the pandemic triggered the worst downturn since the Great Depression of the 1930s and as it gradually ebbs, many economies are bouncing back. India’s economy contracted 7.3% in the fiscal year that ended in March, worsening from a slump that slashed growth to 4% from 8% in the two years before the pandemic hit. Economists fear there will be no rebound similar to the ones seen in the U.S. and other major economies.

‘Xi Jinping is my spiritual leader’: China’s education drive in Tibet (Reuters) Under clear blue skies, rugged peaks and the spectacular Potala Palace, one image is ubiquitous in Tibet’s capital city Lhasa: portraits of Chinese President Xi Jinping and fellow leaders. China is broadening a political education campaign as it celebrates the 70th anniversary of its control over Tibet. Civilians and religious figures who the government arranged to be interviewed on the five-day trip pledged loyalty to the Communist Party and Xi. Asked who his spiritual leader was, a monk at Lhasa’s historic Jokhang temple named Xi. “I’m not drunk ... I speak freely to you,” said the monk named Lhakpa, speaking from a courtyard overlooked by security cameras and government observers. “The posters [of Xi] coincide with a massive political education programme which is called ‘feeling gratitude to the party’ education,” said Robert Barnett, a Tibetan studies veteran scholar at the University of London’s School of Oriental and African Studies.

Long overlooked, Israel’s Arab citizens are increasingly asserting their Palestinian identity (Washington Post) Growing up in an Arab village in northern Israel in the 1990s, Mahmoud Abo Arisheh was sure of at least two things: He was Israeli, and he was not allowed to talk politics. “Be careful, or the Shin Bet will get you,” his parents told him, referring to Israel’s domestic security service. Decades later, much has changed: Abo Arisheh is a lawyer, a poet and a theater director in Jaffa. He attends protests and talks politics freely—in Arabic, Hebrew and English. And while his citizenship may remain Israeli, the identity most dear to him is that of a Palestinian. “I didn’t know anything about being Palestinian,” said the 32-year-old, “but then I opened my eyes.” And now, it seems, so are many others. In just the past month, Palestinian citizens of Israel—also known as Israeli Arabs—have risen up in mass, nationwide demonstrations to protest Israeli evictions and police raids. They have been arrested by the hundreds following some of the worst communal violence between Arabs and Jews in Israel’s post-independence history. For a community that is often overlooked despite numbering nearly 2 million people—or about 20 percent of the Israeli population—these are momentous days indeed.

Nigerian police fire tear gas to break up protests over rising insecurity (Reuters) Police fired tear gas and detained several demonstrators in the Nigerian cities of Lagos and Abuja on Saturday during protests over the country’s worsening security situation, Reuters witnesses said. Anger over mass kidnappings-for-ransom, a decade-long Islamist insurgency and a crackdown on protesters in Lagos last October has fueled demands for the government of President Muhammadu Buhari to do more to tackle violence and insecurity. Reuters witnesses in Lagos and Abuja saw police shooting their guns into the air and firing tear gas into the crowds to disperse the demonstrators, who held placards and chanted “Buhari must go”. Officers were also seen smashing mobile phones confiscated from protesters, who also denounced the country’s 33.3% unemployment rate.

#headlines #news

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cameronspecial · 5 years

Text

King of CSCC (Ch.2)

Pairing: Rich Kid! Tom Holland x Reader

Summary: When Y/N gets a scholarship to attend Collegialiter Schola Currere Cucurri, a prestigious boarding school in England. She’s very studious and organizes, everything needs to be a certain way for her to be happy. Tom is the resident fuckboy at school and, with his daddy being the richest man on earth, he practically owns the school. What happens when Tom falls completely in love with Y/N, but she doesn’t want to be with him because of his reputation.

A/N: Sorry it was so late and short, I’ve been very busy the last two weeks and didn’t have the time to work on it.

Words: 1 480

Prologue | Chapter 1 |

Today classes are supposed to start and Y/N couldn’t be more excited to start the school year at the school that she’s always dreamed of going to. She finishes her breakfast as fast as she could so that she can head back to her dorm to get her books and head to class. “Looks like someone is eager to head to class,” Harrison jokes after Y/N had dashed away towards her dorm. Delilah chuckles along to the joke, “Yeah, she’s like the only girl I know that is actually excited to start school. It was so cute, she was talking to me all of last night about how thrilled she is for classes.” Tom smiles as his two best friends joke around about the girl he not so secretly has a massive crush on her. “Yeah, she really is something else. What classes do you have this term?” Tom questions his friends as he starts to clean up his breakfast tray for the lower classes to come to clean up. Delilah and Harrison look over their schedules and switch their schedules between each other to see what their friends have. “Hey, you have algebra with Y/N, Tom. And Harrison, we have the same drama class,” Delilah comments whilst handing back the schedules to the perspective person. Tom seemed unfazed by the fact that he was in the same class as Y/N on the outside, but on the inside, he is freaking out and he has no idea what to do.

The first two periods of the day went by quicker then Tom had thought they would especially since his second period was a spare. Tom walks as quickly as he can to Room 235 where he has algebra class. Tom dread the idea of going to math class. He hardly understood anything going on and with his dyslexia, all the numbers would get mixed up, but he needs to take algebra to go into business. Plus, he promised his dad that he’d go to university for business if he was allowed to get a minor in acting. However, the thought of being in the same class with Y/N made all his worries about algebra disappear. He walks into Room 235 to see Y/N sitting in the front row right in the center with writing stuff all laid out in perfect reach for her. Tom notices that one of the nerds is about to sit in the only free seat beside Y/N, so he went into action. He quickly made his way to the desk and gently shoves the nerd to the side so that he doesn’t seem aggressive in front of Y/N. “Tommy, you could have just asked him to move. I know I am amazing, but no need to be aggressive,” she quips at Tom. “I already know how amazing you are, but I want you to know how amazing I am. So I have to sit beside you every algebra class in order to show you just how amazing I can be.” “Okay, Mr. Cocky. Think about whatever you want to think.” Before the conversation could continue, Professor Dickens walks into the room and starts his lesson.

During class Tom is asked to answer a question, he looks up at the board then look down at his notebook to try to solve the problem. His brow knits together in confusion and he squints at the board like he couldn’t believe what is on the board. When he finally has an answer, Professor Dickens tells Tom he is wrong and continues on with the questions. Tom sighs in defeat and looks down at his notebook to try to figure out what he did wrong. The bell rang signifying the end of class and the beginning of lunch. Y/N walks beside Tom and strings up a conversation with him, “Were you okay in class? It looked like something was bothering you.” Tom scratches the back of his neck and looks over at Y/N with red cheeks from embarrassment, “Well, I am not going to lie. I have dyslexia, so sometimes I mix up the numbers and it gets hard to do math. I see one number as another and that makes me get the wrong answer. It’s really frustrating and I don’t know what to do. Y/N could feel Tom’s vulnerability about this subject and she couldn’t help but feel bad for him. “What if I were to help you? We can’t go over the questions in class and do some practice questions. Maybe practice will help you do the exercises a little bit more easily. You know how they say practicing reading helps you read,” Y/N suggests to Tom. “That sounds like an awesome idea. I think it would help.” Y/N nods her head, “We can start after school. Meet me at my dorm after dinner?” Tom agrees and they head over to the dining hall.

Tom and Y/N arrive at the dining hall before Delilah and Harrison did, so they went to their normal table and sit down. “I am going to go get our lunch,” Tom informs Y/N while he gets up from the table and heads over to the food area. Y/N tittles her fingers with her head in the clouds whilst she awaits the return of her friends. She is so lost in her thoughts that she doesn’t notice the three snooty people sit at the table with her. The girl is only made aware of her visitors when Penelope loudly coughs. Y/N head snaps in their direction and she raises an eyebrow at them. “Oh, look I’ve been graced with the presence of people who are basically minions to each other and are CSCC resident Plastics,” Y/N’s snarky remarks anger the three friends. Penelope leans against the table on her arms and points a finger at Y/N in a threatening way, “Listen you little shit, Tom is my man. He may not know it yet, but he will eventually come around and realize that I am the right girl for him. And if you even think about going for Harrison then you are crazy because Harrison is for Julia. So you better watch out because I always get what I want and I don’t like sharing. By the end of next month, Tom is going to be mine and I really don’t care what happens with you.” Julia and Carter let out a sound in agreement before they get up from their chairs and storm off to their table. After that confusing scene, Delilah and Harrison join her at the table and Tom returns to the table with two trays of food. “What happened, Y/N/N?” Harrison asks his new friend when he sees the look of confusion on her face. Y/N looks over at her newly arrived friends, “I was just threatened by the Plastics and I am confused with how people can be so bitchy.” This makes her friends chuckle and they go on to eat their lunch.

The rest of the day goes by so fast that Y/N felt like lunch was only an hour ago. Now, she finds herself with dinner in front of her and her friends sitting by side her. “How was your first day, Y/N/N?” Delilah inquires to her best friend. “It was great! I actually feel like I am learning something in class and that school is actually a little bit of a challenge. I met some really nice people that I think could become my friends and study partners. After dinner, I am going to help Tom with math. How did your day go?” “It went like normal. Although, I think I am going to run for the Student Council’s vice president. I was thinking you could run for President, you are smart and very organize which would make you a great president. Plus, you are really pretty which would help you win the votes of the brainless boys who only vote for the girls who they think is the prettiest. Penelope always wins and she never does anything useful for the school.” Y/N thinks about what Delilah says, “That does sound like something I would like and be good at. Maybe, I will give it a go. How was your day, Tom and Harrison?” Tom jumps at the opportunity to tell Y/N first, “I have to say it was pretty dull until I had algebra with you.” Y/N feels her face heat up at Tom’s flirting and then turns to hear Harrison’s answer. “It was boring, I think I might have to drop French literature because I really don’t like it,” Harrison says. The conversation goes on between the rest of the friends for the rest of the dinner until they finish eating and they part ways. Delilah goes to soccer practice, Harrison heads to the guidance councillor, and Tom and Y/N head back to her dorm.

Taglist: @bookgirlunicorn @itsjstz @rachaeldonnaspiteri1 @madithemagicalfangirl @glcssyholland @marisophie @truestrengths@mjsholland @iwastornsincethestart@saltysebastianstan @loxbbg@linnyalou@scoobieboobiedoo @anaussiesblog @jillanaholland @madon566 @tiny-friggin-human @parkeret @outwrspacez @watson-emma @jessybellsworld @thatdamjoke @averyfosterthoughts @greenarrowhead @v-valz-n @itsjstz

#tom holland #tomholland #tom holland imagine #tom holland imagines #tom holland fanfiction #tom holland fic #tom holland x reader #richkid! tom #richkid! tom hollland #richkid! tom holland x reader #tom holland fuckboy x reader #fuckboy! tom holland #fuckboy! tom holland x reader #fuckboi! tom #fuckboy! tom #fuckboi! tom holland

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ladybugsfanfics · 5 years

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Shut Up And Kiss Me [1/?] | Tom Hiddleston x reader

Pairing: Tom Hiddleston x reader

Style: Multichapther

WC: 3062

Warnings: cursing, passive aggressiveness, pettyness

Summary: You and Professor Hiddleston have been colleagues for many years now, and through those years the hatred for each other has only grown. Now, as a new school year starts, you’re being told that you have to share a classroom or a class. Neither are happy about the outcome, but knowing you’ll never come to an agreement, you let the class choose for you. Team-teaching is rare in 2019, but it is a lot harder to do when you can’t stand the person you’re doing it with.

POV: reader

A/N: I’m so excited to finally post this and actually get a start to the story.

If you would like to be added or removed from the taglist, please let me know ^_^

Prologue | Series Masterlist | Part Two

Thomas William Hiddleston Creative Writing

Dear Professor Y/L/N

I am writing to enquire about how to best teach our respective classes. I believe that we should be able to find a solution that will make sure no students feel as if the class does not benefit them because of our disagreements.

I have three options for you:

You let me have the whole class and need not be bothered with me for the rest of the semester nor the next

We teach classes at different times

If you see the schedule we were granted you will notice that there are two open slots for the class

It is one hour and fifteen minutes two times a week, making us able to have it every other day the weeks the classroom is available.

We can teach it together as one collective group, which could lead to the students getting more out of the class

With those options in mind, I hope you will reach out before we both meet today for the first class. This way we can instruct the class on how the semester will continue on from today.

Sincerely, Professor Tom Hiddleston 020 **** **** twhiddleston@*****.co.uk

Y/N Y/L/N Re: creative writing

Professor Hiddleston

Your inquiry is well placed. I, too, believe we should figure out a solution that best suits the needs of our students.

In regards to your options;

I will not give up teaching the class. Despite our disagreements I do enjoy teaching and am in dire need of the money I get from taking on this class

As I understood it, teaching at different times is not an option.

I checked the open slots for the class and it is not possible to have a different time than the one we will meet today

The room is not available to our use more than the times we were given―I checked

You were worried about our disagreements coming in the way of teaching. In this case, teaching the class as one collective group will be a bigger problem than a solution, at least long hand.

In addition, I would like to add a fourth option you didn’t include

4. I teach the whole class and your request to not see me for the rest of the semester or the next will be granted.

I hope you take your time to figure out what you would be most comfortable with. I’ll be looking forward to hear you let me teach the whole class.

Y/N Y/L/N 020 **** **** Y/I/Y/L/N@*****.co.uk (First letter of first (and middle) name + last name)

The paper feels like a brick in your hand. It weighs down as more students filter in through the doors. You look down at it, scanning over the names. Some you recognize as students taking history or philosophy, but most aren’t familiar.

Hiddleston has still not appeared and the class is supposed to start in five minutes. You silently hope he doesn’t show, despite the clear answer to your email stating that him not taking the class was not an option―basically he hadn’t answered.

You lean back against the teacher’s desk and let the paper hang loosely by your side. The room continues to fill, nearing the number of thirty you expect. You count to twenty-eight.

Twenty-nine. Another comes in through the door. Thirty. You take a last glance at the door, still no Hiddleston. Thank Go―

He comes through the door with fast steps. “You have big balls for a woman,” he hisses as he puts down his bag on the teacher’s desk. You raise a brow at him. “Oh, sure,” he says, “you weren’t the one to call and make me go all the way around the building on a detour? You weren’t the one thinking you could make me come late and you could start without me?”

You try to push back a smile by pursing your lips. “Unfortunately, no, that wasn’t me.” The smile treads lightly through. “It almost helped, but I want to win this the right way.”

Hiddleston scoffs. “Win it? This isn’t a competition.”

“Keep telling yourself that and I already have this in my pocket,” you reply and stop leaning on the desk. “Makes this thing a whole lot easier.”

Before you turn to face the students you notice him roll his eyes. You shake your head, not letting him get to you―at least not at the same level as he usually does.

You clear your throat, gather the students attention and shoot a last look at your colleague. “Hi, everyone. I’m professor Y/L/N. This is professor Hiddleston.” You point to Hiddleston. “Welcome to creative writing.”

A chorus of chatter spreads through the room. It quickly dies out.

“Before we start any actual lesson, we would like to go through some information. This is for your benefit and ours.” You look down at the paper still clutched in your hand. “As you may have noticed, we are two teachers and one classroom. In fact, you all are two classes of fifteen and not one of thirty―unless, of course, professor Hiddleston decides to leave it to me.”

The male at your side lets out a huff.

“Unfortunately, we have not been able to agree upon the best arrangement for the course. I have taken the liberty to decide that you will choose, as the two of us will not be able to come to an agreement. We have three options for you.” You walk around to the blackboard and make a list of three. “One; I teach the class alone and Hiddleston is free to do other needed work in this time instead. Two; we divide the room into two parts where we use one each and teach each class to our own desires. Three―and with this one you should note that professor Hiddleston and I do not enjoy each other’s company―we teach the class together, giving you the possibility to hear both our thoughts. And no, Hiddleston teaching the class alone is not an option.”

Professor Hiddleston sighs as you finish writing the third option on the board. He shakes his head and turns to face the students. You turn back around and see the numerous hands in the air. Hiddleston points to one of them, causing the rest to fall down.

“Uhh, why can’t there be two classes in two different rooms?” The boy frowns at the two of you.

“Because there are no available rooms. We both requested the class and it is easier working with a smaller group to better reach each student,” replies Hiddleston. His answer is as vague as McHallan’s when he tried to explain the problem.

Another hand shoots into the air. You nod at them to speak. “How do we vote?” asks the girl the hand belongs to.

You gather up a stack of blank papers. “You write your option on this piece of paper. After everyone hands one in we count up what got most votes.” You hand half the stack to Hiddleston, who reluctantly accepts. “Please think through what you would most benefit from and vote with that in mind.”

The stacks are each handed to a student on the first row who passes the blank papers to the next person from row to row. As they all hunch down over the paper, you find a small box you brought where everyone can put their paper. Already, some have decided and meet your eyes to signal it.

After a few minutes, everyone has handed in their paper. As Hiddleston picks out two students to read the votes―so you both know the choice isn’t altered to one of yours’ liking―you make a table on the blackboard to place the results in. Then, as a boy and a girl walk up to the blackboard and find a piece of chalk, you lean back against the first row desks.

Professor Y/L/N alone | III

Two classes, one room | IIII III

Both teach one class | IIII IIII IIII I

Professor Hiddleston alone | III

The results stare back at you with a resounding note. Your heart shoots up into your throat, you purse your lips to hide the imminent anger and take a deep breath. It’ll be fine, you tell yourself, it’ll work out… maybe…

You meet Hiddleston’s look from across the room. He looks no happier than you. At least that’s reassuring. You clap your hands together and turn to the class. The two students who helped sit back down and you give them a smile as they do so.

“That was… interesting.” Your voice comes off as disappointed as you predicted. “We will grant this wish, though I want to warn you of disagreements that might come from this arrangement.”

Professor Hiddleston nods. “Despite our differences, we will do our best to make this enjoyable and a learning experience for you all. Now that we have that settled, shall we start?”

An agreeable murmur stirs through and you nod with a small sigh. This can become every level of interesting.

“I don’t understand your problem.” Your best friend sits on your kitchen countertop, carelessly stuffing their mouth with food. “You share a class with one of the hottest men I have ever had the pleasure to meet. Not only that, but he’s fucking nice, too.”

You shake your head. “You don’t know him like I do, okay?” you tell her. “He’s a huge asshole. He always thinks he’s better than people and smarter and what not.”

Y/BFF/N scoffs and gives you an amused look. They hop down from the counter and to the fridge. “I don’t know,” they say and pull out a box of grapes “Remember when you first started working there and you met him.” They shut the fridge with their butt and speak with grapes in their mouth. “You told me there was this really hot professor there, prospects for dating and everything, despite clearly saying that dating someone you work with seemed a bad idea.”

“Ha ha, very funny. I did not say that, and if I did, I didn’t know he was a prick yet.” You snatch the box of grapes out their hands. “His personality makes him ugly. I’m sorry but it has something to say.” They snatch the box back as you take out a handful.

“Sure,” they say, their voice layered with irony. “Just do a one night stand. He’s hot, you need to get laid, maybe it’ll work out the conflict between you two, which has become such an annoyance. You say you don’t like him, but you can’t stop talking about him.”

You ignore their words. It’s clear they have some delusions. In fact, you remember the day you met Hiddleston very clearly.

“Here’s your office.” Dean McHallan unlocked a door into a small room. “You’re wall to wall with the English Literature teacher so you’ll probably meet him soon. Other than that, if you have any more questions feel free to ask.” He handed you the key to the office and slipped out the door.

The room was small, but not constricting. The far wall was lined with a cabinet consisting of two longer shelved cupboards. The middle was designed more as a bookcase, with some room for pictures as the wall was visible in the middle. In front of the cabinet stood a desk with what looked like a rather uncomfortable office chair. And to the left wall, right under a window staring out at the parking lot, was a couch that actually looked rather comfortable. By the right wall, there was an extra chair.

You sighed and dropped your backpack on the couch. Despite the rather tacky interior, it was a huge upgrade from your last job.

Knock. Knock.

Unpacking―meaning going to your car and taking with you some of the things you liked to have in your office―would be saved for later as you turned around and found a tall male in your doorway.

The male smiled, though it didn’t reach his eyes. “You must be the new professor. I saw you walk here with Dean McHallan.” He held out his hand. “I’m Tom Hiddleston, the English Literature professor.”

You took his hand and shook it. “Y/N Y/L/N. New history professor, yeah.” You let go of his hand and pursed your lips.

This was the male that had an office right next to yours. Well, maybe not too bad. He gave a nice vibe, reliable even. Based on his choice of clothing he was rather sophisticated, too. And well, the British Accent helped a lot. But everyone had that, you were in Britain after all.

“If there’s ever anything you need, I’ll do my best to help.” He pulled away from the doorway. “Welcome and I hope you find yourself at home here.”

“Thanks,” you replied and gave him a small smile.

During that first year, Hiddleston hadn’t seemed too bad. There was something with him, but it wasn’t until the Christmas party the next year you realized what an asshole he was and ever since, the two of you had had this disagreement going on.

You shake yourself out of the thought. “Okay, but instead of standing here all day, wanna watch a movie?” you ask.

Y/BFF/N nods. “Can we watch something Marvel? I’m in a mood,” they ask.

“Of course,” you reply. “What about Spider Man? Or Black Panther? They’re both on Netflix.”

They smirk and open the fridge again. You frown, and let out an exasperated sigh as they close the fridge with two wine bottles in hand. “Let’s watch both and have some fun. We’re nearing forty and I am in dire need of seeing you drunk before we get there.”

You raise your bows at her. “I’m thirty-five. I got five more years.”

Y/BFF/N sticks their tongue out at you. “Yeah, but I’m thirty-seven so fuck off.” Then their annoyance turns to a smirk. “What about your enemy? He’s not forty yet, is he?”

“I don’t know his exact age, Y/BFF/N, nor do I care.” You roll your eyes and snatch one of the wine bottles out of their hands. “Please, let’s watch some goddamn movies and get a little drunk, and maybe we can find out where your enemy hides the embarrassing photos, videos and more.”

They glare at you. “You wouldn’t dare.”

“What? Did they leak on instagram? Tumblr? Oh, shit that’s on twitter now. Out of my hands.” You shake your head with a that’s-just-how-it-is smile, enhanced with a half shrug and pursed lips slightly tilted upwards to show the joke.

Y/BFF/N shakes their head. “Fuck you. Let’s just start the movie.”

You laugh at them and smile. “Yeah, maybe that’s for the best.”

“―and my thoughts are to―”

You rush into the classroom, interrupting the professor you are certain is to blame for your late coming. Everyone’s gaze turns to you, you can feel their eyes on you, but yours are set in one place.

He frowns as you move towards him, past him and try to calm down. Don’t shout at him, you chant to yourself as you put down your backpack on the teacher’s desk.

“I’m sorry I’m late, but I had a flat tire,” you say. “Keep going.”

Hiddleston does exactly that and the students turn their attention back to him. As he talks, you tune out his voice and try to figure out how to get revenge. The reason you believe it’s him; the tire was slashed, at campus, before an appointment you had which you would have made on time had it not been for the tire, and because you didn’t make that on time, you didn’t make class on time.

The man was an idiot.

“―please take half an hour to discuss with each other and write a paragraph or two.”

The anger inside you doesn’t subside. You can feel your nostrils flare, feel the rage boil in your veins and the urge to just jump your colleague is not far from taking over.

Hiddleston comes up at your side. His lips are pursed, though you notice a hint of a smile. “You’re tire was flat?” he asks.

“Oh, please.” You look at him incredulously. “You had nothing to do with it, is that so? You expect me to believe that?”

“How could I possibly have done it? You were off campus.”

Proof. He knew.

You purse your lips and swallow to keep your voice low. “It was slashed before I left. And yeah, it was slashes. Foul play.”

He scoffs. “And why would I do it?” Hiddleston sounds curious, as if him being petty is something he doesn’t have a reason for―he doesn’t, but you’re pretty sure he believes he has one.

“Because you didn’t want me to make it. You knew I was off campus. You probably knew I had an important appointment as well, and I believe you did it on purpose to make me come late because that’s the type of idiotic thing you do.” You say it through gritted teeth, no longer masking your anger.

“You’re delusional, Y/N,” he says. “If you want to make every little detail regarding your life about me, I won't stop you.”

You clench your fists. “Every little detail? Because I believe you want to make my life miserable? The thing you have done since I started working here?” An annoyed huff leaves your lips. “Sure, yeah, totally. I’m obsessed.”

He takes a step back and turns half way around to face the students. “It’s flattering, I don’t mind,” he says, winks and fully turns around.

The desire to jump him comes back. You close your eyes and count to ten. Some of the anger fades away, but the need for revenge stays. The need to get him down a notch. The need to ruin his reputation and set a small fire to his career.

The side of your lips draw up in a smug smile. All you need is a plan. All you need is someone to help you. All you need is to make him taste his own medicine.

And you know exactly how to do that.

Taglist: @plooffairy @inlovewith3 @mindlesschicca @bookgirlunicorn @just-the-hiddles @jennytwoshoes @lokissidehoe @fruitfly123 @devilbat @princetale @scorpionchild81 @noplacelikehome77 @winterisakiller @lostsoldieronahill @nonsensicalobsessions @cherrygeek86 @louhpstuff @olyamoriarty @sunshinein17 @kthemarsian @kumikowi @secretcupcakekitty @buckygrantbarnes @josis-teacup @runawaygiirl @januarycalendargirl @funny-fangirl @kinghiddlestonanddixon @scorpiomindfuck

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andromeda-sapphire · 5 years

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Uranus in Taurus: 2018 - 2025

(EDIT: This is an article I wrote for my old blog back in 2018.)

This year, starting mid-May, we got a taste of Uranus in Taurus and what kinds of things we can expect until the next sign change into Gemini in 2025. Currently, Uranus has retrograded back into Aries, giving us our last opportunity to stand out and make our own unique mark on the world with this pioneering Aries influence before the planet moves into Taurus again in early March 2019, where it will stay for the next 7-10 years. Aries is the first of the zodiac and is all about the importance of self, so it's no coincidence that this Uranus in Aries cycle birthed the beginning of selfie culture we know today, as well as many activist groups and rebellions.

Uranus is the planet of change and innovative ideas, and it doesn't match well with Taurus, a fixed sign, who hates change and clings to all they know. Taurean themes such as food, music, art, and finance may experience radical changes, likely involving technology as well, as Uranus rules technology and science. In the first few months of Uranus in Taurus this year, we have already seen some of these themes manifest, as I'll discuss throughout this article. First, for a little history lesson.

The last time Uranus was in Taurus was during the end of the Great Depression and the beginning of World War II. As we know, these events directly affected the world of finance, and the unemployment rate in some cities in the USA was higher than 80%. In June of 1935, F.D.R. took action to attempt to save the economy with the "New Deal" plan, which was a number of programs aimed to help achieve financial stability (which is a major Taurean theme) in America once again. These programs were assembled primarily by Frances Perkins, the first woman to serve in the Presidential cabinet. Also in 1935, the Social Security Act (which Frances Perkins was also very involved in, and I'll talk more about why she is important later) became law, and the first social security payments were made the following year. In January 1938, the Dutch government began obligatory unemployment insurance as well. There is a pattern here, where the Taurean themes of finance and security were shaken by the unstable influence of Uranus. A game about fluctuating finances was even released during this previous Uranus in Taurus cycle - the ever-popular Monopoly board game! Interestingly enough, during the current Uranus in Taurus cycle, in 2018 Hasbro released a new and updated version of the Monopoly game for the millennial generation.

Beyond finance, Taurus also rules farming and food production, so there were many important events happening in this area too, during the last Uranus in Taurus transit. For example, many countries began rationing food supplies around the time World War II began, including bread, sugar and cheese. In July of 1937, SPAM lunchmeat was first introduced to market shelves, dominating the industry because of its availability, affordable cost, and enduring shelf life. This is an example of a Uranus in Taurus development involving food. Another wonderful example; in May of 1940, the first McDonald's opened in California, revolutionizing the world of food, speeding up the process under the influence of Uranus, and thus becoming what we know today as "fast food." The first food stamps were also issued in 1939, during the last transit of Uranus through Taurus.

In our current Uranus in Taurus transit, I've noticed that there has already been a series of archaeological discoveries (Uranus rules discovery) related to food. On July 17 of 2018, archaeologists in Jordan found the ancient remains of baked bread from 14,400 years ago. Then on August 18, archaeologists found the first ever cheese from Ancient Egypt. And finally, in September, archaeologists found the oldest known brewery and the remains of ancient beer in Israel. (While Neptune and Pisces rule alcohol, Taurus rules the grains that beer is made from!) Interesting that we seem to be looking backwards at food so far during this transit, when Uranus typically urges us to move forward. But there is still plenty of time, and I'm sure there will be some amazing inventions relating to the food industry over the next 7-10 years.

In the world of the arts, there were many major events during the last Uranus in Taurus transit, as Venus rules Taurus, which rules art and music. To begin, in 1936, Billboard magazine published its very first hit music chart, revolutionizing the music industry. Then in 1939, Billboard introduced the first country music chart, or "hillbilly" music chart. In 1940, they released their first singles records chart. Vocalists (Venus and Taurus rule the throat and voice) like Frank Sinatra and Marian Anderson began to emerge in music during this time as well, and dominated the industry.

In fashion, nylon was the latest fiber innovation, patented in 1937, then announced the following year. By October of 1939, nylon stockings were available in stores for the first time. Also in 1939, Glamour magazine began publishing issues. This is significant because Venus rules beauty, and as the ruler of Taurus, it is involved in this transit. Venus also rules perfume, and during the last Uranus in Taurus transit, Coco Chanel brought us the famous scent, Chanel no. 5 in May of 1941.

Towards the end of the last Uranus in Taurus transit, in 1941, the National Gallery of Art opened in Washington D.C., another expression of the Venusian influence of Taurus. I noticed also a surge in highly successful cartoons and animations during this Uranus in Taurus transit. Uranus rules animation, cartoons and technicolor television, and Taurus rules the arts and beauty. These themes came together to produce amazing works of film that we still treasure today. This stream of cartoons included three of the very first full-length Disney animated films, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, as well as Pinocchio and Dumbo. Interestingly enough, during the current Uranus in Taurus cycle in 2019, Disney will be releasing a new version of the animated movie, Dumbo, originally released in 1941. Also among these successful cartoons were characters like Bugs Bunny, Tom & Jerry, and a handful of comic book heroes like Superman and Batman.

Though not a cartoon, I'd also like to mention the release of The Wizard of Oz in this category, relating to technicolor television. While technicolor had been around since 1917, when Uranus was in Aquarius (which makes sense, being a Uranian association), The Wizard of Oz brought more attention to technicolor films, highlighting their artistic beauty (there's the Taurean theme). That is what made the release of this movie a big deal.

In art-related discoveries (remember that Uranus rules discovery), the last Uranus in Taurus transit brought us the incredible discovery of the Lascaux Cave Paintings in France - also known as The Hall of The Bulls, because the paintings feature many ancient bulls running across the walls of the caves. As most of us know, Taurus is the sign represented by the bull, so I found this to be extremely fascinating. Also in the current 2018 Uranus in Taurus transit, the oldest known human drawing was discovered, and the first work of art produced by artificial intelligence sold for $432,500.

Scientific discoveries during the previous Uranus in Taurus transit interestingly include the development of antibiotics used to fight strep throat. Taurus is the ruler of the throat, specifically, so this discovery stood out to me. The same year, in 1936, the first radioactive substance (radium E) was produced synthetically. Uranus rules radioactivity, and Taurus manifests physical results. In regards to natural science, in 1936 we saw the formation of the National Wildlife Federation, as well as the extinction of two unique species in the next two years - the thylacine and the Balinese tiger. Uranus rules exotic animals, and being in Taurus, a sign of manifestation, Uranus can suddenly wipe entire species out, as well as potentially bring an unexpected revival. In 1938 in South Africa, we discovered the first modern coelacanth, an ancient fish long thought to be extinct.

Some of you might be excited to hear, in my honest opinion, (and I know this saying is kind of cheesy) the approaching future WILL be female. Uranus rules activism and feminism as well, and Taurus is ruled by Venus, whose planetary symbol is literally the symbol of feminism. If you're an astrological skeptic and need more than that, let me explain... In 1919, when women received the right to vote, Uranus was in Aquarius, the sign of activism where it feels most at home. This transit created several workers unions and women's political groups, however it also created the formation of the Nazi party in Germany and the Fascist party in Italy (Uranus and Aquarius also rule fanatics and extremists). Later, when Uranus transited into Taurus, we began to see physical manifestations of the radical ideas that were birthed during the transit of Uranus through Aquarius, because Taurus represents the physical world, and makes things into a tangible reality. One example of a manifesting idea being the physical Nazi takeover of Germany by Adolf Hitler. Another example, a physical manifestation in women's rights, in 1938, a federal judge lifted the ban on birth control in the US, making it legal to use and obtain contraceptives through medical instruction. During this current Uranus in Taurus transit, we may have to fight again for the right to birth control, as Planned Parenthood and abortion are under attack by the current administration. Also, in 1933, while Uranus transited through the end of Aries, we saw the first woman appointed to serve in the Presidential cabinet (Frances Perkins, mentioned in an above paragraph). This woman had a major influence over the US over the next decade, while Uranus was in Taurus, and fought for financial reform to help save the American economy. The recent midterm elections interestingly enough were held on November 6 this year, the same day Uranus moved back into Aries, the sign of firsts, from it's little preview of Taurus. Already in 2018 we've seen records being broken by women in politics, as well as a few firsts, and we can expect to see more of this as Uranus continues on its journey through this feminine sign. We can also expect to see more breakthroughs made by these new female leaders, like the "New Deal" by Frances Perkins in 1935.

As I mentioned earlier in this post, art and technology will likely blend in new ways during this upcoming transit, as Uranus rules technological advancement and Taurus rules artistic sensitivities. We will likely see artificial intelligence creating more art and music, maybe more commonly too. We could also see a rise in electronically made music in the music industry. As for fashion and other forms of art, we can expect these subjects to lean more towards the lavish side this next decade, Uranus being in the sign of fine perfumes and silks. Pastels and florals, ruled by Venus, have already reached the world of fashion, hitting the runways right as Uranus began it's recent transit into Taurus. Unique earrings and statement necklaces are also growing in popularity already, beginning with the Uranus in Taurus transit. Taurus rules the ears and throat as well as jewelry, while Uranus brings uniqueness to the table.

New technologies will have a big impact on the food industry somehow in these next 7-10 years as well. Technological advancements could be made to change the way we feed our massive population, perhaps giving us greener solutions to environmental issues regarding our wasteful food production. Financial institutions globally may collapse or prove unstable, and new financial reforms will likely be put into place to replace these failing establishments. Dictators may take over or be overthrown, rebellions and uprisings may start around the world, and unfortunately, we may lose a few beloved species on our endangered species list, namely the Sumatran rhino. I'm bringing these creatures specifically up because just a few days ago, an article was published announcing that one of the last remaining Sumatran rhinos was just captured from the wild in an attempt to save the species. A few other species to be watched this decade are the Sumatran elephant, multiple species of tigers, two kinds of gorillas, Sumatran orangutans, as well as a long list of others. There is a very real chance we will lose these creatures to history forever during this transit. The choices we are making as a collective society in the present and very near future will directly affect the environment around us, and Uranus in Taurus will make sure of it. The fight to save our planet will likely be center stage while revolutionary Uranus is in the green earth sign of Taurus, and with the neutral and uncertain nature of Uranus, we may see some surprising and unexpected ecological victories as well.

With so much change in the world, it can be easy to feel overwhelmed by it all. Just keep in mind that the planets are always in motion, and therefore change is constant. Though we may see themes emerge and repeat themselves over time, the end-all law is that we are always evolving, and evolution is the key message of Uranus.

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cle-guy · 4 years

Text

I am disappointed with Bernie Sanders

Which brings me to Joe Biden. I supported Biden this campaign less because his political positions align with mine; in some ways they do, but in other ways they fall short. I support Biden for two big reasons. The first is how Biden desires to govern. Biden calls for national consensus, which is important. All of our best legislative achievements (and the founding of the country itself) rests on reaching a consensus that a majority of the country backs. I support consensus, and hope we can find a way to reach it again, as we did in 2009-10. The second is because I firmly oppose political revolution as a vehicle for change. From my experience with Bernie supporters, I find them intractable and obstinate in their refusal to accept any path besides their own. The charitable reading is this is a hard negotiating position, which can be walked down. The straight reading is its a hill to die on, which will achieve little. For me our country faces numerous problems, and they require a national consensus to fix. Bernie Sanders, and his supporters, argue for specific fixes to these problems. Some of them are reasonable, but with problems. A single payer healthcare system is a reasonable system, and it has immense benefits, but it also runs into numerous problems. If your goal is universal coverage, its one method to achieve it but clearly it is also not the loan method. To many Berniecrats: single payer and universal healthcare are one and the same, and I reject the notion. If healthcare is a problem which requires attention (and it is) then we need to reach a consensus on how to fix it. Medicare for All is only one potential solution, not the only one. Other issues stand out on this as well. Climate Change being a big one, but others as well. Consensus must be reached to fix these problems, and Bernie's movement is not a movement to reach consensus: it's a movement to shut everyone else out. Joe Biden already displays his ability to build bridges by adopting proposals from his rivals. He adopted an Elizabeth Warren plan to address insurance, and a Bernie Sanders plan on education. He's shifted some positions on his healthcare platform since Bernie dropped out. Throughout his career, Biden has done the same with the Republican Party. Biden is also the candidate preferred by the most marginal Democratic members of the US House of Representatives and Senate. It is notable that the people who flipped the House support Joe Biden and his message, and not Bernie Sanders or Elizabeth Warren. Doug Jones, the most vulnerable senator, also supports Biden. This is important because consensus does not just require reaching agreement with your ideological opponents, but also your peers. The ACA and Social Security Act required a massive consensus effort to get the Democratic Party on board due to differences within their own caucus. Joe Biden has the coalition building ability to reach that, Bernie Sanders has not shown this strength (which is not to say he does not have it). For me, Joe Biden is less a man I yearn for, but a politics I pray for: the country cannot survive if we continue to retreat to our factional sides and snipe at the other side. Biden promises a return to consensus building, and an opportunity to address problems which require redress. In some ways, it's a restoration of the political soul of the nation. It's a message I support, and feel the country needs now more than any time in my lifetime. No, not because he lost: the positions he chose for the 2020 cycle pushed me away emphatically. I am disappointed because Bernie did not have to choose the path he did; he chose vitriol when an embrace was available. He chose truculence when the party remained persuadable. In short: Bernie's revolution chose its path. Purity was preferable to victory, and now Bernie is not the nominee.

I am disappointed because Bernie could have reversed course. Despite what many of his supporters claim: I do not believe their movement extends far beyond their personal candidate, and I offer a clear recent case for why: Elizabeth Warren. Warren's platform was in lock step with Bernie's, she ran on Medicare for All (and even provided a clear path to achieving it, one I feel was superior to Bernie's). However, despite the fact Warren clearly fell in Bernie's camp she was consistently victimized by his camp. The cases of Bernie supporters decrying Elizabeth, calling her a snake, and rejecting here are too numerous to recount here. Which leads me to believe, even if Bernie's supporters think the revolution extends beyond Bernie: they've struggled to find other politicians they're willing to trust with it. The reality is: Bernie could have ran differently. He had four years in the Senate to convince his colleagues to back him. Four years to actually join the party he yearned to lead. He chose, instead, to fight. Jim Clyburn could have been approached, Obama could have been mollified, Chuck Schumer convinced. Bernie did none of these things. He, instead, continued the 'revolution' which he started in 2016. As a result, the Democratic Party allowed the primary to largely continue on its own.

Lets consider: there were four major elected leaders in the Democratic Party before voting started: Nancy Pelosi (Speaker of the House), Chuck Schumer (Senate Minority Leader), Jim Clyburn (House Majority Whip), and Dick Durbin (Senate Minority Whip). Other leaders included Tom Perez (leader of the DNC), Governors of some big US States like Andrew Cuomo (New York Governor), Gavin Newsom (California Governor), and Illinois (JB Pritzker). Major Senators (who did not run for President): Debbie Stabenow (Michigan), Mark Warner (Virginia), Amy Klobuchar (Minnesota), Joe Manchin (West Virginia), Tammy Baldwin (Wisconsin), and Chris van Hallen (Maryland). Former presidents and Vice-Presidents: Jimmy Carter, Al Gore, Bill Clinton, Walter Mondale, and Barack Obama. How many of these leaders endorsed Biden before his win in South Carolina? Answer: two, Jim Clyburn and Andrew Cuomo. A majority of these leaders still have not endorsed a candidate. So, in fact, the Democratic Party largely allowed the primary to function normally. Furthermore, it is not at all clear Biden was the favored choice of the party. Many of the above endorsed other candidates; Gavin Newsome endorsed Kamala Harris, for example. Unlike 2016, many party leaders hoped Biden wouldn't run including potentially (it must be said) Barack Obama.

Obama picked Biden as his vice-president for many reasons, but one of the biggest was Biden's age. Obama wanted a veep who would not run as his political heir. Obama also discouraged Joe from running in 2016. There is also evidence Obama doubts Biden's political ability to win the primary. Obama, of course, was not alone. Biden doubters were common, and loud, in both 2018 and 2019. Entire primary campaigns were built on the idea of Biden's collapse. The fact so many senators and governors ran in spite of Biden's entrance suggests the party was not convinced Biden was the right choice.

Furthermore, unlike 2016, Biden (now the presumptive nominee) did not benefit from much money. Biden not only raised less money than Bernie Sanders, he also raised less money than other leading rivals. The 60 billionaires who donated, donated the max to his personal campaign. On Super Tuesday, Biden won in states he never campaigned and spent almost nothing in advertising. This cycle, in short, is fundamentally different than 2016 when Hillary Clinton benefited from early, and resounding, support from the entire Democratic Party, and was fueled by business interests (and grassroots support). Joe Biden defeated Bernie Sanders without the party apparatus shoving him over the line. This occurred in part (not entirely) because Sanders chose to run against the establishment, and push away his rivals. After his victory in Nevada, when Bernie was the presumptive nominee, Bernie chose to thumb his nose at the party he wanted to lead, and did nothing to persuade his rivals to back him. It is telling of Bernie that Warren, for example, chose to not endorse Bernie when she left the race, not of Warren.

To close, Bernie could have ran to unite the party. He chose not to, and that choice had consequences.

On Joe Biden

I supported Biden this campaign less because his political positions align with mine; in some ways they do, but in other ways they fall short. I support Biden for two big reasons. The first is how Biden desires to govern. Biden calls for national consensus, which is important. All of our best legislative achievements (and the founding of the country itself) rests on reaching a consensus that a majority of the country backs. I support consensus, and hope we can find a way to reach it again, as we did in 2009-10. The second is because I firmly oppose political revolution as a vehicle for change. From my experience with Bernie supporters, I find them intractable and obstinate in their refusal to accept any path besides their own. The charitable reading is this is a hard negotiating position, which can be walked down. The straight reading is its a hill to die on, which will achieve little. For me our country faces numerous problems, and they require a national consensus to fix. Bernie Sanders, and his supporters, argue for specific fixes to these problems. Some of them are reasonable, but with problems. A single payer healthcare system is a reasonable system, and it has immense benefits, but it also runs into numerous problems. If your goal is universal coverage, its one method to achieve it but clearly it is also not the loan method. To many Berniecrats: single payer and universal healthcare are one and the same, and I reject the notion. If healthcare is a problem which requires attention (and it is) then we need to reach a consensus on how to fix it. Medicare for All is only one potential solution, not the only one. Other issues stand out on this as well. Climate Change being a big one, but others as well. Consensus must be reached to fix these problems, and Bernie's movement is not a movement to reach consensus: it's a movement to shut everyone else out. Joe Biden already displays his ability to build bridges by adopting proposals from his rivals. He adopted an Elizabeth Warren plan to address insurance, and a Bernie Sanders plan on education. He's shifted some positions on his healthcare platform since Bernie dropped out. Throughout his career, Biden has done the same with the Republican Party. Biden is also the candidate preferred by the most marginal Democratic members of the US House of Representatives and Senate. It is notable that the people who flipped the House support Joe Biden and his message, and not Bernie Sanders or Elizabeth Warren. Doug Jones, the most vulnerable senator, also supports Biden. This is important because consensus does not just require reaching agreement with your ideological opponents, but also your peers. The ACA and Social Security Act required a massive consensus effort to get the Democratic Party on board due to differences within their own caucus. Joe Biden has the coalition building ability to reach that, Bernie Sanders has not shown this strength (which is not to say he does not have it). For me, Joe Biden is less a man I yearn for, but a politics I pray for: the country cannot survive if we continue to retreat to our factional sides and snipe at the other side. Biden promises a return to consensus building, and an opportunity to address problems which require redress. In some ways, it's a restoration of the political soul of the nation. It's a message I support, and feel the country needs now more than any time in my lifetime.

#politics #election 2020 #bernie sanders #joe biden

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