#choosing hedging bets

[howdoesone]

How does one hedge their bets in sports gambling to minimize losses?

Hedging bets is a strategy employed by sports gamblers to minimize potential losses and secure profits. It involves placing additional bets to offset the potential negative outcome of an initial wager. By strategically hedging your bets, you can reduce the level of risk and protect your investment. In this guide, we will explore the concept of hedging bets in sports gambling and provide practical…

[petertingle-yipyip]

GUILTY AS SIN - KAZ BREKKER

//don’t ask me what this is dawg, i thought of it forever ago and wrote it half asleep and threw on an ending. leave me alone//

Pairing: Kaz x Crow!Reader

Word Count: 2,119

Summary: The little Songbird. A silly nickname for the Crow that likes to sing at the Club. When debuting a very personal, very specific song, the muse of that song - who isn’t supposed to know - is intrigued by the performance.

You were seated at the piano bench with Wylan while Jesper was bleeding fabric of color on the floor. You tapped your pencil against the notepad in your lap while Wylan played the same chords on the piano.

“I can’t get this chorus!” You groaned.

“What’s this song about? That Merchant’s son?” Jesper asked idly and you had to resist throwing your pencil at him.

“No, she’s writing about Kaz.” Wylan answered.

You whacked his arm with the notepad and he laughed.

“Just play the notes again.” You grumbled.

He was right, of course. Everyone knew of your crush on Kaz. It had started when you were younger and you figured you’d grow out of it. His cruelty seemed to guarantee it, yet he was kind enough to you. He was a very confusing man, especially as he grew into the feared Barrel Boss.

But still, your heart yearned and who were you to deny it?

You let your crush exist, burning under your skin when he was around. When you met his eyes in the crowded Club, your pulse jumped. When you two were partnered for a job, your nerves were electrified. When he spoke to you, you melted. Oh Saints, were you in deep.

Wylan, with a grin still plastered on his face, began the notes. You hummed along, finding the general flow of syllables.

“What if he’s written mine on my upper thigh, only in my mind?” Your voice drifted with the music and Wylan nodded along.

“One slip and falling back into the hedge maze. Oh, what a way to die.” Jesper added from the floor.

“I keep recalling things we never did.”

“Messy top lip kiss.” Jesper teased. He was lucky your legs weren’t long enough to kick him past Wylan.

“How I long for our trysts.” Wylan continued and you pinched him, making him yelp.

“Without ever touching his skin, how can I be guilty as sin?” You finished then squealed in delight. “I like that!”

“You should be more honest though.” Jesper said, standing and leaning on the piano. Your brows furrowed and he grinned.

You suddenly regretted his input.

“You should say something about wanting to bed him.” He laughed and you stood calmly. Wylan leaned out of the way and let you fully whack Jesper on the arm.

The boys laughed and you shook your head with a smile as you jotted down the lyrics you all came up with. You worked through the next verse with them and started a bridge. You adjusted a few lines in the chorus when it rolled around a second time, then found your favorite line.

I choose you and me, religiously.

You has chosen to be at Kaz’s side every time, without fail. You wondered if he noticed, then doubted he paid that much attention.

Later that week, there were no upcoming jobs to prepare for. There was no fight to ready yourself for. There was hardly any opposition since Pekka Rollins disappeared. So you found yourself, and friends, falling into your usual downtime routines.

Nina and Matthias playfully argued about something trivial. Wylan and Jesper made nonsense bets with each other, occasionally roping in Nina and Matthias, that usually ended with owing the other a drink or some treat. Kaz was nowhere to be seen, which wasn’t entirely unusual.

And you took to the stage.

Wylan had done several copies of the music for the few members of the band you recruited. While they played, you sang and lightly danced. You captivated the crowd, watching the women giggle and exchange glances at your lyrics. It seemed like they all had their own versions of that special type of crush.

The lyric change for the second chorus came up and you watched Jesper’s reaction specifically.

“My bedsheets are ablaze. I’ve screamed his name. Building up like waves, crashing over my grave.”

Jesper nearly spit out his drink and you grinned.

The grin quickly fell away and your body went ice cold when you noticed who had slid into the booth with your friends.

Kaz Brekker.

“I choose you and me, religiously.”

You finished your song and curtised to your applauding crowd. You smiled kindly before you hopped off the stage. Jesper was whistling loudly and waving

you over but you shook your head. You hid behind your hand to make your way through the dense crowd, making yourself scarce for the rest of the night.

Finally, though unsure how, you made it back to your room. The laces of your bodice had felt suffocating tight all night after seeing Kaz so as soon as your door shut, you pulled at the ends and took a deep breath.

You had sang in front of Kaz before. He said you had talent the first time he heard, and he was the one who offered you the stage whenever you wanted it. But singing that song in front him felt like you were holding a large sign that said “IM IN LOVE WITH YOU” with a bright red arrow pointing to yourself.

What else was he to think?

I dream of cracking locks = Kaz.

Without ever touching his skin = Kaz.

Every single lyric felt like an allusion to Kaz and you felt

stupider than ever.

You changed into something to sleep in and had just gotten the flush to leave your skin when a quick knock sounded at your door. You groaned quietly and flopped back onto your bed when you called for them to enter. You folded your arms under your head and stared at the ceiling as they came in. The door shut gently behind them, then a few seconds later, the bed dipped with their weight as they sat near your feet.

“If you’ve come to gloat about your lyric suggestion, I’m going to shove you off with my foot.” You warned, assuming it was Jesper.

You were wrong.

“Is that how you welcome all your guests?” He asked and you bolted upright.

You nearly collided with him but he seemed unfazed.

“I was expecting Jesper.” You admitted.

“He was very excited about your lyrics.” He nodded. “You gave him quite the ego boost.”

You groaned and fell back against your mattress again.

“Why are you here?” You asked the ceiling.

“Your song…”

“My song.” You sighed, closing your eyes in embarrassment and to brace yourself for his berating. “It wasn’t something you were meant to hear.”

“I assumed as much when you practically ran from the Club stage.” He agreed, tapping his cane rhythmically against the floor.

“Yes, well, I don’t exactly enjoy being mortified.”

“Though I’m not sure why you ran from me.”

Did he really not put it together?

You sat up on your elbows and gave him a dumbfounded expression. You doubted Kaz Brekker couldn’t figure out the truth behind your song, so you decided you’d play dumb too. The Saints themselves wouldn’t be able

to get you to outright admit to that song being very much so about Kaz, so there’s no way he would get it out of you easily.

“That song was very vulnerable.” You carefully admitted, watching for a reaction but getting nothing. “You weren’t supposed to know.”

“Seemed like you wanted someone to know.”

“Not specifically.” You mumbled. “I blame Jesper and Wylan. They helped me write it and then convinced me to sing it…”

He nodded slightly and you let out a sigh. You pushed yourself to sit up and crossed your legs in front of you. Kaz shifted slightly and intently looked at your expression. You had both lips between your teeth with your brows raised, waiting for him to say something.

“Did you like the song, at least?” You finally asked.

The corner of his mouth lifted into a small smile. “I’ve never heard anything like it.”

You refrained from swatting him with your pillow. Instead, you huffed and rolled your eyes.

“You do realize that could be both insult and compliment, right?”

That half smile grew a little wider and that time, you did hit him with the pillow.

“Jackass.” You laughed and tucked your pillow into your lap.

“Tell me.” He said. “You said ‘there’s no such thing as bad thoughts.’ Did you write that line?”

You nodded. “My sister told me that when we were little, before she was recruited for the Second Army… I was struggling with my first crush and she said that it was okay to think things about people. It mainly mattered what I did with those thoughts.”

“And who do you have thoughts about now?” He asked, his voice barely a whisper.

You pursed your lips and looked down at your scrunched pillow in your lap. It was the perfect opportunity to tell him, you recognized that, but that would mean telling him. The weight of the secret coming off your shoulders was tempting, but the fear of losing your current relationship gripped your heart tightly.

You two didn’t have the same closeness as you did with Wylan or Jesper. You could tell those two anything. Often times you did. But you and Kaz had an unspoken understanding to watch the other’s back. You never feared walking the Barrel or pissing someone off - unusually unintentionally - because you knew Kaz was there for you. In turn, Kaz knew he could depend on you for your part of the job or just your support for his death defying plans.

You were the first to agree to the Ice Court and you two had been an unexpectedly natural pair ever since.

“A man that I'll never quite get over, I fear.” You answered vaguely. “But I doubt I’ll ever truly have.”

“Then he’s a fool.” He said honestly, but the look on his face told you he hadn’t meant to say it.

“No.” You smiled softly. “It’s just… different. He’s different and complicated. I’d choose him and I if I had the chance.”

You were ignoring the fact that you did, in fact, have the chance.

“Complicated…” Kaz repeated.

“Among other things. But that’s one of the things about him.” You looked at your hands rather than him. “He’s clever and caring, but in a ‘I’d rather yell at you for being reckless than tell you I care about your life’ kind of way. And he does these subtle things to show he pays attention and he listens, but if you ever bring it up to him, he’ll deny it. He’s tough to get through to, but if you mean something to him, Saints, he’d burn Ketterdam to the ground to protect you.”

“And you feel guilty having these feelings for him?”

You looked up at him. “Not exactly… It’s more about whether or not I should feel guilty for thinking of him like that.”

“Because you think it's unrequited?”

“I’m almost sure it is. I’ve never seen him have feelings for anyone, except one woman, and it’s not the same with me.” You shook your head sadly.

“Y/N.” He hesitated.

Your brows furrowed. You’d never seen Kaz hesitate.

“You alright, Kaz?” You reached a hand for his arm, a gesture you did with the rest of the Crows without hesitation, then thought the better of it. “What’s wrong?”

“You’re wrong.” He answered carefully.

That answer cleared up nothing.

“About why he treats you differently.” He continued while staring at his hands and you listened quietly, trying to figure out what on earth the man was talking about. “It’s not because he doesn’t care. It’s because he cares about you and that frightens him. Last time he cared about someone, he still lost her. He doesn’t want the same to happen with you.”

“What are you…” You trailed off. Then it hit you. “Oh.”

His hand landed on your leg.

“How did you know?” You asked, not knowing if you should be excited or embarrassed.

Probably both. Both felt right.

“You weren’t exactly subtle.” He joked and you picked up the pillow to whack him again. “And Jesper told me.”

“Saints, that man can run his mouth.” You complained. “I’m going to stop telling him things.”

“Am I bad? Or mad? Or wise?” Kaz repeated your lyrics to you. “To have these feelings about you? To have these thoughts about you?”

“Someone told me there’s no such thing as bad thoughts.” You smiled slightly at him.

It’d be a trial to date Kaz. You always figured it would be, considering his temper and violent tendencies and touch aversion. But the look in his eyes, open and pleading, had you immediately choosing to try.

I choose you and me, religiously. 

Your smile grew a little wider when you felt his finger moving against your leg. 

M-I-N-E

[vspin]

Cazador could have been a much more interesting villain.

It's very obvious a lot of Act 3 content was cut just based on lose threads you find throughout the city that kinda lead to nothing.

I think Cazador was one of the biggest disappointments of Act 3. Don't get me wrong, killing him and completing Astarion's arc was an incredibly satisfying and emotional experience. But I think it could have been even better.

If you read the books and notes around his estate, it's obvious they were setting up Cazador as this big-time political player in Baldur's Gate. Astarion even alludes to this earlier in the game (this could have just been Astarion speaking out of fear). Cazador's been in Baldur's Gate a long time and hasn't had the cavalry coming down on him for being a vampire so the man is obviously cunning and has some type of influence.

Some things I would have liked to see concerning Cazador:

Cazador's letter to the other vampire in his sanctum says he was planning a political takeover of the city after his ascension. This wouldn't be possible with Gortash in power.

I think that Cazador should have been a potential ally against Gortsah. Hear me out, yes most likely we as the player could choose to refuse him or betray him later on, but I think it would have been interesting if Cazador approached the player looking to help take out Gortash.

More elaboration on Astarion's background as a Magistrate. More information on the other spawn. Maybe you learn that all of them were people of some type of power and influence and Cazador specifically chose them based on this.

There should have been a proper coronation for Gortash. Not this nonsense above a prison. Have the characters dress up. Meet and greet with the powers of Baldur's Gate. This is where we see Cazador for the first time. (Also, this could have been a cool opportunity to influence and build Wyll as the next potential Grand Duke but that's a whole other topic!)

Give an option to betray Astarion to Cazador in reward for some type of power (I know :( but come on, we can slaughter innocent children, you can't tell me an evil power-hungry character wouldn't rather hedge their bets on a Vampire Lord vs. a spawn)

Make the ascension tied to a specific date/environment event to justify Cazador not immediately taking Asatrion.

Idk this isn't very fleshed out. Just my thoughts on what I think could have made Act 3 stronger . I'm also a sucker for OP Vampire Lords (Castlevania, Strahd) so I really wanted to see that reflected in Cazador instead of this guy who reminded me of an Oblivion NPC.

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

The Harris campaign kicks into high gear

July 26, 2024

ROBERT B. HUBBELL

Kamala Harris has the Trump campaign on its back foot. Whatever Trump’s advisers expected from V.P. Harris, they were wrong. Although Trump and his surrogates have tried several lines of attack, each attempt backfires as Trump offends important constituencies he needs to win. In attacking Kamala Harris, Trump is offending Black Americans, successful women, mothers raising blended families, couples trying to conceive, young people, and more. The Harris campaign has responded forcefully, using a pointed sense of humor that is refreshing and attractive to younger voters who see the internet as a battlefield of ideas.

On Thursday, the Harris campaign released a powerful television ad that was a “no-holds-barred” look at the threat to democracy posed by Trump. See The Guardian, ‘We choose freedom’: Kamala Harris campaign launches first ad. The ad is embedded in The Guardian article; I urge you to watch it. If you don’t, here is The Guardian’s description of the ad:

Released on Thursday morning, the ad opens with shots of Harris’s smiling face behind a podium, the word Kamala, the word Harris, and the American flag. The soundtrack is the beginning of Beyoncé’s song Freedom, to which Harris entered and exited her first speech to campaign staffers after gaining lightning speed momentum on the road to becoming the presumptive nominee. The ad is narrated by Harris, whose first words are, “In this election we each face a question. What kind of country do we want to live in?” She continues: “There are some people who think we should be a country of chaos. Of fear. Of hate,” she says, over shots of Trump and JD Vance. “But us, we choose something different.”

On social media, the Harris campaign has been even more aggressive. The Harris campaign took a clip of Trump imitating Kamala Harris, saying, “I’m the prosecutor and he is the convicted felon.” After Trump admits that he is a convicted felon and Harris is a prosecutor, the ad immediately cuts to a picture of Kamala Harris with her voice saying, “I am Kamala Harris and I approve this message.” The Harris campaign is showing early signs of social media savvy—just as Barack Obama’s campaign did in 2008.

The Harris campaign also went after JD Vance, who described Kamala Harris in 2021 as a ��childless cat lady” who should not have an equal voice in the future of America because she does not have biological children. (Harris is a stepmother to two children with Doug Emhoff.) Thursday was “In Vitro Fertilization Day.” The Harris campaign released a statement saying, “Happy World IVF Day To Everyone Except JD Vance.” See HuffPo, Harris Campaign Wishes Happy World IVF Day To Everyone Except 1 Person.

The confidence and swagger of that ad was reflected in the Harris campaign’s immediate acceptance of debate with Donald Trump, set for September 10. But as Kamala Harris demonstrated an eagerness to debate, Trump began hedging his bets, saying he “did not like the idea” of a debate on ABC. See CNBC, ‘Let’s go’: Harris agrees to debate Trump, accuses him of ‘backpedaling’ on Sept. 10 date.

The Harris campaign also used social media to troll Trump's morning appearance on Fox News, during which Trump called Kamala Harris “garbage.” The Harris campaign issued a press release entitled Statement on a 78-Year-Old Criminal’s Fox News Appearance. The press release said,

After watching Fox News this morning we only have one question, is Donald Trump ok? Trump is old and quite weird [and] this guy shouldn’t be president ever again.

For their part, Trump and his surrogates were reduced to claiming that Kamala Harris is a “DEI hire,” a “failed border czar,” and a socialist who will destroy the economy of America.

Luckily for Kamala Harris, economic growth and border security both improved in the second quarter. On Thursday, the US Bureau of Economic Analysis reported that the gross domestic product grew at a 2.8% rate in the second quarter, well above the consensus prediction of 1.9% by economists. See USA Today, US GDP report: Latest data shows economy grew 2.8% in Q2 (usatoday.com)

At the border, crossings by immigrants dropped to their lowest level since 2020 (under Donald Trump). See CBS News, Migrant crossings continue to plunge, nearing the level that would lift Biden's border crackdown. Per CBS News,

July is on track to see the fifth consecutive monthly drop in migrant apprehensions along the U.S.-Mexico border and the lowest level in illegal immigration there since the fall of 2020, during the Trump administration, the internal Department of Homeland Security figures show.

My point in noting the responses by the Harris campaign is not to revel in the “zingers” and “smackdowns” that are long overdue. Rather, it is to highlight the nimbleness, swagger, and professionalism of the Harris campaign. The lightning-quick responses would be exemplary for any presidential campaign; they are stunning for a presidential campaign that is four days old.

Although it is still early, it seems clear that the Harris campaign will focus on Trump's criminality, incoherence, age, and hateful agenda. And it is doing so with a satirical edge that transfers easily into internet memes—which is an effective way to create viral messaging that reaches young people. Meanwhile, the Trump campaign has been caught flat-footed, trying to ignore the awkward creepiness of JD Vance and Trump's part-time approach to campaigning.

All of this should give Democrats confidence that Kamala Harris will run a strong campaign against an opponent who will wage a vile and hate-filled counter-offensive. If the first few days of the campaign are any indication, Kamala Harris is up to the task.

Robert B. Hubbell Newsletter

[themisimagines]

labyrinth

content: you and vyn attend a birthday party hosted in his honour but end up doing something rather more fun in a garden labyrinth. wink wink nudge nudge. again inspired by anna karenina (2012) film but also labyrinth (1986). maybe a companion to 'i could sleep inside the cold of you'. some spoilers for episode 10. total porn without plot. characters: vyn x fem!reader warnings: public sex, hunter-prey relationship, breeding kink, minor knife play

On your second last day in Svart, Vyn's father hosts a birthday party for Vyn – all to keep up appearances, of course. His father isn't present, and Vyn dislikes half, if not most of the people there. You've made your way through most of the evening by his side, and finally things have begun to wind down, the guests suitably drunk and starting to do unspeakable things, sure to forget everything by tomorrow. Vyn has told you to keep close – he doesn't trust half the people here, and your kidnap by his uncle is still fresh in the forefront of his mind.

Then the next moment, you find yourself wandering the grounds of a large garden maze, heart beating out of your chest as you run as fast as you can, trying to get to the heart of the labyrinth before you get caught. Every single twitch of the leaves and hedges beside you makes you jump. You've dropped pieces of clothing slowly to make a trail, so you don't get lost. Thank goodness they dressed you like an iced cake – layers upon layers of silk, lace, underskirt, petticoats, gloves, ornaments, brocade, outer layers, inner layers, not to mention the hoops used to prop up the voluminous skirts.

Just as you shed one of your outer layers, exposing your bare skin to the chill night air, a low whistle sounds behind you. Without looking, you decide to run, going further and further into the maze, not caring if you get lost now. But just as you see you've hit a dead end, you turn around, but Vyn is there, blocking the entrance.

Vyn stands in front of you, slowly approaching and twirling a decorative blade between his fingers. Even though you know he would never hurt you, there is a tantalising whisper of fear running up your spine, which is deliciously arousing.

'I found you,' he sing songs softly. In the moonlight, his eyes glint as he gets closer, the most delicious shade of honey gold. You love seeing him like this, like a cat who has gotten the cream, a mischievous boy reliving the childhood he never really got to have.

You consider making a dash for it, but he closes the distance and grips your wrists over your head tightly, breath skimming against your ear and neck as he whispers, 'Don't even try... I've hunted down my prey and I intend on enjoying every single moment...'

He turns you around and secures your wrists to a branch with his abandoned bowtie, manoeuvring expertly around your hooped skirts to run his hands up your bodice and corset, slicing open the corset ribbons and stripping your layers back. Standing there, unable to move, you feel especially vulnerable, feeling the cool metal of the blade just barely grazing your skin. Under his careful unwrapping, you are soon completely naked, bared to the moonlight.

'What a marvellous birthday present,' he whispers against your skin, pressing soft kisses throughout your back. 'Thank you.'

You can hear other people have entered the maze, laughing drunkenly from some distance away. Vyn sees you notice them, and chuckles in a low voice. 'You didn't manage to find the heart of the maze so you're all mine. If I choose to let anyone else watch me fuck you, then you can't do anything about it.'

'Pretty words,' you retort, squirming at the feeling of his gloved hands running over your body, squeezing at your tits, ghosting over your thighs, flicking at your clit. 'I bet if anyone actually dared to come over, you would have their head cut off or something.'

He growls at the thought and bites down hard on your neck, definitely leaving a bruise there. 'You're not wrong.'

Vyn pulls away and you whine at the lack of contact, turning around to see what he's up to, but without any warning, he lines his throbbing cock up with your entrance and thrusts up into you, making you cry out in surprise.

The pace he's taking is breathless, cock sliding out fully before slamming into you, setting a desperate pace like he's trying to punish you, forcing small cries from your throat. You are pressed up tightly against the hedge, pain mingling with pleasure, twigs and branches scratching at your delicate skin, feeling like a thousand hands clawing at you, which somehow is a huge turn on.

'That's it,' Vyn purrs. 'Make those beautiful noises for me, darling. I want everyone to hear you.'

You try to bite your tongue just to defy him, but then he grabs your breasts in each hand, forcing you against him and bending your back impossibly as he fucks you fast and hard. Your nipples are in his clever fingers, and he is playing with them in the way that makes you want to scream, because it feels too good, and you are terribly overstimulated from everything. You squirm relentlessly on his cock and you hear him pant shallowly, quietly whispering about how wonderful you are over and over again under his breath, hips thrusting into you endlessly.

You're not content with letting him have his way completely, so you turn your head around to look at his face, which is dark with desire, completely focused on every single sensation as if he's a beast and you're his prey.

'Is that all you've got?' You challenge him.

Upon hearing that, he growls and stops to untie your hands, looking to punish you even further, but the moment you are free you tackle him onto the ground, knocking all the air out of his lungs and mounting him. His face is surprised, but he doesn't resist, and this time it's your turn to pin his arms above his head with his own bowtie as he watches you hungrily, not resisting although you know he could easily break free of your sloppy knots, wanting to see what you do next. It's a strange sight – you are completely nude, having been stripped so thoroughly by Vyn earlier, but he is almost fully clothed. It almost makes you feel like a wild woman who has hunted down her prey and is ready to enjoy the spoils.

You slide down onto his cock, relishing the feeling of fucking outdoors – being fucked from behind always feels so animalistic, but being on top tonight drives you wild, and you lift yourself off his cock and plunge back down, watching Vyn bite his lip and watch you move up and down, your breasts bouncing with every thrust, your thighs burning with exertion. 'Nghh-' you moan, feeling him hit a particularly sensitive spot inside you. 'I love watching you like this,' you tease him breathlessly. 'Helpless beneath me, completely at my mercy...' You grind your hips in a circular motion, drawing your lovemaking out.

There are more voices approaching, they seem to be getting closer, but you're quite sure that they aren't about to find you anytime soon. Cries of pleasure ring out from other corners of the maze, other lovers having found secret spots to release their desires. You see Vyn's eyes glint as you tease him, a smile on the corner of his lips, rising to the challenge. He shifts his feet upwards, thighs grazing your buttocks, and you are just about to ask him what kind of tricks he's trying when his hips thrust upwards, sending you bouncing upwards, and seeing stars from how deeply his cock is buried inside you.

'I can hardly let my prey get away with everything,' Vyn bites down, cock ramming into you, leaving you breathless and begging him to slow down.

'Ah - Vyn - Ah - ah - mmmh!' You cry out, as he drives faster and faster, not letting you gather yourself for a single moment, thrusting so hard that you lose your balance and are pressed against him, hands scrabbling for purchase in the soil as he just uses you mercilessly, chasing his own release while pushing you closer and closer off the edge. 'Ready to scream for our audience?' He chuckles in a low voice. A pair of voices comes so close that you swear they are about to turn the corner, and the thought of getting caught is so deliciously tantalising that Vyn just has to thrust a few more times before you come undone around his cock, trying to stifle your cries in his neck, clenching and throbbing so hard that you see flashes at the side of your vision.

Vyn speeds up for his last few thrusts, and he whispers how good you are, how amazing your cunt feels around his cock, about how much he loves you, and surely you have another one in there for him, he wants to feel you come again. He has freed his own hands and one now snakes down to your clit, the other tearing your hand away from your mouth - 'Don't you dare hold back, I want everyone to hear that you're mine.' He rubs your clit as his cock grows and throbs inside your cunt and that pushes you over the edge again, crying out in earnest this time - 'Fuck yes, Vyn - oh!' and Vyn cums with a guttural groan, growling deeply and squeezing his eyes in pleasure.

The voices trail off, giggling to themselves. There is no way that they didn't hear their lovemaking, but also the hedges are so thick that they couldn't possibly have seen who it was. You collapse onto Vyn, and he embraces you in his arms, both of you panting heavily. He gives you his jacket, and drags over the remains of your dress to keep you warm. 'It would be a shame if you caught a cold,' he says. 'I would feel rather responsible.' You giggle against his chest, buried in layers of silk and tulle. You both look up at the sky, watching the stars and feeling so lucky to be in love.

[dellamortethelesser]

I would like to know more about your de riva!!!

Oh god umm I don't know really where to start. andrea is very special to me but also very indulgent so i get a little uncomfy talking about them online ASLKDJ. i suppose i will try to sum up their concept and then if anyone wants me to elaborate i will lol.

andrea de riva is not a rook but an oc that i built up after drafting a rewrite for the crows and illario specifically, which you can read [here]. they're my zevistair (with a king alistair and trans zevran) kid who was stolen back by the crows as a young child as a warning for zevran to piss off and leave the crows alone.

andrea found out about this (being kidnapped rather than being an orphan, that is) and has been harboring a silent vengeance streak for a bit. they decide the correct answer is to hedge their bets and hold their cards close to their chest--getting back at the people responsible for taking them and lying about it is something that will take time and politics. that's when they choose to try to loop with illario :)

it's a powergrab relationship at first. andrea is a powerful mage (a spirit healer…which for the crows means torturer) who respects a clean kill and can make themself useful fast. they support illario in his own politics and thinks he has the makings of the first talon so their relationship takes off pretty fast.

this is kind of when it all blurs with my canon rewrite as it removes illario as being directly responsible for lucanis's disappearance/death but ultimately the 'powergrab' aspect of this relationship at some point gets overpowered by Real Feelings and they have to cope. there's an arranged marriage. there's a duel. there's a ruined wedding. many such antivan romance tropes. josephine montilyet walked so i could run. she'd yuck this up

also have some screenshots.

[gothamslostboy]

Can i request bones characters and their pets headcannons?

OMG YES OF COURSE YOU CAN

Brennen

She’s against pets in general but if she had to pick one she’d choose a monkey

But after researching it and realizing she doesn’t have the adequate amount of time to care for one she lets booth get a dog

Has to be one that’s known for its intelligence tho

Booth

A dog man through and through

Specifically a high energy breed he can take for runs

Also likes to play fetch with it

Teaches it tricks

Constantly gets lectures from Brennen every time he says they have the smartest dog

Wants to let it lay in the bed but Brennen says no

He sneaks the dog up after she goes to sleep sometimes

Wendell

I bet you’re thinking dog huh?

Yeah you’re right

He has a American pitbull terrier he adores

Buys her sweaters for the winter

Takes her out to those dog friendly restaurants to play with Booth’s dog while they hang out

Cam

Cat lady 100%

Either a Siamese or a hairless cat

Spoils it with toys and treats, but makes sure it stays at a healthy weight

When no one is around she speaks to it in a baby voice

Arastoo

A cat he found at his local shelter

He doesn’t know what kind of cat it is

Has to take allergy pills because he developed an allergy after he already was attached

Sweets

A hermit crab he keeps in his office

Gets an artist friend to paint new shells based on sci fi movies he likes

Before he picked a name he was calling it buddy, which just kinda stuck

Angela

Likes many animals, but not keeping them

Only got one after Michael-Vincent kept begging

Ended up getting a hedge hog

It curls up in her lap while she paints or draws

Hodgins

Has the hedgehog with Angela obviously

He lets sit on his shoulder when relaxing

Built it a fucking MASSIVE enclosure in their house

This lil thing has so much to play with it’s insane

After a year or two of owning the hedgehog, he convinces Angela to get a tortoise

Who he also spoils

Zack

He bought a beta fish one day bc he thought a pet would make him less lonely but he was scared of all the other species at the pet store

He named it Archimedes

Originally just had it in a glass bowl

Bought it a proper tank after Hodgins explained how bad that is

Hodgins also went with him to pick out things it could hide in

Daisy

Honestly I’m not really sure

Maybe a hamster when she was young

But never got another pet after it died bc she was so sad

Loves Lance’s little hermit crab though

Says hi to it every time she stops by his office

Fisher

An iguana

He brought him into work once and cam made him put it in Hodgins’ bug room

Takes it for walks

It wears a black spiked collar with its leash

Vincent

He has two ferrets and and a set of Guinea pigs

Talks to them for hours telling them all the facts that pop into his head

Carries the ferrets around his body (neck, shoulders, arms, etc)

Talks about them like they are his human children

[zeemczed]

Rethinking the Apple of Discord

So here's the thing; you give the apple to Hera, that's the safest initial choice, but you hedge your bets first.

First you go to Athena. You tell her that you cannot choose her, but you believe that she will see the wisdom in your choice.

Then you go to Aphrodite. You tell her that you cannot choose her, but you dedicate your choice to her, and thank her.

Then you go to Hera. Get down on one knee. Tell her that she is the fairest, that her philandering ass of a husband is unworthy of her, and that if she will have you - if she will cast off the adulterer and have you instead - you will treat her with a devotion and passion that exceeds even what Dread Persephone has known.

And - here's the kicker - you have to MEAN it.

For Athena, this is a high-risk-high-reward tactical decision that has a chance of netting you a place as lover of the most powerful woman in the pantheon. For Aphrodite, it's a new ship to play with. And for Hera, seriously fuck Zeus he's a jackass, at the very least she'd have to admit you have a point.

[mooni]

hedging a major bet for tdp's future seasons:

callum will use dark magic again.

now, there's some part of me that's only saying this because i want it to happen. i'm a major callum person, but me being a fan of a character means i want said character to suffer as much as possible before their happy ending. however, i do think that not only would such an event be interesting, it also would explain some stuff we've been getting as of s5 and s6.

though there's some things in s4 that contribute to this theory, s5's final episodes specifically take us back to dark magic as it relates to callum. he's assumed to be a dark mage, admits to thinking about and studying it (which, though that doesn't really mean much as studying is really just studying, is still something to point out), is pressured into doing a dark magic spell, actually DOES a dark magic spell.. there's a lot. i'd say that final point points out callum's fatal flaw fantastically: excessive personal loyalty. (do you hear that? all pjo fans collectively screamed.) to save a friend, callum would sacrifice himself, or a greater cause.

this ties well into the next season. in s6, in return for callum promising to choose the greater good's safety over rayla's (there's that theme of personal loyalty again), rayla finally promises that if callum is possessed by aaravos again, she'll kill him. this is immediately followed by the audience being informed that using dark magic gives aaravos a way to posses you, which is THEN followed up by callum being warned that if he uses it again after the cleansing thing, "the darkness and corruption will overwhelm you." idk, but the whole thing to me seems like it's setting up a lot of potential for callum to use dark magic in the future, only to fall victim to both this aforementioned corruption and aaravos.

in summary, i think it's quite likely callum will use dark magic again to save someone he loves, losing himself in the process. i do personally hope for ezran, solely because i like testing the limits of brotherly love and consider their dynamic to have been somewhat neglected as of late, but rayla would make the most sense given what's been shown so far. "oh no!" you cry out at this theory. or maybe you hate him and you cheer, idk. but do not fret (or do not celebrate for you haters /lh). if this route is taken, there's three things i can see happening:

"you broke your promise, i'll break mine." rayla ignores what she said, saving callum over killing him. would probably be yet another l/i reaches out to m/c whilst they're being possessed "yada yada yada i love you this isn't you blah blah blah." though it is something of a tired concept at this point, it would still be fun to see.

the extra quasar diamond. c'mon, they wouldn't leave one free one out there for no reason, we know this. rayla keeps her promise and kills him, but callum is revived.

some combination of both.

i also have related hopes for claudia, but i think i've said what i need to. anyone agree with me?

[kneelbeforeyourdogbabylon]

Good Omens Fic Link Round-up

Finally doing a proper one of these! I'm anna_bird on AO3, and these are links to my fic. Explicit/NSFW unless noted otherwise. See AO3 for additional tags and content warnings:

Fiction

Chaptered

Sins of Knowledge with epilogue We're No Angels

Now with outtakes and a deleted scene!

Outtake 1: Who watches the slackers? Outtake 2: Interlude Deleted Scene (standalone): Do I dare to eat a peach?

All Thy Waves and Thy Billows -- a giftfic for @on1occasionfork

Eerie Was the Way -- written for the 2024 Spooky Good Omens Bang.

It's the Edge of the World As We Know It -- my first ever Good Omens fic!

One-shots

Not Just For Kissing -- written for the N&AA holiday exchange

May Wedding -- written for the GOAD holiday exchange

Sleep Study -- written for the GOAD Fall Ball Kink Thrall. Mind the tags on this one.

Hot Buttered Buns and Food of the Gods: ficlets written for the GOAD Wanksgiving fest

Intersection: the kiss and Union: Escalation -- a pair of sweet and smutty birthday ficlets written for @doonarose, based on gorgeous art

Demons of Orkney -- a birthday 666 fic written for @nosferatini

Yield -- a birthday fic for @gaiaseyes451

The Mostly Solitary Wandering series:

Sea Change A Lock Upon His Lips -- a birthday fic for @ukcalico

Mild Thai Spices -- a birthday fic for @isiaiowin (set in the Sins of Knowledge universe)

Nude in Motion -- Written for Streak Week on the GOAD subreddit

The Experiential Learning series:

Entry Requirements Early Withdrawal

A Surprisingly Birthdayish Unbirthday -- a birthday fic for @adverbian

Investigative Reporter Fell and the Case of the Purloined Smut -- a Pride Month giftfic for Lullanda

Shake Like Hell and Spell Success

To Ride a Journey on a Jade

First First Flight -- a birthday fic for @aidaran-alha

Wooing Peaceably -- written for GOAD Thursday sprints

The Intent to Possess series:

Takedown / Reversal Hedge Your Bets

A Sixty In Nine Saves Time

An Arrangement in the Dark 

Collabs

Forked Beyond Belief -- gift poetry collab for @on1occasionfork

Aziraphale and Crowley's Spooktacular Adventure -- spooky Choose-Your-Own-Adventure cowritten by 30 authors for Hornz (Fall 2024 issue of Wingz) !

Changing Keys -- a birthday fic for @gaiaseyes451 written with @dbacklot99 and @sixbynine-da

Riding the Teabag -- a birthday fic for @paperclipninja, now with delightful holiday follow-up Sliding the Teabag

Gobblin' Market -- a birthday fic for @sixbynine-da written with @dbacklot99

Interdimensional Leakage -- a birthday fic for @gleafer inspired by gleafer arts!

Keeping it in the Vault -- written with @ladybracknellssherry for the GOAD Spring Fling Kink Sling (see also its companion piece, the nearly-identical Keeping it in the Vault but with Absolutely No Facial Hair, Not Even a Stray Whisker)

Coming Home - A Choose Your Own Adventure Story -- CYOA cowritten by 31 authors for the GOAD Smut War

Swimz Magazine -- Massive art and writing project, I wrote a travelogue with @onedappercat and Blue_McFly!

Poetry

heat of your hand, left behind

if you keep existing I will not be responsible for my actions

to know is to covet

[skydigiblogs]

Hmmm okay so we decided we're gonna watch Frontier now instead of putting it off even longer. I was thinking about maybe rewatching Savers or continuing Xros Wars but I'm on a podcast timer now (I don't want to listen to the Frontier eps before I watch the sub, so).

Watching the first ep really makes me sad because I feel like the concept has a lot more promise than what I remember it delivering. I don't remember if we've said it before but I find Frontier's worldbuilding absolutely fascinating.

I also completely forgot that Ophanimon actually interacts with the kids on their way to the Digital World. I feel like the Frontiers kids and Appmon kids would be able to relate to each other re: weird digital entities giving you life changing choices to make.

Anyways, I think that it would have been interesting if we saw more kids with Digivices in Frontiers. While we know the Spirits have some way of choosing who they let use them (as implied, I think, by the scene in the first ep where Cerberumon gets roasted while Takuya is shown a vision of them stepping into one another), how would Ophanimon know which kids are chosen or not?

So why do we only see D-Scanners with the kids that get spirits? Wouldn't you hedge your bets with them? We see so many kids sent to the Digital World (and iirc later they confirm that they definitely all went to the Digital World!) so...?

Also, how does Worm know that the Spirits can help them get home? For that matter, how did Ophanimon organize some dozen or so Trailmons to pick up kids in the human world? Did she literally send messages to them like "hi I'm trapped and we need to fix this shit, do me a solid and go pick up some aliens from another dimension." And they just all??? Agreed??? This is a question I don't think needs answering but a silly thought that hit me when Worm told Tomiki "get the spirits if you wanna go home lol" and fucked off.

There are a lot of problems I know I have with this series, especially when it comes to its treatment of the ensemble. But watching the first ep really makes my disappointment in the show as a whole hurt a lot more. I don't think I'll soften to it as I watch it, but I want to give the show a fair chance, especially since I've only watched the dub.

I really have been spoiled by the fans of Frontier writing a better show than the official writers lmfao

[dreaming-marchling]

Tidbit Tuesday

2024 - The year of unexpectedly finishing To Be Bonded. 2025 - The year of unexpectedly finishing Hybrid II? My fingers are crossed, my hopes, however, are in the basement.

---

Almost instantly, Magnus was alert but it took an extra second to register that the person who had shaken him awake was Jace and not Alec.

The blonde held a finger to his own lips and glanced at Alec. Magnus followed his gaze and found Alec to still be sleeping peacefully. Jace didn’t want Alec woken up, only Magnus.

This could not be good.

Jace stood and stepped back, jerking his head towards the living room before silently leaving the room. He slipped out from their warm bed and immediately tucked the covers back in around Alec, the only way to hedge the bet for privacy was to try and make his absence in their bed less noticeable.

Once Alec was taken care of, Magnus went out to the living room and found Jace standing tense. He felt his heart sink. Let this be something they need a warlock consult for. Let this be a demon. Let this be something normal.

“Izzy found this on their desk. Someone left it there earlier tonight, at the beginning of her shift after Alec left.” Jace said quietly. He held out a piece of paper with lines of typed text. A report or a letter, Magnus didn’t know but he would soon. In his already sinking heart, he knew it was bad.

Alexander Lightwood,

The Clave and some of our kind might be willing to accept you and what you have become, but we do not. Many do not. We denounce you and your demonic magic. We denounce your unlawful and heretical role in the New York Institute. You do not belong to Shadowhunter society any longer.

Because of your role in the defeat of Valentine and out of respect for the fact that you did not choose this blasphemous life, we offer you the chance to do the right thing.

Step down as Head of Institute.

Withdraw from Shadowhunter society.

If you comply quickly, we will allow you to live and to maintain contact with your family without any further communication from us.

If you do not comply, we will do what’s necessary. 

Make the right choice, Lightwood.

There was no signature.

This – this letter, this moment, this look on Jace’s face – was what Magnus had been so desperately afraid of.

[lillotte17]

One of my absolute favorite dialogues you can have with Astarion is after your Durge discovers that they're Bhaalspawn. (which is saying something bc he's got a lot of great dialogues tbh). He's been supportive of you up until now. Hells, he's even kind of into how much of a little freak you are if you're romancing him. But this? This is A Lot for him. His facial expressions are controlled. He chooses his words very carefully, not expressing a strong opinion of you resisting or submitting to your father's will.

You can tell he is already running the mental math in his head about how risky being with you is going to be going forward. He is very much just as freaked out about this as any of the "good aligned" companions. No harm in hedging his bets, though.

BUT if you choose the option to admit that you are scared, and you don't know how to fight back against someone as powerful as Bhaal, his whole demeanor shifts.

"You know, I didn't realize you and I were so alike. I- I felt paralyzed to do anything about Cazador for so many decades. I gave up on myself. I gave up on any hope of escape after a few lashes. Bhaal controls you in much the same way. I don't know how you can beat him, but I do know this; you must try. The half-life of a mind-addled slave is worse than death- don't become his. I wouldn't live another century as one for all the moonstones in Evereska."

Genuinely one of the most honest and introspective and vulnerable responses from him in the whole game. And the soft pleading desperate way he says, 'don't become his'??? I am feral. I am gnawing at the bars of my enclosure.

[restlesschilled]

TMagP 013

Note: As Always, I am a backer so this was written 23 April, 2024 and scheduled to be posted on 25 April, 2024

oh god its another episodes written by Alex

awww thanks odin <3

Im dreading this

PRE STATEMENT/ CASE

OHHH DATE TIME

THE FLIRTING

This is so cute but i cant trust it because alex wrote it

"that you dont know how cute you are" adshfjagdhflakshdf

WERE STARTING WITH THE BIG STUFF

"hi im from an alternate universe"

CELIA IS A MOM

JACK IS HER BABY

"i had a while few years when I first moved here"

IF ANYTHING HAPPENS TO CELIA OR JACK I WILL RIOT

HOW DARE

SHES A SINGLE MOM

"that depends on your baggage. DISH"

"they were the first ones that didnt want me" oooooooo\

Alice's Parents are dead good to know

"most pathetic vague post shes ever scene"

"more wine" "please"

LENA OFFICE

GWEN MY POOR BABY

"is it my fault?"

MY POOR PRECIOUS GIRL

"were managing the bad guys" FUCK

CASE

this hold music is a BOP

i had to stop and have my friend explain public school in England to me because that is not the same thing as American public schools

oh lovely a "fiance guy"

a hedge fund guy what i mean is a hedge fund guy

Why in gods name, would you use experimental setting on a hedge fund/ investing app… when you have no idea what it does and it has a shit tone of disclaimers??? i get being desperate but that's just stupid

also the irony of this guy saying hes a good person when hes betting on people failing with hedge funds

do people even steal phones anymore?

i feel like they are not worth all that much and just have to many ways to tack them for it to be worth anything unless you are targeting someone specifically

yeah i figured they might have targeted him

im pretty sure this would qualify as inside trading somehow

betting against your own company and than tanking the company is very illegal

pretty sure betting you'll have a shit time and then making sure you have a shit time would be the same thing

basically this man is committing insurance fraud... but through a hedge fund

it just occurred to me hes calling from the hospital that's what the beeping is

also vertigo mentioned

he was attack by computer bugs lol

shitty "finance guy" gets whats coming to him asmr

post statement

okay i know sam probably mean "be professional" like stop with the flirting

BUT WHEN YOU SAY IT LIKE THAT I SOUND LIKE YALL HAVE BEEN HOOKING UP AFTER WORK SOMETIMES.

HAVE YALL BEEN HOOKING UP?

this is how i choose to interpret this this is my new head canon( it was already kinda my head canon)

But if you ever ask me to be professional again, I'm going to have to take a shit on your desk." ALICE

"you signed the official secrets act in your onboarding. And I know all your school friends say treason's 'bussin'' and 'fire', but it won't look good on your CV." i love her so much

"its fine when I say it"

this episode really said fuck capitalism didn't it

also do week need to talk about the fact that celia's son is named Jack Ripley like jack the ripper

WAIT A SECOND JACK IS A NICKNAME FOR JOHN/JON

DID SHE NAME HER SON AFTER JON?

[houseofbrat]

Submission: Enough the with sainthood

Will Catherine appear? I don’t care. Honestly, I really do not care. The PR shenanigans over the last year have left me cold toward both of them. Like I’ve stated in the past, they are using slick PR promos and their attractive children to gloss over what appears to be some serious issues in their household, whether medically related or other issues. Also, although I am throughly sick of seeing Catherine elevated to sainthood for having a serious medical issue alledgedly (like millions of Brits), William’s halo has seen some damn serious polishing.

The stans have put down his massive weight loss to Catherine’s illness. Bollocks. They refuse to see that William has all the hallmarks of having suffered from a nervous breakdown. I question how someone loses forty pounds while his wife is undergoing chemo. According to them, she’s out of the woods, yet he continues to lose weight. It’s like HE underwent chemo. Is her diagnosis is totally dire? That might explain the weight loss, but it does NOT explain the perfume ad assuring us that everything is back to normal. Also, I will point out that I question when that video was made because William doesn’t look the least bit skeletal in that video.

He’s done jack shit since *last* October. I will point out that Charles (who IS undergoing a medical regimen) has done more public engagements than his son. Also, it didn’t stop the Queen from going out there when Charles was recovering from surgery. It amazes me that people don’t see this disconnect while trashing Charles at every opportunity while William, who has shirked his duties for over a year, is the king they dream of. I am NOT a Charles or a Camilla stan. I am a commonsense stan, and something is amiss with the Wales’s. Note that the BP PR team has their shit together in terms of spinning Charles’ diagnosis, while the KP PR team flouders from one disaster to the next. I think that’s because they don’t know HOW to spin the Wales’ ever shifting narrative. William can’t escape from the public eye (like Catherine has done0 and his weightloss is staggering. No sane person can honestly claim that it’s just because of his wife. The majority of the weightloss seems to have begun at the beginning of the summer, when I assume that Catherine was through the majority of her regimen. So what in the hell is going on?

Plus, it feels like he’s constantly counting the days until his next vacation (every other month). I think KP was so unsure if he would show up for Earthshot that they hedged their bets by not flooding the airwaves weeks before and then put out a tepid (at best) announcement that STILL sounded like they weren’t sure he was going to attend. Also, the lack of any interaction between the King and his son is a red flag. Something went down. Personally, I think that Charles is disgusted with both sons at this point. Whatever you can say about Charles (and his mother), they acknowledge(d) their enormous privilege and see that duty is the price you pay for such privilege. I am coming to the conclusion that both William and Harry are spoiled lazy manchildren and want all the trappings of their heritage and none of the responsbility that should come with it.

———————————————————

As I said on 29 March 2024–one week after Kate’s cancer-on-the-bench video premiered:

NONE of this is going to age well. Not in three months. Not in six months. Not a year later.

Poor leaders often choose other poor leaders because the rot comes from the top. The poor leaders in this case are Will & Kate. 

William did his most consistent royal work when he was in the military, i.e. not having to report directly to the people in his family, aka his grandmother, grandfather, and father. After he finished his military duties, he finagled a job working for the air ambulance and still hardly did anything, particularly when compared to his father at the same age.

After graduating university, Kate was basically a rich party girl who had unsubstantial jobs. She worked briefly for a clothing store, Jigsaw, and then for her parents company. She never seriously pursued more demanding jobs that would have given her the opportunity to develop more skills and abilities before she got married. 

Is it really surprising that these two twats–because that is clearly what they are–unraveled in less than two years after William became the heir to the throne?

No. 

Because they both believe that anything can be smoothed over with some public relations strategy, which includes Kate’s bench video from March. Because they’ve worked so little as grown adults. Because they’re both too used to having their own asses kissed and getting their own way. 

“It’s the reset to end all resets. This is Kate and William as they mean to go on. It’s family first and f— the haters, f— the press, f— Harry and Meghan.

Can’t imagine where it all started to go wrong for them. Can’t imagine when they crossed the line, and both started to mentally unravel.

I might have to think about what and when that was.

[hamliet]

If you had to hedge your bets on Hisoka or Chrollo dying in this arc who would you choose? Are they both surviving? Any Troupe deaths you’re predicting?

Well, Hisoka's gotta meet Gon again, so he isn't dying. Chrollo could in theory, I guess, but I honestly think it makes much more sense for him to survive this arc too.

I think any member of the Troupe that isn't Chrollo is at risk, but I would place my bets on the least relevant ones--meaning, those without arcs. Shizoku is the one I'm most worried about among those who are best characterized thanks to Neon's old prophecy.

I do think we'll have more Troupe deaths, but I think the ultimate choice Chrollo will be asked to make is a mirror of Kurapika's choice: revenge, or your loved ones? If he did die, it would be on his own terms and only after a come-to-Jesus moment with Kurapika.