#consent to nomination

[devouring-hive]

Well. That has put a bad taste in my mouth.

[literaryvein-reblogs]

words for when your characters ______

Agree

accede, acceptance, accord, acknowledgment, acquiescence, align, avowal, bear, cohere, compromise, consent, contract, draft, enlist, give in/give up, go along/go along with, grant, negotiate, unanimous, yield

Deny

abjure, abuse, affront, attack, backstab, bad-mouth, belie, blacken, blemish, confront, curse, darn, defamation, defile, demur, denigrate, detract, dig, disclaim, discountenance, disgrace, disown, disparagement, downplay, explode, flout, fulminate, gainsay, gird, invective, jeer, lament, lecture, malign, minimize, mouth, needle, oppose, protest, put down, put-down, rebuff, refute, remonstrate, renunciation, run down, satirize, scold, show up, sit-in, slander, smear, snap, snub, squeal, sully, swearing, taunt, tirade, turn, underestimate, vituperation, write off, yammer

Explain

account for, admit, apprise, cite, clarify, come clean, concede, confirm, corroborate, defense, demonstrate, dilate, elucidate, enlighten, evidence, expand, explicate, gloss, illustrate, itemize, let on, palliate, plea, prove, recite, simplify, speak out/speak up, spell out, translator, warrant

Fabricate

aspersion, belie, disprove, profane

Inform

acknowledge, address, advertise, allow, allusion, apprise, bare, betrayal, blab, breathe, briefing, broadcast, chronicle, clue, come out with, confession, convey, debunk, define, detail, dictate, divulge, expose, feature, furnish, give, gossip, hint, intimate, issue, lecture, newscaster, orate, out of the closet, pass, post, proclaim, promulgate, publication, publish, release, reveal, show up, speak, spill, squeal, talk, tip, uncover, unveil, weatherperson, whisper

Instruct

bar, educate, prescribe

Persuade

advance, argument, bend, budge, carry, coerce, convince, discourage, draw, drum up, elicit, entice, forward, goad, hammer away/hammer into, induce, influence, invite, lobby, motivate, negotiation, pitch, prevail upon/prevail on, prompt, reason, spur, sway, urge, win/win over

Promise

assurance, avow, commitment, ensure, go back/go back on, oath, portend, vouch, warrant, word

Suggest

advice, advocate, ask, come up with, connote, drum into, exhort, fish for, get at, guide, imply, insinuate, moralize, move, nomination, pontificate, preach, propose, recommend, urge

Praise

accent, acclamation, accredit, adulation, apotheosis, applause, benediction, bless, champion, citation, commend, compliment, congratulations, credit, dedicate, deify, elevate, endorse, eulogize, exalt, extol, flatter, flattery, glorify, homage, laud, lionize, obsequy, plaudits, puff, salute, thanks, tribute, worship

Warn

admonish, alert, caution, caveat, defy, enjoin, exhortation, foreboding, foretell, page, remind, warning

NOTE

The above are concepts classified according to subject and usage. It not only helps writers and thinkers to organize their ideas but leads them from those very ideas to the words that can best express them.

It was, in part, created to turn an idea into a specific word. By linking together the main entries that share similar concepts, the index makes possible creative semantic connections between words in our language, stimulating thought and broadening vocabulary. Writing Resources PDFs

Source ⚜ Writing Basics & Refreshers ⚜ On Vocabulary

[biancadoes1]

I definitely think she agreed to let him post or else she wouldn't have reposted to her 6mil+ followers on her day. They have some kind of arrangement. She'll also share his show when it's close to being released later this year. He's done with his play this week so he will be back in her space, and I agree with you and the other anons, it's expected at this point that's their play book/agreement. It happened with SAG and other past events. They also know what is said about them because they see the tags and he refuses to remove them, only recently he blocked a troll account on IG. I don't think he shares everything about her without her consent, she has to consent especially if it's going to affect her publicity with the GA not the minority noise making fandom.

Now B, I know you're taking responsibility for your initial reaction but hear me out. Your initial reaction is valid. This isn't a shipping thing, it's the principle behind his actions. Even if she agreed to let him share, he could have waited, shared his own shit before her nomination not while she's celebrating. It still would have gotten traction because he knows people are watching him and waiting to see what her "rumored bf" shares but at least it wouldn't be lumped in to her nomination. So as much as you pull back from your 1st comment, fellow Sagittarius here saying the annoyance with the lack of principles of how he did it, you being upset about that is still valid even if they have an agreement or not. He's not as innocent as his fan girls make him seem to be.

I definitely agree. It’s definitely an agreement type of thing but I do wish it had been presented differently because it immediately made it about him good or bad. Just annoying but oh well 🤷🏻‍♀️ not much to be done about it now.

Thank you anon and fellow Sag ❤️ you hit the nail on the head and you get me 😭

[lyculuscaelus]

The Odyssey, book 5, line 151–155:

τὸν δ᾽ ἄρ᾽ ἐπ᾽ ἀκτῆς εὗρε καθήμενον: οὐδέ ποτ᾽(1) ὄσσε δακρυόφιν τέρσοντο, κατείβετο δὲ γλυκὺς αἰὼν νόστον ὀδυρομένῳ, ἐπεὶ οὐκέτι ἥνδανε νύμφη.(2) ἀλλ᾽ ἦ τοι νύκτας μὲν ἰαύεσκεν καὶ ἀνάγκῃ(3) ἐν σπέσσι γλαφυροῖσι παρ᾽ οὐκ ἐθέλων ἐθελούσῃ:(4) She (Calypso) found him (Odysseus) sitting on the shore—never once were his eyes Dry of tears, while his sweet life was passing away Lamenting his homecoming, for the nymph no longer pleased him. But indeed in the nights he slept, by force, In her hollow caves, unwilling beside the willing (nymph).

(1) οὐδὲ ποτέ: this is a good phrase to invoke pathos, as we see οὐδέ, “never”, being put alongside ποτέ, “once, at any time”, showing the picture of Odysseus crying on Ogygia since day one, never once free from sorrow. Notice, too, how this phrase comes first and foremost, presenting itself as a lead-up to the entire sentence, overshadowing this part with a sense of melancholy.

(2) ἐπεὶ οὐκέτι ἥνδανε νύμφη: I’ve been seeing a lot of interpretations based on this one single sentence, “…since she no longer pleased him”—but you know what? Just a reminder that in Ancient Greek, the word ἥνδανε (it’s 1st person singular indicative form being ἁνδάνω), with the meaning “pleased, delight”, is mostly used in the context of “being pleased with ransoms/words/food and drink…”, which is anything that promises material gains:

(e.g. “ἀλλʼ οὐκ Ἀτρεΐδῃ Ἀγαμέμνονι ἥνδανε θυμῷ”, Iliad. 1.24: but it (Achaeans’ assent to Chryses’s speech that promised ransoms) did not please the heart of Agamemnon son of Atreus; “…ἐμῷ δ᾽ οὐχ ἥνδανε θυμῷ”, Odyssey. 10.373: but it (Circe’s urging of Odysseus to eat the food) did not please my heart; “…μάλιστα δὲ Πηνελοπείῃ / ἥνδανε μύθοισι…”, Odyssey, 16.397–398: but he (Amphinomus) pleased Penelope the most with his words; etc.)

Which means, in this case, the pleasure Calypso could’ve brought Odysseus was only material: food and drink to keep him from starving, shelter to keep him from dying… and nothing more.

(3) ἀνάγκῃ: the dative singular of the word ἀνάγκη means “force, constraint, necessity” and sometimes even more, “torture; anguish, pain” (the latter is more seen in tragic plays), but here I believe the former meaning alone is more than enough to demonstrate the lack of consent in Odysseus when he slept beside Calypso.

(4) παρ’ οὐκ ἐθέλων ἐθελούσῃ: I love this line so much—the way Homer uses the participle of the verb ἐθέλω “to be willing” twice, each in different gender—the masculine nominative one for Odysseus being οὐκ έθέλων “ not willing”, the feminine dative one for the nymph being ἐθελούσῃ “too willing”, and putting them together to fit both the meter and the theme? This is literally perfect.

[youraverageaemondsimp]

Secrets behind the curtain. // Actor!Aemond Targaryen x Manager!Reader || MODERN AU

Summary: Aemond takes out his frustration of losing an award on you.

WARNINGS: mdni, dubious consent, p in v sex, unprotected sex, tiddy sucking, degradation, dacryphilia, car (it's a limousine) sex, slightly dark!aemond, riding, messy sex, power imbalance, rigged award show, + not proofread, please lemme know if I missed any.

WC: 1.7K

A/N: I cooked this while trynna complete my other wips like bro 😭 adhd be like 😋 also this isn't dark enough to be tagged under mae:dark!content but it does contain dubious consent (reader is implied to find the situation inappropriate to fuck) so yeah, a heads up // divider creds: @cafekitsune

“And the best actor award goes to…” The host trails off, leaving room for suspense and Aemond leans back relaxed on his chair, knowing that he would be winning.

“Jason Lannister!”

As the host announces the name, your blood runs cold, you notice Aemond twitch slightly in his seat, he shoots you a glare and you look down at your feet.

Aemond watches in anger as Jason goes up the stage and collects the award, “That asshole isn't even that good at acting.” He scoffs and you swallow, “Aemond, the cameras.” you whisper and he rolls his eyes, putting on a fake expression of a smile, as though he's happy that Jason won, but you know the truth.

After this award, a small break was given to artists to freshen up, redo their makeup, or relieve themselves, but for Aemond that wasn't the case, “We're leaving.” He tells you and you look at him in shock, “But- the award show hasn't ended yet? If we live now, the press might notice and create articles on how you left right after you lost.” You reason, trying to catch up to Aemond as he was making his way through the alleyway, reaching his limousine which was parked behind the building, he checked the area for any press before he turned to face you.

“And whose fault was that? You brought me here, saying that I would win, look what happened now.” He grabs you by your cheeks roughly and you swallow thickly, “You were supposed to win! The judges evaluated that your performance was better but the Lannisters might've played foul.” You tried to reason but he scoffs, making his way over to the limousine and getting in.

“Where the fuck is the driver?” He asks you, when he sees you getting inside along with him, and you shrug, “He probably went to take a break– but Aemond please, your image will be ruined if you leave now.” You beg, yet he remains quiet and sits down, you shut the door behind you and sit down as well, awkward silence filling up the air.

There was no convincing Aemond once he made up his mind, so you dialled the drivers number but he didn't pick up, and you took this as a sign to persuade Aemond one last time, as if he'll suddenly change his mind even though he refused multiple times.

“Aemond, the press will write about how you were upset that you didn't win and left right after, besides that isn't the only award you are nominated for, you are also nominated for best character in the series, which will take place after this break.” You tell him calmly and he scoffs, “Yeah, just so i can lose that award too right?” He glares at you, and you shut up.

You sigh to yourself, knowing that you'd have to be the one dealing with damage control, Otto and Alicent would not be pleased, considering how Aemond had already once gotten into a controversy for taunting his nephews at an award show, questioning their birth indirectly.

You are about to dial the driver's number once again before your phone is yanked off from your grip, your hand is then grabbed and you stumble forward into Aemond arms.

He wastes no time in unbuttoning your shirt revealing your bra, he untucks your shirt and pulls it off you, throwing it on the ground and then begins mouthing at your breast, and kissing on your neck.

“Aemond— we can't right now—” You try to protest but he interrupts you, “Shut the fuck up.” He grits his teeth and you immediately obey.

He pushes you down onto the seat and pulls your pants off, leaving you in nothing but your underwear and feeling vulnerable.

You open your mouth to protest again but he slams his lips against you, leaving you unable to speak. The kiss is aggressive, hungry and anger filled, he bites your lip enough to make it painful but not to draw blood, and you whine into the kiss. His hands roam up your body and he finds your breasts, squeezing them tightly and mostly aggressively.

He pulls away and begins to undo his own pants, unbuckling belt and pulling his pants and boxers down, revealing his hard and leaking cock, he unbuttons his shirt slightly, feeling hot.

Your panties are pulled off in an instant and thrown to where the rest of your clothes are, same with your bra, you grip the edge of slim seats to not fall off when he grabs your legs and spreads them wide, before leaning forward and causing your knees to push up against your chest.

He spits on your cunt, his hands now holding the underside of your knees, he lets one of them in order to line his cock up against your entrance before going back to the underside of your knees again.

You gasp when his cock stretches your walls, throwing your head back in pleasure, Aemond doesn't waste any moment and begins to ram harshly into your cunt and you bite your lip to prevent noises from coming out.

“Fucking slut, look at how wet you've become.” He says harshly, his hips thrusting in and out at a fast pace, he grabs your arms and pins them upwards, “'Foul play' you say? It doesn't matter how much money they've spent, you should've spent more.” He grits his teeth, still remembering your words from earlier. “B-but that wouldn't be fair–” You are cut off with a light slap to your cheek, before he grips it tightly, “Fair? Who cares about fairness? Look what happened now.” He spits in your mouth.

You swallow, knowing you have no choice, a small smirk forms on his lips at what you've done, likely satisfied with your behaviour.

But soon he remembers that this situation didn't occur because he simply wanted to fuck his favourite woman like all the other times, no, he was mad at you.

“You're so fucking useless, do you know that?” He asks and you sniff, staying silent.

“Useless whore, you couldn't even make me win the award, the only thing you're good for is being a cocksleeve and a cunt to dump my cum into.” He degrades you and you can feel the tears begin to form in your eyes at his words.

Yet he finds joy in those tears.

“You're crying now? Imagine how I felt when I lost the award huh? How embarrassing was it for me? Especially to that fucking Jason Lannister.” His thrusts become even more brutal.

Your body jolts up and down the seat at the impact, but you still remain silent, the only noises that leave your mouth being whines and moans.

“You're fired.”

Your eyes shoot wide open at those words and you begin to shake, “No- no, please!” You beg and he chuckles, “Desperate to keep this job that much huh? Why? Is it because of my cock?” He asks and you shake your head no, “Please–” You beg and he seems to be in thought.

He suddenly pulls you up, changing positions.

He is now sitting straight with you straddling him, your arms gripping his shoulders for balance.

“Do you really want to keep this job?” He asks and you nod eagerly, “Well, you know what to do.” He says and you nod.

You raise your hips slightly before going down again, you set a decent pace and begin riding him, you bounce up and down on his cock, gripping his shoulders tight, whilst he grips your hips.

“You're so fucking pretty like this.” He mutters, pressing kisses on your breasts before pulling your nipple into his mouth, your pace falters slightly, yet his mouth remains on your breast, suckling on the nipple, twirling his tongue around the bud, and groaning in pleasure.

He leaves your breast with a wet pop before giving the other one the same attention, “I love these tits so much, I can only imagine how delicious it would be if they swell up with milk.” He sighs, rubbing his face in between them and placing a kiss on your sternum.

You begin picking up the pace again, slightly leaning forward which makes the tip of his cock hit the sweet spot, making you let out a moan, you feel his grip tighten on your hips, and soon starts to thrust upwards, matching your pace.

“Fuck Aem– I'm so close.” You close your eyes, “I know baby, me too.” He kisses your neck, and due to the repeated hits at your sweet spot, you finish with a loud moan and immediately fall limp at the impact, your breathing uneven as you rest your cheek on his shoulder.

He thrusts a few more times before he comes too with a grunt, painting your walls white with his seed. You both stay like that for a moment until you break the silence with a question, “Are you actually gonna fire me?” You question and he chuckles, “And miss out having the best fucking company ready 24/7 for me? No. I'm no such fool.” He answers.

Suddenly your phone begins to ring, you get off him and pick the call up and Aemond watches you to do so.

You gasp when the other person reveals the news to you, and you turn to look at Aemond, who looks at you with furrowed eyebrows, and you end the conversation with the other person, cutting the call.

“The award show is cancelled, apparently the Lannisters have been exposed for the foul play they had done.” you tell him, and his face immediately becomes bright with a smile on his face, and soon it is replaced with a smirk as he watches you put your clothes on.

“You better prepare yourself for a round two at my house.” He tells you and quickly pulls his pants up, before you can say anything, the door opens

“Sorry madam, I wasn't able to pick up the call, my phone died when I tried to.” The driver apologises and gets into the vehicle, seating himself on the driver's seat and quickly starts the limousine, and you sit down next to Aemond, who rests his hand on your thigh, causing goosebumps to rise as you oddly anticipate what's about to come.

The ride home felt like an eternity.

— !  ݈݇- thank you so much for reading! i hope you enjoyed it <3 comments and reblogs are appreciated greatly ♡

[xhxhxhx]

I Feel Like I Win When I Lose

On April 6, 1974, ABBA won the Eurovision Song Contest with "Waterloo." The song transformed Napoleon's last defeat into a metaphor for surrender.

It's paradoxical. But perhaps it was exactly right. In surrender, ABBA found a vision for a Europe that had found union in defeat.

I.

Before he met his destiny, Napoleon developed his own vision of European unity.

Napoleon's Continental System envisioned a Europe unified through its insulation from British trade. But for Napoleon, the System was always an exercise in command and control.

In his Berlin Decree of November 21, 1806, Napoleon declared Britain under a state of blockade. All commerce with Britain was prohibited. All British goods were to be seized.

The System would unite Europe through the force of that command. It was a vision of a Europe bound by imperial will, through a decree “[f]rom our Imperial Camp at Berlin.”

In two more decrees, issued November 23 and December 17, 1807, the Emperor expanded the regime into a system inspections, confiscations, and certificates of origin.

The last decree the Emperor handed to his foreign minister, with instructions to carry it to the Netherlands, Spain, and Denmark, so these nominal sovereigns could execute it as written.

II.

Napoleon was defeated at Waterloo. His System had been defeated long before that.

At Tilsit in July 1807, Napoleon secured the consent of his Russian counterpart, Alexander, to a blockade on Britain. But unlike the little princes, Alexander did not take commands from Napoleon.

Russian public participation in Napoleon’s System was more oblique. No term on British trade entered the Russian treaty. Under its terms, Russia agreed to mediate a peace between France and Britain, 8 G. Martens 2d 640, but its only reference to commerce was Russia’s commerce with France and its clients, which it restored. Id. at 642.

Not even the separate, secret treaty of alliance commit Russia to the System. It only committed Russia to make war on Britain if Britain rejected Russian mediation, or declined to make peace on French terms. 13 F. Martens 323. In that case, Russia would be obliged to close its ports to British trade. Id. at 324. Not otherwise.

Tilsit reflects the illusions of its moment. Napoleon had seen only what he wanted to in Alexander. As Albert Sorel observed, Tilist left behind no formal engagements, no plans, only “inclinations, allusions, of which only the memories would remain.” 7 Sorel 179. Perhaps not even that.

Russia would come in on its own terms.

In August 1807, the month after Tilsit, the Emperor of All Russias issued his own decree. Russia had been troubled by foreigners, it said, and he was going to do something about it. Starting on January 1, 1808, foreigners would barred from entering the Empire, and all from exiting it, without a passport from the Russian foreign ministry. 8 G. Martens 2d 687.

This was how Russia would support the System. Not through union with Europe, but separation from it. Not through surrender to another European empire, but resistance to the whole world. In the voice of its Tsar, Russia would assert sovereignty and dominion.

To the Russian people, the decree presented another face. Their Emperor had decided to order an exacting surveillance of his subjects. They would not lose their freedoms under law, the decree assured them. They could leave if they wanted. They just couldn’t leave without his permission. Id. at 688.

III.

In the secret Treaty of Tilsit, France and Russia had undertaken to make war on Denmark, Sweden, and Portugal if they declined to make war on Britain, and close their ports to British trade. 13 F. Martens 324.

Although Denmark was not a party to the Treaty of Tilsit, nor even permitted to see it, the treaty obliged Denmark to make war on Sweden. If Sweden refused to make war on Britain, “Denmark would be constrained to make war on them.” Id.

Sweden had been Napoleon's erstwhile ally. At his direction, Sweden had declared war on Britain, but never fired a shot in anger, even as British goods made their way to Baltic ports.

Sweden's compliance had always been a fiction. But after Tilsit, as Russian troops massed on the borders of Swedish Finland, Sweden embraced its old enemy. British ships appeared in Swedish ports. British goods flowed freely.

Russia issued its demands, Sweden refused, Russia declared war, Sweden lost. Sweden ceded Finland, forever. At home, the Swedish estates deposed their king and invited Napoleon's great marshal, Jean-Baptiste Jules Bernadotte, to succeed to its throne.

IV.

Sweden had been a reactionary monarchy since the coup of 1772. Now the Swedish estates made sure it would never return to the throne. Now Charles XIII would acknowledge that his dynasty would end with his own life.

Under Sweden's Constitution of 1772, the king had ruled alone, "he and no other." § 2. His councilors had "advised, as their office requires, but not ruled." § 4. His councilors had not been responsible to the estates, but to him and him alone.

Under Bernadotte, Napoleon's marshal, things would be different. The king would no longer rule alone. Now he would rule in council. Swed. Const. of 1809 §§ 4, 7, 8.

But now, with Napoleon's friends commanding the Baltic Sea, his Continental System came apart. Alexander's Russia and Bernadotte's Sweden, turned against his grand design. Russia opened itself to British ships. Sweden had never truly closed.

In 1812, as Napoleon marched toward Moscow, Sweden and Russia turned openly against him. The Continental System gave way to war, and war to defeat. And at Waterloo, Napoleon was defeated.

Europe's princes divided the Continent between themselves. Europe's new Continental System, tacit and informal, was not a unit, but a league. It was a league against war and revolution, sealed by a congress of princes.

Europe learned something from Napoleon's fall: that command creates its own resistance, that command without consent is command without power.

V.

After another war, Europe tried something different. On April 18, 1951, six nations signed the Treaty of Paris establishing the European Coal and Steel Community, which became the European Economic Community after 1957.

Britain stood apart. It founded its own European Free Trade Association, Sweden included, even as it watched the Community grow stronger. It applied to join the European Economic Community in 1961. It was vetoed by France's President de Gaulle, suspicious of Britain's entry into its Continental compact. In 1967, it applied again, and was vetoed again.

Only with de Gaulle's resignation in 1969 could Britain finally enter the Community, as it did in 1973. But the question remained: How much sovereignty could a state surrender before independence became servitude? How much autonomy could it yield before victory became defeat?

VI.

And then came ABBA, making Waterloo into a love song. Not about Napoleon's defeat or Britain's victory, but about the sweetness of surrender. About finding freedom in yielding. About how losing yourself to another might be its own kind of triumph.

The genius isn't in the irony but in the constitutional truth: Modern Europe has always been about learning to love what defeats you. About finding victory in defeat. About making defeat and victory the same thing.

That's what "Waterloo" caught, as did Eurovision, itself an exercise in competitive unity, division serving union. Europe heard itself in the paradox: nationalism performing its own dissolution, Waterloo celebrating surrender, sovereignty and submission becoming one.

That's the trick Europe learned. The only trick it needed. The surrender that saves you.

VII.

In 1975, Britain would face its first Brexit referendum. It was a kind of Waterloo for Britain's beleaguered Brexiteers. Europe won. Britain was defeated; Europe won the war.

And they promised to love them forever more.

[mjmr493]

I am beyond excited to learn more about Sebastian Grimm in book 2 of the Wildersongs trilogy. But here is a incomplete list of what we DO know about him:

He hates lying to his mom <3

His hair lost its pigment after overusing his magic while casting for the first time

People think he overly scrutinizes spells, but he’s really memorizing them to account for his reading disorder

He planned to take over his mom’s flower trade before discovering he was a caster

His ears turn red when he’s embarrassed

Grimm understood there was a serious issue of Leo’s consent while under the curse (avoided commands, never took Leo’s affection as truth)

He acts similar to his mentor, Phade, who nominated him to the Fount when he was 11

He gets motion sick, poor guy

Phade is the only instructor in the Fount that’ll allow Grimm and Leo to work together

He’s trying to join the Coterie and get a seat in the Citadel so he can change the system from within (we love a man who can organize for systemic change)

People from his village, Dwull, have ostracized him since he was a kid. They blame him for losing control of the rain spell and the subsequent flooding (that distance from others has followed him to the Fount)

He seems only mildly affronted that Leo's Grandmagic threw him out a window in second tier

That man has so much restraint and I just need to know what he’s holding back. Biting his tongue to keep from saying what? Holding himself in check so much that his body trembles from effort. What was he going to do?!

We need his POV in the next book!! Grimm may have be outwardly put together, but Ik inside must be raging.

[misfitwashere]

Rejected Cabinet Nominees

Some historical guidance

TIMOTHY SNYDER

JAN 16

Historically, nominees for cabinet positions have been rejected by the Senate or have withdrawn their candidacies in order to prevent that outcome. It is not common, but nor is it abnormal. The power of "advice and consent" granted to the Senate by the Constitution has been exercised in practice. 

A number of Trump's appointments are simply outrageous by historical, ethical, strategic, or any other standards. The ongoing confirmation hearings tend to normalize the bizarre (although Democrats and a couple of Republicans have asked meaningful questions.)

So a few examples of failed nominations might serve as one tool among others to keep the events of the moment in perspective.

Secretary of Defense

John Tower was the first George H.W. Bush nominee for secretary of defense. He has served in the Senate for more than twenty years, and had chaired its Armed Services Committee. He was an author of the Tower Commission report on the Iran-Contra Affair. He was questioned by Senators about his past alcohol use and womanizing.

Pete Hegseth, unlike Tower, has zero knowledge, experience, or qualifications for the of running the Department of Defense. His program, judging from his books, is to ignore foreign enemies, politicize the armed forces, and carry out a "Holy War" against Americans. Pete Hegseth's womanizing and alcohol use, by his own account, far exceed Tower's. Unlike Tower, Hegseth paid off a woman who filed a police report accusing him of sexual assault in circumstances that, by her account, strongly suggest the use of a rape drug. Hegseth had to resign from both of the advocacy groups he ran because of incompetence and drunkenness. He regularly had to be physically carried away from events because he was too drunk to stand. In once case he had to be prevented from joining strippers on a stage. He also displayed total financial and budgetary incompetence. In this connection it is worth mentioning that the Department of Defense has the largest budget of any government in history.

There is a disturbing tendency to forgive Hegseth everything because he is a veteran. This seems unfair to veterans who do not display his failures of character. But it also contains within itself the troubling idea that soldiers can do no wrong: an idea that Hegseth himself seems to hold. That way lies military dictatorship. In any event: Tower served in the Pacific Theater during the Second World War and was in the reserve for decades.

The Senate rejected Tower.

Director of National Intelligence.

This position was created relatively recently and elevated to cabinet rank still more recently. It is meant to oversee the work of all American intelligence agencies. So a relevant historical comparison will be to the position of director of central intelligence.

Anthony Lake was second-term Bill Clinton's nominee for the position of director of central intelligence. Lake was eminently qualified. He is one of the most accomplished American diplomats of the post-1945 period. Among many other positions he was Director of Policy Planning in the State Department under Carter, and National Security Advisor during Clinton's first term. His nomination ran into trouble because of two occasions when his deputies on the National Security Council failed to inform him of discussions with the chairman of the Democratic National Committee about donor access to the White House.

Tulsi Gabbard has no qualifications to be Director of National Intelligence. A very long list of Americans with national security experience regard her as a danger to the safety of Americans. She is known abroad as a supporter of two of the world's most violent dictators, Bashar al-Assad and Vladimir Putin. As a congresswomen she consistently made excuses for Assad, whose regime killed something like half a million people before it was overthrown. She proposed that the Russo-Ukrainian war could be ended "in the spirit of aloha" and repeats Russian propaganda tropes. Russian media refer to Gabbard as "comrade" and "girlfriend" and "our agent."

Under Senate pressure, Lake withdrew his candidacy.

Attorney General

Zoe Baird was nominated by Bill Clinton for attorney general at the beginning of his first term in 1993. She was eminently qualified professionally for the job. She had however hired undocumented immigrants in her household and had not paid Social Security taxes for them.

Pam Bondi is Donald Trump's nominee for the same position. As part of Donald Trump's legal team, she sought to justify his attempt to overturn the results of an election. As Florida attorney general, she accepted luxurious perks from relevant parties in cases she was considering. In that capacity she also failed to pursue a case against Trump University after a political group supporting received a check, an illegal donation, from Trump's foundation signed by Trump. As a lobbyist she represented a Russian money manager convicted in Kuwait and served as a public relations representative for the government of Qatar. She was paid more than $100,000 a month just for that assignment, which she left in order to defend Trump from conviction after his first impeachment. Then she went back to working for Qatar.

Under Senate pressure, Baird withdrew her candidacy.

Succeeding events created the closest thing we have to a historical standard for rejecting cabinet nominees by Republican Senators: the employment of undocumented workers.

After Baird withdrew, Clinton nominated Kimba Wood. She too was eminently qualified to serve as attorney general. It emerged that she too had hired an undocumented worker as a nanny. Wood did so at a time when this was legal, and she paid the appropriate taxes. Nevertheless, the mere fact that she had employed one undocumented person, entirely legally, stopped her candidacy. in 2001, President George W. Bush nominated Linda Chavez to be secretary of labor. She then withdrew her candidacy after it emerged that she had paid an undocumented person to work in her household.

So one might move beyond the obvious point that Bondi's scandals dwarf Baird's (and Hegseth's those of Tower, and Gabbard's those of Lake) and propose a pragmatic line of questioning that would apply to Trump's other nominees. Have they or their companies employed undocumented workers? It seems a reasonable question to ask, especially of the billionaires. Given the coming administration's oft-declared hard line on illegal immigration, this would seem to be a minimum standard for its cabinet nominees.

The Senate has a constitutional role, and in the past has exercised it. Some of the nominees presented to them this month are wildly inappropriate to the point of risking the integrity of American national security and calling into question basic principles of the rule of law. The history of failed nominations reminds us just how far some of these people fall below any reasonable standard.

[steddieunderdogfics]

The Prettiest Boy in Hawkins, Indiana by AidaRonan

@aidaronan

Rating: Explicit

19,480 words, 4/4 chapters

Archive Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply

Tags: Vampire Eddie Munson, Dom/sub, Dacryphilia, gagging, Blow Jobs, Shower Sex, Explicit Sexual Content, Explicit Consent, bratty Steve Harrington, Touch-Starved, Touch-Starved Eddie Munson, Time Jump, Bisexual Steve Harrington, Gay Eddie Munson, Hair-pulling, Choking, Biting, Blood Drinking, Aftercare, Aged-Up Character(s), Porn with a Little Plot, Steve Harrington is kind of a slut (affectionate), Spanking, Coming Untouched, Praise Kink, derogatory language! in the bedroom, Blood Kink, Possessive Behavior, Subspace, Breathplay, erotic asphyxiation, Overstimulation, Scratching, sexy sexy gore, Consensual But Not Safe Or Sane, Object Insertion, Weapons Kink, Snowballing, Mutual Masturbation, Blood Bag Steve Harrington

Summary:

It's been six years since Eddie died. Steve manages a sporting goods store at the mall, and everyone else has moved on and left town. He's twenty-five and he's tired and alone. But the Upside Down is shut away and he's alive and that's what really matters. Until Eleven calls and says she feels something. Something in Hawkins. And then Something shows up in Steve's living room and flashes sharp teeth.

Thanks for the rec! This recommendation is apart of our Writer's Wednesday! All of the recs today are written by @aidaronan. Want to nominate an author? Fill out this form!

You can submit fic recs to our asks or the submission box!

[livelybutterflyy]

introducing my kpop drself

EARLY LIFE :

Moon Seulbi was born October 8th 2004 to a lawyer mother & businessman father in Seoul , South korea. She is the youngest of three siblings , Moon Jinyoung & Moon Jisung are her older siblings , Jinyoung (Da’ah) is an actress while Jisung is a fellow idol.

During her childhood / teenhood , she traveled and lived in many places, for example , the first 5 years of her life were spent in Tokyo, Japan , where she began dancing . Then she spent two years in Paris , where she first witnessed Fencing, and she begged her mom to learn. 

here are a list of some of the places she lived in as a child:

Seoul , South korea (obv)

Tokyo, Japan

Paris, france

London, England

New York city, United states

SCOUTING STORY :

Her father was a prominent businessman and was friends with JYP , Jyp offered to train his daughter ( Seulbi ) to be an idol, and without her consent, He agreed, on one condition, he would have a manager street cast her first, to take the blame off him.

Seulbi was seven years old when she was walking with her mother to the park when a JYP manager came up to her and asked if she’d like to be an idol. Seulbi, who was extremely emotional and afraid of everything, immediately burst into tears. Her mother agreed on her behalf.

DEARLIE :

DEARLIE was a 4 member kids girl group under JYP entertainment, the group consisted of Minseo, Sieun , Jaylie & Sooyoung. They debuted august 16 2013 with the song “Gee”. The group disbanded in January of 2016 after their contracts were terminated. 

Dearlie was a highly successful group , even with the controversy of a 8 year old debuting, it was marketed as a “kids girl group” for that exact reason. It remained unknown until 2023 why their contracts were mysteriously terminated.

POST-DEARLIE :

Sooyoung was only 11 years old when DEARLIE disbanded, eager to stay in the kpop industry where she felt appreciated, Sooyoung partook in Sixteen, Idol school & Produce 101 , all in the time of 9 months. After failing to debut in the three groups, Sooyoung quit being a trainee but was hired as a producer, stylist, choreographer  and concept designer for JYP , she worked on groups like SKZ, MISS A, TWICE & ITZY. She was the "mind" behind Skz, as she created their concept & discography nearly by herself

During this time, she didn’t even live in Korea ! Sooyoung attended the most prestigious boarding school in the world , Lucent arts academy in England where she majored in dance and minored in mythology until her departure in 2019.

LYONU :

Sooyoung had been longing for her return to the Kpop industry for a while, so when TNS reached out and asked if she’d like to audition for them, Sooyoung said yes. By July of 2019, Sooyoung was a trainee at TNS, by September of 2019, she was in the debut line up.  !! She had quit JYP by then !!

The nowhere girls club (TNGC) debuted June 5 2020 with the song Generation , it was a massive hit both domestically and internationally, with Sooyoung serving as the songs producer & songwriter.

By their second comeback with the full album “Stay out of my secrets” and the double title tracks Girls never die and Girls capitalism, TNGC had secured their place as a force to be reckoned with, not just in the kpop industry, but with the global music industry itself, with being nominated for 6 grammys and going home with 5.

SOLO VENTURES :

Moon Sooyoung is a brand. She is the most popular female idol ever. She has over 200 million followers on her solo instagram account , and she's only had it three years.

Some of her global  brand deals include : vivienne westwood, YSL, burberry , alexander mcqueen & graff diamonds. These are my 5 favs out of her 17 accumulated over the years. She is known as : global it girl, 4th gen fashion icon, dancing prodigy & ace of kpop (there are many more.)

Sooyoung constantly sets trends , including ; Lucky Jelly , off shoulder tops, reverse mirror selfies, heart cheek pose, , Sooyoungism, decorated shoes , custom decorated mics & more !!

For the two year and the four year anniversary of TNGC, each member released a mixtape for the fans, Sooyoung released BE PRETTY as her first solo and released INSANITY! As her second. Despite having small promotions, be pretty went extremely viral and got 1 billion streams in only 89 days and received over 13 music show wins in a 2 week timespan. Insanity! Also went extremely viral, reaching 1 billion streams in only 76 days ! it also received 15 music show wins in the two week promotion period

[just-some-guy-joust]

Just Some Guy Joust!

(unsure why this is on your dash? if you followed lovecore-swag-showdown, freaky-fish-fshowdown, or doomed-bythe-narrative, that's us, we've just rebranded for the new tourney)

This is a tournament for guys who are just dudes. Dudes that are just sitting there. Average characters living normal lives, potentially in universes where that is extremely comedic. This is... the Just Some Guy Joust! Nominations are CLOSED

We are holding TWO tournaments this time! One for characters from established media, and another for OCs!

Rules for established media:

Character must at least have "just some guy" energy! Gender does not matter, women can be just some guy too. Bonus points for characters that live in high fantasy or sci-fi etc. worlds with super cool teams n stuff, and they're like. Just an office worker. But don't stress too much about whether or not they count, the definition is loose!

You may submit multiple characters, but don’t submit the same character more than once

Cannot be a real person

Don't submit "all characters from [x]" as there is a great chance I have NO clue what you are talking about (edit: see this post for clarification!)

I'd prefer super jokey responses (i.e. "your mom from your mom") be kept to a minimum, but the occasional joke submission is fine

Nominate some guy here!

nomations are now closed!

Rules for OCs:

Your OC should have "just some guy" energy. Gender does not matter! Don't worry too much about if they count or not as the definition is loose, just try to make as compelling an argument as you can! I will love each of them no matter what

Please do not submit an OC if you will get majorly upset by either not getting into the tournament or by losing the tournament. This is not a guaranteed entry into the tourney. Please be kind to yourself and hold off from submitting if you know you will have an extreme negative response to either of these things.

This is for Original Characters, not characters from established media. There is another form for characters from established media, use that one instead

Fandom OCs are tentatively allowed. If you have a purely original OC you can submit instead, I would prefer that, but I will not stop you from submitting Fandom OCs

You may submit your friend's OC but only if you have gotten their consent to do so, thank you

You may submit multiple of your OCs but only 1 will be allowed in the tourney

Nominate your OC here!

nominations are now closed!

[obsidianpen]

Wondering if we'll ever get to the point in No Glory where Voldemort is capable of actually valuing Harry's wellbeing over his own/his own desires, because that feels like the next necessary step in terms of healing/making their relationship functional. I'm actually a pretty big proponent that this will probably express itself by Voldemort refusing to have sex with Harry, because of how damaging and traumatizing he realizes it is for him.

The consent problem here, naturally, is that Harry can't meaningfully consent to anything Voldemort asks of him, since Voldemort has too much leverage over him and it provides a perverse incentive structure where Harry can't realistically say no (as exemplified with the most recent chapter). Therefore, literally the only ethical remaining action for Voldemort to take is to always say no, even when Harry is nominally pressuring him to say yes, simply because he is unable to trust that Harry's yes is ever actually a yes rather than a product of the constant threat Voldemort has kept him under.

This is probably the next major emotional revelation, and one that I expect to be coming fairly soon given how the most recent chapter played out (very explicitly showing Harry giving nominal consent to something he didn't want in a terrible situation where he wasn't free to say no and have it be respected). 'Ruination' shattered much of Voldemort's sense of self, forcing him to come to terms with exactly what kind of monster he'd been all along, and 'A Promise' holds the opportunity to shatter Voldemort's illusions about their situation and Harry's true ability to consent (or lack thereof).

This actually sets up a very nice exploration of morality and emotional growth, wherein all the things that Voldemort had convinced himself were unnecessary weaknesses (just treatment for your enemies, restraint, and yes, even mercy) are actually things we do for ourselves to keep from feeling the exact way he's likely feeling right now. At our most selfish, they're not things we do for other people, they're things we do for us.

(I'd actually sent in a previous ask saying that No Glory actually reminds me of the Good Place, weirdly enough, and I think this is why.)

this has actually started to come up a bit already; V isn’t entirely unaware of this situation in terms of consent, even if he hasn’t fully wrapped his head around it yet. From the chapter ‘closer’ (had to go find it to make sure I wants being delusional):

‘Harry grinned, a little delirious as he made yet another bold move. He grabbed Voldemort by the chin and kissed him, hard. He couldn’t tell if the moan that followed was his own or not. He didn't care either way. Harry wanted him closer, closer.

He felt in control. He felt powerful. 

Everything stopped. 

There must have been much to yet learn about the connection between their souls, because even though Harry had initiated this, it was clearly Voldemort who chose to end it. There was a heartbeat of stillness in which that light vanished, the same moment in which Voldemort severed their kiss. His grasp on Harry’s hair moved to his neck, and it became painfully tight.

No. 

Voldemort did not say the word, but Harry could hear it resonate clearly in his mind. One word, and then Voldemort hurled Harry away from him, throwing him by the neck with such force that Harry flew backwards, slamming against the table. The back of it collided with his back, and then he fell, landing hard on his knees. He coughed when he landed; Voldemort’s grasp on his throat when he threw him was short, but violent. 

“You think you are in control of this, of me ,” Voldemort hissed. “You have no idea what you are doing… of what you even want to be doing.”

Harry looked up to him, and though his magic was a wall of angry black, there were now unmissable flecks of gold. Harry, still on his knees, smirked. “I think I do,” he said hoarsely. 

“You do not,” Voldemort seethed. His aura was a combination of rage and something very close to panic, possibly even fear. “This ends, now.” His face became stonelike, but Harry could sense the misery in him. He inclined his head at him slightly. “Goodbye, Harry.”’

[haveihitanerve]

Ze Blackberry Is Here. Back with more commentary. Y'all know the drill, hope you enjoy :)

“Its gonna be OSCAR nominated! BAFTA award winning!” I believe it! (truthfully, i have never seen this skit before, so this will be my first time watching it, I know, I know, shame, i've been a fan for a little under a year and i've never seen Ze Blackberry? But im here to remedy that now, and I believe it'll be beautiful and oscar winning)

Tom making eye contact with AJ and grabbing his chair and AJ just following suit- they communicate without words i love it

Also side note- Aj has hair..... anyway now carry on

“Captured by ze germans!” AJ’s side glance over his shoulder at Luke as he says it- cheeky little shit :)

“Look at ‘em, the Aryan look.” Sam enjoyed that one :) Aj chuckling at his own joke too

“Oh! If he was only a foot and a half taller he’d be a perfect nazi!” Of course we have to go for the cheap shot, love it!!- also- Aj already cracking before he finishes the joke, beautiful, he knew where it was going

Luke’s smile and side eye- gorgeous boy

Tom and Aj cracking when they see Sam- honestly wow, they were much more relaxed with laughing on stage from what i can see lol- Aj literally looks to the heavens like “give me strength!!”

“Oh my god! Its Hanz van Purple Buerer!” stellar joke AJ, really: 10/10

Luke laughing in the corner

The person who screeched with laughter in the audience that it sounded like a door being opened has my heart- so real

“The blackberry himself has come to deal with us.” AJ's snort of laughter, Luke’s slow smile, and Sam’s resigned grin as he looks at his outfit

“JA! Ze Blackberry is here.” Perfect quote. 10/10

“Hello my little pocket sized aryan” i knew he loved the joke- also idk what Luke does just then, but it looks really cool- the little foot tap together of a soldier standing at attention or smth idk

Luke just reciting his NPC German phrases he knows XD (as a german tho, decent accent, pretty good)

Tom and AJ absolutely baffled XD- genuinely asking “did he just sniff his ear?” with such concern- priceless lol- “i think he wants to fuck him” idk why aj emphasized, or rather didn't, fuck, but it really adds something... je ne sais quoi

“Just flying a plane, over berlin-” Aj chuckling because he knows damn well that was a bad excuse wtf Tom’s gonna make it sooo much worse XD “just normally!” there it is!

“During ZE SEKOND VORLD VAR!?!?!” Sam- woah

“I call it a good time to goooo…” Hes really looking for an excuse here- “parachuting” nailed it, perfect delivery- he wont suspect a thing

“Les frere parachutes!” Ok Aj, flaunt that french i see you

Sam smacking Tom(not literally, they havent gotten to that point yet- but just wait until Old Lady Margaery) and Aj also flinching- grinning before Sam even says anything because he knows, he just knows he shouldn't have

“ZHAT IS HOW YOU ZLAP ZE MASTER WAY!!!” The slap was so good Sam had to break the fourth wall lmaooo

“Von ponte!” Idk why thats funny- but AJ laughed immediately after saying it, so its probably a french joke of a location or smth??? Or not at all?? Idk im not french

AJ’s genuine look at concern over to Tom when sam said “staler and harder” 

“Don't- don't let them make me get hard!” AJ has given up and is now just looking down trying not to break- real

“Oh i think he wants- *uncontrollably afraid head nodding* they both want the fucking-” 

“In many ways thats better, its better as a two way street” Tom our consensual king… that sounded wrong- but consent matters!

AJ’s scream of genuine terror XD

“Then maybe you'll have a, you know, you'll come in like 70 years for a bit and it'll be weird and then you'll fuck off again!” Tom getting into actual history, love when they do that, adds intentional and unintentional humor- also love how the girl(sry idk her name) has just decided she does not want to be a part of whatever the fuck this is and is just watching

AJ’s singing!!!!! YAY!!! (actually one of the most compelling reasons why i wanted to watch this lmaoo) also the way he makes eye contact with Luke and immediately breaks mid song

Sam being a random unidentified animal as Tom casually strokes his back- for absolutely no reason but they couldn't let Aj be the only weird one in the scene- solidarity ig??? Whatever the reason its fucking hilarious

“Im- in the wrong place.” yes AJ wtf are you doing XD???

“How are you Sarah?” YES UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN!!! MAKE LUKE FEMALE!!!

The eruption of laughter as Luke contemplates how to handle this new piece of information about himself

“Well he didn't come ‘ome so!” Fair point, fair point

“You're being- ridicule.” the casual slipping in of random french words they picked up from duolingo, or, y'know, AJ ig, is beautiful

“I know of an admirer” Audience member: oooh Luke: *shoots them a glance, eyebrow raised* idk man any interaction with the audience and im a sucker for it-

“Ok Xavier will have to wait until Jean-Luc is “officially dead” then” idk who this girl is but shes funny XD-

“She said i would also meet a man called Javier.” *does quick calculations of how many people are already characters and how many more plots they can afford to fit into the already moving script….* “But I already met him and he was… very ugly.” Luke- lmaoo

Aj- my king i love you

THE WAY THE GIRL LITERALLY HAS TO TURN AWAY WHEN TOM ENTERS

REAL

Can i just mention real fast- when AJ collapses, faints, wtv- Tom tries to catch him before realizing that “oh its part of the bit ok” -like??? His arm swings back because he was trying to be a support for Aj to lean against, not expecting him to completely swoon to the floor- anyway they're cute

“No no no no-” oh here comes the scene *the writer is giddy with excitement* “i will give her, ze kiss of life.” *then genuinely surprises Aj with a kiss because his hand twitches with the movement XD* “I could ‘ave mimed it, but i deed not” Tom you absolute king-

*licks Luke’s hand like a weirdo* like lol Tom what was that???

“I don't know the french word for mice-” *AJ has been summoned* i just love how he spawns in, so ready to share his native language, its too cute 

And Tom promptly picking up on it :)))))) so cute

“To keep me satisfiiiiiiied.” The chair tilt- ughnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn *deceased*

Also- Luke is completely at ease. He’s a bit surprised, sure, but he keeps his legs floating, crossed, has complete faith that Tom will keep him steady and is not worried at all about finding stability himself- they’re so fucking adorable help-

Toms hand on his neck 😭

“Do not be afraid. Xavier is here.” Well i've never felt safer in my life so-

“Im just a bit lonellyyyy” lmao this girl is fun! “Make sure you get the right buttock, its the good one! But the left one is good as well!” Ofc it is Xavier, of course

“III am a man.” thank you for making sure we know that Xavier…

SAM AND AJ!!!! WHAT !!!! XD IM DYING!!! They planned out, and then actually went through with, meeting on opposite sides of the stage, wearing their medieval helmets, and decided to charge at each other, in that exact moment- fuck i love them sm omg- XD

AJ’s little finger flick to indicate Tom to come over 😭 subtle things and i love them so much-

Tom: *casually yeets himself across stage*

“I can feel it in the… breeze.” smooth aj, makes sense, yes yes ofc ofc, very airtight reasoning

“Its- its the- nazi looking guy!” LMAOOO poor luke XD

“FRANCOISSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!” AJ has a lot of breath support damn

The silence as Sam continues clopping along, debating whether or not to point out that girl- i really should learn her name- just casually jumped onto a moving wagon or smth idk lol

AJ: *just casually starts sobbing* Sams wife: if you’re thirsty you could just drink it!!! LMAOOOOO

“By the way while you were captured,*AJ smiling already because he knows what's coming* the nazis occupied us.” both laugh. cuties

“BIG HANDS! This is big Hans.” Sam not being able to speak in order to not burst out laughing. I know AJ is so glad to have a pumpkin covering his face so he can laugh lmaooo

“Well you could have surrendered better.” Sam having to look down to laugh XD

“No zey, zey really couldn't.” Luke- you're german yeah? Not french…

“We are French, we are very good at surrendering.” poor AJ lmaooo XD

“That joke would be dated, but its 1942 so…” setting a time period, nice work Tom lol

“Les coqs! Hah!” Luke just wants to be French atp lmaooo

Tom walking right through the stagecraft horses. Tsk tsk

“Reach in there, grab a big coq and eat it.” he saw the joke and he took it, golden. 

Luke: *casually stroking AJ’s hair and entire face without any regard* love them so much omg-

I said it once and ill say it again: their slow motion stuff is sooooo good, especially because usually only one person starts it- like AJ- and its subtle at first, but the others pick up on it so fast it quickly becomes noticeable but like they notice it before the audience- anyway…

“Lets go- fuck!” …. “What???” "WHAT???" “It doesn't matter!” No i think it does aj what were you going to say????

*speedy horse noises*

Sam and Aj moving in time together as they transition to the next scene 😭they're always so in sync it hurts

The way the camera angle only sees Luke, and then Tom’s leg just appears. Beautiful cinematography. the cameraman knows what the people want😏

“I am an improvised comedian, it does not pay well *pouts*” I feel like you're bringing a lot of reality into this scene Frankie…

Luke cant even laugh, its true 😭

Damnnnnn. Like i've seen Xavier edits ofc, but now i've seen the play and now i know- gawddddsss

“If you are such a man zen why are u not fighting ‘or francez freedohm?” Oh damn Sarah does not play- yes Jean-Luc your wife still has faith in you… i hope. Pls give me a luke/aj relationship- pls(so far they haven't even been in one scene together as a married couple 😭)

“Chat got your tongue?” … i laughed wayyy too hard at that and Luke looks wayyy to proud of it too…

“Im doing a lovely job ‘ere.” yes you are queen, yes you are

“Thought you said it wasn't dirty- its horrible.” yes queen!!! Tell him!!! “Look at it!” she sounds so genuinely disappointed. “Its dust! You know what dust is? Its skin. Human skin and rat poo.” girl you keep monologuing till your heart is content this is wonderful

Tom and Luke are too stunned to speak :0

��Are you quite finished?” damn Luke… tt. “I mean im not if im honest about it..” yes queen!!!! Don't let him interrupt you XD

“Do you want to know what-” *blinks in trilingual* “am i german am i french?” shakespeare ok

DAMN that slap was perfect! And this is a time when its still fake, i see i see lol

“Viva la france!” Audience member: viva la france! Loving this solidarity lol

“Im off now.” “oh fuck off already!” Sarah is done  lmaooo

Aj coming in with the French… what is it called? Battle cry of France? Slogan? Whatever Fraternity, Egalite and Eternite is for France… i should truly know what its called… slogan… ok whatever i'm digressing-

“That is right. I was tortured by.. *thinks back to very beginning of play* two men… getting... with each other next to me..” *said while looking at one of said men and having just ridden other said man into the scene* also wow- how did, whoever suggested it, suggest that idea???? Anyway-

“They are always doing that the nazis.” Casually Sam and Luke being the ones to say it…

“I just wanted to tease ‘im a little bit. I’m french its in my nature!!!” even Sam is flabbergasted that he said it right to AJ’s face lmaooo

“So where is your kni- awww.” Tom was so ready lol

“When i say knife… I mean HUGE katana.” *laughs* idk why but this sentence just tickles my brain properly for some reason 

“Ye-es?” Sam i cant. Aj struggling not to laugh, Tom questioning how he can hit Sam without messing up the scene, and Luke just going for the joke- “where did you get my dildo?” priceless XD

“Thats a good… whatever you are.” thats what we all want to know too, but its safer not to ask…

Sam singing epic fight song. Glorious

The blood- i cant breathe- XD

This just might be the best possible kiss scene in all of SFTH history omg- the way Luke walks to AJ- cups his cheeks, then wraps his arms around his neck as AJ hugs him completely, turning so that Luke is dipped low, and Luke’s legs go limp, trusting AJ to hold him up without any fear, its so cute and so tender and omg i love them sm-

ANyway that was Oh My God, Is This A Joke? Very glad i finally got around to watching it, absolutely beautiful play as always boys, wow, and AJ still had hair, anyway gorgeous. 

Also i feel the need to point out that in this one every single person was trying to get with Luke at one point or another. Thats all. Byebye now!

@dawn-speckled @snek-of-eden

[theewritingroomm]

The First Meeting - Pre War

Summary: meeting Cooper for the first time. Pairing: Cooper Howard x Reader (eventual) Word Count: 597 Warnings: none for this chapter, future chapter may have more warnings. A/N: This drabble series is going to feel like a slow burn, and it will likely not be posted in any specific order. However there will be a masterlist for this series. I do NOT consent to my work being translated or published onto third party sites - including AO3 and Wattpad. 

The Cowboy & The Movie Star

When you had gotten the role, you did not expect much to come out of it. The one thing you knew for certain was that your mom was proud. She was every time you got a role. And eventually, everybody in your hometown would know about it. On release day, her book club would become a watch party and they would drive to the nearest theater and watch it. Later in the evening you could expect a call where your mom would rave about the movie and your performance, Even if it was only thirty seconds. 

That is exactly what happened with your latest movie. Though the praise did not stop with just your mother this time. Multiple times a day your agent was calling to tell you about the latest interview opportunity or magazine article that wanted to feature you and discuss the movie. . 

Accepting those interviews had rocketed you to the status of America’s Sweetheart. Your place there was cemented by the nomination you received for best supporting actress. 

“Mom, I don’t know if I can do this.” You admitted into the space of the backseat, running your hands down the front of your dress. An attempt to calm the nerves taking over. 

Your mom placed a gentle hand on your shoulder, forcing you to turn towards her. Pride was visible on every feature of her face. 

“My sweet girl, you can do this. You are so strong and magnificent. And now the world is finally catching onto what I’ve known this whole time.” She fixes a strand of your hair as she continues. “So, when you do win and you become a world traveling movie star, don’t forget you momma.” 

A laugh breaks through the nerves as the car comes to a stop. 

The door is opened from the outside of the car and the flashes from dozens of cameras momentarily blinds you. The shouts of your name are nearly deafening as you step out of the car. 

An older gentleman ushers you and your mother down the red carpet. Instructing you on when to stop and where to begin looking. The ordeal was slightly disorientating; the lights, the voices, the people. It was too much and the nerves began to return as you shuffled down the carpet.. Slamming into your chest like a bus. 

Or perhaps that feeling was the man you had stumbled into. 

“I’m so, so sorry,” You rushed out, grabbing onto the man’s forearm for stability. 

Chancing a glance upwards, dread filling you as the remnants of your career in Hollywood flashed in your mind. 

Though instead of anger from the man above you, there was a flash of worry as he helped you right yourself. His brown eyes were soft as a hand landed on your hip. 

“Accidents happen,” he waved off, “Are you okay, darling?” 

The term of endearment, laced with his slow drawl slid down your spine like warm honey. Settling where his hand sat on your hip and spread warmth through you. 

Before you got the chance to respond, the voices of the paparazzi cut into your brain. 

“Cooper! Y/N! Look this way! Over here!” 

It seemed that, broke the man, Cooper, out of his own trance. His hand slipped from your waist, yours fell from his arm. Backing up a step you met his eyes again. 

“Thank you for catching me.” You spoke quickly, shuffling past him, you mother in tow. Sporting a new, cheshire cat grin. 

As the award show began, a newly familiar figure slid into the empty seat next to yours.

[theguildawards]

Hello guildmates!

The Nomination Period is now closed! Below the cut you will find a complete list of all the fanfiction nominations received for The Guild Awards this term! The mobile-friendly version can also be found in a Google Doc here that has the complete list!

You can find the list of all the fanart nominations here!

If you do not see your nomination, or you find issues with the links, please reach out to us as soon as possible!

We are going to give you 2 weeks time to enjoy all the pieces nominated for this term! We strongly encourage that when you view a work of art or read a fanfiction, please reblog or leave a comment to let the creators know how much their work and talent is appreciated!

The voting period will begin November 15th and end November 29th at midnight PST!

In order to be able to vote, you will need to login. We will be posting the link to the voting form on the first day of the voting session.

Got a question? Check out our FAQ Google Doc or send us an ask!

Message one of the mods directly: @classysassy9791 @phoenix-before-the-flame @kiliinstinct @ratretro @phoneboxfairy

Thank you to everyone who nominated for making this term absolutely wonderful and happy voting!

[please reblog to help spread the love of these amazing creators!]

FANFICTION

Best Action/Adventure

"Flame's Desire"  by @kiliinstinct / rougescribe (AO3)

"Untold Stories" by Rakoon1 (FFN)

"Reconnect: An Oath To Return" by ayaheartsanime (FFN)

"Branded" by HawkofNavarre (FFN)

Best AU/AR

“More than just a Fairy Tale” by @chaotickori

“Umbriferous” by @blackbatbbg / blackbag_bbg (AO3)

"StarFall" by @riverofmemories(AO3)

"Withered flower" by laynapanda (AO3)

"Healing Hands" by FyreFalcon80 (AO3)

"Song of the Dragonborn" by Psilocybinlemon (AO3)

"Eye Candy" by Jellal Frenandes (FFN)

Best Canon

“Keeping Secrets” by SlitherlyOwl777 (AO3)

"So This Is What Home Feels Like"  by @spot-of-tea (tumblr)/ spot_of_tea (AO3)

"Your Crush Is My Love Rival" by Chaoticmimo (FFN)

Best Angst

“Redemption” by @spot-of-tea (tumblr) / Spot_of_Tea (AO3)

"He Loved Her Too Late"  by @Lu69 (FFN)

"Dream Walkers" by ThornsandRoses12 (FFN)

"heartbeat on the high line" by notsofluffyunicorn (AO3)

Best Dark

"The Prophecy in the Stars" by @MsKittenMarie (FFN)

"Celestial Poison" by Shippoutsy (AO3)

"The Last of Us" by @classysassy9791

"Behind the Curtain, I Scream" by ReaderError72 (AO3)

Best Drama

“Accepting Fate” by Perfect Memories (FFN)

“World’s End: Aftermath” by CairnCircles (AO3)

Best Humor/Parody

Fifth Time’s The Charm"  by Straw Heart (FFN)

"Dragon Slayers, Am I Right? ( Chapter 4)" by Aromantha (AO3)

"Magic Council Complaint Form #1024: there are mages hiding in the trash cans" by Fireflower34 (AO3)

"Do You Want To Build a Snowman?" by @oryu404

Best Oneshot

"Looking to Our Future" by @shiiro-arts / Shiiro(AO3)

"He Loved Her Too Late"  by Lu69 (FFN)

"Eye Candy" by Jellal Frenandes (FFN)

"is/was/will be" by Fireflower34 (AO3)

"Of Cat Ninjas and Haunted Islands" by llito15 (AO3)

"The Wounds We Share" by ReaderError72 (AO3)

Best Character Portrayal

"The Dragon King"  (for Loke) by xSaffire55x (AO3)

"Silence" (for Gajeel) by @firapolemos05

Best Romance

“Accepting Fate” by Perfect Memories (FFN)

"Back to You" by Mautrino (FFN)

Best LGBTQ+ Romance 

"A Very Gay Quest"   by @CaffeineTail (AO3)

"Between Moon and Venus" by Woethe (AO3)

Best Serial

“A Gathering of Fairies” by KiraKiwiKi (AO3)

"The Council Year" by @RomanticHawthorne (AO3)

"Taming The Beast"  by @dawnwynters (tumblr/AO3)

Best Ficlet

"Laundry Day"  by Sofya29 (FFN)

"Fairy Tail Platonic Week 2024 - Chapter 2: I Missed Our Shenanigans" by @fairytail-multishipper / Luminousrain (AO3)

Best NSFW

“Love Rehabilitation” by annequinox (AO3)

"Consent Games - Chapter 2" by @teleiapotami (tumblr)/ teleia_potami (AO3)

"More Than A One Time Thing? (Chapter 3)"  by @fairymama624 (tumblr/ AO3)

"The Nature of the Beast" by StevMarie (AO3)

"Looks Like Rent Is Due" by shelbyshoe (AO3)

"Twenty Three - chapter 4" by Anim3Addict (AO3)

"It's Getting Hot in Here (So Take of all Your Clothes)" by @genavere

"Dreams, Wet" by Romantic Hawthorne (AO3)

"Chivalry falls on its sword" by Kikuneesama (AO3)

Best Completed

"what friends do" by Ssukidesu (AO3)

"Finding Forgiveness" by @teleiapotami / Teleia_Potami (AO3)

[skullrockbi]

Steve has a going away present for Eddie before he goes on tour. Rated M for mature. Word count: 1526 brief mention of daddy kink

“I have a going away present for you. I don’t know if you’re going to think it’s weird or not. I’m sure you’ll probably have lots of metal groupies clamoring for your dick. But in case you need a little solo time & some audio assistance.” Steve hands Eddie a tape. There’s no track listing and on the title spot on the cassette it says “do not lose or share.”

“Stevie I don’t think your top 40s sexy times mixtape is going to help any situation.”

“It’s not that. It’s..” Steve blushes and leans closer to Eddie to whisper “sex noises? Like the sound of people having sex?”

“By people you mean you?”

“Well yeah but I’m pretty quiet during most of it.”

“Did you record this in secret?”

“No. That’s creepy! It was done with permission. One girl really put on a show for the tape. I think she was more into the fact that I was going to listen to it later. It’s the beginning of side B.” 

“Side B, got it. Am I going to recognize anyone on this tape?” Eddie cuts his eyes over towards Nancy.

Steve does a half snort type of laugh, “None of this was recorded when I was in high school, dude. All consenting adults.”

Eddie nods and slips the tape into his jacket’s inner pocket for safe keeping. “Thank you for your generosity, my liege.”

Steve pats him on the shoulder before wandering away. Eddie watches him get pulled into the kitchen by Gareth which meant it was the perfect time for Eddie to escape. Nominally the party was Gareth’s graduation party, but was quickly converted into a Corroded Coffin going away party after they announced they were going on tour. Steve and Gareth would be the only people to be concerned about Eddie ducking out early. If he accidentally caught Henderson or Buckley’s eye in his escape, he would just mime smoking. Luckily Eddie was able to flee with no obstacles.

He needs to listen to this tape immediately. Is just beds squeaking and breathy moans? How quiet is ‘pretty quiet’? What type of show was at the beginning of Side B? What if someone said something ridiculous and Eddie starts cracking up while everyone in the band was studiously ignoring each other’s actions. It was curiosity that urged him home. Nothing more. 

Locking his bedroom door, Eddie throws himself on his bed and grabs his cassette player. Steve was not kind and did not rewind his gift, so Eddie pressed play in the middle of the tape. 

“Good for Daddy? Yeah.” 

That very obviously male voice was not Steve’s voice. Eddie drops the player in surprise and his headphones disconnect. Eddie plugs them back in.

“Fuck baby you’re so good at this. Daddy’s perfect little cocksucker.” There was a whiny moan in response and the slick sound of a cock fucking into a wet mouth.

Eddie cannot believe his ears. Maybe Steve and his partner were watching porn for ambiance and the microphone recorded it instead of them. Eddie isn’t really into the whole daddy thing. He stops the tape and fast forwards to the end and flips to side B for the chick who was into being recorded. 

It’s a show alright, but not the show Steve promised. The crackle of the microphone and then Steve’s voice. “Are you hard for me?” Hard. Not wet, not horny, not ready, hard. “I’ve been thinking about you all day, I hope you’re laying in bed naked, ready to follow my instructions. It’ll be like I’m jerking you off.” Eddie pauses the tape and trips over his feet to get his jeans off. Thinking about Steve being the one doing this to him, listening to his instructions, Eddie comes so hard he blacks out.

The next morning Eddie wakes to frantic knocking on the door. Steve’s there looking nervous and shifting side to side. Even during the Vecnapocalypse Steve’s never been this frantic. “What’s up man?”

Steve lets himself into the house and heads towards the kitchen looking around the house. “Is Wayne home?” He pours himself some coffee & sits at the table.

Eddie shrugs, “I just woke up. I reckon he’s out for the day since he didn’t open the door.” 

Steve drums on the table but doesn’t look at Eddie. “I gave you the wrong tape. I realized when I got home last night that you have a copied Wham cassette in your possession, not what I said it was.”

Eddie lets out a huff of air and sits across from Steve. “You and I both know you didn’t give me a Wham tape.”

Steve blushes, “You already listened to it?”

Eddie shrugs and casually admits “Wanted to hear the show you promised on side B. I needed to know if it was actually good or if I’d start laughing.”

Steve is still not looking at Eddie. “Did you?”

“Did I what?”

“Laugh.”

Eddie looks at Steve who is looking into his coffee mug like it has all the answers in the world. He wonders how truthful he should be. Obviously if Steve is making these types of tapes he doesn’t have a valid reason to punch Eddie, but that’s never stopped any jocks before. But Steve isn’t just a jock anymore. Steve is his friend. They don’t have that freaky mind meld Steve & Robin have but they’re close. Steve is the first person he told about Corroded Coffin going on tour before even Wayne. Steve knows things about him that he never told anyone about his childhood. Eddie decides to be brave.

“Steve I came so hard I blacked out. There was no laughing. Now I don’t know if there’s an specific intended recipient of this tape, but as for audio assistance for solo time, you get a gold star in gift giving.”

Steve rubs the back of his neck and looks at Eddie. “It wasn’t a girl though, on the tape.”

“I know. It was the hottest guy I know telling me how to jerk off, telling me what he’d do to me if he was with me. I think that’s hotter than some random babe moaning about how wet she is for my dick.”

“But you like girls?”

“You’re allowed to like both Stevie.”

“I know that!” Steve defends himself, “I didn’t know you knew that too.”

“Yep.” Eddie draws out the sound. Steve likes both. Eddie briefly wonders if “Daddy’s perfect little cocksucker” is Steve. And immediately shuts that thought down. Eddie is beginning to spiral thinking about Steve down on his knees for him. Just because Steve likes both doesn’t mean he likes Eddie. Maybe the tape was for a secret boyfriend. He gets up suddenly & starts looking for breakfast. He can make toast. “Do you want toast?”

“Do I want toast? I came out to you and you want to make me toast?”

“Technically you didn’t come out to me, but if you want something a little more celebratory I can scramble you an egg.”

“A celebratory scrambled egg for being bisexual. Sure, I’ll take it. I was up all night freaking out because I gave you the wrong tape and you’re making me scrambled eggs. Okay.”

“Celebratory scrambled eggs, Steve.”

Eddie makes them eggs and toast for breakfast. Steve pours them both fresh coffee and they eat in silence before Eddie can’t resist poking the bear. “Tell me about your boyfriend.”

“I don’t have one?” 

“Well who’s the tape for?”

“Oh! I um sell them to this guy in Fort Wayne. He has like a whole distribution thing. It’s good for quick money.”

“Do you need to give him the tape I have?”

“No. Yours is a copy.”

“Cool.”

“Yeah cool.”

Steve gets up and starts washing the breakfast dishes. Eddie wants to protest but he also really hates washing dishes. 

“I gotta head to work, thanks for breakfast dude.”

“You’re welcome any time, you know that.”

Steve pats Eddie awkwardly on the shoulder and leaves. Eddie sighs a sigh of relief. He survived whatever that was unscathed.

Reaching to lock the door behind Steve, it bangs into his arm. “You said I was the hottest guy you know.”

Steve is walking back into the house and turns to bracket Eddie against the wall next to the door. Eddie said that half an hour ago, had Steve been thinking about it all through breakfast. “If you don’t find anyone hotter on tour can I take you on a date when you get back?”

“We don’t leave til next week, you can take me out before then?” 

Steve’s watch beeps at him. “I really need to go to work.” He bites his bottom lip in determination before telegraphing his movements. He kisses Eddie softly before pulling away. Eddie presses closer to him and kisses him again. 

“Let me take you out tonight?”

Eddie smiles, “I’ll have to check my busy schedule.” Eddie mimes looking through a date book. “Looks like I’m free for you Big Boy.”

Steve laughs and kisses him again. “Good. Maybe afterwards, you can show me how good you are at following directions.”