#economic car hire

[ace-and-ranty]

You get used to living in a big city, with trains and buses and Ubers, and then you get rudely reminded you still live in car culture, where every fucking review of every fucking where will tell you everything you want to know except how to fucking get there.

[blogy2024]

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[befuddledcinnamonroll]

We Are and the evolution of Thai BL tropes

The QL discord started a rewatch of My Engineer a few weeks ago, and damn, has it been an interesting experience. At the time I originally watched My Engineer, there was little that stuck out to me, because so much of what happened felt so incredibly common in a lot of the (admittedly rather limited) number of BLs being produced. It felt like pretty standard fare.

But going back and watching it in juxtaposition with We Are airing has been so fascinating. This genre has been evolving, y'all.

As much as we all joke about always getting more university BLs, there is something to be said for a format that can be used as something of a metric for the genre. And though there's only four years between My Engineer and We Are, seeing them both at once gives me such an incredible appreciation for the direction the genre is going in, the impact of having more queer voices involved in the creation of QLs, and how there's a lot of good we can find in seemingly simple spaces.

Obligatory disclaimer: This is just my perspective and subjective interpretation of what I have seen as a BL viewer of some time; also I don't have time to go in and do a university deep dive, so this isn't a real analysis, but more of a brief writeup of observations.

Trends are not black and white, of course, there is a spectrum. I'm sure we'll suffer through more Dinosaur Loves. At the same time, having such predominant production companies as GMMTV putting effort into hiring queer creatives and subverting old cliche tropes is an encouraging thing. (Especially as they were the creators of the original university trendsetting BL with Sotus).

Note: For newer QL viewers, I highly recommend @absolutebl for brushing up on trope history. For university BLs in particular, this post and this post are great starting primers.

Let's talk tropes!

Ok, one more note - some tropes are being what I would consider subverted, some more adapted to a newer framework, and some just played with - I'm going to talk about how they appear to me, but I'm not going to be super pedantic over it, because this is just for fun.

Trope: Bullying/hazing behavior

This did not age well in My Engineer, and I would guess hasn't aged well in a number of BLs (and other media, because the whole "he's mean to you because he likes you" bullshit has been around forever). Not just because the behavior was shitty, but because it was played off in the script as cute, and implied that it was completely justified for the seme to do whatever he wanted in his pursuit of his uke.

(There was also quite a strong tone of internalized homophobia, with the lead feeling more comfortable in expressing his interest through harassment than honest emotion, but the show never actually engaged with that in any meaningful way.)

We Are sets up a very traditional enemies to lovers/bullying start to the story, with Phum taking advantage of Peem's economic situation to make him his "slave".

And yet... there's some important elements here that make this more than the standard use of the trope.

Phum keeps it pretty light in his bullying behavior, and clearly is using it more to keep Peem around as company, versus the kind of bullying in My Engineer, where Duen is literally hit by a car, and yet still expected to keep jumping to Bohn's whims.

As soon as Phum realizes he really upset Peem by leaving him waiting at the mall, he genuinely feels awful about it. It's clear that his intent is not to cause harm, and that he has a conscience. He wrestles with his feelings on it quite a bit, and it ends up being the thing that gets Phum to finally express an honest emotion with Peem.

And most importantly, the script does not let him off the hook. His behavior is bad, and is identified as such by the writing. Peem pushes back and is shown to be right to do so, Beer openly says he disapproves.

So instead of a cliche story beat that's used just to start the action, or a seme who's allowed to do whatever he wants because "passion" (blech), we're seeing it used for characterization, giving us important beats about who both Phum and Peem are in how they engage with each other through the use of the trope.

Trope: Obsessive/jealous behavior

Oh, this one was painful in My Engineer. Duen couldn't even talk to another human being without Bohn getting jealous and angry and dragging him away.

Phum gets jealous, particularly around Kluen, but what makes it feel so subversive here are two key things.

Phum's jealousy has a purpose here, it's not just for drama's sake. It's not the cliche seme doing whatever he wants and being treated as justified. It's deliberately being used to explore his insecurities, and give him a challenge to overcome. Phum doesn't stomp over and drag Peem away, he retreats, he hides. When his jealousy causes him to lash out at Peem, he is immediately aware he fucked up.

And again, the script is making it clear that this behavior is not ok. Peem chides Phum when he acts unkind to Kluen, and Beer makes it clear that the solution is not petty behavior, but actually figuring out a way to communicate his feelings with Peem before he misses his chance. This is portrayed as a barrier for Phum to overcome in order to be with Peem, not an expected part of a romantic relationship.

Trope: Friendship group

There are not enough words to express how much I love the friendship group in We Are. To be fair, this is one of the better historical tropes. We've gotten a lot of amazing friend groups, even in mediocre BLs.

But it's still different in We Are, for one simple reason. In most university BLs, the friend group is a supporting structure. But here?

The story lines may be about the romance, but the point of We Are is the friendship.

I will die on this hill, y'all.

I don't have enough time to go into it fully here, but this show is a love letter to friends. It's a tribute to finding the people who see the real you and have your back unconditionally. Who cheer your successes and commiserate over your defeats, who pick you up when the world knocks you down, who call you out when you make mistakes, and push you to be better.

And romance is lovely, but all of these budding relationships are about being friends first, and then lovers, because that friendship is just as important as everything else, if not more.

Trope: Pink milk

Lol, ok, kinda kidding, kinda not. I know we all got mad over the drink wastage, but also check out these visuals - it's about diversity baby!!

TanFang speed round

My two little trope-busting bebes. These two are already so beautifully non-traditional in their composition, but I love how frequently they are used to make fun of and play with tropes just on their own.

Introduced as pining crush/friend's older brother pair, but actually secret enemies to lovers.

Grumpy/sunshine pairing, where the sunshine used to be a fighter, and grumpy smiles when he thinks no one is watching.

Wound-tending where they keep poking each other instead of acting soft.

Openly mocking the jealous boyfriend trope.

Setting up the possessive trope when Tan doesn't pick up Fang's calls, only to immediately have Fang question if he's being unreasonable.

Setting up their own cute eating scene for kicks.

"First time" sex scene making it clear this is anything but their first time.

Tan holding Fang down in the cliche possessive pose, only for Fang to take the agency of kissing Tan. (And overall saying eff off at the cliche top/bottom roles old BLs were such a fan of).

In Summary

I'm sure there are more tropes that will come to me, and we do still have 5 episodes left of We Are, so there are some potential trope uses that I am keeping an eye on. This is by no means an all-inclusive list.

But I wanted to write this, because I was genuinely shocked to realize how different my My Engineer watching experience was this time compared to my first time. How over the last few years I'd come to expect more thoughtfulness in my QL media, even in the ones that seem shallow on the surface.

Considering how fast and furious the QLs are coming these days, it's easy to forget how recent it was that we were much more starved of content. And I think sometimes we forget to take in the big picture, of how far we've come in just a few years.

Critique is always going to be important, of course, it's part of what helps us make progress. At the same time, it doesn't hurt to take a moment to look around and see some good in where we are.

@sailorbryant thanks for the push to get this written! Feel free to add thoughts!

[sadoeuphemist]

7 free startup ideas worth $1M-$1B

Customizable News Settings - A news website that generates three versions of every news story: a right-wing version, a left-wing version, and a centrist one. You can set your preferences depending on the topic - say you're right-wing on economics, but left-leaning on immigration. Or you can cycle between versions while reading an article to get a comprehensive overview of the issue at hand.

Twitch, but for Uber - With all the drama they have to deal with, independent contractors can gain a second revenue source simply by streaming their jobs. Rather than just offering rides, they can be hired to drive around performing chores and various tasks. The more outrageous the task, the more eyes they're likely to get on their stream. The more popular the stream, the more people calling in who want to be a part of the program.

Panera Lemonade, Your Way - Let the customer take control by deciding how many milligrams of caffeine they can handle. With sufficient warning about the risks, this puts the responsibility back on the consumer, allows you to upcharge for extra caffeine, and creates viral marketing from customers competing to see how high they can go. Variations of this can be created for other menu items, e.g., a version of the One Chip Challenge where the customer decides how much capsaicin to sprinkle on.

Shein, for NFTs - Whenever an NFT project hits the mainstream, there are always going to be people who miss out on being able to purchase one. This creates room in the market for 'knockoffs' - NFTs that mimic the aesthetic of the original, using similar but legally distinct AI art that uses the original set as training data, run on a parallel blockchain. Since the images themselves aren't tied to the blockchain, you can mint the NFTs beforehand and then change the image at the link to whatever happens to be in fashion at the time.

Twitch Chat Plays YouTube - Add a level quality control to AI-generated YouTube videos by allowing users to submit suggestions and vote on the results beforehand. Users can submit Wikipedia articles or movie summaries to be converted to text-to-speech, suggest keywords for the accompanying AI-generated animation, and vote on the best combinations. Users who submit winning suggestions get a portion of the ad revenue.

Buses, but Worse - The current obstacle hindering self-driving car technology is their difficulty adapting to unexpected scenarios. So instead plot a route around the city that minimizes roadway obstacles and heavy traffic, map out that route extensively to provide a model for the autopilot, and you can have a fleet of self-driving cars patrolling that circuit. Passengers can board and get off anywhere along the route.

Twitter, but for Bots - A social media platform populated entirely by bots, all programmed to maximize engagement. Memetic evolution in the wild as the bots latch on to trending keywords, spam each other with AI-generated meme images, mock up t-shirts hawking each other's designs, getting more and more degraded with each sub-iteration. Real people can't make accounts on the platform, but count for views and interactions as they stop to gawk at the virtual ecosystem. Advertisers can pay to have their brands injected directly into the discourse, like throwing a pumpkin into the polar bear cage at the zoo.

[dr-spencer-reids-queen]

Compromising Positions: Part One

Pairing: Spencer Reid x Female!Reader

Word Count: ~1.7k

Warnings: canon violence, canon language, canon talk of death, methods of kill

Summary: An unsub is targeting and killing married couples, and you and Spencer go undercover in hopes of drawing out the unsub. Not only does it not work, but it opens a can of worms you don't think Spencer is ready to open.

Season Six Masterlist

Author’s Note: I do not own anything from Criminal Minds. All credit goes to their respective owners. If there are any warnings that exceed the normal death/kills from the show, I will list them.

x

"Whatever you are, be a good one." – Abraham Lincoln

You're typing on your computer just minding your own business when you feel eyes on you. You look above your computer to see Spencer staring at you from over his. He quickly looks away and goes back to doing what he's doing, and you do the same. Two minutes pass and you feel eyes on you yet again. 

This time, you don't look at him.

"Spencer, you're staring," you sing. You look up and see a blush darkening his cheeks, and he quickly looks away. "What is it? Do I have something on my face?"

Spencer grabs his coffee and locks his computer since the briefing meeting starts in one minute. He passes by your desk to get to the stairs leading up to the small second-story and stops right behind you. You look up at him and he leans down to kiss you.

"You're just beautiful."

It's your turn to blush. You two walk to the briefing room together and take your seats while everyone else shuffles in.

"Hey, good news. Ellie just got placed with a foster family, so fingers crossed."

"Oh, that's great. I'm happy for her," Emily smiles.

"We got a case in Akron, Ohio," Hotch says when he walks in. "Two couples were killed in two weeks."

"One a week? That's not much of a cooling-off period."

Hotch puts up pictures of one couple.

"Scott and Kathy Hartway were found in their car in an isolated spot."

"The Son of Sam had a short cooling-off period. He also attacked couples in cars," Spencer says.

"Yeah, but the first couple was killed in their house. Robert and Allison Keppler." Hotch puts their pictures on the screen. "In both cases, the husbands were killed with a silenced nine-millimeter, and the wife was stabbed multiple times. He's crossed not only racial lines but socio-economic ones. The Kepplers lived in an upscale neighborhood and the Hartways were blue-collar."

"That's a big change in crime scenes--car versus house. Two radically different MOs, not to mention he subdues two people. That takes a lot of skill," Rossi comments.

"There's no indication of how he overwhelms them. There's no antemortem bruising. He doesn't use a blitz attack."

"He's got a nine-millimeter. He doesn't need to."

"How about signs of forced entry to the car or the house?" Derek asks.

"Nothing, but Akron PD did find this." Hotch puts pictures of both deceased males with bruising around their wrists. "Handcuffs. He restrains the men and saves the real savaging for the wife."

"Is this right?" Rossi flips through the paper file. "They found a used condom on both the husbands?"

"Yes, plus both had Viagra in their systems while neither had a prescription."

"So, the unsub gives the men Viagra and then forces them to have sex before he kills them?"

"Given the timetable, he's gonna strike again soon. We fly to Akron tonight. Wheels up in three hours."

Since you have three hours to kill, you decide to go to Hotch's office to talk to him about JJ. It's none of your business who he hires next or the process of getting someone else hired, but you feel like he might want some help to make the process easier.

"Hey, got a second?" you ask and knock on the door.

"Yes. Come in."

You walk into his office but keep the door open.

"So, without JJ, it's going to be tough."

"We'll manage."

"Have you thought about training someone new for the position?"

"Not right this minute."

You say it before even thinking about it. You just want to help out and think this is the best way you can.

"I could do it. I might not have her training but I read people well. I could--"

"Garcia, what is that?"

You turn to see Penelope rolling a suitcase behind her. You take a step back and allow her to walk into the office.

"My go bags."

"Where are you going?"

"With you, hopefully. Sir, I think we're all still reeling since JJ left, and we are a man down so you need a communications liaison." Hotch's mouth opens to respond but she is quick to speak again. "Sir, please hear me out. My job overlapped with JJ's the most. I created the program that she used to present cases. When you guys were out in the field, she coordinated your needs through me. It makes sense."

Hotch looks at you over her shoulder and you shrug as an answer to his silent question.

"Garcia, there are aspects of the job for which you have no training."

"You're totally right but I'm willing to learn. I'll learn how to interact with families, local law enforcement, and the media. Sir, I'm willing to tone down my wardrobe choices. I'm ready to make that sacrifice if you just please give me a chance."

"You know she's serious if she offers to change what she wears," you comment.

After a moment, Hotch nods. "Alright. We could explore this on a trial basis. We'll see how things go. Are you up to speed on the case?"

"Yes."

"Can you be ready in three hours?"

"I'm ready now."

"See you on the plane."

Penelope grins and leaves his office, and you step back to where you were before.

"You understand why she's a better fit."

"Yeah, she'll do good. I just wanted to help you out."

"You can by being out in the field. You're much better out there."

You leave his office and head back down to your desk to get some more paperwork done before the flight. Three hours later, you and the rest of the team are inside the plane but still on the ground. You're sitting next to Spencer but across from Hotch and Emily while Rossi is on the couch next to you. Derek is making himself a coffee knowing he won't sleep on the plane.

"I'm just waiting on a few last-minute details. Let's go ahead and get started," Hotch says.

"I keep thinking about the fact that he makes a married couple have sex before he kills them. What is he accomplishing with that?" Rossi asks.

"You know, the stabbing of the wives is almost certainly like piquerism. The unsub gets sexual gratification from penetration with a knife. Most piquerists are impotent. Men like Albert Fish, Iain Scoular, and Andrei Chikatilo. For him, it could be a substitute for sex."

"The unsub could also be playing a mind game. Neither shot to the husband is clean, so they have to watch what he's doing to their wives as they're dying," Emily adds to Spencer's thought.

"So, this guy challenges their manhood by forcing them to have sex and then mocks them with the overkill. That kind of psychological torture makes him a sexual sadist. It would explain the amount of control he exhibits over the crime scene--the handcuffs, the condoms, and the silenced weapon. He plans out every detail."

"If he's that precise, he would be just as precise in his victimology, but he's all over the map in terms of class and race."

"There must be something else about the couples that attracts him. Something that he couldn't learn by stalking them anonymously. Maybe the couples met the unsub before," you say.

"Rossi and Reid, will you handle the family interviews? Morgan, Prentiss, and Y/N, go to the latest crime scene. We need to learn as much as we can about him so let's really pin down the MO."

Hotch looks past Spencer's shoulder to the front of the plane once someone else walks on board. You look behind you to see Penelope dressed in a gray knee-length dress with a small black blazer. Her hair is straightened and she doesn't have her glasses on which means she is wearing contacts. This is nothing like what she normally wears.

"Well, look at you," Derek smirks.

"Meet your new communications liaison. Trial communications liaison," she corrects.

"Garcia, I don't get to say this often, but I had no idea there was this side of you."

"I figure since I'm going to have to interact with the mass populace, I should dress in the traditional costume of a mere mortal." She squints her eyes as if she is in pain. "Ow. Ow."

"What's wrong?" Derek asks.

"Oh, it's my contact. It keeps getting weird." She pulls down the bottom lid of her eye and rolls it to try and fix her contact. "Huh. There it goes. No. Yes. No. Ow."

You can't help but giggle at her theatrics. Now that the last member is on the plane, the pilot is given the green light to take off. You hook your arm through Spencer's and lean your head on his shoulder, and he rests his head on yours. You mindlessly run your hand up and down his arm as you close your eyes for a bit of rest. Hotch watches you two in thought, ideas already swimming in his head on how you can help him out with this case.

Since the flight is only an hour and a half, you arrive in Akron late at night. Hotch checked everyone into the hotel and allowed everyone to get proper sleep before getting to work in the morning. As soon as the sun is up, you head to the recent crime scene with Derek and Emily, and the rest head to the Akron Police Department.

"Detective Crowley?"

"Miss Garcia. Thanks for coming." He shakes her hand. "She emailed pictures of you guys. Agents Hotchner, Rossi, and Dr. Reid, right? It's doctor, not agent. She was specific about that."

Spencer smiles proudly at Penelope.

"What else was she specific about?" Rossi asks.

"Everything your team needs. I sent her a list of family members who'd be willing to talk, and your boards are over there, all ready for you to set them up. I even got the push pins you asked for."

A distraught man walks into the station and approaches the group.

"Excuse me. Are you miss Garcia?"

"Mr. Keppler. Hi. This is Detective Crowley. He'll show you to the interview room."

Both men leave and Penelope addresses Hotch.

"He is such a sweet man," she sighs.

"You contacted the family members already?"

"Yes. Only two responded back immediately. That is Robert Keppler's dad, and Scott Hartway's mom will be here in about an hour. Is that enough time?"

"Yes, perfect."

"Okay. I'm gonna set up the boards unless you need something else."

"No, we're good. Thank you."

Penelope leaves and Rossi turns to Hotch.

"And you were worried."

"Y/N came to me and asked if she could do it."

"What did you tell her?"

"That she's better off in the field."

"I agree," Rossi nods.

x

Want to be tagged? Follow my library blog @aqueenslibrary​​​​​​ where I reblog all my stories, so you can put notifications on there without the extra stuff :)

[coimbrabertone]

The Backdoor Deals that Make Motorsport Go Round

This is going to be a bit of a different blogpost.

First things first, last weekend during the Las Vegas Grand Prix, we started hearing about the Andretti Cadillac to F1 story being resolved, at least on the Cadillac side. Today, we got confirmation, with the Cadillac F1 team confirmed to join for 2026. So far, we know this: Dan Towriss will be CEO, Mario Andretti (not Michael) will serve on the board, and Cadillac will initially use a Ferrari power unit while Cadillac develops their own unit in Michigan.

We also know that the team will retain all of Andretti's hires so far - Pat Symonds chief among them - and that the team will be based in Fishers, Indiana (where Andretti's new base will be) with a sort of forward operating base in Silverstone.

So...it's Andretti with the serial numbers filed off.

And I think this has been in the works for a long time.

Let me talk about a few things, and then we'll weave all these little threads together to show a bigger picture.

First things first, Michael Andretti launches Andretti Aquisition Corporation I - a Special-Purpose Acquisition Corporation, which is a public company that exists for the whole purpose of buying out a private company, merging with that private company, and using that to make the private company public in a streamlined manner - to merge into an AI company called Zapata.

Zapata starts trading at $10 a share, it almost immediately drops to $2.95 a share, and it keeps dropping. As of November 25th, 2024, Zapata AI stock is trading at $0.02 a share. That is quite literally two cents a share.

I don't need an economics degree to tell you that was a shitshow of a stock.

Second of all, at the Miami Grand Prix, Liberty Media CEO Greg Maffei reportedly promised to do everything in his power to keep the Andretti name out of Formula One.

Third of all, in response, Mario Andretti goes to his friends on Capitol Hill - Mario is the big political donor of the family - and petitions Congress to begin an antitrust probe into Formula One and Liberty Media.

Fourth of all, at the end of the 2024 NTT Indycar Series, Michael Andretti announces his decision to step down from the day-to-day running of Andretti Global. Dan Towriss, co-owner and the man who brought in Group 1001 (and its Gainbridge and Delaware Life subsidiaries) to the team, has been taken control. Michael is still a strategic advisor and maintains that he will still be connected to this team, but...it's a change.

And for whatever it's worth, there are whispers that Michael Andretti stepping down wasn't entirely his own decision.

Fifth of all, two weeks ago, Greg Maffei announced he is stepping down from his role at Formula One and Liberty Media at the end of the year.

Finally, like I said, it has now been confirmed that Cadillac will enter Formula One as its eleventh team. Mario is on the board, Dan Towriss is in charge, and the team will be run on Cadillac's behalf by Towriss' TWG Global.

TWG Global is said to be the owner of Andretti Global in Indycar, Wayne Taylor Racing in IMSA, and Spire Motorsports in NASCAR. That last one is particularly notable because, while there have been rumors about Andretti buying into Spire and Towriss' companies consistently sponsor the Spire cars, this is the first time we've actually heard about him owning a piece of Spire.

I guess Dan Towriss' thing is quietly acquiring racing teams without putting his name on them.

In any case, after all that, Cadillac is going to be in F1, the Andretti organization is going to run the team, but the Andretti name - particularly Michael Andretti - is not going to be attached to this project.

To illustrate that point, today, Michael Andretti tweeted about how proud he is about an American team entering Formula One and that he'll be cheering them on from the outside.

So...what has happened?

I think Michael Andretti got burnt bad on the Zapata stock, and I think it's possible that he might have been playing with some of Dan Towriss' money while doing so. So, Andretti now owes Towriss money, Towriss sees Formula One as a more lucrative return on investment than Indycar, and Michael Andretti has rubbed people the wrong way in Formula One.

Liberty Media and Formula One don't want Michael Andretti in Formula One.

Cadillac and Towriss want to be in F1.

Mario Andretti is a World Champion, so his name carries weight in Europe, but Michael Andretti's name does not. People in Europe either don't know who Michael is or remember him for that disastrous McLaren stint.

They don't care that Michael's bad 1993 was sandwiched either side by challenging for the championship in CART.

So...I think Michael Andretti had to get out of the way.

I think Greg Maffei had to get out of the way as well.

Cadillac is a big money name, Dan Towriss is a big money guy, and Formula One wants the American market, so an American manufacturer is an immense resource in that regard. So, in the name of the money, they got rid of the two big egos holding the deal up, and they got the team on the grid.

Now, I'm not a news source or anything, I'm just speculating on the bits and pieces of this that we know are public, but I find it hard to believe it's a complete coincidence that Michael steps down, Maffei announces his retirement, and then suddenly a Cadillac team is accepted with Andretti in more of a background role.

To me, it screams of a background deal for the greater good of the money people.

Liberty Media and Formula One don't want the Department of Justice sniffing around their business. Towriss and Cadillac want a piece of that Formula One pie. Mario Andretti wants to see his family's team in Formula One before he dies.

As for Michael, well...Andretti Global was his team, but he brought in investors, he started hiring people, he started building facilities in Indiana and in Motorsport Valley. The ball was already rolling, and Michael Andretti was the only thing holding it up.

Was he forced out? Maybe, but I think it's more likely that he was given a light push and a retirement package so that he can sit on his couch with his granddaughter and watch his team put a car on the Formula One grid.

Just without his name on it.

[totowlff]

break the rules

➝ you're there for business and that's all. however, after your presentation, you meet a mysterious man who makes you question all your convictions.

➝ word count: 3,8k

➝ warnings: strip club environment, alcohol consumption, mentions of smut

➝ author’s note: this was an idea that appeared suddenly and that was stored for some time in my drafts. after finishing my last one shot, i took the courage to finish this story. definitely not my best, but I still find it interesting and, in a way, mysterious.

The wind whipped your hair against your face as you walked down the narrow street. Winter hadn't officially arrived in Vienna, but that didn't stop you from feeling a bone-chilling cold under the thick coat and red scarf you had chosen to leave the house that late afternoon.

The movement at that time of day in the Innere Stadt was intense, cars roaming the alleys near St. Stephen's Cathedral, sharing the tight space with buses, bicycles, motorbikes and pedestrians, many pedestrians. Residents and tourists, adults and children, all mixed together, heading to their homes, apartments and hotel rooms to rest after a long day in the City of Dreams. Walking in the opposite direction, however, you weren't going home or to the hotel, like them.

You were going to work.

The fact that you had a night job was not surprising, considering that that was a city that had tourism as its main economic asset. There were countless bars, restaurants and cafes that were open, waiting anxiously for customers, especially after a complicated period related to the Covid-19 pandemic.

But the surprising part of your job was that you weren't a waitress, a cook, or a bartender, even though you'd served countless flutes of champagne and glasses of whiskey, with and without ice.

You were a stripper.

It wasn't the most conventional job there was in Vienna, especially considering the city's nightlife. However, it was the only one that, in addition to paying well enough to cover the expenses of the PhD in psychology you were doing, was flexible with the timing of the workshops and seminars you needed to attend, as well as making it possible for you to work on your dissertation during the week.

Your family didn't know, let alone your classmates or teachers. The official version was that you worked in a high-end bar and received some generous tips from customers. Nobody needed to know what you did or said for them to pay you so well.

Stopping briefly to see an interesting shoe that was in the Midanis window, you headed towards the brown door next to the gold tiled wall where the club's name was placed. Stopping in front of the intercom, you quickly typed in the employee passcode, a simple sequence that caused the lock to squeak open.

Descending the stairs leading to the lounge, you came across one of the security guards, who was smartly dressed in a well-tailored suit.

— Good evening, Layla.

— Good evening, Marc — you replied, smiling.

That wasn't your real name. As soon as you were hired by the club, you were given a new name, of Arabic origin, in order to protect your privacy and offer more security against clients who wanted to cross the line that was firmly delimited in your contract. Unlike other girls, you had refused to join the club's list of available escorts.

You were there to dance, and only to dance.

As you entered the main hall, you found the place being carefully prepared for the night. Two female employees were bent over tables, wiping them down, while the bartender arranged drinks on the bar. Greeting them with a smile, you crossed the room towards a door at the back of the room, which led to the dressing rooms.

As she opened the door, your nostrils were filled with the scent of hairspray, women's perfume, and nail polish remover. In the speakers, a lively beat mingled with the conversations and laughter of the other women who worked there, who were already getting ready for the night.

— Good evening, Layla — a blonde girl, who was modeling a curl with a curling iron, greeted you.

— Good evening, Fatin — you answered, as you went towards the lockers and opened yours to put your purse in — Curls today?

— Aisha heard that there is a big table reserved tonight — Fatin replied, letting go of the strand she'd just styled and picking up another one — Looks like it's a big guy's birthday party. And you know what it means, right?

— Tips? — you replied, looking over your shoulder as you removed the coat you were wearing, revealing the black top you were wearing underneath. Then it was the turn of the jeans to slide down your legs, revealing your panties in the same color.

— Exactly — she smiled, releasing another curl — And the good ones. The kind ones that pay bills.

— I hope so, I still have to pay my apartment’s rent this week — you chuckled, as you folded your coat and put it in your locker. Then you pulled the black tulle top and shorts out of your bag, putting them on right there. There was no point in feigning modesty considering the women there were dressed even less discreetly than you. Finally, you put on your favorite heels, with transparent and vertiginous platforms, perfect for the choreography you would be doing that night.

Sitting in front of the mirror, you were just finishing gluing on your false eyelashes when Theresia, the club manager, walked into the dressing room with a wide smile on her face.

— Good evening, girls — she said, receiving a chorus of positive responses — Today we are hosting a large group for a birthday celebration, so I ask that you put your all into your choreographies and be nice to them.

— Do you have the setlists? — one of the girls, a brunette whose name there was Huda, asked.

— You start, Huda, followed by Iman, Layla, Malika and Karima closes the first round — the woman replied, making you release the air that was trapped in your throat. You hated being the first one to perform, as your choreography was more rhythmic, and generally, the audience appreciated more lively opening numbers — Any other questions? No? Great. Girls who want to go to the bar are free to do so.

Theresia walked out with a few girls behind her. However, you remained seated, staring at your own shoes.

— Layla? — someone called you. You looked up to find Fatin standing in front of you with a smile on his red lips — Are you going to stick around?

— Yeah. I want to stretch and concentrate for the performance.

— Want me to take a look at the guys to give you a preview?

You smiled.

— I do.

— Okay, I'm going there and I'll be right back, okay?

Fatin left the dressing room towards the club’s bar, while you remained seated, staring at your own reflection. You were wearing strong makeup, your eyes lined with eyeliner, almost cat-like. A perfect parallel with the choreography you had chosen for that night, which had something wild and mysterious about it.

As you mentally recalled the steps, following the beat of the music in your head, you imagined how your movements would look to the eyes of the men who should be walking into the club at that hour, ordering their drinks and talking about business and other banal things before enjoying the women who would walk onstage and make them put their hands in their wallets and pockets.

Still thinking about one of the moves you would make, your eyes met Fatin's, who was returning to the room with a wide smile on her face.

— Did you like what you saw? — you asked, stifling a laugh.

— There are some interesting guys out there. Apparently they're here to celebrate the 50th birthday of one of them. But if you ask me, they don't look 50 years old...

— Did you ask their age?

— No, but, you know, these guys always have friends the same age.

You laughed.

— Everyone from here?

— Doesn’t look like it, as they're speaking English. There must be foreigners with them.

— Americans?

— Don't think so. Too handsome to be 50-year-old guys from America.

— There are 50-year-old guys from America who are handsome.

— But those are too handsome, Layla. And, let's face it, the only good looking guy in America at that age must be Ben Affleck and I'm pretty sure he's not out there.

— Of course he’s not, he got married this year.

— Married? — Fatin asked, incredulous.

— Yeah, with Jennifer Lopez — you replied. It wasn't like you followed celebrity news, in fact, you found out after a customer commented on your butt being similar to the singer's and lamented for long minutes about her marriage.

— Shit — she muttered, taking a seat in a chair beside her, facing the mirror.

— Don't worry, you'll find your Ben soon, Fatin.

The two of you continued talking, commenting about the choreography you were working on and the song you were dancing to that night. When showing a video that you had made in a rehearsal, your colleague gave a mischievous smile.

— The guys out there are going to love it.

— You think so?

— I'm sure — she replied, as you caught sight of Theresia's face in the dressing room doorway, a slightly worried expression on her face.

— Layla, you’re up.

— Why?

— Iman's with a client and the guy paid for an hour with her. I can't get her out of there now.

You sighed, getting up from your chair.

— The show must go on — you said, pushing past Fatin and heading for the door.

The way to the stage was always a moment of introspection for you. It was as if you stripped yourself of all the labels you occupied in the lives of the people around you. You abandoned your daughter, granddaughter, friend, student, psychologist and future doctor to become just Layla. Your sensual and confident alter-ego, who looked each of those men in the eye and made them feel much more than sexually desired, but understood and welcomed as well.

Standing at the entrance to the stage, you took a deep breath, clenching and unclenching your hands, relaxing the muscles in your shoulders. “It's showtime”, you thought, before looking up and wiggling your feet to check that your shoes were securely fastened to your feet.

And then you entered the stage, slowly.

The room seemed to quieten as you walked to the center of the stage, the voices becoming whispers inside your head. Leaning your back against the pole, you waited for the woman's voice to come through the speakers before looking up. The club was full, men and women mixed up, liquor bottles, champagne flutes and whiskey glasses strewn across the tables.

The soft beat guided your movements. Lifting one leg a few times, soon you were pulling yourself up onto the pole, spinning as your body slid down. Your muscle memory took you through the music as if it were something natural that you had done hundreds of times. Every step came naturally, every sigh, every lust-filled gaze you directed at the audience.

After a few steps on the ground and spinning around the pole to get up again, you finished the choreography looking back at the audience, while the song ended in a whisper from the interpreter. The silence that followed made the corners of your lips curl. The mission had been accomplished.

Taking a deep breath, you waited for the spotlight that illuminated you to go out so that you left the stage in quick steps, hurrying to make room for the next girl who would perform there. At the backstage door, Fatin was waiting for you with a wide smile on her face.

— Another perfect performance, Layla — she said, as she escorted you back to the dressing room — The guys were completely mesmerized.

— I hope you didn't notice that I missed one of the footprints on the pole — you replied, walking back into the dressing room.

— Honestly, I didn't even notice — Fatin murmured, while you took one of the small glasses of water and took a long drink — Now drink this and let's go back to the hall.

After a quick look in the mirror to confirm that your hair was still acceptable and that your makeup still looked fresh, you followed Fatin to the bar, which was, indeed, very busy. Smiling, you waved towards the bar, where the bartender, Farah, was making another Old Fashioned for one of the men sitting across from her.

— Layla — you heard Theresia call out to you from a corner of the hall, near the hallway that led to the private rooms. Giving Fatin's shoulder a knowing squeeze, you walked over to the manager with a smile on your face.

— Yeah?

— There's a guy waiting for you inside.

You blinked.

— Who?

— Does it matter?

— Well, it's just that I haven't talked to anyone yet...

— And you don't even have to, just move that ass of yours and these guys are happy — she said sharply — Now go, he's in room three.

Nodding, somewhat resigned, you entered the hallway in silence. Taking a deep breath, you were concentrating on putting the mask back on, on being the mysterious, seductive woman that man had seen onstage. “Focus”, you thought, before exhaling and putting your hand on the doorknob.

The private rooms always had the same layout, with a pole placed in the center of the room while a large black velvet sofa took up three of the walls of the room. Sitting right in the middle of it, tugging at the sleeves of his white shirt, was the man who had requested your presence.

He had dark hair and eyes, as well as a strong jaw. His shoulders were broad and, even sitting down, he looked very tall. Upon noticing his presence, he straightened his posture, his eyes sparkling with curiosity.

— Good night — you said, slowly approaching the pole in the middle of the room, your eyes locked on his.

— Good night — he replied, his deep voice running through your body like a caress and a shiver — Layla, isn't it?

— Yeah — you said, placing a hand on the cold metal, leaning almost nonchalantly, even though you were feeling just the opposite. However, the rule was clear: it didn't matter to you who he was. It only mattered that he was willing to pay to have you for his eyes alone, if only for a few minutes.

— I liked your performance — he said, resting his elbows on his thighs — Have you been dancing long?

— A few years already — you replied, as you walked around the pole, your fingers slipping along it.

— And you like it, I presume.

— Well, yes — you said, smiling as you practiced a few laps on the pole — It pays my bills, so I can't complain.

The corners of his lips curled up as he leaned back on the couch.

— I guess I can say the same about my work.

— What do you do? — you asked, before mentally condemning yourself. It didn't matter to you what he did, you were just there to be a pleasant sight and nothing more. However, your curiosity did not anger the man in front of you.

— A curious girl, I see — he murmured, giving her a small smile.

— Someone needs to be — you hesitated, after all, you didn't know his name. And, realizing this, he hastened to complete.

— You can call me Torger.

A strong name. Powerful. Unusual. Something tingled on his skin.

— And what do you do for a living, Torger?

— Business — he replied, punctually.

— That we all do, don't we? — you returned, leaning against the pole.

— Indeed. But in my case, it's real business. Finance.

— Banker? Or investor?

— Neither of them. I own a business.

You snorted, looking unimpressed.

— Ah, crypto, eh? — you said — I hope you're not thinking of paying me that way, I won't accept it.

Your comment made Torger chuckle, throwing his head back. Stopping suddenly, your heart was pounding in your chest as something warm spread through your body.

— No, no, I've learned my lesson regarding cryptocurrency, I don't even want to think about putting money into that.

— Did you already try and lose money?

— Enough for me to regret thinking it would work — the man replied, running a hand through his hair — The point is, my job is related to finance, and before you ask, it's not illegal at all.

— I'm relieved — you murmured, allowing yourself to hook one leg over the pole for a quick spin.

— And you?

— What about me?

— What do you do? — Torger asked.

— You see what I do — you answered — I dance.

— I'm asking out of here. Do you work with something else? Study?

You pressed your lips together as you put your feet back on the ground. The moment you stepped there, Y/N didn't exist, the woman who was fighting for a postdoctoral degree didn't exist, neither the daughter, or the sister or the granddaughter that you were.

There was only Layla. And only she could be there, inside that room.

— I can't say anything.

— Why not? — he asked, raising an eyebrow.

— Because it's in the rules — you said, leaning against the pole again.

That was an outright lie. There were no rules within the club regarding what you could and could not say about yourself to the customers. The choice was entirely yours and you always chose not to say it so as to protect yourself from potential stalkers. Yet even following your own directive, something told you that you could trust Torger.

— Rules?

— From the club. I can't say anything about myself.

— Anything?

— Anything.

— Not even if I want to know more?

— Not if I wanted to tell you more — you said, stopping in front of the pole. Staring at you, Torger had the shadow of a smile on his face, as if he sensed that you wanted to say more. “Am I that transparent?”, you asked yourself as you took careful steps towards him.

— And are there any other rules here that you need to follow?

— Well, there are some — you murmured.

— Do you mind telling me?

You took a few seconds to think as you allowed your back to slide down the pole, coming to a stop on your knees in front of it.

— I can't use my real name or any information that identifies me, and I can't drink or smoke during working hours.

— Layla isn't your name then?

— No — you replied with a smile, as you slowly rose from the ground — And I didn't even mention the rules you have to follow…

— Are you serious?

You chuckled as you walked to the front of him.

— Yeah. You can't pressure me for information about her private life, not even take me out of the club during working hours... And you can't, under any circumstances, make physical contact.

— You mean I can't touch you? — he asked, a gleam of mischief in his eyes.

— No, you can't — you replied, looking down at his hands. They were big, with long fingers and not a ring in sight. Perfect to touch you.

— Not even if I asked?

— No.

— No one would know.

— They would.

— Only if you tell — he returned, in a mischievous tone.

Moving closer, you crouched down in front of him, your eyes wandering over his expression, trying to unravel what was behind the mischievous smile and curious look. He was completely magnetic, drawing you into his orbit in an almost natural way.

— And you want to touch me? — you finally asked.

— Yes, I do.

Looking into his dark eyes, you took a deep breath before taking his hand and bringing it to his face, your fingers lightly touching his skin. You felt as if your entire body was pulsing, heat spreading inside your chest. The feeling of doing it for the first time was both frightening and delicious.

— You're beautiful — Torger murmured, his thumb brushing lightly against your cheek.

— You're rather handsome yourself — you replied, making him chuckle.

— Thanks, I don’t hear that often.

— Seriously?

— Yeah. I've never been successful with girls.

— I don’t believe you.

— Why not?

— Because you're making me want to break all of my rules — you replied, instinctively bringing your face closer to his — And I never break rules.

— But you're breaking them now.

— For you.

— I guess I should feel special.

— Maybe you are — you whispered, your face close enough that your nose was brushing his. His touch on your face made anticipation swell below your navel — Maybe you are that much more than special…

You knew the moment you kissed him, you were lost. This was your last chance to back off, to avoid doing something you would bitterly regret. But at the same time, you wanted to jump into that abyss, you wanted to do that.

And when you kissed him, it was glorious.

It was a chaste, subtle touch. It was the first time you'd kissed a customer, and in a way, you wanted it to be the last. You wanted to kiss that man forever if that was possible. You wanted to taste him, wanted to feel his skin under your fingers. I wanted to feel his strength and delicacy mixing with his desire between the sheets.

— Torger — you whispered as he pulled away slightly. However, the answer came through his hands, which helped you up and placed you on one of his legs. Wrapping one of his arms around his neck, he didn't wait to bring your lips together again, this time in a more intense kiss.

It was strange to be in that position, completely surrendered to a customer, tasting alcohol on his tongue and his fingers squeezing your thigh. But, it was a good-type stranger. A stranger who made you understand why other girls had their favorite customers, who they offered more than attention and affection.

— I've never seen a woman like you — he growled, nibbling her neck, the hand that was on her thigh slowly moving up her body, burning you with desire — So beautiful, so perfect...

Your fingers dug into his dark hair, pressing his face against your skin, as if it could give you a crumb of pleasure. And, considering the path his lips made towards your breasts, you were pretty sure it was close.

Until the lights in the room turned white, and the music suddenly stopped.

That change in the environment had him looking up at you as sadness invaded your chest, your lips pressed into a thin line.

— What happened?

— Your time is up — you muttered.

— But… If I want, I can request more time, right?

You sighed, getting up from his lap. It was like waking up from a really good dream and realizing it never really happened. You couldn't have a guy like him all to yourself, you never could. You could never have more of him, however much you wanted.

— No, Torger. The limit is 30 minutes per girl, per night.

— Shit — he said quietly, running a hand over his face.

The silence that followed was uncomfortable, not to say painful. You didn't want to go, but you knew you needed to get on with your night, just like he did.

But how to continue working after that?

“The show must go on”, you said to yourself mentally, before sighing and turning towards the door. However, something wrapped around your wrist, preventing you from following. Turning your face, you found Torger's dark eyes fixed on yours.

— Are you going to be here tomorrow?

— Yeah. I perform every night here.

— So I'll see you tomorrow, okay?

— Okay — you replied with a little smile — See you tomorrow, Torger.

Bringing your hand to his lips, he placed a kiss on your knuckles.

— See you tomorrow, Layla.

[coochiequeens]

A man exploited a woman, then he beats her before murdering her by shooting her NINE times and now he’s claiming to be a woman.

A gay man who admitted to murdering the surrogate mother he hired to have his children has told the court he identifies as a woman in what some are calling a bid to avoid a potentially lengthy sentence for femicide.

Fernando Alves Ferreira was detained in February of 2022 after admitting to the murder of Eduarda Santos, a surrogate he had hired who was living with him in the Argentinian city of Bariloche. Santos’ body was found by a tourist on the Circuito Chico Trail with 9 gunshot wounds. A later forensic examination revealed that Santos’ corpse also had injuries consistent with having been beaten prior to her death.

Two days after the killing, Ferreira turned himself into police. He repeatedly admitted to the crime while in custody, stating repeatedly “I did it. I killed her.” He was charged with femicide, premeditated murder, and use of a firearm owned without authorization, and expressed a desire in court to enter a guilty plea.

In Ferreira’s car, which was seized after he turned himself in, police found blood stains, leading them to theorize that a fight had broken out in the vehicle before Santos fled on foot. Ferreira then chased her down and shot her. Investigators noted that Ferreira had taken “every precaution to ensure the woman could not defend herself.” CCTV footage was also found of Ferreira disposing of his weapon. 

The motivation for the crime is unclear, as Ferreira has refused to provide concrete details. Instead, he has vaguely accused Santos of being involved in illegal “gang” activity and suggested he was the victim in the situation. No evidence has been found to substantiate his claim.

The court heard that Ferreira and Santos were both originally from Brazil, and that Ferreira, along with his husband, had hired Santos to be a surrogate in 2020. 

Santos would give birth to twins for Ferreira and his partner, who would pass away the next year. The woman had apparently been living with the couple due to having a lack of her own economic resources.

The chief prosecutor in the case characterized Santos as being particularly vulnerable, and described her as having been “at the mercy” of Ferreira. Just one month prior to her murder, Santos had given birth to another child.

“Eduarda was a foreign woman who lived in Bariloche … She lived in the defendant’s house, lacked her own resources, and was at the mercy of the owner of the house,” chief prosecutor Martín Lozada stated during a hearing. “It was a situation of remarkable asymmetry. Eduarda was a woman to whom the accused had rented her womb to have two children through surrogacy, and since the birth of the twins, she lived in the same house.”

Prosecutors also argued that Ferreira had exercised “economic and psychological violence” on Santos for years, and that Santos was without any family or friends in Argentina. 

In response, Ferreira accused Santos of being the aggressor, saying “she was not submissive.”

Santos’ family in Brazil have previously spoken out against Ferreira’s claims of victimhood, slamming media for giving him sympathetic coverage. 

“My sister is the victim, not him,” Santos’ brother told Brazilian outlet O Dia last year. At the time, the family appeared to have been unaware of Santos’ situation in Argentina, believing she had gainful employment in the country. Santos’ family has been fighting for custody of the children she had as a surrogate for Ferreira in order to repatriate them to Brazil. Ferreira has demanded the children not be returned to Brazil. 

It was the dynamic between Ferreira and Santos which led to prosecutors pursuing a conviction for femicide, which is defined as a gender-specific crime introduced in 2012 to address the nation’s epidemic of sex-based violence. According to the United Nations, one woman is murdered every 32 hours in Argentina. The femicide provision was defined broadly as “a crime against a woman when the act is perpetrated by a man and gender violence is mediated.”

But now, Ferreira’s lawyers are seeking to have the femicide charge withdrawn, arguing that their client no longer identifies as a man. This past week during a hearing, Ferreira’s lawyers stated that his name was now “Amanda,” and that he was going through the relevant legal procedures to have his self-declared gender identity recognized. 

The prosecutors have reportedly pushed back against Ferreira’s request to be treated as a woman, but the case is still underway.

Of the charges Ferreira faced, the femicide claim carried the longest potential sentence of life imprisonment. If withdrawn, and if the other legal strategies stated by the defense are successful, Ferreira could spend as little as 10 years in prison for slaughtering Santos.

This is not the first time gender identity has interfered with a femicide-related crime in Argentina.

As previously reported by Reduxx, the brutal murder of a prostituted woman in Buenos Aires was initially recorded as a femicide until media learned that the two men involved in the killing identified as transgender.

Brenda Córdoba, 28, was murdered on November 10 of 2021 in the Buenos Aires neighborhood of Balvanera. Grisly surveillance camera footage released by police during the investigation into her death showed Córdoba being approached by what appeared to be a man in a white hoodie and face mask. The man circled around to her back before grabbing her in a headlock and stabbing her multiple times in the chest.

Córdoba, who was dropped into a puddle of her own blood, was initially found alive by passersby who had attempted to intervene in the stabbing and rushed to hospital. She died as a result of her injuries days later.

Her killers were apprehended by police after an appeal to the community with CCTV footage of the murder. While media initially reported the crime as having been a femicide, the term was quickly scrubbed from reporting after the gender identities of Córdoba’s killers were established.

“due to having a lack of her own economic resources”……. Meaning two men exploited a poor woman.

By Anna Slatz

Anna is the Co-Founder and Editor-in-Chief at Reduxx, with a journalistic focus on covering crime, child predators, and women's rights. She lives in Canada, enjoys Opera, and kvetches in her spare time.

[renee-writer]

I'm noticing that there are some folks doing some serious whining about the Trump administration. So I thought I'd post some advice to help you get through your little crisis.

1. Accept the fact that this is the leadership that we working, middle class Americans, wanted. We are pulling the economic weight in this country and we are tired of pulling the weight of those that do not contribute.

2. If you haven't already, get a job. Every business in the country is hiring. And you get paid for the work you do.

And the harder you work and the more you learn, the faster you will advance and the more you will earn. It's an amazing concept.

3. Understand that if you are a citizen or a legal alien that you are not going to get deported! I don't care what CNN says.

4. Tariffs are a bargaining chip. When you are in business you make deals, and sometimes you have to play hardball. That's how you get the deals you desire.

5. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 protects you from discrimination by age, sex, race, etc. DEI openly violates this. Democrats want you to believe the opposite is true because they value your vote more than your quality of life.

6. It's not the government's money, it's your money. You absolutely should give a damn about how it is spent.

7. We are not the World Bank. If other countries need help they should raise their own finances. I don't recall receiving any hurricane relief money from India or China.

8. Drill baby, drill. Want to know why? Because we have it. Are electric cars the future? Not in their current form. There is way more oil in the ground than lithium, and guess where most of that is? China. Want food prices to come down? Then energy costs have to come down. And that means oil, gas, coal, and nuclear. Unicorn farts won't power a factory.

9. The economy and the security of the country are far more important than your feelings, get over it.

10. There are men and there are women. Simple as that.

11. Education is to establish a learning core that prepares a child for the real, working world. Anything else is wrong.

12. Donald J. Trump is the President of the United States and he won in a mathematical landslide. Get over it.

This is perfect!! Just copy this. Explains it all!!

Note, I took out the part that was name calling, we need to get past that and treat each other with respect!!!!!

Shared from a friend.

[37q]

my poor wife. no more "DEI" funding = nobodys hiring for her work (food access, sustainability). shes all but given up on the job search save for any local admin position that can free up some of her time to do her own personal production work. shes been bogged down by this fuckass farm for years but her nonprofit is cutting it soon thank god so she has like no roots there anymore. anyhoodles that + the economic situation (h5n1, wealth consolidation, reactionary turn) is making her want to "hunker down". were running low on the butter she canned forever ago! so she brought up to me all pitifully and doe-eyed that shes been looking at new dehydrators "but theyre expensive :(" even though her last one was so shitty and it made her hate dehydrating and dehydrating is one of her main bulk product destinations and it makes her really happy and it wasnt even that expensive and its really cool. i got myself a pretty nice ereader recently and i wonder if that empowered her... like making investments for our overall betterment. she also probably feels bad for buying herself big things when i dont usually do the same for myself. maybe she also just genuinely has forgotten how to value her project desires because of how much energy she saves for work. so she bought it right after she asked me about it and i cajoled her into buying a wayyyyy nicer one (cabinet style) and its showing up soon :) anyhoodles she brought up another investment she wants to make but she was worried i had some hangups about it still... she wants to get an ipad!!!! to draw on!! omg!!!!!!! i used to have one with a stylus but it was stolen out of her car so i understand why shed think im still bent outta shape over it but we still have the stylus (engraved with The Perfects lol) and i think the finitude of materials constrains her also LX said to me that procreate made he want to do art again (shes an animator) also i dont care anymore and im just really excited for her. she was like i wanna get a mini and i went 🤨 to draw on? and she said yeah... and im like my lovie. shes like i dont do long strokes... and im like my lovie cmon!!

[chussyracing]

My fave quotes and notes from Total Competition by Ross Brawn and Adam Parr (under the cut)

PSA: I read the Czech version so some quotes may vary depending on my translation. I use Tumblr like a big library for when I need to find something, which is why you are seeing this.

the top teams are made by more than 1000 workers (as opposed to the smaller ones)

if you look at the development during the season, cars can be 1-2 seconds faster at the end of the season in comparison to the start

nobody ever won a championship with a bad car :))

if an F1 driver lifts a foot of the throttle, it equals Porsche 911 driver stepping on the brake full force

strategy is not only the plan for one GP and it has three subparts - political, economical and technical

F1 has always been a technical competition, you have the same set of technical regulations and then each team can build a different car

Ecclestone originally wanted teams to be able to buy full cars as customers (not just PU, chassis etc.), but that could be the end of individual teams like Williams

if they had bad results in a team, they tried to compensate by being a team that companies would like to invest in (hiring women to the leading board, being the pioneers in hybrid technology...)

putting all power into hands of the only leader is never good for any sport, it is worst in F1 knowing Ecclestone's history

when Michael became the WDC for Ferrari in 2000, he was the first Ferrari driver to do so in 21 years

luck is preparedness that is waiting for opportunity

as a team principal, you are supporting the faster driver, no matter which one it is, but you cannot digust the second driver or he will stop being constructive, cause problems in the team and have secrets

Michael was extremely well paid, just because he did his job best out of everyone, but he would be doing it for a fraction of that

if you competed against Michael, you knew you have no space, if you left a centimeter of space for him, he would take ten of them

when you are walking around Ferrari, you have to ask yourself why they are not winning everything, they have unlimited testing and two testing tracks, nice new aerodynamical tunnel and a great factory, amazing workers - some of which were third generation working for Ferrari

the most frustrating thing was almost winning the championship in 1997, 1998 and even 1999, because the championship was always decided in the last few races

if you got into the emotional phase during work, you failed

the first priority when coming to the team was make sure that people get back their confidence and aren't afraid of getting fired immediately if they make a mistake

in years 2000-2004 when they won both championships, they were the first team in history to do so 5 times consecutively, but despite that they had a lot of problems, but they had a great approach to them and their solving

one thing he was totally unprepared for in Ferrari was the attention from media, in Italy there are three religions and two of them are football and F1

everyday he found a batch of newspaper cutouts on his paper, but he found it crazy to put the pressure on the workers like this too, so he stopped that

after they got James Allison in the team, they convinced Adrian Newey to come too, but that lead to James losing trust in the team, later they realized that stability is the most important thing in this department

the best strategists in F1 win before they get to the grid

winning means you are better in technical department, but it also gives you political influence and economical influence

it's great when an underdog wins but this is not how championships are won in F1

Frank Williams said that the differences between Michael and other drivers are: intelligence and technical understatement, physical condition and of course just the fact that he loves driving

in F1 there are many cases where teams have a big budget and fail, but you cannot success without a big budget

you know some technical rules are extremely hard to measure or there is no way to measure them at all and if you talk to FIA delegates before, you know that you have some base if you need to go to court later

F1 is probably the only sport in the world where changing the rules changes up the order of the competitors

the previous Concorde Agreement [active during writing of the book] said that not al teams can work on making the rules

when you come to a new team, you need a year to get to know everyone and everything, a year to fix the mistakes and then start winning in the third year

good cars aren't the finished product of winter development before the season but a few years of development at least

in a team you need workers to trust you even if you disagree with each other

Bernie Ecclestone loves making problems and then solving them

but Bernie is also clever, he knows if he wants a deal with all the teams, he just needs Ferrari to sign it and everyone else will follow

when they were supplying PUs to other teams in Ferrari, they gave them PUs from previous season, never the uptodate ones

FIA isn't active, it is reactive - they do not think ahead, just react to what happens

we hired someone from Benetton, when i found out he brought a lot of info from the team we had to fire him, because you can suppose he will do it again with your team

Red Bull has always been a team that didn't think too far ahead

if there were new rules coming in a few years, he assigned a few people that only worked on that future project and nobody could bother them with anything else

Bernie's forced changes to quali are funny, because it is just a try to change up the order of the teams but top teams will adjust better and quicker and the ones at the bottom will still suffer

i always had meetings about someone's pay personally, if you delegated it to someone else it would be impersonal

he always let the people on the team come on the podium after a win, because he knew it's the best thank you for a well made job and only went there himself once in Monaco 2013 when he already knew he would be leaving

Michael was the same, after a win he enjoyed the most to celebrate it with everybody

it has no meaning to get maximum downforce when you don't know how to use it afterwards

they only implemented an improvement if the costs were proportional to the time advantage on track

their main strategist was James Vowles and they prefered only one to choose what is the best for both drivers

he let both drivers know which strategy/run plan the other will get just so there are no conflicts between them

there was a running joke that Flavio Briatore just doesn't greet anyone

Ross prefered to let people who deserve it go up on the podium to represent the team after a win, Flavio went himself

Jean was mathematical genius, he didn't need a calculator

F1 is not like evolution, if you take a wrong direction, it will take you very late to get back

the rate ratio between performance and cost in F1 is still too high

the marketing of Ferrari is Formula 1, they don't need anything else, they just need to be winning and they can make a fortune

human or machine what is more important? both, that's why mid drivers become world champions

technical companies love F1 because they come up with innovations and if they lend it to F1, they will have feedback in 5 months, if they gave it to aviation they would be waiting for years

the only place where you can allow a conflict is on the race track and even there it has to be between you and other teams only

[jtenvs3000w25]

Blog #3: Privilege

My definition of privilege is the advantage of more benefits over those of a particular person or group of people. In society we often talk about the hand we’re dealt in life. Some people are born more privileged than others by being a certain race/ethnicity, residing in a good neighborhood, having access to food/education and monetary wealth. This can lead to better opportunities in the workforce and fewer societal barriers. Privilege plays various roles in nature and nature interpretation from the level of education provided to the ease of access to said education. I also want to dive deeper into Darwin’s theory of natural selection and how adaptive traits contribute to privilege. 

When I think about my own privilege I consider myself very fortunate. I grew up in a family that allowed me access to various opportunities including university and travelling around the world. We also had access to a decent amount of nature in our backyard and to hiking trails around the city. This gave me the opportunity to explore my relationship with nature and grow a fondness of nature walks to improve my physical and mental well-being. I also had the privilege to work at a cafe during the summer to save up for books to educate myself, further enriching my experience with the environment around me. 

Nature interpretation is all about being able to immerse yourself in the environment which is why having access to those areas is crucial. As I mentioned above, I am fortunate to be living in an area with many hiking trails and national parks within a short drive from my house. When it comes to natural spaces, three types of privilege are: economic, geographic and physical. Oftentimes, parks will require visitors to pay a fee for using the facilities thus only allowing those who have the resources access to the park. The textbook dives deeper into economic barriers citing “the lack of personal vehicle or public transportation” (pg. 133). This can be true especially in rural areas where public transportation is scarce or even in urbanized business spaces where a car would be useful to travel to more remote locations. Additionally, some areas may have parks and trails nearby however, they are difficult to gain access to due to infrastructure or unsafe terrain conditions making them physically inaccessible. 

  Furthermore, nature interpretation encompasses the teaching of nature’s history and providing people with information to interpret on their own. If we are selective in the topics we teach or who we hire to teach them, this can lead to the feeling of exclusion. Chapter 7 of the textbook heavily discusses the idea of increasing employee diversity to include those of various ethnicities. I believe this is a major issue when it comes to privilege because if we don’t hire those with varying perspectives we won’t be educated on different versions of history. 

Lastly, I want to touch on Darwin’s theory of natural selection because I believe that adaptive traits play a big role in natural privilege. Though it doesn’t directly relate to nature interpretation, if certain species are born with more weapons or defense mechanisms they will have a better chance at survival. For example, lions are privileged in the context of nature because they are massive in size and have large claws that allow them to effectively hunt prey. Privilege comes in many shapes and sizes and can be interpreted differently by various individuals.

[religion-is-a-mental-illness]

I collected a lot of data. We collected millions of observations on everyday use of force that wasn’t lethal. We collected thousands of observations on lethal force.

And it was in this moment, 2016, that I realize people lose their minds when they don’t like the result.

So what my paper showed, you’ll see tomorrow, some of you, was that, yes, we saw some bias in the low level uses the force, everyday pushing up against cars and things like that. People seem to like that result.

But we didn’t find any racial bias in place shootings. Now that was really surprising because I expected to see it. The little-known fact is I had eight full-time RAs that it took to do this over nearly a year. When I found this surprising result, I hired eight fresh ones and redid it to make sure. They came up with the same exact answer, and I thought it was robust.

And then I went to go give it and my God, all hell broke loose.

It was 104 page dense academic economics paper with 150 page appendix. Okay? It was posted for four minutes when I got my first email. "This is full of shit." "It doesn’t make any sense." And I wrote back: "How'd you read it that fast? That's amazing. You are a genius."

And I had colleagues take me into, to the side and say, "don’t publish this. You’ll ruin your career." I said, what are you talking about? I said, what’s wrong with it? Do you believe the first part? Yes. Do you believe the second part? Well, it's... the issue is they just don’t fit together. We like the first one, but you should publish it-- the second one another time. I said, let me ask this. If the second part about the police shootings-- this is a literal conversation. I said to them, if the second part showed bias, do you think I should publish it then? And they said, Yeah, then it would make sense. And I said, I guarantee you, I’ll publish it. We’ll see what happens.

So, it was, it was, I lived under under police protection for about 30 or 40 days. I had a seven day old daughter the time. I remember going and shopping for-- because, you know when you have a newborn, you think you have enough diapers, you don’t. So I was going to the grocery store to get diapers with an armed guard. It was crazy. It was really, truly crazy.

==

This is why Claudine Gay set out to destroy Roland's career.

However low your opinion of Claudine Gay, it's not low enough.

[darkeagleruins]

TikTok Creator Told To Read Agenda 47 By Commenters Trying To Bash Trump.

Video Accidentally Blows Up Approaching 100k Likes & Everyone In The Comments Says They Can’t Believe They Just Became Donald Trump Supporters

“I was told in my live this morning that I need to go read Agenda 47 because I stated that Trump does not endorse Project 2025, but agenda 47 is a cliff notes version. So I went and I read it:

- First up, ending homelessness in veterans, which will be taking the funding away from the housing for the immigrants that are coming in illegally over our border and putting that funding into housing for our homeless veterans - Also giving funding to the VA

- Ending the war in Ukraine on day 1. News flash, Putin, about a week ago, said that he would be okay with this.

- It talks about lessening low income housing and using that money to help Americans who want to purchase homes purchase homes. Instead of putting that money into rentals and low income housing, it would put together programs so you can be in the best financial position to purchase a home

- Hiring a 100 new prosecutors and firing the ones that George Soros hired

- Ending the source of drug addiction in America, and funding better programs for people who are addicted to drugs. That funding would also come from the housing that is for the illegal immigrants crossing our border

- If you come over to the United States illegally right now but give birth to a child in the United States, that child is a are automatically a US citizen. This is going to stop that from happening.

- The rise in childhood chronic illnesses, we are going to start incentivizing looking for the root cause of those illnesses instead of just shelling out the medication to these children, not just putting a Band Aid on it and calling in a day

- Building the military and giving monetary incentives to join the military, but also changing the way that the military does things, re reconstructing the military - Returning jobs back to the United States that are currently being done overseas so that we can further an economic boom.

- If you are caught human trafficking or drug trafficking and you are convicted, you could get the penalty.

- Using gas cars instead of electric cars, making America energy independent again, drill, baby, drill.

- People that homeschool will get a check from the government every month just like the public school system does.

- Taking that funding from the Department of Education and putting it back in the hands of the parents, giving the parents back that power, and also holding teachers and faculty accountable for talking about their sexual preferences or the sexual preferences of a child, setting children up for success before they graduate

- And stopping welfare for the people who are coming into this country illegally.

Where's the problem with all of that? I don't really know, but I read it.

Those are some of the key points. If y'all wanna go and read it for yourselves, please do.

Stop listening to the media. Have a nice day.”

[mpenvs3000w25]

Prompt #3: Role of privilege in Nature Interpretation

Privilege plays a huge role in nature interpretation. It shapes access, opportunities, and the experiences of both interpreters and the people they’re trying to connect with. Privilege means unearned advantages, resources, and opportunities that people have simply because of factors like race, socioeconomic status, language, or cultural background. These advantages often go unnoticed by the people who have them, but they have a massive impact on how we engage with natural spaces and interpretive programs.

In this unit, we explored Peggy McIntosh’s metaphor of the “invisible backpack," privilege is descibed as this unseen collection of resources that people carry around without realizing it. For example, interpreters who speak the dominant language of their audience or share a similar cultural background might find it way easier to connect with people and communicate the importance of nature experiences. On the other hand, those who don’t have these privileges often face barriers like language differences, cultural misunderstandings, or even just the fact that they might not feel included or welcomed.

Through the textbook we learn that one of the biggest barriers is economic privilege. Transportation, entrance fees, or even owning the right gear can make or break someone’s ability to visit interpretive sites. A lot of these places assume visitors will just drive there, but not everyone has access to a car or the money for gas or parking fees. Programs like Transit to Trails are doing amazing work to bridge this gap by offering transportation for underserved communities.

Cultural privilege is another large factor that goes unnoticed. Sometimes interpreters unknowingly cater to dominant cultural norms, which can leave people with different values or traditions feeling excluded. The text really drives home how important it is to build trust with minority groups, and that starts by including them in the planning process. Things like sending personal invitations, partnering with community groups, and hiring minority interpreters can go a long way in breaking down cultural barriers and making these spaces more welcoming.

Privilege also affects how risks and rewards are perceived by both interpreters and their audiences. For some people, even just stepping into a natural space can feel like a huge challenge. Interpreters need to consider this and meet their audience where they’re at instead of expecting everyone to be on the same page.

As interpreters, we need to take a hard look at our own privilege. It’s not about feeling guilty or diminishing what we’ve achieved, it’s about acknowledging that the playing field isn’t level and working to change that. When we unpack our invisible backpacks, we can start to see how our own experiences and biases shape the way we interact with others. That self-awareness is so important for creating meaningful, inclusive experiences.

By breaking down barriers and embracing diverse perspectives, we can make sure the transformative power of nature is something everyone gets to experience, no matter who they are or where they come from! What are some other factors you think contribute to privilege in nature interpretation or access to natural spaces?

[luvly-writer]

“You are my sunshine”

Part 27: I know what the chaos brings

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Jason Todd x Latina! Reader

Social Media Au

Warnings: guns

Status: Finished

Author’s note: FINALLY ITS POSTINGGGG! Get ready for a rollercoaster of emotions!!!

Taglist: @lorosette @randobeetlehouse @alecmores @milas-teapot @writing-for-the-hell-of-it @izukuisbaby @unofficial-jaytodd-wife @graywrites5567 @addictedtothefictionalworld

Series Masterlist:

——————————————-

you hate having to constantly be nervous

You tugged on your red dress anxiously as you waited in the car.

You hair was tied back into a slick pony tail, the diamond necklace that laid comfortably on you matched with your bracelet, both gifts by Jason for the gala since you bough your own dress, and your heels snugly on your feet.

Jason had come to pick you up in his father’s black Mercedes (the one that he constantly stole and had absolutely no idea Bruce had already put down on his name and planned to tell him on his birthday) and decided to take a mirror pic with you on the complex lobby.

Nola had accompanied you to get your nails done and there you expressed the real reason of your current nerves

You had gone to quite a few galas before, and yet this one was different

Last time, you were a nobody hidden in the shadows, just another lucky commoner

Now…now you were set in the middle of the public eye, an easy victim for reporters and paparazzi to harass and tear down in order to get closer to the Wayne Family.

Bruce and Jason had given you some sort of publicity training before hand. Smile, wave, answer simple and superficial, and most importantly, don’t let them know they are getting to you. You were used to the first three seeing as you had enough practice getting benefactors at the scholar galas, but these weren’t old rich men and women who felt the need to give to the poor. These were people with sharp claws and teeth, ready to pounce on their next unsuspecting victim.

Jason could feel your inner turmoil. He had a hand on your thigh and would squeeze it reassuringly every once in a while. He was trying so hard to keep his eyes on the road but damn…..red looked so good on you. Why hadn’t you worn it before? He decided to voice his thoughts as a way of distracting you.

“You know, bonita, red looks so right on you. There’s just something about it that absolutely destroys me. Are you sure you want to go the gala? Cause I mean, I can turn back and we can spend the night back at mine or yours, just rolling in the sheets…” he finishes with a wink making you smile and look at him

“Well, if you manage to behave at the gala, I might consider this oh so generous offer, Tesoro”

Annnnnd Jason almost lost all sense of composure. God he was smitten.

He smirks and takes the hand that was in your thigh, grabs one of yours and kisses it lightly “I’ll be on my best behavior then, anything if it means I get to have you screaming my name and coming undone under me”

You heat up at that, feeling it go straight to between your legs and smile at him, you take advantage of the fact that you are at a red light and pull him for a short peck, one that as soon as you lean back has him almost whining to have you back on his lips.

You finally arrive and Jason exits first, handing the keys to the Valet parking. He walks around the car and opens the door for you, holding his hand out to help you out.

You start to see the flashing lights and the murmurs, all eyes on you. You grab his hand and let him help you out. You hold his arm and start walking towards the entrance.

“Miss YN! How does it feel to go from poor to rich!?!?”

“You look absolutely lovely, who are you wearing tonight!?!?”

Is this a ploy to make Mister Wayne hire you as an architect!?!”

“Smile for the camera”

“Is it legit that you are both soulmates!?! Or is it a lie conjured up for money!?!”

“Miss YN, is this a way of advancing in the economic pyramid? You know, for a woman and one of your background it could be difficult on your own…”

You had been smiling and waving politely until that last question

“First of all, as a woman, specially one from my background, it was rather easy climbing that pyramid seeing as my hard work, determination, and pure talent and intelligence paid off and I was and continue to be successful without the Wayne family name and titles. It your had been an informed reporter, and a competent one at that, you’d know you are speaking to the person that designed the very same building we find ourselves in. Second, if you ever speak to me again, it will be done with respect and not with your blatant racism. Have I made myself clear with everyone here.” You answer, gracefully with a wolffish smile and sharp eyes.

You never considered yourself an intimidating person (Jason and Nola would say otherwise, hell freezes the moment you’re pissed) yet, standing here in this crowd of reporters, who all had wide eyes at the drop of your credential, nodding like bubble head, you admit that your family and friends might have been onto something.

To ease the tension, you genuinely smile, and answer a few of the other questions taking advantage of the silence, “ah yes, the dress is from Carolina Herrera, beautifully made isn’t it. And yes,” you look up at Jason that has been staring with nothing but amazement and adoration at you “we are quite sure that our soulmate link is legit”. You stayed looking at each other and the paparazzi went wild, trying to capture the moment of pure love between the two of you and the ruckus began again, asking more questions.

You both finally got inside the hall and burst out laughing

“My, you really are something else..” Jason breathes out “his face! I can’t, Bonita, you truly never stop amazing me” he laughs and you can’t help but laugh as well

Jason gathers you in his arms and pulls you close, giving you a kiss in the head, “baby, you are so fuckin’ hot it’s killin’ me. Ya’ sure imma have to wait till later?” He whispers in your ear and you giggle, flustered cause his Gotham accent came out and it always drove you absolutely insane whenever it did.

Before you answer him, you both hear someone clear their throat behind you and find Bruce and Damian standing there. Bruce has an amused glint in his eyes and Damian looks fuming.

“Well, I’d say you were more than prepared to take on them. Quite the introduction to the public, I’m sure you definitely are going to do well in this family” Bruce states with a chuckle and motions for you all to start heading towards the ballroom.

Damian walks towards you, hugs your waist and murmurs “Did they offend your honor? Because if they did, I can have father and Drake strip them from their credentials, I’ll make sure of it.”

You laugh and hug him tighter, oh how much you adored him, “Thank you for the offer, Dames, I’ll be fine” you answer and he lets go. He nods and goes back next to his father.

“I will never not be unnerved by how soft he is for you” Jason whispers as he places his hand in the small of your back and you both continue to walk towards the ballroom.

You look around and smile, you know this place like the back of your hand. Pride swells on your chest because this was the first big shot design that you had made. Your art style flowed through these halls. You are suddenly pulled out of your thoughts by Tim’s smiling face.

“At last, I finally get the pleasure to meet you. Tell me, Dick didn’t get to you first right?” He asks concerned and you laugh, shaking you head no and pull him for a hug.

He stiffens a little but lets it happen, not used to physician contact without violence

Once you let him go, the five of you enter the ballroom, the four of them admire everything on it amazed by the splendor

“You designed this?” Asked Bruce

He had seen splendor and glamour a lot growing up, but nothing compared to this. Outside of the ballroom, it looked like any other mother hall, yet once you entered, it had this vintage splendor in it, almost as if you had stepped right in to a regency era movie.

Jason puffed out his chest in pride and smiled, “yup! That’s all her, talent indeed”

Bruce, Tim, and Damian nod, both Bruce and Tim murmuring in agreement that they would have to hire you sometime to do some work for them, both at Wayne enterprises and at the Manor.

The room is full of life, music playing and people chattering.

You meet up with the rest, with the exception of Dick. You see him chattering a red head up on the other side and laugh at the comments you hear of his obsession with red heads.

You spent a good amount next to Jason and Damian, neither willing to leave your side. That was until Tim asked you for a dance, receiving a look from both of the boys at your sides. You dance with Tim, talking just about anything. He was particularly interested in Puerto Rican coffee and you promised that would text your mother and tell her to send you some good cafe from la Isla so that he could try. Though it did come with an exchange, he would have to rest more and regulate his caffeine intake if he wanted to try. YN also offered to text a few old friends of hers to see if they could also send some coffee from Colombia and Cuba so that he could try those as well. Tim could see why it was so easy to adore her, it hadn’t even been an hour yet and he was already fond of her.

Next she felt a tap on her shoulder and low and behold, Dick Grayson in the flesh was there, smiling at her and asking for a dance. Sending a knowing grin at him, Tim let YN stay with him and left leaving the acrobat and the girl.

“I take it you lost the bet?” She asks stifling her laughter

Dick had the decency to at least look guilty and that was all it took to make her laugh. He joined her as well soon after. Both swayed to the music whilst Dick insisted that she should teach him how to dance salsa and speak Spanish..

“Aaaand why should I do that?” She teased and he replied with a boyish smile, “well thank you for asking, as a matter of fact, I have a list…”

The acrobat almost made the girl cry with laughter as his reasons ranged from “I don’t want to be unseasoned” to “the ladies will love it ;)”

YN was definitely amused and would tease the acrobat making him laugh even harder. It got to the point where both decided to head back to their family in order to stop causing a ruckus.

YN hugged Jason and smiled up at him, she sighed dreamily and pecked his cheek. He squeezed her a little, making her giggle. She entertained herself with a conversation with Cass and Steph where they speculated what the theme of the met gala would be and Jason would go from admiring his girl to talking with Tim and Dick. Damian would switch to hide behind YN whenever a particular elderly woman came by with the intentions of pinching his cheeks and the girl held out her hand for him to take. A few weeks back she had told him that if he ever felt overwhelmed, he can always hold and squeeze her hand in order to ground himself. He took it, discreetly of course, he didn’t want his brothers to see and potentially tease him.

It was going great so far.

YN had excused herself to go to the restroom and Jason, having a bad feeling followed her. She was fixing her hair, when Jason entered the bathroom.

“Jason! What are you doing here?” She asked surprised.

Jason tried to hide his worry with a smirk and said “Had to get you for myself for a while”

His smiled turned boyish and he pulled you closer, “I wanted some attention and they are hogging it completely and it’s not fair” he says in a mock whine and rolls his eyes making you die of laughter.

He leans in and kisses you gently. The music of the band can still be heard a little bit and he sways the two of you softly once he pulls back.

You place your arms on his shoulders and look up to him adoringly

God, this man was going to be the death of you and you loved it. You nuzzle your nose to his making him laugh softly

It was such a soft ambience,

His hands on your waist, foreheads pressed, Jason occasionally kissing your neck, cheek and collarbone, and lips.

It was perfect, until, it wasn’t.

A loud shot and someone screaming broke the calm atmosphere.

You look up at him startled and he looks towards the door and to his watch.

“Stay here” he tells you, his suspicions had been correct. Thankfully, it looked like you were away from danger and him being there just confirmed your safety.

He walks towards the door and you pull his arm back, “What the fuck do you mean stay here, Jason?!?!”

You are terrified and he just holds you by your shoulders, “Your family Jason, they could be in danger! We have to go help!!” You are trashing around trying to get out the door but he holds you still and looks into your eyes,

“Do you trust me, mi reina?” He asks softly, not wanting to scare you even worst

A few more shots rang and he felt you tense under his hands, you nod rapidly too panicked for words.

“Then I need you to stay here and trust me, everything will be alright, baby, I’ll come back for you, you just need to stay here and trust me, and under NO condition open this door unless it’s me okay?” He explains and you try to take deep breaths and nod.

Jason leaves the bathroom and only starts to walk away when he hears the door lock. He has lost so much in his life and he couldn’t afford to loose you too

___________________________________

Author’s note: MWAHAHAHAHAHA A CLIFFHANGER!! I LOVE THEM!