#false claims and statements

[pigeon-butch]

I certainly have my own concerns about the treatment of moo deng but um. well i think some of you may just be racist

[bovivinator]

Very few things piss me off more than people using misinformation to support something I already agree with

[apleasurableillusion]

Truly bonkers that Coates went to Israel for 10 days, only spoke to Palestinians while there, did no external research and then put all of this in a book that we're supposed to take seriously. And then the publisher doesn't even hire a fact checker?

[mariacallous]

Democrats in the U.S. Senate on Monday evening blocked a Republican-led attempt to enshrine discrimination against transgender athletes in federal law. The lawmakers rejected the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act. The bill, part of a more considerable conservative effort to roll back LGBTQ+ rights, failed to garner enough votes needed to advance.

After senators voted to confirm President Donald Trump's pick for education secretary, professional wrestling magnate Linda McMahon, the upper chamber considered moving forward with the anti-trans legislation. The bill was stopped by a cloture vote, which is a procedural motion that requires 60 votes to end debate and move forward. The vote was 51 to 45.

The legislation, introduced in the House of Representatives by Florida GOP Rep. Greg Steube and passed by Republicans earlier this year with the support of two Democrats, sought to rewrite Title IX protections by defining sex in athletics solely based on “reproductive biology and genetics at birth.” If enacted, the bill would have effectively barred transgender women and girls from participating in federally funded school and college sports.

The bill also called for federal studies on the impact of transgender inclusion in women’s sports and potential “adverse psychological and developmental effects” on cisgender athletes. There is no evidence that transgender athletes are a danger to cisgender peers. While it did not mandate physical examinations to determine an athlete’s sex, critics warned that its enforcement could lead to intrusive scrutiny of all female athletes.

The bill’s failure comes amid a broader, coordinated effort by Republicans to legislate transgender people out of public life. Just last month, Trump signed an executive order titled “No Men in Women’s Sports." Trump used the signing ceremony as an opportunity to spew inflammatory rhetoric, falsely claiming that men have “invaded” women’s sports and that male athletes are “beating up and injuring” women—a claim that has been debunked time and time again.

Human Rights Campaign president Kelley Robinson applauded the Senate’s rejection of the bill, emphasizing the damaging impact of such policies. “Every child should have the opportunity to experience the simple joys of being young and making memories with their friends. But bills like these send the message that transgender kids don’t deserve the same opportunities to thrive as their peers simply because of who they are. And they are impossible to enforce without putting all kids at risk of invasive questions or physical examinations just because someone doesn’t look or dress like everyone else,” Robinson said in a statement to The Advocate.

Trump’s executive order, which threatened to strip federal funding from schools and colleges that failed to comply with his ban on transgender athletes, has already triggered legal challenges. Civil rights advocates and legal experts have pointed out that executive orders cannot override federal civil rights protections, including those under Title IX, and the order is expected to be tied up in court for months.

“We should want all of our kids to have the chance to be on a team, problem solve with others, learn valuable skills, and find places to belong,” Robinson said. “Thank you to the leaders who stood up today, pushed back against those playing politics with young people’s lives, and declared that ours should be a nation where every child feels valued.”

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Ryan Adamczeski at The Advocate:

Michigan's hate crime law has been updated to include sexual orientation and gender identity after Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed several bills into law last week. House Bills 5400 and 5401 amend the definition and sentencing guidelines of the state's 1988 “ethnic intimidation” statute to include sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, and age, designating them as protected groups against hate crimes if they are found to be a motivating factor for violent behavior.

State Attorney General Dana Nessel, who is an out lesbian, said in a statement that “it’s incumbent upon those of us with the authority to unilaterally denounce such sentiments; otherwise, there’s no stopping this behavior." “Over the past decade, we have seen not just an uptick in hate crimes, but a normalization of racist, antisemitic and bigoted language, symbolism and actions – including a close adviser to the President giving the Nazi salute during an inaugural rally just this week,” Nessel said. "I applaud the Governor for signing these long overdue changes to the state’s statutes.” The bill amending the hate crime statute's definition was first introduced by Democratic state Rep. Noah Arbit in 2023, but failed to pass after conservatives falsely claimed that the law made it a felony to misgender someone. Arbit noted in a conversation with CBS at the time that the bill did not contain the word "misgender" in its entire text, calling the claims "far-right fiction."

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) signs hate crime laws protecting sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, or age status.

See Also:

LGBTQ Nation: Michigan expands hate crime law to protect LGBTQ+ identities

[teaboot]

mr boot sir what do I do when my -history- teachers in college give me ai generated "essays" to "improve"

Report them to head office. I’m not kidding. You are paying thousands of dollars hand over fist to receive an education for a trained and experienced professional, not an experimental generative algorithm. Write a detailed email with copies of what you have received and how you know it is AI and file a complaint. They are not your boss, you are their customer. This is a big deal.

EDIT: I may have misunderstood your question. If the professor is having you read AI essays and study them at face value, I stand by the above.

HOWEVER, if they are giving you AI essays, TELLING YOU they are AI, and asking you to critique and edit them, correcting false statements and errors, that is GOOD. They’re teaching you how to spot misinformation and how to verify suspicious claims. THAT is absolutely fine and a very very important assignment to learn from.

My apologies for the confusion.

[wilwheaton]

I’ll note that Trump has now casually threatened to denaturalize Elon Musk. Needless to say, I have no sympathy for anything that happens to that clown. But as I and others have noted in the past, it’s quite clear that Musk got and preserved his residency through false and fraudulent statements. Those material false claims are thus embedded in his subsequent citizenship. So the Trump DHS would have some non-trivial basis, at least an argument, for trying to strip Musk of his citizenship. Again, a big part of me would keel over in laughter to see this because of the way this immigrant — with at least a spotty history of acquiring residency — drove forward the anti-immigrant beast and then had the best turned on himself. But he’s not the only citizen with some discrepancies in his immigration background. It’s a bad, bad thing. And the wound isn’t just to the person who is denaturalized and deported. The far bigger one is to the nature of citizenship itself, the inherently second class status of all naturalized citizens and the equality of citizenship for everyone.

Denaturalization is a Stark Threat to All Citizenship 

[msfantasy-anime]

No way! Luffy has a Wife?!

Monkey D. Luffy x Wife!Reader

Summary: an amalgamation of many requests on others finding out Luffy is married.

A/n: Thanks @matronofthevoid for the prompt of Boa Hancock and to the other anonymous DM’s requesting others

Part VII

After a few weeks of Monkey Y/n’s Wanted posters circulating, the world government has issued a retraction after being unable to locate the marriage certificate of Luffy and Y/n.

The marines have since issued new Wanted posters, removing the family name ‘Monkey’ followed by the following description.

‘Y/n, Wanted Dead or Alive for 200 million berries after assaulting a marine officer for insulting childhood friend Monkey D. Luffy. The bounty has been increased as Y/n is confirmed to be an official member of the strawhat pirates after eye-witness testify Y/n claiming allegiance to the strawhat captain in wholecake Island. The World Government would also like to retract any claims or statements of the marriage between the pair due to lack of evidence to support claim.’

Whilst it true the new posters and description have been issued- not everyone has received the new news.

Shanks - Receiving the original poster

“Hey captain! Check this out!” Yassop howls in laughter with Lucky Roux, throwing a newly issued bounty down into their captains lap.

Wanted Dead or Alive. Monkey. Y/n. 100m berries.

Shanks eyes widen slightly at the name.

“Luffy’s a grown man now, wife and all…” Shanks mutters, his eyes shining with pride before quickly faltering to horror. “That little twerp got married and didn’t even invite me?! Can you believe that?!”

Silvers Rayleigh - Receiving the original poster

Shakuyaku smirks down at the news paper below her, taking a good long drag from the cigarette sitting loosely between her fingers.

“What’s got you smiling like that?” Rayleigh steals a glance at the papers. “Well would you look at that… the boys not completely hopeless after all.”

Boa Hancock - Receives the new posters

As all of the Kuja warriors suspected. Their beautiful loving Empress has been bedridden for weeks.

The wanted poster…

The description of Luffy’s marital status…

It was all far too much for the tender hearted empress.

But as soon as Gloriosa received the newest issue, she figuratively bolted to the empresses bed chamber. “I’ve come bearing great news!” Gloriosa announces, pulling the blanket off of the rotting figure that is Boa Hancock.

He matted hair remains tangled, her swollen eyes pinching together tighter at the exposure of light. “Leave at once you old hag! Leave me to my suffering!” Hancock wails, pulling weakly at the bedcovers.

“He isn’t married!” Gloriosa announces as Hancock sits up rapidly. “Luffy! He isn’t married- it was just a false report! They’re only childhood friends!” The angelic expression that follow was so blindingly beautiful, Gloriosa’s memory lapsed at the beauty that is her Empress.

“Luffy my love! I knew it! You shall be mine! No woman is qualified for his affections!” Hancock swoons.

Monkey D. Garp - Receives the new poster

“See Koby?! I knew it wasn’t true!” Helmeppo scrutinises the posters hung up on the wall.

‘Y/n Wanted Dead or Alive’

Koby shrugs indifferently. Whilst it might be true Luffy and Y/n aren’t married, is it really so crazy to believe Luffy has romantic interests? Well according to Helmeppo, such a statement is ridiculous.

“What are you two bickering about now?” Garp grumbles, shoving his hand into the bucket of popcorn and into his mouth by the fist fulls.

“Sir- you would know more than that Luffy couldn’t possibly be married.” Helmeppo guestures to Y/n’s new poster.

There was a moment of silence before Garp dropped his bucket of popcorn to the floor, snatching the poster as his eyes widen in horror. “Huh?! So that little brat went and became a pirate after all?! Does anyone listen to me?! First Ace, then my idiot grandson and now my angel?!” Storming to his desk, Garp continues to mutter to himself under his breath, riffling through the papers until he is able to extract a report pertaining to your bounty from the pile.

You were Garp’s one saving grace.

The one and only rambunctious child that didn’t go over to the dark side, but based off the report- it’s still his idiot grandsons fault.

If he didn’t become a pirate then you wouldn’t have gained a wanted poster defending his honour like the noble angel you are.

“Sir - you would know more than anyone. Is Luffy and Y/n married or not?” Koby asks, only for Garps eyes to remain dark and downcast in angst.

“Unofficially.” He mutters only for Helmeppo to cringe at the confirmation.

“So it’s true then?! Strawhat really does have a wife?!” Helmeppo shouts in horror, needing desperately for Garp to tell him the honest truth.

“Huh?” Garp picks his nose mindlessly as he thinks back. “That idiot has been claiming they’ve been married for years… guess he just finally wore her down.”

Bartolomeo - Receives the new poster

“And Y/n defended Sir Luffy by knocking that filthy marine out in one hard punch!” Bartolomeo praises, dabbing a moist tissue to his eyes. “It’s just so beautiful! Sir Luffy deserves nothing less than a devoted wife to defend his honour.” Bartolomeo throws himself onto the floor as he continues to sob hysterically. “And - to think- they’re childhood friends! Truely a romantic story for the ages!”

The crew begin to cry in unison. “How can people deny their marriage?!” Some sobbing crewman questions, blowing his nose into his own shirt.

“They don’t need no stink’in piece of paper! We will help sir Luffy by spreading their grand love story far and wide for all to hear!”

Y/n - Receives the new poster

“Hey have you guys seen Y/n?” Luffy questions, scratching his head absentmindedly.

Zoro points lazily towards the head of the Thousand Sunny where you appear to be sitting glumly. You begin to make the face you always do when you are sad.

“I’m sorry Luffy- I didn’t mean to upset her.” Chopper mutters sadly. But Zoro only drops his heavy hand on Choppers head. “Y/n’s bounty went up, I went to show her, but then she got really upset.“ Chopper holds up the newly issued Wanted poster of Y/n.

“Hey it’s not your fault, all you did was show her the new poster.” Zoro reassures but Choppers shoulders sink further.

Luffy snatches Nami’s pen from her hand and begins to scribble on the Wanted poster.

“Luffy! What the hell-“ Luffy tosses the pen back on the table and stalks back off towards his gloomy wife.

“Oi! Have you seen your new wanted poster? Looks like your bounty went up since you’re officially in my crew now.” Luffy announces ecstatically, shoving the wrinkly paper into your hands.

You begin to slouch into yourself. You knew it was silly but it was heart wrenching to finally have a family name only of it to be taken at a moments notice. ‘Monkey’ was not a last name you even earnt. But even so, it was nice to feeling like you belonged somewhere.

“Yeah, what about it?“ Your voice shrivels up on the spot.

Looking down at the wanted poster you see your name haphazardly scribbled ‘Monkey Y/n’

Tears threatened to well-up. Without you even admitting out loud - Luffy somehow knew exactly what upset you and how to fix it. “You’re so dumb sometimes ya’know?” Luffy states rhetorically, which only makes you begin to boom with laughter. “How many more times do I have to remind you? You’re my wife. You don’t need some piece of paper to give you a last name. Because I already gave you my last name.” You begin to grin at your sweet loveable doofus. “But if you need a piece of paper, then take that. I wrote it myself and everything- Kay?” He asks only for you to spring on top of Luffy, pulling him into a lethal tight hug.

[a-s-fischer]

The thing I have noticed is that pretty much every group of antisemites, Jew-haters, believes or at least claims to believe that Jews have too much power. Virtually all Jew-hate is predicated on this belief that the Jews are powerful and should not be. This is why you almost always see people responding to Jews talking about Jew-hate, talking about the oppression and bigotry we face, by insisting that we are the real oppressors. Jew-hate is, across all political and religious spectrums, a false and conspiratorial statement about Jewish power.

And yet Jew-haters keep acting in a way that makes it clear that at least on an unconscious, instinctive level, they understand that the Jews do not in fact have this power that they insist we do.

[happytoupee]

To Republicans of America: All he seems to have done is to have garnered more wealth for himself and his cronies so far and make false statements about how brilliant he is. He put someone unqualified in the task to lead DOGE who claimed loads of wins only for them to be revealed as losses; people laid off then re employed. He took all your sensitive personal data which affects your personal security. They then fell out with an enormous toddler-like spat. His tariffs are putting your prices up and ruining your own industries as it affects their supply chain too. There is no way EVER that your heavy production industries will ever compete with China and India because they get paid peanuts and you all have / want a higher standard of living. His initial claims of isolationism have been reversed by dipping in and out of conflicts at will. The people he has put in power have no consideration for confidentiality over military operations using non secure platforms which put your own people at risk. His approach on immigration is slap dash; he is causing collateral damage by deporting "good neighbourly people" as well as those you perhaps wanted him to target. He cuts healthcare to those who need it most, and you know lower paying employers aren't going to offer it. Sure cut it but then do people just die? It is possible too that you might respond "for the greater good". And again that's an okay answer. I believe it is evil, wrong, unethical, but it will be YOUR answer, and I am keen to hear it. Thank you.

[joetastic2739]

Statement Regarding False Claims Made Against Joetastic by Dylan/ @anyamusumesonlywife

Author: Concerned members of the Mouthwashing community, friends of Joe, and Joe himself

Introduction

This post is a joint statement written in defense of Joetastic (hereafter referred to as Joe), a creator in the Mouthwashing community, who has recently been the target of misinformation, mischaracterization, and public defamation. The accusations originate from a former collaborator, anyamusumesonlywife (hereafter referred to as Dylan), and have been circulated via a written document on Google Docs, two TikTok videos, one Tumblr post, and several word-of-mouth messages in community servers on discord.

While Joe has remained silent publicly until now, the scale and intensity of the false claims, combined with the reputational damage they have caused, make it necessary to issue a detailed and factual response. This statement reflects not only Joe's perspective, but also that of peers, colleagues, and neutral parties who have reviewed the evidence and feel compelled to clarify what truly occurred.

This document is not intended to cause harm, incite harassment, or encourage retaliation against Dylan in any form. Its sole purpose is to clarify the facts, present context, and refute the false claims that have been made about Joe. While emotions are understandably high, we ask that readers approach this with maturity and respect. This is about defending someone’s character, not attacking another’s. Any form of harassment directed toward Dylan or anyone involved is strongly discouraged and not condoned by Joe or anyone contributing to this statement.

Context & Timeline

December 26, 2024: 

Joe contacts Dylan on Discord asking permission to use their OC in a fan animation. Dylan responds enthusiastically, stating: “YOU CAN 100000% USE MY OC IN ANYTHING!! ID BE SO HONORED.”

Over the following weeks, Dylan provides detailed reference material, lore, and expresses gratitude. They never object to any creative decisions made during this period.

Joe maintains professional, transparent communication throughout. Even clarifying their pronouns so as to not misgender their OC accidentally. There is no indication of discomfort or distress from Dylan.

January 11, 2025:

Joe starts becoming increasingly uncomfortable using someone else’s OC for public-facing content. This is influenced by private feedback and the growing popularity of his work. Joe begins planning an original character, Eira, as a way to tell WLW stories while keeping personal and professional lines clearer. 

January 12, 2025: 

Dylan noticeably starts to change attitude and starts pressuring Joe

"Yeah if I paid for something I'd want it to be posted D: I don't mean to argue at all /gen I was just super looking forward to finally being seen with my Oc and thought that maybe you posting about them would get selfshipping a bit of a better representation" 

Joe talks about making the OC video for free to make it up to Dylan and labeling it as a commission in order to protect both of them over harassment regarding favoritism which Dylan agreed with and voiced no complaints.

Keep in mind that at this point, despite Joe quoting Dylan $40 for a casual model of Dylan’s OC, the transaction has not been made yet and Dylan has not paid for anything.

Dylan later tells Joe that they are in a hospital before proceeding to mention Joe abandoning Dylan’s OC again

Joe pays the $40 out of his own pocket for Dylan’s Casual OC model on Dylan’s behalf first and offers Dylan to pay him any amount for it as he feels bad and wants to make it up to them.

Dylan mentions how the model has a bigger chest which was a misunderstanding by the modeler that was cleared up quickly.

January 15, 2025: 

Dylan tells Joe that people are sending cruel messages to them because he was going to use their OC

Joe suggests to Dylan to turn off anonymous inboxes in order to stop the harassment. Dylan states that they chose not to turn it off on their other RP account and continues showing Joe the harassment Dylan has received.

Joe once again sympathizes with Dylan and makes a post telling people not to harass them on his Tumblr profile.

February 27, 2025: 

Joe debuts Eira publicly. The character receives instant fan praise, with followers eager to see more interactions between her and Anya.

March 2, 2025: 

Dylan voices being upset that their OC did not get the chance to be used by Joe.

Joe points out it’s for the best incase they mischaracterize Dylan and end up hurting Dylan’s feelings.

Joe tries to reassure Dylan again.

March 4, 2025: 

March 8, 2025: 

Dylan starts blaming Joe for harassment and taking the spotlight from sapphic people like them. Joe states that those harassing Dylan do not represent him and that he does not condone them harassing anybody. Joe once again reassures Dylan it isn’t his intent to steal attention away from anybody’s OC.

At this point, Joe began to feel that Dylan was manipulating him. Blaming him for things beyond his control and growing increasingly hostile. Though he agreed to make another Tumblr post at Dylan’s request, he hesitated, wanting first to confirm whether his suspicions about Dylan’s intentions and feelings toward him were valid.

Joe once again made it clear that it was never his intention to make anyone uncomfortable. He expressed this repeatedly, hoping to de-escalate the situation and reassure Dylan of his good faith. However, the constant accusations, shifting expectations, and increasingly tense tone from Dylan left Joe feeling emotionally drained and deeply uncomfortable continuing the conversation. Despite his efforts to resolve things respectfully, it became clear that nothing he said was enough to satisfy Dylan. After enduring repeated blame and pressure, Joe ultimately decided, for his own well-being, to stop engaging with Dylan after March 9th.

March 12, 2025: 

Despite their agreement to part ways after the free video Joe made for them, Dylan begins circulating a document on a private server framing Joe as manipulative, inconsiderate, and abusive. 

The document was then intentionally sent to the developers of Mouthwashing.

March 13, 2025: 

When Joe learned that Dylan had created a document filled with false claims and had shared it with the moderators of the Mouthwashing server, knowing it would reach the developers, he felt that a clear line had been crossed. This wasn’t just a personal dispute anymore. Iit was an attempt to damage his professional relationships and potentially jeopardize his future opportunities within a community he had contributed to. It was deeply hurtful to see someone he had once collaborated with try to turn trusted colleagues against him. 

In light of this, Joe made the decision to formally request that Dylan no longer use the free work he had created for them. He asked that all related posts be removed from Dylan’s social media, as continuing to showcase the work felt exploitative and disingenuous given the circumstances.

March 15, 2025: 

Although Dylan initially respected Joe’s request and removed the content he had worked on, they soon chose to go public with their version of events. Dylan published a Tumblr post detailing their side of the situation, painting Joe in a negative light and reigniting the narrative despite previously agreeing to take a step back. When Joe became aware of the post, he was disappointed but chose to remain silent. At the time, the post wasn’t gaining much traction, and Joe hoped that by not engaging further, the situation would deescalate. His priority was to move on quietly and avoid fueling more drama, even if it meant allowing false or misleading narratives to go unchallenged, for a while.

March 21, 2025:

Joe publicly releases a new animation featuring his characters Eira and Anya. The video shared a few thematic similarities with the earlier animation he had created for Dylan, but it was completely re-animated from the ground up.

Shortly after its release, Dylan sent Joe a direct message accusing him of stealing their animation idea. This was despite the fact that Dylan had never contributed to the production of the video in question. Not in writing, animation, direction, or execution. Furthermore, the themes Dylan claimed ownership over were not unique: they were common story beats that had appeared in Joe’s videos months before he and Dylan had ever interacted.

What made the accusation more troubling was the emotional pressure that followed. Dylan told Joe that because of this video, they had been unable to sleep, were throwing up, and feeling physically ill. The blame was placed entirely on Joe for Dylan’s emotional distress, adding yet another layer of guilt and responsibility to a situation already fraught with manipulation and false claims.

While Joe acknowledges that there are surface-level similarities between the new video featuring his OC and the animation he previously made for Dylan, it’s important to clarify that both videos were conceptualized, animated, and completed entirely by Joe himself. As the sole creator, he has every right to revisit themes, scenes, or stylistic choices from his own body of work.

March 28, 2025: 

Joe begins experiencing increased hostility, especially in the Wrong Organ server. 

Rumors originating from Dylan began circulating within the Wrong Organ Discord server. Some concerned members of the community reached out to Joe directly to inform him about what was being said.

One of these individuals, growing increasingly concerned, chose to inform Joe about what was happening. It was revealed that Dylan had also been privately messaging random members of the Wrong Organ Discord server out of the blue to talk about Joe.

According to this individual, Dylan not only reached out to people to talk about Joe, but also frequently used these conversations to vent their personal problems and frustrations. When the topic shifted away from their issues, Dylan would quickly lose interest and disengage.

March 30, 2025: 

Dylan decides to be bolder and creates 2 TikTok videos claiming Joe has been stalking and harassing them. Dylan also lies to everybody about Joe’s age and sexuality in order to make him seem more creepy, and accuses him of fetishzing lesbians. Dylan also claimed Joe purposefully shared suggestive content to minors on discord when what he did was simply share the videos he made to the Wrong Organ discord server. The Developers and Moderators have stated those videos were not suggestive and are okay to post.

Wrong Organ Discord Mod statement after Dylan started saying the Video Joe posted there was suggestive, confirming that the video would remain up and would not be removed, as it did not violate any server rules:

Confirmation from Wrong Organ themselves:

Dylan’s accusations that Joe is being creepy and fetishizing lesbians are based on out-of-context screenshots. In this example, Joe was not referring to lesbians in general, but specifically to Dylan, who is not a lesbian. The comments were a direct response to Dylan’s repeated criticisms, not a dismissal of the broader sapphic community. The framing of this exchange to suggest Joe was targeting all lesbians is intentionally misleading.

These TikToks that Dylan posted were quickly gaining traction and starting to snowball out of control. When Joe woke up to these videos, he saw that it had already gotten 20k views, 3k likes, 270 comments and 500 bookmarks with these numbers quickly increasing each minute.

In the comments of both TikTok posts, Dylan continued to spread false information and actively engaged with, and at times endorsed cruel, demeaning remarks directed at Joe.

Fearing for the safety of his reputation and watching the false rumors gain increasing traction, Joe realized that remaining silent was no longer an option. After weeks of trying to avoid conflict, it became clear that Dylan had no intention of stopping. The only way to set the record straight was to speak up. Shortly after, Joe made a public Twitter post addressing the situation:

[Tumblr only allows 30 images per post. This post will continue in a follow up]

[iydiamartinx]

JASON

( slasher au )

Reader x Jason Todd

divider by: @cafekitsune & @thecutestgrotto word count: 591 synopsis: You thought you knew him. Until you found the mask. a/n: Okay, this definitely gives Halloween vibes—but hey, we’re close enough, right? I swear I planned for this to be a one-shot for just one character… and yet I'm tempted to write for the other Batfam. warnings: talk of murder

You’d always known Gotham was considered the city of darkness and crime.

Even in its quietest moments—when the fog rolled low and the streetlamps flickered like dying stars—there was something in the air. A hum beneath the concrete. A hunger for chaos.

But it wasn’t until the new string of murders started that you realized just how deep that hunger ran.

They were brutal. Like the killer wasn’t just trying to take lives but make a statement. Cops whispered it was personal. That whoever was behind the mask wasn’t just killing, that they were hunting down their victims.

You didn’t believe it at first. Not when the photos surfaced. Not when your best friend vanished and never came home.

Not even when Jason started disappearing more often. Not even then.

You told yourself he was working. That the faint bloodstains on his hands—wiped away too quickly—were from some street fight gone sideways. That the corpses piling up across Gotham, strung up like broken puppets, had nothing to do with the man who curled behind you at night.

You lived on the poorer side of the city. Violence was routine. Maybe someone had come after him. Maybe he’d defended himself.

You told yourself that because you loved him.

Because the man who murmured your name like a vow, who touched your body like it was something sacred—who kissed your temple and laughed low into your hair—couldn’t possibly be the one carving people up in alleys.

Until you found the mask.

It was wedged behind the false panel in his closet. Matte black. Red streaks smeared down the front like war paint. It smelled like copper. And beneath it—tucked into a leather pouch, wrapped in bloodied gauze—was a photo.

Your photo.

A soot-smudged fingerprint dragged across your cheek. It looked like a mark. A claim.

You just hoped that didn’t mean you were next.

Your hands trembled. The walls felt too close. You took a shaky step back, heart thundering in your ears. The apartment was suddenly too quiet. Too still.

Then the floor creaked behind you.

You whirled around.

Jason stood in the doorway, rain dripping from the hood of his jacket. His eyes—so often warm—were shadowed now. Cold. Detached. It felt like looking into the eyes of a stranger.

You barely recognized him. This wasn’t your Jason.

He looked at the mask. Then at you.

“I didn’t want you to find it like this.”

You swallowed, breath catching. “So it’s true.”

He didn’t deny it. Just stepped inside, slow and deliberate, like a predator circling a cornered prey.

You backed up instinctively, heart racing.

“You killed them,” you whispered. “All of them.”

“They deserved it,” he said flatly. No remorse. No hesitation. “They hurt people. They were never going to stop.”

“My best friend—”

“She was using you!” The words cracked out of him, sharp and violent.

“You lied to me.”

“I protected you,” he growled, taking another step forward. “I saved you. I kept this city from chewing you up and spitting you out.”

You stared at him—at the man you loved, now a stranger in the shape of something monstrous. And yet…

Your heart still fluttered. Caught somewhere between dread and a dangerous, aching need.

“You weren’t supposed to know,” he said, softer now. Regret blooming behind his eyes. “But now that you do…”

His hand reached for the mask in your hands.

“…you have a choice.”

Would you run from the monster?

Or would you stay—and become one with him?

[pucksandpower]

Clickbait

Toto Wolff x Ferrari team principal!Reader

Summary: in which a reporter learns not to mess with the power couple of Formula 1 … the hard way

Based on this request

The bustling newsroom of BusinessF1 magazine hums with activity as Graham Lowell, a junior reporter with more ambition than scruples, hunches over his laptop. His fingers fly across the keyboard, a smirk playing at the corners of his mouth as he types out what he believes to be the scoop of the century.

Conflict of Interest in the Pit Lane: Ferrari and Mercedes’ Love Affair

Graham leans back, admiring his handiwork. He’s certain this article will catapult him to journalism stardom. Little does he know, he’s about to learn a harsh lesson in the dangers of sensationalism.

As the article goes live, the Formula 1 world erupts into chaos. Social media platforms light up with speculation and outrage. Within hours, the story spreads like wildfire, reaching the very subjects of its scandalous claims.

In the Ferrari motorhome, you stand before a group of wide-eyed team members, your voice steady despite the storm raging inside you. “I assure you, these allegations are completely false. Our team’s integrity is not, and will never be, compromised.”

Your phone buzzes incessantly in your pocket, but you ignore it. You know who it is, and you know you’ll need to face him soon enough.

Across the paddock, in the sleek confines of the Mercedes garage, Toto Wolff paces like a caged lion. His usually calm demeanor is nowhere to be seen as he barks orders into his phone.

“I want our legal team on this immediately,” he growls. “This is slander, pure and simple. They’ve gone too far this time.”

As the day wears on, the pressure mounts. You find yourself fielding increasingly hostile questions from reporters, their microphones thrust aggressively in your face.

“Is it true that you’ve been passing Ferrari’s secrets to Mercedes?” One shouts.

“How long have you been manipulating race results?” Another demands.

You maintain your composure, but inside, you’re seething. The blatant sexism in their questions is not lost on you. They seem all too eager to believe that a woman in your position must have achieved it through nefarious means.

As you push through the crowd, a familiar voice cuts through the chaos. “That’s enough!” Toto’s commanding tone silences the mob instantly. He strides forward, placing a protective arm around your shoulders.

“My wife and I will be making a statement shortly,” he announces, his steely gaze daring anyone to object. “Until then, I suggest you all refrain from spreading baseless rumors.”

The crowd parts reluctantly, allowing you both to escape to the relative quiet of a nearby hospitality suite. As soon as the door closes behind you, Toto’s fierce expression melts into one of concern.

“Are you alright, liebling?” He asks softly, cupping your face in his hands.

You lean into his touch, allowing yourself a moment of vulnerability. “I’m fine, Toto. Just ... frustrated. They’re so quick to believe the worst of me.”

Toto’s jaw clenches. “It’s disgraceful. But we’ll fight this, together. I promise you, they won’t get away with it.”

A knock at the door interrupts your moment. Toto’s assistant pokes her head in. “Sir, the lawyers are here.”

What follows is a whirlwind of legal jargon and strategy discussions. You listen intently as your shared legal team outlines the plan of attack.

“We’ll issue cease and desist orders to every outlet that’s republished the story,” the head lawyer explains. “And we’ll be filing a defamation lawsuit against BusinessF1 magazine and the reporter responsible.”

Toto nods approvingly. “Good. I want them to feel the full force of our response. This ends now.”

As the lawyers file out, you turn to Toto, a hint of worry in your eyes. “Do you think this will be enough? The damage to my reputation ...”

Toto takes your hands in his, his gaze intense. “We will rebuild it, stronger than ever. I won’t let them tarnish everything you’ve worked for.”

Meanwhile, back at the BusinessF1 office, Graham Lowell is beginning to realize the gravity of his mistake. His editor storms into the bullpen, face red with fury.

“Lowell!” He bellows. “My office, now!”

Graham follows meekly, his earlier bravado evaporating with each step. As he enters the office, he sees his editor isn’t alone. A grim-faced man in an expensive suit stands by the window.

“Sit down,” the editor growls. Graham complies, his legs feeling like jelly.

The man by the window turns, fixing Graham with a steely glare. “Mr. Lowell, I’m representing Mr. and Mrs. Wolff in this matter. I’m here to inform you that you and this publication are being sued for defamation.”

Graham’s mouth goes dry. “But ... but I had a source! They told me-”

“A source you failed to verify,” his editor cuts in. “Did you even attempt to get a comment from either party before publishing?”

Graham’s silence is damning. The lawyer continues, his voice cold and precise. “The damages we’re seeking are substantial. Your reckless journalism has caused significant harm to my clients’ reputations.”

As the full implications of his actions sink in, Graham slumps in his chair. His dreams of journalistic glory crumble before his eyes, replaced by the stark reality of legal consequences.

Outside, the F1 paddock buzzes with new excitement. Word of the impending lawsuit spreads quickly, and suddenly, those who were so quick to believe the scandal are backpedaling furiously.

You and Toto stand united before a sea of cameras, your hands clasped tightly together. Toto speaks first, his voice resonating with controlled anger.

“The allegations made against my wife and me are not only false but malicious,” he states. “We have always maintained the highest standards of professionalism and integrity in our respective roles.”

You step forward, your head held high. “I’ve worked tirelessly to earn my position as Team Principal at Scuderia Ferrari. To suggest that my success is due to anything other than my own merit is not only insulting to me but to every woman fighting to make her mark in this sport.”

The press conference continues, with you and Toto presenting a united front against the baseless accusations. As you field questions, you can see the tide of public opinion beginning to turn.

Later that evening, in the privacy of your hotel suite, you finally allow yourself to relax. Toto wraps you in a warm embrace, pressing a gentle kiss to your forehead.

“You were magnificent today,” he murmurs. “I’m so proud of you.”

You smile up at him, feeling the tension of the day start to melt away. “We make a good team, don’t we?”

Toto chuckles, a mischievous glint in his eye. “The best. Although, I must say, I’m almost disappointed we don’t actually have any juicy secrets to share. It might make things more exciting.”

You playfully swat his arm, laughing despite yourself. “I think we have enough excitement in our lives, thank you very much.”

As you settle into each other’s arms, you know that whatever challenges come your way, you’ll face them together. The storm may rage outside, but in here, in this moment, all is calm.

And somewhere across the continent, in a small, cluttered apartment, Graham Lowell stares at his laptop screen, watching his career and reputation crumble in real-time.

Social media is ablaze with backlash against him and support for you and Toto. As he scrolls through the endless comments condemning his shoddy journalism, one thought echoes in his mind.

“I am so, so screwed.”

[diz-eaze]

; yandere albedo.

the people of mondstadt know you. born and raised in the city of freedom, they've seen you grow from a small, boundless child into the refined adult you are today. your next door neighbor practically knows your daily routine by now: at 7:00AM you'll open your room window to let in the fresh air, then get ready. by 7:30AM you'll come barreling out of your house, dressed in your uniform and already heading off to the knights of favonius' headquarters as the acting grandmaster's assistant.

sara from good hunter will have your breakfast-to-go already prepared by the time you drop by. your usual, she'd say with a smile as she hands it off to you. you greet the local bard with gradient hair, and you'll bow down in respect should you encounter the cavalry captain, kaeya. amber high fives you by the headquarters entrance, and you encourage noelle when you see her struggling with training.

in your free time, you'll patrol around the peaceful city, looking out for any civilians that need the knights of favonius for mundane help. you encounter sneaky cats, dogs begging for treats, and dandelions scattering in the cool breeze. by sunset, you drop by timaeus' alchemy bench to see what he's been up to, and then retreat back to your little house.

you leave your mark on mondstadt that way, little bits and pieces of you are constructed together from countless interactions every single day.

they know you from your uniform to your civilian clothes. they know you from the type of smile you wear down to the subtle flinch you do when conflict brews.

though, from your recent behavior, it seems their belief in knowing you stands incorrect. an eerily quiet day passed through the city without any citizen seeing you at least once. the day after that, your odd behavior began.

your mouth struggles with the intonation of common mondstadtian tongue. your legs often give out on you mid-walk, and you stand up shakily, reminiscent of a newborn fawn. your memory is hazy, struggling to correctly place names onto people you've known for years. sometimes, you even look surprised when addressed by your own name.

it's... so very odd. you're like a newborn, in a weird, roundabout way.

but soon enough, your oddity begins to wane off. as if the puzzle pieces of you were all merely scattered to the ground, and it was only a matter of time before you piece it all back together to return to your former self.

you melt into your former routine, as if nothing ever happened. your neighbor sees you punctually leave at 7:30AM, sara gives you your breakfast, you greet venti, and you bow down 90 degrees when you see kaeya. amber high-fives you, and noelle is appreciative of your support. you patrol and help citizens, you drop by timaeus' stall, and go back home when the sun is no longer visible.

your previous behavior looks like a rough patch amidst the seamless silk that is your life. it was certainly a weird era for you, and people brush it off as a delirium of some sickness.

everything is fine. you're back to normal, and that's all that matters.

albedo knows you, more than anyone in mondstadt could ever hope to do so. they know you by your uniform and civilian clothes. they know you by your mannerisms. but albedo knows your inner wardrobe, the articles of clothing that you've yet to show to the public. he knows what makes you tick and what brings you joy. he knows the psychology behind your mind, why you do the things that you do.

they all claim to know you, but he deems that as a false statement.

anyone who truly knows you would know by now that the you in mondstadt is nothing more than a fake - an imitation, created by his own hands. a synthetic human being just like him. their claim of knowledge on you is nothing more than surface-level information; they never bothered to dive into the whirlpool that is you.

had it been him on the clueless end, he would've sniffed out the imposter long ago, because of how deeply invested he is in your identity and existence. he would know just from a glance, a simple overlook of your imitation, before he deems it to be counterfeit.

yet they never even paused to think why you were gone for a day without an excused leave beforehand, why you started acting different.

it was reckless, he'll admit. he should have taught the synthetic you properly before dropping it off in mondstadt. should've fed it everything he knew about you. but it leaves a bitter taste on his synthetic tongue when he thinks about your imitation knowing just as much as him about you. this being is not you, despite the 1:1 appearance.

in the end, he chose to drop the being off to mondstadt just hours after successfully creating it. it'll learn through its environment and grow to adapt, he's sure of it.

ignorance is bliss; a peaceful slumber. he'll let the people of mondstadt believe that the person they're with from now on is the real you. not that albedo has any complaints about their denseness, however, things are better this way.

this serves as proof that albedo is the only one who loves the true you.

the original (Y/N), stranded high up on the snow-covered mountain that is dragonspine. he's your only source of company, the only one capable of lighting a bonfire and putting a thick blanket on you. your hands are bound behind you, a safety measure until he deems you trustworthy enough to untie in the near future.

your new home is here, in dragonspine, where you'll learn to live and love the relentless blizzard and frequent snowstorms. his trips down to mondstadt are cut considerably short, for he aches to part from you. he starts to bring more equipment and items back to the camp to provide you with entertainment.

and when night falls, once he sees you deep in sleep, he'll gently raise the blanket so that he can worm into your warm embrace. a safe haven that is incomparable to the bonfire crackling a few feet away.

if there's one thing he's grateful to his imposter for, it'd be implanting the idea of a replacement in his head.

AKA; you've heard of albedo creating a synthetic baby from a single strand of your hair, now have an albedo who created a synthetic (Y/N) so that the real one stays with him <3

[casscainmainly]

Okay gonna analyse some common Duke beliefs just for quick and easy reference. Some of these are up to interpretation (as indicated), but these are some common things I see that aren't quite accurate to Duke as a character.

Claim: Duke started We Are Robin

True or false: False. Alfred started We Are Robin, and the entire core cast of We Are Robin was already there before Duke.

Claim: We Are Robin is a gang

True or false: kind of tricky? They're technically a gang in the most general sense of the word, but 'gang' has racial implications that I think people gloss over (We Are Robin is primarily composed of kids of colour). Movement is a much better term, and We Are Robin doesn't self-identify as a gang to my knowledge.

Claim: Duke led We Are Robin

True or false: tricky. While Robin War has him as the leader, for the majority of Duke's time in We Are Robin he does not give orders or act like a leader at all. We Are Robin generally doesn't have a leader. Duke certainly has leadership abilities, but WAR is not the best showcase of them. Up to personal interpretation though.

Claim: Duke is a Wayne

True or false: False. Duke is not adopted.

Claim: Duke is intimidated/scared of any Batfamily member

True or false: FALSE!!! There is unfortunately some horrible comic writing, but for the VAST MAJORITY of Duke's appearances he is not scared of any Batfam member. He's certainly not afraid of Damian, Jason, or Cass.

Claim: Duke can emit light

True or false: probably?? His powers are constantly in flux and he develops new abilities all the time, so who knows. But he is much more likely to use light to turn invisible/manipulate his perception of light than attack with them (for which he can use his shadow powers). Up to personal interpretation/fun headcanons.

Claim: Duke jumped out of a cop car

True or false: True, but it's a Tom King comic and he's written horribly in it. If you want another example of him not being the 'sane one', I recommend using the time he got shot by a bullet and thought about how baller it was.

Claim: Duke is new to the Batfamily and doesn't know their dynamics

True or false: Please stop 😭 It's been like a decade since his introduction there's no need to make him the clueless newbie. Also he's a fiercely intelligent detective who makes references to Jason's daddy issues, there's no way he's still in the dark about most of their relationships.

Claim: Duke tends to obey Bruce's orders

True or false: FALSE. Duke sneaks out even during his training days, and for the most part operates independently. He generally has a grudge against authority of all kinds.

Claim: Duke is very sunshine-y, bright, and optimistic

True or false: False. I get where this one is coming from (sunshine boy is cute I love it), but while his powers are light-based, his personality is not. He's pragmatic, rude, skeptical, and often disillusioned. He is an optimist in the sense that he believes in community and change, but he's nowhere near a bright, bubbly kid.

Claim: He's the normal one AND/OR he's just as crazy as the other bats

True or false: Both of these are somewhat false. Duke is not the normal/sane one, he's literally a vigilante how would that make sense. But he also thinks of himself as more normal than the others (at least at one point). Duke discourse should move on from this debate, both these statements obscure what makes Duke unique and interesting.

Claim: Duke designed his Signal outfit

True or false: False. This isn't really a belief I just see people assuming he designed it, he didn't though, Bruce gave it to him. There's no indication he had a hand in the design. Bruce actually gave him TWO designs, I think Bruce just loves giving him outfits tbh.

Claim: Duke's parents are still under the Joker toxin

True or false: Technically false. His mom was healed in Urban Legends #19, but Duke's sporadic appearances mean this was never really followed up on. I have no clue what happened to Doug. Up to DC to SAY SOMETHING ABOUT THIS!!!

Claim: Anything to do with his portrayal in WFA

True or false: False. Literally everything. (The only, and I do mean only, thing to take from WFA is his interactions with Damian)

Okay that's all, I hope that was helpful to anyone out there!!! There are tons of things here that are my interpretation only of course, the best way to get to know Duke is to read his comics. We Are Robin and DC Rise of the Power Company is waiting for you <3333.

[larkandkatydid]

I’ve seen a lot of people saying that if you were “skeptical” about the allegations against Neil Gaiman or “concerned it was a smear campaign” then you are “not a bad person” and that this was a reasonable concern. It is not a reasonable concern and if you thought so that is a morally awful thing to have done and it is reasonable for you to feel guilty! You feel guilty because what you did was wrong!

Now, I will say that investigations into serious crimes should be done by serious journalists with the legal and fact-checking resources of serious, reputable publications and when sketchy or amateur outfits break a big story to want to want to see follow up by the big leagues with all their good, solid protocols.

But if you really thought that a woman was perpetuating a conspiracy to defame her former lover (who was also her former employer) by falsely claiming that her consensual, kinky relationship was rape, all this in order to, by association, defame a minority group about which this former lover had occasionally made vague statements of support was even 1/10 as likely as a wealthy man being the ten thousandth wealthy man to be raping his babysitter? That is the most extreme example of the old saying that goes, “when you hear hoofbeats think horses, not zebras.”

If you really thought that, then why? I would ask you to search your heart for what assumptions made you think that an outlandish, never before seen conspiracy was more likely than the sordid cliche of a guy acting nice in public while raping the babysitter? And whom does this set of assumptions serve? How will you learn from this experience to not let these biases drive you to believe nonsense again?