#hour of code 2018

[eyes-of-nine]

he lived, he served cunt, he got put in a psych ward and probably some other shit but I've been too busy looking at all the domestic fluff to figure out the lore

[red-n-ded]

Another Charbee Prompt Ramble

I was sad again so here's another prompt

Basically a rewrite of the Rear Axle episode and most definitely inspired by the fact that Hailee Steinfield makes music.

Bee and Charlie were sparkbonded before TF Prime. It was on accident and on a whim since the two immediately never saw each other again after the bond. When Team Bee arrives on Earth, Bee believed she already died of old age unaware that the spark bond stops humans from aging.

For the entirety of Prime and RiD, Charlie was stuck at 30-years old.

Charlie thinks that Bee is still on Cybertron and lived out different lives since he left. She was a military assassin, a NASCAR racer, a ballet dancer, an actor, a writer, and Olympic Diver and Archer.

Currently she’s CHARLOTTE, a pop star who’s performing with Rear Axle to debut their latest song they made together. Russell is a huge fan of her and willingly goes. Bee thinks that CHARLOTTE could be related to Charlie but doesn't want to give himself hope.

When he is accidentally on stage, Bee is starstruck by Rear Axle then Charlie goes on stage and the two immediately recognize each other and dance with each other on the stage, happy to be reunited after so long.

The two stayed in touch while Charlie was on tour, Bee insisting her to stay away until the all the escaped Decepticons were captured. After the Autobot High Council was formed and Team Bee decide to stay on Earth, Charlie stops making up new lives and returned to Bee's side to renew their vows.

inspired by @youkaiyume Married RiD au

sorry it was short

[hobicakess]

PLAYING DANGEROUS | (one)

summary: It's been almost three years since Jack in the box was caught, and no one could make him talk. No one knew his story, and what drove him to become the monster he was today. That is until you're assigned your first story. What makes you so lucky?

rating: 18+ (I'm not your mother you're in control of what you consume)

pairings: Journalist!Reader x Criminal!JungHoseok x CEO!Kim Namjoon x Detective!MinYoongi.

warnings: warnings: no thoroughly edited, EW Ai , character death (nothing to cry about), black/plus sized coded reader, talks of murder, talks of torture, corporate evilness, violence, Mc reads hobi to filth, yandere characters, possessive/obsessive behavior, short hair namjoon (yes that's a warning), one maknae introduction, maknae helping cause chaos, cigarettes, Yoonie is an angry kitty this chapter, bratty mc, mc is kinda a bitch (a bad one at that), unhinged serial killer hobi (joker vibes tbh) , yoongi hates his job, namjoon loves his job (he gets to piss you off everyday) SMUT— nothing too crazy , choking, sub mc , missionary, mating press , man handling (yummy)

a/n: HEYYY omg this took me so long to write and it's just a little over 2k words... LMAO I suck i know, but we're getting there I pinkie promise. I really hope you all enjoy this and constructive criticism is welcome!!

TAGLIST: @sumzysworld @bbgniecyy @paramedicnerd004 @heartsbr0ken @grltwin @superbbananananana @secfir @darkuni63 @thisladysperspective @p34rluv @secfir @sarcastic-cookie @coffeedepressionsoup @ot7nem @italiekim @cynicalbitch666 @jalexd @whenthebeatdrop-beatdrop

2 MONTHS BEFORE JACKS ESCAPE

Kim multimedia station.

The place of business was always busy and there was never not anything to be done, Endless reports and stories in need of being written, the podcast teams always chattering about the hottest topics.

KMMs was a journalist's dream — your dream.

You were a known face around the company both online and in person. A pretty foreigner who was damn good at her job and that made you favored by the late CEO Kim. You were always hand picked by him to attend press conferences in his favor. He treated you kindly, allowing you into a large world of business pulling strings to get you the best stories helping you— a once broke freshly graduated English major climbing up in the world of reporting.

It's only been three months since CEO Kim passed away and the company was changing fast. You were grateful that you weren't a part of the many that were fired and replaced by new faces and AI, and you were now noticing how low the viewers were on podcasts, social media and blogs.

KMM was dying out very slowly and that meant you might go away with it. You were dedicated to your work, and the company that helped you become the person you were today.

And you were willing to do anything to not be forgotten.

Sleeping was not on the agenda right now.

A quick double tap to a cell phone showed an awfully bright screen reading 4:40 am. You had been lying in your bed mind racing while staring at your wall for the past hour and a half.

Jack in the box.

Rolling out the tangled bedsheets and arms you pull on a large T-shirt that'd been discarded a long with the other items of clothing on the floor shuffling towards the desk in the corner of your room. Laptop already open from your previous research when you pull out a pack of cigarettes from your drawer before plunging deep into the web. Your mouse clicks every site as your pen moved furiously taking in all the information you can about said serial killer.

“On May 14th, 2018 Serial Killer Jack In The Box was finally caught after a murdering spree in Seoul. The killings of ordinary outgoing individuals taken with a quick swipe of a knife and a long torture method.”

"Before his kills Jack likes to taunt his victim. He ironically sends them a Jack in the box to let them know they're next. The next few days said victim lives in constant fear, looking over their shoulder, leading the mostly known outgoing victim to slowly isolate themselves from loved ones in fear of them being hurt, eventually this leads to insomnia and in some cases hallucinations and histera. Then Jack disappears for a while making them think they're finally okay and he's gone until he wasn't."

The scoff that left your lips echoed through the quiet room, breathing out the nicotine smoke from your Cancer stick.

So Jack was an antisocial loser and took out his lack of social skills on people who could.

"No one knows of Jack's real identity. Police have reported that the man has lived many lives and has owned many faces for the past 11 years. Reporters have tried their hardest for the past 4 years to get a one on one interview with the man but unfortunately he refuses to talk only resorting to violence."

A reporter says he went for a handshake and left with two missing fingers.

Another says he watched the man bang his head on the wall hard enough to bleed when he asked the murderer's real name.

A broken arm??

“Fuck” you huff flicking the ash at the butt of your cigarette. You stare at the mugshot photos supplied at the end of the article. Dark wide eyes, shaggy black hair falling over his forehead, the piercings sticking from the bridge of his nose eyebrow and top lip.

The look definitely screams psycho but…. he was kinda hot. It took everything in you not to go and click the endless fanfiction that you stumbled upon.

A pair of warm lips press onto your shoulder causing you to jump. Turning to look over your shoulder at the shirtless sight of Kim Namjoon.

“We have to be up in four hours, baby, come back to bed.”

You hum into his embrace with a pout stubbing out the cigarette into the pink ashtray beside your computer. “Did you know Jack went through eight lawyers? Until one day he randomly called Kim Seokjin. That high profile guy from the law firm we're partnered with? they must know each other”

Though Namjoons attention was not on the words that were leaving your mouth. Hands wander all over your body while placing kisses on your neck, and cheeks.

“He literally bit the finger of the last reporter clean off. Like do you know how much force you have to put into that? I think he reads too much gothic liter—”

Cutting you off with a quick grab of your jaw turning your head to connect his plump lips to own. Pulling away with a cheeky dimpled smirk, “I’m not sure how I feel about you talking about another man.”

“Well you shouldn't feel any type of way because you aren't MY man.”

You squeal when you're lifted up from your chair and throw over a broad shoulder. He huffs when he throws you onto the memory foam comforter, your (his) shirt lifting up your thighs exposing your bare cunt. Immediately his big body was hovering over you as he slightly pressed his body weight onto you.

“Get off you dick” pushing and smacking his tan shoulders but that did nothing for you at this moment. “Well I'm trying to put it in you.”

He bullies your legs up over his shoulders as he taps his hard piece against the wetness between your thighs. “If something happens to me during this case I swear” choking on your words as he slowly but surely presses his thick head into your cunt.

“Fuck — may the man himself strike me down.”

Hand reaching to grip your throat smashing your lips together. Luckily your mind left the thoughts of the serial killer , the only thing on your mind right now was Namjoon and his ridiculously large cockm

It wasn't weird for you to obsess over your assignments to the point where it was all you thought about. Everyone does that.

Though this one you couldn't seem to finesse your way out of. Without the help of the late Kim you'd have to pull your own strings to get what you wanted and now that Namjoon was in charge he loved making your life harder.

“Y/n.”

Your head snaps up from your laptop hand stalling from moving on your notepad face to face with gorgeously pale Detective Min Yoongi.

“Yoonie” you smile, motioning for him to sit in front of you. He looked different from when you last saw him all the months ago, more tired and cat- like you guessed it was from the heavy responsibilities that came with the position as Chief of Seouls police department

“Did you just call to look at me?”

“Sorry it's just been . . a while” you push the large Iced Americano towards him as a peace offering. He gladly accepted it with an amused raise of an eyebrow, “You know I just wait for your call.”

“The phone works both ways” you internally wince , you sounded like an estranged father talking to his child.

“What do you want?” A frown spread across your face and lips, shutting your laptop. “I can't call an old friend for a friendly coffee date.”

You waited for his answer as he took his time generously drinking from his plastic cup. With a smack of his lips he sat the cup down leaning back with his arms crossed over his chest.

“You only call me ‘Yoonie’ when you want something” eyes scanning over the scatter of papers and notes taking up your side of the table.

“This must be serious”

Hands going to clasp under your chin you sigh, cutting the bullshit. “Three years ago you were the lead investigator on the Jack in the box case which brought you from rookie detective to Chief of police.”

“I was wondering if you could help old friend out tell me what you know about-”

“No.” He cuts you off with little to no thought.

“No? Why not? This isn't our first rodeo Min”

There were plenty of times Yoongi helped you with stories without a second thought. He'd give you case files, witnesses, and anything you needed but why not now?

“Anybody but him”

You scoffed at him, irritation rising in your body. “I need this story not anyone else.”

“Well I can't help you, princess.”

“That's bullshit!” Your voice raises causing a couple people around you to turn their attention towards the two of you. He stood up, chair scraping the floor, slamming a few dollars on the table. “Call me if you need anything else.”

Turning on his heel he leaves you sitting there in your slowly growing rage. You quickly hopped from your seat chasing after him, managing to catch up with his long strides. “Yoongi slow down dammit”

He twirls around grabbing onto you by your arm, “Who gave you this story.

“Namjoon he-” you whine as his grip tightens on your arm as his eyes slit. The angry red scar on his face makes his angry stare look even more intimidating. “You don't understand how dangerous Jack is. Just because he's behind bars doesn't mean he won't have people on the outside that will whack you for being a nosy reporter.”

He softens his hold, lifting his hand to rub your cold cheek. “If something happens to you. . .” He shakes his head letting you go.

“Sit this one out Y/N I don't want to see you in our precinct mortuary.” with that he walks away disappearing into the crowd.

You sniff doing the walk of shame back to the Café sitting back in your seat with your head in your hands

Detective Min Yoongi.

“Excuse me Ma’am” the blonde barista came over holding a box of blueberry doughnuts which happened to be your favorite. “It's on the house.. everyone saw your fight with your boyfriend, manager said this might help cheer you up.”

“Oh! Thank you but he wasn't my boyfriend, just a work colleague.” You tried to defend yourself but the sympathy in his eyes only grew so you accepted the treat with another thank you. “What is your name? I've never seen you here before.”

A soft brightens his pretty face, eyes scrunching slightly adding to the prettiness of his face. “Park Jimin, Ma’am.”

MEANWHILE

The buzz of the electrically wired door opening didn't alert the man that stayed deep in the corner of his cell. “Long time no see.”

“Why now?” the visitor asks, “After all this time you choose now.”

He giggled, the haunting sound bouncing off the walls. “Did you bring what I asked for”

The visitor threw the pictures and the box of cigarettes into the cell. “Answer my question.”

“It's been three longgg years.” He finally answered, moving from his corner to pick up the photos. “Tell me is she this gorgeous in person?”

“Just for her?”

“And I need to stretch my legs” he laughs louder this time the high pitched sound echoed even through the thick steel door that kept him locked in tight.

Jack was ready to play more games

©hobicakesss , please don't repost or steal my work. don't be a loser

[lexirosewrites]

I can't remember if I already sent in an ask abt nugget #6 in my new years birth AU but if I did ignore tht one

NUGGET #6 is, surprisingly, early. Not dangerously early, but it catches everyone off guard & his first 24 hours involve him being hooked up to oxygen. He's born dual sexed but there's no scent.

Steve & Eddie panic bc they haven't talked abt it much w their other pups, but nugget #6 is a rainbow baby. Steve experienced his first ever miscarriage 8 months before he conceived nugget #6. Steve was safe but devastated. The doctor explained tht it might b considered rare for an omega, either man or woman, to have a miscarriage but it does happen.

(In my world building I maintain tht omegas would have very quick labor but also the genetics have evolved in a way tht omegas aren't known for being particularly high risk of a miscarriage. Also, I maintain tht omegas would have mostly home births. But this is an AU where the upside down did happen so I think all the trauma Steve's body went through might make labor & delivery a little more complicated so when they were awaiting nugget #1 it was decided tht Steve would give birth in the hospital.)

SO ANYWAY

Nugget #6 is born so much smaller than his siblings & he doesn't have a strong scent for the first 24 hours. When Eddie voices their shared worry as their son is put on oxygen the doctor reassures them; when a pup is born early it isn't unusual for them to not have a particularly noticeable scent. The nurses & doctors monitor the pup tht is barely technically considered a preemie & everyone is relieved when he is strong enough after just 24 hours to be taken off oxygen. His scent developed overnight as he got used to being outside the womb earlier than anyone expected. The blood test they'd taken already confirmed it but it's a good sign tht he has a milky puppy scent tht is noticeably sweet,

little Samwise Wayne Munson is a boy omega, born at 2:55PM February 14, 2000. Wayne is old & tired from a lifetime of hard labor & no one says it but they're all thinking abt how Wayne might not b around in a decade or so, Eddie cries abt it when Wayne thanks him (while holding Wayne Jr) for naming his bby after him & Steve makes both men cry harder when he says samwise needed strength his first 24 hours & they couldn't think of anyone else stronger

Not even 2 days later, February 16, 2000 at 3PM O!Max safely delivers an alpha boy, the throuples 2nd child. They name him Eric William Hopperfield-Sinclair, Eric is more than the male form of Erica it's also Max's bio dads name; a 2 for 1 special

Erica makes a joke at the gathering tht the Hopperfield-Sinclairs host when their new baby comes home: tht the two will grow up & fall in love w eachother, they all laugh

((They all laugh about it once more in 2024 after Eric gets down on one knee with a cherry red velvet ring box to propose to Samwise in the middle of their huge family Christmas dinner, hosted in the gorgeous actual literal chateau in the Austrian countryside tht was among the assets steve inherited when Amelia passed away in 2018.

Samwise laughs and pulls his own deep purple velvet ring box out of his pocket. They both say yes))

((Eric got Samwise a lab grown pink diamond princess cut into a heart surrounded by small pink pearls on a rose gold band, his Sammy loves pink & maximalism. While Samwise got Eric a lab grown amethyst set into an art deco white gold band, his Eric loves green & art deco.))

(Funny side story in this AU: B!Murray (& his amused mate the Russian ex-pat O!Alexei) made everyone they could guilt into visiting hide in Murray's new & improved apocalypse housing on December 31st 1999. Dustin & Suzie were exempt because they were some of the unsung heroes working overtime to code computers all over the world to NOT glitch out at midnight new years eve 1999. El was also involved but she was mostly a last resort worst case scenario option. Baby Jim was extremely confused abt spending his birthday in the middle of nowhere, but he was also barely 4 so he was easily distracted with the cake grandma Joyce baked)

THATS ALL FOLKS, might end up submitting a few more anecdotes abt this AU for Sunday this week but consider this ask the concluding chapter of a story!!!

💛💛💛

[theboytatu]

2023 EXO WRAPPED

newton's 4th law states that for every "it's so over" there's an equally opposite "we are so back" so taking that into account i present to you the 2023 EXO WRAPPED so we can take a look at how truly insane EXO's career was this year

so we started out the year on a positive note. baekhyun was about to come back from the military - every other member was available, and the rumors of an EXO comeback were growing stronger. things were looking UP!

sadly - our first "it's so over" comes into play a mere month into the year, when news broke that lee sooman was being ousted from SM after a hostile board takeover resulted in him reaching out to hybe to get enough juice to fend off the witch hunt

no one knew what the fuck was going on - every idol in that company was sending out coded messages begging for help and all the scheduled comebacks got delayed, half assed or canceled. thankfully the succession plot got discarded quickly and hybe dropped out from the race, resulting in kakao investing in SM as major shareholder and lee sooman officially leaving the company.

after a few months of uncertainty EXO were finally reunited for their anniversary fanmeeting - we are so back!!! this was the first time the 8 members were together on stage since 2018 so of course everybody was losing their shit. and then we got confirmation that the comeback was finally happening.

this was it. it was happening. the FIRST full group comeback IN FIVE YEARS... we had confirmation, so they couldn't take it back - right? RIGHT??? except.... the weeks kept passing and as time went on we knew nothing else about the comeback. the members were radio silent and SM was still getting their shit together from the hostile takeover. both EXO and shinee's comebacks got delayed (among others) and no one knew what was supposed to happen. every day we got another news article about the EXO comeback but the EXO in question was nowhere to be seen - the full spectrum of the exol experience:

what happened next constitutes what experts have called the biggest "it's so fucking over" in recorded history so you better buckle up....

the comeback was first confirmed on social media by numerous music producers who were often seen working with EXO. SM was still radio silent but we KNEW the album was being made at the very least. expectations were building up and the members were seen practicing together in the SM building.... and then.

kai got notified that he had to enlist WITH ONE WEEK'S NOTICE.... the comeback wasn't even done shooting. kai was dying his hair a different color everyday to cram an album's worth of content in a couple of days. in hindsight this was truly our biggest L of the year

and then SM lied about how the military had suddenly changed the rules of enlistment so they didn't know kai had to go. AN ACTUAL MILITARY OFFICIAL had to go on the record to disprove this and it turns out SM had lied because they fucked up kai's paperwork and he couldn't defer any more. just your average SM fuck up

anyway. we'd facen worse right? an exo member enlisting has never been a problem to release a comeback - so after sending kai off to his bootcamp the rest of exo went right back to business. that album wasn't gonna record itself.....

and then on june 1st the second airplane hit the exo towers.

the amount of articles and updates we got every hour from different parties was insane. no one knew what the fuck was happening and SM was busy fighting this PR nightmare with a smear campaign against CBX and by association the rest of EXO

exoplanet was on fire but we had a silver lining: SM stock was plummeting to an all time low. it looked like EXO freedom was on the horizon, but in a classic EXO move the members had ghosted us. no one had heard from them except for legal statements from their lawyers - but hey at least SM was a dumpsterfire!

mind you the comeback hadn't even been announced.... at this point we assumed that was the least of their worries and then word got out that the members had been trying to film the MV in the middle of the lawsuit and SM hadn't allowed CBX entry to the set... which was later disproved but no one even questioned that cause it's literally something SM would do

and then in what constitutes the single most bizarre album rollout in kpop the comeback was officially announced - with two prerelease songs and three MVs! and three members in a legal battle! sounds very 2014 right? well exols didn't give a shit, and then we got our next we are sooo back. the hype was THERE

after a lot of 📈📉📈📉 the lawsuit against SM was settled and CBX decided to remain in the company for the sake of the group, and the songs they prereleased were actually good so it was safe to say exoplanet was on their WE ARE SOOOO BACK era.... but SM wouldn't let us have it so easy so of course this happened immediately after

they started cancelling albums and understocking distributors but nevertheless... WE PERSISTED. the album was finally released and once again EXO, true to their title of the cockroaches of kpop, managed to break several records despite SM sabotaging them left and right. they had ONE music show win and THREE streams but it didn't matter. EXO was back.

after their comeback promotions lasted a whopping SEVEN days and then dipped from the face of the earth exoplanet was finally looking back to normal

baekhyun drunk texted fans on bubble and held live spaces on twitter where he fell asleep and snored in front of 30 thousand people. kyungsoo dropped a mini album that had been recorded and ready to go for over a year and then rumors of someone leaving SM started circulating on korean foums again. exols were busy counting down the days to sehun finally hauling his ass to the military and every time EXO SC had a fanmeeting we were sure he was going to leave. and THEN....

surprising absolutely no one, kyungsoo didn't renew his contract with SM and left amicably in mid october. suho sent this bubble the same day the news came out btw

we were back in our it's so over era which at this point for EXO and exols it's closer to our we are so back era.... it's kinda hard to keep up but at least nothing else was gonna happen. it was already november, the end of the year was coming and no one expected anything else in exoplanet for at least 6 to 8 months. this is already longer than exo's career so i'll just wrap it up in a second part!!

[hypotonuseisguud]

C.B. headcanons because I'm insane about him!!!!

(productions will be specified if needed ^^)

Original London Cast C.B.

He sometimes forgets that he's not on radio and uses 10-codes while talking to people face to face

He has dyed his mustache before for the rockies when they were 'younger' (or however trains age)

Always has a small comb in his pocket even though he never uses it bc of his hat lmao

He loves 80s slang sm and is always using it. He says tubular and radical unironically and thats kind of iconic

He is SUCH a morning person! It's almost annoying how early he gets up and moving. He is out of the house by 6a and he just has to meander the tracks bc no one is up and work doesn't start until 8a

Pre-2018 Bochum Caboose

He wears suspenders and its so so bad. The ugliest things you've ever laid eyes on

TMI doesn't exist between him and Dinah.

^ Off of that: They've been friends since she arrived at the yard! I like to imagine that they got there around the same time, maybe Caboose a few months before

Seasonal depression like a mf but in the summer. He HATES the summer sm because he doesn't like the heat, and then he and his partner (either Electra or Greaseball bc i can't pick) can't cuddle without sweating to death

The can of pomade hates to see him coming. He uses so much, frankly TOO much, product in his hair. It's like a ritual that he takes like half an hour to do his maybe 6 inches of hair.

He isn't a morning person. Unlike OLC c.b., you cannot get him up before 8 and he is late to work almost, if not every day. How he hasn't been fired is a question no one can find the answer to.

im not doing B.V. because I strongly dislike him🩷 (im working on it but its so hard to like him when olc cb and caboose are right there) (im sorry bv likers😔)

[itpemod]

#ITPE 2024 MASTERLIST!

(This has also been crossposted to the Amplificathon DW community)

(If you'd like to see previous years' master lists, 2011 is here, 2012 is here, 2013 is here, 2014 is here, 2015 is here, 2016 is here, 2017 is here, 2018 is here, 2019 is here, 2020 is here, 2021 is here, 2022 is here, and 2023 is here.)

Happy 14th annual #ITPE/technically 1st Informal Tumblr Podfic Exchange!!!! Thank you for bearing with us in our switch to a new platform! We’ve had a few hiccups but now that we know where those are, future years will hopefully run much more smoothly!

Here’s some stats and highlights from this year’s #ITPE!

We had 81 participants this year, and you made 313 podfics (including some ~sekrit~ gifts not available on the masterlist) for a total run time of 140 hours, 59 minutes, and 4 seconds–that’s over FIVE DAYS of audio!

We have 4 simulpods this year! Which is less than we expected, given some of the niche fandoms and crossovers we matched y’all on, so congratulations on finding a diversity of fics to record! @sunshineprincejeremyknox | @flowerparrish and @jeremyknox | @kbirbpods were responsible for two of those simulpods, one which they gifted to each other and the other which they both gifted to the same person. @eafay70 and @tinybluebirdcloak both gifted the same fic to @read-by-silverandblue. Finally, @alliaskisthepossibilityoflove and @rhea314 both recorded the same fic for different participants!

While #ITPE encourages participants to embrace the no-minimums, low-stress vibe, some of y’all do like to Do the Most, and we like to recognize extraordinary effort when we see it!

@opalsong, usually a notorious podfic robot, has had a lot going on this year in terms of school and was worried she would not be able to hit the productivity highs of previous years. So we, as mods, thought, “Great! We know what to do! We’ll match her with someone on one very specific OT3 that this recipient has been requesting for years, in a fandom not especially known for blanket permission, and that way Opal won’t feel compelled to make a bajillion podfics because the pool will be so small! We are solving so many problems with this match!” And we thought we were so clever! Only for Opalsong to find a 90k fanfic and turn in a 12 hour podfic. Well. We tried! But clearly Opalsong is going to Opalsong. <3

By far our most prolific gifter this year was @sunshineprincejeremyknox | @flowerparrish, who not only made 6 gifts for zir recipient (including a 4 hour podfic), but also 31 treats. Not far behind was @mistbornhero who made 7 main gifts and 23 treats! @jeremyknox | @kbirbpods made 4 main gifts and 18 treats! We also had generous treaters in @wanderingjedihistorian, @reena-jenkins, @blackestglass, @pezzax, and @wilfriede! Plus, honorable mentions to @daisydiversions and @annabelle-myrtille for the 10 and 6 hour (respectively) podfics they made for their recipients!

Finally, we'd like to extend some thank you’s to:

-Data mod flowersforgraves for converting all the sign up data to airtable which makes matching so much easier. -Asymptotical and Dragonflies_and_Katydids for creating the coding we used to generate distribution day templates. -Everyone who offered to pinch hit, especially sunshineprincejeremyknox | flowerparrish and @jetainia, though thankfully we did not end up needing them to fulfill those pinch hits! -And as always, @exmanhater for ITPE’s permanent hosting

Now let’s get on to what you’re really here for…..the masterlist!! Here’s the masterlist spreadsheet for this year’s exchange!

Happy listening!!!

[slytherinn-xo]

Swim Tryouts at 7:30- Danielle Van De Donk

Danielle Van De Donk X USWNT Player! Lyon Player! Reader

Synopsis: When Daan has football at 7:00 and swimming practice at 7:30, while at the world cup.

851 words

Being a US player that plays outside of the US is rare, like extremely rare, but being the only one to have never played in the NWSL, now that's rare. 

I was born in the USA, raised in Memphis Tennessee, but when I was 14, I moved away to Germany as that's my father's home country. When I spent the next three years before I started off my career in the German Women's top League.

I've played for four leagues, now, starting off my career in the German League with Bayern Munich in 2017 for just one season. Getting to play with the greats over there, learning so much from Frido, Sara Dabritz, Jill Roord, Leupolz, and Leah Galton.

Before I signed with Arsenal in 2018, for the next three seasons, until 2021. Where we won the WSL title once, in my first season.

Which was where I met Daan, I fell in love to say the least. But she was already in love, with Beth Mead, so I watched on from the side lines, like I was waiting to be subbed on now.

But she was my best friend, it was her, me, Viv and Jill when she finally came and joined us. The Dutchies and the American.

But they were my family.  

And then I moved to play for Barcelona for just one season after they won the Champions League in 2021 til 2022. Before I moved, and I got the chance to be with the girl I was in love with. 

Daan. 

So I joined in 2022, which was where we reconnected, and to say we both fell in love was the truth. We've been dating now for 10 months, and we do hide it, but we don't at the same time. 

We're private people but not a secret.

So facing here now in the group stages of the Women's World Cup, it was hard. 

But with less than 3 minutes to go of extra time was on the clock, and I turned back after the whistle was blown. 

I just saw an orange shirt on the floor. "Who is it?" I asked Lindsay, my Lyon teammate, as I couldn't read from that far away. Well that and I'm dyslexic and can barely read myself.  

"Daan." She muttered before I ran over to my girlfriend. I couldn't hide all of this, I was scared, my girlfriend is on the floor not bloody well moving. 

"Schatje." I told Daan standing by her as she was led on the floor not moving, crouching by her as I had my hand on her shoulder. 

"Poepie." Daan muttered back to me. 

"Not that name." I told her with a smile, that was one good sign she could still understand me and knew who we were around her. 

When the Dutch medics made their way over to Daan you saw the first showings of blood slowly coming out of her hair, but you had no idea how much there would be under there. 

I wasn't given a choice but to move away from her as the Dutch staff moved me out of their way, pushing me back away from my girlfriend. 

"No, stay!" Daan told me as she locked eyes with me, trying to reach her hands out to grasp onto me. 

"I'm right here." I told her as I kept eyes with her. 

I watched as they placed some gauze over her wound, before just placing a swimming cap over it. 

I laughed at her. 

"Not a word!" Daan told me, pointing that finger at me, wagging it at my face. 

"You look like you've got swimming practice in half an hour." I told her with a smile. 

"Oh shut up." Daan told me as she stood up. 

"Make me!" I told her walking away from her backwards as she was escorted of the pitch before she could return to play. 

~~

"Are you two doing okay, it looked rough on the pitch?" The interviewer switched to English seeing me walk up to Daan, and I stood a bit behind my small gal. 

"The best players are always the most competitive." I told the interviewer as I interrupted Daan's interview. 

"Best friends?" The interviewer asked us both, as my arm was around Daan's shoulders but Daan's was holding onto my waist. 

"The best." Daan answered like clockwork for us, squeezing my waist twice, doing our code, for when we wish we could say our feelings. 

"Go get that checked out properly." I told Daan raising one eyebrow up at her, as she nodded, looking deep into my eyes. 

"I will, ik houd van je." Daan told me, trying to politely kick me out of the interview. 

"Ik houd van je." I told her back quickly kissing her before walking off to Lindsay who was gasping at my actions, before I froze. 

"You didn't mean to do that?" Daan asked me. 

"No I didn't!" I said shaking my head, before running back to kiss Daan one last time before running away back to Lindsay as we were both bright red in the face now. 

[staylovesmiley]

Collision— Chapter 4

ᯓᡣ𐭩Pairing; Stray Kids x afab!reader

ᯓᡣ𐭩 ᯓᡣ𐭩Summary; You’ve known him for years but you never would have guessed the charming guy you’ve been online gaming with has been an idol this whole time. (masterlist here)

ᯓᡣ𐭩 ᯓᡣ𐭩ᯓᡣ𐭩Warnings; implied afab reader (only they/them pronouns used for reader), mild angst?, pls I haven’t written fanfics since 2018 patience and kindness is appreciated

By the time you both arrived at the dorms, the rest of 3racha was returning from the studio.

When they saw how red and puffy your face was from your tears, the events of the early morning hours causing exhaustion to settle in your eyes ten fold. “Oh my god Star are you okay?” Jisung asked with wide eyes as he dropped his bag by the couch and made his way over to you, Changbin on his heels. You nodded weakly as the rapper placed his hands on your shoulders while looking you over. “Their apartment flooded.” Chan said as he carried your duffle into his room. “They are gonna crash here until it gets fixed so be on your best behavior.” He said, pointing a finger at the two men causing Changbin to practically howl in protest that he was always on his best behavior. You sniffled, giggling lightly as his outburst. “You can stay as long as you need to….let me know if there is anything I can do to help, yeah?” Jisung gave a warm smile, rubbing your arms gently to comfort you before bidding a goodnight and retiring to his room. You spoke softly as you wished him sweet dreams, Chan returning to guide you into his room. “You can stay in here tonight until we can work out a better arrangement.” Nodding, you looked around before meeting his eyes. “Thank you again for this….I didn’t know who to call-“ the oldest gave a reassuring look before patting the top of your head. “You did the right thing calling me. Now get some sleep, yeah? I’m gonna go crash in Bin’s room.” You were going to protest but found yourself too tired to argue, allowing him to tuck you into his bed before you quickly fell into a heavy slumber weighed down by the exhaustion all of the stress and crying had caused.

Once Felix had woken up, news of your arrival at the dorms had traveled fast as Jisung had told Minho who told Hyunjin who then blabbed to Felix and Jeongin when they had met up for breakfast at a cafe near by. Hurt, confusion, and concern all flashed across the younger aussie’s face at the news that something had happened that caused you to crash in the 3racha dorm so suddenly. Minho hadn’t mentioned to Hyunjin why it was you were staying there and so their imaginations ran wild with the possibilities. Felix felt himself growing a bit jealous the more he thought of how you had gone to Chan when you could have called him. He would have dropped everything and came to help you, you should have known. His two breakfast dates bid him farewell, deciding to do some shopping after their meal leaving the blonde to his own devices has his mind spiraled.

He wasn’t sure why he was feeling this way, it was just Chan and you and himself were only friends. His feelings for you were strictly platonic, weren’t they? He sat at the table alone in the cafe for some time, wondering why you hadn’t reached out to him yet to tell him what had happened. Against his better judgment, he returned home but instead of going to his own dorm he found himself entering the key code to the 3racha abode coming face to face with a shirtless Bangchan sitting at the dining table eating a bowl of cereal. “Sup Lix! I didn’t know you’d be coming-“ The younger huffed, dismissing the older man’s words while looking around for you. “Where are they? Where is Star?” Chan’s brow furrowed in confusion, sighing as he remembered he lived with two of the most gossiping members in their group. “In my room, still sleeping. They really wore themself out last night-“ “WHAT?!” Felix shrieked, eyes wide as suddenly the shirtless appearance of his mate didn’t seem as innocent and common place. “Geez, Lixie not like that…what do you take me for?!” He rolled his eyes, standing to approach the younger cautiously. “Is everything okay?” The blonde shook his head, looking down at the ground as embarrassment from his outburst flooded over him. “No- yes? I don’t know- why didn’t they call me?” Chan nodded, understanding now. “Are you upset they called me instead?” The younger Aussie nodded softly, not able to look him in the eyes. Chan immediately enveloped him in his arms, rubbing soothing circles on his lower back. “Hey, it’s okay. It happens, a little jealousy is normal. We are only human-“ Felix scoffed, rolling his eyes a bit. “I wouldn’t say I’m jealous…I just don’t get why they’d call you when I’ve known them longer-“ Chan pulled back, tilting the others chin up so he would meet his eyes. “Hey, I said it’s okay. I get it- but we need to talk about it, yeah? It’s clearly been bothering you.” Had it been bothering him? All of the teasing and flirting they would do with you to fluster you. He didn’t think it did, until now as he thought harder on it. But then he remembered how you would flush the most adorable shades of pink just at catching his eyes on you, no words necessary, and it didn’t feel as upsetting knowing that he could get such a reaction from you with less effort. Though hearing you had went to someone else in your time of need that wasn’t him, it made him feel like maybe you didn’t trust him to take care of you. He saw the things stay would write about him being soft, delicate, submissive- maybe you thought he couldn’t protect you like Chan could and that hurt him.

Felix sighed and rested his forehead against Chan’s. “Maybe I was a little jealous they called you instead….I don’t know why-“

Chris looked at him incredulously. “Lix, babe…you’re joking, right?” The blonde pulled back to meet his eyes with confusion. “You like Star, sunshine….you are seriously still like this even with everything we all went through?” Felix groaned, burying his face in the crook of the older’s neck “god don’t remind me- I was so stupid and clueless back then.” Chan laughed, shaking his head. “Seems like you still are, Lix. Why don’t you go see if our guest is ready to wake up, yeah? I’m sure seeing you will cheer them up.” It dawned on him that he still had no clue what had happened, and he got the feeling Chan was wanting him to find out from you and not himself. “O-Okay….” He stammered out, worried as to what could have happened. Bangchan pressed a gentle kiss to his temple before pushing him in the direction of his room where you remained soft asleep even after his earlier outburst.

The sight of you curled up in the middle of Chan’s bed, face hidden under your arm as you let out soft little snores caused his chest to clench tightly. He figured the older must be onto something as the butterflies erupted there moments later when he sat carefully on the edge of the mattress and rubbed between your shoulder blades gently until your began to stir, blinking away the sleep as you looked up at him with a pout. “F’lix?” You mumbled, still groggy from your slumber. He chuckled, pushing the hair out of your face as he beamed down at you. “Yeah, I heard Chan brought you here last night….what- um…what happened? Are you okay?” As the events from the early hours returned to you, you felt your lower lip begin to tremble. Before the tears could fall, the blonde was pulling you to his chest, smoothing down your wild bedhead as he whispered as to not startle you. “Hey hey it’s okay….you don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to I’m just worried about you..”

Once you had calmed down, you nuzzled your face into his neck causing him to blush a deep crimson and kiss the top of your head. “I woke up and my whole apartment was flooded-“ you spoke softly, hesitantly as you held onto your friend for comfort. Sighed in relief that you weren’t hurt, and that it was something fixable, he relaxed visibly against you. “Chan told me to stay here until it’s fixed but- Lix I can’t impose on you guys like that it’s too much.” You looked up at him, eyes wide and behind them your brain worked overtime to try and come up with a solution. “Yeah you’re right, you shouldn’t stay here.” He said, nodding in agreement. “W-What?” You asked, looking up at him worried as you felt your fears of being a burden to them were being confirmed. “You should stay with me instead. My bed is bigger and I live with the better cook.” He teased, poking your sides until you were squirming around with fits of laughter. “Okay okay OKAY- Lix cut it out I can’t breathe!” You squealed, hitting lightly at his chest to get him to back off. As his attacks died down, along with both of your laughter he could help but stare down at the position he had you in.

There you were, splayed out under him and breathing heavily from the intense tickle fight. He himself was practically sitting on your lap, taking in the way your chest rose and fell rapidly and becoming transfixed by the motion. “Um- Felix? Hello, earth to Felix!” You said, it now being your turn to poke at his side until he snapped out of the trance you had put him in. “S-Sorry, lost in thought. Let’s go get you something to eat, yeah?” And with that he was standing up and pulling you with him so fast you felt the blood rushing to your head much too fast. “Woah slow down, comrade you’re gonna make me faint-“

Your words caused him to freeze, successfully making you run into him where he had been pulled up and behind him. “Oh- sorry just have a lot of energy today I guess….” You giggled, shaking your head at him before reaching up to ruffle his hair. “It’s okay Lix just take it easy, yeah? I lost a lot of fluids last night from crying my eyes out.” You hummed, patting his cheek before making your way to the kitchen where a still shirtless Chan was sat scrolling on his beloved laptop.

You stopped dead in your tracks, taking in the sight with wide eyes. “Oh, morning sleepy head.” He beamed, looking up from his work to great you. “Morning….um- thanks again for everything last night, I really appreciate it.” Seeing Felix coming out of the room to join them, Chan shrugged and sent a wink your way. “Any of us would have, it’s what we do.” You felt arms circle around your middle from behind, giggling at how endearing you found the blonde’s clinginess. “Want to go grab something to eat then check on your apartment to talk to the front desk?” He questioned, looking down at you where you tilted your head back to meet his eyes. “That sounds good, yeah….I think I’d feel a lot better having you there for emotional support.” This caused the freckled man to blush and beam with pride, feeling much better than earlier with those words alone. “Alright then let’s get going! Do you wanna change first or-“ looking down at your pajama clad appearance you bit your lip and nodded, rushing back to Chan’s room to change quickly into whatever it was you had managed to shove in your bag in your distraught state before rejoining the men in the common area of the apartment to head over to your complex with Felix in tow.

“I’m sorry h-how long?” You stared at the maintenance man with complete disbelief, jaw practically to the floor while Felix stood behind you running his warm hands up and down your arms in a comforting motion. His actions helped ground you, holding you in reality as the worker’s words sunk in. “Three months, roughly. There was a lot of water damage no one could have prevented once the leak sprung, along with waiting for the parts to repair the cause of the damage.” You whined, turning around to bury your face in your friends neck, your fists balled up against his chest. “This sucks! What am I gonna do-“ Felix had to fight back the grin threatening to spread across his lips as the idea of you living with him for three whole months. “It’s gonna be okay, you are more than welcome to bunk with me until everything is settled, yeah?” You nodded, sniffling a bit as you trying not to cry yet again as you felt the voice in the back of your mind nagging at you that you were going to become a burden to your friends. “O-Okay…can I go in and get my things I’ll need?” The maintenance manager nodded and stepped aside to allow you into the apartment.

They had already cleared away the pools of water though the floor seemed to squish audibly with each step. Felix helped you pack away your things in the suitcase you had arrived with originally, batting your hands away as you attempted to take it from him when you both went to leave. The only thing he would let you carry was your backpack and even that took you giving him the best set of puppy eyes you could manage causing him to cave and drop the bag from his shoulder and pass it over to you.

Once back at the cuties dorm you set your bags up in the corner of his room while he was out explaining to the others the situation to save you the stress of bringing up the stress again. You were beyond grateful for him, taking a deep and shaky breath before making your way out into the living room where the four men lounged on their phones. You plopped down in the seat beside Felix and curled into his side.

After about an hour of the lot of you scrolling absentmindedly, occasionally showing something to the group or an individual you thought they might like you all heard someone’s stomach growl with hunger. “I think it’s time for lunch- should we order in?” The next few minutes was spent going back and forth over what to eat and where to order it from. Once everything was settled there was a groan of annoyance coming from the oldest in the room as he attempted to place the order. “It says they aren’t doing delivery at this time- someone is going to have to go pick it up because we are not about to go through all of that again to find something different.” You shrugged, speaking up. “I can go get it.” The men ignored you, immediately starting an intense battle of rock, paper, scissors. Felix lost, falling to his knees dramatically as Minho let out a maniacal laugh. “You spend way too much time with Hyunjin-“ Seungmin sighed, shaking his head as he got back on his phone. “Wait- the restaurant is too far to walk so someone is going to have to drive me there!” The Aussie exclaimed, jumping up from where he had crumpled on the floor in defeat. “Okay rock paper scissors for who has to drive Lix to go pick up the food!” You looked at them with confusion, shaking your head. “Wait if one of you has to drive there why does Felix still have to go in and get it?” Jeongin rolled his eyes playfully and a determined look fell upon his face as they began their little rematch. “Cause he already lost, duh. Rules are rules but he can’t drive.” You laughed at that logic, watching as Leeknow lost and he too fell to the ground in defeat with the drama level of a telenovela.

You and the maknaes bid Felix and Minho goodbye as they went to go get you all lunch, settling back in your spots though you were left pouting at the loss of your cuddle buddy. “So you’ve started taking your Korean classes already?” Seungmin spoke up, closing his phone as he set it on the coffee table in front of him. “Um, yeah I did.” You hadn’t had much interactions with the two youngest members outside of hanging out in larger groups so you felt a bit nervous, also setting your phone down to not come off as being rude and not giving them your attention. “Are you liking it so far?” Jeongin asked, scooting closer to you from his side of the couch. “Yeah! Right now it’s a lot of going over the basics I learned a while ago so nothing’s too hard yet but I’m sure it will get a bit more challenging as classes progress.” The two looked at each other before turning back to you. “You already know some Korean?” Seungmin tilted his head to the side curiously, causing you to hold back a giggle as he really lived up to his puppy nickname like this. “Yeah! When I was in highschool one of my close friends lived with her korean grandparents who didn’t speak much english. I was over there a lot, especially during the summers, and so over time I picked up a little bit and even asked Danbi, my friend, to teach me some so that I could communicate better with them out of respect.” Jeongin smiled and nudged your shoulder. “That’s so sweet of you. I’m sure they appreciated it. How come you don’t speak Korean to us at all?” The maknae gave you a pout, resting his chin on your shoulder as he looked up at you. “Well I uh- I’m just worried my pronunciation isn’t very good?” You shrugged, looking away bashfully. “It’s been a long time since I had any practice with it….Danbi and I sort of drifted apart after graduation and so I had no reason to continue to speak it.” Seungmin got up and moved to sit on the other side of you, sandwiching you between Vocalracha successfully. “We can help, you know. Practice with us.” You blushed a soft shade of pink and looked down at your lap. “I-I don’t know what if it’s really bad?” The puppy pouted at you, taking your hand in his causing you to look up at him. “Are you afraid we’ll make fun of you?” He asked, a look of hurt on his face. “No! I mean- I doubt you would it’s just so embarrassing if I get it wrong in front of you…” the two members shared a look over your head before leaning into each side of you. “Getting things wrong is just part of the process of learning, Star…no need to get embarrassed.” Jeongin said, leaning down to meet your gaze.

“We embarrass ourselves all the time have you seen any of the content we put out to the world?” Seungmin spoke with a laugh, softly nudging your shoulder. You turned to look between the two of them as you realized just how close they were sitting. “Okay I’ll go get my workbook then-“ you stood suddenly, the speed in which you moved from where they were both leaning against you causing the two to fall into each other. You giggled an apology before running off to grab what you would need.

“They really are to cute for their own good, Hyung.” Jeongin said with a sigh, shaking his head. “Tell me about it…” the second youngest groaned, burying his face in his hands before the two perked up hearing your footsteps returning. “I got it!” They both flashed you warm smiles before making room once more for you between them.

The rest of the day passed by rather uneventfully, the two youngest members helped you with your work for Korean class until Felix and Minho arrived back with the food. You all went your separate ways after eating, with you and Felix ending up in his room as you sat on his bed on your lap top and him at his desk. The both of you gamed until Leeknow had to come pry you away for dinner. You ended the night tucked safely in the Aussie dancer’s embrace, your back pressed to his chest as you both drifted off to sleep. Skinship came so easily with the two of you, you know for yourself it was due to years of being touch starved. Your family was never very affectionate with you, and you lacked a physical connection with friends since your highschool days leading you to spend most of your time alone or at work. You were comforted in the way both you and Felix both seemed to share touch as a love language, seemingly always being in some form of contact when around each other which did not help the teasing the other members gave him when you weren’t around.

You woke up rather early the next morning, Felix still dead asleep as you slipped out of bed. The air was a bit too chilly for your liking, quickly finding the oversized hoodie Felix had discarded on the floor before slipping it on, you were sure he wouldn’t mind. You made your way out into the kitchen, having been given the tour and explained that you were more than welcome to help yourself to anything that didn’t have a name written on it which was mostly just snacks the others had bought for themselves since most of the groceries were bought collectively as a group to make meals together. You figured a way to say thanks for everything they had done to help you could make them breakfast that morning. You quickly got to work, pulling the hood up and over your head as the dorm was still much too cold and your felt any body heat you held escaping rapidly through any part of exposed skin. Clothed in your baggy sweat pants and Felix’s even baggier hoodie you washed your hands and got started chopping vegetables to mix into omelets, and a simple pancake batter with what ingredients you found in the small kitchen. Mentally you told yourself you were thankful you were staying in the dorm where they are more than just chicken breast as you were sure the pantry and refrigerator were stocked with less variety next door. While you sautéed your veggies, you felt someone approaching from behind and before you could turn to see who it was you heard a voice with a deep rasp from sleep call out a “Morning, jagiya. You’re up early for once-“ before you felt a sharp slap land on your ass causing you to yelp in surprise with eyes as wide as saucers. Upon hearing the much too high pitched response, the perpetrator jumped back as you turned around to face them. “Star oh my god I did not know that was you I am so sorry-“ Minho stood with a horrified expression as he panicked, body tense. You both stood there for what felt like eternity, blinking at each other as neither of you made a move not knowing what to do or say. “You know- seeing it’s you I’m not as shocked but even with all the teasing I don’t think even you’d be as bold to do that with me yet-“ you giggled, attempting to calm him down and show you held no hard feelings as well as to try and dispel the awkward tension that had filled the space. This seemed to work as Minho chuckled, body visibly relaxing as he shook his head and moved to stand beside you. “Can I help you with anything? Whatever you’re making smells delicious.” You shook your head and bump your hip against his. “You can go sit down and relax. I’ve got this, yeah?” The older starred down at you before shrugging and going to the corner where they kept the coffee pot. “I’m gonna make coffee. Want any?” Making a face you shook your head. “No thank you, not a fan of hot drinks.” He raised an eyebrow at you before nodding and pulling his phone out of the pocket of his sweats. “Okay then what do you want? I’ll order delivery from the cafe around the corner. The kids will definitely need some caffeine since we go back to work today and have a lot of dance practice to catch up with.” You thought for a moment before telling him your order while continuing to cook for them. Somehow he managed to get you to agree to letting him help you cook the pancakes (it’s because you burnt one side of the first three you made because the “wait till you see holes then you know that side is done” trick only works for the first side and he took pity on you) and you fell into a relaxed silence before the other three residents of the dorm woke up to the smells of your cooking.

After breakfast you were dragged along to JYPE and sat on one of the black sofas against the back wall, unsure of why exactly they wanted you to tag along and when you had questioned it Minho just made a teasing remark about you being their mascot, with a wink stating you were the one who said you were back when you had first arrived that day they started helping you find a place to live.

You watched, entranced as they danced. Your eyes moved rapidly from one member to the next as they never ceased to amaze you with their talent. When they finally stopped to take a break they all practically collapsed to the floor in exhaustion and you took that as your cue to grab some water bottles and beg passing them out. “Thanks Star, best mascot we’ve ever had.” Minho teased with a cheese grin on his face. You rolled your eyes and pushed on your shoulder lightly, turning to move to the next member when you felt a light slap to your ass from the man much like that morning only more gentle. Everyone’s eyes widened but you only froze for a second before laughing and turning to stick your tongue out at the older who laughed in return. The other members looked amongst each other with differing levels of shock and panic and when you made your way to hand Felix his bottle instead he reached up and pulled you into his lap, clinging to you possessively as he glared at Minho who only laughed harder at the younger’s attempt to look threatening. “Hyung I cannot believe you did that- your butt hunting has gone too far!” Felix exclaimed as he continued to glare while holding you closer and practically wrapping all four limbs around you protectively. “Ya! You’re acting more offended than they are!” He laughed, pointing at the Aussie as he rolled on the floor with his amusement. “I don’t mind, Lix it’s just goofing around you guys do it all the time-“ you said softly, turned to try and meet his eyes. Felix looked between the rest of the members knowingly before clearing his throat a bit. “Star, really I don’t think it was so appropriate….are you sure you’re okay?” You shrugged before looking over at Minho, not catching the looks the others had at you interpreting their constant groping of each other as friendly playful gestures. “I mean I definitively was startled this morning. But that was way harder than-“ “What happened this morning?!” They almost all shrieked at once, all eyes falling on either you or Minho. “I’m my defense I was still half asleep and they were wearing Felix’s hoodie.” He held both hands up, looking at everyone with a smug expression. “You did not.” Chan said, looking at him with disbelief. “Guys seriously it’s fine i think Min is right you guys are more offended than I am about this.” You didn’t seem to get it, and they all sighed as they decided it was probably best to drop it since you seemed to not understand. They all soon got back up to continue practicing, you making your way back to your place on the couch to watch.

Their reactions seemed to weigh on you though, your brain working to understand it all as both Leeknow’s words that morning, his actions, and the other’s reactions, as well as back to that first time you stayed over when Leeknow had whispered to you those intimate details about your dear friend and his tendency to be a bit to noisy in the bedroom, it started to click. Oh- oh? Were you reading into things too deeply or was your previous assumptions not reading into them enough and dismissing their words and actions too easily. You paid attention as the day went on, catching how Chan’s hand lingered on Seungmin’s waist a bit longer than necessary as he moved past him, how Hyunjin draped himself over Han as they took a break to listen to Leeknow explain a move Jeongin was struggling with to him. How at any and every given moment Felix had his hands somewhere on Changbin’s muscular build, whether it be to massage the flesh there or to simply hold onto him, and the looks each of them shared with each other were making you blush from how intimate it all felt. Suddenly, feeling like you should give them all some privacy like these moments were too loving and too personal to be shared with you, you excused yourself to go down the hall to get a drink from the vending machines to allow yourself to process your sudden realization about their true (or seemingly so) relationships with one another.

author’s note: HAPPY PRIDE MONTH EVERYONE ૮꒰˶ᵔ ᗜ ᵔ˶꒱ა˖⁺‧₊˚ I wanna go ahead and say I am not assuming any of the boys sexual orientations here this is just fiction and how I’m choosing to write them to for the narrative of my own story not having to do with reality at all as far as we know. Idols don’t owe us the knowledge of their identities nor does anyone let’s remember that this pride (and always) and respect each other….that being said I hope you like boys kissing boys cause in this polycule everyone loves everyone sharing is caring ໒꒰ྀི´ ˘ ` ꒱ྀིა

taglist (if the user is pink that means I was unable to tag you); @softkisshyunjin @coastinglove @palindrome969 @amara-mars @whiteghostt @ihrtlix @queen-in-the-shadows @soaplickerrr

[queenlua]

ok, this Kevin Woo guy is the most fantastic chad i've heard of in a while:

The journalist who exposed Lambda School wasn't a journalist by trade. Vincent Woo was a successful entrepreneur best known for CoderPad, a collaborative coding website used extensively in programming job interviews. After he sold CoderPad for millions of dollars, he focused on the public interest, such as housing activism.

Woo's work on CoderPad gave him expert insight into the programming job market, and in 2019, Austen's outrageous hiring numbers set off red flags. Whenever pressed for more details on his outrageous claims, Austen said a full report was coming soon, but six months would pass without any updates.

Woo obtained an investment memo Lambda School sent out to Y Combinator titled, "Human Capital: The Last Unoptimized Asset Class." In it, they disclose, “We’re at roughly 50% placement for cohorts that are 6 months graduated,” contradicting the very front page of their website.

Where did the 86% on their homepage come from? In 2018, Lambda School submitted a single report about 72 graduates to CIRR. CIRR is an organization formed by the boot camp industry following the boot camp crackdown of the 2010s, to cleanup their image. Bootcamps are supposed to submit their hiring stats every six months, in one standard format, to prevent underhanded boot camps from fudging the numbers. In two years, Lambda School had produced nothing beyond that single, small report.

Woo reached out to Sabrina Baez, Lambda School's former Director of Career Readiness. Baez oversaw job placement in those early days, and Austen had reprimanded her for low hiring rates. She told Woo that probably only 50% to 60% of graduates found jobs.

Finally, Woo obtained private communications with investors revealing the quiet deals with hedge funds. This flew in the face of their marketing's, "We don’t get paid until you do," and Austen's now-deleted tweet, “We never, ever get paid upfront for ISAs.”

With all the damning evidence, the story was ready. Most reporters would now email their subjects for comment, but Woo elevated the story to performance art. He asked Austen for a recorded interview, without revealing its nature. Austen, lulled into a false sense of security by tech press puff pieces, agreed. What followed was the most riveting hour of tech journalism I've ever heard.

Austen: "Our goal right now, is that if a student is endorsed, call it graduation, that we place 80% within 120 days."

Woo: "Why did you tell investors 50?"

Austen: "What… I don't know… what communication you're referring to."

The interview went downhill from there, as Austen scrambled to invent excuses.

#rekt

bonus: check out this dude's hilariously understated linkedin:

(also, the whole article's worth a read. i'd been following the Lambda School saga for a while but there's a bunch of new fuckery here that even i didn't know about. smh)

[scarlethollow]

PROPAGANDA UNDERCUT!!!!

also i will be continuing murderbot dairies no matter what so it's not on here :3c

Mystery, Thriller, SciFi, books are around 300-400 pages

The plot surrounds Secret Service agent Ethan Burke's introduction to the remote small town of Wayward Pines, his new home from which he cannot escape. The residents of this picturesque town do not know how they got there and are forbidden to talk about their prior lives. An electric fence surrounds the town, and the residents are under 24-hour surveillance. The mysteries and horrors of the town build until Ethan discovers its secret. Then he must do his part to keep Wayward Pines protected from threats both within and beyond the fence. The series covers themes of isolation, bucolic Americana, time-displacement, man vs nature, human evolution, and cryonics.[citation needed] Crouch has acknowledged that he was inspired by the 1990–91 TV series Twin Peaks.[1]

Space Opera, LGBT, SciFi, books are around 300-400 pages

Follow a motley crew on an exciting journey through space-and one adventurous young explorer who discovers the meaning of family in the far reaches of the universe-in this light-hearted debut space opera from a rising sci-fi star.

i have been informed the pilot of the ship is in love with the ships ai and there's wire touching. so. you know

Horror, Thriller, Lovecraftian, SciFi, books are around 400-500 pages

The Threshold Universe is an ongoing book series written by Peter Clines and begins with the novel 14 published in 2012. The other books in the series included The Fold (2015), Dead Moon (2018), and Terminus (2020). Padlocked doors. Strange light fixtures. Mutant cockroaches. There are some odd things about Nate’s new apartment. Of course, he has other things on his mind. He hates his job. He has no money in the bank. No girlfriend. No plans for the future. So while his new home isn’t perfect, it’s livable. The rent is low, the property managers are friendly, and the odd little mysteries don’t nag at him too much. At least, not until he meets Mandy, his neighbour across the hall, and notices something unusual about her apartment. And Xela’s apartment. And Tim’s. And Veek’s. Because every room in this old Los Angeles brownstone has a mystery or two. Mysteries that stretch back over a hundred years. Some of them are in plain sight. Some are behind locked doors. And all together these mysteries could mean the end of Nate and his friends. Or the end of everything...

this series is Strange and every book feels entirely disconnected from the last in terms of desc so i included the first books desc... they ARE connected things just. go crazy i guess...........

Mystery, Thriller, Fantasy, SciFi, each book is around 300 pages

A girl named Rose is riding her new bike near her home in Deadwood, South Dakota, when she falls through the earth. She wakes up at the bottom of a square-shaped hole, its walls glowing with intricate carvings. But the firemen who come to save her peer down upon something even stranger: a little girl in the palm of a giant metal hand. Seventeen years later, the mystery of the bizarre artifact remains unsolved - the object's origins, architects, and purpose unknown. Carbon dating defies belief; military reports are redacted; theories are floated, then rejected. But some can never stop searching for answers. Rose Franklin is now a highly trained physicist leading a top-secret team to crack the hand's code. And along with her colleagues, she is being interviewed by a nameless interrogator whose power and purview are as enigmatic as the relic they seek. What's clear is that Rose and her compatriots are on the edge of unraveling history's most perplexing discovery, and finally figuring out what it portends for humanity. But once the pieces of the puzzle are in place, will the result be an instrument of lasting peace or a weapon of mass destruction?

Cyberpunk, War, Dystopia, Fantasy, SciFi, books are 300-350 pages

My name is Rex. I am a good dog. Rex is also seven foot tall at the shoulder, bulletproof, bristling with heavy calibre weaponry and his voice resonates with subsonics especially designed to instil fear. With Dragon, Honey and Bees, he's part of a Multiform Assault Pack operating in the lawless anarchy of Campeche, south-eastern Mexico. Rex is a genetically engineered Bioform, a deadly weapon in a dirty war. He has the intelligence to carry out his orders and feedback implants to reward him when he does. All he wants to be is a Good Dog. And to do that he must do exactly what Master says and Master says he's got to kill a lot of enemies. But who, exactly, are the enemies? What happens when Master is tried as a war criminal? What rights does the Geneva Convention grant weapons? Do Rex and his fellow Bioforms even have a right to exist? And what happens when Rex slips his leash?

Horror, Fantasy, Gothic, Mystery, both books are around 140 pages

When Alex Easton, a retired soldier, receives word that their childhood friend Madeline Usher is dying, they race to the ancestral home of the Ushers in the remote countryside of Ruravia. What they find there is a nightmare of fungal growths and possessed wildlife, surrounding a dark, pulsing lake. Madeline sleepwalks and speaks in strange voices at night, and her brother Roderick is consumed with a mysterious malady of the nerves. Aided by a redoubtable British mycologist and a baffled American doctor, Alex must unravel the secret of the House of Usher before it consumes them all.

seen this get recommended to annihilation fans are bunch...

Mystery, Thriller, Crime, Fantasy, SciFi, Queer, first book is 450 pages, second book isn't out yet

In Daretana’s most opulent mansion, a high Imperial officer lies dead—killed, to all appearances, when a tree spontaneously erupted from his body. Even in this canton at the borders of the Empire, where contagions abound and the blood of the Leviathans works strange magical changes, it’s a death at once terrifying and impossible. Called in to investigate this mystery is Ana Dolabra, an investigator whose reputation for brilliance is matched only by her eccentricities. At her side is her new assistant, Dinios Kol. Din is an engraver, magically altered to possess a perfect memory. His job is to observe and report, and act as his superior’s eyes and ears--quite literally, in this case, as among Ana’s quirks are her insistence on wearing a blindfold at all times, and her refusal to step outside the walls of her home. Din is most perplexed by Ana’s ravenous appetite for information and her mind’s frenzied leaps—not to mention her cheerful disregard for propriety and the apparent joy she takes in scandalizing her young counterpart. Yet as the case unfolds and Ana makes one startling deduction after the next, he finds it hard to deny that she is, indeed, the Empire’s greatest detective. As the two close in on a mastermind and uncover a scheme that threatens the safety of the Empire itself, Din realizes he’s barely begun to assemble the puzzle that is Ana Dolabra—and wonders how long he’ll be able to keep his own secrets safe from her piercing intellect. Featuring an unforgettable Holmes-and-Watson style pairing, a gloriously labyrinthine plot, and a haunting and wholly original fantasy world, The Tainted Cup brilliantly reinvents the classic mystery tale.

ive got NO idea why this has the queer tag on goodreads but if these 2 holmes and watson likes end up being faggots together i am HERE i need to be HERE

Horror, Mystery, Thriller, Adventure, Paranormal, Fantasy, SciFi, books are 350-400 pages long

Not all secrets are meant to be found. If Indiana Jones lived in the X-Files era, he might bear at least a passing resemblance to Nolan Moore -- a rogue archaeologist hosting a documentary series derisively dismissed by the "real" experts, but beloved of conspiracy theorists. Nolan sets out to retrace the steps of an explorer from 1909 who claimed to have discovered a mysterious cavern high up in the ancient rock of the Grand Canyon. And, for once, he may have actually found what he seeks. Then the trip takes a nasty turn, and the cave begins turning against them in mysterious ways. Nolan's story becomes one of survival against seemingly impossible odds. The only way out is to answer a series of intriguing questions: What is this strange cave? How has it remained hidden for so long? And what secret does it conceal that made its last visitors attempt to seal it forever?

Cosy Mystery, Fantasy, SciFi, LGBT, both books are around 120 pages

Centuries before, robots of Panga gained self-awareness, laid down their tools, wandered, en masse into the wilderness, never to be seen again. They faded into myth and urban legend.Now the life of the tea monk who tells this story is upended by the arrival of a robot, there to honor the old promise of checking in. The robot cannot go back until the question of "what do people need?" is answered. But the answer to that question depends on who you ask, and how. They will need to ask it a lot. Chambers' series asks: in a world where people have what they want, does having more matter?

Mystery, Thriller, Crime, Espionage, Spy, books average to around 300 pages but there's.. a lot of books..... i have 9 books and 1 novella in this series

John le Carré classic novels deftly navigate readers through the intricate shadow worlds of international espionage with unsurpassed skill and knowledge, and have earned him -- and his hero, British Secret Service Agent George Smiley, who is introduced in this, his first novel -- unprecedented worldwide acclaim. George Smiley had liked Samuel Fennan, and now Fennan was dead from an apparent suicide. But why? Fennan, a Foreign Office man, had been under investigation for alleged Communist Party activities, but Smiley had made it clear that the investigation -- little more than a routine security check -- was over and that the file on Fennan could be closed. The very next day, Fennan was found dead with a note by his body saying his career was finished and he couldn't go on. Smiley was puzzled...

jeff vandermeer said le carré's work inspired authority which is my favourite book of all time . so. i'm interested

Post Apocalpytic, Dystopia, Space Opera, Fantasy, SciFi, books are 400-600 pages

A race for survival among the stars... Humanity's last survivors escaped earth's ruins to find a new home. But when they find it, can their desperation overcome its dangers? WHO WILL INHERIT THIS NEW EARTH? The last remnants of the human race left a dying Earth, desperate to find a new home among the stars. Following in the footsteps of their ancestors, they discover the greatest treasure of the past age—a world terraformed and prepared for human life. But all is not right in this new Eden. In the long years since the planet was abandoned, the work of its architects has borne disastrous fruit. The planet is not waiting for them, pristine and unoccupied. New masters have turned it from a refuge into mankind's worst nightmare. Now two civilizations are on a collision course, both testing the boundaries of what they will do to survive. As the fate of humanity hangs in the balance, who are the true heirs of this new Earth?

ive been told theres evolved jumping spiders in this and like. im here for that. my god am i here for that

Weird Fiction, Post Apocalyptic, Dystopia, Fantasy, SciFi, books are 200-300 pages

In a ruined, nameless city of the future, a woman named Rachel, who makes her living as a scavenger, finds a creature she names “Borne” entangled in the fur of Mord, a gigantic, despotic bear. Mord once prowled the corridors of the biotech organization known as the Company, which lies at the outskirts of the city, until he was experimented on, grew large, learned to fly and broke free. Driven insane by his torture at the Company, Mord terrorizes the city even as he provides sustenance for scavengers like Rachel.

jeff vandermeeeerrr..... also i love how he has a book called strange bird and a character called ghost bird in southern reach....

Weird Fiction, New Weird, Horror, Steampunk, Speculative Fiction, Fantasy, SciFi, the omnibus is 1.5k pages long

Before Area X, there was Ambergris. Jeff VanderMeer conceived what would become his first cult classic series of speculative works: the Ambergris Trilogy. Now, for the first time ever, the story of the sprawling metropolis of Ambergris is collected into a single volume, including City of Saints and Madmen, Shriek: An Afterword, and Finch. In City of Saints and Madmen, Jeff VanderMeer has reinvented the literature of the fantastic. You hold in your hands an invitation to a place unlike any you’ve ever visited–an invitation delivered by one of our most audacious and astonishing literary magicians. City of elegance and squalor. Of religious fervor and wanton lusts. And everywhere, on the walls of courtyards and churches, an incandescent fungus of mysterious and ominous origin. In Ambergris, a would-be suitor discovers that a sunlit street can become a killing ground in the blink of an eye. An artist receives an invitation to a beheading–and finds himself enchanted. And a patient in a mental institution is convinced he’s made up a city called Ambergris, imagined its every last detail, and that he’s really from a place called Chicago.… By turns sensuous and terrifying, filled with exotica and eroticism, this interwoven collection of stories, histories, and “eyewitness” reports invokes a universe within a puzzlebox where you can lose–and find–yourself again.

[satinekryzeweek]

It's super exciting to see a character focus week that isn't ship centric or doesn't feel unwelcoming to smaller, usually queen ships, or alternative headcanons that don't fit Canon or main stream fanon.

(If you know you know)

Satine has grown on me entirely because of friends though I'm still learning all the related lore.

The Mandalorian women like Satine, Ursa, Bo, the Armorer and Sabine are some of favorite characters so I'd love to see more about her. (Are there any Satine or even Bo books? Comics? Anything?!)

I wish everyone luck and hope to see more Satine content in Jan!

Hi Revan,

We're happy to see Satine love growing!

The good and bad news regarding Satine Kryze: there isn't much canon content for her out there. It's sad because we would all love to know more about her character, but at the same time, minimal backstory means there is a lot of room for everyone to develop their own complex fanon lore.

To help everyone prepare for Satine Kryze Week, we've put together a collection of official Star Wars content and fan made resources that feature her! The list is quite long, so we've put it under the cut to spare everyone's dash.

OFFICAL PUBLICATIONS (CANON & LEGENDS)

1. The Comprehensive Guide to the Star Wars Galaxy (2024) Contains data entries for almost every character featured in Star Wars. This book will be released on November 19.

2. Star Wars: Timelines (2023) Briefly discusses the Mandalorian Civil Wars, the events of Master & Apprentice, and the Siege of Mandalore.

3. The Clone Wars: Character Encyclopedia (2021) Features multiple pages of Satine and Bo-Katan Kryze.

4. Star Wars: Battles that Changed the Galaxy (2021) Details multiple battles and wars involving the Mandalore system, including those that occurred during Satine's life.

5. The Clone Wars: Stories of Light and Dark (2020) Two short stories briefly mention Satine Kryze. Dark Vengeance: The True Story of Darth Maul and His Revenge Against the Jedi Known as Obi-Wan Kenobi and Kenobi's Shadow.

6. Master & Apprentice (2019) A novel that covers Obi-Wan's time as a padawan under Qui-Gon Jinn, with mentions to their shared time on Mandalore with Satine.

7. Rise of the Separatists (2019) Era sourcebook for Fantasy Flight Games' Star Wars roleplaying game system, covering the first half of the Clone Wars.

8. Collapse of the Republic (2019) Era sourcebook for Fantasy Flight Games' Star Wars roleplaying game system, covering the second half of the Clone Wars.

9. Star Wars: Women of the Galaxy (2018) Art of Satine on her throne is included, and a new version comes out April 2025.

10. Star Wars Propaganda: A History of Persuasive Art in the Galaxy (2016) Includes art related to the Neutral Systems and Mandalore.

11. Star Wars: Galactic Atlas (2016) Multiple pages dedicated to Mandalore's history.

12. Darth Maul - Son of Dathomir 3 (2014) Comic that covers Maul's time on Mandalore, brief references to Satine.

13. The Bounty Hunter Code (2013) Contains the Death Watch Manifesto at the end, which includes Legends/Expanded Universe Mandalorian lore.

FAN MADE RESOURCES

1. @fox-trot They have done an incredible job archiving the best bits of published Mandalorian lore from across all SW media! We highly recommend her mandalorian tag.

2. @supertaliart They put together an amazing guide on Mandalorian language and culture! If you're a visual learner, it's perfect for you.

3. @ranahan This account has poured hours of love and time into compiling every piece of information they can on Mando'a. Check out their masterlist for a complete breakdown on the language.

Thank you for making it to the end of this list! It's far from complete or comprehensive, but we hope it helps. If anyone else has resources they'd like to share or books they would recommend, feel free to share in the comments below 💙

Can't wait for the event (January 27-31 2025) to celebrate Satine with all of you! For anyone who missed it, check out our Rules and About for more information too 🌸 We'll be sharing older fandom works featuring Satine leading up to to the week using #pre event showcase as well!

[mostlysignssomeportents]

Bad King Richard got rich by exploiting workers at King’s Faire

Next Tuesday (Oct 31) at 10hPT, the Internet Archive is livestreaming my presentation on my recent book, The Internet Con.

King Richard's Faire is the largest renfaire in New England, and its owner, Dick Shapiro, extracts a reported $400k/day – a sum that is only possible thanks to systematic and likely illegal worker misclassification, which lets him pay performers sub-minimum wages and deny them benefits:

https://www.reddit.com/r/boston/comments/172267v/kings_faire_inc_aim%C3%A9e_bonnie_shapiro_nets_over/

Many of the performers at KRF are absolutely unpaid – these are the "villagers" – who mill about looking picturesque in exchange for free admission. They even have to buy their own turkey legs.

When the faire is rained out, all workers – "volunteers" and paid workers – are sent home without any compensation. Attendees are also sent home with rain-checks, many of which go unused (there's no refunds in the land of King Richard).

Staff work from 8am to 730pm and are paid a day-rate that works out to $6/hour. After heavy weather events, staff are ordered to show up early to do cleanup, but are not paid for their time. Staff don't get health benefits – instead, local community groups like the Elks put on fundraisers to cover the health-care costs of the performers.

Now, King Richard's worker mistreatment is not an outlier in the medieval reenactment industry. Think of how the knights at Medieval Times – who put on nightly, potentially lethal performances to generate profit for their employer – unionized in the face of exploitative labor relations. To add insult to injury, Medieval Times sued the union, arguing that its name – "Medieval Times Performers United" – was a trademark infringement:

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/medieval-times-sues-union-trademark_n_63485fa5e4b0b7f89f54546b

This trademark wheeze is the latest desperate tactic to be deployed by the ruling class in the face of a surging labor movement with broad public support. Starbucks – one of the world's most notorious unionbusters – is doing the same thing to its union, Starbucks Workers United:

https://seattle.eater.com/23923490/starbucks-workers-united-union-lawsuits-copyright-trademark-israel-hamas-palestine-social-media

These moves are wildly out of step with the current of public opinion, which has swung hard for union rights in a manner not seen in generations. The outpourings of public support for striking entertainment industry workers were handwaved away as exceptions driven by the public's love of actors and writers. But that doesn't explain the strong, ongoing support for the UAW in their strike against all of the Big Three automakers:

https://pro.morningconsult.com/instant-intel/uaw-strike-public-opinion-october-2023

Bosses have always tried to smash worker power by dividing workers – by race, gender, or "skill" – but workers are workers and solidarity is the source of worker power. That's why the whole labor movement backed Equity Stripper NoHo, the first strippers' union in a generation:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/09/14/prop-22-never-again/#norms-code-laws-markets

Creative workers are part of a class of workers who suffer from "vocational awe," the sense that because your job is satisfying and/or worthy, you don't deserve to get paid for it:

https://www.inthelibrarywiththeleadpipe.org/2018/vocational-awe/

(Think of joke about the father who finds his runaway son at the circus shoveling elephant shit: "Son, come home!" "What, and quit show-business?")

Creative workers have long been encouraged to see themselves as "independent businesspeople" – LLCs with MFAs – and this mind-zap is augmented with our bosses' repeated insistence that the unions are for big burly blue-collar workers, not ethereal dreamers and pencil-pushers. Our bosses tell this story because it discourages us from forming unions and demanding fair pay and good working conditions (obviously).

Think of J Edward Keyes, the cartoon villain who serves as editorial director of Bandcamp. When the workers Keyes managed formed the Bandcamp United union, Keyes called them "white-collar tech workers…appropriating the language of the legitimately oppressed," adding "Fuuuuuck Bandcamp United":

https://www.404media.co/bandcamp-editorial-director-fuuuuuck-bandcamp-united/

Keyes's contempt notwithstanding, it's clear why Bandcamp workers need a union – after the company was flipped twice in rapid succession, its new owners, Epic Games and Songtradr, fired all its unionized workers. Keyes responded to coverage of this mass firing by calling the Pitchfork reporters who wrote about it "absloute amateur journalists."

The attempt to divide-and-rule "knowledge workers" from "industrial workers" is a transparent bid to shatter solidarity and make it easier to abuse and exploit all workers. Thankfully, workers are wise to that gambit, and understand that when all kinds of workers struggle together, they win.

Take the UAW strikes: for many years, the UAW was an objectively bad union, ruled over by a dirty-tricking clique who sold out the membership. It's normal to blame workers for bad leaders, but the UAW old guard had rigged union elections, making sure that they would stay in charge. It's not workers that like corrupt unions – it's bosses.

Before the UAW could fight back against their bosses, they had to fight back their bosses' minions in the upper ranks of their own union. That's where the the Harvard Grad Students' Union comes in. After years of worsening exploitation and working conditions, the Harvard Grad Students organized under the UAW, then joined forces with reformers in the union to oust the corrupt leadership.

During the leadership struggle, Harvard Grad Students helped their comrades from the auto-sector master the union's baroque constitution, so when the old guard tried to prevent motions from reaching the floor, the grad students were able to cite chapter and verse back at them. In the end, grad students and auto-workers together won the victory that paved the way for the strikes:

https://theintercept.com/2023/04/07/deconstructed-union-dhl-teamsters-uaw/

A strong, unified labor movement is necessary if America is to save itself from inequality, racism, the climate emergency – the whole polycrisis. The idea that creative workers aren't workers is bullshit – and so is the lie that all workers are uncreative. The "Worker As Futurist" project recruits Amazon drivers and warehouse writers to write science fiction about a future without Amazon:

https://jacobin.com/2023/09/amazon-workers-sci-fi-writing-bezos-imagination-speculative-future

They call this a "belief that rank-and-file workers, whose bodies and minds are exploited by capital, might have access to some knowledge about capitalism that is beyond even the most brilliant theorist or analyst of capitalism."

All workers can and should tell their own story. Doing so isn't just a way to change the narrative – it's also a way to change policy. The new merger guidelines from the FTC and DOJ Antitrust Division explicitly incorporate labor-market effects into antitrust policy. As Brian Callaci and Sandeep Vaheesan write for The Sling, the testimony of workers and unions can help produce the evidentiary basis for blocking the mergers that lead to monopolies:

https://www.thesling.org/workers-are-an-untapped-resource-for-antitrust-enforcers/

The rising labor movement is a force for profound change in every part of our economy and politics. Workers can be our knights in shining armor.

https://www.thesling.org/workers-are-an-untapped-resource-for-antitrust-enforcers/

If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/10/25/huzzah/#bad-king-richard

[olderthannetfic]

Can anyone explain this to me?

Is there a waiting period to get an ao3 account? I remember when I made mine back in 2018-ish, and I don’t remember having to wait or anything. I see people sometimes talking about an invite code, and I’m just thinking “Why do you need an invite code? Just make an account?”

I don’t usually pay attention to what’s happening to ao3. I know there’s an issues with bot comments right now, and that guest comments are disabled for the time being.

Did something change in the last five years, or am I just remembering things wrong?

--

AO3 has always required invites. You pop your e-mail in the queue and you get sent one.

At most times, the queue has taken a day or two—maybe like 6 hours if you happened to hit it right before the day changed over or something.

Right after the FFN purge in 2012, it jumped to like 6 months (though they then increased the pace and I don't think anyone actually waited that long in the end). Lately, it's been around 10 days.

You can also get an invite from a current user if they happen to have codes, but most people just use the queue.

[hyruleshopcomms]

REGARDING MY CODES:

i have recently found out that some parts of my coding have been used on other commissions blog, this came to my attention because a customer came to hire my services and when i accessed their blog to check, normally, if i would like to accept the order or not, i noticed some similarities to my own creations, from fonts, animations, titles, etc, as you all may know i do commissions since 2018 and i have loved every part of it, since then i have improved a whole bunch but i have never stolen anything from anyone, so going through this experience is definitely a no no for me and makes me really sad, regardless i have approached the person behind the commissions blog and they did respond, positively so far and openly agreeing that they have been checking my codes for learning, in which case that would have been okay, sorts of, but that was not it, parts of my coding were included in themes they offered customers as commissions supposedly made on their own, of course there is no need for me to explain why this is not an okay behavior, even if you try to put it as inspiration, admiration, copying and pasting parts of coding is not okay.

i have heard yes that this person has been involved in these things previously, but it was not until now that i found out that yes it is true they have coding of mine. after contacting them they promised they would take the parts of my coding down, i have proof, names, blogs, everything but i will not be dropping that information so long the person behind the commission blog fulfils their word and takes the pieces of my work down off their own codings, hopefully they will, because i would hate to go through a callout etc etc, it's definitely not what i am looking for, actually i have spent my years here in silence mostly, doing my thing, not messing with anyone, just doing my work, because YES in my case, COMMISSIONS ARE MY FULLTIME JOB. as mentioned i will be keeping an eye open because i do have proof of them admitting they have parts of my code on their own, i write parts of my codes in my own language so its easy to know when someone copies it. please don't steal, copy, etc etc it's not cool, i sit in front of the laptop 9 to 12 hours a day to work on commissions, not only code but graphics too to deliver results in a matter of days, because again this is my job so it's really not nice knowing your work can be just copied you know, if you want to endure in this site as a creator just do your own and people will know you are legit, in fact i know some amazing creators out there that have been around for years too, so, do your thing, don't steal, it's not nice, it's not cool. thank you for taking the time to read this, i will be reblogging this post over @hyruleshop as well, please be mindful, what we make takes time, be respectful, and don't think that we are just blind to what is going on, we know, and even if we don't someone will tell us, it's that simple. have a good day or night friends, thank you for the support over the years, i really hope i get to be around for a bunch more years because this job makes me happy and knowing you all too!! --------- MARUJA / HYRULESHOP / HYRULESHOPCOMMS

[endiness]

Debunking misinformation about Netflix's The Witcher (Part 6)

[Part 1] [Part 2] [Part 3] [Part 4] [Part 5] [Part 6] [Part 7]

"Henry Cavill is the only one out of the cast and crew that knows anything about the source material and cares about it."

Joey Batey has read the books more times than Henry Cavill has. (3 times as of 2023 vs once in 2018.)

Henry Cavill himself has basically admitted that he wouldn't want to go up against Joey when it comes to knowledge of the books and both Freya Allan and Kim Bodnia have praised Joey for how knowledgeable he is and that he could "give Henry a run for his money."

Henry Cavill also hadn't even read the books and had likely only ever really played TW3 (and not even the DLC for it) when he first met with Lauren and, given that he thought that the books were based off the games, it's likely that he never bothered to google or wiki or research the franchise in any way (despite proclaiming himself to be a lore buff) as surely he would've found out that the games were actually based off the books if he had (or, y'know, if he had just been paying attention to the game credits as the books are the first thing in the credits.) Yet despite all of that, he's said this:

"I didn't even have the need to prepare myself for the role. Because I breathe, I live this universe every day. I already got numerous opportunities to think about this character while I was playing the games. My preparation was already made before the casting started!"

Meanwhile Therica Wilson-Read had played the games, she set out to read the books as soon as she had the opportunity to audition, she goes back and reads bits of the books if not the full series before each season, and she even goes on the wiki and watches youtube videos to refresh herself on the universe.

Therica's book collection (with color coded notes!), btw:

Mecia Simson also jumped straight into the books and read them all as soon as she was cast and will go on the wiki to research things.

Cassie Clare on her preparation as Philippa.

Btw, Joey had less than 24 hours to prepare for his audition and in that time he memorized 2-3 scenes, wrote an entire song, and showed up in costume to audition.

Therica is also so knowledgeable about the books and the franchise that MyAnna Buring will go to her for advice on her character and understanding what's happening when she needs things explained to her.

Mahesh Jadu also went to Joey for advice on his character when he was first cast because Joey's known to be so knowledgeable about the books.

Joey's also the one who's gotten book scenes and characters written into the show, btw.

Freya talking about getting things from the books into the show, too:

Anya talking about book moments she's a fan of:

Also Anya making a book reference to BoF:

Joey making a book reference to what a diary by Jaskier would look like:

Lauren's talked about her hiring process for the writers which obviously includes having read the books.

Tomek Baginski, who worked on all three games btw, has talked about growing up with the books as a teenager in Poland.

There's loads more examples than this, but this argument is quite obviously complete and utter bullshit anyway and I don't really want to look up every little example proving that, so. I'll just let the post end on this note: