#istanbul offers something

[norikuna]

SALVATORE — jujutsu kaisen x reader minors dni

prologue. → going on summer vacations with the jjk men and things get a little...hotter?

pairings. satoru gojo x afab!reader / suguru geto x afab!reader / nanami kento x afab!reader / choso kamo x afab!reader / ryomen sukuna x afab!reader / toji fushiguro x afab!reader

warnings+. non-sorcerer/jujutsu au, from the back, exhíbitíonism, mild food play, ríding, máting press, creámpíe, against the wall, oral (f. receiving), fíngeríng, hey even in a cave! reader is called good girl, princess, baby, darling, my love.

word count. 4.1k! song inspiration. salvatore — lana del rey

a/n. update #1 writing this fic had me looking up shit on wikipedia pages abt cities around the world, had me checking meteorology maps...tried to choose cities i've been to but i was still racking my brains. update #2 btw whenever i write smut like this i'm filled with outstanding self awareness and minor shame but thats the fun of it 😭 this is day no.3 of me trying to rewrite this all from scratch update #3 day 4! fawkkkk i wanna go on holiday too now. lmao if i was in the sukuna one, i would have been mad as hell, istanbul is stunning <3

mp3. everything looks better from above my king, like aqua marine, ocean's blue

TOJI FUSHIGURO — all the lights in miami begin to gleam 📍 miami, america

"o-oh, fuck. think she's really tellin' me to keep going like this, don'tcha think?"

your boyfriend is mean when he's like this. sharp, jade eyes narrowed as they take in the sight of your puffy folds swallowing him up over and over as he's stuffing himself into your sticky walls. and if you turn your head away, from where you're smashed against the pillow, you can see the floor-to-wall ceilings of the high-rise penthouse that offers an uninterrupted view of miami's glittering skyline.

"how - how, did you even get this place, hah, toji?" it's a wonder you can even get a coherent sentence out right now, your guts are practically being stuffed with inches of your boyfriend's veiny cock, and it's leaving you, well, delirious.

but with humble credit and thanks to what you can assume is your own nasty grip, toji's not faring much better either. his brawny frame is practically shuddering, and while you can't see his face in this position, you're certain that a sharp canine has sunk into his lip, and his breath is coming out in hulking groans.

"heh, you're n-not meant to ask questions like that, princess? gotta, ohhh, gotta keep some business s-secrets up my sleeve, huh?" and he's practically a beast right now, handling you on all fours of this king-sized bed, draped in silk sheets the colour of red wine, "just a reward for a-, haah, a job well done."

any job well done from toji was most likely something illegal, but you can't even bring yourself to care, not when there's a bucket of chilled champagne on the glass table to your left, and certainly not when his fat cock is smearing right through you, leaving a coil in your abdomen that only he can unravel.

you whine, feeling the fat tip of his cock practically rummage and make a home in your cunt, "toji, wan' more," and you're pushing the plush of your ass against his pumping hips, and you hear his sharp intake of breath.

a rough hand has snaked underneath you, creating a small gap between you and the bunched-up fabric on the bed, and his callous fingertips are now circling sloppy, messy circles over your clit, leaving you bucking in his hold.

"n-now, stay still, princess. not done with you yet."

SUGURU GETO — ciao, amore. soft ice-creams. 📍 amalfi coast, italy

you're not sure how long you've been trembling under suguru's mouth, but it must have been an eternity under the ministrations of his tongue.

the sun has been blazing high, casting a golden glow over this part of the private beach, hidden away from the towns bustling with tourists like yourselves who had descended upon the coast for the summer.

soft waves lapped in ebbing waves, the rhythm breaking the perfect stillness of the afternoon, in this wooden cabana, separated from the terracotta villas.

and no, your mind was nowhere near admiring the turquoise waters of the ocean, but rather your lover's mouth practically exploring every inch of your cunt like this.

the tapered tip of his tongue had long been probing around your fluttering pussy, taking in every last drop of your pearlescent luster that was practically dripping over his chin.

not to mention the absolutely sticky and languid trails of melting ice-cream, each biting cream drop that fell on your hot swollen folds getting promptly cleaned up by the one who was enjoying this sweet game.

"shhh! don't wanna get kicked off this beach, do ya, pretty?"

and suguru looks positively devious, his violet eyes gleaming with crude intent. his black hair is a tangled mess, long locks falling victim to your clawing nails that tumble carelessly over his bare back, kissed by the sun and glowing with a soft, rosy pink hue.

and when he smiles, the sunlight catches onto his lips, making the slick on his mouth sparkle and wink up at you.

"been - it's been an entire hour by now, can't you just let me cum," you huff, closing the plush of your thighs around his ears, boxing him in.

geto flashes you a mischievous grin, running a slow finger through your sopping folds, and lightly brushing over your entrance as you mewl again.

"where would the fun in that be, pretty?" he murmurs, "love seeing how wet this cunt gets for me, need to let me have my fun."

what a devil. clearly, getting under your skin is a sport for him.

you're hardly given a moment to breathe before he's jostling two thick digits right into the thick of it once more, in and out, in and then out, as his thumb find its home on the slope of your bare mound again.

"besides, we can take it slow for 'nother hour, can't we?" and now suguru's toying with your clit, and his teeth lean down to graze the swollen, throbbing bud, "gotta see just how much you can beg for me."

NANAMI KENTO — catch me if you can, working on my tan 📍 gold coast, australia

"w-wait, darling," nanami shudders under your touch, under your fresh set of nails raking small patterns over his neck, "anyone could just walk past here, y'know."

you curl your lip, before pressing your mouth in an open mouthed kiss to his stretched neck, warm and flushed.

you can feel the galloping thrum of his pulse beneath your lips, the heat almost intoxicating, mingling with the faint tang of the pool water's chlorine, and the scent of banksia and frangipanis in the air.

you can also feel his thick cock dragging through your walls, as you ram the weight of your hips over and over again. it seems like the shimmering skyline of surfer's paradise was just what nanami needed, after months of work, and you're determined to make the most of your time here.

he's got you bouncing practically like a ragdoll, heavy balls swinging up and smacking your skin in what little space remains between the two of you, and he's panting into your chest, "whatd'ya gonna do if someone sees?"

"mhm, don' care, no-one's here, nanami."

his broad arms loop around you in the pool chair, as you straddle the sizeable bulge that's making a tent in his briefs, "nasty, sometimes, aren'tcha?"

you smile, as your husband's large hands roam over your back, making you arch your back into his touch — as he deftly pulls at the tight knot holding your damp bikini top together.

"ah, don't get shy now. let me see these," and you can only nod hazily as he lets your tits spill out, and press up against his bare, chiselled torso, "wanted this so bad, just a minute ago, yeah?"

"s-still want this," and for good measure, you grind your hips down over his cock with even more pressure, feeling him jolt with a quiet 'fuck!' underneath you.

"haah, that's not fair, darling," and he's crashing his weeping, curved tip so far into you, that you're certain you're seeing stars on the saltwater horizon, "what happened to playing nice?"

you know you should be weary of the flicker of challenge that glints in his stern brown eyes, softened by the haze of your squelching cunt, "do y-your worst, otherwise what? can't keep up?"

a cocky smile curves over his mouth, and that's the wave of satisfaction you were looking for, hoping that he'd take the bait.

he leans further back in the pool chair, now with an arm wrapped lazily around your gyrating hips, but you can feel his grip tighten, stealing the humid air right out from under you, "we'll see who can't play nice when you're begging for my cock to fill you up."

CHOSO KAMO — all the lights are sparkling for you, it seems 📍santorini, greece

"hey, shh, shhh..."

choso's voice is a low rumble as he glides his thick, leaking tip down your slick core, and you shiver as the cool ocean breeze mixes with the warm slick gathering between your bodies, "w-wow, you're doing so good, handling it so well, my love."

you must have made a good choice, choosing this suite. one carved seamlessly into the tan-rock of one of the island's famous caves. and well, your sweet boyfriend has been fucking you so incredibly that you feel your eyes start to water, blear away from the pretty blue and terracotta accents on the mantelpiece.

his girthy cock sinking into you send shivers to your pussy that leave you fluttering and squeezing around him tighter, clenching around the veins as he sinks even deeper, so the thickened head is practically kissing your cervix, and filling you in ways you didn’t know were possible.

"d-does it feel good for you too, cho?” you gasp, wrapping your arms around his broad shoulders, fingers playing with the soft choppy strands that fall around his shoulders, "this...this is what you wanted, right, baby?"

the pale mauve of his lips curves into a faint smile, and despite the sharpness of his thrusts making a home in your gummy walls, there's a tenderness in his shadowed, hazel eyes as his palm glides down your torso, cupping your tits gently, "w-would go anywhere in the world, if it was with you."

and he's looking at you with such love that you just cannot help but believe him when he says, no, shudders out a "you're so beautiful."

the sound of the water lapping against the rocks below fills the room, mixing with your soft whimpers, as the slow roll of choso's hips leave your puffy folds weeping. the thick, throbbing head of his cock brushes against your g-spot, right there, and you moan, lost in the sensation.

"god, y-you’re so good at this," he breathes into your ear, his voice hoarse and strained, and suddenly far more shaky, "ah - could do this forever."

"w-will you?" you whisper, eyes fluttering as you lose yourself in what is surely ropes of stringy white cum painting you lovingly inside, "wan' feel you all the time, cho."

choso's misty, flushed gaze locks onto yours, filled with a heat that makes your heart race, and fireworks shoot through your abdomen, "think you're g-gonna be my wife someday, yeah?"

you bite your lip, a shy smile painting your face despite the way that he's practically jostling inch after inch into your pussy, pressing into you like a vice, "really mean t-that, cho?"

"ahh, 'course i do," he shudders, brushing a thumb down the swan-arch of your neck, "now, hold onto me."

RYOMEN SUKUNA — dying by the hand of a foreign man, happily 📍istanbul, turkey

"huhh, oh my god! you're an animal," you huff at your fiancé, who's currently sprawled on the plush bed underneath your straddling thighs, under the sheer curtains that billow softly in the warm breeze from the open latticework windows.

and right now, sukuna looks like a mess.

and it brings you a great deal of satisfaction to see your usually composed and aloof fiancé so undone and disheveled, as he grins up at you — the black markings on his face creasing with the movement.

his rosy-pink hair is a tangled heap, but you can't resist running your fingers through the short, tousled spikes.

and his lips, which have been marking you up consistently for the past ten minutes, gleam glossy and full, as his crimson eyes lock onto yours with the smug satisfaction of a cat who's gotten its way.

he'd barely waited a mere minute after the two of you had arrived back to your hostel's room, from a whirlwind tour of the sultanahmet district, before he had pounced on you, and had practically tore your long skirt off.

you don't quite think it's worth mentioning that you've been pawing equally at your boyfriend in the same time as well, pulling his thick and lengthy shaft out of the confines of his boxers, and swiping a thumb over the angrily-gleaming tip.

"d-didn't even take a second to think about all the places we just saw? the history lessons, and - sukuna, were you even listening?"

by now, you're fighting back heaving shivers at the way the pads of his calloused fingers run under your top.

"hah! yeah, yeah. history and all that," he murmurs, low and amused, but his focus is clearly elsewhere, his lips now resuming their previous task of snapping at your torso, letting pretty berry-red marks beam.

you roll your eyes, though a smile tugs at the corners of your own glossy mouth, "y-you're impossible," and you try not to squirm as his forefinger and thumb on each hand pinch at a nipple under your top, "don' even know why i bothered bring this...this camera around. the guide said that these sights were o-once, oh fuck, sukuna, get a grip, said the sights were once-in-a-lifetime b-breathtaking."

"breathtaking, huh?" sukuna shifts closer to you, scooting you further over his wide lap, and his voice has dropped to a low and sultry whisper that sends a shiver down your spine, and leaves you aching, "i think you're breathtaking. wan' explore this," and here, he snaps at the elastic band of your lace panties, "instead."

"and besides, i was listening," and now, he's patting his sculpted, exposed thighs behind the plush of your ass on him, "the guide said that this city straddles two continents."

he's emphasising his words with a deliberate tap, clearly hoping you'd catch the awful word-play.

"say something like that again, and i'm booking the next flight home."

"hah, so now you hate it when i am cultured."

by now, his two rough hands kneading at you has left you...airless. thick heat has been pooling in your core, and you just can't help but let out a soft whimper, "sukuna…only wanted y-you to focus."

he shakes his messy head, laughter rumbling deep in his chest, under thick pectoral muscles, "no can do, brat. you’re my focus now. done enough sightseeing outside today, wanna do something inside."

"you’re impossible!" but you gasp as he skims a thumb over your cloying, dewy clit, making you jolt.

you know he must be in a rare, mellowed mood because he breathes, "impossibly in love with you," and it's quiet, teasing as the heat of his breath ghosts over your skin, "now tell me how much you want this, and maybe i'll think about giving you a different type of lesson."

franky, by now you want nothing more than to be filled with heavy, hot inches that curl into you, sloshing their way to the most sensitive spot of all, and sukuna must see that on your face.

"i -," you begin, but the words falter as he leans in, his lips brushing against your ear, and the weeping tip of his cock taps against the wet pool staining your underwear darkly translucent.

"just say it, brat. tell me how bad you want it, i'll even be nice this time," he urges, his voice a sultry purr, "just gon' give it to you as you ask, yeah?"

"wan' you in me, 'kuna," you finally admit, breathless, "i want you so much it hurts."

"good girl," he mutters, his eyes darkening with desire. "now you're getting the right idea."

you sigh, content, but then still your rocking hips suddenly, "but after this, we're still going out to the bazaar for dinner."

"for fuck's sake."

GOJO SATORU — like a boss, you sang jazz and blues 📍paris, france

you're not quite sure where exactly you should be training your ears, whether you should be listening to the sultry notes of a saxophone that wrap around the plush velvet booth where you and gojo are seated.

or the thick, clingy swish of his fingers practically bullying themselves in and out of your pussy. the air is thick with the scent of expensive cigars that make you wrinkle your nose, and fine whiskey (that makes gojo wrinkle his nose) and the sweet tang of your own slick, privately, just for the two of you.

your boyfriend sits close to you, his left hand tight on your waist, and the other working a fine instrument, bunching up underneath your ysl silk dress.

"baby, look at how your perfect cunt's talkin' to me," he's whispering, and you can hear the sheer glee in his voice, his breath hot against your ear.

meanwhile, your jaw is slack and you're doing your best to not meet his touch with a sultry, rhythmic grind of your own hips, but the knot is quickening and tightening within you.

but gojo just smiles, and you can see the blue in his eyes darken underneath his sunglasses that have slipped slightly down the slope of his nose, "but can't have everyone hearing this melody, can we? might think you were the main fuckin' attraction for the night and not -" he cocks his head to the quartet serenading the paris night sky, and the other patrons of this filthy wealthy club.

you just sink your teeth into your painted lip, suppressing a whine as he curls three fingers within you, reeling you entirely pliant and having you lean against his broad chest under his jacket, "b-but satoru, 'm getting close."

he's being awful, you think. and when he had pulled his hand out earlier, it had been entirely coated in a ribbon of your arousal, the slow syrup beginning to run down his slender digit, but he had parted his lips and let not a drop go to waste on his tongue.

the music is swelling, it's a jazzy crescendo that fills the air, and your gaze hazes and wonders, focusing on the open window where the eiffel tower stands ablaze in lights. soft gasps are escaping your lips, when gojo starts slamming his fingers up and up further, right up to his glossy knuckle, clearly searching for your g-spot.

and you are so glad that this booth is turned away from the rest of the club's patrons, for if they saw you, it would be no secret as to what exactly was going on underneath your gown.

"focus on me, love. just focus on how you're soaking me."

he's pressing his fingers impossibly deeper, stroking your walls in a way that make it impossible to think of anything else but him.

"gojo, please…" you breathed, struggling to keep your voice low, "what if someone sees?"

he laughs, pressing his mouth to your neck, and you know he's inhaling the new scent that you had picked up at the luxury flagship stores earlier, his treat.

"let them. paid good enough money to get in here," and now he's getting more insistent, practically ravishing your aching pussy now, "besides, they wanna say anything about it? i'll cut out their tongue."

"p-pretty sure that's, mmph, i'm sure that's i-illegal, 'toru."

"don't want your pretty head thinking about anything else right now, 'kay?" and god, it's one of life's greatest works, how he just knows how to work his magic like this, and the way that he's pinching, rolling and twirling his fingers has you convinced that the holy six-eyes technique, passed down in the sacred tradition of the gojo clan, is being put to nasty work.

sure enough, a little spark! there, and a bigger zap! against your clit practically confirms your suspicions, as does the unearthly glow you catch in gojo's wide eyes, and you can feel yourself hurtling towards a precipice, panting open-mouthed against him.

"dirty girl, you don’t want to make a scene, do you?" he says this like he was not the one who pulled you into this booth, and palmed his way up your slip-dress. like he's not the one who tore into your lace panties, and shoved them into his pocket.

"it feels so good, satoru,” you babble, barely able to contain yourself, as he scissors his fingers wide, nudging your walls apart, "i can’t — "

"then don't," he interrupted, his voice low and commanding, "just let it happen. i want to hear you, i wanna hear her too, but only if you can keep it down."

you nodded, breathless, watching as waiters in impeccable black-and-white attire glide between the tables, carrying trays of delicate hors d'oeuvres and glasses of dom pérignon.

"good girl," he murmured, his fingers curling just right, pushing you closer to that exquisite precipice, "now, be quiet and enjoy the moment."

just as he pinches your clit, you feel everything around fall away in shattering starfall. bolts of lightning shoot and splash through your lungs, stilling your heart, leaving your cunt pulsing with a life of its own, fluttering against satoru's fingers which still haven't stopped.

it's only then you realise that the band has stopped playing, and the other patrons of the clubs are leaning out of their seats, slapping their hands together in fervount applause.

but you can only stare, dazed and boneless from the remnants of an excellent fucking orgasm, as gojo leans in, just over the shell of your ear.

"how about we go back to the hotel room? wanna see an encore?"

[pricegouge]

the erotic pin up thought but imagine nikolai tattooing his favourite pic and surprising his lover with it :3

he's already been away for two weeks when you get a text from an unknown number. you don't need the contact to discern who it is, anyway. in istanbul. things are running long. don't expect me back so soon. you're not expecting a reply when you tell him not to worry, to just keep himself safe, but you're delighted when you get one anyway.

>>You too, milaya.

he messages you at least once a day, just to check in. you've never been able to contact him like this while he's been on mission before and you don't want to ruin it by being too needy but the temptation of your phone lays heavy in your pocket all week. you'd hate to interfere but he makes it hard when he keeps up a slow, steady means of communication. you wonder about the mission, don't dare ask. it seems unlikely that he'd let himself be so distracted if it were something high stakes, though. it's possible he's been relegated to glorified taxi while bigger pieces make their moves and you can't help but sympathize when you picture him waiting around, dining in the quaint kind of cafes he'd never really seemed to find an appreciation for - at least, not on his own. he was always happy enough to take you but it had always been very clear where his interest lied, dark eyes trained on you even as he ordered. observant, filing away each little reaction he could pull from you with savory dishes and select deserts. you flatter yourself, imagining his patience breaking, just a little more each day, just enough to text you, earlier and earlier each day until two weeks have come and gone and you've basically fallen into a constant rapport.

you ask for pictures of the city and he obliges, little peeks into the life he's living while away. yet more evidence this is some bizarrely political mission he doesn't really need to be present for. you note when he moves locales a few times but he tactfully avoids telling you his location again. he stops sending you pictures altogether when you start guessing correctly.

so you start sending him pictures instead. they start out innocent enough, testing the limits of what you're allowed to say on this line. he shows gives no intent to stop you when you show him the view from the summit of a local hike, nor even when you snap a picture outside a local restaurant, its logo left carelessly in frame. he only tells you to enjoy, doubles down when you send a selfie with your cheeks stuffed full of spanakopita.

you start to think he deserves a reward, being on the clock for nearly a month straight and still finding the time to check in with you.

his hangar is a sacred place, one you rarely enter without his accompaniment. too many expensive tools, machinery pulled apart with all its fragile bits exposed. you're always afraid to touch, afraid to break. nik had told you once that every item there was made of sterner stuff, that you couldn't hurt a swashplate if you climbed up on it. funny how you might be taking him up on the offer now.

(you wouldn't know really, the knowledge about what a swashplate even was having gone in one ear and right out the other. not your fault when he looked that good, jumpsuit folded down to reveal a sweaty, clingy tank top, wiry hair visible through the thin ribbed material.)

but you're getting ahead of yourself.

the tarp kicks up a mess when you pull it free, concrete dust having settled in nik's absence. it sends you into a sneezing fit and you curse, smudging your makeup as you try to wipe away the moisture collecting on your lash line. you decide to roll with it when you catch a glimpse of yourself in some nearby chrome, see the kind of effect it brings to your overall look.

your makeup is classic, a bright lip and exaggerated liner. even a painted on beauty mark to really knock it home. the outfit was harder to settle on, your every instinct telling you nik always appreciated when you looked your finest, all dolled up in expensive labels he'd bought for you. but ultimately you'd decided what was good for the goose was good for the gander, pilfering from his closet until you'd found what you were looking for, the exact same outfit which drove you mad.

nik's a big man, his jumpsuit made to reflect that. it drapes away from your waist when you let it hang but it's nothing that a clever safety pin corset can't fix, the top of the suit left to hang over it, hiding it away. long legs are easier to remedy, hems tucked into a pair of hiking boots you hadn't cared about in years, now painted to look the part with the same gear grease you'd smeared all over yourself, tasteful swipes meant to accentuate your soft curves, here on display under the dirty tank top you'd sworn you'd told him to get rid of, now tied tight around your waist to show off your chest. and now with your smudged makeup you think you've finally got it right, the look exactly what you'd been going for when you'd first got the notion in your head.

with the stage already set, the photoshoot goes easily enough. the poses are almost instinctual, the big wrench you wield almost natural in your hands as you lean provocatively over the engine block, tits to squished you doubt he'll ever even notice the size isn't right for the bolts in front of you. you try a couple of different styles, positions which are obviously designed with aesthetics in mind interspersed with more competent looking ones, even though it makes you feel ridiculous when you think of how obvious it will be to him that you don't know what you're doing.

you just have to remember how little he's going to mind it, all told.

editing isn't your strong suit. you're racked with doubt all the while, hyperfocused on every little flaw you spot. it gets easier when you remember the whole shoot is meant to be quite grimy and in the end you settle on a decent collection. you even remember to upload them to a file sharing site to avoid compression, sending him the link with a wink and a warning not to open in front of his comrades.

he calls you naughty immediately, but it's long hours before he can properly respond, a call that wakes you up in the middle of the night so he can pant and moan in your ear about how much he wants to bend you over that engine, peel his suit off of you and eat your cunt from the back. it's the first time you've heard his voice in weeks and the low rumble of it conspires with the slickness in your panties which never fully righted itself after your little photoshoot, the anticipation of his reaction keeping you primed for him. you come together before trading quiet reassurances. how much you miss each other, how you can't wait to see him again. he makes a vague promise to be home soon and you're still so sated that the twinge of loneliness feels like nothing really.

you think that's the end of it. that maybe he'll request more, at most. but then you wake up days later with a furnace at your back and a hairy arm draped over your side. it's still early, the sun not even up yet. you should let him sleep but you can't help rolling within the age of his arm and planting a chaste kiss on his cheek. even in the low light you can see how haggard and hollow he looks, run ragged for too long. his beard is overgrown, the short stubble he usually keeps filling out into a decent beard.

really it's unfair how handsome he looks even now.

"go back to sleep."

you huff a laugh and press another kiss to him. lower now that you know he's awake. above his cupid's bow, your own lips drawn tight with your smile. "but it's morning."

"can't be," he counters, voice thick with exhaustion. "i only just fell asleep."

you hum, distracted as you trace the wrinkles of his forehead. was that one always there? was it new? "maybe it's not wherever you were," you concede. "where were you, by the way?"

"where wasn't i?" he sighs as he rolls away, a great puff of air that cuts through the easiness of the morning, reminds you of what exactly he's likely returned from. the culmination of the mission, even the easy one it seemed to be. he was rarely ever trotted out for emissary visits, after all.

but you don't want to think about all that so you follow him as he rolls, laying yourself across his chest to keep him grounded as you rub against his far shoulder. "well you're home now and my vote's for sleeping in."

his chest rumbles beneath you, a quiet laugh you can feel more so than you can hear. he takes your hand in his and presses a kiss to your fingers before setting it back down in favor of reaching much lower to pull you more properly onto him. your grip shifts from his shoulder to his bicep and you pause when you feel the edge of a bandage there, worry settling low in your belly as you trace the edges of it. "you're hurt?" you demand, but you don't give him a chance to respond before sitting up and leaning across him to turn the lamp on.

it takes you a moment to make sense of what you're looking at, the bandage you'd felt before nothing more than four haphazard lines of tape holding a square of black plastic against his skin. he laughs at your confusion, thumbing the furrow between your brows away as he also sits up, pulling you onto his lap as he reassures you he's not hurt.

"what's that then?" you ask, afraid to peel the edges up and see for yourself.

he's chuckling as he does it for you, the wrap pulling away to reveal the neat black lines and bold color of a traditional tattoo, a plump little pinup in a barely-hanging-on mechanic's jumpsuit, her cartoonishly circular tits squeezed between her own arms as she leaned confidently over simplified engine block. it's good work from what you can tell. his bicep is a big canvas, the tattoo itself appropriately sized, leaving the artist enough room for minute details, smudges of brown oil accentuating your curves and a wry smile below demure lids.

still.

"you didn't," you scoff, too blown away to even know if you're actually mad or not. you don't think you are, but what if he -

what if -

"well it was either this or i get you airbrushed on the side of the blackhawk, but you are mine, and i do not want just anyone to see you like that."

[poptheweasel]

Turkish Delight

——————————————

Cory quickly realised he’d made a mistake.

He just couldn’t help it. Cory was enjoying an evening coffee at one of those small classic neighbourhood coffeehouses in Istanbul, the kind frequented mostly by aged locals, not young tourists like him. He felt and looked out of place, sure, but it was fine. Sitting at a far corner of the cosy establishment, no one bothered him and he bothered no one. It took him a little while, but Cory was just starting to feel at ease.

And then he entered. Clearly a regular, judging by the way he swaggered in and interacted with the owner and other customers. But he stood out among the others in that he wasn’t old like the rest of them; in fact, he and Cory seemed to be the only men under 40. He sat at a table at the other end of the place, placing him on Cory’s line of sight.

Cory was immediately captivated by this stranger, not fully understanding why. Maybe it was because the guy contrasted so strongly with himself. Not that Cory wasn’t attractive — of course he was — but something about the man transfixed him. “Fuck, he’s hot,” Cory thought. Maybe it was the gleaming light brown eyes to Cory’s own icy blue, or the meticulously-groomed heavy stubble the guy sported that accentuated his sharp jawline; maybe it was his athletic physique, his well-defined body betrayed by a shirt that was clearly a size too small, or maybe it was how hairy he was, the dark hair very conspicuously thickly covering his sturdy legs and arms offering a stark contrast to Cory’s blond hairs barely visible from a distance… Whatever the case, Cory just couldn’t take his eyes off that Turkish guy. He wanted him, to feel him, to taste him, and imagined all sorts of scenarios.

That’s when Cory realised: he was shamelessly ogling the man. Snapping out of his reverie, he noticed the hairy hunk staring right back at him, completely emotionless. Shit. Flushed and embarrassed, Cory hurriedly paid for his coffee and left, all the while the man continuously and intently observed his every move. Just as he exited, the guy whom he mentally violated also got up to follow him.

His cheeks still ruddy and warm from the unfortunate encounter a while ago, Cory briskly made his way through the labyrinthine streets of the hilly city, desperate to return to his accommodation. The Turkish guy wasn’t too far behind him; Cory meanwhile sensed he was being pursued so he quickened his pace. In an attempt to throw him off the trail, Cory turned a corner into a quiet narrow alleyway flanked by an empty lot and vacant buildings.

Right then, a deep voice called out from behind Cory.

“Hey, you.”

Cory froze, his face drained of the redness. He stood in silence, not knowing whether to respond or run away. He was terrified and felt faint. Only the fresh cool evening maritime breeze kept him on his wobbly knees as he shuddered, half because of the chill, half because he feared what would happen next. Ultimately, after a tense while which felt like an eternity, Cory turned around to see the man approaching him. Although Cory still was scared, he weirdly felt an emergent sense of excitement as well.

Soon, Cory stood facing the Turk. A dimly-lit streetlight was the only source of illumination through which Cory could better appreciate the figure before him. He noticed how the guy was even more hirsute than he realised, with chest hair spilling over his too-tight shirt. Cory’s cock twitched.

“I saw you look earlier,” the guy drily said, maintaining intense eye contact with Cory.

“Ye… No! I mean, yeah, I was…” Cory stammered sheepishly. Fuck, why was he getting turned on all of a sudden?

“Like what you see?”

Cory gulped and nodded. His knees were about to give in when the hunk suddenly grabbed Cory by the shoulders with his hairy meaty hands and yanked him close to give him a forceful yet passionate sloppy kiss. Cory was taken aback and screamed internally, but at the same time, he liked what was happening. Wasn’t this what he wanted in the first place? He didn’t resist the surprising advances; he simply couldn’t resist. He reciprocated, their tongues roaming each other’s mouths. As the Turk continued to shove his tongue in him, Cory felt like putty — he’d let the guy do anything to him, he’d be happy to be used by this gorgeous hairy man in whatever way.

The man’s stubble scratched and tickled Cory’s soft skin around his lips moistened by the wet kisses. Cory felt strong itching sensations in the same area. He normally kept himself clean-shaven, mainly because he could only manage to grow some wispy hairs on his face. As the Turkish guy momentarily pulled away from the kiss though, the area around Cory’s mouth was substantially darker than it was just a minute ago, the beard growth process being accelerated. Cory ignored the itch and continued making out.

After a while of spit-heavy lip-locking, the Turk pulled down his shorts and grabbed Cory by the shoulders, pushing him down to his knees. Cory, at eye level with the guy’s cut 8-inch cock, was completely mesmerised by the sight and especially the scent; the pubes were so dense, they trapped and collected all the musky sweat and oozing precum. The smell was rather pungent but Cory didn’t mind at all. If anything, the odour had a simultaneously captivating and relaxing effect on him and he felt compelled to inhale it more.

Cory piggishly sniffed the ridiculously hairy crotch, even licking the beads of moisture off individual strands of pubes. While doing so, the hair on his temple grazed the guy’s leaking member, some of the precum sticking onto his blond hair. His hair absorbed the pre almost instantly and began to darken, the change in colour spreading from where the precum had been smeared. The hair on Cory’s scalp lost its sandy hue but retained its sheen, turning browner and darker as the pigmentation spread from the roots to the tips. His face still buried in the thick pubes, Cory felt the man jerk himself, squeezing out more pre from his throbbing cock. “Suck,” he commanded. Cory swiftly obliged.

Cory was dazed; the public setting, the man’s body and scent, his own eagerness… all that was happening was wilder than anything he’d ever dreamt of. After admiring the juicy rod bobbing up and down in front of him, Cory closed his eyes and got to work, savouring the taste of the musky cock with a faint taste of piss. He took the whole length in his mouth and down his throat, blowing to the best of his abilities. He eagerly lapped up the copious amounts of pre from the Turk’s slick pulsating member, coating his tongue.

The more he sucked and swallowed, the more hairs grew on his face. The itch intensified above and below Cory’s lips, little needle-like black hairs pushing out from his smooth skin and multiplying below his nose and on his chin. The beginnings of a luscious beard then steadily migrated outwards, short pointed hairs breaking out all over Cory’s cheeks and linking with his tapered sideburns. By now, Cory had grown a remarkable designer stubble which grew in thicker by the minute and slowly crept down his chin. At the same time, his face took on a slight tan, darkening independently of the hair growth that took over the whole lower half of his face. Cory’s jaw looked more rugged too, becoming more square and masculine.

Cory carried on blowing his new acquaintance, completely oblivious to the changes affecting him. “You like?” asked the man. “Mmhrrrgggmm,” Cory could only nod and let out a gurgled hum of approval to affirm. The Turkish guy then forcefully rammed his cock down Cory’s throat, making him gag. Just as he did, Cory’s Adam’s apple jutted out more prominently. He opened his wet eyes to look up at the hunk; as he blinked away the tears, his blue eyes lost their iciness as the colour shifted from a cold blue to a warmer mixture of green and brown with flecks of gold. With his new hazel eyes, Cory saw the guy with a smirk on his face for the first time.

Cory’s body continued to change. He felt bulkier, the clothes he wore starting to strain against the muscles growing on his formerly slim frame. He also felt so much warmer despite the breeze; he felt heat radiating all throughout his body from the pit of his stomach and was sweating profusely as a result. He also felt his whole body itching uncomfortably by now. Watching the Turk strip and bare his gloriously hairy body, Cory did the same — he certainly wasn’t as hairy as the guy. Yet. The hair growing on Cory’s face continued to travel down, prickly hairs sprouting on his neck, past his collarbones and on his chest. Cory initially only had a faint patch of barely-visible hair right at the centre of his chest, but as the hairs darkened and thickened, they fanned out towards his pits, forming whirling patterns around his nipples and covering his whole chest with stubbly black hair, like a freshly-mowed lawn. The prickly sensation migrated south to his midriff, a trail of nascent coarse hairs sprouting from his chest down to his navel and then his crotch. From there, the newly-formed treasure trail widened and began to spread outwards in all directions, hairs multiplying rapidly until Cory’s whole torso was blanketed in a field of short hair which connected his stubble and still-sparse pubes.

After a few minutes of Cory sucking, slurping and gagging on the fat Turkish cock, the guy made him stop. Cory reluctantly agreed. The guy then grabbed Cory by his wavy, shiny black hair and got him up back on his feet. Cory was in a state of utter bliss, drunk on pre and musk, drooling uncontrollably. The Turk lifted his arm, exposing his smelly pit completely covered in tangled wiry hairs. The dark hairs were so incredibly dense and tightly-spaced that Cory thought he was staring into the void. “Sniff and lick,” he told Cory. Who was Cory to say no? He stumbled forward, faceplanting right in the sweaty jungle of pit hairs. The pit musk was surely at least ten times as potent as the musk from crotch! The pungent scent was overwhelming; it burned Cory’s nostrils, and yet his cock throbbed even harder, dripping pre all over. What would have been torture felt more like heaven to Cory. He grunted as he took a deep whiff of the rank musk and licked the matted hairy mess soaking wet with sweat. It was absolutely acrid, and the sharp sourness also scalded his throat, making him cough. Cory was immobilised though, his head held in place in the Turk’s reeking hirsute pit; he let out muffled moans, struggling to breathe. Inhaling the musk and gulping down obscene quantities of rancid sweat accelerated Cory’s changes.

Cory’s body ached all over as he increased in size, growing a few inches and gaining muscle mass. His muscles pulsated and expanded; it really looked as if someone was blowing air into him. His chicken legs inflated to become sturdy trunks, with hard thighs and bulging calves. His arms too grew larger, the veins protruding, his forearms thickening along with his biceps and triceps which doubled in size. Cory’s shoulders and chest broadened, providing him with a more robust, rugged physique. His abs also became prominent, the tight muscles emerging with several popping sounds. Cory was granted a temporary reprieve from piggishly eating out the Turk’s pit, leaving him to gasp for fresh air. The guy then tugged sharply on Cory’s nipples, making him let out a simultaneous yelp and low moan. As if some mechanism had been activated, Cory’s pecs ballooned and jutted out forward, his nipples looking thicker, longer and juicier than the goose-pimple ones he had before. Along with his pecs, his ass also expanded; what was once fairly flat and sad-looking was now globular, the firm cheeks jiggling with every move.

Cory’s puppeteer shoved Cory back into his other, equally hairy and musky pit. With his face buried in the nasty armpit, Cory panted and grunted as the intoxicating scent continued to work its magic. Cory’s brows became wider and bushier. The stubble on his face grew darker and thicker, the hairs coarsening and lengthening as well as multiplying in greater numbers. Starting from under his nose, more hairs poked out to give him a moustache which covered his whole upper lip. The hairs on his chin grew out in all directions, growing unruly and tangling up as Cory rubbed his face in the Turk’s manly pit. His cheeks underwent the same treatment, thick beard hairs pushing out from the follicles and cascading down, following Cory’s rugged jawline and covering the entire area of his face below his nose, the new bushy growth connecting with the moustache and the hairs below his lips. The growth continued to give Cory an incredibly thick medium-length beard that he’d only ever dreamt of having, now coated with a layer of musky sweat and Cory’s own saliva owing to his ravenous worshipping of the Turkish man’s pits. The man held Cory firmly in place, as if to cure the scent onto him.

This second explosion of hair travelled down Cory’s heaving body. Where the first wave of hair growth resulted in hairs which looked trimmed, the wiry, curly growth this time gave him a natural look, the hirsuteness of a man who had never shaved in his life, possibly unable to, due to how densely and much the hair grew. Coarse hairs burrowed their way out of Cory’s shoulders, leaving a forest of curly fur surrounding his neck, and flowed down his swollen upper arms and to his forearms, forming whirls and wave-like patterns, the wild, dense growth of black hair obscuring the view of the skin underneath — his arms looked as if they were wrapped in steel wool. Cory’s hands cracked and popped as they grew meatier and burlier, his fingers rough and calloused and speckled with thick hairs, giving him an almost beastly appearance.

The rapid growth of hair continued unabated, Cory feeling an intense itch under his arms. Soon, dark pinpricks appeared in his shaven pits, increasing exponentially. From those black dots, long wiry hairs shot out, growing thicker and longer, seemingly watered and fed by the sweat that had accumulated in his pits all this time. Radiating from the centre of the pits, the hairs blanketed a larger area, connecting with the hairs on Cory’s chest. Much like the Turk’s pits, Cory’s pit hair grew unwieldy and matted, the strands twisted and twirled from both the growth and the dampness. The moisture trapped under the massive tufts of pit hair emanated a smell. Indeed, accompanying the growing hairs was a stink, the same kind of rank smell that Cory had been inhaling for some time now, which grew increasingly more powerful as the fur grew in. Cory’s chest hair also began to lengthen at the same time, the hairs coiling out and curling and bunching up. Any remaining empty space was filled with thick wiry hair springing out in rapid succession. The amount of hair was grotesque; the eruption of wiry black hairs created a rug of fur on Cory’s toned body, completely enveloping his torso such that his pecs and abs were hardly visible at all, only his engorged nipples barely poking out from the dense field of hair.

Together with the massive hair growth and coupled with the increased pigmentation in his hairs, the light tan which had developed on his face also migrated down. Cory’s pale complexion on his face was already completely replaced by a natural tan, a light sun-kissed brown. The colour seeped down his neck, his back, his shoulders, like someone had dumped a bucket of oil on Cory. The dim orange streetlight made his tan appear darker, what little bits of skin peeking out through the dense hair glistening with the light reflecting off the sweat. Soon, all of Cory’s skin was a luscious earthy tone, not that much of it was visible under all the fur carpeting his whole body.

Cory’s raunchy pit sweat guzzling was interrupted when the Turk made him turn around and stand facing the wall of the vacant building. “Ass out,” the guy ordered. Cory immediately obeyed, panting like a dog that’s had too much sun. He was excited by the prospect of getting railed by this hot Turkish hunk, not having realised all the changes that affected him. Beads of precum dribbled out of Cory’s aching cock, which in the meantime had also darkened to match the rest of his complexion. His balls, larger than before, also churned. Cory felt the Turk holding him from behind, grinding his wet slick cock against Cory’s ass crack filling with hair. “Ready?” asked the man. “Fuck yes,” Cory responded. The guy spat right onto Cory’s tight puckering hole. Wiry black hairs blossomed around the pink ring, spreading out alongside the hairs growing on his crack. The light dusting of hair on his bouncy glutes was swiftly overtaken by curly dark hairs.

The Turk slowly inserted his cock lubed up with Cory’s saliva and his own precum into Cory’s inviting hairy hole, making Cory emit low moans and animalistic grunts sounding deeper than the previous ones. The man thrust in and out of Cory in a rhythmic fashion, Cory’s hole wrapping around his cock, basically milking him of his pre. With every thrust and pound and depositing of the Turkish guy’s precum in him, Cory changed further. His furry mounds ballooned even more. Pound. Fuzz grew in from the area of his coccyx and crept up the entire length of his spine, connecting with the thick curly hairs on his shoulders. Pound. The same fuzz then fanned out from the backbone, coating the lower back and colonising the previously hairless area of the shoulder blades. Pound. The wispy hairs on his whole back turned darker, growing longer and thicker, thousands of individual strands unfurling as they burrowed out of Cory’s smooth skin with great strength, leaving him with an impenetrable pelt of fur on his back. Pound. The wiry hairs erupted in greater quantities on his legs and snaked down, growing all over and wrapping around his thighs and calves and shins. Pound. The midnight black hairs on Cory’s legs thickened considerably that they were now visible from a distance, in stark contrast to before when he still had barely-visible light hairs against his pale white skin.

The pounding increased in speed, the Turk’s hairy low-hanging golf ball-sized balls slamming and smacking sonorously against Cory’s voluptuous hairy ass, also making his balls increase in size to those of tennis balls. Each frenzied slap caused Cory’s bush to fill in and spread beyond its confines at the base of his penis. He had previously kept his crotch trimmed, but that was history now; his pubes more closely resembled black fur due to how dense and tightly-packed it was. It was impossible to see the skin underneath the bush which had basically spread to the navel and also around Cory’s hips, even having crawled a little bit up his shaft. The wild, unkempt matted fur on his groin, much like the coarse tufts of hair under his arms, collected both musk and moisture, rendering it damp and especially pungent. It was only this time that Cory realised how much he reeked, with his arms outstretched to prop himself against the wall as he was fucked by his dream man. He didn’t care that he stunk; no, it turned him on, even. His dick responded accordingly, pulsating painfully — as the Turkish guy continued to thrust rigorously, Cory’s leaking cock grew larger incrementally, as did his balls which were engulfed in wiry hairs, and Cory produced more and more pre which trickled down his shaft and onto his extremely tangled mess of a bush, stinking it up even more.

Very little of Cory as he once was at the coffeehouse remained. At this point, he resembled an extremely hairy, beefy Turkish man, handsome and masculine, oozing testosterone out of every pore, blessed with the perfect manly genes such that luscious fur carpeted his body front and back, head to toe. After a few more thrusts and plunging and poking, the Turk erupted with one drawn-out growl and heavy panting and flooded Cory’s insides with his hot, sticky seed, depositing load after load in him. On Cory’s part, he too was close to cumming. As his cock reached a fully erect length of at least 9 inches, his foreskin retracted down his pulsing shaft and vanished altogether, leaving him with a newly-cut slab of meat. Cory blasted — hands-free — at the same time as the other Turk, leaving a puddle of splooge on the ground and painting a fair bit of the wall he propped himself up against. As he came, so came out the last vestiges of his former whiteness, his balls now filling and churning with Turkish cum.

The guy pulled out of Cory with a shlorp, cum dribbling out of Cory’s manhandled hairy hole and clinging onto the thick curly hairs on Cory’s ass and legs. Both men were breathing heavily, completely spent. They momentarily stood in silence punctuated by the sounds of buzzing insects and the occasional evening breeze. The other Turkish man, now slightly smaller in build than Cory, pulled Cory close for a kiss, gently and tenderly this time, not minding the pre and drool that had stuck and dried onto Cory’s majestic bushy beard.

“What’s your name?” the guy asked, thumbing Cory’s still-hard protruding nipples. Cory opened his mouth to respond but he hesitated. He suddenly realised he didn’t remember his name — what was his name? What a strange thing to forget! He knew it started with a C… no! It wasn’t a C, silly him. It started with a K, of course, and there was an R in there. K… Kor…? Ker…

“Kerem,” he finally answered. Yes, Kerem; that was his name, the name that he’d obviously had all his life. He’d always lived in Istanbul, hadn’t he? He liked the sea and the hills, his native culture, and the men, especially the men — those hirsute and masculine like him, of course — how happy is he who calls himself a Turk!

“I’m Semih,” said the other man who had followed Kerem all the way from the coffeehouse in the hopes of having fun with him. He certainly did get lucky, even out in public like this. “Evimde bir kez daha?”

“Peki, kanka.” Kerem was so ready for round two with Semih.

—————————————————

Hi all, decided to upload something original for a change. Kudos to @hairyjocktf for the encouragement!

[jokeroutsubs]

[ENG translation] Joker Out: The destinies of "the Jokers" are linked

An interview with Joker Out published in the September 2024 issue of Pil magazine. Original article written by Jelka Šutej Adamič, photos by Vita Orehek. Translation by a member of JokerOutSubs, review by @kurooscoffee, proofread by IG GBoleyn123.

The band Joker Out is at the centre of the Slovenian music scene, they're travelling from concert to concert, and they also have more and more fans. Right now, they're still on a big European tour titled 'See You Soon', on which they will have, or have had, at least 22 concerts in 13 countries¹. They've announced the release of a new album in the autumn. We caught up with them during the hot July days and chatted with Jure Maček, Kris Guštin, Jan Peteh and Nace Jordan, whilst Bojan Cvjetićanin wasn't able to join the conversation.

¹This interview was conducted in July 2024 and published in the September issue of Pil; the See You Soon tour is now already over.

A question that has probably been asked a hundred times already: how and when did you get together and form the band?

We formed the band out of two pre-existing ones, the bands Buržoazija and Apokalipsa. We met at a concert and decided that we should form a band together. That was in 2016, when we got together for rehearsals for the first time and named the newly formed band Joker Out.

Last autumn you sold out Stožice Arena, now you're preparing the new album and have been on a European tour for several months already. Did you imagine that you would rise so quickly?

Maybe not that it would be so quick, but we've always been quite ambitious, because we had hopes and dreams. It's true, however, that we didn't know exactly what it was that we wanted.

What would you suggest to beginners who have similar ambitions to you? How should they get to work?

They have to practise a lot and persist, they have to find the people around them who complete them. Our friends and family members helped us out a lot in the beginning. Jan's dad, for example, constantly drove us around for the first two years. We wouldn't have gotten anywhere without him. Our advice would be to use (in the positive sense of the word!) anyone who can offer help. But of course, you primarily have to play as much as possible, including with various musicians who show up on your path.

Aside from hard work, another important thing is probably the producer, someone who gives you direction, takes care of your sound, gives you advice?

Our producer is Žare Pak, who is admittedly a "peculiar fellow", but Joker Out probably wouldn't sound the same without him. He is the sixth ear of the band who listens critically and determines whether something is good enough to make a recording. At the end he puts everything we record into one package and that's what we then listen to.

Who are the other people who are by your side professionally?

We have Niko, our driver, security guard, the dad of the band. We have Maša and Sanjin who always make sure that we look good and make a good impression in interviews. Also very important is Mark Pirc, who started out as a video producer, but our collaboration has expanded into general visual artistic co-creation and coordination. Mark is our main visual producer. All the people who help out, who make a concert happen, are also part of our team, and that's not a small number. Right now, we wouldn't be able to put on a concert on our own anymore, without help. We also have to highlight Andraž Drobnič, who takes care of our clothes, our stage costumes.

Do you currently live in Ljubljana?

In Ljubljana, Logatec, and Vrhnika.

You performed in various venues on the tour – from Helsinki to Istanbul, where you're yet to go². Were any of the performances abroad particularly memorable?

Whenever we go to Finland, we're thrilled. It's always top-notch there. Last year we played in Turku where 2800 people came to listen to us, which was something special for us. The venue was sold out.

²The Istanbul gig the interviewer is referring to was later cancelled.

How does a festival performance differ from one in a concert hall or a club? Do you prepare a different programme for one versus the other?

A lot of people who don't know us come to a festival, and we adjust our playlist accordingly. The advantage of being at a festival is that we can hang out with other musicians who are playing at the same festival, because at solo concerts, we stay backstage. The most important thing at a festival is definitely that you also get the attention of people who don't know you, whereas at your own concerts, you primarily have to satisfy the wishes of your listeners.

And the audience? How does it differ from country to country?

They don't speak Slovenian anywhere, so it doesn't matter. (laughter) They differ in energy, since each country has its own unique energy. At some concerts, the audience is more intense and very energetic, at others, they sing very loudly or participate in clapping and singing on their own... Each country is a little different. Finns are the most like us, while Lithuanians are the best of all at waving. We do have a lot of fans who are with us at most of the concerts. They follow along...

Are you perhaps planning a tour in the USA?

No. Of course we'd like to go, but it's not the right time for a tour yet.

What else do you like to do when you're not behind your instruments or the microphone?

I spent all day yesterday fixing my moped. (Jure)

I like to cook, I made a good lasagna the other day! At home, I often take a look at what's happening on the music scene: innovations, new releases. (Jan)

I have a small puppy and I spend most of my free time trying to raise him to be a nice dog. (Nace)

I go to Rožnik³ to cool off. (Kris)

Basically, we like to use our free time for ourselves.

³Rožnik is a small wooded hill in Ljubljana, a very popular place for the locals to go for a walk and exercise.

Do you also hang out privately?

Yes. We would probably do that more if we weren't together so much for business too. We also go for drinks together or meet up at our rehearsal place to chat and hang out.

How do you react when you get recognised on the street? Are you nice to your fans?

We are nice and we take photos with people if they wish to do so. There might be a problem after concerts, when there are really a lot of people and you can't please everyone. But otherwise it's not a problem to sign an autograph, but what's best is to have a bit of a chat.

You've opened an Openstage platform, which makes it easier for your fans to access your activity. What has the response been like? Has it "stuck"?

It has stuck, but it's true that we constantly have to promote it. We've reached ten thousand fans on Openstage, which means that more than ten thousand people have access to exclusive things like, for example, hearing a pre-premiere snippet of our new single 'Šta bih ja', which was released in July. Besides that, they're always the first ones who can buy new articles, CDs, vinyls, and they will often have a chance to buy concert tickets on pre-sale, and maybe have some discounts too. We also get a lot of information out of it, which helps us going forwards. The fans tell us where they are and where they want to listen to us, so we can plan a tour based on that as well.

In 'Everybody's Waiting', a very intimate song, you highlight topics like anxiety, success, individualism ... How has success affected your lives?

Ever since Eurovision, we often get the feeling that we're not in control of our lives anymore. We are more or less dependent on a bigger goal and at least four other people. It seems like our future, our destiny is irrefutably linked now, and we often have a feeling that the individual can get lost within that.

I'm sure you're sticking with rock'n'roll. Nevertheless, are you still tempted by any other music genres?

We're staying based in rock'n'roll, but we can always add rhythms from other musical genres to our songs – from a hint of world music to jazz chords, electronic music, samba rhythms...

What do you think of Pil⁴?

We read Pil and we were always excited about the posters. We hope we will get another edition of the poster. (laughter) We're glad that Pil still exists, that it's just like the one we knew from our childhoods. The fact that we were already on a Pil poster once means a lot to us.

⁴Pil is a Slovenian magazine for pre-teens and young teens which has been published since 1948 and has been an important part of many Slovenians' childhoods and teenage years.

[pippinoftheshire]

(a very late) WIP Wednesday

thanks so much for the tags @prettyboynapoleonsolo and @justabigoldnerd. I confess to not having been writing or being on Tumblr all that much these past few days, since I've been struggling a little BUT I BE BACK!!! y'all have my sibling to thank- we started writing something together today and It finally burst the floodgates!

So, without further ado:

From The Istanbul Affair:

“Hey.” Illya grunts, though the sound is not unkind. Solo’s hesitating, one foot inside the bounds of the kitchen, curls falling from his carefully styled pomade. He looks uncertain of his welcome. As if Illya might snap and chase him away. “Are you in… better mood, Cowboy?” Illya hedges, getting up to fill another mug from the pot on the stovetop. Solo looks vaguely offended, but then he nods. “Then there is nothing to be said. Coffee?” The American huffs a short laugh. “And Gaby?” “She is avoiding you. Said she was sleeping.” Solo winces. “Can’t blame her for that.” Illya pauses, a foot or two from his partner, holding the coffee out in offering, and weighs the likelihood that he’s going to regret what he says next. It’s just the two of them again, alone like the hotel in Rome, and Solo doesn’t reach out. His eyes are calculating, wary. “You…” Illya growls to himself, decides to bite the bullet. “You can speak to us. If you need too, da? You know this? We work together, after all.” Solo shifts his weight, tilts his chin up to canvas the Russian’s glacial eyes. for a brief moment, they are breathing the same air, and Illya catches a whiff of cedar and bergamot, before Solo finally takes the mug, the briefest brush of warm fingers, and retreats to the table. “I know, Peril,” he says, and Illya tries to shake off the feeling of being suddenly cold. “Old habits just die hard.”

tagging @heytheredeann, @cha-melodius, @huggiebird

@too-young-to-fall-in-love, @mybelovedillya, @freddiepurrcury

@nicijones, @bighandsforabigheart, @vnyu73, @falling-into-peril

and anyone else who wants to join <3

[mariacallous]

Bulgaria’s parliament on Wednesday adopted a law which prohibits “propaganda” for “non-traditional sexual orientations” in schools, sparking outrage and calls for protests. 

The legislation was drafted by the pro-Russian Revival party, but on its first and second readings it also gained support also from pro-Western factions as well.

The amendment to the Law for Pre-School and School Education outlaws “propaganda, popularisation and encouragement, directly or indirectly, of ideas and views connected to nontraditional sexual orientation or to gender-identifying different from the biological”.

In total, 135 out of 240 MPs voted in favour. Support from the pro-Moscow Bulgarian Socialist Party was expected, but the bill passed largely because of the surprising backing of the pro-EU centre-right GERB party.

More than half of the MP’s from the reformist opposition duo We Continue the Change/Democratic Bulgaria missed voting on the first reading for unclear reasons, but the alliance participated more fully on the second, voting against. Altogether, 57 MPs voted against and eight from GERB abstained.

The increased presence of topics related to sexual and gender identity in Bulgaria’s educational system is mentioned as a fact in the legislation’s wording, without offering specific examples. Some MPs cited the existence of brochures on sexual education for children and teenagers, or translated books that are in circulation, as problematic. 

The text does not mention sanctions and does not specify what “ideas and views” would be considered unlawful, leaving room for various interpretations. 

“The restriction on even talking about the topic in school limits chances to oppose the violence and harassment that LGBTI+ students experience,” the feminist organisation LevFem said after the passage of the amendment. 

LGBTQ+ organisation Deystvie drew direct comparisons between the draft amendment and the steady limitation of human rights and the rights of sexual minorities in Russia. “For the 30 years of democratic transition, Bulgaria’s political elite never understood that human rights are at the core of democracy,” Deystvie stated. 

“We need to be heard and understood, not rejected and attacked,” the human rights collective Feminist Mobilisations said before the vote. 

On Wednesday afternoon, a protest was announced in Sofia. 

Echoes of hate speech in debates

During the parliamentary debate, some politicians made statements bordering on hate speech. 

Socialist Party leader Kornelia Ninova said that Bulgarian families abroad had contacted her to alert about the dangers of “gender ideology” in the West and criticised those who are “one thing in the morning, a second in the afternoon, a third in the evening”.

Ninova defined “gender ideology” as something promoted “by very influential and rich people” and said it was “creeping into and taking over Bulgarian schools”.

She noted the recent Eurovision Song Contest, won by a non-binary contestant, and the aesthetics of the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games in Paris as worrying examples. Olympic controversies have been fanned by local conservative politicians, as a recent BIRN analysis explained. 

Ninova’s statements are in line with pro-Kremlin leanings of the Socialist Party, which in 2023 tried to initiate a referendum against “gender ideology” and which since 2017 has vehemently opposed the women’s rights treaty, the so-called Istanbul Convention, interpreting it as promoting LGBTQ+ rights.

“I’ll repeat what I’ve been saying for seven years now: hands off Bulgarian children,” Ninova said on Wednesday.

Zvezdelina Karavelova of Revival said that “pederasty” should be challenged and she hoped that her one-year-old son would never bring home a husband.

Atanas Tchorbanov of the There’s Such a People party compared the outcry from human rights organisations to the orchestra that famously played on during the sinking of the Titanic. 

Daniel Mitov of GERB said the measure was an opportunity to fight “leftist ideologies”.

In contrast, Eleonora Belobradova of We Continue the Change criticised the amendment as regressive and claimed that some paragraphs had been copy-pasted from Wikipedia. 

The turn of events underscores the successful politics of Revival.  Between 2020 and 2022, support for the party increased after it adopted anti-vaxx positions during the COVID-19 pandemic and stayed close to the Kremlin playbook over Ukraine. 

In 2022, Revival unsuccessfully tried to bring in a Russian-style “foreign agents” law.

[nkjemisin]

Hi there! I wanted to hear your opinion about this specific, and common obstacle authors might face. What do you think about writing places you've never been in or barely; and by extension, writing about its people, communities you've never really met, or not often? I'd like for my story to be set in NYC, and the people there, to feel real, but I wonder how legitimate I am with only research (can't travel there atm unfortunately). Love your work and eager to read more of Great Cities. Take care!

Well, I had to deal with this in writing the Great Cities quite a bit, so I can't tell you how to do it, but I can at least tell you how I dealt with it. Never been to São Paulo, for example, or Hong Kong or Istanbul or several of the cities that I "characterized" in the story. Some of that was because I was dealing with a lot of other stuff while working on TCWB (my mom had just died, buying my first home and moving, etc.) and didn't have time for research travel like I usually do, and for TWWM I stopped traveling due to covid. So I had to wing it.

I would say that a lot depends on how much you intend to use the location you're writing about. If it's just background, then you can do a surprising amount with remote observation and research. I used a lot of Google Street View, for example. I popped into Reddit threads for those cities and asked questions -- which is always a little fraught with Reddit, but people were mostly pleased to talk about their towns. I also picked up the Not For Tourists guides for a few cities. Basic info about any city is pretty readily available all over the place.

(Writing about communities is a different story, particularly if those are marginalized communities of some flavor. I always recommend starting with Writing the Other, if you're writing outside your own identity... and even if you're writing your own. It's helpful for reducing stereotypes and replicating exploitative traditions, period.)

If you're using a setting for a whole chapter or something, though, you need to either go there, get locals to talk to you about the place, or -- ideally -- both. In my case that meant talking to friends as well as paying several "expert readers" (like, a person born and raised in Istanbul) to read segments of my writing and offer critical advice. I even needed expert readers for NYC-related stuff -- the chapter of TWWM where Brooklyn goes to court, for example. I know nothing about the city's legal system or even which court is right for which kind of proceeding (we have A LOT of courts, both in the city and the boroughs).

You also need to be okay with making minor mistakes. Recognize that it really isn't possible for any one person to know everything, or even most things, about a city with a population of millions and which effectively sprawls across three different states. I've lived in NYC on and off all my life, and I still got several things wrong when I wrote the Great Cities. I read books and went on tours and learned things about my own city that I've never heard before. While I could and did walk right out my front door and have conversations with people who've lived here all their lives, sometimes there were mistakes in stuff they told me, and only research caught some (not all) of those. I feel like I got the stuff that mattered right, however -- the attitudes, the language, the power dynamics, the way parts of NYC absolutely love to talk shit about other parts of NYC, but will square up in solidarity the instant an outsider tries the same thing.

If your story is about the city, though? Set here? You really need to not just visit but live here for a while. There's nuance you're just not going to get from research or even talking to people. For some things, there's no substitute for experience.

Anyway, hope that helps.

[namusthetic]

The Weird Relatives at the Family Reunion

Half the rumors at the dining table involve them, but they attend family reunions just to cause drama. Their alliance still stands, and gets stronger each gathering.

No.1 - The Chaotic

Is made 70% out of anger issues and 30% out of spite

Does not care about people's opinions and judgement

Has no patience

Mom friend, scolds you first and then takes care of you anyway

Has their life organized, knows what they want

Only listens to a few selected people whom they trust

Devours sexists for breakfast

Their resistance to caffeine is the same as that of a 5-year-old to sugar

"Bold of you to assume I've reached my peak of dumbass"

Avoids physical touch

Their love language is food giving / cooking

A public danger when driving (and in general)

Eats cereals from the box

Falls completely silent when angry

Probably made a deal with the devil for clear skin

Hates the government with a passion

Listens to hard rock, metal and techno, not necessarily in this order

Helps children with mischievous plans

Ready to throw hands and chew people out if someone is getting bullied

Slapstick humor

Plots new, fun ways of causing mayhem

Catchphrase: "Improvise, attack, overcome."

Playlist:

Don't Stop Me Now by Queen

Istanbul (Not Constantinople) by They Might Be Giants

all the good girls go to hell by Billie Eilish

Cigarette Ahegao by Penelope Scott

LA ESPADA by Eternal Raijin

Scopin by Kordhell

Besos I by Bo Burnham

Supermassive Black Hole by Muse

My Ordinary Life by The Living Tombstone

Maneater by Nelly Furtado

spy? by WHOKILLEDXIX

Let's Groove by Earth, Wind & Fire

No.2 - The Neutral

Always looks half asleep or annoyed or both

Sarcasm and dark humor

Done with everyone's shit

"save the bees, punch a racist"

comes off as kind and easy-going, but would watch the world burn and not bat an eye

Is inclined to tollerate you better if you offer them coffee or cookies or if you start talking about books

Will cover for you if they like you, tell on you if they don't, you'll never know which one it is until the last second

They'll sit down in a spot away from the family chaos to either ignore or judge everyone

Has a keen eye for body language and nonverbal communication

Bad at managing anxiety and stress

"binarism is for computers, do I look like a fuckin MacBook to you?"

Says they don't like kids but carries candy in their pockets for their nephews

Commitment and trust issues

Starts yelling when they get really mad

Their love languages are acts of service and quality time

Not easy to impress, unless you start the conversation quoting Shakespeare or Dante

Passive aggressive

Listens to literally anything except country music

Hates parents who don't take their children seriously, so they're always ready to lend a ear and give advice

Helps no. 1 plotting by giving technical details and suggestions

Catchphrase: "Oh, I haven't told them good morning simply because I don't think they deserve one"

Playlist:

These Times by Far Caspian

Treehouse by Alex G, Emily Yacina

Tired by beabadoobee

Summer Child by Conan Gray

Young by Vacations

Fourth of July by Sufjan Stevens

Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now by The Smiths

The Adults Are Talking by The Strokes

O Children by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds

Sex, Drugs, Etc. by Beach Weather

Bitter Taste by Billy Idol

Obstacles by Syd Matters

No.3 - The Lawful

Sensitive, must protect

Love languages are words of affirmation and physical touch

Cannot cook for the life of them

Made of sunshine and rainbows

"Please, assume I have dignity"

Sweet but awkward

Wears sunglasses to hide the eye bags

Always rushing somewhere

Loves children

Takes things personally and thus gets hurt too often

Quotes cringy positivity lines

Hard working

Always brings something to eat

Is actually the most insecure about themselves and their body

No.1 and no.2 are ready to physically fight anyone who is mean to them

Cheers you up and has your back

Ready to forgive and forget, rarely blames people for stuff

Too willing to give second chances

Gives stern scoldings if they're mad

When something goes wrong they take it badly and get really sad

A cinnamon roll inside and outside

Knows how to play several instrument so they sing and play for children

Tries to keep no.1 and no.2 from achieving world domination

Catchphrase: "Even if the world is big, you're enough for it"

Playlist:

El Mismo Sol by Alvaro Soler

Brazil by Declan McKenna

OUR SUMMER by TXT

Baby I'm Yours by Arctic Monkeys

Hey Lover! by Wabie

Watermelon Sugar by Harry Styles

NIGHT DANCER by imase

HOME by BTS

Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes) by Edison Lighthouse

Bossa No Sé by Cuco ft. Jean Carter

Swing Lynn by Harmless

Promise by Jimin

[mezzy-1]

Neon Headcanons (but also ~Deadlock?)

Another (modified) version of one of @eviethelesbian 's prompts.  At this point I’m like Thanos collecting Infinity Stones but I just write Valorant headcanons from a list.  One down, god knows how many more to go.

Neon

My god she has no filter when speaking Tagalog, like it's not just that she swears but the sheer volume of it

Diagnosed by Sage, confirmed by damn near everyone she knows, she has ADHD

Despite being somewhat short she is excellent a basketball and when she learned the protocol had a court, she was estatic

Phoenix warned Gekko against challenging her, to which he ignored, and was shocked when Neon dunked on him

Also insanely fast too, if she decides to steal from someone’s plate it’s so quick that most people won’t notice

Will use her radiance to speed up basic chores.  Also to charge phones, hairdryers, tablets, and most appliances 

That last one is usually what happens when she decides to cook, and she LOVES cooking.  Most of the time she will offer to help cook even it isn’t her designated night to cook

Adobo is what most of the fandom knows her for, but it isn’t the only dish she can make.  

Sinangag, tocino, and sisig are usually her go to whenever she is asked to cook, but her favorite dish to make is anything with Ube

The shock value of purple food to the protocol and getting everyone’s reaction was entertaining to her.  Plus the flavor reminds her of childhood.

Misses her parents at times and occasionally will be reminded of them from something on a mission.  Afterwards, she’ll head to her room and probably fixate on a photo of them.  It’s a routine at this point.

Does have some fear of her electricity causing a blackout, and only uses it at its maximum while training

Has flashbacks to when she couldn’t control it, and the times it got out of hand and caused a citywide blackout for about a week

The flashbacks include the time her power caused someone to go into cardiac arrest, a day that still haunts her

Reyna often tries to get her to move beyond guilt to draw out more power, which Neon is aware of but at the same time, it feels good to not be careful and let loose

Training is usually a mix of target practice and using radiance to outmaneuver training dummies.  At times, Reyna will drop in to teach her to be more decisive or give her advice

Sage is keeping an eye on this, but more out concern for Neon’s wellbeing.  When Neon is distressed, it's often Sage that talks with her about whatever troubles her

Fade is still making amends for what happened in Istanbul.  Contrary to most of the fandom, you can’t just psychologically scar someone and then become gfs

Don’t worry, they eventually found common ground after Fade apologized and the two began to realize they had some things in common

Eventually it was Neon that actually forgave her and the two began spending time together and trusting each other more on missions

They aren’t ‘inseparable’ but Fade stays close to Neon whenever she’s out of her room, and Neon visits her at times

She’s everyone’s big sister and although she is homesick, she believes she is helping the world.  Also the relationship between her and Fade is also a reason to stay…

Deadlock

Iselin is in therapy, both physical and mental.  It was a bit difficult for her to talk to anyone, but Sage managed to crack her.  It wasn’t pretty, and to keep her stable she was put on medication

Anxiety and PTSD attacks were common in the days she was still adjusting to the protocol.  Gekko’s crew were forbidden from entering after she saw them and her heart rate spiked

Eventually she managed to feel more at ease, and the medication was issued in lower amounts to compensate.  That’s when prosthetic fittings began, courtesy of KJ

Surprisingly, she was able to make a lot of progress towards dealing with her trauma.  Therapy works, also a surprisingly good support structure

Sova is her support person, and the two are usually together whenever they can be because they work together so well 

They are siblings, not by blood but by dynamic and they are competent but one is usually paying attention and the other isn’t

After Sova, her favorite person at the protocol is Skye.  The hiking the two often do is not only relaxing but strenuous so it's usually only them 

It was a bit hard for her to trust the animals Skye made at first, but they were sort of exposure therapy for her

She and Skye love doing anything together, and Skye is one of the few people Iselin lets her guard down around

Not that she’ll admit this, but she has created a private file with KAY/O for a bit of a dark reason.  It is called ANI/-/ILLATION (0)

It details precise methods on how to kill every radiant and artifact using agent and what to fight them with.  It was a drafted by KAY/O in the future and is a failsafe to prevent a Radiant War

KAY/O doesn’t want to tell her, but she was not only a general during it but died to Skye killing her in the future

Getting back to lighter topics, Iselin’s personality is organized but she will offer to help people if they want.  Mainly with gun maintenance and drills

She has a soft spot for a lot of the younger agents and despite being ‘serious’ will join in on conversations and casual life

Do not however challenge Deadlock to bets and games, she will take it seriously and always give 100%

The radianite still in her body from the Bear glows in the dark and responds to radianite and strong emotion.  She hates it but everyone says it's cool

Omen and her were on bad terms initially (trauma did cause that) but the more they worked together the kinder the two were

Now Iselin has a sweater from Omen, and she wears it around the base when she can.  She loves the material and the fact it's her favorite color, green.  It reminds her of spring.

The prosthetic arm felt alien at first but now it's like a part of her.  She doesn’t feel any shame for it anymore and she’s turned into a sign of resilience.

As a joke, Breach asked if she could do that with it.  She jabbed him in the gut and he toppled over, she yelled “what do you think now, drittsekk?” at him and left

(For the record KJ did install a function for that, but never told her.  Oh well…)

She is serious, organized, but never stern.  She may still be recovering and finding her footing after tragedy but she is surrounded by people that are moving her forwards

Fun Little Glitch

So Neon and Deadlock were in the common room and Neon being Neon she got curious about the prosthetic arm

Iselin permitted her to look it over and touch it, and gave her a rundown of what it was.  Then Neon went to check the hand size in comparison to hers

Just as she was pressing their hands together, a small spark from Neon’s hand shocked Iselin’s hand, and it went full death grip

It would not let go, and the initial panic caused them to trip over each other trying to pull the hand apart

Sova walked in after hearing the commotion, and saw the two on the floor.  He tried to help by grabbing both wrists and pulling

It did nothing and his next suggestion was to disconnect the arm and then pull.  Iselin had to explain the prosthetic arm can’t be removed and was kind of pissed he suggested it

He shrugged and said they should just go to KJ’s lab and wait, which was a problem cause A: it was on the other side of the base, and B: she was out on a mission

So Tala and Iselin had to walk through the common area, then the mess hall (Jett, Phoenix, Reyna, Harbor + Astra, and Gekko), then past the conference room (Brim and KAYO), to the medical bay (Sage, Viper, and a hurt Yoru), and finally to KJ’s lab

It was beyond embarrassing for the two and led to plenty of confusion and remarks (mainly from Jett and Yoru)

Fade poked her head out of her room and invited Tala in, but then immediately regretted it when she realized she had been stuck to Iselin.  Not wanting to be rude, she made her peace with it

From time to time people would drop by and try and see the conjoined agents only for Fade to greet them at the door and shoo them off

It was a strange situation for everyone, Tala being with Fade and Iselin while in Fade’s room was different.  It didn’t help that there wasn’t much to do aside from scroll the internet and watch Fade add to her conspiracy board

Eventually when it got late and they realized that KJ was gonna get back late, they all sort of gathered around on the floor and just hung out

Fade was prompted by Tala to read out loud what she was reading while she layed on the cushions dotting the room.  Iselin just slumped against the wall

The morning KJ arrived, she was ushered to the room by a very excited Jett and Phoenix.  Brimstone was less than enthused about the fact 3 agents were together in a room overnight

The three had all collapsed together and were laying on the floor, and yes Jett took a photo before they all woke up

KJ walked over to Iselin, put a gadget up to the wrist and the grip stopped.  Now that the two were separated, Tala and Iselin thanked KJ enthusiastically.  

Fade hated the fact everyone was looking in her room and quickly got everyone out the second she could

A few adjustments later, the arm set to work without any problems due to increased voltage

Some time later after a successful mission, Iselin went to help up Neon and extended her prosthetic arm

“Iselin you can let go now”

Iselin started to panic and then Neon began to panic, right before Iselin released her grip and smiled at her

“Ok ok, you got me Iselin… Hey, you want to try that on Fade?”

[dozing-marshmallow]

Can I get a Steven Rudboys x reader headcanons

🌸Yes of course! Thank you so much for sending this in, I hope you enjoy this and have a wonderful day!🌸

STEVEN RUDBOYS X READER HEADCANONS

Always offers to take you with him on his flights.

Obviously gives you first class treatment.

Any country or state you want to go to, he'll arrange to be the pilot of that flight.

Otherwise, he'll just arrange with whoever it is in charge of the flight and get you the free ticket anyway.

That’s his idea for a date.

He's the type to only smile if he finds something funny, so you don't take it personally if you meet up with him and his face is cold.

He also doesn't like talking a lot.

He prefers physical contact instead.

Never expect him to take his sunglasses off unless you're at home when it's just you two (besides his father).

And his eyes are pretty suave.

Since he's a pilot, his schedule is very irregular, but he cooks and cleans for you when he can.

He's not the best cook so he asks his dad to help him.

He prefers colder environments because he gets warm really easily so that gives you an excuse to be near him.

Seriously he's the type to bathe in ice baths and since you refuse, he can only really do them when he's abroad.

You met him by being in the same pilot beginner class as him years ago, but you quit halfway through.

He always kisses you when you least expect it.

He's the big spoon all the way, but he is quite short.

Both his dad and him are allergic to cat hair, so you couldn’t get a pet cat. 

But he did get you a cat plush!

And took you to Istanbul. 

[militantinremission]

American Geopolitics: Corporations over Citizens

So 'Jim Crow Joe' Biden signed a $95.3B Foreign Aid Bill for Ukraine, Israel, & Taiwan. Most Americans think that Border Security is a higher priority, but as expected, Congressional Democrats were in lock step w/ Biden's Warmonger Agenda. Members of the CBC & Progressive Party played a major role, providing overwhelming support for this measure. $1B in Military Aid is slated to go to Ukraine WITHIN HOURS of signing this Bill, but a Military Package estimated at $300M was secretly shipped and was already being used last Week. The $61B 'Foreign Aid Package' for Ukraine includes:

$23.2B slated to replenish U.S. Defense stockpiles

$11.3B for current Ukrainian Defense operations

$13.8B for future Ukrainian Defense measures

This is on top of the $113B in American Aid already sent. The Package also includes $26B for Israeli Defense, w/ $1B set aside for 'Aid Relief' in Gaza, & $8B going to Taiwan. This sounds like a good thing for Defense Contractors, Lobbyists, & Commercial Banks (The Industrial Military Complex), but there is No Mention of funding for America's porous Southern Border.

Volodomyr Zelenskyy's Government has received over $300B in Global Aid for his War, but all he has to show for it are 500,000+ slain Ukrainian Soldiers, devasted Cities, & Tens of Millions of displaced Citizens. Accounts of WHERE these resources have gone are murky at best. Reports of American Weapons & Relief Materials appearing on the Ukrainian Black Market have persisted since shipments began. It's apparent that the situation is Critical. Ukraine has recently issued a Draft, calling ALL Ukrainian Men of fighting age to return Home to join the Theater of Battle; failure to do so, will lead to being labeled a 'Draft Dodger'. Meanwhile, rumors have circulated that 1,000- 2,000 French Infantrymen (possibly French Foreign Legionaries) have joined Ukrainian Soldiers on the Battlefield; discarding their French Uniforms & donning Ukrainian ones.

Taking ALL of these factors into account, why is The Biden Administration throwing more Money at Ukraine? Why isn't NATO trying to negotiate a Truce between Putin & Zelenskyy (i.e. Istanbul Summit Communique)? A recent Summit in Switzerland showed that Volodomyr Zelenskyy is sticking to his guns. He is demanding the Same Terms that he offered at the Beginning of the Conflict. Vladimir Putin obviously has momentum, so why is NATO & Ukraine refusing to hear his Terms? The effort by Western Powers & the WEF to humiliate Putin publicly & topple his government has been a dismal failure. The Sanctions placed on Russia have not worked; in fact, it has galvanized the Russian Public & made Vladimir Putin something of a Super Star in the Global South.

Despite U.S. imposed Sanctions, Russia continues to have robust trade w/ several Western European Nations. Germany & France alone have spent Billions on Russian Fertilizer & Timber. Billions more in Natural Resources like Coal, Cobalt, Copper, Tungsten, & Zinc are also being sold throughout Europe. China & North Korea are purchasing the Natural Gas & Oil that once flowed through the Nord Stream Pipeline, & Global South Nations are purchasing Russian Armaments. To be clear, Russia isn't starving. In fact, The Russian Ruble is stronger than it was Last Year. Julius Malema recently stated that Russia's & South Afrika's Gold & Platinum wealth will be the backbone of a BRICS Currency. Saudi Arabia has already began accepting Rubles over American Petrodollars. All of this may explain The Biden Administration's determination to press on in Ukraine.

Military Minds like Scott Ritter & Col. Douglas MacGregor have been talking about Russian dominance over NATO in Ukraine since The War began. They both point out how the diplomatic moves being made by Vladimir Putin are well thought out, & Geopolitical Minds like John Mearsheimer agree. Putin is playing a Long Game, & his actions have aroused 'Russian Patriots'. Since the 'Special Operation' in Ukraine began, the Russian Army has grown from 900,000 Soldiers to over 1.4 Million. Even Men over 40 are seeking Enlistment. Roughly 1,400 Men/Day are volunteering to join the Battle in Ukraine. Meanwhile, Ukrainian Soldiers are SERIOUSLY depleted, & American Armed Forces Enlistment numbers are down; THIS may explain the number of Young Male Illegal Immigrants being allowed into the Country. The Roman Empire also faced an Enlistment problem; They hired Visigoth Mercenaries to beef up their numbers. History shows how THAT worked out for the Romans.

The Role of Multinational Corporations in all of this has to be considered. Black Rock is buying up large tracts of land in Ukraine, while Defense Contractors rake in 10s of Billions from U.S. Military Aid Packages. The Pentagon says that We have to replenish the stocks that are being shipped to Ukraine & Israel, but neither Front has an 'End Game'. Volodomyr Zelenskyy is fighting a losing battle. He doesn't have enough Soldiers to confront a growing Russian Army; he doesn't even have enough Experienced Soldiers to operate the equipment that Biden intends to ship. As for Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu has been very successful in devastating the Gaza Strip, but he hasn't done any real damage to Hamas. Meanwhile, Hezbollah is forcing Israeli Settlers South, & the Houthis have hurt Israel economically... Now Iran has SERVED NOTICE on Israel that their vaunted Air/ Missle Defense Systems (& America's) cannot stop a [bonafide] Iranian assault.

Back in America, Detroit, Flint, & Jackson Ms. STILL need clean drinking water! The Gulf States STILL suffer from the effects of Hurricane Katrina, & Our Roads, Bridges, & Tunnels continue to deteriorate. $200B would go a long way to solving some of these Home Grown problems. Corporations can make their money HERE; improving Trade Routes & increasing the incomes of American Workers. Why isn't this a priority? 'Jim Crow Joe' likes to tout Job Growth numbers, but these are mostly 'Gig Economy' Jobs, or Jobs that offer 30hrs/ Week, w/ NO BENEFITS. Then there's the Border Crisis. Improving the Southern Border IS a National Security Issue, but it's been put on the back burner- Why is that? Why are MILLIONS of unvetted Young Men not just being allowed into America, but also being subsidized?

Why are struggling Black Communities being forced to compete w/ these Men for resources meant for Us? Why are Black Politicians ignoring their Constituents & lending their support to these people, along w/ 2 Wars that have NOTHING to do w/ Us? The 'Fix' is obviously In, but We WILL have the Last Laugh on Election Day.

-Best believe That!

[kkukverse]

coming soon | series : love travelogue

Seven friends on a journey across breathtaking destinations, each seeking adventure but finding something they didn’t expect—love. As they traverse bustling cities, serene countryside, their paths intertwine with those of remarkable individuals who change their perspectives on life and relationships. 

Each love story unfolds uniquely, with lessons about trust, forgiveness, and self-discovery woven into every chapter. We invite you to step into their stories, and let it inspire you to chase your own adventures, embrace vulnerability, and believe in the extraordinary power of love.

This is more than a story—it’s an invitation to dream, to feel, and to fall in love with the unexpected.

Hoseok's story : arranged hearts in Macau

summary: Hoseok is at the peak of his career. Amidst the busy life, he yearns for something deeper than success. In search of his own happiness, he joined an arranged trip to Macau. To his shock, his partner for the trip is his college rival slash crush. Through shared experiences and unexpected moments of vulnerability in Macau, the rivalry had started to shift into a deeper, more complex relationship, one that balances the past pains and potential for love.

pair : dancer!Hoseok X ex dancer!reader

genre : romance | arrange trip | enemies to lovers au

warnings : NA

w/c : NA

jungkook's story : lost and found in Istanbul

summary : For Jungkook, Istanbul isn’t just a city—it’s home. After living there for years, it’s started to feel a little predictable. That changes on one fateful day when he stumbles across someone utterly lost. Unable to resist, Jungkook offers to help. What begins as a simple gesture turns into a whirlwind of unexpected adventures. As he watches this person slowly fall in love with the city, Jungkook realizes he’s falling too. Istanbul feels brand new again. In a city where every corner holds a story, this might just be the sweetest one yet.

pair : jungkook x reader

genre : romance | strangers to lovers au

warnings : NA

w/c : NA

namjoon's story : love blooms at Lake Como

summary : In the heart of Italy’s most romantic setting, Namjoon discovers that love isn’t always about grand gestures. Sometimes, it’s in the shared silences, the mutual understanding, and the courage to let someone truly see you. By the time their Lake Como honeymoon ends, Namjoon is no longer just someone fulfilling an obligation—he’s a partner, and maybe even a soulmate.

pair : husband!namjoon x wife!reader

genre : romance | arrange marriage au

warnings : NA

w/c : NA

the rest of the members will be added soon

[darkmaga-returns]

False Ukraine Narratives: Sleepwalking Us Toward a Great Power War?

Glenn Diesen

I was invited by Massachusetts Peace Action to discuss the narratives used by the US and NATO to pursue a long war in Ukraine. I am very grateful to Massachusetts Peace Action for their initiatives to end the war, as the call for diplomacy has sadly been demonised as “controversial” or even treasonous over the past years.

A key false narrative has been that Russia’s invasion was unprovoked, a lie that largely went unchallenged as any dissent could be portrayed as an effort to “legitimise” or even support the invasion. Once the premise of an unprovoked invasion was established, any diplomacy and negotiations could be presented as “rewarding Putin” and the only solution was a military victory. The obligatory Hitler analogy also meant that negotiations are appeasement and peace requires victory on the battlefield. The injustice and suffering of Ukrainians was weaponised as “helping Ukraine” is consistently translated into further fuelling the war and rejecting diplomacy. Much like in Afghanistan, the war enthusiasm was maintained by the media which presented NATO’s motivations as altruistic and reassured the public that Ukraine was winning. The narratives required for a long war became immune to facts, and the NATO Secretary General announced that weapons are the path to peace.

The war started with the NATO-backed coup in 2014. When Western governments toppled the government in Kiev in 2014 to pull the country into NATO’s orbit, it was known that only 20% of Ukrainians desired NATO membership and NATO knew it would likely trigger a war. CIA Director William Burns had warned already in 2008 that attempting to pull Ukraine into NATO would trigger a civil war and a Russian invasion, while also recognising this is something the Russians would not want to do.

The Minsk Peace Agreement of 2015 was supposed to end the war, yet the Germans, French and Ukrainians later admitted it was merely intended to buy time to arm Ukraine. Zelensky was elected with a landslide victory in 2019 based on a peace platform, yet he was pressured by American-financed “NGOs” and US-backed fascist groups to reverse his position. The peace platform was abandoned, while diplomacy with Donbas and implementing the Minsk agreement were portrayed as “capitulation”. When Russia demanded security guarantees in 2021 as Ukraine was becoming a de facto NATO member, the US and NATO refused to offer anything of value. Kurt Volker, the former US ambassador to NATO and US Special Representative for Ukraine Negotiations, even argued in favour of no agreements as he wrote that “success is confrontation”.

Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022 to impose a political settlement, and contacted Zelensky on the first day to start the negotiations. The US responded by sabotaging the peace negotiations in Istanbul, and Zelensky also confirmed the US preferred a long war to weaken Russia even if this meant the destruction of Ukraine. As recognised by the Israeli and Turkish mediators, and other leading officials from NATO countries – the US saw an opportunity to weaken its strategic rival by fighting with Ukrainians.

If propaganda fuels wars, then the truth can end wars. The media that lied about every important aspect of the war and the politicians who refused to even sit down with Russia as hundreds of thousands died have no moral credibility or right to lecture those who call for diplomacy.

[star-temeraire]

AHH! The Temeraire series is so good. Laurence and Tharkay's conversation after they get back into the palace in Istanbul is brilliant. They're both distrustful of each other and not without reason. Tharkay admits that his behaviour comes from his trauma and he takes responsibility for it and Laurence can see him with empathy and he accepts that. He can see that Tharkay's isolation sucks and describes him and it as "a waste of a man proven worthy of something better". He offers him full reciprocal loyalty and when Tharkay accepts, he acknowledges that he is not used to that (so therefore it may be difficult) and Laurence doesn't challenge this.

So much of the series is set on being historically accurate, from the type of language used to how people of that time would respond to things like women being aviators, and yet these two men having this emotionally mature and honest conversation doesn't feel out of place. Laurence takes his sweet ass time in his character arc and it feels more realistic because of that.

I first read Temeraire in high school circa 2014, then I read the whole series in late 2018/early 2019. Coming back to it now, after having done a whole creative writing degree in the meantime, it's just as good as I can remember.

[piracytheorist]

Are you a starter or desert type of person?

You mean if I prefer starters to deserts? For me, the thing about eating deserts right after the main course is that... since my stomach is full and my palate full of salty tastes, most of the time deserts don't hit as right. I prefer to have a bit more space to eat, and be able to enjoy the desert as it is. That is, if I'm served something I like, I will eat it, but with not as much excitement as if I ate it an hour or so afterwards.

Now, when it comes to starters... the thing is that Greek starters are good. The first thing that comes to mind, probably the most common starter dish in mainland Greece: French fries with tzatziki (yogurt - plain yogurt, not yogurt "sauce" - with garlic and trimmed cucumber) which is just... *chef's kiss*. Whoever thought first of that combination is a genius.

You can dip a lot of stuff in tzatziki - as you see in the pic, someone has dipped a piece of pitta bread, which is the second most common thing to dip in it, but french fries are inarguably the best choice.

Then there's stuff like zucchini "balls". Like meatballs, but made of zucchini instead of meat.

They can also be made of tomato,

mushed chickpeas (like falafel, I guess)

and then we can get a bunch of vegetables and salads in general. Aubergines, peppers (the long ones, we call them Florinis here), fried tomatoes, pretty much anything goes.

... Maybe my view of "starter" meals is very different due to our cuisine. When you go to a Greek traditional restaurant/taverna, you don't get a starter meal per person eating. You get a bunch of them, and we put them in the middle of the table and share, and it's only the main course that's separate for each. Probably the once and only time I've had an actual "starter" was when I went to a non-traditional restaurant in Istanbul and had tomato soup for starter. That one was great, lol.

So yeah, even though I love desserts, when in such a setting I prefer the starters. They're easier to digest before the main course, they come in a bigger variation (compared to what dessert options most Greek restaurants offer), and it's fun to be sharing them with the people around the table.

[hasankcskin]

 — it seems that [ hasan keskin ] has entered the scene ! he looks exactly like [ can yaman ]. this [ 35-year-old ] is the [ major shareholder ] of [ app-h inc. ]. it’s a small wonder since he is known for being [ ambitious & confident ] and [ arrogant & greedy ]. he has been involved with the company for [ 6 ] years. 

𝙗𝙖𝙨𝙞𝙘𝙨

name : hasan keskin age : thirty-five years old height : 188 cm / 6'2" gender : cis man, he/him sexual orientation : straight status : single children : two — 10 years old — 3 years old

𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙪𝙢𝙚

schooling: massachusetts institute of technology

born and raised in istanbul. older brother to feyza and their two younger siblings. during his childhood and teen years, his life revolved around football. his dream just like every young boy his age was to be a football player until one christmas he was gifted a psp. he became obsessed with video games and no longer as infatuated with football.

later his interest grew to fascination. how were these games created? what goes into making a gaming console? how long does it take to create something like this?

once finding out what it required to become a game developer, he started taking school more seriously. it was a great surprise to his parents to find him excelling in his studies even though it was due to his obsession with video games. they couldn't tell him to reduce his playing time solely due to the fact he was getting amazing grades.

after university, his career was flourishing, working under companies like ubisoft, and EA who have all created his favourite games. — but just as thing were getting good, in 2014 he gets his situationship pregnant and he had just blown most of his money on contributing to the ethereum crowdfund and bitcoin, which had horrible returns for the rest of the year. he kept his situation hidden from his family. they didn't need to know.

two years later when feyza had approached him to invest into app-h inc., he was reluctant. now that he's responsible for a child, he's convinced he needed to take less risks. it wasn't responsible living a lifestyle of big rewards or big losses. although photograpp-h is doing amazing, it didn't guarantee app-h inc., would do well.

he came clean about the child and how he would have immediately agreed if it wasn't for the child. he didn't express his other concerns since it didn't seem relevant and he didn't want to pessimistic considering he wasn't in the position to lecture or give advice to his sister who was doing better than him.

with bitcoin crashing even more significantly in 2018, he was desperate for fast cash. he was doing well for himself, but not enough to maintain the lifestyle he created for himself and the lifestyle he's grown accustomed to. he reached out to his sister and asked if the offer was still on the table. feyza suggested he buy shares now that they were more established and she would trust him in that position rather than some fancy investor in a suffocating suit.

without much of a thought, he agreed. if this went to shit, he would put everything into a high interest savings account and never invest anything until he earned the amount he desires.

in the next two years everything moved so fast. app-h inc., was turning over a high profit, catching up to comoedia and the bulletin — and bitcoin reached an all time high ending the year at around 20k per bitcoin. with the amount of money he had, he didn't need to work anymore.

he left america and moved to london to be closer with his siblings. his involvement with app-h inc. increased. his position is merely an advisory role and helps with day to day production while coming and going as he pleases.