#joint defense privilege

[andrewjbernhard]

The Common Interest Privilege Against Disclosure – A Quick Legal Note

This note discusses the common interests privilege - a unique legal derivative of the attorney-client and work-product privilege from disclosure of information and documents under subpoena or discovery.

This note discusses the common interests privilege – a unique legal derivative of the attorney-client and work-product privilege from disclosure of information and documents under subpoena or discovery. The common interests privilege, also known as the joint defense privilege or pooled information privilege, is an exception to waiver of confidentiality after disclosure to technical third parties.…

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Joshua Keating at Vox:

Today, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was back in a very familiar building. Not only was he making his fourth address to a joint session of Congress — breaking Winston Churchill’s record for foreign leaders — he’s also been a presence in the building’s halls since serving as a diplomat in the early 1980s. Since he made his first speech to Congress in 1996, Netanyahu has been almost as much a fixture of politics in America as in Israel.

Things felt different today. It’s not just that Netanyahu is a controversial figure, one who drew thousands of protesters onto the streets of Washington. That’s not new; Netanyahu’s 2011 speech to Congress was interrupted by a pro-Palestinian protester in the chamber. What is new is that he has become an increasingly marginalized one. Even a few weeks ago, when Netanyahu’s speech was announced, it had the makings of a marquee political event. Today, it was overshadowed by President Joe Biden’s highly anticipated Wednesday night speech to address his decision to drop out of the presidential election. Dozens of lawmakers — around half of Congress’s Democrats — skipped Netanyahu’s speech altogether.

Soon-to-retire Maryland Sen. Ben Cardin’s presence behind Netanyahu on the rostrum attested to how much of a partisan figure Netanyahu has become. Vice President Kamala Harris, Senate President Pro Tempore Patty Murray, and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, one of whom would normally have been in that seat, all declined the role. Netanyahu, who has been Israel’s prime minister for 17 of the last 30 years, has done more than anyone to make support for the country an increasingly partisan issue in the United States, in part through actions like his speech to Congress in 2015. That time, he was invited by congressional Republicans to lobby against the Iran nuclear deal then being negotiated by the Obama administration in what was considered a remarkably partisan speech for a foreign leader. In today’s address, by contrast, Netanyahu made little news. It was a speech that gave little indication of a plan to end the war in Gaza, and likely undermined diplomatic efforts underway to do so. It was a notably defensive speech for Netanyahu, devoted more to refuting criticism of Israel than to charting a way forward out of the morass it has found itself in. Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called it “by far the worst presentation of any foreign dignitary invited and honored with the privilege of addressing the Congress of the United States.”

What Netanyahu said — and what he’s doing

Netanyahu recounted the horrors of Hamas’s October 7 attacks and vowed to the families of hostages currently being held in Gaza that he “would not rest until all their loved ones are home.” Not all of those families may be inclined to take him at his word. Many of them are calling for the prime minister to accept a ceasefire deal to secure the hostages’ release, but today Netanyahu vowed that “Israel will fight until we destroy Hamas’s military capabilities and its rule in Gaza and bring all our hostages home,” adding, “That’s what total victory means and we will settle for nothing less.” Netanyahu also said, as he has in several previous remarks, that “[Israel] must retain overriding control [in Gaza] to ensure that Gaza never again poses a security threat to Israel” — a demand likely to be a nonstarter for any ceasefire deal. Despite that, Netanyahu has said in recent days that a ceasefire deal may be near, and the deal currently being negotiated is likely to be the focus of the prime minister’s meeting at the White House with Biden on Thursday. The Biden administration has tended not to respond directly to Netanyahu’s public statements on the deal, and this time was no exception. Asked if Netanyahu’s remarks made that deal less likely, a senior US administration official told reporters on Wednesday afternoon, “We were in the Situation Room doing some other stuff, so I have not seen the speech.”

[...]

How to lose friends and influence

Netanyahu praised President Biden for his “half a century of friendship to Israel” and noted that the president describes himself as a “proud Zionist.” But that only served to highlight the shrinking number of Democratic politicians who would publicly describe themselves that way. Polls have consistently shown a deep partisan divide opening up over sympathy toward Israel. He also thanked former president and current Republican nominee Donald Trump for actions in support of Israel during his presidency, including recognizing Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights and moving the US embassy to Jerusalem. Netanyahu will be traveling to Florida to meet with Trump (and possibly celebrate the birthday of his son, who lives in Miami). Still, while Trump has not exactly turned on Israel, he has clearly soured somewhat on Netanyahu, who he is still angry at for congratulating Biden on his election victory in 2020. It doesn’t seem like a coincidence that Trump posted a friendly letter from Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on the day he announced the Netanyahu meeting.

Yesterday’s joint address to Congress from war criminal Benjamin Netanyahu is further proof that his support is restricted to hard-line pro-Israeli supporters in the USA.

Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) had the right response to his grotesquely hateful speech with the “War Criminal” sign.

[crispbake]

jonhshi headcanons you say?

- kenshi pinches johnny. a lot. as a joke, as a corrective action when johnny's being odd about something, for no reason at all. it's like the urge to bite, but... pinch.

- in return johnny gets to be a biter. not even just in bed, everywhere (except for around other people). johnny's the type to just give into the urge to gently gnaw on kenshi and kenshi lets him. lovingly.

- johnny is wildly defensive of kenshi. kenshi asked that johnny just not joke about his blindness for a while, and johnny was happy to do so. that also included, apparently, johnny snarling at anyone who DOES make blind jokes at kenshi's expense.

- they're t4t and tism4tism.

- they're also, even though it doesn't have a term yet, both disabled. kenshi being blind obviously, and johnny i actually headcanon as being hypermobile. very hypermobile. and there's really only so much being very very strong can do when you're that hypermobile and your joints are determined to get weird, so johnny probably does have occasional pain flare-up days. they'll stay inside and take care of each other

- or, if the responsibilities that day are unavoidable, johnny will take a cane or crutch with him to town, and kenshi wil tag along, returning the favor of biting anyone who makes a joke at johnny's expense (that johnny obviously isn't okay with)

- kenshi is scary dog privileges

- johnny, when he's the guard, is creepy cat privileges (i made that up but there's no better way to describe it)

- to expand on johnny being hypermobile- no grown-ass man in his late 20s is hitting the splits that fucking easily, painlessly, without prior stretching. he's just death dropping in some of his animations. and i just don't think he has a stretching routine for that. it's his party trick, something he can just *do*.

- kenshi finds johnny's flexibility wildly hot

- (when it's not causing him pain, ofc)

- kenshi's tattoos weren't done himself but at some point johnny unlocks the lore that kenshi apprenticed under one of the tattoo artists in the yakuza, and actually graduated to full artist before he left the yakuza. kenshi is a seasoned tattoo artist

- johnny jokes about opening a flower shop across from him so they can be just like the stories. kenshi doesn't understand the reference.

-they have an actual conversation at one point about the after-- once kenshi has completed his quest, and johnny's career is fully winding down. the plan is to get a flat above a storefront, and turn the storefront into a tattoo shop.

- kenshi wears sleeveless turtleneck compression shirts when working out and johnny fans himself like a victorian maiden every time

- (last one i prommy) johnny once wore a clownish formal outfit to the gala celebrating the success of the ninja mime movie. to this very day, kenshi maintains that one was his favorite outfit johnny's ever worn on the red carpet.

i am going to respond to every single one of these damnit

THE PINCHING/BITING IS SO ACCURATE. like i cannot explain what it is about it but that’s just so them. they do different things but it’s the same concept ghdjdkwkw

YES! johnny is super defensive of kenshi not because he thinks he needs to be, he knows kenshi can hold his own, but because he cares about him too much. i’m sure at first when it was still raw johnny never made any comments but i’m sure it reaches a point where kenshi starts joking about it himself and assures johnny he’s come to terms with it. but if anyone else makes a comment OOOH it’s over for them.

i rlly do love trans headcannons for them. whether it’s t4t or one of them is trans while the other is cis i do not care i eat that up every time. I ALSO FOR SURE SEE TISM4TISM!! johnny has the hyper fixations/knows random facts autism while kenshi has the not really sure how to handle your emotions autism. i think he gets overstimulated too which is also from his other senses being heightened once vision was gone.

I NEVER THOUGHT ABOUT HIM BEING HYPERMOBILE BUT IT MAKES TOTAL SENSE! he’s doing the splits on the battlefield i mean come on?!?!??!? (i saw you mentioned this later on LMFAO see u get it)

yes 100% johnny gets scary dog privileges cause of kenshi. too many fans in his face? kenshi doesn’t even EYES for god’s sake and i’m sure a look in their direction will scare them off at least somewhat. and johnny is for sure creepy cat. it’s like “can i come over and be weird and offputting” literally him.

oh yeah the flexibility while it has its downsides for sure comes in handy sometimes. (in bed) i know kenshi is manhandling him into wild positions and johnny loves it. so does kenshi of course.

I’VE POSTED ABOUT THE FACT THAT I DO THINK KENSHI HAS AN INTEREST IN TATTOOS THAT ARENT HIS OWN! he could definitely tattoo johnny i just know he has steady hands and it would come out so awesome.

kenshi not getting the flowershop thing is so real johnny definitely then went off on a long tangent explaining it. i feel like they could just be grocery shopping and something gets johnny going and he goes off on a long spiel as they’re walking around, i’m sure this is an often occurrence. kenshi loves listening to him talk but again, the heightened senses, he probably does occasionally need to rest his head so he kisses johnny to shut him up LMFAO (and it always works that man is so easily distracted)

TATTOO SHOP DOWNSTAIRS FLOWER SHOP UPSTAIRS!

oh yeah johnny loves the compression shirts for sure kenshi looks good in anything. but he does wild for kenshi in short sleeves. he doesn’t wear them super often to cover up his tattoos but when he does goddamn. johnny feels like the luckiest man in the world.

JOHNNY IN A CLOWN THEMED FORMAL OUTFIT FOR THE NINJA MIME PREMIERE MIGHT JUST BE MY FAVORITE ONE OF THESE LMAO. saved the best for last. johnny for sure wears eccentric and colorful outfits on the red carpet. i mean have you seen his MK skins? this man has style he isn’t playing around.

I HOPE YOU ENJOYED :)

[zerosecurity]

Akira Ransomware Breaches Over 250 Global Entities, Rakes in $42 Million

A joint cybersecurity advisory issued by CISA, FBI, Europol, and the Dutch NCSC-NL has uncovered the staggering scale of the Akira ransomware campaign. Since early 2023, the nefarious Akira operators have compromised more than 250 organizations worldwide, extorting a whopping $42 million in ransom payments. Akira's Prolific Targeting Across Industries The Akira ransomware group has been actively infiltrating entities across diverse sectors, including education, finance, and real estate. Staying true to the double extortion playbook, the threat actors exfiltrate sensitive data before encrypting the victims' systems, amplifying the pressure for a ransom payment. Early Akira versions, coded in C++, appended the .akira extension to encrypted files. However, from August 2023 onward, certain attacks deployed Megazord, a Rust-based variant that encrypts data with the .powerranges extension. Investigations reveal the perpetrators interchangeably using both Akira and Megazord, including the updated Akira_v2. Initial Access and Privilege Escalation The cybercriminals exploit various entry points, such as unprotected VPNs, Cisco vulnerabilities (CVE-2020-3259 and CVE-2023-20269), RDP exposures, spear phishing, and stolen credentials. Post-compromise, they create rogue domain accounts, like itadm, to elevate privileges, leveraging techniques like Kerberoasting and credential scraping with Mimikatz and LaZagne. Disabling Security Controls and Lateral Movement To evade detection and facilitate lateral movement, Akira operators disable security software using tools like PowerTool to terminate antivirus processes and exploit vulnerabilities. They employ various tools for reconnaissance, data exfiltration (FileZilla, WinRAR, WinSCP, RClone), and C2 communication (AnyDesk, Cloudflare Tunnel, RustDesk, Ngrok). Sophisticated Encryption The advisory highlights Akira's "sophisticated hybrid encryption scheme" combining ChaCha20 stream cipher with RSA public-key cryptography for efficient and secure encryption tailored to file types and sizes. As the Akira ransomware campaign continues to wreak havoc, the joint advisory provides crucial indicators of compromise (IoCs) to help organizations bolster their defenses against this formidable threat. Read the full article

[usafphantom2]

IMAGES: B-1s join F-22s and South Korean F-35s, in the latest Bomber Task Force mission

Fernando Valduga By Fernando Valduga 02/04/2023 - 12:00 in Military, War Zones

A pair of B-1B Lancers and U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptors fighters flew alongside F-35 stealth jets from the Republic of Korea on February 1 - the third bomber flight near the Korean Peninsula in recent months.

The jets also trained on February 3 with the USAF F-22s, U.S. Marine Corps F-35Bs and Republic of Korea Air Force F-35As (ROK).

The B-1s later flew to Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, to start another deployment of the Bomber Task Force.

The Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Korea announced the first round of joint air training on February 2, saying that the aircraft met over the Yellow Sea, west of the Peninsula. The South Korean Air Force announced the second round on February 3, according to several media reports, noting that it also took place in the Yellow Sea.

A spokesman for the Pacific Air Forces confirmed that the B-1 came from Ellsworth Air Base, South Dakota, and the F-22 came from Elmendorf-Richardson Joint Base. A PACAF statement announced the mission of the Bomber Task Force (BTF).

The combined flight marks the first combined air training between ROK, or South Korean Air Force, and the U.S. Air Force in 2023, although American bombers have become a frequent sight in the skies near South Korea recently.

At the end of December, the B-52 Stratofortresses of Barksdale Air Base, Louisiana, flew next to F-22s and the F-35s and F-15s of ROK around Jeju Island, south of the peninsula. And in November, Ellsworth's B-1s flew over the Peninsula for the first time in five years.

In both cases, bomber flights represented demonstrations of force soon after North Korea performed missile tests.

These most recent flights occurred just a few days after Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III visited Seoul and promised, alongside South Korean Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup, to increase the size and scope of joint US-ROK military exercises. This includes greater participation of fifth generation fighters and strategic bombers.

Ellsworth's B-1s last participated in a BTF in the Indo-Pacific between October and November last year.

“It is a privilege to be back in the Pacific area of responsibility and be at the forefront to dissuade our opponents and support our allies,” Major Abraham Moreland, deputy director of operations of the 34th Expeditionary Bomber Squadron, said in a statement. "The relationships we have with our allies in the region are crucial to the security of the Indo-Pacific, and the partnerships we build while we are here give our crews the critical training and experience they need to succeed in this environment."

U.S. missions reassure South Korea and respond to the growing pressure from North Korea, where Kim Jong Un intensified missile tests and recently launched drones on South Korean airspace.

B-1B b Bomber on the runway of Andersen Air Base in Guam.

With the increase in tensions, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol caused controversy by saying that his country may be forced to ask the U.S. to redeploy nuclear weapons on the peninsula or to develop its own nuclear weapons. And a recent independent bipartisan commission recommended that the two countries begin “pre-decisive” discussions about what would be needed to redistribute tactical nuclear

Source: Air Force & Space Magazine

Tags: Military AviationB-1B LancerF-22 RaptorF-35 Lightning IIROKAF - Republic of Korea Air Force/South Korean Air ForceUSAF - United States Air Force / US Air ForceWar Zones - Korean Peninsula

Fernando Valduga

Fernando Valduga

Aviation photographer and pilot since 1992, he participated in several events and air operations, such as Cruzex, AirVenture, Dayton Airshow and FIDAE. He has works published in specialized aviation magazines in Brazil and abroad. He uses Canon equipment during his photographic work in the world of aviation.

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[tallmantall]

James Donaldson on Mental Health - Focus on mental health every month

Small steps can lead to big progress in mental health. In America today, approximately 1 in 5 Americans is suffering with a mental health issue; and approximately 1 in 25 adults is experiencing a serious mental illness that substantially interferes with one or more major life activities. Left unaddressed, the negative impact will increase. The time to act is now. As CEO of Belmont Pines Hospital, my staff and I have the privilege of serving many members of our community who are experiencing some of the most challenging times of their lives — mental illnesses that are often invisible to the casual observer in ways that physical illnesses are not. As a behavioral health industry, we must build capacity to serve the need by attracting new providers, expanding our workforce, investing in prevention and reducing barriers to care. Since its inception in 1949, May has been designated as Mental Health Awareness Month. This observance provides an opportunity for reflection and action to address the stigma preventing individuals from getting the care they need. The good news is that there is hope and resources for recovery. Today, positive outcomes are not only possible, they are experienced every day. Like chronic physical illness, mental illness can be diagnosed and effectively managed. Individuals who were once in despair can go on to live their best lives. This is highly rewarding and one of many reasons I chose to work in this field. In addition, at the end of April, our nation witnessed a historic achievement regarding suicide prevention. The 2024 National Strategy for Suicide Prevention was published alongside the first-of-its-kind Federal Action Plan which makes the strategy more impactful. The Federal Action Plan directed by The White House places accountability for progress at various departments including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Department of Defense, the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Health and Human Services and others. We look forward to achieving meaningful advancements in suicide prevention under this strategy. #James Donaldson notes:Welcome to the “next chapter” of my life… being a voice and an advocate for #mentalhealthawarenessandsuicideprevention, especially pertaining to our younger generation of students and student-athletes.Getting men to speak up and reach out for help and assistance is one of my passions. Us men need to not suffer in silence or drown our sorrows in alcohol, hang out at bars and strip joints, or get involved with drug use.Having gone through a recent bout of #depression and #suicidalthoughts myself, I realize now, that I can make a huge difference in the lives of so many by sharing my story, and by sharing various resources I come across as I work in this space.  #http://bit.ly/JamesMentalHealthArticleFind out more about the work I do on my 501c3 non-profit foundationwebsite www.yourgiftoflife.org Order your copy of James Donaldson's latest book,#CelebratingYourGiftofLife: From The Verge of Suicide to a Life of Purpose and Joy www.celebratingyourgiftoflife.com Link for 40 Habits Signupbit.ly/40HabitsofMentalHealth If you'd like to follow and receive my daily blog in to your inbox, just click on it with Follow It. Here's the link https://follow.it/james-donaldson-s-standing-above-the-crowd-s-blog-a-view-from-above-on-things-that-make-the-world-go-round?action=followPub What else can we do within our communities to recognize the signs of mental health challenges and assist those in need of care and treatment? ?–? Listen and show understanding: If you suspect a loved one is struggling, encourage them to seek professional help. ?–? Share the Crisis Response number 988, a 24 / 7, free and confidential text, chat and talk support line. Military veterans may press ‘1’ for dedicated support. Learn about the implementation of the 988 crisis line in your community this summer. ?–? In case of an acute emergency, dial 911 or go to the nearest emergency room. Suicide is often preventable when people at risk receive the support that they need. ?–? Our schools should encourage students to pursue careers in mental health fields, whether through nursing, medical or vocational programs. We need to inspire the next generation of talented professionals. Working together, we can improve the lives of Americans suffering with mental health concerns, not just during this month, but every month in every community across the country. Mental wellness starts here. Read the full article

[getlegalattorney]

Special Benefits for Newlyweds - GetLegal

What are the Special Benefits for Newlyweds?

There are unique set of special benefits for newlyweds as they embark on their journey together. The strengthening of intimate and emotional ties is one important benefit. A lifetime of collaboration begins with marriage, which encourages intimacy and trust between partners.

The special benefits for newlyweds are on the social and cultural fronts as well. Families and friends may offer assistance and motivation to couples as they start this new phase of their lives. Since marriage is frequently regarded as a big milestone and a symbol of commitment, being a part of a married couple can also provide a sense of validation and acceptability within society.

The Legal Benefits of Marriage

Newlyweds who are legally married have a wide range of special benefits in the United States, including:

Employment benefits—health insurance, bereavement leave and family leave

Family benefits:

Adoption rights and joint foster care rights

The right to a portion of jointly owned property upon separation or divorce

Government benefits:

Social Security benefits (you may receive your spouse’s Social Security benefits if you are at least 62 or if you are caring for a child under the age of 16)

Medicare

Disability benefits

VA benefits and public assistance

Tax and estate planning benefits:

the marital tax deduction (you are allowed to transfer any asset to your spouse at any time without paying taxes on that asset)

the option to file joint tax returns, which is especially beneficial If one spouse earns significantly more than the other

the right to inherit your spouse’s estate without paying an estate tax

Medical and death benefits:

The right to visit your spouse in the hospital

The right to make medical decisions for an incapacitated spouse

The right to participate in burial and funeral arrangements

Consumer benefits—discounts to families or couples

The Validation of Same Sex Marriage

In the last twenty years, same-sex couples have been granted greater recognition for their ability to marry under American law. In 2013, the Defense of Marriage Act's definition of marriage as a partnership between a man and a woman was overturned by the United States Supreme Court. Under that verdict, same-sex couples in states where same-sex marriage was legal were eligible for federal benefits. Following Obergefell v. Hodges, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 2015 that same-sex couples are entitled to all other financial and legal benefits associated with marriage, including the right to marry.

The Court used the Equal Protection and Due Process sections of the Fourteenth Amendment to establish that states could not refuse to recognize a marriage between same-sex couples if they were granted that privilege. Additionally, it held that states could not refuse to acknowledge legally consummated same-sex unions from another state. Because to this ruling, same-sex unions are legal throughout the entire United States. Before the Obergefell ruling by the Supreme Court, same-sex marriage was legal in thirty-seven states.

Common Law Marriage

A marriage that is recognized by state law without the need for a license, ceremony, or other paperwork is known as a common law marriage. A man and woman who see themselves as husband and wife, or who "hold themselves out as such," enter into a common law marriage. A common law marriage does not have to last for a certain amount of time; rather, it is recognized and acknowledged as such by any two people who regard themselves as married or who simply act as such. Only seven states—Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Montana, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, South Carolina, and Texas—clearly still recognize common law marriage as of 2019. Common-law marriage is also recognized in the District of Columba. Common-law unions are only recognized in New Hampshire for the restricted purpose of probate.

Domestic Partnership

Before same-sex couples were granted the ability to marry, they frequently engaged into domestic partnerships, also known as civil unions, which offer some of the same advantages as marriage. A domestic partnership, as contrast to a common law marriage, is usually a formal legal arrangement that needs to be registered in order to be recognized. In domestic partnerships, gender is not a determining factor; nonetheless, partners must be older than eighteen, be unrelated to one another, have never been in a previous domestic relationship, and live together or have a permanent residence. Domestic partners may be entitled for medical leave or health insurance, among other advantages offered to spouses; eligibility may vary based on local legislation. When certain states started to accept same-sex marriage, like Washington, most or all domestic partnerships registered in the state were legally transformed to marriages.

[discoveryesq]

What is a Privilege Log?

What is a privilege log? Other #lawyers have told me it’s a list of privileged documents. No.

At least not if you expect it to be used and accepted by the courts, government agencies, etc. Most require a lot more detail.

Most of the privilege logs I create must:

* Specify if the documents are wholly or partially privileged

* If partially privileged we must redact and specify the redactions are complete

* Specify the privilege type noting that multiple may apply to one document ie) attorney-client privilege, attorney work product, joint defense/ common interest

* Identify the privilege source / the attorney(s)

* We must identify the action giving rise to each privilege type

* For attorney-client we must specify if the lawyer provided advice, if someone requested advice from them, if it was prepared at the request of an attorney, is relaying legal advice, providing info needed to render or request legal advice, transmitted for the purpose of giving or receiving legal advice, etc etc

* If it’s work product we must research and specify the related litigation and if it’s prepared in anticipation of litigation or in the course of the litigation

* Must flag common interest and joint defense privilege scenarios and what entity has the common interest or joint defense agreement

* Specify the document type

* Specify in detail (but not giving away the privileged info) the subject matter of the privileged document

Some may call that making a list; I am not one of those individuals. I hope you like this discovery info as I’m planning to do more with my writing on the subject.

[thxnews]

Defence Secretary Grant Shapps: Supporting UK's Armed Forces

  Putting People First

In his inaugural month as Defence Secretary, Grant Shapps embarked on a mission to underscore the pivotal role of personnel within the British Armed Forces. Emphasizing the enduring significance of servicemen and women, Shapps conducted his maiden visits to the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force, reiterating his unwavering commitment to supporting serving personnel and their families.   Prioritizing Personnel Engagement During these visits, Shapps prioritized meetings with Armed Forces personnel, seeking to gain insight into their experiences and concerns. His primary objective was to assure them that they remained at the core of the nation's defense efforts.  

Shapps' Pledge of Support

Defence Secretary Grant Shapps expressed his gratitude for the dedication and expertise of each member of the Armed Forces. He affirmed his pride in leading this remarkable organization, stressing his dedication to safeguarding the nation's security and prosperity. Simultaneously, he vowed to enhance the experiences of personnel and their families, addressing various aspects, from childcare and accommodation to compensation and equipment.  

A Day Aboard the Royal Navy in Portsmouth

One leg of Shapps' tour took him to the bustling naval base in Portsmouth, where he engaged with serving Navy personnel. Here, he delved into their experiences and the opportunities the service provides. Shapps had the privilege of touring the Type 45 HMS Defender, a vessel that has recently played a central role in joint operations alongside the UK's allies. Notably, the ship had completed four operations and four exercises in the year preceding its refit, including the pivotal Exercise Formidable Shield. The Defence Secretary received briefings on Navy priorities and held discussions with representatives from BAE Systems, a vital defense partner supporting numerous jobs and livelihoods across the UK.  

A Visit to Salisbury Plain: Meeting the Army

Journeying to Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire, Shapps, accompanied by Chief of the General Staff General Sir Patrick Sanders, met with British soldiers at the heart of a UK-led training program. This initiative has successfully trained more than 26,500 Ukrainian recruits to date. Shapps heard inspiring stories from these soldiers and observed world-leading training practices before receiving briefings on the Army's priorities, particularly its modernization efforts.  

Taking to the Skies with the Royal Air Force

At RAF Waddington, Shapps, accompanied by Chief of the Air Staff, and Air Chief Marshal Sir Rich Knighton, actively engaged with personnel serving at the station. This included those from 51 and XIII Squadrons, who are responsible for operating Rivet Joint and Reaper Aircraft, respectively. During this visit, the Defence Secretary listened attentively to their experiences and took note of the recent accomplishments of the Royal Air Force. Additionally, he received briefings on the RAF's intelligence-gathering roles crucial for national defense.  

Unseen Guardians of Defense: Strategic Command

Strategic Command, headquartered at Northwood, London, and under the leadership of General Sir Jim Hockenhull, plays a pivotal role in providing often-unnoticed elements of defense. During his meeting with General Jim, the Defence Secretary was briefed on the work carried out by specialists within the organization, including cyber operators, intelligence analysts, medics, and logisticians. Strategic Command's integration of capabilities across defense ensures that the Armed Forces stand ready to respond at any time and in any place. Shapps discussed the multitude of ongoing initiatives aimed at attracting, upskilling, and retaining individuals, particularly those with expertise in science, digital, and technical fields.  

A Visit to Kyiv: Reinforcing Support for Ukraine

This week, in a significant development, the Defence Secretary extended his reach beyond the UK, embarking on a journey to Kyiv alongside Chief of the Defence Staff, Admiral Sir Tony Radakin. The primary purpose of this noteworthy visit was to emphatically reiterate the UK's steadfast and unwavering support for Ukraine during these challenging times.   Chief of the Defence Staff's Perspective Chief of the Defence Staff, Admiral Sir Tony Radakin, expressed his satisfaction with the Secretary of State's visit, underscoring its significance in the context of the evolving global security landscape. Furthermore, he highlighted the UK's substantial investments in its Army, Royal Air Force, and Royal Navy, clearly outlining plans for increased lethality and strength within NATO. Admiral Radakin also touched upon the transition to fifth-generation aircraft in the Royal Air Force and advancements in space capabilities. Ultimately, he credited the commitment and skill of the Armed Forces, as well as their international and industry partnerships, for safeguarding the nation. In conclusion, Defence Secretary Grant Shapps' initial month in office has been characterized by a strong emphasis on personnel and their importance in the broader defense strategy. As he tours military bases and engages with servicemen and women, Shapps leaves no doubt about his dedication to ensuring their well-being.   Sources: THX News, Ministry of Defence & The Rt Hon Grant Shapps MP. Read the full article

[ailtrahq]

In a recent development, the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) unsealed court filings related to the ongoing litigation against Binance.US and BAM Management US Holdings Inc.  The filings provide insights into the defendants’ responses and objections to the plaintiff’s first requests to produce documents and inspection. Doubts About Binance.US Full Collateralization The court filings reveal that the SEC has expressed reservations about Binance.US’s ability to ensure full collateralization of customer assets at certain critical junctures.  This finding was based on an audit conducted by Binance.US’s auditor, who reportedly encountered significant challenges verifying the platform’s complete collateralization. The SEC’s concerns highlight potential risks to investors and the need for increased transparency and regulatory oversight in the cryptocurrency industry. Collateralization is a crucial aspect of cryptocurrency trading platforms, ensuring that reserves adequately back customer assets. Maintaining full collateralization is essential for the security and stability of the platform, as it guarantees that customers’ funds can be readily accessed and withdrawn when needed.  Any shortcomings in collateralization practices could expose users to potential losses and undermine market confidence. The unsealed court filings also reveal that the SEC has requested extensive documentation and inspection of Binance.US’s internal processes and records.  However, Binance.US has raised objections to several aspects of the SEC’s requests. The platform has argued that certain demands are “overly broad, unduly burdensome, or duplicative” of previous discovery requests and subpoenas in the ongoing litigation.  Furthermore, BAM’s (Binance.US parent company) legal counsel has expressed readiness to discuss with the plaintiff to resolve any disputes concerning the requests’ meaning, scope, relevance, or BAM’s responses and objections. Objections Raised BAM raises objections regarding preserving and producing electronically stored information (ESI) and documents not stored on active systems but on backup tapes or other media no longer in their possession, custody, or control.  They claim that such ESI is not reasonably accessible and would impose significant search, preserve, and access costs. BAM asserts that they are not obligated to search such sources in response to the requests. In addition, Binance.US asserts the protection of various privileges, including the attorney-client privilege, work-product doctrine, joint-defense or common-interest privilege, and applicable domestic or foreign laws.  They maintain that the requests seek information or documents covered by these privileges or other protections, and their response should not be construed as a waiver of those privileges. The company also contests requests seeking the production of trade secrets or information that is confidential, proprietary, commercially sensitive, or competitively significant to them or any affiliates. They argue that the disclosure of such information could have adverse effects on their business operations. It is important to note that BAM’s responses and objections to the specific requests have not been detailed in the unsealed court filings. However, the filings emphasize that BAM intends to withhold responsive materials based on its objections to each request, except where indicated otherwise.  Despite their objections, BAM expresses a willingness to engage in discussions with the plaintiff regarding the requests. These disclosures raise important questions regarding the scope of document production, the burden imposed on the defendants, and the applicability of various privileges and protections. As the litigation progresses, further developments are expected to provide more insights into the case. BNB’s losing all the gains of the 24-hour time frame on the daily chart. Source: BNBUSDT on TradingView.com Source

[innerinsightpsychology]

A Look into the Realities of Co-Parenting: Challenges and Solutions

Becoming a new mum is a transformative experience filled with joy, love, and sleepless nights. However, for many of us, it also brings to light the intricate dance of co-parenting. As a psychologist and a new mum myself, I've had the privilege of both professional expertise and personal experience to draw from. This blog is dedicated to the realities of co-parenting, exploring the challenges it presents and offering some practical solutions to make this journey smoother for all.

The Challenge of Communication

One of the initial challenges of co-parenting is effective communication. It's easy to underestimate the importance of clear, open, and honest communication with your partner when you're both adjusting to the demands of a newborn. Here are some tips to improve your communication:

Set Aside Time to Talk: Schedule regular check-ins to discuss concerns, share insights, and make joint decisions about parenting.

Active Listening: Practice active listening, making an effort to understand your partner's perspective without judgment.

Use 'I' Statements: Express your feelings and needs using "I" statements, which can reduce defensiveness. For example, say, "I feel overwhelmed when..." instead of "You always..."

Balancing Responsibilities

Coordinating who does what can be another significant hurdle. Many new parents find themselves grappling with an unequal distribution of caring for the newborn and household tasks. It however doesn’t have to be like this. These tools may help new parents address this challenge:

Create a Shared Calendar: Utilize digital tools to track feeding times, naps, and diaper changes to ensure a fair distribution of responsibilities, and to minimise nagging and repeating to the other partner what has been or needs to be done. 

Designate "Me" Time: Both partners should prioritise self-care and schedule time for hobbies or relaxation to prevent burnout.

Seek Outside Help: Consider asking for help from family members, friends, or hiring a babysitter to ease the workload. As they say, it takes a tribe to raise a baby, or at least it helps to utilise a bit of extra support. 

Differing Parenting Styles

Differing parenting styles can be a source of tension. Each parent may have their own ideas about feeding, sleep training, or discipline. And some parents may only be discovering their differences once the newborn has arrived and they are faced with a decision to make:

Compromise: Find middle ground when possible and be willing to adapt your parenting approach based on your baby's needs.

Educate Together: Read parenting books or attend classes together to align your approaches and foster a sense of teamwork.

Respect Each Other's Expertise: Acknowledge that each parent brings unique strengths to the table and trust your partner's instincts.

Navigating Time Apart

Time apart from your baby, whether for work or personal reasons, can be emotionally challenging. It's important to find ways to cope with these separations:

Stay Connected: Use technology to stay in touch with your baby when you're away. Video calls or photo updates can help you feel more connected and less anxious being apart.

Establish Routines: Create consistent routines for bedtime, playtime, and mealtimes to maintain a sense of stability for your baby when you're apart.

Support Each Other: Acknowledge that both parents need time for themselves and support each other in taking breaks.

Co-parenting is a journey filled with its share of challenges, but with effective communication, shared responsibilities, respect for differing parenting styles, and strategies for navigating time apart, it can also be incredibly rewarding. Remember that every family is unique, and what works best for you and your partner may evolve over time. By focusing on teamwork, flexibility, and mutual support, you can build a strong foundation for your child's well-being and the happiness of your growing family.

Author: Bianca Stephenson-Gromer, Psychologist 

[leanstooneside]

SONG SUNG "BLUE"

◊ defense and security

◊ pleasure and power

◊ company to your

◊ order to safeguard

◊ you because we

◊ diamonds and family

◊ president and his

◊ offering and/font/em/strong/div div

◊ logos and trademarks

◊ bone and joint

◊ sales and exportation

◊ you and my

◊ restaurant or store

◊ achievements and contributions

◊ delivery to your

◊ feedback to: service

◊ cialis because they

◊ husband or wife

◊ privilege and trees

◊ ms plus ms

◊ opportunity to divert

◊ photos and profiles

[syddsatyrn]

Never Knows Best

☆Pairing: - Eddie Munson x Fem Reader

☆Warnings: Fluff, Make out, swearing, alcohol, drug use, abusive parents, mentions of abuse.

☆Words: 3k

☆Summary: You're mom is drunk again so you head to Eddie's to get some space. Eddie shares some feelings he's been holding back. Now its time for you to do the same.

☆Notes: I loved FLCL when It was the early 2000's. So I used to write "Never Knows Best" on the side of my cigarettes. This is based loosely off of a true life even that happened to me. Enjoy!

“This is so stupid, she's acting like a child.” You huff.

“She really is.” Eddie replies.

“I’d be out on the streets if it weren't for you.”

“I think you’d survive. My girl’s tough as nails.” He says with a scoff.

“Shut up.” 

You sat on the floor with your backs to each other, leaning on one another in Eddie's room. It was late and everything was quiet. Eddie is taking notes for his new DnD campaign while you both pass a joint back and forth. His body heat pressed up against you makes you feel at ease despite your current circumstances. You are wearing a pair of his sweatpants and a large “Dio'' T-shirt Eddie had lent you. 

Your mom kicked you out again. She does this often and you always end up at Eddie's trailer. He lets you vent about it and he always smokes you out. He wipes the tears from your face and welcomes you with open arms. Wayne was aware of the situation and never complained when you showed up on his doorstep. Eddie's trailer is where you go to get away from it all. You feel safe and at ease when you're with your best friend.

Your mother is a classic alcoholic. She takes a lot of her anger out on you and has for so long that it's just normalized. When she came home from work she couldn't find her cigarettes. She blamed you, saying you stole them. She threw an ashtray and a candle in your direction and you snapped. You screamed at her and slammed the door behind you. You took off on your bike before your mom could catch up to you. With tears in your eyes, you made your way to the “Forest Hills” trailer park as fast as your legs would let you.  

You and Eddie are close, maybe too close to be considered friends. When you showed up to Hawkins High on your first day in a leather jacket looking for the DnD club, he knew he had to have you. When he found out about your mom he became a bit defensive on your behalf. It didn't bother you, actually, you rather enjoyed having “scary dog privileges”. He made sure people didn't terrorize you at school. He would glare at and intimidate anyone who even tried to ruin your day. 

Dustin always asks when you two are going to "get together". With the perpetual fighting between you and your mom and the stress of school, you haven't found the time to gather your feelings for Eddie. Put them in words and organize your thoughts. He likes the same music as you, you both smoke weed and play DnD, wear similar clothes, and sometimes even sleep in the same bed together. You've been kidding yourself this whole time and you know it, you're in deep.

"I don't think you give yourself enough credit considering what you deal with." Eddie breaks the silence while scribbling in his notebook.

"You always say that." You huffed. 

"Yeah and I always mean it."

You're toying with a ballpoint pen with an unlit cigarette between your fingers. You remove the cap and cautiously inscribe letters on one side, trying your best not to puncture the paper. 

"Never knows best."

You stand up and plop down on his bed, you lay on your back and hang your head off the edge of the mattress. You admired Eddie’s face from upside down, how is he gorgeous from every angle? You carefully light the cigarette, Eddie looks up from his notebooks and notices the letters written on the side. He snatched the cigarette from your mouth.

"Hey! I barely got to know her!" You object as Eddie places it between his lips.

"If you never know best then neither do I." He says proudly. Smoke plumes from his mouth as he exhales. The letters started to burn with the paper. You part your lips slightly when Eddie returns the cigarette between them. You stare up at the ceiling, lost in reflection as Eddie returns to his scribbling.

Was the relationship with your mom even worth salvaging? Should you just cut your losses and take off? Where would you even go? Are you making a big deal out of this? It’s not the first time she's thrown you out and locked all the doors and windows.    

"Y'know...if you wanted to, you could stay here for a couple of weeks instead of a couple of nights. I don't think Wayne would mind. He enjoys your company and your cooking." Eddie suggests, and you sit up, the blood rushing to your head. It's like he could read your mind or something. 

"Really?! You sure I won't cramp your style." You ask as your eyes get wide.

"Yes, I'm sure. We can pick up some of your stuff tomorrow. " Eddie confirms.

"You’re gonna help me break into my mom's house? What would I do without you, Munson." You say with a relieved sigh.

"I dunno…What would you do without me?" He asks, smirk playing on his lips.

"Probably suffer even more than I already do."

Eddie smirks and grabs the metal flask sitting on the nightstand. "Do you remember that time I beat up your ex for flirting with Tammy Thompson at homecoming?" He asks and takes a swig, he hands it to you and you do the same.

"Yeah. He's still terrified of you." You say and throw back the burning liquid. Eddie always drinks whiskey, not that you mind. You've grown to enjoy the sweet aftertaste and the warm, fuzzy feeling it brings you.

"Remember when I said I would look out for you from then on?" He meets your gaze for the first time in a while. "I plan on keeping that promise. Even when it comes to your crazy mom." He says firmly. Your heart skips a beat, you’re at a loss for words.

Your face turns a few shades of pink. Your rebellious, reckless, best friend only shows this side of himself to you. He would leave you little notes in your locker to make you smile. You paired up for group projects in every class you shared. Eddie is your rock and you swear without him you'd be lost. Big bad Eddie "The freak" Munson is a total softie, but only when you're around. You feel like you wouldn't have survived school without him.

Eddie stands up and stretches his arms. “You hungry? Wanna order some pizza?” He asks and you nod. Eddie leaves the room to call in the order.  

The second he walked through the threshold you felt the sting of tears building in the corners of your eyes. You didn't want to cry or show emotions, so why is this happening? Soon the tears traveled down your cheeks. You don't often do this, usually, you can carry a lot without breaking down. When was the last time you cried and let out all your emotions? It's been quite a long time. 

When Eddie returns with a glass of water, but when he realizes your condition, he quickly puts the cup on the bedside table and immediately envelopes you in his arms. 

“Hey, hey, sweetheart, what's with the waterworks? Everything is gonna be okay, I’m here. I got you.” He leans forward and whispers against your ear. He holds the back of your head, his hand threading through your hair. You slowly wrap your arms around his midsection and bury your face in his shoulder. Eddie loosens his grip and sits down facing you. He brings his hands to your face and cups your damp cheeks. You look back into his dark brown eyes trying to hold back any more tears. 

“Shhh, it's gonna be okay, Y/N.” He wipes away the emerging tears with his thumb and you take a hold of his wrists. You take a few deep breaths and Eddie breathes with you, he pushes a few strands of hair away from your face. Eddie places his hands on your knees and you wipe the remaining tears away with the back of your hand. 

“I’m so sorry…” You whisper shyly. Eddie simply smiles at you with the sweetest face you’ve ever seen. 

“Don't be, sweets. It’s my job.” He says softly and pulls you back in for another hug. These are times you question your feelings for him the most. Your heart skips a beat every time he calls you pet names, when he touches your face, and especially every time he hugs you tight. He’s the only one that knows you, he understands your situation, and he still genuinely enjoys being around you. Figuring out your feelings for Eddie has been difficult, to say the least. Every time you're sure you know what to say, the thought disappears the second you see his face or hear his voice. You think back to the first time you met Eddie. 

You were new to Hawkins and ended up getting lost in the hallways looking for the Hellfire Club room. A group of girls in cheerleader outfits gave you the wrong directions on purpose and you had no idea where you ended up. Eddie was walking with Dustin to his locker to grab his DnD books. You turned the corner too fast without paying attention and slammed right into Eddie’s chest, all his DnD stuff tumbled out of his arms and onto the floor. You apologized profusely even though he told you it was no big deal. They accompany you to the Hellfire club room, Eddie was losing his shit over the fact that you played and wanted to join his club. Afterward, Eddie drove you home, you two have been attached at the hip ever since.

Eddie's arms are loosely wrapped around your lower back. You rest your forehead on his shoulder, surrounded by the familiar scent of cheap cologne, cigarettes, and whatever shampoo he was using. You lift your head and meet his gaze, his face is so close you could feel his breath on your bottom lip. If you’re going to admit it, now's the time.

You lean forward slightly and brush your lips against his. When you pull away to examine his reaction, Eddie hooks a finger inside the collar of your borrowed t-shirt and pulls you back in for more. He cups your cheek, kissing you gently like he's afraid he might shatter your fragile state. Your hands are shaking and your face feels hot. You could only focus on how soft his lips felt against yours. Each kiss was a long-awaited confession, each touch was an apology for lost time. Your mouth flush against his, tongues hot against each other. He tastes like whiskey and cinnamon gum.  

Eddie has been wanting to do this for so long. It always felt like the wrong time, or he ended up overthinking everything to the point of panic. His friends always tell him he gets stupid when you are around. There are times when Eddie lays awake at night thinking about this very moment. He constantly worries about where you are and if you’re okay.  

When you finally pull back breathlessly, he smiles and presses his forehead to yours. You both welcome the silence, just being in the presence of one another is worth so many words and emotions. You've never known such admiration so it's a bit daunting at first. Eddie is immediately hooked on your attention, it's like a drug he never wants to quit.

You both jump when you hear a knock at the front door. The pizza is here, Eddie quickly kissed the corner of your mouth and left to deal with the delivery driver. You take a deep breath and try to calm your nerves. You just kissed, no, made out with your best friend. Your head is spinning and your hands are getting sweaty.

“Pizza is on the counter whenever you're ready,” Eddie says as he returns, a few shades of red spread across his cheeks and nose. He sits back down on the bed facing you and you swear your heart was going to burst through your chest. Eddie twists the metal rings around his fingers, something he only does when he's tense. 

“So..Uhm…okay, I’m just gonna say it, I promise I’m sober.” He breaks the silence and you give him a puzzled look. You tilt your head and Eddie takes your hand. “I don't even know where to start. You make my heart pound so fast that it's hard to catch my breath. Every time I see you I don't know how to act. You’re constantly on my mind and sometimes I think I’m going crazy wondering if you feel it too.” Eddie finally admits between shaky breaths. 

It took you a minute to process what he said to you. You take a deep breath and attempt to explain your feelings. “It feels like when you come around, my mouth locks tight, and the words I want to say are lost. I can't thank you enough for how often you take care of me. I always thought I was the one going crazy.”

You’ve always felt it. The day you met Eddie Munson was the day your life changed for the better. Sometimes he feels like the only good choice you’ve ever made. You lean forward once again and kiss him, hard. Eddie tucks some of your hair behind your ear gently, and his thumb brushes across your cheek. When you both break away for oxygen you stare back into his dark, hazy eyes.

“I love you, y’know that?” 

“Well, I do now. I love you too, Y/N”

Eddie peppers your face with kisses and you giggle. “Are you feelin’ a little better?” He asks softly and you nod with a permanent smile on your face. You never in a million years thought you’d be making out with Eddie Munson, let alone confessing your feelings for him. It felt good to lay everything out on the table, like a weight has been lifted off your chest. “Do you wanna come eat and watch Hellraiser with me?” His puppy eyes could persuade you to do anything.

Eddie takes your hand and leads you into the living room. You plop down on the couch and bring your knees up to your chest. He notices you cross your arms and start to shiver. “You cold? Shit, it is kinda cold in here, huh?” He asks, heading back into his room. He returns with a black hoodie and a lit joint in his mouth. 

You hug the hoodie to your chest, “Thank you, I’m sorry I steal your clothes so often.” You giggle and slip the hoodie on. Eddie hands you his joint and you take it, after such a tense and emotional confession you can finally relax. Eddie retrieves the pizza box and sets it on the coffee table. 

“It’s not a problem, besides, you look cute in my clothes.” He says with a wink, your face is getting warm again. Eddie opens the plastic case and inserts the video tape into the VCR. Eddie walks back over to the couch and plops down next to you. He wraps his arm around your shoulder and quickly kisses the top of your head.

After some pizza and more cuddling, you ended up in Eddie's lap, fast asleep. The ending credits roll. He was playing with your hair, watching as you peacefully lay on your side, using his lap as a pillow. He’s just taking in the moment with you, and how sweet and peaceful you look. He doesn't want to wake you, but he thinks you’ll be much more comfortable under a blanket in his bed. 

Eddie rubs your shoulder and plants kisses behind your ear. “Hey sweet thing, wanna come to bed with me?” He whispers. You whine and he chuckles, “I know, I know but I promise it will be much more comfortable than this old couch.” You eventually sit up and Eddie takes your hand and leads you down the hallway to his room. You Immediately crawl under the covers and let out a yawn.

“You are so cute.” He says while lifting his shirt over his head and tossing it carelessly. 

“Thanks, pretty boy.” Your eyes have already shut, today was exhausting and you could use some rest. Eddie slips under the covers with you and wraps his arm around your waist, pulling you close. He's so warm and you feel so secure in his arms. You never want to leave his bed because it's the happiest you’ve been in a long time. Eddie kisses your shoulder one last time and you both drift off to sleep. 

[robininthelabyrinth]

Prompt: what if jc was lxc's age (and jyl maybe 2 or 3 years older) and wwx was lwj's/nhs' age when he was brought to lotus pier? (Or anything that involves a much bigger age gap bw the jiang sibs and wwx - where wwx is babey)

Untamed

“You know what,” Jiang Cheng said to his sister, who looked at him. “I’ve changed my mind. I’m not marrying a woman.”

Jiang Yanli’s lips started twitching uncontrollably and she hid her smile behind her sleeve. “Oh?”

“Nope. I’m going to marry Chifeng-zun.”

“On the basis of…?”

“If you take two adult men in charge of two Great Sects,” Jiang Cheng said, doing his utmost best to keep a straight face, “with all the power we can generate between us, we might – maybe – have a chance at disciplining our baby brothers.”

Jiang Yanli burst out laughing.

“There, there. It’s all right,” he said, grinning, reaching out to pat her on the shoulder. “You can join us if you’d like. There’s enough room in Qinghe for two wives.”

“We are not both running away to Qinghe,” she said, giggling. “A-Cheng!”

“What? I think it’s a great idea. If our parents want us back, they can negotiate with Chifeng-zun for it – may they have more luck than they had with the whole medicinal herb debacle.”

“A-Cheng, I am officially tabling this idea,” Jiang Yanli said, still snorting. “Older sibling privilege.”

“I let you out of the womb first as a matter of courtesy,” Jiang Cheng sniffed. “And now you use it against me? A-Li, how could you?”

“Call me jiejie! It doesn’t matter how much older, a few shichen or a few years, older is still older.”

“You probably elbowed me with those sharp pointy things you have on your arms. Weapons of war.”

“Older is older!” she sang. “Now tell me, what did A-Xian do this time?”

“Would you like it in chronological order, or in order of severity? I can also group it by theme, if you prefer.”

“Oh no,” Jiang Yanli said, covering her eyes. “Oh no.”

“And the chief-most theme,” Jiang Cheng said, continuing anyway, “is still called Lan Wangji.”

“Oh no!”

“He has the worst crush,” Jiang Cheng said, shaking his head with endless amusement. “And he just – refuses to admit it. ‘Nooooo, shixiong, we’re just friends, he can’t even stand me most of the time, he’s always trying to get me in trouble, but sometimes he lets me sit next to him and spend time with him and he’s so handsome and I really just want to make him laugh –’”

“We have,” Jiang Yanli said thoughtfully, “raised an idiot.”

“He was fine when we got him,” Jiang Cheng disagreed. “We have spoiled an idiot.”

“This is true. Maybe we should go form a mutual complaining society with Chifeng-zun; isn’t his little brother also an idiot?”

“Oh, you have no idea,” Jiang Cheng said. “Worse: they’ve teamed up. Nie Huaisang buys Wei Wuxian porn now.”

“Oh no…”

“In return for help cheating on his tests!”

“Oh no!”

“So that’s why I’m going to marry Chifeng-zun,” Jiang Cheng concluded. “Our parents may be disappointed by my decision, but with our powers combined, we might be able to save the world from our respective younger idiots.”

“Maybe,” she said, and shook her head. “A-Cheng – about our parents…”

Jiang Cheng shook his head as well, echoing her action but more in denial. It wasn’t anyone’s fault that she took after their father and he took after their mother, that she was born a shichen prior to midnight and he a shichen after and their personalities completely different as a result; it was no one’s fault that their parents didn’t get along, with their mother disdaining what she perceived as Jiang Yanli’s passiveness and lack of passion and their father despising Jiang Cheng’ prickly temper and difficulty communicating his affection without scolding.

It certainly wasn’t Wei Wuxian’s fault for being younger and more brilliant, talented at everything he did and with just the sort of personality their father liked best – the combination of his former best friend and the girl he’d once thought of marrying – and that he’d always made that preference very clear to everyone, even to their mother who often worried that her husband would dispossess her children in favor of his foundling and who lashed out at everyone in response.

That had hurt – hurt a lot, even, and Jiang Cheng was soft and sensitive underneath all his defensive layers, but any time he got angry over it he would look at Wei Wuxian, their little A-Xian, baby Xianxian, who adored his older siblings more than anything and was adored in return, and he forced himself to get over it. He was old enough, by the time Wei Wuxian arrived, to know to whom the blame really belonged.

“I spoke with Nie Huaisang while I was at the Cloud Recesses,” Jiang Cheng said in an undertone, one reserved just for his sister. “He’s asked me to pass along a message to his brother, the next time I go night-hunting, about the whole debacle – he’s so terribly apologetic, you understand, he couldn’t wait for the post – if we get to Qinghe by tomorrow, Chifeng-zun will be able to get to Gusu in time to intervene before our father does something wretched like cancel your engagement and take A-Xian home early from his studies.”

“The engagement I wouldn’t mind,” she remarked. “If Jin Zixuan feels so strongly about it that he’d get into a fistfight with A-Xian, it’s better not to marry, no matter what our mother might think. But on no account is A-Xian to be sent home early! He needs his education!”

Unsaid was everything else he needed, things he could get better at the Cloud Recesses than anywhere else.

“Then we go?”

“We go,” she agreed. Between the two of them, Jiang Cheng had more talent at cultivation, but she was steadier, even in her overall mediocrity: when the two of them flew on a sword together, they could make it much further and faster than anyone expected.

Qinghe wasn’t really close enough for a quick jaunt – they flew all night without stopping – but Chifeng-zun was amendable to their scheme, jumping at once onto his saber and making his way straight to Gusu. A waste of spiritual energy all around, really, but far faster than their father would move, with his Sect Leader’s dignity and retinue, rushing to the Cloud Recesses to save his precious little Wei Wuxian from having any connections in life that weren’t to the Jiang sect, and the Jiang sect alone. 

And never mind how much he needed those connections: needed to have friends his own age, needed to have more time with that crush of his, needed independence and freedom and everything the Jiang sect supposedly stood for - needed for them to support him and act as the foundation beneath his feet, rather than the chains tying him down to earth.

Chifeng-zun – who was only a few years older than they were – was really a very understanding person, getting the problem at once and immediately agreeing with their view on things. Perhaps there really was something to be said about the difference in generations…

“Let me show you to rooms where you can rest,” Chifeng-zun’s aide said, a slender young man with a polite smile on his face as he saluted. “I’ll arrange for refreshments as well.”

“We hate to trouble you, but in all honesty you are a lifesaver,” Jiang Yanli said to him warmly, and he unexpectedly flushed red at the cheeks. “A-Cheng, let’s follow this handsome young man and rest a while before we return to the Lotus Pier.”

The young man was blushing.

“What’s your name?” Jiang Cheng asked, and the blush faded away at once as the man paled a little: it would be one he expected them to recognize, then, and not in a good way.

“This one is Meng Yao,” he said, and saluted again even though he’d already saluted once before, and Jiang Yanli’s eyes flickered to Jiang Cheng’s very briefly before she caught his arms and raised him up.

“I’ve heard of you. Smart and talented enough to get Chifeng-zun’s attention, even so far as becoming his personal deputy - you must be brilliant. Truly, you deserve a better father,” she told him, and he stared up at her, dumbstruck.

“Don’t mind her,” Jiang Cheng said. “She’s trying out this new thing in which she says everything she feels without thinking first.”

She elbowed him. “And isn’t it your fault?” she asked snappishly. “You’re the one who needs to speak your mind more; I’m just modeling good behavior!”

If she’d been older than him – really older, rather than just a few shichen – maybe she would have held her tongue more and played the role of the peacekeeper, trying to protect him from his father’s indifference the way she had tried to when they were both younger, just as he had tried to distract his mother from her with his hard-fought accomplishments. It wasn’t until they had little Wei Wuxian to spoil and care for, a joint task that required both of their attention, that they realized that splitting their forces like that was pointless and self-defeating: it wasn’t actually helping that Jiang Yanli suppressed so much of her spirit until she felt like little more than a reflective mirror with no content, nor that Jiang Cheng nearly worked himself to death trying to prove that he was worthy of his father’s love and respect that he would never receive, and it never would.

So they stopped.

They were trying very hard to stop, anyway.

“You’re very kind,” Meng Yao murmured, and led them to their rooms.

The moment he closed the door behind him, Jiang Yanli turned to Jiang Cheng and said, “I’ve changed my mind about your plan – we can run away to Qinghe. You marry Chifeng-zun, and I’ll marry that charming boy out there.”

There was an audible thudding sound from the corridor outside, as if someone had accidentally walked into a wall, and they both grinned at each other.

“Mother would kill you,” he warned her in an undertone.

“And being married to someone who disdains me enough to fight over my worthlessness in public wouldn’t?” she retorted, smiling even though her expression was tinged with pain: if she had one ambition in life, it was to never become their mother. “The marriage agreement might have been forged by our mothers, but the text of it says ‘the Jin sect leader’s son to the Jiang sect leader’s daughter’. Why can’t I marry him?”

“He hasn’t been acknowledged.”

“Only technically. Everyone knows he’s the real deal, or else his father wouldn’t have made such a fuss about it.”

“But –”

“Anyway, he must be a good man, or Chifeng-zun wouldn’t have promoted him.”

“I don’t know about that,” Jiang Cheng said. “Chifeng-zun doesn’t have the sense of self-preservation the heavens bestowed on a lemming.”

There was a vaguely audible snort from outside their door. It seemed Meng Yao, at least, had the good sense not to leave guests in his house unattended, and no discrimination against the very useful business of listening at doors.

He also had a sense of humor, which was good given Jiang Yanli’s newfound ambitions in his regard.

“Yes, well, I wasn’t saying I’d elope with him tomorrow or anything,” she sniffed, eyes dancing. “Give him some time to prove himself to me.”

Jiang Cheng couldn’t help but smile back. “That’s true,” he said, raising his voice a little. “At Chifeng-zun’s side, he’ll be able to make a name for himself until the whispers all say that his father was an idiot for keeping him away.”

“And if even that doesn’t work, I’ll marry him in and make him help me run the Jiang sect,” she said cheerfully. “Who needs Lanling Jin?”

“Wait, since when are you inheriting the Jiang sect?”

“I’m older! And anyway, aren’t you marrying Chifeng-zun? That means you’ll be away helping run his sect, and that leaves an opening at home for me.”

“��huh. Good point.”

“Maybe you can just swap places with Meng Yao,” she said, starting to giggle again. “And we can all see how long it takes anyone to notice…”

“Our parents might not,” Jiang Cheng said dryly. “But Chifeng-zun would. If only because I have my sights set on his bed, and I don’t think Meng Yao does.”

“You don’t know that; everyone wants Chifeng-zun. Maybe you have competition.”

“Better to have competition than be oblivious. Do you want to hear the whole story about A-Xian and Lan Wangji’s tragic mutual pining disaster? Xichen-xiong told me all the details he’s been leaving out of his letters.”

“Tell me everything!”

[delimeful]

you cant go back (1)

BTHB: Locked Up and Left Behind

first in a new alien series! this one is completely unrelated to WIBAR :)

warnings: abandonment, violence, injury, mentions of death and starvation, mild cliffhanger

-

Virgil was screwed.

This was quite a familiar phrase for him. He most frequently utilized it while trying to haul Jan away from whatever batshit scheme he was joint-deep in before it blew up in their faces. Normally, however, even he could admit that his panic, fury, and/or despair was sometimes exaggerated for emphasis.

“I’m absolutely, massively, unbelievably screwed,” Virgil tried out in a low hissing whisper, and grimaced when it came out sounding like an understatement.

In the corner of his eye, his helmet’s display screen blinked an eye-numbing red, informing him that there was a breach in his suit, and the atmospheric pressure inside had been completely disrupted. There would normally be beeping, too, the shrieking ‘you’re about to die’ kind that made his shelling turn pitch with terror in simulations, but— well.

He’d been able to endure about two clicks of the racket before giving in and tearing through the audio speakers with his teeth, ruining them entirely. It meant he wouldn’t hear any of the vital organ failure notifications, but he wasn’t sure he wanted to experience a sickening play-by-play of his death on another planet anyhow.

The others had left him in some kind of dilapidated shack, hand-painted a faded red on the outside. It looked unstable, but it was apparently built sturdier than any of them expected, enough to not even creak as he thrashed around with all his free limbs. He’d been cuffed around one of the support pillars, which meant that even if he could break it, it would probably just immediately collapse and crush him to bits.

Considering there was an enormous crack in the glass of his helmet, he hadn’t really thought he’d get the privilege of worrying about how he was going to die. Aisleen— the one who had bashed his helmet against her elbow plate— had certainly agreed. She’d waited until after the others had left, granting him a quicker death the way her culture called honorable.

Janus would have disagreed loudly. Not just because Virgil was pretty sure his only friend didn’t actually want to see him choke to death on the probably-somehow-toxic atmosphere of a Deathworld, but also because that guy could go on about interplanetary ethics for rotations if you let him.

Virgil wrenched at his restraints for the hundredth time, ignoring the hot pulse of pain that came with the movement. His chitin had to be cracking by now, but the rawness of that was easier to focus on than thoughts like, ‘I’ll never get to watch him argue someone in circles again.’

The worst part wasn’t wondering if they’d fess up to abandoning him or not. No, the worst part was he wasn’t actually sure which option he preferred.

He could imagine Janus looking for him, searching for leads that didn’t exist, stubborn the way a starving shilsho would stay locked onto flesh. Never knowing what actually happened. Jan hated not knowing things, the way Virgil hated sitting with his back to an open entryway.

But if he knew… If Janus managed to wrest the truth from them— or if they bragged about it— he would blame himself. They’d left Virgil because he was just a weaker version of Janus when it came down to it, and because he backed Janus up no matter what, and because it was funny, leaving the twitchiest guy on the crew to die on a world where anything and everything could kill you.

At least Janus wouldn’t be tempted to come down and retrieve his corpse. The other Chelcera was all about self-serving scheming, and there was no way the benefits outweighed the costs. He had to believe that much for his own sanity.

Virgil closed his eyes, trying to push away the what-ifs and the mental flash-images of Janus stuck in his position. He had more than enough to worry about already.

Since the atmosphere didn’t seem toxic enough to kill him outright (for now), there was a surplus of possible ways he was going to bite it. Weather, wildlife, or withering into a lifeless husk due to lack of sustenance.

Alliteration, nice. He was funny when he was on the brink of deathbed hysterics.

For now, he was only in conceptual danger. The shack was sheltering him from any outside elements, being terrified had killed his appetite, and there didn’t seem to be any heat signatures nearby, though his vision was limited by the sides of the helmet.

It made his skin itch, not being able to see behind him, but his auxiliary arms were spread out and taut, waiting for even a wisp of movement. If anyone tried to attack him from behind, they’d strike quick and true.

Of course, then he’d probably be immediately immolated by a pissed-off Deathworlder, but at least he could go down fighting.

If he was vicious enough, they’d have to kill him, and he wouldn’t have to worry about being taken alive. Bitter venom welled up in his mouth at the thought, and he tried to breathe deeply.

He was thinking too far ahead. For now, he’d struggle and swear and watch his atmo tank dwindle down to nothing, see if it changed anything. Maybe he was going to asphyxiate, after all.

-

He made it through the night.

The sun was close to this planet, enough that he was warm even in the stripped-down version of his bodysuit and in the enclosed shade of the barn. He thought he might even get overheated if he tried to sunbathe here, which hadn’t ever been a concern back home.

Thankfully, the meager sun that spilled through the half-open window didn’t reach him, so he didn’t have to add boiling alive to his list of potential deaths.

Unthankfully, more and more heat signatures popped up as the dawn arrived, all small but still potentially life-ending. He’d heard more than enough horror stories about palm-sized Deathworlder creatures that could kill you with one bite. He wasn’t letting his guard down.

The noise that accompanied the day was welcome— he was exhausted, and every unfamiliar chattering call or whistle made his aux limbs lift back up defensively, keeping him from dropping off into sleep.

He was not falling asleep on a Deathworld. That was just asking for trouble.

The energy crash hit hard, though, and by the time the sun was overhead, he was warm and sleepy enough that he almost missed the slow creak of the door.

He definitely didn’t miss the bright splotch of heat that trotted in, though. He quickly flicked his sensor eyes closed, getting rid of the heat-sense overlay, and felt his hair stand on end as he met the slitted eyes of a small, furry quadruped.

“Mrow?” the creature chirped at him, tail winding back and forth in the air. Its fur was colored in abstract patches, and he could see the tiny fangs in its mouth as it yawned threateningly.

Virgil resisted the urge to hiss, wriggling his wrists desperately. There was no point in antagonizing a Deathworlder creature preemptively while bound and helpless, a voice in his head reminded him. It sounded kind of like Janus.

The creature stalked a little closer, predatory grace in every one of its movements, and paused to watch him again. It’s pupils seemed rounder now, ears flicked up attentively. Virgil resisted the urge to twitch his backlegs, keeping still like a terrified prey animal as it approached at a leisurely pace.

He’d had all of his bulky outer suit stripped from him by the others-- no point in leaving the soon-to-be-corpse with a pricy surface suit. They’d even taken the shoes, which had felt a bit like insult to injury.

Now, with the local fauna drawing close to his feet, it felt more like just plain injury.

As bad as the odds were, he was fervently hoping that he could make himself seem tougher than he was. Maybe having to work for its meal would scare it off? He grit his fangs and drew himself up in preparation to lash out as much as he could in retaliation for whatever damage the creature was about to inflict on him.

It trod directly over his feet and brushed its little head up against his legs, a low rumble beginning to emanate from it.

He stared blankly down at it.

“What?” he clicked quietly, and the creature chirped back at him, taking a tight turn to loop right back around and brush against him in the opposite direction. Still, not a hint of pain.

Did… Did it have contact poisons, maybe? There was a residue of shed fur building up on the ankles of his undersuit, but it seemed surprisingly harmless.

With another, louder rumble, the creature settled into a crouched position-- directly on top of his feet. Its eyes drifted slowly closed, the vibrations it was making rolling through him.

Oh, Seryl and all her stars. It was sleeping on him.

It seemed docile for now, but what would it do if he woke it? Even he threatened to bite people who interrupted his naps, and he wasn’t a tiny wild creature governed only by survival (no matter what Janus told people). His flimsy inner suit wouldn’t stop an Ampen’s claws, let alone Deathworlder teeth or claws.

The creature continued to be a warm purring weight on his feet.

He resigned himself to a very tense next few hours.

-

Patch, as he’d taken to mentally calling the creature, didn’t end up attacking him. When it woke, it stretched languidly, chirped up at him a few more times, and then departed shortly before the sunlight began to fade.

And then, the next morning, it returned. Despite Virgil’s many fears, it continued to show no interest in harming him. At some point in the day, he even accidentally fell asleep with it, and still, no surprise ambush.

Despite Patch’s yawns and rumbles and claw-flexing stretches that could all technically be threat displays, it seemed bizarrely… almost... fond of him.

There was the slightest hitch, on the second day, when he realized Patch could come in the other windows and approach from behind while he slept. Surprisingly enough, the thought of the creature sneaking up on him was less distressing than the idea of accidentally striking out at it while asleep.

The presence of a non-hostile creature keeping him company had been... surprisingly nice when he wasn’t busy freaking out about it.

Once he’d imagined that awful scenario, he couldn’t dismiss the possibility, and so he spent an inordinate amount of time using his aux limbs to fiddle with the sealing latch on his helmet until he could tug it free. The slick surface and broken glass of the visor meant that he fumbled it basically as soon as he got it off, letting it drop to the floor behind him, but the reserve power had already long died anyhow.

And then, when Patch returned a bit after the sun’s rising, they hissed viciously at him the moment he turned his head. They proceeded to refuse to come anywhere near him for a good long portion of the day, at first bristling and pacing back and forth, and then eyeing him oddly while pretending not to, and then finally approaching slowly-- in what Virgil struggled not to view as a predator’s stalk-- and deeming his feet a suitable resting perch once more.

He’d like to say he never had a friendship so exhausting, but his best friend was Janus, so this was basically different ditchport, same junkyard.

“You two’d probably get along,” he said to Patch after he’d been forgiven for the horrific crime of exposing his face. “How do you feel about schemes?”

Patch had imitated one of his double-click noises perfectly, which was somehow mostly-adorable instead of mostly-terrifying. He tried to make one of their little round chirp sounds and mangled it horribly, but thankfully the resulting look they gave him was more alarm than offense.

By the fourth day, he’d begun to keenly feel the effects of being completely without nutrients. It was really only thanks to his nature that he’d gotten this far. Chelcerae were sporadic eaters-- big meals sustained them over longer periods of time compared to other aliens. The downside of that, of course, meant that when his body finally realized that there was no food coming, the hunger pains were going to be all-consuming.

Working at Janus’s side, he’d gotten used to having food when he needed it, or even wanted it. It just figured that he was probably going to die the same way Janus had first found him: starving.

He fell into sleep more and more frequently. It passed the time, and being asleep made it much easier to ignore his impending doom.

Of course, if he’d been aware of the rude awakening he was in for, he wouldn’t have been so eager.

In fact, if he’d known what exactly was going to find him sleeping on that fourth day, he probably wouldn’t have dared to shut his eyes at all.

[kiridarling]

𝐏𝐑𝐄𝐓𝐓𝐘 𝐈𝐍 𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐈𝐒

izuku midoriya | ft. ceo!au + praise + exhibitionism + breaking and entering + body worship + f!reader + more! minors dni.

— 3.8k words

“When I saw you this evening, in that ballgown, I knew I just had to have you. But I can't be a gentleman for much longer, as much as I'd like to."

You’ve always hated Chopin.

“L’œuf mimosa, Madame?”

After turning down the poor waiter whose arms quiver under the weight of the plates, you turn back to your red wine and people-watching. The ballroom is full of golds and reds, the amber lighting illuminating the intricately decorated walls. And you sit in the middle of it all—you and your 147 billion net-worth, with a ball gown that’s caught at least half the aristocratic asshole’s attention, not that they were very loyal to their wives in the first place.

You're not here for their attention, though. You’re strictly here for business—and frankly, you want to do nothing more than sock these fat business moguls in their chubby faces until their teeth fall out and demand they pay their taxes. But, seeing as you’re the only woman here who isn’t a gold-digging wife, you bite your tongue.

You’ve always dreaded black tie events, but as you’ve said, duty calls.

A whine filters through the speakers, followed by two amplified taps and a clear of a throat. The murmur down as the auction's owner takes the center of the stage, stilling in front of the next piece of art—hidden behind a black veil—before adjusting the tie to his business suit.

“I’m glad that you all could be with us tonight. I have both a great privilege and honor to host this event,” he announces, bulbous head already growing damp under the heat of the stage lights. “Now that we're almost at the end, I'm sure you won't be disappointed. Saving the best for last, as one does."

He includes a casual wave to his comment and the audience erupts in a flurry of chuckles, though not for long. As he walks over to the piece, hand raised and ready to reveal, silence seizes the room by the neck.

"Well. Shall we?”

The audience balances on the edges of their seats, with millions of wide eyes and thrumming chests in anticipation. A smooth flick of a hand and the black sheet is removed, and there sits the only piece you’ve had your eyes on all night. She’s even more beautiful up close.

“El Bacio, The Kiss. Francesco Hayez, 1859.”

The grip around your glass tightens. The brilliant blue from the woman’s dress in the oil painting may as well burn your eyes, and the surrounding murmurs peak with your interest. You know it's yours without question, though—you can outbid almost anyone in this room. Anyone that matters, anyway.

“This is the original version, originally commissioned by Count Alfonso Maria Visconti of Saliceto. It was donated to the Pinacoteca di Brera in 1886 and went missing in 1937. Starting at ten million.”

You try not to scowl. The fucker jacked up the price by two million.

“Twelve million,” the man says as he recognizes whoever lifted a hand. You sit tight, your hands throbbing in your lap for the right moment as you survey the room for anyone who could possibly pose a threat. You find none.

The bidding continues. The price elevates from twelve million to fifteen to thirty to fifty. You raise a hand, finally, fingers splayed wide and confident to signify a five.

“Fifty-five million.”

The room falls silent; you try not to smile. You know for a fact no one wants this painting more than you do, and you’re determined to have it.

“No one else?”

His eyes scan the room but no one makes a motion. It’s yours.

Until there’s movement from your peripheral.

“Sixty million!”

You eye whoever had the audacity to raise their hand, only to be met with a rather peculiar sight—a man, roughly your age, with slicked-back green hair and a hand twice the size of yours, lifted lazily in the air.

With a huff, you find yourself thrusting another five into the air.

“Sixty-five millio—Seventy million!”

You know that green-haired (probably) trust fund baby has got to be doing this for fun because the poorly hidden smirk hidden behind the hand he rests his chin on is more than obvious.

You dislike him already, immediately categorizing him with the rest—another sleazeball.

“Seventy-five million!”

“Eighty million!”

“One hundred million!”

In your defense, you were getting frustrated.

Either way, the green-haired stranger backs off with a nonchalant shrug, and it makes you burn this discontent. The business mogul-turned-auctioneer steps off the stage for another twenty-minute intermission and folks turn to one another for conversation. You sigh, simply satisfied that you’ve gotten what you came for.

You find yourself faintly puzzled by the boy with the green hair, and you're sure it's solely due to his age. Frankly, you've been the only one under thirty in the Top 100 Richest People since you achieved such a feat, and the fact that you haven't heard of him is...puzzling. But it doesn't matter. Clearly, he’s just another fellow looking to put another pretty thing in his foyer—you doubt he knows a thing about art, and definitely not an appreciation for it. You find solace in the fact that it's the new addition to your precious art collection instead, and will be owned and taken care of by someone who actually enjoys it.

“Good evening.”

You jump. Wrapped up in all of your inner turmoil (complemented by inner bragging, naturally) you fail to notice the greenette cross the expanse of the ballroom and make himself comfortable in the open seat next to you, despite your lack of approval.

“Hello,” you say, unsure of why he's here. He offers a hand to shake, Rolex glinting under the golden lighting.

“Izuku Midoriya,” he introduces, and you suppose shaking his hand won’t hurt.

“Your name?” He snorts, raising a cocky eyebrow. You scowl.

“Does it matter?”

“Not particularly.” Izuku rests his forearms on the table as his evergreen eyes rake your figure up and down. “But if you prefer to remain nameless, be my guest.”

“[Y/N].”

“Hmm?”

“My name,” you clarify. “It’s [Y/N].”

You’re not exactly sure what possessed you to tell him your name so easily. Maybe the fact that most already know who you are, and the fact that this man—this stranger—doesn’t know who you are, irks you a bit.

Okay. It irks you a lot.

“Well, Miss [Y/N],” Izuku tilts his head sideways. “I think that’s a very pretty name.”

Your body betrays you with a light gasp. Stupid thing.

“Well. I’m bored,” Izuku announces childishly, relaxing against the chair. “Lets go somewhere.”

You roll your eyes at his asserted dominance—in no way does he expect you to go with him, does he? You raise an eyebrow.

“No.”

Izuku clicks his tongue as if it were a buzzer, and more importantly, as if you were wrong. “Why?”

That has you scoffing. “I don’t know you.”

Izuku’s eyes flash with a challenge and it’s gone just as quickly. He leans forwards, crowding your personal space yet again.

“I told you my name, no?”

“You did,” you say, crossing your arms over your chest and straightening your back. You feel too small. “But I know nothing about you.“

“Well,” Izuku places an inquisitive finger on his lips, and it’s almost mocking, the way he takes a moment to think about it. “My name is Izuku Midoriya. I like...katsudon and hero movies. I’m here because I have too much time and money on my hands, and I’m, most importantly, bored.”

Your eyes narrow. “What do you do for a living?”

Izuku’s lip curls, and it’s downright sinister, “I'll tell you if you come with me."

You roll your eyes, and he takes both your hands in his. You don’t pull away, but you don’t reciprocate it either.

“Where?”

Izuku shrugs, “Wherever the wind takes us.”

Your stomach growls loudly, interrupting your fairly intimate conversation and dying your cheeks pink. Izuku raises an eyebrow.

“I heard they’re feeding us escargo for dinner.”

“Ugh,” you sigh, shoulder sagging. “Looks like I’m not eating, then.”

But there’s a glint in his eyes, and you’d be lying if you said there wasn’t one in your own. There's an ebb in the discourse, a beat, before Izuku's nodding towards the exit.

“Fast food?”

Wendy’s hits different during a Parisian midnight.

“—and so I had to be like: No Kacchan, you can’t hotwire his car to blow just because your food was, and I quote, lukewarm.”

You snicker behind a fist, digging your fancy heels into the grimy cement sidewalk, Wendy’s frostee in hand. Izuku hasn’t let go of your hand since you two left the fast-food joint, and for some reason, you haven’t pulled away.

"Violence seems to be a reoccurring theme with your friend," you say, laughing when Izuku nods in agreement, eyes stuck on the full moon hanging high in the air.

"You remind me of him, actually."

You raise an eyebrow, unable to see the correlation at all, "Because I'm a loud and angry and I like to blow things up."

"Or, because you're strong—independent. The type of woman to make men turn tail and run, you know?" Izuku turns to you with a lopsided grin.

You hum, averting your eyes to the moon. It's a stupid question, one that's all too loaded yet empty at the same time, and you hate that you hesitate to ask it.

"Why haven't you ran, then?"

"Easy." Izuku lets a smooth shrug roll off his shoulders, "I like strong women."

He continues to pull you to an undisclosed destination, the two of you stumbling through the heart of Paris with his suit jacket around your goosebump-ridden shoulders. People stare, but for the first time in forever, you find that you don't care much.

Finally, you two reach Izuku's "big reveal." You gaze at the magnificently lit french building in confusion, the golden under lights contrasting both of your beings against the navy blue sky.

"The Louvre?"

"Mhm," Izuku says, and he looks more than giddy. "Have you been?"

"Once," your voice is weary and you're sure he senses it, his grip tightening around your own. "For a fundraiser...but it's midnight Izuku, ho—"

But he's already tugging you to the right, dipping between columns and arches until you reach the back of the building. Izuku turns to you and whispers:

"Watch this."

It's hard to tell what he did exactly, especially with no light—it's just a bunch of jingles and ticks. Though, the moment you can't escape the sense that this is beyond sketchy, a lock clicks, and a door whines open.

"Hurry. And take your heels off," Izuku whispers, tilting his head towards the entrance. You hear the crunch of a leaf and see the beginning of a white flashlight curl around the building and fuck, this place has to be crawling with security guards, doesn't it?

"Don't tell me what to do," you grumble...as you take off your shoes. (Because you were going to do it anyway.) You enter and he closes the door behind the two of you, submerging you both in complete darkness.

"Security's only on the outside," Izuku grins. "They don't expect us to get inside, so as long as we're quiet, it should be fine."

"Until we have to get back out again," you say, huffing. Your heart pounds from the adrenaline because frankly, you've never been one for adventures, and breaking into a historical french museum is miles out of your comfort zone. "Seriously, did you think this through at all? What happens when we get caught?"

Izuku sighs, turning to you with a pout before grabbing your free hand again. "Women worry too much. C'mon—I wanna explore."

"You—let go, you misogynistic assho—"

You're cut off by a finger to your lips. Izuku bends down so he’s looking at you straight on, eyes dark as he sternly whispers, "Do you want us to get caught?"

It's not the prospect of getting caught that makes you falter, though—it's the way his stare pins you in place, voice swollen with that air of dominance you claim to hate. You have to tighten your grip on your heels to ensure they don't hit the ground.

"Now," Izuku‘s strangely childish manner returns, tugging your hand once your panicked whisper-yelling ceases, "Shall we?"

You roll your eyes, but your bare feet patter against the cold Louvre tile anyway. And you've got to say, the museum is much nicer when it isn't crawling with people.

"Mona Lisa's forehead is bigger than I thought," Izuku observes with a finger on his lip. He's on the wrong side of the railing, his nose close to kissing the glass protecting the piece. You snort, dropping your head to pinch the bridge. He turns to give you a weird look.

"What?"

"Nothing, just," you shake your head, the cool wood of the railing digging into your forearms. "Did you actually want that painting?"

Izuku frowns. "Which one?"

"El Bacio."

"Mm," the greenette hums as he thinks, blinking to the corner of the room."I suppose. You seemed like you wanted it more, though."

You roll your eyes, "So you cap at eighty million?"

Izuku shrugs, hopping the railing. Seems like he's finally done insulting poor Lisa, "I capped when you started to sweat."

You huff, but stomping instead of walking isn't so intimidating when you're barefoot. "I wasn't sweating."

You see a hidden smirk on Izuku's face once you catch up to him, and it's frustrating and insulting, to say the least. Both of you proceed down a hall of statues. "You're much easier to read than you think, Miss [Y/N]."

"And you're not as perceptive as you think, Mister Midoriya."

Izuku chuckles at that, shaking his head. "Well played, Miss [Y/N]. Well played."

You're not sure why your chest swells, but it does, and it takes both you and your limited lung capacity off guard. But you don't have much time to sort it out—Izuku's grabbing your hand again, and redirecting your attention to the last statue in the hall. You recognize it and frown.

“Cupid and Psyche?”

The silver moonlight pours in through the window, spilling down Cupid’s tipped wings and the softest points of the Psyche’s curves. Izuku hums in confirmation, hands sliding to encompass your hips as his chin hooks on your shoulder.

"Well done, Miss [Y/N]."

His voice deepens—it's coarse and heady, and gets your blood rushing in a way breaking and entering never could have.

"Amore e Psiche, Psyche Revived by Cupid's Kiss. Antonio Canova, 1793."

You fail to understand why this statue stood out to him compared to all the others, but the circles Izuku’s thumb presses into your hips signifies that you’ll find out soon.

"Cupid represents desire, and Psyche, the human soul," Izuku says, running his hands up your sides. "Together, they make the perfect union."

Dipping his nose into your neck, Izuku inhales, and the hands around your waist tighten, if the smallest bit. "Psyche was the prettiest woman in the world; so pretty she rivaled Venus' beauty with her own. It didn't matter if it broke rules—Cupid knew he had to have her."

The gentle nudge of a neck evolves into a set of butterfly kisses, tracing the column of your neck until his mouth reaches your ear. A hand slides to gently cup your breast, and the other to your thigh.

"Miss [Y/N], when I saw you this evening, in that ballgown, I knew I just had to have you. But I can't be a gentleman for much longer, as much as I'd like to." Izuku groans into your neck, hips gently grinding forwards. "So, it's up to you what we do next—I could drop you off at your home to probably never see you again, or...”

Izuku shifts, and you can feel his hardening cock against your back. “I can bend you over right here. Your choice.”

You hesitate, determined to think this through—but Izuku's wandering hands and rutting hips prove to be too much of a distraction.

"Fine," is all you say, before whirling around, grabbing the greenette by his dress shirt, and slamming your lips onto his.

Izuku kisses back with a grin—like he knew you were going to say yes—and places his hands around your waist yet again, backing you up against the marble statue.

"Sit on the platform," he breathes into your mouth. You frown.

"Like, the platform to the statue? Caus—"

"Yes on the statue, now sit," Izuku demands, but he doesn't give you much room to protest, forcing you onto the marble platform. Hiking your dress to your waist, Izuku's calloused palms slide up your inner thighs, spreading them apart to make room for himself in between. He pauses.

"No panties?"

You flush red—from the exposure or the comment, you aren't sure—but you huff in defiance nevertheless, determined to stand your ground and keep some of your dignity. (Though you're positive Izuku can feel you shaking already.)

"I'm wearing a dress," you defend weakly.

Izuku hums behind a bitten lip, lying a heavy thumb on your clit. It's enough pressure to make your thighs tense but not much else, until it flicks downwards.

"I wanna taste you," Izuku growls with dilated pupils once he finally tears his gaze from your exposed body. "Can I?"

Heat surges through your veins, and you let him pry your thighs apart as you respond with an unsteady, "Yeah—yeah, that's fine."

Izuku's chest rumbles with a growl as he closes in on your pussy, hands gripping underneath your thighs. You whimper when he trails butterfly kisses down your inner legs, the grip you have around the skirt of your dress tightening.

"So pretty," Izuku groans, chuckling when you shiver as he flattens his tongue against your slit, "My Goddess."

With that he dives in, almost sending you toppling with the force. The moonlight dyes his green locks a navy blue, and you can't resist seizing them into a fist when he pushes a finger in.

"Feel good, Gorgeous?" Izuku says with a knowing smirk on his sinfully glossed lips. Another digit enters and it has your toes curling as you nod. “Shit, you’re tight.”

Izuku spits on your pussy and it’s downright dirty, before looks at you under forest green eyelashes, the other hand finally letting go of your thigh in favor for pulling at the top of your dress.

“Izuku, wha—“

“I wanna see your tits,” he huffs. You’d laugh at his enthusiasm if you weren’t so aroused, and you find your hands joining in the flurry. The moment they’re free, Izuku’s mouth latches onto your breast in an instant.

“F-Fuck, ‘Zuku—“

“You sound so good when you moan my name, sweetheart,” Izuku groans, and you jolt as he tweaks a bud.

“Say it again.”

He pinches your nipple and clit at the same time, and it has your legs kicking as you squeal his name again.

The Izuku growls and it's nothing but feral, and another yelp of his name has him pulling you to your feet to the point where your noses almost touch. Aggravated from being so close before the greenette ripped his fingers away has you scowling.

"Wha—"

"Can I fuck you?" His breath ghosts your lips. You hide your shock by a roll of your eyes.

"Do you always ask stupid questions?"

Izuku hums in contemplation before grabbing you harshly by the jaw, to the point where your cheeks squish into your eyes and your lips pucker. "Say it, Bunny."

"I just sa—"

"Say 'I want you to fuck me, Izuku,'" he says with a cruel snarl. "’Hard.’"

Your eyes dart from his heavy gaze to the statue, and you can't help but feel more fragile than glass. "I litera—"

"Say it, brat."

"I—" you try but nothing comes out, and you blame that darkened stare of his, "I w-want you to fuck me. Izuku."

Izuku inhales sharply, the fingers cradling your face tightening before he speaks again.

"Good girl."

He spins you so your hands lay on the statue's base, yanking your hips back and flipping your dress so your bare ass is exposed to the cool air.

Izuku's palms caress your behind, kneading both globes before he pulls you against his bare cock. (When he took off his pants is beyond you.) He slaps his cock against your clit until you huff in frustration, turning around to shoot him an angry glare.

"Today, Izuku."

The greenette blinks out of his absorbed gaze on your behind in favor of glowering you down. You waver under his glare despite your best efforts.

His cock kisses your entrance and then all of it is in you at once, and his size is enough to make your inner thighs ache from the stretch. You bite your lip in an attempt to muffle a moan, but that crashes and burns fairly quickly.

"O-Oh shi—"

"You said today, didn't you?" Izuku rasps, before pulling out and stuffing you full at a quick and steady pace. Your hands scramble for proper purchase against the statue—without breaking it, for gods sake—but the harder he fucks you into it, the harder it is to stay upright. "Quiet, baby. We're not supposed to be here, remember?"

You nod frantically, teeth digging into your bottom lip. The thought of getting caught, you, of all people, while being railed against a marble statue—

Izuku moans in your ear, a hand moving between your thighs to rub at your clit. "Oh, you tightened when I said that—you like the idea of getting caught, Bunny?"

You respond with a choked moan, thighs quivering with an impending orgasm. Izuku groans as you tighten around him again, but they quickly turn into shushes.

"Bu—"

"I-I know," your voice cracks and it's absolutely pathetic. "But I can't—"

Izuku's hand wraps around your mouth to the point where his fingertips just barely brush your ears. You whine, eyes fluttering as the new grip adjusts the angle ever so slightly, and pushes him so much deeper.

"You're gonna kill me," Izuku says, wheezing out a laugh. "I—fuck Bunny, I'm close."

You whimper behind his hand and nod as if to say me too, and you're sure Izuku understands from the way he groans before he speeds up in all aspects. "Good. G-Good—cum for me baby, I know you can—"

Your toes curl into the marble floor as the coil in your gut snaps, knocking the wind out of you and sending you thrashing in Izuku's arms. You hear the greenette curse and shudder behind you, stuttering hips slowing to an eventual stop. Both of you stand there for a moment, comfortable interrupting the silence with nothing but your heaving breaths.

"You okay?"

You chuckle. It's dry and scratchy, and your lip throbs from biting it so hard, but it isn’t...aggravating, per-se. "You sound worse than me."

Izuku laughs at that, though it waters down as he pulls out with a hiss. "I don't think worse is the correct adjective here, Miss [Y/N].”

You snort. Back to “Miss [Y/N]” it is, then.

Your ears catch the distinct wail of ever-increasing sirens, but you don't think much of it until the side of Izuku's face starts flashing blue and red. Both you and the greenette falter, sharing a look.

"Police! Hands in the air!"

i wrote this while watching a hysterectomy in physio aah (also yes, the french police speak in english leave me alone skjdhfgk) — sun