#keep donating if you can +spreading awareness obviously

[lovelydeps]

Some dnp drawings I did too celebrate the PCRF charity stream hitting 100k donations!

[queerwhohatesithere]

raising money for bottom surgery!

cashapp: $chamomileflowers

venmo: wisteria_flowers

go fund me:

let me share some. i had my first consult for surgery last year. after that, another consult, and i started getting electrolysis (hair removal) which is still in process. this has been in the works for a long time and i’ve been thinking about it for even longer. i’m fully aware that at this point my surgery date of march 10th, 2025 is close and i’m asking for a lot. i’m honestly asking for a miracle.

money has been extremely tight for me lately. one of the reasons for that is my concussion in october, which led to a hospitalization, the depleting of my savings, and several follow up PT and vestibular therapy visits. i haven’t been grocery shopping in months. i get all my food from a food pantry as well as necessities. i’m trying to keep rent my only expense but things happen, such as me having to pay a vet bill for my dog, or smaller expenses adding up like cat litter and food.

in essence, i’m struggling. so this is me asking for help, putting myself out there, asking you reading this to give anything you can, or to share or repost this. i know times are tight for everyone so obviously don’t feel obligated to donate if you can’t. spreading the word however, would be amazing. i really, really want this to happen. i don’t want to have come this far to fall flat on my face.

here’s where i’ll end. while i am extremely glad i’m trans, it is so so hard for us to survive right now. so if you’re trans, i see you. i’m glad you’re alive, and that you keep putting one foot in front of the other. all we can do is support each other and do the best we can. truly, that’s all anyone can expect from you. thank you for reading, i hope you have a lovely day :))

[oediex]

I meant to make a post on this yesterday, because 14 June is World Blood Donor Day!

As per Wikipedia, World Blood Donor Day "is celebrated on the birthday anniversary of Karl Landsteiner on June 14, 1868. Landsteiner was awarded the Nobel Prize for his discovery of the ABO blood group system."

This year was the 20th time World Blood Donor Day was celebrated!

I've been donating since I was 18, starting with blood, then plasma, and I now donate blood platelets and plasma on the regular (like every 2-4 weeks). I've often wondered why I love it so much and I think it's because it's one of the most purely ethical things you can do. To give a piece of your own body and not expect anything in return.

"Transfusion of blood and blood products helps and save millions of lives every year. It can help patients who suffering from life-threatening conditions live longer and with higher quality of life, and supports complex medical and surgical procedures. It also has an essential, life-saving role in maternal and perinatal care. Access to safe and sufficient blood and blood products can help reduce rates of death and disability due to severe bleeding during delivery and after childbirth." (Wikipedia again, my emphasis)

The only way to assure an adequate and safe supply is by regular donations by voluntary unpaid blood donors. Unfortunately, in many countries, adequate life-saving blood supplies are still dependent on family and paid donors.

If you are someone who donates blood on the regular, thank you!

If you haven't in a while, check in with your local blood drive event or local blood donation centre to see if you can book a session. Make sure to check whether you are allowed to donate blood, because certain restriction apply to ensure the safety of the blood supply.

If you have never donated blood, but would like to try, check with your local blood drive event or local blood donation centre. Tell them it's your first time, and they will guide you through it. They will check with you to see whether you're allowed to donate. Be honest about your personal and medical history, to ensure the safety of the blood supply. If you don't like needles but you think you might want to try it, the needle part of donating blood should only take about 10, maximum 15 minutes. Just look away, I used to when I first started donating. Close your eyes, play a game on your phone, read a book, call a friend, or go with a friend and chat away. If at any point you start feeling unwell or are experiencing pain, do not hesitate to make this known! (I usually just raise my hand in the air.) (My other hand obviously, the one attached to the arm I'm not donating with, haha.) The medical professionals know what they're doing and they will help you.

If you are not able or not allowed to donate blood (unfortunately, in most countries there are still restrictions, such as those for homosexual men, that bar people from donating who really want to and would be safe to), thank you for wanting to. Spread awareness about the importance of donating blood. Perhaps you have a friend or family member who would really like to donate, but is apprehensive. Check with the donation centre if it's okay if you accompany them and sit with them while they donate.

Keep in mind that donating blood might have an effect on your iron levels, so it's usually a good idea to supplement right before and after. They will often be able to give you some supplements for free at the event or centre where you're donating. It's a small price to pay for saving people's lives. If you have concerns about this, speak with the doctor present at the event/centre, and/or with your GP.

[the-m0ment02]

Hello dear friends! ❤🤍🖤💚

🍉I am Mahmoud Ayyad, a Palestinian from the besieged and destroyed Gaza 😭😭, coming from an extended family of young children, women and elderly people ❤❤ who have been suffering😭😭 for 300 difficult days from an aggressive war.

Our lives are harsh because we lack all the basic necessities of life. Everything has become scarce and unattainable. There is no food, no water, no medicine.

So, I ask you to help me keep my family safe and alive, especially after we had lost all our sources of livelihood.Please do not leave my family to struggle and suffer these difficult days alone. You can support my campaign by donating whatever you can or by sharing my posts to reach others who can help us survive the war to safety and peace. You are helping the lives of many people with your small contribution. Every donation makes a difference in our very difficult lives. But this is a legitimate campaign and has been checked by 90-ghost.

https://gofund.me/31c5cbe3

Boosting!! I Can't Personally Donate Right Now But I Can Do My Best To Spread Awareness!!♡

I Know This Obviously Has Nothing To Do With My Page But I Still Want To Support People In Need<3

[bananamuttbread]

Please read, I need help.

Oh my god, an actual post from BananaMuttBread🤯

Never thought I'd be making one on here in like...ever again. But because I have a situation...I really need everyone's help.

You see. So my father has been diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer and has spreaded into his bones. It has even spread to his bones. My dad has been going strong but there are episodes where it all becomes to get to him.

I obviously love my dad very much. We all do. And to help out on this fight we are setting up a benefit this month. We're trying to help raise money so my dad can afford his medicines and can keep his bills paid and even if something comes up that could hurt him to continue work. It's been such a terrifying experience for not just us but especially him.

So...I ask of you if you could help donate to his GoFundMe page. Even if it's just a dollar, even if it's just to help share it around. I want and will do anything to help my father and am desperate to to see this gofundme campaign succeed.

I would be the most, most great full if you can spare some cash and tell anyone. It's of a dire time and to see him smile and head in a good direction is everything to me right now.

Here is the GoFundMe page:

Please and thank you for your support and awareness💛

[catboycumgutters]

psa for poor bitches in the northern hemisphere. now until november (late november+december too if your locality does thanksgiving and christmas) is the BEEEESSSTTTTT time to get resources from a food bank.

how to find free food w/o dumpster diving (yourself - very likely someone else did it for you and donated to these sorts of places [in addition to any other support they have from local farmers/grocers/govt initiatives/etc)

if you've never done this before, it's super easy. i'll help you. search "[my area] food/grocery bank/assistance". if you're in the usa foodpantries.org has already done it for you. i know it's a pain in the ass but you'll wanna visit every single one you can at least once to scout for your needs. if transportation is an issue, give them a call and ask if they know of any transport assistance they might be aware of and/or able to hook you up with. or do a different search; you're smart and reading this on the internet, i believe in you.

what to expect when going in for the first time:

okay so every org is a lil different, but here's what's always been the same where i go. there's a receptionist. just say, "hi, this is my first time here. can you help me out?" and this is a person who is most likely volunteering their time to help strangers eat food so basically you're talking to an angel. probably. but i digress.

they'll ask offensive personal questions during registration but they're not judging you; their funding is tied directly to measuring how much food comes in and out and the hard numbers revolving around who needs and is getting help in the community (eg families of 5+ with an annual income of 35k; single adults under the age of 25; etc etc). i have fantastic news, which is that i have never gotten any pushback for reporting yourself to be "unhoused". it's super common; they see it all day every day; they know there's no "right" way to "look" homeless. as almost always, i encourage you to lie as much as you want to any authority figure. even if you don't need to. just like for fun and practice. anyway,

you may need an ID. if you don't have one, i'd try to call ahead and ask if that's going to be a problem (it shouldn't be, but different locations have different requirements by their govt overlords). they may even have resources to help you replace your ID.

registration doesn't take long, and then you get food (perhaps after hanging in a waiting room for your turn - depending on the location/time/day, this could be anywhere from a couple minutes to like an hour on the long end)! yay!

pro tip: know how frequently they can service you. some places you can come in every single day no problem. others need to spread less food across more people, and you may only be able to come in once a week. every two weeks. a month. so be aware and plan accordingly.

"thanks catboycumgutters, you're a real pal. is there any experience you'd like to pass on to make this easier on me?" i'm so glad you asked. obviously everyone's in a different situation and you'll have to tailor all of this to yourself. i'm just sharing my own experiences. but the bestest way i've found to haul requires use of a vehicle or cart/wagon, a cooler, and grocery bags. bag your stuff in categories (separate meat and produce, for example) and stash it in the cooler until you get it back to home base, whatever that looks like for you.

keep an eye out for rotten food. the ppl at the bank will try to sort through what they can but they will not catch everything. almost all of the food they get was already on its way out or already expired when they receive it. if it's got fuzz, weird blotches, spots, very circular holes, smells Off, has a Wrong Consistency, do your best to avoid. try to get into the habit of washing your produce with water and vinegar (or even a teeny drop of dish soap) when you receive it, pat it dry, put it in the fridge.

food banks often have staples other than food, like menstrual products; pet food; occassional clothing; disposable bakeware/tupperware/cutlery; bug spray; sunscreen; holiday decor; laundry detergent; mini soaps and shampoos; disposable shaving razors; toys for kids. this summer i've seen a weirdly huge amount of brand new b*by y*da dog beds (normally i'd leave them all for people w actual dogs and stuff but there have been literally so many that you can even treat your puppysub. wow).

anyway this got a lot longer than i meant it ot but this post brought to you by HRT really does make a bitch ravenous oh my god why does it take so many calories to grow a beard. but hey. at least today i get to feed it with PERFECTLY RIPE and FREEEEEE FIGS yum

oh post script ig: mid-aug - mid-nov is the best time to get food bc everything's ripening and popping off and getting harvested. there's abundance, and when it has an expiration date, it actually does trickle down a bit. gardeners are up to their ears in apples and plums and figs and mushrooms and squash and all the late summer-autumnal fruits and veggies and they're more than happy to offload them to people in need. horticulturists are some of the chillest nicest ppl on earth xoxoxo love you guys. also grocery stores MASSIVELY overstock on holiday staples. if you have freezer space and play your cards right, you can literally eat turkey and ham until next year's holidays come around for free.

if you can dehydrate, you can make some of this fruit last through leaner times too. squash is great bc so long as you store it unbroken in a dry place it'll last months.

oh also they DO usually have options for those with dietary restrictions!! esp the more "common" ones. sometimes i'm amazed at how much gf/df stuff they've got.

[piko-power]

furiouslystarmark/Lavender Namisi is a documented scammer profiting off of the genocide. they are not diabetic and they are not palestinian. search the other names they go by on here: leila rajab, remmy cheptau, tasneem r'm, leila mohammed rajab, tasneem remmy rajaab, valentine rajaab, wafula valentine, salima abdallah, tasneem abdalah, Tasneem Majuma, Magandalina Auma, taheera abdallah, Dorine nanjala, dorine rajaab, Jastus Kimanzi, daisy akinyi, daisy rahaab, taheera mohammed, Mutsui Martin Mohamed, merrine sussy rahah, merrine atieno, Marystella Majuma, emmily kimesis, nakhumicha Ruth, Florence Khaid, Beatrice Akoth Oduor, fatuma ruth ali, Florence Khakasa, Florence Hamid, Mwanasiti Heri

https://www.tumblr.com/mangocheesecakes/751109520094281728/chiefarcadedreammer-giftedheartgiver

https://www.tumblr.com/mangocheesecakes/750229006118420480/here-is-a-convenient-post-you-can-show-to-convince

would you mind deleting their scam from your blog, or clearly labeling it as a scam so it doesn't spread to others?

please familiarize yourself with the posts of some current scammers while they are still under these usernames: bettermentgiver, scentedsublimenightmare, deepestheartcreator, freebelieverobservation, casualmusicbird, happydefendorhologram, furiouslystarmark, choppedstrawberryglitter, lovelytoogladiator, gloriousdestinycollector, furiousinternetenemy, gaziianaliifatmaah, sopostreview, omahe, yusufzalka

i really recommend looking at their pinned posts in order to better recognize scams, not just using this list as a blocklist, because once they are terminated they each will immediately remake their scams under a new username

I checked my archives and I'm pretty sure I didn't recognize any of these names, but thank you for notifying me about this.

Anybody reading this, please be aware of any possible scammers on this site that you might encounter. This list of names might help you avoid these names from giving away money to people pretending to be victims, which is, obviously, pretty fucking cruel.

Also, Anon, please let me know if I'm actually missing a name here that I didn't double check. I'd hate to make a mistake for boosting a scam. 😫

TL;DR, scammers suck, keep these names in mind, and make sure to donate, or signal boost if you can't donate, to the victims who are in need of help. Make sure you reblog this too if you wanna remind people of the scammers they should avoid.

From the river to the sea! 🍉

[chithechao]

TW!! GORE WARNING!! If you are sensitive, please scroll or take caution!

Yall, this is obviously on an art post but this isn’t art, this is an Anti-Rattlesnake Round up post!

what are rattlesnake roundups?

For those who don’t know, rattlesnake roundups are people who gas rattlesnake burrows to dig them out and collect them into a large building to be harvested for skin or meat.

So why are they bad?

Thousands of rattlesnakes have been killed each year to the point some rattlesnakes have been driven into near extinction or are now endangered. THESE ARE STILL LEGAL TO THIS DAY! Rattlesnakes are important to the environment because they keep rodent populations down and prevent disease from spreading because of rodents! It’s not just the fact rattlesnakes are important and their species might become endangered, it’s also very cruel and disobeys Animal Cruelty Laws! The snakes can hardly breathe since it’s so pact, snakes bathe in other rattlesnake blood, rattlesnakes can survive for hours AFTER having their heads cut off so they are in intense pain, they are defanged or have their mouths sewn shut closed, and they are skinned ALIVE! I am not bringing out this awareness because I am sponsored by some team like Team Trees, I’m doing this because I love animals which includes snakes!

Why do I like snakes?

Snakes are hardly misunderstood and thousands of them are killed because people are fearful of them. However, people need to remember these are animals that play an important role in the environment and are more afraid of you than you are to them. Most snakes avoid or try to avoid human contact at all times. People think they are demons when they are not and can feel like us. People say you can’t form a bond with a snake, which is highly untrue, as I watched a person who had a snake named Kevin who was a COBRA and was never defanged! Kevin has rarely ever charged or strikes at his owner which is proof he trust the person who holds him. How can we stop and make rattlesnake roundups illegal. There is a website that allows people to donate to them to help outlaw rattlesnake roundups and protect native snake roundups! Biologicaldiversity.com Donate! If you can..

[sadgirlautumn]

don't reblog from them are fake and zionist if you want to support donate to go fund me

With all due respect anon please tell me which post you mean specifically and send me proof if possible when accusing someone of something because how can I trust you otherwise. I’m going to assume you’re talking about this post in regards to boycotting Taylor’s music in order to get her to raise awareness about Palestine and I plan to keep the post up because it has links to lots of charities and go fund mes as you have mentioned. I personally do not have access to my own money and can’t donate so I’m doing my best to raise awareness and spread donation posts the best that I can. Obviously it’s hard to vet every single person I reblog so next time I’d prefer that you message me the post I reblogged directly so there’s no confusion.

[full-of-malice]

op you are honestly bordering on cruel and really fucking weird for this. me when i spread misinfo on the internet

so. like. for starters. people who are homeless and in poverty can have access to social media. Palestinians have technology, and some have access to eSims which is why those are so important to donate and they help Palestinians keep in contact with family and loved ones.

i don't know what part of undergoing a genocide instantly removes your access to the phones or technology you had before? as highlighted by others in the reblogs, you can still have access to technology and social media while in poverty, while suffering from genocide and starvation. "omg guys i'm so smart they are using the internet they're on Tumblr 😭...like Obviously they're lying" like wow. that's kind of the opposite of common sense. idk. they don't confiscate your phones when you become homeless or poor.

and it's one thing to personally believe this but it's another to come online and preach it to your followers and anyone else who will listen by spreading blatant fake info. like if you're going to be stupid keep it to yourself. no one is holding you at gunpoint forcing you to answer these asks in your inbox.

some of them are scammers this is true you need to be careful and aware of which ones you share. however you just have to check the blog and search if they are properly vetted [the vetting process regards to very specific blogs having verified that they are in fact a real person who actually need help] or by doing a quick search for any posts with their username in it to see if they have been disproven as a scam. if you can't find something and are not sure you are not forced to reblog it. i have gotten some that are not real, however some of them are in fact real. there is a specifically list of vetted fundraisers. in fact here's a masterpost provided by @/el-shab-hussein that discusses vetting, and has access to the link to the google spreadsheet that has hundreds of vetted fundraisers and their campaigns.

i have a vague feeling this is related to the anti-Palestine and donation focused smear campaign shit that has been going down recently across the internet and Especially on tumblr but like yeah. whatever. my two cents & knowledge on it all sorry if i'm being mean but you can't come on here and say weird shit like this.

as other people are saying. please don't fall for fearmongering.

gofundme scammers

DO NOT REPLY TO THOSE GO FUND ME ASKS

DO NOT ANSWER ANY GO FUND ME PARAGRAPH ASK, BLOCK AND DELETE THE ASK

DO NOT THINK YOU ARE SPREADING AWARENESS

THESE PEOPLE ARE SCAMMERS, THEY ARE NOT IN GAZA, THEY ARE NOT HOMELESS, THEY ARE NOT STARVING.

THEY HAVE TUMBLR… 😭 IF THEY WERE STARVING, HOMELESS & IN EXTREME POVERTY THEY WOULDN’T HAVE ACCESS TO SOCIAL MEDIA

PLEASE DON’T BE SCAMMED!

REBLOG FOR AWARENESS AGAINST SCAMMERS!

THEY ARE FAKE!

[dawnwriterimagines]

debt that’s owed : Fezco

Summary: Laurie needs someone to pay her the debt that’s owed to her, Rue ran from her, which gives her the perfect opportunity to use Fezco’s words against him. But, is she worth you?

Warning(s): Angst, Fear, Drugs, mentions of sex traffick, Laurie’s crazy ass, etc.

Author Note: Always wondered what Laurie would’ve done given that Rue got away, so I wrote a piece after the finale. 

p.s. I’m having a lot of trouble with college tuition right now, rent for my apartment, I’d really appreciate it if you guys could help me, I love you guys  Buy me a Coffee? Ko-Fi please spread the word, if you can’t donate! Bless your hearts, my loves! Now, enjoy!

- - -

The woman sprinkles the little pellets into the tank, her fishes swarming the pebbles of food, she taps at the glass lightly, the ambient light making their vibrant colors stand out in the dark room.

“Says the guy who brings a high school girl to a drug deal,” Laurie spoke simply, a light retort.

“That’s ma family,” Fezco answered, surely.

“She an addict?” the woman wondered, glancing over her shoulder at him.

Fezco debated his answer, but did so easily. “She may fuck around but nah,” he was more than aware how deep Rue was into her addiction, but he didn’t need her to know anything more about the girl.

“So, you trust her?” Laurie questioned, her finger flipping the lid of the container closed as she looked at Fezco closely. 

“With my life,” he answered immediately.

She nodded, accepting the statement, putting down the tin and gently pulling the fish tank lid closed with a simple tug. “What about the girl? The girl you were next to, with the (h/c) hair?” Laurie twirled a lock of her own hair as if recalling how yours behaved, absently as she referred to your hair, putting her hand down after. The woman was obviously high off of something, although that was obvious enough, she did seem like she was on the brink of drifting off somewhere, and yet somehow seemed to be staring right through Fezco.

“Ma wife,” Fez responded without an ounce of hesitation, “She ain’t into any a that drug stuff, she been with me the longest,” he said, nodding his head behind him where you and Rue stood just around the corner, if he turned just a little he could’ve caught your eye. 

Laurie made a thoughtful noise, tilting her head. “I didn’t see a ring.” A fond tone in her voice, although it may be amusement. He wasn’t too sure.

Fezco hummed a laugh, faintly. “Oh, nah,” he ran his thumb over his own bare finger, knowing she was referring to your own. “We ain’t married yet. But, I’m gon’ make it official one’a these days,” he didn’t want to say much of anything else to this woman, something about her didn’t feel as genuine as she seemed. 

Laurie, his new dealer, a replacement supplier of Fez’s with the disappearance of the late Mouse, smiled, hardly, almost contemplating, the softened narrow of the aged corners of her eyes gave the notion that she had made up her mind something. “I’d suggest you not waste any time, young man,” she walked over to a little bar table, grabbing the pitcher that sit atop it and pouring herself a glass. “why wait when you can ask her now? time is precious, you know,” she took a sip from her cup, keeping a pensive stare with him.

Fezco nodded, slowly, not exactly liking how this conversation had shifted to bring attention to you. “I hear you,” he acknowledged before standing. “Can I grab my fam now? We try’na catch a movie by 10. Promised my bro,” he spoke as nonchalantly as possible, he’d have rather grab you, Ash and Rue like the place was burning down and bolt out of the house but he had to be cool about it. 

Laurie cast a humored expression, even if her face mostly remained passive before nodding. “Sure, no problem.”

Leaving the house, you walked with Fezco pulling you into his side tightly, a guilty, yet fuming expression on his face, you let him squeeze you to his side as you made your way back to the car. You made sure Ashtray was in front of you both, reluctant to take your eyes off the boy after all of this. You dared to look back over your shoulder, your eyes linking with the woman, the head of the towns drug game apparently, there was something about her that made a chill roll down your spine. Especially as she hadn’t moved from her spot on the porch step of the apartment, two of the many men with guns making sure you all actually left. 

She was staring right at you, her hand raising as she locked eyes with you, your blood running cold. Her hand pausing in the air, a motionless wave directed to you.

- - -

It had been weeks since the whole drug deal gone wrong situation happened, Fezco had made it his personal mission to make it up to you, even if you’d remind him that you were okay and everything was fine. He was not having it.

You weren’t complaining though. You enjoyed the extra attention. But, you did wish he’d stop beating himself up about it

After almost a month, he started to ease up about it, setting a schedule to begin dealing with the woman. She gave him his supplies and he gave her the funds, it was a quick equivalent exchange and then go home, which you deeply appreciated. You didn’t want him there longer than five minutes if he could help it.

It wasn’t until you heard about Rue’s forced intervention from Jules that everything went to shit. 

Your phone had gone off, a single vibrating buzz, in the middle of you making some lunch for the guys, you take your phone from the counter but before you can look at it, you feel Fezco’s hands around your waist, pulling you into his chest from behind. You smile, with a giggle as he looks over your shoulder, eyeing the prepped food with a hum, “That’s lookin’ mad good, ma,” he moaned out, hungrily, his hands trailing down to your thighs, “But, we might have to skip to dessert,” he teased, you laughed with splendor, squealing as he held you in, chuckling close to your ear.

“Fez!” you tapped at his hands as his fingers poked into your sides, pleasantly. 

“It can wait,” he squeezed your sides, tickling you with a devilish smile, picking you up by your waist and heading out of the kitchen. “Come ‘ere.”

“No, no, I’m not done,” you crane your head up to his neck, watching him pout, half-heartedly, giggling at him, “I’m almost finished,  leaning back and turning out of his grip before he can do anything more. “Unless you wanna finish up?”

Fezco blinked, before sliding back up next to you. “In what way?”

‘Get your head outta the gutter,” you nudged him with your hip, turning off the stove and taking the bowls for the rest of the meal and setting them aside before Fez chuckles, getting the plates off of the top shelf. You take off your apron and hang it up on the hook, peering out into the hallway, “Ash, babe, lunch is up!” a few seconds later, after setting up a plate for your boys and yourself, he comes up, a clipboard in his hand, which he hands to Fez. 

Ashtray grins as soon as he sees food, “Fuck yes,” he grabs a plate, and heads to the couch, plopping down on it and looking back for you, “Whatchu waitin’ for? Sit down already,” he calls over to you as Fezco reads through a few of the finance details, pill counts and such left that Ash had made on the clip. “It’s fucking movie night, people!” You laugh at Ash’s frustration, passing your boyfriend with a slap to the ass, to which he jumps before shaking his head with a chuckle. 

Climbing over the back of the couch, you plop down beside Ash, the two of you facing the television, turning it on and finding the recording of the movie you all had been waiting to see. A few seconds later, Fezco sits down beside you, all of you digging into your food, staring intently at the television, as the movie began to play, all of you squished together like one big family. Your boys leaning on you on either side.

After finishing your portion, you moved to get back to the kitchen for another, but Fez pulls you back to the couch and gets up, taking your plate, “I got it,” he says, before you can protest, instead you chuckle lightly and settle back into your seat.

“Can you fill mine too?” Ash extends his plate to his brother.

“Got you, bro,” Fez takes all the plates back to the kitchen, refilling them until he hears your phone buzz, he glances over at it. Picking it up, “Yo, ma, your gettin’ some action on yo phone, over here,” he alerts you.

You perk up, “Yeah, actually I think I got a text, what’s it say?”

Fezco opens it and sees a text from Jules, “It’s jewel,” he says, stepping out of the kitchen with yours and Ash’s plates balanced on his arm. “Uh, it’s about Rue,” he said, slowly, eyes lifting to yours and you whip around to look at him, Ash glancing up briefly in curiosity.

“Rue?” you took your phone from him as he set the plates down on the free space on the couch, Ash taking his and continuing the movie, although listening carefully to any added details. 

You read the text carefully, cursing, quietly to yourself. “They’re having an intervention, but that was almost half an hour ago,” you scrolled down a little to the last text sent. “Rue had some pills?” you looked up at your boyfriend, “Didn’t you cut her off?” you knew full well he did, it was more of just a question of how she got them in the first place. Fezco nodded, visibly worried about their friend. 

“Anything else? How she doin’?” your boyfriend leaned over to you, hoping for another text that said Rue was okay, maybe going to rehab, she was at home maybe. But, that didn’t matter because later, Rue was at the front door, obviously in pain and in need of relief. She charged into the house, hoping for some drugs to ward off the pain in her stomach, but even if you guys kept the drugs in the house anymore, you wouldn’t have given her any to begin with.  She knew that, opted to ask for the bathroom instead. 

You offered her some food but you knew she wouldn’t keep it down so you decided against it. You stood by the door for her, worriedly, Fezco lingering in the background pacing, asking her if she needed anything, or needed you to call her mom or Jules. She explained briefly that Jules was a backstabbing bitch, the one who ended up selling her out to her Mom in the first place, and may have cheated on her. Rue cried for a moment in the bathroom, leaning against the bathroom door with you for only a few minutes until she feigned having to use the toilet, with urgency, warning you to step away from the bathroom, continue your movie, that she’d be fine. But, nothing was fine after that.

That day, Rue tested every limit of their friendship and came too close to completely losing them, having become completely dependent and desperate for those drugs enough to try to steal from grandma Marie’s prescription pills and physically hurt anyone in the house. But, when Rue put her hands on you, Fezco had had enough, grabbing her roughly, the girl screaming and resisting before he throws her out of the house, the girl begging to be let back in, apologizing, meaninglessly before leaving the porch.

Fezco checking on you, rubbing your shoulders as you wonder to yourself what had happened, he pulls you into his arms the two of you holding onto one another tightly, hoping that she’d be okay in the end.

And she was. Although you weren’t too sure what had happened to her after you had seen her that night, she was back home the next day, as reported to you by Gia. You go over to help them with Rue, at her bedside for a few nights as she battled through her withdrawal symptoms, struggling to move, sleep properly or even eat without someone’s help. But, she got through it, cried on your shoulder when she could feel more than the pain, her guilt, her sorrow, the wish in the back of her mind to take all the bad shit she said back. 

But, you just kissed her forehead and held her close, and she continued to cry, sniffling against you, holding you like a lifeline.

It took a week and a half to get Rue back on her feet, smiling, walking around, making amends, she was rebuilding the pieces of herself that had been broken down, little by little.

There was only one problem. 

Rue had never told Fezco about the 10k worth of pills she had taken from Laurie, and couldn’t pay back. She had never spoken of the night she had ended up spending, drugged and nearly avoided being sold for sex in her apartment. She didn’t think it would matter anymore, the night forgotten, stashed away to the back of her mind to be forgiven and set aside. 

But, Laurie always gets her money back, one way or another.

- - -

You had been home alone at the time, Fezco and Ash at the store, you had online class to deal with, giving your history presentation for your course, finishing later on, maybe an hour or so before your boys would be home.

You laid down on the bed, scrolling through some videos on your phone, smiling softly as you found a few that made you laugh, like Ash’s birthday party, or more like his first beach day. You all had gone to the beach, it ended up being Ashtray’s first time seeing the ocean in person, nearly burying Fezco alive and all of you got sunburn. It was the best day you’d had in a long time, seeing them smile so hard, you hadn’t ever heard Ash laugh until that day. 

You scrolled through a few more, before perking up as you heard a knock at the front door, it was soft, but loud enough to hear. You rolled off the bed, rushing out of the bedroom and towards the front door, you knew that Ash sometimes would just knock instead of using the key, knowing you’re already inside. “Ash, you know you can just use the...key...” you opened the first door, the storm door, a see through, netted doorway was all that stood between you and Laurie, the drug dealer from before, Fez’s new supplier, standing in front of the house. “Laurie...um, hi.” 

She’s the only one that stands there it seems, she just stares at you, perfectly still and calm a few steps from the door as if she hadn’t just been knocking.

The woman smiles, faintly, a hardly visible motion. “Hello, (y/n), you must be wondering what brings me here,” she said, you hadn’t noticed too much before but she was quiet soft spoken, as oddly intimidating as she was.

You swallowed, you tap you phone at your side, trying to keep calm. “Um, not, well, a little yes. How-er, what brings you here? Fez, will be here soon if you’re looking for him,” you cleared your throat, licking your lips as your mouth suddenly felt dry. 

She hummed, “Do you know anything about the exchange rate, (y/n)?”

You felt sick, all of a sudden, the question felt random, was random. “Euros and dollars?” you re-twist the handle lock to relock the door for when you close it.

Laurie just kept talking. “Like, when you give one single dollar to a bank somewhere like, Spain, or Europe, for example. They don’t give you back a dollar, they give you less than what you gave them,” Laurie kept hard eye contact with you, and you held the door handle, trying to keep yourself from shaking, taking deep breaths as she continued. “best case scenario, you get more out of your dollar, but that doesn’t happen too often does it?” the woman beyond the storm doorway, hummed a short laugh. “So, now, imagine me. I gave you a dollar and you give me back less than what I gave you, but you promised me an equivalent exchange,” your eyes widening at what Laurie was implying, shaking your head fast, your head hurts and your heart sounds like its in your ears.

“No, no, wait, hold on,” you took a shaky breath, pressing down on your phone, unlocking it behind the door, “Fez would never, he pays you what he owes every time, on time, this is a--,” Laurie interrupts you with an amused sound. You press down on the call button for your boyfriend, holding the phone at an angle she won’t see.

“I’m not talking about Fezco, honey,” Laurie says, simply. “Your family, Rue came by a few weeks ago, took a suitcase worth 10k in pills, hasn’t paid me back,” you freeze up at that, your knees could go week right there, you hold you breath as you feel a little lightheaded. 

“10 grand worth of...ok, well, we can pay you back,” you’re sure that you and Fezco can think of something, anything to get Rue out of this mess, you actually feel sick now, “We can get that, I’m sure. Just give us some time and we’ll be sure to...” someone steps into frame in front of Laurie, a large man obstructing the doorway in front of her, a hand gun in hand and a menacing look on his face. You gasp upon seeing him, horrified as he comes into view, having been standing there the whole time, you stumble away from the doorway, kicking it closed as you had already locked the handle. 

“I’ve already given Rue time and she didn’t deliver,” Laurie spoke on the other side of the door, her voice faint but there, as you ran into the living room, heading for the patio doorway, “I’m sure you’re different. But, I’ve already promised someone new to my clients,” you push away the curtain blinds to the handle but scream as you come face to face with another man already trying to pick the lock to get inside. He grins, pressing his face into the window, slamming his hand against the glass, you push away from the door running down the hall to the bedroom.

You close it, just as you hear a gun shot, screaming with your hands over your head, you curl up into the corner of the room, shaking as frantic tears run down your face. “-/n)!” You forget your phone is still in your hand, “(y/-,” you think you’re going crazy when you hear your boyfriends voice next to you, a faint shout, you bring the device to your cheek, pressing it to you as you cry. “(Y/N), BABY! Answer me!” you hear him scream, you can hear him slam the car door closed, starting the car.

“Fez, Fez, please,” you cry, hearing the glass window shatter in the living room, making you cover your mouth, holding in a terrified wail, breathing harshly as fast footsteps approach them room. 

“(Y/N)! Ma, WHAT’S HAPPENING? I’M ON MY WAY, I’M RIGHT HERE!” he yells into the phone, you can hear Ashtray screaming at him to drive faster, a click of a gun that stuns me into what’s really happening.

“Fezco!” you could hardly think of what to say but his name as you couldn’t tear your eyes away from the door, the shadow of the men walking up to the doorway made you cry harder, you hiccup as you can hardly breathe. “Fez! Please, help me!” 

“WHO IS IT BABY?! (Y/N), WHAT”RE THEY DOIN’, MA?!” he sounds like he turns a sharp corner, you can hear the engine throttle from here, going way over the speed limit. “BABY! I’M RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER, I’M RIGHT HERE! I’M RIGHT HERE!” 

You cry out as the door swings open with a brutal kick into the wood, pieces flying as the handle breaks off and the door hits the back wall, “FEZCO!” you’re ripped from your corner and onto your feet, as he screams for you on the phone, the large man taking your wrists, making you drop your phone. “FEZ!” you kick at the man, pulling from him, he toss you back towards the open doorway, hands digging into the splinters of the door, you stumble up and straight into the man from the window, he smirks and reaches for you, the two men blocking you in. 

You have no where to go, you push away from them, trying to get through only to be pushed back into the other. Laurie sitting down on the couch in the living room, blowing a puff of smoke from her nostrils before glancing back, sighing and heading to the door. “We should start heading home now,” she spoke simply. 

Your head is forced back into the wall, hitting it, you choke back a scream, hardly managing a gasp, clutching your head as you slide down the wall, the biggest man hauling you up and effortlessly carrying you through the front door and into a car waiting out front. The three driving away just as Fezco’s car comes screeching to a halt down the street. He hardly parks it when he’s rushing inside, leaving the keys in the ignition, he and Ash storm inside, Ash aiming his shotgun ready as Fezco searches the house.

“(Y/n)!” He shouts, running down to the hallway, his heart stopping at the sight of the broken door, the stain of blood on the splinters, “Ma! Baby!” he rushes into your shared bedroom, breathing harshly, “fuck! FUCK!” he looks all over the room, in the closet, and rushes out, going into Ash’s room. The boy frantically searching for you as well, realizing the patio door is broken as he steps on the shards remaining of it. 

The boy’s eyes widening with fear, “(y/n)?” he calls for you as his older brother tears the place apart search for you, Ash stands in the middle of the living room, the gun slowly slipping downwards, almost out of his grip as he comes to a realization. “(Y/n)?” he calls for you once again, absently, staring at nothing. His eyes reddening, watering, he bites down on his tongue. 

Fezco swipes a lamp off the desk, in a fit of rage. “FUCK! FUCK! GOD--! God damnit!” he puts his hands over his head, sinking down for a moment, unable to believe what had happened, what was happening. “Oh my fuc--” he puts his hands over his mouth, hands shaking, as his back hits the wall and he slides down, unable to stop the panicked tears that threaten to spill. “Shit, shit,” he curses, breathing into his fist. 

“No, no, no,” he repeats to himself, crying silently. “No, no. No, no, no!” He dials your number, shaking as he begs for an answer, the phone having hung up abruptly. “Come on, ma, come on, pick up,” he waits as it rings, before he hears something, a light ring from inside the house, the phone having slid under the bed, the screen cracked.

Fezco stares at the phone, almost blankly, unable to believe it, holding it, he runs his thumb against the screen hard enough to slice his finger open on the broken pieces. 

He hears Ash coming up behind him, taking a good look at the phone in his hand, “’Ey, man,” his little brother says to him, quietly, “We’re gonna figure this out. Off whoever we got to to get to her,” Ash promises, the boy is visibly shaken, but he’s angry enough to hide it. “I found this.”

Fezco’s eyes flicker to a badly written note, just one little thing written on it, it’s not your handwriting and it’s neither of theirs. And knowing that, he glowers hatefully at the piece of paper, his grip on your broken phone tightening, enough to hurt.

10k.

(PART 2)

[hungrydogs-if]

this will be my last post for a while.

i admire those who can stay strong and spread the message about this conflict online. i admire how you keep spreading awareness, even if it didn't affect you or your country directly. i applaud that, and i hope from the bottom of my heart that you keep doing it.

but i can't with a good conscience sit here and just share articles and debate entitled assholes, as much as i wish i could. it's important work, don't get me wrong, but it doesn't feel like enough for me personally.

politics are baffling. while sitting in a big room with a gaggle powerful people has never made sense to me, watching these sanctions come to play has been a comfort. a small comfort, but comfort nonetheless. but those are long term plans, and won't stop the aggressors from shooting innocent civilians and destroying entire lives. it takes them only minutes, while these words on paper will take a longer time to come into play. the invading troops have allegedly already gotten into the capital. even a massive sanction won't make them magically disappear.

with the amount of dirty money p*tin has amassed, these things don't frighten him, and these sanctions don't affect him as much as his people. and we know damn well he doesn't even seem to care about his people.

so i'm taking a route that's not as political. i don't know how drastic my measures will be, but in worst case scenarios i have a passport, military experience and means to get to the ukrainian border, if not through the endless bureaucracy of embassies.

it just feels as if i'm watching somebody being tortured to death next to another sipping tea and signing papers. i know the powers are doing what they can as to not spark a full-on nuclear war, and now i'll find a way to help these efforts in my own way. it might be spreading awareness in person, taking up volunteer work, collect donations to send, just something more physical than just this. it's an feeling of utter helplessness, an anger and dread so profound i can't even put it into words. and that doesn't even compare to what they're going through in ukraine.

the game will obviously be dropped for the time being. it doesn't feel right for me to write it, and i can't find my escapism in it. if you've followed me on this journey so far, thank you. you've made this past half year magical, and I'll never forget the joy i've had interacting with you.

please stay safe out there my lovelies, i hope i'll find my way back to you, eventually.

all my love, bye for now.

[fapangel]

General Background Things Update:

google docs Everyone who's donated to my kofi: I really really appreciate that. Thank you guys. I'll keep doing my best with these updates.

1. The Iranian SRBM strike in northern Iraq fortunately didn’t have (much) to do with America: the target was a mansion belonging to the CEO of a company that does business with/in Israel, [2] ergo it constituted retaliation against Israel for the deaths of some Iranian whoevers in the last round of Israeli airstrikes recently. I’m sure they were thrilled to rattle America’s cage due to proximity to the under-construction consulate. Also, the weapons used were Fateh-110s, which are cheaper and in far greater stockpile numbers than Iran’s MRBM or IRBMs, (so they’re less precious munitions to expend.) Obviously the Iran-Russia relationship still has implications for the war in Ukraine but this event doesn’t seem to be a big signifier on its own. That’s good. That’s very good.

2. I’m aware of the crashed TU-141 recon drone and Croatia’s claim that it had a warhead in it. The claimed warhead size was 120kg, or about 260 pounds. My take: it’s possible Ukraine converted some old TU-141s into ghetto cruise missiles but not very likely.

Some background: understand that the TU-141 is an old piece of kit; it’s comparable to the Ryan Model 147 recon drone flown during the Vietnam war, itself based on a simple target drone. These are pretty simple aircraft – you program their autopilot with waypoints, they fly the waypoints and take pictures with their camera, then when they finish their waypoints they shut off the engine and pop a parachute so you can snag them out of the air with a helicopter. They’re also old as hell; both in terms of the technology and also the equipment’s own age since manufacture. Thus it’s almost guaranteed this drone went so far off course due to a malfunction; it was common for drones of that era when they were new, much less now that they’re decades old.

Now military experts have weighed in already and said the explosive the Croatians are talking about was probably a small scuttling charge meant to destroy information/data so enemies can’t get it. Some drones today have this feature and it was ubiquitous on drones of this vintage (given the aforementioned reliability issues.) Another possibility is that the drone’s solid-fuel retrorocket (fired to slow it before popping it’s recovery parachute) exploded on impact. It is possible it was an actual jury-rigged warhead. 120Kg isn’t much of a warhead but you can’t simply ram things into an airframe and expect it to work out right; especially for an antiquated drone with a simple 1970s autopilot; if the aircraft’s center of gravity is thrown off more than the autopilot is expecting its commands will be useless and it’ll simply crash – and it won’t take hours of it flying off-course before it does, either. So the potential warhead size would be limited to the mass of camera gear the thing is designed to use; at least for a hasty jury-rigging.

However, doing so doesn’t make much sense for Ukraine. Simply put, a 264 pound warhead isn’t very big, and a cruise missile using only 1970s inertial guidance is going to be very limited in its effective accuracy. 1970’s inertal nav is better than you might think, but it’s not good enough that you’re going to reliably get close enough to a target that the fragmentation radius of a 264 pound warhead will reach it. This is precisely why older SRBMs like the Tochka-U were mostly equipped with sub-munition warheads; so the spread would compensate for their limited accuracy. Jury-rigging a submunition dispenser onto one of these drones is definitely complicated enough that Ukraine doing it in two weeks is dubious, although I can’t rule out possible pre-war preparations of that sort. But even then, 264 pounds just isn’t enough bomblets to really get good coverage.

The original role of these drones – high speed reconnaissance – is still perfectly valid, and despite their age they’re one of the few options Ukraine has for getting that kind of intelligence. Ukraine has plenty of smaller drones but nothing with the range of the TU-141. As an old-fashioned autopilot-only machine it’s invincible to ECM, and it can avoid S-400 batteries by flying low, under the radar horizon. These old systems are perfectly capable of that; one Ryan 147 in Vietnam bugged out, dropped a zero and flew its waypoints at 150 feet instead of 1,500 feet. When the photos were developed the analysts were rather shocked to see pictures of transmission towers taken from underneath the power lines. While the Ukrainians are getting intel straight from the US right now, they will still want their own sources of data, because even the best allies are going to hold information back from you. Phillip Kaber’s lecture I linked yesterday mentioned this in passing; as he said the US was providing intel to Ukraine, but then telling them they couldn’t conduct counter-battery fire on Russian artillery because they were firing from Russian soil and “attacking the territory of a superpower is a no-no!” You can imagine how the Ukrainian general staff felt about that, and even though eight years of US support has definitely smoothed things over, it’s still prudent and wise to gather as much information for yourself as possible – if only to verify that your allies are being straight with you, and to collect information your allies can’t share as it’d expose collection methods they wish to keep very secret (not necessarily from you, but from enemy agents infiltrating your command.)

Most likely this drone was being used by Ukraine for its intended purpose and just malfunctioned. The reason Croatia is making claims of a bomb in it is because they’re probably pretty fucking pissed off that it flew through NATO airspace for an hour without NATO doing a damn thing about it and letting it come down in their country where it could’ve killed someone. I’d say their irritation is understandable.

This abandoned Russian field kitchen is startling to see; this is 1. a very important piece of logistical equipment (soldiers have to eat and a kitchen lets you utilize local food sources instead of having to ship in MREs, and hot food is a HUGE morale booster in the field,) and 2. something that should be in a rear area far from the frontline (eating in a frontline foxhole is precisely what MREs are meant for.) TDF hitting supply convoys in “rear” areas is expected, but for them to be captured would require Ukrainian general army units to be moving into areas that were (previously) Russian rear areas. This is just one data point but if we see more high value, rear echelon equipment falling into Ukrainian hands it might indicate something about how their counterattacks are going and how well the Russians are responding to them.

More examples of Ukrainian artillerymen being very good with their weapons.

This “sad example of a cope cage” made me write an entire paragraph on how my theory of those cages being meant for overhead protection in urban combat before someone told me it’s just a rocket rack. I’m telling you this because the fact the Russians are still using fucking rocket racks on AFVs, like a Calliope Sherman in the year of our lord 2020 is significantly more cringe than any cope cage could possibly be. What even the fuck are Russians?

Another short clip illustrating Ukrainian special forces’ doctrine (mute sound, hardbass warning.) Notice the sniper rifle and scoped LMG being used to kill dismounting Russian armor crews fleeing their burning vehicles. These guys are not fucking around; they’re ensuring that those Russian crews cannot mount up to operate a replacement vehicle. They could just be suppressing escorting infantry as well,

Direct evidence of Russia employing their frontline EW capabilities.

I’m seeing evidence of Ukrainian use of anti-vehicle land mines for the first time. Obviously they’ve probably been in use since the conflict began, I’m just noting the direct evidence of how they’re being employed as they come in. I’ve also seen video of a road that has logs and ant-tank mines lined up on the side of it for quick deployment by troops at a nearby roadblock if needed.

About the strike on the training center – this isn’t a very important facility when there’s a full-scale war on. Nobody’s going to be sitting around reading powerpoint presentations, they’re going to be outside getting quick and dirty instruction in how to shoot a rifle and conduct basic fire and maneuver. Most interesting thing here is that Ukrainians claim 30+ cruise missiles were employed against the target, specifically so they could saturate the air defenses around it. This is a real world example of why anti-cruise missile capable air defenses are so valuable – even if the target is destroyed, it still forces the enemy to expend a lot more precious munitions to do it, reducing the ammunition available to fire at other targets.

Also that Reddit post about it making the rounds is probably bullshit. And it’s not the only bullshit like that out there. Not all of it’s deliberate Russian shitposting, though, some of it’s just assblasted war tourists upset that Ukrainians need people who want to serve, not just clowns that want to kill.

Russia is making deliberate efforts to limit the Ukrainian government’s ability to communicate to its people by destroying TV transmission towers.

More examples of Russian forces using disguised saboteurs (flagrant violation of the Geneva convention, naturally) to attack civilians. Previously they’ve been seen conducting recon and target location. Russia has to resort to these tactics to make up for a lack of precision guided weapons and aerial reconnaissance capabilities. The use of local militias greatly increases Ukraine’s ability to police rear areas against this kind of tactic; another example of Ukrainian manpower advantage having tangible consequences in the field.

This stuck Ukrainian Tochka-U TEL shows you how recovery of stuck armored vehicles can be done. Obviously, earthmoving equipment is very useful for it. Civilian earthmoving equipment is always a useful resource for military forces. Yet another thing Russia has to ship in if they want it, something more to compete for room in their logistics pipeline.

Ukrainian SWAT team using drones to drop improvised munitions. Nothing new in the least of course; this war has demonstrated all over again that a few rifle grenade rounds dropped from drones are nothing compared to the artillery they can serve as spotters for, but this shows you how paramilitary forces such as police are contributing to Ukraine’s defense. These troops aren’t accounted for in the total count of their military; keep that in mind.

Direct evidence of effective Ukrainian counterbattery fire. Wild to see how MLRS rockets zoom off on their own when they start cooking off. Note the drone footage; probably the same drone that spotted for the fire.

Continuing Russian attacks on crucial Ukrainian aerospace industry. This isn't the main update for today just random things that I missed yesterday that are worth a mention.

[aestariiwilderness]

Personally: Hopefully, you can tell my "relationship" (since a relationship is between two or more parties and obviously the nation of Israel is not concerned with me :D) with Jews/Israel from my blog. :D I very much doubt anything foreseeable could induce me to stop speaking up in defense of what I think is right, and that will include speaking up in defense of Israel. As a Christian, I owe Israel and the Jews my Savior (Yeshua/Jesus, a Jew). I also owe them what I owe everyone else on the planet -- love (Romans 13:8). On the material side, I think the developments (technological, agricultural, medicinal, you name it) Israel comes up with regularly are pretty awesome. I'm keeping an eye on the Alzheimer's research too! Presently, in general, actual Christians who pay any attention to their Bibles at all: Either they're not aware of/very much deceived by what's going on with Israel -- the media is biased WILDLY, after all -- or they're the ones speaking up for/praying for/sending donations to Israel, just like my church. A good way to tell if someone's actually a Christian? Keep an eye on how they treat Israel/the Jewish people. (For example -- Candace Owens, who I'd honestly never heard of before this? My money is EMPHATICALLY on "not a Christian". Heavily weighing towards "not sane", either. :D). Historically: Welp, historically, in the very early days of the church (and I mean the actual Christian church, not the Catholic Church -- I can't speak for individuals of any faith of course, but I can very confidently say that Catholic doctrine and the Catholic Church as a political, state-sponsored body is not following the Bible and thus is not Christian) Christians were pretty much just Jews. Acts (book of the Bible, written by Luke) has a very thorough accounting of the history of the early (Christian) church, and the epistles (letters) that follow also have some information. So historically, Jews and very early Christians were the "same" :D -- there was pretty much no difference by any outward measure. They were just Jews who believed that Yeshua was their promised Mosiach (?), given that He fulfilled all the prophecies etc. Initially, after Yeshua's death and resurrection, there was significant persecution by certain religious leaders of the Jews (Pharisees, Sadducees, etc.), and a lot of the epistles are written actually in the midst of that persecution (and it's pretty telling that even in the midst of that persecution, you will not find anything telling Christians to hate Jews -- quite the opposite). There was a diaspora due to that persecution. Many Christians fled Jerusalem and then spread the gospel to the Gentiles. Paul (wrote a good chunk of the New Testament) had been one of those same Jewish religious leaders who had zealously persecuted Christians. Jews and Christians alike have been some of the most, if not the most, persecuted groups throughout history (although Jews have been around longer, obviously). So in summary -- I think actual Christians and Jews have a lot in common; actual Christians should not ever be engaging in antisemitic behavior (including being "antizionist"), and if they are, it's a decent bet they're not actual Christians. Hopefully that answered what you're asking? Let me know if you have any questions/want any sources!

“Everyone else thinks Zionist means [bad thing] so you have to, too” no I do not actually have to accept your appropriation of our terminology but thanks

[drarrymybeloved]

Love in a Five Part Act

my third entry for the summer writin challenge! prompt: crashing a party, trope: fake dating & craft: reverse chronology. many thanks to @the-starryknight for holding my hand through this one <3

Harry is pacing. He’s walking in tight circles in the entryway, drawing curious glances from everyone passing through. He tugs at the collar of his robes, the same ones he bought with Draco. No cravat this time, though.

Draco likes to show up to these things twenty five minutes after the indicated time – “You mustn’t seem too eager nor must you be tardy” – so Harry’s been pacing for the last twenty minutes.

His stomach is a shivering ball of nerves and there’s the slightest of tremors in his hands. He could have just written a letter, or shown up at Draco’s house, but Draco likes grand gestures and Harry’s the all-in sort of guy, so here he is. Pacing.

The main doors open just then. Harry looks up, gut tightening. Dressed in peacock blue with hints of dark green, Draco looks gorgeous. Harry’s nerves calm for a second as he takes in the familiar sight – despite everything, Draco feels like home. And then Draco’s eyes find his and the nerves are back tenfold.

Draco’s mouth drops open a bit and his brow furrows before he quickly schools his features into a polite mask. He approaches Harry and asks without preamble, “What are you doing here?”

“Attending the ball?” Harry attempts feebly. He hadn’t bothered to think of exactly what he would say to Draco. Not one of his finest ideas, in retrospect.

Draco arches one unimpressed eyebrow. “Obviously, Potter. I meant why are you here?”

“Draco,” Harry whispers, giving up on a heartfelt speech and letting the one word encompass everything he’s feeling.

Draco’s eyes widen, surprise making his mask drop. He takes an uneven breath in. “We agreed, remember? We don’t need this,” he pauses and looks around before continuing in a lower tone. “This arrangement anymore. You got what you needed and so have I.”

“Yes,” Harry agrees. “I got what I needed. But what about what I want?”

A moment passes. The silence between them stretches and swells, the din of the nearby party falling away.

“And what do you want?” Draco asks finally, his voice nothing more than a whisper. His hands are restless, the tips of his fingers coming together in patterns only he’s privy to. Harry remembers Draco doing this before, when Skeeter wrote a vicious article on how “Malfoy’s Death Eater nature” was going to “corrupt our Saviour.” He remembers wanting to catch those fluttering hands in his own, to tell Draco no one listens to Skeeter anymore, tell him that he likes having Draco around and to hell with Skeeter and her ilk.

Harry allows himself to reach out this time and gently laces his hands through Draco’s.

“This,” he says, heart pounding but voice sure. He squeezes Draco’s hands once. “For real this time.”

Slowly, a smile blooms over Draco’s face, his body relaxing. “I’ve been told I’m high maintenance,” he says slightly breathlessly.

Harry laughs, relief flooding through him. “Nothing I can’t handle, I’m sure.”

“No, you did rather well,” Draco murmurs, genuine under the banter.

Warm with fondness, Harry presses a kiss to his cheek before gesturing to the ballroom. “Shall we?” he asks, offering his arm. Draco smiles and tucks his hand securely in the crook of Harry’s elbow.

They are yet again subjected to stares that have not gotten any subtler and conversations that keep prodding at personal boundaries. But none of that matters because this time when Draco calls Harry “darling” he’s not holding anything back, and when Harry calls him “love” it’s because he wants to and not because he’s fulfilling a role.

-----

Harry steps through Draco’s Floo into his living room, letting the bright space settle the apprehension he’s been unable to shake off ever since he got Draco’s letter. He loves this room, with its neutral toned furniture interrupted with colorful cushions and throws. It suits Draco. The kitchen was more of a surprise. When he had first come here, about a week into their arrangement, Harry had been expecting modern fittings and a minimalist layout. Instead, Draco’s kitchen has exposed brick walls and buttery yellow cabinets. A honey oak table stretches through the length of the space and potted plants sit in the windowsills. Now that he knows Draco’s penchant for baking and how he likes to unwind by immersing himself in time-consuming recipes, Harry thinks nothing could suit Draco more.

“Malfoy?” Harry calls out. He’s Draco now, really, but only in the privacy of Harry’s head.

“Kitchen,” comes the answer.

“Hey,” Harry says, smiling a little at the sight of Draco in a cozy jumper bathed in warm afternoon sunlight. “Is this about the gala day after tomorrow? You think we should attend it?”

An uncertain look crosses Draco’s face before he takes a deep breath. Harry feels his smile slipping.

“Yes, I think it would be a good opportunity to meet a few people I’ve been hoping to talk with,” Draco hedges, and Harry can hear the “but” coming from a mile away. Sure enough, Draco continues. “But, I think we’ve done enough damage control, both in terms of everyone’s opinion of me and your situation with the press. I can’t keep pretending–”

He cuts himself off and presses his lips together, hands clutching the counter behind him. He’d look almost relaxed if it weren’t for the tension evident in his shoulders, his pronounced knuckles. Harry remembers kissing those knuckles, tipsy on champagne, and spinning Draco to some fast number.

“Right,” Harry says hoarsely, unable to formulate a response over the echo of “I can’t keep pretending” in his head, a mocking symphony.

He can’t think beyond the roiling in his gut and the ice pooling at the base of his spine. This was coming, it had always been coming, so why is he so surprised?

“So, that’s it then?” he asks, even though he knows the answer.

“Yes,” Draco says stiffly. “Thank you for your assistance.”

Harry nods woodenly. Manages a “You too,” before he turns and leaves.

-----

Harry hears the Floo flare from downstairs. A second later, Malfoy calls out, “Potter?”

“Yeah, up here, second floor,” Harry answers from his room, wrestling with the complicated tie – “It’a cravat, Potter, honestly” – Malfoy had him buy for the Ministry event they’re attending tonight, along with a whole new set of dress robes.

He hears an annoyed huff from near the doorway before Malfoy comes to stand behind him.

He meets Harry’s eyes through the mirror. “What on earth are you doing with that? Here, let me.”

Harry rolls his eyes, but starts to turn around. Malfoy stops him, holding onto his shoulders to make him face the mirror again.

“What are you doing?” Harry asks, steadfastly ignoring the quickening of his heartbeat at the brief contact.

Malfoy shrugs. “It’s easier this way,” he says, reaching around Harry’s chest to tie the cravat, the movement bringing him tantalisingly close to Harry.

Harry stays perfectly still, painfully aware of Malfoy’s proximity. He can feel Malfoy’s body heat, can smell his sweet vanilla scent – one tiny step backwards, and his body would be flush against Malfoy’s.

Harry closes his eyes briefly, swallowing forcefully. He opens his eyes and fixes them firmly on Malfoy’s hands in the mirror, competently manipulating the cravat with slender fingers.

Oh Merlin.

“There we go,” Malfoy tucks the cravat into Harry’s robes and smoothes his hands down Harry’s chest in a perfunctory fashion, making gooseflesh erupt all over Harry’s arms.

“Thanks,” Harry all but gasps, stepping quickly away from Malfoy, hoping he can’t see the furious blush on his cheeks. “Let’s get going then.”

It’s been a while since he’s had any good reason to attend a Ministry function, but Harry’s been to enough of them to detest the entire enterprise. He’d much rather make his donations from the safety and privacy of his own home, thank you very much. So it’s with no small amount of trepidation that Harry enters the ballroom with Malfoy on his arm.

People immediately take notice, the whispers spreading like wildfire. Harry can already feel a headache building.

“We knew they would stare – let them. I’ll do the talking, you try to look like you’re not being tortured,” Malfoy murmurs at his side, smiling charmingly at the guests they pass.

Despite himself, Harry snorts. “Who says I’m not?” he whispers back, feeling a pleasant jolt at the genuine grin Malfoy shoots him before he turns the charm back on.

As the night progresses, Harry has to admit, he’s not being tortured. It’s definitely not his idea of a fun time, but with Malfoy there, it’s at least tolerable. Each time the conversation starts heading towards Harry’s personal life, Malfoy subtly changes the topic with a well-placed enquiry.

“Would you get a glass of champagne for me, darling?” Malfoy asks, turning towards him a little, a private smile on his face. Harry’s breath hitches. The endearment is a new addition to their arrangement. But of course, it would only be natural for Malfoy to use one, especially where others could hear them.

“Sure, love,” Harry answers, not deciding to use an endearment of his own until he had already said it. Along with Malfoy’s champagne, he returns with a glass of Firewhiskey for himself, letting the spicy warmth settle his nerves.

They don’t stay for too long – Harry had been adamant on no more than an hour and a half and was surprised when Malfoy had agreed without any complaints.

“That wasn’t so bad actually,” Harry tells Malfoy as they walk towards a secluded part of the lawns to Apparate home. Their respective homes, obviously.

“Yes, it went quite well, I think,” Malfoy responds with a bright smile. “I was a little worried people might not buy us,” he gestures between them, “together, but they lapped it right up.”

Something cold and heavy sinks into Harry’s stomach, replacing the tentative warmth that was glowing through him not a minute ago. Of course. In between all the touching and the endearments and Malfoy’s surprisingly considerate nature, Harry had somehow managed to forget that this was all a show.

“Right,” Harry says, throat tight. “I think I’ll head home now, tiring night and all that.” He gives Malfoy the best approximation of a smile he can manage and Apparates away.

-----

They step out of the restaurant together, holding hands. The number of reporters camped outside had been steadily rising as Harry and Malfoy fed each other bites of food and exchanged fond looks — all carefully planned and executed of course.

The questions come hurtling at them from all sides, accompanied by bursts of camera flashes. Most of them are directed towards Harry.

"Mr. Potter, are you courting Draco Malfoy?"

"Mr. Potter, sir, did Ginevra Weasley leave you because you're interested in men?"

"Smile for the camera sir!"

“Was your relationship with Ms. Weasley a sham?”

Too much, it’s all far too much. Harry has never been good with dealing with the press, and he’s out of practice now. The flashes blind him and the questions echo oddly in his head. His chest burns with every sip of air he struggles to take.

He feels an arm snake around his waist, gripping firmly for a moment, before withdrawing to his upper back and rubbing faint circles between his shoulder blades. Malfoy steps forward, smoothly answering questions, appearing totally unruffled, while his hand continues to move over Harry's back. Harry isn't listening to a word of what Malfoy is saying. Instead, he focuses on Malfoy's hand on his back, letting the point of contact ground him, the repetitive movement soothing.

When they land on Harry's doorstep, Malfoy shoots him a curious look. His hand still rests on Harry's back — once he had answered all the questions he intended to, he'd neatly stepped back from the gaggle of reporters and Apparated them to Grimmauld right then and there.

Harry makes the mistake of looking at Malfoy. Caught up in his intense gaze and feeling a little discombobulated from the restaurant, Harry freezes. His mind is still stuck on the comfort of Malfoy’s hand on his back, of his solid grip on his waist, and his feelings are a tangled mess. Some of it must be showing on Harry’s face, because Malfoy’s expression changes and he turns more fully to Harry, the beginnings of a sentence on his lips.

Hot panic bursts in Harry’s chest. Hastily stepping away from Malfoy, he stumbles over his words. “I should, um– thanks for today, er, send me an Owl for next time,” he says, backing away towards his front door. He shuts the door before Malfoy has a chance to say anything, leaning against it for support.

-----

“It’s a mutually beneficial arrangement, Potter,” Malfoy insists.

Harry scoffs, turning back to stare at his tumbler of whiskey — the muggle variety. He rarely visits wizarding pubs now, not unless he wants to make the front page of the Prophet and every other godforsaken wizarding tabloid.

From the corner of his eyes, he sees Malfoy rolling his eyes.

“I know strategy hasn’t always been your strong suit, Potter, but do think for a minute. Ever since your break up with Ginevra Weasley, the media attention you receive has increased tenfold. You can’t even have a drink in peace, can you?”

Harry turns back to face Malfoy, raising a pointed brow. Disappointingly, Malfoy doesn’t take the bait.

“You want the media to stop hounding you about your love life and I want to not be undesirable number one,” he continues. “It’s a simple equation, Potter, put the two together and the solution is obvious.”

“And yet, you’re the only one who’s arrived at it,” Harry says flatly, ignoring the whisper of it could work, actually floating at the back of his head.

“Please, Potter, we both know who the smart one is in this relationship and it certainly isn’t you,” Draco says, smirking.

“I never actually agreed to this fake-dating nonsense, Malfoy.”

“Potter,” Malfoy deadpans. “It’s been, what, five months now since your relationship ended? The press isn’t going to stop any time soon. Not unless you do something about it.”

“Thrilling that you’ve been keeping count,” Harry mumbles into his glass before taking a healthy swig. Malfoy’s right and Harry knows it. He’s tried everything — polite non-answers, straightforward “no comments”, pointed silence, and even snarled insults to leave him the fuck alone. None of it worked. This might just be his only option. No, it is his only option.

Harry sighs heavily and turns to Malfoy. “You’re going to be really high-maintenance, aren’t you?”

Malfoy smiles, languid and satisfied. “You know it, darling.”

[moonlitceleste]

I’m a warrior (now I’ve got thicker skin) Pt. 2

Part 1          Part 2          Part 3          Part 4          Part 5

Okay, so leaving off from the video.

Marinette gets an outpouring from love and support on Twitter, where she posted the video. However, there are a few comments that are rather disparaging. Chloe sees one of these and goes off.

She admits to being the childhood bully Marinette talked about, but despite her ruthlessly bullying the girl for four years and doing a multitude of things like stealing her diary, her designs, and attempting to frame her for a multitude of things, Marinette still offered her chances. (Of course, she had done this as Ladybug, but Chloe ignored that fact). She talked about how “disgustingly sweet” she was and how when offered an internship at New York by her mother, the Style Queen herself, she declined it and proceeded to jeopardize her career and risk getting blacklisted from the fashion industry to get her to stay in Paris with her bully. “I mean, who does that?!” And even after this act of kindness, she admitted to continue to bully Marinette. “We only became friends until that she-devil, Lie-la turned all her idiotic classmates against her. Honestly, the fact that Marinette is still trying to defend them is utterly ridiculous! They deserve to burn! The girl’s practically a saint, and they threw her away for a few half-baked lies.”

Adrien sees a hate comment saying “What even makes this girl so special?! It’s not like she even did anything” and writes a whole dang essay.

He starts by talking about the scarf she made him, and how she let him believe it was from his father just to make him happy. How she risked getting blacklisted again by taking the blame for Lila, who stole a book from Adrien, just to get him back in school and see him happy. Anonymously. “Marinette is the most caring person I know. She would do anything for another person’s happiness, even if she doesn’t get credit or acknowledgement.”

“Lila Rossi may have been the one to reach out to Hawkmoth, but everyone played a part in what happened to Marinette. Her BFF and childhood friends all turned on their ‘everyday Ladybug.’ The teachers and principal stood by and let it happen. They invalidated Marinette’s feelings by gaslighting and victim-blaming and showed blatant favoritism. They believe Lila, even after she made up the so-called ‘lying disease.’ They told Marinette she had to be the example. Our classmates hurled insults at her, tore up her work, tripped her in hallways. They spread petty rumors and posted nasty things online.

Let me remind you that people have been akumatized over nothing. A baby has been akumatized over wanting a lollipop. Marinette went through three years of physical and emotional abuse because of people she considered to be her friends and managed to not get akumatized for no other reason besides the fact that she couldn’t.

Hawkmoth himself said that Marinette would be his most powerful akuma; even more so that Chat Noir, who almost destroyed the universe. She’s the strongest person I know. There’s not anyone else I can think of that would be able to handle any of that without being akumatized.

Marinette may want to forgive these people for what they did to her, but I never will. And out of the two of us, I’m the one who’s more forgiving. They deserve everything that’s coming for them. They weren’t manipulated by Lila. They chose to believe her. They’re not the victims here. They had opportunity after opportunity to see that she was a liar, but they didn’t. They turned on Marinette because of a few pretty words and fake tears. Whenever one of Lila’s lies were uncovered, they chose to keep believing her.

Marinette went through what must have been torture to protect the world, and she’s still trying to protect the people who put her through hell and back. They don’t deserve her. None of us do.”

People go even MORE crazy after these series of tweets. It put into perspective what some of them didn’t think of, and the gushing about Marinette seemed to be a shared sentiment among her friends.

Now, the Justice League obviously knew about Hawkmoth. They talked to Ladybug and Chat Noir and decided the young heroes could handle the situation but continued to keep tabs on it. Once Marinette’s video came out, Dick was the first to see it. He sent it to his friends and the family group chat, and soon enough, all the heroes knew who Marinette was.

In the meantime, Adrien decided to start a fundraiser with some of the money he got from his father’s company. When Hawkmoth was revealed people questioned whether or not he had been involved, but the police quickly came to the conclusion that he had nothing to do with it. It didn’t hurt that he had the entire Miraculous Team backing him up.

Anyways, he tweeted it one night as a suprise alongside a reveal video. The Marinette Project, it was called. Adrien, Chloe, Kagami, and Luka had been in her living room with smiles on their faces. She was rightfully confused until they unveiled a cake and showed her a few papers. The video ended with her bursting into tears and a group hug.

The fundraiser was for bullying awareness and prevention. Once Adrien’s tweet went up, people started donating; from random citizens to celebrities that Marinette had worked with as MDC. Bruce Wayne even donated a very large sum, and--well, let’s just say the screams that came from the Dupain-Cheng bakery were loud.

What Marinette didn’t know, though, was that this donation would put into a series of events that would change her life forever.

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