#there's an email link if you want to pass any information to us and there's a few other things on there to check out if you want to do more
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(@chelseashellbell)
Um. Hi. You're part of that RAD thing right?
I have to come to Unova to deliver a commision and. I. think that it's for the RA thing.
Is there anything I can do to. Protect myself. And help you guys, if I can. (I live in Sinnoh)
Ah. Fuck.
Well, piss and shit, that's not a great situation.
The best thing you can do to protect yourself is probably grab one of those glasses from Silph/Rocket. I'll message you the location of one of our reliable sources, they'll get you one. We're still working on developing our own version, and we're even planning on making a contacts version.
Apart from that, there's not much advice I can give you other than be alert and be ready to fight if needed to protect yourself.
Stay safe, friend.
#just focus on keeping yourself safe for now#if you want to help check out our website later#there's an email link if you want to pass any information to us and there's a few other things on there to check out if you want to do more#not necessary if you're not comfortable getting further involved though. there's no pressure.#pokemon irl#unreality#in character#graystuff#ask#high stakes pokereality
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dear americans,
as a polish queer woman and human rights activist, i know exactly how you're feeling right now and what to expect from these elections. i lived through the 2015-2023 regime of pis, a right-wing populist party that divided families in the same way trump did. i’ve experienced the rise of fascism in poland, the influence of far-right parties like konfederacja, and their “santa’s little helpers”—ordo iuris, an ultra-conservative catholic organization (banned in many countries, mind you) that helped enforce a near-total abortion ban and runs anti-queer campaigns in public spaces. i supported the black protests in 2016 as a middle schooler when they first tried to ban abortion. as an adult, i actively participated in the 2020 women’s strike, running from police tear gas daily after they finally passed the ban. i supported friends who faced charges.
i’ve lived through intense homophobia in poland as a queer teen and adult. i survived the first pride march in my hometown, where far-right extremists threw stones and glass at us. i endured the anti-queer propaganda spread by the ruling party in state-owned media. i survived the “rainbow night,” poland’s own stonewall moment in summer 2020, when police arrested around 50 queer activists following the arrest of margo, a nonbinary activist. i survived the "lgbt-free zones," the targeted violence, the slurs from strangers on the street, and the protests i held against queerphobia. it was hard as fuck, but i survived.
but just because i survived, it doesn’t mean others did. many women died because of the abortion ban—marta, justyna, izabela, dorota, joanna, maria, and many others who didn’t survive pis’s draconian anti-abortion laws. milo, kacper, michał, zuzia (she was 12), wiktor, and other queer and trans kids and young adults took their own lives because of the relentless queerphobia.
despite all of this, our experience in poland can serve as a guide now. here are some tips for staying safe and how we, polish queers and women, organized under the regime:
safety first, always. if you know someone who’s had an abortion, no you don’t. if you know someone is trans, no you don’t. if you know people who help with safe abortions, no you don’t—at least not until you know it’s 100% safe to share. if you are queer or have had an abortion, only share this with people you trust fully. most importantly, not everyone has to be an activist just because they’re part of a minority. if it feels unsafe to share that you're queer, trans, etc., then don’t. it doesn’t make you any less queer.
use secure, encrypted messaging like signal for conversations on potentially risky topics, such as queerness, abortion, organizing counter-actions, protests—anything that might be used against you.
stay anonymous online. if you want to research or report something without surveillance, do not use regular internet. get a vpn (mullvad is affordable and reliable), download the tor browser (for both onion and standard links), and if you plan to whistleblow, consider using a riseup email account.
organize and build networks. community is everything now. support each other, foster independence, because your government won’t have your back. set up collectives, grassroots movements. create lists of trusted professionals—lawyers, doctors, etc.—who can offer support.
to lawyers and doctors: please consider pro-bono work. this is what got us through poland’s hardest times. your work will be needed now more than ever.
for protests or risky actions: always write a pro-bono lawyer’s number on your arm with a permanent marker.
get to know the anarchist black cross federation and other resources on safety culture: "Starting an anarchist black cross group: A guide"; Still We Rise - A resource pack for transgender and non-gender conforming people in prison; Safe OUTside the system by the Audre Lorde Project;
for safe abortion info or involvement: get familiar with womenhelpwomen.
stay radical, stay strong, stay informed: The Anarchist Library
if i forgot to (or didn't) include something, don't hesitate to reblog this post with other resources.
#kinda heartbroken i've gotta post something like this#but now my experience is needed more than ever and i AM going to share it#we are going to get through this#together#activism#anarchism#grassroots#anarchist#resources#useful#helpful#human rights#abortion#abortion rights#reproductive rights#queer#trans#transgender#lgbtq#us politics#usa#us elections#america#donald trump#kamala harris#stay safe#moira speaks
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A CONTEST!
Hey, I try to keep this site rage free, but we're headed into Banned Book Week and I need all of you to register to vote and there's no way to talk about these things without passing along upsetting information. I still hate the Hobby Lobby people with a passion and have no doubt I will be telling you why.
So, to provide all of us with incidental relief and to celebrate Hodderscape's publication of The Return of the Thief on 10 October, I am going to have a contest. 🎉 Woohoo!
I am going to give away FIVE sets of all six books in their beautiful new covers.
How can you win?
As always, I want everyone to be able to participate, so this will be a random draw. You can enter up to five times. Post your entry on any social media site and send me a link to it. (My address is on my webpage, but it is [email protected] only you need to spell out the word for the symbol in front of my initials. It is a tilde.) Reblogs of previous posts are totally legit as long as they are your work. You have to be able to send a link and I have to be able to click it and see the post. So, nothing that requires me to have an account or get behind a paywall or your entry will be invalid. I will repost some, but probably not all of the entries. If your entry isn't reposted by me it doesn't affect your chance of winning. Please use a hashtag so everyone can admire them.
#WinASignedSetofTheQueensThief2024
That hashtag might be overly particular, but hey.
Please send one email per entry and put the hashtag in the subject line.
Contest starts now and runs through November 1st just because All Saints is one of my favorite days of the year. It is US only, for now.
There are three different kinds of entries
Fan Art-- it would be nice if it's new, but it doesn't have to be new. I'll particularly appreciate it if you post a very old and a new picture to show us how your art has changed over time (or hasn't changed--mine hasn't--it's still bad)
Readers Advisory -- tell some unsuspecting soul why they want to read my books. No spoilers, obviously.
Cover Art Admiration--Post the cover of any book and tell us what you like about it. Let's please share the love with the people at Hodder and with the artist Katie Ponder.
As you know, I am terrible at social media. Entering the contest means being okay with me reposting your art here on tumblr and also ineptly on Instagram if I can figure out how.
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[Image ID (sorta, basically just the text from it):
GET KOSA TRENDING.
STOP SCROLLING NOW!
AS OF FEBRUARY 21ST, 2024, WE GOT FIVE DAYS UNTIL THE DAY OF DECISION OF THE KOSA BILL, WHICH WILL CAUSE MASS CENSORSHIP ROUND THE INTERNET IF PASSED. OR DOOMSDAY. WE NEED EVERYONE TO KNOW ABOUT THIS AND CONTRIBUTE. I'M NOT GIVING UP ON YOU ALL.
WE'RE DOWN TO THE WIRE BUT WE CAN'T GIVE UP YET. IF WE GIVE UP, EVERYTHING IS OVER. IF WE DON'T, AT LEAST WE HAVE A CHANCE.
I'M THE ONE WHO SOUNDED THE ALARM, AND I'M NOT GOING TO CURL UP AND DIE YET.
Reblog this post in every LEGAL way you can under the Tumblr guidelines with the appropriate tags. TELL AND TAG EVERYONE YOU KNOW, then add the tags to see below... and more if you can think of any complying.
Visit badinternetbills.com if you want to find a way to defeat KOSA. It WILL NOT take much of your time. Reblog with any other information or sources, too-- but make sure to reblog if you can.
Reblog if you support lgbtq+ content.
Reblog if you support questioning queer youth and/or abused youth getting the information they need.
Reblog if you support Ao3 and/or other sites that wholeheartedly preserve talentedly made media.
Reblog if you're going to repost this on other sites than Tumblr and spread the word across Twitter, Tik Tok, Pinterest, or elsewhere, alongside the link to badinternetbills.com.
END image ID]
Hey, everyone. So yeah, this is happening. We're still fighting this battle. And we can't give up now. We can't. We can't stand idly by while one of the most important resources that helped us all wake up, or at least start to question things, is being threatened by the government.
We can't stand idly by when kids, teens, and adults just like us still trapped inside might lose access to the resource that could help them wake up. We can't stand idly by when they might lose access to their non JW friends and family. We CAN'T stand idly by when we can do something to stop this bill from passing.
I am sick and tired of this same old song, where conservative fuckers higher up think they can oppress everyone. I am FUCKING SICK of it.
Please, reblog both this post and the original post linked above what I've written, and do what you can to stop KOSA, please. We are running out of time.
I suggest that if it is within your power to do so, that you do more than simply reblog and assume someone else will do something. DON'T assume that. Please do more than just reblogging if you are able to, because that's not really enough at this point.
Call/email representatives in the House and tell them to oppose KOSA (you may want to list different reasons depending on who you're calling, some House representatives are anti-LGBTQ+, so it may be best to tell them to oppose because it violates people's privacy, safety, and anonymity online). Print posters and put them up where legal if you can.
Sharing all this information to other social media sites (Instagram, Reddit, TikTok, the bird app) to reach more people can really help too. The wider the reach, the better.
Thank you. Now let's fucking rip that bill apart like we rip apart Watchtower magazines and eat it for fucking breakfast. (In a "we're eating it and the politicians who are sponsoring it are looking on in horror" kind of way)
#kids online safety act#internet censorship#stop kosa#exjw#ex jw#ex jehovah's witness#ex jehovah's witnesses#not necessarily ex jw related tags but still relevant bc this bill also affects these communities:#queer#lgbtqia#lgbt#lgbtqplus#lgbtq community#ex catholic#ex mormon#ex christian#ex evangelical#ex cult
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Guys I'm gonna be honest, I'm fucking terrified about KOSA and the fact that it might pass. Like, as a minor, I WANT to still be able to use the internet. To read my silly fanfics, and look at other people's amazing creations. I don't want that taken away.
Being on Tumblr and with everyone here has helped me cope so much in the past few years, that if I loose it I don't know what I'll do. Because it'll all be censored.
Content about LGBT, information about recent events, protests and even anything as small as fucking fanfiction might be taken away be weeks end.
I'm scared. I don't want to loose it all. And I'm gonna fight for it tooth and nail to be able to keep what I have, and I ask that anyone who sees this helps the cause too. Because it's bigger than just me. Every single person online will be affected.
Call or email your senators and ask them—PLEASE DENY THE KOSA BILL. The website I've linked below has more information.
and to any friends or followers I have on this; thank you so much. You all have meant the world to me, and if it's over, I just want everyone to know that it's been great. Hopefully it won't come to that, but still. Thanks :)
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Non-monetary support to Sudan: Help humanitarians prepare for the next wet season
Sudan's roads are mainly dirt. Wadis, which are dry riverbeds, often pass through roads. Some wadis are huge, others small. Either way, flooding can pose a huge risk to already struggling humanitarians, who are trying their best to supply aid.
Unfortunately, Sudan Logistics Cluster did not get all of the necessary information before this year's wet season came and went (Sudan's wet season is typically May-Oct), but with no end to the conflict in sight, it's vital we help them prepare for the next one. Sudan is facing the biggest displacement crisis in the world, and millions are at risk of starving.
If you have some free time and can look at some images, I highly encourage you to join Zooniverse and help out with the Sudan Road Access project. They give you all the information you need in the tutorial, including how to identify wadis and roads. You will be identifying and marking where wadis cross roads. A road outline is provided, since it can be hard to tell the difference. Don't worry about getting it wrong; multiple people get each image, and an average is calculated and checked before the result is final. You can skip images if you're not sure, too. The link to the project is below:
You do have to make an account, but please don't let that stop you! It's completely free and Zooniverse very rarely sends any mail. I've gotten four emails from them in the two to three weeks I've been signed up, and two of them were just verifying my account. They also have extensive email settings that allow you to pick and choose exactly what you want.
The only things you need for this are a device to look at things on (which, if you're on Tumblr, I assume you have some level of access), good enough eyesight to look at maps, and a mouse or other utensil (I use my finger) to mark maps with. Here's some example images, in case you're worried about your ability to see anything:
Again, they will provide another image outlining the position of the road for you.
I hope you all join me in this project! Thanks for taking the time out of your day to read all this.
#undescribed#sudan#sudan crisis#sudan war#free sudan#eyes on sudan#keep eyes on sudan#save sudan#sudan aid#sudan genocide
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All Assignments Have Gone Out!
You can find the Rules and FAQ’s below the cut. The link for the sign-up form is the title above. If you have any other questions the ask box is open.
TIMELINE
Sign-ups Begin November 1 Sign-ups End November 22 Matches go out by November 30 First Check-In December 22 Final Check-In December 29 Posting Period January 5 - January 11
GOSSAN’S HANDBOOK (RULES)
You must sign up by filling out the google form.
Everyone who signs up for a gift must also create a fan work.
You must include a method of contact in your sign up such as your blog name.
Sign-ups containing non-prompts such as “anything” or “Outer Wilds” will be deleted.
Crossovers or NSFW content are not permitted.
For fics the word count must be at least 1,000 words.
For art the piece must have shading and/or flats.
You must adhere to the preferences of your recipient.
Do not talk to your recipient about your gift. If you have a question for your recipient the mods would be happy to pass it along. Just message the event blog.
If something comes up and you can no longer participate let a mod know as soon as possible, so that we may assign a pinch hitter. If a participant does not respond to a check-in message from a mod within two days of a mod reaching out we will assign a pinch hitter to your prompt.
For submitting works, we prefer you use the submission button if possible. If Tumblr is not working or your submission has multiple images you may message your work directly to one of the mods and we will post for you.
Submissions must be appropriately tagged for triggers/spoilers/etc.
LOST TRAVELERS INFORMATION GUIDE (FAQ)
Q: What is an Exchange? An exchange is a type of fan challenge in which participants create fan works to give to one another. It's kind of like a Secret Santa for fan works! Participants will submit prompts. The mods will match participants for exchanging gifts. All gifts will be posted to the blog so everyone can see! Q: Do I have to make something to participate? Yes. Q: Do I have to make art for this? Traveler, we aren’t all artists and that’s a good thing! You can respond in any medium you want, art, fic, music, or anything else you can think of is fine! Just put what mediums you might work with in your sign up form. Q: Is shipping allowed? Yes, specific ships are one of the things you can request or refuse in the form. Q: What if I don't have Tumblr or my messages are closed? Please include another way we can reach you! Perhaps Discord or email? Q: Assignments went out and I haven’t gotten one? We do delete requests that are against Gossan’s Handbook. However, if your request was within the rules, it is possible that it was missed. You can always send in an ask, though we won’t be able to help much if it’s anonymous. You can also send the blog a direct message. Q: I have a burning question for my recipient and it'd be really easy for me to just ask-? And ruin the surprise? If you have a question just ask us and we'll get the information for you! Q: Can I just give my recipient their gift by DM? No can do. All participating assignments will be posted to the blog so that everyone can enjoy them! Q: I have another question. That’s why there’s an ask button, Traveler.
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KOSA is becoming a bigger and bigger threat
if trump get elected, there's an almost 100% chance that KOSA will be passed in 2025.
KOSA is a mass censorship bill that will allow the government to not show certain things online, saying its to 'protect kids'.
the things they want to "protect" kids from include LGBT, reproductive healthcare resources, and resources for marginalized groups. but really they'll just censor whatever they want. including information about whats currently happening in the middle east.
(i do NOT have any solid proof for what I'm about to say, so please, unless you can find hard information about it, don't take it as fact: i think that twitter only letting people see ~500 tweets per day is in a similar vain to KOSA. i heard someone say that the reason this change was made was to leave people uninformed for when the time comes to vote. I've also noticed social media sites getting...stricter? over just the past year and a half or so)
parents will also be given access to their childs search history, which could put the child in danger if they don't live in an accepting household. these children wont be left with any safe online places to go.
not only that, if this bill passes, your data will no longer be encrypted!!
even though this bill is targeting kids, this will effect adults too. if you want to use a social media sight, not posting on it just to use it, you will have to dox yourself by uploading your ID online. for everyone to see.
what can you do to help?
call and email your senators. the combination of both will yield the best results. email your senator multiple times. its very common for them to not pay attention to things like this unless they're being bombarded.
signing petitions, telling friends and family, spreading the word. i will have some linked here on the post, as well as some sources that will go more in depth than i did.
if i got anything wrong or have spread false information, please let me know.
i wish i could have found it again but i couldn't: it was this website where you would type out your own personal experiences on how the internet was important to you, what it helped you with, and your reasons on why KOSA is harmful. i remember it being a google form that i had found.
#kosa bill#kosa#leftist#kids online safety act#anti kosa#why is trump able to run president when he cant vote anymore??
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Assignments FAQ
Assignments start going out now! Please read the following FAQ and confirm that you’ve received your assignment and read the rules (for example, “Got the assignment and confirming I’ve read the rules”) when we DM you! We broke the links to try to avoid setting off spam filters, so simply delete the colons when you copy and paste the URL into the address bar.
If we get tossed into spambot purgatory partway through assignment delivery, we’ll switch to one of our sideblogs and failing that, we will start emailing you at the addresses we confirmed with you.
When are gifts due?
Fully edited main podfic gifts are due on December 17th. We’ll make the gift deliveries on December 24th! Remember, no minimums. The treats deadline this year will be December 22nd.
“Fully edited”?
The default expectation is that you will be submitting a “traditional” podfic that you’ve recorded and edited to remove all flubs (at minimum). We understand that in certain fandoms there’s a sub-genre of podfic commonly called a “cold read” which is minimally edited or completely unedited and includes chatty asides and reactions. Please only submit a podfic in this format if your recipient has specifically opted into/requested it in their Dear Podficcer letter. If your recipient doesn’t mention anything about liking cold reads or chatty podfics, then assume that they’re expecting an edited podfic (though if you’d like us as mods to reach out to your recipient to confirm what kind of podfic they’re expecting, we are happy to do so.)
Who can I tell about my assignment?
Keep it secret! (Keep it safe.) Except for your beta–you can tell them. :D
I’m new. How do I find a podfic to record?
Use your recipient’s letter as a guide in terms of story choice. Try to find a story that hits at least one of your recipient’s likes/wants. You must respect your recipient’s Do Not Wants (DNW). Some participants have suggested stories in their letters or bookmarks or have provided information about a close fandom friend who can help with vetting stories. You can also reach out to your participant via anonymous asks or by asking mods to pass on messages if you have further questions!
When finding a gift to record for your recipient, please follow permission norms in your fandom. That means asking for permission if the author doesn’t have a permission statement. Transformative works policies are often found in author’s profiles on AO3.
You can also use the Fanworks Permission Statements list (https://fpslist.org/) as a resource to find authors with blanket permission in your fandom or download the Blanket Permission Highlighter (https://github.com/BrickGrass/Blanket-Permission-Highlighter). The BP highlighter will automatically highlight any author with blanket permission in green when you’re browsing AO3. You will need to have the greasemonkey or tampermonkey extension (if you’re using Firefox or Chrome respectively) installed first
How do I submit my gift?
To submit your finished podfic, you will use the Google forms that will be posted next month.
What are treats?
Treats are gifts that you can make for people who aren’t your recipient. We will be publishing a spreadsheet of all requests next week that you can peruse. Anyone can make treats–you do not have to be signed up for the exchange to submit them. You can make as many treats as you want, and you can gift a treat to multiple people. (If you, as a recipient, do not want to receive a multirecipient treat, please DM the mods or add yourself to the Opting Out tab in the treats spreadsheet.)
Please note that you MUST submit your main gift first before you can submit any treats. We will not be accepting treats until you have submitted a main gift for your recipient first.
Do you have any other advice for the gift making process?
We sure do! If you’re planning a long, ambitious project, consider making & submitting a short gift early on first. Long gifts are great to give and receive, but sometimes life happens and this gives everyone a safety net.
We also recommend prioritizing recording your ENTIRE gift FIRST. We can find you editing help if needed; only you can record.
If you think you will need an extension to finish your main gift at any point, please DM us as soon as you can. We’re willing to work with you, but would rather hear from you earlier than later if possible.
Okay, I’m excited! What are my next steps?
1. Wait for our message (please be patient, we have no idea how it’s going to go!)
2. Write back to us to confirm you’ve received your assignment and read these rules.
3. Squee on your own blog (tag it with #itpe or #informal tumblr podfic exchange) or in the Tumblr podfic community. Just remember to keep who you were assigned a secret!
4. Check back next week for more information about treats!
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Not they tryna reenact KOSA… anyway yall, here’s why KOSA is bad!!
If you don’t already know, KOSA, or Kids Online Safety Act is a bill that was proposed to keep children safe on the internet. You might ask ‘why is this bill bad if it’s in favor of supporting the safety of children online’? Well, according to stopkosa.com, it puts pressure on platforms to add even MORE filters on anything they think is inappropriate for children. This is especially harmful for LBGTQIA+ youth because the knowledge about this topic would be censored, as well as knowledge on suicide prevention and LGBTQIA+ support groups. Do you see how this an issue? For those children who are wanting to learn more about these topics they’d be turned away because of this bill. It would also be likely that it’ll allow the shutdown of websites that allow them to learn about race, sexuality and gender.
This bill would also add more internet surveillance for all users across all social media platforms. It would expand the use of age verification and parental monitoring controls. These things in itself are already very invasive, but doesn’t take into consideration the children who live in unsafe environments where they are domestically abused and/or are trying to escape these situations. To add my two cents onto this, I strongly believe that the KOSA bill is an unnecessary violation of our first amendment rights (if you’re American), and doesn’t really make the internet any more safer. It actually makes it more unusable for youth. Hypothetically, if this bill were to be passed, then this would make social media unusable for literally anybody. To censor content from the youth about wanting to learn about their identity is extremely harmful. Blocking them from accessing resources that may prove as helpful in their scenarios is outlandish and unneeded. We try to shelter our youth so much to the point where we try to boil them down to only being with their parents want them to be and also not being able to let them learn and explore about other things that they may want to identify themselves with. This is very harmful.
This is a list of companies who are saying no to KOSA ..
• Access Now
• ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union)
• Black and Pink National
• Center for Democracy & Technology
• COLAGE
• Defending Rights & Dissent
• Don’t Delete Art
• EducateUS: SIECUS In Action
• Electronic Frontier Foundation
• Equality Arizona
• Equality California
• Equality Michigan
• Equality New Mexico
• Equality Texas
• Fair Wisconsin
• Fairness Campaign
• Fight for the Future
• Free Speech Coalition
• Freedom Network USA
• Indivisible Eastside
• Indivisible Plus Washington
• Internet Society
• Kairos
• Lexington Pride Center
• LGBT Technology Partnership
• Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition
• Media Justice
• National Coalition Against Censorship
• Open Technology Institute
• OutNebraska
• PDX Privacy
• Presente.org
• Reframe Health and Justice
• Restore The Fourth
• SIECUS: Sex Ed for Social Change
• SWOP Behind Bars
• TAKE
• TechFreedom
• The 6:52 Project Foundation, Inc.
• The Sex Workers Project of the Urban Justice Center
• Transgender Education Network of Texas
• TransOhio
• University of Michigan Dearborn – Muslim Student Association
• URGE
• WA People’s Privacy
• Woodhull Freedom Foundation
There is something you can do to stop the KOSA bill from being passed! On the website I linked, there is a petition. All you have to do is fill out the information and it’ll send off an email for you. The email reads as follows:
I’m writing to urge you to reject the Kids Online Safety Act, a misguided bill that would put vulnerable young people at risk. KOSA would fail to address the root issues related to kid’s safety online. Instead, it would endanger some of the most vulnerable people in our society while undermining human rights and children’s privacy. The bill would result in widespread internet censorship by pressuring platforms to use incredibly broad “content filters” and giving state Attorneys General the power to decide what content kids should and shouldn’t have access to online. This power could be abused in a number of ways and be politicized to censor information and resources. KOSA would also likely lead to the greater surveillance of children online by requiring platforms to gather data to verify user identity. There is a way to protect kids and all people online from egregious data abuse and harmful content targeting: passing a strong Federal data privacy law that prevents tech companies from collecting so much sensitive data about all of us in the first place, and gives individuals the ability to sue companies that misuse their data. KOSA, although well-meaning, must not move forward. Please protect privacy and stop the spread of censorship online by opposing KOSA.
The website also gives you like a format of what you can say if you chose to call your representatives. If after reading this post, you feel inclined to do something then I would say just go ahead and do it. My first time learning about KOSA was today immediately after seeing the post I felt inclined to send my lawmakers an email. Please try to help when you can and this will only take a few minutes so I think this is something that you can consider. This post is getting a little long now, so I’ll stop here. There are more resources online if you would like to learn more about the cons of this KOSA bill, thank you for reading.
#wlfabby#fuck kosa#kosa#internet censorship#stop kosa#lgbtqia#lgbtq community#laws#stop this bill from being passed. 🙏
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Modern Draconity: A Draconic Zine || Info Doc
Summary
Draconity isn’t solely from ages past, but something that still burns bright in the modern age. This zine will be a collection of pieces created by nonhumans and alterhumans about what it means to be draconic in the present day (or even future). Also, this zine imposes no set definition on what is or isn’t “dragon enough.” If you feel like the label applies, we want to hear from you!
What Can I Submit?
Both fiction and nonfiction pieces are accepted. As long as what you have in mind fits the theme, it’ll probably be a-ok.
Off the top of our head, we’re thinking of:
Essays of your personal experiences
Short stories
Poetry
Mock advice columns
Alternative covers
Fictional advertisements
Comics
Recipes
We welcome you to think outside the box and dig into what it really means to be draconic in the modern era!
How to Participate
Please email your completed submission to ruffledgryphgon(@)gmail(.)com and title the email “Modern Draconity Submission.” Also make sure to include the following information in your email:
A name you would like the piece attributed to
Title of your submission
Any content warnings that you feel are necessary for the piece
Any social media handle or personal website you'd like linked in the contributor section
A logo or icon for the contributor section
**If you would like to stay anonymous let us know
Members of systems are welcome to submit individually or collectively. Please let us know your preference when it comes to attribution.
Once the deadline has passed, these submissions will be put into the zine and it will be posted on itch.io as a free PDF.
Submissions are due by October 31th, 2023.
Submission Guidelines
Each individual may submit up to 3 works to be featured in Modern Draconity. Comics and multi-image works count as one piece. Individuals within a system may each submit up to 3 works. All work must be your own! Anyone caught plagiarizing or submitting AI-generated work will be barred from entering Modern Draconity and any future zines from us.
Written submissions should not exceed 30 pages and multi-part art entries should not exceed 10 pages. Please keep in mind the zine’s pages will be 8.5x11 and entries will be scaled accordingly to fit that size. We request all art submissions to be sent in either .jpg or .png file formats.
For stories that use multiple different fonts, we will do our best to preserve the general "feel" of your piece but cannot guarantee we will be able to use the exact fonts or sizes due to restrictions in what fonts we have access to, readability and overarching zine style.
Submissions must fit the thematic criteria of
About draconity / being draconic
Involve the modern era or the future
As stated in the summary, we will not be policing what is or is not considered “dragon.” If you self-identify as draconic you count!
FAQ
Q: Where will the zine be hosted? What will it cost? A: The zine will be hosted digitally on our itch.io and will be free to download.
Q: Is there a cap on submissions? A: There is none, as long as the file doesn’t start getting too big for our computer we’ll do our best! If there are an unprecedented amount of submissions, we may have to delay the release. In the event that happens, we would communicate that through updates on our tumblr.
Q: Can I update my application after it’s been submitted? A: Yes you may, as long as that is communicated to us before the submission deadline.
Q: Can I rescind my submission? A: Yes you may, as long as that is communicated to us before the submission deadline. This is because once we begin work on the zine, having to remove content mid-way through would throw off the formatting of everything else after. Please take this into account before submitting.
Q: Will this zine allow NSFW entries? A: No, nothing 18+ will be accepted.
Q: What is your timeline for the project? A: Our submission deadline is October 31, 2023. We are then planning to spend the next month or so compiling all of the entries. Our goal is to have the zine live by the end of the year. If something unforeseen happens and we are unable to make that deadline, we will post an update about it on our tumblr.
Q: I have another question! A: Feel free to reach out to us at our email ruffledgryphgon(@)gmail(.)com with any other questions you have about the zine.
#dragonkin#draconic#therian#otherkin#alterhuman#nonhuman#fictionkin#Modern Draconity Zine#nova squawks
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I want to be so real with you all right now, because I can’t seem to get my head on straight when I desperately need to.
I know this is a silly little fandom blog where I post about my characters and have a laugh with my mutuals, but recently I’ve been so burnt out over this that I’ve lost the want to make anything. I don’t have the mental willpower or energy to make anything.
KOSA scares me. Genuinely. I can’t tell you a time in my life where I’ve ever felt more scared and angry and upset over something so genuinely horrible.
I haven’t been able to sleep since learning of its recent resurgence and now upcoming voting in the Senate. I feel sick every time I stop doing things to distract me because of how much grief this bill brings.
If this bill passes, I genuinely don’t know what I’m going to do. As a queer transgender man, this bill not only makes me afraid of what’s going to happen to everything I’ve built, but it makes me fear over my safety and all of the things I love about the internet.
This bill will ruin all of those things. Censorship on this magnitude is abhorrent and gross, and I’m tired of the government trying to control the things they don’t like under the guise of protecting children. Especially when a bill like this is going to end up fucking over countless minors and adults alike.
If a minor lives in an unsafe home, their resources for getting out of it will be stripped away because of how the bill goes about censoring media. If a queer minor is trying to find LGBTQ+ resources, this bill won’t let them because that information is going to be protected behind safeguards and other censorship methods based on “preserving mental health”. All under the guise of “protecting” them.
Protecting children is important. This? This is not the way to do it. Period.
Putting our information on the internet to verify that we’re adults- personal, identifying information- is incredibly, incredibly dangerous. Information privacy and anonymity have always been very, very important to me. This strips that all away.
I feel safe when I can be more private online. I feel safe being able to talk to people without my private information being submitted to their databases.
This makes my already rampant paranoia worse. This makes me afraid of my personal information ending up on some insecure database that’s ripe for the taking for those with malicious intent.
Fuck this bill, and fuck anyone who supports it. I’m tired of this bill making me feel unsafe, paranoid, vulnerable, and overwhelmingly scared. I just want to live my life normally.
I’m tired of constantly agonizing over the next time when children or LGBTQIA+ people are going to be political scapegoats. I hate living like this.
Stop KOSA. Please. From the bottom of my heart, I want this bill stopped.
Please. If you can, call your reps and lawmakers- tell them that you don’t want this bill to pass. Even if you’re not from the US, you can help. Below I’ve put in a link to Stop KOSA’s website where you can email/call your lawmakers and let them know how much you hate this bill. And if you can’t do that for some reason, or you already have, please spread the word and let other people know about this bill and how to stop it.
And remember, even if KOSA passes in the senate, we can halt it in its tracks when it reaches the house. So please. Don’t stop fighting, and STOP KOSA!
(Also, feel free to reblog and add any other information you can to this post to spread the word about this bill and/or provide more resources to combat it. Every email, Call, and other way to inform lawmakers of your opinion helps. There’s a reason we stopped KOSA the first two times. We can do it again.)
#KOSA#stop kosa#kids online safety act#bad internet bills#fuck kosa#Censorship#I needed a place to rant about this because I have never felt so on edge in my life#This bill actively deminishes my quality of life#Both in the idea/possibility of it passing and the fact that it exists in the first place#I started to get really worried and panicked about an hour ago over this and since I can’t rant to one of my friends about it at this hour#I’m spreading the word as best as I can. Because at this point I don’t know what else to do
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ATTENTION PLZ READ: Serious Post & Call To Action
I almost never get serious on here, but this is an emergency that effects ALL of us. This is gonna b a long post, but there's a lot of info so plz bear with me.
If you're not on tiktok, you probably haven't heard abt this cuz I've heard and seen NO ONE outside of tiktok talking about this and that's scary.
We have a major mass internet censorship bill that Facists- I mean "Conservatives" are trying to get through congress that was co-signed by Dove (yes, the soap company) & LIZZO of all people back in April of this year.
This bill is called the "Kids Online Safety Act" or KOSA for short.
Under the guise of "protecting children" it is the worst mass internet censorship bill to date and if it passes, it will give state senators and the government the power to censor and destroy anything they don't like off the face of the internet. And by that I mean in a recent video interview of Senator Marsha Blackburn (one of the senators that introduced the bill) said the quiet part out loud and detailed EXACTLY what we knew they were gonna do.
If they pass it, they're going to use it to wipe any LGBTQIA+ content & info off the face of the internet, but ESPECIALLY anything to do with Transgender people and being Trans. And they intend on targeting Transgender children especially.
Due to the purposefully vague wording of the bill giving the gov. the power to destroy anything they deem "a danger to kids" you know that's what they're gonna use it for instead of censoring anything that's an actual danger to kids. They said it themselves.
But it gets SO MUCH WORSE than that. This bill would also give th4em the power to control EVERYTHING you do and EVERYWHERE yo go on the internet and no. A VPN won't help you.
This goes way beyond just lgbtqia info and fandom content/culture being in danger. This also means our right to free speech, access to accurate and factual information, and ability to communicate & organize with each other is also up on the chopping block. They're trying to make it harder for us to fight back against what they're doing.
And even if you don't live in the US, this will also effect you too. Access to any US based content creators and US based media as well as your ability to communicate with your US friends & Family as well as access to info on what's happening in the US will also be in danger as well.
If you're on tiktok and want more info, I reccomend looking up omarsbigsister who has an entire playlist on the bill as well as info and petition links in her bio and a call script to read off for contacting your senators. but I will also be providing those same links at the end of this post.
So what can we do to stop it?
Sign petitions
COntact your senators and reps. Call them, email them, send physical letters,
but most importantly,
SPREAD THE WORD.
share and repost this because the fact that no one oustide of tiktok is talking about this even though it will effect ALL OF US and could spell the end of the internet as we know it is SCARY
This bill is text book fascism and we need to kill it in its crib.
Here are all the links:
Resources for learning about KOSA
Sign this petition and call your senators! (this one includes a call script for you to read from
Sign the open letter against KOSA
Stop KOSA movement's linktree with even more petitons and resources to help
#emergency#please reblog#please repost#free speech#stop kosa#internet censorship#lgbtqia#trans rights#transgender#trans rights are human rights#protect trans kids#antifascist#human rights#activism#help#call to action#united states politics
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Servamp Secret Santa 2023
Hey hey hey Servamp fandom, guess what time is it ? That's right, the Servamp Secret Santa 2023! You'll find the form at the end of the post, but first and foremost, let me remind you the infos and few rules we have.
Important informations / rules
For those of you who never did a secret santa, here's how it works : it's basically a gift exchange online. We're not buying anything, but we're making Servamp related gifts such as fanarts or fanfics (or edits, or else, whatever you can make) and sharing them online. In the form, you write your wishlist and your no-no, and I'll communicate it to your secret santa. This is the only informations I will share, along with your username. Don't worry, your email will be kept secret.
It's a secret santa, so please don't reveal who you have (you might know them on tumblr) until the gift reveal. If you really have questions about their wishlist, you can write to me and I'll find a way to assure the communication while keeping it anonymous.
Let's talk about important dates now. The last day to sign up in November 30th ! Passed this deadline it'll be too late, which is why I'm opening the registrations early to everyone can know about it in time. Please, check out your mail inbox around December 1st. That's when I'll send you your secret santa (or maybe on the 2nd, depending on the time I have).
The last day to drop out is December 5th. Don't worry, it's okay to not be able to go through the secret santa, we all have personal lives with its problems and events. Just be sure to tell me as soon as possible so I can assign your secret santa to someone else.
The time for sharing gifts will be from December 24th to the 31th. You can give your gift at any moment during / between these days. PLEASE stay within this time period.
To avoid people being late, there was this thing that I saw on another server for fanfic writers. Basically, it was a time limit of 2,000 words (so that people don't plan too long fics then don't finish). I won't put it as a strict word limit (mostly because I wrote a 5,000 words stuff last year–), but I'm still putting it as an advice.
You can make fanarts, fanfictions, or edits. This is mostly what people do in general.
Let's use the tag "Servamp Secret Santa 2023" to share our works later. I'll also use them on all my secret santa related posts.
NO NSFW. This is a family friendly secret santa.
There is a discord server ! I encourage all participants to join (it's very useful for the gift-share there). It's also open to anyone. There is the role of "observer" if you want it. Here's the link, if you want to talk a bit with the others.
And I think I've said everything ! If you have any question, don't hesitate to ask in my inbox, by dms, or this post's comments. I'll answer as best as I can. Please, share as much as you can !
HERE IS THE LINK TO SIGN UP : https://forms.gle/m4bLbbjWQW9uHKdT8
#servamp#servamp secret santa 2023#lawlicht#kuromahi#licht jekylland todoroki#shirota mahiru#servamp kuro#sloth pair#mahiru shirota#lawless hyde
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Sir. Ma'am. Uhh, sa'am. I really love your ocs, especially Morrigan, so I wanted to ask if it would be possible for them to get a computer virus.
I know they're very human-adjacent, so if they CAN get viruses, I'm wondering if it would present itself like a regular sickness? Fever, dizziness, increased heart rate, at cetera. Or would it do things like screw up their perception by making it impossible to tell who their friends are versus their enemies?
And most importantly: Would it make their voice crackle and mix with static?
So far we've mostly just seen them being hurt by outside forces, like the hypothermia and the internal bleeding. The closest thing I can think of to a "virus" that's happened would be the cuddle glitch. So I've been really intrigued by the idea of something internal harming them.
Asking because I've become utterly obsessed with Morri as a whumpee. Very excited for future content!!
Hello hello hello! This made me so happy to see. I'm so pleased you love them as much as I do :)
Okay, so I did one of my really super long incredibly complicated reference pieces about this. I apologize if that's not what you're looking for, so I'll give you the short answers too: yes, yes and yes!
unspeakably long answer? take a look under the cut :)
Alright. So. Let's talk.
As noted, Morrigan is not immune to malfunctions, whether that be human responses to allergens or personalized attacks. We've already talked about the organic sides of things, so let's get into computerized threats.
First, Morrigan is not totally immune to viruses. They have a natural firewall, but there are several systems that run in the background, where they can't directly affect anything--so some choices are made without their input. With enough talent, a handmade virus could easily infiltrate.
Things to note:
Creators of viruses or worms often use psychological or social engineering to make it more enticing for victims. Curious, as Morri's built to manipulate.
Motivations for viruses are often profit, sabotage, or political messages. Morrigan is useless for these, unless the goal is terrorism, or directly undercutting the company-not-yet-named (CNYN) who created them.
Common effects of viruses include physical damage, loss of data, or leaked/stolen information. Lots of things that would greatly affect one Morrigan White.
Now, the meat of the issue. Or the ask, per se.
Virus makeup
Most often, there are three parts to a computer virus. The infection vector (the thing that infiltrates a computer), the payload (the harmful code that replicates itself, re:biological virus), and the trigger (an "if-then" code that tells the payload to execute).
The infection vector exploits and manipulates security weaknesses. I bring this up, though a mite obvious, because I love the image of Morrigan being at their weakest (physically, systematically, or emotionally) and getting kicked while they're down by a virus.
The payload can be any code. We've mentioned by passing how complex Morrigan is, just in general. So any target is dangerous--emotional vulnerabilities can mean friendly fire, physical breaks can mean imminent shutdown. And on top of that, all of the systems are intrinsically linked. One goes down? Expect several more to follow.
The trigger can be anything. I'm not going to say much more on that. But it can be anything at all.
Infiltration
A significant roadblock is finding a way to infiltrate Morrigan in the first place. Email and text scams are almost elementary to scan and avoid, and USB or cord connections are almost impossible, since they're actively mobile. So here are a few possibilities to think on:
1. Pure manipulation
Morrigan, as stated, is trained in manipulation, so to truly get ahead of them, you'd probably have to convince them of danger. Particularly danger of JJ's wellbeing. Or if you could give them an illusion, and state they have no other good choice, you might be able to accept it.
2. Manhandling/forcing
In the same way one can inject another with a syringe, if you were to get close enough to Morrigan, you might be able to physically inject a virus. However, that would be fairly noticeable--unless you're particularly adept at this kind of infiltration, or they're particularly incapacitated at the moment.
3. Technology improvements
With Morrigan being the birth of a futuristic technological era, there's no doubt engineers could come up with more creative ways to infiltrate. They are, in many ways, nearly human--how close could a computerized virus get to a biological one, in the future?
Cures and removals
Before we get into the really fun part, we should talk about how to heal Morrigan from a computer virus.
Depending on the payload or the target, any number of systems could be damaged. The first step is to neutralize the virus itself. Oftentimes, this means directly changing Morrigan's code--this can be done from their charging terminal, or by plugging in through a physical port, such as a USB. This is not comfortable for Morrigan, who has shown great discomfort in their code being altered, especially without permission.
If the virus has caused significant damage, a technical repair is required. This means finding a technician from CNYN and an excuse for their damage. Unhelpfully, if significantly impaired, Morrigan is far more likely to fail at lying when inflicted. So the best option is to power them down, give a sufficient defense to a CNYN technician, and collect them later.
All this to say, damage done to Morrigan is significantly dangerous not just to everyone else's wellbeing, but also to their cover--this is not just about how well they can fight. This is about whether or not they will be fully dismantled.
And finally for this section--certain viruses may be too quick to act. If so, finding a stalling agent or a countervirus to postpone shutdown is necessary. This will also need to be removed, and is far less comfortable coming out than going in.
Effects
At last. The part we were waiting for.
There are several significant effects of any computer virus, depending on what it's targeting. Here are several things I've considered:
Memory loss
Their memory banks may be significantly protected. However, loss of memory is a horrible thing to Morrigan, who uses past experience and analysis to affect their actions in the moment. Plus, they are not prone to feeling safe and secure at any given moment. Lack of understanding would contribute to hostility.
Behavioral changes
Possibly my favorite: Morrigan is highly specialized, but is first and foremost a weapon. Glitches in behavior can go from simply forgetting to blink to shooting an ally point blank. Personalized viruses can turn them into anything--killing machine or spy for the enemy.
Physical damage
If a line of code is even slightly out of place in the system it's run in, damage could be severe. Symptoms may include overheating, loss of material skin, unnerving eye colors, whistling, larynx malfunction (yes! static, crackling and mechanical whines when they attempt to speak), loss of motor function, and so on.
Infiltration and spying
Something interesting to note is Morrigan is an incredible piece of technology that absolutely must be kept secret. CNYN is not a benign company. Other groups, such as the Cages or vigilante systems underground, would take any chance at getting eyes on the inside. Morrigan, unfortunately, is a wonderful tool.
Here is a list of several symptoms that could occur directly as a result of a computer virus:
Hallucinations
Raspy, mechanical breathing
Overheating/heatstroke
Fevers
Lack of motor control
Lack of fine motor control
Lack of blinking, smiling, or facial expression
Unnerving eye colors (things that may be striking on a human face)
Speaking a different language
Inability to tell friend from foe
Lashing out
Sudden onset of extreme emotions
Whispering/shouting instead of speaking
Visible plating beneath their artifical skin
Memory loss or forgetting who/where they are
Loss of balance
Vertigo
Migraines
Nosebleeds (though they would bleed the thick substance that makes up their components instead of human blood)
Strange small behaviors (sighing at the wrong times, hiccuping)
Zoning out entirely
Shutdown (state of complete lack of function)
Stasis (state of low level sleep)
Uncontrollable worry
And many, many more
Increased heart rate
Crying
Notes
I'm so sorry if this isn't what you were looking for, but you greatly inspired me. I love fleshing out their technology and I hope you enjoyed this as much as I did writing it.
Thank you for the ask!!!
#whump community#strings universe#morrigan white#robot whumpee#android whumpee#ask answered#whump ask
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An Education in Attraction, Chapter 8
Pairing: Reader x Gojo
Summary: It's spring when you start your Master's degree. As the flowers and leaves unfold, so too do your feeling for Gojo
Warnings: None
Previous Chapters: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Ao3: PlaidSparrow
Early Tuesday morning you receive an email from your Learning Theories professor informing the class that he’s ill and class is canceled, leaving your afternoon free. The notification on your phone wakes you up bright and early, so you eat a filling breakfast at the cafeteria and try to wake up for the rest of your day. Since Gojo isn’t in the Learning Theories course, you send him a quick text asking if he’d like to work on the project after your Curriculum class.
He’s generally quick to respond the other times you’ve messaged him, but you haven’t gotten an answer by the time you’re ready to head to your Curriculum class. It’s possible that he’s not on campus, though it seems his attendance in class lately has been much more regular than it was at the beginning of the term. You conclude he’s probably busy, but any free time this late in the term is a godsend. You can build out the research section in the meantime, finding and citing sources has been extremely time consuming.
Campus is in the full swing of summer. It’s bustling with more undergraduates and foreign students than usual- here for short term or study abroad programs. The sun beats down as you take the familiar walk to the Graduate School of Education, the humidity makes the air thick and your shirt stick to your back. It’s a relief when you make it to your building, savoring the blast of air conditioning as you push in the door.
You set up for class and begin talking to Kuzume about when she’s free this week when you feel your phone buzz in your pocket. You excuse yourself from the conversation and check- Gojo is free after class today, and he wants to continue to knock out some of the fine tuning of your project.
It would have been nice if he had responded before you left your room this morning, you huff internally. You’d forgone bringing your research notes for an additional text in your field, which won’t be very useful for working together. Maybe you can just run back to your dorm and meet him in the library afterwards.
You’re about to send a response when the man himself enters the room. You catch his attention and he gives you a quick nod of acknowledgement. You’ll just tell him your plan after class, no need to keep your phone out when the lesson will start any moment. One thing that hasn’t changed is Gojo’s near tardiness to class.
Class passes quickly in a rapid paced lecture from your professor. You’re busy taking notes and absorbing the new information about evaluating effective curricula. This framework could affect the project you’re working on, but more importantly, these skills can help you better assess if your students are learning and what they’re retaining. While high school students have mastered the basics in each subject, it’s imperative that they can build deeper understanding before moving on to higher education or the workforce.
After the lecture has wrapped up, Saito walks over to you and Kuzume.
“A free afternoon! Want to grab lunch?” She asks. You’re not the only one excited for an unexpected bit of free time.
“I’ve actually already got plans,” you say, motioning to Gojo where he’s still seated across the room. “We’re so close to finishing the project, I don’t want to stress about it any more.”
“No problem at all, we’ll catch up over dinner later?” She links her arm through Saito’s arm and starts pulling her away. You’d updated the two women about your more successful partner work, and Kuzume’s eyes sparkle as she replies. She’s clearly looking forward to an update later.
You nod and promise to hang out soon, then head over to Gojo.
“Hey, sorry for not replying earlier.”
“No worries, I figured we’d walk over to the cafe or library and get started?” He’s casual, seemingly to a fault.
“I actually have to run back to my dorm and grab the correct notes, but I can meet you at whichever is easier.”
“You live on campus?” You nod. “Let’s just walk together.”
It’s a little forward of him to invite himself over, but it should just be a quick stop. Plus, you reason to yourself, it’ll be the fastest way to dive right into the paper.
“Alright.”
The walk back to your dorm is mostly quiet, and though it’s not uncomfortable, you can’t blame the sweat or your anxiety completely on the humid weather. You unlock the door to your apartment and open it wide.
“Come on in,” you say. “It should just take a minute to find them.”
You’re not quite sure where you left the research notes, you have piles of texts on your desk and on the side table next to your Western style bed. Gojo slips his shoes off and comes into the room. He’s quiet as he surveys your space.
While you sift through the loose pages of notes on your desk, Gojo steps closer to the wall, hands in his pockets, and looks at the photos you’ve put up on the wall- your family, friends from undergrad, your home abroad. Above your desk there are smaller pictures and keepsakes from your travels around Japan.
The pages on your desk are mostly notes from your other class, and won’t help with the project.
The right notes must be in the stack of books on the floor. You grab them and sit on the bed, quickly paging through your handwritten notes. Gojo turns to look where you’re sitting and you look up at him. His head is tilted just slightly as he looks down at you, and it suddenly feels very intimate to have him in your space. Even though you’ve warmed up to each other, your conversations with Gojo have centered around academics, you know hardly anything about his personal life. Now he’s seeing yours on display.
Looking around the dorm, you try to imagine what he might see in his first time viewing it. Light from the window pours across the room, painting the natural wood furniture in warm brown tones. Besides the piles of books, you’re mostly tidy. You’ve kept decorations simple- just a couple of small plants and the photos of your favorite memories. Surely seeing your dorm won’t change his opinion of you, but it’s almost unnerving that Gojo hasn’t said anything at all about your space.
You look back at the stack of papers in your hands, the notes have got to be in this last group. After swiftly shuffling through the pile, you finally have what you need. Gojo is still absorbed in looking at your stuff, you can just see a quarter of his face from the angle, but you take the moment of peace to absorb him.
Your eyes trace the slant of his jaw and the back of his neck. For the first time since he was rude to you, you feel your face warm and your stomach flutter. He really is handsome, and since you had puzzled out his dedication to his future students, your heart had irrevocably softened towards him. While he’s distracted, you allow yourself a moment to fantasize- perhaps he’d like to stay friends or colleagues after you finish working on this project. You can imagine meeting him for coffee or having him over to study, maybe even growing closer.
“I found them,” is what you force from your lips. You don’t want to spend the whole afternoon with Gojo surveying your room.
He finally tears his attention from your personal items and turns to face you. His expression and posture are totally neutral and comfortable, as if he’s visited a thousand times.
“It looked like the library was pretty quiet today. Want to work there?”
“Yea, sure.” You respond.
Gojo leads the way back to the library, where the two of you settle in the annex. The good weather must have drawn most of the student body outside, because the usually busy space is emptier than normal. You settle at one of the smaller tables and begin to review the data points to support your curricula plan.
Since your working relationship with Gojo has improved, the two of you have made excellent progress on the body of your paper- nailing down learning objectives and discussing where your fields might have some commonalities. If you continue working at this pace, there should be plenty of time for edits and adjustments before it’s due.
Conversation is moving quickly and you’re rapidly typing some notes as conversation lulls for a moment.
“Soo.” Gojo interrupts your note taking flow. “You didn’t go to school here?”
You look up at him and pause your typing.
“Yeah. Actually all my school before this program was abroad.”
He flips the pen over his fingers again. And again. His fingers are slender and graceful, and the bones of his knuckles are delicate in his large hands. He’s dexterous and purposeful in his movements. He’s staring down at the pen and you can’t read his face through the sunglasses.
He stays quiet and you suppose that’s the end of it and turn back to your computer, trying to remember what you were typing.
“Did you like it? The summers?”
Automatically, your eyes flick back up to him. His expression hasn’t changed, he’s acting like his attention is entirely consumed by the pen.
Apparently, the trip to your dorm has piqued his curiosity. While your upbringing outside of Japan is usually an eccentric fact when you introduce yourself, it’s never really come up in conversations with your partner. It’s a bit touching that he’s opening up and asking you.
The immediate answer to Gojo’s question is yes. But because it’s the first time he’s really asked you about yourself, you take a moment to think about what the summers were like. When the words do come, they’re slow and sweet with nostalgia, like the maple syrup on pancakes you once ate. You take your time when you do reply.
“Yeah. I liked it a lot. My parents both worked during the day so I kind of got to do whatever I wanted. My friends and I would ride bikes through the neighborhood or hang out at the park. While I enjoy school now, it was really nice to have the time off.”
You pause, not sure if you want to ask the question on your lips. He hadn’t reacted poorly the last time you pushed a little, so you commit to speaking before you can change your mind.
“Did you enjoy your summers? When you were younger?”
You keep your eyes on the computer screen, casual just like he had been, but you can feel his attention switch to you.
Gojo seems to take a moment to consider the question. His expression doesn’t change and you wonder if he might just change the subject like the last time you met.
"They were busy."
You nod. That seems to be the consensus from the students you've taught and the other pupils in your Master's program. You’re pleasantly surprised that he answered at all, and you don’t expect any more than that. Though you’re on good terms with Gojo now, his answers are generally still clipped and to the point.
"I spent most of my summers studying. Not a lot of free time."
When you look up at him, there’s a hint of a furrow on his brow.
But his expression shifts to an easy grin in the time it takes you to blink and then he’s back to his normal genial disposition.
“At least that’s paying off now. I get to miss class and travel just cuz I’ve already written papers.”
A huff that might be able to pass for a laugh escapes you. “If only we were all so lucky.”
Gojo leans back in the chair and rests his hands behind his head. “It is nice being able to cite myself in the research section. I bet no one else in the program can do that.” His smile is a little conceited, and you’d be less charmed if it was worn by anyone else.
You make a point of looking back down at your computer, but internally you’re intrigued. Gojo’s never been quite so open with you, and you find yourself eager to learn more. The two of you work well together, and you wouldn’t mind getting to know Gojo better outside the context of your project.
A month ago, you wouldn’t have dared to follow up with a question, but something’s shifted in your time writing together. After his last answer, you’re nearly positive that he won’t react negatively if you do push for a little more info now.
“You still seem pretty busy. I don’t know if anyone else in the program has missed as many classes as you either.”
Your voice is light, and you’re pleased to tease him back after he had caught you off-guard in the cafe last weekend.
“Special case, remember?” He taps the side of his head. “If I want to be able to cite my articles, gotta write ‘em first.”
So he’s still working in academia while enrolled in the program. You’d thought teaching on the side was bad enough, you can’t imagine keeping up with assigned readings and assignments plus outside research and writing. Evidently Kuzume and Saito were right.
If anything Gojo seems to be invigorated by the good natured ribbing. His smile is as wide as it was in the cafe and the two of you have done some of your best work these last couple sessions. Perhaps all along you just needed some banter to grease the wheels of your relationship.
“Truly, the world is deprived of Gojo et al.”
He beams at you, “Not for long. The program’s only two years long.”
You can’t help a good natured eye roll at that.
You settle back into actually working after that, and the last thirty minutes in the cafe prove fruitful. Gojo is engaging and is insightful on where to insert citations, and your own thoughts are met with genuine consideration. Your fingers are nearly sore from typing and he’s written several pages of notes too.
You’re almost regretful to cut things off, but morning is turning into afternoon and there’s still reading you’ve got to finish before class tomorrow. So you finish typing one last sentence and then flex your hands. Summer vacation, with free time and a break for your hands, hangs deliciously just a month out of reach.
“I think that’s a good place to stop for today. I’ve got to head out and do some more reading. If we have a couple more days like this, we’ll finally be done.”
Gojo is busy scribbling onto his pile of notes, but you’d like to think he feels as accomplished as you do. There’s another month before the due date, but it’s worth having time to revise and proofread on an assignment this big.
“If it’s for Curriculum, watch out. The next chapter’s a pain. Took me over an hour and the author still didn’t get to the point.”
He must be talking about the flowery author you’d been reading last week. You smile back at him and start to pack up your things. Maybe you do have more in common than you thought.
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