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baoshan-sanren · 4 years

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Chapter 52

Emperor Wei WuXian And His Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Birthday

“Perhaps I do not actually require a palace,” the Royal Companion says.

XiChen hears the words clearly, each one perfectly audible over the sounds of the guqin. The Rogue Prince had taken his leave only moments ago, but Lady Jiang is still present, having settled at the head of the bed. The Royal Companion had settled at the bottom, with an ease that suggested he had done so frequently in the past.

The words sounds nonsensical to XiChen’s ears, but the atmosphere in the Imperial chambers noticeably shifts, the Emperor stiffening in WangJi’s arms. A silence descends, just as incomprehensible as the words had been. XiChen is not familiar with the Royal Companion’s mannerisms, but the young man is holding himself stiffly as well, his lazy posture doing little to conceal the tension of his muscles.

Perhaps the sentence is a code that only the Emperor and the Royal Companion understand?

Still being held up by WangJi, the Emperor turns his head and whispers softly, words that are clearly meant for his brother’s ears only. He is reclining easily in WangJi’s arms, their heads close together, their cheeks nearly brushing.

XiChen turns his gaze back to the guqin.

It is not uncomfortable, precisely, watching his brother be so easily intimate with a person he cares for, but it is very much out of the ordinary. WangJi’s cool demeanor conceals a heart prone to excess of emotion, a depth of feeling that has always existed beneath the surface, rigorously concealed from the world. To see the Emperor so easily coax that emotion out into the open is miraculous, but it is also unsettling; XiChen does not know if the Emperor comprehends the true extent of WangJi’s affection, or how precious and rare it is, to have it so visibly displayed.

“Young Master Lan,” the Emperor says, startling him out of his thoughts.

Lady Jiang and WangJi are helping him shift into a better position, propped up against pillows and covers, no longer having to rely on WangJi for support. Despite his obvious physical weakness, the Emperor’s tone is clear and forceful. It is a skill, the ability to don a mantle of power and authority all while being maneuvered about one’s bed in such an undignified manner. XiChen both respects and envies this ability.

“Your Majesty?”

“I am grateful for your assistance, but I believe you are long overdue for some much needed rest. Would you be so kind to escort my shijie back to her chambers? Lan Zhan will continue the Cleansing in your place.”

“As you wish, Your Majesty.”

Of course, the insistence that he pass his duties to WangJi and rest, is nothing more than a polite method of removing him from the Emperor’s chambers. Any doubts he may have had would have been dispelled by WangJi’s vaguely apologetic look as he replaces XiChen at the guqin.

XiChen does not require an apology. He is tired and restless, his aching wrists welcoming any interruption of the tedious task. The two Imperial guards at the entrance are also ordered to take their duties outside, leaving WangJi and the Emperor alone with the Royal Companion.

In the hall outside the Imperial chambers, Lady Jiang smiles, “I hope you are not offended by such an abrupt dismissal, Young Master Lan. I am sure, once the situation at court has been stabilized, the Emperor will properly express his gratitude. We are in your debt.”

“There is no need,” XiChen says, realizing that he had not expected gratitude, nor does he know what to do with such a sentiment, “I am sure anyone would have done the same.”

“They would not have,” Lady Jiang says easily, her tone unchanging, “but thinking so does you credit. Please do not feel obliged to provide an escort. I am sure the Imperial guards will prove equal to the task, and my chambers are not far.”

Taken aback by the frankness of her words, he only bows in response.

He had not yet considered all the political repercussions of the Lan Sect having saved an Emperor who is so frequently a subject of assassination attempts, but Lady Jiang’s words raise many questions he cannot answer.

What will be the consequences of the Lan Sect aligning themselves so firmly with a Divine Ruler who does not intend to father an heir? Will their actions, committed over the course of the last day and night, be seen as monumentous as the assassination of the Empress had been? Can any succession of honorable deeds ever erase the dishonors of the past?

At this very moment, uncle has many more pressing issues to consider, and will doubtlessly remain occupied by them for days to come. But XiChen wishes he could simply yield to his uncle’s understanding of the matters, as he often had in the past, without having to reason out the answers to these questions on his own.

Chagrin immediately descends, propelling his restless feet to move, as if urging him to run away from such uncomfortable thoughts. XiChen is to be the future Sect leader, to occupy the same seat that uncle now holds. He should never shy away from being guided by those who came before him, but his deference has always been a little too excessive. It is a frequent source of his brother’s frustration, XiChen’s insistence on ceding ground to avoid disharmony and conflict.

It is not for the lack of firm beliefs that XiChen so often gives way. It is simply a habit, one borne of insecurity. In order to hold firm in the face of opposition, one must believe that their own understanding is impeachable, that their opinions have been properly formed, that they are indisputably in the right. XiChen firmly believes that Nie MingJue’s intentions are honorable and genuine, that his own affection is steadfast and unimpeachable, but he has never possessed the necessary self-confidence to insist on this belief in the face of uncle’s disapproval.

Lack of a spine is not a virtue, but XiChen had dressed it up as such, so that others may admire his amicable nature, while he, alone, is left to despise the roots from which it grew. He wonders how long he would have gone on this way, draping his self-doubts in a cloak of respectful deference, had Nie MingJue not entered his life.

As if summoned by his thoughts, Nie MingJue appears at the head of the hall, his stride quick and purposeful. Guards had been sent to inform him that the Emperor is awake, XiChen remembers, and the man doubtlessly expects to be admitted to the Emperor’s chambers without delay. XiChen is certain that Nie MingJue will be disappointed in his expectations. Any conversation that requires the removal of both Lady Jiang and the Imperial guards from the Emperor’s presence must be highly sensitive in nature, and is likely to go on for some time.

The General of the Emperor’s army is no longer wearing his armor, his Nie Sect uniform silver and black, the cut severe, clearly intended to project authority. In the early morning gloom, his face is a collection of shifting shadows, his mood impossible to discern. Faced with such a presence, the few servants finishing up their nightly tasks scurry out of the way with their heads bowed, the guards straighten their shoulders as if expecting to be scolded, even the walls themselves seem to stand at attention.

It strikes XiChen fiercely, how the attributes he admires so fervently in Nie MingJue are those he has always felt a lack of in himself. Even the man’s boldness, so often displayed in mortifying ways, is a trait that XiChen wishes he can possess. It has inspired a boldness of his own, although it appears pitiful when compared to MingJue’s. In the same vein, his own temperance is likely to have suppressed at least some of MingJue’s brashness. They fit, the two of them; one yielding while the other remains unmoved, one sure to hesitate while the other barrels bravely onward.

Do you truly think that there is a single part of you that I will not admire?

MingJue does not have a chance to express his obvious surprise at encountering XiChen during such an early hour, nor is he given an opportunity to ask any questions. XiChen is not certain what his course of action would have been, had MingJue resisted the firm grip on his wrist, had he refused to let himself be steered. To his relief, MingJue obediently allows XiChen to pull him aside, to push him past the unguarded doors of the Emperor’s study.

The room beyond faces south, the early morning light some hours away from reaching the single window hole. XiChen is relieved. He does not want MingJue to see the flush across his cheeks, or to discern the anxiety in his eyes.

Under his hands, MingJue’s braids are impossibly intricate, each one a tiny, delicate wonder. Under his mouth, MingJue is made rigid by surprise.

XiChen had not exactly expected an immediate response. This action, this impulse decision, it is so unlike himself that MingJue may as well think he has been accosted by a stranger. Still, each breath is centuries long, each one riddled with seeds of doubt.

Perhaps XiChen was wrong after all. Perhaps Nie MingJue does not wish to--

He is pulled forward with such force that he stumbles over his own feet. The cold steel of MingJue’s belt scrapes across the tender flesh of his stomach, an earth shattering contact even through two layers of robes. MingJue’s tongue, hot and insistent, licks into his mouth, sliding against his own. The sensation is a shock; XiChen feels it all along his spine, curving around his limbs, pressing into each sensitive stretch of his skin. He does not realize he had tightened his hold on the handful of braids until MingJue makes a sound, a pitiful noise that seems to border on pain. Even as XiChen struggles to release his grip, the arms around his body tighten, a searing hot palm pressed against his shoulder blades locking him in place.

XiChen has never kissed, or been kissed. The few times he had imagined such an act, it had been a rarely reached conclusion of some distinctly chaste fantasies, gone no further than lips pressing together, breathing each other’s air. He does not think that any stretch of fantasies could have prepared him for this.

He is certain that his lack of skill must be obvious. Yet, each hesitant lick of his tongue is followed by a series of shudders he can clearly feel cross MingJue’s shoulders. His own trembling, impossible to suppress, is made less shameful by the knowledge that MingJue is equally as affected. It seems impossible to concentrate on anything but the movement of their lips, the slick slide of their tongues, but XiChen manages to release the handfuls of braids he had gripped. MingJue whines softly, a noise that sounds suspiciously like a complaint.

When their lips part, XiChen finds himself struggling to breathe normally, his chest both too tight for the air he needed, and somehow larger than the space it must occupy.

“XiChen,” MingJue rasps.

His voice is raw and thick, the sound unexpectedly arousing. XiChen is moving to kiss him again before realizing that he has done so, and manages to pull back just in time.

Firmly placing his hands on MingJue’s shoulders, he tries to say what must be said, words he had avoided since his last argument with uncle, “You-- my uncle will only allow your presence at Cloud Recesses if I enter secluded meditation for the duration of your visit. I will not attempt to convince him to change his mind. He does not trust me to behave-- in a virtuous manner, nor do I intend to persuade him otherwise.”

MingJue makes a soft sound, but XiChen does not look up; he is embarrassed enough by the admission as it is, he does not want to know what expression MingJue’s face may hold.

“You had said once that your situation is not nearly as inflexible as my own. If you are still willing-- to offer me a lifetime, I am ready to listen.”

He has hardly finished speaking when MingJue’s mouth finds his own again, infinitely more careful this time, the act very close to the chaste kiss of XiChen’s fantasies. XiChen is the one who presses closer, deepening the kiss, feeling brave and reckless in the wake of his confession.

Perhaps he may never possess MingJue’s boldness, but he has managed to find some of his own in the process; as paltry as such a thing may appear to be, if it serves to ensure him a lifetime of happiness, he will never again view it with scorn.

#the untamed #cql #mdzs #nielan #m #ficlet #wwx emperor au #xichen is being silly and self-deprecating #the emperor's study sees some more action #some things are decided #but no things are fully resolved #and onward we go #ily chickens

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shinrasfirst · 4 years

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Lottie’s chain of sweetness.

It’s hot, we’re all irritated, some of us are having a shitty time of it lately. Repost this to your dash!

5 THINGS YOU LOVE ABOUT YOUR CHARACTER/s.

I have a bunch of characters, so I’ll give you one thing for 5 of them instead!

ONE Let’s start with my boy Zack. I like a lot about him, but one thing I really like is his optimism and his faith in people and the good in the world. That’s very not me, so I guess I find it inspiring to see someone who manages to remain so positive and driven despite all the bad things that happen to him. (I also really like how he approaches people, his kindness and contagious joy about life which makes him so hard to dislike, I’d argue.)

TWO Next up is Johnny, one of my latest muses. There’s a lot about him that I don’t know from canon and also a lot I haven’t hc’d about him yet, but from the things I have seen/decided on what I like the most is how genuine he is. He’s kind of a dumb dumb, but he is not a bad guy. He doesn’t do bad things just because he can, he’s even pretty outspoken about not doing them. He might be annoying Tifa with his love confessions, but he isn’t pushing himself on her, doesn’t touch her or ask inappropriate things. He will help you if you ask him, even if you’re not super close friends (AFTERWARDS you’ll be his friend tho, whether you want to or not u.u). He says what he thinks and he isn’t fake or lies.

THREE What I like about Rufus is that he really has a lot of shit happen to him, actually, but doesn’t give up. Of course he’s a spoiled rich bitch and he pulls a lot of shit himself, but still. He has the worst father in this entire franchise I’d argue, he almost dies a few times, he works hard for world domination and ends up with a lot of nothing in AC. Still he seems as sure as ever in AC and doesn’t break down or gives up. He still wants things and goes after them, and that strength is really admirable. (Detached from his actual goals lol).

FOUR I like Angeal because he’s so honorable it’s almost annoying. But every good story needs a guy like that; someone you roll your eyes at sometimes but at the same time wish you had around in real life. He’s a really good guy, he struggles but tries to be the best version of himself. He’s a tragedy because of it, but that’s part of what makes it so special.

FIVE I like Rude (my version of him, I suppose) for being steadfast, in who he is and what he wants. Sure, he also has days where he struggles with what he and Reno are asked to do for the company, but overall he isn’t a man plagued by doubt. He is confident in himself and stands by his values and opinions, and in that sense it’s not easy to unsettle him. Also, he has a big heart and he doesn’t think letting it guide his actions is a sign of weakness.

5 PEOPLE ON HERE YOU LOVE, AND WHY.

that’s really rough. i might mention some more okay?

ONE one of the first people i found on here and thoroughly fell in love with is @rcdwrxck. kay is just amazing. she’s funny and smart, great to talk to, great to plot with, write with, ship with. she is kind and caring and genuine. she has the floofiest dog in existence and i wish every day i could pet him. she’s also a huuuuge reno x rude shipper, who would have thought? heheheheehEHEHEHEHhhehhe. ---but seriously, kay you’re so precious, i’m keeping you forever. and i adore your reno and our threads and i’m not letting you go again. <33

TWO obligatory mention of course is @dogof-war. han is very high on the list of people i talk to the most in this fandom (if not THE person i talk to the most). talking to her is a blast, i have a lot of fun and i’m always happy to see messages from her. we keep plotting new nonsense all the time and all of it is quality shit 👌 her writing is swell and her portrayal of heidegger is really unique and wonderful. i was super intimidated by her when i first made this blog and followed, but now that we’re friends i find it hard to remember how that felt. i really appreciate her for just saying what she thinks relatively unfiltered, for indulging my weirder kinks and interests in rp (like the best ship in history rufus x heidegger, go home if you can’t handle it), and for occasionally salting with me about this and that. <33

THREE another person i talk to a lot (tho not as much as we used to) is @solnyeo / @persephina. first of all panda’s writing is incredible - the feeling and detail that go into it blow my mind *chef’s kiss*. secondly, panda is such a lovely person. full of creativity and kindness and always giving out positive energy for everyone. (i often get some sad vibes from you and i wish i knew how to cheer you up, but i hope you know i’m always around if you want to talk to me :) ) panda is so amazing to plot with. every little idea we share hatches into some beautiful butterfly of a story (that we end up not writing but--) and it’s pure joy to imagine worlds together :) aerith or not, i absolutely love seeing them around on my dash (& hopefully writing with them again soon). <33

FOUR another gem i have to mention is mari, @stingslikeabee. i don’t often bond so easily with ocs on tumblr but mari is a godsend. not only is her character amazing, well-developed, and fitting beautifully into the story; mari also manages to continuously blow me away with fabulous verse ideas, drabbles, meme or regular replies. she’s so creative and such a great writer - and on top of that a really kind, funny, genuine, caring, special person. the internet is a dark place full of weirdos and creeps but sometimes in this sea of coals you find pure gold and that’s mari. i’m really glad we found each other and i enjoy talking to her so much <33

FIVE of course i also have to mention @giftofthegodess because !!! i love rave. such an amazing genesis. an absolute highlight to plot with, full of creative ideas and beautiful headcanons. also sharing my hobby of making rare pairs, apparently, hehehe. also a fellow bts fan now, HEHEHHE. talking to rave is just so.. easy. they’re chill, funny, active, laid-back, and full of passions and thoughts they love to share. also enjoy throwing people under the bus by calling them out with discord screenshots. 👀 i feel really lucky to have met them in this fandom and i really love our ships and hope to see them going far <33

SIX I want an honorary mention for @hiislegacy because they’re one of my fave writers in this fandom. We don’t talk that often but it’s always fun when we do. I just feel like we’re on the same wavelength, and we’re both kinda old-school in our views on ships and writing and fanfics and such? Also they portray any muse they set their mind on really really really amazingly well. Love <33

SEVEN another person i appreciate immensely on here is @lifedxbt. they write a lot of muses but the one i interact with the most is definitely tseng. i really enjoy the way they write him, the continuity in their portrayal, their endless headcanons that keep giving this character more depth - and are so good it’s hard to remember that they’re not actually canon facts from the game. they’re one of the few people i even read some threads of that i’m not part of. they’re just hella amazing and i hope we get to write more in the future :)

EIGHT + some other people I adore and want to mention: @presidentiial (first of all thank you for this meme game, second of all you’re so kind and lovely like.. ALWAYS, i appreciate you a ton; and i always admire the effort and passion you put into your muses and blogs, you’re truly someone to look up to), @hautevaux (another oc in this fandom that’s just so well established and developed it’s easy to forget vaux isn’t a canon character; your writing is wonderful and somehow you manage to turn every situation and thread into something special with your magic tailor dust), @sweettifalockhart (we don’t talk as much as we should but i want you to know that i think very highly of you; i think your writing is next level, and you’re a joy to plot and write with), @devilreno (i sometimes feel like we’re those two people who kinda know each other from accidentally running into each other in the street, and we greet each other and cheer at each other from a bit of a distance but never really sit down together for a drink?? does that make any sense. have a drink with me is what i’m saying--- or, you know, let’s be friends. you’re amazeballs - and your writing and art are 👌👌👌), @makostamp / @reflectingchaos (we have sooo many threads together and i adore all of them!! you really write all your muses so well, it’s a joy to plot and write with you. i know you have your doubts sometimes, but you’re a really great rp partner and you come with everything one needs for having a great time in an rpc!!), @fraxcxccl (literally i’m your FAN. i’m blown away by your art, AND your writing AND the fact that you made up this amazing oc that ALSO feels like a canon character like, shut the front door. i’m not really a shy person but with you i still feel like i need to come up with something GOOD to approach you with before i’m worthy of writing with you. i’d love to though.), @turkoftheslums (you’re precious. i know you only love me for my dog but that’s okay, she’s the best part of me. we should write more because i really enjoy seeing you around and i feel like we could be good friends :) )

AND ANYONE I WRITE WITH AND HAVEN’T MENTIONED NOW, please don’t read anything into it. I’ve had this post in my drafts for weeks now and I kept going back to change it, add more people--- at some point I have to stop. I’m following you? That means I think your writing & portrayal are great. We’re probably one conversation away from being friends. <33333

5 SONGS EITHER YOU OR YOUR MUSE REGARD AS A ‘GUILTY PLEASURE’ THAT ALWAYS MAKES YOU SMILE.

these are all nonsense songs, all of which are guilty pleasures (if at all) of ME, not my muses.

ONE Lol okay, so there’s definitely this song, which I found at 3 in the morning while browsing youtube and sent to Han as a joke about our ship, but I’ve listened to it so often by now that I’ve had to begrudgingly admit that it’s actually not so bad. The lyrics still kill me, but it’s such a good smut writing song.

TWO HAHAAAA, okay this one is hilarious. Haven’t thought of that one in years, my sister reminded me when I told her about this meme. It’s super dumb, be glad if you can’t understand the lyrics (I’m guessing only one person I’ve talked to on here will be able to understand). It’s basically about “playing doctor” in a sexual way and the shit she sings, let me tell you. But the beat is kinda nice, haha.

THREE Let’s stay with the German songs for a moment, because I remember loving this song SO much when it came out (in my defense I was like 14) and even now I have to admit it’s not awful. I also remember not knowing it the twins are girls or boys when I first watched it, because honestly his voice is like ??? And he kinda looks like a female singer that’s quite popular in my country.

FOUR Also I’m a trashcan so I like club music, especially for working out, and I’ve been weirdly obsessed with this one. It’s repetitive af and really only good for running but ?? I love it?? (You have to fast forward a bit, the beginning is only beat).

FIVE This needs to be on this list as well. Because it’s a bit ?? but also it’s hella great. Anyone who says they can’t feel it, is lying.

Tagged: if you’re seeing this and haven’t done it yet, please do it. i can’t tell anymore who’s done it already and who hasn’t!!

Tagged by: @madamdirectcr

#( tag game. )#( munday. )

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starstruckteacup · 4 years

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Cottagecore Films (pt. 9)

Classic Disney Edition - Original Princess Trio!

Snow White and the Seven Dwarves (1937)

starring Adriana Caselotti, Lucille La Verne, Pinto Colvig, Roy Atwell, Otis Harlan, Billy Gilbert, Scotty Matraw, Eddie Collins, Harry Stockwell

A young and beautiful princess, Snow White, grows up under the threatening watch of her stepmother, the Evil Queen. One day, the Queen’s Magic Mirror tells her that she is no longer the fairest in the land, but that Snow White is. Enraged and jealous, the Queen orders her huntsman to kill Snow White, but at the last moment, he is unable to strike. Snow White flees into the woods, and soon arrives at the cozy home of the local dwarves. When the dwarves return from work, they are terrified to discover that someone has been in their house. However, when they meet Snow White, they are immediately taken by her kindness and allow her to stay. The group celebrates with dinner and a small party, but their bliss doesn’t last for long. When the dwarves leave again for work in the morning, Snow White encounters a mysterious old woman--unbeknownst to her, it’s the Evil Queen in disguise--selling apples, who cons her way into the dwarves’ home and gives Snow White a poison apple. When the dwarves find her, they believe her to be dead, and place her in a gold and glass coffin. It seems that all is lost, but true love has other plans.

I’ve seen this movie many times, and as a kid I actually really disliked it. I thought Snow White was a passive and boring character, but on this watch-through I was surprised by how poorly I interpreted her previously. Snow White is a 14 year old girl, but packs such bravery as could rival any Prince Charming. She’s still very clearly a child though, with her innocence, positivity, and unjaded outlook. She puts others’ needs before her own constantly and always finds the good in everyone. She’s still naive though, which is clear from her open interaction with the old woman/Evil Queen, despite knowing that her life was in danger if the Queen found her. After she escapes death by the huntsman’s blade, she runs panicked through the forest, with everything mutating into horrors around her, just as a young, frightened girl would. She’s immediately comforted by the animals afterward, which is reflective of how readily young people can bounce back from trauma. The Evil Queen was also a lot darker than I recall. I was terrified of her as a kid, but I’m still terrified as an adult for an entirely new set of reasons. What kind of woman tries to kill a child over beauty, then celebrates that she’ll be buried alive after eating the poison apple? That kind of coldness and brutality is absolutely horrifying, even now. She may be the most dangerous and genuinely evil Disney villain in history, and she was the very first. 7/10

Cinderella (1950)

starring Ilene Woods, Eleanor Audley, Verna Felton, Lucille Bliss, Rhoda Williams, James MacDonald

When Cinderella’s father passes away, she’s left with her vain, greedy, and cruel stepmother, Lady Tremaine, and two stepsisters, Anastasia and Drizella. She works as their scullery maid every day, until an urgent message from the King arrives. The castle will host a ball for the prince to meet an eligible maiden, and she quickly organizes the chateau and dons the dress her animal friends made for her, hoping to at least attend the ball. However, just as they are about to leave, the stepsisters destroy her dress, dashing her dreams. As she weeps, her fairy godmother appears, dressing her magnificently and creating a splendid carriage for her. She arrives at the ball, catching the undivided attention of the prince (unbeknownst to her), with whom she spends the rest of the night dancing. She nearly loses track of time as the clock tolls midnight; as she flees the castle, she drops her glass slipper, and narrowly escapes the king’s guards. The next day, the Grand Duke visits every maiden in the kingdom, trying the slipper on every one in hope of finding who it belongs to. At long last, he reaches Cinderella’s home, but the slipper breaks due to the interference of Lady Tremaine. As if by destiny, Cinderella has the other slipper, and she lives happily ever after with her Prince Charming.

There’s a reason why this is the classic Disney movie. It’s full of charm and elegance, and it’s impossible to not empathize with Cinderella. Although it’s not as apparent by the unrealistic standards we set for modern-day female characters, Cinderella is actually an incredibly rounded character, and deserves more credit than she gets. She’s a strongly but subtly witty and sassy young woman, yet is never lacking in infallible patience and kindness. She makes a variety of sly remarks to her animal friends about her situation, only to provide some levity and not become depressed and traumatized, as many of us would in her situation, but she is never harsh or cruel. She sees the world for what it is and for what it could be, and never loses hope that things will turn out well for her one day. This film has possibly the most romantic lyrical soundtrack, with “So This is Love” and “A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes” outshining almost any Disney love song to date. When you hear these songs, you fall a little in love too. This film has an impeccable focus on true love, but despite its fantasy setting it feels more real and attainable than it does on the surface. Cinderella doesn’t even know she’s dancing with the prince, but she knows she’s in love, and that’s all that matters. (Also it took me literally years of watching this movie to finally pick up that she didn’t know he was the prince, oops.) Love doesn’t have contingencies, and that’s a beautiful thing. 9/10

Sleeping Beauty (1959)

starring Mary Costa, Bill Shirley, Eleanor Audley, Verna Felton, Barbara Luddy, Barbara Jo Allen

At the infant Princess Aurora’s christening, three fairies--Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather--arrive to bless her with three magical gifts. Flora bestows upon her incredible beauty, and Fauna gifts her with a beautiful voice. Before Merryweather can share her gift, the diabolical fairy Maleficent appears, insulted that she was unwanted by the court. She curses the child to prick her finger on the spindle of a spinning wheel and die before her 16th birthday. Merryweather uses her gift to amend the curse so that Aurora will only fall into a deep sleep, to be awakened by true love’s kiss. To prevent this from happening, the three fairies hide her in the woods, where they will remain as peasants until her 16th birthday passes. On her birthday, Aurora meets a handsome stranger, whom she falls in love with. When she returns home to share the news with the fairies, they break the news that not only is she already betrothed, but that they will to the castle that very evening. Before the sun sets, however, Maleficent tricks Aurora into pricking her finger, and she falls into the deathlike slumber. The stranger in the woods, who in actuality is Prince Phillip and Aurora’s betrothed, arrives at the cottage to meet her, where he is captured by Maleficent. She takes him to the Forbidden Mountain, but he quickly breaks out and battles with Maleficent as a fearsome dragon. Felling her, he rushes to Aurora’s side. With true love’s kiss, the curse is lifted, and the entire kingdom awakens.

As the third film in the Disney Princess lineage, Sleeping Beauty shows a remarkable evolution of design and artistic prowess. Snow White and Cinderella are both stunning, but the artists in this film take the backgrounds to a new, fantastical, and ethereal realm. This world is sewn together with magic, and it really comes through in the art. The music is also far more enchanting and romantic as a whole. The instrumental scores are breathtaking and truly immerse the audience in the magic of this world. There were certainly fewer lyrical numbers in this movie, but “Once Upon a Dream” is such a wonderful love song that walks the audience through Aurora’s youthful naivety and its evolution into realistic love. In my opinion, it’s nearly incomparable to the rest of Disney’s musical repertoire as well. Without question, Prince Phillip is Disney’s greatest and most heroic prince. He’s brave, steadfast, and honorable, and shows he will go to any length for the woman he loves. What other prince fights against a demonic dragon to save someone he just met the day before? That’s right, none. There may be more well-rounded princes, especially as we get toward his more modern counterparts, but very few have shown that they are willing to risk their lives or livelihood for the wellbeing of a loved one. With Aurora, on the other hand, I think Disney could have done better. She’s actually a rather shallow character; all we know about her is that she is beautiful, melodious, and imaginative, but we don’t know anything real about her personality. We don’t know what makes her feel good or bad about anything. We briefly see her response when her dreams are dashed, but even that isn’t as thoroughly expounded upon as other princesses are. The film also doesn’t give enough credit to the distress the huge reveal of her royal lineage causes. In other films, the princesses have real, gut-wrenching reactions to serious situations that are thrown their way, but Aurora isn’t given that depth. This may be one of my favorite movies, but it doesn’t quite hold up to many other Disney films. Also Maleficent is the best villain of all, and no I won’t take any criticisms. 7/10

Part One // Part Two // Part Three // Part Four // Part Five // Part Six // Part Seven // Part Eight

#cottagecore #forestcore #gardencore #cozycore #grandmacore #disney #disney movies #disney princesses #film #film review #movie #movie review #activities #mine

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egoiistas · 6 years

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may i feel, said he (14)

first | tag | ao3 | ffn

[co-written with @tsaritsa]

a/n 10k views on ao3 and nearing 20k on FFN. we're absolutely gobsmacked.as always, ty for all ur comments!!! we hope this update will satify u - ana has been waiting a very long time to write one particular scene and we've had to push it back so many times...I finally let her have it.

Warnings: Sexual Content ™, cursing Words: ~7.5k || Rated: M - Royai

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

salt-laced and arched / dorianne laux, this close

The days, then weeks go on without Olivier.

Easier than it should be, Riza adjusts to another walking out the door. Every once in a while, a sad wave of nostalgia washes over her when she sees the significantly vacant living room or looking at the bare wall that once held frames and chic paintings. Even if some called her icy and dull, she had impeccable taste and Riza misses the colors on the wall. These small moments creep up on Riza when she least expects them, during the most inane moments of the day, and it's hard not to feel the loss and how it still stings like an accidental pinch to sensitive skin.

Perhaps she judged Olivier incorrectly, a voice in her head tells her snidely. Perhaps you chose wrongly, a darker, but smaller voice said. Riza can’t fault her former flatmate’s inability to understand her affair, no matter how much or how little it stings. It burns in the hollow parts where their friendship used to be, knowing that this man has a better and more intimate understanding of her as a person than Olivier would ever be capable of or want to be capable of. The sentiment is selfish and she knows this. In other situations, she respected Olivier’s ability to remain steadfast in her convictions.

All this comes to mind on a Friday evening, a quiet one when they are rarely so for Riza. Earlier she relished at the fact that she could take advantage of the quietude to get lost in her annotated-to-death anthology of Pablo Neruda’s works; to be comfortably situated in her own bed and just take in the evoking prose, and catch up on her laundry she was woefully behind on. The space would do her some good, she reasoned. A lot had happened in the last few weeks and a bit of alone time with her favourite poets and a Greed pizza from Hell’s would do her some good. It’s been a while since she’s had a moment with just her and a book and four walls.

Riza looks at the time, the walls, the fading pages, and realizes … why did she ever come to miss this. When did she grow to enjoy company?

Rebecca had come and gone after her classes, commenting on how rare it was to see her there on a Friday. Riza tried to explain but her friend looked like she was short for time, making a racket with her closet and in the bathroom. Riza could hardly catch where she was going, she’d hardly made mention of it as she was hurrying out of the apartment and then those words were cut off by the slamming on the door. Not that she expected it, but the lack of invitation probably meant that it was a date or something of the sort. That was hours ago and Riza finds herself a little disappointed, but mostly strange, that her phone isn’t blowing up with a play-by-play of the date’s shortcomings or successes. The commentary is a specialty of Rebecca’s humor.

Her friend was right: ordinarily, she wouldn’t be here. Over the course of a few months, Riza has slipped into a routine that she is loathe to have issue with. A bus would take her on a route that went past his neighbourhood, following her afternoon biochem class. Sometimes, she’d make a detour to the supermarket nearby to pick up a few things if a mood struck for something in particular, but more often than not she was content with takeout. It was a nicer environment than the library - she could spread out all the work she needed to do on the coffee table in his lounge and sprawl herself along his couch. The hot chocolate powder that had mysteriously arrived in the pantry one day wasn’t amiss either.

This time, however, her excuse was moot and she couldn’t expect a phone call or exchange of texts to change that either, because tonight he was travelling to Central for a conference where chemistry nerds were converging to relay to each other the latest findings. Roy was not as excited as she expected. In fact, he looked particularly disgruntled by the way he told her about it two weeks ago. He whined how not even professors were spared from homework, or ‘paperwork’ as he referred to it.

Eventually, she pushes away the distractions and enthralled for the millionth by The Heights of Macchu Picchu when her phone lights up and pings on her desk. Mindful of the book in her hands that is practically falling apart, she sets it down carefully, before stretching out to pull on the charging cable. The phone falls into her hand with practiced ease, and Riza can’t help the smile that grows on her face as she sees the name - nickname - emblazoned on her lockscreen.

Spanish Inquisition, 7:02pm I had a very interesting visitor today Spanish Inquisition, 7:02pm You didn’t think to warn me?

A chill runs down her spine. She’s trying her best not to jump to conclusions but a familiar sanctimonious smirk appears in her mind’s eye. She wouldn’t...would she? Calmly, she responds:

Avecilla, 7:02pm I would if I knew who to warn you about.

Spanish Inquisition, 7:03pm So you didn’t know. Hmm. Spanish Inquisition, 7:03pm Your other flatmate. Not blonde. Bushy black hair. Very opinionated. Spanish Inquisition, 7:03pm And loud

Spanish Inquisition, 7:04pm Came into my office hours in middle of a meeting with another student.

Her relief is short-lived as the reality settles in. Palm meets skin and she smacks her forehead. She loves Rebecca - honestly, truly - but the girl lived in the moment and rarely considered the consequences of her actions in the aftermath. She can’t discern his reaction though, not through text alone. Her thumb hovers over the icon at the top of the app. Surely he would’ve called her if he felt the conversation warranted it.

Avecilla, 7:04pm becca? Avecilla, 7:04pm oh fuck

Spanish Inquisition, 7:07pm ah so, becca’s her name! I wish she would have told me that

Spanish Inquisition, 7:07pm She said a lot about a lot of things, but not her name Spanish Inquisition, 7:08pm tbh I wasn’t really given a chance to say anything Spanish Inquisition, 7:08pm Do you know how weird it is to be lectured in my own office

Riza mutters a string of curses under her breath.

She switches messaging windows to Rebecca’s and stares at the blank chat box wondering which side to approach this from. Her fingers rest on the bridge of her nose imagining the scene of a riled up Rebecca busting in through that office door, telling the unsuspecting student to scram and then potentially ripping Roy a new one about who-knows-what with the signature hands-on-hips stance. It’s frustrating, it should be incredibly frustrating. What she had said, the manner in which she barged in, how it’s interpreted - all of it could be her demise but a chuckle bubbles up because... Classic Rebecca.

Unaware that the screen had dimmed, she sees it light up again with a call this time. “Hello?”

“You left me on read?” The other voice on the line greets her with hints of playful tones under that indignant choice of words. He continues smoothly, “Are you starting to think you’re the exception in all of this, avecilla?”

She snorts, smiling as she sat up. As far as she can tell he’s not irritated. “No exception to the embarrassment knowing Rebecca did that. If I had known that was even remotely crossing her mind - well, I would have stopped her.”

“Something tells me even if you did know, there’s no much that you could have done from stopping a force of nature like that.” Despite the noise of what she assumes is Central all around him, she can hear the tired smile on him. “I think you’re very lucky to have such a loyal friend who has terrifyingly specific medical knowledge on how to best remove a penis.”

“She didn’t...” Riza groans and leans back against her pillows, sliding the dog-eared anthology back from the edge of the bed before she covers her face.

“She did. I was perplexed for most of it, blinking at her as she paced in front of my desk.” Riza let the words sink down with her mortification and then she’s frozen when he says, “Does she do this with all your boyfriends?”

She isn’t sure why it tenses her; maybe its because it's finally given a name, even if it’s only a label, and an unsure, timid smile crosses her face. “Consider yourself special for getting the Rebecca treatment.”

“I consider myself lucky for other reasons, Riza.”

Her demeanor changes with the teasing lilt in his words. A half-smile begins to spring up over her lips, thankful he’s understanding - in whatever capacity - of this. “Care to share with the class?” She says coyly.

“Yes, that no one else heard. Or made any comment about it.” He says sternly and she sinks back into her pillows.

“I don’t know why she thought storming into your office would be a good idea.”

“Well it certainly worked out well enough for you, didn’t it?” Even though he’s making fun of her, she bites her lip at the memory, and the way his voice has dipped now, sultry and inflected with the accent that he was well aware that made her weak in the knees. He’s blatantly flirting with her.

Riza scoffs. “I believe our aims were a little different if we are going to be making comparisons.”

“Ah, so you did come with a goal in mind then.”

“Yes, sir. I-”

There are stifled chuckles on the other end. He is one of the few people clever enough to really get under her skin, get her riled up.

“If I recall correct, you admitted that I was baited into your office because of your stunt.”

“Mmm, did I now?” he asks, low and throaty.

At least the whiplash from the back and forth keeps her on her toes; she looks at them wiggling even now as she talks to him. “Mhm, I was there.”

He chuckles lightly and she hears someone greet him faintly in the background. “Let me call you back so I can get into this hotel room.”

“Oh, of course.”

They don’t share many phone calls but even from the first day, she’s known his voice was pleasant. Especially when he wants it to be. His laugh was warm down the line, and inexplicably she finds herself missing him, despite talking to him this morning however briefly.

The phone rings and she greets him with a standard “hello.” When no sound comes from the other end, she checks the screen to make sure the line is connected.

“So…” he starts and it sounds like he plops on a bed. “What are you wearing?”

She blinks. “What?”

He enunciates each word. “What - are - you - wearing?”

She sinks down the length of her headboard. “You’re not serious.”

He tuts. “You didn’t answer my question.”

“Clothing.”

“You’re no fun, Miss Hawkeye.”

“Maybe it’s because I’d rather have you here to show me what you want.”

“So would I.” There’s a wistful edge to his voice. “Do you have other plans? I was under the impression that you had a date with some laundry and pizza.”

“I had a date,” she emphasises. “Besides... I don’t think I’d be too good at it.”

“Trial and error, right? There’s no pressure to do anything you’re not comfortable with and we can always stop whenever you’d like.”

Likewise, she gets up and locks the door to her bedroom even though she knows Rebecca won’t be home for a while yet - certainly not after that stunt. “What a gentleman.”

“I like to think so.” She can hear his smile. “So...what are you wearing?”

Riza smiles in turn, feeling foolish. It’s such a ridiculous question on top of a ridiculous act. Tightening her grip on her phone, she figures telling him the truth of her rather vanilla pyjamas would probably detract from the mood of… whatever this was. She knows enough about “phone sex” - even in her mind it leaves a weird, tingly feeling - to at least humor him. She sighs into the phone, “It’s warm tonight, so I decided to wear something comfy to bed. Something so I can wiggle under the covers without feeling ...constricted.”

“Shorts?” The voice at the other end sounds surprised and she clearly sees him, in her mind’s eye, leaning in closer with interest and probably a smirk.

Riza bites her lower lip. “Less.”

“Oh.” He sounds delighted. “Well, if you’re going to have me guess what Riza Hawkeye wears on her days off… the top to her pajamas and her small clothes.”

He knows her too well. With little movement, she slides her underwear down her legs, letting them fall to the floor. She laughs, a little nervously. “Less.”

“Aren’t you naughty tonight?”

“I’ve been asked to,” Riza teases and shifts against her pillows. “Now, tell me something.”

“Yes?”

She’s unfamiliar with this certain kind of ...adventure. Nonetheless, she’s still willing to try. “How... excited are you?”

“Mhm. Let’s see.” She faintly hears fabric shifting, zippers unzipping, and if she wasn’t listening so intently, she would have missed the light groan. “Very.”

She licks her lips, imagining him sitting on the edge of her bed. Her legs cross; as a pleasant surprise, her arousal settles hotly in between them. “Tell me why.”

“You. Your legs. Spread and losing myself between them. Your body on mine.”

“You’re worse than me, sir.” There is a throbbing pulse right at her core in rhythm with the hard thrumming in her chest. It feels warm and slick without having to touch herself, though the temptation to is becoming harder to ignore. “What would you do?” she asks, cradling the phone between her shoulder and her ear. “If you had me there.”

His laugh is delicious - she closes her eyes as a shiver runs over her bare skin. “Enough about me, avecilla. How eager would you be if you were here?”

“I’m hardly-”

“Try.”

Leaning back, Riza tries to imagine her own fantasies. “If I was there-” she hears a throaty chuckle, “- I’d get on my knees, relieve you of those pesky trousers...” A daring hand slips in between her legs and her fingers are glistening when she lifts them back up to the light.

“And?” His voice has become husky, rumbling through his throat.

“I’d take you into my mouth.” She answers automatically, distracted from her slow stroke, playing with herself. It’s true - previously, with other fumblings, she had done her part to make her partner feel good - but with him she is surprised to find herself enjoying the act so thoroughly. Maybe it’s a power thing. The image of him watching her take him into her mouth with hooded eyes and a slack jaw is something she holds close to her heart. She does that to him.

Nobody else.

It takes him a moment to respond and when he does, his words are marked with a smidgen of strain. “Fast or slow?”

She doesn’t realize until this moment that her eyes have fallen shut, her head thrown back. “Slow at first, tasting you, feeling how hard you are in my mouth and growing harder with my tongue.”

“At first?” Roy asks curiously. “You’d want me to make you go faster, wouldn’t you?”

“Yes, I do-” she admits, gasping with the building pleasure of using two fingers to stimulate her clit.

“Grabbing you by your hair to so you can feel me go deeper.”

“Yes…” His fingers coiled in her hair, his cock around her lips getting wetter each time she retook him in her mouth, the aching between her thighs increasing with every second -

“Yes, what?”

“Yes, sir.” Riza thought a laugh would leave her, instead she moans into the phone, feeling a warmth flush her skin pink. She’s wet enough to hear it, rubbing herself. She settles on the bed properly now, lying flat with the phone tucked between her shoulder and her ear. Gasping lightly, Riza slides a finger, then two inside herself as her other hand grabs her own breast, ghosting over the tip of her sensitive nipple.

“And where would you like me to fuck you?”

“Take me however you’d like me.” The truth is she can’t really think. She’s lost in her own fantasies. Against the wall with her legs over his hip; from behind where he could dig his nails into her as they picked up the pace; on top of him where she could feel him reaching depths that had her voice filling the room - it didn’t matter. There is an aching in her that her fingers cannot fulfill. He was too far away. She wants him here, with her and her shitty second-hand bed and the evidence is soaking her digits to her knuckles.

His groan reverberates through the phone lines and into her ear and she can almost feel the hot breath in her ear and his familiar scent.

She breathes in as hoping his phantom scent would materialize just for her. She begins, “I’m y-”

Her bedroom door opens.

“Rebecca!” she screeches. Mortified, she drops her phone, urging her roommate to get out. She can only imagine his confused expression as she swears black and blue and Rebecca is cackling madly in the background. She covers herself with her blanket, chasing her out and slams the door behind her. There’s a chuckle wedged in between the “I’m sorry!” Rebecca shouts from the other side of the door.

Her phone is still lit up, the call remaining in progress as she approaches her bed. “Roy..?” she breathes after the entire debacle. Paper crinkles beneath her feet. She quickly pulls them back and hisses under her breath.

“I’m here,” he responds after a moment and he sounds a little spent. “Did we have unfortunate timing again?”

She sighs as she kneels down, her blanket pooling around her feet. “What’s the matter?” he presses.

Riza groans as she sees the scattered pages across her room. The hardcover of her anthology lies face down, open. The spine of it must’ve hit the floor first. She crouches though her legs shake and picks up the annotated papers. “It’s nothing.”

Other than the shifting of someone on a bed, there’s silence on the other end until he speaks again. “It doesn’t sound like nothing, avecilla.”

She nestles the phone in between her ear and shoulder as she collects the remnants of the book in earnest. “A book I was reading before you called fell off the bed and the pages came apart.”

“You certainly haven’t shown me that kind of vigor to make a book fall apart.”

She huffs into the phone, hoping her flattened brow expression would be received telepathically. “It was old.”

“I’m not that old.”

“The book.”

She can hear him stifle a chuckle, but he fails by snickering anyway. It makes her smile too. “Now I see. In any case, I’m sorry to hear that. Which book was it?”

Riza flips the cover as if she didn’t already know. “An old poetry book I bought when I was younger. Neruda.”

“Ah, that’s unfortunate.”

“What’s unfortunate is that I was… almost getting into it,” she admits, slipping on a different pair of underwear.

She can just imagine the disappointed expression on his face. “That’s even more unfortunate. But there’ll be other times if the moment is ruined.”

Again, she smiles because of his understanding, despite her embarrassment and she’ll admit to herself that she’s little forlorn over missing the opportunity to hear him reach an orgasm right in her ear. “I think for right now it is. I need to clean up this mess and then there’s my other date that needs tending to.”

“Laundry isn’t that necessary, is it? By all means, walk around naked if you’d like. I certainly won’t protest.”

Riza grins, holding back the laughter. She manages to sternly volley back, “One of us has to remain civilized.”

He scoffs. “I’m hurt.”

“Somehow I doubt that.”

“Call me back once you’re done?”

Genuinely and warmly this time, she smiles. “If you behave.”

“So no dick pics?”

It takes a lot of willpower not to snort audibly. “Surprise me, sir.”

With his return, she realizes only a few weeks remain before classes end officially. Riza’s always taken initiative for her assignments with diligence, but there’s always the influx of assignments at the end of the term, projects to wrap up, or reports to finalize. Still aiding him when she can in the evenings, her free time becomes increasingly limited.

There’s a new, long list of journals and books that Roy requires for his research that they read and eventually determine the value of this information. On top of this already tedious work, she offers to help grade the essays from the two 100-level courses he teaches in addition to her Chemical Literature class.

It’s boring, menial and uninspiring work: the amount of grammatical, spelling and formatting errors has Riza throwing her pencil away from her in frustration on more than one occasion. The content of said work is of an even lesser quality. It aggravates Riza when it’s obvious to her that some these students don’t give a flying fuck about their education. Or they do, but they have a shit way of showing it.

Some dark part of her forms from this trial and she takes joy tearing into the worst of the essays via text messages to him. In turn, he responds with the excuses and the pleas for extensions or redacted frantic emails that come in once students factor in the weight of the participation grade.

Spanish Inquisition, 11:53 pm 3 years Spanish Inquisition, 11:53 pm 3 years and they still ignore the bolded text Spanish Inquisition, 11:53 pm It’s in caps you know. Spanish Inquisition, 11:53 pm PARTICIPATION GRADE: 35% Spanish Inquisition, 11:54 pm It’s almost like they forget that in order to participate they have to attend class.

Avecilla, 11:57 pm Strike them down Spanish Inquisition, 11:58 pm HA Avecilla, 11:58 pm I mean Avecilla, 11:58 pm How cruel are you going to be?

Spanish Inquisition, 11:59 pm Most will get a B or similar Spanish Inquisition, 11:59 pm Not enough for them to storm to the dean and complain i’m unfair, but maybe enough to encourage them to maybe try next time

The weeks fly by because of this and she can only think of one time in the last few weeks where they’ve actually managed to do more than just kiss. Riza isn’t one to keep tallies, but it was after a late night of simultaneously grading, reading and working on her final assignments. She was tired. She knew he was too, and while she could only blame herself for suggesting it, it didn’t make her any less frustrated when he drifts to sleep with his dick in her mouth. Rebecca harbored no sympathy for her either. She merely texts ‘HAHAHAHAHAHAHHA’ and then sends far too many tongue-in-cheek gifs implying Riza was “thirsty.”

Even if she was, Riza muted her best friend and finished herself off, but not before almost succumbing to sleep once or twice.

Every time after that, when they managed to have more coffee or sleep in, they were rudely interrupted in some other way. As if it were sacrilege he had taken that one time for granted, he jested once, and it soon became laughable what the universe kept throwing at them.

The workload was understandable, forgivable, and inevitably out of their control. Then, it was constant miscalculations of how little time they had: either she had a class or he had one to teach or office hours, or I’m about to crash and we both know how the last time worked out. It was driving her up the walls - and not in the ways she’d preferred.

They reach a point of recklessness. They take advantage of his empty office with a locked door on the final days after class. He cancels his office hours that morning after her assurances that her assignments were up to par and she could afford the distraction. Riza finds herself pleasantly nestled between euphoria and giddiness from the frantic way they paw at each other’s clothes. Or it’s the way she sat on the edge of his desk and the cool air tickled in the moist heat in between her legs. Or the little tinge of pride from cancelling his office hours just for her. Or perhaps a combination of it all. Irresponsible, to be sure, but she’d be lying if she said she wasn’t flattered how much he desired her, as if it were anything to question. She thinks, in foolish desperation, that the odds are in their favour this time.

She’s wet and ready from his fingers playing with her as they kiss, bringing him closer with her legs as her soft moans are muffled by his lips. Her hands reach for the buckle of his belt and she chuckles lightly when she detours further south to palm the erection under the cloth of his pants. Let’s free it, she thought then and refocused on the buckle, because she is fed up with all this teasing and none of the fingering. He’s given her a light orgasm already - the kind that leaves her wanting, that she only needed to bite down on her lip for - but it’s made her insatiable now. There’s just something so good about having him in her, and as much as she loves his fingers and dexterity, they cannot mimic the stretch and feeling of fullness he alone provides. “I want you,” she murmurs under his lips, drunk from her lust, as she unbuckled the belt with practiced fingers.

Loud and obnoxious, an alarm suddenly blares. Sound fills the room and it’s like a bucket of cold water over her; it takes them both a moment to recenter themselves back to earth. Her fingers uncurl from his pants and inwardly she mourns the loss of contact. The urge to keep going is strong; after all, when are fire alarms set off for a legitimate reasons anyway? It’s an irrational thought and Riza can hardly hear anything else. They fix themselves up hastily and exit the building; everybody they pass seemingly none the wiser. She lets herself drift away from him - a few metres and several people between them when they reach the evacuation point, reminding herself that there are other people here and this close to the end of classes is no excuse to relax her standards. She’s just...frustrated. A voice that sounds a lot like Rebecca’s teases that she’s actually just horny.

If she’s honest, she hates the shame that trickles down her spine at this unadulterated want. In a different time, with a less conservative upbringing to influence her choices, she wouldn’t find this shame and guilt currently she’s currently wrestling with. She would be more like Rebecca or even Olivier where it’s not on her radar, coming and going as she pleases. But if her circumstances were different, she probably wouldn’t even be here, studying for a Bachelor of Science as a means to connect with her absentee father.

Riza miraculously catches his eyes as the crowd slowly shuffles further back on the field as more people spill out of the Joseph Hunter Science Building. He mouths something to her, but her lipreading is terrible and she shrugs her shoulders, lifting up her phone to their field of vision.

Spanish Inquisition, 10:23am 10 minutes leaves enough time to return the favor of the other night.

The fire alarm had killed most of their time before her next class, but she forgoes punctuality in favor of four minutes of feeling his hair in between her fingers while his lips kiss in between her legs. In the end, her tardiness was excused.

Finally - finally, she thinks they’ve managed a miracle. Her final assignments are as ready as they’ll ever be, waiting for one final read-over before submission, and his last block of essays have been graded and handed back to their respective classes. Draped over him in the same chair in his apartment study where they first fucked, she’s allowing herself to celebrate as she cups his jaw with her hands, her tongue sliding against his pleasantly.

He hardens underneath her and she’s none too shy about unbuttoning his shirt as he has done for her. Pushed down to her elbows, the shirt is rid of her and it’s a painful few seconds when she pulls away to be free of it properly. He looks sinfully decadent beneath her, a lazy smirk growing on his face as one hand deliberately hooks a finger under her bra strap, tugging it down. Her lingerie choices have been adventurous in recent weeks - the pastel blue lacy number she’s currently wearing is definitely not designed for any exercise more taxing than walking, and judging by the way his Adam’s apple bobs in his throat, Riza knows with certainty that she’s found a keeper.

His fingers brush over her nipples, and she briefly shuts her eyes as he pinches before pulling the fabric down and draws her close, tongue soothing the puckered skin. Her hands curl into his hair, scratching at his scalp and Riza’s uncaring of the breathy moans leaving her - this is divine, and the wait has certainly been worth it.

Roy’s hands drift down and slide under her skirt, fingers gliding over the sensitive skin on the inside of her thighs, leaving tingling sensations in its wake. He is only mere inches from her arousal and a great deal of willpower goes into preventing herself from pushing his hand forward.

He takes off his glasses and she sets them behind her on the large desk. Her hands go through his hair as he cups her breast and brings her other nipple into his mouth, using his tongue to tease the tip and even nip at it gently with his teeth. His other hand clutches at her ass to bring her closer as if the distance they have was remotely unbearable. Riza gasps into his hair, grinding her hips over his lap, and his scent is mixed with sweat. It’s a dangerous, addicting blend, and she shudders in his lap as his fingers stroke across her bare skin. He releases her nipple slowly from between his teeth before shifting back to her other one and she remembers a joke he said about her breasts deserving equal treatment.

And then, in the middle of this achingly wonderful treatment - his ringtone goes off.

Roy groans for all the wrong reasons, throwing his head back. He keeps them steady as he awkwardly reaches his back pocket for his phone. “Pfft, it’s just Hughes,” he mutters after a concerted effort and sets the cell down on the chair of the arm. Softer and locked on her other unattended breast, he mumbles with a mouth full of her, “He can leave a message.”

Riza doesn’t remember which one is Hughes and she’s not given much time to think about it when his mouth returns to her breast and his hand squeezes, massages, tweaks at the other. She’s at the point of moaning out if you say so when the vibrations and standard tune rings out again.

He stops altogether and after a few seconds, it dies to a stop only to start up again. His attention is needed again, and she’s never felt quite as pissed off at an inanimate object as she does right now. Roy growls and sits back, picking up the phone. “Let me just see what he wants.”

She nods wordlessly and he starts the conversation, going beyond standard small talk after a few moments. She can hear the other man talking; an excitable person who gets even more excited when he talks about certain topics. She can’t discern what they’re talking about exactly, but Roy gives the occasional mhm and yeah when it’s warranted.

Riza figures she can go wait for him in the bedroom. Perhaps sprawled out with a bright, blinking sign that says ‘insert here’ in between her legs should he fail to see how much she wanted him that afternoon; she blames Rebecca’s influence for that kind of ridiculous humor. Riza starts to climb off him and stops when she’s kept in place from his hand gripping the fabric of her skirt. He wants her to stay there? She frowns and points at the phone. His brows furrow and he shakes his head, putting a finger over his mouth, telling her to be quiet.

Well, she can go be quiet in the other room. She can respect his privacy. It’s not a big deal; they had the entire evening to themselves. Well, nearly - but she’d be damned if she’d let any other distractions interrupt them after this call. She deserves to be fucked thoroughly.

Roy is apparently impatient, however. The hand holding the finger over his mouth flattens over her thigh and coasts up to the edge of her skirt. He thumbs the skin there, teasing the idea that he could touch her in the middle of this conversation. She looks at him knowingly when he crosses underneath the folds of her skirt, yet he continues on talking as though nothing has happened. He caresses the skin inside her thighs as he talks about something or the other: Riza isn’t concentrating on that, instead absorbed with the sensation of his fingers drifting higher and higher. She waits patiently, but his touch somehow makes her hotter, wetter. A devious finger lightly ghosts over the linen of her damp underwear and he says a perfectly timed “Oh?” towards the caller and to her. Riza blushes and grabs at his wrist.

She can sit up, she can leave the room, she knows that he’d respect that, but she doesn’t want to. She realizes there’s a morbid curiosity as to how and why he does things and she always wants to know. This is moment is one of them. It’s why she doesn’t stop him when he tugs aside the cloth of her underwear and wets his fingers with what’s in between her lips. Her frown dissipates and she gasps as if she’s been starved from his touch, like it’s an electrifying drug she’s been having withdrawals from. The sensations of his fingers rubbing against her clit is familiar and unknown, and she lets her head fall back, relishing in the feeling and clawing lightly at the armchair.

His fingers leave her and he cleans them off with his mouth before gesturing her to be quiet with a finger over his mouth again. She thinks she can hear his friend say “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” he responds, looking directly at her with a devious glint in his eyes. “Just eating. Go on.”

A warm tingle shoots down her spine and spreads across her abdomen down to her groin. She’s been enraptured by a lunatic and she’s allowed it to happen, even now when he aims to touch her again. With a bite to her knuckle, she grasps at his loosened shirt when his fingers return to remind her how obnoxiously needy she has become. Giving into this notion, she moves to hover over his lap for shameless access. He bites a bottom lip at this, staring her from the wrinkled mess of her skirt to her flushed, knuckle-biting face. She’s wet enough that an easy orgasm is on the horizon from the slow, rubbing stimulation on her clit. Riza makes the mistake of thinking he’ll stop there, because then one finger enters her and then another. Her reaction is unexpected, even to her. She falls back to his lap and bites the fleshy side of her palm to quell the noises. Her spread legs allow him to finger her, so he does. Slowly. In and out, and the noises would make her die of mortification if she weren’t enjoying every satisfyingly building moment of this pleasure. His palm is hitting her stimulated clit with each stroke and she’s grasping at his shirt once more, trying to salvage what solid ground she can keep as the pleasure rises within her..

He slows down when she’s at the precipice of a delicious orgasm that she even licks her lips, and decides to become an active participant in his phone call. But it’s not in English. He shifts to Spanish while his hand moves against her more patiently. She tries to catch her breath from holding it but it’s impossible not to listen to the way he’s talking. It’s fascinating how melodic a different language sounds and how much of a turn on it is for her. He speaks this language faster. His R’s roll off his tongue and somehow there’s more sensuality in his voice. It’s mesmerizing.

His attention turns back to her when moments ago he was staring at some place off to the side. He looks to her hips and she doesn’t even realize - until he does - how subtly she was moving them. Roy pauses, eyebrows furrowed before a downright hungry grin forms on his face, and his fingers begin to move once more.

“Estoy eschuchando,” he answers the person on the other line, his diction shifting into a huskier tone, each syllable pronounced lower and slower. She thought it was bad enough when he spoke it casually, but when he did it deliberately? She can only handle so much stimuli, and by this point she’s uncaring of how shameless she’s acting, how she’s become putty in his hands. She’s drunk on this orgasm she can feel barrelling towards her, on the lust and desire she feels for him. She’s never felt it quite like this before - this want that feels more like a need with every passing second. She wants to take the phone and hang it up for him, but she opts for pulling at the collar of his partially unbuttoned shirt and biting the taut muscle at the meeting of his neck and shoulder. He maintains that paced fingering in and out of her. She knows she’s tightening around his fingers because of the paced movement.

With his deliberate words at her ear, his fingers inside her, and the smell of his bare skin, she climaxes against him, taking deep breaths and every measure to stifle the moans and groans. Her head rests over his shoulder, hot breath hitting his neck. She can see him swallowing and doesn’t know why she didn’t think to give him the same torturing she just endured.

He’s hard. She can feel it and see it in this light. She palms it, clutches it, strokes it, and he swallows thickly again. He sounds strained when he cuts off the caller and abruptly says, “I’ll have to call you back.” Roy ends the call and the phone is tossed to the wayside as his fingers slide out of her.

She grabs his cock harder and he surprises her by standing up, supporting her by her underside until she’s laid on his desk directly behind her, over the papers she had spent last week meticulously highlighting. She lifts her hips to help with the removal of her own underwear. As he works with his own pants she tries to salvage what’s underneath her to little success. Distracted by her menial task, she gasps, surprised, when her wrists are manacled and set at either side of her head. Her breathing is heavy, his too. The tip of him nudges at her entrance and she moves against it, towards it just for the stretch a little bit more of him inside her.

“A little bird tells me you have a secret.”

Riza smiles coyly after a futile attempt to use her legs to bring him forward. “Hardly a secret if you know about it,” she manages, half-heartedly trying to move her arms. He doesn’t budge an inch, his smile dark and promising. She supposes at this point nothing should really surprise her when it comes to her newfound appreciation for less-than-vanilla sex, but there’s just something so inherently sexy about being pinned down by him, even as simply as she is right now. The temporary loss of control is so easy to lose herself in.

Roy observes her hungrily. “A kink then.”

The initial thrust makes her gasp sharply and he groans pleasantly. Her limbs dangle off the side as he fucks her over his desk. Where he was well-paced before, he is erratic now, but he won’t find complaint from her in that regard. She has no means of quieting herself with her hands where they are, and biting down at her teeth proves inefficient when each of his thrusts touch places she’s been yearning for weeks, when the stretch she’s been hungry for is finally given to her. Her eyes are shut, mouth open, body subject to this carnal movement. She doesn’t think to see beyond her eyes for the time being, what expressions his face is making or anything that will take her away from the here and now of the feelings of the sex. She feels selfish for relishing in this, but fuck, it’s been a long time coming and this sex proves it.

He lets go of her wrists and brings her toward him to hang just a little more over the desk by way of her legs. She reaches over her head at the other end of the desk, moaning into the inside of her arm, clutching the edge as if it were her salvation from plunging into the deep.

Her eyes open suddenly when he thumbs her clit. She looks at him and there’s a wolfish grin on his face, enjoying her reactions in the ways she squirms, moans, mewls, and tightens. Her fingernails scratch at the desk for purchase, for breath, but he continues with sweat beading his brow until he grunts a little louder and his final thrusts hit deeper as he cums inside her.

Her own orgasm follows shortly after, and she’s left quivering on the desk, well aware of the sight she is before him. She can feel his seed leaking out of her as her pulls out, and automatically her fingers move to catch it - like hell was she going to completely debase the paperwork that was crumpled underneath her. He utters a strange, strained grunt, running a hand through his hair roughly.

“I’ve told you, you can’t just do that with no warning.”

“Oh?” Her hand rises back up to her mouth and she wets her lower lip in anticipation. “Do this?” Her tongue darts out to lap at the milky, viscous fluid and while the taste is not delightful, the reaction that he has most certainly is. She barely has time to repeat her actions before his hand closes firmly over her own, and pulling her up to a sitting position at the edge of his desk.

“No,” he tells her firmly, though the matching smile on his lips belies any real annoyance. “If you’re going to be the death of me I’d at least like to get my money’s worth.” The kiss he drops on her forehead is soft. “I’ll get you a washcloth,” he says, fixing up his trousers loosely. The faint trail of hair sticks out against his lower abdomen like a beacon and Riza swallows the urge to coax him back for another round.

She adjusts the straps of her bra back up on her shoulders and nicks his discarded shirt from the ground. Her skirt is a crumpled, lost cause, and Riza makes a mental note to pick up an iron at some point this weekend - she hadn’t noticed it immediately, but of the many appliances Olivier had taken with her, the iron was the one she had relied on the most. Rebecca had bitched endlessly about the mini espresso machine that had also disappeared, though it had quickly been replaced.

She rolls up the sleeves of his shirt as she walks down the hallway towards the kitchen, humming under her breath. Roy would probably appreciate a cup of coffee, she thinks, focusing on doing the buttons up correctly as she passes by the island countertop and the man sitting there.

She stills, before turning to make sure she’s seeing right. The man looks up from the plate in front of him and raises his mug in greeting, the lowlights from the kitchen reflecting strangely on his glasses.

“You kids had fun?” he asks, before taking a sip. His tone is light, breezy, and he gestures to the plate in front of him when she doesn’t respond. “You’re probably hungry after that, uh-” he breaks off laughing, ducking his head “-after that workout. My wife made a quiche - you should have some, it is the best in the world, and I’m not biased.”

#royai #roy mustang #fullmetal alchemist #royai fanfiction #riza hawkeye #*may i feel #*shine #fma #A LONG ONE #and hey look two weeks within the last one #AYYYYYYYYYY #hope you enjoy because.....i know i did

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chibi-chaos · 6 years

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Soooo Season Six happened

And the entire Voltron fandom is pretty much in more chaos than ever.

Yes this was the season where I have lost even more interest in the shippings. and feel like even watching it five times won’t give me the answers I need or want - but I feel like some appreciation is needed for this season.

1. Baby Keith/ Kogane Family Can we just take a moment to appreciated how freaking precious those flashbacks were. Like my goodness I could have melted into a pile of goo with how cute it all was.

Also Baby Keith with Baby Mullet confirmed.

2. Texas Kogane Still has no name but is a true MVP. Like who else would see something crash, decide to investigate and rescue AND THEN WOOS THE RESCUED PERSON. Between how Shiro outfit turned out to be originally his, to how he’d named Keith and also saved him from being called ‘Yorak’, he’s just perfect. ‘You need to blow something up? Sure, I’ll help you with that’, ‘You need someone to keep an eye on this gigantic blue kitty - count me in’.

3. Hunk Appreciation The one thing which I loved about the first episode was how to reinforced Hunk’s development. It reinforced how curious about other species, as well as how he can take control of situations when it’s needed.

4. Kuron Unpopular Opinion: Kuron was precious. As a person who had spent months with chronic headache I can respect earlier Kuron for having to cope with those monstrosities. On top of that he didn’t know he was a clone, and while he was a jerk a fair few times in season 5 he was also lost and confused and even admitted it to Lance. Season 6 showed how hard he struggled to keep control, and look how happy he had been in the space DnD episode and how into it he got. Once Haggar had control there would have been no way for Kuron to regain it - which makes that last moment of Kuron even sadder if you ask me.

5. Space DnD Firstly I am freaking happy with my idea of DnD being validated, also I just loved that entire episode cause darn it, it was soft. They were happy round a table and playing as teenagers their ages are supposed to. Coran being like the cool uncle being the dungeon master made it even better.

Also can we all agree that if Keith was there, he’d want to be a rouge?

6. Keith and Space Wolf Can I just say that Keith getting a space wolf as a pet wasn’t as surprising as I thought it would be, it has only amplified his edginess. And my gosh I love it, like that montage of him playing with it was so precious, and also it’s bloody adorable and I need to know it’s name.

7. Krolia is a queen Like firstly the entire flashbacks made me love her as a character even more, I mean that fight scene just reinforces how much of a badass she was and those family scenes emphasized how important family was to her. Secondly how the first time the blast of light happen, how quickly she moved to protect Keith - mama bear right there.

8. Keith kinda reminds me of Zuko more and I love it. I mean he freaking went on a trip where he discovered more of himself and came back with an Altean when everyone thought there was no more, his mother, and a space wolf. That’s so similar to Zuko that is actually pretty funny.

9. Romelle Anyone who isn’t happy with how she turned out to be needs a moment to rethink. The fact that she went against everything that her society taught her, experience that much pain and remained steadfast on her determination is impressive. The fact she went along with everything as the castle fell apart is even more impressive considering how far out of her element she would have been.

10. Lance and his interaction with animals. The fact that he takes care of them is adorable, as well as the fact of how he talks to them.

11. I’m surprised that this wasn’t my first point but... Keith was so beautiful this season Like frick aged up Keith is so darn pretty and that fall scene was so aesthetic that you would friking print and frame it and call it art.

12. Motivator Lance Lemme tell you I could do with a chibi Lance who gives those motivational speeches like the ones he’s given to Keith and Allura these past few seasons.

13. Pidge and Hunk Just how they interact is adorable with their banter. Also their scenes this season was great, between their determination and just the entire part where they’re trying to fix the castle. Between Pidge once more anticipating anything, and Hunk having to swing Coran around, it was tense and great.

14. Black Lion Further confirmation on how even space lions are protective as heck about their cubs or paladins. We had red with the early seasons and now Black ‘Nope you’re not dying on me now mister’ Lion in season six.

There’s probably more but I’d need to watch the season again... which I shall do later.

#voltron #Voltron legendary defender #voltron lotor #voltron keith #voltron lance #voltron shiro #voltron kuron #voltron krolia #voltron hunk #voltron pridge #voltron allura #voltron season 6 #that was a really rough ride #appreciation #positivity in times of darkness

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lanternofreason-blog · 7 years

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I’m a woman, and I’m anti feminism

I’m a 23 year old mother and wife. I have two beautiful kids. I have a husband who goes to work and provides, while I stay home and take care of the domestic duties. Up until around one year ago I considered myself a feminist and steeped myself in SJW ideology.

For a long time I immersed myself in feminist/ social justice ideology and concepts, pouring over lots of literature, reading hundreds of blog posts, watching endless hours of YouTube videos. I felt that I was being awoken (or “woke”, as many douchebags would say) to this world of injustice that was being forced upon women and POC at the hands of the evil white patriarchy.

Of course like any good missionary of social justice, I preached the good word to all the sinners, demanding they repent or take their evil ways far away from me. I cut off friendships if I felt the person didn’t mirror my own values and ideas. I constantly brought up my white privilege, as all the SJW leaders told me that’s all I had to do, was acknowledge my privilege.

At the time everything made so much sense, I was a young and impressionable kid. I had people with shared life experiences, like being cat called as a minor example, and through those shared experiences women and men were coming together on this social media platform, and modeling these experiences as victimhood. When I was young, like many young people, I already carried around lots of anger and insecurity. I carried my own individual victimhood for years prior to my time as a feminist, but finally I could label my victimhood and be part of a collective of other victims.

Of course my victimhood as a woman was all but overshadowed by mountain of white, straight, cis privilege. Regardless of my life experiences I was told that I automatically had it easier, and even though a small part of me never accepted that fact I projected very loudly about it. Even though I was raised to treat and judge people as individuals, and always strongly opposed racism, I was told and accepted that I was inherently racist. Even though I advocated for LGBT rights, I acknowledged my inherent homophobia and transphobia.

At the root of all the leftist tolerance was the vitriol we had to direct at anyone who wasn’t leftist. I remember stumbling across blogs dedicated to doxing conservatives and getting people fired from their jobs for making off color jokes on social media. I completely changed my definition of words like racist, and sexist. They were stretched to cover any offense, even something as small as telling a woman she looked pretty or asking a non-white person where they were from.

About 12-14 months ago I started opening myself to different opinions. It started when my husband and I got into an argument about the group Black Lives Matter, After one of the many riots initiated by the movement. I defended them stubbornly for hours, but the conversation lingered in my mind long after my husband and I hung up the gloves. I thought to myself that there was no harm in hearing the other side, because I was so steadfast in my beliefs.

It started with a YouTube search inquiry for “ black lives matter bad”. I watched one video, by a great you tuber by the username eazyonme, where he explained why he denounced BLM, which led me into another ANTI SJW, someblackguy, both of whom remain some of my favorite Anti-sjw commentators. It led me down a rabbit hole of information. I was immersed in information that completely shook up my entire worldview. Within a week of opening my mind to the opinions and arguments from the other side, I had all but jumped the fence to the side of “Anti’s.” The videos, lectures, articles and blogposts came from a great diversity of people, in both age, gender, race and religion. It really blew my mind to see so many different people opposing social justice, something I thought was a singularly straight white sin.

The biggest thing about my time as a feminist is that it really appealed to my young emotional mind. As I got older, I also gained a lot of reason and insight. When I decided to leave the rancid echo chamber of the social justice hemisphere, I found that so much of social justice is more about feelings than facts. I was looking at all these SJW issues through a fish eye lens, where everything in the center was amplified, but all the stuff around it was warped and minimized. When I took the fish eye lens away and could clearly see the whole picture, I realized that yes, some of these problems existed, but not in the way I thought.

And so after one year of reflecting from my departure from social justice, I’ve decided to start sharing my opinions and stories with the world. I’m entering the belly of the beast and I expect plenty of backlash of my opinions from all the infamous tumblr social justice warriors. I also hope to help people open their eyes, and if I can get even one person to just hear me out, then I’ll feel accomplished.

If you’ve sat through this whole post, I want to thank you for your time, and I hope you will subscribe and come back to hear more. I want more people to stop allowing people to spoon feed them their opinions, and do a little research, form your own opinion, OPEN YOUR MIND. Don’t be afraid to hear both sides.

Sincerely, an ex-feminist

#feminism #social justice #sjw #anti feminism #blm #mra #mens rights #end feminism #me #personal #mine

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tinyshe · 4 years

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Letter of Saint-Louis IX, Roi et Confesseur, to His Son Philip III

St. Louis' letter of advice to advice his eldest son, the later Philip III provides us with some insight into the attitudes of one of the most important French kings of the period. There has been some questions about its authorship. Even if not by the hand of Louis IX, it does reflect a mindset which, despite the pieties of the language, puts forth some real concept of kingship - with regard to justice, administration, the various classes, towns and the Church.

1. To his dear first-born son, Philip, greeting, and his father's love.

2. Dear son, since I desire with all my heart that you be well "instructed in all things, it is in my thought to give you some advice this writing. For I have heard you say, several times, that you remember my words better than those of any one else. 3. Therefore, dear son, the first thing I advise is that you fix your whole heart upon God, and love Him with all your strength, for without this no one can be saved or be of any worth. 4- You should, with all your strength, shun everything which you believe to be displeasing to Him. And you ought especially to be resolved not to commit mortal sin, no matter what may happen and should permit all your limbs to be hewn off, and suffer every manner of torment , rather than fall knowingly into mortal sin. 5. If our Lord send you any adversity, whether illness or other in good patience, and thank Him for it, thing, you should receive it in good patience and be thankful for it, for you ought to believe that He will cause everything to turn out for your good; and likewise you should think that you have well merited it, and more also, should He will it, because you have loved Him but little, and served Him but little, and have done many things contrary to His will. 6. If our Lord send you any prosperity, either health of body or other thing you ought to thank Him humbly for it, and you ought to be careful that you are not the worse for it, either through pride or anything else, for it is a very great sin to fight against our Lord with His gifts. 7. Dear son, I advise you that you accustom yourself to frequent confession, and that you choose always, as your confessors, men who are upright and sufficiently learned, and who can teach you what you should do and what you should avoid. You should so carry yourself that your confessors and other friends may dare confidently to reprove you and show you your faults. 8. Dear son, I advise you that you listen willingly and devoutly the services of Holy Church, and, when you are in church, avoid to frivolity and trifling, and do not look here and there; but pray to God with lips and heart alike, while entertaining sweet thoughts about Him, and especially at the mass, when the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ are consecrated, and for a little time before. 9. Dear son, have a tender pitiful heart for the poor, and for all those whom you believe to be in misery of heart or body, and, according to your ability, comfort and aid them with some alms. 10. Maintain the good customs of your realm, and put down the bad ones. Do not oppress your people and do not burden them with tolls or tailles, except under very great necessity. 11. If you have any unrest of heart, of such a nature that it may be told, tell it to your confessor, or to some upright man who can keep your secret; you will be able to carry more easily the thought of your heart. 12. See to it that those of your household are upright and loyal, and remember the Scripture, which says: "Elige viros timentes Deum in quibus sit justicia et qui oderint avariciam"; that is to say, "Love those who serve God and who render strict justice and hate covetousness"; and you will profit, and will govern your kingdom well. 13. Dear son, see to it that all your associates are upright, whether clerics or laymen, and have frequent good converse with them; and flee the society of the bad. And listen willingly to the word of God, both in open and in secret; and purchase freely prayers and pardons.14. Love all good, and hate all evil, in whomsoever it may be. 15. Let no one be so bold as to say, in your presence, words which attract and lead to sin, and do not permit words of detraction to be spoken of another behind his back. !6. Suffer it not that any ill be spoken of God or His saints in your presence, without taking prompt vengeance. But if the offender be a clerk or so great a person that you ought not to try him, report the matter to him who is entitled to judge it. 17. Dear son, give thanks to God often for all the good things He has done for you, so that you may be worthy to receive more, in such a manner that if it please the Lord that you come to the burden and honor of governing the kingdom, you may be worthy to receive the sacred unction wherewith the kings of France are consecrated. 18. Dear son, if you come to the throne, strive to have that which befits a king, that is to say, that in justice and rectitude you hold yourself steadfast and loyal toward your subjects and your vassals, without turning either to the right or to the left, but always straight, whatever may happen. And if a poor man have a quarrel with a rich man, sustain the poor rather than the rich, until the truth is made clear, and when you know the truth, do justice to them. 19. If any one have entered into a suit against you (for any injury or wrong which he may believe that you have done to him), be always for him and against yourself in the presence of your council, without showing that you think much of your case (until the truth be made known concerning it); for those of your council might be backward in speaking against you, and this you should not wish; and command your judges that you be not in any way upheld more than any others, for thus will your councillors judge more boldly according to right and truth. 20. If you have anything belonging to another, either of yourself or through your predecessors, if the matter is certain, give it up without delay, however great it may be, either in land or money or otherwise. If the matter is doubtful, have it inquired into by wise men, promptly and diligently. And if the affair is so obscure that you cannot know the truth, make such a settlement, by the counsel of s of upright men, that your soul, and the soul your predecessors, may be wholly freed from the affair. And even if you hear some one say that your predecessors made restitution, make diligent inquiry to learn if anything remains to be restored; and if you find that such is the case, cause it to be delivered over at once, for the liberation of your soul and the souls of your predecessors. 21. You should seek earnestly how your vassals and your subjects may live in peace and rectitude beneath your sway; likewise, the good towns and the good cities of your kingdom. And preserve them in the estate and the liberty in which your predecessors kept them, redress it, and if there be anything to amend, amend and preserve their favor and their love. For it is by the strength and the riches of your good cities and your good towns that the native and the foreigner, especially your peers and your barons, are deterred from doing ill to you. I will remember that Paris and the good towns of my kingdom aided me against the barons, when I was newly crowned. 22. Honor and love all the people of Holy Church, and be careful that no violence be done to them, and that their gifts and alms, which your predecessors have bestowed upon them, be not taken away or diminished. And I wish here to tell you what is related concerning King Philip, my ancestor, as one of his council, who said he heard it, told it to me. The king, one day, was with his privy council, and he was there who told me these words. And one of the king's councillors said to him how much wrong and loss he suffered from those of Holy Church, in that they took away his rights and lessened the jurisdiction of his court; and they marveled greatly how he endured it. And the good king answered: "I am quite certain that they do me much wrong, but when I consider the goodnesses and kindnesses which God has done me, I had rather that my rights should go, than have a contention or awaken a quarrel with Holy Church." And this I tell to you that you may not lightly believe anything against the people of Holy Church; so love them and honor them and watch over them that they may in peace do the service of our Lord. 23. Moreover, I advise you to love dearly the clergy, and, so far as you are able, do good to them in their necessities, and likewise love those by whom God is most honored and served, and by whom the Faith is preached and exalted. 24. Dear son, I advise that you love and reverence your father and your mother, willingly remember and keep their commandments, and be inclined to believe their good counsels. 25. Love your brothers, and always wish their well-being and their good advancement, and also be to them in the place of a father, to instruct them in all good. But be watchful lest, for the love which you bear to one, you turn aside from right doing, and do to the others that which is not meet. 26. Dear son, I advise you to bestow the benefices of Holy Church which you have to give, upon good persons, of good and clean life, and that you bestow them with the high counsel of upright men. And I am of the opinion that it is preferable to give them to those who hold nothing of Holy Church, rather than to others. For, if you inquire diligently, you will find enough of those who have nothing who will use wisely that entrusted to them. 27. Dear son, I advise you that you try with all your strength to avoid warring against any Christian man, unless he have done you too much ill. And if wrong be done you, try several ways to see if you can find how you can secure your rights, before you make war; and act thus in order to avoid the sins which are committed in warfare. 28. And if it fall out that it is needful that you should make war (either because some one of your vassals has failed to plead his case in your court, or because he has done wrong to some church or to some poor person, or to any other person whatsoever, and is unwilling to make amends out of regard for you, or for any other reasonable cause), whatever the reason for which it is necessary for you to make war, give diligent command that the poor folk who have done no wrong or crime be protected from damage to their vines, either through fire or otherwise, for it were more fitting that you should constrain the wrongdoer by taking his own property (either towns or castles, by force of siege), than that you should devastate the property of poor people. And be careful not to start the war before you have good counsel that the cause is most reasonable, and before you have summoned the offender to make amends, and have waited as long as you should. And if he ask mercy, you ought to pardon him, and accept his amends, so that God may be pleased with you. 29. Dear son, I advise you to appease wars and contentions, whether they be yours or those of your subjects, just as quickly as may be, for it is a thing most pleasing to our Lord. And Monsignor Martin gave us a very great example of this. For, one time, when our Lord made it known to him that he was about to die, he set out to make peace between certain clerks of his archbishopric, and he was of the opinion that in so doing he was giving a good end to life. 30. Seek diligently, most sweet son, to have good baillis and good prevots in your land, and inquire frequently concerning their doings, and how they conduct themselves, and if they administer justice well, and do no wrong to any one, nor anything which they ought not do. Inquire more often concerning those of your household if they be too covetous or too arrogant; for it is natural that the members should seek to imitate their chief; that is, when the master is wise and well-behaved, all those of his household follow his example and prefer it. For however much you ought to hate evil in others, you should have more hatred for the evil which comes from those who derive their power from you, than you bear to the evil of others; and the more ought you to be on your guard and prevent this from happening. 3!. Dear son, I advise you always to be devoted to the Church of Rome, and to the sovereign pontiff, our father, and to bear him the reverence and honor which you owe to your spiritual father.32. Dear son, freely give power to persons of good character, who know how to use it well, and strive to have wickednesses expelled from your land, that is to say, nasty oaths, and everything said or done against God or our Lady or the saints. In a wise and proper manner put a stop, in your land, to bodily sins, dicing, taverns, and other sins. Put down heresy so far as you can, and hold in especial abhorrence Jews, and all sorts of people who are hostile to the Faith, so that your land may be well purged of them, in such manner as, by the sage counsel of good people, may appear to you advisable. 33. Further the right with all your strength. Moreover I admonish you that you strive most earnestly to show your gratitude for the benefits which our Lord has bestowed upon you, and that you may know how to give Him thanks therefore 34. Dear son, take care that the expenses of your household are reasonable and moderate, and that its moneys are justly obtained. And there is one opinion that I deeply wish you to entertain, that is to say, that you keep yourself free from foolish expenses and evil exactions, and that your money should be well expended and well acquired. And this opinion, together with other opinions which are suitable and profitable, I pray that ourLord may teach you. 35. Finally, most sweet son, I conjure and require you that, if it please our Lord that I should die before you, you have my soul succored with masses and orisons, and that you send through the congregations of the kingdom of France, and demand their prayers for my soul, and that you grant me a special and full part in all the good deeds which you perform. 36. In conclusion, dear son, I give you all the blessings which a good and tender father can give to a son, and I pray our Lord Jesus Christ, by His mercy, by the prayers and merits of His blessed Mother, the Virgin Mary, and of angels and archangels and of all the saints, to guard and protect you from doing anything contrary to His will, and to give you grace to do it always, so that He may be honored and served by you. And this may He do to me as to you, by His great bounty, so that after this mortal life we may be able to be together with Him in the eternal life, and see Him, love Him, and praise Him without end. Amen. And glory, honor, and praise be to Him who is one God with the Father and the Holy Spirit; without beginning and without end. Amen.

From Saint Louis' Advice to His Son, in Medieval Civilization, trans. and eds. Dana Munro and George Clarke Sellery (New York: The Century Company, 1910), pp. 366 -75. This text is part of the Internet Medieval Source Book. The Sourcebook is a collection of public domain and copy-permitted texts related to medieval and Byzantine history. Unless otherwise indicated the specific electronic form of the document is copyright. Permission is granted for electronic copying, distribution in print form for educational purposes and personal use. If you do reduplicate the document, indicate the source. No permission is granted for commercial use.

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#catholic #letter #st louis ix

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douglasacogan · 4 years

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Chad Marks, high-profile "prison lawyer" subject to extreme stacked 924(c) term, gets his sentence reduced from 40 to 20 years via § 3582(c)(1)(A)

Readers may recall this post from last year about a remarkable four-page order entered in US v. Marks, No. 03-CR-6033 (WDNY March 14, 2019). I am happy to have an update to this story. First some background, then the latest chapter.

Chad Marks' case has been followed for years by clemency advocates like Amy Povah, and this CAN-DO profile page has lots of background materials about his case, his requests for clemency, and all the positive work he has done since being federally sentenced years ago to 40 mandatory prison years due to stacked § 924(c) firearm charges. The March 2019 order by US District Judge David Larimer, which reviewed the unfairness of Marks' sentence and his extraordinary good works in prison, urged the local federal prosecutor to "carefully consider exercising his discretion to agree to an order vacating one of Marks two Section 924(c) convictions" in light of congressional modifications of this provision in the FIRST STEP Act.

At the time of the March 2019 order in the Marks case, I noted that Judge Larimer did not "have to rely on the US Attorney to do justice in this case now that the FIRST STEP Act has changed the process around judicial consideration of sentence modifications under 18 U.S.C. § 3582(C)(1)(A)." Reading the March 2019 Marks order, it seemed to me that Judge Larimer had already essentially concluded that Chad Marks had established "extraordinary and compelling reasons" to warrant a sentencing reduction under § 3582(c)(1)(A).

Fast forward just over 13 months, and now we have a new order in US v. Marks, No. 03-CR-6033L, 2020 WL 1908911 (WDNY April 20, 2020) (available for download below). This order now runs 39 pages, and here are a few highlights:

The United States Attorney never formally responded to the Court’s Order and suggestion, but the Government’s position is crystal clear from its filings and steadfast opposition to Marks’s motion. Given the Government’s continued, unyielding characterization of Marks as “a dangerous and violent man,” (Dkt. #503 at 1), and “a liar, perjurer and an obstructer of justice,” id. at 2, who “remains a criminal,” id., and its position that Marks “is not entitled to and does not deserve any more mercy,” id. at 23, it is obvious that the Government will never consent to vacating one of Marks’s § 924(c) convictions, or to any other relief for Marks. It seems highly unlikely that the Government ever took seriously this Court’s request that it “carefully consider” doing so.

Be that as it may, that avenue of relief is thus foreclosed in this case. Absent the Government’s consent (or some other independent ground), this Court has no authority to vacate any of Marks’s convictions.... But that does not necessarily mean that Marks is barred from all relief. In addition to his pro se motion to reduce his sentence, he has also filed a motion, through counsel, to reduce his sentence pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 3582(c)(1)(A)(I). (Dkt. #498.) That motion is based in large part on the First Step Act of 2018, which is discussed below....

There is growing authority from district courts throughout the country that find extraordinary and compelling circumstances under circumstances very similar to Marks’s. First, Marks was subject to the “stacking” of offenses under 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(1)(C).... Congress has also stated that “rehabilitation ... alone” may not be considered an extraordinary and compelling reason for reduction of sentence. While that clearly forecloses relief based solely on a defendant’s efforts toward rehabilitation, it implies that rehabilitation is a factor that a court may consider, in conjunction with other relevant circumstances....

[The Government's argument] puts Marks in a “Catch-22” situation. If he had spent his free time in prison doing little but visiting the weight room, or sitting in his cell reading comic books, the Government would likely point to that as evidence of his incorrigibility or indolence. Yet having taken consistent, years-long efforts to better his life and the lives of those around him, Marks finds himself accused of a cynical attempt to play on the Court’s sympathies. The Government is apparently unwilling even to consider the possibility that Marks’s efforts have been sincere. In the Government’s view, there is no place for redemption. I do not share that view....

Furthermore, the mere fact that some self-interest may have been involved is hardly remarkable, and is not a reason to disregard Marks’s accomplishments since then. Whatever motives may have initially prompted Marks to undertake rehabilitative efforts, the fact is that he has followed that path for many years, by all appearances to the benefit of himself and others. If actions speak louder than words, then Marks’s actions have spoken volumes. To ignore those efforts would only serve to discourage prisoners from making any efforts at rehabilitation, which is presumably not what Congress had in mind when it gave prisoners the ability to seek direct relief from the courts.

It is undisputed that at one point in this case, during plea negotiations, the Government floated the idea of a straight 20-year plea.... Clearly, then, at one time the Government was open to the idea of Marks being released from prison after twenty years. As explained above, I see no reason why Marks is more dangerous now than he was then. The evidence before the Court indicates quite the contrary. The Court is not suggesting that a defendant can refuse a plea offer, and then years later, having received a stiffer sentence than what he was offered, retroactively “accept” the offer. The point is that the Government’s prior willingness to consider a 20-year plea deal undercuts its present argument that Marks is too dangerous to be released before the end of his current 40-year sentence....

Having weighed the relevant circumstances, in light of the evidence and the law, I conclude that the appropriate relief here is to reduce Marks’s sentence to an aggregate term of twenty years’ imprisonment, followed by an eight-year term of supervised release.... In reaching this conclusion, the Court notes that even twenty years is more than that imposed on Marks’s codefendants, who received sentences of 13 years (Richard Ross, Dkt. #142), 15 years and one month (Nathan Brown, Dkt. #256), and 12 years and seven months (Tommy Hardy, Dkt. #276). None of those codefendants were minor participants in the offense. I recognize that those defendants pleaded guilty, while Marks elected to proceed to trial. The point is that his sentence remains a hefty one, and for all the reasons stated above, in my discretion, I find that it is appropriate here.

Download W.D.N.Y. 03-cr-06033 dckt 000536_000 filed 2020-04-20

Though I am quite pleased to see Judge Larimer exercise his discretion to cut two excessive decades off Chad Marks' prison term, I am still put off just a bit by the fact that the court here decided that the arbitrary round number of "20 years" originally proposed by federal prosecutors was the "right" sentence now. Especially since it appears none of Marks' co-defendants got more than 15.1 years, it still seems that the court is essentially indicating that five extra years in prison for exercising the right to go to trial is fitting even after it is clear that those five extra years are not needed for the defendant's rehabilitation. For all the virtues of this opinion, it still closes with a not-so-subtle conclusion that it is proper for this defendant to be given an extra half-decade in prison for exercising his constitutional right to put the government to its burden of proof.

That all said, because of time already served and good time credits, I think the new 20-year term for Chad Marks still means he should be released from federak prison relative soon (rather than in the year 2037, as the BOP inmate locator says as of this writing). Congrats to both Chad and to his lawyers (including, according to a footnote in this new opinion, former federal Judge John Gleeson).

Some (of many) prior related posts on (COVID-free) sentence reductions:

New District Court ruling confirms that "any extraordinary and compelling reasons" can now provide basis for reducing imprisonment under 3582(c)(1)(A)

District Court finds statutory sentence reform among "extraordinary and compelling reasons" for reducing LWOP sentence under 3582(c)(1)(A)

Another notable (but ultimately disappointing) ruling about sentence reductions under 3582(c)(1)(A) after FIRST STEP Act

Another LWOP federal drug sentence reduced under 3582(c)(1)(A) after FIRST STEP Act

Another District Court finds statutory sentence reform among "extraordinary and compelling reasons" for reducing sentence by 40 years under 3582(c)(1)(A)

Another thoughtful and thorough opinion finds statutory reform among "extraordinary and compelling reasons" for reducing sentence under § 3582(c)(1)(A)

Notable recent (pre-COVID) grants of sentence reductions from coast to coast using § 3582(c)(1)(A) ... as FAMM urges thousand more filings in response to coronavirus

Two notable new § 3582(c)(1)(A) sentence reductions to remedy extreme stacked 924(c) sentences reformed by FIRST STEP Act

from RSSMix.com Mix ID 8247011 https://sentencing.typepad.com/sentencing_law_and_policy/2020/04/chad-marks-gets-his-sentence-cut-from-40-to-20-years-.html via http://www.rssmix.com/

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seekfirstme · 5 years

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Meditation: What is the greatest act of love which one can give for the sake of another? Jesus defines friendship - the mutual bond of trust and affection which people choose to have for one another - as the willingness to give totally of oneself - even to the point of laying down one's life for a friend. How is such love possible or even desirable? God made us in love for love. That is our reason for being, our purpose for living, and our goal in dying.

Scripture tells us that God is love (1 John 4:8) - and everything he does flows from his immense love for us. He loved us so much - far beyond what we could ever expect or deserve - that he was willing to pay any price to redeem us from our slavery to sin and death. That is why the Father sent us his beloved Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave up his life as the atoning sacrifice for our sins. In this great exchange - the Father giving up his Son to death on the cross in order to give us abundant everlasting life and adopt us as his beloved sons and daughters in Christ (Romans 8:14-17).

God has poured his love into our hearts

It is for this reason that we can take hold of a hope that does not fade and a joy that does not diminish because God has poured his love into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us (Romans 5:5). God's love is not limited or subject to changing circumstances. It is an enduring love that has power to change and transform us to be like him - merciful, gracious, kind, forgiving, and steadfast in showing love not only for our friends, but for our enemies as well. God's love is boundless because he is the source of abundant life, perfect peace, and immeasurable joy for all who open their hearts to him. That is why Jesus came to give us abundant life through the gift and working of the Holy Spirit.

Jesus gave his disciples a new commandment - a new way of loving and serving one another. Jesus' love was wholly directed toward the good of others. He loved them for their sake and for their welfare. That is why he willingly laid down his own life for us to free us from sin, death, fear, and everything that could separate us from the love of God. Our love for God and our willingness to lay down our life for others is a response to the exceeding love God has given us in Christ. Paul the Apostle states,

"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?... For I am sure that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 8:35,38-39).

Friendship with God

Jesus calls his disciples his personal friends. Jesus not only showed his disciples that he personally cared for them and sought their welfare. He personally enjoyed their company and wanted to be with them in a close and intimate relationship. He ate with them, shared everything he had with them - even his innermost heart and thoughts. And he spent himself in doing as much good for them as he could. To know Jesus personally is to know God and the love and friendship he offers to each one of us.

One of the special marks of favor shown in the Scriptures is to be called the friend of God. Abraham is called the friend of God (Isaiah 41:8, James 2:23). God spoke with Moses as a man speaks with his friend (Exodus 33:11). Jesus, the Lord and Master, calls the disciples his friends rather than his servants.

What does it mean to be a friend of God? Friendship with God who is our everlasting Father and with his Son, the Lord Jesus Christ entails a personal, close, and loving relationship and a union of heart, mind, and spirit with the One who created us in love for love. Such a relationship with our Father, Creator, and Redeemer involves loyalty, respect, and obedience. But it is even more than these because God has chosen to love us in the same way in which the Father and the Son love and serve each other - a total giving of oneself to the other in a bond of affection, esteem, and joy in each others company.

Jesus' discourse on friendship and brotherly love echoes the words of Proverbs: A friend loves at all times; and a brother is born for adversity (Proverbs 17:17). The distinctive feature of Jesus' relationship with his disciples was his personal, loyal, and sacrificial love for each one of them. He loved his own to the end (John 13:1). His love was unconditional and wholly directed to the good of others. His love was costly and sacrificial. He gave the best he had and all that he had. He gave his very own life for those he loved in order to secure for them an everlasting life of union and love with the Father in heaven.

Love to the death

The Lord Jesus gives his followers a new commandment - a new way of love that goes beyond giving only what is required or what we think others might deserve. What is the essence of Jesus' new commandment of love? It is a love to the death - a purifying love that overcomes selfishness, fear, and pride. It is a total giving of oneself for the sake of others - a selfless and self-giving love that is oriented towards putting the welfare of others ahead of myself.

Jesus says that there is no greater proof in love than the sacrifice of one's life for the sake of another. Jesus proved his love by giving his life for us on the cross of Calvary. Through the shedding of his blood for our sake, our sins are not only washed clean, but new life is poured out for us through the gift of the Holy Spirit. We prove our love for God and for one another when we embrace the way of the cross. What is the cross in my life? When my will crosses with God's will, then God's will must be done. Do you know the peace and joy of a life fully surrendered to God and consumed with his love?

Love that produces abundant fruit and joy

The Lord Jesus tells us that he is our personal friend and he loves us wholeheartedly and unconditionally. He wants us to love one another just as he has loved us, wholeheartedly, without reserve, and full of mercy, kindness, and forgiveness. His love fills our hearts and transforms our minds and frees us to give ourselves in loving service to others. If we open our hearts to his love and obey his command to love our neighbor, then we will know his love more fully and we will bear much fruit - especially the fruit of peace, joy, patience, kindness, and goodness - the kind of fruit that lasts for eternity. Do you wish to be fruitful and to abound in the love of God? Trust and obey him and he will fill you with his overflowing love.

"Teach us, good Lord, to serve you as you deserve, to give and not to count the cost, to fight and not to heed the wounds, to toil and not to seek for rest, to labor and not to ask for any reward, save that of knowing that we do your will; through Jesus Christ our Lord." (Prayer of Ignatius Loyola)

THE FRUIT OF LOVE

"It was not you who chose Me, it was I Who chose you to go forth and bear fruit." John 15:16

In the very first chapter of the Bible, we hear the Lord's first words to the newly created human race. He commanded us to bear fruit (Gn 1:28). We are chosen specifically for the purpose of bearing much fruit that will last (Jn 15:16, 5). Shortly before His Ascension, Jesus commanded us to go and make disciples of all nations, that is, to bear the fruit of holiness and evangelization (Mt 28:19). We will come to a tragic end unless we bear fruit (Lk 13:5-9), for we will be judged on whether we had the faith and love to obey His commands, particularly His command to bear fruit.

Because bearing fruit is so important, Jesus tries to make sure we bear fruit. He Himself will bear fruit through us. All we have to do is to remain in Him and He in us (Jn 15:5). A deep, abiding, personal relationship with Jesus always bears His fruit. A branch doesn't have to worry about bearing fruit. It just has to let the life of the Vine flow through it. Intimacy with Jesus is always fruitful. Abide in Him and He in you.

Prayer: Father, make my relationship with You so deep that it bears a hundredfold harvest (see Mk 4:20). Promise: "When it was read there was great delight at the encouragement it gave." —Acts 15:31 Praise: Praying for holiness, Patricia thus began to see God in herself and others. (Bear fruit by reading the Bible every day. We have several series to help you: Overview of the Bible is six CDs starting with or three starting with . Bible Testament is forty CDs starting with . An Introduction to Each Book of the Bible is CDs starting with or seventeen starting with .)

Rescript: In accord with the Code of Canon Law, I hereby grant the Nihil Obstat ("Permission to Publish") for One Bread, One Body covering the period from April 1, 2019 through May 31, 2019.

Most Reverend Joseph R. Binzer, Auxiliary Bishop, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, November 28, 2018.

The Nihil Obstat ("Permission to Publish") is a declaration that a book or pamphlet is considered to be free of doctrinal or moral error. It is not implied that those who have granted the Nihil Obstat agree with the contents, opinions, or statements

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maxwellyjordan · 5 years

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Practice Pointer: Digging into DIGs

As explained by Ronald Mann, the Supreme Court on Tuesday dismissed as improvidently granted the case of Emulex Corp. v. Varjabedian. In this post, I spend a bit more time speculating about why the court reached that decision and pondering whether there are any insights to be drawn from the decision that may be of help to practitioners in future cases. [Disclosure: I wrote an amicus brief in the case in support of the respondents, but that brief did not address any of the questions at issue in this post.]

What happened in this case

The Supreme Court granted certiorari in this case to decide the question: “Whether the Ninth Circuit correctly held, in express disagreement with five other courts of appeals, that Section 14(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 supports an inferred private right of action based on a negligent misstatement or omission made in connection with a tender offer.” This carefully worded question from the cert petition encompasses two distinct issues: (1) whether there is a private right of action to enforce Section 14(e) at all; and (2) if so, whether negligence suffices to violate the provision. The petitioners had argued only the second point before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit panel (although it arguably raised the first issue in its petition for rehearing en banc). And only the second question was the subject of a circuit conflict. The petitioners nonetheless attempted to craft a question presented broad enough to encompass the existence of the private right of action as well, presumably because the Supreme Court’s modern precedents are very skeptical about inferring such private rights of action.

The body of the cert petition then urged the Supreme Court to grant review on the ground that there is a split over the negligence standard. But in its merits argument, the petitioners also pointed to the court’s modern implied-right-of-action cases, ultimately telling the court: “This Court can decide this case—and reverse the decision below—on the assumption that the lower courts have properly inferred a private right of action under Section 14(e) for intentional violations. But if it believes that any inferred cause of action that exists under Section 14(e) may be applied to negligent behavior as well, then it should reexamine whether a private right of action can be inferred at all under Section 14(e).”

The respondents objected that not only had the petitioners failed to raise an objection to the private right of action before the 9th Circuit panel, they had (according to the respondents) affirmatively said they did not dispute that it existed.

The Supreme Court granted certiorari anyway. On the merits, the petitioners disaggregated their arguments more distinctly, arguing first that there should be no private right of action for negligence, and then separately that there should be no private right of action at all. The respondents complained again that the latter argument had not been preserved.

In what may have been a decisive development, the federal government filed a brief that parted ways with both sides. It agreed with the respondents that Section 14(e) can be violated through negligent conduct. But it agreed with the petitioners that there should be no private right of action to enforce the provision. The government’s bottom line, then, was that the Securities and Exchange Commission can sue for negligent violations of 14(e), but private plaintiffs cannot sue at all.

At oral argument, several justices (particularly Justice Sonia Sotomayor) picked up on the respondents’ preservation objection. (A cynic might suspect that the liberal justices’ focus on preservation was affected by their view of the probable outcome if the court reached the private-right-of-action question.) Beyond that, the argument was dominated by discussion of the implied-right-of-action question, with very little discussion of the negligence standard.

A few days later, the court voted to dismiss the case as improvidently granted (“DIG” to the inside baseball crowd).

The Supreme Court’s DIG practice

The Supreme Court rarely explains its reasons for DIGing a case. But the practice seems to arise mostly in three circumstances.

First, cases are most commonly DIGed when the court discovers something after granting certiorari that makes the case a poor vehicle for resolving the question it had taken the case to answer. For example, the facts may not actually present the question, there may be a jurisdictional problem or it may come to light that an argument wasn’t properly preserved.

In a few rare cases, the Supreme Court has also DIGed cases in response to a perceived bait-and-switch. This happened a few terms ago in Visa Inc. v. Osborn, an antitrust case in which the court took the unusual step of explaining its decision to DIG the case, noting that “having persuaded us to grant certiorari on [one] issue, however, petitioners chose to rely on a different argument in their merits briefing.” [Disclosure: Goldstein & Russell was among the counsel for the respondents in the case.] But in other cases, the court has simply refused to consider the new arguments and has resolved the question it granted certiorari to decide.

Finally, there have been a handful of instances in which it appears that the Supreme Court DIGed a case simply because it was unable to reach a consensus and apparently believed that DIGing the case would be better than issuing a fractured opinion with no controlling rationale.

Why DIG this case?

At first blush, one might think that the Supreme Court DIGed the case because of the preservation problem. That issue was discussed at length at oral argument. But the respondents had pointed out at the cert stage that the petitioners had not made the private-right-of-action argument to the panel below. At least four justices voted to take up the case anyway. And it is generally believed that in order to DIG a case, the court requires the vote of at least one of the justices who originally voted to grant the petition (to prevent a situation in which four justices vote to take a case, only to have the other five DIG it).

It is possible that one of the justices who originally voted to grant the petition had second thoughts after further briefing on the waiver question. But the merits briefing and oral argument did not really shed much additional light on that question.

I also do not think that this is a case in which the Supreme Court believed that the petitioners had done a bait-and-switch. Although they may have pressed their objection to the implied-right-of-action more thoroughly and distinctly in their merits brief, the petitioners had at least previewed their implied-right-of-action argument at the cert stage.

I think it is more likely that the preservation issue interacted with other disagreements among the justices in a way that risked preventing the Supreme Court from reaching a majority rationale for any result in the case. Based on the oral argument, I expect that three or four of the more liberal justices refused to reach the private-right-of-action question on preservation grounds. Perhaps Justice Samuel Alito had reservations about this as well (He asked a skeptical question about preservation to the government’s lawyer.). And without five votes to reach the private-right-of-action question, the case could get very messy.

Specifically, even if there were five justices who all agreed that the only question before them was the negligence question, if those justices disagreed about the answer (as seemed possible from oral argument), they would need one or more of the remaining four justices to weigh in on the negligence issue in order to resolve that question authoritatively. But it is entirely conceivable that none of them would be willing to do so, given that it appears most likely that every justice willing to reach the private-right-of-action question (the conservative justices minus Alito) would have resolved the case on the ground that no such action exists.

To be sure, it would be possible for such a justice to assume that there is a private right of action and take a position on what state of mind that private suit should have to prove. But a justice could well resist that assumption, either because of a steadfast refusal to acknowledge the private right of action or because of concerns about how the court’s decision might affect government enforcement actions by the SEC. That is, a justice who accepted the government’s position – i.e., that there is no private right of action but that the SEC is only required to prove that a defendant acted negligently – could well be reluctant to sign on to an opinion holding that a presumed private right of action required only negligence. That would expand a private right of action the justice believed should never have been recognized in the first place, because the majority of circuits presently require proof that a defendant acted with scienter – that is, with intent to defraud — a higher standard than negligence. And it could take years before the court had a chance to clear things up in a case properly presenting the private-right-of-action question.

All this is, of course, rank speculation on my part. But given the court’s traditional refusal to explain its DIGs, speculation is the best we can do.

Practice takeaways

Are there any lessons from all of this for practitioners?

Start with the respondents. I think that the respondents did exactly what they were supposed to do: They raised the waiver objection clearly and forcefully in their brief in opposition to certiorari, and then again on the merits (wisely not giving up on the argument just because it was apparently rejected at the cert stage). Making a strong argument on the merits of the negligence question also may have avoided the prospect of a bare majority of justices resolving the case on that question alone.

What about the petitioners? Of course, in hindsight, one could say that the petitioners should have made the private-right-of-action argument to the 9th Circuit panel. It is always a good idea to look over the horizon at arguments one might want to raise in the Supreme Court, even if they are precluded by circuit precedent. That said, I am very reluctant to criticize counsel for failing to litigate a case with the Supreme Court in mind, given how unlikely it is that the case will ever end up there. That’s particularly true in this case – it is hard to fault petitioners’ counsel for not challenging what was clearly established law not only in the 9th Circuit but across the country.

In addition, although parties regularly spar over this question in their cert briefing, I’m not aware of the Supreme Court’s having given any clear guidance on what is required to preserve an argument when established circuit precedent forecloses it. (If any readers know of something, let me know and I’ll update this post.) The usual rationales for requiring exhaustion – that it gives the lower court a chance to avoid a mistake and may permit further percolation of an issue that would benefit the Supreme Court – have little application. The panel will have no authority to avoid the “mistake” already committed by prior circuit precedent and, as a result, will almost never waste time addressing the issue in any detail.

Is there something the petitioners could have done differently in the petition for certiorari? The question presented deftly combined the negligence and private-right-of-action issues into a single question. I don’t think it would have been wise to ask only whether there is a private right of action, or even to list it as a separate question – because there was no circuit conflict on that question, doing so would risk denial (if it were the only question) or the court’s granting cert only on the negligence question (thereby taking the private-right-of-action argument off the table for the merits briefing).

The body of the petition wisely, I think, made the negligence question the centerpiece (again, because this is the issue on which there was a circuit conflict), while also working in objections to the recognition of a private right of action as a reason for rejecting negligence. Perhaps some justices objected when the merits brief then more clearly disaggregated the two issues into alternative grounds for reversal. But that is hardly the kind of stretch that led to the bait-and-switch DIGs in some other cases. I would have expected, at most, that the court would simply refuse to consider the alternative ground, which is the far more common response. But one could come away from this case thinking that divergences between the merits arguments in the cert petition and merits brief are riskier than many (including me) had previously thought.

Should the petitioners just have forgone any arguments about the private right of action, then? Of course, with 20-20 hindsight, the answer is probably yes. But that was hardly obvious at the time the decisions were made. For one thing, one could reasonably conclude that the private-right-of-action argument was materially stronger on the merits than the petitioners’ objection to the negligence standard. In similar circumstances, the court has reached out to decide such antecedent questions, even though they were not raised below. And the petitioners reasonably could have thought that if the court believed that the question had not been properly preserved, it would just refuse to consider the question, not deny cert or DIG the case. So there was a big upside and a presumably small downside to raising both issues.

At the same time, for precisely the reasons that may have contributed to the DIG in this case, some justices may have been reluctant to grant a petition to decide a question (what state of mind is required for a Section 14(e) private suit) that depended on what the justice viewed as a plainly incorrect premise (that there is a private right of action to begin with). Putting both questions into the case gave those justices the option to decide the antecedent question if they wanted to, and may have made them more likely to agree to cert.

I suspect that what did the petitioners in was the government’s post-grant merits amicus brief, which may have scared off some justices from opining on the state-of-mind requirement for a hypothetical private right of action. I have not looked to see if the SEC made that position public before the filing of the amicus brief in this case (I doubt it.). But if that position had been known, it might have changed the cost-benefit analysis for the petitioners.

At the end of the day, the lesson may simply be that crafting a question presented and selecting arguments to make in a cert petition and on the merits is a delicate, risky business that sometimes has no clear right answers.

[Disclosure: Goldstein & Russell, P.C., whose attorneys contribute to this blog in various capacities, is among the counsel on an amicus brief in support of the respondents in Emulex. That brief did not address the issues discussed in this post.]

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anchorarcade · 7 years

Text

Senate Republicans ask Moore to withdraw as new accuser steps forward

http://ryanguillory.com/senate-republicans-ask-moore-to-withdraw-as-new-accuser-steps-forward/

Senate Republicans ask Moore to withdraw as new accuser steps forward

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell led a chorus of establishment Republicans on Monday urging Roy Moore, the party’s Senate candidate in Alabama, to quit the race as a fifth woman came forward with allegations Moore had sexual contact with teenage girls decades ago.

FILE PHOTO: Judge Roy Moore participates in the Mid-Alabama Republican Club’s Veterans Day Program in Vestavia Hills, Alabama, U.S. November 11, 2017. REUTERS/Marvin Gentry/File Photo

Beverly Young Nelson said Moore sexually assaulted her when she was 16 and he was a prosecuting attorney in his 30s. At a New York news conference, the tearful Nelson said Moore groped her, tried to pull her shirt off and shove her head in his lap, then warned that “no one will believe you” if she told anyone.

“I was twisting and struggling and begging him to stop,” said Nelson, a waitress at an Alabama restaurant where Moore often ate when the incident occurred. “I had tears running down my face.”

Moore, a Christian conservative and former chief justice of the Alabama Supreme Court, has refused to withdraw from the race. His campaign released a statement denying “any sexual misconduct with anyone” and saying the new allegations were part of a “witch hunt.”

McConnell told reporters in his home state of Kentucky that party officials were considering whether a Republican write-in candidate could be found to challenge Moore in the Dec. 12 special election.

“I think he should step aside,” said McConnell, who previously said Moore should leave the race if the allegations were true. “I believe the women.”

Republican Senators Orrin Hatch, Susan Collins, Lindsey Graham, Todd Young and Cory Gardner joined McConnell in calling for Moore to drop out – a move that could open the door for Democrats to cut into Republicans’ narrow two-seat Senate majority.

Gardner, the head of the Senate Republican campaign arm, said Moore was unfit to serve in the Senate.

“If he refuses to withdraw and wins, the Senate should vote to expel him, because he does not meet the ethical and moral requirements of the United States Senate,” Gardner said in a statement.

Senator John Cornyn, the Senate’s No. 2 Republican, withdrew his endorsement but said Alabama voters should make the final judgment on Moore.

Another prominent conservative who had endorsed Moore, Senator Ted Cruz, said Moore should either clearly refute the allegations or if they are true, drop out. “I am not able to urge the people of Alabama to support his candidacy so long as these allegations remain unrefuted,” Cruz told reporters in the Capitol.

Moore, 70, had been a heavy favorite to win the election against Democrat Doug Jones. He has denied the allegations first raised in a Washington Post story about his relationships with four women when they were teenagers, including a charge he initiated sexual contact with a 14-year-old girl when he was in his 30s.

He said on Twitter that McConnell was the person who should step down.

Accuser Beverly Young Nelson sits after making a statement claiming that Alabama senate candidate Roy Moore sexually harassed her when she was 16, in New York, U.S., November 13, 2017. REUTERS/Lucas Jackson

“He has failed conservatives and must be replaced,” Moore said.

MANY SUPPORTERS STEADFAST

The state party and many other Alabama Republicans have not wavered in their support of Moore, who scored a decisive Republican primary victory in September over Luther Strange. Strange, who drew the support of President Donald Trump in the primary, had been appointed to fill the seat vacated by Jeff Sessions when he became U.S. attorney general earlier this year.

The growing furor over Moore sets up a confrontation between establishment Republicans and Moore’s supporters in the party’s populist movement led by former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon.

A Democratic win in Alabama would be a blow to Trump’s agenda and shift the political outlook for next year’s congressional elections, giving Democrats a stronger shot at recapturing control of the Senate.

It is too late to remove Moore’s name from the ballot, but McConnell told reporters he was “looking at” potential write-in candidates who could mount a successful campaign. Asked if Strange might be a candidate again, he said: “We’ll see.”

But Strange told reporters it was “highly unlikely” he would mount a write-in campaign. “Now it’s going to really be up to the people of our state to sort this out,” he said.

A special-election victory had been a long shot for Democrats in Alabama, which has not elected a Democratic senator in a quarter century. Jones, a former federal prosecutor, was trailing by double digits in some opinion polls.

Moore, who is prone to incendiary comments on social and cultural issues, has survived controversy before. He was twice forced out of his position as chief justice, once for refusing to remove a Ten Commandments monument from the courthouse and once for defying the U.S. Supreme Court decision legalizing same-sex marriage.

He threatened over the weekend to sue the Post and said the allegations were a smear campaign by his political opponents. Reuters has been unable to independently confirm any of the allegations.

While making the new allegations, Nelson showed reporters Moore’s signature in her high school yearbook. She said he had offered to give her a ride home one night, then pulled the car behind the restaurant and assaulted her.

“I was terrified,” she said. “I thought he was going to rape me.”

Nelson said she told her sister about the attack two years afterward, and eventually told her mother and husband. She said she backed Trump for president and was not coming forward because of politics but because she was inspired by the women who talked to the Post.

Additional reporting by Susan Cornwell and David Alexander in Washington and Peter Szekely in New York; Editing by Bill Trott and Peter Cooney

Our Standards:The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

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awesomefelicitylewis-blog · 7 years