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#lol#donald trump#everyday it trends#everyday I learn about news this way#trump was nearly assistanted A WEEK AGO#SEVEN DAYS#SEVEN FUCKING DAYS#memes#meme#destiel#dean winchester#castiel#shrek#please stop trending#breaking news#news#joe biden#biden#Biden dropped out#democrats#fuck donald trump#trump#just ONE WEEK#thats all i ask for#NO NEWS NO ANYHI G#unprecedented times#2024 presidential election#president biden#wouldnât it be nice to live in PRECEDENTED TIMES#shrek 2
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Bright Lights & Broken Dreams - pt 3
Dieter Bravo x female reader Co-written with @absurdthirst
Rating: E for Explicit! 18+ Â Word Count:Â 17k Warnings: *Contains flashbacks*. Cursing, food/alcohol, vaginal sex, unprotected sex, shower sex, praise/worship, mention of underage drinking, soooo much fluff. Summary:Â The press junket for your film becomes a coming out party for your relationship, and awards season is another turning point worth waiting for. The future is every bit as bright as you had hoped it would be with Dieter there. Notes:Â I will never give up the chance to write about Dieter at the Oscars, so yes that is in this chapter. And no I am not sorry. Not one little bit.
Part 1 ~ Part 2 ~ Part 3
âBabe! The car is here!â For once, Dieter is the one who is on time and waiting downstairs, fiddling with his phone and reposting the trailer like the studio wanted him to.
"Junket tiiiiime." You swing down the stairs with a suitcase in one hand and your purse in the other, ready to spend an ungodly boring three days staring at the walls of one single hotel out in Newport Beach. The studio knows you only need one suite, but they had the presence of mind to book a three-bedroom villa for their two stars to share with their assistants. With you and Dee in one room and Sadie and Desiree share another, the third bedroom is superfluous. But at least it provides a sound buffer for everyone's vocal enthusiasm.
You've been careful. All of you. Nothing has been given away to the public over the last ten months, and your individual fan bases have no idea that you and Dieter are back together. Or that you were ever together in the first place. This has been going well and you have decided to keep it quiet for now, not wanting to spoil the happy little bubble you've both been living in. No one even knows that you moved into Dieter's Sherman Oaks mansion six weeks ago.
âGod, youâre so late.â Dieter huffs at you, although his grin shows that he doesnât mean it at all. âWhy didnât you have Sadie pack you?â
"I am not late. I'm exactly on time." Desiree may or may not have clued you in on her tendency to tell Dieter that he has to be ready for things a minimum of fifteen minutes earlier than is actually necessary, and you have to admit. It works brilliantly. "Sadie asked for some personal time before the junket to go home and meet her baby nephew. I figured that that trumped packing my suitcase for me. She'll meet us at the hotel, though."
His own bag is waiting by the door and itâs a junket that heâs not actually dreading. Feeling better because you are going to be there and because heâs got a ten month sobriety chip in his pocket with your help. He has been sober beyond drinking wine or champagne with you. Even weed has been off limits because he canât regulate himself.
"Ready to go, Bambi?" He looks ready â bright eyed and smiling if slightly tired, but that's your fault. You kept him up last night. Not that you're apologizing.
"I need some coffee." Dieter admits. "Maybe we can stop by and grab some?" He asks, pleading with big pouty eyes.
"Drive thru, or are you pouting at me so that I'll go inside the coffee shop and see what cookies they have today?" The two of you head out the front door to the car sent by the studio with Desiree standing by.
"Cookies." Dieter groans. Since quitting drugs, his sweet tooth has gotten worse, but he begrudgingly sweats through the workouts with the personal trainer you had hired for both of you. Telling him that you wanted him healthy so you could keep him for a long time had done the trick so he didn't whine too much.
"I'm sorry, did someone say cookies?" Desiree, as magical as she is, is sometimes nearly psychic. She has a paper bag in her hand that she wiggles in Dieter's direction before reaching forward to grab his suitcase to load into the trunk of the Town Car. "There's only one each so you don't get in trouble with your trainer, but I did not hold back on your coffee orders," she promises. "They're in the cupholders in the backseat already."
"Des, I love you." The way you hug her is nearly reverent, and you absolutely mean it. As much as you sing Sadie's praises, Desiree might be the only assistant in the world to rival her. And together? They're unstoppable.
"God." He groans happily and nearly dives into the car so he can get to the coffee, a nonfat two pumps white chocolate latte with two extra shots of espresso. "I love her more!" He calls back, happy to have his coffee and the prospect of a quick make out session in the car before having to pretend to be just your co-star for the next few days around others.
"I made him get up early to work out before we left," you explain, sending his assistant a grin before tucking your own suitcase into the trunk and climbing into the backseat after him. You've been on a cinnamon latte kick lately and the shop by his house â your house â makes an amazing one with just a touch of brown sugar steamed into the milk that tastes like heaven. The two hour drive will be a lot less tedious with Dieter in a good mood, and you have to admit that you could use the little caffeine boost as well.
"This is just what I needed." Dieter groans, sipping the latte like it is the key to eternal life but he picks up your latte to hand to you as you climb in beside him. He doesn't mind waking up for sex, he's always up for it, but he also knows he has to be on his A game to make sure he doesn't say anything. Dieter's management team has been ecstatic about the change in behavior of their client and doesn't want to break your good girl image with his still tarnished reputation.
âThanks, love.â In the back of the car with the divider up, it doesnât matter what you say. The only person back here with you is Desiree and she knows everything. Well â mostly everything. There are some details even she doesnât need. âAnd thank you, Des.â When she climbs in after you and shuts the door, the car takes off right away. This weekend is running on a very tight schedule and LA traffic can be brutal, so thereâs no time to spare.
"I hate press junkets." Dieter grumbles as the car speeds towards the freeway. "It's the same damn questions over and over by different people." The monotony of it bores him, wanting to be challenged by the questions rather than just trying to come up with new ways of repackaging the same shit.
âI know.â She sat through a hundred of these things with him, always hustling around to make sure things go smoothly, but she knows this time will be better. âAt least you have good company this time.â
"That's the only good thing about this." Dieter winks at you. "As well as the soundbites for when we win our Oscars."
âYouâre feeling very confident about that.â Comfortable enough to lean against his side as the car glides along the highway, you have to smile at his positive attitude. âMaybe this wonât be three days of torture after all?â The thing you always look forward to most is the cocktail party on the first night, usually because you get to mingle a little and spend time with your costars. This time? As long as Dieter is there, youâre game.
"I know you are going to win." He's confident of that, having watched the rough cut in its entirety. It was raw, real. The type of story that the Academy loves. "Hopefully the rumors that swirled during filming aren't brought up."
Unfortunately, it seemed like every kind of rumor was attached to you at some point during filming. You hated Dieter, you hated the director, you were dating your other costar, or you were dating your assistant â that one was immensely funny to Sadie, who thinks of you as a sister. âIf they are, weâll take them in stride. Itâs nothing I canât handle.â Rumors are only rumors, after all.
"I know." He murmurs, reaching down and threading his fingers with yours gently. "I just don't want my shit to splatter onto you."
âYour shit is my shit, babe. They just donât know that yet.â Not having decided when to reveal your relationship to the world, you just know that for now, the key is to respect each other as much as possible in front of the camera.
He chuckles and sends you a grin. "Doesn't Kevin Hart have a bit that is something like that?" He asks, remembering some kind of standup special he had watched when he was baked a few years ago. "But it was like 'your bullshit is my bullshit, motherfucker'. Or something like that."
âI think it was about best friends, but this definitely applies.â You lift your joined hands to press a kiss to his knuckles and grin. âYour bullshit is my bullshit, baby.â
"Anything you want to do after the first round of interviews?" He asks, wanting to take his mind off of the upcoming questions.
âYou.â The beaming grin you aim at him is unapologetic. âIâd be more graphic, but Desiree doesnât need to be any more traumatized by our sex life then she already is.â
His chuckle is dirty and he sneaks his hand down to your thigh to give it a rough squeeze. "After the party, right? I know you want to go to the party."
âI always like to go to the party.â He knows that about you â that you donât always like a lot of social situations but that you love a good party.
"Then we are going to the party." Dieter decrees, like he had never not been going to go to that party with you. "We just have to survive the first round of interviews."
âI promise that I packed something skimpy.â You shoot him an evil grin but just sit demurely in your seat and sip your coffee like a perfect angel.
Groaning, he rolls his eyes and huffs. "That's just mean." He pouts and crosses his arms over his chest.
âItâs not mean when you get to be the one who peels it off me at the end of the night.â Itâs too cute. You canât help but giggle, and even Desiree snickers in amusement.
"What happened to your good girl image?" Dieter asks, lifting a brow. "You know the press is going to be at this party as well and I'm going to have a hard time keeping my hands off of you."
âThere will be swirling rumors that youâre desperately in love with me.â You tease, knowing that the dress you packed was chosen specifically to make him drool.
"That's not a rumor." He reminds you with a grin. "I am hopelessly in love with you. Desperate and hopeless. Never wanting to be out of love again."
âWell then, for once the Hollywood press corps will actually be telling the truth.â Itâs not as though thatâs a common phenomenon, so itâs worth teasing about. âI love you too, baby.â
âYou know that story about the squirrel was totally fake, right?â Dieter frowns, leaning in to kiss you.
"Of course I know the squirrel thing was fake." You promise him, leaning into the kiss and relishing the small moment of tenderness. "That would be utterly ridiculous."
âGood.â Heâs relieved you donât believe that and kisses you again before snapping his head towards Desiree. âCookie?â
"Cookie!" She hands over the bag with a flourish, knowing that getting Dieter in a good mood before a junket is vital. "And while Cookie is happening, maybe you'll let me go over your schedule for the day?"
Dieter huffs. âBut that ruins the taste of the cookie.â He grumbles, perking up slightly when he sees it's a peanut butter chocolate chunk. âFine.â He whines when his assistant doesnât respond but just stares at him like a disappointed mother. Sheâs really good at guilting him without saying a word. Especially now that heâs sober, which is complete bullshit in his opinion.
The lemon shortbread cookie with lavender sugar makes you hum in contentment when you see it, and you sit back to listen dutifully. Sadie had already emailed you your itinerary and it is mostly the same as Dieterâs, but youâre still going to listen. These women take extremely good damn care of both of you and the least you can be is respectful.
******
The lighting in the room is bright, making Dieter wince and slip his sunglasses on. Heâs not as sensitive to the light as he once was but the damn rings are making him see halos. âReady to get this show on the road.â He huffs, fiddling with the water bottle that was already halfway empty.
âLetâs get started.â Your nod of agreement has the production assistant by the door moving, and you adjust in your seat slightly. At least the chairs they have for you in this place are comfortable upholstered ones and not like when they try to artistically arrange actors into directorâs chairs for the aesthetic of it all. You have a cup of herbal tea on a small table just out of sight of the cameras thanks to Sadie and youâre ready to dive in. But mostly because sheâs withholding baby pictures until the lunch break after you deal with the first round of interviews. The first woman who walks into the room looks nervous but bright eyed, and her credentials lanyard is a website you donât recognize. Sheâs obviously a fan of Dieterâs, unconsciously focusing most of her attention on him, but you donât mind.
Dieter straightens in his chair and the urge to reach for your hand is overwhelming so he plays with the edge of the chair he is sitting in. âWhy did I choose this role?â He repeats the question and chuckles. âContract obligations.â He jokes. âNo, I liked the script. It was compelling and I knew that it was going to be amazing.â
Itâs barely a joke, but you smile politely and donât fuss when the woman gets flustered and forgets to ask you the question or at least wait for your answer. You understand being flustered by Dieter, it happens a lot. Heâs far more charming naturally than he knows. The second question is about travel, and this time you donât hesitate. âLondon was heavenly, but the hotel where they put the cast up in the French countryside was stunning. It was really like staying in someoneâs home, and they made the experience so welcoming for all of us.â
Dieter smiles and nods, not expanding any more on the topic since you had answered. You had both talked about that hotel extensively and his own opinion mirrors yours.
The rest of her questions are fairly mundane, and you wonder if she was given first in as a warm up. Not wanting to hit you and Dieter with anything too thought-provoking right off the bat since Dee isnât exactly famous for being a morning person. The next two people in ask requisite questions about working on a period piece and what it was like to work with the singer who played the third lead. The next seemed enamored of the fact that you had a very well behaved trained dog on set and wanted to know all about acting with an animal.
On and on it went, round and round again until even your break for lunch was a blur. The food was good, at least. Thatâs not always true at these things. A dozen or more interviews into the first day of the junket, Sadie brings you a fresh mug of tea and promises that the end is in sight. Just two more hours of this and you can go and wash off the tedium of interviews and get ready for the party.
âIâm so ready to stop smiling.â Dieter complains under his breath, his own refreshed latte in his hands as he watches yet another reporter bring in their equipment to set up. âCan I get some booze in this?â He begs Desiree, tilting his head. âJust a shot? Hell, even Baileyâs. Just something.â
âWhat happened to not drinking until the party?â His assistant asks with a raised eyebrow, having every intention of enforcing the deal they made yesterday.
âI got bored.â Dieter huffs quietly. âItâs the SSDD theory.â
âYouâre done in two hours, and then you get a whole cocktail party to drink at.â Desiree reminds him. âYou just need to survive a little bit longer. I hear thereâs even cocktails named after your characters.â
âThere are?â Dieter perks up tremendously at that idea and grins. âOkay. Iâll wait. But can we please have some interesting questions?â That part might have been a little too loud because the next reporter glances up from where they are setting up their camera.
Thereâs a flash of recognition on the reporterâs face. The look of someone tired who probably agrees that most of the questions they were asking arenât worthwhile. He finishes setting up and sits down, but doesnât open the small notebook that had just been in his hand. âSo.â He smiles like he understands how tired the two of you must be, or at least heâs trying to be sympathetic. âThis wasnât exactly a run of the mill production process for you.â
Dieter glances over at you, seeing if you want to take the lead but your brow is slightly furrowed, so he answers. âIf you mean the fact that we shot the emotionally tumultuous scenes first, yeah, I guess you could say that.â He chuckles. âNothing like getting the shit slapped out of you on the first day to bond with your co-star.â He jokes, flashing you a grin. âProfessionally speaking.â
"You didn't get along too well at the beginning of production, if memory serves." He shifts in his seat like a snake slithering toward a nest full of eggs. "The video of the two of you having it out in a restaurant in London made the rounds on the internet for weeks."
âOh thatâŚ.â Dieter chuckles and shrugs. âItâs me.â He deflects, pointing to himself. âEveryone gets pissed at me at some point.â He offers, like it would be unusual for his co-star to not be upset with him. âEmotions were high from filming that day.â
"But from someone so poised," he gestures to you, obviously hoping that he's poking a sleeping bear and trying to shake it awake.
"Unfortunately, sometimes being human is caught on film," you answer diplomatically. "As Dee said. Tensions were high in the beginning of filming. We had a lot of very high stress and high emotion scenes right in the beginning of the process and that really had us on our toes."
âYes.â The reporter, Steven Someone, Dieter had already forgotten who he was with or his last name, nods in agreement. âHowever, from the video, it seemed to beâŚrather personal.â He continues on. âDid it have something to do with the production the two of you starred in together on Broadway together twelve years ago?â
âActually?â No one has ever brought that up. It seemed like it had almost been lost to history. Your show and your history together seemed invisible to modern fans, and youâre honestly thrown a little off kilter by anyone even bringing it to the forefront. âNo. It didnât have anything to do with that. It was a misunderstanding on my part and Iâve apologized.â Youâve worshiped and posed for him since then, helping his sketchbook of you grow exponentially. But that is entirely personal.
âSo the rumors that the two of you have an old spat are unfounded?â He asks, looking between the two of you. âBecause the film almost seems to be an extension of that. Deeply personal.â
âI wasnât aware of any rumours.â It makes you shift uncomfortably in your seat, the way this particular interview is turning out, but maybe it would be good to smooth this over. If there are rumours about you disliking each other, it would be good to gloss over them and make sure theyâre ended.
âThereâs reports that the set nearly shut down the first day due to an altercation and the table read was uncomfortable because of the tension between the two of you.â He acknowledges, without really asking a question.
âThe beginning of this process was definitely tense,â you acknowledge, glancing nervously at Dieter who seems shell shocked by the way this interview has gone. âIf anyone else in the cast or crew was made uncomfortable, obviously thatâs something that was unintentional.â
âObviously, thereâs no tension now.â Dieter chuckles. âWe are all temperamental artists at times, it plays well on screen but it can be uncomfortable until you find that niche.â
âNo. In fact, now you seem quite cozy.â This reporter is smiling like he has a secret and your stomach rolls anxiously. âIn fact.â The second time, the phrase almost sounds accusing. âYouâve been spending a lot of time together lately, havenât you?â
Dieter gives a small shrug, as if it doesnât matter. âWeâve known each other for a long time.â He tells the reporter, annoyed at where this interview is going. âOf course we are going to spend time together.â
âSo thereâs no truth at all to the rumor that the very same moving truck that was seen in Echo Park near the home of Americaâs Sweetheart,â he practically points his own at you. âWas unloading just hours later in Sherman Oaks at Dieterâs mansion?â
Dieterâs eyes narrow and he shifts in his chair. âArenât we here to talk about a movie?â He looks behind him at the banner for the movie and nods. âYeah, that movie?â He hooks his thumb behind him. âOur personal lives arenât on the table.â
âYouâve called this film âdeeply personalâ.â He changes tactics but doesnât back down. âApparently the beginning of shooting wasnât the only time things got tense on set. The love scenes were also extremely intimate.â
âAs intimate as having a roomful of people watching simulated sex can be.â Dieter laughs. âTakes away the fun if youâre the only ones exposed. But it was an extremely professional set.â He looks at the camera and playfully gives it a âsorryâ look. âNothing is real.â
The production assistant nearby gives the reporter the signal to wrap things up and you shift again, picking up your mug to wrap both hands around it like an herbal tea security blanket. The reporter looks unhappy that he has to stop but he looks at both of you seriously. âThe movie is a very poignant film and if emotions were high, they translated to a fantastic performance.â
âThank you.â Saved by the bell, you think with an inner sigh as you paint a smile on your face. âWe had a sensational script and a wonderfully supportive cast of costars. And Samâs vision as a director really brings things together.â
Once that reporter is cleared out, Dieter shakes his head. âCan we have a break?â
âWeâre on a tight schedule.â Desiree frowns, knowing the publicity team wonât like it. âI can stall for a few minutes.â
âJust a couple of minutes.â Dieter nods as Desiree moves towards the door to prevent the next reporter from coming in. âHow are you doing?â He asks immediately, his eyes wide. âDo you think someone actually saw the moving truck?â
âThey must have.â You canât squeeze his hand without giving yourselves away, so you keep both hands locked around your mug. âI mean I thought we were doing really well but obviously somebody saw something.â You had agreed together that you wouldnât come out as a couple for at least a few more months. You had planned to allow yourselves to be photographed on a very well-behaved and well-earned vacation where your publicity teams could control the message and how the information disseminated to your fans. Apparently, you may need to speed up that plan.
âShit, Iâm sorry.â Dieter frowns, sure that this is somehow his fault. He was the one who insisted that Sherman Oaks was where the two of you needed to live. You didnât own your house, so he had thought it made sense.
âYou didnât do anything wrong.â Itâs a reflex of his, to apologize even when he isnât at fault, and you shake your head. âWe should justâŚwe should decide. If weâre still going to keep this under wraps or if weâre going to open up about it sooner than we planned.â It would be okay, either way. You could still control the flow of information. Sadie and Desiree would get the ball rolling with your management and publicity teams now instead of in six more months. âI guessâŚwe could always use the junket?â
He frowns, knowing that you wanted more time, and it feels like you two are being pushed into a corner. âWe could.â He agrees. âIâll do whatever you want to.â
âIf we deny it up and down here and then come out at the premiere, theyâll snag us for lying.â You point out quietly. âSo far weâve never said we arenât together, and we can keep it that way. Everything on the up-and-up. And the press will be at the cocktail party tonight.â Having to play a strategy on your own relationship is difficult, but both of you have experience in this area. âWe should justâŚjust make sure Des and Sadie have everything lined up before we do this. The whole point was to have our teams ready to go. No scandals for either of us.â
âYouâre going to be the one taking a hit.â Dieter reminds you. âBut I havenât had a scandal thatâs come up to bite us in the ass.â Heâs been on his best behavior, to the annoyance of some of the tabloids.
âTheyâre going to dig for a scandalous past that doesnât exist. Itâs fine.â Part of the point is that your team will be able to speak to your rekindled romance and touch on the fact that you dated years ago during your time on Broadway. Each otherâs one that got away. A very romantic spin on the reality of an abusive father controlling his son from afar.
âDear ole dad is spinning in his grave.â Dieter chuckles. âHe never wanted me to have a squeaky clean image, said it was a direct reflection of him.â
âHe wanted a product to sell, not a son.â It makes you sad, honestly, and you sigh into your tea. âHe never saw how amazing you are all on your own.â
âDoesnât matter now.â He knows that, although it still hurts. It had been one of the reasons that he had never had children. Never wanted to risk fucking them up.
âI love you.â It doesnât cure the hurts, but the whispered words make him smile and thatâs what matters.
âI love you too.â Dieter wants to lean in to kiss you, but he knows Desiree can only keep them out for so long. He smiles at you and nods. âLet me know when you want to do this.â He tells you before he calls for his assistant.
âEverything okay?â Desiree and Sadie appear together an instant later with concern on their faces.
âHow long do you think it would take you to be ready to go with the photo leaks and press statements?â You ask them, barely raising your voice above a murmur. âIf one reporter knows things, then Iâd bet anything that more do.â
âOh shit.â Desireeâs eyes widen slightly and she looks back at the door. âWe have everything ready. Just whenever you are ready to push.â
"Tonight?" In a perfect world you could just be yourselves. Just cuddle up on the sofa and be together. But your lives are more complicated than that. "Use the cocktail party as the staging ground?"
Dieter nods. âI donât have to keep my hands off of you.â He hums happily. Any time he doesnât have to worry about not being able to touch you, heâs in a better mood. Even the interviews where the two of you playfully touch while joking were better in his book.
"If you're ready, we'll get the ball rolling." Sadie promises, flashing a proud grin at Desiree. This publicity roll out is some of their best work. "By the time the cocktail party starts, you'll be free to snuggle as much as you like."
âOkay, letâs get this next round of interviews done.â Dieter grumbles, like he wasnât the one that needed a break. âI want to shower before the party.â
******
It ends up taking slightly more than two hours before you and Dieter can get back to your suite to get ready, but at least you make it through things without any more nasty questions or grouchy attitudes. The second you shut the suite door behind you, you go straight into his arms to claim a hug. "Well that's done," you huff with a half-assed chuckle. "Tomorrow we get to do even more of them."
âSo what youâre saying is that I need to be drunk tomorrow?â Dieter huffs, squeezing you gently and sighing softly as he burrows into your neck and inhales the scent of your perfume.
âTomorrow weâre going to get all the questions about us.â Considering you have the two most trustworthy and effective people you know working for you, you know that whatever theyâre leaking or releasing, Sadie and Desiree are doing it at this exact moment. âIt should be a much more interesting day.â
âAre you ready?â He asks seriously, pulling back to caress your cheek. âSoooo many jokes about taming me. Or orgies, or whatever.â
âWell, youâve never taken me to an orgy, so Iâm afraid I wonât understand those jokes.â You remind him, putting on your best innocent face. âIâm ready, honey. Honestly. Iâm sorry that our hand got forced, but Iâm proud to love you and Iâm glad we donât have to hide anymore.â
âI wouldnât want you at an orgy.â He frowns just thinking about it and slides his hands down your sides. âItâll make red carpet walks better.â
âSo much better.â His hands land on your hips and you gravitate toward him instinctively. âAre you sure youâre ready?â As much as youâll get a few jokes or comments about taming him, heâs going to get the brunt of it. The intimate details of his life have been much more on display than yours.
âYou know I donât care what the media thinks about me.â He does but itâs not like he can undo the damage already done. All he can do is allow his image to be shaped into something else.
âI know that you say that.â With two fingers you brush a stray curl from his forehead. âBut you also canât get bent out of shape if they say things about me. Itâs their job to stir shit. Or at least to try.â
âYou donât deserve it though.â He pouts, frowning at you. âI wonât.â He huffs when you just stare at him with that âI donât believe youâ expression on your face.
âWeâre going to have fun tonight, and weâre going to be us. The real us.â You wrap him up in both arms and hug him to your chest, grinning when he burrows into your neck again for comfort. âEverything is going to be okay.â
âI know it will be.â That heâs certain of. The alternative is for the two of you to not be together and heâs not doing that. Not again. âDo you want to shower together, or do you want to wait until we leave the party?â
"Oh no, we're definitely showering together." The wolfish grin you throw him comes with a wink, and you pull away to head into the bathroom knowing that he's right behind you. "I want to walk into that party having been freshly fucked, thank you very much."
âFuck.â Dieter grins, rushing to pull his shirt over his head and mussing his hair up. âWhat are we waiting for? Get naked!â
The vague sound of a snort from the other room tells you that Sadie heard that, and you can't help but giggle as you toss your blouse onto the long counter and reach into the overlarge stall to turn on the shower.
âJesus.â Dieter canât help but stop in his tracks and admire the beauty of you in front of him. Since moving in together, you have modeled several times and yet he still canât help but stare. âI love you.â
You pause in your tracks, turning around to face him with your bra off and your hands on the fly of your pants â and a dopey, lovestruck smile on your face. He really is just sweet sometimes, and it's a side of him that almost no one gets to see. You honestly couldn't be prouder or more flattered that he is so soft and loving with you. "I love you, too."
Dieter grins and pushes his pants down, he had purposefully not worn underwear because of having to sit all day, so his hard length bounces out as he kicks off the pants.
âIâm gonna buy you silk underwear one day, and youâre gonna love how soft it is so much that youâre going to want to wear it all the time.â Not that you mind that he goes commando. Itâs one less layer to strip away in order to have him inside you. He loves his little luxuries, though, and you know it would make him smile.
âWhy, so they can remind me of how good your hand feels?â He smirks at you as you step into the shower. This is intimate and playful, the two of you falling into an easy comfort with each other.
âI told you that moisturized skin makes all the difference.â He had teased you about being so religious in your nighttime routine of moisturizers and cleansers, but he never argued with the results.
He grins, shaking his head and wrapping his arms around you. âWe have about twenty minutes.â He hums. âItâs going to have to be a quickie.â
âThen you should decide if you want my front or my back pressed against that wall,â you hum, slinging both arms around him so you can drag him down for a kiss.
âBack.â He groans against your mouth. âEasier to kiss you.â
Heâs always been greedy with kisses, much to your delight, and now he backs you up against the cold marble just as eagerly as he slips his tongue into your mouth revels at the needy moan it earns him. It takes no effort to melt into him and you reach between your bodies to wrap your hand around his cock and stroke.
The way you touch him makes his knees weak, sagging and leaning into you as he plunders your mouth with his own. Eager to be inside you again. It must be a symphony of moans and whines to anyone outside your little bubble, but all you can ever focus on is Dieter. Heâs all youâve ever wanted and still all you need, and when he picks your leg up to sit on his waist you shift forward with ease, eager to have him inside you again.
âBaby, youâre so good to me.â Dieter kisses down your neck and across your shoulder. âBest drug, you, youâre it.â
"Love you so fucking much." The way he nips at your skin leaves you breathless every time and you whimper softly. "Need you, Dee. Please?"
âYes baby.â There isnât enough time to tease you, to draw this out. Too needy for the solace your body gives him, he lines up and sinks in faster than both of you can inhale.
"Fuuuuuuck." No matter how many times you take him it's always a stretch, like a personal challenge to your dripping cunt to see if it will ever not make your eyes roll back in your head or your chest heave to draw him as deep inside you as possible. Tonight it's a gorgeous feeling of being split open as he braces your back against the wall and drapes both of your legs over his forearms to leverage you in between the marble and his body, impaling you on his cock so quickly that it almost makes you dizzy.
âShiiiiiiit.â Dieter hisses. âHow are you so fucking tight?â He whines. âI fuck you all the time.â He loves it, cock twitching deep and he grinds his hips to try to reach a fraction of inch deeper. Feeling like he will drive through your back wall with the first thrust.
"Kegels," you tease, diving forward to kiss him when it's truly the most you can do in this position.
âKeep doing them.â He groans against your lips, too busy trying to devour you to really talk beyond that point. You love making him crazy and everything you do accomplishes that. Especially the way you moan into his mouth.
Each determined thrust drives you firmly into the cold wall, pushing a moan into his kiss and making both of you grip each other tighter. His feet firmly planted on the shower floor hold both of you steady as he rocks into you and you do everything you can to meet him at every swing of his hips. It's a precarious dance but a rewarding one, letting him hit all the deepest, most sensitive places in your greedy pussy.
âFuck, fuck.â Dieter groans, eyes fluttering and he tries to make sure neither one of you end up on the fucking floor. âTonightââ he gasps. âTonight, ride me.â He begs, knowing he will be needy and submissive after a night schmoozing. He normally is.
âWant toââ You gasp, whimpering when he hits so deep inside you that you swear youâre going to go permanently cross eyed from the way it jolts through your body. âWorship tonight, baby?â
âYes. Fuck yes.â The way you make him feel like a god is addictive. To youâ it seems like he is the best among all men. Desperately soothing the ego that loves to be stroked and it's different. He knows you mean it. The love you have for him makes it even better, making him crave it just like he wants to worship you.
Coming back to the depths of your relationship with Dieter has been easy in some ways. The emotional and sexual attachments that you had fostered years ago sprang back to life as though they had never once been doubted. Trust was rebuilt over time, through tangible examples of making and keeping promises and both of you speaking up even when you were uncomfortable or afraid of toeing a line. Moving in together has been the culmination of hard work and deep love, and you have both been so proud of your hard work. Tonight is another big step but right now you let yourself revel in what comes so easily to you. Sex is like your safe haven. The place where only you and he exist. And even though youâre a half dozen thrusts away from cumming at the very most, thinking of the next time youâll get to be in his arms is absolutely thrilling.
âLove you baby.â Dieter groans, feeling you getting ready to cum, picking up your cues like it was just yesterday that he was introducing you to how wonderful sex is. âCum for me.â
"Love you." It might be barely bitten out on a groan but you mean every syllable. In less than a minute you're spasming around him, tight walls pulling him as deep into your body as you can manage and hands clinging to his shoulders while you whimper in his ear and come apart for him all in one breathtaking moment.
He groans, rocking up onto the balls of his feet and scrambling back to press his lips to yours. Needing to kiss you will he tumbles off the edge after you. Only managing to thrust two more times before he is grinding deep and shuddering as he fills you.
You stay pinned together like that for as long as it takes to get your breath back, exchanging small kisses full of indulgence before he finally lets your legs down and makes sure you're steady on your feet. "We should wash up," you murmur unconvincingly, needing at least two more quick kisses before you even think of reaching for the soap.
âI think this might be the first time Iâve ever been disappointed to have a party planned for a night.â Dieter huffs, amused at himself. Normally he would already be getting hammered to pregame, but if you were to decide to stay in this room, he would snuggle up to you and order room service.
"It will be fun." At least you don't have to pretend anymore, and that is its own kind of fun and freedom. "You can kiss me in public now. Remember that."
âBut no making out, right?â There had been a meeting with your own PR about what kind of PDA would be permissible to continue to craft your more respectable image.
"Right." A face cloth and body wash make it into your hand with the intention of each of you washing yourselves, otherwise you would never leave the overlarge shower. "And touching is fine but no groping. It's like foreplay for PDA," you grin at him, handing over the soaped-up cloth.
âWhat about a butt squeeze?â Dieter pouts, still not completely happy with these rules. âJust one! It will be tasteful.â
âHow about resting your hand there for no more than five seconds.â While your publicist had looked at you like you have six heads when you told her about Dieter, she had since come to think of it like a challenge. A professional test, of sorts. Could Dieter Bravo be made to look respectable? Only time would tell.
âOnly if I get to flex my fingers for the last second.â He compromises, grinning as he starts rubbing the soapy rag over his body. He knows how much you like his butt squeezes. And his boob squeezes, and itâs not like heâs trying to negotiate that for public spaces.
âDeal.â Thereâs a silly grin on your face as you put your hand out for him to shake like itâs some kind of shady business bargain instead of a goofy moment between lovers.
âGuys!â Sadieâs voice is muffled from the other side of the wall but still clear. âRivkah and Monique are here to get you ready! No time for round two!â
âThereâs always time for round two!â Dieter yells back, even as he steps out from under the water and turns off the shower.
It only takes a little while for both of you to get ready, thanks to your teams, and the all-black ensemble that Desiree had packed for tonight has just a few accents of blue to subtly match your dress. You hadnât planned to come out tonight, but the decision to leave subtle little clues in your outfits for the weekend was a very good one after all.
In the elevator, you squeeze his hand and lean your careful coiffed head on his shoulder. âAre you ready for this?â
âAs long as you are.â Your fame being impacted is the only downside of this in his opinion. He knows his own reputation. It will be met with disbelief and then there will be bets made on how long it lasts and if you try to hit him with a car when you inevitably break up because heâs fucked up. He knows all this. He just hopes you can put up with it and remember that the past is behind him.
âIâve made my decision.â You tell him honestly and reach for his hand to thread your fingers together as the elevator descends to the first floor. âAnd if Hollywood makes me pick between it and you?â Exhaling softly, your eyes flick up to his. âThe answer is you.â
That makes Dieter have to bite his lip, emotional from your confession. âIâd pick me too.â He teases softly, squeezing your hand.
With time enough to roll your eyes at him playfully before the elevator doors open, you smirk and return the squeeze of his hand. âCareful. Or I wonât stroke anything besides your ego tonight.â
âYou love stroking Mr. Wiggles.â Dieter mutters under his breath, just to make you laugh before he steps out and pulls you out behind him. He hasnât named his penis and if he did, it wouldnât be Mr. Wiggles.
Thanks to the well-timed comment youâre choking on smothered laughter as the doors open, and the very first picture taken by a photographer of you and Dieter as an official couple has you beaming at him with a broad and honest grin on your face and laughter in your eyes as he holds your hand. Itâs a beautiful image. The two of you are dressed immaculately and happy, the perfect picture of romantic bliss. You doubt either of your teams could have planned a better image.
Just like he would have with any starlet he was escorting to an awards show, Dieter is attentive. However, this time, itâs more intimate. His smiles are real and his hold on your hand never wavers for a moment as some of the reporters start to immediately buzz with excitement.
The âcarpetâ you have to walk is actually the main hallway through the hotel which has been blocked off and styled as a greeting area so that no one not in attendance would have any idea you werenât at an elegant party. The party itself, however, is outside. The entire patio and garden area of the hotel has been turned into a cocktail area with room for schmoozing and music for dancing. It will be fun, you just have to get to it first. The very first reporter to get your attention asks the standard questions about what designers youâre wearing, and you excitedly name names and give details so that the independent women designers you worked with for this event would get their due attention.
âDonât ask me!â Dieter shrugs and grins. âI only know that the clothes feel really good and she looks amazing.â
âHeâs wearing Gucci.â You grin, having gotten that tidbit from Desiree earlier. âHead to toe.â When he looks at you with surprise, you just shrug. âYou look amazing, too. I was curious.â
Grinning, he winks at you and then back at the reporter. âSheâs going to have me styled in Gucci all the time now.â He jokes. âBut weâll see, right?â
âDo you have a hand in his style these days?â The reporter asks, confusion indicating that she hasnât picked up on what you two are trying to give away for free.
Lips quirked into a knowing grin, you nearly wink at the reporter on your own this time. âMost girlfriends do, donât they?â
Dieter almost laughs at how wide the poor womanâs eyes get, nearly choking on air as she immediately tries to talk again through her excitement. He doesnât though. He just gives her a concerned look as he stands beside you.
âThis film was an adventure.â You tell the reporter with a smile. This quote will be used over and over again, so you have made yourself memorize something nice from your publicist instead of trying to improvise. âWe were lucky to be able to have that adventure together.â
The reporter who had started grilling you during the junket nearly spills a drink as he starts jumping up and down. âI knew it! I fucking knew it!â
"Oh?" The amusement on your face is notable when you turn to find the man nearly flailing in your direction. "Then you should have asked directly." Not that you wouldn't have been a deer in the proverbial headlights if he had, but you can pretend otherwise.
Itâs almost worth the annoyance Dieter had suffered earlier to see the devastation on his face as the reporter realizes he lost the exclusive scoop. It was now going out, might already be posted.
The next reporter on the carpet is a man you're familiar with. He's worked for his magazine for a decade by now and routinely does these junkets, but didn't sit with you today â his interview must be scheduled for tomorrow. "Hi Tom," you smile cordially as you and Dieter step over in line and you shake his hand warmly.
He's a nice guy. Likes to talk about his kids whenever he gets the chance, so you make small talk about little Ashley and Kaiden for a minute before he flashes a big smile at you. "I have to know how it happened," he insists with a breathless laugh of disbelief that you have a feeling is going to be the resounding reaction tonight.
Dieter glances over at you and smiles. âWeâve known each other for a long time. We did a play together twelve years ago and had a relationship then.â He shrugs. âI was an ass, she unbelievably decided to give me another chance.â Heâs been willing to take the blame for the past and frame you as this saving angel if it helps. âThe chemistry was still there.â
âTwelve years ago?â Tom sounds shocked but also soft at that revelation. Like itâs some kind of magical gift â and maybe for you and Dieter, it is.
âNot everyone gets a second chance,â you hum, still smiling, but this time that smile is gentle and aimed at Dieter before turning back to the reporter you have known for several years. âWeâre very lucky. Why donât we tell you all about it when we sit down tomorrow?â
âAbsolutely. But for now, the two of you look happy.â He knows he will be up late rewriting most of his questions.
âWe are.â That much is undeniable, bringing warmth to your cheeks. âWe really are.â
âIâm sure we will talk later but the movie was excellent, enjoy the party you deserve.â Tom nods to you and allows you to move along.
Each short moment with each reporter is some variant of this, as most people are too flabbergasted to say much of anything right now. Tomorrow youâll be bombarded with questions but for tonight youâre going to bask in the glow of not having to hide what makes you happy.
âWell no one accused us of lying.â Dieter chuckles under his breath. That had been something he had really thought would happen. People would claim it was a publicity stunt for the movie.
âIâm sure someone will tomorrow,â you laugh nervously as he guides you out, into the mood lighting and manicured decor of the party. âI think most of them were too shell shocked to even think of that.â
âOf course they are.â The bar is set up and he guides you towards it. âYou â Hollywoodâs dream girl â dating me.â He snorts. âHollywoodâs disaster.â
âYouâre like the tornado from The Wizard of Oz,â you tell him, with a confidence that makes him snort but also look at you with a curiosity that asks why. âYou swept into my life and made everything Technicolor. Sometimes itâs hard or even scary, other times itâs joyful and exciting. But either way, I wouldnât be who I am without you.â
âIâll take that as a compliment.â He canât help but lean in and press his lips to yours in a chaste kiss. Not as intimate as he would like, but enough that he shows you how touched he is.
âIt was meant as one.â Even a small kiss is a big deal right now, and you can just feel the sheer number of cameras pointed at you right now, but you still smile at him and thank the bartender who sets one specialty cocktail each in front of you - the ones named for your characters.
âTo your first Oscar.â Dieter grins as he picks up the drink and holds yours out to you as a toast. âI will be proud of you and cry from the audience when you win.â
âTo your second Oscar.â Gently tapping the rim of your glass against his, you canât help the warm and cuddly feeling that all of this gives you. Like this is how it was meant to be so many years ago. This was the future you were always intended to have. Right here with him. âI will be proud of you and crying from the audience when you win.â
âNahhh.â Dieter shakes his head. âYour performance is the stronger one. Itâs your movie really.â
âWeâll see.â He has never really known what heâs capable of on his own, and is even worse at accepting a sincere compliment, so you wonât press the point. But the fact is, Dieter Bravo would have been a huge movie star even if his father hadnât been one before him. âLetâs just go enjoy the party.â
âOf course.â He winks and throws back the rest of his drink. The next one will be sipped because he has no intention of getting too drunk. âYou know how much I love to party.â
******
You had learned very early on that Dieter never threw parties, but he was always invited to them. No matter which castmate or crew member or artist friend or old school pal was having people by, Dieter was always on the top of the guest list. He was a bragging point as much as a fun guest, giving people the chance to proudly spout that a movie star had been at a party they gave. And whether he cared about that or not, he almost always showed up â and he always brought you with him. You were his devoted arm candy and proud of it, whisked around every party like a beautiful bauble. His energy had always been electric, and wherever he focused his attention was the center of the universe. And no matter how long it took to make his rounds and shine his light on everyone he could, it always ended up back on you.
âHey Bambi.â He had gotten dragged away from you, pulled into a story telling time about his time when he was filming a nude scene at fourteen and the ethics of it. Now back at your side, he drops his arm over your shoulder and plucks the almost lukewarm beer from your hand to take a sip. He was thirsty and the buzz that attention gives him was starting to wear off. âYou enjoying yourself?â
âI was just thinking of getting a new drink.â His arms rests heavy and enticing around your body and you move into him automatically to get a hint of the cologne he wears. You have no clue what it is, but it smells exotic and heady. âWanna come with me?â
âCourse I do.â Dieter finishes off your beer and leans in with a vicious smirk on his lean face. âAnd later, I want to come in you.â He teases in your ear before nibbling on it, just to make you shiver.
"Babe." It makes you completely weak in the knees when he does things like that â says things like that â and you've never been more convinced that starting birth control was the right move. "Does that mean you want me to stay over tonight?" You ask with a wide-eyed pout that practically begs him to say yes. In the months since you started working and sleeping together, you've barely ever slept apart. But you try not to assume.
âHow are we going to go to a hangover brunch tomorrow morning where we eat wayyyyyy too many sweet and salty things if you donât stay?â He practically pouts at the idea. Sleeping better with you beside him, though heâs never told you that.
"Let it never be said that we don't take our two-show days very seriously." A solemn nod makes you giggle, knowing full well that doing two shows each day on the weekends is something that is equal parts exhausting and exhilarating. This is your craft, and you relish the opportunity to flex all of those muscles that you have been honing since you were just a young teen back in Washington. "I'm happy to stay, babe. I just didn't want to assume."
He huffs and rolls his eyes, wanting to ask you why you donât assume, everyone else does. No one actually ever asks Dieter permission. They just assume he will want to be at a party or go out to the bar. You constantly not knowing if you arenât spending the night has him thinking about asking you to just give up your apartment. But heâll wait until your lease is coming up. No need for you to pay a penalty.
You don't tell him that you're terrified that he's going to get sick of you. That being too clingy or too emotional or too anything will be what makes him decide that the novelty of you has worn off. Telling him that would surely be the last nail in the coffin of a relationship that has come to mean so much to you, so you just smile instead and sidle up to the kitchen counter at this house party that has been transformed into a bar. "What are you in the mood for?"
Immediately distracted, Dieter strides up to the bar and reaches for the harder liquor. âDo you want me to make you a drink?â He asks. âItâs the very first drink I ever had.â
"Sure!" Of course you're always going to say yes to him. He's had such a wonderful breadth of experiences already and you hate how naive or sheltered you can feel sometimes by comparison.
âYou will find that these are somewhat of an acquired taste.â Dieter hums as he adds scotch whiskey and vermouth into a shaker and walks over to the fridge to get some ice.
"Now I'm nervous." You lean on the counter while you watch him, biting your lip and not disguising the fact that you're watching his hips move as he walks. "What exactly are you making for me?"
âA Rob Roy.â He hums as he grabs some ice and turns around to wink at you. âA very classy cocktail.â
"Trying to class me up, Dee?" A little nervous that you won't like it, you put your nose up in the air and affect an air of absolute class and sophistication to mask your worry â and hopefully to make him laugh.
Dieter snorts and sticks his tongue out at you. âIâm just hoping you snort it up your nose choking on it like I did.â He scoffs playfully. âButâ to be fairâ I was eight.â
"Eight?" Sometimes when he mentions things from growing up they're cute stories or funny anecdotes. Sometimes they're downright disturbing instead. This qualifies as the latter.
âYeah.â He shrugs as if itâs no big deal and slaps the top on the shaker to start shaking it. âOne of dadâs parties.â
"Of course." The first time you ever went to a party with people drinking or smoking was probably halfway through college, but that just makes you feel ridiculous next to him. He calls you Bambi for looking innocent, but sometimes you wonder if he knows exactly how deep that side of your personality runs.
There isnât a martini glass to strain the drinks into but the plastic cups get three dashes of bitters in the bottoms before he starts to evenly divide the liquor between the two. That was his fatherâs secret to a good Rob Roy. The bitters are only added at the end and never stirred in. He fishes out the ice with a spoon and hands you a cup. âTo your new favorite drink.â He teases, sending you a small wink.
The first sip burns, almost sending you into a coughing fit that would assuredly be the least sexy youâve ever been in front of him, but you manage to get yourself under control enough to take a second sip and that tastes delicious. Once you get past the initial shock of strong liquor, thereâs something nuanced and addictive about the drink. You flash him a grin over the top of your plastic cup and count yourself lucky that you only coughed a little and your eyes only watered a little at the first sip. The last thing you want is for Dieter to think you canât keep up. âActually? Itâs really good.â
Laughing, Dieter takes a sip of his own drink and grimaces slightly. âGlad you enjoy it.â He hums, wanting to tell you that you donât have to like it, not if you donât want to. âI got trashed off of them and threw up in the pool that night.â
âSoundsâŚfun?â Sometimes when he tells you things like this from his childhood you really just donât know how to respond. Without being able to relate in any way, you usually just listen and tuck the information away for later recollection. He is a puzzle, and youâre slowly starting to put the pieces together.
âYeah.â Dieter snorts and shakes his head. âDad was disappointed. Said a man doesnât quit until heâs thrown up for the second time.â
âYou were eight!â That isnât the definition of adulthood in any culture youâve ever heard of, and you immediately move to put your arms around your boyfriend. âI���m sorry, honey. I try to be supportive, but thatâs bullshit.â
Heâs embarrassed for a moment. Wondering if you are right since he has zero clue what a normal upbringing looks like. âDoesnât matter.â He shrugs it off and tosses you a charming grin as he slides closer to press his lips to yours. A distraction. âJust you matters right now.â
Though you canât say you have a lot of experience with addiction, drugs, intoxicants, any of that - you do know what it is to crave. From the first time Dieter kissed you in your dressing room the day you met, youâve craved him. Needed to have him near and felt like a piece of you was missing when he wasnât. Maybe you know more about addiction than you think you do. You kiss him and kiss him in that kitchen, drinks forgotten until the only thing in your mind are the small sounds of pleasure coming from both of you and the way he makes you weak in the knees with seemingly no effort at all.
Dieter has you pressed against the counter, loving how easily you give over. Thereâs no rehearsing, itâs just natural. Heâs moreâŚdominant with you, although you do like to explore. You love pleasure and he loves giving it to you.
âGod.â A voice from a few yards away rings out a groan followed by a disbelieving laugh. âJust donât fuck in the kitchen, okay you two?â
âNo promises.â Dieter jokes over his shoulder. âNot when Bambi is as beguiling as she is.â
When he breaks apart from you, you bury your burning face in his chest to hide your embarrassment and cling to his sides for that support you crave. Heâs your shield against the world and the fact that someone as extraordinary as Dieter wants you is making you re-examine how you perceive yourself altogether. âBeguiling, huh?â You tilt your head back and beam at him.
âI said what I said.â He purses his lips at you playfully. âBesides, it could be considered performance art if we did fuck in the kitchen.â Heâs joking, he knows you would never go for that, but itâs fun to see you squirm.
âIt would only be performance art for you!â You giggle, trying to smother the giddy idea that heâs planted in your head. Itâs so wildly outside of the realm of possibility, but a fun fantasy to hang on to. âIf I do it, itâs indecent exposure.â
âNahhhhhh.â Dieter takes advantage of your leaning back to laugh to lean forward and nibble on your neck.
âDeeeeeâŚâ His name is always drawn out when you whine it, and your fingers clutch the front of his shirt in fists to keep him close. You donât want him to stop, you just want him to know what heâs doing is driving you crazy.
âIâve got you.â Dieter chuckles and nips just a touch harder. He likes it when you are all whiny and needy for him. âWhat do you want baby?â
âYou.â The answer is always the same. Itâs always him, in some way, shape, or form. If you were back at his place already youâd be dropping to your knees in front of him. Heâs barely left your neck to breathe and you giggle between gasps. âSwear to god youâre a vampire.â
âI vant to suck your bloooood.â He intones in a theatrical voice, as good as any Dracula of the old movies.
It earns him more giggles, and you reach up to thread your fingers through his hair as you find his eyes. âVampires are sexy, ya know. It could work.â
âIâll have to get a role as a vampire.â He grins and pretends to bare his teeth. âJust for you, Bambi.â
******
It's a touch-and-go night in some ways, as some people seem to be fascinated by the revelation of your relationship with Dieter and others seem almost agitated by it. The production team is delighted, knowing that all of the attention will only do good things for the movie. And your castmates seem relieved that they no longer have a secret to keep mum about. For you and Dieter? You've been sitting by the hotel pool chatting amiably with whomever stops by and nursing your drinks out over a long time so that you always have one in hand but never let your behavior get out of hand â which would lead to hands on each other.
One of the people you don't recognize â maybe a significant other you weren't formally introduced to or a bold reporter, you can't tell â is smiling brightly to Dieter. They're chatting away about a horror movie he was in a few years ago when you suddenly gasp dramatically and look up at Dieter with wide eyes. "You played a vampire in that," you blurt out, puzzle pieces clicking together in your head.
Tilting his head, Dieter shoots you a confused expression. âYeah?â He asks, not quite sure what you are getting at. You had told him that you hadnât watched many of his movies after he had left. He was surprised you knew that it was a vampire movie.
âJessieâs house party.â Itâs like an anvil dropped on you, or a house, and you can feel yourself just staring. Sure you hadnât gone to see his movies in theaters, but you always eventually saw them in the dark secrecy of your own apartment. That one had just slipped your attention. âYou said you were going to play a vampire for me one day.â
It clicks and he bites his lip. âOh yeah.â He murmurs softly. âYou havenât seen it.â He motions towards the person he is talking to. âWhatâs the name of the vampireâs obsession?â He asks, not wanting to be the one to tell you.
âItâsâŚâ The man looks between the two of you, confused. âIt was someâŚbimbo name, wasnât it?â
âBambi.â Your mouth runs dry and you can practically feel your jaw unhinge at the same time that your eyes widen. âIâitâŚit was Bambi. Wasnât it?â
âBambi!â he explains, slapping his hands on his thigh. âThat was it! Never understood why they named the lead âBambiâ.â He huffs, shaking his head. Dieter shrugs.
âIâm the one who chose it.â He says, remembering how he had insisted, even threatening to drop from the movie if âDeandraâ wasnât changed to âBambiâ. The executive producer had accused him of trying to change it to some misogynist soft porn but he had been adamant and eventually got his way.
Your gentle hold on Dieterâs hand tightens immediately. You wonât start gushing in front of this stranger, but the silent signal to Dee is obvious. âI, umâŚI think it works well. Ya knowâŚit codes the character as innocent. Naive, even.â
âIt makes sense considering she was the one to destroy the vampire.â He reconsiders it, maybe even a little embarrassed that he might have insulted Dieter. âIn that case, I like it.â
He wanders away before it can get awkward, making the excuse that he needs a fresh drink, but you just tug Dieter into your arms the second heâs gone. âBambi, huh?â You murmur, holding him as tight as you can.
âYeah.â Dieter shrugs slightly, embarrassed. âGot called a pig for that.â
âItâs a slightly unusual nickname.â If you werenât wearing a delicate piece of artwork in the form of a full face of makeup, you would be burying your face in his chest immediately as you hug him. âIâve always liked it, though.â
âI know you do.â Dieter hems and haws a little bit before he decides to ask. âYou really didnât know the name of the lead female character?â
âI didnât.â You shake your head, shrugging guiltily. âIt normally takes a while for me to muster up the courage to watch your moviesâŚI always get nostalgic and it was a lot of emotions before. But I always do see them eventually. I know I said I didnâtâŚI just didnât want you to know then that IâŚI missed you enough to watch them anyway.â
He can acknowledge that he was enough of a dick to deserve that. âI get it.â He promises quietly. âMaybe weâll sit down and watch it together. I normally donât watch my own shit, but Iâll make an exception for you.â
âSeriously?â He makes a rule of it. You know that. It was one of the wisdoms handed down from his father. âThat would be pretty big for you, baby.â
âIâd do it for you.â Heâs planning on actually watching the movie at the premier this time. For you. For your acting.
âI love you, too.â Itâs nothing short of a miracle for Dieter to break his biggest rules and you know it.
******
âDonât worry babe, youâre going to win.â Dieter hums, the buzz of the night not one brought on by chemical influence but by pure joy at the thought. As predicted, you had been nominated, for a second year in a row. This time Dieter is also nominated as well as the film itself. The red carpet had been trodden down together and the two of you had played your near year as a couple up slightly. Still shocking people that Dieter had lasted this long and that the two of you seem to glow happily.
âWe donât know that. We canât know that.â After all, a Golden Globe win is no guarantee of an Oscar. Youâd gotten one of those last year and not the Academy Award. Still, you clutch his hand as you sit down together in the front row and smile through the nerves.
âPlease.â He scoffs and smirks. âThey wouldnât have put you in the front row so you can get on stage quickly in that dress if you arenât winning.â
âOr they only put me in the front row because they wanted you here for your award.â You counter, not admitting that he has a point. The spectacular red and gold satin Carolina Herrera ball gown you have on is one of a kind and made specifically for you â and rather worth showing off.
âNahhhhh.â He knows you are going to win. âThey want me as far back as possible to keep my speech time short.â
âWeâll see.â You really have been trying not to jinx yourself, and you squeeze his hand tightly. âWhat do you want to bet?â
âIf you win, you have to tell everyone up on stage you love me.â He teases, picking up your joined hands and kissing the back of yours.
âI would do that anyway.â His hand gets a kiss in turn. âTry again.â
He huffs, rolling his eyes and you and then leans in with a grin on his face. âYou have to let me fuck you during the after party.â
âScandalous.â But your tone makes it clear that youâre more amused than aghast, and you smirk right back at him while you enjoy the sparkle of mischief in his eyes. âDeal. Although this dress is going to be a challenge.â
âI rise to challenges.â Heâs already though about how he would fuck you in this dress. âOr at least let me duck under it.â
âWhatever you want.â You promise him, knowing that heâs much better at self control these days when it comes to not doing anything reckless in public. This isâŚcall it a treat. This is a treat for him. âBut if you win?â Pretending to think, you tap your chin and grin. âWeâre taking a little vacation. My treat. Anywhere you want to go.â
âThatâs dangerous.â He laughs. âWhat if we both win?â Itâs a possibility for sure this time.
âThen we do both?â It wouldnât kill the two of you to take a break. In the year since the film you made together wrapped, youâve both filmed at least one other project and done plenty of other professional work. You stay extremely busy.
âWe could. Might be good to be seen âfrolickingâ on a beach somewhere?â He hums in amusement. âOr we could do something really unusual. Normal, even.â
âWhat would we do thatâs normal?â You emphasize the word, pretending to be disgusted by it.
âWhy donât we do a cruise?â His eyes light up. âBe completely cheesy and pretend we arenât Hollywood stars and book a normal cruise. Pretend like we donât know whatâs going on.â
âLike a normal couple.â Itâs quite sweet, actually, and you lean over to kiss him. âAlright. Youâre on. Weâll go on a cruise and be totally normal for once.â
âBut can we have a balcony room?â Dieter asks, pouting slightly. âI donât like the interior rooms. Too confining.â
âI promise.â The grin you shoot him is beaming. âWhatever you want.â
âLadies and gentlemenâŚ.â The announcer comes over the speakers and Dieter canât help but bite his lip happily. âShowtime.â He leans over and kisses your cheek for luck.
Itâs a long night, but awards nights always are. Waiting through all the other categories for your own is a special kind of torture, until the presenter for Best Actress finally steps out on stage.
âItâs going to be you.â Dieter repeats, completely sure of it. Of course the two of you have played up for the cameras but the night has been fun. âI know it.â
âNervous.â One mumbled word comes through, and you squeeze his hands tightly in your own. You havenât let his go for hours and youâre not about to now. Youâre terrified, honestly, but mostly because you donât want to disappoint him. Heâs so sure and youâre so scared that youâll fall short again.
âDonât be.â Dieter turns and stares into your eyes. âNo matter what, no matter whose name is called, Iâm proud of you. Iâm so fucking proud of you, Bambi.â
âYouâve got me.â Heâs always told you he does, and always meant it, and the calm that knowing it brings to you runs so deep that you almost donât even hear your own name being called. âIâwhat??â
âThey just called your name.â Dieter beams and rockets you up out of your chair to hug you. He canât get up on the stage with you, but his kiss can linger on your lips.
âTheyââ The camera that swings around you gets the perfect shot of the congratulatory kiss, but you donât even register whatâs happening aside from Dee being the one to tell you that youâve won. He takes two steps forward with you to make sure youâre steady on your feet before sitting back down in his seat, but you swear youâre just flying. Making it on stage is a whirlwind, and you swallow thickly when the statue is placed in your hands before you turn to face the podium. Thereâs a time indicator just inside your line of sight but you look down, right at Dieter in the front row.
âThank you.â You clear your throat, dabbing tears away and letting the smile on your face grow even larger. âThank you to the Academy for this prestigious recognition and award, first and foremost. Thank you to my unbelievably talented cast mates, our phenomenal crew, our brilliant production team, and a grateful thanks to my family at home who still donât quite understand why I do what I do, but love me with all their might anyway.â The audience laughs softly but your eyes never leave Dieter. âThis is an honour that Iâve dreamt of for my entire life, and it is a validation of decades of hard work. Iâm grateful.â
The speech you had written is still tucked into the pocket of your dress, left for a memory. You have something else you want to say in this moment, as your heart hammers and your pulse quickens to double time. âAnd thank you, from the bottom of my heart, to you, Dee.â The cameras that pan to Dieter now are intentional â not catching a fleeting expression but ready for whatever comes next. âThank you for challenging me as often as you support me. For being the push I need to face my fears and the arms that welcome me home when things donât quite go as planned. Thank you for the professional and personal growth that I know never would have happened without you. I love you, I will always love you, and I hope we have a thousand more adventures ahead of us.â
"I love you too! Finish your speech!" Dieter calls out towards the stage, his own face reflecting pride and love as he grins at the way the entire theater bursts into laughter and applause.
You canât help but laugh, the beaming smile on your face coming with a shake off your head. âThe end of my speech?â The little timer in the edge of your line of sight is almost at the end, and you swallow, looking back down at him with renewed courage. Didnât you just say you wanted adventure? âItâs just one sentence, and itâs a question for you.â The whole room seems to take a breath at once, and you can see your co-stars turning to stare at him in the front few rows. âDieter Bravo, will you marry me?â
His jaw drops in shock and it seems like the entire venue, maybe even the world are holding their breath as they wait for his answer. He can't believe that you just asked him to marry you, but your grin hides the slightly panicked worry in your eyes. As if he would say no. He stands up and huffs: "Took you long enough to ask!" He answers playfully. "Of course I'm going to marry you, Bambi!"
Disbelieving applause and hollers pulse through the crowd as you move to the edge of the stage to meet him for a kiss before being ushered backstage. Youâll see him again in just minutes, but for right now your heart is beating out of your chest. You actually just did that. And he actually said yes!
Dieter accepts the congratulations of nearly everyone seated around the pair of you, your little proposal almost overshadowing the most important part. Now he's going to ask you if you were serious.
You make it back to your seat after the next award, right as the commercial break hits. The statue that will bear your name has been handed off to be engraved and without it in your hands you can practically drive back into Dieterâs arms in the seats.
âTell me that wasnât just to be on every Hollywood and Academy Awards reel for the rest of time?â He begs, immediately pressing his lips to yours as soon as the words are out of his mouth.
âThey just got the benefit of me finally getting the balls to ask.â Oneâtwoâthree quick kisses shared between you leave the two of you grinning breathlessly. âI mean it, baby. You and me. Forever.â
âI want a marvelously tacky ring.â Dieter warns you with a waggle of his brows. âMaybe a different kind of ring of engagement.â
âI knew you were going to want something alternative.â Giggling into another chaste kiss, you slip your hand into his and squeeze it tightly. âYou wanna go shopping tomorrow? Engagement rings of all varieties?â
âYou think they have diamond cock rings?â He asks quietly as they announce the category for Best Actor in a drama.
âAlready looked into it,â you promise in a whisper. Thank god for incognito mode on your browser, youâd thought it would be a silly birthday gift.
âYessss.â He ignores the playback of the movie as he leans in to kiss you.
Itâs the second time tonight that one of you hears the announcement before the other, and you pull back from Dieter with an excited squeak. âBaby, babyââ You grip his arms tightly. âYou did it! Itâs you!â
Dieter blinks a few moments and then he realizes what you are saying, pulling you up with him to kiss you again before he makes his way to the stage this time. Heâs congratulated and hands are shaken, his only thoughts that nothing is going to top this. Not professionally, anyway.
âTonight I thought that my co-star, my lover and my fiancĂŠe was going to win.â He starts out, shaking his head and looking down at the statue and then back at you in the audience. âI didnât even have a speech prepared, I was so sure I wasnât going to win. So yeah, I want to thank everyone on the movie, thank my fiancĂŠe for her performance andâŚ.â
Dieter bites his lip and looks out over the sea of people in the audience. He sees Dustin Mulray and Lauren Van Chance sitting together and acting lovey again for the fifteenth time and Carol Cobb is a presenter, not an actual member of the academy, but she is glaring at him from her seat. She still blames him for her bad press around Cliff Beasts 6. âIâm done.â Dieter decides. âTonight, I am retiring from film. This will be my last one of these, so thank you.â He holds the golden statue up in the air and pumps it in gratitude before bowing slightly.
The ripple of a shocked gasp cuts through the crowd, but you feel a very different reaction for yourself â almost laughing in your seat as you clap for him. The people around you start to applaud slowly, and sure enough that ripple takes over the crowd instead until the entirety of the theater is clapping as Dieter is ushered off stage. Between the two of you, youâve certainly made a splash tonightâŚ
Backstage, itâs a rush to get Dieter back to his seat but everyone asks if heâs serious. He is. And now that heâs said it out loud, heâs almostâŚ.relieved. The idea has been talked about more but nothing definite had been done, now heâs taken that first step. Although he wonders what you think about that.
Thereâs a commercial break when he gets back to his seat, mercifully, and you grab his hands immediately. Youâre with him, he must know that, but you search his face. âYou couldnât just say thanks and walk off stage?â You ask, stifling laughter at how shocked everyone is. âDo youâŚare you serious?â
âI am.â Dieter nods, giving you an almost relieved grin. âItâs notâ nothing will beat this. Not in my current life. Winning with youâ itâs the way I want to go out.â
âWellâŚâ Lifting one of his hands to your mouth, you press a kiss to his palm and offer him a supportive smile. âWhatever you want to do, Dee. Full retirement, new career, house husband, whatever. Or if you want to start scouting theater locations, we can do that, too. As long as youâre happy.â Heâs taking control of his life, which is something heâs never been able to do, and for that you have to be proud of him.
âI do want to do the theater.â Dieter admits quietly. âI donât expect you to retire or give up your career. I justââ he sighs softly. âI hate film. Honestly. I always have.â
âI only care that youâre happy,â you promise him. âWhatever it is that's going to do that, weâll do it together.â The grin you flash at him is a little guilty. âI might pop away once in a while to make a movie or I might not. Weâll have to see.â
âYou should.â Dieter urges, bending down to kiss your hands, one then the other. âI love you. I donât want this to just be about me. Iâve been selfish enough for my entire life plus twelve more.â
âI love you, too.â The two of you get to share one more quick kiss before the cameras whir to life again and the broadcast is back from commercial. Only Best Picture remains, but it doesnât matter if you win. You have the best prize in the world sitting in the seat right next to you.
Watching you up on stage again, this time for Best Picture, Dieter claps and whistles from the audience, aware that you deserve this. His Bambi has become a certifiable star. One that he hopes never dims.
******
Jet lag is one of the worst feelings in the entire world, bar none. It sticks to you and dogs your brain and makes you ache, and half the time it even stops your thoughts from making sense. Right now you feel like a jumbled puzzle as Sadie presses a travel mug of fresh tea into your hands then bundles you into a car at the airport to head for home. Four months was a hell of a long time to be gone, and it feels like even more, but at least you didnât miss any important holidays or birthdays this time. In fact â youâre ahead of the curve. Itâs opening night of a new show tonight and there is nothing more exciting or enticing than getting to surprise your husband on the occasion.
Dieter rushes around, his headset half off as he shouts towards the stagehands. âTo the left!â He orders. The thrill of opening night is only measured equally by the stress, but itâs honestly something he has come to love. The students have worked their asses off and they deserve tonight to go off without too many hitches. There are always issues in live performance, itâs to be expected and anticipated as much as possible. Itâs his job to make sure that they are equipped with the knowledge and training to work through it and deliver a sound performance to the audience.
Desiree checks her watch discreetly, expecting to see a text from her wife when she gets you back in the car from the house. Just because Dieter had left Hollywood behind didnât mean that she was going to leave his side â and now her job as a theater administrator means sheâs his right hand in a whole other way. When the text eventually comes through, she grins and moves through the space to tap Dieter on the shoulder. âKeep going.â She murmurs conspiratorially. âIâm going to make sure the kids arenât getting into any of the concessions candy.â
âYou know they are.â Dieter chuckles, rolling his eyes at the antics that his children can get into. âThey are mine after all.â
âOnly two of them.â She flashes him a grin. She and Sadie had opted to adopt, and it means that those three kids have become a sort of whirlwind trio as the years tick by. âIâll be right back,â she assures him before hustling out of the theater.
With Desiree off to wrangle the kids, Dieter turns back towards the chaos that is backstage before opening night. Putting out a handful of fires and drying a few anxious tears, most people who knew Dieter during his adult acting career in Hollywood wouldnât recognize him. No longer the flighty, unpredictable actor, he had built this school with your help as one that would produce solid performers regardless of their background.
You donât really get to sneak in this property â everyone who works or goes to class here knows you â but Sadie drops you off at the stage door of the main building with a grin and zips off to the main entrance to park the car and pop in on Desiree. Youâve showered, changed, and wrapped up Dieterâs opening night gift to be tucked into your purse. Heâs done immense work here and youâre so incredibly proud of the man heâs become through all of his own hard work. If once in a while you show it with a gift, that seems completely reasonable, right?
He doesnât have a chance to check his phone, too busy to even pull it out of his pocket so he doesnât even know if youâve texted him. The kids are cleaned up â two KitKats and a box of milk duds have been sacrificed to their sweet tooth â and they are eagerly heading off to sit in a box that is reserved for family and friends. A stagehand is sitting with them so they donât run off, but he knows as soon as the lights go down, his kids will be glued to their seats.
Carefully slipping in through the side door of the theater, you tuck yourself into the crowd to watch the show. Eurydice is a brilliant piece of stage work in the right hands, and Deeâs deft directing combined with the raw talents of some of these kids is truly breathtaking. If you privately enjoy it a little more because itâs by the same playwright who wrote the show you did on Broadway together? Thatâs just a little extra nugget.
He knows that the kids are taken care of, so Dieter focuses completely on the play, every act, every scene perfectly coordinated and timed. He holds his breath when one of the boys stumbles, but he quickly recovers and delivers his line with the same tenacity that had come through in rehearsals.
Itâs gorgeous, really, and when the audience gets to its feet during the curtain call you stand with them right away. Whistles and cheers come from every corner as the cast takes their bows. In the front row in the corner, you can see Dieter in this customary seat, waving his thanks in between giving his own applause to the cast. It takes a few long minutes before people start to file out of their seats and out to the lobby for the opening night party, but you have somewhere to be. Up some hidden steps and around the corner, you pop your head into the little box seat where Desiree and Sadie are sitting with the kids, ready to surprise them and bring them down so the three of you can congratulate their dad together.
Your youngest is the first one to see you. The movement in the corner of her eye caught her attention. "Mom!" She squeals, jumping up and rushing over to throw herself into your arms.
âHey baby girl.â At ten years old, she still likes big hugs and doesnât mind you being a little mushy, but even her much-too-cool older brother pops out of his seat when he hears your voice. âSurprise, guys!â You laugh, bathing in the bliss of having both of your kids hug the life out of you. âDid you like Dadâs show?â
âItâs okay.â He shrugs his shoulders and gestures towards the stage. âAct two, scene one, they missed the queue and flipped the lines.â
You snort softly, leaning over to press a kiss to your sonâs head. âYou know youâre the toughest critic in this place, so only finding one thing to point out is pretty good.â
âStillââ at twelve, Diego Bravo was just as arrogant as his father in some aspects, having grown up in this theater and knowing the plays better than some producers. Whenever he wasnât in school, he was here â when he couldnât convince you to let him come with you on your film locations.
âStill, we should go say hi to Dad, yeah?â You squeeze them both tight again and grin when Mia clings to your side. Sheâs still young enough that sheâs not going to let you go, and youâre going to cherish that for as long as it lasts.
âDad doesnât know youâre here?â Diegoâs eyes widen and he grins. âHe might cry, you know.â
âI came to surprise you two goofs first.â The tip of your finger bops both of their noses. âCâmon, letâs go down to the party.â Opening night and closing night parties are a beautiful example of when this theater really feels like family â theyâre never a big deal but theyâre always so much damn fun. Just some bottles of bubbly and some snacks for the cast, crew, and their loved ones with music pouring through the speakers in the theater lobby, but everyone always dances and itâs always a great way to celebrate hard work.
For a man who was very seriously into drugs, he keeps the theater drug free. Maybe itâs because thereâs nowhere to hide things that heâs not already thought of or the policy of one strike and youâre blacklisted strikes fear into most of the studentâs hearts, there are rarely incidents. He explains it every time a new class is on boarded. He was exposed to drugs at a very young age by the man who was supposed to protect him. While they are in his school, they are under his protection. There will be plenty of that shit available in the real world, but oftentimes, it makes you unusable as an actor. The only real reason he got away with the shit he did was because of his legacy in Hollywood.
Heâs in the middle of having this conversation with a party guest who brought their vape when you come downstairs with the kids, so you steer them to the bar to get some ginger ale rather than disturb your husband. Youâve heard him give this speech plenty and it sounds to be nearly over, so you can happily wait. Sadie and Desiree have brought their daughter down as well, and she and your kids might as well be on another planet as far as paying attention to things anyway. Ginger ale for them and bubbly for the three adults, you grab a fourth glass to bring over to Dee as you can hear him finishing talking to the random party guest.
Dieter feels a hand on his arm just as he nods to the guest. âIt turned out good, didnât it, Des?â He thinks Desiree is touching him and when he turns, his eyes blow wide and his jaw drops. âYou!â Speechless at the sight of his wife and all time favorite human besides his kids, in front of him. âYouâre supposed to be in Jakarta!â
âSurprise!â You and the kids shout all at once, and you hold out a glass to him while they collapse into a giggling fit. âI raced through the last few days of filming to get home early. Congratulations, baby. The show was beautiful.â
âOh my god, Iââ Dieter rushes forward and wraps his arms around you. âYou must be exhausted. Have you slept at all? You liked it? They did a great job. Best show yet, but donât tell the last class I said that.â
âI wonât say a word,â you promise him, hugging him tight against you and breathing in the familiar, calming scent of his cologne. âI slept on the plane. Didnât want to be too out of it so that I could change and come straight here after landing in Seattle.â
âI canât believe you came.â He had talked to you yesterday but he knows that there are times where your filming schedule will interfere with the theater productions.
âI missed you.â Itâs sweet to see that Diego was right â that there are soft tears forming behind Dieterâs eyes. The son is so much like the father in some ways that it makes sense when he can guess at those reactions. Thankfully, Dieter had made sure that your son and daughter grew up in a much more supportive and caring environment than he ever had.
âI missed you too, I always miss you.â He presses his lips to yours, not even minding the quiet groans that come from the kids. They can be embarrassed all they want. Heâs not seen you in nearly two months.
âIâm proud of you.â When you finally part, youâre beaming at him with that same warmth that youâve always had. The smile of a woman completely besotted with her partner. âAnd Iâm so glad Iâm home.â
âYou will have to sleep when we get home.â He frowns slightly, knowing you must be exhausted. âWe wonât stay long.â
âWe can stay as long as you want.â No one who knew the Hollywood version of Dieter would believe it if they saw him now. Attentive and caretaking, heâs come into his own as a teacher and a father. Like he was always meant for this life all along. âYou deserve to celebrate with your cast.â
âIâd rather let the younger kids celebrate their hard work while I celebrate in a bubble bath with my wife.â Dieter suggests, sliding around you and hunching around your back. âWhat do you think?â
âMmm, that is awfully tempting, Mr. Bravo.â It sounds like heaven, actually. Especially after twenty-three hours of travel. âThat sounds very, very tempting.â
âIt should tempt you.â Dieter chuckles. âI have a bottle of that wine you love in the wine fridge. Found it last weekend.â
âSo hot bath, naked husband, and my favorite rosĂŠ?â When you turn your head to kiss his lips again, heâs right there smirking at you and waggling his eyebrows. It works â it always works â and you giggle into the kiss. âConsider me seduced.â
âYessss.â Dieter hisses under his breaths and then nuzzles his nose against your neck. âGo to bed kids, daddyâs getting laid tonight.â He doesnât speak loud enough for anyone but you to hear.
âOh yeah.â It earns him an amused giggle and another kiss before you turn around in his arms to face him. âItâs been months,â you murmur back. âYouâre absolutely getting laid.â
âVideo chatting just isnât the same.â He hums. The sex drive has ultimately slowed down, he is nearing 49 this year, but he still wants you. Always wants you.
"Thought I might stay home for a while." The last year or so has been busy. You took a mini-series that had you filming overseas and then this last movie was a lot of stunts and action, which was fun but a lot more exhausting than it used to be. More and more you find that you just want to be home with your family. "Diego's gonna be a teenager this summer. I feel like that's just trouble waiting to happen." He is, after all, a whole lot like his father. Mischief runs in the Bravo blood.
âHeâs asked if he can submit an application.â Dieter tells you quietly. âHe wants to attend the theater.â
"How do you feel about that?" The policy of not letting anyone under teen age take classes at the academy had kept Diego at bay for the last few years, but you knew it was only a matter of time. The kid is ecstatic in the theater and has a real eye for it. But considering everything Dieter went through as a kid, it has to be his call. He has to be okay with letting Diego become an actor if that's what he wants to do.
âI donât think itâs right to keep the kid from what he loves.â Dieter acknowledges. âBut he has to keep his grades up.â
"Agreed." It's a very big step for Dieter to be okay with this, and your thumbs smooth gently over his arms. "And he has to audition just like everyone else."
âIâve decided Iâm not going to be the one to look over his audition.â Dieter murmurs quietly. âHeâs going to be pissed when he finds that out.â
"I think it's a good idea." And actually? You're glad that you don't have to be the one to suggest it. "No favoritism that way. But you could help him prep a little. I bet he would love that."
"I'll suggest that." He smiles at you, grateful that you have the answer for what he needs to do.
"Do you want to give him the application for his birthday?" He seems a lot more relaxed after just a few minutes of talking about it, but it really is down to how much he loves his kids. Against all odds, Dieter Bravo turned out to be a great dad, and you hope his selflessness and his unconditional support is making Baxter roll over in his grave.
"I think he would like that." Dieter grins, and nods. He pulls you closer and inhales your scent, something so soothing to him.
"You're a good dad, Dee." Holding him tight against you, you press a kiss to his cheek and sigh happily. Being home a few days early was well worth all the extra work that you did to get here. "And your family loves you."
"That's all I could ever ask for, Bambi." He admits quietly, sighing as he relaxes for the first time since you left. His family and his theater are all that he needs. He still gets calls, directors begging him to work with them, to star in their movies. To come back to Hollywood. He turns them all down. He had said he was done. He had told his father years ago that he wanted to be on the stage, and he had meant it, he was just behind the scenes now and it was the most fulfilling work he's ever done. Besides winning you back. Without you, none of this was possible. You are his greatest muse.
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Mike Luckovich
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President Biden and VP Harris meet with Ukrainian President Zelensky
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met separately with President Biden and Vice President Harris on Thursday. The meetings were remarkable on many levels.
First, the Biden-Harris administration continues to present a unified front in supporting Ukraine while placing limitations on the offensive use of American weapons. The Biden-Harris administrationâs steadfast support for Ukraine stands in stark contrast to the nearly universal GOP embrace of Putinâs war of aggression against Ukraine. See US Department of Defense, Biden Administration Announces New Security Assistance Package for Ukraine.
Second, Vice President Harrisâs meeting and joint press conference with President Zelensky gave VP Harris a more prominent public-facing role in discussing US foreign policy toward Ukraine and Russia. Joe Biden deserves great credit and admiration for his generosity of spirit in allowing VP Harris to take a leading role on an important foreign policy matter. Bidenâs action allowed VP Harris to showcase experience on the international stage. Joe Bidenâs lack of ego is remarkable for a man who has risen to the nationâs highest office.
In her remarks in a joint press conference with President Zelensky, VP Harris said,
My support for the people of Ukraine is unwavering. [T]there are some in my country who would instead force Ukraine to give up large parts of its sovereign territory, who would demand that Ukraine accept neutrality, and would require Ukraine to forego security relationships with other nations. These proposals are the same as those of Putin, and let us be clear, they are not proposals for peace. Instead, they are proposals for surrender, which is dangerous and unacceptable.
See The Guardian, Harris decries Trumpâs âproposals of surrenderâ as Zelenskyy visits White House | Volodymyr Zelenskyy
Finally, as Biden and Harris were strongly supporting Ukraine, Trump was strongly suggesting that he would sell out Ukraine by demanding surrender. At a press conference on Thursday, the following exchange occurred:
Trump: I believe I will be able to make a deal between President Putin and President Zelensky quite quickly. Reporter: What does that look like? Trump: I donât want to tell you what that looks like.
Trump's evasion is outrageous on many levels. The press would never accept such evasion from Kamala Harris. Remember when the White House pool reporters literally screamed at Karine Jean-Pierre when she told the press that an army specialist in Parkinsonâs Disease did visit President Biden during several dozen visits to the White House. (The next day it was reported that the physician was visiting with veterans of the Iran and Iraq war working in the White House.)
Moreover, it is clear that Trump's secret plan involves telling Zelensky that the US will cut off aid to Ukraine unless it surrenders immediately to Putin. There is no other reasonable inference to be drawn from Trump's refusal to specify his âpeace plan.â
Kamala Harris is right. Trump's âproposals for peaceâ are really âproposals for surrender.â Yet another reason the choice is clear and important in November.
The NYTimes is finally writing about Trump's unhinged press conferences
The press conference at which Trump evaded the reporterâs question about Ukraine was billed as a press conference about immigration. But Trump grew bored of his prepared remarks on immigration and began a free-style jazz improvisation without the jazz. As described by the NYTimes (Gold and Haberman),
Mr. Trump quickly appeared to grow bored with the remarks he read from, and drifted repeatedly toward other topics. He talked about inflation, accused Ms. Harris of lying about working at McDonaldâs years ago and nursed his fury over how the ABC News debate moderators handled his face-off with Ms. Harris nearly three weeks ago. At the beginning of the news conference, Mr. Trump struggled at times to articulate his thoughts or make a point clearly. He stumbled over some words as he read from remarks he had plainly not written. He bootstrapped one thought onto another based on whether the words associated with something else, as opposed to having a clear through line. [œœ] The group of Trump employees and supporters gathered in the lobby along one of the barricades that penned in where Mr. Trump spoke appeared to grow restless, with some looking around, as Mr. Trump talked and talked.
See NYTimes, McDonaldâs, Pelosi, Debate Moderators: Trump Speech on Border Veers Off Course.
In the past, the NYTimes reported such remarks as âmeandering.â Now, the Times is accurately reporting that Trump is âstruggl[ing] to articulate his thoughts.â When Joe Biden spoke with a lifelong stutter, the Times demanded that he withdraw from the presidential race. Now that the Times is acknowledging that Trump cannot think or speak in a logical or linear fashion, the Times is content to describe the sorry spectacle and shrug its shoulders.
President Biden signs executive order on gun violence
On Thursday, the President signed an executive order designed to reduce the proliferation of machine guns and âghost guns,â and improving active-shooter drills in schools. See WhiteHouse.gov, Executive Order on Combating Emerging Firearms Threats and Improving School-Based Active-Shooter Drills | The White House
VP Harris leads the newly established White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention. After President Biden signed the executive order, he handed the pen to VP Harris and urged her to âkeep it going.â Kamala Harris then said,
It is a false choice to suggest you are either in favor of the Second Amendment, or you want to take everyoneâs guns away. I am in favor of the Second Amendment and I believe we need to reinstate the assault weapons ban. [The American people have a right to] live, work, worship and learn without fear of violence -- including gun violence.
Trump stands by Mark Robinson, pretends he doesnât know what controversy is about
During Trump's presidency, a standard tactic by Republicans trying to avoid commenting on Trump's latest outrageous statement was to say, âI havenât seen the tweet.â On Thursday, Trump resorted to that tactic with Mark Robinson, the GOP candidate for governor of North Carolina. When a reporter asked Trump if he will drop his endorsement of Mark Robinson, Trump said,
I donât know the situation.
Of course, Trump knew enough about Mark Robinson to describe him as âMartin Luther King on steroids.â But now that Robinson has been caught making comments on a porn forum praising Nazis and slavery, Trump ânever heard of the guy.â (My words, not his.)
Critically, Trump will not withdraw his endorsement of Mark Robinson no matter whatâwhich should give Democratic candidate for governor, Josh Stein, a reason to keep hammering Robinson and Trump throughout the remainder of the campaign. If Trump canât un-endorse a guy who says that Mein Kamp is a good read, his antisemitic credentials are incontestable.
[Robert B. Hubbell Newsletter]
#Mike Luckovich#hurricane#NOAA#political cartoons#Mark Robinson#voter suppression#North Carolina#Trump dementia#gun violence#unhinged press conference#Ukraine#President Zelensky#Robert B. Hubbell#Robert b Hubbell Newsletter
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When a team of three top Biden administration national security officials gave a private briefing to the House of Representatives on Oct. 11, they proposed working with Congress on emergency funding to tackle multiple foreign-policy crises at once: the Israel-Hamas war, the war in Ukraine, support for Taiwan, and the U.S. southern border.
In the past, such a proposal wouldnât elicit much controversy. Even in the hyper-partisan House, support for Israel is virtually unanimous, while nearly all Democrats and most Republicans broadly agree on funding to back Ukraine and counter Russia and China. But when the administration officials brought up the idea of a joint supplemental funding package in the briefing, a group of Republicans responded by jeering them with a chorus of boos.
The exchange, described to Foreign Policy by one lawmaker in attendance and three congressional aides briefed on the matter, offers a glimpse into how the chaos in the Republican-controlled House is morphing from a domestic political circus into a massive foreign-policy headache for the Biden administration. How that chaos plays out could have major implications for the scale and timing of U.S. security assistance to Israel as well as the continued flow of U.S. military aid to Ukraine, seen as critical in its war against Russia.
National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby warned last week that Washington is ârunning out of runwayâ to send security assistance to Israel and Ukraine without additional funding from Congressâall stymied by the glaring absence of a House speaker amid unprecedented infighting among House Republicans. The Republicans are inching closer to naming Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan, a staunch supporter of former President Donald Trump and skeptic of U.S. support for Ukraine, to be speaker, but he still faces an uphill battle to scrape together enough votes from the Republican caucus to get the job.
âThe sooner that thereâs a speaker of the House, obviously, the more comfortable weâll all be in terms of being able to support Israel and Ukraine right now,â Kirby said. âBecause of existing appropriations and existing authorities, weâve been OK. But thatâs not going to last forever.â
The House has been mired in dysfunction ever since a fringe group of Republicans ousted former Speaker Kevin McCarthy from his job two weeks ago, with no succession plan in mind. Republicans are in the midst of a mini-civil war politically over how to climb out of the mess.
The first question is: Who will the next House speaker be? Under current rules, the House is extremely limited in what it can do without a confirmed speaker. At this point, the House canât even pass a resolution voicing support for Israel after the Hamas terrorist attacks that has support from more than 400 of its 433 members, let alone pass complex security assistance funding packages. (There are currently two vacancies in the House.)
While nearly all Republicans and Democrats will back funding for new security assistance packages to Israel, Ukraine is more complicated. A coterie of the GOP House opposes further aid to Ukraine, with some arguing the United States has given the eastern European country enough, and with at least one, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, parroting Russian talking points on the origins of the conflict. If Ukraine becomes more politicized on the right, more members could follow suit and begin opposingâor, at the very least, not proactively supportingâUkraine aid. Those dynamics matter when the Republicans have a razor-thin majority in the House.
Jordan, a longtime budget hawk who has championed Trumpâs falsehoods about the results of the 2020 election, has emerged as the only front-runner who may actually net enough votes to be speaker. Jordan still has to sway dozens of Republicans to his cause, including foreign-policy hawks and centrists who are skeptical of his leadership credentials. Since the Democrats will not vote for him, Jordan needs to convince 217 of the 221 Republicans in the House to back him to be elected, leaving little margin for any dissent.
The second question is whether defense hawks can use the House speakership race to their advantage to clinch gains for national security funding, including on Ukraine.
Jordan notched some significant wins on Monday when two prominent Ukraine supporters endorsed him. Rep. Mike Rogers, chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, and Rep. Ken Calvert, who leads the powerful defense subcommittee on appropriations, both threw their weight behind Jordan. Those endorsements may signal that Jordan is willing to make deals on keeping U.S. military aid to Ukraine flowing, though neither Rogers nor Calvert explicitly said so in their statements.
The third question is what happens to future funding packagesâknown as supplementalsâfor Israel, Ukraine, Taiwan, and border security. Three administration officials confirmed that the Biden administration wants to bundle funding together into one big package to pass both the House and the Senateâthough the administration has yet to unveil the specifics of this plan. The package the administration is drafting could be presented to Congress as soon as the end of this week, these officials said. Democrats endorse the strategy of bundling these four national security measures into one supplemental, as do some prominent Republican lawmakers such as Rep. Michael McCaul, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee.
Nearly all Republicans endorse boosting funding for Israel, which has outsized significance in American politics, and for Taiwan, to counter China. Nearly all Republicans also want to pressure the Biden administration to spend more on border security. The hitch is Ukraine, where a sliver of the slim Republican majority can derail funding. Democrats, as well as some centrist Republicans, figure that linking all the funding together would make it all but impossible to block more money for Ukraine. Not all Republicans, including Ukraine supporters like Nebraska Rep. Don Bacon, are sold on that plan, however.
The next big question is what those aid packages will contain. The Senate, fed up with the chaos in the House, is rushing to draft its own supplemental aid package for Israel and potentially Ukraine without waiting for the dust to settle in the House. Any final bill would ultimately have to pass both the House and Senate. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee separately has scheduled confirmation hearings this week for President Joe Bidenâs picks to be ambassador to Israel, Jack Lew, and ambassador to Egypt, Herro Mustafa Garg, as the crisis highlighted the growing backlog of national security nominees in limbo.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer traveled to Israel over the weekend and said he discussed what a U.S. aid package to Israel would entail. Among the Israeli wish list that Schumer outlined is replenishing stocks for Israelâs Iron Dome missile defense system, precision-guided bombs, and 155 mm mortar shells.
So far, the White House and Senate leadership have been quiet on what Ukraine might get. However, several Western defense officials familiar with the inner workings of U.S. military aid to Ukraine say a supplemental would likely include funding to replenish U.S. weapons stockpiles as older weapons and artillery munitions are transferred to Ukraine, as well as training, upkeep, and maintenance for Ukrainians using and being trained on advanced U.S. weapons systems such as long-range artillery systems and M1 Abrams tanks.
Past supplementals for Ukraine have also funded salariesâto the tune of hundreds of millions of dollarsâfor U.S. service members deployed in Europe to train Ukrainians and conduct more military exercises with NATO allies in a bid to deter Russia from expanding the war.
The political battles in Washington constitute an existential issue for Ukraine, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. During a visit to Washington in September, Schumer recounted to reporters how Zelensky summed up his dilemma to U.S. lawmakers: âMr. Zelensky said, âIf we donât get the aid, we will lose the war,ââ Schumer said.
House Democrats, meanwhileâstuck on the sidelines while they wait for Republicans to elect their own replacement speakerâhave made their frustrations clear.
âWe have a war in Europe, a war in the Middle East, challenges around the world, tensions in the Indo-Pacific, and the United States is unable to elect a speaker of the House,â Democratic Rep. Andy Kim told Foreign Policy in an interview. âWhat kind of signal does that send to our adversaries and our competitors?â
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https://www.tmz.com/2023/02/13/garth-brooks-irving-azoff-james-dolan-ticketing-prices-conference/
Azoff moderating a discussion on high ticket prices?!?đđ
The country music legend is scheduled to speak on a panel in Los Angeles next week joined by Madison Square Garden Entertainment's James Dolan, former Assistant Attorney General for the DOJ, Makan Delrahim and moderated by music biz mogul, Irving Azoff.
The event will be the 34th annual Pollstar Live! conference discussion panel, which will go down February 22 at 9:45 AM PT at the Beverly Hilton in L.A.
As for what will be discussed, we're told Azoff, Brooks and team will talk ticket scalpers, how to score tickets to events without getting ripped off, the resale market and how outside hands have really soured the market for fans.
This is a conference held by Pollstar, which is owned by Oak View Group (Irving Azoffâs company). Their focus will be propaganda on how dynamic pricing keeps money for artists (and Ticketmaster) rather than scalpers, which has always been Azoffâs point of viewâ that dynamic pricing is protection for artists AND consumers, because it sets the correct âmarket priceâ for tickets.
This is what Azoff said in 2009:
At a recent D: All Things Digital Conference, Ticketmaster CEO Irving Azoff proclaimed, âWe havenât done enough dynamic pricing for tickets, and we should, and that will help make people happy.â Mr. Azoff is right, dynamic pricing is the key to pricing for profits and growth in the rock concert industry.
As for âformer Assistant Attorney General for the DOJ, Makan Delrahim,â who is arguing âon the regulatory sideâ on this panel, due to his time serving in the DOJ (for Donald Trump)â a little Google search shows that he is now a private lobbyist helping mega corporate mergers.
In October 2016, Delrahim commented on AT&T's proposed $85.4 billion acquisition of Time Warner while appearing on Canada's Business News Network, saying "I don't see this as a major antitrust problem."[9][10]
This screenshot from a 2009 article is incredibly revealing of how money can change someone⌠even Bruce Springsteen.
You can do a Google search of Azoffâs congressional testimony in favor of the Live Nation- Ticketmaster merger in 2009:
A Senate investigation in 2019 showed this:
The Justice Department, in what it described as its strongest enforcement of an antitrust agreement in 20 years, said Thursday that it and Live Nation Entertainment have agreed to amend and extend the regulatory decree that allowed the giant concert company to merge with Ticketmaster nearly a decade ago.
Justice officials said the settlement came after the department found that Live Nation had repeatedly violated the existing agreement. Its investigation focused on complaints from competitors that Live Nation had used its control over the concert touring business to pressure music venues into signing contracts with its Ticketmaster subsidiary.
The government did nothing but slap Live Nation on the wrist. They basically said, âWe know you behaved in a monopolistic manner, and weâre gonna keep watching! No fines!â
Azoff then responded to the extension of the consent decree by 1. owning the biggest venues in the biggest cities, and 2. monopolizing existing venues.
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Of course, he knew. He always knew.
October 10, 2024
Believing the 2020 election was stolen from Donald Trump (or stollen, as he spells it) through some sort of imaginary voter fraud is not only an article of faith among the MAGA cult, it's also become a minimum requirement for participation in Republican politics. In last week's debate with his Democratic opponent, GOP vice presidential candidate J.D. Vance just couldn't bring himself admit the obvious, that Joe Biden was the real winner of that contest.
This is because for nearly four years Trump has been relentlessly hammering away at what's become known as the Big Lie. Only last week at a rally in Saginaw, Michigan, he told his crowd of credulous followers, "We won, we won, we did win. It was a rigged election, it was a rigged election."
But in reality, Trump has known all along it wasn't rigged and that he actually did lose. He certainly knew it the night of the election because many inside his circle told him repeatedly there was no evidence of fraud that would change the fact of his embarrassing electoral beatdown.
These people included senior Justice Department officials, the Director of National Intelligence, White House attorneys, senior members of his campaign staff and a variety of state election officials (most of them Trump loyalists). You can also add in his vice president, Mike Pence.
He had to be aware how state and federal courts ruled his dozens of lawsuits alleging election fraud "meritless." Plus, the Department of Homeland Security issued a public statement announcing âthere was no evidence any voting system had been compromisedâ and that "the 2020 election was the most secure in American history.â
Count one of Special Counsel Jack Smithâs four-count felony indictment of Donald Trump alleges he used âknowingly falseâ claims of election fraud in a conspiracy to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election. Yes, knowingly. And as The Hill reported: "The prosecution will almost certainly call witnesses who will swear that Trump privately acknowledged losing the election."
Such witnesses include the ones listed above, plus others. Like Cassidy Hutchinson, former assistant to Trump's chief of staff, who has described hearing Trump admit he lost. And Bill Barr, Trump's former Attorney General, who said a year ago that he "knew well he lost the election."
Even Trump himself sometimes forgets to lie about his 2020 defeat. For instance, he recently admitted, "He beat us by a whisker. It was a terrible thing." But, naturally, Trump later declared that was said "sarcastically" before then doubling down on the claim he's known all along was false.
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Living Anxiety
It is 4am and I am unable to sleep, and so I find myself writing the rough draft of this in the hopes that writing it down will tire me out. To all of you who have noticed me withdrawing more and more lately, I am pulling back the curtain a bit to share a bit of what I have been wrestling with privately.
To give some insight into my home life: it is a house, but not my home. I have lived here in this small podunk town in Tennessee all my life. Opportunities were always few and far between unless you work a dead-end job for pennies on the dollar (TN has no state minimum wage, so a lot of jobs will start you at the federal $7.25/hr -- or less if you work a job that gets tips!) or really enjoy dealing in antique furniture. It's also a terrible place to live as someone queer. My nephew got run off the road just last year because an older man saw him with makeup on, veering toward him and forcing him off the road, calling him slurs in the process. Hell, I STILL have neighbors who are die-hard Trump supporters. Which brings me to my mother. Mercifully, she's very anti-Trump, but in many ways still very conservative. She worked as a nurse nearly 40 years and is set in beliefs from that long ago as well. To her, gender is immutable -- although I have been on HRT for over 2 years now, she doesn't make even the barest effort to acknowledge it. To her, I will always be Daniel, not Wren. Always her little boy. Always "him". I'm not even respected enough to have my own bank account; she has access to view my statements at any time and will frequently question me about purchases I make, money I send to friends and partners, anything. "I want to make sure it's you spending your money, not anyone else." No trust, no boundaries. Hell, she told me once "My boundaries mean that I can ignore yours." In addition, she's developed a victim complex, always blaming me for perceived slights against her that she has imagined. She uses that as fuel to make "jokes" about how she wants to tie me up so I'd miss a flight away or how she'll get me arrested for something just so I wouldn't be able to leave.
With all of that in mind, you can surely see why I would be eager to move away. However, there are a few extenuating factors that make it difficult for me, especially lately. Notably, my lack of income, lack of living history (since I've lived here my whole life), and just sheer logistics.
First off, at the moment, I have no income. I had a job, from April 2018 until January 2022. I worked as a veterinary assistant at a local clinic, since I wanted a job that served a purpose and I love animals. I initially wanted to go to college for it (after failing at another college under a different major), but quickly learned that while I was okay with doing it as a job, I didn't want it to be my career. I was overworked, underpaid, taken advantage of, and regularly given tasks outside my job description and above my paygrade. I was part-time, despite being scheduled for 30 hour workweeks (and frequently having to stay an average of 4 to 6 hours late over the week). As such, no benefits! Woooo! I was also given the job of about 3 to 4 other people, including being the person expected to teach the newer hires, perform tech support, and more roles beyond that. It was a soul-crushing line of work that chewed me up and spit me out. I even had to write up one of my bosses (and got her forced into retirement) because she would punch and kick some dogs, and one of the doctors that replaced her⌠I still relive a moment where I had to assist him with a euthanasia on a puppy that he botched and did improperly (and illegally!) So while I only worked there just shy of 4 years, it left me with the worst burnout, depression, anxiety, and compassion fatigue I have ever experienced in my life. When I found myself getting impatient and mad at the animals regularly, I knew that was my sign to quit while I could. I should have gotten another job since then, but I was content to live off my savings while I recovered my mental health.
In addition to these issues, I also have been living with a phobia of driving a car. Not just a fear, mind you. An honest-to-God "diagnosed by a psychiatrist" phobia. Not just me being worried I'll get into an accident or anything⌠Even thinking about being behind the steering wheel of a car is enough to send me into panic attacks. Mom forced me to take Driver's Education in high school, and I forced myself to drive in the hope that I could condition myself to get past it. Instead I had a hellish semester, with the teacher literally telling me "The only reason I'm not failing you is that you didn't crash the car." and criticizing me because "You will do something right 10 times and then screw it up so bad the next it's like you've never done it." It's definitely given me a complex on top of the existing phobia. And so, living in this town where a car is basically mandatory, my options for getting out are very limited.
And so, when one of my partners invited me to move to the West Coast to be with them, I was eager to get out. So we have been spending the past few weeks looking at apartments online, trying to find a place that would take us, even with me being dead weight as I am now with no job, no living history, and mediocre credit. It's been incredibly stressful, and we are still searching. But god if it ain't soulcrushing. Most places require us to have a cosigner, and most places in the area require them to have the frankly-absurd requirement of the cosigner making 4 times the rent. My parents refuse, not wanting to be responsible for "someone you don't know." At this point our options are getting slimmer and slimmer, with the deadline baring down on us.
And so here I am, in a house where I am regularly emotionally abused, in a state that hates me for being pansexual and transgender, trying to move to a state where no apartment will take me because I'm expected to have an income from a job that I can't get until I'm over there. It hurts and it stresses me the fuck out.
I could write so much more, but I'm exhausted and upset. I'm going to nap.
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Sunday, April 14, 2024
Canada at risk of another catastrophic wildfire season, government warns (CBS News) Canadian officials on Wednesday warned the country could face another catastrophic wildfire season after last yearâs historic fires. There were warmer-than-normal temperatures and widespread drought conditions across Canada this winter, officials disclosed. Weather outlooks indicate that Canada can expect higher-than-normal temperatures this spring and summer as well, setting the stage for wildfires. âWith the heat and dryness across the country, we can expect that the wildfire season will start sooner and end later, and potentially be more explosive,â Canada Emergency Preparedness Minister Harjit Sajjan said at a press conference. Canadaâs wildfire season typically runs from May through October. The country is home to about 9% of the worldâs forests.
Suicide on the rise for young Americans (BBC) Suicide is now the second-leading cause of death among Americans under the age of 35, and itâs on a steady rise across generations. In 2000, 30,000 people died of suicide. In 2022, 50,000 did. My colleague Will Vernon visited North Carolina State University in Raleigh, which experienced 10 student suicides over the past two academic years. NC State has invested in counselling and is helping students to recognise signs of mental struggle among their classmates. âBut there may be no warning signsâ, said assistant vice-chancellor Justine Hollingshead. âIndividuals donât tell their family or friends, they donât reach out to resources and they make that decision.â Itâs also hard to tell exactly whatâs behind that overarching trend. There are, however, many hypotheses. The Covid pandemic harmed âyoung people in terms of acquiring the social skills and tools that they need,â said Dr Christine Crawford, a psychiatrist. Josue Melendez, a suicide helpline operator, said many of his younger callers mentioned financial pressures as well.
Many say Biden and Trump did more harm than good, but for different reasons, AP-NORC poll shows (AP) Thereâs a reason why President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump are spending so much time attacking each otherâpeople donât think either man has much to brag about when it comes to his own record. Americans generally think that while they were in the White House, both did more harm than good on key issues. But the two candidates have different weak spots. For Biden, itâs widespread unhappiness on two issues: the economy and immigration. Trump, meanwhile, faces an electorate where substantial shares think he harmed the country on a range of issues. A new poll from the AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research finds that more than half of U.S. adults think Bidenâs presidency has hurt the country on cost of living and immigration, while nearly half think Trumpâs presidency hurt the country on voting rights and election security, relations with foreign countries, abortion laws and climate change.
Russia Kazakhstan floods: High water levels swamp Orenburg houses (BBC) Floods in the Russian city of Orenburg have raised water levels to two metres above critical, leaving just the roofs of some houses showing. Levels in Orenburg are likely to peak on Friday, but floods are expected to spread through neighbouring regions over the coming days and weeks. Kazakhstan has also been badly affected, with 100,000 people evacuated from their homes in the last week. The flooding is being described as the worst to hit the region in 80 years. Last week, several riversâincluding the Ural, Europeâs third-largestâburst their banks.
War or No War, Ukrainians Arenât Giving Up Their Coffee (NYT) When Russian tanks first rolled into Ukraine more than two years ago, Artem Vradii was sure his business was bound to suffer. âWho would think about coffee in this situation?â thought Mr. Vradii, the co-founder of a Kyiv coffee roastery named Mad Heads. But over the next few days after the invasion began, he started receiving messages from Ukrainian soldiers. One asked for bags of ground coffee because he could not stand the energy drinks supplied by the army. Another simply requested beans: He had taken his own grinder to the front. The soldiersâ requests are just one facet of a little-known cornerstone of the Ukrainian lifestyle today: its vibrant coffee culture. Over the past decade, coffee shops have proliferated across Ukraine, in cities large and small. That is particularly true in Kyiv, the capital, where small coffee kiosks staffed by trained baristas serving tasty mochas for less than $2 have become a fixture of the streetscape.
174 people stranded in the air are rescued, almost a day after a fatal cable car accident in Turkey (AP) The last of 174 people stranded in cable cars high above a mountain in southern Turkey were brought to safety Saturday, nearly 23 hours after one pod hit a pole and burst open, killing one person and injuring seven when they plummeted to the rocks below. A total of 607 search and rescue personnel and 10 helicopters were involved, including teams from Turkeyâs emergency response agency, AFAD, the Coast Guard, firefighting teams and mountain rescue teams from different parts of Turkey, officials said. Helicopters with night-vision capabilities had continued rescuing people throughout the night.
Christians Concerned by Rising Religious Nationalism in Nepal (Christianity Today) More than 15 years after Nepal officially became a secular democracy, the former Hindu monarchy may have a religious extremism problem, incited and aggravated by its closest neighbor. In an âalarmingâ development, Indian Hindutva ideology and politics have begun to spread throughout the country, as local experts and journalists report. This proliferation has resulted in a recent spate of attacks and restrictions on Christians reported within the country of 30 million. âThe Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh (HSS) in Nepal is rapidly growing. Aiming to protect Hinduism, they degrade Christianity and badmouth us through social media and other sources,â said Kiran Thapa, who was arrested last month for praying for people in Kathmandu.
Myanmar Rebels Take Key Trading Town, but Counteroffensive Looms (NYT) Resistance forces seeking to oust Myanmarâs military regime captured a key trade town on the Thai border this week, one of their most significant gains since the junta seized power in a coup more than three years ago. But thousands of residents were fleeing on Friday as the regimeâs troops prepared to mount a counteroffensive. The town, Myawaddy, which is now held by rebels belonging to the Karen ethnic group, is a hub for imports and exports, with $1 billion in trade last year. Its fall comes as resistance forces have seized dozens of towns and military outposts in recent months in border regions near China and Bangladesh. Rebel groups have also launched drones that hit the capital, Naypyidaw, and military bases when top junta generals were visiting. âA major border trade hub that serves as Myanmarâs gateway to mainland Southeast Asia has fallen to the resistance,â said Anthony Davis, a Bangkok-based security analyst with the Janeâs group of military publications. âThis is huge.â
First European citizen jailed under HK security law (BBC) Joseph John, who holds a Hong Kong residency and is also known as Wong Kin-chung, was sentenced to five years in jail for âincitement to secessionâ after posting pro-independence and anti-China content on social media. Since its enactment in 2020, the controversial China-imposed National Security Law in Hong Kong has seen 174 people charged with national security crimes.
Stabbing in Sydney shopping center (AP) A man stabbed six people to death at a busy Sydney shopping center Saturday before he was fatally shot, police said. The suspect stabbed nine people at the Westfield Shopping Centre in Bondi Junction, which is in the cityâs eastern suburbs, before a police inspector shot him after he turned and raised a knife, New South Wales Assistant Police Commissioner Anthony Cooke told reporters. Six of the victims and the suspect died, he said.
Israel hails 'success' in blocking Iran's unprecedented attack (AP) Israel on Sunday hailed its successful air defenses in the face of an unprecedented attack by Iran, saying it and its allies thwarted 99% of the more than 300 drones and missiles launched toward its territory. But regional tensions remain high, amid fears of further escalation in the event of a possible Israeli counter-strike. U.S. President Joe Biden said he would convene a meeting of the Group of Seven advanced democracies on Sunday âto coordinate a united diplomatic response to Iranâs brazen attack.â The language indicated that the Biden administration does not want Iranâs assault to spiral into a broader military conflict. Iran launched the attack in response to a strike widely blamed on Israel on an Iranian consular building in Syria earlier this month which killed two Iranian generals. Israel said Iran launched 170 drones, more than 30 cruise missiles and more than 120 ballistic missiles early Sunday. The two foes have for years been engaged in a shadow war marked by incidents like the Damascus strike. But Sundayâs assault, which set off air raid sirens across Israel, was the first time Iran has launched a direct military assault on Israel, despite decades of enmity.
West Bank sees some of its worst violence since war in Gaza began (AP) The Israeli-occupied West Bank saw some of its worst violence Saturday since the war in nearby Gaza began, as Israelâs army said the body of a missing Israeli teen was found after he was killed in a âterrorist attackâ and witnesses said Israeli settlers attacked a number of communities. The Israeli military said dozens of people, Palestinians and Israelis, were injured in confrontations in several locations Saturday, with shots fired and rocks thrown. The disappearance of 14-year-old Binyamin Achimair sparked attacks by Israeli settlers on Palestinian villages on Friday and Saturday. On Friday, Palestinian Jehad Abu Alia was killed and 25 others were wounded in the attack on al-Mughayyir village, Palestinian health officials said. Dozens of Israeli settlers returned to the villageâs outskirts on Saturday, burning 12 homes and several cars. In the nearby village of Douma, Israeli settlers set fire to around 15 homes and 10 farms, the head of the local village council, Slieman Dawabsheh, told The Associated Press, saying he had been there. âThe army came but unfortunately, the army were protecting the settlers,â he said, asserting that it fired tear gas and rubber bullets at Palestinians trying to confront and expel them.
A Crumbling Metro Reveals Failed Promise of Chinaâs Billions in Africa (Bloomberg) Almost a decade ago, the light-rail system in Ethiopiaâs bustling capital of Addis Ababa was hailed as a revolutionary solution to the cityâs transportation woes. Envisioned as a project that would redefine urban transport, the system promised to sweep up to 60,000 passengers per hour along its tracks. Today it sits as a daily reminder of the broken promises of China-funded infrastructure investments that swept Africa in recent years. Frequent breakdowns, inadequate maintenance funding and operational constraints mean barely one-third of its 41 trains are operational, ferrying 55,000 passengers a day, a fraction of initial projections.
Trash Your Anger: Study Shows Discarding Written Rage Cools Tempers (Guardian) A study from the University of Nagoya shows that writing and discarding angry thoughts can alleviate feelings of anger. During the experiment by Nobuyuki Kawai, participants noted a decrease in anger after throwing away their written negative feedback. Keeping the written thoughts, in contrast, did not result in a reduction of anger, highlighting the importance of discarding them. Historical and contemporary anecdotes support the studyâs findings, suggesting the act of destroying written anger can serve as a coping strategy. The findings, offering a simple anger management technique, were published in the journal Scientific Reports.
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Dude has been in office for 3 years.... what has he done? Other than dodging the darts the media and Pelosi have thrown?!?
what has PRESIDENT TRUMP and his cabinet accomplished.....
Here you go.
* Trump recently signed 3 bills to benefit Native people. One gives compensation to the Spokane tribe for loss of their lands in the mid-1900s, one funds Native language programs, and the third gives federal recognition to the Little Shell Tribe of Chippewa Indians in Montana.
* Trump finalized the creation of Space Force as our 6th Military branch.
* Trump signed a law to make cruelty to animals a federal felony so that animal abusers face tougher consequences.đđ
* Violent crime has fallen every year heâs been in office after rising during the 2 years before he was elected.
* Trump signed a bill making CBD and Hemp legal.đđ
* Trumpâs EPA gave $100 million to fix the water infrastructure problem in Flint, Michigan.
* Under Trumpâs leadership, in 2018 the U.S. surpassed Russia and Saudi Arabia to become the worldâs largest producer of crude oil.
* Trump signed a law ending the gag orders on Pharmacists that prevented them from sharing money-saving information.
* Trump signed the âAllow States and Victims to Fight Online Sex Trafficking Actâ (FOSTA), which includes the âStop Enabling Sex Traffickers Actâ (SESTA) which both give law enforcement and victims new tools to fight sex trafficking.đđ
* Trump signed a bill to require airports to provide spaces for breastfeeding Moms.
* The 25% lowest-paid Americans enjoyed a 4.5% income boost in November 2019, which outpaces a 2.9% gain in earnings for the country's highest-paid workers.
* Low-wage workers are benefiting from higher minimum wages and from corporations that are increasing entry-level pay.
* Trump signed the biggest wilderness protection & conservation bill in a decade and designated 375,000 acres as protected land.
* Trump signed the Save our Seas Act which funds $10 million per year to clean tons of plastic & garbage from the ocean.đđ
* He signed a bill this year allowing some drug imports from Canada so that prescription prices would go down.
* Trump signed an executive order this year that forces all healthcare providers to disclose the cost of their services so that Americans can comparison shop and know how much less providers charge insurance companies.
* When signing that bill he said no American should be blindsided by bills for medical services they never agreed to in advance.
* Hospitals will now be required to post their standard charges for services, which include the discounted price a hospital is willing to accept.
* In the eight years prior to President Trumpâs inauguration, prescription drug prices increased by an average of 3.6% per year. Under Trump, drug prices have seen year-over-year declines in nine of the last ten months, with a 1.1% drop as of the most recent month.
* He created a White House VA Hotline to help veterans and principally staffed it with veterans and direct family members of veterans.đđ
* VA employees are being held accountable for poor performance, with more than 4,000 VA employees removed, demoted, and suspended so far.
* Issued an executive order requiring the Secretaries of Defense, Homeland Security, and Veterans Affairs to submit a joint plan to provide veterans access to access to mental health treatment as they transition to civilian life.
* Because of a bill signed and championed by Trump, In 2020, most federal employees will see their pay increase by an average of 3.1% â the largest raise in more than 10 years.
* Trump signed into a law up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave for millions of federal workers.
* Trump administration will provide HIV prevention drugs for free to 200,000 uninsured patients per year for 11 years.đđ
* All-time record sales during the 2019 holidays.
* Trump signed an order allowing small businesses to group together when buying insurance to get a better priceđđ
* President Trump signed the Preventing Maternal Deaths Act that provides funding for states to develop maternal mortality reviews to better understand maternal complications and identify solutions & largely focuses on reducing the higher mortality rates for Black Americans.
* In 2018, President Trump signed the groundbreaking First Step Act, a criminal justice bill which enacted reforms that make our justice system fairer and help former inmates successfully return to society.
* The First Step Actâs reforms addressed inequities in sentencing laws that disproportionately harmed Black Americans and reformed mandatory minimums that created unfair outcomes.đđ
* The First Step Act expanded judicial discretion in sentencing of non-violent crimes.
* Over 90% of those benefitting from the retroactive sentencing reductions in the First Step Act are Black Americans.
* The First Step Act provides rehabilitative programs to inmates, helping them successfully rejoin society and not return to crime.
* Trump increased funding for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) by more than 14%.đđ
* Trump signed legislation forgiving Hurricane Katrina debt that threatened HBCUs.
* New single-family home sales are up 31.6% in October 2019 compared to just one year ago.
* Made HBCUs a priority by creating the position of executive director of the White House Initiative on HBCUs.
* Trump received the Bipartisan Justice Award at a historically black college for his criminal justice reform accomplishments.
* The poverty rate fell to a 17-year low of 11.8% under the Trump administration as a result of a jobs-rich environment.đđ
* Poverty rates for African-Americans and Hispanic-Americans have reached their lowest levels since the U.S. began collecting such data.
* President Trump signed a bill that creates five national monuments, expands several national parks, adds 1.3 million acres of wilderness, and permanently reauthorizes the Land and Water Conservation Fund.
* Trumpâs USDA committed $124 Million to rebuild rural water infrastructure.đđ
* Consumer confidence & small business confidence is at an all time high.
* More than 7 million jobs created since election.
* More Americans are now employed than ever recorded before in our history.
* More than 400,000 manufacturing jobs created since his election.
* Trump appointed 5 openly gay ambassadors.đđ
* Trump ordered Ric Grenell, his openly gay ambassador to Germany, to lead a global initiative to decriminalize homosexuality across the globe.
* Through Trumpâs Anti-Trafficking Coordination Team (ACTeam) initiative, Federal law enforcement more than doubled convictions of human traffickers and increased the number of defendants charged by 75% in ACTeam districts.
* In 2018, the Department of Justice (DOJ) dismantled an organization that was the internetâs leading source of prostitution-related advertisements resulting in sex trafficking.
* Trumpâs OMB published new anti-trafficking guidance for government procurement officials to more effectively combat human trafficking.
* Trumpâs Immigration and Customs Enforcementâs Homeland Security Investigations arrested 1,588 criminals associated with Human Trafficking.
* Trumpâs Department of Health and Human Services provided funding to support the National Human Trafficking Hotline to identify perpetrators and give victims the help they need.
* The hotline identified 16,862 potential human trafficking cases.
* Trumpâs DOJ provided grants to organizations that support human trafficking victims â serving nearly 9,000 cases from July 1, 2017, to June 30, 2018.đđ
* The Department of Homeland Security has hired more victim assistance specialists, helping victims get resources and support.
* President Trump has called on Congress to pass school choice legislation so that no child is trapped in a failing school because of his or her zip code.đđ
* The President signed funding legislation in September 2018 that increased funding for school choice by $42 million.
* The tax cuts signed into law by President Trump promote school choice by allowing families to use 529 college savings plans for elementary and secondary education.đđ
* Under his leadership ISIS has lost most of their territory and been largely dismantled.
* ISIS leader Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi was killed.
* Signed the first Perkins CTE reauthorization since 2006, authorizing more than $1 billion for states each year to fund vocational and career education programs.
* Executive order expanding apprenticeship opportunities for students and workers.
* Trump issued an Executive Order prohibiting the U.S. government from discriminating against Christians or punishing expressions of faith.
* Signed an executive order that allows the government to withhold money from college campuses deemed to be anti-Semitic and who fail to combat anti-Semitism.
* President Trump ordered a halt to U.S. tax money going to international organizations that fund or perform abortions.
* Trump imposed sanctions on the socialists in Venezuela who have killed their citizens.
* Finalized new trade agreement with South Korea.
* Made a deal with the European Union to increase U.S. energy exports to Europe.đđ
* Withdrew the U.S. from the job killing TPP deal.
* Secured $250 billion in new trade and investment deals in China and $12 billion in Vietnam.
* Okayâd up to $12 billion in aid for farmers affected by unfair trade retaliation.đđ
* Has had over a dozen US hostages freed, including those Obama could not get freed.
* Trump signed the Music Modernization Act, the biggest change to copyright law in decades.
* Trump secured Billions that will fund the building of a wall at our southern border.
* The Trump Administration is promoting second chance hiring to give former inmates the opportunity to live crime-free lives and find meaningful employment.
* Trumpâs DOJ and the Board Of Prisons launched a new âReady to Work Initiativeâ to help connect employers directly with former prisoners.đđ
* President Trumpâs historic tax cut legislation included new Opportunity Zone Incentives to promote investment in low-income communities across the country.
* 8,764 communities across the country have been designated as Opportunity Zones.
* Opportunity Zones are expected to spur $100 billion in long-term private capital investment in economically distressed communities across the country.
* Trump directed the Education Secretary to end Common Core.đđđđđđđđđ
* Trump signed the 9/11 Victims Compensation Fund into law.
* Trump signed measure funding prevention programs for Veteran suicide.đđ
* Companies have brought back over a TRILLION dollars from overseas because of the TCJA bill that Trump signed.
* Manufacturing jobs are growing at the fastest rate in more than 30 years.
* Stock Market has reached record highs.
* Median household income has hit highest level ever recorded.
* African-American unemployment is at an all time low.
* Hispanic-American unemployment is at an all time low.
* Asian-American unemployment is at an all time low.
* Womenâs unemployment rate is at a 65-year low.
* Youth unemployment is at a 50-year low.
* We have the lowest unemployment rate ever recorded.
* The Pledge to Americaâs Workers has resulted in employers committing to train more than 4 million Americans.
* 95 percent of U.S. manufacturers are optimistic about the futureâ the highest ever.
* As a result of the Republican tax bill, small businesses will have the lowest top marginal tax rate in more than 80 years.đđ
* Record number of regulations eliminated that hurt small businesses.
* Signed welfare reform requiring able-bodied adults who donât have children to work or look for work if theyâre on welfare.đđ
* Under Trump, the FDA approved more affordable generic drugs than ever before in history.
* Reformed Medicare program to stop hospitals from overcharging low-income seniors on their drugsâsaving seniors 100âs of millions of $$$ this year alone.đđ
* Signed Right-To-Try legislation allowing terminally ill patients to try experimental treatment that wasnât allowed before.
* Secured $6 billion in new funding to fight the opioid epidemic.â¤ď¸â¤ď¸
* Signed VA Choice Act and VA Accountability Act, expanded VA telehealth services, walk-in-clinics, and same-day urgent primary and mental health care.đđ
* U.S. oil production recently reached all-time high so we are less dependent on oil from the Middle East.
* The U.S. is a net natural gas exporter for the first time since 1957.
* NATO allies increased their defense spending because of his pressure campaign.
* Withdrew the United States from the job-killing Paris Climate Accord in 2017 and that same year the U.S. still led the world by having the largest reduction in Carbon emissions.đđ
* Has his circuit court judge nominees being confirmed faster than any other new administration.
* Had his Supreme Court Justiceâs Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh confirmed.
* Moved U.S. Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem.đđ
* Agreed to a new trade deal with Mexico & Canada that will increase jobs here and $$$ coming in.
* Reached a breakthrough agreement with the E.U. to increase U.S. exports.
* Imposed tariffs on China in response to Chinaâs forced technology transfer, intellectual property theft, and their chronically abusive trade practices, has agreed to a Part One trade deal with China.
* Signed legislation to improve the National Suicide Hotline.đđ
* Signed the most comprehensive childhood cancer legislation ever into law, which will advance childhood cancer research and improve treatments.
* The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act signed into law by Trump doubled the maximum amount of the child tax credit available to parents and lifted the income limits so more people could claim it.
* It also created a new tax credit for other dependents.
* In 2018, President Trump signed into law a $2.4 billion funding increase for the Child Care and Development Fund, providing a total of $8.1 billion to States to fund child care for low-income families.
* The Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit (CDCTC) signed into law by Trump provides a tax credit equal to 20-35% of child care expenses, $3,000 per child & $6,000 per family + Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs) allow you to set aside up to $5,000 in pre-tax $ to use for child care.
* In 2019 President Donald Trump signed the Autism Collaboration, Accountability, Research, Education and Support Act (CARES) into law which allocates $1.8 billion in funding over the next five years to help people with autism spectrum disorder and to help their families.đđ
* In 2019 President Trump signed into law two funding packages providing nearly $19 million in new funding for Lupus specific research and education programs, as well an additional $41.7 billion in funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the most Lupus funding EVER.
* Another upcoming accomplishment to add: In the next week or two Trump will be signing the first major anti-robocall law in decades called the TRACED Act (Telephone Robocall Abuse Criminal Enforcement and Deterrence.) Once itâs thelaw, the TRACED Act will extend the period of time the FCC has to catch & punish those who intentionally break telemarketing restrictions. The bill also requires voice service providers to develop a framework to verify calls are legitimate before they reach your phone.
* US stock market continually hits all-time record highs.
* Because so many people asked for a document with all of this listed in one place, here it is. No links provided to remove bias as Google search is easy. Print this out for family, friends, neighbors, etc. I encourage you to drop this list off to voters before the 2020 election too!
*Trump did all of this while fighting flagrant abuse and impeachment charges.
ââ-please explain to me why you have a problem with OUR president? Because he has misspoke a few times? Tell me when you find a perfect person, please....Iâll wait! Iâll tell you why, because the media has skewed him in such a negative light and unfairly report his accomplishments to undermined those achievements! Why? Because the media is complicit in every single thing this man is trying to undo! Start thinking for yourself!
đşđ¸WWG1WGAđşđ¸
đşđ¸đşđ¸Are you tired of winning yet?đşđ¸đşđ¸
â¤ď¸SHARE THISâ¤ď¸
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The Week Ahead: Why everything depends on Liz Cheney - Robert Reich
Forty-nine years ago, Howard Baker had a similar responsibility -- but hers will be far more challenging
The televised hearings of the House Select Committee on the January 6 insurrection, which begin Thursday, mark an historic milestone in the battle between democracy and autocracy. The events that culminated in the attack on the Capitol constitute the first attempted presidential coup in our nationâs 233-year history. The Select Committeeâs inquiry is the most important congressional investigation of presidential wrongdoing since the Senate investigation of the Watergate scandals in the 1970s.
To a large degree, the success of those hearings will depend on the Wyoming Republican congresswoman and vice-chair of the committee, Liz Cheney. Although I have disagreed with almost every substantive position she has ever taken, I salute her courage and her patriotism. And I wish her success.
I vividly recall the televised hearings of the Senate Watergate committee, which began nearly a half-century ago, on May 17, 1973. More than a year later, on August 8, 1974 âknowing that he would be impeached in the House and convicted in the Senate â Nixon resigned.
I was just finishing law school when the Watergate hearings began. I was supposed to study for final exams but remained glued to my television. I remember the entire cast of characters as if the hearings occurred yesterday, and Iâm sure many of you do, too â people such as North Carolina Senator Sam Ervin, a Democrat, who served as the committeeâs co-chair; John Dean, the White House counsel who told the committee about Nixonâs attempted coverup; and Alexander Butterfield, Nixonâs deputy assistant, who revealed that Nixon had taped all conversations in the White House.
But to my young eyes, the hero of the Watergate hearings was the committeeâs Republican co-chair, Tennessee Senator Howard Baker, Jr.
Baker had deep ties to the Republican Party. His father was a Republican CongressÂman and his father-in-law was Senate minorÂity leader for a decade. Notwithstanding those ties, Baker put his loyalty to the Constitution and rule of law ahead of his loyalty to his party or the president. His steadiness and care, and the tenacity with which he questioned witnesses, helped America view the Watergate hearings as a search for truth rather than a partisan âwitch hunt,â as Nixon described them.
It was Baker who famously asked Dean, âwhat did the president know and when did he know it?â And it was Baker who led all the other Republicans on the committee to join with Democrats in voting to subpoena the White House tapes â the first time a congresÂsional commitÂtee had ever issued a subpoena to a PresÂidÂent, and only the second time since 1807 that anyone had subpoenaed the chief execÂutÂive.
Fast forward 49 years. This week, Bakerâs role will be played by Cheney. Her Republican pedigree is no less impressive than Bakerâs was: She is the elder daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney and Second Lady Lynne Cheney. She held several positions in the George W. Bush administration. She is a staunch conservative. And, before House Republicans ousted her, she chaired the House Republican Conference, the third-highest position in the House Republican leadership.
Cheneyâs responsibility this week will be similar to Bakerâs 49 years ago â to be the steady voice of non-partisan common sense, helping the nation view the hearings as a search for truth rather than a âwitch hunt,â as Trump has characterized them.
In many ways, though, Cheneyâs role will be far more challenging than Bakerâs. Forty-nine years ago, American politics was a tame affair compared to the viciousness of todayâs political culture.
 Republican senators didnât threaten to take away Howard Bakerâs seniority or his leadership position. The Tennessee Republican Party didnât oust him. Nixon didnât make threatening speeches about him. Baker received no death threats, as far as anyone knows.
It will be necessary for Cheney to show â as did Baker â more loyalty to the Constitution and the rule of law than to her party or the former president.Â
But she also will have to cope with a nation more bitterly divided over Trumpâs big lie than it ever was over Nixon and his coverup of the Watergate burglary. She will have to face a Republican Party that has largely caved in to Trumpâs lie â enabling and encouraging it. Bakerâs Republican Party never aligned itself with Nixonâs lies. Meanwhile, Cheneyâs career has suffered and her life and the lives of her family have been threatened.
The criminal acts for which Richard Nixon was responsible â while serious enough to undermine the integrity of the White House and compromise our system of government â pale relative to Trumpâs. Nixon tried to cover up a third-rate burglary. Trump tried to overthrow our system of government.
The January 6 insurrection was not an isolated event. It was part of a concerted effort by Trump to use his lie that the 2020 election was stolen as a means to engineer a coup, while whipping up anger and distrust among his supporters toward our system of government. Yet not a shred of evidence has ever been presented to support Trumpâs claim that voter fraud affected the outcome of the 2020 election.
Consider (to take but one example) Trumpâ phone call to Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger in which he pressured Raffensperger to change the presidential vote count in Georgia in order to give Trump more votes than Biden: âAll I want to do is this,â Trump told Raffensperger in a recorded phone call. âI just want to find 11,780 votes, which is one more than we have because we won the state.â Trump threatened Raffensperger with criminal liability if he did not do so. Trumpâs actions appear to violate 18 U.S.C. § 371, conspiracy to defraud the United States, and 18 U.S.C. § 1512, obstruction of Congress. Â
The Justice Department is conducting a criminal investigation into these activities. Attorney General Merrick Garland has said that the Justice Department will âfollow the facts and the law wherever they may lead.â As with Watergate, the facts will almost certainly lead to the person who then occupied the Oval Office.
This weekâs televised committee hearings are crucial to educating the public and setting the stage for the Justice Departmentâs prosecution. Federal district court Judge David Carter in a civil case brought against the Committee by John Eastman, Trumpâs lawyer and adviser in the coup attempt, has set the framework for the hearings. Judge Carter found that it was âmore likely than not that President Trump corruptly attempted to obstruct the Joint Session of Congress on January 6, 2021,â and concluded that Trump and Eastman âlaunched a campaign to overturn a democratic election, an action unprecedented in American history [âŚ] The illegality of the plan was obvious.â
Those who claim that a president cannot be criminally liable for acts committed while in office apparently forget that Richard Nixon avoided prosecution only because he was pardoned by his successor, Gerald Ford. Those who argue that Trump should not be criminally liable because no president in American history has been criminally liable, overlook the fact that no president in history has staged an attempted coup to change the outcome of an election.Â
Without accountability for these acts, Trumpâs criminality opens wide the door to future presidents and candidates disputing election outcomes and seeking to change them â along with ensuing public distrust, paranoia, and divisiveness.
Liz Cheney bears a burden far heavier than Howard Baker bore almost a half-century ago. Please watch this Thursdayâs Jan. 6 Committee televised hearings. And please join me in appreciating the public service of Liz Cheney.
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If The Bra Fits - JJK Fic
Final part of The Unbearable Lightness of Being... Something More series
Part 1 | Part 2 |Â
Pairing: Jungkook x reader
Genre: ex-roommate au, f2l, fluff, smut, low-key crack
Rating: 18+
Summary: Jungkook knows you hate it when he pops into your apartment to borrow something, but in the 2 years that youâve known each other, that hasnât deterred him much. But one day when he manages to (accidentally) ruin your favorite bra while raiding through your emergency snack supply, he knows that heâs fucked. With only a brand name to help him on his search, Jungkook spends the next 48 hours buying all the bras that look even remotely like the one he ruined. The only problem is - how would he figure out which was the correct size without asking you?
Warnings: a lot of talk of breasts and the trials and tribulations of finding a good bra, oral sex (f receiving), masturbation, kissing, grinding, nipple play
Word count: 3.8k
a/n: thanks a ton to @hesperanthaâ for beta-ing this! i was super nervous about writing proper smut >.< anywho, hope yâall enjoy this!
Jungkook knew he was fucked. Worse than when Jimin had walked in on Yoongi doing the do with his girlfriend. Worse than when Taehyung had lost his pet frog in Seokjinâs spice drawer. Worse than-
âFuck.â
He would probably have to leave the country. Maybe he could move to Canada? Or New Zealand? Anywhere that wasnât here. Or he could change his name! That might workâŚ
âH-hello?âÂ
âWhat the hell, Jungkook? You were supposed to meet me for lunch 40 minutes ago! This is rude and, frankly, inexcusable behavior on your part.â Seokjinâs annoyed voice, talking at 300 words a minute, rang through the phoneâs speaker. âAnd why the hell do you sound like that? Did you walk in on Yoongi and Soya this time? I swear, that guy needs to learn to lock his door. Or maybe just change his locks. I mean this is probably-â
âSeokjin!â Jungkook pinched the bridge of his nose as his friend slowed his word flow. âIâll be there in 10 and explain everything.â
Hanging up the phone, he surveyed the site of the massacre once more before stuffing the offending object into his backpack and rushing out. True to his word, he was at the hole-in-the-wall dumpling place in 10 minutes, attempting to explain to an irate Seokjin, the reason behind his tardiness.Â
âNo! You did not do that!â Seokjin yelled, nearly choking on the hot soup dumpling that was hanging - half eaten - from his chopsticks.
Jungkook had, in fact, done that. That being the most cardinal offense his frazzled brain could think of at this point. That being sneaking into your apartment when you were at work, hoping to swipe some of your favorite shrimp puffs, placing his cup of steaming hot mocha on your study table, rummaging through your emergency snack supply but somehow inadvertently knocking over the coffee on the table, and cleaning it up with the nearest article available, which tragically, happened to be your mint green bra.Â
âSheâs going to kill you. Noâ - Seokjin picked up a egg cream bun and popped the whole thing into his mouth - âsheâs going to whip your ass and then hang you upside down from that metal pole on Hobiâs balcony.â
Jungkook stared at the way the cream bun smoothly travelled down Seokjinâs throat after a couple of chews, and shivered. âWhat do I do??â
âWhy do you have to do anything? She wonât know it was you who spilled coffee on her table and then wiped it with her bra. Unless...âÂ
Jungkook stared at his fingers guiltily.Â
âYou took the bra with you, didnât you?â Seokjin sighed, lightly smacking his friend on the back of the head for good measure. âWell, you could always blame it on Namjoon. Thatâs what I would do. Heck, thatâs what I did when I accidentally broke Hobiâs favorite figurine.â
âI donât knowâŚâ
âYou have to commit to something, Jaykay.â Every time Seokjin used his nickname for Jungkook, it meant there was some kind of terrible scheme being cooked up. âEither be a complete little shit and blame it on Namjoon, or just go and own up to y/n. You canât teeter on the edge like this.â
âI could always just sneak back in and leave her bra where I found it.â Jungkook felt better already. This was it. This was the middle ground he was aspiring towards - the sacred path between Seokjin and Hobi, the Yoongi of all decisions.Â
âYou might not have to sneak inâ - Seokjin held up his smartphone where the group chat was open to a bunch of notifications - âTae said weâre meeting at y/nâs place for tacos and UNO.â
âWhy is Tae so invested in our UNO games? He gets confused every time we play it.âÂ
âBecauseâ - Seokjin swiped his credit card at the counter and thanked the cashier with a quick wink - âlike every good strategist, he plans to improve by observing everyone elseâs style of play. He definitely knows how to play by now. Heâs just giving us the confused puppy look so that we underestimate him and he can learn all our little tricks. Just you wait - a few more games and that sneaky shit will be handing our asses back to us.â
Jungkook, while mildly interested in Taehyungâs card game antics, was more concerned about returning your bra without arousing any suspicion. The perfect moment presented itself when Seokjin, Namjoon, Yoongi, Taehyung and Hobi were immersed in a game of UNO, while you and Soya were munching on tacos - because letâs face it, food trumps just about everything else. Coming up with a half-convincing bathroom excuse, he snuck off towards your room, hoping to finally rid himself of the mint green burden.
Seconds before he pushed your door open, a snippet of conversation floated towards him and made his heart stop beating.
âI canât find it anywhere.â You were complaining to Soya about something, loud enough for him to hear. âI mustâve turned my room upside down looking for it.â
Soya didnât seem too perturbed. âWhatâs the big deal? Itâs just a bra. Yoongi regularly loses my underwear after we have sex in new locations.â
Jungkook chuckled because he could almost see the look of horror on your face at receiving this piece of information.Â
âIgnoring that TMI,â you continued. âThatâs my favorite bra, Soya! You know how our sizes keep fluctuating - well, this was the first bra I bought after getting measured at a proper place. It literally changed my life. Do you know how fabulous it feels to have your boobs at normal chest level - neither squished up towards your collarbones nor jiggling like that everlasting jello Seokjin keeps buying? Iâm tellin-â
Jungkook stopped listening at this point. If he didnât, there was little chance that heâd be able to think of anything other than that. As it was, the mere sight of you these days, was enough to get blood flowing to certain parts of his body.Â
There was clearly only one thing to do.
âYou want me to help you do WHAT?â Once again, it was Seokjin who barely managed to stop himself from choking on yet another scrumptious food item on yet another lunch date with Jungkook.Â
âIâm going to replace her bra.â The resolute expression on Jungkookâs face crumbled ever so slowly under the scrutiny of Seokjinâs pure, unadulterated skepticism. âItâll be easy. I-I already know what it looks like, and all the information I need is on the itchy tag she always complains about.â
Seokjinâs thick brow remained masterfully arched.Â
âAre you going to help me or not?â Jungkook whined in frustration.
âWhat do I get in return?â
âWhy would you want anything in return? Why canât you just help me out this time??â
The masterfully arched eyebrow did itâs trick once again.
âFine. You can borrow all my gaming equipment for a week.â
âA month.â
âNo way!â
âGood luck shopping for y/nâs favorite bra.â
âFine! A month! Now can we get a move on please?â
Thankfully, it wasnât too difficult to find the particular store that you had bought your favorite bra from. It was a niche boutique on the third floor of the mall, full of politely judgmental staff members and pointedly supercilious patrons, all of whom were highly skeptical of Jungkookâs grey and black hoodie-sweatpants combo.Â
âGuess they didnât really get on board with the whole athleisure concept,â Seokjin whispered, earning a hard elbowing from Jungkook.
The looks of skepticism were further enhanced when Jungkook produced the ruined bra, asking one of the assistants where he could find the same one. Jungkook hadnât received such a disapproving look since his junior year of college when he had eaten 8 cups of instant ramen on a dare, done a celebratory jig, thrown up all over Yoongi and Hobiâs sofa, and promptly passed out.Â
âEr⌠I, uhm, need something!â The exclamation from Jungkook was received by a few expertly raised eyebrows. One assistant, in particular, narrowed their eyes at him and walked over.
âThis is a lingerie storeâ - they scanned him up and down a couple of times - âsir. If youâre here to buy any lingerie, Iâd be happy to assist you.â
Jungkook gulped at the expensive clothes and flawless complexion of the shop assistant. So far, things were not really going according to plan.Â
âOw!â He felt a bony elbow dig into his ribs and glared at Seokjin, who was glancing between him and the assistant so rapidly, Jungkook was surprised he hadnât gotten dizzy and passed out already.
âRight. Umm, Iâm actually looking for this particular oneâ - he produced the once-pristine, but now covered in ugly brown splotches, bra from his backpack - âin this exact same size. Do you have it?â
If the shop assistant didnât look particularly eager to be breathing the same air as him before, they now looked like theyâd rather choke on month old guacamole than be near him.
âOur products are made for exclusivity. We do not carry the same sizes as the general marketplace. There are 4 basic sizes with 4 variations to each size. And this particular productâ - they held the ruined bra delicately between two fingers and examined the tag - âis now only available in 3 particular size variations. You are free to choose whichever one you think is the closest fit.â
Jungkookâs doe eyes widened as he realized the itchy tag that you always complained about, truly had no other purpose but to inconvenience you. His panicked stare fell on Seokjin who had busied himself examining a very interesting leaf on the potted plant near the entrance.
It was up to him now, Jungkook realized. His fate was in his own hands. Walking over to the shelf carrying the mint green bras identical to the one he was holding, he inspected the 3 options carefully.Â
âI think Iâll take this one.â Was what he said out loud. Inwardly, however, he was screaming a very different tune.
âHOW THE FUCK AM I SUPPOSED TO DECIDE?? IâVE NEVER BOUGHT A BRA BEFORE! I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT SIZE WOULD BE APPROPRIATE! ITâS NOT LIKE I SPEND ALL MY TIME SCRUTINIZING Y/NâS BREASTS!â
Thankfully, no one was privy to his internal screams except for himself.
âThank you, sir. That will be $89.99.â Jungkook took out his debit card as the song playing over the system changed to No Tears Left To Cry.
Once out of the store, Seokjin let out a low whistle. âWow⌠that was, undoubtedly, one of the most awkward situations Iâve ever been in. And I wasnât even really in it.â
âAt least the toughest part is over.â Jungkook felt like he had been running a 50 mile marathon while simultaneously figuring out the square roots of 5 digit numbers. In short, he was exhausted.
âDepends on what you think of thatâŚâ Seokjin pointed at a familiar figure, slowly walking towards them - someone Jungkook hadnât expected to bump into in any of his worst case scenarios. You.
Confronted with an exceedingly dire situation with a bleak set of options, Jungkook vaulted into the nearest store, his entire being on high alert as it entered survival mode. Unfortunately, he hadnât been paying attention to where he rushed into because-
âCongratulations! Youâre our 100th customer this week! You get a complimentary hair spa and perm!â Five extremely eager faces stared back at him as he realized he had walked into some sort of hair salon.Â
Whoever was writing the script for this day was definitely high on something because Jungkook walked out of the salon 3 hours later, slightly traumatized, with a head full of small curls, clutching onto the cursed purchase with every fibre of his being.
Seokjin had left hours ago, dropping a text to Jungkook which read something along the lines of catch ya later sucker - but that was the least of his problems right now.
It was nearly midnight when he finally entered his apartment after managing to sneak in the new bra into your apartment. Thankfully, you lived two floors above him, so the trek back to his place wasnât too long. The stress from the past couple of days was finally catching up to him and Jungkook would give anything for a nice long massage and a bowl of steaming hot ramen.Â
Unfortunately, all that he had at home was a few leftover containers Taehyung had left behind on his last visit a couple of days ago. There was also bread, eggs, and milk, but he didnât feel up to making anything at this point. So dinner ended up being heated, two-day old dumplings.Â
Just as he was about to head to sleep, a loud pounding started on his front door. It was well past midnight at this point and Jungkook wondered if he should be carrying some sort of weapon with him while answering the door.
There really wasnât any need for worry because on the other side of the door stood a very angry, very disgruntled, very flimsily dressed-
âY/n?! Whatâre you doing here?âÂ
âYou!â Jungkook stepped back as you poked him in the chest. âWhat the heck is your problem?â Many more pokes followed, which Jungkook barely registered but which left your index finger increasingly bruised.Â
âI- uh, I guess you found the parcel I left for you.â He scratched the back of his head, looking everywhere but at you.
âI CANNOT believe you!â You were fuming and Jungkook was contemplating calling someone for backup. Maybe Namjoon? Or Yoongi? Mayb- âFirst, you ruin my favorite bra! What were you doing in my apartment anyway? Trying to steal more stuff from my emergency snack supply?! Why canât you just buy your own s-â
You definitely had a point about the snack stealing. But Jungkook couldnât stop himself from going over and taking something that would undoubtedly attract your attention, because the last time that had happened, you both had ended up making out aggressively against the wall.Â
â-and not just that!â You were clearly not done with being mad at him. âYou go ahead and try to replace my favorite bra? With this???â You held up Jungkookâs purchase from earlier during the day.
âWhatâs wrong with this? Itâs the same one, isnât it? I went to the shop to make sure it was the same.â He didnât really understand why this particular fact was making you so upset.
âYou think this is the same?â You were standing very close to him and Jungkook gulped as he caught a whiff of your lavender body lotion.
âYes?â
âYou think my boobs are this small?? After the way you basically kneaded them with your hands last time??âÂ
Jungkookâs eyes widened, his face growing hotter with every word you were speaking.
âWhy the fuck do you look like that?â you muttered, crossing your arms over your chest.Â
âL-like what?â His voice came out sort of strangled as he tried to make sense of the situation.
âLike youâve been caught eating the last cookie.â
Jungkook didnât know how to respond to this. He was very aware of the fact that you were wearing a flimsy grey t-shirt and very old, very small, sleeping shorts. He gulped and wondered if this was some kind of dream that heâd suddenly wake up from.
âIâve been waiting for you to make a move since you stuck your tongue down my throat last time. But nope! Nothing.â Now he knew that there was something wrong. This didnât seem like the rational next line in a dialogue between real people who had just been in a, slightly one-sided, fight. âSo, are you gonna kiss me or not?â
âW-what?â His voice was barely louder than a whisper at this point and you scoffed loudly before fisting your hands in his t-shirt and crashing your lips to his.
It took him a few seconds to get his bearings, but Jungkook was soon responding with impressive enthusiasm. His lips glided over yours with a desperation borne out of nearly two years of attraction and chemistry. He groaned in pleasure as your hands travelled into his hair, your fingers running through his freshly done curls. His hands travelled down your back before cupping your butt-cheeks and squeezing them until you moaned into his mouth. The feel of your body against his was enough to make him slowly lose his mind - but your tongue swiping into his mouth brought out a strangled noise from deep inside him. This was so much better than the first time you had both made out - there was more experience and knowledge of each other, and you seemed much more determined than the last time.
âTell me what you want,â Jungkookâs voice came out huskier than you had ever heard, sending a surge of electricity to your core. âTell me what makes you feel good, y/n.â
His voice was sultry and his body rock-hard at the perfect places - his breath falling in harsh pants as he recovered from the intensity of the kisses. But his eyes held the soft sincerity you had grown to lov-
âAgainst the wall,â you breathed, your face flushing as you verbalised your request. âAnd then on your bed.â You took one of his hands and placed it on your breast, firm with arousal, and guided his other hand to the waistband of your shorts.Â
A beautiful pink blush dusted his cheeks as he captured your lips once again. He had you against the wall in seconds, his lips leaving a trail of devastation from your lips to your throat to your breasts. You moaned loudly as you felt his fingers rub against your clothed core while his tongue flicked over your nipples at a deliciously slow pace.Â
âGgukâŚâ God he loved to hear that name coming from your lips. He loved it even more now that it was in the midst of him pleasuring you to the best of his ability.Â
âBed. I canât⌠stand...â You managed to say. He obliged, placing his hands below your knees and scooping you up with ease, all while his lips kept pressing soft kisses to yours.Â
Once on the bed, you removed your t-shirt and shorts, instructing him to do the same. Jungkook stared at your bare body for a moment, his eyes glazed with lust before he stripped himself of his clothes and continued kissing every part of your body he could find.Â
Your insides were coiling, the heat growing at your core as you watched Jungkookâs magnificent, completely naked, body move over yours. Your hands itched to run over his abs but your eyes were fixed on his throbbing dick, your core growing wetter by the moment.Â
âCan I?â Jungkookâs hoarse voice broke you out of your dilemma, his face hovering over your thighs. âOnly if you want it, y/n.â You were pretty sure his soft, caring words would be enough for your undoing, but you nodded your head anyway.
The first swipe of his tongue against your core had you arching yourself off the mattress, your legs kicking up involuntarily. This was definitely where his gym prowess came in handy, as he held your thighs down with enough force for the feeling to be unbelievably pleasurable. Your hands found themselves in his curls once more, as his mouth alternated between dropping feather light kisses on your core and swiping along the wetness with a swipe of his tongue.Â
âI-Iâm notâŚâ You didnât have to complete the sentence as stars exploded in your vision, the high hitting you with more force than you had ever experienced.Â
Something inside you tightened as you watched Jungkook emerge from between your thighs, his curls sweaty, and his mouth slick with your arousal. He smiled at you, dropping a light kiss on your lips, even as his dick stood red hot and angry with arousal.
âCan I help?â You asked, although your voice was hardly above a whisper, the tiredness seeping in, as you came down from the orgasm.
âNext time?â His voice was soft as he gave himself a few strong pumps before spilling onto his stomach.Â
He grinned at you sheepishly. âIâm also kind of exhausted today.â Getting up quickly, he went into the bathroom and cleaned himself off, before coming back with a wet towel for you as well.Â
You smiled shyly as you took the towel from him, wiping between your thighs quickly.Â
Jungkook was beside you in a few moments, cuddling you from behind as sleep slowly overtook you both.
âJungkook!âÂ
You cracked your eyes open slowly, wondering why someone was yelling at the crack of dawn. You were still pretty much wrapped up in Jungkook, both your legs entangled as your head rested on his chest while he snored softly.
âJUNGKOOK!â
A second, much louder, yell, woke Jungkook up as well. His eyes widening in alarm as he realised what was going on.
âItâs Tae! Whatâs he doing here?!â He whispered, his voice still thick with sleep.
âUmm what?â You were panicking now. As much as you had been wanting things with Jungkook to pick up, you did not want Taehyung to find you both wonderfully naked after a night of wonderfulness. âHe cannot see us like this! Not yet! I refuse to let this be how everyone finds out about us!â
âJungkook, Iâm coming in!â
Jungkook quickly pushed you below the covers, fluffing it up sufficiently to hide the fact that you were under it. He barely managed to close his eyes before Taehyung walked in, much too sprightly for this early in the morning.
âAww!â His deep voice sounded through the room. âJungkookie, are you still sleeping?â
Much to his horror, Taehyung made his way over to the bed, his long fingers smooshing Jungkookâs cheeks together as the poor boy tried to feign sleep.
âDid you sleep late last night?â
âMph.â
âJungkookieâs still sleepy? Aww!â The cheek smooshing continued, and Jungkook wondered how much longer you could stay hidden without Taehyungâs perceptiveness deducing that you were there.
âHmmmm.â Jungkook managed to grunt out, tossing over to trap you underneath him.
âOkay, go back to sleep.â With one last cheek smoosh, Taehyung got up and left the room.
âThank god!â Jungkook whispered in relief, pulling the covers off your face.
âIâm so glad he didnât figure out I was here,â you sighed in relief.Â
Jungkook grinned at you, his bunny teeth poking out adorably as he pulled you closer to him. You giggled, reaching up to place small kisses on each of his moles - there were 5 according to your last examination.Â
âThe curls are cute,â you said between kisses, running your fingers through his hair. He sighed contentedly, resting his forehead on yours. If it were up to him, heâd stay here forever.
âOh and y/n-â You both stiffened as you heard Taehyungâs voice from the living room. Apparently, he hadnât left yet. â-thanks a lot! Seokjin now owes me 50 bucks!â
please reblog this post if you enjoyed reading the story! thank you đÂ
#bts fic#bts bookclub#jungkook fic#jungkook x reader#jungkook smut#jungkook fluff#bts fluff#bts smut#namjoon#yoongi#jimin#taehyung#seokjin#hoseok#c me write bangtan#magicshopnet
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The Real Choice: Social Control or Social Investment
Some societies center on social control, others on social investment. Social-control societies put substantial resources into police, prisons, surveillance, immigration enforcement, and the military. Their purpose is to utilize fear, punishment, and violence to divide people and keep the status quo in place â perpetuating the systemic oppression of Black and brown people, and benefiting no one but wealthy elites. Social-investment societies put more resources into healthcare, education, affordable housing, jobless benefits, and children. Their purpose is to free people from the risks and anxieties of daily life and give everyone a fair shot at making it. Donald Trump epitomizes the former. He calls himself the âlaw and orderâ president. He even wants to sic the military on Americans protesting horrific police killings.Â
He has created an unaccountable army of federal agents who go into cities like Portland, Oregon -- without showing their identities -- and assault innocent Americans. Trump is the culmination of forty years of increasing social control in the United States and decreasing social investment â a trend which, given the deep-seated history of racism in the United States, falls disproportionately on Black people, indigeneous people, and people of color. Spending on policing in the United States has almost tripled, from $42.3 billion in 1977 to $114.5 billion in 2017. America now locks away 2.2 million people in prisons and jails. Thatâs a 500 percent increase from 40 years ago. The nation now has the largest incarcerated population in the world. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has exploded. More people are now in ICE detention than ever in its history. Total military spending in the U.S. has soared from $437 billion in 2003 to $935.8 billion this fiscal year. The more societies spend on social controls, the less they have left for social investment. More police means fewer social services. American taxpayers spend $107.5 billion more on police than on public housing. More prisons means fewer dollars for education. In fact, America is now spending more money on prisons than on public schools. Fifteen states now spend $27,000 more per person in prison than they do per student. As spending on controls has increased, spending on public assistance has shrunk. Fewer people are receiving food stamps. Outlays for public health have declined. America can't even seem to find money to extend unemployment benefits during this pandemic. Societies that skimp on social investment end up spending more on social controls that perpetuate violence and oppression. This trend is a deep-seated part of our history. The United States began as a control society. Slavery â Americaâs original sin â depended on the harshest conceivable controls. Jim Crow and redlining continued that legacy. But in the decades following World War II, the nation began inching toward social investment â the Civil Rights Act, the Voting Rights Act, the Fair Housing Act, and substantial investments in health and education. Then America swung backward to social control. Since Richard Nixon declared a âwar on drugs,â four times as many people have been arrested for possessing drugs as for selling them.Â
Of those arrested for possession, half have been charged with possessing cannabis for their own use. Nixonâs strategy had a devastating effect on Black people that is still felt today: a Black person is nearly 4 times more likely to be arrested for cannabis possession than a white person, even though they use it at similar rates.
Bill Clinton put 88,000 additional police on the streets and got Congress to mandate life sentences for people convicted of a felony after two or more prior convictions, including drug offenses.Â
This so-called âthree strikes youâre outâ law was replicated by many states, and, yet again, disproportionately impacted Black Americans. In California, for instance, Black people were 12 times more likely than white people to be incarcerated under three-strikes laws, until the state reformed the law in 2012. Clinton also âreformedâ welfare into a restrictive program that does little for families in poverty today.Â
Why did America swing back to social control? Part of the answer has to do with widening inequality. As the middle class collapsed and the ranks of the poor grew, those in power viewed social controls as cheaper than social investment, which would require additional taxes and a massive redistribution of both wealth and power. Meanwhile, politicians whose power depends on maintaining the status quo, used racism â from Nixonâs âlaw and orderâ and Reaganâs âwelfare queensâ to Trumpâs blatantly racist rhetoric â to deflect the anxieties of an increasingly overwhelmed white working class. Itâs the same old strategy. So long as racial animosity exists, the poor and working class wonât join together to topple the system that keeps so many Americans in poverty, and Black Americans oppressed. The last weeks of protests and demonstrations have exposed whatâs always been true: social controls are both deadly and unsustainable. They require more and more oppressive means of terrorizing communities and they drain resources that would ensure Black people not only survive, but thrive.Â
This moment calls on us to relinquish social control and ramp up our commitment to social investment.
Itâs time we invest in affordable housing and education, not tear gas, batons, and state-sanctioned murder. Itâs time we invest in keeping children fed and out of poverty, not putting their parents behind bars. Itâs time to defund the police, and invest in communities. We have no time to waste.
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Notes: I was a bit in the feels today, so here is some soft Chris fic nobody asked for, with a bit of angst thrown in. there may be some inaccuracies regarding the timeline, but this is fiction, soâŚenjoy
Warnings: swearing, slight angst
Your relationship has always been a funny one.
Youâve met three years ago when Chris was still working with you at New Day, the early mornings spent together, cracking bad jokes over the strongest coffee known to men had created a strange, but lasting sense of comradery between the two of you.
He has always been a bit of a flirt, but in a funny, nonchalant way, and there was that invisible line, that unspoken rule that the two of you would never do anything more than the occasional bantering and bickering. No feelings involved.
But still, there were the occasional moments that made you think, made you mentally recalibrate the relationship to someone you usually considered just a good friend.
The first one was on one of those early morning elevator rides, you were running late and just barely managed to sneak a hand between the closing doors. Chris was the only other occupant, nursing his coffee and snickering as he saw your slightly disheveled appearance.
âDoing some morning sport, Y/N?â he asked, and you just flipped him the bird.
âFeeling cheeky today, arenât we?â he responded, and suddenly took a step in your direction, looking at you.
âYou have a leaf in your hair.â He said, voice going oddly quiet, and then his hand reached out to pick the small green thing out of your tousled locks. Your scalp was prickling in a strange way and your heart gave a soft thump that you blamed entirely on still being slightly out of breath. Your eyes were locked with his, and for the first time you realized just what a mesmerizing shade of blue they were.
âThank you.â You replied, voice barely above a whisper.
âYouâre welcome.â He murmured, eyes never leaving yours.
Then the mechanical voice of the elevator announced your arrival on the studio floor, and whatever spell there has been between you got broken by the opening doors.
âIâll see you in the meeting room in five.â he said, and hurried out of the elevator to his office, leaving you behind trying to make sense of what just transpired between the two of you.
The situation was never brought up again, and nothing changed. You kept up your job as assistant producer, providing Chris and Alisyn with the content they needed to pull off a good show, and kept Chris ego from inflating too much with the occasional well-meant criticism or lighthearted teasing.
Then, the office Christmas party happened.
You had a blast, drinking eggnog and aimlessly swaying along to the shitty Christmas playlist some intern had put together.
Chris had brought a date, some woman youâve never seen before. You were trying not to be annoyed by the obnoxious way she laughed about jokes Chris cracked, or how she clung to his arm like a blonde, perfumed kraken. You did your best to ignore the pair for most of the evening.
When the lady finally went to the bathroom, you approached Chris where he was leaning against a wall in a quieter corner of the office. The eggnog made you bold, so you cut right to the case.
âSo, whoâs blondie? Never seen her around before.â you tried your best to sound as normal as possible. âShe almost died of laughter at that joke you made back there, it wasnât even that funny.â
âMaybe she just has better humor than you.â Chris said, giving you a smirk.
âHa, as if. You know my humor is superior.â You said, your voice coming out way louder than intended. You poked his chest with your index finger and stilled for a moment as you felt the steel hard muscle under his dress shirt. You knew he worked out, but that was new.
âJesus, youâre drunk, Y/N.â Chris chuckled. Oh, he was going to enjoy the hell out of teasing you about this for the next weeks.
You just stared at him, trying to come up with some clever remark, but your brain felt fuzzy and funny, so you just stuck to âShut up, Cuomo.â
He brought his face down a bit, so it was nearly on your level. He was close enough for you to get a whiff of his aftershave, he smelled heavenly.
âHey, watch your mouth.â He said, and you werenât sure if his tone was still teasing. You felt a blush forming on your face at the intense look he was giving you.
âNever will.â You shot back, struggling to keep your voice steady. Some strange energy was buzzing between the two of you, it was one of those moments where every outcome seemed possible.
âChriiiis, come over, I wanna dance!â
And just like that, the moment was over, broken by the screech of Chrisâs blonde side kick making her way over to you.
âComing, just give me a moment.â He called back.
But you fled before he could say another word to you, the ugly emotion in your chest feeling a lot like jealousy now.
Blondie never showed up or was mentioned again, so you figured that whatever thing Chris had with her didnât work out. You tried not to feel a small sense of satisfaction.
Chris, as expected, teased you mercilessly about your run-in with the eggnog, but never brought up the strange tension that sometimes was tangible when the two of you were alone together. You didnât either and over time, it just dissolved, the two of you going back to the easy and carefree joking you were familiar with.
But sometimes, you were watching him from afar, and if you wouldâve paid closer attention you wouldâve noticed that he was watching you as well.
A few months later, Chris approached you during an ad break.
âCould you maybe drop by my office after we wrap it here? Thereâs something I need to discuss with you.â He sounded as serious as youâve ever heard him, so you swallowed the inappropriate joke that was already on the tip of your tongue and just replied âSure thing.â before he had to get back in front of the camera.
You tried to ignore the way your heart was fluttering when you walked down the corridor to his office after the show. It was just a chat with Chris, like youâve already had a thousand times before, you told yourself as you tried to calm your nerves.
Except that it wasnât.
âPrime Time? An hour, every day?â you exclaimed; excitement evident in your voice.
âOh my God, Chris, Iâm so thrilled for you, this is huge.â
Chris just beamed at you, full of pride and looking so happy that it was infectious.
âYou are the first person Iâm telling the news, Y/N, because I wanted to ask you to come with me and be executive producer. I can make some demands regarding certain positions, and as much as it pains me to admit it, I canât imagine doing a show without that weird, brilliant brain of yours.â He grinned, and you couldnât believe your ears.
âYou want me to be your executive producer?â you asked, a bit choked up because of all the emotions you were feeling. You didnât really know how to respond, so you just stepped forward and threw your arm around Chris. You were too short to properly reach around his bulky frame, but you just hugged him as tight as you could, pressing your head into his chest and just whispering âIâd be honored.â
You could feel large, strong arms embracing you, and heard Chris amused voice close to your ear.
âItâs a deal then.â
You let go of him and looked up into his face. He was smiling down at you, looking so genuinely happy that your stomach gave a little flip.
One of his large hands came up to tuck a strand of hair behind your ear. You didnât move a muscle, praying that your face wouldnât betray the excitement you felt at having him so close.
âI could not do this without you, Y/N, thank you for trusting me, and for your loyalty. It means the world.â
âSure thing, Cuomo.â You whispered, and it took every ounce of self-control not to close the gap between your faces and just kiss him. No, you reminded yourself, you were colleagues, and the new show was too important to jeopardize it by letting pesky feelings get in the way. So, you took a step back, quickly collected yourself, and spoke with new confidence in your voice.
âSo, when are you going to tell Alisyn?â
Cuomo Prime Time was a huge success. Chris thrived on being able to plan his own show, picking out the content and guests with much more freedom than he had at New Day. Seeing him so in his element made you happy as well, and the new degree of responsibility was much less scary with him by your side. He was a confident, reliable and steady presence in the studio, and you felt like your friendship only grew stronger during the intense discussions you had while planning the next show.
Unfortunately, your crush grew as well. Youâve always been aware that Chris was smart, and a dedicated journalist on top, but being the anchor for his own show brought a more mature and sincere side out in him. He really poured his heart into the show, and yours was a little more his with each day.
You cheered for him after a he gave a successful interview, calmed him down when a guest had been particularly vile and untruthful and comforted him when right-wing nut jobs dragged him on social media, because you knew how much that got to him, even if he would never admit it.
Then, January 6th happened. Hell broke loose in Washington DC, and your team was on it the second the extent of the insurrection became known. You planned a special edition of Prime Time in light speed, and Chris was on fire, on camera as well as behind the scenes. He called on all his background contacts, gathering as much insider information as he could.
When it was announced that Trump would be impeached for the second time, Chris got into it with so much dedication and vigor that it got you slightly worried. He would spend all his time in the studio, on the phone, writing mails, tweeting, barely sleeping.
You tried to talk him into going home more than once, but he just dismissed you.
He spent the days of the impeachment trial basically living in the CNN building, the time he wasnât on air his eyes were glued to the screen, taking in every debate that was held on the senate floor, cursing Trumps lawyers and the GOP members defending him with so much fury that you almost got scared. As it became clearer and clearer that the trial would result in an acquittal, your worry about how Chris would handle the outcome grew. And rightly so.
The acquittal was announced, and he was furious, slamming his fist on his desk and throwing his CNN mug across the room where it shattered into a hundred little pieces on the opposite wall. You had never seen Chris like that, and while it terrified you how he was behaving, you knew that you could not leave him to his own devices now.
âDamn it, go home, Y/N, I need to be alone!â He snapped at you. You flinched at his harsh words but did not back down.
âForget it, Cuomo, you need a friend now.â You said, resolute, carefully approaching him from behind at his desk, putting your hand on his shoulders and applying some comforting pressure. But he shook you off and turned around in his chair to look at you, tension, anger and sadness coming off him in waves.
âI said.â He swallowed, his voice almost giving out. âLeave me alone.â And then he broke down, burying his face in his hands while dry, angry sobs shook his whole body. Seeing that strong, controlled man like this felt like a punch to the gut, and you carefully kneeled before him. You put your arms around his body and just held him while all the tension from the last days, even weeks, fell off. It was this moment when you realized the full extent of your emotions for Chris. There was just nothing you wouldn´t do to make sure he would never feel like this again.
When he finally calmed down and raised his head, you took his face between your hands, put your forehead against his and looked him deep in the eyes.
âThey will be held accountable, I promise you. Weâre going to do what we do best, we get after it and we are going to show the American people the truth.â You said, voice full of passion and conviction.
His eyes were still looking lost, but his face hardened, and he gave a single, sharp nod.
âWe will. Those fuckers better get ready, because I will drag every single one of them into the light. They will not get away with that.â
âThatâs the spirit I want to see.â You said, giving him a small smile.
Your hands were still on his face, and you couldnât bring yourself to move them away just yet. He still looked so vulnerable, and you slowly began to brush your thumb over his cheek.
He closed his eyes and he leaned into your touch like a cat. Seeing him like this made your heart almost jump out of your throat, you really were head over heels for him.
He was at peace for a moment, and you unconsciously leant forward until your noses were almost touching. Now was the right moment, you thought, now you would finally go for it.
But then he opened his eyes again, and they went hard as he saw how close you were. He pushed your hands away and you could feel his walls going up, shutting you out.
âWhat do you think you are doing.â He barked. âI donât need a pity party, I can handle myself.â His words felt like a slap to the face, there was no sign of the man that you held in your arms some minutes ago. You felt the sting of tears in your eyes and stoop up from the floor, bringing some distance between you and Chris.
âWhat the hell is wrong with you?â you asked in a quiet voice. You didnât want to scream, because if you got yourself worked up the tears would start to fall. And there was no way he would see you crying, not now. âI was just trying to help you and be there for you.â
He gave a small, humorless laugh. There was no warmth in his eyes anymore, and you felt like you might be sick at the look he was giving you.
âLike I said, I donât need pity, or anything else from you right now, so how about you finally leave me alone, Y/N?â
He turned his back to you, the dismissal evident in his posture.
âChris?â you tried, but he wasnât answering. You started to get angry, and with the anger the tears started to fall. You were almost glad he wasnât looking at you.
âFine, go fuck yourself then. I was trying to help, I thought we had something thereâŚâ your voice gave out with a choked sound, and you fled the office before totally breaking down in front of him.
You cried all the way home, and even there the tears didnât stop. It hurt, more than you couldâve imagined, and even though you tried your best to distract yourself, your mind always wandered back to the way he had pushed your hands away and the harsh tone of his voice as he told you to leave him alone.
Above all, you were angry at yourself for developing feelings for him in the first place. He was complicated, and proud, and your gut had told you from the very beginning that it wasnât a good idea to get too close. That you would just end up getting hurt. You should have listened.
You were ripped out of your thoughts by the sound of your doorbell, followed by a series of sharp knocks against the door of your apartment.
âY/N!â
It was Chris. What the hell was he doing here?
You quickly dried your eyes and made your way over to the door. You already were in your pajamas but didnât care. It wasnât as if you owed the guy anything.
You opened the door forcefully, anger slowly taking over. How dared he just show up here after treating you this way?
But your resolve crumbled as you took in Chrisâ appearance.
He looked like shit. His suit was wrinkled, and there were bags under his bloodshot eyes. He looked like heâd been crying.
âWhat is it, Chris?â you said, your voice not betraying the emotional turmoil you were in. You felt anger, sadness, worry and hurt at the same time, but there also was a glimpse of hopefulness, because there had to be a reason Chris came all the way to your apartment that late in the evening.
âY/N.â he began, and you almost started crying again at how lost he sounded.
âI am so monumentally sorry. I fucked up big time with how I treated you back there, I was so angry and confused, but thatâs no excuse for the way I acted. I just wanted to let you know how deeply sorry I am, and I just hope that you can find it in your heart to forgive me.â
He looked like a kicked puppy, and your heart hurt seeing him like this. But still, you had to address the elephant in the room. Because there was no way he hadnât noticed what you were about to do back in his office. He was no fool, and he owed you at least a talk about it.
âChris, I forgive you.â You said, and he breathed out on relief.
âBut we have to talk about what happened. You knew what I was about to do. And I am sorry if I read too much into your behavior towards me, I just really thought we were having a moment. But the way you reacted, the way you looked at me like you didâŚit is totally okay if you donât feel the same way for me, but do you really hate the idea of us that much that you had to look at me as if you were disgusted by me? I thought we were at least friends.â You stopped as you felt your voice starting to break again. Saying this out loud hurt so much, you just wanted to go back to your bed and cry some more.
Chris looked like someone had punched him in the face.
âOh no, no shit, please Y/N-â He paused, rubbing his face with his hands in exasperation.
âI thought you were just taking pity on me.â He said in a small voice you had never heard from him before. âJesus, Y/N, I am an angry, bitter man. And I am much older than you. I never saw a chance for us, but Iâm selfish, so I kept you close. You are way too good for me, and I didnât want to have a moment with you only for you to realize how messed up I am afterwards. I never even thought about the possibility of you feeling the same way.â
He sounded as if he still couldnât believe it.
You just stared at Chris. His hands were fidgeting, he looked so nervous and hopeful, and your heart was soaring, the force of your feelings for him almost overwhelming you.
âGod, Cuomo, you are such a damn idiot.â
And with that, you threw yourself into his arms and kissed him. He responded right away, embracing you and holding you so close to his chest that you could feel his racing heartbeat. His lips were warm and soft, and his body fit into yours as if you were made for each other. It felt wonderful and goosebumps were breaking out all over your body as Chris tilted his head to deepen the kiss, his tongue slowly sliding across your bottom lip.
You never wanted to let go, but you were still standing in the hallway in front of your apartment, and you were wearing your pajamas.
You reluctantly broke the kiss, but Chris cupped your jaw and drew you close for another one, short and sweet this time.
âI canât just stop after finally getting what I want.â He said softly.
Your heart gave a little jump at his words, and you pressed another kiss to his lips.
âYou can get as many of them as you want but come inside first. I donât want my neighbors to see me like this.â
âI actually think your sleepwear is pretty cute. Pink, I like it.â
You smacked his arm in a playful manner and when he smiled back at you, everything felt right in the world.
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According to sources in the British government who spoke to CNN, the UK then reached out to both the United States and Cuba âto find a suitable port for the Braemar.â
Which country took them in? If youâve paid attention to the Trump administrationâs xenophobic rhetoric about âthe Chinese virusâ and its obsession with keeping foreign nationals out of the country, and you know anything about Cubaâs tradition of sending doctors to help with humanitarian crises all around the world, you should be able to guess the answer.
The Braemar docked in the Cuban port of Mariel last Wednesday. Passengers who were healthy enough to travel to their home countries were transported to the airport in Havana. Those who were too sick to fly were offered treatment at Cuban hospitals â even though there had only been ten confirmed cases in the whole country, and allowing patients from the cruise ship to stay threatened to increase the number.
Cuba Mobilizes Against the Virus
Despite being a poor country that often experiences shortages â a product of both the economyâs structural flaws and the effects of sixty years of economic embargo by its largest natural trading partner â Cuba was better positioned than most to deal with the coronavirus pandemic.
The country combines a completely socialized medical system that guarantees health care to all with impressive biotech innovations. A Cuban antiviral drug (Interferon Alfa-2B) has been used to combat the coronavirus both inside the country and in China. Cuba also boasts 8.2 doctors per 1,000 people â well over three times the rate in the United States (2.6) or South Korea (2.4), almost five times as many as China (1.8), and nearly twice as many as Italy (4.1).
On top of its impressive medical system, Cuba has a far better track record of protecting its citizens from emergencies than other poor nations â and even some rich ones. Their âcomprehensive, all-hands-on-deckâ hurricane-preparedness system, for example, is a marvel, and the numbers speak for themselves. In 2016, Hurricane Matthew killed dozens of Americans and hundreds of Haitians. Not a single Cuban died. Fleeing residents were even able to bring their household pets with them â veterinarians were stationed at the evacuation centers.
The coronavirus will be a harder challenge than a hurricane, but Cuba has been applying the same âall-hands-on-deckâ spirit to prepare. Tourism has been shut down (a particularly painful sacrifice, given the industryâs importance to Cubaâs beleaguered economy). And the nationalized health care industry has not only made sure that thousands of civilian hospitals are at the ready for coronavirus patients, but that several military hospitals are open for civilian use as well.
Masks: A Tale of Two Countries
In the United States, the surgeon general and other authorities tried to conserve face masks for medical professionals by telling the public that the masks âwouldnât help.â The problem, as Dr Zeynep Tufekci argued in a recent New York Times op-ed, is that the idea that doctors and nurses needed the masks undermined the claim that they would be ineffective. Authorities correctly pointed out that masks would be useless (or even do more harm than good) if not used correctly, but as Tufekci notes, this messaging never really made sense. Why not launch an aggressive educational campaign to promote the dos and donâts of proper mask usage rather than telling people theyâd never be able to figure it out?
Many people also wash their hands wrong, but we donât respond to that by telling them not to bother. Instead, we provide instructions; we post signs in bathrooms; we help people sing songs that time their hand-washing. Telling people they canât possibly figure out how to wear a mask properly isnât a winning message. Besides, when you tell people that something works only if done right, they think they will be the person who does it right, even if everyone else doesnât.
The predictable result of all of this is that, after weeks of âdonât buy masks, they wonât work for youâ messaging, so many have been purchased that you canât find a mask for sale anywhere in the United States outside of a few on Amazon for absurdly gouged prices.
In Cuba, on the other hand, nationalized factories that normally churn out school uniforms and other non-medical items have been repurposed to dramatically increase the supply of masks.
Cuban Doctors Abroad
The same humanitarian and internationalist spirit that led Cuba to allow the Braemar to dock has also led the tiny country to send doctors to assist Haiti after that nationâs devastating 2010 earthquake, fight Ebola in West Africa in 2014, and, most recently, help Italyâs overwhelmed health system amid the coronavirus pandemic. (Cuba offered to send similar assistance to the United States after Hurricane Katrina ravaged the Gulf Coast, but was predictably rebuffed by the Bush administration.)
Even outside of temporary emergencies, Cuba has long dispatched doctors to work in poor countries with shortages of medical care. In Brazil, Cuban doctors were warmly welcomed for years by the ruling Workersâ Party. That began to change with the ascendance of far-right demagogue Jair Bolsonaro. When he assumed office, Bolsonaro expelled most of the Cuban doctors from the country, insisting that they were in Brazil not to heal the sick but âto create guerrilla cells and indoctrinate people.â
As recently as two weeks ago, Bolsonaro was calling the idea that the coronavirus posed a serious threat to public health  a âfantasy.â Now that reality has set in, heâs begging the Cuban doctors to come back.
Embracing Complexity About Cuba
Last month, Bernie Sanders was red-baited and slandered by both Republicans and establishment Democrats for acknowledging the real accomplishments of the Cuban Revolution. It didnât seem to matter to these critics that Sanders started and ended his comments by calling the Cuban government âauthoritarianâ and condemning it for keeping political prisoners. Instead, they seemed to judge his comments by what I called the âNarnia Standard.â Rather than frankly discussing both the positive and negative aspects of Cuban society, the island state is treated as if it lacks any redeeming features â like Narnia before Aslan, where it was âalways winter and never Christmas.â
Democratic socialists value free speech, press freedom, multiparty elections, and workplace democracy. We can and should criticize Cubaâs model of social organization for its deficits. But Cubaâs admirably humane and solidaristic approach to the coronavirus should humble those who insist on talking about the island nation as if it were some unending nightmare.
#covid-19#covid 19#sars cov 2#sars-cov-2#virology#pandemic#healthcare#health#wellness#cuba#news#info#information#coronavirus#corona virus
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A Grave Life Part Twenty Two
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Notes: Sorry this took a little long and is kinda short D: I hope everyoneâs doing alright! Not beta-read Warnings: Uuuh none Summary: It was nearly noon when she went in. She didnât come out until 2 in the afternoon.Â
âOkay...Okay, Iâm going to go over it one more time.â
I wasnât really listening. Iâd stopped during the last run-through and couldnât bring myself to zone back in. It was alright, though, Queenie seemed to be attending everything Tina said, every run-through of the facts, every change in wording Tina was making. Her case was sound, I wasnât worried about it.
I was worried about Percival.
I was sure he was going to be fair and honest with Tina about the strength of her case. I didnât think sheâd get the answer from that sheâd wanted from Picquery, though. Iâd come to know the President of MACUSA fairly well in my time spent in Percivalâs orbit, and she felt that she had bigger worries than a band of No-Maj troublemakers.
"Youâre sure you canât go in with her?â Queenie asked, sitting on the edge of my desk. I glanced up at her, shaking my head a little.
"Having me around wouldnât exactly be the trump card with Percival that it mightâve been a couple of weeks ago.â
âYou still havenât spoken to him, huh?â
âHe hasnât spoken to me,â I stressed. I had sent two letters to his apartment, and one note to his mothers house (which had been returned to me with a small note on the front from Eugenia, simply stating that Percival had not opened it). I shook my head, sitting up in my seat.
"We have more important things to worry about now.â
"Agreed,â Queenie got off of my desk as Tina gathered her notes. I smiled as she turned to face us.
âReady?â I asked.
âI am,â Tina nodded.
âIâd wish you luck, but I know you donât need it,â I said. She smiled, turning on her heel and striding toward Percivalâs office. It was nearly noon when she went in. She didnât come out until 2 in the afternoon.
I couldnât read the expression on her face; it was somewhere between bewilderment and resignation. Queenie and I crowded around her desk.
âWell?â I asked. She glanced around the office before muttering,
âNot here. Meet us back at the apartment?â She asked, meeting my eye. I nodded, watching her grab her hat and coat. Queenie gave me a quick wave before following Tina. I watched them go before I looked toward Percivalâs office door. It was still open. I steeled myself before walked toward it.
Percival was leaning against the front of his desk, an arm crossed over his chest, and hand on his chin. He looked conflicted. I cleared my throat, and he glanced up. My stomach twisted as his face darkened.
âMr. Graves,â I greeted, clasping my hands behind my back.
"Is there something I can help with with?â He asked, folding both arms over his chest.
âWas your meeting with Ms. Goldstein a...Productive one?â I asked.
"Iâm not at liberty to discuss that with you at this time,â He answered.
â...Youâre kidding, right?â
âIâm not quite the kidding type.â âPercivââ He shot me a sharp look, and I stopped, taking a deep breath before correcting myself, âMr. Graves, with respect, I helped Tina with this case. I was just...Curious as to what you were thinking.â
âIâm sure Ms. Goldstein will fill you in. If youâll excuse me, Iâve work to do,â He said, stepping around his desk.
âWill you need me any assistance later?â I asked, leaning in the doorway.
âAssistance?â Graves repeated, lowering himself into his seat.
âYou know, dropping off a file, or...Sorting something. Assistance?â I asked, waggling my eyebrows at him. His flat, unimpressed face made me feel ridiculous. My face warmed in embarrassment and I straightened up, clearing my throat.
âExcuse me, then, Mr. Graves,â I said quietly, stepping back and shutting Gravesâ door behind me. --
"He said heâd give me a firm ruling by the end of the week, but...I do think heâs going to take the case to Picquery.â Tina looked so relieved. I couldnât help but feel it, too, even if this was only one hurdle. Queenie poured us each some Gigglewater, passing the glasses around.
âI do want you there, when I talk to Picquery,â Tina added, reaching out and resting her hand on mine, âI couldnât have completed this case without you.â I smiled, resting my free hand atop hers.
âOf course Iâll be there,â I agreed. Queenie squealed, grinning and picking her shot glass up.
âCome on,â She urged, waving at mine and Tinaâs. We picked them up, looking around at one another, and smiling.
âTo Tina,â I proposed. Queenie echoed it, and we grinned, clinking our glasses and throwing the shot back before exploding in giggles. Tag list:Â @myplaceofheavenorhell ; @britishfajita ; @terrainhead ; @xespressopatronumxâ ; @thatkidofwarandpeace ; Â @elishamoon13 ; @rvgrsbrnsâ @maaaaryxâ
#percival graves#percival graves/you#percival graves imagine#percival graves x you#percival graves x reader#a grave life
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Chinese cities getting smarter
*Sour grapes from the losers.
https://www.wired.com/story/global-smart-city-competition-highlights-china-rise-ai/
AÂ Global Smart-City Competition Highlights Chinaâs Rise in AI
Chinese entrants swept all five categories, featuring technologies to improve civic life. But the advances could also be tools for surveillance.
Khari Johnson
07.03.2021 07:00 AM
Four years ago, organizers created the international AI City Challenge to spur the development of  artificial intelligence for real-world scenarios like counting cars traveling through intersections or spotting accidents on freeways.
In the first years, teams representing American companies or universities took top spots in the competition. Last year, Chinese companies won three out of four competitions.
Last week, Chinese tech giants Alibaba and Baidu swept the AI City Challenge, beating competitors from nearly 40 nations. Chinese companies or universities took first and second place in all five categories. TikTok creator ByteDance took second place in a competition to identify car accidents or stalled vehicles from freeway videofeeds.
The results reflect years of investment by the Chinese government in smart cities. Hundreds of Chinese cities have pilot programs, and by some estimates, China has half of the worldâs smart cities. The spread of edge computing, cameras, and sensors using 5G wireless connections is expected to accelerate use of smart-city and surveillance technology.
The tech displayed in these competitions can be useful to city planners, but it also can facilitate invasive surveillance. Counting the number of cars on the road helps civic engineers understand the resources required to support roads and bridges, but tracking a vehicle across multiple live camera feeds is a powerful form of surveillance. One of the competitions in the AI City Challenge asked participants to identify cars in videofeeds; for the first time this year, the descriptions were in ordinary language, such as âa blue Jeep goes straight down a winding road behind a red pickup truck.â
The competition comes at a time of increased tech nationalism and tension between the US and China, and growing concern over the powers of AI. The Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in 2019 called China âa major driver of AI surveillance worldwide.â The group said China and the US were the two leading exporters of the technology. Last month, the Biden administration expanded a blacklist started by the Trump administration to nearly 60 Chinese companies barred from receiving investment from US financiers. Also in recent weeks, the US Senate passed the Competition and Innovation Act, providing billions in investment for chips, AI, and supply chain reliability. It also calls for investment in smart cities, including expanding a smart-city partnership with southeast Asian nations (excluding China).
Chinaâs domination of the smart-city challenge may come with an asterisk. John Garofolo, a US government official involved in the competition, says he noticed fewer US teams this year. Organizers say they donât track participants by country.
Stan Caldwell is executive director of Mobility21, a project at Carnegie Mellon University assisting smart-city development in Pittsburgh. Caldwell laments that China invests twice as much as the US in research and development as a share of GDP, which he calls key to staying competitive in areas of emerging technology....
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