#veterans support group sasha

[emberleesblog]

WIP WEDNESDAY

WEEK 35

Remember that veterans support group wip I started months ago? No? Me neither.

But @glacecakes didn't. And she's been hounding me for an update.

So I watched the finale again, cried, and then got retrospective.

This was the outcome.

Enjoy!

[since64bce]

Trumper HC: AOT CHARACTERS AS TRUMP SUPPORTERS

I'm not in Amurica or nothin so idek the guy. All I'm sayin is I think he's a funny man so lets go baby yeehaw

CHARACTERS??: CONNIE AND SASHA, MIKASA, ERWIN, REINER, BERTHOLDT, HISTORIA, PIXIS, FLOCH Warnings: Racism, Sexism, ageism, STEREOTYPING, homophobia, transphobia, swearing, soft porn, guns, terrorism, mentions of violence and molesting. (istg im nitpicking here) A/N: pls don't report me.

CONNIE + SASHA 🥹💃🕺 (Cowboy conspirators)

-I have to group them together Im sorry

-"We juhst tew keids werkin togeyther on ower dayddies raynch in teyxas"🤓🤠

-Sashas fam are a few hardened Trump veterans (it's in the braus bloodline) can you imagine her father NOT being a republican smth

-Connies fam is the same.

-Both of their dads are those weird uncles u only see @ thanksgiving once a year. NOT WEIRD IN A PEDO WAY. They the ones who talk abt the flouride makin the rats n frogs gay an whatnot. its a whole thing.

-BAsically con man🧍‍♂️ and sack nut🧍‍♀️ spend their days chewing on straw and standing outside abortion clinics. 👫

-They're probably like 12 or somthing idk

-But yes they really like trump. Hail trump✋. Worship trump🙏. Trump trump trump. Donald J trump💋. Love trump🫶. want trump👀. lick trump🫵. kiss trump🫵. Trump 4 life💪. Trump all day baby🫦. Trump👨🏽���🦲.

-Honestly they wanna see trump more than trump wanna see them.

-Actually trump don't want to see them.

-He'd get molested, turn around and there'd be two skanky ass lookin children standing behind him how horrific.💀💀💀

-These children aren't normal

-God bless murica ✊✊ yeehaw

Mikasa es tu casa (Chilled out chad)

-Mikasa is one of them chill ones that just mind their own buisness

-Unproblematic chad😌

-She sets an example for the rest of society and shes ripped so lets all take a leaf out of mikasas book shall we

-This aint aot fr this is america 🦅🦅🇺🇸🇺🇸 so she lived happily ever after with her mama and papa ok. no weird human traffickers or nothing🖕🖕. Her parents would've been quite traditional and conservative

-I think she'd believe in the nuclear family and gender roles and what not but her beliefs would be very mild

-You can't get her fuckin forearms from making sandwiches all day babes ❤️‍🔥💪

-but yeah shes a sweetheart ilhsm💋

-And lets just say her being a trumpee is like Gods way of containing this woman

-she wouldn't have missed fr🔫

-And God forbid if she did miss cuz otherwise she'd have gone up there and done it with her bare hands baby

-casual Trump enjoyer

Erwin👱‍♂️ (Facebook warrior)

-He's one a them grandaddy Trumps💪👴. There from the very beginning.❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥

-You really think old people are bad at using technology?? WRONG.

-Levi helped him set up a facebook account 💋

-And It's the only fuckin thing he knows how to use on his computer. And he plays around on with his face this🤏 close to the screen, like gurl u don't need to do that 🧍‍♂️💀💀

-just use ur monacle or whatever🤷‍♀️

-But yeah whenever he comes upon gay 🌈🌈people posts on facebook my man has a heart attack. He clutches his chest falls outta his chair as he tries to get his breathing in control. 🤯😵

-Erwin will come across a post of two girls kissing an fickin collapse istg

-And then he'll get his talons out and start producing some juicy ass hate comments👹. He can't control himself, he's like a wild beast🥴😮‍💨, its like his arthiritis stricken claws have a gravitational pull towards that keyboard

-And he doesn't understand the whole algorithm thing either

There he squats with all these gay daddies on his facebook, hate spamming ALL of them AND HE STILL DOESN'T UNDERSTAND WHY FACEBOOK KEEPS SHOWING HIM THESE POSTS🤬🤬😡🫣🤷‍♀️

-He suffering multiple heart attacks a day people get this man off facebook🙌

-And then Levi will come over and see that Erwin has been writing hate comments under pictures of mens bulges on his computer🧍‍♂️

-Who gave this guy the tech knowledge to b able to cyber bully but not to close his damn tabs sheesh

-He's also become a top poster on one of the Trump groups that he follows ✊✊

-Also he uses the N word a lot 🧍‍♂️

Mr big tits (Bible, BBQ and an AK47)

-Oh my dear lovely big breasted Reiner Braun🍒🍒

-tells everyone abt how his papi went to 'nam and died when in reality his papi waz just a bich and left early🤫

-Not enough valour for him ig

-Even tho homeboy aint in the army 🫡 anymore he still stocks up more ammo than his local police department. 🫶🫰

-Hes just a🔅 cutesy little😻 hoarder with a cuetsy little collection of firearms too. 🤤🥰💖🩷🩵💙

-he will also wear cammo vests to the supermarket just to buy himself some spinach. He's a cammo boy. It's all he wears. 😮‍💨

-Aside from his gun collection and cammo obession, Reiner also loves a bit of BBQ here and there.

-believes the Founding Fathers’ original intent included God, guns, and smoked brisket.💪💪🦅🦅

-And country music of course.

-He's just a casual guy nothing too extreme😎🤠

-He owns a pair of american flag speedos tho, is confused as to why people need so many pronouns and passively aggressively competes in lawn care comps with his neighbor

-Somebody make this guy a father pls🥵😳🫃

Bechtolsheim :))))🦒🦒(Wall enthusiast)

-Oh my berty boy whom i love love love😤💕

-Let us b true with ourselves guys mr daddy long legs🕷️here has all our hearts and souls encaptured in his nice ol sweaty palms. I can tell ya now he's a man of the lord. He's down on those knees for j-dawg night'n day bro 🙏. He daps up the homeboy holy spirit on his way to bible study wit Reiner. ✝️✝️🫰

-Boy sure knows how to resist those temptations. Satan who? Sorry, B-dawg doesn't know him

-Everyone just thinks he's a nice guy 🧍🏽... which he is obv 🙄

-(In the daytime🌞, he's bertholdt, just a normal gurl💅🫦, living a normal life😸😝... but theres ✨something✨👁️👨‍❤️‍💋‍👨 about him🧌🥸😱 that, no one ⁉️knows yet⁉️.... 🤨🧐cause he has secrets🤭🥵🥵👹👹👹......)

-he used to b part of a terrorist group.

-☠️

-BUT HES IS(IS) A NICE GUY HE WAS JUS A LIL BIT CONFUSED BACK THEN an thats okay baby everyone gets a bit confused sometimes.

-AND this was before he met God mkay.

-But yeah, now bertholdt has a burning descrimination against muslims.

-Its the trauma man.

-His stereotyping and racism is like a festering cancer, he fights it everyday like a champ 💃💃✊

-And what does this have to do with being a trumpee you might ask?🧐

-Immigration.

-He wants em' all deported

-SOMETIMES Berts inner darkness wins out. He wants to forget his past, he wants to throw it right outta his window!... and out of his country....🦅🦅🇺🇸🤠🍟🍔

-This boy has seen some stuff🙇🏻🥺. And he's slowly getting better with his muslophobia. He tries. The lawd is his chemo, slowly trying to vanquish this dark dark part of himself 👿🦹, bit by bit.

-Never underestimate the power of the lord. Amen.😗

(All u christians go hard tho fr, mad respect. And all u muslims out there we buddies, go snatch that Quran and be a boss kachow)

Historian Reiss (Progress? Don't you mean bull-kaka?)

-SOMEBODY CALL THE TRAD WIFES UP IN HERE👰‍♂️👰‍♂️👰‍♂️👰‍♀️👰‍♀️👰‍♀️👰‍♀️👰‍♀️

-Girly says that the 1950s were PEAK even tho the closest thing to diversity back then was whether or not u liked jazz 🎶🎶😎

-Oh yeah she sure misses them polio days 🤤😻

-But in all seriousness she probs wears those big pantaloon undies😱🥶 like gurl u aint going parachuting thru the clouds just wear normal ones

-She's always googling how to make her child rearing hips bigger🤰🤰

-Not a single pair of pants in HER wardrobe. Not that she'd be able to wear them with her double storage solution underpants. Dresses and skirts ONLY.

-Also they must all be FLOOR length to hide those temptatious ankles🥵🥵😩

-Our modest queen🫡

-She aint trust no supermarket ultra processed shit food either she gets her eggs straight from her own chickens ass🦆 and she grows her own veggies n stuff. Good for her 🤙💪💪

-Although she did once collapse ffrom an iron deficiency cuz she couldn't find her own meat source poor girl

-she hit her head and was unconious for lik 3 days

-Her neighbors saw her undies before they saw her🪂🪂🪂

PIXIS (Mommy, can we put grandpa back into the retirement home now?)

-Bros worse than the braus and springer daddies👹👹👹👹

-He could not only write an entire 500-chapter-50k-words-per-chapter-ten-part book series abt gay frogs🫦, fake moon landings🙀, reptilian politicians🐸, 5G towers, Big pharma, chem trails🥵😷 ect ect ect but he could fact check the entire thing with blurry memes off facebook sent to him by his cousin randy

-He's a fuckin conspricay chad, unstoppable, admirable, irrestistable, alcoholic, crazy, cute🥺, chic, chadilicious bald man👨🏽‍🦲👨🏽‍🦲

-His children shipped him off to a home as soon as he turned 60 and his knee vaguely started hurting

-Hes too powerful

-Pixis does gets invited to special occasions tho cuz his family feel slightly bad

-He be an anti-science, pro magic, potter grade, wizard baby🧙‍♂️. Of course the government control the weather, of course climate change isn't real. 🤷‍♀️

-And he tell everryyyboodddyyy @ the dinner table baby👨‍❤️‍💋‍👨

-There are actually 8 wonders of this world. His offspring. How the. frick did they turn out so normal?🤨

-Anyways he managed to manipulate his son in law once and accidently caused a divorce

-Now he only gets invited to christmas

-And somehow he sneaks flasks of whatever into his nursing home illegally seals them out to all his nursing home pals.

-He's got an army of at least 15 of them that he's planning a coup with.🥳😏

-He also owns a MAGAs hat and suffers from mild heartburn because he only eats steak

Floch (LIBERATE THE MEN, WOMEN ARE THOTS)

-Another country boy but hes a skinny country boy who doesn't own a diesel guzzling man truck or get high blood pressure from eating steak 24/7.

-He lives wit his mama and eats the pasta salad she makes him for sunday lunch. 🧑‍🌾

-But yes he's still a freaky lil fanatic👹🧑‍🌾

-Imagine he lives in a world without pimp-dawg Eren Tate-ger. Whose Floch supposed to follow??? huh??? Donald thats who. Donald trump💪🦵.

-And andrew tate of course👨🏽‍🦲

-He's one of them red pillers who can sniff out a womans virginity from a mile away

-"Wats ur body count???"

-and hes very patriotic too:

-TRUMP IS JESUS 2.0, MY MAN THONG HAS AN EAGLE ON IT,CKAWW CAWW CAWWWW SAY YOU CAN SEE BY THE DAWN EARLY LIGHT WHAT SO PROUDLY WE HAILED AND THE TWILIGHTS LAST GLEAMING🦅🦅🏈🏈🇺🇸🇺🇸???!!!!???? DADDY TRUMPS TAN IS NOT FAKE GUYS WTFFF😡😡😡😡🤬🤬🤬🖕🖕🖕

-He's like a freaky little jehovah's witness guys

-he's so alpha dont you think?🐺🐺🐺

A/N: Sorry I think i fell off a bit at the end but I couldn't b bothered. Also yes ik the bertoldth one was a little wild but dont report me babes thank u very much. later losers.

[millenniallust4death]

The Ontario Human Rights Tribunal has ruled in favour of a Sudbury woman who was denied guide dog benefit funding because her pup didn’t meet the province’s training criteria. The tribunal ruled the province’s policy was discriminatory because it created large barriers for disabled people who need service dogs for mental health support. It also directed the province to begin changing the current law by the end of 2023. [...] Under provincial criteria, a dog must be accredited by a group called Assistance Dogs International (ADI), the only designated organization for training and accrediting service dogs in Ontario. However, they only train dogs for mental health support for armed forces veterans and first responders. That meant Robinson-Cooke had no practical way of getting her dog, Sasha, accredited so she could receive the monthly funding of $84.

Link to the CTV news article (4 August 2023).

Link to Robinson-Cooke v. Ontario (Community and Social Services).

[ashes-in-a-jar]

The Purrfect Alternative

Premise: Why would there be a cat in the archives? An archive cat fixit.

2.7K words

Rated G

(Tw: A bit of violence but it's against Jurgen Leitner)

This is a fic dedicated to the @jonsimsandcats event! Hope you enjoy it :)

"Sorry, you haven't seen a cat, have you?"

Jon gaped at the larger man who suddenly barged into the office. 

"I-I'm sorry, a what?"

"Uh, a cat, tabby I think." The man hurriedly explained.

"No. No I haven't. Is it.. Supposed to be here?" Jon knew book shops sometimes kept cats. Perhaps archives did as well. Maybe Gertrude had a soft spot in her after all.

"N-no actually. I, uh, I was feeding it on the way in but when I got up with my things, well, my hands were full you see, so when I managed to open the door it sort of slipped in with me? I'm so sorry, I have to find it before-"

"Okay okay calm down, stop." Jon held up his hand and let out a sigh. First day of the promotion and he's already stressed. But it's fine. He's fine. He can handle a cat. He's good with cats.

"Where do you work? Upstairs? Are you sure it came down here?"

"Yes, I saw it. And I just started working down here today? I'm Martin. Blackwood." He offered a hand. Jon automatically took it. Big and soft. He let go a bit too quickly and coughed. 

"Work here? Are you certain?"

"Yes, I'm supposed to let Jonathan Sims know about becoming an archival assistant. He's the head archivist Elias told me to talk to."

"Well that's one thing to cross off your list." Jon smirked. "I'm Jonathan Sims. Jon, if you please. And Elias did not mention you. Tim and Sasha were supposed to be the only new recruits." Jon frowned to himself. He'll have to have a word with Elias about this. It's fine now that it happened but keeping Jon updated could really help in preventing these kinds of awkward introductions with people he's supposed to work closely with.

"O-oh! Well, here I am now too." Martin chuckled nervously, fidgeting with the hem of his jumper.

Jon hummed "So you are I suppose. Well, let's not waste time on trivial matters, there is a cat that needs to be found." Jon got up from his chair.

"O-oh god, you're right. I'm so sorry for this." The other man apologized, remembering why he was there in the first place. It was clear that he now realized that the fact that the person he's asking to help him clear up his mess is his new boss could be very problematic for him. Jon easily sympathized with that kind of familiar pressure.

"It's alright, let's just, get this sorted." Jon was not willing to admit that a part of him was also just looking forward to seeing the cat. It would help distract him from his own stress, as it were.

Ten minutes later the two of them sitting on the floor in the stacks with a chubby tabby cat sprawled on Jon's lap. Jon was petting it affectionately while amicably getting acquainted with his new assistant. The man turned out to be a library veteran with useful cataloging skills that could help with the mess that was left down here. Having calmed down considerably, Martin had stopped fidgeting and was cooing at the cat who was head butting his large palm. Their presence soothed Jon in a way that surprised him. In the tranquil, quiet atmosphere of the stacks, sounds of cat purrs and Martin's low murmurs, he felt almost optimistic that despite his lack of experience and the large task ahead of them, he would be alright. 

-------

Paper meowed loudly behind him as Martin hurried down the tunnel with Jon and Tim at his tail. Martin glanced back as he reached an intersection and noticed they were too far behind, Jon limping on his injured foot. He hesitated, stopping and waiting for them to catch up. Paper came up and rubbed his leg before trotting down the tunnel on the right, tail held high and confident. Martin inhaled deeply to catch his breath, starting to walk again, this time more slowly. They managed to leave most of the fast worms behind and the ones down here were few and sparse enough to easily stomp down individually. Paper was making a game out of it.  He kept leaping onto some that crawled ahead of them, squishing them loudly with his paw. 

Jon and Tim caught up and the three followed Paper down the dark passage. 

"Yeah, get the damn crawlers." Slurred Tim. The CO2 he inhaled was not helping his coherency. 

"You know," gasped Jon, "I actually think they're larvae, given Jane's statement and-" 

"Jon, I'm going to have to ask you to stop now." Martin said, as calmly as he could, his voice a tad too high and loud. 

"... Sorry." Jon said sheepishly. 

They followed Paper down the forking paths, hoping the cat knew where in the seven circles of hell they were. 

Eventually they stopped seeing any worms as the path sloped up, ending in a sudden door. There was daylight filtering in from beneath it. Paper was eagerly pawing at it. 

"Uh, I think we found a secret way out of the institute." Martin could hardly believe their luck. 

"Excellent, now I can ditch work and no one will know I even left." Tim mumbled. 

"Tim, if you wanted to succeed in that endeavor, you should have not said that next to your boss." Jon commented dryly. 

The worm threat no longer being imminent, Martin allowed himself a nervous chuckle. 

They pushed at the door and with a bit of group effort, eventually managed to pry it open into fresh air. They came out into a narrow alleyway which turned out to be not far from the institute. As they walked (limped) down the street to find access to a working phone they heard someone cry out. 

"Jon? Tim? Martin!" They spotted Sasha hurrying towards them, carrying heavy bags of cat food. 

"Sasha! You're okay!" Martin exclaimed. "We were worried you'd get back and be caught in it like Tim had."

"Where have you been?" Jon inquired, straining to stand upright on his own. Martin came closer, gently supporting him by the hip on the opposite side of Tim. 

"We ran out of food for Paper, I figured I'd pop by the store for a moment to get some." Sasha said. "I came back when the building was being evacuated."

"Oh good, at least the alarm worked." Tim said tiredly. 

"What in god's name happened to you three?" She inquired worriedly. 

"Prentiss, we'll fill you in later. We need to make sure the ECDC is informed regarding the CO2 in the fire suppression system that needs to be activated."

"And get you to a hospital." Martin chastised, squeezing Jon's side. 

"Yes yes." Jon waved dismissively but all the while leaning further into Martin's side. He really wasn't discreet, Martin thought smugly. 

Sasha was about to say something else when a loud meow interrupted her. Paper was nosing into the bag, fully aware of its contents and who they were meant for. 

Jon dislodged from Martin and Tim and hobbled towards the cat. 

The cat turned and moved back into Jon's welcoming arms, as the archivist picked him up and stroked him fondly. 

"We are lucky on all accounts that Paper is such a smart cat." He murmured into the soft fur, injury forgotten for the moment. 

Tim chuckled, "cats always ruin evil people's plans, it's a well known fact. Anyway, Sasha, please call an ambulance for us?" He said, and promptly sat on the floor. 

Martin sighed with relief. For now, they are all safe and together. And that's all that matters. 

-------

It was all almost too much to take in. Luckily Paper was held tight in his arms as he listened to Jurgen Leitner ramble on about powers and fears and monsters and Jonah Magnus. He had been chased by a distorted form of his boss, who was apparently replaced by a monster Jon and the crew tried and failed to destroy, thus separating in the ensuing pursuit. In light of these events Jon now needed something soft to ground him in the face of so much new information. 

The discovery of Elias' death was a shock, especially given the fact that apparently it happened when he was trapped in artifact storage during the Prentiss siege a half a year back. 

He (that is, his doppelganger) told them back then that he was trying to reach the suppression system switch when he tripped down the stairs over one of Paper's many scattered toys, alerting Jane in the process and was driven back into the storage area. His account seemed to check out given he was rescued from there by the ECDC after Jane was dealt with. And given the few toys strewn about the stairs leading to artifact storage. Why Paper kept scattering his toys all over the building was beyond Jon but that wasn't the main issue at hand. After trapping the creature in the walls of the tunnels, Jurgen Leitner proceeded to reveal himself. Once Jon dragged him back to his office, and picked the protesting Paper up to calm himself down, he unveiled the truth of Elias', or Jonah's, whole operation. 

Turns out Jonah Magnus decided life was too short to enjoy once and did exactly what eventually happened to him. Talk about karma. Leitner explained that Gertrude's plan was to stop Jonah from... Something he was planning. Perhaps a ritual to end the world in a way the others would fail to do. That bit of information was on a tape of Gertrude which Leitner played for Jon. By the time they reached the part where Leitner said, “they needed to kill Jonah's main body then burn down the archives.” Martin, Tim and Sasha had arrived back at the office as well. 

"Jon? Jon! Are you okay?" Martin rushed forward, hugging Jon tightly, ignoring Paper's loud yowling at being squished in between them. Jon sighed, "Martin, thank god. I-I'm fine." He hugged him back, relieved his boyfriend was safe, as well as his other assistants of course. "It chased after me but he stopped it."

Tim raised his axe, "Jon are you sure he's not... Another one?"

"Yes I'm sure. That" Jon took a deep breath, "is Jurgen Leitner."

After the team's loud exclamations of disbelief he and Leitner updated them on everything they had discussed. As he was being hugged by Martin and holding the fluffy cat he slowly began calming down.

After Leitner was done a long moment of silence ensued.

"So," Sasha said slowly, "Gertrude's dead?"

"Yes, she was shot and then hidden by Jonah in the tunnels. Unfortunately I couldn't get out to allow for a proper burial, so I had to leave her there." He seemed sad admitting it. Jon did not feel sympathy for him. This man deserved none for his past and cowardice.

"And now, we need to, what, somehow find the center of the maze of tunnels to kill Jonah completely and burn the archives?" Sasha asked skeptically. 

"Yes, the whole institute in fact. I have a gas main in the tunnels ready to be ignited once we find the center." Leitner said.

"How do we do that?" Martin frowned.

"Maybe Michael knows?" Tim quipped. "He just helped us out of that situation with his own… corridor labyrinth. Maybe he'll be able to help."

"Okay, okay let's first take a breather and calm down. We'll figure out how to solve this." Jon said, raising his hand to slow them down.

"Yeah, I'll make us some tea." Martin added, "At least now that... Thing won't bother us for a long while."

"Let it burn along with this hell of an institute." Tim said harshly. Knowing how his brother was killed almost the same way, Jon felt strong sympathy for Tim rush over him.

Which was replaced with a different emotion the moment he turned to the man who saved him.

"Thank you for your help, now Martin, I need you to hold Paper for a moment."

Martin, looking baffled, took Paper out of Jon's arms. "Jon wh-"

Jon swiftly approached the older man and proceeded to sock him in the nose with the full force of his fist. The crew gasped in unison. 

"That's for everyone you hurt with your idiocy, you stupid old coward." Jon seethed and punched him again. He heard Martin chuckle and Tim whoop as the man whimpered and attempted to protect his face.

Jon was glad they were spared the horrible plans of a 200 year old evil man and that they had some semblance of a strategy moving forward. He was, however, equally elated for this opportunity to do what he fantasized about since learning of Leitner's existence.

And, he supposes, all of this can be indirectly attributed to Paper, the archive cat.

-------

Jon woke up to the warm snuggle of his lovely fiance and a mouthful of cat fur. 

"Pffff, Paper geerroff," he mumbled, uselessly trying to push the stubborn cat away. The chirping of birds mingled with the sound of highland cows grazing in the field near their cabin. 

After the success of their plan to end Jonah, after the fire had already burned down the horrors of that evil place, it took a while longer for their troubles to be resolved. They had to endure endless questioning and investigations of the police. Jon, who was weakened by the ordeal to the point of needing hospitalization, took a long time to recover and regain his strength. Leitner claimed it was lucky he was cut off from the Eye this early, or the consequences would have been much more serious. The others seemed to have been less affected, but once the archives were completely reduced to ashes they recovered, their jobs burned down along with everything else. 

Sasha found a new job as a researcher in a prestigious institute, nothing supernatural involved. Tim moved on to journalism, utilizing his curiosity and charm to their full potential. Jon and Martin opened a tea & book shop, if only to make Paper a real bookshop cat. They have been slowly setting it up and settling down until... Well, Jon proposed and they took a break. Traveled to Scotland with Paper on an early honeymoon to see the cows and enjoy the quiet. 

And quiet it was. Until Paper shamelessly began purring as loud as a train right in Jon's ear. Jon huffed in fond annoyance and got up, leaning down to give Martin a kiss on the head and then shooing the crime of a cat off to the kitchen. 

"You can't give me a moment of reprieve, can you?" He stretched and followed the cat out the bedroom. 

He filled Paper's bowl and sat on the floor leaning his back on the cabinet, closing his eyes as Paper chewed his food noisily. 

He must have fallen asleep because the next thing he knew, he was awakened by a soft tap on his head. He looked up blearily and smiled. The cat had long since finished eating and found a home in Jon's lap. 

"Morning love." Martin murmured softly, matching his tone to the serene atmosphere. After hesitating a moment, he bent down and sat next to Jon. Jon looked at him adoringly as he absent-mindedly stroked Paper, humming along to his purrs. Martin joined him, petting Paper, their hands occasionally (and very purposefully) brushing against each other. 

After a few minutes of calm silence, Martin spoke up. 

"You know, this reminds me of that first day we met. In the stacks."

Jon smiled at the memory. "Ahh yes, all three of us had a very fateful meeting there, didn't we? God, I was so stressed back then." 

"You handled it pretty well I have to say. Handled my nervousness pretty well too." Martin chuckled. 

"I was lucky you were there. You really helped me calm down." Jon admitted. "Well, you and Paper." Jon added fondly. 

"Paper was a really good archive cat wasn't he?" Martin said, leaning into Jon, pressing a warm, still sleepy kiss on his cheek. Jon closed his eyes, grateful for the events that led up to this moment of pure happiness, with his fiance and his cat. 

"Yes, the best cat in the world."

[depressing-debbie]

Squad Dad Levi at the 104th Kids’ High School Graduation

Just a small modern au Levi squad to celebrate the occasion, happy father’s day everyone!

Shoutout to @pathetic-pablo for the concept, I swear I cannot write anything without you anymore bestie <3

Also here’s an absolutely shameless advertisement for my Squad Dad Levi headcanons that fit today’s theme pretty well: 

Part 1   Part 2   Part 3   Part 4

The kids just kind of assumed that Levi would be coming to their graduation. He’s basically their dad at this point, and he was one of biggest sources of support throughout high school, so of course he’d be coming to see them off?

Luckily, though, Armin thought to remind him the date of the ceremony, because Levi had absolutely no idea that he was invited. They asked why on earth he wouldn’t be, but Levi just kind of shrugged.

But truthfully, he was absolutely HONORED.

It hasn’t really ever occurred to him that the kids would think of him as a family member? But the way they just assumed he was going, it was clear that he really did mean a lot to them.

Once he knows he’s welcome, he gets so excited. He even lets Hange take him out shopping for a new outfit, even though he rolls his eyes at them the entire time.

The day of graduation, he sees them all getting ready together, all wearing their cap and gown, and he catches himself feeling surprisingly emotional

Of course, Armin sees him getting emotional and does the same, then so do Connie and Sasha, and pretty soon literally all of the kids are crying and trying to rope Levi into a group hug. 

And, sure, he’s overwhelmed, but he’s still Levi, so he manages to pull them back together and helps them finish getting ready.

He offers to help take pictures before they leave, and he’s absolutely shocked when they make him take a timed photo instead so that he can be in it with everyone.

Every single one of the veterans came to support the kids, so they had an entire cheering section in the front of the auditorium. Unsurprisingly, everyone learned that Hange and Erwin combined can cheer louder than the entire rest of the audience.

Armin definitely gave a speech as valedictorian, which Levi had helped him rehearse enough that he had also memorized all the words, so he was quietly mouthing along the whole time, clapping so loud when he was finished

Proud Dad Levi is cheering SO LOUDLY when their names are called, any other day he would have found the volume absurd, but he was just so proud of them.

Watching them all walk across the stage, he started having flashbacks to helping them with their homework, making sure everyone got to school, begrudgingly delivering the lunch that Eren could never remember to pack- but, being Levi, he brought himself back to reality, rolling his eyes at his own cheesy brain

After the ceremony, he gave each of the kids the flowers he’d bought them (don’t tell anyone, but he put SO much thought into what kind of flowers to get everyone), as well as the handwritten note attached. They were short and pretty simple, but anyone who knows Levi well could tell they were actually incredibly meaningful.

Levi’s obviously not usually one to verbally express his appreciation, but he made an exception just this once so that he could make sure each and every one of them knew how proud he was. 

Which of course prompted everyone to start crying again, and since all the veterans were there as well this time, Levi couldn’t dodge the group hug. (which Hange will forever tease him for)

Sorry for dragging everyone into this absolute emotional rollercoaster, brb gonna go cry

[farsight-the-char]

Thinking about how i would write an Avengers book using the current status-quo.

...

Unity Squad

Robbie Reyes/Ghost Rider bruiser and emotional support, plus magic

Jean Grey/Marvel Woman: Veteran Leader and powerhouse.

Amadeus Cho/Brawn: more the tech/genius, though will provide "Hulk Smash" when needed.

Laura Kinney/Wolverine: Best at what she does. Stealth, Claws, Guns.

Wanda Maximoff/Scarlett Witch: Magic, co-leader, mentor.

Noriko Ashida: Brings the lightning. Also wears armour that works with her abilities.

Original Character, Starborn Sorceress/Sasha Maximoff, a "Chimera" clone of Wanda and Jean. First arc centers around her discovery and rescue, with her then joining the Unity Squad.

...

Maybe a few others? But this is the initial roster.

First arc centers of the Xmen/Avengers teaming up to put a stop to an evil cloning operation/trafficking group.

Second goes into magical stuff.

3rd goes into back to cloning stuffm

4th and 5th are????

[sepublic]

Barrel’s Warhammer!

           YYYYOOOOOO SASHA!!!!

           She really is the epitome, the pinnacle, of gaslight, gatekeep, girlboss! I love Sasha, she’s such an utter mess, morally ambiguous and then downright terrible in so many ways, and genuinely unhinged in just as many! She’s a freaking riot and SUCH an amazing character, y’all!

           In general, I adore how Toads are handled in this show! Yeah, they’re big and brutish and used as thugs… But the show still clearly portrays them as people, and some of them are terrible like Bog, but others are just trying to live their lives, like Percy and Braddock! And how they’re all clearly working with this ascribed role as Andrias’ enforcers and iron fist across Amphibia, how they’re encouraged to be cruel brutes… But they’re still people and they’re still oppressed, which is why Grime is leading his rebellion! Good for him, good for THEM!

           Also… GRIMMITY?!?! Beatrix?! Grime LORE! I like how Beatrix and Grime have blind eyes on opposite sides, and Sasha roasting Bufo by naturally connecting his name to Buffoon, WONDERFUL! Aldo’s also a legendary, killer design, he reminds me of VLD Zarkon, old and decrepit and fanged and clearly has seen a LOT of stuff, a real warrior of his time… Honestly, getting a look into the Toads and THEIR complicated role in this story, as the ‘bad guys’ but not really, there’s more to them; It’s such a fit to Sasha’s character, and I LOVE how she’s such an utter brute for someone who normally seems accustomed to using honey over vinegar to attract flies (to feed her Toads)! She’s nuts, she’s great.

           I love the explanation for the eye symbol, I love Sasha really getting to appreciate Percy and Braddock, and for a moment I thought she really was learning her lesson… When she gave them an out, I thought maybe she took what happened with Anne to heart, but now…! Maybe this is what she’s always done; Made empty promises. God, I love this little arc for her character, how she wants to be a good friend, but she keeps valuing power and control over all else…

           AND HER RAGE! HER JEALOUSY! At Anne and Marcy being with each other, leaving her out, Sasha’s mind jumping to all of the worst conclusions, and how THAT anger is what unlocks her gem power, not heroism or anything else! Sasha’s such a complex and messed-up character but you can’t help but root for her, she really IS a Problematic Fave! God, with how she’s going to meet Anne in a volcano, and the whole “Sasha is Anakin and Anne is Obi-Wan” just WRITES itself, with Sasha angrily accusing Anne of turning Marcy against her, Anne retorting that Sasha did that herself, etc.!

           God Sasha’s such a complicated mess and ball of unresolved emotions and contradictions, denial that’s insisting everything’s fine when it’s really not… She’s a manipulator who prefers to be hands-off, yet is also somehow the raw brute with unthinking, unyielding strength! She’s utterly terrifying, no wonder all of the Toads are in awe of her ferocity and power!

           Also, I like how Barrel’s Warhammer was included; At first I wondered WHY the Narwhal Worm would guard the weapon used by the Toad who fought it, but as we can clearly see… Barrel must’ve conked it out BADLY with his Warhammer, knocking it out, and the hammer has been stuck since! And once more, the hammer has been slammed into the worm… And in general, I love seeing the Toads just ROOT around Sasha and Grime, I love seeing villainous characters get to go feral and unhinged as you root for them, as THEY rise up and fight against all odds as the underdogs!

           Percy and Braddock and the gag with the kawaii poses was great, but it’s also sad to see them go! They’re definitely a wake-up call for Sasha and I like it, I wonder if you could parallel them, one-by-one, to Anne and Marcy respectively? Perhaps Anne and Marcy were initially not taken seriously by Sasha at first, but ultimately she DID grow to care for them and not just as ‘tools’, who knows? With Anne and Percy and Braddock, I think Sasha’s going to have to reconsider things… And GRIME, how he just sort of accepts that, yeah, you gotta lose people to achieve a goal! I could see him being a bad influence to Sasha, unintentionally- Like her, he means well, they’re really great parallels to one another!

           Like, Sasha and Grime are both brutes, power-hungry, and wanting control, but Sasha prefers subtlety and manipulation, appeals to both her and others’ emotions, while Grime prefers to be raw and unthinking strength, he’s a seasoned veteran from combat, while Sasha is likely a rich kid, young and learning… They’re such a dynamic duo with a lot to teach one another! Maybe Grime sees himself in Sasha; Himself when HE was a kid… Maybe when he was a gladiator, he had friends but left them behind to be promoted to Captain? I wonder if Beatrix has anything to say on this, too…

           Could Beatrix provide insight to Grimmity? Did Grime leave her behind in a sense…? Does SASHA have a sibling, and that leads to her weird power complex, as another parallel to Grime! Either way it’s sweet, I adore the dynamic of two horrible people who are good friends and bad, enabling influences to each other… Being problematic faves, you can’t help but cringe at their mistakes but also cheer as they win as underdogs and turn the tables on their enemies! I like how Sasha is still supportive of Grime and vice-versa, Grime’s guiding this kid, but Sasha’s fully supporting Grime as the de-facto leader and backing him up, not trying to seize control!

           I think it really parallels Anne, how she just wanted to get back home… But somewhere along the way, she realizes how much she loves and enjoys this, and values her friend! And maybe it could lead to Sasha not wanting to head back home after all, especially if there’s nothing there for her; Which could play into her keeping all of her gem powers as she opposes Andrias openly, while Anne has some of her power because again, she’s more neutral, and then Marcy has none because she’s fully bought into the Newt King’s schtick!

           Also, it’s funny that Sasha is no doubt feeling betrayed, like her trust has been jeopardized by Anne and Marcy, considering she did the same to Anne in Reunion! Lying to her about what she intended to do with the Frogs… It’s wonderfully hypocritical and this kid does NOT want self-awareness, she’ll toy with it for a bit, but then immediately backpedal! Get better and well Sasha, for everyone’s sake… The confrontation and paranoia as she loses her friends and only has Grime, who means well but isn’t so great himself, is also nice!

           Honestly, there’s even a parallel to the idea of Sasha meaning well, only to be ruined by her own toxicity… And Grime wanting a better life for Toads in his revolution, but still allowing a hierarchy to exist by the end of the day, instead of abolishing it for all! They both have good ideas and initiative, but it’s ruined by Sasha and Grime not backing down on certain things and not listening to others, being SO sure they’re right… Very compelling stuff. Now I’m starting to wonder if Sasha will be open to Anne about her suspicions, if they WILL get along for the Third Temple…

           …Or if she’ll try to manipulate and fool her again, thinking that SHE’s been betrayed herself! And maybe Sasha will realize her faults in the battle of Newtopia, only for it to be too late, Anne has been too betrayed, Sasha has only herself (and, well, Andrias) to blame! In the meantime, as Sasha no doubt embraces her role as a rebel, but also unknowingly as a hero against Andrias and his master… I can see her tapping more into her gem powers and actually using them as part of her rage, hence the shots we see from the Third Temple! She’s going to be terrifying, y’all, and even more of a match for Yunnan at this point… And Anne, poor Anne’s going to be caught between TWO toxic friends!

           Both mean well, but both have other bad points… And it just means Anne’s gonna have to forge her own path, make her own decisions and group and faction, be her own person and take initiative once more! But it’s also gonna be lonely and could contribute to more trust issues along the way… And maybe she’ll think she can only trust herself, only do things on her own, and how this might pair badly with her selfless martyr-complex. We’ll have to wait and see, though… We’ll have to wait and see.

[sleepysnk]

Hiii I saw you were doing requests and thought of one! Can you do a one shot where the female reader is dating Mikasa and she worries about what everyone else in the Scouts will think but all their friends and superiors accept it? Very cute and pure one shot with female reader and Mikasa because I don't see many with her and I love her 🥺💕 Thank you so much!

this is such a cute request!! i love this sm! mikasa does need more love tbh. i hope you enjoy!! 🖤.

Mikasa x Fem!Reader: Acceptance

Warnings: None

Love was pretty common in the Survey Corps. A lot of people knew love was quite a risk, especially in the world they all live in.

When it came to Mikasa and (Y/N), it was a bit of a shocker. No one really knew they were together, and it was pretty much out of public eye. Mikasa was really protective over (Y/N), and she didn't want her to ever get hurt.

The only reason it was quiet was because they were both women. As far as they knew, no one really seemed to be in a relationship with the same sex. They both feared that if it was revealed, people would judge them, or they would be shamed for it.

They were in love though. Mikasa and (Y/N) were inseparable, but kept their PDA out of view. Most people just assumed they were best friends, like Mikasa was with Armin and Eren. (Y/N) was starting to feel a little uncomfortable with the idea of hiding it. Jean was the problem.

He'd always flirt with Mikasa, and it bothered (Y/N) a lot. Of course, she couldn't just tell Jean. She wanted to respect her wishes. That's until one night, she decided to talk to Mikasa about it.

"What do you mean we should be public with it?" Mikasa asked and stared at her girlfriend.

(Y/N) was trying to tell her that maybe it was time they should reveal it. She shouldn't be worried about judgement since they were in love.

"Mikasa... I feel like it's time, you know? We've been together for a bit, and I don't want to hide it anymore" she said and crossed her arms.

Mikasa wasn't really for the idea. What would Eren think? What would her superiors think? She really wasn't sure.

"(Y/N) as much as I love you, I don't want us to be judged by everyone. What would the Commander think? Or even Captain Levi?" Mikasa asked.

Her lover rolled her eyes. "I doubt they would care! They don't have time to deal with our relationship" the (h/c) girl replied.

Mikasa sighed. "I just don't know if it's a good idea" she said and looked at the floor.

(Y/N) really didn't care. Tonight, the scouts were having a celebration, and she was going to tell them. Even if Mikasa opposed it, (Y/N) knew they wouldn't judge.

"It is a good idea my love! We can be open with it, and not have to hide it" (Y/N) said and grabbed her hand.

Mikasa still didn't budge. Eventually, they went to the celebration together. Everyone was there from the Survey Corps, it was in the mess hall, so everyone was in there groups talking at their tables.

(Y/N) was going to say something at some point. Mikasa kept her eyes on her the whole night, her biggest fear was that she'd spill everything.

"So Mikasa, when are you finally going to give Jean here a chance?" Connie asked and looked over at him.

A blush spread over Jean's cheeks. "What the hell Connie?!" he yelled and looked at him.

Connie shrugged and started laughing. "What? It's so obvious, you always flirt with her anyway" he replied.

(Y/N) was fuming on the inside. That's when she grabbed Mikasa's hand. She gripped it tightly, and Mikasa was a bit shocked at the move. She quickly removed her hand away from (Y/N), and stared at her intensely.

"Hey... what was that about?" Sasha asked and pointed at (Y/N) and Mikasa.

'Shit!' Mikasa thought as she looked around at everyone.

Everyone stared at them. "It was nothing" Mikasa replied and crossed her arms.

(Y/N) wasn't going to let the opportunity slip by. "Actually... we wanted to tell you all something" she said and looked at everyone.

Eren nodded. "What is it? I want to know" he asked.

The others grew curious as the veterans looked over as well. "(Y/N)... I swear to God" Mikasa said and shot her lover a terrifying look.

She sighed. "Mikasa and I are a couple!" she said and smiled at them.

The whole room fell silent. Mikasa sat there feeling embarrassed. She was totally going to kill (Y/N) after this.

"It was so obvious!" Hanji yelled and came over to the group.

Mikasa looked up at saw that everyone was laughing. "Yeah guys... we all kind of knew you guys were a thing. We never intruded though" Connie said and laughed a bit.

"So wait... you all don't care?" Mikasa asked and looked around at everyone.

"We don't at all, we accept you 100%" Armin replied and smiled.

Levi looked over. "I could care less, just don't let your relationship impact what you do around here, and for God's sake, don't eat each other's faces" he said.

"I told you!" (Y/N) said and smiled at her girlfriend.

The others smiled and assured them that they didn't have an issue with the relationship. They accepted (Y/N) and Mikasa, and they told them they were very supportive. Even the veterans totally accepted the relationship.

"Nothing could ever change how we see you both" Armin said and gave a soft smile.

Mikasa felt so relieved after that. She was glad that everyone didn't judge, and she could kiss her girlfriend without anyone judging her.

"I guess you were right (Y/N)" Mikasa said and looked at her lover.

She smiled and rolled her eyes playfully. "When have I ever been wrong?" she replied and gave her a kiss on the cheek.

Mikasa gave her a small smile. "Whatever" she said and looked back at everyone else.

"So... I want to know one thing" Jean said and looked at the both of them. "Who asked out who?" he asked.

They both looked at each other, and began to laugh.

[fearsmagazine]

6:45 - Review

DISTRIBUTOR: Regal Theaters

SYNOPSIS:  Bobby Patterson is taking one last shot at saving his relationship with his girlfriend, Jules Rables by taking her on a romantic weekend getaway to the picturesque island resort of Bog Grove. The sleepy beach town is curiously deserted and as they ask around they soon learn about its notorious and bloody history.  Their relationship issues are quickly cast aside as they try to overcome a demented cycle of terror in which they’re seemingly trapped. No matter what great lengths they take to avoid it, Bobby and Jules awake at 6:45 each morning to a nightmarish chain of events with no escape.

REVIEW: Director Craig Singer returns to the big screen after ten-plus years since his last feature, “Perkins’ 14,” with a sci-fi horror thriller where a struggling couple are caught in a murderous time-loop. 6:45 is receiving a theatrical release through Regal Cinemas.

The story, by veteran screenwriter Robert Dean Klein, is a simple twist on “Groundhog Day.” After spending the night, the next day the couple become caught up in this murderous time-loop. In essence, it is the character of Bobby who relives the nightmare as he is the only one who carries over the memories of the previous days. His girlfriend Jules doesn't have any clue to what has transpired and each new day Bobby tries hard to convince her, adding more stress to their strained relationship. Ultimately Bobby does something that breaks the chain of events and sends him back into the reality of a nightmare he created. The story ends on a note that feels similar to “Psycho” or “Identity” as it moves into a psychological explanation as to what brought about the events. Bobby never comes across as a likeable character and Jules remained hard to access or feel anything for.

The supporting cast, a group of veteran actors and talent, attempts to add background and atmosphere to the tale. Actor Armen Garo adds some lighter moments as the strange innkeeper. He brings some interesting ticks to the role that delivers many of the film’s memorial moments. Also creating an interesting character is veteran actor Thomas G. Waites as the peculiar barkeep. He starts out as your friendly bartender and as the days progress it begins to feel like he might know more than he is letting on. The rest of the supporting cast feels more like name recognition than anything that adds to the film. The leads Michael Reed and Augie Duke are fine but I never got anything from them that fully immersed me in the drama. It was almost as if I was watching a stage production.

For a “home grown” independent film 6:45 has some excellent locations that add depth to the film. The inn is very nice, the shops in the area are quaint, the bar was your basic dive. There were a couple of scenes shot on the beach that felt a bit off for the lighting as the time of day felt off with the rest of the timeline. There is an interesting montage utilized to show the passing of days that was utilitarian, effective but lacked any emotion or artistry. The mysterious killer was simply a guy in a dark hoodie with a simple makeup/mask to obscure his features. It was okay but wasn’t scary, at best slightly menacing.

The score by composer Kostas Christides adds depth and emotion that was lacking in the cinematography. It also added edge to the tension, as well a bit more scare to the mysterious killer's appearance and actions.

6:45 looks fabulous in the theater. However, it lacks any passion or intensity to engage the viewer. After a while, it felt like I was being shown pictures and videos from a friend’s killer vacation. They may have made memories that will last a lifetime, but after a while I was bored and couldn’t wait for it to be over. I mean how many times can you see the same shots of their room, beach, quaint shops, over and over again before you’re bored. 6:45 isn’t a bad film, just not the time of my life.

CAST: Michael Reed, Augie Duke, Thomas G. Waites, Armen Garo, Remy Ma, The 45 King, Ray Mancini, Joshua Matthew Smith, Sabina Freidman-Seitz, Allie Marshall, Leonardo Mancini, and Sasha K Gordon. CREW: Director/Producer - Craig Singer; Screenplay - Robert Dean Klein; Cinematographer - Lucas Pitassi; Score - Kostas Christides; Editing - Sam Adelman; Production Designer - Erin LaSorsa; Special Effects Supervisor - Vincent J. Guastini. OFFICIAL: www.645movie.com FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/645movie TWITTER: twitter.com/645movie TRAILER: https://youtu.be/VivQxpbRbkc RELEASE DATE: In Regal Theaters August 6th, 2021

**Until we can all head back into the theaters our “COVID Reel Value” will be similar to how you rate a film on digital platforms - 👍 (Like), 👌 (It’s just okay),  or 👎 (Dislike)

Reviewed by Joseph B Mauceri

[duker42]

💜Age Matters💜

💜Age Matters💜

Nervously tugging on the straps across her chest, Y/N takes one more look in the mirror. Confident her uniform is pristine, her gaze falls to the insignia on her jacket. The Wings of Freedom look very different from the Garrison Roses that she had worn for the past 15 years.

Leaving her new quarters in the Survey Corps Headquarters, she prepares herself for a barrage of questions, doubts and mistrust. While the Garrison might support the Scouts on expeditions, it’s practically unheard of for someone to transfer in like she has. Especially for someone who has been the Garrison as long as she had.

Reaching the Mess Hall, she observes the soldiers around her. There is clearly two age groups, very young and her age. The number of people she sees that are around her age is lower that she had expected. Then again, when 30% of the force is lost every expedition, did she really think there would be vast numbers of veterans?

Grabbing her tray, she chooses a spot seemingly out of the way, not knowing that she was about to be overrun with young, curious new Scouts. Suddenly, several trays dropped down on the table around her as bodies flopped onto the benches.

“God,” a two toned haired boy groaned. “I thought we would have a little break in training after we joined the Regiment. I feel like we are back in the Training Corps.”

A delicate looking blonde boy answered him. “Well, we have to learn our squad’s movements. The expedition is only 30 days out.”

She listen as the conversation passes back and forth between the group. They are kids, energetic, idealistic kids. Musing over their differences in personality, but obvious close relationships, she don’t realize that she was being spoken to until the tiny angelic blonde touches my arm.

“Are you okay?” Her small voice is easy to hear as everyone else has stopped talking and turned to me.

“Oh, sorry. I was wool gathering. I’m fine, thank you.”

“My name is Christa. What’s yours?”

“Y/N”

The rest of the table goes around and introduces themselves. Reiner, Berthold, Ymir, Connie, Sasha, Jean, Armin are unfamiliar to her. Y/N had heard of Mikasa for her impressive display of skills during the Battle of Trost. And of course everyone has heard of the emerald eyed Titan shifter, Eren Yeager.

The two toned haired boy, Jean, leans over Eren with what she could only assume he believes is a charming smile. “I could have sworn I had met all the beautiful girls in our class, but I haven’t seen your gorgeous face before. Why is that?”

Eren pushes the boy off of him and they glare at it each other a moment before turning back to her for the answer.

“I just transferred in from the Garrison.” She braces herself for the follow up question.

“Why on earth would you do that??” Comes a surprised question from Jean.

“I was tired of it. All most seemed interested in doing was getting drunk and fighting. If I’m going to fight, I would rather it be for humanity rather than against some poor slob in a bar.” Y/N explains.

The kids stiffen up and return to their food quietly as she feels a presence behind her. Turning, Y/N sees the infamous Captain Levi. Shorter than most men, he still commands respect and attention. His stormy blue eyes miss nothing as he openly scrutinizes the young looking woman. Never having been this close to the enigmatic soldier, she was surprised at how attractive he was. She knew him to be around her age, but like her, he looked younger than his years. Pale, clear skin and jet black hair framed his sharp face nicely. His neutral expression did not seem to put the kids at ease, but Y/N could tell that it was just the way his face rested.

Levi meanwhile was appraising Y/N. Having read her file, he had originally been wary of the transfer. He didn’t trust the intentions of a soldier who suddenly gave up the position of Squad Leader to transfer over to the Scouts. While there were no reasons given beyond her explanation to the brats, he was going to keep his eye on her. Especially since she had immediately ended up at the same table as the Titan shifter.

It did catch him off guard with how young she looked. She could have passed for a new recruit if he was unaware of her time in the Garrison. He internally rolled his eyes in annoyance at the prospect of all the hormonal brats getting to know her. It was going to distract them from their training, and in turn, piss him off.

“When you’re done, you’re with me, Garrison. Time to see what you’ve forgotten sitting on your ass, safely behind the walls.” His word comes across sharp and dry.

Standing, she picks up her tray and silently follows the Captain. Disposing of the tray, she walks behind him, observing his quick purposeful strides out of the castle and down to the training grounds.

Without breaking his stride, he questions her. “What’s missing from your file? The real reason you transferred?”

“Captain, I transferred because I was tired of the antics of the Garrison. Most are just as bad as the MPs.”

Stopping, he turns and stares at her, reading her for dishonesty. “That’s all?”

“If you read my file, you know I was a Squad Leader. I had a soldier under me that had acted inappropriately towards other soldiers several times. Starting vicious fights, stealing, generally causing problems. When I took action against him, I was censured. He was drinking and gambling buddies with our superiors. I want nothing to do with filth like that. So I asked to transfer.” Her confidence bespoke of her honesty.

Finding no reason to doubt her words, Levi merely nodded and started walking towards the ODM course. Quickly grabbing gear for her, he appraises her as she equips.

“When was the last time you wore the gear?” He asks, noticing her fumbling with a few of the connections.

“Retaking Trost, sir.”

“Did you stand on the roof like all the other idiots, or did you run?” She grits her teeth at the abrasive question. She rationally knows he’s trying to push her buttons, but to imply she was a coward pissed her off.

Her eyes flashed with anger as she spit out, “5 solo kills, 4 assists. I DID NOT run.”

Folding his arms across his chest, he quirks an eyebrow, surprised at her kills. While his numbers were unimportant in his mind, he was impressed that someone who doesn’t encounter Titans regularly kept her composure during the surprise attack on the town.

Running her through the course several times, he noted that while her movements weren’t quite fluid, that seemed to be from lack of practice rather than lack of skill. Taking into account the fact that the Garrison got less ODM time than Scouts, her skills were still above the fresh recruits from the 104th. Satisfied with her performance, he signaled her to come back.

**Time Skip**

In the several weeks since transferring, Y/N had started to settle in. Making friends with several of the veterans, she was able to talk with them about events that had occurred, sharing her perspective from the Garrison. The 104th soldiers were endearing to her, she almost viewed them as younger siblings. Still having not revealed her age, she was enduring daily advances by most of the boys, Jean especially.

Levi sat at the superiors table observing Y/N interact with the kids. His jaw tightened as he watched Jean throw another flirty grin at the alluring woman. He had come to like Y/N, quickly taking advantage of her former position as a Squad Leader to pull her into his office every evening to assist with the mountains of paperwork he never seemed to finish. In between the scratching of pen against paper, they had begun to talk, first about non-consequential things. As the hours past in the candle light, the conversation had turned personal, more so on her part. While he still held himself back from revealing all of his past, he was surprised to realize that in a few short weeks, she knew as much about him as his closest friends Erwin and Hange.

Jean grabs Y/N’s hand, rubbing his fingers across her knuckles, causing Levi to set his cup down and get up, intent on going over to the table to put the kid in his place. He doesn’t understand the feelings he’s having, but he knows that he hates it. Walking quietly towards them, he stops as he hears the conversation.

“Y/N, you have to go on a date with me! Your face is haunting my dreams.” Jean smiles, thinking that his admission is suave.

“I’ve told you before Jean, you’re too young for me.” She gently pulls her hand from his, annoyed that he just doesn’t seem to get the hint.

“Babe, you can’t be too much older than me. I promise I’ll satisfy you.” Wiggling his eyebrows suggestively, he moves in closer.

Levi is ready to tear the boy apart physically, but Y/N beats him to it, verbally.

“Okay, kid, I’m done being nice. Let me put this a way you will understand. I am old enough to have pushed you out of my vagina. Why the FUCK would I let you in it?” Her words filet him neatly.

Levi almost laughs at how quickly Jean pales. The horrified expression on his face grows as Y/N continues.

“Or do you have mommy issues? I’m not into that kind of kink, thanks though.”

The table explodes with laughter and someone throws out the question that is on all of their minds. How old is Y/N?

“I’m 31. I was in the Garrison for 15 years, not 1 like you all assumed.” She grins.

The conversation moves on, the kids amazed at Y/N’s age and asking questions about events past. Levi walks away, satisfied that the brats will no longer be hitting on the woman he secretly has come to think of as his.

**Time Skip**

Knocking on the door to his office, Y/N waits for Levi to open the door. She had noticed her grumpy superior walking towards the table at dinner, his posture stiff from anger. When he changed his course after watching her putting Jean in his place, she knew that she had not imagined the growing relationship between them.

When the door opens, her pulse speeds up like every other time she comes face to face with the sullen man. His posture relaxed, he stood back and let her enter. Walking towards the desk in the absurdly tidy office, Y/N realized there were no stacks of paper to pour over. The convenient cover for spending hours trying to get to know Levi was not going to work tonight. Facing him, she watched him close the door quietly, staring at her as he walked slowly towards her.

“You distract me. I don’t like it.” Levi comments.

“I’m sorry?” Tilting her head in confusion, Y/N tries to understand where the conversation is headed.

“I didn’t like that brat thinking he had a chance of touching you. It pissed me off.”

“Ahhhhhh, you were jealous.” A small smile curved her lips as she begins to see.

He rolls his eyes and crosses his arms, stopping an arm length from her. “I don’t get jealous.”

Now she rolls her eyes, “Maybe not before. But you shouldn’t be.”

Invading her senses, he steps closer, the space in between them non existent. His observant grey orbs darken as her breathing quickens. She lifts her hand to his chest, slowly feeling the hard muscle beneath his shirt. Bringing a hand to her waist, he questions. “Why is that?”

Wetting her lips, she leans forward, breathing into him as she honestly replies. “I don’t do younger. Age matters to me.”

“Thank fuck I’m older.”

Mobile MasterList

[peachymess]

If attack on titan was in the Harry Potter universe, what subject do you think the veterans would have been teaching at Hogwarts (like all the veterans including Nile, Hannes, pyxis and such) and what houses would 104 been in? It’s okay if you don’t like au’s like that then you don’t have to reply, hope you have a good day :) !

Hi, anon! Finally, I’ll be answering your Harry Potter AU ask! I knowit’s been ages and ages – I’m really sorry about that. To pay you back for thelong wait, I’ve done headshots of the entire 104 plus some of the vets for thisAU. Please accept my apology-drawings, haha. Art posts for vets here, and 104 here.

For the vets, I assigned each of them one of the HP subjects, and I’m reallyhappy with where they ended up. I can see them all in these positions, and Ihope you can too; if you’d like a deeper explanation as to why some of themended up with what they did, just shoot me an ask about the specific charactersin question and I’ll be happy to explain.

 Erwin (Slytherin): Defence against the dark arts 

Levi(Hufflepuff): Potions

Hanji(Ravenclaw): Transfiguration

Moblit(Hufflepuff): Muggle studies

Mike(Gyrffindor): Herbology

Nanaba(Gryffindor): Flight class

Nile(Ravenclaw): History of Magic

Pyxis(Slytherin): Astonomy

Hannes(Hufflepuff): Groundskeeper

Petra(Hufflepuff): Divination

Oluo(Slytherin): Charms

Eld(Gryffindor): Arithmancy

Gunther(Gryffindor): Apparition lessons

Ness(Hufflepuff): Care of Magical creatures

Now, forthe houses, and where to put everyone: I have to talk about how I view the HPhouses first… 

To start off, I’m not the biggest fan of dividing young, impressionable kidsinto groups based on personal traits to begin with. I feel like it’s likely toshape – and restrict – how the kids view themselves and the people around them.I feel like someone who’s more like, say, a Ravenclaw, at eleven years old,might develop into more of a Gryffindor during their years of schooling (atwhich case, it would be inappropriate for their development, to put them intothe house they not yet fit into, just like moving them mid-school would be). Notto mention it can restrict what social interactions they allow themselves; onegroup villainizing another, or avoiding befriending those they won’t share acommon room with, etc. Even more, I feel like saying people are EITHER brave ORsmart OR driven OR loyal, is doing the complexity of personalities a massivedisservice. If I had a dollar for every person who’ve ever told me they areboth one house and another, or a little bit of all, I’d be… well, richer than Iam now. So. My point is, I’m not a fan of saying someone is one thing, as it can sound likeI’m saying they’re NOT the other three things – which simply isn’t true. HarryPotter houses is something a lot of people have a lot of emotional investmentin. As such, I’m sure some of you will disagree with where I personally see theSNK characters. That’s ok. For most of these, I struggled to settle on onehouse, and I’d probably be swayed to change my mind on many of them, ifpresented with the right arguments. However, I have set some guidelines formyself, and I’ve landed on something, following these:

I’veseparated the HP houses into two categories: action-driven (active) houses andREaction-driven (passive) houses: Slytherin and Ravenclaw are action-driven:while Gryffindor and Hufflepuff are REaction-driven.

Beingaction-driven, in this context, means you actively seek out something. ForSlytherins, this is a personal goal. Be it a wish to become the most powerfulwizard alive, the richest, or for your moral compass to be universallyacknowledged and followed. If your path is dictated by where you want to endup, your path is unfolding through the actions you take to get there. This isSlytherin. Ravenclaws, similarly, are first and foremost seekers of truth andknowledge. They spend their time actively improving their insight into whateverfield they find most worthwhile; their path is created from the steps they taketo improve on this knowledge.

Being REaction-driven,on the other hand – in this context – means that you are mainly passive,waiting for something to occurs that requires you to react; you respond to anenvironment, rather than cause an environment to occur. For Gryffindor, whosemain trait is their unwavering drive to withstand and overcome even thescariest, most personally endangering obstacles, this means they’ll REact tosaid obstacles by tackling them head-on, because it is the right thing to do(even when it’s also the hardest thing to do). Hufflepuffs, similarly, willrespond to an environment by letting their loyalty tell them how they shouldrespond, when situations occur.

Using theseguidelines, I’ve ended up placing the characters like this:

Eren(Slytherin): Let’s start this off by getting one thing straight: being aSlytherin and being driven by a personal goal, does not have to be a bad thing!By placing Eren in Slytherin, I am in no way saying he’s a bad guy or that Idon’t support him. No. Eren is here, because, after thinking about it, I can’tdeny that his drive, is an intense, active personal goal of making things rightin the world. Sure, his goal of making the world titan-free (and seeing thefree world later), has taken him down a dangerous path that requires him to bebrave – but he’s not driven by bravery as much as an idea that he just “has todo this, danger level being whatever it is”, for his goal to be reached. He’snot wrestling his fears as much as he is wrestling the danger of not winningwhat needs to be won to advance towards his goal. Lucky for us, his personalgoal, is to give all of us the justice and freedom that is our birthright. Eren’sstrength, is his relentless strength to pursue this freedom.Armin(Gryffindor): I’ve got two names for you to suck on: Hermione and Neville.These characters have taught us that there is no such thing as being “toointelligent” or “too scared” to have the brave heart of a lion. Armin is veryintelligent, and he’s also very human in the face of danger. He also has a dreamto explore (which could make you advocate for Ravenclaw), but more thananything, his dream remains a backseat driver to his rising to the occasionsthat occur; saving humanity before pursuing his own dream. He uses hisintelligence to very skullfully aid in the brave battles he end up in. His maindrive, is wrestling his personal demons, and rising to the occasions. He’sbrave – so incredibly brave – and he’s a Gryffindor.Mikasa(Hufflepuff): A friend of mine said “anywhere but Hufflepuff” when we talkedabout Mikasa. But I beg to differ. Mikasa is strong, and she’s proud. But she’sloyalty bound most of all. She has amazing skills that take her far in battles– but they are not the product of her facing her fears and being brave, butrather the product of her being willing to give it her all to defend what she’semotionally bound to. She’s peak Hufflepuff, because she’s got the skills toback up what she’s loyal to. Honestly, I’d say EMA are all the peaks of theirhouses. Jean(Gryffindor): I’d got Slytherin, had it not been for the fact that once hispersonal desires had to face off against the world’s need for him to rise to adifferent standard, he answered. Jean puts on a good “bad guy slytherin”persona, but his actions say something else. He’s very human, and he’s a slowgrower (as I’ve talked about before), but he DOES grow – and it’s in responseto the world’s need for him to, not for his own personal goals and gains. He’sa Gryffindor.Marco(Ravenclaw): To be honest, we just need someone in Ravenclaw at this point. Ibased this off of Isayama’s HS AU; Marco and Armin are both smart guys, butwhile Armin is shown to be a geek (more devoted to his interests outside ofschool; not being defined by his cleverness), Marco is a “nerd”; school smart –defined by his intellect. I’d say this is better shown in the AU than in canon,but then again, Marco didn’t have much time to blossom. That’s why I’ve chosento go with the context Isa has given us, and say he’s someone who strives toalways be better, learn more, gain knowledge – be it how to fight better, howto strategize more, or how to read situations.Sasha(Hufflepuff): Sasha very nearly ended up as a Gryffindor for me. I held backpartially because I love the idea of her and Connie being Huff-buds. And atfirst I felt like I was cheating; after all, the ways she saved that child andtook out a titan on foot, is still one of the most amazing moments of thisstory for me. Like if you cry every time… But I had to take a step back andremind myself that Hufflepuff is not BELOW Gryffindor. Hufflepuff is not alower tier than any of the other houses. It’s supposed to be your main note.And for Sasha, what we see her do most of, is being a very quirky, goofy, funnygirl who enjoys the simple things (good times with friends, food, etc.). To me,that’s a Hufflepuff. She’s sweet, and she’s fierce. Precisely like a Huff who’sthrown into a world where her loyalty is called upon a lot.Connie(Hufflepuff): He’s in the same boat as Sasha; he’s brave in the face of danger,and he’s the Lion’s heart worthy, but more than that he’s a simple guy who’soften shown to fit snugly into the simpler times-life. Who said Hufflepuffscan’t also be brave when they’re called upon by something or someone they careabout?Reiner(Gryffindor): To be honest, I’m the least sure about the BRA trio. Partiallyfor the sake of mirroring the EMA trio, I decided to put them all in differenthouses. But also, I partially wanted to emphasis that they all have differentpersonalities. Lumping them all into Slytherin and calling it a day, woulddoing them and their individual causes a big disservice. And at the end of theday, while Reiner was the left-over after I placed Annie and Bert, I do thinkReiner’s struggles warrant recognition in the Gryffindor way. After all, nobodyworked harder to get a spot amongst the shifters than him, he took on the roleas Marcel 2.0 after BRA were thoroughly lost, he kept going even after theintense mental struggles he suffered from that point onward, he genuinely triedto be just be best tm  - even though he’sstruggled to find out what IS the best. I’d say he’s got a drive to mimic aSlytherin, but on the other hand, he became very passive inside the walls, oncehe found a comfortable place to play pretend, so I’d say he’s more a re-actor.Annie(Slytherin): Since the beginning, we’ve seen that Annie does not put much stockin loyalty for the sake of loyalty. Sure, she can stick to a side/idea once shedecides on it, but how she decides on it, is driven by her own interest. Shejust wants to be ok, and to have a better life for herself. She’s not exactlyshooting for the stars with this goal, but it’s her final compass none theless. Again, she’s not bad; wanting to wathc out for yourself is not inherentlyevil – it just is what it is.Bertolt (Hufflepuff): Bertolt is loyal to the side he’s picked, preciselybecause it’s what he’s decided to stick with. Loyalty for the sake of loyalty.He says he’s not sure what’s the right thing anymore, but he sticks with Marleybecause that was his entry point. He’s also – while powerful – more of areactor; doing the work he knows he has to do, once it’s possible or asked ofhim. He’s a Hufflepuff to me.Ymir(Slytherin): Ymir’s selfishness is a front she puts on. It’s aself-preservation mechanism that kicks in, understandably, after everythingthat’s happened to her. She’s not a Slytherin because of this. She’s aSlytherin, because at the end of the day, she’s made the choice to follow thatfront’s example, and put herself first for once. Perhaps she’s a convertedGryffindor. All I know is, she’s chosen to put herself and her interest(s)first, and she’s actively sought out these benefits – Slytherin by fomula – butthe more I think about it, the more I want to replace her in Gryffindor.Historia(Slytherin): Historia may appear to be a selfless, brave Gryffindor, and sure,she’s in dangerous situations, like everyone else in 104 – but she’s therebecause that’s her goal. Her personal goal is to appear selfless. To me, herentire arc was about accepting and beginning to love and blossom as herSlytherin self. A Gryffindor wouldn’t say they didn’t care if someone was indanger in their stead (Armin standing in for her), nor would a Gryffindor telltitan Ymir to tear down the tower to save herself, dooming three other people (Connie,Bertolt, Reiner) to death in the process. Historia is not a selfless personfirst and foremost – and while I personally don’t appreciate her, I’m not goingto say she’s in Slytherin for being selfish. No; she’s there because her drivehas been facing inwards, and that’s ok. She’s had little choice but TO have herown back. And she was a child, and can thus not really be blamed for ending uptrying to tend to herself in a harmful way (attempting to die in a heroic wayfor how that will appear outward). But she is, in the end, a character drivenby self-preservation and (the search for) self-acceptance. And that puts her inSlytherin for me.

… And that’sit, anon. I hope you found this interesting and/or entertaining. I put quite abit of effort into this, and I hope something positive will come from it ^^

[orbemnews]

Biden lifts transgender military ban “This is reinstating a position that the previous commanders and, as well as the secretaries, have supported. And what I’m doing is enabling all qualified Americans to serve their country in uniform,” Biden said, speaking from the Oval Office just before signing the executive order. President Donald Trump’s ban has been rebuked by the Democrat-led House of Representatives and condemned by LGBTQ activists as discriminatory. Austin voiced his support for overturning the ban in his Senate confirmation hearing last week. White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Monday that cases in which transgender service members were discharged from the military because of their gender identity would be reexamined. “No one will be separated or discharged from the military or denied reenlistment on the basis of gender identity, and for those transgender service members who were discharged or separated because of gender identity, their cases will be reexamined,” Psaki said during a White House briefing. “President Biden believes gender identity should not be a bar to military service and that America’s strength is found in its diversity,” Psaki said. “America is stronger around the world when it is inclusive.” Biden had a meeting late Monday morning with Austin, Vice President Kamala Harris and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley, according to the White House. Later on Monday, Harris ceremonially swore in Austin as Defense secretary in the Roosevelt Room at the White House. Harris and Austin are the first two Black people to hold their respective positions, and their joint appearance underscores the record diversity of Biden’s administration. Austin is the first Black secretary of defense, and Harris is the first Black vice president, as well as the first woman and first South Asian to hold the position. Austin addressed the ban in his confirmation hearing on Friday and told the Senate Armed Services Committee: “I truly believe, senator, that as I said in my opening statement, that if you’re fit and you’re qualified to serve and you can maintain the standards, you should be allowed to serve.” He was confirmed by the Senate later that day, after being granted a congressional waiver to serve in his post because he was assuming the post before waiting seven years after active-duty service. Austin was the second member of Biden’s Cabinet to be confirmed by the Senate, following Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines. Trump first announced the ban on Twitter in July 2017, arguing transgender people in the military would lead to “tremendous medical costs and disruption.” The policy, later officially released by then-Secretary of Defense James Mattis in 2018, blocks individuals who have been diagnosed with a condition known as gender dysphoria from serving with limited exceptions. The policy specifies individuals without the condition can serve, but only if they do so according to the sex they were assigned at birth. Trump’s ban reversed a policy initially approved by the Defense Department under former President Barack Obama, which was still under final review, that would have allowed transgender individuals to openly serve in the military. The Supreme Court allowed Trump’s transgender military ban to go into effect in January 2019. The House of Representatives passed a resolution in March of that year expressing opposition to Trump’s ban, describing it as discriminatory and saying it was based on “flawed scientific and medical claims.” “We’re thrilled that the Biden administration has moved forward to place this garbage policy into the dustbin of history,” Sasha Buchert, a transgender military veteran and senior attorney at LGBTQ legal advocacy group Lambda Legal, told CNN on Monday. Human Rights Campaign president Alphonso David praised Biden’s move. “The greatest military in the world will again value readiness over bias, and qualifications over discrimination,” he said in a statement. CNN’s Arlette Saenz and Donald Judd contributed to this report. Source link Orbem News #ban #Biden #Lifts #military #Politics #Transgender #Transgendermilitaryexecutiveorder:BidenliftsbanimplementedbyTrump-CNNPolitics

[dipulb3]

Biden lifts transgender military ban

New Post has been published on https://appradab.com/biden-lifts-transgender-military-ban/

Biden lifts transgender military ban

“This is reinstating a position that the previous commanders and, as well as the secretaries, have supported. And what I’m doing is enabling all qualified Americans to serve their country in uniform,” Biden said, speaking from the Oval Office just before signing the executive order.

President Donald Trump’s ban has been rebuked by the Democrat-led House of Representatives and condemned by LGBTQ activists as discriminatory. Austin voiced his support for overturning the ban in his Senate confirmation hearing last week.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Monday that cases in which transgender service members were discharged from the military because of their gender identity would be reexamined.

“No one will be separated or discharged from the military or denied reenlistment on the basis of gender identity, and for those transgender service members who were discharged or separated because of gender identity, their cases will be reexamined,” Psaki said during a White House briefing.

“President Biden believes gender identity should not be a bar to military service and that America’s strength is found in its diversity,” Psaki said. “America is stronger around the world when it is inclusive.”

Biden had a meeting late Monday morning with Austin, Vice President Kamala Harris and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley, according to the White House. Later on Monday, Harris ceremonially swore in Austin as Defense secretary in the Roosevelt Room at the White House.

Harris and Austin are the first two Black people to hold their respective positions, and their joint appearance underscores the record diversity of Biden’s administration. Austin is the first Black secretary of defense, and Harris is the first Black vice president, as well as the first woman and first South Asian to hold the position.

Austin addressed the ban in his confirmation hearing on Friday and told the Senate Armed Services Committee: “I truly believe, senator, that as I said in my opening statement, that if you’re fit and you’re qualified to serve and you can maintain the standards, you should be allowed to serve.”

He was confirmed by the Senate later that day, after being granted a congressional waiver to serve in his post because he was assuming the post before waiting seven years after active-duty service. Austin was the second member of Biden’s Cabinet to be confirmed by the Senate, following Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines.

Trump first announced the ban on Twitter in July 2017, arguing transgender people in the military would lead to “tremendous medical costs and disruption.”

The policy, later officially released by then-Secretary of Defense James Mattis in 2018, blocks individuals who have been diagnosed with a condition known as gender dysphoria from serving with limited exceptions. The policy specifies individuals without the condition can serve, but only if they do so according to the sex they were assigned at birth.

Trump’s ban reversed a policy initially approved by the Defense Department under former President Barack Obama, which was still under final review, that would have allowed transgender individuals to openly serve in the military.

The Supreme Court allowed Trump’s transgender military ban to go into effect in January 2019. The House of Representatives passed a resolution in March of that year expressing opposition to Trump’s ban, describing it as discriminatory and saying it was based on “flawed scientific and medical claims.”

“We’re thrilled that the Biden administration has moved forward to place this garbage policy into the dustbin of history,” Sasha Buchert, a transgender military veteran and senior attorney at LGBTQ legal advocacy group Lambda Legal, told Appradab on Monday.

Human Rights Campaign president Alphonso David praised Biden’s move.

“The greatest military in the world will again value readiness over bias, and qualifications over discrimination,” he said in a statement.

Appradab’s Arlette Saenz and Donald Judd contributed to this report.

[techcrunchappcom]

New Post has been published on https://techcrunchapp.com/nation-and-world-news-briefs-national-9/

Nation and world news briefs | National

Florida’s schools shouldn’t shut down because of COVID-19 infections, Gov. DeSantis says

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Closing schools for months at the outset of the coronavirus pandemic was a mistake that won’t be repeated, and only students who develop symptoms should be isolated, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said Tuesday.

During a visit to a charter school in Jacksonville, the governor said over 60% of the state’s 2.8 million students in pre-K to 12th grade are getting in-person instruction, and it’s an increasingly popular option because infection risks are low.

“Going forward, whatever the future may hold, school closures should be off the table,” DeSantis said. “They don’t do anything to mitigate COVID, but they do cause catastrophic damage to the physical, mental and social well being of our youth. Let’s not repeat any mistakes of the past.”

The governor said that after two months of most schools in the state being open, there have not been major outbreaks or causes of concern about the virus spreading among students.

“It’s obviously even more clear now that schools are not drivers of spreading coronavirus, and schools need to be open,” he said. “It is a bad public health policy to have schools closed.”

When asked about schools that have had cases of infected students, DeSantis said it doesn’t make sense to force their classmates to quarantine for two weeks unless they are having virus symptoms.

“You should not be quarantining healthy students,” he said, adding that schools shouldn’t “throw in the towel” and close because of a few sick kids.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman faces US lawsuit for Khashoggi killing

The fiancee of murdered Saudi critic Jamal Khashoggi and a Washington-based organization accused Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of ordering the killing in a lawsuit filed in a U.S. court on Tuesday.

Prince Mohammed and more than 20 other Saudis are named in the complaint, filed in District of Columbia federal court, lawyer Keith Harper, a partner at Jenner & Block, said in a virtual news conference Tuesday. The suit was brought on behalf of Khashoggi’s Turkish fiancee, Hatice Cengiz, and Democracy for the Arab World Now, an advocacy organization founded by Khashoggi before his death.

Damages should be determined at trial, Harper said.

The Saudi government’s Center for International Communication didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

Khashoggi, a columnist for The Washington Post, was killed and dismembered by Saudi agents at the kingdom’s consulate in Istanbul in 2018, sparking an international outcry and straining Saudi Arabia’s close relationship with the U.S.

At the time of his death, Khashoggi was a U.S. resident, living in self-imposed exile during a period of increasing constraints on freedom of expression in his home country. Prince Mohammed has denied any involvement in the killing, while accepting “full responsibility” for it as the country’s de facto leader.

Cengiz and DAWN are suing under the Torture Victim Protection Act and the Alien Tort Statute, which give the U.S. court system jurisdiction over lawsuits alleging certain types of offenses in other countries.

The plaintiffs claim that Prince Mohammed and the other defendants were troubled when they learned of Khashoggi’s plans to establish DAWN and hatched a plan to lure him to Turkey to silence him. Legal co-counsel Keith Gill said one of their main goals is to use the discovery process to obtain documents and information from both Saudi Arabia and the U.S. government that could shed more light on the murder.

Spencer Davis, ’60s British bandleader, has died

Spencer Davis, the veteran British rocker whose 1960s beat band featuring a teenaged Steve Winwood spawned the transatlantic megahit “Gimme Some Lovin’,” has died.

The guitarist passed away Monday at age 81 while being treated in a hospital for pneumonia, his agent told the BBC.

Davis co-founded The Spencer Davis Group in 1963 with a 14-year-old Winwood and older sibling Muff Winwood after seeing the brothers perform at a Birmingham pub.

They had their first No. 1 single with “Keep on Running” in 1965 and released the blues rock classic “I’m a Man” before Winwood left the group in 1967 to form Traffic.

The Spencer Davis Group’s smash hits featured Winwood on vocals, but the band was named after Davis because he was the one who “enjoyed doing interviews,” Muff Winwood told Mojo in 1997.

“If we called it the Spencer Davis Group, the rest of us could stay in bed and let him do them,” Muff reportedly said.

Davis continued performing after both Winwood brothers departed, reforming the Spencer Davis Group in the 1970s and touring as recently as 2017.

He also worked as an A&R executive at Island Records in the mid-1970s, promoting the likes of Bob Marley, Robert Palmer and Steve Winwood in his solo career.

“He was a very good friend,” Bob Birk, who worked with Davis for more than 30 years, told the BBC.

Dozens of stolen Trump campaign signs lead to charges in North Carolina, cops say

A traffic stop in North Carolina led to dozens of stolen campaign signs for President Donald Trump, officials say.

A car was pulled over for speeding when state troopers spotted several political signs, the Onslow County Sheriff’s Office said Monday in a news release. In all, 66 signs in support of Trump were found, according to deputies.

Investigators discovered they were taken from around Haw Branch Road, where at least two residents reported missing signs, officials say. The area is roughly 40 miles northwest of the Camp Lejeune U.S. Marine Corps Base in Eastern North Carolina.

Now, two 18-year-olds face charges in connection with the case.

Trinity Rose-Graham and Sasha Stukov-Taylor were each charged with misdemeanor stealing and removing political signs and three counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor, according to the sheriff’s office. They are set to appear in court next month, state records show.

“Three juveniles were released to family members with pending juvenile petitions,” the sheriff’s office said.

It isn’t the first time campaign signs reportedly have vanished in North Carolina.

Last week, police said a 40-foot-wide Trump banner was stolen from the side of a trailer in Boone. Near Asheville and Raleigh, residents reported signs in support of the president and his opponent, Joe Biden, disappeared or were vandalized, McClatchy News reported.

—The News & Observer (Raleigh, N.C.)

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Copyright 2020 Tribune Content Agency.

[whittlebaggett8]

WHERE ARE THEY NOW: The cast of ‘Pretty Little Liars’, Defence Online

caption

Ashley Benson, Shay Mitchell, Lucy Hale, and Troian Bellisario on “Pretty Little Liars.”

source

Freeform

Freeform’s “Pretty Little Liars” launched the four main actors, Ashley Benson (who played Hanna Marin), Shay Mitchell (Emily Fields), Lucy Hale (Aria Montgomery), and Troian Bellisario (Spencer Hastings), to fame when it premiered in June 2010.

The show was such a success among its devoted fans that it inspired a spin-off series called “The Perfectionists,” which premieres on Wednesday.

Here’s what the stars of “PLL” have been up to since the drama ended in 2017.

Troian Bellisario portrayed Spencer Hastings, arguably the smartest and wittiest member of her group.

caption

Troian Bellisario as Spencer Hastings on “Pretty Little Liars.”

source

Freeform

It was later revealed that Spencer was adopted by the Hastings family and had a twin sister named Alex.

In addition to being an actor, Bellisario is now a director, producer, writer, and mother.

caption

Troian Bellisario in Los Angeles, California in March 2019.

source

Michael Kovac/Getty Images for Comedy Benefit in Support War Child USA and INARA

In 2017, the actress starred in, wrote, and produced a film called “Feed.” In the movie, she played the twin sister of “Harry Potter” star Tom Felton.

Her directing credits include one episode of “PLL,” the short-lived Freeform drama “Famous in Love,” and the network’s new “The Fosters” spin-off called “Good Trouble.”

In October 2018, Bellisario revealed that she welcomed a baby girl with “Suits” star Patrick J. Adams, who she’s been married to since 2016.

“I cannot express how grateful I am,” she captioned a photo on Instagram. “To the people who have protected us and kept our growing family safe and respected our privacy. To our tribe for expanding with grace and exponential amounts of love. To my @halfadams for being so supportive during every moment of my pregnancy and her birth. And to whatever incredible force of fate that brought this baby girl into our lives.”

She continued: “I couldn’t be more proud to be her mother. To bring a new girl into this world and to do my best to raise her to be kind, strong and whatever the heck she wants to be.”

Fashionable and sarcastic Hanna Marin was portrayed by Ashley Benson.

caption

Ashley Benson as Hanna Marin on “Pretty Little Liars.”

source

Freeform

She became a fashion designer and married Caleb. During the series finale, it was revealed that the couple was expecting their first child together.

Benson will star alongside Elisabeth Moss and Dan Stevens in an upcoming movie called “Her Smell.”

caption

Ashley Benson at a Chanel fashion show in Paris, France, in March 2019.

source

Bertrand Rindoff Petroff/Getty Images

The drama also stars Cara Delevingne, who fans have speculated is in a relationship with Benson.

In the fashion industry, Benson has sat in the front row at runway shows in Europe. She also collaborated with Privé Revaux to create a collection of sunglasses.

Lucy Hale starred as Aria Montgomery, who had a passion for English.

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Lucy Hale as Aria Montgomery on “Pretty Little Liars.”

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Freeform

She and Ezra got married and they co-wrote a book, which was possibly going to be turned into a movie.

Hale is set to star as the titular character on a “Riverdale” pilot spin-off called “Katy Keene.”

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Lucy Hale at the premiere of “The Unicorn” in January 2019.

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Jon Kopaloff/FilmMagic via Getty Images

The potential CW show just started filming, and Hale will be joined by “Riverdale” star Ashleigh Murray (known for her role as singer Josie McCoy).

The 29-year-old also recently traveled to Fiji to film “Fantasy Island,” an upcoming film based on the ’70s and ’80s show of the same name.

After “PLL” ended, the actress kept busy with a lead role as Stella Abbott on The CW’s “Life Sentence,” which lasted for one season. She also starred in the 2018 movie “Truth or Dare” and told INSIDER that there have been discussions about doing a sequel. She’s open to appearing on the “PLL” spin-off, too.

Shay Mitchell played a talented swimmer named Emily Fields.

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Shay Mitchell as Emily Fields on “Pretty Little Liars.”

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Freeform

She became a swimming coach at Rosewood High.

Shay Mitchell recently starred as wealthy Peach Salinger on the breakout thriller series “You.”

Aside from “You,” Mitchell has a YouTube channel where she shares workout tips, beauty tutorials, and the occasional video with one of her “PLL” co-stars.

Mitchell also revealed to fans that she had a miscarriage in 2018.

“We all have to deal with various struggles and challenges in life,” she wrote. “And sometimes it’s easier to only showcase the good times on social media, which is what leads so many people to criticize it for its lack of authenticity.”

The 31-year-old added that she was grateful for the “support and affection” from followers.

Mitchell often documents her travels around the world, and it inspired her to launch her own brand called BÉIS in October 2018. The company’s travel-ready products include duffles, weekend bags, cosmetic cases, and luggage tags.

Alison DiLaurentis, who was at the center of the show’s main murder mystery plot, was portrayed by Sasha Pieterse.

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Sasha Pieterse as Alison DiLaurentis on “Pretty Little Liars.”

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Freeform

By the end of the show, Ali gave birth to twins named Lily and Grace. She raised them with Emily, who she proposed to on the series finale.

Pieterse will once again play Alison DiLaurentis on “The Perfectionists.”

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Sasha Pieterse at the premiere of “Pretty Little Liars: The Perfectionists” in March 2019.

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Gregg DeGuire/FilmMagic via Getty Images

In May 2018, Pieterse married Hudson Sheaffer, her fiancé of three years, at a castle in Ireland.

The 23-year-old has also been open about her health struggles, particularly while competing on “Dancing With the Stars” in 2017. During the competition, Pieterse revealed that she gained approximately 70 pounds over the course of two years and faced bullying because of the weight gain.

The actress explained that she was diagnosed with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, a hormone imbalance that leads to problems in the ovaries. Pieterse credited “DWTS” to helping her lose 15 pounds and feel more comfortable with herself.

In October 2019, Pieterse will release a book filled with her favorite recipes and party planning tips called “Sasha in Good Taste.”

Mona Vanderwaal, one of the show’s shadiest characters, was played by Janel Parrish.

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Janel Parrish as Mona Vanderwaal on “Pretty Little Liars.”

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Freeform

The girls never knew if they could fully trust Mona, who was part of the A-Team and accidentally killed Charlotte DiLaurentis (also known as CeCe Drake). In the end, Mona ended up opening a doll shop in France.

Like Pieterse, Parrish will also reprise her “PLL” role on “The Perfectionists.”

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Janel Parrish at the “Pretty Little Liars: The Perfectionists” premiere in March 2019.

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Gregg DeGuire/FilmMagic via Getty Images

Aside from returning as Mona on the series, you may have seen Parrish as Lana Condor’s on-screen sister, Margot, in the 2018 Netflix romantic comedy “To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before.”

In 2018, the actress also married her boyfriend of two years, Chris Long, in Hawaii.

Ian Harding starred as Ezra Fitz, Aria’s teacher-turned-husband.

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Ian Harding as Ezra Fitz on “Pretty Little Liars.”

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Freeform

Ezra and Aria planned to look into adopting a child after their honeymoon.

Most recently, Harding reunited with “PLL” co-star Torrey DeVitto on the NBC drama “Chicago Med.”

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Ian Harding attends an LA Times event in Culver City, California in September 2018.

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Tibrina Hobson/Getty Images for Film Independent

Harding guest-starred as Phillip Davis on four episodes of the show.

Shortly before “PLL” ended in 2017, the actor released a memoir called “Odd Birds,” inspired by his love for birding and exploring the outdoors.

In addition, the 32-year-old is good friends with Mitchell and has appeared in several of her YouTube videos.

Keegan Allen played Toby Cavanaugh, who joined the A-Team at one point to protect Spencer.

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Keegan Allen as Toby Cavanaugh on “Pretty Little Liars.”

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Freeform

He became a Rosewood police officer and built a house for him and Spencer.

Allen followed the release of his 2015 photography book (‘ife.love.beauty.”) with another one in 2018 called “Hollywood: Photos and Stories From Foreverland.”

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Keegan Allen at the premiere of Netflix’s “The Umbrella Academy” in February 2019.

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Rich Fury/Getty Images

Aside from acting, Allen does a lot of photography. Both of his books are filled with photos that he’s taken since he started experimenting with cameras as a child, in addition to poems and anecdotes.

Allen can also play the piano and guitar, and released a song in 2017 called “Million Miles Away.”

Tyler Blackburn starred as Rosewood’s tech-savvy teen named Caleb Rivers.

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Tyler Blackburn as Caleb Rivers on “Pretty Little Liars.”

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Freeform

He had an on-again, off-again relationship with Hanna and often helped out the Liars with their sleuthing.

Blackburn now stars on The CW’s “Roswell, New Mexico,” which is a reboot of the ’90s and 2000s sci-fi drama.

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Tyler Blackburn in Los Angeles, California in January 2019.

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Presley Ann/FilmMagic via Getty Images

He plays a war veteran named Alex Manes. The 32-year-old will also guest star as “a soul-sucking demon who forms a cult of vulnerable women to sacrifice to keep him alive” on the “Charmed” reboot.

“It was very liberating playing the villain, a character I’ve never played before,” he told Haute Living.

The post WHERE ARE THEY NOW: The cast of ‘Pretty Little Liars’, Defence Online appeared first on Defence Online.

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