#will it be good enough for the children? I hope so

[cupofchangeling]

But please, don’t start a vote-swapping campaign. One or two people doing this doesn’t upset the balance, but we can’t rely only on blue states. They’re blue because the people in them vote blue. When the people in them vote red, they’re not going to stay blue. Do you think the electoral college needs a real, good reason to go red? In 2016, we heard members of it say they’d vote for Trump no matter what.

It’s all well and good to hold out hope for swing states, and you should. But that’s only because blue states already exist. They’re not permanent—nothing is. Asking friends in blue states to protest vote for you in a swing state—en masse—is not going to be a safe protest gamble. It’s going to help push those states red. There are so many states that we’ve talked about this year flipping—going from blue to red, or vice versa. That alone should tell us that no state is permanently blue. We need all the help we can get this election. Trump’s policies are disastrous. Disastrous for any remaining Palestinian hope, disastrous for your friends and family.

I’m not going to shame you or guilt you, because I know that doesn’t work. I’m just going to beg, and to try to rally y’all by reminding everyone of what’s at stake. I’m going to ask that for once we all do the hard work of actively making a morally grey choice instead of a morally tar-covered one. Vote for someone you dislike rather than who you hate. And don’t rely on the NPR liberals of the world to get it done. Go out and do it, too. Push those swing states blue. BUT, more importantly, KEEP THOSE BLUE STATES BLUE.

Vote for the more progressive candidates, and you will slowly move our needle of normal towards where it should be—where Trump’s pundits are truly fringe radicals screaming into AM radio microphones while Trump himself is the most D-list of all celebrities struggling to reboot The Apprentice on no budget for the fifth time. Let him succumb to a death of natural causes in the four years voting for Harris will buy us. Show the Trumpers that republicans and democrats, and even internet leftists, are more than willing to unite to drive them back. Show them that their petulant cries that promise freedom while openly offering oppression will no longer work. Force the Republican Party to pander and pander even more liberally—to avoid to actually change their policies to fit a new and more progressive America. Reward the Democratic Party’s mild strides towards less centrist policies by enshrining those policies into law with your vote. It really is as simple as telling the government what you want. Not just by writing a letter in protest, but by actually promising to give or withhold power from those who seek it.

So give your power to the lesser evil. I don’t care what our teachers and political-ranting uncles told us—voting is not about choosing who you think is best for the job, it’s choosing who is less awful. Because we don’t live in a country where we get any other real choice besides two. And if you want that to change, you’re going to have to unify for the Democratic presidential candidates so you can properly block Trump from office. Because he and his party stand against ranked-choice voting.

They stand against bodily autonomy—for women, men, enbies—trans and cis folks alike. They stand against Social Security—the one thing keeping some of our parents and grandparents (or ourselves) from having to give up any hope of retirement. They stand against children’s welfare. They stand against the American middle and lower class.

The republicans stand for Christo-fascist white supremacy that functions for the wealthy and those deemed manly enough. They stand for American neo-colonialism. They stand for Netanyahu.

If that ain’t enough reason, just think about whether someone else could survive another Trump presidency. Think of someone who does because Doctor’s can’t legally perform an abortion on them. Think of someone who gets sent to conversion camp because their dad thinks they’re a little too effeminate. Think of someone whose place of worship is defiled with racist graffiti because the Trump Party has made that acceptable. And think of you. Can you really survive the country Trump wants to make?

I may be white, but I’m queer. I have a uterus. I’m going to selfishly vote for my own interests this year, and I’m going to selfishly vote for the interests of my cousins, who are already growing up in a household where I fear what their dad may do if either of them show even a hint of queerness, or desire to leave home. I don’t want them to be unable to escape. I don’t want for myself to be unable to get an abortion or a hysterectomy because someone feels entitled to my ovaries. I don’t want medically and socially transitioning to be even harder than it is. I don’t want my other cousins and friends and my aunt to be subjugated into an America where the only thing they can be is dead and beaten, or chained up as baby-makers.

I don’t want more lynchings. I don’t want a more militarised police force. I don’t want the Handmaid’s Tale, I don’t want to go to a mega church, I don’t want a world where Palestine is destroyed even beyond being razed to the ground. What else can I do but vote so deeply against him that there is no chance of him winning? What can I do but ask you to do the same?

John Oliver platforms Palestinian voices as he advocates for voting for Harris.

If you live in a swing state, please properly consider your role in this election. Remember to distrust the polls, the projections - the presidential election will be infuriatingly close. Nothing is set in stone.

Please think about your queer friends and family, your community that includes people of colour, disabled people, poor people, immigrants. Evaluate the true historical value of what a protest vote does - compare it to the two candidates, one of which will be the president at the end of this final stretch.

Your vote matters. Please, treat it like it does.

[yrrtyrrtwhenihrrthrrt]

All these posts I see with the nerve to say, "We'll be alright, we'll be okay, we'll continue to fight, we'll continue to hope," have made me more weary than the plain truth.

It's over. That's it, it's over. Our country has been taken from us.

The genocide will be invigorated, and any hope of U.S. pressure bringing it to an end is gone. I'm so sorry.

Everyone with a uterus will lose any semblance of human rights they once enjoyed. You can say goodbye to being considered a human being, you can say goodbye to any consensus whatsoever that your very life ever mattered.

Every queer and transgender person will face outright persecution and lose the right to so much as exist as themselves, alongside which even cishet people will lose all right to self-expression.

Immigrants will lose whatever fragile hold they had allowing them to pursue life and happiness in this country and will be forced away from their families, jobs, and loved ones if not worse.

Police abuse against people of color and any political dissenters will be invigorated and their immunity from justice will expand.

The prices will continue to rise and the wages will drop or remain stagnant at best.

Disabled Americans, including any American with any pre-existing condition, will lose all access to healthcare as medical costs will skyrocket and our meager insurance will be stripped of us. We will be left in the street to die.

So don't fucking tell me to "hold onto hope" and don't you dare fucking tell me "we will be okay." Who is we? It isn't me, or any of my friends or loved ones. There is not a single person I know that doesn't fall into at least one of the above-mentioned categories. Not one person in this country am I acquainted with who has neither a functioning uterus, nor ANY medical condition whatsoever, nor is an immigrant or from an immigrant family, nor is a person of color, nor is a member of the LGBTQ+ community. Think about it. Do you?

So, in God's name, who the fuck is "gonna be okay"? Anyone lucky enough to survive? Anyone who lucks out and manages to avoid a dangerous pregnancy (which will be soo easy once we lose access to birth control, I'm sure), or manages to stay under the ICE's radar, or manages not to be pulled over by a pig who needs to take out his rage over his wife surviving her last beating, or manages to not get sick or injured ever again? That's somehow not as comforting as people think it is.

And as for the genocide, I'm so sorry. I'm so, so, so sorry that my country has once again failed the people of Palestine. I hope all the people who abstained from voting because Kamala wasn't pro-Palestinian enough feel really good about themselves when they watch countless more children being slaughtered as Israel is bolstered in its capacity to accelerate the genocide beyond any level we've seen thusfar. I'm so, so sorry to my brothers and sisters in Palestine. I'm so sorry that we failed you.

This isn't to say we should stop fighting. But the time for hope and handholding and singing kumbaya is over. Compassion and love have failed, today has proved that. Violence is our only option left.

[alfascorpiionux]

Astro notes ~1

Hope you’ll enjoy it~💛

Aries people with Moon in Libra/Virgo can be extremely petty and tend to get jealous easily (this applies to friendships as well). They are very loyal though, and some of the most active, hardworking people you’ll come across.

Libra people are some of the friendliest you can find and are known for their good taste and usually good social skills.

Libra with Moon in Pisces has lots of crushes and falls in love easily (but more times than not with the wrong people, much to their dismay). Is sensitive, undecisive. Can be both giving and selfish at the same time. Needs plenty of time by himself/herself to recharge and get detached from others’ feelings, problems.

Moon in Sagittarius: I cannot emphasise this enough: we absolutely loath showing weakness especially when in a group setting and always want to view the world with the “glass half-full” mentality. The unevolved energies of this placement might have commitment issues beacuse we tend to live life based on principles and have quite high standards when it comes to the people we let it. So when our view of the “perfect” you is shattered it can be quite heartbreaking and we may distance ourselves to study you further or try to forget the hurt you caused us. There is a certain grade of naivety, childlike wonder to this placement which can be infectious to other people. You can make somebody’s day brighter with your words and attitude. You also probably have a very strong moral compass, a philosophical outlook on life and are quite friendly.

The lower energies of this placement predispose to anger (which is expressed differently depending on the house your Moon is placed in; typically it’s more concealed, especially in the beginning), short temper, commitment issues, forgetfulness.

Aries Venus in 12th house: oscillating between shyness and boldness, this native is a mix of curious qualities: fiery passion and flirty banter coupled with increased sensitivity to the needs of his/her partner. Creative, generous, dynamic, there is no dull moment with this native around.

He/She will know how to get to the deepest corners of your soul. He/She is looking for something real, something raw and authentic in you. May not like what he/she finds but wants it nonetheless beacuse it’ll be something special the both of you share.

The lower energies of this placement predispose to escapism, low self confidence, compulsions and difficulties in the dating scene (might start dating late, choose wrong partners or not have strong enough boundaries in relationships).

The higher energies manifest in beautiful, almost self-sacrificing ways: increased generosity and sensitivity to other people, especially children and the elderly, maybe animals too. A certain dreaminess in the way you act, express yourself.

When it comes to making love, you are literal FIRE once you open up and feel ready with the right person. You don’t shy away from new positions, are experimental and might even pull out some sexy lingerie from your drawer (lingerie that nobody else may know about or s*x toys - your secret is safe with me!). Fetishes could be possible but you may not even admit them yourself. 12th house placement could suggest secret love affairs or a special taste for something forbidden. Very careful that you don’t put yourself in situations that disregard your value as a person. Self reflection and journaling could be especially helpful with this position!

Leo Rising: are cool, stylish, proud and regal. Whenever they enter a room you’ll feel a warm and encompassing aura. People notice it and will tend to gravitate towards this native, for good or for worse. Whenever Leo is present, especially in the personal planets, you can expect a certain level of drama and stubbornness. If it’s the ascendant that is in the sign on Leo, the native will have a solid self-confidence, will typically carry herself with much pride and may even be quarrelsome at times. “The queen stands no disrespect” could be their motto. At low expression, Leo rising may continually deny it when they have a problem or refuse to talk about it (mostly out of stubbornness and because they prefer to lick their own wounds and hide them from other people).

Taurus Sun with Cancer Moon: some of the warmest, kindest and most loyal friends you could possibly find. They know the value of the given word, will show up to appointments and will take your secrets to the grave. You can vent to this natives about your problems because they will listen and not be judgmental and will even offer a shoulder for you to cry on.

They are shy at first, especially around strangers but will know to speak up when the situation calls for it. It is perhaps not known about them just how tough they can be. Yes, they may cry easily but will always stand up and move forward. When you annoy they will not only acknowledge it but will also confront you about it. They might not tell you right away that they have a lover for example, even when you are close friends. You ask them why, it’s because “you never asked me yourself”. Truthfully it’s because they value personal relationships and privacy so much. They will not gossip just because they can. And some feelings cannot be simply put to words, they should and could only be shared between the two lovers.

The only low manifestation I see is that they can at times have a very one-track mind, especially if they find an activity they really like. You will ask them 5 times in the span of 2 weeks what they are doing, at different times of day, and they will say “I am dancing” or “I am going riding”. Get the picture?

Gemini with Cancer placements: it can go very different ways, but it will usually lead to a person being very social and having lots of friends and/or lovers. It can lead to “drama queen” behaviour but not always. Native is an emotional kind of speaker and can find common ground with almost anybody. He/She is probably very smart and intuitive. The type of person that will get all the good grades without learning much and will impress almost anybody they meet because of their charm and social skills. He/She could, however, be quite flighty and/or chaotic in everyday life.

When I say the expression of the Moon sign very much depends on the Sun sign, I am not kidding. For example, in case of the Taurus native, the Moon in Cancer amplified his/her “motherlike, feminine” qualities. The two signs felt like they complemented each other. The end result felt harmonious and well-rounded. In the case of the Gemini native, however, it leads to a certain amount of friction, particularly because the signs of Cancer and Gemini have very different manners of relating to life. You can look up the aspects if you want to find out more (I am by no means a professional astrologer only an enthusiast 😆).

At low manifestations it could lead to emotional manipulation, drama queen behaviour, a special taste for quarrelling.

BONUS:

Lilith in the first house: this is not talked about nearly enough - self esteem issues! Lilith being in the house of the self brings a particular type of emotional dilemma, the dilemma of “who am I”. I know it sounds strange, but hear me out. I am sure you’ve already read many other posts that highlight the good qualities of Lilith, until you’ve reached my post, so I will only mention a few: charisma, sex appeal and a mysterious, somewhat rebellious air. It is also said that the native, due to his/her particular kind of aura, will invite partners who will try to tame him/her. I don’t know how true that is, and it is not yet the moment we debate this subject. Perhaps in a future post .

We will talk about the young and naive Lilith who is thrust in this wilderness we call life. She doesn’t know who she is, what she wants and can or cannot do so she stagnates. She observes life and at first tries to be a good girl, always pleasant and accommodating. At first she wants to fit in badly, she want the recognition of others and will do almost anything for it. She needs it like the air she breaths. However, something always happens and her plan never works. Or rather it does, but the price to pay will be exorbitantly high: her whole individuality, her authenticity. But does young Lilith know what’s laying dormant inside her? Being so oblivious of her own authenticity and power, she has nearly lost it completely. She has given in up for someone and now she feels bitter and angry. She has come to a realization. She cannot stand X trait in people(example: dishonesty). Okay, so that means I must be a super honest person or at least value it greatly. Moving on - what’s about loyalty? I think I know something but really am just scratching the surface. Such is the journey of Lilith. A journey of continual self-discovery. It starts with a young, very unsure hero who perhaps is also very naive only to later turn into a determined, empowered, self assured person who will always follow her own path, no matter what other say or do. They will be missteps and perhaps even a few fractures on this journey but it is one only you can embark on in pursuit of the Holy Grail, if you may. At the end of the day, you may realise it has always been inside yourself, hidden, awaiting to be rediscovered and embraced.

Thank you for taking the time to read my post and if you feel you resonate with my writing please leave a comment below and let me know. Would love to chat with you guys.💕

[greenwitchfromthewoods]

staring at you. l Frankie “Catfish” Morales

Summary:  he saw her in a bar and then everything changed

Warnings:  fluff, slow burn, two people are looking for each other

A/N: I've had this idea in my head for a few days now. I hope for a few chapters. I don't know if anyone will read this... if that's you, good luck.

your feedback is very important to me and I thank you for all the reblogs, comments and likes. 🖤 sorry for all the mistakes

chapter 1.

The first time he saw her was at the bar where he was with Benny and Will. It was a nice Friday night. The place was full of people having fun, pleasant music mixed with the buzz of conversation and laughter, and Frankie was sitting at the bar slowly finishing his second beer.

The feeling that he was being watched didn’t leave him, so he raised his eyes and looked around. At first he thought that Will might be looking for him in the crowd, although he had clearly told him where he would be. 

And then, on the other side of the bar, he saw gentle eyes staring at him. For a moment he thought that she must have mistaken him for someone else. But when their eyes met, she smiled, and Frankie felt a pleasant tickle in his heart.

She raised her drink as if she was making a silent toast, and he did the same, without taking their eyes off each other, they finished their drinks.

The decision was quick, but not quick enough. The urge to approach her was overwhelming, but when he finally lifted his ass off the bar stool, another woman approached her, whispered something in her ear, and she quickly stood up.

One last look, and she disappeared into the crowd of people.

The second time he saw her was a few days later, in a local store. And this time, the universe wasn’t on Frankie's side. 

His brain quickly registered a familiar face. After all, he had spent most of his last days thinking about this lovely stranger. 

He completely ignored Benny, who wanted to buy a beer for Saturday's match, and, leaving him the cart, he set off after his target.

His eyes were devouring her figure, and the girl must have sensed that someone was staring at her. She turned around and spotted him almost immediately. A beautiful and sincere smile appeared on her face, as if she had seen a long-lost friend.

Frankie smiled too. He moved towards her, bypassing a family with small children and an old couple arguing over laundry detergent. But this time he failed too.

The girl answered the phone, grabbed her shopping and quickly headed for the exit. Before she was out of sight she turned around and found his gaze. Frankie saw a sad smile on her face, her lips moving in a silent "I'm sorry."

And she disappeared again.

After a week he spotted her in the city, but before he could react the traffic lights at the intersection changed color and the driver behind him started honking, urging him to move.

"Fuck!" he hissed, slamming his hand on the steering wheel.

It wasn't even a game of cat and mouse. It was more like catching smoke and Frankie found himself looking for her among other people almost all the time. To no avail.

"Does she even exist?" Benny asked when he finally told him about her.

"Of course she does!" Frankie mumbled, scratching his head and pulling his baseball cap back on. "I don't even know her name, but I can't stop thinking about her."

He didn't know her name. He knew nothing about her. All he had was a few exchanged glances, a few smiles. It was next to nothing, but it seemed to Frankie that that should be enough to find her. Right?

And then fate dealt him a good card for a moment. Or maybe he himself contributed to it. He took the same chair again in the same bar. Now alert. His gaze wandered over the faces of the guests and each time he straightened up when the door opened. The first hour passed, and then the second. When doubt slowly started to creep over his skin, that's when he saw her.

She must have entered when he blinked, because Frankie couldn't find any other explanation for it. She was talking to some girl, but her eyes wandered around the place as if she was looking for someone. Him?

Now Frankie didn't wait anymore, didn't hesitate. He immediately headed towards her, afraid that she would slip away from him again. She noticed him the moment she caught sight of him out of the corner of her eye, and her face lit up.

"Hi." was all he could manage.

"Hi." she replied, her voice sounding beautiful in his ears. "We should stop meeting like this."

"Yeah, a bit stressful." he laughed quietly.

He felt as if her eyes were devouring him and heat seeped into the back of his neck. No one had ever looked at him like that, it was even a little embarrassing.

Frankie wanted to say something, make a joke or ask if he could buy her a drink, but then a mischievous smile appeared on her lips.

In a second her hand was on the back of his neck as she pulled him closer. Her lips met his in a soft and sweet kiss. A few seconds during which his heart almost stopped beating.

When she pulled away from him she was still smiling.

"I had to, I'm sorry." she said.

"Jesus, don't apologize." he rasped in surprise. "I mean... We’ve already done this in my head." God! He would do anything for that smile. "Maybe I can buy you a drink?"

"I can't. I should probably go now..."

Something in her eyes changed, some small detail that Frankie noticed right away. He quickly pulled his phone out of his jeans pocket.

"Will you give me your number?"

She hesitated for a split second, but took his phone anyway.

"Just please don't give me the number of a mechanic or something." he snorted, and she shook her head. "Your real number?"

"Check."

She handed him the phone and Frankie dialed the number she had entered. A soft ring sounded in her purse. They both laughed.

"I'm Frankie, and you are?"

She gave him her name, and he repeated it quietly. It was a nice feeling, finally being able to name the being who had been living rent-free in his head for a long time.

He opened his mouth to say something when the phone in her purse rang again.

"Not me now," he joked, but she lifted her hand slightly and reached for her phone.

She was visibly worried as she read the message, and then looked around for her friend.

"I'll have to go now, Frankie." she said as she nodded to her friend “I wish I could stay longer, really.”

He could tell in her voice that she really meant it. He felt strangely sorry for her, he didn't know why.

"Maybe we could meet up?" he suggested.

"Will you text me?" she asked.

"Sure. If that's what you want..."

"Yes, please."

She squeezed his hand gently, smiled, and left.

☆☆☆☆

Thank you for your time.

[kitkins13]

shared from Click's subreddit:

Trump actually cheated and there's time for a recount but we need to act NOW!

https://www.reddit.com/r/TheClickOwO/s/KTdyrF1AdD

idk how accurate any of this is but if even some is true I really hope something can be done

(post text is below the cut)

Not enough people are talking about this and there's still time.

Trump did actually cheat and someone compiled all the evidence on twitter: https://x.com/Espaking2/status/1854287198331515005

Edit:

If you don't have twitter, this will show most of the thread but may not have the entire thing: https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1854287198331515005.html

People are reposting and saving it because from what I saw in the comments, Elon has been deleting any evidence against trump tampering the election.

- Trump said a few weeks back that he didn't need anymore votes, that he had more than enough.

- Trump also said he had a 'trick up his sleeve' to win.

- A bomb scare was called into areas where voting was taking place, so people would flee the areas and not vote.

- Ballot boxes were then set on fire by trump supporters.

-20 MILLION Ballots went missing. People only just got emails today about their ballots going missing, their signatures suddenly not being accepted, or some outright being destroyed if they didn't vote for trump.

- Trump has a long history of lying, cheating, blackmailing and bribing people to get what he wants.

Kamala was in the lead to win but literally after these ballots were lost and after the russian bomb scare, somehow trump ended up with the highest republican vote in over 20+ years.

- Russian software used for rigging elections was found being used.

All of the evidence is in that tweet but I've also saved a copy of everything in case Elon attacks that post too. There's a link to contact the white house and to (politely) demand a refund due to the evidence of trump cheating:

https://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/

Submit directly to the president.

Click the first option, select your reasoning as election security.

State these pieces of information as a paragraph:

-32 fake bomb threats were called into democratic leaning poll places, rendering polls to be closed for at least an hour

- a lot of people reporting their ballots weren't counted for various reasons that are not very sound seeming (signature invalidation, information that vote counter could not have had)

This all occured in swing states (PA, Nevada, Georigia, ETC.)

- This is all too coincidental that these things happen and swing in his favor after months of hinting of foul play

- Directly state that an investigation for tampering/fraud is required, not just a recount

Again, there is not much time, please, please, please make this spread like wildfire, there's still time to do this!

(trigger warning, SA

(trump is not a good person. Aside from a history of the above and dodgy legal activities, he also has a long history of SA towards women and children. Trump is a convicted p*dophile and project 2025 will strip away the rights from anyone who isn't a cis white man.

Please, please, please spread this information, read through the twitter evidence thread and share it. There's still time to demand an investigation but we have to act NOW

[fruitloopabernathy]

If Donald Trump truly sticks to the policies he has campaigned on and endorsed, I'll never get to live my dream life. I will never get my degree, because he will eliminate FASFA. I will never get my white picket fence home with three sweet kids and a loving husband, because if my IUD fails or expires while my boyfriend is still in college I'll end up raising an unplanned baby alone while he tries to provide for us as best he can, and our resentment for eachother will drive us apart. I'll never get to care for my mother as she grows old, because the increasing cost of medical care will prevent her from living past 70. I'll never get to raise my children to be whoever they want to be, because that won't be safe for them. I'll never get to invite my long distance friends to my wedding and my kids' birthdays because I live in a red state and they'll be too scared to travel here in case someone finds out they're queer or don't want kids of their own. I won't ever get to meet my little Issac and Gene and Delilah, because it won't even be safe enough to bring them into this world.

I'm afraid, but more than that I am angry. I am angry at everyone who voted for that man- no, that monster- because they are responsible for taking that away from me. I am angry at myself for having hope that Harris might win, for thinking that although she wouldn't be good she'd at least keep my rights protected. I am angry at that foul beast for coming into everyone's lives 8 years ago and uprooting all the progress made for so many groups, so many individuals who have fought for *centuries* to be accepted, only to have the view of them be reverted back to how it was during Reagan and before. This cannot be the fate of a country that I once loves with all my heart and wanted the best for. I refuse.

[goodqueenaly]

Revisiting Catelyn's chapter, and I've been finding the way that she reflects on her childhood in Riverrun (and while *at* Riverrun, watching over her dying father) rather interesting, in particular her relationship with Brandon. When Jaime speaks to her about his death, and she begins to tell him of how Brandon was on his way to Riverrun when he heard about Lyanna, she notes that "telling it still made her throat grow tight, after all these years." And later, after Jeyne comes to her for advice, we have this passage -- “Tell me what I should do. Catelyn might have asked the same, if her father had been well enough to ask. But Lord Hoster was gone, or near enough. Her Ned as well. Bran and Rickon too, and Mother, and Brandon so long ago. Only Robb remained to her, Robb and the fading hope of her daughters” -- where she counts Brandon as one of the people lost to her, along her mother, and children, and Ned.

What level of depth of feeling, of emotion do you think there was between Brandon and Catelyn during their betrothal (speaking from Catelyn's end of things)? I find these passages a bit curious and they seem to hint to me love, though her POVs also don't quite give us glimpses of any sort of emotional or physical intimacy between them (by physical I mean even something at the level of the kissing games she played with Lysa and Petyr)?

Thank you for taking the time to share your insights with us!

Catelyn was betrothed to Brandon for around five or six years during a significant portion of her young life. As the dutiful daughter of a House whose devotion to duty is literally reflected in its dynastic motto, Catelyn was raised even at 12 to “[thank] him [i.e. her father Hoster] for making her such a splendid match” when this betrothal occurred. While I doubt Catelyn and Brandon met very frequently during their betrothal period, his apparent companionship with Jeffory Mallister may suggest that Brandon traveled in the Riverlands in the years before his death, and consequently spent some time with his fiancée during this time; I doubt Brandon and Catelyn would have been left unchaperoned or allowed to engage in any remotely indecorous conduct, to be sure but these may have been opportunities for the two of them to exchange some courtly pleasantries. Brandon was also personally good-looking, wild in both rage and mirth in a way the young Catelyn clearly found attractive. 

Given all that, I’m not surprised that Catelyn would have developed some level of romantic feelings toward Brandon, and would have held onto those feelings for the rest of her life. Brandon had been her politico-dynastic destiny from the age of 12 until roughly about the age of 17 or 18, a man she had been encouraged to love as her future lord husband. Moreover, to Catelyn, Brandon may have seemed quite the catch - the handsome, dashing young knight or de facto knight, heir to a great castle and title, who dueled in her name for the honor of her hand. With Brandon dying young and tragically from Aerys II’s tyranny, Catelyn never had the chance to become disillusioned with Brandon’s infidelity (and almost certainly never knew of his sexual relationship with Barbrey or his potential bastards), or to have to manage his emotionality day to day; Brandon could remain idealized in Catelyn's mind as her first fiancé and love. 

Which is not to say, of course, that Catelyn never loved Ned. If neither Catelyn nor Ned had been raised to anticipate marrying the other, both understood the politico-military necessity of doing so during Robert’s Rebellion; more importantly, each also came to understand, appreciate, and ultimately love the other on a deeply personal level. Catelyn might have always remembered Brandon, but Ned was "her Ned", her husband, "the man I loved, the father of my children".

[belovanat2]

Our new chance, pt 1

Agatha and Rio are given a new chance. 

It's age regression, if you don't like it, don't read it.

Alice is the reader's name, unrelated to the show.

I'm going to write several chapters, so it may take a while for the story to unfold. 

English its not my first language.

1750

Nicky and Agatha were walking through the forest, humming a song they had both made up.

"Mama, when can I see her again?" Nicky asks his mother, who looks at him uncertainly.

"I don't know, my dear... hopefully not too soon," Agatha replied, looking around and holding back tears. She knew very well who her son was talking about. Well, she wanted to see her again too, but it was better to stay away, she could feel it.

"But I miss her, my mom," Nicky tapped his foot in disappointment, he couldn't understand. 

Agatha sighs and puts her hand to her temple.

"I miss her too, darling, but it was time to separate..." she knew that her son was getting worse every day.

She had to make the difficult choice of leaving her beloved and separating a son from his mother. But it was the best option at the moment, she wanted to get away, to stay as far away as possible.

"But when are we going to see her again?" Nicky insists.

"I hope in a long time..." Agatha answered her son, her voice accompanied by sadness.

The two of them, tired after walking for hours, decide to set up camp in a remote part of the forest, and fall asleep together...

---

The sun rises, and they gradually start to wake up. Agatha was the first to sit up and stroke her son's hair. He was still drowsy.

"Did you have a good night, my darling?" Agatha asks, kissing Nicky on the cheek.

"Yes, I did" he yawns, and slowly sits up "I saw... I saw a girl" he begins.

"A girl?" Agatha asks curiously "in your dreams?". Nicky makes a face of doubt.

"I don't know..." he shrugs "but she was my sister" he says, his eyes full of anticipation for his mother.

"Sister? You don't have a sister my dear" Agatha laughs, children can be creative, especially her son. But Nicky isn't amused.

"I'm serious mama, she was my sister," he says firmly, he knew she was.

"Baby, it was just a dream," says Agatha, tidying his hair affectionately. 

"It wasn't just a dream... I saw her, she was there". Agatha sighs, her son was stubborn when he wanted to be "she was around three years old, and her name was Alice!" 

"Oh, so she was a toddler" Agatha decides to join in her son's conversation "so you want a little sister?" Nicky shakes his head in denial.

"I won't get to meet her, but you and Mom will," he says smiling, but on the other side Agatha is panicked by her son's comment, what does he mean by that?! 

"Okay, enough of this talk!" Agatha starts to get up and pack her things, clearly anxious, "Let's go and get our breakfast..."

------- 

2026

She had to be quiet, it was her first time breaking into someone's house. She knew it was wrong, but she was very hungry. She was on the verge of despair.

It had been two weeks since she had left home, her supply of food that could fit into a backpack had run out. And it was the last option. 

Luckily for her, there was a doggy door in the house that was unlocked, and she, being a small person, was able to get through it with ease. 

Finally, she was inside the house, and with slow steps she headed off to try and find some food. 

She quietly opens it and the first thing she sees are grapes, lots of grapes, and her stomach rumbles. She quickly grabs the bunch and starts eating desperately. 

So desperately that by accident and because the house is totally dark, she drops something extremely noisy, which crashes to the floor.

"Damn it... no... no" the girl begins to despair, tears begin to form, especially as she hears footsteps coming from upstairs. She finds a corner near the cupboards to hide (still holding her grapes).

----

Rio and Agatha were sleeping peacefully in their bedroom when they heard a noise coming from downstairs. They both get up quickly.

"There's someone downstairs" Agatha says, heading for the stairs and Rio follows her. They didn't do the slightest thing to go downstairs and take the thief by surprise.

They arrive downstairs and turn on the lights.

"We know you're here, come out!" Agatha shouts and starts searching the house.

"You'd better come out, you don't want us to find you," Rio says in a firm voice, but low.

The girl was shivering in the corner of a cupboard, she would be caught, these women would call the police and she would have to go back to her mother's house, the place she had run away from. She was crying with fear, until she sniffled louder, and instantly regretted it.

Agatha and Rio looked at each other. They've both heard. Rio smiles confidently, they have finally heard the intruder.

"We know where you are," Agatha says, slowly approaching where they heard the noise. The girl's heart was pounding.

As there were no answers, the two witches approached their target. 

"Boo !" Rio exclaims, when they spot the imposter. 

The girl curls up even tighter with her head on her knees, avoiding their gaze, and continues to cry. 

Rio and Agatha look at each other in confusion.

They were expecting someone with a menacing appearance or even another witch or supernatural being. But no, it was just a girl. A small, harmless girl, who was cowering and still holding a bunch of grapes.

"What's going on?!" Agatha asked, gesturing with her hands, "who are you?!" 

The girl knew there were no options left, they had found her, it was better to give herself up once and for all. But fear prevented her from moving.

"I'm sorry..." the girl whispered so quietly that the women could hardly hear her.

"What are you doing in our house and who are you?" Agatha insists "Get up, thief!" The blue-eyed witch raises her voice and the girl is startled.

Rio stares at Agatha and raises an eyebrow. Her wife was making a scene and scaring the girl.

"We just want to talk, can you get up please?" Rio interferes and asks in a more subtle voice, trying to calm the girl down and ease the situation.

The girl began to breathe calmly to try to calm down, she really had no other option. She lifted her head from her knees and looked at the two girls, her face red from crying and tears streaming down her face. 

Her face was angelic, causing the two women to soften their features, especially Agatha who narrowly missed casting a spell on the girl.

"I'm sorry..." she said, trying to wipe away the tears with one hand, while the other wouldn't let go of the bunch of grapes "I'm Alice...".

Agatha and Rio froze when they heard the girl's name. 

[mama-qwerty]

I know I try to be encouraging.

I try to be upbeat and offer support.

But this . . .

There's nothing encouraging here.

Hate won. Full stop. That's what it boils down to. One candidate personified hope and healing and moving forward to make things better for everyone, and the other personified hate and anger and fear and greed, and dragging us back to the time when rich white men ruled and everyone else better just shut up and appreciate the scraps they're given.

And this country, this fucking country, picked HIM.

I want to say it's rigged. Republicans can't win an election without huge amounts of shifty practices, such as gerrymandering districts and tossing out mail in absentee ballots, and making it harder and harder for areas that are primarily blue to vote. Phony 'vote registration' websites have been created, tricking people into 'registering' there when it simply collects their data for unknown purposes. Thousands of people discovered their registration was suddenly suspended or tossed out entirely when they'd had no problems voting in the past.

I want to say this whole system is rigged beyond repair.

And maybe it is.

It certainly seems that way, when people seem to vote against their own personal best interests.

But fear is an easy motivator. Republicans use fear and hate and anger to fuel their campaigns. Why talk about what you're going to do for the country, when you can pin all the bad stuff on the other guy?

"SoandSo wants to fling our borders open and let all the riffraff of other countries in to they can eat our pets and rape and murder us good Christian Americans! SoandSo hates babies! SoandSo thinks Christmas should be canceled! SoandSo would let children change their gender without their parents' permission!"

All so pearl clutchy, but all things that their base fears or hates, so it motivates them to vote to keep these horrible Dems from *checks notes* helping people.

I'm disgusted. Disheartened. Angry. So very, very angry.

But mostly I'm just feeling hopeless. Helpless. When Biden dropped out and there seemed to be a big surge in excitement for Kamala, I was hopeful.

Now I see that this country is full of hateful people who would rather have a senile, selfish, stupid, greedy prick of a white man in office, than a progressive, caring, intelligent, experienced woman of color.

We're fucked. There is no silver lining to this. His first term was bad enough, when he didn't really know what he was doing. Now he's had 4 years to plot and plan and gather his sycophants and bootlickers and yes men and things will be so much worse.

America's been circling the drain for years. Biden did what he could to salvage things from the damage of Trump's first term. Now we've just flushed everything down the crapper.

Fuck this country. Fuck the hate. Fuck the people laughing at all the 'liberal tears'. Fuck them all.

[tra-archive]

So it looks like we’re gonna lose this election and it just confirms that people would pick any man, even one that’s a traitor, over a woman. That and third party voters don’t care enough and would rather throw away their vote (just for Trump to help obliterate Gaza anyway in the next year).

It’s disappointing, but this just makes me want to fight even harder. I hope more women in the US follow South Korea at this point because men have shown that they see us as less than them. How many Gen Z men are out there right now saying “repeal the 19th?” How many men have posted disgusting sexual comments about Harris? How many men think women and children dying from abortion bans is “collateral damage?” And now that’s about to be amplified x100.

All I can say is good job, and non-voters better not open their fucking mouths and complain when things get so much worse soon.

[suika-suigetsu]

Quick question what are your fav Yaoi and Yuri Ships in The Narutoverse? Just curious lol

Sorry to answer your quick question with a long text, but I'm just like this... 🥹

So, since I was a kid, I never watched Naruto thinking about couples, I was never a "stan", as they say. I just loved the story and the characters.

It was only very recently, when I started to like the character Suigetsu and researched everything about him, that I saw how perfect I think his relationship with Karin is.

I say this because, as much as I like the cannon couples and defend the story of some of them, I do it more because I respect Kishimoto's decision of the ending and because I think it's cute, but I didn't research it in depth to ship it faithfully like I do with SuiKa. But I like to respect what is cannon, even if some have destroyed other ships that I liked more (but I'll never say... 😭)

I ship when I think that, based on the character's story and the context, they make a good couple.

So, here are some same-sex couples I ship (using information that I think makes them perfect for each other):

Itachi x Kisame

I never really thought about it because I'm not a fan of Itachi, but I like Kisame, so I never saw them together romantically. But I've been thinking and researching about it for a few months now, and after seeing some cute art of them, I'm even more convinced.

I think Kisame fell in love first, and like Sasuke, I don't think Itachi was emotionally mature enough to reciprocate, but as an artist, I plan on pretending that they had a lot of loving moments together and I'll draw them as soon as I have time (I already have some sketches). 🩷

Gaara x Rock Lee

I don't like shipping characters that I feel have a more "innocent" aura. Rock Lee, Jugo, Mitsuki... I see them as babies. But I like to hear everyone's opinion and, sometimes, they convince me.

I like GaaLee nowadays, even though I don't have much information for it, but I just like the idea that the two of them are single parents who share a mutual love for each other and their children, and I also think that Rock Lee's energy would make Gaara's life happy, since he has such a sad past...

Izumo x Kotetsu

I don't need to say anything, right? They've been cannon since the first chapters they appeared, that's just a fact. They're stuck together like nails and flesh, nowadays they must be living together and traveling the world on a never-ending honeymoon. 💖💖💖

A little steal on the list: Sakura x Karin

This one doesn't make any sense, I only shipped them when I was younger, I didn't care about Suigetsu and I hated Sasuke. I just wanted them to use their love for Sasuke to get closer and form a couple, and they were my favorite female characters 🥹🥹 Obviously I don't think that way anymore nowadays, but I'll still draw them together a lot just because I really like it lol.

Another little steal: SuiKarin

Haha, I know it doesn't fit here, but I just think they love each other too much and have enough experience to have tried a lot of things together. After Naruto invented the Sexy jutsu, anything is possible, right? I still want to draw SuiKarin yaoi and SuiKarin yuri... I'm looking forward to it 🫣🫣

Now, other couples that I find cute when I see them, but I don't have enough information to ship them:

Kakuzu x Hidan (I think Hidan would be easy with Kakuzu, but Kakuzu seems too shallow to be with anyone...? Although Hidan seems to be very convincing when he wants to be...), Sasori x Deidara (I'm not just talking about sexuality here, but also about feelings. If Sasori still loves his parents, he can love someone romantically, and I think it's cute to think of him with Deidara. But that said, I didn't feel any chemistry between them in the scenes where they appear together. I'm rewatching Naruto now, maybe my opinion will change, and I hope it does, because I think the art of them together is really cute...), Jiraya x Orochimaru and Tsunade (This is another steal from the list, I shipped them when I was younger, haha. I just think they're a trio that only works if the three of them are together, and if it's just two of them, it doesn't work, you know? It's a hc I've had for a long time. Unfortunately, it didn't come to fruition... In fact, I have another ship with 3 people that I think would close the anime with a flourish, but I'll never be able to say which one it is publicly... 🥹)

Just about Kiri and the Swordsmen of the Mist

I think that just like in Akatsuki, they (the Seven) must have had romances between them too. And unlike Konoha, Kirigakure doesn't seem to care so much about marriage, starting a family and things like that... In fact, I don't know if it's cannon (I don't think so), but it really struck me when I saw in the anime that one of the call girls that Jiraya went out with was married to one of the men that Jiraya captured to get information about Pain. I still think to this day "wow, the people of Kiri are so bold..." .

Anyway, thinking about Kisame's story, they even avoided that (love someone). So I think there had a lot of "quick romances", maybe with more than one person at the same time. They weren't very emotional, you know? Life was hard, just killing and missions... So relationships were just a way to de-stress. That's one of the things that made me ship ItaKisame, because I think that even though he thought that way just because he grew up among the cold population of Kiri, Kisame ended up falling in love with Itachi after knowing him more than he knew anyone else.

Spending time with companions ends up breaking the coldness, even of assassins, so I think there must have been couples who loved each other within the Seven, but I just don't have enough information to know who would end up with who. Give me information, Kishi... 😭

I'm sorry for being so annoying about ships 🥹 But I really like having evidence that makes me like the couple. There are cannon couples that I don't like at all, even though I drew them...... And there are others that I love, but like with SuiKarin, we'll never have confirmation... But since things are complicated on the internet, I prefer to keep my opinion about them to myself.

Thanks for reading. 🩷

[whoiwanttoday]

Hey guys, here is some Emily Ratajkowski who always gets posted when she has spent a few weeks almost getting posted. She just breaks through eventually because I see enough pictures of her that I enjoy that I can't deny her anymore. None of that matters today though, I just needed a person to post and we'll move on to the part where I beg you to vote. And I beg you to vote for Kamala Harris because it really matters a lot. I will try not to be mean here but if you are sitting out for ideological purity you're an asshole and a child. No wait, that was mean. I meant to say there is nothing a leftist likes better than losing when faced with compromise. No… hold on, that was mean, too. What I meant to say is that I do understand being upset by certain issues. The situation in Gaza fucking sucks. But you have been strung along by bad faith actors and forcing agents if you think not voting for Kamala Harris will help any single person in Gaza. It won't. If Trump had his way they'd bulldoze it and build condos there. I understand not wanting to feel like you are rubber stamping something but when the other side wants to do even worse to the issue you care about it makes no sense to abstain. If you are a likely Harris voter and you sit out then you are not actually abstaining, you are voting for Trump. Because that's how a two party system works. You have endorsed him. But here is the thing, people talk about single issue voters as if it were a bad word and there is a reason for that, no matter how important your issue is there are always other important issues and you are ignoring them. This election matters for lots of reasons and even if you don't believe it's a threat to the continued existence of our democracy it is 100% a threat to the rights of all the women you know, all the queer people you know, anyone who might not fit in easily to a preapproved group. They put children in cages last time guys, if you have even an ounce of power to help stop that yo must. Lots of people sat out in 2016 because they had issues with both candidates. I got that but again it was apples to oranges. I hope everyone sees that now, that no matter how much you might have disliked Hilary Clinton that Donald Trump was so much worse. So please, go vote. It isn't even too late to register in a lot of states. My state allows you to submit a provisional ballot and a registration on the day of the election together. Do this, your country needs you and whatever you may think the way this country goes greatly impacts the rest of the world. The biggest thing you can do today to help the world is to vote. Anyway, Emily Ratajkowski looks good in gowns and stuff. Today I want to fuck Emily Ratajkowski.

[aiscapades]

gonna have to pull a pink pony club and leave tennessee fr..

i don't feel safe here. i guess i never have but the illusion was there for a couple years when gay marriage was legalized in 2015 and then again when the drag ban was lifted (after being passed in 2022).. i rlly had hope we could fight against this but idk. i've suffered here enough i just want to leave. minors can't even leave the state for abortions.... they're forcing children to have babies .... i don't want my niece to grow up here. i don't want my sister here. i need my boobs cut off i need birth control i need actually good medical care for my uterus. i need to not be scared to hold a girls hand in public anymore. god 18 year old ashley felt invincible being gay in public. what happened. i'm so scared. and i'm a mostly gender conforming girlie so i KNOW it's so much worse for others. i just can't..... i'm feeling sick

yeah i'll put this under a cut so ppl don't have to look at it lol

hello american people in my phone. i love youuu. remember to vote tomorrow. please please please. most states allow & encourage you to leave your place of work and vote. find your polling place and get your ass to the polls. don't sit this one out.

[pallanophblargh]

Wrangling the Children onto some fresh leaves. The Cecropia Kids are over 40 days old and still growing, and I’m starting to worry they won’t pupate in before I leave on vacation . Granted, I’m sure everything will be ok but it’s in my nature to worry over multi-legged invertebrate children. I just love larvae.

(Forgive the frass, I cleaned it out shortly after getting all the cats onto fresh food)

[vapefeare]

Don’t let an autistic Simpsons fan be your child’s teacher or else a Character may appear in your child’s art project

[nympippi]

So we’re all in agreement that Gregory is innocent and is best friends with Cassie, okay? Okay!