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#International Affairs
politijohn · 10 months
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workersolidarity · 5 months
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🇺🇸🇵🇸 🚨
PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE DR. CORNEL WEST SLAMS US COWARDICE AND LACK OF LEADERSHIP ON GAZA IN FIREY SPEECH IN SOLIDARITY WITH PALESTINIANS UNDER SIEGE
"The least we can do with this moment of overwhelming vulgarity is have a ceasefire. And yet you got these cowards in #Washington DC talking about a humanitarian pause. Please, get off the crack pipe, wake up!"
Presidential candidate Cornel West gives a powerful speech during a protest at the UN plaza protest.
#source
@WorkerSolidarityNews
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delulu-with-wandanat · 5 months
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International Affairs | Last Part
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Reader Description: Masculine style, They/He, AFAB, International Student, 20 Years Old. Sometimes will be describe using masculine terms (man, boy, handsome, etc)
Pairings: Wanda Maximoff x InternationalStudent!Reader
Warnings 18+: Specified age gap (Wanda is 34), cheating.
Words: 5,077
Summary: Y/n and Wanda unexpectedly meet at the local fair being held in Westview. Wanda reveals her true feelings, and a third party gets involved
Did I really have to be that stupid? Y/n thought to themselves.
It has been 2 weeks since they confessed their love, from then on the two haven't interacted with one another. Albeit it was Wanda's request, but Y/n had also been avoiding her. Nevertheless, the woman still plagues their mind. Her smile, her personality, her sweet and caring demeanor, Y/n missed her dearly. It's such a shame that the feeling wasn't mutual, as Wanda was still very much in love with her husband.
"I get that you got rejected, but come on man..." Kate said as she returned to his side now holding an ice cream, Y/n rolled his eyes at his friend.
"Shut it, Bishop."
"Plenty of hot girls in NYU too y'know." Kate paused for a second, "And professors." Y/n snorted at that.
"You mean like Professor Belova?" Y/n teased her, Kate's face turned bright tomato. She playfully shoved them. The two friends stayed silent, just enjoying the atmosphere at the fair. Watching people playing games, trying to win a prize for their date. Families enjoying their time together, kids trying to drag their parents to the ferris wheel.
It was nice. Y/n glanced at Kate who was enjoying their ice cream, "Can I have some of that?"
Kate narrowed her eyes, "Get your own!"
"Bitch- I'm gonna tell Mrs. Vostokoff that you got the hots for her daughter."
Kate's eyes widen at their statement, "Professor Belova is her daughter?"
"Apparently! I'll tell you about it later, I'm gonna go buy some food." They walked around the fair to find whatever food they are craving at the moment. Y/n wondered if maybe Wanda was also at the fair, Westview is a small town, surely it would be easy to spot her. However, he didn't know if seeing her would be a blessing or a curse. As much as Y/n misses her, she made it clear she didn't want any interaction between the two of them.
Y/n continued to walk around, they spot a food stall that caught their eyes. Classic American hotdogs doesn't sound so bad, they thought. He approached the stall but accidently bumped into a small figure.
"Oh, sorry mister!" The child apologized. Y/n looked down and was surprised to see the little boy.
Damn he's basically a carbon copy of her, "Tommy?"
Tommy's eyes widens in relief, "Y/n!" the boy then hugged him tightly. Y/n had met Wanda's kids before, during the time Wanda was still hiring him he would teach them guitar, baseball lessons, even babysitting them at times. Therefore, the boys had formed a strong bond with Y/n.
"Hey buddy!" They hugged the boy back. They glanced around hoping to see Wanda, but she was nowhere to be seen. "Where's your mom?"
"I- I can't find her. Can you help me look for her?" Tommy asked with teary eyes, no wonder he was so happy to find someone he was familiar with.
"It's alright bud, I'll help you find her." Y/n gave them a pat on the shoulder. "Come on, now you hold on tight alright?" He said as he held Tommy's hand to ensure he doesn't lose him. Tommy nodded his head, he trusted Y/n. The two then went on to search for Wanda after Y/n sent Kate a quick text explaining the situation.
He merely got a, "I've read this story before ;))" from Kate. Whatever the hell she means.
Meanwhile, somewhere at the fair, Wanda was pacing back and forth frustratingly. "How could you lost him?!" She asked her husband.
Vision looked up from his phone, he doesn't seem concerned that one of his sons is lost. "I thought he was behind me."
"You were supposed to watch over them. Vision, for fuck sake get off the phone!" He sighed and reluctantly put away his phone. "Where did you lost him?"
"I don't know-"
"YOU don't know?!" Un-fucking-believable.
"Wanda, I told you, I received a text from work-"
"I don't want your bullshit excuse!" The two continues to argue while their other son, Billy, sits on the bench looking around for his brother. The poor boy had to deal having his parents constantly fight, on top of that, watch how neglectful his own father was being.
Billy loves his dad, but at times it feels like he was just some stranger to him. Billy tried not to focus on their conversation and instead observes the people around him. Suddenly, his mother approached him with a frustrated look. She tried to muster up a smile for him, "Come on, honey. Let's look for your brother."
He glanced at his dad who was now talking on the phone, "Is dad not coming with us?"
"He..." She was unsure of what to say, "He has some business to take care of, but don't worry! He'll join us soon enough."
"But we have to find Tommy together!" Before Wanda could respond the boy approached his father, tugging on his shirt to catch his attention. "Dad, dad!"
Vision looked down at his son, "Sorry buddy, I'm on the phone."
"Dad come onn! We have to find Tommy." The young boy pleaded, wanting to spend more time with his father.
"Billy, I'll join you and your mother in a second alright-"
"But Dad-"
"BILLY I said not now!" Vision raised his voice, Wanda's heart broke at the sight of her son's excitement dropping. She immediately went to held his hand.
"Come on, Billy." She said with a gentle smile. Billy looked away from his father, visibly disappointed. Wanda gave Vision a look of disdain. "Don't bother coming home." She snarled at Vision at a volume only he could hear.
Before Vision could respond, Wanda turned to walk away with Billy. Seems like Vision couldn't care less, as he continued to talk on the phone.
On the other side, Y/n and Tommy searched tirelessly for Wanda. Y/n glanced at the little boy, surely enough he looked like he was about to cry. Y/n stopped their track and bent down to his level. "We'll find your mother, Tommy. I'll make sure of that." He said with a soft smile.
The boy nodded with teary eyes, Y/n glanced around and saw a game stand where you throw a baseball to knock down a bunch of bottles. He guided the little boy to the game stand and pulled out some money, "One throw says we'll find your mother AND win a prize, how's that?" They asked Tommy, trying to cheer him up.
"One throw? But you get 3 chances?"
"One chance is all I need bud." Y/n said confidently. Tommy's face lights up.
"If you fail you treat us all food!"
"Challenge accepted." Y/n grabbed the ball and focused on his target, come on Y/n don't let him down. And then they throw.
CLANG!
All 6 bottles falls down, the two boys whooped in excitement. Y/n gave Tommy a high five. "Impressive throw." The girl who's guarding the game stall complimented him. "Is he your son?"
"Nah, I'm just... babysitting." Y/n lied. The girl seems relieved to hear that.
She handed him the prize, "One more and I'll give you my number?" She asked him with a flirtatious smile, ok she's kinda cute.
Y/n smirked, "Put in another plushie and your number, I'm down." The girl gave him another ball.
"Do your thing, tiger."
Tommy observed the two's interaction and can't help but giggled. He pulled down Y/n to whisper, "I think she has a crush on you."
"Really?!" Y/n asked, pretending to be oblivious. Tommy nods excitingly. "I guess I'm going to have to impress her." Y/n took their position again... then they throw.
CLANG!
All bottles falls down again, the boys fist pumped the air. The girl gave them another plushie and a piece of paper. "When you're done babysitting, come find me." She gave them a wink, Y/n smirked.
"Maybe I will..." He quickly glanced at the paper, it had her number and name written on it. "Cassie."
Y/n took both of the plushie and gave it to Tommy, "Here, for you and your brother."
"Awesome!!!" He exclaimed.
"Now let's look for your mom again." Tommy held Y/n's hand again, but it didn't take long until Tommy was slowing down because of tiredness. "You tired buddy?"
"Yeah..."
Y/n then bent his knees, "Get on my back, you'll be my eyes up there." Tommy excitedly followed his instruction, when Y/n stood up on his feet again the boy couldn't help but laughed excitedly.
"I could see the world from up here!" He said dramatically.
Y/n laughs at Tommy's statement, "Alright captain! Tell me what you see." They continued to walk around the fair with Tommy on his shoulders being his eyes on the crowd. After a few minutes of walking, Tommy tapped his hair rather excitedly.
"I see them! I see them!" He pointed in their direction. "MOM!!!" He waved his hand, trying to get her attention.
Wanda noticed her son, considering he was getting a piggy back ride, it was easy to notice him. "Tommy!" She quickly dragged Billy with her, she hadn't noticed Y/n due to the crowd.
Tommy was too excited, Y/n had to put him down from their back. Tommy was quick to dragged them with him. "Come on Y/n!"
Fuck this is nerve wrecking, Y/n wasn't sure how Wanda would react seeing them again.
After running through the crowds, the family was finally reunited. Wanda immediately hugged her other son, "Oh thank god!" Wanda pulled back to look at him with concerns. "Are you ok?? Did anyone hurt you? Did a stranger tried to talk to you?"
"I'm ok mom. I was with Y/n!" Tommy said, pointing at the figure behind him.
Wanda inhaled sharply at the name, there he was. Y/n gave her a shy wave. They were the one who found Tommy, and took care of him, making sure he found his way back to his mother. Wanda stood up, before Y/n could say anything, Wanda hugged him tightly.
"Thank you..." She said, Y/n hesitantly hug her back.
"No worries." The two pulled back and stood awkwardly, "Well I guess I should-"
"And mom, mom! Look what he got me and Billy." Tommy showed her the plushie they had won earlier. Wanda glanced at Y/n, waiting for an explanation.
"We were looking for you, and he seemed sad so we played a quick game." Y/n explained.
This young man, whom she had an affair with, seemed to cared more about her children than her actual husband. "That's very kind of you, Y/n."
"Can he come with us??" Billy asked excitedly, the boy was bouncing on his feet.
"I-"
"Yeah mom! He can win us more prizes!" Tommy added.
"Oh so I'm just invited to this outing because you guys want more toys huh?" Y/n asked playfully with their arms crossed.
"NO!" The twins said simultaneously while glancing at one another.
Y/n snickered at the boys, Wanda gazed at him for a second. They were better at interacting with her boys than Vision ever did, well you saw how he was. "It's family time boys, I don't want to intrude."
"But Y/n IS family! Right mom?!" Tommy asked, Wanda glanced at her sons again. The two seems eager to have Y/n join them, and deep down, Wanda wants him to join too.
"Y/n... Would you like to join us? I don't mind." She said kindly with a smile, fuck that damn smile again. Y/n couldn't say no to that.
"Well alright then!"
The boys cheered in unison and was quick to drag him by the hand, "Boys slow down!" Wanda said with a laugh, seeing how excited her boys are made her happy.
Y/n sent Kate a quick message, telling her that he'll be joining Wanda and the boys instead.
To which our dear Kate respond with, "Damn, use protection-" we love a supportive friend.
The four of them played a bunch of different games, mostly the ones that would get them prizes. Y/n being the athletic person that they are, manages to win them all. Wanda mostly watched, albeit, she was mostly watching them.
Wanda tried not to, but the young man decided to take off their jacket at one of those hammer games to reveal their sleeveless shirt. And holyshit did she missed those strong toned arms. Honestly, it made her mind wander to their previous escapades.
"I could feel you staring." Y/n teased her as they continued walking, keeping his voice low just for the two of them.
"It's hard not too. If I'm being honest, I think you're doing it on purpose."
"And if I am?"
Wanda lets her eyes roamed their body shamelessly, "You won't hear any complaints from me." she said with a smirk.
It's like as if the conversation from their previous night never happened. The four kept walking, honestly, Wanda had a much better time with Y/n than with her husband who was constantly on his phone. Y/n was also very attentive towards her kids, like when Billy asked for a piggy back ride because his brother got one. The sight made her heart melt. Perhaps if time was on their side, they would've been a wonderful family...
But they could, couldn't they? Exactly what was stopping her?
Y/n had confessed their love, and at this moment, Wanda... maybe felt the same???
She was conflicted. But after seeing how neglectful Vision was, how dismissive he is to his own son. She knew he wasn't the man she would want for the rest of her life. But is she truly ready to let another into her heart so quickly?
They're sitting right there? What are you waiting for?!
"Wanda." Y/n's voice snapped her out of her thought. She glanced at them and was greeted with a gentle smile. The four of them decided to sit on the bench, exploring the fair was quite tiring so they decided to get some food. "It's getting late, I think they're getting pretty tired."
Surely enough her boys looked sleepy, she checked the time and to her surprise it was already 9.45. "Right. Come on boys, let's get home." They twins gathered their last energy and stood up from their seat. They walked to the car and Y/n accepted Wanda's offer to ride back, considering Wanda's house was near Mrs. Vostokoff's, he only needed to walk a few blocks. However, before he could get into the car, a girl called out him.
"Hey! I didn't think I'd catch you here." The girl on the baseball stall, Cassie, smiled at him.
"Cassie! Hey, yea I was just about to head back." Y/n chuckles.
"Already? I didn't even get your name." Her tone was rather flirty, Wanda did not like this one bit.
"Y/n." Wanda called to him, she tried to hide it. But Y/n could tell there was some undertone in it.
"That's my name." He kept his gaze on the girl.
"You have my number. See you round..." She said, leaning her body closer slightly in a flirtatious manner. Once she was out of sight, Y/n smirked to himself and got into the car.
They looked over to the side and to their surprise, Wanda was clenching her jaw. Is she ok? Wanda started the car and drove out of the parking lot. They stayed quite for a few minutes until Wanda broke the silence.
"Who's that?"
"Just... some girl from one of the game stand."
Wanda hummed, "She seems very smitten of you."
"I mean... yeah I guess? I don't wanna be too cocky." They chuckled. In their mind, Wanda had no feelings for them whatsoever. So to them the whole flirty banter was all platonic, like maybe that's just the nature of their friendship.
However to Wanda, who was now settling with her feelings, felt betrayed. All that banter and moments they shared a few minutes ago was nothing to him? The ride to her house was rather quick, she parked the car on the driveway and wasted to time to get out. Ok... she seems pissed?
He got out of the car as well, moving onto the back seat to grab the twins who were sleeping soundly. "Leave the toys, we can get them later." Wanda instructed, they nod and picked up Tommy. They followed Wanda to the twins bedroom on the second floor.
Wanda was already tucking Billy on his bed, giving him a soft kiss on the forehead. He could hear a soft whisper, "Good night, Billy." he smiled at that.
They gently did the same with Tommy, tucking him in, opting to softly pat his shoulders instead. "G'night buddy."
The sight was perfect, like two parents tucking their kids to sleep. Wanda realizes she never shared this moment anymore with Vision, here she is sharing it with a guy she just met during the summers. The two walked out of the twins bedroom and made their way back to the living room. They locked eyes with each other, the atmosphere between them was rather tense. As memories of their last meeting came flooding back, the rejected confession, Wanda's hurtful words, Y/n's broken heart. It was weird how they wind up back where they left off.
"Well uh... that was quite the coincidence, but it was nice seeing you again." Y/n said, trying to break the tension.
"Likewise." Wanda looked down at her feet.
Wanda was distant once again, well, I guess there really is no chance. Maybe Y/n was just hoping for too much. Hoping for something that would never happen.
Again.
"I'll see myself out, enjoy your night, Wanda." He said kindly with that smile of his. Don't make the same mistake.
They turn to leave. Now. Y/n slowly walks to the front door. For fuck sake-
"Y/n, wait!" Oh thank christ-
"Yes?" They turned to face her. But Wanda's words got stuck in her throat. What did she even wanted to say? Did she truly loved them? She certainly don't want to be Vision anymore, but are they really the one? She only knows Y/n for a few months. How will she know if Y/n won't just end up the same as Vision.
"I-" Fuck why couldn't she say anything?
So Y/n decided to speak up first, "I had a fun night, if you still want to keep our distance I'll gladly accept that. But I do want to say, I'm glad this time we ended on better terms." He said kindly.
"Yes... I'm- uh..." Just fucking say it Wanda.
Y/n waited patiently for her to speak whatever she wanted to say. But for some reason she couldn't utter a single word, "You don't have to say anything. Goodby-"
His sentence was cut off by her lips. She gently cupped his face, getting on her tiptoes slightly. Y/n was shock, beyond shock. What is happening? Is this another one time thing? Did she liked them back? Their mind was going for a million miles an hour.
If Wanda couldn't pour out her feelings in words, she might as well pour it out through her actions. She loved him by cupping his face gently. She missed them dearly by the way she pressed their lips rather harshly. Her body yearned him by the way she lets him pulled her closer by the waist.
They pulled back breathlessly, gazing deeply into each other's eyes. "Wanda?"
"Y/n I-" She shook the last bit of hesitation, "I- I don't know how I feel about you, but what I know is I missed you dearly. The thought of not having you in my life, it- it makes me feel sad. I regret my words, everything I said to you. You're... not just a plaything, you're everything. You are everything and more to me."
Y/n's heart started beating rapidly. They had a hard time believing her words.
"I know I hurt you, and you have every rights to walk out of that door right now. But-"
"Then why did you say those things?" Y/n asked sadly.
"This is not an excuse for me to be a bitch, but truth to be told I think I was just... afraid. Y/n I'm a married woman falling in love with a 20 year old man. I have two sons and a husband. Even if, now that I think of it, the only thing holding Vision and I together is merely our marriage. Everything is just so complicated." She started rambling. But one word that caught their ear the most, was love.
Y/n inhaled sharply, they were at lost for words.
"When you talked to that girl, I realized, I didn't want to see you with another. I just wanted you to be mine, mine only." Her hand was still cupping his face, she rest their foreheads together. "If you had been just a casual fling, I wouldn't care so much. Yet that's not the truth. Because the truth is the thought of you with someone else makes me sick."
"Wanda-"
"I know it's not fair. It's not fair at all, to want to keep you to myself when I'm still conflicted with my own feelings. But- Hmpf!" Her rambling this time was cutoff by a kiss, god how much she missed to lips.
Her hands wrapped around his shoulders, pulling them even closer. The kiss was... different. Rather than lust, it was full of love. A new found love that they now shared with one another. After a few seconds they pulled away from each other, yet still holding each other close.
"You don't know how glad I am to hear that." Y/n said with a smile, eyes glistening slightly. Wanda couldn't help but to let out a soft laugh before pulling them into another kiss.
"There's still so many things I need to hash out. But if you'll have me... would you be willing to wait?" Wanda said against his lips.
"I would wait for you until hell freezes over. Take all the time you need." Y/n responded genuinely. Wanda felt her heart blossomed, is this what it feels like to be properly loved? To have someone love you just as much as you loved them?
Perhaps it is. The love she yearned for. One that her husband couldn't provide, one that was lost over the years of marriage. Something tells her it'll be different with them. That it would be a start of a wonderful thing for years to come.
If only the universe is on their side.
The front door flew open, and the two of them pulled away immediately. Shit.
"Wanda, have you found him? I'll go to the police station tom-" Vision stopped his sentence as soon as he saw Y/n. Wanda is scared shitless. They both are.
Fuck.
"Who are you?" The venom in his voice was very noticable.
"I'm-" Fuck what do I say?
"Vision..." Wanda started.
"Is this what you've been doing behind my back?"
"Just- Vis, please-"
"After everything I've done for you, Wanda!" He yelled. Vision approached her with an angry look, Wanda took a step back. "I bet you had so much fun being fucked like the whore you are didn't you?"
Wanda was surprised to hear her husband speaking to her like that. But if we're being completely honest, she wasn't completely innocent either.
"Don't talk to her like that!" Y/n spoke up.
Vision whipped his head in their direction, "And you" he snarled. He then walked closer to Y/n as if sizing him up. "What makes you think you could sleep with a married woman?"
Y/n gulped, yes their whole relationship was messed up. Y/n knew damn well that she was married, yet he still continued to pursue her.
"What you don't have a fucking mouth?" Vision shoved him. Y/n stayed quiet, not wanting to escalate the situation. "Not so fucking tough now, are you?!" They clenched their jaw.
"Vision, leave him alone." To their surprise, Wanda spoke up for them. This moment required caution, but to be honest Y/n felt their heart swell at Wanda's defense.
"What?" Vision narrowed his eyes at her who was now standing on the side between the two of them.
"It's late, and you should leave. I specifically asked you not to come home tonight."
Vision let out a sarcastic laugh. "You're defending him?"
Wanda sighed, their marriage was complicated. But at this point there was no love between them. She had her heart for someone else, and Vision doesn't even care about his family. "You and I both know we're only together for the sake of our kids. Let's not pretend there's anything between us."
Vision scoffed, "You are unbelievable..."
"Oh don't act so innocent, I've seen the text between you and your assistant." Wanda spat. Vision tensed slightly at the sentence. Shit things just got better. "Leave."
"You can't kick me out of my own house, Wanda."
"The house was passed down from my parents, it's under my name. Leave." She asked one last time. Finally, Vision walk towards the front door. However, it seems like he had more to say. Before he closed the door on his way out he looked back at the two of them with a disgusted look.
"This fucking kid has no status in this country, he works a minimum wage job, he's still in college struggling to pay his own tuition. What makes you think he can provide you with everything you need?" He snarled.
Wanda crossed her arms, "That's none of your concern. I'm surprised you even cared about our family's needs when just tonight you couldn't careless about Tommy's whereabouts." Seems like she hit a nerve as Vision slammed the front door when he left the house. Wanda let out a breath of relief. She glanced at Y/n who looked deep in thought.
"Y/n?" She asked.
"Hmmm?" He looked up at her. Wanda could tell something was wrong. She approached them and gently cup their face.
"Don't mind what he said."
However, Y/n was now washed over with reality. Vision's words were hurtful, "But he was right..."
Wanda's heart shattered at the sight, "Darling, no." Y/n had a sorrow look. Wanda wanted nothing more but to kiss it away.
"Wanda... I have nothing to offer you."
"Don't say that... Please don't say that." She pulled them down so she could plant a soft kiss on his forehead lovingly. "You provide me with so much love and care." Y/n gently rest their hand on top of Wanda's, they gazed int each other's eyes. Love visible on either's side.
But he couldn't... Y/n had nothing. And Wanda deserved someone who could give her everything.
Slowly, Y/n pulled away Wanda's hand from their face with a sad smile. Wanda's heart shattered slightly. "You need someone who could provide more than that."
"What if I want you?"
"Wanda, I want nothing more than to be yours. But I'm just a broke college student. To make matters worse I'm an international student, I have no status here."
"You can apply for a work visa after graduation." She tried to reason.
"I'm only in my second year, it'll take a few more years to pay off my debts. And I don't even know if I'll get a job in the film industry knowing how competitive it is." Tears started to pool in Wanda's eyes. They were both too caught up in their little bubble forgetting the complication of their relationship.
Wanda had a family to take care of. Now that Vision was out of the picture, she had to figure out a way how to balance work as a single mother. She didn't made this decision because of Y/n, no, Vision turned out to be a deadbeat father. But if she did wanted another partner she would preferably want one who is in the same life stage as hers.
Yet her heart couldn't help but to call for Y/n.
"I love you, Wanda. But I-" Y/n kept holding her hand, he wants her. God he wanted nothing more than to be hers. To be able to provide for her. To show her love and care that she deserves. But as usual, time and the universe was not on their side. "You deserve someone better."
Wanda couldn't hold herself so she pulled them into an embrace, hiding her face on his chest. Their arms wrapped around her. Both of them cried for the life they wish they could have had with each other, but due to the circumstances, it couldn't happen. Yet.
"Just... hold me."
"Forever if I could."
Wanda stayed there, listening to their heartbeat. Her heart was torn. She wishes she could have a life with them, but she has a duty as a mother. As much as she knew she was capable of providing herself and her boys financially, deep down their relationship would be doomed if it continued. With Wanda being busy at work, taking care of the boys, and adapting to life as a single mother. Y/n focusing on their studies, after they graduate they need to focus on finding a job and adapt to adult work life. Not to mention handling all the paperwork and requirements as a foreigner.
It was too hectic. Too much complication already to their own complicated life.
But what if love was enough to conquer it all? Or is that just wishful thinking?
"Y/n." Wanda pulled back, gazing into his eyes.
"Yea?" Y/n responded. Wanda's hand reached up to tangle itself in his hair. She kissed his forehead, Y/n closed their eyes. Wanting to forget everything just for a second.
"I love you too." Wanda said softly.
Oh how their heart bloomed hearing those 4 words. Y/n couldn't help but smile at Wanda's confession.
"In another time, another life. I promise to love you in every single one of them."
Phewww, finally. I can move on to a new series, i hope you guys liked this shameless self-insert fic! Damn this last part was LONGGG I have a few ideas for Wandanat, and maybe another one for sum more Wanda x Readers :>>>
Anywho, Taglist! @dorabledewdroop @weptmango (lmk if you would like to be tagged as well for future Wanda x Readers works! (truth is idk how taglist works :'))
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wartakes · 3 months
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Fighting Back in an Age of Impunity
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Its the last essay of the year and the events going on in Gaza - and similar events elsewhere - had me pondering some thoughts for those who may feel powerless and like they can't do anything. It's not perfect, but its something. Full essay under the cut. Happy Holidays.
I feel like I increasingly start each of these essays with checking on folks and seeing how they’re doing following “the event” – with whatever “the event” is varying depending on what time of the year the essay is occurring in. When I first started thinking about what I may be writing for my last essay of 2023, I thought the worst event I’d have to think about was Azerbaijan’s assault on Artsakh, which resulted in over 100,000 ethnic Armenians fleeing their homes as Ilham Aliyev finally realized his genocidal dream of cleansing the region and forcing it fully into Azerbaijan by force.
Of course, then October 7th happened.
This is not to say that what happened with Artsakh should be forgotten about by any stretch of the imagination. We definitely shouldn’t forget about Armenia and Azerbaijan – especially as Azerbaijan, supported by Turkey, continues to make aggressive statements suggesting it may attack the Republic of Armenia proper in order to secure a corridor to its exclave in Nakhchivan. This is still very important and deserves our attention.
At the same time, if you’ve been following world events at all since October 7th, you kinda know what the most pressing, soul-sucking issue of the moment is. In the weeks since the attacks launched by the Gaza-based Palestinian militant groups – spearheaded by the Islamist political-military movement HAMAS, which largely controls the enclave – Israel has used that unarguable tragedy as an excuse to launch a horrific campaign of violence of its own in revenge, the sheer scale and scope of which has left the Israeli bodycount of October 7th in the dust as more and more Palestinians are killed by the Israel Defense Forces with each passing day – most of them women and children.
I originally was going to shift focus and write something entirely about what’s going on in Gaza, but I was also not sure what more I could say that would be constructive and not simply venting to avoid exploding (something I do on Twitter on a regular basis). I also didn’t want to complete leave Armenia and Azerbaijan in the dust, because I felt there were a lot of parallels between the two situations and their histories (which makes sense since Azerbaijan and Israel have such a cozy relationship, with Israel being one of Azerbaijan’s main arms suppliers in its wars against Armenia and Armenians).
In the end, I decided I wanted to write about something that is more generally going on, and that we’ve seen in Israel’s campaign against Palestinians, Azerbaijan’s campaign against Armenia and Armenians, Russia’s war against Ukraine (which Putin says isn’t ending anytime soon in case you were curious), and other acts of aggression by hostile states and armed groups in what feels like every corner of the globe these days. Everywhere you look, it seems that fascistic states and groups are taking every possible opportunity to try and conquer and kill that which they covet or hate.
We are currently living through what I conceive of as a new “Age of Impunity” in international relations, of which the current assault on Gaza is only one example – though certainly the most egregious and barbaric of the moment. Such ages are not new, and have waxed and waned throughout history, but they all have one core theme in common: during their span, we see a drastic increase in aggression by those states and groups who are determined to hammer home the Thucydidean cliche that “the strong do what they can and the weak suffer what they must.”
But there is a new rub to this tale as old as time. Now, in an age of an increasingly interconnected world via the internet and social media and smart phones and etc., aggressors are not just seeking to prove that might is right, but to gaslight us constantly as they do it, doggedly endeavoring to convince us that this state of affairs is not simply the glib, bleak reality that is allowed to persist in international relations, but is actually good and right and just and fair that those of us that dare question their narrative are insane and sick and even criminal for believing otherwise. To try and add further legitimacy or distance themselves from the acts of information warfare, such aggressors often enlist third parties as well who are aligned to them either ideologically or financially (i.e. they’re paid to).
This combination of consequence free mass violence combined with an aggressive campaign to make you feel insane for not thinking its actually good is enough to make anyone with a moral compass feel actually insane, or to feel incredibly depressed and distraught over it all. Its so easy to feel completely and totally powerless from events such as Gaza and more, boiling over inside with a sense of impotent rage, especially when it seems that all that a key set of individuals and governments would need to do to stop it all – or at least less the impact – is show a modicum of backbone and a slight bit of effort to go along with it, but they don’t.
However, it is important for us all to understand against this backdrop of slaughter, that we are not powerless – not completely. There are limits on our power as “normal” people, absolutely; but we are not totally powerless, and the longer we go on thinking that the longer this Age of Impunity will last – to say nothing of other negative states of affairs we’d rather not stick around. There are actions that we as people can take to try and effect better outcomes. These actions are often indirect, focusing on applying pressure in various forms on those who can actually do something or who can otherwise force someone else to do something, but are none the less impactful and not to be disregarded.
To the end of helping folks not feel powerless in the face of impunity and aggression and giving them a concept through which they can push back on aggression and fascism and authoritarianism worldwide, I’ve crafted an approach of my own. The approach I’ve conceived of is extremely simple, straightforward, broad, long-term and almost certainly incomplete – but a start. So, if the gifts you’re looking to get this holiday season are a shred of hope, a sense of purpose, a modicum of agency, and the ability to actually make an impact upon ongoing global events, let’s open up Santa’s big bag of toys and see what’s inside for all the good little guys, gals, and non-binary pals out there. Ho ho ho.
BLUF: “Don’t Shut Up”
I already warned you that my plan is pretty simple. What I haven’t warned you is that this plan, in a nutshell, may make some people roll their eyes and go “yeah, right, whatever” (or something more impolite), so consider yourself warned of that now.
So, the plan? Don’t shut up. Ok, obviously this is going to need more expounding upon.
To build upon “don’t shut up” in more detail, the plan is simply to not give up voicing your opposition to the unjustifiable acts of aggression going on throughout the world – whoever it is that is undertaking them, whenever they occur, and wherever they occur. This opposition can come in various forms, be it protests and various other forms of activism and civil disobedience, both physical and virtual, but it really can be boiled down to those three words: don’t shut up. Keep talking – shouting, rather – about what’s going on and don’t let people forget what’s going on.
Not to get defensive right off the bat, but I am anticipating some people reading this feeling a bit disappointed, dismissive (maybe to the point of eye-rolling), or frustrated with this simple approach. So I want to take a little time to push back gently before we get more into the nuts and bolts. I’m going to try and not go on for too long with this because I wrote this earlier and fully made half of the essay me being defensive so be thankful I went back to make this part shorter.
First, to those saying “that’s it?” I would say, ‘yes’; but with the caveat that while its a simple answer, its also a simple problem (which I will get into more detail about later). To those saying “that won’t work,” I would say “based on what?” I feel the problem with that strain of preemptive defeatism, dismissiveness, and doomerism are a uniquely American-centric perspective that is focused only on our own experiences – and also, a very recent and limited view of them. All you need to do is look to the rest of the world to see instances where mass movements that refused to be silenced and maintained pressure accomplished the ousting of various dictators and autocrats (I picked relatively recent examples here, but you can look even further back). I know we’re all tired and demoralized and depressed (hence why I’m writing this), but all you need do is widen the aperture a bit and look beyond our shores to see that things are not as hopeless as they seem. That doesn’t mean that there are quick and easy solutions (something else I’ll get into – we’re in this for the long haul), but again, that doesn’t mean that we are powerless and that our actions mean nothing.
Ok, I got my defensive preemptive pushback on doomerism out of the way and I did it in two paragraphs instead of a page and a half. You’re welcome. So let’s actually get into the nuts and bolts.
Using the potential criticism of “that’s it?” as a starting off point, I will concede again that t his is a very simple approach. But, I would also assert that the activity that this approach is crafted to counter is actually fairly simple in its own right when you think about it. It makes sense that a relatively simple problem demands a relatively simple answer (note that just because the idea is simple doesn’t mean the execution will be quick or easy, but we’ll get to that).
Regardless of the approach or the medium through which they are attempting it, in the information sphere, the ultimate goal of an aggressor to is to silence criticism and to boost its own narratives and supporters. If aggressors can’t coerce or cajole you to their side, they’ll settle for getting you to shut up by whatever means are at their disposal – which is just as good to them; it doesn’t matter if they don’t actually have a lot of popular support at home or abroad, but as long as they can silence dissent and criticism and keep their narrative as the main one, they can just keep on doing what they’re doing.
This can take multiple different forms: drowning you out with torrents of useless, twisted, or outright false information, intimidating you through hostility and harassment, depressing you by making you feel weak and powerless and convincing you that there is absolutely nothing that can stop them (potentially giving you a genuine mental breakdown through their gaslighting), and mental and emotional exhaustion from some or all of what was previously described, just to name a few different methods. These methods may be utilized by the aggressors themselves, or through various allies, partners, and proxies – be they other states and organizations various individuals who are consciously or unconsciously boosting the aggressor’s narratives and attacking the aggressor’s detractors. But the end goal of all of these methods remains the same in every case, but in different guises: to shut you up. If the aggressor’s goal is that simple, it make sense that our response doesn’t need to be that complicated either: deny them their objective by simply refusing to be silenced and, in fact, continuously increasing that pressure.
If information is a domain in warfare, it is probably appropriate to think of your role in it not as a soldier in the army of a peer competitors in a high-end conventional fight. Rather, you should think of yourself as a fighter in an insurgent army, and as this information warfare as an insurgency or rebellion or an uprising rather than the information equivalent of a conventional war (at least not at this stage; we have a few more stages of Mao’s guide to get through first in this analogy). If you conceive of it that way, it can make your task seem even more daunting, but then it also can reveal the inherent advantages that we have in our approach and the challenges it creates for an aggressor trying to manage information.
The Cognitive Insurgency of Attrition
I’ve talked about insurgency and counter-insurgency in the physical domains of warfare before at great length, with my main takeaway being that counter-insurgency is almost always a losing game for whoever is acting as the COIN force. Unless they are prepared to make significant political concessions, they are likely to never win; the best they can ever hope for is to not lose – which will require constant fighting and expenditure of resources of all kinds, indefinitely (something that few countries, even reasonably prosperous and powerful ones, can hope to keep up).
Recalling that takeaway, your advantage and the disadvantage of the aggressor becomes clearer. When I said earlier that really all you have to do is not shut up, I really meant it, because as long as you and others refuse to be gaslit and continue to speak out against particular aggression and injustices, the aggressor is failing at the primary objective they have regarding you. As long as you exist and continue to act and speak out, they will continue to have to expend time and resources to try and counter you. The struggle with the aggressor becomes a battle of wills, and by simply continuing to exist and refusing to be silenced, you are wearing them down in a war of attrition. The more they are worn down, the more likely they are to make mistakes and to show more of their true colors, and the full extent of the horror becomes harder and harder for more and more actors (be they people, organizations, states, and etc.) to ignore and turn a blind eye to, and the pressure mounts to take actual action.
This whole approach and the idea of not shutting up and not giving up is closely tied to another idea, which is that “bullying works” (another thing I originally had in a section unto itself, for another peek behind the curtain, but decided it wasn’t dissimilar enough to separate out). As you refuse to be silenced and continue to speak out and apply pressure, one form of that pressure, is in effect, “bullying.” Basically, making sure that those who are either taking part in various acts of aggression or who are facilitating it or supporting indirectly won’t get a moments peace in their lives as long as they continue to do so. They need to be shown that people will not forget what’s going on and will not go away and will be reminding those who are carrying out out aggression or supporting it at every possible opportunity and be making their lives very difficult for as long as it takes and for as much as it takes until change for the better occurs. Remember kids: bullying by punching down (figuratively), is bad; but bullying by punching up (again, figuratively), is not only good, but necessary for a healthy society!
The inherent downside to this overall approach, of course, is that it is a long-term one. This is not a single battle, but a broader campaign in the wider war against aggression and authoritarianism and fascism. This in its own right may be discouraging to some, but also a bitter pill that must be swallowed. To be perfectly clear: this is not me saying that we shouldn’t bother trying to apply pressure and affect change on issues in the short term. To use our primary example of Gaza once more, we should absolutely be trying in the short term to bring more pressure to bear to bring about a lasting ceasefire and greater humanitarian relief and more in Palestine. However, we’d be deluding ourselves if we believed any action we take right now would suddenly and decisively end the occupation and fundamentally change the political status quo in Palestine in the short term.
As discouraging as this reality can be, it should not dissuade us from taking action, but compel us to gear up for the long fight. Much as the right is willing and able to do with its policy goals at home and abroad, we need to undertake more generational and multi-generational efforts to achieve our aims in all areas – especially when it comes to foreign policy and international relations. Like an actual insurgent force fighting an occupying army or authoritarian regime, we must take a long-term view. This long-term view may encompass short term surges and bursts of activity to achieve specific, tangible, secondary and tertiary goals (like a ceasefire, humanitarian aid, or what have you), but its primary goals and planning must be fundamentally protracted in nature.
Even if you understand, agree with, and accept the protracted nature of this approach, that doesn’t mean it can’t still be demoralizing in the short term. However, there are reasons to be optimistic, because if you look around you can see the signs that this approach is already bearing fruit. In the case of Gaza, you can see signs that the dedication to not “shutting up” about the plight of the Palestinian people on the receiving end of Israel’s military campaign in how the Israeli government and its supporters are either becoming more deranged in their defensiveness for their actions, with some Israeli government officials being increasingly mask off about their genocidal intentions towards Palestinians and their homes, as well as increasingly dismissive towards ideas such as the two-state solution – which governments like that of the United States continue to cling to. We also see this in the reaction of some states supportive of Israel, such as the United Kingdom, where now former-Home Secretary Suella Braverman labeled all pro-Palestinian protesters in the country as “hate marchers” (and was fired from her post not long after that).
In other cases, where governments and groups supporting Israel haven’t gone fully deranged, its becoming increasingly difficult for them to look the other way in the face of Israel’s mask-off violence and aggression. Even as US President Joe Biden continues to stand by Israel doggedly and assert its right to “defend itself”, the administration has internally squirmed at Israeli actions (as well as the potential for escalation). While the administration continues to fruitlessly try and have it both ways (which is fundamentally impossible and only wastes time as more civilians die), the fact that they’re even attempting to do that rather than continue to support Israel wholeheartedly shows that the pressure is mounting. This is born out by polls in the United States that show that support for Palestinians is rising. If aggressors and those running support for them are lashing out or are becoming more desperate in their attempts to control the narrative or silence opposition or even have a leg to stand on in their support, those are signs that the pressure that countless regular people are bringing to bear with their humanity is having an impact. Don’t give up now.
I am once again asking you not to give in to despair
We can’t stop everything going on in the world on our own as individuals, that’s true. And posting alone also won’t stop anything – that’s also true (as much as a lot of us wish it would – or convinced ourselves it will). But we are absolutely not powerless, and we must avoid falling into that trap, or the aggressors win right off the bat.
You are fighting in one particular campaign in a much wider war against aggression and fascism and authoritarianism the world over. There are other fronts that exist now and there will be more in the future – both physical, and virtual. But combat of various sorts (literal and figurative) will be required on all of them in order to achieve successes. It is a collective effort; we are are all in this together, in numerous different ways. To crib a line from the trade union anthem Solidarity Forever: “yet what force on earth is weaker than the feeble strength of one, but the union makes us strong.”
The broader struggle against fascism and aggression will be a long war, and all likelihood, it will likely never end in an absolute victory, and only be one in a series of wars and struggles to come (again, both figurative and literal). As I’ve always said in my writing, part of the reason I’m sure people like me will still have a job even in a better world is because there will always be authoritarian aggressors of some kind who can convince others to fight and die for them in service of their rancid ideology and hatred (hence why I say a “better world” and not a “perfect” one). But even if we there will always be another enemy around the corner in some shape or form, we can set ourselves up to be stronger, smarter, more united, more compassionate, and better prepared for the additional struggles and wars ahead.
I’d be remiss if I didn’t point out that everything I just talked about isn’t exclusively for responding to acts of aggression abroad, but is perfectly applicable at home as well. The approach that I’ve laid out can be applied to fascist aggressors of the domestic political variety, just as much as they can be applied to aggressor states and groups overseas engaging in armed aggression. In the United States in particular, we face an ever increasing war from within. Even if the political crisis in the United States doesn’t escalate to the level of a full scale civil war (something that I certainly don’t want, that I imagine most sane people don’t want, and something we should all work to avoid), we still find ourselves in an American Years of Lead situation at bare minimum that will very likely only get worse as we approach the 2024 election. Again, we can see some promising signs that these approaches are actually working, from the progressive gains that have been made in recent off-year elections on matters such as abortion, legalization of marijuana, and other progressive causes – many of which have been in response to right-wing forces doubling down on their extreme positions in desperation as normal people increasingly point out and deride their “sicko” behavior and refuse to let it go unanswered.
However, as heartening as these victories are, polling shows that the 2024 election is looking increasingly fraught, and nothing should be taken for granted in the eleven months that remain before election day 2024 – especially as former-President Donald Trump has been perfectly blunt about what his plans are if he makes it back into the White House (to say nothing of the coterie of other sickos and chuds that he will put into positions of power in his administration if he wins). While far from the only tool at your disposal, the approach I have laid out previously for pushing back on the narratives of fascism, authoritarianism and aggression abroad may very well make a real difference in the rhetorical and political battles against those same insidious forces at home. Keep that in mind on the road to November 5th, 2024 (or, if you live outside the United States, to road to whatever political battles you have to face in the near future).
We live in particularly bleak times in general, there’s no arguing that. This current Age of Impunity we find ourselves in has no shortage of dictators, tyrants, and fascists who are eager to take advantage of global instability and shifting geopolitics to take things they’ve long coveted, settle scores and seek revenge, and carry out a laundry list of other heinous acts. But even in those acts of aggression, we can find hope. For example, in Myanmar, a diverse coalition of varied ethnic groups – spearheaded by young people – are pushing the fascist junta back on its heels in that country’s civil war. While their battle is far from over, the progress they’ve made in recent weeks since launching a new offensive against the junta has been remarkable. Wherever we can, we need to grab onto examples of maintaining persistence, applying pressure, and not giving up hope – whether its on literal battlefields, or political and ideological ones. We need to take the progress and victories where we can, to remind us why we’re doing any of this at all: because we believe a better world is not only possible, but necessary and inevitable. It is on that note, I leave you on this last essay of 2023. I’ll be back with another by mid-March at the absolute latest for the first essay of 2024 (God only knows what I’ll be writing about by then, but we’ll see where Mr. Bones’ Wild Ride takes us all). For those of you who are celebrating, I wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy Holiday Season, and also a Happy New Year to you all. Please, wherever and whenever you’re able, even while you all try to keep up the struggle, try to find some time to rest and be kind to yourself because we all need that. See you in 2024. Stay safe.
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sueandpeaches · 2 years
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WHERE YOU CAN MAKE DONATIONS FOR ARMENIA
kooyrigs: They’ve been carrying out on-ground projects to help Syunik and Artsakh communities ever since the 2020 war in Armenia.
All for Armenia
Miaseen
Center for Truth and Justice : Established in November 2020 in response to the Nagorno-Karabakh war. Team of lawyers and legal professionals that preserve evidence and make it accessible for current or future proceedings, whether in Armenia or abroad.
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internationem · 1 month
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240213: finally reading "a peace to end all peace" by David Fromkin, a book about Britain's role in the formation of the Middle East during and after World War I and the fall of the Ottoman Empire. Haven't advanced enough to make a nuanced review however, so far I've been liking it a lot since it offers a nice view of British interests in the region, how this affected policy making.
SOTD: jimin - closer than this
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drewwwwww · 1 month
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Unfinished Thoughts on The Arc of The Moral Universe
I’m gonna sound crazy but since I’ve been alive I’ve always firmly believed there’s more good people in the world than bad people and that people are naturally good, despite self interest.
But the world is at a point where international affairs are more polarized than ever. If you read War is A Racket, you understand the history of the military industrial complex’s marriage with corporations and how that result in unchanging foreign policy.
The solutions are not easy. Yet the further we go, the west and global powers, the harder it is to correct our path. I reflect back to Dr King:
And another reason that I'm happy to live in this period is that we have been forced to a point where we're going to have to grapple with the problems that men have been trying to grapple with through history, but the demand didn't force them to do it. Survival demands that we grapple with them. Men, for years now, have been talking about war and peace. But now, no longer can they just talk about it. It is no longer a choice between violence and nonviolence in this world; it's nonviolence or nonexistence.
That is where we are today. And also in the human rights revolution, if something isn't done, and in a hurry, to bring the colored peoples of the world out of their long years of poverty, their long years of hurt and neglect, the whole world is doomed. Now, I'm just happy that God has allowed me to live in this period, to see what is unfolding. And I'm happy that He's allowed me to be in Memphis.
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drowningin-fantasies · 2 months
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did anyone have the chance to download any lrcee fics that aren't IA, IR, and I have a longing? still kicking myself for not reading the rest of her work when it was posted 🙃
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cavalierzee · 11 months
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Are We Your Slaves?
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The only reason Imran Khan is having all these problems is because he wouldn't kiss the US's behind. When the US asked him for military bases in Pakistan he said "absolutely not". When they pushed him to condemn Russia's SMO he said "are we your slaves?"
Hassan Mafi
Via: Twitter
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thepeopleinpower · 2 months
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“Just because it’s not on your own doorstep doesn’t make it right”
We Need More Bricks - Neck Deep
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politijohn · 1 year
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Source
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workersolidarity · 6 months
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🇵🇸🇮🇱 Footage from Hamas desecrating the Israeli flag as militants raid illegal Israeli settlements.
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delulu-with-wandanat · 5 months
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International Affair (Pt.4)
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Last
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Reader Description: Masculine style, They/He, AFAB, International Student, 20 Years Old. Sometimes will be describe using masculine terms (man, boy, handsome, etc)
Pairings: Wanda Maximoff x InternationalStudent!Reader
Warnings 18+: Specified age gap (Wanda is 34), NFSW content, Mommy kink.
Summary: After their little "barista lesson", they both agreed to have an affair. There were some rules and it's fairly straightforward. However, Y/n is having difficulty on following their agreement.
Ever since that day Y/n had been spending more and more time at the Maximoff household, behind the reason of "side hustles". The neighbors don't seem to be suspicious, they knew Wanda's husband was rarely home so she probably needed the extra help. And Y/n would constantly offer his services around the neighborhood.
It was the perfect cover.
They've established a few rules of course, such as; Their relationship is strictly casual, no PDA (for obvious reasons), and if one of them started to develop feelings for the other, the affair will stop immediately. I'm sure you see where this is headed. At first Y/n thought it was going to be a breeze, as they've had been in a few casual relationships before. Even if they did develop feelings it was just merely a small crush, something you'd forget in less than a few weeks.
But for some reason, he found himself more and more drawn to Wanda Maximoff. They couldn't pinpoint on how or why, all they knew was that they're fucked.
Perhaps maybe it was because of her gorgeous green eyes? Her beautiful looks? Maybe simply because of her flirty personality?
Or maybe it’s because of the way Wanda treats him. Despite their relationship being casual, Wanda is an absolutely wonderful woman. Perhaps it was the natural mother instinct in her. She would cook them dinner, compliment them for all the good work they did, hell sometimes even bringing them lunch secretly at the cafe.
Sometimes Y/n wonders, if perhaps, maybe, even just a tiny bit, Wanda feels the same way.
This morning the sun creeps in through the blinds, Y/n was slowly waking up. He had stayed over after last night's session. The blissful sound from Wanda's throat still fresh in their mind, they had to quickly shook it off before they started getting ideas. Next to them lies a beautiful woman, still sleeping peacefully. Y/n smiled at the sight. Wanda looked so beautiful, absolutely etheral. He made a move to get out the bed, careful not to wake her up. She stirred slightly, but thankfully her eyes were still closed. Y/n carefully made their way down to the kitchen.
The boys was having another sleepover, so naturally Wanda invited Y/n over. Normally he would leave the same night, but last night was just... well no need for explanation.
After a few minutes, Wanda finally woke up. Her hand tried to search for her companion but ultimately found an empty space on the other side of the bed. She felt a slight disappointment, she sighed and propped herself up. The sun washing over her naked body making her look like an absolute goddess. The bedroom door opened and she was slightly startled, she quickly cover her upper body but smiled in relief to find out it was just Y/n.
Who's holding... a tray of breakfast?
He beamed at her, "Good morning sleeping beauty!"
"Good morning to you, handsome. What's that?"
"Care for some breakfast in bed?" They said while rising up the tray a little bit. 'They're so adorable' Wanda thought.
"Oh darling, how sweet of you. I wouldn't say no to that." She patted the empty space beside her, the movement caused the blanket covering her chest to fall. Y/n averted their gaze, Wanda laugh in amusement.
"Oh- sorry."
"What you don't like them? You didn't seem to have any problem last night." She teased.
They approached the empty side of the bed and lay the tray down gently beside Wanda. He carefully joined her, still trying not to look... somewhere in particular.
"Oh come on, love. You can have a look." Her voice raspy in the morning, she leaned a little closer to grab some bacon off the plate. She took a bite, there was a faint smirk while she does so.
"You're enjoying this way too much." They said with a rather timid smile.
"I do. But I enjoyed last night the most." Images from the night before came flooding back to him, seems like Wanda noticed how red he got as she laughs. They looked down, and unconsciously their eyes shifted where it shouldn't. They prayed Wanda hadn't notice, but her little hum says otherwise. "Eyes up here, pretty boy."
When he raised his line of sight, the two locked eyes. Wanda had a mischievous glint in her eyes, but Y/n was too caught up in the way the sun light up those green orbs.
Holy shit I'm in love.
"I could get lost in your eyes." They blurted out.
Wanda rolled her eyes playfully and chuckles, "Wow, very original Y/n."
"Yet it's true."
"Thank you dear, and thank you for the breakfast in bed. My husband never does this. It feels very nice." Right, she's married. It was times like these where Y/n had forgotten the nature of their relationship.
"Well... I think he should do this more often"
"That I agree with you." She sighed, grabbing some more breakfast with her fork. "All he cares about is his stupid job, barely has anytime for his own family."
"Sorry if I'm over stepping, but why are you with him if he's so neglectful?" They carefully asked.
Wanda thought for a second, "Because part of me still loves him, I still remember the days when we were young and madly in love with each other." She smiled at the memories. Y/n felt a pang of jealousy. "I guess I'm still holding on hope that he would be the same as he used too."
Y/n listened intently, as much as this was somewhat hurting him. They wanted to be a friend to Wanda.
"But it seems like he's not changing anytime soon, despite me having the conversation with him so many times before. So I'm fulfilling my needs elsewhere." She explained, accompanied with a flirty wink as she took another bite of her breakfast.
They understand, her love for her husband was still there. This made him feel rather disappointed and upset when it really shouldn't have, their relationship was nothing but sex. Y/n tried to mask his sadness and thankfully Wanda hadn't noticed. "I'll gladly provide your needs, Wanda."
"Oh you have darling, and you have exceeded my expectations." She noticed they haven't took a single bite of breakfast. "Are you not going to eat?"
"I thought It would be rude of me to grab some for my own without asking for your permission." They scratch the back of their neck while smiling sheepishly.
"Don't be silly, Y/n." Wanda grabbed some of the scrambled eggs and fed him some, "Eat."
They obliged and took a bite, giving her a thankful nod. Christ their mommy issues is acting up again. "Thank you." Wanda insisted on feeding him some more, but he declined. Other wise they'll start acting up.
"I better get going, my shift starts in less than 2 hours." Y/n made a move to stand up but Wanda halted their movement.
"You should at least eat some more, Y/n."
"I'll be fine, Wanda. I'll just eat during my lunch break. I have to get back and take a shower as well."
"You can just use my bathroom dear."
"Really it's fine-"
She groans, god this boy really is stubborn. In truth she had other plans in mind. "How about I provide you a different kind of breakfast?"
"Oh please you don't have to cook I-" Stubborn and dense apparently, Wanda thought.
She pulled him closer and whispers seductively in their ear, "It doesn't require any cooking, sweetheart." Fuck.
"Wanda..."
She hushed him with a kiss, "Do mommy a favor, will you?" Wanda slowly pulled them back to sit on the bed, their back resting against the headboard. She maneuvered herself to sit on their lap. With the blanket being forgotten, her nude body was on full display. Even though they've seen her naked many times before, it never fails to leave them speechless.
"Last night was... somethings else." Her hands started exploring their chest, roaming up and down. She leaned down to capture their lips in a sensual kiss. It was slow and so full of lust, Y/n's hand reached up to squeeze Wanda's thigh making her gasp. The kiss gets heated as her tongue requested for entrance to which Y/n grants without hesitation.
Their tongues clashing with one another and Y/n manages to gain dominance, Wanda moaned in delight. His hand cupper her breast and started playing with her sensitive buds. Her breath became rigid, her hand trailed up to grab a handful of their short hair and gave it a light tug, breaking their kiss.
The two locked eyes once more, "You're absolutely breathtaking..."
Wanda blushed slightly at the compliment. They really do fill the care, love and lust that she seek from her husband. "Such a sweetheart, aren't you?" Her other hand cupped their face and lets her thumb drags down their lips. "You say this to every women you slept with?" Her tone was playful.
"No." There was sincerity in his eyes, he leaned up to trail soft kisses on her jaw. “Only you, Wanda.” Continuing down to her neck and the swell of her breast.
“Flattery wont get you anywhere-“ Wanda inhaled sharply when she felt warm mouth encircling her sensitive nipple. Their tongue moves expertly, switching between sucking softly and trailing their tongue around it. The action erupted a loud moan from her throat, fuck she sounds absolutely delightful.
Wearing no undergarments, her arousal leaks onto her inner thighs. Wanda arched her back even further into his mouth when she felt his other hand started playing with her left breast. She can’t take it anymore. “Fuck Y/n-”
“Yes?” They stopped their movement and looked up to her.
“Take off your shirt and lay down." She demanded while tugging the shirt covering his chest, the younger one obliged. The two shifted their position with Y/n now laying on their back with a pillow supporting their head, and Wanda sitting comfortably on their stomach. His mind was clouded when he felt her wetness coating his skin. They let out a shaky breath, Wanda noticed and moved her hips slowly while smirking down at them. "You feel that baby?"
He nodded, hands gripping her thighs to guide her movement. She moaned at the action, her hand trailed up to her breast and she starts to play with herself, giving them a show.
"Wanda..." His eyes drops slightly, feeling hazy at the way she was able to grind smoothly against his stomach.
"Enjoy the show while it last, darling."
Looks like Y/n will have to call in late to work.
——————————
For the next few days, Y/n had been contemplating on whether or not they should confess their love for Wanda. The feeling he had for her only grew stronger each day, they couldn't keep it to themselves anymore. So this afternoon, when he was 'hired' for another side hustle with Wanda, he decided to just rip the band-aid open.
They might've, jusstt a little bit, had shared some information to their co-worker, Kate, at the Cafe whom he had now become friends with. She was the one who encouraged him to take the leap. She said, “I mean, if it’s so casual she wouldn’t be this nice right?!” It could be that his friend is equally as delusional as he is, but hey one can dream right? At the very least if she doesn't feel the same, he can't say he didn't try.
He stood on her doorstep with her favorite dessert, one that she had always ordered from the Cafe. They let out a deep breath before knocking. Wanda opened the door enthusiastically, "I was wondering when you'd show. Come on in, Y/n." He stepped into the house he had grown accustomed too.
Wanda led him into the kitchen and leaned against the counter. Before she could speak, the package in his hand caught her eyes. "What's that?" She asked.
"Oh I uh... I brought you your favorite dessert from the Cafe." They said with a sheepish smile.
"Agatha's infamous Creme Brûlée?" She took the package from him, "Y/n you didn't have too." She smiled sweetly at him.
"I wanted too." He returned her smile. Wanda went to grab a small spoon.
"Well then, we must share. Sit with me, dear." They both sat on the stool, Wanda took a spoonful of the dessert and hover it in front of his face. "Have the first bite." She said with her sweet smile, fuck how could her not fall in love with that.
He took a bite and hummed, "Oh now I see why you like it so much." Wanda took a spoonful for her own and closed her eyes in delight when she ate the dessert.
"I have great taste." She said cheekily. They both stayed silent for a few moments with Wanda occasionally feeding him desserts. Y/n decided it was time.
"Wanda, can I talk to you about something?" They asked.
"Mmm, before you get to that, I want to talk about why I called you in today." Y/n nodded and let her continue. "I need you to help me cook for my husband." Ah fuck, they felt a pang in their heart again. "Vision is coming home this evening and I want to surprise him with my infamous paprikash." She said with a lot of excitement.
Wanda moved around the kitchen island to prepare dinner. "That's wonderful news!" Y/n said with faux enthusiasm.
"It certainly is, love! Now, shall we get started?" She said looking back at the young man. Y/n stood up and started preparing dinner with her.
The whole process of making paprikash was rather... chaotic you could say? The two couldn't help but to joke around while they cook, music was playing in the background, and as much as Y/n is talented in pretty much everything, cooking was probably their greatest weakness.
Wanda laughs as she saw how much Y/n was struggling to cut the onions. "Here let me guide you, dear." She moved to stand behind him and guided his hand to chop in properly. "Honestly at this point I think you're faking being a terrible chef."
Y/n chuckles at that. "And what if I am? I don't see you complaining."
Wanda hummed in agreement, the two continued to cook. It didn't take long, all they had to do now was wait for the chicken and the sauce to simmer. Y/n was leaning against the counter on their back, observing her. She looked absolutely beautiful. Wanda grab a wooden spoon to taste the sauce, "Mmmm, that's perfect."
"It smells delicious, Wanda." He complimented with a soft smile, Wanda returned it.
"Here, have a taste." When he was about to take a sip of the sauce, some of it spilled onto his shirt. "Shit-"
Wanda laughs and put the wooden spoon back into the pot whilst turning off the stove, she picked up a napkin and got into their personal space. "I got it, my love."
With their close proximity, Y/n was able to study her face further. Even though they had been doing so for a while, they couldn't help but to take in every detail they could each time. She had her eyes focused on his chest, cleaning up the mess she made. Her brows furrowed slightly, as she tried to get the stains as best as she could. They didn't know how much time had passed by, eventually Wanda's eyes locked with his.
There is tension between them, but it was somewhat different. It didn't feel sexual, was it... romance? Y/n was looking at her with such intense eyes, Wanda couldn't help the rapid beating in her chest. Why was that? He was nothing but a plaything to her was he??
Because of their height, they towered over her slightly. Subconsciously, Wanda leaned her body against theirs a little. Slowly Y/n leaned in closer, Wanda's breath hitched. Her eyes fluttered close, she waited for his lips to crash with hers.
She waited, but instead she was greeted by a soft kiss on her forehead. Something they did, that Wanda adores. As much as she was seeking fun and pleasure, if she was being honest, she craved this love and attention she lacked from her husband as well. Perhaps even more so than sex.
He pulled back, when she opened her eyes she saw him looking at her with a soft smile. There was a look in their eyes that she couldn't quite pin. Affection, love? Y/n might be able to hide their feelings, but the eyes never lie. And for a second, Wanda got caught up in the moment. She forgot who she was initially married too, whom she was "in love with".
Wanda's hand slowly creeped up slowly from his chest, napkin forgotten on the counter behind him. Her hand found itself cupping their face softly, Y/n's hand naturally rest on her waist. Both of their heart stammering in their chest. Wanda pulled him down slowly, nose brushing, but neither had made the move to sealed their lips together. Both waiting the others to make the move.
So instead, Y/n took the initiative and gave her a soft kiss. This kiss was different from their previous ones, it was slow and sweet, not rough and lustful. Wanda had never felt so loved than in this moment.
Wanda's hand moved to wrap around his shoulder, Y/n pulled her closer by the waist. Perhaps she craved this more than she thought, she almost cried at the feeling of love and affection she hasn't felt in a long time. They both pulled back, breathless. Y/n stared deeply into her eyes with their soft smile. They remained close in each others warmth, resting their foreheads against one another.
"I love you."
Wanda smiled- wait what did he said?
That sentence snapped her back to reality. She pulled back hastily, and Y/n's face fell immediately.
"What did you say?"
Well, no going back now. "I said I love you, Wanda." They repeated, hoping that after moment they had, meant she felt the same.
Wanda stood still for a moment, her mind running like crazy. This can't be happening. "I know I shouldn't, but I can't help it." He pleaded.
She shook her head vigorously, "Y/n, we had an agreement."
"I- I know, I'm aware of that-"
"And I told you many times, I'm married. I'm only interested in sex." But was she?
His heart shattered at her reminder, "Yes, I know. I just- I can't help it, Wanda. I'm sorry." Wanda started pacing around the room, while Y/n stood in place. "Wanda, please..."
"What?!" She said in a frustrated tone. That was the first time she ever raised her voice at him, he was taken aback. "We had an agreement, Y/n. I thought you were more mature than that."
"I- I can't help my own feelings, I'm sorry." Wanda then leaned against the kitchen island in front of him with her arms crossed and an angry look on her face. "I just thought that maybe, you felt the same way."
Wanda scoffed, "Felt the same way?? Y/n I told you many times, I'm not interested in anything more than sex. I'm married with 2 kids, I just want to have a little summer fun. You're nothing but a plaything."
Their heart shattered at her words, he understood he broke their agreement. But he didn’t understand why she had to be so... hurtful with her words. He tried to hold back the tears that was threatening to cover his eyes, he look down at his feet. "You're more to me than that."
"Well... to me you're not."
With every sentence she let out, his heart shattered into a million pieces more.
"I may have needs to be met, but my heart belongs to him."
They closed their eyes and took a deep breath, he opened it and looked up at Wanda with teary eyes. This time the sight almost broke Wanda. She was angry at herself him, but she felt guilty for having to break the younger ones heart.
"Is that the truth?" He asked trough his tears.
No "Yes." She said coldly.
"Am I really nothing but a plaything to you?"
You are so much more than that "Yes, you are. If I wanted to, I could just find another hotshot around town. Someone more mature and who can actually keep their feelings to themselves."
Y/n nodded, they couldn't speak anything anymore. The searing ache in their chest was too much. He felt like if Wanda speak more, his heart would just continue to shatter.
"It's best if we end this and not see each other again." They clenched their jaw, he couldn't hold back the tears that spilled out of his eyes. Wanda had to hold herself from brushing away those tears.
"Yeah... Perhaps that's best." He said with a forced smile. "I hope... I hope you have a nice dinner with him."
She was then reminded of her plan this evening, she took out her phone and noticed a text from Vision. The man she 'loves' was apparently not able to come home today, again. She sighed in frustration. Was this really the man she wanted for the rest of her life?
Y/n noticed her frustration, as it was something she would do whenever Vision canceled his plan to come back home. "Is he not coming today?"
"That's none of your concern." She spat.
Y/n swallowed the slump in their throat. "I should take my leave."
Please stay "That would be best, yes."
He nodded and grab his jacket that was sitting on the kitchen island.
"We should not see each other again, you broke our agreement." Please, don’t leave. I want you in my life.
"I know..." He turned to face Wanda, and mustered up a soft smile. She was everything to him. If he had been the lucky man, they would've dropped everything just to spend time with her.
But instead of a smile, he was greeted with a look of disdain from her.
"I think... I think instead of waiting for a time, he should've make the time for you and your family."
Wanda stayed silent at that.
"I- I truly do, love you, Wanda. I would not hesitate to move heaven and earth for you if you asked. I just hope he does the same."
Wanda took a sharp breath at that sentence. I know you would, and I'll do the same "You're overstaying your welcome."
He nodded with a sad smile. Her heart belonged to another, and they had to respect that. "Have a nice dinner, Wanda. I'll see myself out."
Y/n moved out of her kitchen to the front door, they opened the door as Wanda merely watched from afar. She wanted to run and told them to stay, have dinner with her instead, fill the hole that Vision left.
And just liked that, Y/n is out of her life. She knows she shouldn't feel sad at all. After all, she was the one who told him he was nothing to her.
But at this moment, instead of a hole, her heart felt empty.
Damn i wrote this all the way back a month ago. Anyway it was kinda rushed, but i hope you guys liked it!
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the-peculiar-bi-tch · 9 months
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nah its a group of russian dumbasses calling themselves "Anonymous Sudan". maybe some other assholes paid them, maybe they're just doing it for shits and giggles
Yeah I decided to look and they're almost certainly Russian. The "Sudan" part is what's piquing my interest though because Russian is not a commonly spoken language in Sudan (it didn't even show up as a minority language on Wikipedia) and their Telegram earlier this year was all Russian language. They claimed responsibility for the Reddit DDoS earlier this year as well.
There is a notorious Russian group, Wagner PMC. that operated in Sudan for years before the War in Ukraine. Maybe these guys are connected with Wagner Group in some way? The shit Wagner are doing in Sudan is nasty too, like operating gold mines and training the Rapid Support Forces that rebelled in April. To be clear, Africa was not my area of study in political science, it was usually Western Asia and especially Turkiye.
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sueandpeaches · 1 year
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It’s taken me so long to posts this as it’s discouraging to see actual critical issuess constantly ignored in the ocean of shit in media.
But since 12 December, Azerbaijan has blocked the only road connecting Armenia to Artsakh, resulting in the statistics above. The blockade started as a protest of a group of self-proclaimed “environmental activists”, about which in a separate post that I hope makes you just as sick.
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internationem · 9 months
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230703 ♡ got my grades for a couple of assignments and i did well in both of them yay! today i finally got around to studying for my culture and society final this week and i'm also gonna study some more czech later, probably after i take a nap bc i didnt sleep well last night haha.
sotd: midnight pretenders by tomoko aran
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