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#beware of lies
ketrindoll · 2 years
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How to recognize state-sponsored Russian propaganda
It's no secret that the Russian state, using troll farms and other means, has been spreading deliberate disinformation for years. They are known to be behind the 2016 Presidential election in the US, the Brexit referendum in the UK, and other smaller and bigger events. For example, the EU discovered financial ties between Kremlin and right-wing political figures in Europe, with Marine LePen being openly financially supported by the Russian bank. Their propaganda has been in full force ever since Russia invaded Ukraine and is part of the openly stated Russian war against the West, which Kremlin propagandists and state media describe as being amoral, degraded (referring to LGBTQ+ community rights in particular), and out to destroy the great and traditional Russian state. It's modern, hybrid warfare is set against us every day.
So how to recognize if something you are reading, whether repeated on the news or in social media comments/posts, is Russian propaganda?
It's going to be a long post, unfortunately, as it's directly linked with the DebunkEU.org investigation, but certainly worth reading.
Part 1: Narratives related to war
After Russia invaded Ukraine on the 24th of February, the trolls had a period of unusual silence. But soon enough they picked up where they left off, perhaps even more severely than before. There were a few key points that Russian trolls spread in the comments:
Refugees are all crooks, that are rude to volunteers, steal from their hosts, steal husbands (the latest British tabloid the Sun post seems to perpetuate this story without any credible evidence, other than a Facebook post), etc. Some impersonate registration center employees to spread fake stories about supposed bad characters among the Ukrainian refugees. Such posts are usually the same in every country and are meant to discourage people from helping those in need. Similar tactics were used in regards to Syrian refugees, who fled Russian-bombed Aleppo, but that time it actually worked. Any actual bad-apple cases would get blown out of proportion to paint all refugees as such. It shows the absolute despicable nature of the Russian government - not only do they destroy a country, but they also make sure its citizens are despised wherever they go. (began to spread late February-early March till now)
Questioning national identity + Whataboutism: "What about Liberia/Iraq/Palestine", "Why are you not putting up your own country's flag?" It's to minimize the open support for Ukraine and spread the classic Russian attitude of {if America did it, why can't we?} (began to spread on the 28th of February)
Ukraine is evil: Biolabs in Ukraine, Ukrainians killing Russians in Donbas, and other similar lies are all just poor attempts at justifying the war. (28th of February till now)
The West is to blame: from blaming NATO to saying that it's America, and not actually Ukraine, that is fighting Russia is all part of Russia's general attitude of "fight against the rotten West and Gayrope [gay Europe]". Even though NATO only expanded as a response to Russian aggression and there were no agreements for it not to expand. The reason it pisses the Russian gov off is that it makes it hard for them to restore the USSR borders by swallowing its neighbors. (began to spread early March till now)
Part 2: What Russia wants you to believe
There are three main conspiracy theories that Russia tries to spread to destabilize Western societies and "divide and conquer".
The concept of public safety. This theory questions the very basics of democracy, by trying to prove that a secret group is controlling everything behind the scenes, thus undermining your power as a voter and belief in a democratic system. This group is supposedly making us choose between few, suitable to them, options, and the only way to avoid being part of the system is by removing ourselves from it altogether and assembling into independent societies. The greatest evil is the West and US in particular, meanwhile, Russia is a state that's immune from this and protects traditional values and spirituality. In Europe, this group calls for the return of the USSR, and all around the world, they are recognized for their talks about globalists and praises of figures like Stalin. This propaganda was first spread by the Soviet secret service and has been officially approved by Putin himself.
New World Order. This theory is perhaps the most widespread and accepted. It states that the world is ruled by elites (again, democracy means nothing), who seek to eliminate individual countries and establish a New World Order. It tries to paint many cultural and intellectual figures as members of this organization, and they are behind every major event locally or internationally, from financial crises to unpopular political decisions. This theory began spreading in the 50s and 60s and gained particularly strong traction during the pandemic.
The great reset. This is a theory that exploded in 2020 and states that while the earth is overpopulated, vaccines and other methods can be used as population control to reset the global political system and economics. Klaus Schwab became a figurehead of this conspiracy. Again, Russia somehow is immune to all of this.
Just so you get an idea of how widespread is Russian state-sponsored propaganda, Lithuania, a country with a population of less than 3 million, has identified 105 pro-Russian or propaganda spreading Facebook groups alone, not to mention websites, "news" sites, and individual fake accounts. Most of those are managed by just 8 people. Think how much could be in large countries like America that Russia considers an enemy state. Also, be careful about what you spread regarding Ukrainian refugees, as an example of what happens when misinformation gets out of control can be seen in how Syrian refugees are treated to this day.
Part 3: Trolls
Regarding trolls, another example of a Lithuanian investigation into one of the pro-Russian Facebook groups shows this:
A post is created that spreads fake news, support for Russia, or some shocking new info about Ukrainians.
In two days, 227 comments are left under the post.
2571 comments are left right after the Bucha massacre.
484 users posted those comments.
400 reacted positively to "Bucha is fake" posts.
An unusually large amount of comments were either a direct/poor translation or in Russian.
Most of the comments were written by fake accounts. One of such accounts wrote 9 comments in just 21 seconds.
What does it tell us? Most of the traction in pro-Russian or misinformation groups is coming from Russia, troll farms in particular. Also, there is no point to argue with them. A bot that posts 9 comments under different posts in just 21 seconds is not going to read your replies or answer them. The best course of action is to report the comment. Facebook is notorious for not giving a shit, but if enough people will report both the comment and the profile, chances of those getting taken down will massively increase. Don't just scroll by, report both the comment and the user.
Also, follow the money. Facebook ads are not cheap, and if you see someone promoting their conspiracy ideas, think about how they got the cash. In a small country like Lithuania for a politician or supposedly freelance journalist to have 10'000-16'000 euros for ads is highly suspicious. It rings true everywhere - from QAnon to others, how can they afford to promote themselves, to buy domains, to support a large team, etc. Basically, follow the money.
And for goodness sake, stop watching those random YouTube videos as a source of truth.
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honeybunchesobees · 1 year
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woe, low quality lis memes be upon ye
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anna-naray · 4 months
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A little info about my Angel's Friends au source material! .3.
I know that many people are more familiar with the tv series about this franchise, but before, everything started with a ✨comic books serie in 2007!✨ I'm a huge fan of the AF comic's universe since then and my entire au is based on it!
If you're interested in reading it, @everafterrebel translated all the published comic chapters! (There are also three nice short story books of Angel's Friends, but they were only been translated in russian so far!) Unfortunately the story never had a proper ending (cause' the serie was stopped due to the cartoon's project) and the scans are not easy to find online, but if you're interest to know more about it, feel free to knock at my door!! I'm always excited to talk about this lost gem (which I dearly treasure in my home' bookcase and heart)!!🌸
Also thank you so much for the appreciation about my Angel's Friends au so far! 🫶 More will arrive soon! Stay tuned!🔥
GO READ THE COMIC BOOKS!!!!
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omgpurplefattie · 1 month
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WIP Wednesday
I have two WIPs I am writing at the moment, the Mysterious Lotus Casebook Star Trek AU and the last instalment of my modern AU; so have a bit of both:
from Tomb Raiding for Beginners, chapter 5:
Fang Duobing dragged his eyes back up to the Klingon’s face, his almost translucent eyes of a color like warm amber, and his very insolent smirk. “You’re A-Fei,” he said, lamely. “Li Lianhua made oven gloves from parts of your uniform, and your AI runs our ship. He’s a very excellent AI and does a great job. Well done, A-Fei.” Fang Duobing stood, and stretched. Li Lianhua was picking up books from around the room, but only very few of them ended up in his bag. Apparently, his boasts about knowing ancient Nanyin had not been exaggerated. “Why don’t you take those?” Fang Duobing asked when Li Lianhua put several slim green volumes back down. “This was the command center of a science station,” Li Lianhua said. “What books do you think they would have had on hand? Manuals of emergency protocols, references for programming languages or communication codes. Very interesting for researchers, I am sure, but not really useful for me. I am already taking everything on stellar cartography as well as references to non-Nanyin languages.” “Programming languages please,” A-Fei said, holding out his hand. Li Lianhua handed him a hefty stack of dog-eared books which the Klingon took without flinching. “I am going to re-integrate my AI using Nanyin machinery,” he explained to Fang Duobing, “so all references are useful. I don’t want to harm your friend Wuyan. My own copy hasn’t gained sentience.” So that was the copy Li Lianhua had mentioned earlier. “Your copy was in the cat? The cat is an electronic device, not a person?” “Congratulations,” Li Lianhua said, “the contestant gets 99 points. For a hundred points, he might win a sonic toothbrush.” A-Fei threw a small book at him; Fang Duobing followed with half a broken Nanyin pen from a nearby console. “Good to see you have a similar opinion about his sense of humor,” A-Fei nodded. “We’ll be able to get on, aboard your so-called ship.”
from Detoxify, chapter 31:
Lan Hui had a secret passion for old cartoons where animal people did ridiculously dangerous things to each other and still weren’t hurt at the end; but he could see why the grown-ups didn’t think them valuable for building, well, their kids’ values, so green-haired wood sprites it was. He had a little TV on the computer in his own room now, and there he could watch silly old animal cartoons about greedy cats and clever mice with A-Liu as much as they both liked. “If you feel that A-Liu is uneasy about something you are watching, stop the show,” A-Fei had explained, “otherwise, just go ahead and watch fun things instead of educational ones.” A-Fei knew best how to take care of a kid that had been unhappy in their life before, because he had been unhappy in a very similar way when he was a kid, which was a long time ago and in China. “And look what a great guy you have become!” Lan Hui had said, and A-Liu had giggled and hugged A-Fei. A-Fei, whom he ought to call Di-gege because he was a grown-up, but he’d first heard of him as A-Fei, back on Halloween in the coffee shop near where Teddy’s dad lived. A-Fei who didn’t really like kids because when he had been a kid, all the kids around him had been little monsters, and so had he been (he said). But on both points, exceptions were made for Lan Hui, and now also for Feng Yangliu, who was called A-Liu for short.
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So the writer's strike is over, now the actor's strike is over, and Netflix is punishing their fans and all the people who make their shows actually possible reacting to these oh-so-serious budget adjustments by arbitrarily axing five shows at once. And if they want to play the 'woe is me, i just has no monies' card, cue their latest quarterly report:
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Remember, kids, companies aren't allow to lie in their quarterly reports because that information is intended for their shareholders. They can lie to YOU all they want, but they go to Actual Prison if they lie to rich people.
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Here's the link for the full article, if you care, which is backed up by many other reputable news sources if you want to get tetchy about it being from 'The Hollywood Reporter':
So all this to say, you good, 'Shadow and Bone' fandom? Rough times, getting invested in a Netflix show; we've all been there. Hope y'all are doing well <3
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cyhaino · 2 years
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liroyalty · 2 months
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She will, scatterburst & trigger happy the world.
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blackbird0blog · 1 year
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Avatar(ATLA) Fanfiction
With Friends Like These
Summary: Two years after the war, Fire Lord Zuko has consolidated his hold of the Dragon Throne, having purged the court and earned the tentative support and respect of his people. But the more united the Nation becomes, the more wary the other kingdoms grow, and the fragile peace is threatened by an incendiary rumour that has spread through the colonies; a rumour which could light the spark of another war. Together, Team Avatar must piece together a broken world.
A group of teenagers competently ruling the most powerful nation in the world and striving for world peace while simultaneously being idiots. Team Avatar in a nutshell.
Chapter 1: The Rulers of Fire
The Caldera during a late summer evening was pleasantly cool as the sun gave way to the moon in the darkening sky. The palace was resplendent and grand, the gardens peaceful and sparsely populated as courtiers left the centre of governance for their homes as the day drew to a close. A few lingered behind to chat with their fellow ministers.
“-can't believe our great nation has come to this.” A man partially hidden behind a tree was saying to a fellow governor, one who didn't look enthusiastic to be part of the conversation. “A foreign witch traipses around the homeland, mudslingers root loyal nobles from their homes, and schoolgirls in face paint swagger about the palace halls!” The old, ranting man released a puff of steam from his nostrils. “The Fire Lord fills the positions of most importance with foreign harlots!”
The minister he was talking to looked positively alarmed at his words. “Watch what you’re saying Chen! You sound like Ozai’s supporters,” he hissed warningly.
“Don’t mix me in with them,” Chen sneered. “If they haven’t been rooted out by the Beifong bitch, they’ve gone so deep into hiding they won’t crawl out for years.” Reluctant admiration crept into his voice. “Even if she’s a little girl, the Fire Lord knew what he was doing when he hired her. But the rest of them!”
“Lady Mai is Fire Nation.”
“A sixteen-year-old,” Chen scoffed. “The Fire Nation is being ruled by a group of teenage girls!”
Standing behind the gossiping nobles with his arms crossed, Fire Lord Zuko was scowling.  
“I didn’t realise I was a girl, much less a group of them. But you know what they say, you learn something new every day.”
Zuko’s sarcastic interjection made Minister Chen jolt upright like he’d been shot with lightning. Despite the lightness of Zuko’s words, the ambient temperature rose several degrees as the fire in his chest burned at the insult to his friends. The man’s colleague paled, stepped a large step away from Chen and bowed.
“My Lord!” The guilty courtier spun around with fearful eyes and dropped to his knees. “I meant you no offence!”
“No,” Zuko agreed, not asking him to rise. “You meant offence to my honoured guests. Those teenage girls are bending masters, ambassadors, and experienced warriors who fought in the war, who now contribute to the stability of our great nation. They are more than worthy of your respect and admiration. The next time you say such will be the last time you speak before me at all.”
“Yes, my Lord. Thank you for your mercy my Lord!” He kowtowed in the traditional Fire Nation supplication, face pasty white, holding the position until Zuko swept by. The clatter of the courtier’s feet and the patter of the Kiyoshi warriors followed in his wake.
Minister Chen would be useful as bait in case Ozai’s supporters contacted him, and if he didn’t change his ways then he would lose his voice in court forever. Zuko had dismissed minsters from his court for insulting his friends before. If the insult was vile enough, he had outright banished them in the age-old, favourite tradition of the Fire Lords. Being permanently barred from politics had crushed the dreams and aspirations of more than a handful of them before the rest wised up.
They entered Zuko’s study after a short walk through the palace halls, and Zuko sat behind his desk, Suki and one of her warriors taking positions at his back.
“You were saying, Minister Qin?”
The older man cleared his throat. “The last of our factories that were causing negative effects on the environment have been closed. We are temporarily employing their workers to clean the pollution, but that is only a temporary solution. The lost jobs from the factory closures will have to be replaced.”
The former War Minister Qin now served as Zuko’s Technology Minister, no longer stealing from the mechanic of the Northern Air Temple but maintaining and improvising upon what they had for purposes other than war. To say Qin had been against this turn of events was an understatement.
Zuko nodded in acknowledgement then turned to the other minster who was as far from Qin’s image as possible. Not only was the Minister of Justice a woman, she was also as least three decades younger.
“Lady Beifong and the Dai Li have apprehended the late Admiral Zhao’s family and are transporting them to the Caldera pending their trial.”
He knew that already. Zuko raised a brow, wondering where she was going with this.
“Admiral Zhao committed great crimes against the spirits, and there are many who believe a harsher punishment may appease them.” Zuko noted that Minister Ran avoided saying whether she agreed with this sentiment.
“The Fire Lord ended the practice of familial exterminations,” Minister Qin interjected, to Zuko’s great surprise. The man was as recalcitrant as he was unfortunately competent and had never supported Zuko in anything, especially if it went against tradition. Suddenly speaking up now was entirely out of character.
“Yes,” Zuko said a beat late. “So long as the Zhaos are not found guilty of criminal acts, they will be released with compensation for the rough handling.” He turned to Minister Qin. “I want that plan for adapting our existing technologies for agricultural use by next week at the latest.”
“Yes my Lord.” The man bowed, and Zuko was surprised again. Where was the dragging of feet, the excuses for the delays, the recalcitrant attitude and veiled disrespect? After another brief pause he turned back to the Justice Minister.
“Minster Ran, prepare for the Zhaos’ trial. Speak with Lady Mai and make sure they are not mistreated in the meantime. Dismissed.”
His ministers made the flame with their hands and bowed, backing from the room. Zuko let out a dragging sigh, beyond relieved the day’s work was coming to an end.
“I thought I would be happy the day Minister Qin agreed with me,” Zuko grumbled, slipping out the sharp cadences of fire nobility to the common earth kingdom vernacular, slumping in his chair. “But his sudden change of heart doesn’t bode well.”
Suki nodded thoughtfully, her scrutinising gaze lingering on the door. She had learnt to speak the common fire nation tongue in prison but was still working on the dialect the nobility used.
“It is odd,” the Kiyoshi warrior agreed. I feel he’s had a change of heart about you. But at the same time Qin’s too stuck in his ways and I don’t think he’s changed his ideals at all.”
“That’s what worries me. Why does it seem like he’s having a huge misunderstanding about my intentions?” Zuko’s question was directed to Suki but another voice answered him.
“Uh, he kind of is.”
Perched on the windowsill was a familiar figure in yellow and orange robes.
“Aang!”
The Avatar hopped off the balcony railing and landed lightly on his feet, grinning.
“You shouldn’t be sneaking in, it’s bad for security,” Suki scolded, though she didn’t sound too upset.
“It’s good to see you Aang,” Zuko greeted, “but I thought we were going to meet at the Summit?”
“Hehe sorry Suki. And that was the plan,” Aang agreed, “but I have a lot to tell you so we decided to drop by first.”
The door to Zuko’s study slammed open before he could ask what the airbender meant, and in stalked Toph, Mai close on her heels.
“I thought I felt your toes, Twinkletoes,” Toph greeted him with a playful punch before laying down on the couch and rudely putting her feet up on the arm rest.
Aang complained about the nickname while rubbing his shoulder and Suki smiled at her fellow Kiyoshi warrior. “Take the night off, Ying. The Fire Lord will be safe with us here.”
“You got it captain.” The young woman saluted cheerfully, bumping into someone as she was leaving. “Oh, hello Katara, Sokka.”
“Hi Ying,” Katara’s voice sounded as she rounded the corner. “Look who I found stealing fire flakes from your kitchen.”
“I’ve been flying all day and Zuko doesn’t mind,” Sokka protested, entering the study just behind his sister.
“Sokka!” Suki beamed, rushing to greet her boyfriend. “You flew in with Aang?”
The water tribesman smiled dopily back at her, dropping a kiss on her painted lips. “Yep, I was in Gaoling organising trade deals when I bumped into him coming down from Omashu.”
Toph tensed. “Gaoling?”
“Yeah.” Sokka grimaced. “The trades are actually with your family. They didn't mind dealing with our tribe, but they also haven’t changed their stance on… uh, other stuff.”
Toph sneered, crossing her arms. “No surprise there.”
“Yeah.” Sokka coughed awkwardly. “They, um, also ascribe to some of the weirder rumours that’s been going around the Earth Kingdom.”
“More rumours?” Katara asked, rolling her eyes.
“Yeah, that’s what we came to talk to you about, Zuko,” Aang said awkwardly.
He scoffed. “What now? Are they saying I eat babies for breakfast or something?”
“No, no,” Toph said, her voice full of laughter. “Zuko only eats raw meat because he’s actually a dragon pretending to be human, except he’s really bad at it. That’s why he’s so awkward all the time.”
“Oi!”
“Uh no. Nothing about food preferences this time. They kinda think you’re an evil mastermind who’s planning to take over the world via diplomacy?” the monk’s voice lilted upwards apologetically.
Zuko snorted humorously and Toph outright laughed. “Sparky? A mastermind? Zuko couldn’t mastermind his way out of a paper bag!”
The girls all joined in the laughter, even Mai smiled.
“Hey!” he protested, though it was half-hearted at best. “I could totally be a mastermind!”
They laughed harder, all except for Aang and Sokka.
Katara’s eyes widened. “You’re not joking?”
The airbender winced. “No, they really think Zuko’s trying to take over the Earth Kingdom, only using diplomacy and scheming instead of force.”
“That’s why Ozai’s old supporters that we couldn’t get rid suddenly became helpful!” Suki burst out. “Do they also believe that nonsense?”
It had been seriously getting to them, thinking Zuko’s more treacherous ministers were planning something sinister. If it was them just tricking themselves by listening to nonsense rumours then that would be great, but problems rarely ever resolved themselves so easily for Zuko. And by rarely he meant never.
Zuko shook his head. “No way, I’m never that lucky. They’re definitely planning something.”
“No,” Sokka shook his head, “I think they might actually believe the rumours.”
“But they’ve met me. They know I’m not some evil mastermind!”
Becoming Fire Lord had not improved Zuko’s people skills.
“I'm not sure they do,” Aang said apologetically. “And it’s not just the Fire Nation, the rumour started in the Earth Kingdom. It’s spread pretty far, I’ve heard a lot of people believe it, like General Fong and Colonel Wen, as well as the Pangs and the Yan Su Hongs.”
Zuko eventually broke the silence. “Shit. You’re serious.”
“I know, I couldn’t believe Zuko would ever have to defend himself from being accused of being an evil genius either,” Sokka shook his head disbelievingly, “but those guys don’t know you. They only see your actions through the lens of their own suspicion, and it makes them see what they expect to see.”
“Yeah, it doesn’t help that a lot of your armies are still in the Earth Kingdom,” Aang added.
“I can't just pull them all out!” Zuko exclaimed, revisiting the old argument. “Chaos would descend upon the lands and it would leave all the Fire Nation citizens who live there unguarded!”
“I know!” Aang raised his hands defensively. “But that’s not how they see it.”
The firebender got to his feet angrily. “I pulled out all our forces from Ba Sing Se! I’ve spent the last year withdrawing them from the eastern front. Uncle may be an ‘honoured guest’ and is free to run his tea shop, but we all know the Earth Kingdom considers him a hostage to keep me in line!”
The firebender stalked the length of his study, candles flaring with his emotions. His fists clenched. Zuko hadn’t seen his uncle since the last time he visited the Earth Kingdom capital a year ago. What if someone assassinated him in hopes of restarting the war? Zuko knew his uncle could take care of himself, but what if they poisoned his tea? It only took one person like Jet, and then the nations would be up at arms again.
He furiously wore holes through his carpets until Katara tugged at his robe to stop him.
“How is Uncle doing?” Toph asked, sitting up. “It can't be easy for the Dragon of the West to live in the middle of Ba Sing Se.”
Zuko started pacing again. “You know what Uncle’s like, he’s having fun pretending to be harmless old geezer. He doesn’t say anything when he writes, but yeah, he’s probably been chasing off assassins by the dozen as well.”
“Is that still happening?” Aang frowned, worriedly fiddling with his staff. “I thought they’d stopped by now.”
‘We haven’t had an incident in four months,” Suki said, “not since the last time someone tried to poison Zuko’s food. It’s a good thing Mai pushed for a taste tester. Otherwise, and I hate to say this, but we might have missed it,” she finished unhappily.
“Hey, don’t be so hard on yourselves, you guys are warriors, not poison experts,” Katara consoled, though she also shot Zuko a concerned look.
“Most of the nobles are too scared to act right now,” Mai added, “or they just don’t see the point when security is so high. Now that they’ve tried all sorts of methods and none of them have worked, they won’t try again for a while. But I doubt we’ve seen the last of them.”
Sokka shook his head. “Right. As disturbing as Zuko’s regular schedule of attempted assassinations is, that’s not our main worry right now.” His face contorted and he tried to backtrack. “I mean, it’s probably Zuko’s main worry, and it’s not like I’m not worried too, I’m super worried! Not that I don't trust you guys to handle it, I only meant-”
“We get it Sokka.” Suki rolled her eyes.
Aang took over. “People no longer think that you’ll restart the war. Only it’s not because you’re a believer of peace and equality, but because they think you can accomplish a takeover better by selling yourself as a good guy.”
Katara’s voice rose dangerously. “Selling himself as a good guy? Haven’t they considered it’s because Zuko is a good person?”
Zuko was touched by her words and tried to suppress the usual sensation of warm gooiness in his chest that always arose whenever one of his friends stuck up for him. Mai rolled her eyes at him, so he probably wasn’t successful at keeping it off his face.
“You’ve been doing a great thing Zuko,” Aang said. “Even the Earth Kingdom people in the colonies are glad you’re keeping the peace! But outside of the colonies things are deteriorating.” He shook his head sadly. “Ba Sing Se was never meant to grow so large. The Earth Kingdom used to have a hundred kings and city-states, with the kings having a lot of local power and only the over-arching issues being decided by a council under the High King. Without the war, without a foreign aggressor, they’re splintering again and jockeying for political power. Banditry is running rampant in the east, and the northern districts are pushing for complete independence from the crown.”
Zuko saw where this was going. “They’re blaming me for their internal issues,” he said, heart sinking and voice certain.
“What? That’s ridiculous!” Katara exclaimed.
Aang’s face was sad as he nodded. “They think it’s all a grand scheme of yours to destabilase the Earth Kingdom. And to make things worse, there’s a drought.”
Zuko’s eyes furrowed as he thought back to the latest reports from his governors in the colonies. “I haven’t heard this.”
The Avatar’s grey eyes were solemn and he looked far older than his fourteen years. “That’s because it’s only been in the south-eastern region, not in the western colonies. The summer was a hot one and there’s still no sign of rainfall, and the hardest place hit is Shenzhen. They’re the Kingdom’s breadbasket.”
Zuko’s lips thinned. “There’s going to be a famine.”
“A bad one,” Sokka agreed grimly. “People in Ba Sing Se are scared and some are leaving to return to their homes now that the Fire Nation is no longer attacking. Kuei is, well. Not the most inspiring ruler, and they believe it’s safer to live under your rule since the banditry in the east has gotten so bad. The upper-class think you’re poaching their citizens and converting them to Nation. There are even rumours…
“What?” Zuko asked flatly.
“There are even rumours that you’re behind the drought.”
He threw his hands up in utter exasperation. “So now I can control the weather!?” Zuko tried to run a hand through his hair, made a noise of frustration and plucked his crown out and tossed it onto his desk. Then he flopped onto the sofa next to Toph. “People actually believe this?”
“Well, everyone knows that the Fire Nation consider the Fire Lord as Agni’s will on earth. Now the sun is scorching the territories that aren’t under your protection… and people are dumb.” Sokka, ever the sceptic of superstitions, rolled his eyes.
“It doesn’t help that some people think I’m too biased towards the Fire Nation,” Aang said, his tone shaded with tired gloom.
“What? You’re the Avatar!” Katara said angrily while Toph made an indignant noise.
“How could they say that?” Zuko exclaimed the same time Suki scoffed.
Aang had done his best for the people of every nation, always. He’d spent two years flying from place to place, listening to old men argue and shout at each other, mediating with more patience and wisdom than all of them had shown combined. How dare they insinuate he was lacking as the Avatar!
“They think me rebuilding the Western Air Temple with Fire Nation resources is a bribe or a ploy to make me favour your country. They also don’t like how much time I spend here.”
“Those are war reparations, not a bribe!” Zuko said indignantly. “I literally only returned the Air nomad artefacts that we stole in the first place and lent you some architects. It wasn’t nearly enough to make up for our crimes, and even then it didn’t cost a fraction of a percent of what the Earth Kingdom are demanding.”
“It’s not only that,” Sokka spoke up. “It’s also that we’re all here. Suki leads your personal security team, Katara tours the country as a healer and the Water Tribe Representative, I visit often as the Southern Ambassador, and Toph is well known for being your hand of justice.”
Toph looked inordinately pleased at that. The young earthbender had gained a terrifying reputation for being able to sniff out lies, and the shocking speed and effectiveness with which Zuko carried out his purges had shaken the confidence of the Fire Nation nobility. Corrupt officials and commanders were imprisoned, and the worst of Ozai’s supporters were gone.  
Hanging in the air but left unspoken was the fact that, at the end of the war, they had all returned home to find nothing fit properly. It took some time, but they realised home hadn’t changed; it was them. What Zuko had experienced upon his first return to the Fire Nation, the others came to understand.
At first, it was wonderful. Sokka and Katara reunited with their family, Toph made up with hers, and Suki had gone back with her girls to their island. Aang, like a true nomad, flew between them all while meeting leaders of the kingdoms.
But then the polar winter set in and Sokka and Katara grew restless while Toph’s parents made noises about betrothing her. Suki’s family were her fellow warriors and a warrior without purpose was a lost one, and Aang was lonely travelling alone.
Suki came first, Zuko contracting her warriors to guard him. The turmoil in the Fire Nation had yet to bubble over at that point, but it had been very concerning. Zuko then sent a messenger discreetly requesting Toph’s lie-detecting services and she leapt at the chance. Katara and Sokka left their home again to negotiate the war reparations and trade deals in person, even though only one of them was truly needed. Aang ended up dropping by more and more, complaining about everything and nothing and always ecstatic to see everyone.
The all migrated back to the Fire Nation, back to Zuko who was the only one bound to a physical location, and together, they had rebuilt the Fire Nation. Zuko didn’t think he would have been able to hold his country together without them and was often awestruck that this incredible group of people were his friends.
“People don’t like that you’re bear-hogging the Heroes of the Hundred Year War.” Sokka made quotations in the air.
“The Earth Kingdom aren’t helping to feed our people through winter. They never offered our tribe help before, even when we were fighting the Fire Nation together,” Katara huffed irately. “They also weren’t fed a hundred years of lies about the Water Tribes! Zuko’s people were told that everyone not Nation are savages and lesser. I’m living, breathing proof that this isn’t true, but I need to be here to prove that.
“And what would they even expect us to do if we went to the Earth kingdom?” It was Katara’s turn to pace. “My healing can help people, yes, but in terms of numbers I barely make an impact. The best help I can give is speaking with them and bringing their concerns straight to Zuko or the local authorities. And that’s only possible because of the Fire Nation’s strict social hierarchy and because I happen to know the man the top. If I tried that in the Earth Kingdom, most places would laugh me away!"
Katara had started her tours of the islands as a favour, going to heal a small village who were devastated by illness. She discovered the cause was a poorly maintained well and told Zuko, who told the local mayor to fix it. Then she did it again, and again.
It ended up with Katara acting as Zuko’s eyes and ears while representing her tribe. His citizens knew they could take their concerns to her and the Fire Lord would investigate fairly. Zuko would have loved to go himself but was stuck in the palace governing and had yet to tour his country since the end of the war. He sent Katara instead, guarded by several Kiyoshi warriors, as representatives of the other nations and what they could accomplish working together.
“I’m doing so much good here!” Katara finished, impassioned. “For both the Fire Nation and our Tribe.”
She also frequently returned to the South Pole along with shipments from the Fire Nation. Immense amounts of resources were being invested into the Tribe as reparations, and in return the South sent their unique goods to Fire Nation markets. Whalebone ornaments, rare fish, southern pearls, and luxurious furs were commodities that couldn’t be obtained anywhere else.
Aang raised his hands defensively. “Hey, I agree with you. But it doesn’t change the fact that the Earth Kingdom are getting snippy about it. Also,” he turned to Zuko, “the Beifongs are still angry at you for keeping their daughter captive-”
Everyone let out a collective snort.
“Yeah,” Aang grinned, “not that anyone who’s actually met Toph believe them. But they have a lot of money and power and are being encouraged by other warmongers.”
“Well they can set foot in the Fire Nation over my dead body.” Zuko gestured rudely in the direction of the earth kingdom.
“What, and start another war?” Toph rolled her eyes.
“For you? Of course.”
Toph punched Zuko so hard he yelped, but they all saw her smile. The conversation died naturally as they all got lost in their own thoughts.
“It’s not so bad,” Katara eventually voiced.
“Not so bad?” Zuko repeated incredulously. “It’s a disaster!” he yelled. “I thought the Fire Nation was actually starting to see that conquering the world was a terrible idea. Now it turns out they’re only supporting me because they think I’m doing just that, but in a sneakier way! How am I supposed to convince people to respect the other nations if they think I’m only doing all this as some sort of cunning ploy?”
“That’s not true Zuko, they do respect you!” Katara exclaimed. “I’ve been out there speaking to them and they know all the good you’re doing.”
“But they still want to conquer the world!” He deflated when he realised he was shouting at her. “Sorry,” Zuko muttered. “I just thought we were making progress.”
“We are,” Katara said emphatically. “The Fire Nation is seeing that violence isn’t the way to do things.”
The earthbender snorted. “Yeah, because they see the value in a cunning takeover via friendship and cooperation instead.”
“Zuko. This is all because you’re too nice,” Suki said seriously.
“Maybe I should burn down a few villages to reassure them of my innate evil,” he returned sarcastically.
“One step forward, two steps back,” Sokka said sagely, then paused. “Wait no. I meant two steps forward, one step back. Oh whatever, you know what I mean. The Fire Nation is adapting to non-violence and even the nobility are coming around. This is just a minor setback.”
“But it will still cause trouble at this year’s summit,” Zuko stated.
“Right. That’s why we came to warn you,” Aang said.
“So just because Zuko’s a good Fire Lord, the Earth Kingdom can blame him for all of their issues?” Katara asked indignantly.
Zuko felt that calling him a good Fire Lord was a stretch. He felt like he was treading water, sometimes overwhelmed with the enormity of the task before him. The only reason he hadn’t exploded due to the stress was because everyone was there to help.
“Zuko you’re a good ruler, no, a great ruler. Everyone can see that.” Sokka said, solemn in a way he only was when things were serious. “But people don’t know how to deal with a benevolent and just Fire Lord. They’re seeing a good man at the helm of the world’s most powerful country, and it scares them.”
Zuko barely refrained from groaning. This year’s Four Nations Summit would be fun.
XXX
That night, they somehow all ended up in Zuko’s room.
Aang turned up on the balcony again for a cup of tea and firebending advice and just never left. Toph tunnelled her way through the wall bringing a plate of snacks, and at midnight, Ty Lee – who was supposed to be guarding his room – let Katara, Sokka, and Suki walk straight in through the door.
They all piled onto Zuko’s enormous, ridiculously decadent bed, fought over the best spots, and kneed and elbowed each other trying to get comfortable. Sokka ate half the cakes himself and sprayed crumbs all over Zuko’s sheets while laughing at his own jokes. Toph and Katara fought viciously over the comfiest pillow while Aang tried to calm them down, only to lose it to Suki who snatched it out from under their noses.
They ended up chatting about everything and nothing until the night turned to early morning and they were all yawning. Just as they were about to drift off, Sokka began snickering to himself. Everyone was too tired, so they all ignored him hoping it would go away.
“Hehehehe.” The dumb sniggering continued.
Toph groaned. “Go to sleep, Snoozles.”
“I was just thinking – if the other nations found out the Fire Lord was sleeping with the Avatar, then they’d really accuse Aang of being biased.”
There was a moment of silence while their tired brains processed that outrageous comment. Then Aang yelped and flushed all the way to his arrow, falling out of bed with a loud thud.
“Sokka!” Katara shrieked, whipping around and snatching the one pillow Zuko had managed to keep for himself out from under his head, then began to beat her brother with it. Suki joined in just for fun. Toph hooted with laughter and nudged Zuko slyly with her pointy elbow.
Zuko buried his face in his hands and hid beneath his covers. The racket could probably be heard all over the palace, and no doubt tomorrow everyone would know that the Avatar, the children of the Southern Chief, the leader of the Kiyoshi Warriors, and the world’s greatest earthbender had all spent the night in the Fire Lord’s bedroom.
...
Again.
Oh no.
Zuko really was going to be accused of seducing them, wasn’t he?
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FYODOR DOSTOEVSKY BUNGO STRAY DOGS FYODOR DOSTOEVSKY BUNGO STRAY DOGSBFYODOR DOSTOEVSKY BUNGOS TRAY DOGS
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birthday event + fyodor
it's honestly a gamble, having expectations on your birthday.
you never know if your hopes are going to be crushed mercilessly or if you're going to get a surprise beyond your wildest dreams— Fyodor is just that much of an enigma.
luckily, this year, you get the latter.
when you enter your shared room, there are several boxes waiting for you on the bed, varying in shapes and sizes, though every single one follows a color scheme of a white box and a silk purple ribbon tied into a bow on top.
opening all the boxes reveals a full outfit, from the silk dress he obviously expects you to wear, with the lilac shoes to match, a full set of pearl accessories to go with it—the necklace seems a bit oddly shaped, a string of pearls down the middle seems a bit too long compared to a normal necklace. you wonder if you're supposed to loop it around your neck or wear it in a specific way. in the largest box rests a huge, heavy black cloak lined with white fur matching his, to protect you from the biting cold outside.
you try the outfit on, and it comes as no surprise when it's a perfect fit.
just as you're putting on your accessories, the door clicks open, and fyodor enters your shared bedroom.
"you're right on time, darling. how punctual. I like that." you don't ask what exactly are you on time for, though you dare hope it's a nice dinner date. there's a hint of a smile on his face as fyodor eyes the string of pearls in your hands, asking— commanding, rather, "allow me."
he takes the dainty necklace and fixes it on for you, and while the top fits like a choker, there's a long string left dangling down your throat, all the way down to your waist— how odd, you think, until fyodor turns you around and gives it a firm tug, and your eyes widen in realization.
"it fits you well, my love." his lips curl up, his smile almost predatory, "I will make sure to test its durability once we're back home, but for now, we have a reservation to get to. dinner awaits."
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Word Of Faith Movement EXPOSED || This is OCCULTIC...
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In this video, Daniel talks about the fake biblical teachings of the word of faith movement. What they teach is not real faith, but fake religion, teaching you can be like God, and use the "faith force" to speak things into existence. What is "faith force"? what is prosperity preaching? Why is the word of faith movement occultic? Watch this important video to find out the answers to these questions and see why you should leave the word of faith movement immediately.
Comment on this video.
This is one of the best videos on this subject I have ever seen. I personally grew up in this occultic teaching during the 1980’s and revisited it during my mid to late twenties with Joel Osteen. This teaching is so twisted in its nature and is a product of satan. So many people have been hurt by its venomous effects, and fell away from the faith. They end up blaming God for things not going the way the preachers said it would, and all the while being financially drained and mislead. It’s truly a shame that so many believers are caught in its web of deception. Please watch the video which is only 11 minutes long, and share it with others here on MeWe and other platforms. Other believers need to see this as well as those that abandoned the faith because of it.
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discocandles · 10 days
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yknow, you'd think a song named Demons Are a Girl's Best Friend would be about witchy teen girls and the occult but then you read the lyrics and its about girls needing to stay abstinent? like???
wasted song title honestly
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clarafell · 1 month
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Yes you die on this world if hit and cant come back. You have to go to where your sent
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❝ Hmm. How interesting... ❞
She's already wondering how Kyubey would behave under such a strict environment.
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manhwa-reaction-faces · 2 months
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Beware the Villainess, some Yona reactions compilation
Bullshit.
As if...
How amusing... Nom, nom.
My eyes...
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qabbie · 3 months
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WARNING! BEWARE! Total Auto Protect lied to me!
WARNING! BEWARE! Total Auto Protect lies. TAP lied to me! Sam Taylor from TAP lied to me. He verbally told me in our phone conversation on August 2, 2023, my electric car & all electric parts was & would be covered in my extended warranty policy for my BMW i3 REX. NOT! TRUTH!
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thesketchykids · 9 months
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Total War: Warhammer 3 - Lokhir Felheart's Deadly Ambush: Li Zhu's Eastern River Lords Beware!
via IFTTT
View On WordPress
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saetoru · 5 months
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BEWARE OF PHAGOCYTIC RAIN — AL-HAITHAM.
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kinktober day three — aphrodisiacs ; find masterlist here
synopsis. the akademiya textbook reads as follows: consecrated scorpion stings are not deadly, but it is advised to proceed with caution in the event of encountering one. possible side effects of stings include swelling, pain, nausea, and mild sexual arousal. except the textbook lied. it’s not mild. al-haitham and you might need to pause your desert trip for a moment
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length. 4.3k words (omg this is the shortest one so far)
contents. minors do not interact, fem! reader, aphrodisiacs + dub con, mentions of injuries and blood (al-haitham gets stung by a consecrated scorpion), reader sits on his lap, hand jobs, unprotected sex, no prep, riding, creampie, implied (future) multiple orgasms, reader is mentioned to have a dendro vision + is a haravatat scholar
notes. i made this up. the new consecrated scorpions lore is that their venom can be a sex stimulant thanks
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“haitham,” you complain—although, you probably really shouldn’t. in fact, you definitely should not complain. al-haitham has so graciously allowed you to accompany this trip to the desert, and you should not get in the way. still, your feet ache, and the sun is blaring, and god—would kill you both to have a break? “can’t we just stop for a bit?”
but with you, al-haitham is always patient. you can see him diligently take the time to be patient as he stills and sighs quietly, not letting himself ever get frustrated with you. “it’ll get cold if night falls,” he reasons, “c’mon, you’ll definitely want to rest inside the ruins instead of outside tonight.”
“but baby,” you protest, “my feet hurt.”
“i know,” he nods, like validating your feelings will make them any better, “but the safest option would be to camp inside the ruins instead of out here—”
“hey, haitham?” you cut him off, suddenly whispering quietly as you huddle closer, “what…what’s that?” he looks over his shoulder to where you point—and then he stiffens.
“oh, great,” he hisses, groaning under his breath, “seriously? now?”
what looks like a giant scorpion seems to be pacing in the distance, the large, sharp stinger on its tail clear as day, even from where you stand, a good range away. you’ve never seen one of these before, never even heard of giant scorpions that roam the desert. al-haitham has certainly never told you about seeing them, with all the times he visits the desert himself. he seems rather familiar with them, too, staring exasperatedly off at the beast as it circles the territory you absolutely have to pass.  
“why is there a giant scorpion here? are there always these things in the desert? i’ve never heard of—wait,” you pause, “i have a textbook from the akademiya on desert exploration. i brought it just in case!”
“we don’t need that,” he insists, “i’ve dealt with these plenty of times. just leave it to me.”
you’ve never been to the desert—but al-haitham always mentions the ancient letters he sees in the ruins he explores. it’s tempting; being a scholar is always the never-ending temptation of knowledge—and you are both haravatat scholars, after all. studying an ancient alphabet is enough to make you plead with al-haitham to take you with him on his next trip.
he can’t say no to you, of course—he never can. but it’s your first time here, and evidently…it’s not going exactly as planned. 
you open the book, skimming through the pages before your eyes land on a sketch that looks strikingly similar to the same beast you see in the distance. the textbook reads as follows: consecrated scorpion stings are not deadly, but it is advised to proceed with caution in the event of encountering one. that seems like complete and utter bullshit—this seems rather deadly. 
“haitham,” you whisper, “i think we should leave. this doesn’t seem—”
“we can take it,” he argues, “i’ve taken them before on my own quite a lot in the past.”
“but baby, this one seems a bit big—”
“it’ll be fine,” he assures. 
you sigh, looking back at the book and scanning over the section that goes into detail about its attack patterns. “okay, fine—let me just read over how they attack so i know what to expect.”
phagocytic form—beasts enter phagocytic form immediately when in combat, resulting in an increase in resistance to all elements. there is double the resistance to electro attacks. well, you think, it’s a good thing cyno isn’t the one fighting today—otherwise, you think you might be screwed. 
this is fine. everything is fine. you and al-haitham both have dendro visions; this shouldn’t be too bad, right?
melee combo one—beasts perform a two-part combo with their claws. alright, not too bad. you can easily dodge that, you reason. melee combo two—beasts perform a three-part combo consisting of a single strike with both claws, a flurry of claw strikes while rushing forward, and a projectile fired from its stinger. now that seems a bit troublesome, but you’ve dealt with worse. 
“i’ll take care of it,” al-haitham calls over his shoulder, catching your attention as he draws out his sword. you look up from the pages frantically. 
“wait, i really think we should handle this together if we’re going to take this. just let me read on the attack patterns a bit more—”
he’s already made the first attack. you can hear the angry hiss of the scorpion, can practically see the fury in its beady eyes from behind the thick skull covering its head. al-haitham, to your slight comfort, dodges melee combos one and two expertly. 
maybe he was right—maybe you’ve been panicking for nothing.
you look back at the book. dig—beasts dig into the ground and attack the target from below, staying within the range of a visible electro ring. alright, as long as you leave the ring before the scorpion pops out of the ground, you should be fine. nothing to worry about. spikes—beasts plug their tails into the ground and rapidly produce spikes around themselves to shock targets. another easy dodge—you just have to make sure you escape the vicinity.
you look up, and al-haitham has already easily leapt from the ring and landed himself on higher ground. he waits, watches as the beast emerges from underground, and plants its tail into the ground—this must be the spikes. al-haitham is rather excellent at fighting these things—you have to admit. as soon as the spikes are gone, he takes his chance to plunge down, perfectly landing a hard hit to its head with the edge of his sword, making its body slump to the ground.
he might just finish this alone like he said. 
“there,” he nods, flashing you a smooth grin, “i told you i’d handle it. now then, let’s—”
the loud, sinister hiss from behind cuts him off—it makes you watch in abject horror as the scorpion rises and does a rapid spin. 
you look over the pages as quickly as you can—is there more? there’s nothing else on the page, is there? you quickly flick your eyes to the next page and—oh. 
oh no.
phagocytic rain—beasts rapidly spin and scatter many stingers into the air before slamming their claws and unleashing stingers down from above. these stingers, once pierced into the skin, can cause side effects as a result of consecrated venom.
“well, it’s never done that before,” al-haitham holds up his sword, getting ready to fight. 
no. he has to get away—he needs to get away. the words don’t come quick enough from your throat as you scream, “haitham, no! you have to get away—”
it’s too late. you can hear him let out a strangled groan of pain, clutching his arm as his sword instantly falls to the floor, a gash already decorating his skin from a stinger he didn’t manage to dodge. before you can even think, you grab your weapon and run, leaping between al-haitham and the scorpion and landing another perfect blow to its head—just before that giant, deadly-looking stinger on its tail can plunge into him.
it goes limp, falling to the floor with a thud, the glow of its body dimming instantly.
“fuck,” he curses—al-haitham rarely curses. this is not a light sting. “since when do they do that?”
“since forever,” you hiss, grabbing the edge of his cape to press on his wound and stop the blood flow, “maybe if you’d just listened to me and read the attack patterns with me, you’d have known that.”
“i’ve fought these plenty of times,” he says indignantly, teeth still grit in pain, “they never do that.”
“maybe if you weren’t such a know it all,” you grumble—but then you gently reach over, cupping his cheek as you trace a thumb over the skin comfortingly, “is it too bad?” you ask, concern evident enough in your tone that he feels slightly bad. 
al-haitham shakes his head, sighing quietly as you kiss his jaw. “i’ll be fine. i’ll just patch it up before we camp for the night.”
“are you sure? maybe we should—”
“it’ll be fine,” he hums, “their venom isn’t deadly anyway.”
—————
you and al-haitham manage to make it to the ruins by nightfall. somehow, miraculously, the two of you are able to trek towards the pyramid and seek shelter indoors for the night, right before it gets too dark and too cold.
al-haitham seems to act stranger and stranger as time goes on, quietly sitting in a corner against the wall and patching his arm up himself as you set up the fire by the tent. you look over at him and watch as he shudders and groans lightly. 
“are you sure you’re alright?” you ask in concern, walking over and sitting as you curl up next to him, raising a brow as his body seems to stiffen at your touch, “baby, you seem…”
“i’m fine,” he says curtly. 
you don’t seem to be convinced, furrowing your brows before pressing a palm to his forehead—hot. incredibly and unnaturally hot skin that’s flushed a shade of crimson you hardly see on al-haitham, even when you tease him in that cheeky, flirty little way of yours that dusts blush over his face every time. 
“haitham,” you gasp, hand brushing back his bangs to feel more of his skin—it’s only then, do you realize just how sweaty his skin seems to be, too. “you’re burning up!”
“i’m okay—”
“maybe you should take your shirt off,” you say quickly, wiping the sweat from his forehead as you sit up straight, “it’s just the two of us here, anyway. it’ll be fine—”
“no,” he grits, voice strangled, “i’m—hah” he cuts himself off with a sharp inhale, “—i’m okay. just leave me alone, please. i’ll just go walk it off in a bit.”
he’s panting. you can hear the way his voice is strained and the way his chest rises and falls rather rapidly. you should check the book again, just to see if there’s anything about the side effects in the event you do happen to get stung. 
“hmm, the textbook says—”
“do not read the textbook,” he practically begs. 
you do anyway. “possible side effects of stings include swelling, pain, nausea,” you start, glancing up at him and eyeing his patched arm, “well, there was some swelling. are you nauseous?”
“no,” he almost wheezes out. 
“let’s see, and it also says it can cause—oh.” 
possible side effects of stings include swelling, pain, nausea—you pause and swallow thickly as you read over the final part—and mild sexual arousal. sexual arousal. well, that would explain the heated and flushed skin, you suppose. and the sweat. you glance up at al-haitham—he does anything but meet your eyes. 
“i told you,” he says stiffly, muffling a groan as he crosses his arms and hunches forward, “i’ll be fine—”
“baby,” you hum, chuckling slightly as you run a hand through his hair—he gulps, still avoiding your gaze, “why didn’t you just tell me?”
“don’t,” he warns, jaw clenching as he looks up and stares at you with that same look of hunger you’ve seen so many times before. it’s clear al-haitham is trying to fight off whatever he’s feeling—but the reality is clear. 
he’s very quickly losing himself to his desires. 
“but it’s just us in here,” you insist, hand trailing down his chest slowly before settling on his thigh. his breath hitches, following your hand with his eyes as it rubs along slowly and moves closer and closer inwards. “these ruins have been abandoned for who knows how long—and we’re the only ones from the akademiya cleared to explore them.”
“don’t,” he says again—there’s a warning tone to his voice this time, slightly more raspy and entirely more breathless, “if…if i start, i don’t know if i’ll be able to stop.”
“oh, but haitham,” you pout, slinging a leg over his waist and seating yourself on his lap. you stare down at his crotch—wet. there’s a very noticeable wet patch over the bulge in his pants. you wonder how you didn’t notice it sooner. “who says i’d want you to stop?”
“love, i’m serious,” he closes his eyes and swallows, panting as a bead of sweat rolls down his temple, “you should sleep. i’ll be okay—o-oh, fuck,” he cuts himself off with a gasp, hissing as you reach past his waistband and free his strained cock from the confinements. 
it’s thick, his erection—probably far more swollen than you’ve ever seen it before. it almost looks painful, with how red it is at the tip, with how it twitches from nothing else but the cool air hitting the heated skin. you think it might just be aching, in fact, from how he whimpers as you wrap a hand around it, just barely squeezing, just barely applying pressure to really relieve anything.
“hmm,” you look down, inspecting, “seems sensitive.” you give it a slow, experimental stroke, instantly making him groan loudly as his head falls back, a stream of pre cum leaking from the tip enough to coat his already slick cock. 
“fuck, fuck—more,” he rasps, hand grabbing your thigh and squeezing hard to ground himself.
“okay,” you murmur, nodding to yourself, “very sensitive. guess we’ll just have to get this out of your system.”
you drag your hand over his length, slow at first, before building up a quick, steady rhythm—just the way he’s always liked it. you lean in, kissing along his jaw as he writhes under you while you squeeze around the base of his cock, rolling your palm over his tip before repeating the motion over and over and over again. 
his mouth is parted, low groans and the occasional soft whine fall past his lips, making the ache between your own legs worsen as you watch him fall apart. there’s a dull throb in your core, and you can feel the fabric of your underwear dampen, but all you’re worried about for now is the man before you. any other time, you’d think it’s a bit shameless, doing something so dirty, so filthy, so inappropriate in the middle of the desert like this–especially while on a research expedition, no less. but you couldn’t just leave your boyfriend to suffer like this, could you? what kind of girlfriend would you be then? and you’re not so cruel as to leave al-haitham to suffer like this all night, or longer, even—who knows how long before the side effects wear off? it’s the wisest choice to just help him, to take care of him like he always takes care of you.
that’s right, you think to yourself—you’re helping him like any doting lover would. you’re not at all interested by this predicament of his…or aroused, for that matter. no, you’re simply worried for him, and it’s up to you to relieve him of the painfully frustrating tension he must be suffering through after he so graciously fought to protect you from the dangers of the desert.
“jus’ like that,” he gasps as you touch him, chest still rising and falling as quickly as before—his shirt is damp too, a noticeable wet patch forming over most of it as the sweat collects on the fabric, “d-don’t stop—fuck, feels so good.”
“c’mon, haitham,” you murmur, taking your other hand to tug at the end of his shirt, “take this off—i told you, you’ll feel better.”
he listens—whatever is in that venom must be something strong because al-haitham is the most stubborn individual you’ve ever met. under normal circumstances, he’d refuse to take his shirt off even if, deep down, he knew himself it’d help. but right now, he quickly reaches at the hem before pulling it off, tossing it to the side as his bare chest is exposed for you to admire. his usual pale skin is flushed, a soft pink that glistens from the sweat that he can’t seem to get rid of, even as you work his swollen cock with your fist. 
it’s pretty, the way he sounds, the way he looks. you run a thumb over his slit, and he whimpers. not too often of times have you heard al-haitham whimper—but today, he seems to have lost any and all control, too busy thrusting his hips up to meet your strokes as he moans lowly. 
“when’d you start to feel it?” you ask curiously, pecking his forehead as you leave scattered kisses along his face, “how long have you been trying to play it off?”
“s-since…” he starts, but he trails off as your thumb traces over a thick being along the underside of his length, letting out a soft whine at the feeling before bucking his hip into your hand more desperately. you don’t think you’ve ever seen al-haitham so worked up—so needy and riled up and painfully fucked out before he’s even cum yet. “since i f-first got stung,” he admits through labored breaths, “just got worse slowly.”
“you should’ve told me,” you coo, “not like i don’t see you like this anyway. poor thing,” you pout softly, eyeing the way his cock twitches in your hand, more beads of pre cum oozing from the tip and leaving a stream down his length, “looks like it hurts.”
“it does,” he rasps, “feels…feels like ‘m gonna pass out.”
“don’t worry,” you hum, squeezing tighter around him, working him quicker as your hand jerks his aching cock off with a tight fist, “i’ll help you cum. ‘s what you deserve for fighting that thing for me. my strong baby.”
“c-close,” he says through a cracked voice, like the praise is enough to send him hurtling over the edge, “‘m so close—sh-shit.”
“yeah?” you ask sweetly, pecking his forehead, “then cum, baby. think you’ll feel much better.”
you roll a thumb over his nipple, hard under the pad of your thumb, and enough to make him gasp loudly before he lets out a deep grunt, cum spilling from his sensitive tip. it’s more than you’ve ever seen from him—thick, endless ropes of hot, sticky cum coating your hand and his abs as you pump his cock through his orgasm. you’re glad you made him take his shirt off—this would’ve been an even more unpleasant trip if he’d had to walk around in a soiled shirt.
“fuck, f-fuck—so g-good,” he stutters, his head thrown back against the wall that supports his body, legs spreading apart to give you better access to working his cock through his high. one hand reaches to play with his balls as you milk his cock, squeezing as you stroke upwards and watch every thick drop of cum shoot past his tip. 
it feels like forever, his orgasm. it’s long, and his voice is strained from calling your name over and over by the time he’s finished—but he’s still just as hard as before. no—in fact, you think he might be even harder. 
“well…” you start, staring at his erection as it rests against his sculpted abs, “i don’t think that did much.”
“no,” he pants, staring at you through lust-hazed eyes, “it didn’t. but i have an idea that might help, though.”
“yeah? what is it, oh wise grand sage?”
al-haitham, for the first time ever, doesn’t correct you that he’s the acting grand sage. instead, he lifts you up slightly and pulls your pants down to pool at your ankles before lining your dripping cunt over his cock. you bite your lip, moving to ever so slightly drag his tip along your clit, making the both of you shiver with a desperate gasp at the ghost friction.
“i think,” he starts, finger circling your clit slowly as you whine before letting your head fall to the crook of his neck, “that perhaps fucking you might be the only way to get this out of my system. what do you say?”
“haitham, please,” you whine, fingers digging into his shoulders as you clutch onto him, “need you.”
“yeah?” he chuckles breathlessly, replacing his finger and teasing your folds with the tip of his cock, coating the head with the slick of your pussy as you quiver over him, “need me, huh? i thought i was the one who got stung. shouldn’t it be the other way around?”
you would scoff if you weren’t aching to feel the burning stretch of him intruding your neglected cunt—al-haitham always finds a way to be himself at the end of the day. always so frustratingly confident and painfully good at teasing. 
“fuck me, haitham,” you plead, pushing your hips down until the first few inches of his length push past your entrance, dragging his tip along your folds and pulling a whine from you as he chokes on a low groan.
“f-fuck,” he grunts, “so tight—a-always so tight.”
his hands grasp at your hips, slowly guiding you to sink all the way down on his cock, taking it inch by inch until he’s buried all the way, his tip nudging perfectly against that sensitive spot in the back of your walls. al-haitham feels like he’s been made just for you like that—fitting you perfectly enough that he hits all the right spots without even trying, without even having to angle his hips in order to give you what you need from him.
you feel sweat collect on your own forehead, mirroring the same glistening of his own skin as you bite your lip and whimper out a pathetic, “h-haitham, more—please.”
“it’s a good thing i brought you with me,” he pants as he snaps his hips up, his hands still guiding your hips to bounce on his cock as you pull up before slamming back down, your walls hugging his thick girth tightly while his fat tip presses against your sweet spot. “imagine where i’d be if you weren’t here. j-jus’ wouldn’t feel the same if i was fucking my fist instead of this sweet cunt.”
the stretch is too good—the way he splits you open as he bullies into your pussy, pushing past your folds and dragging his thick veins along your walls, makes your head spin, pleasure burning up your nerves and spreading across your entire body. your lips attach themselves to his neck, kissing and sucking along the skin as he groans and tightens his bruising grip on your hips.
“b-baby—fuck, ‘s so good,” you mewl, “h-haitham—oh.”
“take me so well,” he says breathlessly, face falling slack as your walls flutter around his length and relieve the ache that was all too overwhelming just a few moments ago—being buried into your pussy is enough to turn the tight grit of his jaw into a loose, parted lips as he moans your name. “taking it so well, like the good girl you are. you—ngh, fuck—you want to make me feel better, don’t you?”
“i do,” you nod, sobbing as his thumb finds your clit and rubs harsh circles into the delicate bundle of nerves, “i do, i do—please, haitham. faster, need more.”
“yeah?” he lets out a strangled chuckle, biting his lip and groaning as you snap your hips down particularly rough, squeezing around him tightly, “you need more? i’d almost say you were stung instead of me.”
your nails dig into his shoulders, leaving angry, red marks in their wake as his fingers dig into the plush skin of your hips. you slam down on him with every roll of your hips, his own meeting you halfway as he bucks up, fucking into you—you can feel it, the impending high that you reach closer and closer to, every circle of his thumb on your clit and every brush of his cock against your walls bringing you close to falling off the edge.
“‘m…g-gonna cum, haitham—fuck, a-almost there, baby,” you pant, mewling as you throw your head back while he leans in to kiss your neck, biting hard enough that you almost wonder if there’s blood.
“me too,” he groans, “you…you’re so perfect,” you feel his head bury into your shoulder, his forehead digging into your shoulder as you cradle the back of his head with a hand and whine, “i’m bringing you to every trip—fuck you in every ruin i explore. you’d like that, wouldn’t you?”
“yes, yes—please,” you babble, nodding as your back arches before you feel the coil snap—you gasp his name, a repeat of haitham, haitham, haitham, falling from your lips as he fucks into you through your high. the spasm of your walls around him sends him hurtling into his second orgasm—even more earth-shattering than the first.
“that’s it,” he moans, his voice deep and raspy as it cracks in the middle, “can’t even be mad i got stung—not when you let me fuck you l-like this. so…feels so good—’m c-cumming.”
it’s not the first time al-haitham has cum in you—but it’s never felt like this before. it’s hot, his cum—it spills into you and coats your walls in a sticky mess that forms a ring at the base of his cock as it pumps into you. the mess of his release and your arousal coats both of your thighs, leaking from your abused cunt and smearing along your skin. you can feel him twitch with every rope, can feel the way he throbs as he spills into you and paints your walls white with his release. it’s desperate—needy and so, so filthy, just like the sounds he makes into your ear, breathless pants that make your stomach do flips as you listen to him fall apart and break. 
he slumps as he finishes, your body falling against him as you both pant harshly and catch your breaths. he kisses your neck delicately as you stroke his hair, admiring his spent form under you.
“as much as i hate that you got stung,” you mumble, “this…this might not have been the worst thing.”
“oh yeah?” he snorts, looking up and raising a brow—it’s only then that you feel it, the twitch of his still hard cock, still buried deep in your abused cunt, “are you sure? because we aren’t nearly finished yet—i really hope you’re prepared to take it.”
the textbook may have lied, you think—this is not mild at all. this might delay your trip quite a bit.
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i would go with him hoping he gets stung every time so i could suck the soul out of him tbh
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