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Total funding amounts to $125.3M.

dimalink · 3 months

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Retro car white. It stands in snow. Today, it is already rarity and rare model. For fans.

Maybe, in winter, penguin is riding in this car. He sits in car and goes.

#photo #photography #photowalk #street photography #car #white car #winter #snow #retro car #old car #vaz #soviet car #russia 90s car #rare car #penguin

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collapsedsquid · 7 months

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In my wife’s hometown (not as big as ours, but much more industrial), one man came home with three million rubles, which he and his friends spent in 10 days. Three hundred thousand a day for the guys – limitless alcohol and prostitutes. That is life! Those who have families, meanwhile, come home and go to the sea, buy apartments, upgrade their cars. Secondly, they get to feel like they are part of something great. Just as our grandfathers defeated fascism, we are defeating Nazism in Ukraine (or whatever is there now). At the same time, we are beating the gays, the Jews, the entire collective West, Freemasons, everyone. Those who are older rejoice at the revival of the pioneers, military training in schools, school uniforms and generally all the fixtures of their youth. It’s about time, or else today’s youth would completely let themselves go! And all these gains without any effort at all, usually without even getting up from the couch. And what can be offered to the people who, thanks to the war, got rich and feel great, like kings? Clips about the palaces of corrupt officials? The people have known for a long time, since the 90s, that they were robbed, that is not news. Discussions about how the people (who remained) are to blame for the crimes of the regime? Interviews about democracy and human rights? The tragic stories of the imprisoned Berkovich or Melkonyants? Who even are those people – they did not say anything about them on the TV or internet (for example, on the Komsomol’skaya pravda website). The cash handouts – which the people would not make in years and years from their normal jobs – coupled with the feeling of being part of something great, is an explosive mixture. If you do not take this into account, you might endlessly wonder why in the last elections it was mainly the villages (and not large cities) that voted for the governors appointed by the Kremlin and the “ruling party” – even though it was precisely the village that suffered the most from the mobilization. It is this explosive mixture that pushes grandmas, who come to the polling stations in dresses they bought 20 years ago, to vote for the regime. They sincerely are for the regime, which they believe will soon build a great country – to spite our enemies, of course.

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ohsalome · 1 year

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Today, a few words about the “Crimean Tatar question.” Stalin’s order and the resolution of the USSR State Defense Committee of May 11, 1944, led to tragic effects. Within three days in May 1944, an entire nation that had lived in Crimea for centuries was forcibly deported to Central Asia. According to various sources, between a quarter and half of the people were killed during long-term transportation in packed freight cars, as well as later in barbaric forced living conditions.

At the same time, any public mention of Crimean Tatars was banned in the USSR. The mention of the ethnicity was suddenly absent in subsequent Soviet censuses. Authorities changed about 90 percent of geographic names on the peninsula that had Crimean Tatar names.

The descendants of the survivors of the genocide returned home in 1989. By that time, their family houses were mostly inhabited by Russians who had transmigrated in 1944, immediately after the deportation of the local population. And in 2014, after Russia’s annexation of Crimea, the persecution of Crimean Tatars began again. Dozens of Crimean Tatar activists are currently being held in Russian prisons. From time to time, human rights advocates record the mysterious deaths of Crimean Tatars, and there is a lot of evidence of repression of the Crimean Tatar language.

[...]

So when an acquaintance, a Crimean Tatar, told me her story, it resonated with me completely, despite the 1,000 kilometers separating the places of my birth and hers. By the time her relatives returned to Crimea in 1989, their family house had been inhabited by new owners for decades. So the Crimean Tatars decided to build a new house in another area. They often went to the village market. Once there, amid the various items available for sale, they saw the embossed utensils they had left in their home in 1944.

#ukraine #russia #crimea #history #genocide #crimean tatars #qirimlar #qirim

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dasha-aibo · 5 months

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A big rant about the Russian opposition

Well, you said you wanted it, so here it is.

Be warned: this will be long, rambly and unfocused. But I will try to split it into several parts.

Where it all began. The 90s.

Following the collapse of the USSR, Russian opposition was left in a weird state. Big Soviet-era opposition figures like Yeltsin now held all the power, yet, at the same time, the government was full of ex-Soviet party members. See, ol' Boris didn't want to do a lustration. I don't have his exact motivations, but, if I was put at a gunpoint and forced to guess, it was because Russia, even without all the states that left was a BIGHUGE country and needed people who knew how it all worked. And all of them happened to be party apparatchicks.

Yeltsin also left the KGB eseentially untouched. This is not well-known, but KGB were actually supportive of the fall of the USSR. Now, late-Gorby KGB is not the same as KGB during Stalin or even Khruschev. They were de-fanged and forced under too much supervision. Which they didn't like. So they were allowed to change their name, had some reshuffling and re-emerged as FSB. Ostensibly, just there to fight crime and protect the state, no disappearing people allowed anymore.

This is important to understand as we go forward.

90s were, overall, a time of terrible, terrible poverty and unimaginably, unprecedented freedom in Russia. If you knew what to do and was willing to do it, you could become a millionaire overnight. If you didn't have a particuarly marketable set of skills or was just unwilling to adapt, you'd be on the brink of starvation. And that's me not even touching the organized and disorganized crime which was absolutely rampant.

Then there was the privatization. Essentially, Yegor Gaidar, the prime minister during Yeltsin's first term decided that the best course of action was to take this lumbering 70-yo communist system and crash it head-first into capitalism. It was even called "shock therapy".

Now, in hindisght, we can say that his policies very much saved Russia and lead to economic prosperity later on. But man, shit was HARD for regular people. Especially hordes of state workers.

His most infamous project, however, was the privatization. Essentially, since EVERYTHING in USSR was state-owned and we were moving towards a capitalist system, someone needed to become the owner of all this state property. Privatize it, so to say. Of course, regular people could privatize their cars and apartments, which most everyone did. But the big bucks were in all the factories and natural resource mines. And this was done in the most ass-backwards way possible. People with connections got to bid on very lucrative property in the dead of the night with only one announcement in the local newspaper nobody read. Shit like that.

Everyone disliked that.

This is how Russia became saddled with it's giant oligarchy class.

I promise all of this is relevant.

Another really important thing happened in the 90s: the 1996 election. Yeltsin wanted a second term and he REALLY didn't want commies, his main opposition, to win. So he played dirty. Unlike what many later said, he didn't outright steal the elections. He did, however, do everything in his power as a prez to ensure a victory.

Everyone disliked that. Which is how we got Putin.

But 90s also saw the rise of several important opposition figures. And there really was actual freedom of speech and very little crackdown on opposition and protests. It still happened, don't get me wrong, but it was so minor compared to what's happening today, that it's barely worth mentioning. Anyway, back to opposition figures.

I will note three main one. Boris Nemtsov was the biggest - he was a favorite of Yeltsin's, was even a Deputy Prime Minister at one point and was considered as Yeltsin's heir at the same point. Things didn't work out. But he was the big face of liberals and democrats of the era. A guy who's "against everything bad and for everything good".

Then there was Mikhail Khodorkovsky. An oligarch and a philantropist, he was genuinely interested in the future of Russia and making it a big important country on the world stage through education and commerce.

Lastly, Gennady Kasparov. Yeah, the chess guy who lost to a computer. He wasn't really political in the 90s, but I still consider him part of the "old guard".

Part 2 in a reblog, because this is getting unreadable.

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sovietpostcards · 1 year

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How has life changed in Russia since the dissolution of the USSR? How did the change in market policies affect the people you know?

The 90s were very difficult. My parents (and half of our city) weren't getting any money for months on end (they worked at a large state-run organization). That same organization is now the best and most solid employer in the city. My parents lost all of their savings in 1998 same as everyone. After that, 2000s and 2010s seemed very wealthy. Lack of food was not an issue anymore. You could now go to a store and simply buy things. The wonders! However, now if you wanted an apartment you had to actually pay for it instead of it being handed to you by the government (after a decade in waiting). In general, the amount of handing out decreased drastically. Private commercial business came alive, my father for exemple left the state-run organization to work for a car-related business that he was very excited about.

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leeenuu · 2 years

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The icon of the Mother of God in a completely destroyed church due to Russian shelling somewhere in the south of Ukraine, Tuesday, July 12, 2022. (Mikhail Palinchak)

A man rides his bicycle at empty Konstytutsii (Constitution) square before curfew after Russian shelling in a military strike, as Russia's invasion of Ukraine continues, in Kharkiv, Ukraine, Monday, July 11, 2022. (REUTERS/Nacho Doce)

The gutted remains of a car are seen on a building damaged by shelling in Vinnytsia, Ukraine, Thursday, July 14, 2022. Russian missiles that struck a city in central Ukraine killed 17 people and wounded about 90 more Thursday, Ukrainian authorities said. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky)

Instructor Ilona Khomenko looks on during a first aid training to master the MARCH algorithm according to the NATO protocol, in Kyiv, Ukraine, Monday, July 11, 2022. Khomenko’s life changed on May 23, when her husband died fighting the near Severodonetsk in eastern Ukraine. Now she keeps him close by helping to train soldiers and civilians how to survive on the battlefield. (AP Photo/Vasilisa Stepanenko)

A soldier of the Armed Forces looks at a burnt ear of wheat on a burnt field in the Donbas, Ukraine. (Kostiantyn and Vlada Liberov)

Local residents watch rescuers work as they wait for news about their relatives, who are under the rubble of a residential building damaged by a Russian military strike, amid Russia's invasion on Ukraine, in the town of Chasiv Yar, in Donetsk region, Ukraine, Sunday, July 10, 2022. (REUTERS/Gleb Garanich)

Rescue workers clear the rubble of a destroyed building after a Russian attack in a residential neighborhood in downtown Kharkiv, Ukraine, Monday, July 11, 2022. The top official in the Kharkiv region said Monday the Russian forces launched three missile strikes on the city targeting a school, a residential building and warehouse facilities. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)

A local resident looks out through a broken window at a school building damaged by a Russian military strike in the town of Kostiantynivka, Ukraine, Thursday, July 14, 2022. (REUTERS/Gleb Garanich)

Rockets are launched through the air, near Medina Mosque, on the first day of Eid al-Adha, in Konstantinovka, eastern Ukraine, Saturday, July 9, 2022. (AP Photo/Nariman El-Mofty)

Ukrainian medic Yuliia Paievska, known as Taira, poses for a photograph during an interview with The Associated Press in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Friday, July 8, 2022. The celebrated Ukrainian medic who was held captive by Russian forces says she thinks about the prisoners she left behind constantly. Before she was captured, Paievska had recorded harrowing bodycam footage showing her team's efforts to save the wounded in the besieged city of Mariupol. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)

#war in ukraine #russian world

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widowwaddles · 1 year

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Operation 90 Day (Undercover) Fiance - Part 2

Summary: What started as a month-long trip for work, ended with your heart stolen by a certain red-head. But are things really as they seem?

A/N: The story continues, towards the end I got an idea for a possible one shot. One where reader never left Natasha and decided to betray SHIELD. Let me know if anyone is interested. Not proofread.

Taglist: @natsxwife

Warning: mature themes, choking/strangulation, death

Word Count: 4.2k

Masterlist

Part 3

You’ve always wondered how your next reunion with Natasha would go after leaving Russia. You think back to the last time you’ve been in a car together - it was the day she dropped you off at the airport. You both were trying to keep it together, knowing once the tears came out there was no going back. You hadn’t been apart since your first date together, so it was hard picturing life without her by your side every day, for the next however many months. Deciding to take the more optimistic approach to the future, you began to plan for the next time you’d see each other. You agreed that you’d try to visit each other as often as you could. Natasha would visit you first, as her managerial status at the Black Swan allowed for more flexibility with her schedule. She would be able to stay a few weeks, and you planned to use that time to show her all that New York had to offer.

“You’re going to love it” grinning as you imagine her first visit. “I’m going to take you on so many dates around the city” you begin to list off all of the activities, your excitement is palpable.

“I can’t wait” Natasha replies back, eyes focused on the road as she prepares for a turn. “But I wouldn’t want to take up all of your time, I know you have your own things going there”.

“You’d be surprised with how much free time I have during the day. I’m all yours baby” smirking, you turn your head to face her.

“Wouldn’t you rather spend it with your friends though? I’m sure they missed you since you’ve been here” Natasha replies with a weak smile. “I can understand if you’d rather be with them instead, I mean I will be there for close to a month.

“Yeah right” suppressing a laugh, you look out the window and take in the scenery one last time. “As if that would ever be a difficult choice to make. You’ll win every time Nat”

“Yeah, but I would never want you to choose,” Natasha says, turning her head towards you. “Would you ever introduce me to your friends?”

“If by all of my friends, you mean Theo, then yes. He’ll be the first one you’ll meet” you say jokingly.

Natasha grabs your hand, before turning back to the road.

“You know what I mean Y/n” she says, her voice trailing off towards the end. “I want to meet the people that are important to you”

You turn to face her, but her eyes are still focused on the road ahead of her.

By her tone, you can tell that this is something that’s been bothering her. Even though you made plans to continue the relationship long-distance, your future together remained uncertain. Neither of you planned on falling in love, much less getting into a relationship with someone who was only meant to be a one-night stand. The foundations for a strong relationship weren’t quite there yet due to what little time you had together, and to now add over 4,000 miles(~6437.37km) of distance - who were you kidding!

You could tell that the harsh reality of your relationship hit Natasha the most. She had never outwardly said it but you could sense it through her actions. By the way, her head rests against your shoulder, as you held each other before she went to work. The dampness grew on your shirt, as you promised to see her after her shift. Whispering in her ears, the many things you’d do together as you’d kiss her cheek. By the way, she’d let out a shaky laugh and wipe her tears, but still refusing to let you go. Those moments remind you that despite her hard exterior, Natasha was soft to her core. You could sense that she felt insecure about her place in your life and questioned whether she’d be able to fit in it once you returned back home.

“Nat, you are the most important person to me,” you say softly, bringing her hand to your lips and kissing it reassuringly. “And if meeting my friends will make you happy, then I’ll gladly bring you to all of the game and movie nights you want. I will warn you it can get a little rowdy, but they mean well”

“I’m sure I’ll be fine, you know I’m more than capable of taking care of myself” she says, turning to face you with a smirk.

“I know you are” you reply dreamily, instantly being reminded of the instances where Natasha had proven so. You know better than most, just how capable she is. Your face flushes red at the thought.

“But, I know you’ll always be there to protect me” she says sincerely. You couldn’t help but smile at the thought. Moments like this make you feel hopeful for the future.

A comfortable silence fills the car.

“So these friends of yours” Natasha starts, her eyes have since returned to the road. “Do they work at SHIELD too?”

“What-” you splutter out, heart racing. “What did you just say?”

“You heard me” Natasha replies, before slamming on the brakes, her grip on your hand remaining. Your body lurches forward against the dash, before being slammed back into the passenger seat. You instantly clutch your shoulder, your arm searing in pain from almost being completely yanked out. She turns her body towards you, face completely devoid of any emotions. Her green eyes stare at you blankly.

“Natasha what are y-you -” you stutter out. Suddenly you feel her hand tightening against yours, bones crushing against her super-human-like grip. You hunch over in pain, you could barely get the words out. “I-I don’t know what you’re-”

“You don’t actually believe that I’m dumb enough” she starts, pulling at your arm and yanking your body to face her. Anger starts to show in her expression, she glares before continuing. “To not know who you are?”

You yell out in pain. If your arm wasn’t dislocated before, it definitely is now.

“Answer. My. Question.” grip tightening even more with each word. You look into her eyes pleadingly, hoping to find just a semblance of the Natasha you fell in love with. She drops your hand, you sign in relief before cradling it to your body. She leans in closer and as you look into her eyes, you see them darken.

“Do you think they realized what a mistake they made sending you here?” Bringing her other hand to your cheek, she strokes it gently. “Someone so weak and naive”

Tears spring into your eyes but you refuse to let them fall. Shaking your head you scream, “Stop”. You bring your head down, rocking slowly back and forth in your seat. “...please” your voice loses all power as the word passes through your lips.

“You brought this on yourself,” she says mockingly. “Didn’t your parents teach you better, Y/n? To not fall for the first person that gives you attention? ”

She grabs your jaw roughly, turning it to face her. She leans in, lips brushing against your ear. “The Red Room thanks you for your cooperation, Agent L/n”

Her voice echoes through your head. Your eyes widen as you begin to understand the gravity of the situation you're in. Your breaths quicken and your body begins to shake - fear coursing through your body. So many questions are racing through your head, but they all came pointed towards one in particular: Who was Natasha really? Your thoughts were interrupted by a cold metal being put against your head, and before you could register what it is, Natasha’s finger pulled the trigger.

BARK

When you open your eyes, you are greeted by a brown blurb standing on your chest. Rubbing your eyes, you are able to make out the wagging tail before another bark breaks through the silence of the air. Theo. He must have sensed you were having a nightmare. It’s been like this every night since finding out the truth about Natasha and it always starts the same. You would relive a loving memory you shared with the red-haired beauty before she is replaced with the Black Widow, who ends your life. Each nightmare left you questioning how you never caught on to her true intentions. How have you never suspected that you were staring lovingly into the eyes of a killer?

You look at your phone and groaned as you read the time.

4:00 AM

Knowing that the chances of you falling back asleep were low, you decided to get up. “Thank you, buddy” you pet Leo’s head and under his chin. You sit up in bed, stretching your body as you stand up. Leo has since jumped off your bed, following close behind your every step.

You couldn’t afford to be distracted today.

---

T-minus 6 hours until arrival

In less than 6 hours, you were going to be reunited with Natasha. You’ve never had a long-term girlfriend let alone a fiance, you had no clue what you were doing. Despite how many times the plan was explained to you, doubt continues to cloud your mind. Having to pretend you’re still in love with the person that has betrayed and broken you. That definitely sounds like the perfect recipe for a convincing engagement.

“Are you okay, Y/n? You aren’t looking too good” a voice interrupted your thoughts, worried eyes met yours.

“I’m doing just great Maria” continuing down the halls “It’s just the usual ‘I’m going to be engaged to and live with the heartless assassin that betrayed me and broke my heart’ nerves. I’m soon I’ll be good in like an hour” you snap back sarcastically. Rolling your eyes you continue to make your way to the gym, eager to work off some of this anger.

“Hey, look at me” grabbing your arms and pulling your body back until you face her. “I get this is hard for you, but you can’t let your emotions run you into the ground. If you can’t do this, we can find another way”.

Maria, always a light at the end of the tunnel in your hectic life at SHIELD. She has been your mentor, confidant, and closest friend since graduating from the academy. You were nothing special, but people could recognize a hard worker when they see one. Maria has been your only advocate since you’ve been permanently placed at the headquarters. She was actually the one who recommended that you should go to St. Petersburg to provide assistance for the local branch. The position intended to see any action, but with the recent discovery of the Red Room being much closer than expected, security has already begun to beef up.

You couldn’t help but feel guilty about this whole thing. If only you had been smarter - more aware of everything - then maybe this would have all been avoided. Your reputation at SHIELD was practically in the gutter and you had no idea if you’d still have a job after this was all finished. Word of your failed mission spread fast through all of the departments. You could care less about the whispers behind your back wherever you entered a room, but where it did hurt was when you felt like you were dragging the people around you down with you. Maria had so much faith in you, and you felt like you let her down.

“I’ll be okay, it may not look like it now but I will be” you try to reassure her. “We’ve been planning this for months, it’s too early to back out now. We have to see it through” flashing her a smile and trying to believe the words coming out of your mouth.

---

“I really missed you” Natasha says as she enters the car. “Everyone at the Black Swan couldn’t wait for me to leave. I’ve been a little on edge since you left” her voice trailing off weakly towards the end.

“Hey, you’re here now and that’s all that matters,” you say, grabbing her hand and giving a reassuring squeeze. “I’ve missed you too, more than you think” you finish softly. You start the car and exit your parking spot, hoping to bury the small part of you that actually meant those words.

Natasha turns to face you, getting a good look at your features - for the time again - as you drive. You could feel yourself get nervous under her analytical gaze. You needed a distraction now. You snatch your hand from Natasha, fumbling to turn the radio on. Luck does not appear to be on your side today as the sound of static blasts through your speakers. Natasha covers her ears as you continue to fumble around with the knobs, in an attempt to find a better station.

Your attempts at trying to do this subtly backfire, as your car swerves into the opposite lane. Natasha leans over the middle console, yanking the steering wheel in the opposite direction. Deciding that you needed to focus on getting back home alive, you shifted your attention back to the road. Sitting back in her seat, Natasha looks at you expectantly.

“Sorry” you say, voice drowning out under the loud static. Eyes never leaving the road, you reached a hand down in an attempt to fix the radio once more.

A hand grasps your wrist stopping you, you quickly glance down to see another well-manicured hand has pressed the off button.

“Do you want to explain to me what that was?” Natasha asks, arching an eyebrow as she faces you.

Both of your hands have since returned to the wheel. You stiffen, hands tensing against the wheel. Natasha notices but doesn’t say anything. Deciding to wait until you’ve driven home safely to confront you, she faces back towards her window.

The remaining car ride was spent in silence.

You park the car, you unbuckle your seat belt.

“Home sweet home” you say, wincing as it sounds less enthusiastic than you had intended.

You open your door, hoping to escape the awkward silence. Turning to Natasha, you noticed she hasn’t moved an inch - her face still facing the window.

“Ready to talk about what happened earlier?” She asks with a tired voice.

You open your mouth to respond but the words don’t come out.

“Y/n, this isn’t going to work if you don’t talk to me” she turns to face you, eyes narrowing. “You look like you haven’t slept in weeks, what’s going on with you?”

“I’ve just got a lot on my mind” you avert your eyes, finding more interest in your hands. “Everything is so much more different than they were in Russia. We are different” you say, glancing at the ring on her finger, before finishing. “I want things to be perfect”

“And things will be” grabbing your hand and forcing your attention back to her. “I’ve never seen you act like this before, it scared me a little”

You look at her guiltily, it wasn’t hard to imagine why she felt that way.

The feeling of a hand softly stroking your cheek pulls you out of your thoughts. You have to hide your flinch, as it reminded you of the nightmare from last night. Natasha notices, hurt showing in her eyes before quickly disappearing. A small smile forms on her lips.

“Can we just go back to how we were before you left? We can just pretend like we were never apart ” Natasha says with a far-off look in her eyes, wrapping her hands around her body and holding onto herself. “That we spent last night together and woke up in each other’s arms”.

“I don’t want things to change between us” Your heart aches at how small she looks. “Please don’t let it” she ends in a whisper.

Reaching over, until you were practically sitting on the middle console, you pull Natasha into your arms. “It won’t let it,” you say kissing the top of her head. She pulls away slightly, lifting her head up to look you in the eyes. “Do you promise me?” her green eyes glowing with child-like innocence.

“I promise” and those words left your lips, you felt as if you’d been stabbed in the heart. You know that you had to do this to ensure the success of the mission. No matter what it takes. Those words came from a place of anger and you spoke them with such conviction. So why does it hurt so much? Pulling her back into your side, you rub up and down her arms, hoping to distract her from how conflicted you felt.

--- After dinner, you decided to relax, seeing as this day drained the both of you. You and Natasha sat on the couch, as you scrolled through Netflix trying to find the perfect movie. Natasha picked a James Bond movie, with you tiredly agreed to before pressing play. It didn’t take much for your exhaustion to overtake your body, as you lay on the couch, head resting against Natasha as she intently watched the movie.

The sudden urge to use the restroom awakes you from your slumber. You and Natasha had since migrated away from the middle of the couch, with you laying on her chest - her arms wrapped around you tight. Untangling yourself, you head towards the bathroom, eager to relieve yourself.

When you return back to the living room, you find the couch empty. Shrugging, you head towards the bedroom knowing you’d most likely find Natasha there. As you enter the room, the lights are off but you notice her body laying on the bed. Trying not to disturb her, you settle yourself into the bed as well. You close your eyes, waiting for sleep to take you once more when you feel a sudden pressure on your hips.

Your eyes fly open instantly, as you feel a hand wrap around your neck.

“Natasha” you choke out.

“Try again” she replies and she’s correct. The Natasha you knew was gone, you were now in the presence of the infamous Black Widow.

“Come on, at least try to fight back” she scoffs “This is pathetic, didn’t they train you better at SHIELD?”

Taking the bait anger fills your body at her words and you begin thrashing your body in an attempt to get her off of you. Your sudden movement catches her off guard, confidence filling your body as you’re able to flip her body under you. Sitting on her hips, you quickly pin her wrists above her head. Huffing, you look at her with a smirk - feeling incredibly proud of yourself at this moment. You would have never dreamed of the day you’d get the upper hand against the Black Widow.

“So what now?” her face blanks as she stares back up at you. “Are your SHIELD buddies gonna come busting through the door to come to save you once again”

You don’t reply, but nerves start to fill your body. You nor SHIELD prepared for this to happen, much less on the first night. You can feel sweat forming on your forehead as you try to determine the best course of action. Given your current circumstance, the outlook did not look great. If only you could find your phone.

“You know what you’ll have to do, right?” she asks, looking at you vacantly. “You got yourself into the mess”. She slips wrists from under your hands so easily. Instantly you question why she didn’t do this earlier, what kind of game was she playing? She made no move to remove you from on top of her, instead grabbing your hands. Sliding them across her chest, before sliding them up until you felt the warmth radiating from her neck. “Finish the job Y/n” squeezing her hands ontop on yours until your fingers had a tight grip around her neck.

This is the moment you’ve been waiting for ever since you learned the truth, your hands tightening around her neck instinctively. Only one of you will be leaving this bed alive, and you knew she wouldn’t hesitate to take you down if you couldn’t carry out the job. So you squeezed tighter and tighter, taking slight enjoyment in watching her demise. She preyed on you. Thought you were weak, an easy target. Why else would she approach you in the first place? You weren’t anyone special, you had just graduated from the academy. Your assignment in Russia had nothing to do with the Red Room, but she found you anyways. ‘You weren’t anyone special’ it continues to echo through your mind, anger swelling as you squeeze with every last bit of energy you had left. She hurt you, she lied to you, betrayed you - but what hurt most of all is that she made you believe that you could be special to someone. That you could be wanted and needed by someone. She made you believe that you were special to her, and you fell so hard for her because of it. For the first time in your life, you felt safe enough to take the dive and were willing to suffer any and all consequences if it meant keeping her in your life. And even now, you can’t help but wonder how it all went so wrong. If anything you could have done would have changed the current circumstances. Sitting on top of your first love and watching the life leave her eyes slowly - by your own doing.

“No matter what it takes, right?” she gasps out, the last breaths leaving her body. When you look her in the eyes for the last time, you didn’t see a monster.

Memories of the past flooded your vision, of those green eyes that once stared at you with so much passion and warmth. As she whispered sweet words into your ears as you made love. As she lay against your chest, holding you tightly and repeating the phrase that made your chest swell with love. Some would say that saying a word too many times makes it lose its meaning but hearing Natasha say she loved you only did the opposite. It made you feel powerful, like for the first time in your life, you had something worth protecting - a love that was worth it all. And you would have done anything to keep it safe - to keep her safe. So what were you doing now? Looking down at your hands, you freeze at the sight that greets you. Natasha’s body - is completely lifeless. You quickly remove your hands from around her neck, the purple bruises confirming the harsh reality that you’re being forced to live through. Bringing your hands to your face, you couldn’t stop the tears from flowing down your face. A bitter laugh bubbles past your lips. It feels like someone is playing a cruel joke on you. Looking down at her, you felt your breath double over. You let out a loud scream, relishing in the burning feeling as it tears through your throat. Silently you lean your body down until your head rested against her chest. You didn’t feel her chest rise nor hear the steady heartbeat that you once took comfort in whenever you were in her arms. You let out a shaky breath as you moved your body up until you hovered over her face - desperately wishing to see her open those green eyes. Your tears were streaming harder with no end in sight - pooling in the crevices of her face. The love of your life - the only love you’d ever known - was dead and everything is worse now.

You wake up clutching your chest as the tears continue to stream down your face. You sit up abruptly, looking around the room. You aren’t in the living room, you look to your side and see Natasha fast asleep. She must have brought you in here. You lay back down, this time facing her. The rising and falling of her chest brings you comfort, calming your racing heartbeat. Then your chest aches with the same stabbing feeling from the car as you remember your dream. You flip and curl your body into yourself. Sobs threatening to rip through your throat. You cover your mouth with both hands, to suppress any sounds that leak through. You wish you could scream all of your emotions out. You could hear soft scratching at the bottom of your door, but you were too overwhelmed to do anything right now.

You felt helpless in this situation. Why is it that you are the only one struggling? You could barely keep it together right now and Natasha was peacefully asleep next to you. You wish there was a way to find out just how much of it was all a lie - to talk to her and find out the truth for yourself. If any of this ever meant anything to her or if it was all just a game to her. To get the answer to the question you’ve been dying to ask: Did the woman you fell in love with ever truly exist, or was it all an illusion?

You feel Natasha start to turn in her sleep, and you completely still your body. Closing your eyes, you even your breaths, to feign sleep. You feel her body shift until she was completely behind you. Her front pressed tightly against your back as she drapes her arm over your torso. Lulled by her warmth, you allowed sleep to overtake your body for the second time that night, and only then does the scratching at the door stop.

#natasha x reader #natasha romanoff x reader #natasha x y/n #operation90days

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pustotsvit · 2 years

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The day I died but Somehow Stayed

23th of February was so normal it hurts. It was the 23th day since my 26th birthday and 24th day since I’d finally started treating my MDD.

I don’t remember what it was that I ate. I don’t remember what song on Spotify was the soundtrack of that day. I have physical memory though - my whole body feels sore and hard to move because of the hiit exercises I started doing. It was painful to breathe, let alone walk or sit or even laugh.

I have a mental memory - I was scrolling through concerts’ ads hoping to see some rad bands performing in Kyiv in late April. My sister will have turned sweet 16 on the 28th, so I wanted to make that day a memory she could go back to every time she feels upset or broken or unable to keep pace. Be careful what you wish for, they say. Now I wish I did. As my little angel will never forget her sour 16 she met under russian occupation in Mariupol, dreaming not of Black Pink or Maneskin singing to her in the flesh, but of taking hot shower after 2 months of living in the basement of the Culture Palace she once used to go to dance classes. Once. How unfair this “once” was just 90 days ago. An eternity.

I have a memory that makes me angry and sick - an echo of a conversation me and my partner had that day. With my taking antidepressants I was also trying to finally try living again, first time after 6 years of isolation and self-destruction. We were planning to go to the Philharmonia and I was thrilled - it felt like I was going to meet the Queen, no less. Social anxiety will do it with you, beware.

I remember myself whining about the new Batman movie and how we’d rather go to the cinema if only there was any decent title. You see, I love Batman. The me from the 23th did, at least. The me who was complaining about going out to listen to some music live.

And that’s where I feel like throwing up. That’s where I get angry with my past-self.

How easy life was for her. How she took for granted the possibility to wake up to cars honking and birds tweeting outside along with a bunch of I-don’t-know-who-but-they-are-hilarious users on Twitter doing the same.

I want to scream at myself, say “why am I suffering now so much, why do I cry every night and beg the gods to take me in my sleep and not with a GRAD fragment splitting my throat open or cutting off my limbs or burning me alive in my own bed, why my concern is not that about how to find the money to finally get my mom to Prague on her birthday - cause she always wanted to visit Europe - but how to find a way to fucking just hear her voice and know she is still alive there, in Mariupol, for now she is still breathing, why am I supposed to live through this hell same way dozens of my Ukrainian ancestors did just because there’s a MONSTER neighboring my country, why am I to be exterminated just because I’m Ukrainian wanting to live in MY country and speak MY language, why the people I used to call relatives and friends who live in russia are telling me I just have to “bear with it” and “get denazificated” and “be corrected and thus saved”, why they deny every missile that hits my street or say I deserved it because I live in Ukraine, WHY?”

WHY DO I STILL REMEMBER HOW IT FEELS LIVING IN THE EVENING OF THE 23TH OF FEBRUARY?

I went to sleep at about 3 am. My body was sore and I was annoyed thinking that tomorrow I had a training scheduled. It’s a YouTube hiit marathon so I’d better not skip it.

It was about 4 am I fell asleep at last thinking about the fanfic I was writing to unwind. My personal lullaby.

And it was 5 something when my partner startled me into the reality. Fully dressed, in his Bershka parka and winter Martins. It was dark in the room and I couldn’t make out the features of his face, all covered in shadows. He was silent, probably waiting for me to fully wake up. But it suddenly felt like I’d never closed my eyes at all. The alertness was overwhelming.

When he opened his mouth to explain himself, I already knew what happened. That moment is still the one I’m trapped in. The one I died at and got myself buried in bomb shelter with kids crying and the old praying all around while the constant bombing laughs at them, knocking at our doors to let the “russian world” they brought us in.

My love opened his mouth and I think I will never be able to escape the word he whispered.

It wasn’t “war”.

It was “russia”.

Synonyms.

pic: our basement hideout at the first day of the War. People are settling in. Very cold and dusty and overall terrible. Still better to die under shelling.

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hufflpuffin · 4 months

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Just watched a video of a Palestinian journalist filming himself rushing into a building immediately after Israel dropped a bomb on a residential building which failed to detonate. Inside are dozens of mothers, children, and elderly women are shaken up. No hamas. No rockets or gunmen or weapon stashes. Just them. They would have all been massacred had the bomb exploded.

This comes just after Israel lied about hamas members being in a car full of journalists that they airstriked, which strategically murdered the son of Wael Al-Dahdouh, bureau chief of Al Jazeera in Gaza, one of the last few opposition news sources doing on the ground reporting in Gaza and exposing Israeli war crimes. His sons murder comes after months of Israel strategically murdering his wife, family, and children, as well as his crew and nearly himself. Now Israel is claiming that they airtriked the car not because they had any actual evidence of terrorists, but because the journalists were using a drone to take pictures of the destruction, something which Palestinian journalists have been using since the start of the genocide. Not the first time Israel lied about a reason to murder journalists- im reminded of the Al Jazeera building bombing a few years ago, when Israel claimed they had intelligence of Hamas inside but as it turns out there was none. It reminds me of the murder of Shireen Abu Akleh, a Christian Palestinian journalist who was sniped and murdered while in full press clothing, and Israel's attempts to cover it up until they couldnt anymore and had to admit it. They then desecrated her funeral. No one was charged for her murder.

Once again more lies, more civilians dead, more war crimes overlooked by Western powers. More money, more escalation, more weapons testing, more illegal settlements, more kidnapped and lynched Palestinians in the West bank by the IDF and armed settlers. More dead journalists. More dead and starving Gazans. It doesnt end. How can anyone believe a word Israel says when theyve lied so brazenly about all of their operations even before the 'war'? Why isnt Israel under the same intense scrutiny that Russia is when Israel has massacred more civilians in 90 days than Russia has in 2 years of war?

#palestine #free palestine #wael al dahdouh #wael dahdouh #and if you say because hamas started this like russia ur getting blocked. it started way before hamas. hamas is the excuse.#palestinians are not the invaders here. they are not the occupiers. they are the subjugated.#saving the hostages is an excuse while israel kidnaps innocent palestiniand #and murder and bomb their own hostages #the ONLY solution is peace. The ONLY solution is ending the occupation. that is the ONLY way to end hamas.#2 decades of failed retaliation against 9/11 should have made that very clear. destabilizing countless countries and leaving extremist #fighter groups to take power should have been a lesson #reminder israel funded hamas.#reminder that history didnt start on 10/7 the way history didnt start on 9/11 #it started years and decades before

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newstfionline · 8 months

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Sunday, September 3, 2023

No power and nowhere to stay as rural Florida starts recovering from Hurricane Idalia (AP) The worst of Hurricane Idalia left residents of a region of tight-knit communities trying to find places to live as they rebuild—if they decide it’s even worth it—and waiting potentially weeks for electricity to be restored after winds and water took out entire power grids. A power cooperative warned its 28,000 customers it might take two weeks to restore electricity. More than 100,000 homes and businesses in Florida and Georgia remained without power Friday, according to PowerOutage.us. And even with high temperatures below normal, the high humidity meant sweltering late-summer days and nights, with no power to run air conditioners. Emergency officials promised trailers would arrive over the weekend to provide housing in an area that didn’t have much to begin with.

Americans’ Ideal Family Size Is Larger Than the Birthrate Suggests (WSJ) What do you think is the ideal number of children for a family to have? Most Americans say the answer is two to three children, according to various surveys over nearly 90 years, even as actual birthrates drop lower than that. In fact, the share of people saying they want three or more children has risen as the actual number of children being born has dropped. Why aren’t people having the families they idealize or intend to have? All sorts of life happens, and you don’t necessarily end up with the family you expected theoretically in a survey.

.ai (Bloomberg) The Caribbean island Anguilla, a British territory, has made bank this year because their country-level domain address is .ai, and amid the AI trend they’re making a fortune off of new registrations. This year, registrations at the top level domain doubled to 287,432 on the year, which would mean that Anguilla will reap in the ballpark of $30 million for the year from selling the domains, up from $7.4 million brought in in 2021.

The Bolivian Job (Rest of World) An estimated 20 percent of the total vehicle fleet in Bolivia has been smuggled, mostly stolen in neighboring Chile and then driven across the desert to one of the 73 illegal markets that are remarkably easy to find. The Bolivian government is aware of the issue, and the car thieves have become a lifestyle of their own, called chuteros with their own TikTok scene and whatnot. Naturally, this has the Chileans furious, and local police are overwhelmed with reports. Chile’s even got a new AI-fueled startup, SafeByWolf, designed to identify boosted cars faster for the insurance industry.

More than 100 British schools may face danger of collapse (BBC) More than 100 schools in England are scrambling to make arrangements after being told to shut buildings with a type of concrete prone to collapse. The government gave the order just days before the start of the autumn term. Some pupils have already been told they will be learning remotely, in temporary classrooms or at different schools. Schools found with buildings containing reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) have been told they must introduce safety measures, which could include propping up ceilings. This came after the government was made aware of a number of incidents where RAAC failed without warning, not just in school buildings, but elsewhere too.

Russian students are returning to school, where they face new lessons to boost their patriotism (AP) Clad in white shirts and carrying bouquets, children across Russia flocked back to school Friday, where the Kremlin’s narratives about the war in Ukraine and its confrontation with the West were taking an even more prominent spot than before. Students are expected each week to listen to Russia’s national anthem and watch the country’s tricolor flag being raised. There’s a weekly subject loosely translated as “Conversations about Important Things,” which was introduced last year with the goal of boosting patriotism. A new high school history textbook has a chapter on the annexation of the Crimean Peninsula and the “special military operation”—the Kremlin’s euphemism for the war, and some basic military training is included in a course on self-defense and first aid. “School ... is a powerful mechanism for raising a person subordinate to the state,” said Nikolay Petrov, visiting researcher at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs. “For a while the school was outside the active attention of the state. Today, it’s all coming back.”

As Ukraine’s Fight Grinds On, Talk of Negotiations Becomes Nearly Taboo (NYT) Stian Jenssen, the chief of staff to the secretary general of NATO, recently had his knuckles rapped when he commented on possible options for an end to the war in Ukraine that did not envision a complete Russian defeat. His remarks provoked an angry condemnation from the Ukrainians; a clarification from his boss, Jens Stoltenberg; and ultimately an apology from Mr. Jenssen. The contretemps, say some analysts who have been similarly chastised, reflects a closing down of public discussion on options for Ukraine just at a moment when imaginative diplomacy is most needed, they say. Given that even President Biden says the war is likely to end in negotiations, Samuel Charap, a senior political scientist at the RAND Corporation, believes there should be a serious debate in any democracy about how to get there. Yet he, too, has also been criticized for suggesting that it is important to talk to Russia about a negotiated outcome. “There is a broad and increasingly widespread sense that what we’re doing now isn’t working, but not much of an idea of what to do next, and not a big openness to discuss it, which is how you come up with one,” he said. “The lack of success hasn’t opened up the political space for an open discussion of alternatives.”

Pope, in Mongolia, laments earth devastated by countless conflicts (Reuters) Pope Francis, in words that appeared to be aimed at China rather than the neighbouring country he was visiting, said on Saturday that governments have nothing to fear from the Catholic Church because it has no political agenda. In an address to bishops, priests, missionaries and pastoral workers, he said Jesus gave no political mandate to his apostles but told them to alleviate the sufferings of a “wounded humanity” through faith. “For this reason, governments and secular institutions have nothing to fear from the Church’s work of evangelization, for she has no political agenda to advance, but is sustained by the quiet power of God’s grace and a message of mercy and truth, which is meant to promote the good of all,” he said. On Saturday morning, Francis called on leaders to dispel the “dark clouds of war.”

Typhoon Saola makes landfall in southern China but appears to cause only light damage (AP) Typhoon Saola made landfall in southern China before dawn Saturday after nearly 900,000 people were moved to safety and most of Hong Kong and parts of the coastal mainland suspended business, transport and classes. Damage appeared to be minimal, however, and some services were returning to normal by afternoon. Meanwhile, Taiwan issued a warning Saturday for a second typhoon, Haikui, which was expected to pass over the island Sunday, before traveling onward to the central Chinese coast.

Biden approves military aid to Taiwan under program normally used for sovereign states (NBC) On Wednesday, Washington approved a transfer of arms to Taiwan under the Foreign Military Financing program, which is normally reserved for use with sovereign states. Currently, neither the U.S. nor U.N. acknowledges the island nation as its own country in order to maintain diplomatic ties to China. Beijing voiced its “strong dissatisfaction” and “firm opposition” to the weapons sale, claiming that it hurt “China’s sovereignty and security interests” while damaging “peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.” Even as China-U.S. dialogue has picked up in recent months with multiple American officials visiting Beijing, the White House has continued funneling arms to Taiwan. Last month, Washington approved a $345 million arms package to the country, and is working to send $500 million worth of F-16 fighter jets to Taipei as well.

With wary eye on China, U.S. moves closer to former foe Vietnam (Washington Post) The United States and Vietnam are poised to significantly enhance their economic and technological ties, bringing the former foes closer at a time of increased Chinese assertiveness in the region. The deal, expected to be announced when President Biden makes a state visit to Vietnam next weekend, is the latest step by the Biden administration to deepen relations in Asia. For Hanoi, the closer relationship with Washington serves as a counterweight to Beijing’s influence. The establishment of a “comprehensive strategic partnership” will give the United States a diplomatic status that Vietnam has so far reserved for only a handful of other countries: China, Russia, India and South Korea.

The low, low cost of shipping (London Review of Books) The truth is that shipping is responsible, as Rose George put it in the subtitle of her classic 2013 book on the subject, for ‘90 Per Cent of Everything’. It is the physical equivalent of the internet, the other industry which makes globalisation possible. The internet abolishes national boundaries for information, news, data; shipping abolishes these boundaries for physical goods. The main way it does this is by being almost incomprehensibly efficient and cheap. As George points out, if you’re having a sweater shipped from the other side of the planet, the cost of shipping adds just a cent to the price. Another way of putting it would be to say that shipping is, in practice, free. This has had the effect of abolishing geography and location as an economic factor: moving stuff from A to B is so cheap that, for most goods, there is no advantage in siting manufacturing anywhere near your customers. Instead, you make whatever it is where it’s cheapest, and ship it to them instead.

#headlines #news

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bluepoodle7 · 6 months

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#VideosIRemember#Nostalgia#MyThoughts

There was a early MMD of Kaito singing this song in Japanese driving a red car.

But the Beautiful Sunday was in English.

It is gone to time now.

I have this song on my old MP3 but I'm too scared to plug the USB in because I'm scared my computer might erase my 2009 song history and a few of my songs youtube vids are gone with time.

I might buy a speaker later to record it.

Image, videos, and songs not mine but links are there.

Daniel Boone = Beautiful Sunday - YouTube

Category:KAITO Models | MikuMikuDance Wiki | Fandom

I remember when brawl was popular this and the soul eater was popular.

Videos and Images not mine but links are there.

Vampire Skunk (Full Movie) - YouTube

Olive - You're Not Alone (Lyrics) - YouTube

Megaman 2 and Paramore remix: Dr. Wily's crushcrushcrush - YouTube

GIGI D'AGOSTINO - BLA BLA BLA ( OFFICIAL VIDEO ) - YouTube

Gigi D'Agostino Bla Bla Bla - YouTube

Eiffel 65 - Voglia Di Dance All Night - YouTube

'Fighting Fruit' by Kate Bush (1994 Fruitopia commercial) - YouTube

[Flash Animation] Ramen Flash (HD) - YouTube

Attack of the Evil TV - YouTube

Brainless Randy Illbleed Tribute - YouTube

Dancing Samurai (English Sub) - YouTube

☜Kagamine Len☜ - Hot Cocoa (A Restless Night's Song) + English & Romaji Lyrics - YouTube

Japanese Horse WTF!?!!? - "Get Down/ゲッダン" - YouTube

Kitsune^2 - Rainbow Tylenol - YouTube

Vampire Skunk (Full Movie) - YouTube

WAFAW HD REMASTER - YouTube

WAFAW HD REMASTER PART 2 - YouTube

no dreams - YouTube

Spirit Never Dies Anime AMV - YouTube

Real ninjas (naruto) - YouTube

Fridge Raiders - Chicken Bites ad - YouTube

Education Connection Commercial Jingle - YouTube

FreeCreditReport.com all 9 commercials - YouTube

Sherwood - Middle of the Night - YouTube

Royksopp - Remind Me - YouTube

Röyksopp - Remind Me - 4K Restoration - YouTube

Rainbow Road - YouTube

Smash Eater 2 - YouTube

star fox ipod add - YouTube

Pendulum - Fasten Your Seatbelt HD - YouTube

Otherworldly Foe - EarthBound - YouTube

I remember seeing this one on Newgrounds before youtube was a thing.

I'm so old.

Smooth Sephiroth (youtube.com)

Buckle Your Pants (Beta Mix) - Battleblock Theater - YouTube

This one is long but it's a nice mix of all the songs and each song transitions to the next nicely.

Fantastic Plastic Machine - Sound Concierge #404：Electric Carnival (2004) (youtube.com)

Smokey Bear don´t play with fire English and Spanish (youtube.com)

I'm surprised these characters in the PSA didn't get fanart yet.

This gives me Happy Tree Friends, Drawn Together, KND, and Team Rocket vibes.

The ticket guy is pretty neat. This evil guy that gives me Nostalgic Critic mixed with Villainous vibes.

Russian PSA to Keep Kids From Riding on Top of Trains! (youtube.com)

JSC Central PPK - You Can't Buy Brains: Free Riders 2 (2016, Russia) - YouTube

Garage Kids (youtube.com)

Jamiroquai- Love Foolosophy lyrics (youtube.com)

Want It, Need It / Hold Me Comparison (youtube.com)

JerryTerry - Kiss Me (Kill Me) Song Only with Lyrics - YouTube

Oh Oh Oh Sexy Vampire - Disko Warp feat. Fright Ranger (Radio Gosha) (youtube.com)

Kiss Me Kill Me / Odyssey [Eurobeat] (youtube.com)

MANUEL / GAS GAS GAS【Official Lyric Video】【頭文字D/INITIAL D】 (youtube.com)

Initial D - Deja Vu (youtube.com)

Initial D - Running in The 90s (youtube.com)

John Doe Game OST - "Creepy Place" (youtube.com)

About John Doe + OST (youtube.com)

John Doe - HOUSE HUNTED OST + Cutscenes (youtube.com)

Hello Karl (youtube.com)

MEME (animatic) | Pick a flower | Maison Talo | House Hunted | Buru (oc) (youtube.com)

Twelve Forever | Buttwitch Theme song (youtube.com)

StanleyMOV Sings Super Mario Galaxy I Was Never Book Smart I'm Money Smart! (youtube.com)