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#and not getting paid for any of my work for this shit contract position!!!!
Hi Elanor, we met briefly on the taping of your husband's fringe show and you were super nice, no good deed etc. I'm pretty sure I've seen you post about lecturing at a uni.
I've been thinking about heading back to uni for a master's, with the possibility of a career shift into academia after, but I'm somewhat wary of the lack of job security with fixed term contracts and such, and just generally unsure how one goes about getting a job teaching at uni. Most people I know in academia are primarily interested in research, with the idea of lecturing being mostly incidental, I'm almost the other way around.
How did you get started in your field, and how much of that do you think applies to new entrants today? Did you have to/get to make a choice between research and lecturing? Any insight you might have, or a starting point for further research would be greatly appreciated.
Hello again! It was lovely meeting you!
Sure, yes, so, my path in began as an HPL - an hourly paid lecturer. A colleague on my old degree course was signed off work with stress, so another old lecturer of mine was asking if any graduates wanted to do a bit of lecturing to cover him. It coincided with my job losing its main funding and so going to part time hours, so it worked.
It started as one module for one semester. Which became the module for the year, then two and a half the following year, then four the next two years. And then, under UK law, if you hold an HPL contract with the same institution for four years, they have to give you a proper contract, so now I'm on a permanent four days a week with full lecturer status.
And then if you do it that way round i.e. become a lecturer before holding a teaching qualification, the uni will pay to put you through a PCET - I'm due to finish my PCET in May this year.
HPL work... Well. There are advantages and disadvantages to this approach. HPLs are the lecturing equivalent of hospital cleaning staff - absolutely vital and chronically overlooked and underpaid. It's a zero hours position, so you get paid only for the time you spend actually delivering the lectures, at a rate (IIRC it was about £33 per hour?) that assumes one hour's prep for every two hours lecture. Needless to say, prepping a two hour lecture takes longer than an hour. You also don't get paid for the marking you do, and you receive basically no guidance on how to actually teach - best case scenario is that they can give you copies of the lecture slides used by previous academics in the role, which you can use as a guide or amend to your liking. And the final topping on the shit cake is that HPL contracts run for a semester at a time, so they very much fall into the 'precarious employment' bracket.
But, as I say, you can very quickly make yourself indispensable, and then after four years they have to give you a contract. Or, you just do it to mine it for the experience for a CV. I've known people who did HPL work for two unis at once while studying a PCET and then walked into a proper position in a third elsewhere.
Because the other root is to get a Masters, get a PCET (as part of which you need to do a placement anyway), and then apply for lecturer roles. Again, advantages and disadvantages - these days, lecturer roles are hotly contested. But it's very possible, I know many who have done it.
So! Regarding the other part of your question!
Some universities are more teaching focused, others are more research focused, some are a bit of both. If you know that the main thing you want to do is the teaching part, then you want to give priority to the universities that are more teaching focused themselves. These are usually the non-Russell Group prestigious ones, particularly the ones with a slightly more local student body. Anything with a qualifier like 'Metropolitan' after its name, either now or in the recent past, is a good idea - in Wales, for example, UWTSD includes the old Swansea Met, USW includes the old Cardiff Met, etc. Those are more teaching focused institutions (and therefore better at serving non traditional students, too, especially disabled ones), so in career terms, those are handy to shoot for.
(Also, those can have high turnovers of research academics by contrast. So it's usually relatively easy to get HPL work from them to plug employment gaps.)
Anyway - that's me. Good luck if you do decide to try it! Let me know if you have any other questions
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thefirsthogokage · 9 months
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So, the AMPTP basically said that the studios take too much risk to pay people anything for streaming shows. Here's John Rogers and David Slack responding to that.
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(link to top of thread)
[Image ID: A tweet thread from John Rogers on July 23rd, 2023 that reads in its entirety:
Last time I had a failure - which was collateral damage in an argument between the studio and the network - I had to personally fire 200 people, they all were off payroll by that afternoon, and I was also out of a job. The executives all continued to get paid. So fuck off.
Actually, that’s not true. The failure after that one happened as collateral damage in one of the mergers, so it had nothing to do with the quality of the show. And I had to wait, forbidden to work, not earning a dime, as they shopped it for six months.
Also several of my writers were cheated of their expected salaries, some losing up to 75%, for reasons too complicated to explain here. Those executives, both studio and streamer, all kept their jobs. So double fuck off.
Actually no, my last failure was a show where after delivery the network made us wait *seven months … for a PASS*. Seven months where I was in first position, and again, was forbidden from working.
Do that was one pilot fee, cut in half with a partner, for a year and a half’s work counting development. Those executives, both studio and network, kept their jobs.
So *triple* fuck off.
Luckily I had my tiny sliver of back end from TRANSFORMERS - no, wait, no, because according to the Hollywood accounting while that movie grossed something like a billion dollars all in, it unfortunately wound up $36 million in the hole.
So QUADRUPLE fuck off.
If you’re dumb enough to take that AMPTP statement at face value, responsible adults should remove all the scissors from your home. You are the reason hair dryers have the “Do not use while sleeping” warning.
/End ID]
I believe that merger one was Leverage or The Librarians. Both were doing REALLY well before they got cancelled due to network shit, I know that much. So the network/studio one could be either of those as well. Probably Leverage?
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(Link to top of thread)
[Image ID: A tweet thread from David Slack posted July 21st, 2023 that reads in its entirety:
The studios claim they shouldn’t have to share revenue for the success of the shows we make succeed because they assume all the risk.
Well.
To paraphrase a famous actor: There’s more than one type of risk, motherfucker.
While the studios and their new hedge fund besties may assume some modest financial risk, any losses just go on a balance sheet next to the C-suite’s golden parachutes.
The workers in this industry, on the other hand, risk a hell of a lot more than that.
Most working actors live with the constant uncertainty of never knowing where their next paycheck will come from or how long it will be between jobs. That’s risk.
If they work a second job, they often risk losing it every time they take time off for auditions or jobs.
Actors also generally have little control over the final product, so *every* role is a risk for them. Sure, it could be the hit that changes everything. But it could also be a flop that hurts their career for years. They become “the guy from that thing” and can’t get more work.
Under our old contract, writers put in untold hours of free work developing and rewriting pitches and scripts for features and TV. Much of this work is on spec. That’s a huge risk writers take on — yet the studios are happy to benefit from the upside without taking on any risk.
Writers, actors, crew, and directors also risk our personal relationships, spending long hours at work, frequently across the country or around the world. Our partners soldier on without us. Our kids miss us and we can only hope they’ll understand.
That’s a huge risk.
Stunt performers literally risk their lives for the shows we make. Productions and crews take every possible precaution to ensure their safety, but accidents still can and do happen.
You gonna try and tell us that’s not risk?
All of us risk our health and safety working insane hours to keep up with the schedules our bosses create. When was the last time David Zaslav or Bob Iger worked a Fraturday? Do they even know what one is?
In production, where 14, 15, and 16 hour days are common, people have died from falling asleep at the wheel driving to and from set.
And the studios have the fucking gall to say they’re taking all the risk?
We risk our finances, our families, our friendships, our futures, and sometimes our lives to make a product for you that you have no idea how to make yourselves.
All you risk is money.
And by the fucking way, we *know* you can afford to give us success-based pay — because you’ve been doing it for 83 YEARS.
Remember 1960? When both the WGA and SAG went on strike and won…
residuals for TV?
Residuals for TV *are* success-based pay. Great movies and TV shows re-ran more often, so the people who created and starred in them got more money as a reward for that success. It’s a great system that incentivized workers to bust their asses to make great shows.
And you know what happened to the entertainment industry in the 8 decades studios have been making these success-based payments?
IT THRIVED.
Studios made billions in revenue selling our product all around the world.
But now, the studios say they can’t afford it. They say it’s not “fair” for actors to ask for success-based pay because they don’t take on any risk.
That’s stupid.
It’s offensive.
And it’s a lie.
It’s shameful that the AMPTP and their studio bosses are trying to deny the workers who make their product a bonus for success that is time-tested and has 83 years of precedent.
And that they’re lying about it?
That’s just… uncivilized. #WGAStrong #SAGAFTRAStrong
/End ID]
The absolute fuckery of this statement that came from the AMPTP is that the studios thought this would gain them sympathy. They were wrong. They genuinely thought this was a good statement from them because they DO think they take all the risk because they can't see people who don't have their wealth as real people. They can't.
Wealth is a disease.
No one should make the kind of money these people make. It makes them so out of touch they think of themselves as gods among ants. They step on those ants? They don't notice. They don't care. They just keep moving forward to gain as much money as possible, even though they have no way to spend it.
Fuck the studios, a new system needs to be built around them so that they'll die.
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twst-drabbles · 10 months
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Azul 22
Summary: Azul, in a fashion you’re awfully familiar and annoyed with, tried to be condescendingly coy about your position as janitor.
(So, the heat’s getting so bad that I haven’t stepped into the kitchen at all. There’s no AC there, and with temperatures climbing even higher next week due to my proximity to Mexico, I’ve been relying on snacks and precooked meals. 100 F. On average. I hate it. So much.)
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“Though, I do find it rather interesting how you can stay so arrogant in a place where you stand above no one.”
Azul says that like he doesn’t constantly rub his thumb over his contracts. Like he hasn’t panicked when you did a deep clean of his office—at his request—that included touching his safe. Like he isn’t eager to lure in the next scrub that needs something done and willing to give something precious away. Like he hasn’t muttered furiously under his breath when he suspected a contract was missing when in reality, it was in the back of the safe.
You stay away from the business of others because you know of the trouble that will come out of it. This college, from the moment you met the eyes and fake smiles around you, reeked to the skies of egos that that never had to be popped. Because the headmage here refused to dip his hands into the very business he signed up for.
You have a shitload of work to do. You haven’t sat down since you got out of bed this morning. The restaurant Azul owns has just finished for the day and now you’re being paid to do a deep clean again as though he didn’t have any other workers on standby to do that.
You don’t know what the fuck’s going on with this man, but you don’t give enough of a shit to be polite.
“And yet you laugh at me like you’re not my neighbor in this supposed pit.”
Azul didn’t flinch, not like you expect slimy business men such as he to do so. To do the shady stuff he does, he has to be made of tougher stuff, or at least skilled enough with his tongue to turn thing in his favor. Still though, the light pause was enough for you to pick up.
He really thought you were somebody that lets thinly veiled insults fly because of fear of breaching some sort of social etiquette rule.
“…Of course I’m not laughing at you. I have no reason to do such a horrible thing. Though, I have to say, your image of me is quite warped.“
There’s always something grating about people that try to word their insults in this disassociated way, like they’re a birdwatcher or a scientist. Just making an interesting observation, no need to pay them any mind, because if you do, you’re the asshole for supposedly putting words in their mouth.
“Like you know shit about me and what I think. And you don’t even care to know. You’re just pissed and looking for something fun.”
You’ve been temporarily placed in Octavinelle to clean it up for the time being. You can say you’re fairly used to students trying to add more work than you’re required to do. This included Azul, who somehow expected the restaurant he has all rights to be part of cleaning up the dorm.
And you, with every other person that made these assumptions, made them pay extra. Lot of them said no, but Azul said yes with a very low tide of loathing when you didn’t budge an inch.
Authority has never made you give into anything you didn’t want to do. You weren’t going to start now.
“Angry? What gave you that impression? I’m not one to get angry over anything trivial, if that’s what you’re implying.”
Ah, now he’s probing for something. A slip up, any sign of hesitation, perhaps a momentary lapse in confidence? Or maybe he wants you to explode in anger. Oh well, you’re not gonna bother.
“Pay me,” you reached out to Azul with an open palm.
“…What?”
You have to admit, there’s something satisfying about the way he clenched his jaw, like speaking to you was the same as pulling teeth.
“You want my advice on how I can stay ‘arrogant’ in this college while you struggle with your ego, you have to pay me for it.”
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undrgrnd-nft · 5 months
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Tezos Goes Big
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I really didn’t want to write this, I swear. I have real work to do, podcasts to edit and my daughter is home sick; but, it’s like holding in a sneeze, when I have something to say it’s best to get it out.
This is not about the @tezos event at Art Basel Miami. It may be what is driving the conversation but this is not really about the displays in a lobby of a hotel.
This is the culmination of years of disrespect to a driving force of adoption and endemic of the crypto space (and society) at large.
Art rejuvenating dead space is not a novel concept. In fact, in Miami, there’s an entire area that could have been used as a template by all blockchains. It’s called Wynnewood, look it up and you’ll get the New York Times article I reference all the time.
What was once an industrial park became a hub for restaurants, music and entertainment: culture.
Why? Because some graffiti artists began painting on the cold gray walls of a concrete jungle.
Did those artists share any of the financial gain brought to the neighborhood? No, but think of the exposure!
Web3 was not built by nor built for creatives like us (yea, I’m putting myself in that group, shut up about it). It was built by boys and men that look, talk and act like me (white, male, presumable douchey based on appearance) but lack a moral and emotional foundation.
They use the right words, have picked up key phrases and platitudes, but at the core it’s not about the things many of us value. It’s not about art.
It’s not about a reorganization of institutions that were built to keep specific classes, races and sexes subservient.
It is not building a utopian-Marxist future where the moral and decent are rewarded financially for their collective effort.
Look at the state of streaming services: Netflix, Hulu, Paramount, Peacock, Max. What was once meant to disrupt the cable industry has now become Cable Networks 2.0.
The same is true in crypto. What started as a revolution has become a hype parade led by influencers masquerading as cultural relevance.
Remember the @TezosFoundation Permanent Collection drama? In a Twitter space shortly after things began to spiral downward, one of the leads made a comment on the criticisms, “if this is the response maybe we won’t do this again.”
We all knew it then.
But many of us came here to create something better. So we, many of them my friends, gave second chances, put a positive spin on it and took their opportunity when it was offered.
I was jealous.
Because I would have done the same.
UNDRGRND is just me: a stay at home dad, taking care of a toddler who disrupts the means of production constantly. I know how hard it is to put together something and share it with an audience.
But so does every artist I write about.
So when we watch people with large budgets, people who are able to make a living on crypto already, getting paid to present the work of others and the result is done with the level of care it takes to hang a Missing Cat poster on a telephone pole, it’s infuriating.
Many of the artists I’ve gotten to know over these past three years were creative directors in their web2 lives. Do you know what they could have done with a fraction the amount of money @tezos has in its war chest?
It’s disrespectful.
It always has been.
I’m going to push post on this in a few minutes and the anxiety is rising. I know others are going to criticize what I’m launching in the coming months.
I’m in a glass house throwing rocks.
The difference is I’m not deluded enough to think I have all the answers or have an ego like I’ve done anything yet.
I’m just a guy writing about the things I like while my four-year-old sleeps on me.
This was never about the display.
It was about the devaluation of creatives for years and the continuation of a broken social contract that promised an idealistic future.
So heed the lesson because we’re tired of this shit.
And I’m fucking coming…
- Founder of UNDRGRND, @NFTjoe
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fa-by · 1 year
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Hi to you too, dear Anon 👋🏼😄, and thank you very much🙏🏼 it's good to be back 🤗.
[It's good that you are well despite the adversities I know that you have not promised to answer all the questions that we ask you as often as you did before, but I hope that from time to time in your free time you can answer the questions.]
Yep, that's exactly what I'm gonna do and indeed, here I am answering asks 😜.
[Many things have happened within the fandom, one of them is that Lauren has been in a new “relationship” for a while now, I know you are not aware of the fandom or the girls]
I am aware of everything that happened and continues to happen to the girls, trust me 🤭🤣. Just because I disappeared from here for a while doesn't mean I didn't keep following everything 😉.
[I would like to know your point of view about the new PR?]
For independent artists in general, it's much more difficult to gain visibility and publicity without the backing of a major record label. Luckily for Laur because of her past, she already has a fanbase and therefore doesn't have to build one from scratch, but that doesn't mean it's a lifelong fanbase. Fans come and go for one reason or another, but it's up to the singers/artists to keep people engaged by any means necessary. Why?
Because singers/artists earn and get paid only because people like them. Without fans, there would be no streams for their music and therefore no concerts and tickets&merchandises sales, no interviews, no invitations to events, no awards, no visibility, no publicity, no nothing. Absolutely nothing. No fans equal no money and fame. No fans equal no celebrity. They'd simply go back to being ordinary people like you and me.
So, by “it's up to the singers/artists to keep people engaged by any means necessary” I was also implicitly talking about PRs of course. Just because Laur's independent doesn't mean she has the freedom to do whatever she wants on every front, especially since she's tied to the old legally binding contracts. The industry's rules haven't changed. Lo's been in the industry for almost 11 years and therefore knows very well that especially now that she's independent she has to continue to follow those industry rules to gain visibility and publicity without the backing of a major record label. The only thing that has changed for her now that she's independent is that she has more freedom to pull the strings on some things, and among them, the choice of her PR: Sasha Mallory.
Sasha's nothing more than a rebound for the contract with Lucy Vives. The new Lucy *and I hope they're a good person unlike Lucia*. Sasha is a non-binary friend who's attracted to women and is a dancer, ergo is in the same industry and therefore understands and can perfectly help Lauren on both fronts by also being part of the LGBTQIA+ community. Sasha's the new cover for Camren, especially for the connection in the songs. The purpose of the PR with Sasha is the same as any other PRs: attention, speculation, publicity. That's all, my dear Anon 😄.
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Hi to you too, dear Anon 👋🏼😄. I believe the previous answer answers your questions 🤣. It makes me happy that you're happy that I'm back and I hope you're having a good start to the week as well 🤗.
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I'll copy what I wrote in my previous post: “They're simply testing the waters and creating havoc, aka publicity, before Mila's debut with the new label. That's it 🤷🏻‍♀️. Nothing new. Ignore them as I do.”
Plus, Mila didn't put herself in any position because she can't decide shit 🤣. They put her, again. As I explained in my PR stunt relationships - ɟ post which I recommend you read to better understand how things work 😉, contracts can provide that two people who have already had a PR in the past can have it again in the future.
What is the BIG reason she has for doing this in your opinion other than to get publicity for their future albums? I'm curious to know 😜.
Oh and, dear Anon? I'd appreciate a hi/hey before the questions in the future please. Thanks 🙏🏼 and have a great day too.
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Hi to you too, dear Anon 👋🏼😄. I am now thanks 🤗, I hope you are too.
As for your question, none of the above you listed 🤣. It was Sofi, my dear 🤣.
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Hi to you @camilalauren0327 👋🏼😄!!! No no, I'm here don't worry 🙃. Thanks for stopping by to say hi, I really appreciate it. I hope you're having a great day too 🤗.
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Hello to you too, dear Anon 👋🏼😄. Happy (almost half) 2023 to you too, dear 🥳.
I think (also because of the songs and what Lauren said) that Camila thought and knew that Lauren liked her, especially physically, and that's why they had the fuckbuddies relationship. Mila also knew that Lauren only wanted sex without feelings because she knew Lo was scared and in denial. So she waited. She waited until then she could wait no longer.
P.S. Did you resend an ask you sent me at the beginning of the year? You know, because of the happy 2023.
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Hello to you too, dear Anon 👋🏼😄. Is this soon enough 😜?
1) Yes, I think so 😄.
2) 9 years. All these years. Since 2014 definitely. Not just 2017-2023, but since 2014. I think this simply because even though they had breaks and breakups lasting 3 months at most, they always got back together.
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Hi to you too, dear Anon 👋🏼😄 and thanks. It's an unreleased song called Healing that Mila wrote for The Hurting. The Healing. The Loving. I talked about it here https://fa-by.tumblr.com/post/674774346304290816/hello-babies-and-dear-anons-not-the-qa and here https://fa-by.tumblr.com/post/674845686765862912/wait-faby-so-the-healing-was-cs-song-for-the.
Along with those two posts, I'd like to add that Mila kept the song for years to be able to use it again on a future album, and when the time came, the label had the brilliant idea to change it into a duet to be used with the oh so precious Mr. Mentos (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dfTztRPWwKU released on Apr 23, 2023). The song was eventually scrapped and Mila decided to sell HER solo version thus acting as a ghostwriter. Version that was officially released by FLETCHER in 2021.
 ‍🤸🏻‍♀‍🤸🏻‍♀‍🤸🏻‍♀‍🤸🏻‍♀‍🤸🏻‍♀‍🤸🏻‍♀‍🤸🏻‍♀‍🤸🏻‍♀‍🤸🏻‍♀‍🤸🏻‍♀‍🤸🏻‍♀‍🤸🏻‍♀‍
Aaand I'm done 👅. Thank you all for your asks and I hope I've been helpful this time too 🙃. As usual, I'm always available for those who have questions, so ask away 😄.
Remember to be nice. Always. Both with others and with yourselves. Be a good example. Be patient. Be safe and take care of yourselves. Don't let our ship sink. Keep shipping them, but please respectfully 🙏🏼. Sending you virtual love and hugs 🤗🤗🤗. I love you, babies. Always with love, F ❤️.
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pastrygeckos · 1 year
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Everything is kind of going to shit lately, and it's starting to hit me lmao
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I don't have a lot of money at all, because even February pay is still affected by the stupid concept of getting paid earlier in December due to christmas, as if I even care about that. I have no way to make money right now, because our biggest client finally realised what we could've told them like two years ago (stop making a billion dogshit games) so there's basically no work for anyone that's on a zero hour contract, which is most of us. Apparently there's fuck all going on elsewhere too, because none of my three jobs have any work for me right now. I've put 5 years of blood, sweat and tears into my work, but it turns out it's been for absolutely nothing - even if it wasn't for the fact that I'm being rejected for a permanent or fixed term contract due to requesting an 80% position for my health, there's now no available contracts at all because of that client's rug pull. My workplace also has the absolute audacity to complain about the minimum wage going up, and as a result there's "no money available" for bonuses. They're literally whining about the government making them pay their employees the least amount of money possible (and believe me, I've made it real fucking clear how offensive and ridiculous that is). I keep throwing applications left and right, and so far all I've got is a pre-interview chat. Not even an actual interview (hopefully the chat will lead to an interview, but I'm fucking awful at those). I already went through this whole bullshit thing of having to rebuild an entire career that I'd invested so much time and effort into in my early 20s, I really can't go through all that again. Next week will be the second week of no shifts at all, so now I'm going to have to spend the holiday hours I was gonna use when we go on an actual holiday later, just to ensure that I can at least get some wages next month.
Sorry for whining, I'm just very tired of all this, it's so draining
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baddfemmeshe · 11 months
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Manifesting Success story #006
Back with another success story in less than 24 hours
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It’s the first of the month so you know bills but I’m happy to pay them. So my rent was almost $200 more than what I was expecting and when I got the notification, instead of reacting to the 3D, I just told myself “okay, I have two days to make some shit happen, let’s get it done”.
30 minutes later my mom calls, which is weird because she normally just texts, but I just went with it. I answered the phone thinking she needed me to help her with something but she was calling to check on me to see if I was okay. Another weird moment because she’s someone who will just wait for you to tell her what’s wrong. So I told her that I’m a little overwhelmed because my rent was more than what I expected but I’ll have it covered before the weekend. I actually had majority of the difference, was just short $50. So I told her I’m short that amount and she said why didn’t I say anything?
Note: I NEVER ask for help because I always find a way
She said, well I’ll just send you $200 because you never ask for anything. More than what I was expecting tbh. She then asked do I have gas in my car? Like what, my gas light literally just came on 🤣. But I was going to put gas in there anyway. So her solution is that since she gets gas cards through her company, every Sunday she’ll fill my tank up for the week.
Like..
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Look at my manifestations working. I’m celebrating the little wins because that means the big ones are always around the corner.
Not to mention, I had a meeting today and was running late, they emailed me before the meeting even started and said we have to start an hour later today. Like WTF, y’all are showing out now ☺️
And then because I’ve been busy ALL DAY, my ex randomly texted me and asked if I wanted him to bring me something to eat. Like damn, I was just saying I need to eat something and here you are. And boom, he rang the doorbell and brought me my fave.
These little wins are just reminding me to stay positive
Oh, I forgot one…
I randomly applied to start my own business where I do contract work for banks doing customer service. Didn’t think I would even get any opportunities yet but 24 hours after applying, they sent an email and approved me to work customer service for a big credit card company. And the best part is that I create my own schedule and only have to work a minimum of 20 hours per week plus I get paid every week
Receipts 🧾 (because you know I have those)
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I’M A MANIFESTING QUEEN
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kc-liz-barnes · 2 years
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Don’t you love when Facebook asks right there at the top, “What’s on your mind?”
Well, a lot actually…thanks for asking! But I won’t do all that lol. Ain’t nobody got time for all that. I will tell you how I’m feeling, though: like a failure and a disappointment.
Am I either of those? No. But life has me feeling that way. All I’ve tried to do for the last 11 years is to make life better for my kids. Trying to pay off debt and save to be able to one day buy my own home for them to be able to grow in and have a stable place. Problem is, I never make enough to be able to do that. A one income house can barely function…when back 50 years ago, that’s all you had was the one person working (usually the father of the house) and one staying home. Hell, now you can barely function with a two income household.
After filing bankruptcy two years ago, I thought it was my fresh start and I could build everything back up where I needed it to be…which I was almost there. Until I’ve gotten behind again because literally the price and cost of everything has risen so high people can barely afford to live. I took a contract position with no insurance or paid time off with the hope that the higher pay would mean I could finally get ahead (HAHA) and then I could save money to pay down and buy a house whenever one came available that wasn’t outrageously priced and was one we loved. I was planning for that to happen this year. But. My plans never seem to go the way I want them to.
For the past two months I have spent every single day searching for homes and apartments and calling and applying…and wondering and worrying how in the hell I’m supposed to come up with at least $1,200 for a deposit and first months rent somewhere (and that’s on the cheaper end I’ve seen) when I can barely pay bills and gas and food and not able to save anything. It sucks and I’m depressed and barely going…but I’m still going. Because I have to…because I have kids and a cat that depend on me. Because even though I feel like I’ve let them all down, I still have to keep moving.
I feel like I’m a good person and I work hard for everything I have, but I’m so tired. So tired of nothing I try to do ever working out or being enough. So tired of being shit on by life. So tired of working my ass off and still being behind. I’m not asking for prayers or pity or money (but if you want to donate to my Find A Home fund my cash app is $KaciTuell 😂🤣)…I’m just venting my frustration out. Because I know for a fact I’m not the only person struggling or feeling this way…you’re not alone. Nothing is ever as it appears to be on social media.
Check on your friends. We’ll still tell you we’re fine, but know that just knowing there’s people out there that care even if we don’t speak often or see each other everyday is something we remember. And it matters.
I’m not that ok, but I will be. Something somewhere will work out and hopefully things will turn around for my situation. For now, quit being jerks, racists, homophobes, sexists, holier than thou judgemental pricks and just be nice to one another and live your own life and quit worrying about what Bill and Steve do with theirs next door if it’s not causing you any harm. People have enough shit on their plate without you trying to tell them how to live their own lives and be free and happy. Because YOU DONT EVER KNOW HOW SOMEONE ELSE IS REALLY FEELING or what they might be going through.
But hey, on a good note: Sonic’s got me, cause as I typed this I got my daily text that there’s a reward for a free cheeseburger in the app! I’m good for lunch! 😂😂
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drtanner · 3 years
Text
So hey, I’m taking a break from writing to tell you that poor people having nice things does not in any way devalue the nice things that you have and, in fact, improves your bargaining position for acquiring even nicer things for yourself! Who’d’ve thunk, right?
Free higher education, for example. Lots of people get mad about that. Why should poor people get to go to college or university for free when you paid through the nose for it? My dude, I’m sorry that happened to you. If poor people had been able to get access to quality higher education when you were angling to get into your prestigious college of choice, you would have been able to turn to that college and say:
“Hey! Why the fuck are you charging me through the nose to attend your college when I could get an equivalent education at this free college for nothing? What the hell!”
And your prestigious college would have then had to either lower their fees or significantly up their game in terms of the education they could provide for you, because if they didn’t, you’d just go to the free college, right? Of course you would. You're not stupid!
And this works the same with literally everything! The more things that poor people are able to access for low cost or for free, the better your position is for demanding higher quality and/or lower costs for the things you pay for!
You can turn to your landlord and say, “Hey! Paul! You piece of shit! Why am I paying so much to live in this dump that you barely maintain even though it’s explicitly in the contract we both signed that you’re required to do so when I could move into social housing and live in a really nice place for half of what I’m paying you!?”
You can turn to your employer and say, “Hey! Boss! Fuck you! Why the fuck am I still here working my ass off and letting you profit from my considerable skills and experience when I could go to fucking McDonalds or some other so-called ‘unskilled’ job and get paid a decent wage to do something much easier!?”
You can turn to your internet provider and say, “Hey, I know you’re just a call centre agent and it’s literally not your fault so I’m not going to get mad and swear at you, but I’d like to know why I’m using your company’s service and paying a premium for it when there’s literally utility broadband, paid for by my taxes, that I could be using right now for nothing. It’s at least as good as this service that I’m paying for and if this provider doesn’t start doing better, I’m going to close my account. Thanks!”
Literally everything, man! The more things that poor people are able to access as a matter of course, as a basic standard of living, the better the things you pay for will be forced to be in order to compete with them. I mean shit, if things like food and hygiene products and other very basic necessities were provided for free, the quality of the products that corporations want you to pay for would have to considerably outstrip the quality of the freely-provided items in order to convince people to buy them! There’s literally no downside (unless you’re a billionaire CEO who suddenly has to pull his finger out and stop trying to profit by way of a race to the bottom and actually run his corporation properly to keep bringing in money)!
If you’re mad that someone else gets to have something nice when you had to pay for that nice thing, you’re mad at the wrong person!
965 notes · View notes
kyun-toast · 3 years
Text
[ATEEZ] Mafia!San - Will You Join Me?
word count: 2.9k warnings: explicit language, gun use, violence, description of death (not explicit), sexually suggestive, gets a lil steamy summary: cupid has a bullet with your name on it a/n: Y/N a little dramatic and San annoying af. I wrote this in a two hour flash at 2am, so this might be deleted after I reread it tomorrow because I’m pretty sure a lot of this is just me chatting shit.
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1. Yoon, David – 12:45 Note to self: likes donuts. probs dunkin’, maybe krispy? idk just look for a man w a paper bag.
“I’ll have to warn you though, the lift is under maintenance, so you’ll have to take the stairs.” The receptionist smiled at you sympathetically. “I can get someone to help you with your suitcase if you’d like?”
“Oh no, it’s ok, I’ll just find another place to stay. I have weak knees anyway.” You forced a laugh and hoped the lady didn’t notice the dead look in your eyes.
“I’m sorry about that, love.”
Turning away with your suitcase in tow, you headed towards the building opposite the hotel and hoped that the rooftop would be easy enough to access.
It was quite irresponsible of you not to have a backup plan. It seemed that being named the sharpest shooter in the underground world had gotten to your head a little, but you argued that a bit of spontaneity never hurt anybody. Though your target would beg to differ.
Being a public building of offices, it was all too easy for you to reach the roof of the building. You found that walking with your held head high and gaze set straight ahead would never get you questioned. Who would ever stop someone with a walk so confident?
Thankfully, the rooftop hadn’t been turned into some garden space: an air-conditioning fan over here, a water tank over there. You checked your wristwatch reading 12:40 and muttered under your breath. The damn hotel lift had taken precious minutes of your time and compromised your view.
You opened your suitcase to set up your sniper, giving your little black cat charm on the side of your gun a squish. Cute.
Sitting on the case with your stock snug against your shoulder, you peered into the scope to get a closer view of the revolving doors to the bank. Oh great, there’s a lamppost in the way.
Mr. Yoon was apparently quite the punctual man, always seen stepping into the bank doors after his lunch break at exactly quarter to one and therefore, your window of opportunity was thin.
“I want it done today or you’re getting sniped yourself, Y/N.” You heard the voice of your boss yap in your head again. Blah blah blah, same old threat. You argued that procrastinating the man’s death was actually something very considerate of you to do.
You heard a familiar clatter of metal hit the floor and you turned your scope to the rooftop opposite to see a man in overalls with his toolbox open on the floor.
“Lift maintenance guy?” You muttered to yourself and wondered if the mechanics of elevators ran all the way through to the rooftop. You made sure that you wouldn’t be in his line of vision and swivelled back to your original position, cursing the man under your breath for ruining your first choice of setup.
12:44
“Come on, Yoon. Lunch time’s almost over.” Your finger lay restless on the trigger, itching to get a glimpse of the bank teller.
20 seconds.
“Krispy or Dunkin’ what will it be today, entertain me.”
10 seconds.
You saw the man turn the corner and waited for him to get a little closer for you to shoot.
5 seconds.
“That’s it, just past the lamppost and you won’t even know what hit y- what the FU-?” You shouted and quickly clasped a hand to your mouth. Mr. Yoon hadn’t even made it past the post, and he was already laying on the pavement in a growing pool of blood.
Calculating the angle in which he was laying, you spun your vision around to the hotel rooftop and saw the maintenance man begin to pack up a sniper back into his toolbox. Taking off his cap, you noticed a flash of white in his jet-black hair and just like he knew you were watching, he turned with a smug grin on his face and shot you some finger guns.
“Oh, you little fucker.” You spat, and watched the man jump down into a hatch to disappear.
You slumped dramatically onto the floor and splayed your limbs to stare blankly at the sky. Never in your life had you ever missed a shot, let alone have it stolen by someone else, and your boss had your phone ringing to rub it in your face.
“That wasn’t you, was it?”
“Listen, what if? You know, what if that was my thirteenth reason? I just couldn’t take it anymore and that was it. No more Y/N. You wouldn’t even come to my funeral, would you?”
“No, I wouldn’t because you’d be too broke to have one. You realise you’re not getting paid for this?”
“Why? He’s still dead?” You sat up in disbelief.
“Well, it turns out someone else wanted him gone too. I can’t lie to our client and say that we did it.”
“You’re oddly moral for someone that runs a hotline for hitmen.”
“I’ll call you if I find you another job.”
“Justice for freelance contract killers.” You muttered weakly as he ended the call. The faint sound of police sirens filled the air as you let out a heavy sigh and lay back on the concrete.
You pictured the man and wondered who it was that would even think to render the notorious Y/N L/N jobless. Though you did have to admit that it was a clean shot.
“Skunk-hair looking ass.”
2. Kim, Seungho – 18:00 Note to self: babysitting. easy target but kid knows NOTHING.
You were stationed by a corner window in an unfinished apartment building with a trainee by your side, setting up his kit.
Stood by the trainee, you scanned to see if everything was in the right place, checking the kid’s posture too. You had been sent by your boss to reluctantly train a young recruit and you joked if you had been demoted following your last predicament. You were never in it for the money though, you lived for the adrenaline.
The boy had potential and you saw it, he just needed to make cleaner shots because three bullets somewhat near the target’s vital organs wasn’t going to cut it.
“What’s your name again?”
“Jisung. Han Jisung.” The recruit replied, his eyes never leaving yours, in absolute awe.
“Eyes on the scope.”
“I’m sorry, nobody told me I’d be getting trained by you. The Seoul Shooter? Like wow.”
“Ew, is that what they’re calling me?”
“Yeah, well I think it’s a pretty cool name, they used to call me ‘Jitman’ in my hometown, not very creati-”
You shushed the boy and tapped his shoulder as you pointed to a small figure in the distance.
“You see him through the scope? Now keep your hand steady, never feel as if you’re being rushed. Death works to your schedule.”
“Got it.” Jisung said, following the man with his gun.
“Ok, on 3… 2… 1…”
You heard the bullet cut through the evening air and hit the target neatly through his office window.
“Bro? That was so clean? That has to be one of the sexiest shots I’ve seen in a while-” You began.
“Uhh, that wasn’t me, Y/N.”
Before you could even process what had happened, you heard the rustle of footsteps patter down the stairs behind you. Taking out your handgun, you moved towards the open door to find the same man you had seen on the hotel rooftop stop in his tracks on the landing. Clad in a fitted black sweater and jeans this time, he looked a whole lot more attractive close up.
“You again?” You exclaimed; gun still pointed at the man as he dropped his duffel bag to raise his hands.
His eyes widened, not in shock, but more with an excited glint in his eyes.
“Oh my, it’s Y/N, the Seoul Shooter.” A coy smile painted his lips as he shook his white fringe out of his eyes.
“See, everyone calls you that.” Jisung interjected from behind.
“Shut up, Han.”
“Word around town is that you’ve been unemployed for some time now,” nodding towards Han, he added, “and it looks like the rumours are true.”
“I’ve actually decided to take a break you know? Let the other kids have a chance at making a name for themselves. Bit of charity work.”
“Y/N kinda got demoted because you keep taking their shots.” Han interrupted again.
“Hey, who told you that?!” You narrowed your eyes at the boy. Han Jisung was a smart ass and you vowed then and there that you wouldn’t take on any more training sessions.
You whipped your head back around to the man eyeing your body up and down.
“My eyes are up here, sir. Unless you really wanna get shot.” You spat.
“Well, I’d die a happy man if you were the last thing I’d see.” He smirked in retaliation and studied your eyes carefully. “Well, my job here is done, I better be on my way. Got a big cheque waiting for me.” He grinned as he reached to grab his bag and carry his way on down the stairs with footsteps too light-hearted for your liking.
“Why didn’t you shoot him?” Jisung asked as you watched the man disappear into the evening.
“I don’t think killing a man for taking my shots is justified.”
“What, and sniping Mr. Kim Seungho just before he gets to feel the bliss of clocking out is?” He laughed. “Do you know what I think, Y/N?”
“What?”
“I don’t know, I’m not going to say anything.”
Han Jisung tormented you the whole drive back to the quarters.
“Y/N and Skunk Man sitting in a tree. K-I-S-S-I-N-G. First comes lo-”
Smack.
“Ouch, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I was just kidding.” He laughed as an idea struck him, “K-I-D-D-I-N-”
Smack.
3. Park, Kiha - 10:32 Note to self: bad man. bad, bad man. but big, big cheque.
Having had your last two shots stolen, mystery Skunk Man was beginning to get on your nerves. You were seething to the point that you demanded your boss give you another job, itching to defend your title of being the finest shooter in Seoul.
Laying on the floor of a rooftop hangar, the man had the gall to pop up out of the hatch to set up his station right next to you, as if you were both on some picnic.
"Nice seeing you here today, Y/N." He said, sitting cross legged to mount a scope to the top of his sniper.
Not even bothering to take your eyes off the target, you muttered, "I got here first, you better back off." voice laced with venom.
"Well I've been promised a cheque too, we're all just trying to get fed around here."
Ignoring him, you glanced down at your watch that read 10:31. Any time now, Park Kiha would be walking through the glass bridge to get to his meeting in the twin building.
Steadying your finger against the trigger, you held your breath and counted down from three, two, o-
"I like your cat charm by the way."
You pulled the trigger only for it to stray a little to the right, still hitting your target, just a little less central than you would have accepted.
You shot up from your position to face the man laying on his side, head propped up against his hand to look at you.
"Do you have something against me? Do I even know you?" You exclaimed, carding your gloved hand through your hair.
"No uhh, but I saw your face on a bounty poster once and thought you were cute." He said, attitude too blasé. "That was a nice shot though, I was going to wait a few more seconds."
"So you saw my picture, and started following me around to antagonise me?"
"Nah, I just happened to be super lucky to have been put on the same cases as you. Big bad men have a lot of people after them I guess?"
Throwing your equipment back into your bag, you watched the man proceed to roll over onto his back with his arms behind his head to look up at the sky.
The mid-morning sun cast a golden glow over his skin and though you spent most of your life working with guns, his uniform and kit next to him looked a little different, almost attractive. They suited him a little too much and you thought that if a sleek sniper were to be personified, it would look exactly like this leather clad man.
"I should ask for your number, the way you're looking at me right now, Y/N."
"Good luck, you won't get it." You turned to step down the hatch as he propped himself up again to watch you leave.
Choi, San – 15:25 Note to self: he’s kinda hot tho :/
So, we had finally put a name to the face. As your boss handed you a folder, you were slightly taken aback at the small ID picture pinned to the top of the file.
“You might be a little happy about this one.” He said, taking a sip of coffee. “He’s been recently recruited by ATEEZ as their sniper. Quite a deadly one too. He was scouted shooting pheasants down in the Namhae countryside apparently.”
“Hmm, how much?” You questioned.
“A million dollars.”
“Excuse me? A mill-?” You choked on the air and composed yourself just as quick to nonchalantly lean against the filing cabinet and look out the window, “I don’t know, he didn’t look a million dollars-worth to me.”
“He hasn’t been in the game long, but man has he taken down some big names.”
Though you didn’t necessarily feel too attached to Choi San, you did think that you were going to miss him a little. It was nice having a friend on your level to spar with.
Who were you kidding? You thought he was hot and that it would be a shame to have to shoot him.
But on second thought, you had been itching for the adrenaline in the trigger again, and the million dollars looked a lot sexier to you than some man.
“I’ll take it.”
-
San was all too easy to find. He seemed to enjoy hiding in plain sight since no common person would recognize him in the bustling streets of Gangnam. Nestled in the corner of another rooftop, you zoned in on the recognizable black and white hair sat outside on the terrace of a café.
Once you were ready, you repositioned your finger on the trigger and focused the cross hairs on the familiar head. You were steady until San lifted his head and stared right back at you through the scope, sending you a wink.
“Shit.” You muttered, his actions throwing you off and when you repositioned your aim, he had slipped into the crowd, now lost.
“No, no, no, no, no, Choi San, ugh.” Seeing that he knew what you were up to, you got up to pace around the rooftop. Your mind worked nonstop to find an alternate solution but all you could conclude was to go home, stay low and pick another day to continue.
This man had thrown you into the worst slump of your life, but you were somewhat enjoying the chase and you hated to admit it.
The abrupt sound of a closing of a door behind you had everything clicking into place.
“You pretty motherfucker, had this planned, didn’t you?” You laughed.
Upon hearing the cocking of a gun, you turned to pull out the throwing knife strapped to your thigh and pulled his body in by his collar to reach his throat. And it just turned out that San had the same idea in pushing his handgun up underneath your chin at the same time, faces a little too close.
“I like your beret.” San said candidly, jerking his brow up at the hat on your head.
“Me, too. It’s Marine Serre.”
“Nice choice.”
“I’m going to count down from three and we’re going to drop our weapons, ok? And talk this out like adults because I for one, didn’t wanna kill you.” You bargained.
“Sure.”
“Three, two, one!” The both of you pulled away for a split second in bluff only to reposition your weapons against each other’s throats again.
“I knew it.” San smirked.
“No, for real this time. I mean it.”
“Go ahead, baby.” He smiled as his gaze dropped to your lips.
“Three, two, o-”
San cut you off by leaning into your lips, placing onto them a kiss so intense, almost mirroring the violent nature of the situation. However, what surprised you more was that you let yourself melt back into him. He let his gun clatter to the floor to walk you backwards into the wall behind, hoisting your leg up around his waist.
You broke away from the kiss for air when he smiled, “I mean, it is kinda hot, but I would appreciate it if you could stop holding that knife against my throat right now, Y/N.”
“Ugh, fine.” You muttered as San leaned back in to kiss you whilst roaming his hand around your thigh, ridding you of the rest of your knives and smirking against your lips in satisfaction.
Feeling his bulge grind between your legs, you both only grew more fervent for each other as you kissed.
“Wait, I wanna take you on a date first.” He pulled away to look you in the eye.
“Are you serious right now?”
“Mhmm, to Bar 1117.” He hummed, nuzzling his face into the crook of your neck.
“Isn’t that your company’s place…?”
“Yeah, they’re gonna love you.” He whispered, peppering small kisses down your throat.
“Are you trying to recruit me or fuck me, San?”
"I mean, you can kill me now and leave for that million dollars or you can come with me for a new job and that million dollar dick."
"You're unbelievable."
“I heard you were doing freelance anyway, baby.” He looked into your eyes again, a mischievous glow blooming across his face, “So, will you join me?”
-
disclaimer: San’s pie chart hair is one of my all time faves but I also can’t stop thinking that it looks a little skunk-like. In the cutest way. a/n: I've edited this a lot since I posted it and I think I'm gonna keep it
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Mafia AU Masterlist
422 notes · View notes
iwadori · 3 years
Note
Can you write a pure angst, using 10 and 35 please ( Idc about the characters ) :)
Getting hurt with the haikyu boys part 3 (Iwaizumi)
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Part one Part Two Part three
Word count: 2.8K
Genre: pure angst
Authors Note: I am sorry for just how shit it is lol. I had an idea and it kind of got worse as it went along but I hope you like it anyways.
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You were pregnant.  
You wanted to cry.  
You stared at the test in front of you. Two lines. Positive. There was no denying it, as much as you wanted it to be negative. You could tell you were pregnant before you even took the test, all the throwing up you were doing, the nausea you felt when certain foods were being cooked at work and the ongoing foot and back pains you felt.
Iwaizumi first approached you at your job, some shitty dinner that only paid you enough so you can make ends meet. You could tell he had money, the way he dressed, his demeanor even the way he talked. ‘What was a man like this doing here?’ you thought.  
Apparently, he’s seen you around for a while, your city was small you’d only really leave this place if you had a fair god mother or died and of course you are clearly alive and don’t have a fairy god mother...until you met him.
He ordered a coffee, didn’t drink it though (probably knowing that your boss spat it in whenever he was in a bad mood or because he just needed an excuse to be around) just waiting for you to finish your break. You sat in a corner booth for ‘privacy,’ not that anybody was even in the place.  
“My names Iwaizumi Hajime” he said keeping a blank facial expression  
“What do you wan-”
“Miss L/N, I think I’ll do the talking here. Okay?” he said with a smirk appearing on his face after seeing your slightly shocked face when he revealed knowing your last name.
“I’ve seen you around for a while now, you’re beautiful you know that right?” he said making your cheeks heat up a bit. “Anyways, I think you’re gorgeous and a man like me needs a pretty girl like you on his arms. By the lack of response to my name, I assume you don’t know who I am...but I guess that works in my favour”
Your face is getting bored by the second not really listening as he rambles on about himself, “I need you to be on my arm every night that I go out to one of my boring business meetings.”  
“Business meetings?” you ask  
“You know, a bunch of ‘business’ people go out and talk ‘business’ together.” he said sarcastically as if you were stupid.
“I know that, I just thought you’d elaborate about it.” You sighed “What do I get out of this?”
“Finally, you’ve gotten to the interesting part, you my dear get money and lots of It” he says finally catching your attention “I’ll pay you 1 million Yen per night, and all your dresses, outfits and expenses will be paid for so you won’t have to worry your pretty little head about finances again” he ‘smiled’ at you.
“What's the catch?” squinting your eyes  
“The catch is just that you have to accompany me to all my events.... and you have to stay in my condo.”
“Wh-”
“Don’t worry dear, it’s a nice place” interrupting you “probably better than any shithole you live in”
“Fine, fine” his words were convincing you “Is there a contract you have for me to sign?” you ask wanting to at least be somewhat ‘protected.’
“No contract, just this verbal agreement. Between me and you right here right now.” he winked “so you’re in agreement of our arrangement?”
“Yes.”
That was your first mistake believing Iwaizumi Hajime.
Sure you could defend yourself now and say ‘I was poor and in need of help’ but you’d know it would just be you in denial talking.  
The first time you attended a meeting with Iwaizumi, you came home from quitting your job since Iwaizumi said ‘you’re on my payroll now.�� You found a beautiful red dress laying on your bed accompanied with shoes and accessories and note saying, ‘I trust you to be able to do your own hair and make up my dear – I.H’
You didn’t have any family, or any friends. Most people that have had even a single encounter with you have deemed you to be ‘Not Likeable’ saying you’re not a people person or just lack any sociability. You were stuck in this town because of the debt your father has left you in before he supposedly ‘passed’ away. Leaving you drowning in all his financial woes, meaning you couldn’t go to university or become a professional *insert dream job here* like you wanted to be.
When you exited your building, you saw Iwaizumi leaning against a flashy car parked outside. “You chariot awaits m’lady” he says with a cheeky grin on his face making you roll your eyes. You got in the car and he started driving, humming along to a random song slightly agitating you.
“So, when are you moving to my place? It’s a part of the agreement.” he said in a sing song voice in the tune of what he was humming.  
Iwaizumi reminded you of JD from heathers, he was nice when he wanted but he did have a screw loose that was triggered when things didn’t go his way. Like a small child who didn’t get the toy he wanted when he had a million other toys.  
Him being the child. You being the toy.
“Our agreement is bullshit, just verbal.” you say mockingly “remember?”
“don’t start with me Y/N I'm not in a pleasant mood today” he says gritting his teeth “and I don’t need you fucking with me tonight.”
He puts his hand on your thigh, a little too harshly making you internally wince. “Okay here’s the rules for the night. You stay on my side for the night, only speak when spoken too, don’t drink too much since no one likes an alcoholic of course.”
“Oh, so all I need to do is sit pretty like a good little girl.” you say sarcastically
“Precisely” he lessens the grip on your thigh making you breathe in relief.  
The event was boring to say the least, you did as Iwaizumi said stood next to him with a fake smile plastered on your face all through the night. You’re sure that people did ask you questions, but you were in your own little world only stepping out of it when Iwaizumi either pinched your arm or gripped your thigh.
The end of the night was ‘eventful’ to say the least, before you entered the car a hand wrapped around your waist and you were pulled into a back alley. “We couldn’t end the night so boring, could we?” it was Iwaizumi, of course it was.
He started peppering your neck with kisses and roaming his hands all over your body. He eventually trailed the kisses from your neck to your lips, leading you both into a full blown make out session. It was fast and you couldn’t really think straight. Iwaizumi was getting a bit too forceful, gripping and kissing harder than he needed to, leaving marks as if to say ‘you’re mine now.’
That was your second mistake. Getting sexual with Iwaizumi Hajime.
He said you had to go back to his house which was basically now yours. You complied, obviously had no other choice since he didn’t offer or ask. He told you too.
Waking up in the Iwaizumi residence was an ‘experience.’ Iwaizumi wanted you awake when he was awake and asleep when he was, never giving you a moment too yourself. You swiftly came to the learn of the reason why he wanted you in his ‘care’ (as he called it anyways) he wanted his eyes on you all the time.
You carried on attending the events bored out of your mind and the nights went the same way. Fancy dress, long car ride, not paying attention, getting fucked in the back alley then sleep in Iwaizumi’s expensive silk sheets.
You didn’t know much about Iwaizumi besides what you could find. In the day time, Iwaizumi spends it cooped up in his office whilst giving you the ‘permission’ to roam around the house. Iwaizumi kept all his important stuff in a small box under a creepy floorboard in his basement original idea I know. All the information in there was just stuff about generic stuff about his childhood. Him being brought up into wealth, how much he weighed as a baby and all the allergies and boring shit that he had.
Iwaizumi Hajime was an enigma.
You and Iwaizumi did get along. Sometimes. You did do things that weren’t strictly fucking and going to business meetings. He took you on what you could only be able to describe as dates, and outings showing you off to all his actual friends. That’s when you learnt the difference of the ‘two’ men, Iwaizumi and Hajime.
Although they were the same person by name, Iwaizumi was rough around the edges and cold at heart not caring about you at all. Hajime, whilst still being rough around the edges, basically made you out to be his girlfriend giving you the love and care you needed. You really liked the times when you were with Hajime.
That was your third mistake, falling in love with Iwaizumi Hajime.
As things progressed, your quality of life seemed to dwindle (not that it was great in the first place.) Iwaizumi was barely in the house, claiming that for these particular ‘business meetings’ he didn’t need you.
On one night, a simple phone call definitely changed your whole dynamic.
“Yes babe, I’m coming over tomorrow I can’t wait to see you and the girls again.” he said to the other person on the phone.
“Why do you question my love for you, of course I love you.” he said again
“I love you, the girls even the dumb dog that Haru forced me to get for her 8th birthday I love. You guys are my family. My lovely wife and out girls”
Your stomach churned, you backed out of the hallway that you were in. He had a family, of course he had a family. You went into the guest room, where you kept all your things, you couldn’t do this anymore. Although you pretty much lost all your morals when you formed this whole agreement but you refuse to sleep with a married man with kids. You couldn’t. Being the reason why a family might break up is something you wouldn’t ever do.
Iwaizumi heard all your commotion and entered the guess “Woah darling who’s moving out?” he asked jokingly  
“Hmm probably your wife and kids, after they realise their husband is a CHEATER!” you spat
“Woah, woah Y/N” he said getting closer to you “You don’t know what the fuck you’re on about”
“I think I know pretty well; you’ve always been a pompous ass Iwaizumi; it was my bad for thinking that you weren’t married throughout all of this.” You finished packing up as much close as you possible can and headed out the room.
“You need to watch your mouth Y/N” he says aggressively  
“Or what Iwaizumi, or should I say Hajime” you shout “Or is that only reserved for your WIFE!”
This seem to really tick him off, “You don’t know anything Y/N, you really think I could love a dirty slut like you? Huh? Well, I didn’t know that you were important enough to be able to know the details of my personal life.”
“I'm not a slut” you mumbled. Which was completely true, Iwaizumi didn’t notice that the first time you slept together was the first time that you slept with anyone.
“repeat that again for me y/n?” he said mockingly
“IM NOT A SLUT!” you shout in his face
“You are what I say you are darling”
“Fuck you.” You try and push past him hard, to get out the house but you’re no match against his anger and brute strength. So, when he slams you against the wall, he banging your head. Leaving you concussed and bleeding. Before you completely pass out all you hear is a repetition of Iwaizumi Hajime murmuring “I'm sorry, I’m sorry” whilst wrapping his arms around your comatose body.
You woke up, thinking that was all a dream but the ache in the back of your head proved otherwise.  
“Y/N, darling your awake!” he said making you flinch
You moved away from him when he sat on your bed looking at you with ‘love’ and ‘care’ in his eyes. He goes to stroke your cheek whispering “you’re so be-”
“Fuck off” you say. That bang to the head was a wakeup call literally reminding you of all the hot and cold moments you had with Iwaizumi that you submerged into your head for the sole reason of ‘wanting to be happy.’ But you weren’t happy. Deep down you knew that.
“But y/n, darling I love you.” he said and you closed your eyes shut wanting to tune him out “I love you Y/N.”
“You don’t" you replied back harshly with your eyes still shut tightly
“But I do Y/N, I love you” he repeated the ‘I love you’s’ over and over making you want to scream out in frustation.
“Shut up!” you yelled “You don’t love me, stop saying that” your head throbbing with every word “Just stop. Make it stop! Kill me if you have to! Just make it stop” you say thumping at Iwaizumi’s chest becoming a hysterical crying mess. You weren’t talking about the physical paint he caused you (even though that hurt ALOT) you were talking about the constant heartache it was just being around him.
He didn’t know what to do. So, he just put his arms round you again and you yelled your frustrations about him to him into his chest.
You woke up into a new place, not your old one or Iwaizumis just something brand new.  
With a note on your bed side table saying:
‘I love you and I’m sorry’
Making you tear it up and toss it out.
You had no further contact with Iwaizumi, you figured that the new house you lived in was already paid for, but you didn’t want Iwaizumi to show up one day saying that you owed him money so you decided to get a job. A small one, that didn’t require any strenuous Labour or heavy shift times.
It was a few weeks after Iwaizumi left you and you felt sick and heartbroken. After finishing your shift at your job you felt hot headed and extremely ill making you run to your toilet to spill out your guts.
Which lead you to your predicament now.
Pregnant.
You were pregnant.  
You wanted to cry.  
You stared at the test in front of you. Two lines. Positive. There was no denying it, as much as you wanted it to be negative. You could tell you were pregnant befonhre you even took the test, all the throwing up you were doing, the nausea you felt when certain foods were being cooked at work and the ongoing foot and back pains you felt.
You didn’t know what to do. There was only thing you could do, but you certainly didn’t want that. ‘Call him’ the voice in your head urged. ‘That would be the best option right?’ you thought ‘I mean he did love you afterall...’
It took a whole day of pacing around and wondering on what you should do. But you knew that leaving the situation longer would only make it worse. So you kept his business card on you when he gave it to you since that was the only phone number you had. He was all you actually had.
You called and the phone rang 4 times, your heart beating faster and faster as it rang.
“He-”
“Hello this is Sakura Iwaizumi speaking” a feminine voice said “Who is calling?” you hear someone say in the background. ‘Iwaizumi’ you thought, your face smiling. You realised you haven’t responded so you rushed out  
“I’m Y/N L/N, I need to speak with Iwaizumi.”
“Haji dear, there's a girl on the phone for you... someone of the name called Y/N L/N”
You heard muffles in the background and Iwaizumi saying “Just hang up the phone she’s not worth it.” Your heart stung ‘She’s not worth it.’ Did he really mean that? As much as you claim to hate him, you didn’t really. As you’ve said before you always liked his loving and caring side over his cold hearted one.
You put the phone down and just cried, wailing your heart out for him. Why? You don’t really know to be honest. This was all a dumb agreement, he used you because he was bored and he probably already knew you were pregnant from when he gave you that concussion. But ‘he doesn’t want you’ you reminded yourself because ‘I’m not worth it.’
AUTHORS NOTE: once again, i’m sorry lol. But im most likely going to do a part two of my ‘long shot’ series with Akaashi or a character of your choosing. 
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in-tua-deep · 3 years
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Ok I totally want to hear more about this survivors au/Delores is real! How do the siblings handle having this different version of Five? Five may be better adjusted but he still has to heard his family around like a bunch of stray cats. What happens when Hazel and Cha Cha show up? How do they find out that Vanya causes the apocalypse and how does Five handle that revelation?!
here is the thing, i think the survivors au has the potential to be HILARIOUS
no one knows how to handle a well-adjusted five, and this absolutely includes the commission
So you mentioned Hazel and Cha-Cha?? Five in this au was not nearly as absolutely feral as he is in the show bc he knows how to interact with people - he was raised by a competent adult and a weird best friend and they occasionally saw other survivors as well
please picture old Five hanging around the water cooler and chatting with Hazel
the other funny thing is that Five is competent passing - he is well adjusted emotionally but functionally?? Hazel is out there complaining about dental being cut and office parties and budgets and Five is there sipping his drink having never filed taxes in his life. Five doesn't know what the fuck a dental plan is, he was a child soldier and then lived in an apocalypse.
So please picture for me Hazel being like "okay I know corporate wants us to keep what we're being paid to ourselves but fuck that, workers unite, what do you get paid as a legend old timer?"
and five is like "you're getting paid? i get to not get tossed back into the apocalypse, I think"
"but what about expense forms? what about medical care?"
"I'm like 80% sure i'm being experimented on, actually." Five says nonchalantly, "Don't get me wrong, my idea of medical care is fucked by being a child soldier but I'm pretty sure regular people don't have electrodes attached to their heads every time they get a checkup. Could be wrong though! My ex-dad used to monitor my brainwaves while I slept so like, my idea of appropriate shit is fucked, you know?"
This is a Five who was raised by Rick, he is polite to his coworkers. If Dot asked him if he wanted to grab lunch, Five would have gone and grabbed lunch with her or politely said that he couldn't.
Cha Cha only ever talks to Five when she wants to talk shop, so they've had a couple of conversations about weapons but not much else tbh, Hazel just tends to be more personable
So when they're sent after Five, Hazel is much more hesitant to kill who he perceives as a "work friend" and also is definitely thinking about all the times Five casually revealed a way the commission was being highkey shady about him, such as the potential experimentation, no pay, working under duress etc. He's much more easily turned against the commission because he's even more primed to say "fuck the commission" than he is in canon
Hazel out here like "how did Five break his contract when Five wasn't even being paid? I kind of want to read it."
Hazel out here like "I would unionize if I didn't think the commission was anti-union enough to send literal assassins after me if I suggested it :/"
meanwhile with the siblings
Five just. talks over them a lot and makes so much sense that it's actually really hard to argue with him, and he's weirdly considerate of his family's obligations
Like Diego is like "i have to go see Patch" then Five is like "that's great I'm proud of you buddy, it would actually be really handy to have some law enforcement read into the situation if you think she's up to the task. that goes for everyone by the way! If y'all have people you trust, more bodies would be super helpful I think"
the entire family, collectively, who have like zero trusted social links: uhhhhhhhh
Diego, with this weird permission, probably?? Does? Awkwardly attempt to read Patch into the situation? Patch is, obviously, like "what the fuck, Diego" but probably goes with him to the mansion (????????) because she's concerned and then meets his fucking whacko family with their superpowers and suddenly everything is 100% more realistic
Five is just like "yes hello I'm aware I look like a child, i'm actually in my late 50s or early 60s (apocalypse time amiright) because of time travel stuff. Yes I am Five Hargreeves who went missing in like 2002 or whatever. anyway it's lovely to meet you, i'm so glad diego has someone he trusts, and considering my sibling's shifty looks when i told them to invite anyone they trusted this genuinely makes me concerned that Diego is the most socially well-adjusted of them."
"That cannot be possible." Patch says, like someone who has met Diego Hargreeves.
"You haven't met the rest." Five says sympathetically, "In our defense we were raised in isolation as child soldiers."
"That... explains so much." Is all Patch can say to that, "But you seem..."
"I'm adopted." Five waves away.
"We're ALL adopted." Diego grits out, very aggrieved by this and also not sure if he likes the fact that Patch seems friendly with Five, or at least is listening to him?
"I'm double adopted."
However! With the recruitment of Patch, herding Diego becomes like 90% easier.
Honestly the worst to herd are probably Luther and Allison? Luther because he's Number One and resents Five taking charge and also resents Five's casual dismissal of Reginald and also suspects that Five (or at least the commission) has something to do with Reginald's death?
Allison because she is torn between following Luther and helping him and helping Five but also calling Patrick and Claire at every possible moment while ALSO trying to repair her relationship with Vanya. She's flighty - she'd bail on a Five-apocalypse-assignment if Vanya mentioned being hungry or if Luther called or anything like that
Vanya likes to be included and, if asked, would probably drop as many current obligations as she can. Like she would probably cancel her teaching if Five genuinely and sincerely asked her for her help, which he does because he's 100% sure Dolores would manifest in front of him and smack him if he dared even imply someone without powers wouldn't be helpful
Vanya is like "I'm not sure if i'll be helpful - I don't have powers ):" and Patch is like "wtf are you talking about - my superpowers are Gun, Backup, and Reading Comprehension and i am like the most useful member of this team right now"
Vanya gets a confidence boost just from hanging out with Patch honestly, I think they should be friends
Klaus is thrilled to be included are you kidding?? He says he does it for money but he's just happy to be there and also as one of the most emotionally intelligent siblings he is mildly concerned about the fact that Five looks like he's about to cry and also emotes
Five also gives Klaus positive reinforcement, hugs, and Five absolutely weaponizes the I'm not mad, but I believe that you can do better and I'm going to give you more chances because I love you and fully believe that next time you'll be amazing way that Rick used on him.
I feel like Five ends up saying something along the lines of "I understand that x is really important, and we're definitely going to look into it. Is it something that needs to be addressed right now, or is it something that can wait until after April 1st? If it can wait, I can write it down here on this list so we don't forget. If it can't wait then we can figure out a time to address it and help you" a lot
Like Grace malfunctioning and potentially killing Reginald?
"We don't have to make this decision right now." Five says patiently, "Because Grace is a robot, we have some options. Living with a robot who is potentially malfunctioning and homicidal is dangerous, but Luther saying that means admitting that Reginald might have made a mistake or error with Grace's programming or upkeep. I haven't been here for a long time, but I remember Reginald being very precise. Regardless, this isn't a choice between permanently shutting her off or not. We can shut her down temporarily until we can fully address the issue. We can ask and see if there is a 'system reboot' option or some sort of system check that Grace can undergo. We can try find and hire an expert to take a look at her programming to find the issue."
Five gives this speech while like, organizing the weaponry in the house on a table very nonchalantly
Five out here making buzzer noises at his siblings arguments like "yeah no that's a false dichotomy and a strawman's argument, want to try again?"
(Look apocalypse nights were long and they had games that were literally about arguing pointless shit like ranking types of chairs or the best way to break out of a prison without powers and things could get heated)
"Who died and made you boss?" Luther demands.
"Uh, the world? Were you not listening?" Five asks, looking very purposefully confused.
It gets even MORE delightful when Five reads Rick into the situation because a) he promised and b) his siblings really have like, no connections jeeze
Rick fully believes that this is his son from the future, like Five introduced himself, but Five skipped out on a few key details. Such as being adopted.
So Rick spends a solid chunk of time just staring at Five, who looks basically nothing like him, trying to think like, who is his mother ???? if we save the world will Five stop existing? why would I name my child 'Five'? Does everyone have powers in the future? was there like... a radioactive apocalypse? would radiation give future humans superpowers? when did my life turn into a comic book? am i even allowed to ask these questions? will knowledge of the future fuck things up?
and then when Five comes back and is like "what is up everyone this is my dad Rick who will be joining us, he doesn't have any memories of me thanks to time travel but if anyone is mean to him i WILL kneecap them"
"Your DAD?"
Five does kidney punch Klaus for saying that Rick is a DILF but otherwise everyone just is like, warily looking at this Normal Dad Man in confusion because?? This is the dude who raised Five, who they watched take out like an entire commission team by himself yesterday? He looks so. Normal.
Rick is very confused and like, wonders if he's supposed to be the team mascot? But Five keeps involving him and asking his opinion and in return Rick enforces snack breaks and makes everyone sandwiches and has gentle talks with everyone
Every time Five notices someone about to blow he just lovingly makes sure that that person is alone in a room with Rick
Luther ends up crying on the sofa with Rick gently patting his back as Rick calmly states that Luther seems like he's put a lot of time and effort into his family and making his father proud and that since Reginald isn't here to say it, Rick will have to be the one to say that he's proud and that they've been dropped into a difficult and stressful situation - so soon after Reginald's death when they're still grieving! - and he's doing so well
Luther, experiencing unconditional positive paternal regard for the first time in his life: i don't know why i'm crying so much
honestly this is just a comedy of juggling the gang, having impromptu therapy sessions and discussions, investigating the apocalypse and the eye, leonard trying to meet vanya continuously and failing because she's constantly surrounding by family or rick/patch, the commission trying their best to bust up the dream team/isolate Vanya/kill or remove Five, while Hazel lives out his romcom dreams with Agnes and also says "fuck the commission"
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