#(not proofed because instant gratification) | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

scuttling · 16 days ago

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I Can Handle Me A Dangerous Man - Ch 8

Fandom: True Blood (TV) Pairings: Eric Northman/Female Reader or Eric Northman/OFC Word Count: 6,775 Tags: 18+, NSFW, D/s, Making out, tension, oral sex, murder, feelings Summary: Things get complicated. Notes: I just love him 😝

Masterlist

After the night of her attack, things are… strained. Cam isn’t surprised, necessarily, because things between her and Eric have always been one incendiary step forward and three steps back, but that doesn’t mean she’s happy about it.

They have a history of kissing, flirting, then getting back to business, butting heads, but on this occasion, he even goes so far as to ignore her when she walks up to him one evening at the bar. He’s mid-conversation with a vampire in a dark blue dress, she understands that, but he completely refuses to acknowledge Cam’s presence as she waits, something he has never done before.

It makes her feel irrational anger, shame, and she orders a strong drink and takes it to the back of the room where she can sulk peacefully.

“How’s the assignment?” Pam asks Cam later as she stops alongside her table. She doesn’t ask how Cam is doing after the attack, for which she’s grateful. Everyone has been doting on her, but she’s ready to put the whole mess behind her and get her head in the game.

Eric called her here because of reports of an aggressive V dealer in the area, and she needs to scan the bar for related thoughts, proof of their existence. She has no time to deal with her stupid feelings about the hot and cold nature of Eric’s attention.

“It would be easier to track the people who aren’t here for V,” she responds with more judgment than intended, taking a sip of her drink. Pam folds her arms in front of her.

“Does that really surprise you? Humans are gluttonous and greedy. Always looking for instant gratification,” she says with her own critical tone. Cam raises a brow.

She can think of one very such vampire who has been stringing her along for his own gratification… but that’s not exactly true, because she has been initiating, pushing, just as much as he has, enjoyed it all just as much as he did. Probably more.

“And vampires aren’t?” she asks, all the same. Pam takes the seat beside her—this practically makes them besties, Cam thinks sardonically—and scans her eyes over the crowd.

“I never said that. Humans seem to think they are so much more evolved than we are, but when you remove the fine details, we’re basically all the same.”

“Now with that, I agree.”

“So what’s stopping you, then? From… instant gratification,” Pam asks, glancing over at Eric. He wears a black button-up shirt tonight, and Cam has been thinking about untucking and unbuttoning it for the last hour and a half. She exhales deeply.

“It’s not like that.” Pam immediately shoots her a look that says ‘bull shit,’ complete with a roll of her mascaraed eyes, and Cam waves her hand before she can go on a full blown rant. “What I mean is, I don’t want instant gratification, and I know that’s all I’m able to have, so I try to refrain.”

Tries and fails epically, she doesn’t say.

“I think you’d be surprised,” Pam tells her after a brief silence. Her eyes fall to Eric again, and Cam can see the affection there, the loyalty, the care. “Eric doesn’t treat anyone quite the way he treats you.”

She’s not so sure that’s a good thing, even if it’s true. He makes her feel wanted, special, but it only causes her to drop that much harder when the winds of his favor change. It would be easier if he treated her like any other employee, all the time, but their undeniable attraction severely complicates that.

Later the same night, when Cam is doing a casual loop around the room, Eric steps in front of her, blocking her path. She looks up at him, brow quirked in question, and tries to ignore the way her body responds to his sudden proximity.

“Something I can help you with?”

There has to be something wrong with her, because the way his eyes darken with irritation at her flippant greeting only makes her heart race faster.

“No,” he says, with an edge to his voice, even though she’s fairly certain that’s not the truth. He’s just responding to her attitude with one of his own. “I was coming to see what you wanted earlier, when I was having a conversation with the woman in blue.”

“I didn’t want anything,” she replies, and she can hear in her own voice that she’s being unnecessarily curt, but that doesn’t stop her from carrying on in the same tone. She takes a sip of the drink she’s been nursing the last half hour. “I’m here because you told me to be.” He wets his lips like he’s agitated and looks beyond her, at the clock on the wall, for a long beat before responding.

“Well far be it for me to keep you, if you want to leave.” His voice is frustratingly monotone, unreadable, and she sets her drink down a nearby table.

“Are you dismissing me?” she asks, crossing her arms in front of her and raking her gaze over his face. His expression gives nothing away, but his eyes slide back down to make contact again.

“Do you want me to dismiss you?” She says nothing—she doesn’t know what she wants anymore, or what he wants—and exhales deeply, tracks the way he lingers over her neck and chest when she does it. He moves in closer, wraps long fingers around her upper arm and holds her tightly; it hurts the way his kisses sometimes hurt, like their desire is dangerous, and it does nothing to quell the growing arousal that tenses her body. “Do you want me to dismiss you?” he asks again, this time more slowly, and for the first time she fears the wrong answer might actually end these things between them once and for all.

Sometimes, all she wants is for them to behave normally with each other, but when presented with the option to be the one to put a stop to it, she finds herself completely unable to drag herself away from him.

“No, I don’t,” she tells him firmly, and he lets go of her arm but grazes his fingers down the length of it, to her wrist. He lifts her hand to his mouth, presses soft lips to her pulse, and releases her.

“Good. Now tell me what it is you wanted to say.”

Between Cam’s analysis and Eric’s own conversations, they determine that the V dealer who has been abducting vampires is a vampire himself, and that he is a newcomer to the area who is becoming a frequent flyer at Fangtasia. Eric hates traitors more than he hates greedy opportunists, and he likes to make an example of them, so their apprehension of the dealer has to be swift—and, if he has his way, bloody. Cam has involved Sookie, against his own wishes, because that means Bill is lurking in the corner of the bar, and everyone is aware that lurkers are bad for business.

Okay, much of their clientele probably loves having a brooding old corpse like Bill on display, but that doesn’t mean Eric is happy about it. Still, with as cold as he has been toward Cam lately—for her own good as well as his—he chooses to let her have anything she wants.

She and Sookie turn up in little sundresses, block heels, playing the role of good Southern girls looking for a dark vampire adventure. Cam’s is nude, with small leopard spots, and Sookie’s is white, with intricate lace and a deep v-neck; both women are gorgeous, earning looks of interest from humans and vampires alike, but he’s hoping Cam’s unique, captivating aura will catch the perpetrator’s attention, that she can glean something from the way he behaves if he approaches them.

Eric watches her: the determined set of her eyes as she scans the room, the curve of her lips as she sips at a drink that’s mostly non-alcoholic, so she’ll stay sharp, not miss a moment. His eyes linger over the curve of her dress as it clings to her ass, her bare legs, and then he reminds himself that he's trying to be good—a word he passionately despises—and glances away.

He follows Pam around, listens for concerning conversations himself, but when his phone buzzes with a text message he pulls it out of his pocket and scans the bar for Cam immediately.

Check out Nosferatu chatting up your friend in blue, she’d sent him, and when he spots her, they make eye contact and she tugs on her right earlobe, a clandestine signal for him to look in that direction and follow up on her tip.

The vampire she pointed out does have a bit of a resemblance to the pale, bald, very fictional creature she referenced—and he is irritatingly familiar to Eric. Instantly on edge, Eric puts his phone away and stalks over toward that side of the room.

“Something’s wrong,” Cam murmurs to Sookie where they stand beside the bar. It was Eric’s idea that they act as bait for the vampire V dealer, despite Bill’s protests, and though they’ve gotten some interested looks, nothing particularly stood out to her until now. A short, rather pale man—even for a vampire—has cornered the woman Eric spoke to the other night, and while she can’t hear either of their thoughts, the general atmosphere surrounding them is bitter and biting. She doesn’t like the way it feels.

“What do you mean something’s wrong? Everyone sounds— looks fine to me,” Sookie says, scanning the floor, but Cam’s eyes are locked on Eric across the room, as he strides up to the man she suspects.

“Eric isn’t happy. His shoulders are tense, look at him.” It takes Sookie a moment to locate him, but when she glances over the shape of him she shrugs, like she sees nothing out of the ordinary. Maybe the nuances of Eric’s personality, his body language, are simply clearer to Cam than to anyone else. “If I could see his face it would be easier to tell what he’s thinking.”

“You can’t,” Sookie reminds her, taking hold of her arm to stop her mid-stride. “If the dealer is here and he sees you with him, it’s over.”

“I think he’s found exactly who we’re looking for,” Cam explains as she takes in the tension of his muscles beneath his t-shirt, as she feels for him through the tether. He is thrown off balance, but quietly enraged. Murderous, even. “And I think he’s pissed about it.”

“I have known him for 100 years—he would not dare,” Bill says when Cam and Sookie find him, when Cam points out the bad guy on the other side of the room. Apparently he’s an old friend of both Eric and Bill, someone neither of them had never expected to see in Louisiana again.

“It’s him,” Cam insists despite his disagreement, her eyes almost pleading, her hand firm around Bill’s wrist. Sookie is both confused and curious about her sudden insistence, the way she’d reached for Bill, and how intense her grip seems to be.

Sookie has been sharing blood with Bill for a while now, but she’s never felt the effects quite as strongly as this.

“We need to follow them,” Cam says, and it’s then that Sookie notices the three vampires are walking out of the main area of the bar and toward the offices, the bathrooms… the exit to the alley.

“Do you believe Eric is in danger?” Bill asks, looking seriously down into her eyes, and she shakes her head quickly.

“No, he can handle this,” she replies confidently, “but I feel like I need to be there. I don’t know why, but I’ll go without you if I have to.”

Bill thinks this over carefully, then reaches for Sookie and lets Cam lead the two of them to the back of the bar.

“...who you think you are,” Eric is saying as they step into the alley, watching him and the other two vampires from afar. The pale man is on his knees in front of Eric, the female vampire standing him, and Eric looks large and angry and unforgiving where he stands. Cam starts toward him, but Bill pulls her back, keeps her hidden in the shadows even though the others must already know they’re there. “But this is my bar, my territory—and I’ve already shown you mercy once. You know it’s not something I’ll do again.”

“I did not know,” the pale man says, words tripping over themselves as he says them, like he’s begging Eric to hear them all. Eric raises one hand, silencing the other vampire immediately, and then leans closer toward him, fists his hand into his jacket to hold him still.

“You know now,” he rumbles, and in one quick motion he grabs the man’s jaw and tears off his head. Sookie gasps at the violence, the blood and gore that sprays all over the pavement, and when Bill pulls her close to him, comforts her, Cam hurries toward Eric and stops to stand at his side.

Sookie can hear him directing the other vampire to get rid of the head and body, to clean up the alley, and then he takes Cam’s hand and tells her to follow him. Bill offers to take Sookie home, tells her he’ll make sure Cam is okay later, and the two of them quickly head back to Sookie’s car.

“Do you have any idea who that was?” Eric asks Cam as he busts into the office with her and slams the door behind them.

“Bill only said he’s an acquaintance of yours,” she answers honestly, waiting for the answer to his… it’s excitement, if the resulting tightness of his pants is any indication. She knows violence can turn people on, vampires and humans alike, so it’s unsurprising that someone like Eric would get hard right after a kill; it surprises her more that she feels it too, heat and fire inside her, though it could be their bond turning spark into a flame. Eric turns to face her and licks his lips.

“He’s not old, but he is connected, and to take him down the way we just did…” She flushes hot at his choice of words, we , that he credits her for this as well even though he's the one who did the killing; satisfaction, pride, and power surge through him, through her, and he moves closer then stops in front of her, takes a deep breath. “I want to taste you.”

And just like that, despite everything, Cam is putty in his hands again, molded by the tether between them and the memory of his mouth, his fingers. She reaches for him, hand resting at the back of his neck, and he kisses her deeply, passionately, then lifts her into his arms and carries her over to the desk.

Her knees separate easily for him, and he fits his body between them, leaning over her and kissing her mouth raw. He’s quick, eager, palms flat against the desk, but when he tips her head to bare her throat he slows down, glides his lips and tongue over her chin, her neck, her collarbones.

She doesn't even think to question the way he wants to taste her; if it’s her mouth, if it’s her blood, if it’s the desire pooling between her legs, she’ll give it to him happily. Whatever he wants, she’ll give it to him.

“Lean back,” he guides, his voice thick and undemanding, his eyes so blue and heavy with longing. He presses a palm to the small of her back as she puts her weight on her arms to support herself, then ducks down to trail his mouth along the softness of her inner thighs.

They move together wordlessly; she arches against him, lifts her hips as he cups her ass, as he pulls her panties down her legs until they gather at her ankles, then fall to the ground. Strong hands push her dress up around her hips, and he slots his broad shoulders between her thighs and mouths at her, slick tongue slipping through her wetness and making her gasp for breath.

She focuses on holding herself up as he licks her, kisses her, probes inside her with a greedy tongue. This has never been the easiest way to climax, for Cam, but it’s like Eric can tell exactly where she wants the pressure, where she wants to feel him, needs to feel him. She lets her head fall back at the pleasure, lifts a hand to tug softly at his hair, and he moans against her flesh, making her legs shake with the vibration.

It doesn’t take long for his capable mouth to bring her off, not with his fingers spreading her open like a feast, teasing all of her tender, sensitive spots; he strokes one over and over that would have made her scream if it weren’t for his big hand snaking up to cover her mouth as she comes.

He moves up to kiss her after, sharing the taste of herself with a warm, wet tongue, and she nuzzles against his chest when they part, feeling secure and satisfied when his arms wrap around her body.

It’s no fucking wonder she can’t bring herself to walk away.

Eric gets the text at 1:30, on one of Cam’s rare nights off.

We ran into a feral vamp at Merlotte’s. Bill caught him outside but he got the drop on him and took off. I’m going to Buffy this bitch. Just letting you know.

“Goddamnit,” he groans, dropping his phone onto the desk in frustration. “I need to leave for a while.”

“Your little girlfriend get kidnapped again?” Chow asks, and Eric shoots him a deadly look, silencing him immediately. He really needs to get better acquaintances.

“She’s going after a rogue vampire because Bill Compton couldn’t handle it.” And with skills she only learned because he wanted her to take self-defense classes after the last incident. He should have known that would only empower her to make decisions like these, like going after sick, strange vampires without him, with only Bill and Sookie as backup, which is essentially the same as her being on her own.

It was foolish of him, but lately half of his decisions are bad ones, made with things other than his rational mind. He’d blame Cam, but it’s his fault, really; she can’t help that she’s perfect, bewitching, that she draws him in no matter how many steps backward he tries to take.

When he tracks them down in the woods, it’s just Cam and Sookie, but the scents of Bill and the other vampire linger in the air. Sookie looks utterly unprepared for the events of the night, in a yellow checkered dress that makes her seem like a Southern Barbie doll, and Cam looks beautiful, in all black: t-shirt, slim pants, boots with a heel.

Beautiful and bloody, a distinction it takes him about half a second to notice.

He walks past Sookie and raises his eyebrows at Cam, who lifts her arm to show him the thin trail of blood that begins near her elbow and ends halfway down her forearm. It’s only a few drops, but enough to get the stranger on her tail and away from the other woman, if that’s what she intended.

“I’m fine. It was bait,” she explains before he can ask, and he’s pleased to know he correctly understood her motivations. He takes her hand, moves slowly so she can pull away if she wants, because this is new; when she doesn’t back away, he leans in and licks from the base of that pooling blood, slowly up the length of her arm. She stands perfectly still in his grasp, her breath quickening, and he presses a kiss to her wound, then looks into her eyes as she watches it heal.

He’s been doing this over a thousand years, healing wounds almost as long as he’s been inflicting them, but the way she looks at him like it’s a miracle is going to be his undoing.

“I assume Bill has finally captured the other vampire,” he says after a moment, not looking away from her eyes, and Cam nods her head. “I should go back to the house and help him deal with it.”

“We’ll be right behind you,” she says, conveying desire and gratitude through their bond when he lets go of her arm. “We came here on foot.” He agrees to that and exits, running toward the glowing porch lights of Bill’s house so he can give the vampire a piece of his very rational mind.

“You let him drink from you,” Sookie whispers harshly as they walk through the field that leads to her house. Cam sighs, irrationally frustrated that she can’t even enjoy the memory of Eric licking the blood from her skin in peace. Horny peace.

“He didn’t bite me, he cleaned it up. It’s different. And there’s no sense letting good blood go to waste.”

“Oh, does he clean up every human who works for him when they bleed?” Sookie asks, faux-innocent, and when Cam flounders for an answer, she grins as if her point has been made. ”I didn’t think so.”

“Please stop trying to warn me away from him, Sookie—” She’s heard it all, from Sookie and, to a lesser degree, from Bill, and she knows the risks associated with… Eric—both their working relationship and whatever it is they’re doing the other half of the time. Sookie surprises her by raising a hand in supplication.

“Whoa now. I’m through trying to warn you, believe me. You took that job, you drank his blood, you’ve made your bed. I’m happy to let you lie in it.” She moves her hands to her hips, a Southern motherly gesture if Cam’s ever seen one, and then cautiously looks over in her direction. “So… have you?”

“Have I what?” Cam asks, eyes narrowed curiously. Sookie blushes a little and turns away.

“You know. Laid in bed with him?”

Technically, she has laid in bed with him, but she knows Sookie is talking about sex… and while they’ve covered a lot of ground in that area, she understands that’s not what she means.

“No, it’s not… It’s not like that,” she explains, but it sounds weak to her own ears. They haven’t fucked, exactly, but it is definitely like that . They just haven’t been stupid enough to cross that boundary yet.

Sookie looks at her again, and she’s not reading her mind, but Cam supposes she doesn’t have to to know the truth.

“Mmhmm.”

When they walk into Bill’s house, the stranger is already gone—most likely dismembered, now a part of the roaring fire—and Bill stands by the fireplace, his tense back toward Eric and the door. Sookie goes to him, ducks down to whisper to him, and Cam takes her usual position next to Eric, looks up at him with curiosity.

“It’s done, and we’re needed at Fangtasia,” he says, reaching out to press a hand to the small of her back. “The two of you are welcome to join us,” he adds louder, for Sookie’s benefit, and she looks up at him with a frown.

“No thank you,” she responds after a moment, lips morphing into her usual sweet smile. “I think we’re going to stay in tonight.” She’s playing into politics, being uncommonly courteous, and Cam guesses that means Eric and Bill had a very strained conversation. Eric nods, seemingly unaffected either way.

“Very well. Thank you, Bill, for dealing with this unpleasantness for me.” He waits, pointedly, until Bill turns to face him with an answering nod, and then continues. “But next time, I expect you to take better care of my investment.”

He turns away on a swift heel, heading for the door, and Cam shoots Sookie an apologetic smile and follows behind him.

“I told you, your investment is fine,” she says when she catches up to his long strides, and she puts plenty of emphasis on the word. Is that all she is to him, after everything?

He opens the passenger’s side door of his SUV but blocks her from climbing into it.

“You had to offer yourself up to a starving vampire to do what he couldn’t do. Bill should have been more than capable of protecting you; he would have been, if he weren’t so hung up on Sookie’s every move.” Cam rolls her eyes—did he really expect Bill to prioritize her life over his actual true love?—and holds her hands out as if begging him to get a grip.

“I’m glad he took care of her before me. That’s what I wanted.”

Almost as soon as she says the words, Eric is in her space, his face so close to hers she can make out flecks of silver in his molten eyes.

“It’s not what I wanted.” His gaze flicks over her face, and he wets his lips, but just as quickly he exhales and steps back so she can get into the car. “Let’s go.”

After a few silent minutes—silent because Cam thinks this is just a tantrum he’s going to have to wear himself out with—Eric pulls the car over and parks on an overlook that gives them an excellent view of swamp, stars, and not much else. Eric gets out and stands at the front of the car, and she follows because she’s always going to follow him, until the day he tells her to go.

“I thought we were needed at Fangtasia,” she says quietly, crossing her arms in front of herself. The gesture isn’t standoffish, this time, but self-soothing.

“Not immediately, and I needed some fresh air.” It’s all he says, and she thinks maybe this is him cooling off, wearing it out, so she takes a few long breaths beside him and lets him take it in.

“The earth smells so good this time of year,” she says eventually, breaking the silence almost like a peace offering. Slowly, he looks over at her. “Do you know what I mean? Like rain and sun and new growth; I’ve never noticed it before.”

“It could be my blood, sharpening your senses,” he reminds her, and she nods her head.

“If it is, then I’m grateful,” she says, and she truly means it despite her confusion about everything else. “Do you enjoy the smell of the sun? The way the pavement stays hot even when it gets dark? Does it remind you of being out in the light?”

Eric shrugs, a gesture that seems so out of place on this confident, powerful man.

“Most of the time I find it unremarkable; just signs of the time. When you come to me just after sunset, though, and I can smell it lingering on your skin…” He looks down at her hand, then takes it in his, angles his body toward hers. “It’s been a very long time, but when I imagine a warm, sunny day, I think of you.”

That brief moment of vulnerability means more to her than she knows how to articulate, and she decides maybe the only way to respond is with vulnerability of her own. She ruminates over words she never thought she would say.

“If I were really hurt, or dying…” she begins, and he gently squeezes her hand.

“Would I turn you? Yes. If you wanted me to,” he adds, and briefly she’s shocked to consider he might imagine a world in which she didn’t want that. She exhales softly, chews on her bottom lip.

“Do you think I’d still be able to hear things?” Her voice is smaller this time, and like he can decipher this stream of consciousness he moves nearer, so that it’s almost uncomfortable to hold hands the way they are. His gaze is sure and serious as he crowds her against the front of the car.

“I’ve never met a vampire who could—but until you and Sookie, I’d never met a human who could, either. I really can’t say.”

“If I couldn’t hear, would I still be important to you?” she asks with great difficulty, and he leans in and brushes her hair back behind her ear. It makes her nervous, waiting for the answer to the question she has been thinking since the first night she agreed to do business with him, but it’s something she needs to know.

“Would I keep you? Yes. If you wanted me to,” he murmurs, and though she can feel through their tether that both of them long for a kiss, he drops her hand and walks back to the car. He opens her door for her and closes it behind her, then climbs in and drives off in the direction of Shreveport once again.

They weren’t really needed at Fangtasia; Eric said that to get away from Bill, so he didn’t have to look at his face and furiously rehash their argument in his head the entire night. All Bill could do was make pathetic excuses that started with, “I’m sorry, but Sookie… ”

Ultimately, Eric got his point across without violence, telling Bill in no uncertain terms that Cam was never to be put in harm's way while under his care again, or he would raze Bill’s whole life to the ground. Bill turned away to burn the rest of the body, tail between his legs, and then the women were back and all Eric wanted to do was take Cam and get out of there. He needed to be alone with her, to feel for himself that she was safe and unharmed.

He didn’t intend to bare his soul to her, his… heart, never imagined she could have wanted those things for herself: to be turned by him, kept by him. It’s thrown him for a loop, and for several days he’s been careful to limit their interactions, to stop staring at her when she’s at the club, to stop finding excuses to touch her or kiss her or challenge the dynamic between them.

He comes across a business opportunity, however, for which he needs her gift, so he goes up to her where she chats with bartender Darren and lays a careful hand on her lower back.

“We’re going to make a deal with some humans. I need you,” Eric says, loud enough for Darren to hear. Darren lifts a curious brow, but he doesn’t know about her gift, maybe never will—Eric has been strangely private about their arrangement lately, very business-like and quiet—so she just excuses herself and lets Eric lead her toward the VIP section where his guests are seated.

He fills her in on the deal on the way, something about equity in a condominium being built in Shreveport, and when he takes his usual seat upon the throne-like chair, she curls onto his lap, the best way they’ve found to communicate in a situation such as this. She listens carefully as they discuss the arrangement, compares it to the thoughts streaming through the head of the man in charge, as requested.

“He’s low-balling you—$50k or so,” she whispers into Eric’s ear, running her fingers through his hair in an attempt to look casual, like she did at Melanie’s.

“Arrogant or just stupid?” he asks under his breath, and when she hesitates he turns his head in her direction, looks up at her with curious eyes.

“Both,” she says, though she instantly regrets it. “He thinks you’re… distracted,” she finally says, skimming her fingertips over the curve of his jaw.

It’s an understatement, and projection: all the man can focus on is her bare legs, how close they are to Eric’s crotch, how easy it would be for the vampire to get rid of the clothing between them and thrust…

“Hmm,” Eric murmurs, and she almost thinks he’s reading her mind now, catching the replay, the highlights. “He’s jealous. He wants you.” Her breath hitches, because yes, the man’s thoughts were carnal, and she didn’t want to tell him that because she knew exactly what he’d do: taunt this petty business partner and drive her crazy in the process. The hand not holding her around the waist slides over her knee, along her bare thigh, stopping just beneath the slit of her skirt. “I think you’re being dishonest, Randy,” he projects at full volume. “And I hate dishonesty, don’t I, sweetheart?”

She nods because she can’t think of what to say, how to address him in this context, this role, in front of these people; he put her on the spot, and she’s not uncomfortable, but she needs his guidance. Like he knows, Eric removes his hand from her leg, slips it around her throat, tilts her head so she’s looking down at him and only him.

“I’m a bad man when people aren’t honest with me. I hurt people,” he coos, and she licks her lips, all but hypnotized by the eye contact, the fingers pressing against her neck. “I’d hate to have to hurt someone in front of her, Randy.” He pulls her closer, and she goes easily, willingly, pliant like putty in his hands; their mouths meet for a kiss, and Eric deepens it to something wet and messy, with lots of tongue and teeth for show.

It sends aching waves of need over her body, but when he pulls back, she’s able to catch her breath and remember that it’s all just a game. Eric swipes his thumb over her slick bottom lip and rests his hand on her thigh again before turning back to the business man and his crew.

“Final offer, gentlemen? There’s something I desperately need to do.” He squeezes her leg on the last syllable, guiding his fingers past the slit of her skirt, and she silently begs these assholes to get on with the deal so she can get out of this beautiful, confusing, stubborn vampire’s lap.

Randy inhales deeply, shifts in his seat, and raises his offer by $75,000. Eric stands up and sets Cam down gently in the chair he vacated, shakes the man’s hand booming words of agreement and business well done, and then they leave and Eric and Cam walk away with Pam, striding down the back hall.

Cam is a little embarrassed; she hadn’t even realized Pam had joined them.

“You were so good,” Eric says in her ear as they walk toward the office, his body close behind hers, chin hooked over her shoulder, his fingertips on her waist. “So good, Camila. You got me more than I wanted. Brilliant girl.”

“Yes, yes, she’s amazing. I don’t have to be back here for this part, do I?” Pam drawls from behind them. Eric stops in his tracks, his hands falling to Cam’s hips so she’ll stop too. “I could use a drink and some eye candy that’s actually on the tasting menu.”

“Yes Pam, you may be excused. Go find a pretty little thing to eat,” he calls over his shoulder, and with a wicked laugh and a toodle-lo they’re alone — or, nearly alone, the door to Eric’s office the only thing standing between them and peaceful silence.

They enter, and he closes the door behind them, then walks around the desk and pulls the chair out from under it.

“I want to give you more money,” he says, and he opens a drawer and produces a wrapped stack of bills, $10,000 in hundreds. Cam furrows her brow, confused.

“I don’t need more money.”

“Everyone needs more money,” he says, almost with a laugh, but she holds up a palm so he’ll see that she means it.

“No, I’m really all set. Thank you, though. It’s a generous offer.”

Looking almost equally as confused, he drops the money back into the drawer and closes it, stepping around to the front of the desk.

“What would you like, then? As a bonus—you were really perfect out there for me,” he adds, his voice low, and she has to hold firm or she’ll let the praise go to her head and walk out with thousands of dollars burning a hole in her handbag.

“I don’t need anything, but I’m glad I could help you. It’s what you hired me for.”

Hired seems to be the magical word that breaks them both of the post-kiss haze, and Eric crosses his arms, his expression serious. Suddenly he’s back to the strangely stoic version of himself she’s been seeing more of the past few weeks.

“I know I have been pushing the boundaries of our business relationship lately. I want to make sure you know I value you.”

“Thank you,” she says, and she knows he means it. She doesn’t need his money to know she’s important to him—or important enough to keep around for the time being, at least.

“I could take you out for a fantastic French dinner. Buy you a bottle of wine older than Bill Compton? There must be something you want,” he says, imploring this time, something he just doesn’t do; she doesn’t know how to handle it, isn’t sure she can be as vulnerable now as she was leaning against the hood of his car.

“Wanting is dangerous,” she says eventually, even tacking on a half-smile. “I’m happy with what I have now.”

“I never stop wanting,” Eric counters, and as he moves closer to her she finds her will fading, weakening with each step he takes.

“Does that speak to your character or your species?” she asks, breathlessly, trying to bait him into more banter, but he doesn’t play along this time.

“You don’t want this?” he asks, his voice a whisper, and then he tilts her head and glides his lips over her jaw, down her throat. Her breath hitches when he scrapes his teeth over her pulse—no fangs, just teeth—and when he presses his hips against her she can feel him stiff and thick in his pants.

She wants to grab for him, to rip off his clothes and lick and kiss and bite every inch of his perfect body, wants his hands and his mouth on her, wants to be his , but that way lies madness and she’s not stupid enough to risk everything they have now for everything they don’t.

“You know I do,” she murmurs instead of saying all those things, and he pulls back to let her look at him properly, without his mouth on her skin distracting them from the present. “You must feel it.”

“Then why pretend you don’t?” He asks the question like it makes no sense to him—and for someone who has been leading with his wants, his desires for a thousand years, maybe it doesn’t. Or maybe he just doesn’t understand how deeply she feels for him, even now.

“Because it doesn’t end well for me. Because I care about you,” she says, her voice soft and unguarded, and despite his cold reply, she can feel him ache through their bond when he hears her words.

“You shouldn’t.”

“I know,” is all she can say, because she has gone over the same thoughts on her own for quite some time now. It’s her own fault for giving in to all of the delicious offers Eric makes, for letting his words get to her the way they do. She knows that, too. “That’s why I can’t do this anymore, this tug of war, this back and forth. I can’t see you and not know if you’ll make out with me or–or treat me like an employee. I can’t put my personal life on the back-burner because I’m always sitting around waiting for you to decide whether or not I’m worth it.

“I’m not saying I don’t want to work for you anymore, or that I don’t want to see you… just that I can’t have you on my lips and on my skin without knowing if I’m just a pawn in a game you enjoy playing, or if I mean something more.”

Eric looks over her face, but says nothing, and she decides it’s time for a sensible exit, before she can say something she may not be able to take back. She steps away from him, then heads for the door, but she pauses before closing it behind her.

“Can you please send Bill and Sookie the wine? I think it’s their anniversary tomorrow.” He nods his head, and she slips out the door and back into the chaos of the bar.

#eric northman #eric northman fanfic #true blood #true blood fanfic #eric northman x reader #eric northman x original female character

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yourreddancer · 2 months ago

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Today in Politics, Bulletin 131. 5/15/25

Today in Politics, Bulletin 131. 5/15/25 Ron Filipkowski May 15 ∙ … The Supreme Court heard oral arguments today on the big birthright citizenship case challenging Trump’s executive order seeking to deport children born in the US to immigrant parents. Oral arguments did not sound like they went especially well for the Trump admin, with tough questions coming even from conservative justices like Kavanaugh.

… Before court began, Trump did what he does to every judge who presides over any case involving him - trying to influence them to go his way: “Birthright Citizenship was not meant for people taking vacations to become permanent Citizens of the US and bringing their families with them, all the time laughing at the ‘SUCKERS’ that we are! Birthright Citizenship is about the babies of slaves. As conclusive proof, the Civil War ended in 1865, the Bill went to Congress less than a year later, in 1866, and was passed shortly after that. It had nothing to do with Illegal Immigration for people wanting to SCAM our Country, from all parts of the World, which they have done for many years. Please explain this to the Supreme Court. What we had were the BABIES OF SLAVES.”

… Politico’s summary of key parts of the current House budget bill: “In each slice of the megabill House Republicans are working to tie up this week, policies would kick in immediately that curry favor with voters and add trillions of dollars to the federal deficit — before those costs are ultimately offset with unpopular policies that hit after the 2026 midterms and the 2028 presidential election. The House bill is unquestionably the most drastic display of instant gratification on the incumbent president’s watch before the pain sets in when his successor is inaugurated.”

Babies born in 2024 through 2028 would start their lives with $1,000 in a tax-preferred savings fund, called a “MAGA account.”

The standard deduction would be boosted by $4,000 for people older than 64 years old, phasing out at higher income brackets.

Most people receiving Medicaid coverage would have to work at least 80 hours a month or be enrolled in an education program at least part time.

$150 billion in additional defense spending.

End many green tax incentives beginning after Trump’s presidency — including credits for producing and investing in clean energy that are popular with a wide cross-section of Republicans and their constituents.

Most workers wouldn’t pay taxes on tips, as long as those tips are voluntary and customers decide the amount, but it is set to expire after 2028.

People who pay car loans could deduct up to $10,000 a year in interest. It would shrink for taxpayers whose incomes top $100,000, or $200,000 for people filing jointly.

Workers could deduct overtime pay, with some exceptions for higher earners.

$62 billion in additional funding for DHS for border security and deportations.

States must cover 5-25% of food aid costs under SNAP, the nation’s largest anti-hunger program. That mandate would cost states billions of dollars.

… As it stands, the current bill would absolutely explode the deficit to unprecedented levels because of all the tax cuts and deductions, along with increases in spending.

… But Republicans in both the House and Senate have been going at it with each other behind closed doors and in front of the cameras over various parts of the massive bill, and it doesn’t sound like things are going well. Punchbowl’s Jake Sherman: “A House Republican just exited the party meeting about reconciliation and texted me this: ‘We're cooked. Speaker let this get out of control.’”

… NBC reported that 4 House Republicans - Elise Stefanik, Mike Lawler, Nick LaLota and Andrew Garbarino - have banded together to form a united bloc demanding that the federal deduction for state and local taxes paid be increased. Current law caps the deduction at $10,000: “Those 4 NY Republicans are so far sticking together and have the power to sink the entire bill in the narrow House majority, where Johnson has just 3 votes to spare.”

… “Stefanik, a member of Johnson’s leadership team who has had an icy relationship with the Speaker as of late, has taken a lead role in the talks. Rep. Young Kim (R-CA), who represents one of the highest-taxed districts in the country, has also been aligning closely with the group. Now it’s up to Johnson to cut a deal and appease the holdouts — many of them from swing districts that will decide which party controls the chamber in the 2026 midterm elections — on the House floor.”

… Rep. Nicolle Malliotakis (R-NY), who is siding with House leadership against her fellow 4 NY Republicans, tried to crash their closed door strategy meeting. She was thrown out because the other 4 reportedly considered her “a spy” for Speaker Mike Johnson.

… Rep. Marge Greene went at it with Mike Lawler over the issue. Greene: “Lawler usually isn’t the guy in the conference with the best ideas. Lawler is a NO on Trump’s big beautiful bill because he won’t accept a SALT cap increase from $10K to $30K per year. The deduction applies to those who make under $400,000 per year. Yes taxes in Democrat controlled NY are ridiculous, but if a $30,000 State and Local Tax (SALT) deduction isn’t good enough for those making under $400,000 then you need to either vote Republican in NY or you need to move! The rest of America doesn’t want to and shouldn’t have to make up the difference!”

… Lawler responded: “Shockingly the ‘Jewish Space Laser’ lady once again doesn’t have a clue what she is talking about. By the way, the reason you enjoy a gavel is because Republicans like me have won our seats. Good luck being in the Majority if we don’t.”

… Greene: “Here is Mike Lawler claiming HE gave us the majority NOT President Donald Trump!!! Did you all vote for Mike Lawler and his agenda??? Or did America vote for President Trump and his MAGA America First agenda? Tell Mike Lawler what you voted for.”

… Lawler: “MTG ran almost 10 points behind President Trump in one of the most Republican districts. I ran 6.5 points ahead of Trump in a district won by Kamala Harris. I’m 1 of only 3 Republicans in a district won by Harris. I know math is difficult, but: 220-3=217.”

… Like I said, things are going well.

… While Trans Sec Sean Duffy continues his daily media appearances blaming Pete Buttigieg for issues at airports, Rep. Hank Johnson (D-GA) asked COO of the FAA Tim Arel specifically how many air traffic controllers have quit or been fired since Trump took office. Arel refused to answer the question or even give a ballpark number when pressed repeatedly: “I’m not aware of how many. I can’t tell you that exact number.”

… Trump said that raising tariffs on China to 145% for a month was a great thing for America: “Don't forget, we were losing $1 trillion to China. So we essentially went cold turkey with China for a period of a month. Therefore we weren't losing $1 trillion. I think that’s pretty simple.”

… We weren’t “losing” anything. People were buying products from China and then stopped buying products from China.

… WalMart CFO John Rainey told CNBC they are going to have to raise prices because of Trump’s tariffs: “We’re wired for everyday low prices, but the magnitude of these increases is more than any retailer can absorb. It’s more than any supplier can absorb. And so I’m concerned that consumer is going to start seeing higher prices. You’ll begin to see that, likely towards the tail end of this month, and then certainly much more in June.”

… Rainey: "The level of tariffs that have been proposed is pretty challenging for all retailers, for suppliers, and certainly our concern is that consumers are gonna feel some of that. Keep in mind, just a week ago we were at 145% tariffs. Now, we're very appreciative of the progress the admin has made to get them down to this level, but I would say it's still too high for consumers. We'd like to see them come down more."

… NYT reported that Jared Kushner’s firm, which is seeking to develop a $500 million Trump International Hotel in Belgrade, Serbia, is on hold after a govt official confessed to forging a document that allowed a historic building to be demolished on the site so the hotel could be built. Office of the Prosecutor for Organized Crime: “Vasic forged a proposal for a decision to revoke the status of cultural property.”

… The Free Press published, ‘How Qatar Bought America’, showing the ties between senior Trump officials and Qatar, which indicated that Trump’s moves to have the US go all-in on aren’t being done solely for the benefit of the country:

The airplane deal was signed off by AG Pam Bondi. She used to work at a lobbying firm that received $115,000 a month from Qatar.

Trump’s chief of staff, Susie Wiles, led a lobbying firm when it represented Qatar’s embassy in Washington.

FBI Director Kash Patel worked as a consultant for Qatar, although he didn’t bother to register as a foreign agent.

In 2023, Qatar’s sovereign wealth fund bought out Special Envoy Steve Witkoff’s investment in the struggling Park Lane Hotel in NY for $623 million.

Trump Org is building a new luxury golf resort near Qatar’s capital, Doha, in partnership with a Qatari company.

Donald Trump Jr. will speak next week at the invitation-only Qatar Economic Forum in a session titled “Investing in America.”

… IDF spokesman Doron Spielman to CNN: “Qatar is a terror-sponsoring country. They have been playing both sides of the field for many, many years. The largest funder of Hamas and Hezbollah and the Taliban. They also housed the Hamas leadership. I'm not so sure it's in the US' interest to be putting so many eggs in the basket of Qatar. Israel obviously relies on the US. I think that Americans need to be very concerned.”

… Trump gave a speech to American troops in Qatar: "We love France, right? But I think we did a little more to win the war than France did. Do we agree? I don't want to be a wise guy, but when Hitler made his speech at the Eiffel Tower, I would say that wasn't exactly ideal."

… Hitler never gave a speech at the Eiffel Towel.

… Trump in Qatar: “I have concepts for Gaza. I’d be proud to have the United States take it and make it a freedom zone.”

… The Qatar PM was asked about Trump’s Palace in the Sky jet: “Unfortunately, I see this story is taking a different direction and it’s being politicized while it’s a normal government to government deal. It's basically part of a cooperation that we have been doing together between Qatar and the US.”

… Maybe it’s normal for Qatar. It’s not normal for the US.

… CNN noted that the “gift” from Qatar to Trump isn’t exactly free - Trump just wants a Palace in Sky and doesn’t want to wait for the new AF1: “Making necessary security changes to this plane is estimated to cost three times the value of the plane. In other words, for this 'free' plane, American taxpayers may pay an additional $800 million.”

… Trump then went to UAE to give a speech, and said this: “My first week, eggs were up 200%. Now, they are down 97%, 98% from where they were.”

… Trump to the UAE president: "We have a term 'groceries.' It's an old term but it means basically what you're buying, food, it's a pretty accurate term but it's an old fashioned sound but groceries are down."

One day to go in what has been a very long week with Trump’s trip to the Middle East, the Russia-Ukraine drama, Republicans fighting with each other over the budget, congressional hearings, and court cases all over the place. I would like to say next week things will slow down, but I’m afraid there is only going to be even more mania.

… DHS Secretary Kristi Noem also wants a new jet. Rep. Lauren Underwood (D-IL): My committee just received a last-minute addition to the Coast Guard’s spend plan: $50 million for a new Gulfstream 5 jet for DHS Secretary Noem’s personal use. She already has a Gulfstream 5, by the way, but she wants a new one paid for with your taxpayer dollars. We should be investing in our national security and improving the lives of our Coasties – not wasting taxpayer dollars on luxury travel and political stunts.”

… Sen. Chris Murphy: “Just got word that Secretary Noem is asking for an addition to her budget - a new private Gulfstream 5 jet for her personal national photo op tour. She's already got a private plane but wants a tricked out new one.

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fishgir12 · 8 months ago

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Oomf i am watching s2ep4 rnand i think i may have come up with an idea to make zoey in this episode explainable because It feels so weird for her to say all that and then never really apologize for it .��😭

I came up wth this one minute ago im not sure its gonna work but i stay baller

maybe zoeys been in an experiance before like logan where for a moment the world cares then the next they dont anymore. maybe they went through that kinda with miya or something so when logan gets upset zoey gets harsh bc uh. um. Because logan shouldnt have expected instant fame in the first place (theyre still wrong for this) and Its like. That protectiveness that a parent can have like when. Something hurts their child and the child is upset and the parent gets upset that their child is hurt but because there is no other thing to take the anger out on They yell at the child for letting themselves get hurt(IDK If this makes sense. But yesss this happens my mom is proof 🔥🔥)

Im gonna have to try and figure out when zoey can make this up and apologize butt i kinda have an idea on how Logan can get a bit of gratification... im having an idea with Doey rn I will go into it further soon....

i can see the reasoning with Zoey! I think my biggest problem is that Zoey’s apology makes no sense 😭

like the issue wasn’t Logan putting aside her own musical interests to make something that everyone would like the main problem was Logan feeling cast aside that people forgot about her all of a sudden and Zoey put her down even more with basically saying “yeah your music sucks” and then trying to apologize by saying “your music would suck less if you were true to yourself” when that was never the main issue

If the episode was written with Logan showing interests in other types of music but then putting them aside to make sure that she’s making music everyone would like and Zoey sees this and is like “yeah dude this isn’t it, trust me I know” and THEN apologizes with the whole staying true to yourself thing then I would’ve appreciated it more and it would’ve made sense but idk!

#lego dreamzzz #dreamzzz

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moonchildxxsblog · 1 month ago

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Treat manifestation like a degree🤍

If I would find the LAW today here is what I would do🧚🏻

(though by all means this is not realistic because how would I know the learning process is not gradual and at the beginning I was full of emotions)

1. 🤍affirm for abilities and make it a priority before manifesting anything, I should have dropped every desire and affirm for abilities 24/7 - why because testing trying when you don’t even know which technique which teacher to believe who is right who is wrong - this would be a super stressfree way to get things going - also I would treat my 3D the same and be hyper responsible like nothing happened even more having my shit together - yet I wouldn’t hang out with people (since I wouldn’t resonate with them it causes more stress than actually helping except it is fun) and make affirming a priority - habits need to be mastered though no halfass affirming full on priority, I tried so much to be „normal“ and have fun to get less attached to manifestation but that is a law of attraction way to do things how you do things with law of assumption is lock in and affirm your way out

2.🤍 Things I didn’t want to hear (other people would say focus on SC I highly disagree) - As a second step or even along the way I would indeed focus on super super small things to manifest like a coffee and go gradually bigger but STILL small stuff (you wouldn’t start your first semester with classes from the last?! It would take you forever to learn and an insane amount of discipline) - so yes that means manifesting stuff you don’t care about - would I have wanted to hear that no because at the beginning I mean in general always you only care about your actual desires - while making abilities still a priority

3.🤍 so about this step I’m not sure since technically it is not tangible and you just won’t have “actual” proof that it is manifestation unlike step 2 (but it can help to get into a better headspace) so here maybe for 1 month (while still doing 1&2) focusing either on 1 umbrella affirmation or a few SC affirmations or specific SC affirmations regarding 1 area - this step can be repeated a few months until maybe in a better headspace and 1-3 is a SOLID foundation

4.🤍maybe along the way you see bad habits that appear throughout the manifestation journey like checking the 3D though that shouldn’t be and issue since 1-3 really there is nothing you can check - but here habits need to be fixed - the need for instant gratification- getting disciplined maybe trying it with 3D tasks etc

5.🤍 then I would go on gradually with bigger desires but still stuff with less resistance to really learn to not check and getting impatient all that stuff - and get into solid routines (here in a perfect world I would have already a solid routine in step 1) and always going all in with affirming in every step and affirming enough!

6.🤍lastly I would focus on my actual desires - I think they would have manifested along the way already and the rational mind would be okay but after all these steps then I can focus on my main stuff - we’ll time is not real - and this approach is the most stressfree approach I could think of (because I am human I want to control my emotions more and more but if you want something you want it) and if you start with low SC lack of discipline no foundation it’s just way harder

🧚🏻and also very important to never get lost in signs birds synchronisities in my opinion it’s even more for me personally completely ignoring it is the best

🧚🏻all these steps are unrealistic because the process is not gradual and most of the time I had no idea what I’m doing - also I really didn’t want to hear to focus on abilities, small stuff, sc umbrella I didn’t even want to Master manifestation 🙉 I just wanted 1-2 desires and move on with my life but that’s not how it works

🚫manifesting the desire right away is absolutely possible in my case I was just too messed up and was inconsistent caught up in partial manifestations which is the worst then you need to get out of this and all of that is just a waste of time - the process here seems long but it’s actually super short

🚫and I have to say you can manifest super fast when you need it the most if you affirm 24/7 but my guide here is for stressfree no anxiety and for me personally okay most word it as SC - no matter what desire I always need at least 1 desire out of them that is only focusing on me (even if it is money a job the focus is not on me so something that gives me confidence it’s different for anyone but people would say it’s SC but I don’t mean stuff like I’m loved, prioritized because then it’s again external validation)

#law of assumption #saturationsession

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neoflorilegia · 8 months ago

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i think a lot of what writers say makes writing hard has to do with the more technical aspects than the act of writing itself. like the more hung up you are on word choice and sentence structure in your first draft the more likely you are to burn out and lose the joy of the project. it's like, of course your work should have a basic shape as a guide but trying to make that shape fit rigid boxes and meet the expectations of a nonexistent audience is like begging for writer's block. i say this because this is a lesson i have to relearn over and over and over again. that my initial drafts will not and should not read well because it's just like.... the part of sculpting a bust where you can tell it's going to be someone's head but it still kinda just looks like a lump of clay. once you think about rewriting and editing as carving out the finer details to fully realize the bust it makes the process feel more like a creative process and less like an obstacle course

i also think the frustration with wanting to sound perfect on the first try is a really natural frustration to have as a creative in the digital age because everyone's work seems so effortless now. but i think a large reason why popular books lately have gotten criticized for things as big as being plotless and as small as having terrible grammar are proof that effort and patience are part of what defines writing as an art. it's an art form that forces you to slow down, forces you to swallow the need for instant praise and gratification

.... i'm on a lot of cold medicine right now so there's a non-zero chance of me rereading this tomorrow and thinking it's like.... writing on the wall of a truck stop bathroom fksjflskjflsjfljkd

#musings

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fangs-claws-paws · 1 year ago

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Silken Cell

1, 2, 7, and 15

From this ask game

1: What inspired you to write the fic this way?

A couple different things inspired me to write this fic. Frustration at the lack of mpreg content regarding specific content I liked, such as armor/gear with an emphasis on helmets as at the time all I could find was supernatural or teen wolf mpreg fics, and I only read them because I would just replace the characters with characters I thought of while I was reading them out of sheer desperation. Also I was frustrated how the male character who got mpregged would suddenly act like a stereotype of pregnant women, and that bothered me because I felt/still feel that being pregnant doesn't automatically make you act like that. Also one fic I read really peeved me, in that the first chapter was the standard rape/non-con and I didn't mind, but the second chapter really wanted us to feel bad that the victim didn't want the attention of the rapist afterwards. It was just so odd and really rubbed me the wrong way that I started making up A Silken Cell in my head as my own bizarre train of thought regarding what I liked in a fic that focused on rape. One other factor that contributed to me posting it was my then boyfriend happened to share the same mpreg kink as me, so I'd end up sexting him random blurbs of either canon characters I wanted mpregged, or an extremely rough version of A Silken cell. He encouraged me to start writing A Silken Cell and helped proof-read some of the early chapters. Unfortunately most of those blurbs no longer exist both because he changed phone numbers and I changed phones so any texts have been lost, and the rest were posted in the text chat for Teamspeak that no longer exists.

2: What scene did you first put down?

Honestly the first scene I wrote was in fact chapter 1. Writing stuff out of order never really works for me tbh, it just gives my brain instant gratification and then it never wants to work on the rest of it. I have a couple fics stuck as disjointed pieces cuz of trying that method. Now technically the first scene that I ever made in my head was an alternate path for Baldarich that I didn't go with in the end. In that Baldarich was a Blood Angel instead of a Dark Angel, and while he was also killed by Ansovald instead of being for aborting his children it was because the Blood Angel kept having miscarriages. I didn't go with this both because Blood Angels have the Black Rage, which I feel is a recipe for disaster in the harem, and I liked a more resistant harem member to contrast with the submission of Caedmon and Azad.

7: Where did the title come from?

The title I came up with just based on what I felt described Caedmon's situation with enough brevity to sound interesting, he is trapped in what amounts to an extremely fancy prison cell. It was only a couple weeks after posting it and googling the title that I realized there was a song that went by the same name, and while it certainly fits the vibe of the fic, that's mostly coincidental

15: What did you learn from writing this fic?

Honestly one of the biggest things I've learned is my brain can hold onto the story for a shockingly long amount of time without ever touching it. As I recalled what I wanted to do after my 2-3 year hiatus as clearly as when I had just put it down. Which is extremely funny as - fun fact - there is no written outline or planning sheets for this fic, all the information is stored in my brain and nowhere else. So if I were to somehow lose my memory, there would be no information as to the direction I had planned the fic to go in. Might come back to bite me in the ass, but we'll see.

#a silken cell #anonymous #ask game #Goldenwarrior's stuff

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crmsnmth · 1 year ago

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Target Audience

My target audience are the broken and the battered souls Patch-work fixes and fried egg brains Because I am my target audience

I know just what it is that gets them off.

My target audience dabbles in the dark or violence the undeserved suffering and the quiet despair We're found rummaging around in someone's stored memories Short term gratification to know someone might feel the same.

Admit it, that idea hits the right notes.

My target audience sleeps in shadows and nightmares The graceful night terrors, and the bitterness of sleep We are children of the damaged and the cycle continues Maybe we should have put the load in delicate

I don't even know what I'm saying anymore.

My target audience likes the strange and the macarbe Finding beauty in death and ugliness in life We're bound to end up somewhere, just keep it straight I swear to god I'll turn this car around this instant

Please excuse the damage.

My target audience speaks in cuts and cues Razorblade to get that reptile split giong on We have ways of making you talk but we won't listen Please don't make me explain myself again

You have no proof that I'm actually a real person

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necrodivergent · 8 days ago

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It's a result of declining tech literacy and the corporations pushing products out the door to maximize profits with zero concern for quality or the lives of the workers. The big tech companies have thousands of servers and dedicated tech staff, which is the only reason why they can maintain near 100% uptime, and why people have conditioned themselves to lose their shit any time a service goes down. A nonprofit organization doesn't have the resources to run multiple redundant racks of servers, let alone goddamn data centers like Google and the rest have. Big companies have enough resources that they can update parts of their system while having spare machines take over, small companies and NPOs can't. In fact, that's part of why smaller companies can't hope to compete against the big names: an independent service can't hope to handle the massive server load of Google, Amazon, etc. The big companies had the money to hemorrhage money for years paying for far more computing power than their competitors, and happily pointed out that they were more reliable, crushing companies that actually tried to turn a profit, and then started becoming far more shitty than their competitors ever were.

[Old man yells at cloud tangent ahead]

This has had negative effects in pretty much every industry, too. People have come to expect their services to always be available, and have become addicted to instant gratification, and go absolutely librarian when any sort of delay happens. Twenty years ago, a game developer could more or less give a simple statement that a game wasn't ready and you could end up with a release date shifting by literal years, but the big companies moved to the philosophy of "ship now, patch later," and now people are threatening devs when they have to wait even one extra day. Because huge companies can afford to be essentially meat grinders for staff and force insane development timelines, they can shit out big games constantly, and smaller studios get forced to try to keep up. It tends to result in either a product that was clearly rushed or drowning in a sea of flames when they go off schedule. This also usually comes with at least part of the supposed fandom claiming that this is somehow "proof" of someone embezzling funds, instead of the much simpler explanation that absolutely nothing goes to plan, and it only gets worse the more big and complex the plan is.

Fucking hate watching children go “um Actually UwU” about AO3. saw someone say that fixing a bug with bookmarks isn’t a good reason to close a site down for a couple hours and they’re all lying about what they spend money on

meanwhile this very week my actual day job shut down the internal programmes for idk how many hours to fix a minor bug that popped up out of nowhere. I mean??? I don’t know shit about IT but “shut down all functions while we fix a problem” is so damn common. And “oh this took longer than we said” as well.

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bestseocompanymadurai06 · 8 days ago

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Unlike many agencies that boast “overnight results” or “guaranteed viral growth,” Rajagiri understands that true digital success is built over time. Whether it’s SEO, social media strategy, content marketing, or paid campaigns, their team believes in setting realistic goals based on data, market trends, and solid experience.

Why doesn’t Rajagiri promise overnight success? Because they know that digital marketing is not a magic wand — it’s a process. Quick fixes may offer temporary spikes, but they rarely lead to long-term growth or brand credibility. Instead, Rajagiri focuses on understanding each client’s business deeply, building strong digital foundations, and implementing strategies that grow steadily and sustainably.

Clients who work with Rajagiri appreciate this honest approach. It builds trust. It sets the stage for real results that don’t fade away after a few weeks. And more importantly, it helps businesses grow their online presence in a way that’s authentic and future-proof.

As the Best Digital Marketing Company In Tamil Nadu, Rajagiri Information Systems offers a full suite of services — from search engine optimization and pay-per-click advertising to web development and brand storytelling. But what truly sets them apart is their commitment to long-term success. Their clients don’t just gain followers or clicks — they gain loyal customers and measurable ROI.

Choosing a digital marketing partner is a big decision. And when a company is willing to say, “It’s going to take time, but it will be worth it,” that’s a sign you’re in the right hands. Rajagiri’s no-hype, all-results approach makes them a trusted partner in the noisy world of digital marketing.

Overnight success fades. Rajagiri builds something better: sustainable digital growth.

Visit their website: www.rgis.asia or call +91 9894773201 to learn more about their services and start your journey towards online success.

Also Read : 10 Reasons Why Rajagiri Information Systems is Best SEO Company

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zelda-larsson · 23 days ago

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When Fast Success Slows Real Progress

Modern business culture worships at the altar of speed. Startups chase "blitzscaling," executives demand instant ROI, and employees face pressure to demonstrate immediate impact. This obsession with rapid results creates a dangerous illusion—that velocity equals value. Yet beneath the surface of these quick wins often lies quicksand, trapping organizations in cycles of short-term achievement that undermine lasting success.

Michael Shvartsman, a seasoned investor known for his measured approach, offers a contrarian perspective: "The business world has confused fast movement with meaningful progress. True growth happens at the speed of trust, capability, and systems—none of which can be rushed without consequence."

The False Economy of Hurry.

The appeal of immediate results is understandable. Quarterly reports demand visible performance. Investors seek proof of traction. Employees want tangible evidence their efforts matter. But this focus on rapid outcomes creates hidden costs that compound over time.

Consider the startup that prioritizes user acquisition over product quality, only to face crippling churn rates once novelty fades. Or the corporation that cuts training budgets to boost short-term profits, then struggles with operational errors and leadership gaps. Or the team that sacrifices thorough testing for faster launches, accumulating technical debt that slows future innovation.

Michael Shvartsman observes, "We've built systems that reward people for starting fires rather than preventing them. The executive who delivers a rushed product gets promoted before its flaws emerge. The investor who flips a company quickly earns fees before its weaknesses surface. These incentives distort decision-making."

The Three Traps of Impatience.

Organizations chasing instant results typically encounter predictable pitfalls:

Superficial Metrics - Celebrating vanity numbers that don't correlate with sustainable value.

Burned-Out Talent - Driving teams to unsustainable paces that sacrifice creativity and wellbeing.

Strategic Myopia - Missing larger opportunities while focusing on near-term targets.

Michael Shvartsman notes, "The most valuable business outcomes—brand loyalty, institutional knowledge, product excellence—refuse to be rushed. They emerge through consistent effort applied over time. Attempting to accelerate them usually backfires."

The Discipline of Delayed Gratification.

Resisting the siren call of immediate results requires uncommon leadership courage. It means passing up good opportunities to wait for great ones. It involves tolerating periods where progress isn't easily measurable. It demands explaining to stakeholders why short-term sacrifices create long-term advantages.

"The art of strategic patience," Michael Shvartsman explains, "lies in distinguishing between activity and achievement. Many executives keep themselves busy chasing small wins while their competitors focus on building durable advantages."

This approach manifests in concrete practices: maintaining quality standards despite production pressures, investing in employee development during busy periods, and allocating resources to initiatives with longer payoff horizons.

The Investor's Perspective.

Financial markets particularly struggle with this paradox. The pressure for quarterly performance creates incentives for management teams to make decisions that boost short-term stock prices while eroding long-term competitiveness.

Michael Shvartsman's investment philosophy deliberately counters this trend: "We look for management teams playing the long game—those willing to endure temporary unpopularity for lasting success. These often prove to be the most rewarding investments, precisely because so few competitors have the patience to identify them."

This perspective allows him to capitalize on market overreactions, where quality assets become undervalued due to short-term setbacks unrelated to their fundamental worth.

Cultivating Organizational Patience.

Building a culture that values sustained excellence over flashy wins requires intentional design. It starts with rethinking what gets celebrated—not just closed deals but customer satisfaction, not just product launches but product evolution, not just individual heroics but system reliability.

Michael Shvartsman emphasizes, "The most effective leaders measure what matters, not just what's easy to measure. They create scorecards that balance immediate outputs with leading indicators of future health."

This might include tracking employee development alongside quarterly targets, monitoring innovation pipelines in addition to current sales, or evaluating customer lifetime value rather than just acquisition costs.

The Slow Road to Lasting Success.

History's most enduring companies share a common trait—they understood that real competitive advantages accumulate gradually. While competitors chased temporary trends, these organizations deepened their capabilities, strengthened their cultures, and built customer relationships that withstood economic cycles.

Michael Shvartsman concludes, "In an age of instant everything, the most radical competitive advantage may simply be the willingness to develop things properly. The market eventually recognizes quality, loyalty, and execution excellence—but rarely on our preferred timetable."

The path forward requires resisting the cult of speed and rediscovering the power of patience. Organizations that master this balance will find themselves outpacing rivals who exhausted themselves sprinting in the wrong direction. True business velocity, it turns out, comes not from moving fast, but from moving deliberately toward the right destination.

#investors #success #entrepreneur #finance

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vansh19104 · 27 days ago

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The Psychology Behind Great Online Ads

Introduction to Online Advertising Psychology

Why Psychology Matters in Advertising

Ever wonder why certain online ads grab your attention instantly, while others just fade into the background? The secret lies in psychology—how we think, feel, and behave. Great advertisers don’t just toss a product image with a flashy “Buy Now” button and hope for the best. They tap into the deepest layers of human psychology to spark interest, build trust, and drive action.

Read More- Google Ads Services in California

Psychology matters in advertising because we’re emotional beings first and logical ones second. Our decisions are shaped by subconscious biases, emotional triggers, and even the colors we see. Advertisers who understand this can create experiences rather than just ads. They engage viewers emotionally, making them feel something—curiosity, excitement, desire, or urgency. And when people feel something, they’re more likely to act.