#And Preserves Market Price

[vividxp]

this sort of nonsense is why housing is expensive and continues to rise. homeowners want to keep it that way and make sure they're heard locally where the decisions get made because they are privileged over renters and people who would like to live somewhere but can't because it's too expensive.

This is part of a thread and it's just a litany of bad excuses and greed.

People, a lot of times gentrifiers, get theirs and want to screw everyone who could come after them because of 'neighborhood character'. If this sounds like red lining and segregation redux that's because it is. Because that's where it started.

And it's one thing if you live in a place like NYC or LA where you could get paid to match. There are other places like Miami that has LA prices but Florida wages so housing is even less affordable than you'd think compared to the typical high rent places. It's bad and the people who are affected have the least amount of power to change it and it drives me crazy.

[janetushar1]

Organ Preservation Market to Hit $348.02 Million by 2032

What's Trending in Organ Preservation Market?

- Keep Yourself Up-To-Date With The Latest Market Trends.

The global Organ Preservation Market was valued at USD 218.36 Million in 2024 and it is estimated to garner USD 348.02 Million by 2032 with a registered CAGR of 6% during the forecast period 2024 to 2032.

Firstly, the Market report for Organ Preservation Market describes the current state of the companies and recommends where it is likely to go next. The report shows the production, revenue, price, market share, and growth rate of each type, mainly divided into Product Types and Product Applications etc.

Additionally, this market report focuses on offering key business measures such as real market moves, market size, qualities, and freedoms, as well as forecast opportunities. This Organ Preservation Market report also offers distinctive insights into wealthy regions such as Europe, North America, the Middle East, Africa, and Latin America.

Get a Sample Copy of the Organ Preservation Market Report at: https://www.vantagemarketresearch.com/organ-preservation-market-1657/request-sample

Top Competitors:

Paragonix Technologies (US), XVIVO Perfusion AB (Sweden), Dr. Franz Köhler Chemie GmbH (Germany), Essential Pharmaceuticals LLC (US), TransMedics (US), OrganOx Limited (UK), 21st Century Medicine (US), Shanghai Genext Medical Technology (China), Bridge to Life Limited (US), Waters Medical Systems (US), Preservation Solutions (US), Carnamedica (Poland), Transplant Biomedicals (Spain), Institut Georges Lopez (France), Global Transplant Solutions (US), Avionord (Italy), Organ Preservation Solutions (England), EBERS (Spain), S.A.L.F. (Italy), Biochefa (Poland), Vascular Perfusion Solutions (US), TX Innovations (Netherlands) and others.

This market report has all the information you need to start or grow your business in the industry. It also includes market drivers, restraints, competitiveness, and geographic estimates, as well as a price and emerging market structure. It is a complete description of a company's business model, benchmarks, consumer preferences, value proposition, and net profit. This comprehensive Organ Preservation Market study also sheds light on key techniques that help companies truly assess their customers' buying behavior.

It represents global economic trends between 2024 and 2032. With the help of this market research, top companies can easily make smarter financial decisions. This market analysis is an excellent technique to help companies implement new products. It also includes critical data on major industry topics, including market expansions and evolving market conditions.

This well-researched Organ Preservation Market report describes the negative impact COVID-19 is having on various companies and offers companies recommendations on how to recover from the damage suffered by the outbreak as well as the nationwide quarantine. The plan analyzes the company's expectations and priorities, as well as the delivery of all crucial data.

You Can Buy This Report From Here: https://www.vantagemarketresearch.com/buy-now/organ-preservation-market-1657/0

This report analyzes key market segments by type, application, and geography. The geographic analysis section covers key regions such as Europe, North America, the Middle East, Africa, and the Asia-Pacific region.

This Organ Preservation Market report not only provides valuable data but outlines key goals, pricing strategies, and approaches to help market participants' recommendations in this report will make accelerating economic growth easy. It offers some specific tips and business-related data to help new competitors in the market grow their businesses and diversify their product lines. Companies in the industry should choose tactics that include new product launches, mergers, and partnerships to survive in the competitive marketplace and strengthen their position.

Regional Analysis

-North America [United States, Canada, Mexico]

-South America [Brazil, Argentina, Columbia, Chile, Peru]

-Europe [Germany, UK, France, Italy, Russia, Spain, Netherlands, Turkey, Switzerland]

-Middle East & Africa [GCC, North Africa, South Africa]

-Asia-Pacific [China, Southeast Asia, India, Japan, Korea, Western Asia]

The quantitative information in this Organ Preservation Market analysis helps predict future sales and market penetration. This type of information is based on statistics. The qualitative information provided here will greatly help the key players understand the buyer's opinion of your brand. Improving business goals becomes easy with the information provided in this report.

The industries can draw some conclusions about their original goals. In business. This Organ Preservation Market research helps you make assumptions about your competition, customers, and the market in order to make informed business decisions. Additionally, it forecasts the competition in the market for the estimated period of 2024-2032. Effective decision-making in companies leads to business growth and is made possible by this precise market study.

Read Full Research Report with [TOC] @ https://www.vantagemarketresearch.com/industry-report/organ-preservation-market-1657

Some of the Key Questions Answered in this Report:

Which are the five top players of the Organ Preservation Market?

How will the Organ Preservation Market change in the upcoming years?

Which product and application will take a share of the Organ Preservation Market?

What will be the CAGR and size of the Organ Preservation Market throughout the forecast period?

What are the drivers and restraints of the Organ Preservation Market?

Which regional market will show the highest growth?

What is the current industry size, what will the market size be in 2030 and what will the growth rate be?

Who are the major competitors and what is their strategy?

What are the challenges to grow in the industry?

What are the market opportunities and challenges faced by the key vendors?

What are the barriers to entry for new players in the Organ Preservation industry?

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[sbcdh]

In 1967 the government discovered that specific syllable structures combined with specific vocal tones and ultra-low-frequency sounds could speed up the process of unconscious internalization by over 1500%. This became particularly useful for teaching low-level employees large amounts of information, as "hypnophonic learning" could be done while the subject was asleep.

Hypnophone use became standard for new employees of the IRS and SEC, as it made large scale memorization of tax code and financial law significantly cheaper and easier than traditional conscious education.

However, long term use causes the subjects long term memory to atrophy, requiring nightly repetitions of hypnophone use. Some enterprising employees found that the effects could be counteracted with low dosages of LSD to preserve neuroplasticity.

Roughly 1 in 7 employees encountered a strange phenomenon: Mild financial clairvoyance.

One in roughly 50 employees experienced more significant effects, generally those ensconced in large isolated IRS warehouses, which seemed to replicate the monastic lifestyles of historical sages, depriving subjects of ordinary stimuli in favor of becoming attuned to minute changes in the sub-finantial background grid.

Once it was learned that these "enlightened" employees could predict market trends before they happened, the technology was bathed in funding, patented, and made the soul property of the IRS.

Now, these "Plutophants" are kept in nigh-perfect sensory deprivation at all times, fed a constant hypnotic fugue stream of psychic conditioning in the form of "radiosonic neuro-induction" which contains a special form of the United States Tax Code modified for recursive hypnophonic induction, as well as a ticker tape wired directly into the users spine.

The effects achieved are nothing short of stunning. The invisible hand is no longer invisible to us. The market can be fine tuned with surgical precision. The price of bread has maintained a perfect 0.002% +/- variance for over 25 years now, and those who attempt to disrupt the guidelines are regulated by the SECs crack psychonautics division, who are now able to hunt market manipulation via their disruption in the financial dreamscape.

Very rarely, a Plutophant can become so attuned to the guidelines that they achieve a sort of catastrophic neuro-depatterning, their synapses begin to produce a counter-signal to the neuro-induction frequencies; jamming, and eventually overpowering the machine. Study is still ongoing, but it is believed that they somehow perpetuate their own neurological fingerprint into the financial causal background grid itself, literally becoming "one with the market."

Study is ongoing.

[hometoursandotherstuff]

This stunning 1905 mansion in Chicago, IL is not in the best neighborhood, East Garfield Park, but someone who lives in Chicago said that it's not bad enough to warrant such a LOW price. Someone has applied to buy it, and it's only been on the market for 18 days, but they are still showing it in case the deal falls thru. 6bds, 3.5ba, 5,832 sq ft, $485k. FYI: Systemic disinvestment in communities like Austin, East Garfield Park and West Garfield Park has led to population loss and gentrification over the years. 

Look at this entrance. The millwork is phenomenal, the floors are original, and that burled wood! Plus, look at the brass railings.

Isn't this original working fireplace magnificent? Look at the arch and the mosaics.

It needs a little cleaning, polish, and it will be stunning. The lighting is also original.

The foyer. You know, call me crazy, but it can't be that bad of a neighborhood if no one broke into those original glass doors.

Just look at these arches. Wainscoting, too. The floors are original.

This dining room! The tile floor, built-ins, fireplace, and that raised nook. Just wow. It's being sold as-is, but hey. All it needs is some cleaning up, it's all original.

Isn't this different? I wonder what this is. Maybe a stage for a small chamber music ensemble to entertain the guests?

The kitchen was redone at some point, but it's not terrible. (It's the same footprint, maybe the tile is original, counters are marble.) You can work with it.

This large room has a gorgeous fireplace, built-in shelving and leaded glass windows.

Check out the home office shelving and fireplace. Even the original mirror is intact.

The wood is so dry- it really needs some oil and maybe a coat or two of preservative.

This home deserves some TLC. Looks like they replaced some walls here. This is nice and light- beautiful fireplace and built-ins.

Oh, I love this big, vintage bath. This is amazing.

The bedrooms are very large.

This bath looks like it has a black marble sink. Not bad at all.

Looks like they put some shelving around this fireplace.

The attic level is finished. There's a fireplace up here, too, and look at the arches.

This bath is in good condition.

Someone started to finish the basement, so there's so much potential here.

Porte cochere.

They don't show any gardens, but the lot is 9,375 sq ft.

The street doesn't look that bad- nice big front porch. The 2 story coach house in the back can be an apt., guest house, or art studio. I think it's a steal.

History: The home was built by a gambler-

https://www.redfin.com/IL/Chicago/3234-W-Washington-Blvd-60624/home/13261182

[robertreich]

Should Billionaires Exist? 

Do billionaires have a right to exist?

America has driven more than 650 species to extinction. And it should do the same to billionaires.

Why? Because there are only five ways to become one, and they’re all bad for free-market capitalism:

1. Exploit a Monopoly.

Jamie Dimon is worth $2 billion today… but not because he succeeded in the “free market.” In 2008, the government bailed out his bank JPMorgan and other giant Wall Street banks, keeping them off the endangered species list.

This government “insurance policy” scored these struggling Mom-and-Pop megabanks an estimated $34 billion a year.

But doesn’t entrepreneur Jeff Bezos deserve his billions for building Amazon?

No, because he also built a monopoly that’s been charged by the federal government and 17 states for inflating prices, overcharging sellers, and stifling competition like a predator in the wild.

With better anti-monopoly enforcement, Bezos would be worth closer to his fair-market value.

2. Exploit Inside Information

Steven A. Cohen, worth roughly $20 billion headed a hedge fund charged by the Justice Department with insider trading “on a scale without known precedent.” Another innovator!

Taming insider trading would level the investing field between the C Suite and Main Street.

3.  Buy Off Politicians

That’s a great way to become a billionaire! The Koch family and Koch Industries saved roughly $1 billion a year from the Trump tax cut they and allies spent $20 million lobbying for. What a return on investment!

If we had tougher lobbying laws, political corruption would go extinct.

4. Defraud Investors

Adam Neumann conned investors out of hundreds of millions for WeWork, an office-sharing startup. WeWork didn’t make a nickel of profit, but Neumann still funded his extravagant lifestyle, including a $60 million private jet. Not exactly “sharing.”

Elizabeth Holmes was convicted of fraud for her blood-testing company, Theranos. So was Sam Bankman-Fried of crypto-exchange FTX. Remember a supposed billionaire named Donald Trump? He was also found to have committed fraud.

Presumably, if we had tougher anti-fraud laws, more would be caught and there’d be fewer billionaires to preserve.

5. Get Money From Rich Relatives

About 60 percent of all wealth in America today is inherited.

That’s because loopholes in U.S. tax law —lobbied for by the wealthy — allow rich families to avoid taxes on assets they inherit. And the estate tax has been so defanged that fewer than 0.2 percent of estates have paid it in recent years.

Tax reform would disrupt the circle of life for the rich, stopping them from automatically becoming billionaires at their birth, or someone else’s death.

Now, don’t get me wrong. I’m not arguing against big rewards for entrepreneurs and inventors. But do today’s entrepreneurs really need billions of dollars? Couldn’t they survive on a measly hundred million?

Because they’re now using those billions to erode American institutions. They spent fortunes bringing Supreme Court justices with them into the wild.They treated news organizations and social media platforms like prey, and they turned their relationships with politicians into patronage troughs.

This has created an America where fewer than ever can become millionaires (or even thousandaires) through hard work and actual innovation.

If capitalism were working properly, billionaires would have gone the way of the dodo.

[probablyasocialecologist]

Disco Elysium's setting was formerly the site of a communist revolution that established the Commune of Revachol. It didn't last long. The Coalition of Nations brutally put the communists down, divided the city among themselves, and enforced a free market capitalist system. The results are depressingly apparent in Revachol's dilapidated district of Martinaise. "The literacy rate is around 45% west of the river," Joyce Messier, a negotiator sent to parley with Martinaise's striking union, tells our protagonist. "Fifty years of occupation have left these people in an *oblivion* of poverty." This state of affairs is overseen by the Moralist International, a union of centre-left and centre-right parties that professes to represent the cause of humanism, but whose primary concern is transparently the preservation of capitalist interest – a Coalition official happily tells us that "the Coalition is only looking out for *ze price stabilitié*", arguing that inflation in Revachol must be prevented, comparing it to a heart disease that could block the "normal circulation of the economy". The people of Revachol don't matter. Their suffering and oppression is only significant as a necessary symptom of the system functioning as intended.  The most biting aspect of this critique of capitalist exploitation can be found in the cynicism of those who represent Moralism, or at least, its interests. The aforementioned Joyce Messier is its perfect embodiment. She does not believe in the facade of humanity Moralism presents to the world, and is under no illusions about what it has done to the people of Martinaise. She tells you how bad things are, freely admitting that the pieces of legislation put in place by the Moralist Coalition to govern Revachol are there to keep "the city in a [...] laissez-faire stasis to the benefit of foreign capital". This corrosion of belief via cynicism, this depiction of a system that continues to operate unimpeded despite few believing in it, feels all too familiar.  This critique of liberal capitalism's hypocrisy, cynicism, exploitation and deep-rooted connections to colonialism, is particularly powerful in recognising the precarious position it finds itself in. It has reached a stasis that seems, paradoxically, both insurmountable, and on the verge of collapse. Moralism relies on this contradiction. It's unofficial motto, "for a moment, there was hope", underlines the degree to which its dominance depends on the preclusion of the idea that a better world is possible, that there is no alternative, echoing the End of History sentiment that created the (rapidly disintegrating) political consensus of our lived reality. Despite growing dissatisfaction with the status quo in the real world, it has, indeed, proved difficult to imagine an alternative. The oft-repeated phrase attributed to literary critic and political theorist Fredric Jameson, that is is easier to imagine the end of the world than it is the end of capitalism, has almost become a cliché. However, the mistake Joyce makes, and one that we should avoid, is to assume that this means an alternative won't emerge nonetheless.

[...]

In a world where everyone is encouraged to look out for themselves, Disco Elysium suggests we should remember the value of collectivity, camaraderie and community. The Deserter has forgotten that though the communism he identified with is dead, the values that brought people to its cause in search of a better world remain as valid as ever. Bleak as it is, those values exist in Martinaise. They exist in us. Their latent power has the potential to lead us towards better horizons. 

[covid-safer-hotties]

Price to power to size to portability, the AirFanta 3Pro is one of the best on the market. Here's the latest review (Also preserved in our archive)

Afiliate links if you want this guy to make a buck from your purchase: www.amazon.com/stores/AirFanta/page/0D35BA0F-6AFE-48BB-BB83-E984C65192D4?asc_campaign=c192889518f863d96d278a446b3a951d&asc_source=01H1P39M5ZSG9J6WR6B1HBK9M0&language=en_US&linkCode=sl2&linkId=be7b5afa91953d14a40a0b6fb293d6aa&ref_=as_li_ss_tl&tag=namespacebran492-20

air-fanta.com/?dt_id=2137762

AirFanta is a name that I hear more about every day. While it’s a relatively niche company, it’s quickly becoming well-known – at least within the air quality ‘enthusiast’ community – for performant yet affordable air purifiers and air quality monitors. I’ve been using the AirFanta G2 Air Quality Monitor for quite a few months now, but the two products that have always interested me the most are 3Pro and 4Lite air purifiers.

After having the 3Pro set up inside my office for over two weeks now, I am happy to be able to present my full review of the device. For anyone unaware, this purifier is designed to filter a massive amount of air (we will discuss the CADR and more soon!) at a relatively affordable price. It does this by being essentially a pre-assembled CR (Corsi-Rosenthal) Box – a form of air purifier that was itself created due to the need for affordable and effective air purification devices.

While the 3Pro doesn’t embrace the typical DIY aspect of traditional CR Boxes, it has the advantage of having proven performance (no need to worry about whether your DIY box is effective!) and being ready to go out of the box. However, perhaps my favourite aspect of this device over traditional CR Boxes is how easily obtainable it is. While this probably isn’t an issue for anyone in the U.S. or Europe, I find it hard to source good HEPA filters in New Zealand at an affordable price. The 3Pro ensures I don’t run into this issue.

In today’s review of the AirFanta 3Pro, I want to answer a few key questions. Firstly, how does it perform? Secondly, how does it compare to more ‘traditional’ air purifiers? Finally, and most importantly, is the 3Pro worth the markup compared to making your own CR Box at home? By the end of the article, I will share the answers and my opinions regarding each of these questions. Let’s dive in!

The key selling point of the AirFanta 3Pro is its fantastic CADR – especially at this price. For anyone new to air purifiers, CADR stands for clean air delivery rate, which indicates how much air an air purifier can clean and deliver in a set period. The measurement typically used for CADR is CFM, or cubic feet per minute. A higher CADR in CFM indicates the purifier delivers more clean air.

CADR is calculated by considering both the filter efficiency and the airflow through the filters, making it a much better metric (and the standard for air purifiers) than airflow alone. Most CADR tests use a room of around 30m3 and test how much faster the purifier removes particles from the air than if they were left to settle naturally without any other influences.

So, what is the CADR of the 3Pro? It is quite impressive, 413cfm (702 m3/h) at full speed. To best put this in perspective, I recommend reading the fantastic HouseFresh review to see how it compares to other devices currently on the market (spoiler alert; it performs very favourably). I also believe these official figures, as multiple other sources have confirmed them.

The AirFanta 3Pro uses HEPA H11 filters, which are rated to provide ≥ 95% filtration. It’s worth noting that while this figure may not seem that high and that while many air purifiers use higher-rated filters, the H11 filters used here aren’t necessarily bad. That is because, unlike respirators and masks, air purifiers are not designed to purify the air as best possible on a single pass. Rather, if an air purifier can continually filter the same air after multiple passes through the filter, the particle count and concentration will be significantly reduced.

This is important to note because H11 filters are less dense, allowing for better airflow and generally with less noise. Compared to masks, you can think of the balance between filtration and breathability – generally, the more filtration a mask or respirator provides, the less breathable it is. The same goes for air purifiers. The key difference here is that purifiers are designed to have air pass through them multiple times, unlike a mask or respirator, which only has one chance to filter the air before the wearer breathes it. This is why, despite having ‘only’ an H11 filter, the 3Pro can achieve a fantastic CADR.

Of course, this is a very simple explanation, but it’s important to clarify this because I can predict many questions asking, ‘But why weren’t better filters such as HEPA H13 filters used?’. While I can’t speak for the exact answer (you’d have to ask Adam from AirFanta about that!), it’s likely to strike a balance between single-pass filtration performance, airflow, and noise level. While we’ll dive into it soon, I believe complaints about the H11 filter will quickly disappear once you see the performance that the AirFanta 3Pro has to offer.

It’s also worth noting that carbon filters are available, which will provide filtration through adsorption for VOCs and many odours. While I didn’t get these filters to test, some people will opt for them to help manage VOCs. Since these add another layer to the filter, they will likely slightly drop the CADR, but probably not enough to make any significant impact (and, of course, the extra filtration is a big benefit).

AirFanta also has a full list of third-party certifications and test results, which can be viewed here. Interestingly, both bacterial efficiency and viral efficiency reports from Guangzhou Institute of Microbiology Group Co., Ltd. (a CNAS-accredited laboratory) have been provided, and both reports show a > 99.99% decrease in particle concentration after 60 minutes of use in a 30m3 room. The bacterial test goes further and shows the results after 15 minutes, 30 minutes, and 45 minutes. These results show a ≥ 95.63%, ≥ 99.91% and 99.99% drop in tested particles, respectively.

These results show that, at least in a room around 30m3 in size, the AirFanta 3Pro can reduce bacterial and viral particles by ≥ 99.9% in 30 minutes, with 60 minutes seeing a near complete removal of such particles. While we can’t tell exactly what size the particles were in this testing (at least not without paying for access to the original standards), these results are very promising. Potentially worth noting is that since the 3Pro is rated for 702 m3/h, there would have been around 23 air changes within one hour in the 30m3 test chamber. Therefore, the ≥ 95.63% is after almost six air changes, and ≥ 99.91% after around 12.

Of course, these tests and the stated CADR are at the device’s maximum fan speed, which isn’t ideal in many situations. While it’s important to know a device’s maximum performance when needed, it’s more likely you’ll want to leave the device running at a lower speed either all the time or at least quite regularly. Below are the stated CADRs at different fan speeds:

6 – 413CFM 5 – 374CFM 4 – 321CFM 3 – 247CFM 2 – 141CFM 1 – 57CFM Of course, I was also curious to run some tests myself, but I must make the disclaimer that my tests are far from scientific. That said, I wanted to perform some testing similar to a real-life setting where the AirFanta 3Pro is likely to be used. As such, I decided to set up a test room. I measured this room to be 25.6m3, which is about the size of a standard bedroom (it is a bedroom!). While this room is smaller than what I believe this device is intended for, it’s the most controllable room in my house regarding airflow as it only has one door and one window, which can easily be closed and no other forms of ventilation or air disturbances.

In this room, I burned incense until I reached a PM2.5 concentration of 500ug/m3. However, since I can’t exactly control the PM concentration, it ended up being somewhere between 500 and 600 in my tests. I then put the incense out and did a control test to see how long it took the particles to settle without any assistance at all. This took around 90 minutes, and I used this as my baseline.

I monitored the particle concentrations with five AirGradient monitors that were located in each corner and the centre of the room. I then reran this experiment three more times – once with the purifier at maximum speed, once at half speed, and once at the minimum speed to see how long the concentration took to reach < 5ug/m3. I measured the particle concentration by averaging the data from all five monitors to ensure the whole room had been filtered. Here are my results.

In this graph, you can see the baseline data in blue (labelled Ambient) and the particle concentration drop from the AirFanta 3Pro at maximum speed (speed 6) in red. As you can see, it took around 90 minutes for the particle count to drop to < 5ug/m3 without the purifier running but less than 20 minutes with the device at maximum speed. I was very impressed by these first results, and while I wouldn’t want to run the device at full speed often as it is loud, I appreciate having a good peak performance for times when you need to clean the air in a room quickly.

I reran this test, but this time with the 3Pro at half speed (speed 3) and was impressed by the relatively low performance drop. I was worried my results were incorrect, and I reran this three times, but each result was within one minute of the initial result. It looks like a large chunk of the device’s performance is retained between the higher speeds, even though the noise level decreases significantly. This gave me high hopes for the 3Pro’s performance at minimum speed.

Unfortunately, but perhaps not unexpectedly, the device performed far worse at the lowest speed (speed 1). While the particle concentration did drop more quickly than without the device, it was vastly slower than at the faster speeds. It is worth noting that this is not bad at all, as the device is very quiet at this speed and we can see the performance is clearly there, if needed, just turn the device to a higher speed. However, I had inflated hopes after seeing the great performance at higher speeds. Of course, this does match with the stated speed 1 CADR which is roughly 1/8 of the maximum CADR at speed 6.

If we add the times it took the 3Pro to reduce the PM concentration to below 5ug/m3 at each speed setting, we can see that it took between 17.3 minutes and 80.1 minutes to clean the room, depending on the speed. Interestingly, between the higher speeds (speeds 3-6), there appears to be little performance drop-off but a significant improvement in noise levels. At the slow end, the device takes a long time to filter the room, and if you want to use these near-silent speeds, you will probably want to have the device constantly on.

It’s worth noting that previously, the AirFanta 3Pro came with a voltage dial on the adapter. This could be used to adjust the speed, and many reviews of the device still refer to this voltage dial (essentially, a speed dial). Newer versions come with a speed dial with speeds 1-6, so I have referred to speeds instead of voltages for this section.

Before concluding this section, I was also curious how this device would perform if I lit incense in the room while the air purifier was on. I didn’t have a reason for doing this other than curiosity. Still, considering the stellar performance at the higher fan speeds, I wondered how the purifier would handle a pollutant source emitting particles while the device was running. Below, you can see the results (keeping in mind that this same room reaches over 1000ug/m3 when burning incense without an air purifier).

As you can see, the AirFanta 3Pro significantly reduced the maximum particle concentration in the room and rapidly cleaned the air once the incense finished burning. I would be very confident using a device such as this even during periods of heavy pollution, such as during wildfire season.

Overall, I’m quite impressed with the performance of the AirFanta 3Pro, and although it’s loud at full speed, it’s great to know that it’s more than capable of cleaning a small to medium-sized room quickly when needed. Larger rooms will take longer to filter, but I am confident this device can do it based on this performance.

If you prefer a quieter device, you can still use the AirFanta 3Pro, but you will want to leave it at a lower speed and constantly have it on. Thankfully, at the lower speeds, it’s a relatively quiet device, and I found it easy to work even with the purifier constantly on – as long as it was set to a lower speed, such as 1 or 2.

On the certifications page (located here), AirFanta also discloses and publically makes its results from non-performance-related certifications publicly available. There are a few pertinent and important documents here, so let’s discuss these before moving on. For the 3Pro, we can find the following documents provided:

UL507 certificate of AirFanta 3Pro CE-EMC certificate of AirFanta 3Pro and 4Lite CE-LVD certificate of AirFanta 3Pro and 4Lite FCC certificate of AirFanta 3Pro and 4Lite California Air Resources Board certification of Airfanta 3Pro Let’s review these individually, beginning with the UL507 certificate at the top. This certification might seem minor, but this is a safety standard for low and mid-powered fans such as those in PCs, kitchen hood vents, and, obviously, some air purifiers. The documentation for this certification is extensive (around 200 pages long), but this certification ensures the fans on the 3Pro are safe from a range of potential issues.

The next two certifications, both CE certificates from the European Union, indicate that the device meets EMC (electromagnetic compatibility) and LVD (low voltage directive) requirements. These are essentially further safety tests and indicate that the device is safe and provides high protection from potential EMC and LVD dangers.

The FCC certificate shows that the AirFanta 3Pro complies with FCC requirements, which are pertinent to customers from the United States. Still, these certifications are also helpful for trust-building with global customers. While I’m not U.S.-based, I certainly feel more confident in a product if it’s also FCC-compliant.

Finally, the CARB (California Air Resources Board) certification shows that the AirFanta 3Pro complies with California’s electrical safety and ozone requirements. This is particularly important as ozone can be a big issue with some air purifiers, and it’s reassuring to know that this is not an issue in the case of the AirFanta 3Pro.

If you’ve ever seen a CR Box, you will already know exactly what to expect from the 3Pro because that’s exactly what it is – a CR Box with pre-chosen parts that come as one ready-to-assemble package. While CR boxes aren’t that hard to assemble, the 3Pro streamlines the process and removes the difficulty of selecting and choosing your own parts. While some enthusiasts might opt for another CR Box, many other prospective customers will appreciate this approach.

When you open the 3Pro’s box, you will be met with six ‘layers’ that must be assembled. This is a very clean approach, as it means that the packaging for the device is relatively compact (albeit still quite heavy), and it even means that the device can be transported and reassembled easily. While it would be a stretch to call this device portable (that’s what the AirFanta 4Lite and SmartAir QT3 are for!), this means it is far more compact than other air purifiers with similar CADRs. While it is still quite large, you could easily take it on the road and use it at hotels, or perhaps even fly with it if you are taking large suitcases.

Back to actually assembling the product! Once you open the box, you will see six panels layered on top of one another. These are the cube’s six sides, with four being HEPA filters, one being a solid plastic base for the device, and the final being the top, where the four fans are located. Assembling the device is easy, and you will want to place the base on the ground before slotting the four filters into it. The only potential difficulty with assembling this purifier is holding the four sides in place as you slot the top on, but even this is quite straightforward with the included velcro intended for exactly this purpose.

A manual is included, but the device is so easy to put together and take apart that I can’t imagine anyone ever using it past the first assembly. Even then, it’s not really needed, as assembling the device is quite self-explanatory. The only note I think might be important to the user is that the mesh surface on the filters should be facing outwards (not the filtering surface, which should face inwards).

All of this is to say that assembling the device is very straightforward, and no one should be scared away or turned off this device because it has a small DIY element. It’s also a bit easier to assemble than other CR boxes as the slots have already been cut out of the base plate, and everything can be put together without the need for glue, tape, or other materials. Perhaps more helpful, the filters have already been chosen, and there is no need to shop around for the best price-performance filter.

Once assembled, the device takes the shape of quite a compact CR Box. On top of that, I must add that I think this device also looks a lot better than any traditional CR Box – at least any that I’ve ever made! While it still has an industrial look, it’s a device that could quite easily fit into a classroom, office, or room without attracting too much attention. While I value aesthetics much less than performance, I appreciate having a device that looks good, too – especially if it can blend in.

Once assembled, the device feels quite solid, and despite there being no adhesive or tape used in the assembly of the purifier, I feel confident lifting it and moving it without dislodging the pieces. With that said, I tend to lift the device from the bottom and hold the top down to ensure none of the pieces slide out from their intended positions.

On top of the purifier are four large fans connected to a controller that will allow you to adjust the speed of the device. These fans look almost identical to large PC fans, and they’re held in place by a wire bracket that also serves as an extra layer of protection to stop any children or animals from getting fingers or paws into the fans. That said, if you have the device around children, you may want to place it up higher so they can’t easily reach the fans.

That’s really all there is to the design of this device. It’s very simple, but it’s also affordable and performant. While some might miss the smart features and connectivity of more pricey air purifiers, the two types of devices cater to very different customers. Overall, I’m a fan of this straightforward approach, which reminds me of the SmartAir Sqair.

The AirFanta 3Pro uses four 140mm fans to push air through the filters. Characteristically, smaller fans tend to have higher-pitched sounds than larger fans and the AirFanta 3Pro sits somewhere in the middle as it uses medium-sized fans. If you have a desktop PC with a case fan (not the other fans, such as the higher-pitched CPU fan), you’ll likely already know what these fans sound like, as most desktop cases use 120mm or 140mm fans. This isn’t an unpleasant sound, but it is quite audible.

To see how loud the AirFanta 3Pro is, I conducted noise tests at 30cm and 2 metres with a sound level metre that measures in dBA (A-weighted decibel). dBA differs from traditional dB because it is adjusted for the human ear’s sensitivity to different frequencies. Low and very high frequencies are de-emphasized, mimicking how humans perceive loudness. In other words, it’s a better representation of the actual noise level than dB for a device such as an air purifier. However, I do want to note this as many other websites use dB, which will explain why my results are significantly different.

For further context, here are a few examples of the volumes of some noises in dBA. Obviously, these can vary, and especially with dBA, they will vary between different devices. However, they are rough examples:

10 dBA – Breathing or leaves rustling: Extremely quiet. 30 dBA – Whispering: Comparable to a quiet library. 40 dBA – Refrigerator hum: A typical low background noise. 50 dBA – Moderate rainfall: Light, soothing noise. 60 dBA – Normal conversation: The sound of talking at a close distance. 70 dBA – Vacuum cleaner: Considered moderate noise, can be annoying over time. 80 dBA – Heavy traffic or a loud alarm clock: Noise becomes uncomfortable after prolonged exposure. As you can see, at the lowest speeds, the 3Pro doesn’t add much to the noise of most rooms, but at the highest speeds, it can sound almost as loud as a vacuum cleaner (provided you are close to it). This is a lot of variation, but I like how this device gives the user full control over speed and noise, allowing them to pick a good balance.

I think most people will have this device running on speed 2 or 3, and both sounds are very manageable at a distance. If you do want a short burst of cleaning, the device will be significantly louder, and that’s why I only recommend using the higher speeds when needed.

When it comes to power consumption, the device can go from very low power to relatively high power. Here is a list of the wattage and voltage at each fan speed:

6 – 33.2 watt – 12v 5 – 27.4 watt – 11v 4 – 18.9 watt – 9.3v 3 – 11.1 watt – 7.3v 2 – 4.7 watt – 4.8v 1 – 2.2 watt – 3.0v I won’t dive into power costs here because those vary greatly depending on where you reside, but I hope these specifications can give some insights. What’s most impressive to me is how much range this device has, whether we are discussing volume or power draw. There is such a large range that you can choose exactly what setting works best for you and leave the device to it.

The AirFanta 3Pro costs $149 or $159 (USD) depending on whether you opt for the CE-certified or CARB-certified version (the CARB variant is the lower priced of the two). It’s surprising to see a different price on these two units, but I assume it’s due to extra costs, either with the CE certification or getting the device into Europe. Either way, if you’re in the U.S. (or any non-EU country), the CARB variant will work, and that’s the model I received.

In the box, you will get six panels to assemble the 3Pro. This includes four HEPA H11 filters, which, as per AirFanta, should be good to last 6-12 months, depending on air quality conditions. In most cases, I would assume these filters will last closer to 12 months, but those who experience severe wildfire seasons or whose homes are exposed to consistent year-round pollution may need to replace the filters more regularly.

When you need your first filter replacement, you can opt for the default H11 filters or H11 filters with activated carbon. Interestingly, it doesn’t seem you can choose the filters you get with the device initially. If you want activated carbon filters from the get-go, you must purchase the device alongside an extra pack of filters. The activated carbon filters will set you back $74.99 compared to the basic filters, which cost $54.

The filters aren’t cheap, but it’s important to remember that each filter replacement pack you order has four individual filters, which is a substantial amount of filter materials. It’s also important to note that, unfortunately, you will need to purchase official AirFanta filters as they are smaller than most square HEPA filters, and other filters will not fit on this device. I don’t think this is a big deal, as I appreciate the smaller form factor of this device over larger devices, and even four HEPA filters from other brands will not be cheap.

If we estimate that most users use each set of filters for around nine months, your yearly filter costs for non-activated carbon filters will be $67.5. On the other hand, if you opt for the extra VOC adsorption of the carbon filters, you are looking at an ongoing cost of just under $100 per year. This is in a similar price range to other equally performant air purifiers, and this device’s initial cost is also much lower.

While power cost also needs to be factored into the ongoing cost equation, that cost will vary significantly depending on your air purifier usage (hours, speed, etc) and location. However, regardless of usage patterns, you should plan to spend between $67 and $100 on replacement filters for this device every year.

Overall, I’ve been very happy with the AirFanta 3Pro. While it’s not a perfect air purifier – if one even exists – this is a fantastic device that balances many difficult factors. Ultimately, it comes in as an affordable air purifier that doesn’t skimp on performance. In fact, it has a higher CADR than many more (and much more) expensive air purifiers. Furthermore, it offers a wide range of speeds that allow the user to choose the ideal balance between speed and sound for the setting.

I’ve always been a fan of the CR box concept, but I think the AirFanta 3Pro takes this a step further and, due to this, will appeal to many more people. While I’ve never had an issue constructing CR boxes, I often have difficulty sourcing the parts (especially good filters), and I appreciate how the 3Pro can provide the same or better performance at a slightly higher price while also simplifying the shopping process for me.

Surprisingly, for a device of this size, it’s also quite portable, and you will be hard-pressed to find anything that provides a higher CADR than this device while also being ‘packable’. While I still wouldn’t go so far as to say it can fit in a backpack, it can definitely fit in a car or suitcase and is ideal for longer trips where you might be staying in hotels with unknown air quality. If, on the other hand, you want to use it around the house, it’s also a great device.

The biggest disadvantages I see with the AirFanta 3Pro are the sound and the design. There’s no denying that while the device is powerful, it’s also loud at its higher speeds. While this isn’t unusual for an air purifier, it is worth noting that you probably won’t want to run this device at its higher speeds unless necessary. I usually find myself using speed 2 or 3, which is the sweet spot for most users. On the upside, the lower speeds are almost silent, and although they significantly diminish performance, they are good for users who are okay with constantly running the device.

The design may also bug some users. While I don’t mind (and actually like) the device’s industrial design, I know some people don’t use CR boxes due to the design. If you don’t like the look of CR boxes, the chances are you also won’t like the design of this device. With that said, this design allows this device to have such a good price-to-performance ratio, and I think many potential customers will appreciate this more.

Overall, the AirFanta 3Pro is a cost-effective air purifier that should be on your radar – especially if price is a concern. If you’ve tried the 3Pro, I would love to hear your thoughts, so please feel free to use the comments section below! Furthermore, if you have any remaining questions, please don’t hesitate to as,k and I will do my best to reply. Thank you for reading.

Pros: High CADR (413 cfm) for effective air purification Affordable compared to similar high-performance devices Pre-assembled CR box design simplifies setup Portable and compact for travel use Certified for safety (UL507, CE-EMC, FCC, CARB) Cons: Loud at higher speeds Design may not appeal to all users (industrial look) Limited to proprietary filters, increasing costs No activated carbon filters included in basic kit

[statsbot]

SITUATION In an alternate history where time travel has been invented, a cabal of time-traveling traders and politicians are engaged in intertemporal arbitrage, using their future knowledge to corner markets throughout history. They've recently set their sights on the oyster trade of 19th century New York City, hoping to use their advanced refrigeration tech and insider info to make a killing. But their actions are destabilizing the timeline and threatening to erase key historical figures from existence. The party must unravel this temporal trade network and confront the mysterious mastermind behind it all before irreparable damage is done to the space-time continuum.

SETTING The adventure spans multiple eras, but key events occur in:

New York City, 1842 - The booming oyster trade has made the city the oyster capital of the world. Oyster cellars line Canal Street, shucking a staggering 700 million oysters a year. The docks bustle with oystermen.

The Far Future Oyster Vaults of Neo-Nassau, 2891 AD - Towering refrigerated vaults hold trillions of perfectly preserved bivalves. Chrono-barges zip through pneumatic tubes overhead. Neon-lit canals crisscross the city.

The Temporal Trade Hub, Outside Time - A mind-bending nexus where past, present and future intersect. Causality-defying architecture shifts like a kaleidoscope. Traders haggle over price fluctuations yet to occur.

CAST

Crassus Rockefeller III - Robber baron, mastermind behind the Oyster Futures Syndicate. Seeks to monopolize history's oyster supply. Wields a Causality Anchor that stabilizes him in spacetime.

Vivian "Viv" Wellfleet - Rogue chrono-trader with a heart of gold. Wants to stop Crassus and restore the timeline. Former collegiate oyster shucking champion.

Shucker Jim - Grizzled 19th century oysterman. Secretly an undercover Chronoguard agent. Rocket harpoon prosthetic arm. Loyal but haunted by a tragic past.

The Muculent Sibyl - Prophetic oyster-human hybrid from an alternate timeline where oysters evolved sapience. Whispers maddening future-truths. Chained in Crassus' vault.

Ostreida, the Oyster Goddess - Eldritch bivalve deity worshipped by a future oyster-cult. Seeks to flood Earth's history, returning it to a primordial sea.

The Chronoguard - Temporal law enforcement. Hardened time-cops in chromed exo-suits. Seek to stop illegal intertemporal trade by any means necessary.

The Oystermen's Union - Tough New York oyster workers, their livelihoods threatened by future sabotage. Burly, bearded, and brawny. Know the oyster beds like the back of their callused hands.

INITIAL CONDITIONS The 19th century oyster trade is booming, but prices have started fluctuating wildly and oyster shortages loom due to temporal meddling. Anachronistic tech has been found in oyster beds. Strange future-cultists lurk in oyster cellars, preaching the coming of an Oyster God. The Chronoguard has dispatched agents to 1842 to investigate, but Crassus' syndicate has a head start and deep pockets. The timeline is already fraying at the edges - historic oyster-lovers like Queen Victoria are fading from existence. The players arrive in old New York to find a temporal powder keg ready to blow.

GOALS

Crassus Rockefeller III - Corner the oyster market across all of history, making trillions. Ascend to economic godhood.

Vivian "Viv" Wellfleet - Stop Crassus, restore the original timeline, save the future. Maybe shuck some oysters along the way.

Shucker Jim - Complete his mission, avenge his partner, keep the space-time continuum safe from rogue traders and their greed.

The Muculent Sibyl - Escape her imprisonment, reveal cosmic truths, bring about the Oyster Singularity her visions foretell.

Ostreida, the Oyster Goddess - Flood Earth's history, make the world a oyster's paradise. Destroy upstart humanity.

The Chronoguard - Arrest Crassus and his cronies, stop the temporal trade in its tracks, preserve the integrity of the timeline.

The Oystermen's Union - Protect their way of life, drive out strange future interlopers, keep oyster prices stable and bellies full.

TOOLS/RESOURCES

Crassus Rockefeller III - Vast wealth, future tech, Causality Anchor, bribed officials across eras, oyster futures contracts.

Vivian "Viv" Wellfleet - Heirloom chrono-compass, knack for disguise, knowledge of oyster lore, her trusty quantum-shucking knife.

Shucker Jim - Rocket harpoon arm, Chronoguard combat training, 19th century street smarts, loyal oystermen contacts.

The Muculent Sibyl - Precognition, psychic whispers, eldritch oyster magic, fanatical mollusk-hybrid cultists.

Ostreida, the Oyster Goddess - Divine bivalve powers, oyster monster hordes, tidal magic, beachhead temples across history.

The Chronoguard - Jurisdiction across spacetime, stun-harpoons, chrono-cuffs, hardened exo-suits, orbital trawler-ships.

The Oystermen's Union - Strength in numbers, intricate knowledge of oyster beds, sturdy oyster boats, shucking solidarity.

SAMPLE SOLUTIONS

Infiltrate Crassus' syndicate posing as fellow traders, destabilize his operations from within while searching for evidence of his crimes. Coordinate with Chronoguard to arrest him in a dramatic sting.

Rally the Oystermen's Union to sabotage future tech and resist the Syndicate's strong-arm tactics. Stage a general strike to force the city to crack down on rogue traders.

Beat Crassus at his own game by cornering the oyster market first. Flood the market with your own supply via time travel, tanking prices and ruining his monopoly.

Cut a deal with Ostreida, brokering a compromise where oysters and humans can coexist across history. Use her power to threaten Crassus into surrendering.

Rescue the Muculent Sibyl and convince her to aid you with her prescient visions. Navigate the fluctuating timeways to always stay one step ahead of Crassus and his goons.

[sottountrenopersherl]

🛑 A serious threat to the infants in my family

After the Zionist occupation prevented the entry of milk into Gaza 3 months ago, the price of milk in the markets rose insanely, making us unable to buy it. Mothers suffer from malnutrition due to the lack of food, and therefore there is no ability to breastfeed the child.

Here is a threatening situation that requires you to quickly provide the price of milk to the children to preserve their lives.

✅ Documentation of the campaign in Google Docs No. 219 by el-shab -hussein and nabulsi.

https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-fatima-and-her-family-survive-through-the-genocide

Please, reblog and donate if you can!

Free Palestine🇵🇸🇵🇸🇵🇸

[possumcollege]

NOBODY needs to be defending these people. Major publishers, studios, streaming services, Tesla, Apple, Adobe, Amazon, social media companies- there isnt a single altruistic bone caught in their teeth. Profit from the output of exploited and captive labor IS their product now. When their contacts look like the one in question, the company is clearly stating that shareholders are the customers, not us!

Why else would it be anything but a stupid idea for Amazon to just nuke the majority of Comixology's self-published titles when they consolidated their services? If our experience was really foremost in their minds, why would they repeatedly purge, censor, demonitize, bury, and delete popular accounts with robust followings if not to allay the moral brainworms of shareholders and investors?

Forfeiting rights to our IP is not a "shitty deal," it's surrendering any potential ability to make money off of your own creative work. It's selling your property to a board of accountants to pitch into a portfolio. It's theirs to trot out as long as it's profitable and bury the instant its projected profit dips too close to the cost of maintenance. Hell, we've seen services drop popular series just because their projected profits started to flatten out! Mothballing it also has the added bonus of removing it from the market to further minimize potential competition. Like how there just weren't spider man movies for ages because the owner of the property didn't think it was worth developing but worth too much to sell.

They will make more money from suing you for trying to reclaim IP they mothballed than you did selling it to them in the first place. I guaranteee their budget for lawsuits is a lot deeper than the one they pay their "original" artists from.

By virtue of being a big, profitable, corporation, "their" IP is going to have an astronomically higher value in a court of law than any individual creator. The financial "damage" will be higher for infringing on their copyrights than any amount you can claim on your own. When it becomes theirs, their connections, their infrastructure, their reputation makes it an asset with much more value than you or I can possibly claim. So if you try to steal a bite back from them it's a bite of a *potentially* multimillion-dollar series. In their eyes, they bought the totality of your work, which you agreed was worth the price they gave you. It's value becomes more dependent on who owns it than whether it's even good.

You may not have the same potential to become flash-in-the-pan, short-term succesful without their resources, but you will still own your rights to distribute, alter, preserve, promote, and negotiate your share if you still own your work. That is worth everything as a creator who is passionate about what you've made and committed to protecting it.

The most effective power we can exercise as artists is our ability to say, "no" when someone else wants to pay us a disadvantageous fraction of our worth. You may lose potentially lucrative opportunities but "opportunities" presented by companies like Facebook or Twitter, whose real product is a platform for ads and data collection, with content as bait, are not opportunities to thrive on as independent artists. This specifically is an opportunity for the company to acquire property.

The myth that the publisher's strength is something for us to exploit, without them getting the lion's share is a trap that they feed from at will.

People like the poster up top are opportunists who see the process as a pipeline towards trading low-investment content for financial treats and maybe a share of ad revive. They're stalking horses for companies to exploit more talented but less experienced artists who are facing a daunting and overwhelming market where their work becomes harder and harder to show, let alone sell. A quick deal may feel like a win but it's selling the cow to save money on bottling the milk. Artists like this serve the publisher by making it seem like signing away your rights are just a necessary part of the game. However it's a game they are playing with exceedingly cheap stakes that weren't going to succeed on their own merit. So what if Mr. Business Perspective loses rights to his sexy Mario Bros. parody to a huge company? The point was always to unload it because it's a product, a bartering chip, a trinket. He's a Business Man, so he sees tactics that maximize profits to the business as maximizing their ability to buy whatever shiny tripe he cranks out. The business is his customer, not the reader. The business is his ally, not the creative community. Fuck him and fuck anyone who tells you the exposure is worth a damn if you don't retain rights to your work.

[someartistsammy]

Genesis's childhood award, the basis of pasteurization, and the supposed fragility of Banora Whites.

A take on it from a farm kid that actually specializes in growing apples.

Was talking with a good friend of mine last night about various takes in the fandom last night and was reminded of one I had seen semi-recently about Genesis's childhood genius in supposedly inventing pasteurization.

I want to believe this is a take that comes from being uninformed as to what pasteurization actually is, considering him being the first to invent it around the time of 1990 would show a stunning lack of technological advancements in the world of FF7. Let me explain.

Shinra has had a lot of technological advancements, and we can see those constantly portrayed clear as day throughout the world of FF7. However even in the time before Shinra, during the time of the Republic of Junon, it can also be assumed that they would have pasteurization, a process that in the real world was invented in the 1800s. Exploration of the world in Rebirth also reveals multiple areas that have shipment docks from the time of the Republic. This would include the assumption that this is how people both traveled as well as transported and exchanged goods.

Pasteurization is an incredibly important technological advancement as it's allowed for the easier shipment and trade of food on a global level. The definition can be found below.

In food processing, pasteurization is a process of food preservation in which packaged and unpacked foods (e.g., milk and fruit juices) are treated with mild heat, usually to less than 100 °C (212 °F), to eliminate pathogens and extend shelf life. Pasteurization either destroys or deactivates microorganisms and enzymes that contribute to food spoilage or the risk of disease, … (continued on Wikipedia)

There are different methods such as Low-temperature long time (LTLT), High temperature/short time (HTST) and Ultrahigh temperature (UHT) (also called Ultraheat treated) however that isn't super important to this, just know that HTST is the standard for apple juice.

The point in this being that if Genesis were to have invented pasteurization ~1990, the rest of the world would have been taking incredibly risky measures in transporting food and risking spoiling for decades, as well as various things being unsafe for consumption such as milk. With the advancements the world already had by this time such as phones, war artillery, windmills, and mako reactors, I find it highly unlikely that he would've been the one to invent pasteurization.

I feel as though it is important to mention that Genesis's award was first place in the National Agriculture Awards, but more specifically, an award in the processed food category. The processed category in these awards directly gives it away in the fact that food was already processed enough to have its own category for awards. Presentation on this is in relation to the presentation of a processed product, and not a form of processing itself. In the assumption that these reflect actual reward categories, there are different categories for scientific invention as well as processing systems.

Reference page for the names/categories presented. This is not the description document.

Agricultural Proficiency Award Area Descriptions.

Although there is the argument that they likely didn't use this same style categorizing, its important to note that they did use categories within the national agricultural awards, and they specifically made the choice of processed food, instead of any of the other choices. If he really made such an important invention, why wouldn't it be stated anywhere as clearly being pasteurization, something that would revolutionize the world, or for that matter why wouldn't it be awarded in the name of development of food science?

I believe its also worth mentioning that the Crisis Core Complete Guide says "Because the fruit can only be harvested in this region, it sells for a high price on the market, but the village children don't seem to know this, …" This would be due to the fact that the Banora Whites are common-place in Banora. In a similar way to how wagyu in Japan is significantly cheaper than it is in the United States, due to export; Genesis would have an easier and cheaper time attempting experimentation methods, if there even needs to be any variation for them, resulting in juice with correct pasteurization due to his being local to Banora. (Market price on them in Banora would be naturally lower due to supply likely being higher than demand, as well as not having to worry about import and export fees. Not to mention being the place where it is naturally grown).

*In the above example I used wagyu as a comparison, however this could just as easily be any other exported food that becomes considered rare when exported, another example which is actually more rare would be the black diamond apple.

While mentioning this, I also want to say that his invention is specifically upon Banora White Juice, not apple juice in its entirety of existence. In similarity to pasteurization, this feels like an over-exaggeration of what Genesis actually accomplished.

While branching through this topic, I also want to bring attention to a take I was sent a while back on the supposed fragility of Banora Whites. While going through the Ultimanias with assistance of a friend, nothing could be found on sources hinting towards Banora Whites being fragile. My next assumption is that this conclusion was likely reached on the basis of Banora Whites being mentioned to be region exclusive, and a high-price market item.

Banora Whites are called just that because of their area of growth being only that of Banora in the Mideel region. The growth of Banora Whites is actually tied to the amount of lifestream that flows through the Banora Underground, this gives Banora a very unique type of soil that allows for the growth of Banora Whites. Since Banora is the only place where the crop grows, giving it a very limited area of growth, and since it cannot be grown globally, gives it a very high market value.

Now into the technicality of things, it could also be assumed that the sale of the Banora White was likely tied to its aesthetics, similar to the way that the pink pineapple is in the real world. The difference here being that when juiced, the pink pineapple loses most of what it has going for it in terms of its aesthetic appearance and thus reducing its marketability and price. Meanwhile, Banora whites, while although losing what would make them have a unique aesthetic appearance, could possibly have a specific flavor to them that translates into the juice.

You see, I believe Genesis's intelligence on the matter comes from not creating some life changing way of preserving things, but rather from preventing waste. Although I do not find any info on Banora Whites being fragile, it can be argued that all apples are fragile in a sense, or at least majority of them. They're truly one of those fruits where sometimes you can chuck them at a tree and only see a bruise or dent, and other times you look at them wrong and they'll split wide open.

When thinking of an apple in general, chances are fragile is not the first word that comes to mind, as many other fruits would be considered fragile long before them, and that'd be correct. However, the harvest and transportation of apples, as well as their general growth, can be littered with complications. When moving apples in a commercial wooden apple bin, when you have hundreds of them stacked together, driving faster than even 2MPH by tractor can cause shaking and damage to the fruit by rubbing damage which can create bruising.

Banora is a remote island location, and import and export of items is likely expensive, which would contribute to the income that Banora Whites would bring in (see earlier mention of wagyu and Japan vs US price) Due to being an island, the methods of exporting would have to be either by air, which would be incredibly expensive and fuel taxing, or by ocean. I mentioned earlier that FF7 Rebirth shows multiple docks and ports that would hint towards ocean being the likely way of transportation of food and people. This would require a boat to leave from down by Banora and travel all the way up the coast through the Meridian Ocean. Constant swaying of the ocean and anything unsecured likely leads to aesthetic damages which allow for even less of the Banora Whites to reach market in aesthetically acceptable shelf conditions.

Banora and in general the Mideel Region is a very coastal region that by flora alone also appears to be a very warm and tropical one. By this assumption not only would Banora Whites possibly be prone to sunburn, a reason they likely developed their darker appearance to survive, but also being internally cooked by the heat of the sun. Also being coastal could lead to strong storms brought in by the ocean leaving damage from heavy winds, pelting rain, hail, and similar damaging weather factors. Excessive rain also typically leads to apples suffering growth cracks, which also takes them off the table for being sold to market as-is.

In the assumption that the Banora Whites would survive possibly brutal conditions that are located down in that area, due to any damage caused by going across the sea, they would likely need to be packaged first while in Banora (hence the warehouse) which would also bring up the pricing on them. However, where does this leave the fruit that's been damaged? Just because it has a crack it it or an aesthetic-only scar across the skin does not mean that the fruit is ruined or inedible. This is fruit that can be used for many different things, including juicing. Juicing is a method that ignores damages that are purely aesthetic, and allows for profit where there would otherwise be none given. Genesis's invention is that of one that prevents waste, and allows for another source of income to the area.

Juicing of apples that wouldn't make it to market would keep the price of the pure solid apples that do make it to market still profitable, while also giving use to those that wouldn't be allowed onto the shelves. While its nothing groundbreaking for the world, like pasteurization would have been, it does allow for Banora to be able to sustain itself via income more, and just overall prevent the waste of more food.

Although to some its not as glamorous if he didn't do something that fundamentally changed the world as a kid, that doesn't mean that what Genesis did isn't still something that he was worth awarding for, especially as a youth. Not only did his creation prevent the waste of food, which earned him his award, but Banora White Juice also did become a famous global hit.

[neosartorya]

So i was thinking about the whole solarpunk chobani oatmilk ad (as depicted here) and a comment someone made in a different post (that I now can't find) where they said something along the lines of (paraphrasing) 'the marketing people at chobani being unable to imagine a future where their brand had ditched single-use containers in favor of a sustainable alternative'. And I started thinking how will food packaging look like in the solarpunk utopia?

Modern food packaging responds (mostly) to the needs of the globalized supply chain, where food products need to be moved great distances without being damaged and while taking up as little space and energy as possible. Packaging also needs to be made of the cheapest materials available, hence the preference for disposable containers made of light materials (cardboard, plastic, aluminium, paper, etc.). You don't want your package to be worth more than what it contains (although with some food products, that is close to being the case).

The comment I referenced earlier suggested using reusable glass containers as an example of a sustainable alternative to single-use containers. That makes sense, and there is historical (and current) precedent for such kinds of food containers. Just ask your parents (or grandparents, I guess) how milk used to be delivered to homes in the good ol' days.

In a more recent example, some places still use reusable (returnable) containers for products such as beer and (even!) Coca-cola, where you pay an initial fee for the container and get reimbursed once you return it, or you can exchange the empty container for a full one by paying the price of the product minus the container fee.

This solution, however, is still within the framework of the global supply chain of modern capitalism. In the solarpunk utopia, the goal would be to reduce (reuse, repair, recycle) the breadth of our current supply chain by prioritizing local consumption and disinsentivizing long-distance trade.

This train of thought led me to the question of wether processed, pre-packaged food would even be a thing in the solarpunk utopia. After all, if we are trying to consume only what is locally sourced, one of the main purposes of preserved (and thus packaged) food goes away. No need for bottled orange juice when you can just go to the commons bin and grab a kilo of fresh oranges to make your own.

Further, once there is no capitalism, the "convenience" angle of processed, packaged food also appears to go away. You don't have to work 9 hours a day, 6 days a week anymore. You have the time and resources necessary to make your own damn fresh orange juice, so why bother with the bottled stuff?

Well for one, not everything is as easy and convenient to do by yourself as orange juice. Fermented foods (cheese, wine, beer, soy sauce, even pickles and yogurt), bread and pastries and cakes, carbonated drinks, jams and marmalade, butter, mayonnaise, cured meats and fish, and (yes) almond milk are all tricky to make properly, take a long time to be made and/or are energy and resource intensive. The need for these kinds of foods will remain as long as we are human and find pleasure in eating and trying new things. Also, the need for mass-produced food does not go away with capitalism, after all we have a population of 10 billion humans with different dietary needs that need to be fed. Food safety standards must still be enforced and probably will be even more stringent when corporate profits are no longer standing in the way of progress.

To add to this, a localized supply chain will make food preservation even more important. After all, if you want your population to survive mostly on what can be produced in a 100 km radius, you will have to prepare for food scarcity. Droughts, floods, earthquakes, blizzards, accidents, and even just regular ol' winter (once we've rescued it from the clutches of climate change) don't care how solar your punk is. They will wreck your food supply and your utopia needs to be ready.

So the need for packaged food will remain. The need for food that can stay in a cupboard undisturbed for months (if not years) and remain edible (and reasonably palatable!) will continue to be there.

With all this in mind... what does food packaging look in our solarpunk utopia? Single-use plastics have gone the way of the dodo, as have single-use paper, cardboard, aluminium, glass, and steel. What has replaced them?

I have some ideas, but this post is already ridiculously long, so I'll save them for later. All I'll say for now is I think glass containers are not the way to go. Glass is heavy, fragile, a poor thermal conductor (so heating and cooling processes with glass containers are energy innefficient), and takes up a lot of space. It is also very resource and energy intensive to produce and recycle (so not the most environmentaly friendly in that regard either).

What does a reusable aluminium container look like? That'd be cool I think.

[hometoursandotherstuff]

What do you think of this designer renovation? It's an 1890 home in Hudson, NY. I think I like it, especially the wallpaper and color. The house itself is square and plain, so I think that the updates fit it. 3bds, 3ba, $1.145m. I posted it before, so it's been on the market a while, and it's finally got a pending sale. However, Zillow feels that the price is too high- the Zestimate is $1,078,800.

The designer gave the entrance hall sophisticated paint choices and modern lighting.

Small sitting room off the main hall has an original fireplace painted black. Hate that light fixture, though. The original floors were all painted black.

Pocket doors open to a second sitting room.

She put a little wood burning stove in the corner. Cute. I'm getting moody vibes from this decor.

Small dining room has the popular blue leaf-patterned wallpaper. I saw a video the other day about painting old wood- a woman painted all of the wood walls in a family room, a la HGTV. The video showed how she could've kept the wood and what she could've done to update the room with decor. It was interesting.

The kitchen was given a remodel, keeping the original small footprint. They got a large island in, and some nice shaker cabinetry, but that cooktop w/o exhaust is really gonna mess up those shiny lights overhead.

Back room was fitted with a storage piece.

Nice guest powder room.

Refinishing the wood stairs and coating them in polyurethane would've been more durable than paint. They're going to need some sort of preservative or stair treads.

Cute bedroom.

Bath reno. Not bad.

This room has a nice little alcove and was made into a TV room.

Bedrooms are small - a cloud mural on the feature wall gives it a little feel of openness.

Love the pale pink tree pattern on this wallpaper.

Small vintage bath. Like the heat grate in the wall.

The 3rd level rail was left original. I'm assuming that this is the attic. They don't show it.

Wrap around porch and modern deck on the back.

Fenced in yard. Not sure if that parking space belongs to the house, but it looks like it does. 5,662 sq ft lot

[absurdthirst]

Landlord From Hell {Dark!Frankie Morales x F!Reader}

Rating: Explicit

Word Count: 21.2k

Warnings: Stalkerish behavior, voyeurism, spying, masturbation, oral sex (male and female receiving), vaginal sex, manipulation, abusive relationships, gaslighting, murder, trophies

Comments: You've found the perfect apartment to rent. Even better, the landlord is also the hot handyman. Frankie Morales seems to know you better than you know yourself, because he's watching you.

🚨🚨DEAD DOVE: DO NOT EAT - This story contains dark themes of obsession, stalking, murder🚨🚨

Co-written with @storiesofthefandomlovers

**Follow @absurdthirst-writes and turn on notifications to stay up to date on all new fics.

|| MasterList || Frankie Morales MasterList ||

Click Keep Reading only if you have read the Rating and Warnings and understand the warnings may not be complete to avoid listing spoilers. As AO3 says 'creator chooses not to use warnings'. You also agree that you're the right age to be consuming anything here.

It’s perfect. You look around the apartment in the older, yet very well maintained building with a giddy eye. Trying to be critical of any glaring flaws but immediately falling in love with the very lovingly preserved crown molding and the charming original door knobs with the hole for a skeleton key on the interior doors. It was obviously a single family home at one point in time, but it has very thoughtfully been turned into two good sized apartments while still keeping the overall feeling of the place. The price is right and fits comfortably within your budget, although the included utilities wouldn’t hurt at all. 

It is surprising that the space hadn’t been snatched up, but it might be because the landlord - and the downstairs neighbor - might be choosy about who lives above him. Your shoes squeak slightly against the original hardwood floors and you grin as you make up your mind. Turning around and facing the ruggedly handsome man  who had introduced himself as Frankie. “I’ll take it.” You tell him before you give a small shrug of one shoulder and give him a sweet smile. “If you’ll rent it to me, of course.” 

Frankie offers you a smile back, nodding his head. “Absolutely. It’s yours if you want it. You can move in whenever you want. I just need the first, last and security up front then we are squared away.” He can have the lease ready ASAP. You smile at him again and his heart flutters in his chest. It’s been a while since he’s felt like this. Giddy. Yet he can’t let himself get carried away. You’re going to be his tenant…even if you are gorgeous.

You grin, nearly wanting to throw yourself at him for a hug. It would be inappropriate, even if warranted. The housing market is insane and this place is going to be perfect. “Yes! Absolutely. I can- do you - will you take a check?” You ask, eager to secure the apartment. “It’s good, I can show you my bank balance if you need, or would you prefer me to just send you the money another way?” You don’t know how he expects your rent each month, but you don’t mind locking down this gorgeous apartment, already arranging your furniture in the space in your mind. 

“Check will work and I can take a check every month if that works for you.” Frankie offers and you nod, “absolutely. I can do that.” He smiles and watches you open your purse to pull your check book out. His eyes dip down to your ass, appreciating the view and he knows it won’t be an issue to have you living above him. You seem sensible and you seem to be friendly. Unlike his previous tenant who left before the end of the lease.

“I can’t wait.” You gush, happy that you’ve found a place that seems so perfect. “Is it okay if I start bringing things over tomorrow?” You ask as you fill out the check. “I have to be out of my old place soon and I want plenty of time to make sure it’s clean so they don’t try to keep my deposit.” You roll your eyes, knowing they will try, even though you’ve barely been there a year.

“Of course. I just have some repairs I want to finish off later this afternoon so you’ll be fine to move in tomorrow. I’ll give you the key now so you can get situated before your place is cleaned up.” Frankie offers, a friendly smile on his face as he lists the things he needs to do to make sure the apartment is ready for you. He is excited to have someone living in the place above, both income wise and just to not feel so lonely. Ever since the boys found their own lives, he feels left behind and alone.

You give a grateful smile when the keys are in your hands. It’s nice to have a landlord who is interested in making repairs and keeping the property in shape. “Thank you, Mr. Morales.” You hum, making him wince and shake his head. 

“Call me Frankie.” He offers, giving you a grin. “Mr. Morales makes me think you’re talking to an old man.” 

You giggle slightly and nod. “Okay Frankie.” You beam happily, excited to get moved in and your stomach flips at the way that his smile makes you take notice of the way his eyes crinkle slightly. He’s handsome, and that's not a bad thing.

He loves the way you say his name. It makes his stomach twist and he hasn’t felt this way in such a long time. He grins back at you, excited by your excitement. “I’ll see you tomorrow once I’ve finished getting the place ready. Just need to do some paint touch ups.” He tells you, tucking the check into his pants while you grab your purse.

“See you tomorrow.” You agree, letting him walk you down the stairs and you look up at the house again, charmed by the gorgeous exterior. It’s going to be amazing living her, you just know it. “Thank you again.” You tell him, walking down the steps to your car. More amazing than the apartment is that there is actually parking right in front of the house in the form of a driveway that you will not have to fight people for. “I’ll bring breakfast!” You call out happily before you get into your car to hurry back to your old apartment and start packing. 

Frankie watches you leave, waving as you drive down the street, and he already wishes you were moved in. Perhaps he could invite you over for dinner, or a drink. Get to know you better. The possibilities make him smile to himself as he goes back into his unit, making a mental list of what he is going to need to make your apartment more...secure. He wants you to be safe and sound and happy. He can help you achieve that.

****

“Good morning!” You call out, hopping out of the moving truck and grinning at him. “Don’t worry, I have Steven stopping by soon to help out.” 

Frankie frowns, wanting to ask who Steven is, and he does despite knowing he shouldn’t ask such personal questions so soon. “Is Steven - is he your boyfriend?” He asks, trying to remain as nonchalant as possible.

“Steven?” You laugh and shake your head. “No, we are just good friends.” You tell Frankie, opening the back of the moving truck with your furniture in it. You had moved some of your small things already, but this is the boxes and big items. You huff in amusement since it’s been awhile since you’ve dated.“Don’t worry, I won’t be having people parade in and out of the apartment.”

Frankie is pleased you don’t sleep around but this Steven guy already had him on edge. He’s worried that this guy is more than a friend and you’re just making it seem like nothing. Still, he has a glimmer of hope that Steven is just a fleeting inconvenience. “Me neither. I don’t - I’m a relationship kind of guy.” Frankie reveals.

You snort and roll your eyes. “Those types of men still exist?” You ask jokingly as you pull a box from the truck. You hand it to Frankie and a black Toyota comes creeping up the road as if they are reading house numbers until the driver obviously spots the truck and zooms up to part on the road. “Oh perfect. There’s Steven.”

Frankie braces himself and when Steven appears, slightly geeky and awkward but endearing, he relaxes a little. Seems like the kind of guy you’d friendzone. You rush up to greet Steven as he gets out of the truck and Frankie huffs when he sees that Steven is practically in love with you when he hugs you. “Steven. This is my landlord slash neighbor Frankie.” You intro is the men and Frankie offers Steven a smile, gripping his hand perhaps a little too tight after saying hello.

“Nice to meet you.” Steven offers, flexing his hand before he turns to you. “Sorry I was late. I rushed over as soon as I could.” You wave it away and motion to the truck. “We just opened it and Frankie has also offered to help so hopefully this will go pretty quickly!” You smile at both men. “And then we’ll get that pizza and beer!”

Frankie feels the vibe between you shatter with Steven here but he pushes through, knowing it’s gonna take more than moving some boxes to get you to like him. He wants you to like him…perhaps as more than just your landlord. He might show off a little, carrying more boxes than Steven and making you giggle when he pretends like he’s gonna add another one. Steven carries one box at a time, carefully setting it down where you tell him to while he makes eyes at you, making Frankie want to roll his own. “Just friends.” He scoffs under his breath.

Once the small couch and bed is moved in and situated, you flop down on the couch with a grin, happy to have everything in your place. “Wow.” You look over at where Steven is slumped down at your little kitchenette table and Frankie is leaning against the counter. “I’m moved in.” You tell them happily. “Food should be here soon.”

Frankie wants to hint for Steven to leave but the guy won’t be leaving, he’s too in love with you. It’s obvious. “You didn’t need to get food.” Frankie tuts, shaking his head at you and watching as you start to unpack your plates.

“And you didn’t have to help me move my stuff in.” You counter, opening up the fridge to pull out a six pack of beer so you can offer him one. “Do you want one, Steve?”

“Oh, uh, sure.” Steven says, almost pulled out of his thoughts and you hand him a beer. When you hand Frankie’s beer to him, his fingers brush yours, making his heart flutter and butterflies explode in his stomach.

There’s an almost awkward silence but you decide that it’s just because Frankie and Steven don’t know each other. “So Frankie, Steven has helped me move what? Three times now?” You ask as you open your own beer and take a sip. “But this time has been the fastest and it’s all thanks to your extra muscle.”

Frankie smiles, pleased that you recognize the effort he put in to get you moved in faster than Steven and he is a little concerned that you have known Steven long enough to move 3 times. However, that shows that Steven has no chance of being with you. You've obviously friend-zoned the poor bastard. "Happy to help." Frankie tips his beer towards you.

You smile at him, unable to deny that he is handsome, even sweaty right now. His hair curls from underneath his hair and his shirt is rolled up in an incredibly sexy working man kind of way. “So….” Steven breaks in, making you look away from your landlord. “Do you want me to help you unpack?” He offers, looking desperate to please. 

You shake your head and tilt your head to the side in confusion. “I thought you had plans with someone this afternoon? I don’t want to take up all your day.”

Frankie smirks at that, hiding it behind the beer bottle when Steven flusters. “No. I, uh, I can cancel if you need me here to help you.” He stammers. 

“I’m sure we will be fine to finish up. Right?” Frankie says to you, trying to act nonchalant.

“Yeah!” You light up, not wanting your friend to miss out on spending time with someone, you want him to find a girlfriend and be happy. He had mentioned plenty of times being lonely and wanting someone to develop a relationship with. “I mean, who better to help hang the curtains than the landlord?” You joke, laughing at your own comment. “He can’t get mad about the hooks if he decides where they go!”

Frankie chuckles, nodding in agreement, and Steven looks annoyed but resigned as he stands up to brush off his jeans. “I, uh, I guess I will head out.” Steven announces, making his way towards you. “I’ll see you soon.” He says, hugging you, and Frankie clenches his fist, trying to not react too much. 

“See you soon.” You promise, rubbing his back. Frankie watches you say goodbye and he crosses his arms after setting down his beer.

“Well that means more pizza for you and me.” You tell Frankie as you look around the boxes and sigh, trying to decide where to start. “Getting the curtains up and my bed made is top priority.” You decide. “Don’t want to give the neighbors a free show tonight when I shower.” You joke with a groan. You have a few hours before you have to return the moving truck, so you might as well use the help while he is here. 

Frankie swallows harshly at the thought of you in the shower, his cock twitching but he ignores it and offers you a chuckle. Steven bids you goodbye and leaves reluctantly, glancing back at Frankie before he goes. “Right. You mentioned pizza?” Frankie rubs his hands together, excited to just spend some time with you.

“Yes! It should be here soon.” You frown at your phone, noticing that there are no bars inside. There had been plenty of signal before and you wonder if something is going on with the cell towers. “That’s odd.” You huff and shove your phone back in your pocket. “My phone says I have no signal.”

Frankie frowns, “that’s weird. I have full signal. Maybe it’s just a fluke.” He guesses, trying to act like it’s unusual. When you shrug, he knows you think it’s weird but don’t question it. The doorbell rings thank God and he makes his way to the door while you find your bedsheets, and he pays for the pizza. Knowing you’ll be mad but you can consider it a housewarming present.

Huffing at the fact that you were supposed to treat him with pizza, you offer him a plate. “Thank you.” You murmur softly. “I can give you some cash.” You will feel horrible if you didn’t at least offer to pay him for the pizza. Even if you have the feeling that he will wave it off. 

“Don’t be silly. Consider it a house warming present.” He shakes his head at you and opens the box. You go to protest but he offers you a look that makes you close your mouth and grab your own slice of pizza. “You can make it up to me another time.” He winks, hoping you don’t find him creepy and know he means coffee or just your company.

You moan softly when you take a bite of your pizza. It was a local place you haven’t tried before. It had just been the closest that had popped up when you looked for pizza places. “Oh my god, I’m going to love living here.” You groan as you savor the cheesy, saucy flavors bursting on your tongue. 

Frankie’s cock twitches again at your groan and he picks up his own slice of pizza. He knows the place you order from and it’s his favorite so he groans when he takes a bite. “Fuck. Always so good.” He grunts, closing his eyes for a moment before he reaches for his beer. “So…you from here or move here from another state?” He asks.

You swallow the bite and give a small shrug. “I’ve lived here since college but I liked it so I decided to stay.” You offer with a curious look at him. “What about you?”

Frankie smiles, “I moved here a few years ago. I, uh, had a rough time when I got out of the service and finally decided I needed a new start so I bought this place. It was a shithole when I got it and I’ve built it up into what it is now and I’m proud of it. Decided to rent out the top floor to give me some income and nowadays I just fly when I want to.” 

You frown, “fly?” 

Frankie nods, “yeah I fly helicopters. Used to when I was in Delta.”

“Wow.” You’re impressed and immediately comforted by the fact that he was in the service. You wouldn’t have to worry about weirdos or someone messing with the house. “That’s amazing. I bet you looked great in uniform.” You bite your lip and look away when you realize you had said that. “I mean- uh, guys in uniform are always attractive, right?”

He smirks, pleased that you said that. “My friend Benny was the one the girls went mad for. My best friend Pope was the one who flirted up a storm. I’ve always been in the shadows. Never really found the right girl, ya know?” He says with a shrug, taking another bite.

“I see.” You are surprised that someone hasn’t snatched him up but think that maybe he’s picky. “Well I guess that’s lucky for me right?” You ask, grinning at him. “I can’t see a wife wanting to split up this gorgeous house into apartments and I love my place.”

“Lucky you.” Frankie grabs his beer and tilts it towards you. You are perfect. Everything he’s been looking for and he’s not gonna fuck this up. After you finish eating, you clean up and he makes quick work of putting your curtains up while you make your bed. He’s reluctant to go but he has to. It’s too soon to overstay his welcome. “I’ll let you settle in then. Uh, if you need anything just let me know.” He offers, wiping his hands on his jeans.

“Thank you so much, Frankie.” If you knew him better, you would give him a hug. Instead you offer him a smile. “I’m going to return the truck and then probably shower and get some sleep.” You tell him. “So I shouldn’t be banging around unpacking tonight.”

“It’s okay. I don’t sleep that well anyway.” He admits, his fingers twitching as he resists the urge to hug you. He wants to touch you but he doesn’t, knowing it will make things awkward. He has to be patient. “If you need anything, just call or text me. Have a good night. Welcome home.” He offers you a soft smile and makes his way towards the door.

When Frankie leaves, you close the door behind him and sigh softly as you lean against it. Looking around the apartment for a moment, you are eager to get settled in and set up a routine in your new space. It’s been a long time since you’ve been this excited about starting over and yet, you are smiling to yourself. You just know that it’s going to be perfect living here. ****

“Shit! Shit!” You shriek, jumping out of the shower in shock as the warm water suddenly turns ice cold. Nearly slipping on the tile floor, you fumble for the towel to wrap around your body and start to twist the knobs, and huff a curse when you don’t feel any change in the temperature of the water. “Damnit.” You huff, turning off the water and reaching for your phone. It’s been a week since you moved in and you finally finished unpacking two days ago. Frowning when you see the ‘no signal’ on your phone again, you are annoyed. It seems like cell service comes and goes and you’ve called the service provider with nothing coming of it. You will just have to go down to Frankie’s to talk to him about the hot water not working. 

Frankie hears the knock on his door, he already knows it’s you. When he opens the door and sees you in nothing but a towel, his cock twitches. “Everything okay?” He frowns and you shake your head. 

“No. The water isn’t working. It’s freezing cold.” 

Frankie frowns, “oh God. Shit, I’m so sorry. I will fix it today. Do you want to use my shower? Finish up?” He offers.

You nod, grateful to finish up and not be covered in soap and shampoo. “I would appreciate it.” You gush as he opens the door wider and lets you into his apartment. It’s clean, a little sparse, but he is a bachelor. You hum in slight embarrassment as he leads you through to the bathroom. “Go right on in and finish up.” He tells you. 

“Thank you so much, I’m sorry to already be bothering you.” You huff, embarrassed that your landlord and neighbor is already seeing you in your towel. 

Frankie watches you go, his eyes trailing down your body for a moment, until he seeks out his toolbox. He sets it on the counter and waits until you come back out. “You can borrow one of my shirts if you want to go back to your place. I will check the water as soon as possible. Do you- are you going out this afternoon? I can go in then so I don’t disturb you.”

“Yeah I have some errands to run.” You smile at him gratefully. “I appreciate it. I’ll get dressed and get out of your hair. Hopefully it won’t be too hard to fix.” It’s a relief to have a landlord who doesn’t drag his feet or try to stall to fix things. At your old place you might not have had water for a week while waiting on a call.

Frankie grabs one of his shirts for you to wear, handing it to you before you step into his bathroom. He’s excited to see you in his shirt, his cock twitching again, and he is excited to enter your place. He wants to learn everything about you. All the little details.

You appreciate his thoughtfulness and are quickly back out, wearing his shirt and thankful that what he had chosen was obviously longer than most and covers you. It’s skimpier than what you would ever wear around your landlord or maintenance man, but it was better than just a towel. “Thank you so much. I’ll go get dressed really quickly and pop out so you can work in peace.”

Frankie is half hard seeing you in his shirt and he nods, unable to really speak as you make your way back to your place. He gathers what he needs and puts it in his toolbox, carrying it upstairs just as you are about to leave. “I’ll keep you posted on when it’s all good to go.” He offers, admiring your perfume when you come closer.

“Thanks again.” You smile at him, taking your keys out of your purse and deciding that you are going to get him something while you are out. Maybe a cupcake or some cookies to show your appreciation. Maybe just the supplies so you can bake him some. People always seemed to love homemade cookies and for the price of fixing your hot water, it was worth it. “I’ll see you later then.” You call as you make your way down the stairs and out the door. 

Frankie enters the apartment, shutting the door behind him, and he opens his toolbox after setting it on the counter. He grabs what he needs and goes to the bathroom. The water is working, he doesn’t have to do anything to fix it except turn the knob so the hot water is flowing into your apartment. No, he’s not here to fix the hot water. He carefully undoes the shower head, grabbing the miniature camera from his pocket and he starts to secure it in place. After it’s secure, he grabs his phone, checking to see if the video is working. He smiles when he sees it working and quickly replaces everything. 

He makes quick work of it all but once he’s done, he can’t stop himself from going into your bedroom. It’s basic but neat and he opens the closet, grabbing your shirts to sniff them. They smell like your perfume. He opens the dresser and groans when he sees the panties. He can’t resist. Picking up a pair of pink silk ones and he brings them to his face, smelling them and savoring the material. He shoves them in his pocket, closing the drawer and making his way back into the kitchen to get his things together. He’s done what he needed to do. He leaves after a quick glance around and turns the hot water on as he goes, satisfied that today was a success. A step closer to making you his.

Hours later, you pull back up to the house. You had received a text from Frankie telling you that he’s fixed the water and you are impressed with how handy he is. Pulling bags out from your trunk, you quickly go inside and upstairs to start making him a thank you gift. You have a feeling that he will like the chocolate chunk peanut butter cookies. Giggling happily when you check the hot water in the kitchen and find it perfect before you start setting out the ingredients and pulling your mixer out. 

Frankie can hear you’re home. Light footsteps upstairs that don’t bother him. In fact, he likes it because he knows you’re there. He has your panties in his hand, his cock is hard, and he can’t hold back anymore. Taking his length out of his pants, he wraps the silk around his wrist before he grips his cock, starting a slow movement of his wrist. He imagines you touching him like this, cooing his name and looking at him like he has hung the moon. Your pretty face so close to where he needs you. Fuck, you’d look so dirty taking his cock down your throat, tears in your eyes.

You hum to yourself as you cream butter and sugar together. Smiling to yourself as you work and you turn on music from your phone. Another call to your service provider was in order and you were starting to think that there are just dead spots. Maybe an older home has something in the walls to block cellular service. Maybe you would have to get a landline, as archaic as it seems. That way you could have some reliable service. 

“Fuck. Fuck.” Frankie hisses, jerking himself a little faster. The silk rubs his cock just right and he imagines you telling him you love him as you sink down onto his cock. He wants you, fuck he wants you. For more than sex. You’d be the perfect partner. Sweet and kind. Funny and smart. Beautiful. Everything he’s been looking for.

“Whoooooahhhhh we’re halfway therrrrree! Whoooahhhh!  Living on a prayeeeerrrr.” You sing along with the song playing and dance around in your kitchen as  you start to spoon the dough up onto the baking sheets. The first batch of cookies are already in the oven and you feel like this is going to become a regular thing for you. It’s homey and fun. “Take my hand, we’ll make it I sweeaarrrr.” You bite your lip as you giggle to yourself, wondering what your neighbor thinks about you dancing and singing upstairs. Probably thinks you're crazy, but you love music that makes you feel good. 

Frankie hears the music and you singing, fuelling his fantasy of having a life with you, and he jerks his cock harder. “Fuck. Oh fuck.” He growls, hips thrusting up to meet his hand. The silk is damp with his pre-cum and he imagines you begging him to cum. “Shittt.” He yells when he cums, spurts hitting his chest and dripping onto his hand.

You stop singing, thinking that you heard Frankie yelling at you to turn it down and you lower the volume of the music for a moment but you don’t hear anything else. Dismissing it as just hearing things, you finish loading the baking tray with cookies just as the timer goes off for the ones in the oven. Humming happily as you rush to pull out the cookies to cool and then add the new tray, you groan to yourself at the smell. He’s going to love these. 

Frankie pants, head tilted back towards the ceiling as his eyes remain closed. God, he hasn't cum that hard in a while. Your panties are ruined and he uses them to clean himself up, admiring the silk, and he knows he's gonna have to steal another pair for next time he jerks off. He just needs to find a way back into your apartment.

Plate of cookies in hand, you skitter down the stairs easily and jauntily knock on Frankie’s door. They are cool enough to plate up but still warm enough to enjoy, the ones on top are just ten minutes off the cooling rack and you are proud of how they turned out. Wanting to show him that you appreciated the quickness of his repairs. Frankie opens the door and you smile at him, watching his face turn from frowning in question to lighting up at seeing you. “Hey- I made you some cookies.” you offer, holding out the plate. “To say thank you for fixing the water problem.” 

Frankie is surprised but swears you just made him fall even harder for you. "Thank you. I, uh, you didn't have to do that." He blushes slightly, thinking about your panties wrapped around his fist and he wonders what you'd think. Would you be turned on? Or disgusted? He hopes the former. "I am the landlord and I gotta make sure the place is good enough to live in."

“Can all landlords be like you?” You joke, shaking your head. “It would be a lot cooler if they were.” You shrug and give him a grin. “I can now soak in a bath tonight.” You don’t want to keep him long but you have to ask him a question. “I do have a favor to ask though.” 

Frankie nods, taking the cookies from your hands. “Go on. I’m a pretty accommodating landlord depending on what you need.” He winks, deciding to be cheeky for a moment.

You give him a little giggle, enjoying the casual flirtation with the handsome man. “Very good distinction.” You tell him loftily. “Otherwise, you might find yourself tied to some renter’s bed.” You are completely joking but it is an interesting idea, seeing what he is like in bed. 

Frankie wouldn't mind being tied up while you have your wicked way with him. The thought makes him shift from one foot to the other as his cock twitches. "The favor?" He asks after clearing his throat. 

"Yeah. Would you mind meeting the cable company tomorrow and let them in so they can put my landline in? They will be here between 10 and 2 and I am out tomorrow all day." You tell him. 

Frankie internally cheers at the opportunity to spend another moment in your place. "Of course. I can do that."

“Thank you.” You breathe out a sigh of relief. It had been the only day that you could schedule until you wanted to wait two weeks, and you didn’t want to do that. “I will make sure that they know that you will be there. I just don’t get why my phone doesn’t want to work, but having a landline will at least allow me to order pizza again.” You give him a bright smile. “Just let yourself in and there are drinks in the fridge if you get thirsty.” 

Frankie nods, "thanks." He could almost punch the air at his luck. Being able to be there when the landline is installed. He looks down at the cookies, "You wanna come in and have one of these with me? I just got some milk yesterday." He offers, not wanting you to leave just yet.

“Sure!” You quickly agree, wanting to spend a little more time with Frankie, he’s nice and it is very easy to talk to him. Frankie opens the door wider and steps back to allow you to come in. “So what was the problem with the water?” You ask, not really knowing anything about it, but wanting to hear about his handyman skills.

“Oh. Just the connection was loose. Must’ve been the older pipes. I might get the house replumbed soon.” He says, gesturing for you to sit down at the counter while he gets the glasses and milk.

“Oh, yeah, I can imagine they are older.” You hadn’t really thought about all the upgrades and repairs an older house might need. “The things you’ve done with this place are great. Did you turn it into apartments yourself?”

“Yeah.” He flushes, rubbing the back of his neck after he pours you a glass of milk. “After the service, I had a lot of free time so I bought this place for cheap and decided to - well, it was supposed to be for a family but that never happened for me so I decided to convert it into two places and rent one out for income.”

“That’s impressive!” You praise. “Especially because you kept the charm of the house. Most people just strip it of all character in favor of modern updates.” You shake your head. “But you managed to give modern amenities and make me wish that the old oil lamps were in use.”

He chuckles, “I fell for this place because of the charm. I didn’t want to destroy that. I just didn’t get around to updating everything. Like the locks. I want to add technology and update the plumbing and electrical. I will once I have some savings.”

“I fell in love with the door knobs.” You confess. “Obviously the front door needs the more secure locks, but the keyholes and having skeleton keys?” You grin and take one of the cookies to dunk it in the milk. “I just want to put on a hoop skirt and carry a large key ring around.”

Frankie grins, “we will have to see about getting that for you.” He grabs a cookie, dipping it in the milk before he takes a bite. A loud groan escapes his lips as he tastes the sweet treat you made for him. “Fuck, that’s good.” He moans, looking at the cookie on his hand.

“I’m glad you like them.” You look away, shy at the way he had groaned. It was really sexy. “I love to bake.” 

“I bet. Fuck, you bake and yet you’re somehow single? Something is wrong with the world.” He shakes his head, sipping his milk after taking a bite. “If you were mine, I’d never let you go.” He jokes, hoping you see it as banter.

You snort and throw him a grin. “So you’re one of those ‘win ‘em over with their stomach’ kind of guys?” You ask, slightly flustered at his comment. It’s been awhile since someone complimented you like this, beyond Steve, but he was just a friend.

Frankie blushes a little. “I guess so. I just - when I was in Bagram, the food was so shit I just - I missed my home comforts, ya know? I wanted to just indulge a bit. I’m not as fit as I used to be but I try to go running every day or so to keep myself in shape…kind of.” He jokes, rubbing his lower stomach.

“Please.” You huff and roll your eyes. “You look great.” You nudge the cookie plate towards him. “Believe me, there’s nothing wrong with you the way you are right now.” You understand wanting to eat well and approve of it. “Good food, good alcohol and good sex is the dream, right?” 

Looking back on it, Frankie is certain this is the moment he falls in love with you. You are everything he’s been waiting for. “I don’t know about the good sex part. It’s been a while.” He snorts, leaning against the counter as he tries to play it cool but fails, leaning closer to you.

You don’t believe that for a second. “Oh okay, play modest.” You joke, rolling your eyes at him. “I’m sure you are turning down offers. I don’t believe for a second you aren’t getting eyed up like a snack.” You know that you’ve done your fair share of looking since moving in. Two days ago you had damn near licked the window when he was mowing the yard. 

Frankie stares at you, “I don’t - I haven’t been on a date for like, a year or two. I’ve lost track. I don’t - no one has caught my eye.” He wants to add “until now” but doesn’t, not wanting to scare you off too soon. “Besides, why are you single?” He snorts, “surely you got guys tripping over themselves to be with you.”

You bark out a small, sarcastic laugh. “Yeah right.” You huff. “It’s more like they want to have a quick or easy roll in the sack and then decide to ghost.” You had shit luck in the dating world and decided to take a break. “I fucking hate dating aps and that seems like what everyone wants to do.” 

“Me too. I fucking hate using my phone for anything other than calls. Social media is a no for me. Dating apps? That’s a fuck no. Benny tried to set me up on one and I went on a date and the woman didn’t look anything like her photo.” He shakes his head.

“Ugh, that’s the worst.” You commiserate. “I just - I decided I wasn’t going to bother. I would either meet someone in a grocery store or whatever or I would become the spinster with twenty cats.” You joke with a laugh. 

“Cats aren’t in your lease.” Frankie jokes, liking this easy back and forth between you and he knows you are perfect. You are looking for someone too and he hopes he can prove he’s the man for you. He can’t rush this though. “Do you maybe, uh, wanna watch a movie with me tonight? I can - I can order take out. It’s just - I haven’t had company for a while and I like talking to you.”

You bite your lip, feeling a little flustered at the idea that he would want to spend more time with you. “That sounds good.” You agree with a quick nod. “I’ll- do you mind if I run upstairs and throw on some comfy clothes?” You ask with a grin. “It’s always better when you’re comfy.” 

“Of course.” Frankie nods, “what kind of take out do you want?” He asks before you go. He wants to please you, wants you to stay here. He wants you to love him. “I’m pretty open to anything.” He tells you, “I’ll eat whatever I can get.”

You smirk and decide that you are going to test him. “How do you feel about Indian food?” You ask, thinking about butter chicken and rice with some garlicky naan. “It’s been awhile since I’ve had some and it sounds amazing.” 

“Oh yes. I love Indian food. My friend Will made me try it a few years ago and I love it. What do you want, sweetheart?” He asks, the nickname slipping from his lips before he can stop it.

Surprised by his answer, you smile. “I was thinking some butter chicken and naan, ohhhh and some samosas?” You ask, nearly drooling at the idea. “What do you normally eat?” 

Frankie smiles, “I like the same thing. I���ll order it. There’s a place near here that does the best butter chicken you’ll ever eat.” He tells you, grabbing his phone. “Go change and I’ll get everything ready.” He orders, swearing that you are his soulmate. The woman he’s been waiting for.

You jump up from the chair and nod. “I’ll be right back.” You promise and rush upstairs to change. Excited and slightly nervous about it. It kind of feels like a date and you get butterflies. “Should I wear some sexy lingerie underneath comfy clothes?” You ask yourself as you look in your drawers, frowning when you don’t find your pink panties. You love those.

Frankie hears you walking around upstairs after he orders the food and he opens the new app on his phone. Smiling when he sees you walking around your bedroom. When you walk into a different area to change, you disappear off of the camera which makes Frankie huff. He won’t be able to see you undress and he so desperately wants to know if you’re as sexy as you seem. He knows you are but he wants to see you, maybe screenshot so he has something to jerk off to later. “I gotta get back in there.” He mutters, closing the app.

You change clothes and come back downstairs, deciding to bring the rest of the beer you had bought when you had moved. “Knock, knock.” You call out, not opening the door. Even though you’ve been invited to stay, you don’t know if he’s changing or something.

“Come in.” Frankie calls out, the TV already turned on and he has his blankets and the plates are out ready for the takeout. He is excited you’re here but he’s a little peeved still about the camera.  He narrows his eyes a little when he looks at you when you enter before he smiles. “Uh, nice shirt.” He points at your worn out “Army” shirt that looks way too big for you. 

“Thanks.” You brush the shirt down and give him a small smirk. “It was my last ‘real’ boyfriend’s. I stole it from him because it was comfortable.”

To say Frankie is jealous is an understatement. He knows you’ve had relationships but to see you wearing another man’s shirt…it ignites a rage inside of him. He tries to smother it, humming and offering you a smile, but his jaw is clenched. “I ordered the food.” He declares, trying to control himself from just ripping that fucking shirt off of you.

Wondering if you’ve said something wrong, you try to brush it off and sit down on the couch. “Thanks, although one time you should let me pay.” You hadn’t forgotten that he paid for the pizza when you moved in. Frankie scoffs but doesn’t argue and you try to get back to that easy flow you had before. “Have you picked out a movie?”

“No. Your choice, sweetheart.” He tells you, handing you the remote and he leans back against the sofa, unclenching his fists. He is already thinking of how he can get rid of that t-shirt. He smirks when he imagines tossing it on the floor and taking your tits in his hands.

You search through the movies that are available and decide on one that looks like it might appeal to a man who was in the military. “Oh this looks promising.” You look over at him to see what he thinks. “What do you think?” You don’t want him to be bored.

Frankie would honestly watch anything if it means getting to spend more time with you. He nods, “looks good,” and settles back into the sofa. He hopes you want to cuddle but he won’t push anything just in case you aren’t ready for that yet. The movie starts and Frankie watches you from the corner of his eyes, admiring you even in your comfy clothes…that fucking shirt.

You start out leaning against a pillow on the opposite side of the couch, then moving it between the two of you so you can lean the other way. Damn if your back isn’t being ridiculous and you edge a little closer to Frankie as you try to spread out slightly. “Sorry.” You huff, knowing he has to notice. “My back has been kind of weird since moving and I can’t get comfortable.” You admit.

“You’re fine. Sit however you want, sweetheart.” Frankie tells you, his entire body vibrating with the need to have you touching him, even if it’s just you leaning against him. “Lean against me if you want.” He adds, his fingers twitching against the sofa.

You try not to, at least for a few minutes and then you give up. He had offered, so as the movie plays, you crawl closer to him and turn so you are leaning against his side, sighing in relief when the pressure relaxes.

Frankie feels like this entire body is on fire and he can’t resist wrapping his arm around you. “This okay?” He asks. You nod and he smiles, rubbing your arm before you both relax into the sofa. He loves it, how you feel against him. It’s like you are meant to be here.

The movie isn’t great but Frankie makes you laugh by pointing out all the military inaccuracies. You’re slightly disappointed when the doorbell rings and the food is delivered, having to move away from him and soon the two of you are eating side by side on the couch.

“Damn this is good.” You moan, pointing your fork towards the plate. Frankie nods, tearing off a piece of naan. “Right? It’s really good.” He hums, happy you like the place he picked. He could do so much for you if he only got the chance.

“You will have to show me all the best places to eat and drink.” You shove another savory bite of the chicken in your mouth and moan happily, reaching for your drink to wash it down with. “I don’t really go out a lot, but I don’t want to bother with shitty bars if I can help it.”

Frankie nods, “we can make a list and go through it together. I don’t really go out much myself. It’s…sometimes it’s too crowded and I don’t like it.” He admits, setting his fork down. “I don’t do well in crowds.”

“Oh.” You immediately shake your head. “No, we don’t- I’m sorry I didn’t even think about something like that.” You give a small laugh. “I’m an idiot. Never really knew a lot of people in the military.” You explain.

Frankie shakes his head, “it's okay. You didn’t - it’s not something I talk about a lot.” He admits, picking his fork up again. “I’d like to hang out though. I know a few cool bars that serve these local beers.” He tells you.

“Wherever you feel comfortable.” You assure him. It’s not like you have a lot of experience with the bars in the area so it’s not a big deal. Having someone who most likely has some issues from their life be comfortable is more important. Besides, you would like to spend time with him outside the house.

Frankie reaches for your hand, giving it a squeeze. “Thank you, sweetheart.” He smiles, bringing your hand to his lips to kiss the back of it. He can’t help himself and he hopes you think this is a friendly gesture and you’re not creeped out by him.

You fluster slightly, unused to having a man show those kinds of manners. “I- you’re welcome.” You manage after clearing your throat and for a moment, you think that Frankie wants to lean in and kiss you. Which is ridiculous, so you turn back to the movie. “So, do you keep in touch with your military buddies?” You ask.

Frankie chuckles, “I can’t get rid of them. No matter how hard I try. My captain, Tom, he’s a few blocks away. Will and Benny are across town and Santi, my best friend, just moved back from Australia. So yeah, we are all still close.” He smiles, reluctantly letting go of your hand so he can continue eating.

You two quickly finish up dinner and lean back against the couch again. This time it wasn’t as awkward as before and you found your head laying on his shoulder as the movie hit the climax. Yawning, you try not to close your eyes, but the combination of a full stomach and relaxed atmosphere has you slipping off to sleep against your landlord.

Frankie’s heart is going a mile a minute when you lean against him. He swears he could die there and then and he’s happy. You trust him enough to fall asleep against him and he daren’t move in case he wakes you up. “You’re gonna be mine, you know? I'm gonna make you so happy and you are going to love me and want me. I’ll make sure it happens.”

You don’t know how long you sleep but you wake up and realize that the tv is on something else and you are still laying against Frankie. “Oh my god.” You sit up and cover your face with your hands in embarrassment. “I am so sorry. I didn’t mean to fall asleep on you.”

Frankie shakes his head, “it’s okay. Don’t even worry about it. It’s okay.” He promises, missing the warmth of your body against him. He wants to pull you back in and hold you but he doesn’t.

“Talk about being comfortable.” You joke, shaking your head at yourself and standing up so you can stretch and help him clean up. 

“Don’t worry about that.” Frankie insists but you just tut. 

“You fed me dinner, and let me sleep on you.” You huff. “The least I can do is help clean up. Please?”

“Don’t be silly. Go to bed. I can handle it.” He insists, guiding you towards the front door after he stands up. He places his hand on your lower back, guiding you towards the door. “Go to bed, sweetheart.”

“Okay.” You give him a small pout, but you are too tired to throw up too much of an argument. “G’night, Frankie.” You murmur before he opens the door and lets you out. “Thanks for being there for the cable guy tomorrow.”

****

When the cable guy leaves, Frankie grabs the toolbox he hid under the sink. Making quick work of installing the jammer on the line so he can control it. He also installs the additional cameras he needs. When he sees the army shirt from your ex in your laundry basket, he grabs it. Shoving it into his toolbox so he can shred it later. He won’t allow you to have clothes from another man. Finally, he can’t help himself. He opens your underwear drawer, grabbing a pair of lace black panties. Imagining you wearing them already has his cock hardening and he can’t wait to get back downstairs so he can jerk off. Grabbing his tool box, he locks your door and goes home to get off with your underwear.

You pull back up to the house and sigh. It’s been a long day and you can’t wait to soak in a bath and relax. You think about knocking on Frankie’s door, but decide against it, trudging upstairs and letting yourself into the apartment.

Frankie groans, his wrist twisting as he jerks his cock, the lace is rough but he fucking loves it. He imagines you wearing those panties, rubbing yourself on him and begging him to fuck you. He hears your car pull in and he imagines you just walking in, kneeling down and taking his cock into your mouth.

You groan after you drop your keys into a bowl near the door and kick off your shoes. The phone is plugged in and you smile when you pick it up to press talk to hear the dial tone. Your wifi should be working too so at least you can play on your phone. You hum to yourself as you walk into the bathroom and start the water. You want to soak in a bath and maybe masturbate.

“Fuck. Oh fuckkkkk.” Frankie groans, cum spurting on him as his mind goes blank to everything but you. Imagining you swallowing every fucking drop and loving it. His eyes are closed as he revels in the climax, your panties ruined but he loves it.

You take your time and pour yourself a glass of wine before you start stripping down. Throwing some bath salts in to dissolve and you stick your toe in to test it, groaning when the water is the perfect temperature. “God that is going to be so nice.”

Frankie cleans himself up, throwing away the ruined panties and he slumps down on the sofa. He wants you, he wants to go and see you but he can’t. He pulls out his phone, opening the app and he groans when he sees you in the bath. “Fuck sweetheart. You’re so pretty.” He coos, holding the phone to watch you.

You sigh to yourself, closing your eyes and leaning back in the tub. The wine is at your fingertips and you let your muscles soak. Relaxing in the moment and wishing there was someone to give you a massage. Instead of worrying about your lack of partner, you sit up slightly and reach for your phone, wanting to turn on some porn so you can get in the mood.

Frankie is glad he installed audio, listening to the moans start as you clearly put porn on your phone. “Fuck. You dirty girl.” He mutters to himself with a smirk, spent cock twitching at the idea of you touching yourself.

Something feels wrong, just for a split second you feel as if someone is watching you. Making you glance over the edge of the tub, looking around the bathroom and leaning forward to look out the door into the living room. Shrugging it off and leaning back as you watch the man start eating the woman’s pussy like he was starving. “Fuck, I need that to happen to me.” You moan as one hand slips beneath the water to start rubbing your clit.

Frankie wishes you didn’t have any bubbles in the bath so he can see everything going on but your breathy moans are enough for him to get hard again. His grip on the phone tightening slightly and he wishes you’d let him lick your pussy. “Fuck. I bet it’s so pretty.” He murmurs to himself.

You watch the screen of your phone for a moment, wishing that it was you that was getting licked and sucked on. “Fuck.” You feel your cunt bottom out when you rub your clit just right. “I need to get laid.” You moan to yourself. “Just have someone fuck me stupid.”

Your words make Frankie pull his cock out of his pants, hard once more and he groans when he wraps his fingers around his cock. He hisses and forces himself to watch you, forcing himself to not just go upstairs and rub your clit for you.

You reach up to cup your tit, pinching your nipple until you moan and the water sloshes as your hips jerk. “Oh fuck.” It’s wrong, but you imagine your landlord. Imagine Frankie fucking you. Sucking on your tits and licking your pussy until you cum. He looks like a man who doesn’t mind going down on a woman.

You’re so fucking beautiful and sexy. Your moans make his cock twitch and he slowly jerks himself off, wanting to watch you cum first. “Fuck. I want you.” He groans, twisting his wrist as he watches you.

Your breathing picks up as you masturbate, closing your eyes and not even paying attention to the porn anymore. Too busy imagining what would have happened if Frankie had spread you out on the couch last night and fucked you instead of watching a movie. Your back arches and your head tilts back with a cry as you cum, panting and shuddering your way through your orgasm.

Frankie groans as he cums for the second time that night. Fuck, you’re gorgeous and perfect. He loves everything about you. “Fuck baby. Fuck. Oh shittt.” He hisses through his teeth, unable to believe how gorgeous you are as you cum and it sends him over the edge. Hot cum hitting his chest and stomach while he groans your name.

You slump back down into the tub after you ride out your orgasm, sighing to yourself and pulling your hand out of the water so you can take another sip of your wine. Your orgasm was good, but it could have been so much better if it was from someone else.

****

Frankie sees you pull into the driveway and he waves. It's been a month since you moved in and he has fallen for you. Watching you in your apartment has become his full time job and he has added more cameras during the "odd jobs" you asked him to take care of. He can see every inch of your place and he fucking loves watching you. You are everything he's been waiting for and he wants you. He's gonna make a move soon.

You give Frankie a friendly wave, smiling as you grab your bag from the car and walk about the car to the steps. Frankie is outside working on the lawn mower and it’s kind of sexy to see a man fixing something. You’ve had some moments of weirdness in your apartment and for some damn reason, your underwear keeps disappearing, but you love living here. “Hey Frankie.” You walk up and watch what he’s doing. “Whatcha doin’ tonight?”

Frankie wipes his brow after taking his cap off. It's hot outside and he has his shirt off while he mows the lawn.  "Nothing. What's up?" He asks. Fuck, you look beautiful. He likes the way you've done your hair today.

You hitch your bag higher on your shoulder and try not to stare. Frankie claims that he’s not in shape, but you love the look of him. He’s not sporting more than a small little pouch that shows his love of good food and you think it’s sexy. Never caring for those guys who spend half their life in a gym. “I was thinking that since it’s Friday…” you are a little nervous about asking. “How about you show me that bar you were telling me about? With the local beers?”

Frankie grins, wiping his brow once again. You want to go out with him. This is progress. “Sounds good sweetheart. I gotta finish this up but you wanna meet here at 8? We can get some food at the bar. They have good sliders.” He tells you, trying to act a little cool instead of freaking out that you want to go out with him.

“That sounds good.” You grin back at him and nod. “Yeah, eight.” You repeat and turn around to dash into the house so you can go up to your apartment to get ready. You want to go out and have a good time tonight and you had turned down Steven’s offer of going out to some club. Instead you wanted to try out the bar your handsome landlord mentioned and you only wanted to go with him. Your crush was starting to be painful and you were afraid you were reading things wrong, but you thought he might like you too.

Frankie is nervous, his hands a little sweaty, but he showers and puts a little effort into his outfit. He has a button down shirt on and his nicest jeans but he can’t leave his hat at home. At eight sharp, he heads outside to wait for you. When you come down the stairs, Frankie’s eyes widen. Fuck, you look gorgeous.

"Do I look okay? For that bar you want to go to?" You ask, wondering if you should change.

Frankie shakes his head, “you look beautiful. Trust me, I’ll be the one bringing my bat to beat them off tonight baby.” He winks at you, hoping you don’t see the look in his eye that he properly means that.

You fluster slightly and look away, before you clear your throat. “So do you want to take my car or do you want to drive?” You ask, wondering if he’s the type that likes to drive. You feel like he is. That need for control.

“I’ll drive.” He insists, pulling out his keys for his truck. He walks over to the truck and opens the passenger door, holding his hand out to help you up into the vehicle. You take his hand and his heart sings, loving how you feel and he wishes this was a proper date. He helps you up into the car, your jeans are tight and he loves your ass, admiring it before you sit down and he shuts the door once you’re settled. Rounding the truck, he gets in and starts the engine, backing out of the driveway to make his way to the bar.

“Yeah. I haven’t been out for a while. I’ve been working a lot and I just want to watch tv. It’s nicer when you have someone to watch tv with though.” He sighs, turning onto another street a few blocks from the bar.

“It is.” You can agree with that. “You’ll have to come up and watch House of the Dragon with me.” You offer with a grin. “It’s that new GOT spin-off.”

“Any good? The way Game of Thrones ended scarred me.” He chuckles, turning into the bar parking lot. He kills the engine when he’s parked and he gets out, opening the door for you and holding his hand out to help you out.

“It is good.” You take his hand and your stomach flips at how warm and strong his light hold on you is. “Thank you.” It’s starting to feel like a date even though you had proposed just something casual. Not that you mind at all. “So this is it, huh?” You smile as you look at the very unassuming facade.

Frankie shuts the door and locks his truck. “It’s nicer inside.” He promises, deciding to be bold and take your hand once again, guiding you inside, and the place is busy but not packed, a nice atmosphere. “What ya think?” He asks, biting his lip.

The music isn’t so loud that you can’t hear yourself think and everyone seems to be having a great time. Servers are rushing around with drinks and baskets of food, and conversations are at a low din. “It looks great, I can see why you like the place.” You grin. “You want to sit at a table or the bar?”

"A table would be good." Frankie guides you over to a table that is close but not too close to the crowd. He glances around, finding the exits and mentally remembering them and he sits you down before positioning himself so he has eyes on every corner of the bar. "What do you want to drink sweetheart?" He asks, handing you the menu.

Looking over the menu, you hum at all the local selections. “Oh that looks good.” You point to a fruit ale and then look up at him. “And you can’t come to a bar without bar food, right?”

Frankie chuckles, "the sliders are really good." He nods, looking over the menu despite knowing what he wants to get. The waitress comes over and Frankie orders his beer, a local IPA, and you order the fruit ale. "I'll get those and come back for your food order." She says and walks off. Frankie doesn't watch her ass as she walks away, too focused on you. You look gorgeous tonight.

God, he’s a gentleman. You notice that he’s not looking around at other women and it’s nice to have a man who has manners with you. You aren’t even on a date so he isn’t obligated, but it still makes your cheeks heat up slightly. “So are you a fries or onion rings kind of guy?” You ask, leaning in across the table. You want to learn about him and have a fun night too.

“Depends on the day.” He answers honestly, “fries probably though.” He wants to take your hand, his fingers tapping near yours but he doesn’t, not wanting to scare you off. “Cookies or brownies?” He asks, remembering the dessert options.

You moan quietly. “Both.” You flash a naughty grin. “Have you ever had a brookie?” You ask. “Combination of brownie and cookie, literally an orgasm in your mouth.”

Frankie groans at that, “oh fuck. That sounds amazing. I want one of those.” He nods, “definitely want one of those. They do an amazing brownie sundae here.” He tells you, biting the bullet and taking your hand in his.

You nearly giggle with butterflies and you shift slightly to let your fingers thread between his. “So, are you glad you came out tonight or would you rather be watching tv?”

“Definitely glad I came out.” He smiles, cheeks flushing slightly. It’s been a while since he’s gone on a date and he wants you. God, he wants you. He squeezes your hand, not letting go when the waitress sets the drinks down and he barely manages to look away from you to order. “I, uh, I don’t want - I’m your landlord but I’m - I really like you.” He admits, flustered after the waitress walks away again.

You bite your lip and sigh as you reach over to cover his hand with your other. “I like you too Frankie.” Your heart is pounding and you feel like your cheeks are on fire. “Really like you.” You think back to your bath and then later on when you had used your vibrator thinking about him. “I guess we could call this our first date? If you wanted to?”

Frankie smiles, “I’d like that.” He picks up his drink after gently taking his hand from yours, holding the drink towards you. “To our first date.” He toasts. When you clink your glass against his, he grins and takes a sip.

You’re laughing at a joke that Frankie tells you as the waitress brings your food. Learning that his sense of humor is wicked and slightly dirty delights you. “Oh my god.” You wave your hand in your face to try to keep from crying, you are laughing so hard. “That’s horrible.”

Frankie chuckles, "Benny got smacked by his mom for that, he deserved it. He was being a brat." Frankie snorts and leans back so the waitress can set the food down. "Thank you ma'am." He tells her, reluctantly letting go of your hand. "You're welcome. You two make a cute couple by the way." She smiles and walks off.

You give a small giggle and look at Frankie. “I guess it’s a good thing we decided this was a date.” You joke and look down at the food. “This looks and smells amazing.” You groan and smirk at him before you pick up a fry out of your basket and offer it to him.

He takes the fry, unable to wipe the smile off of his face. He swears he hasn't been this happy in...in forever. While he chews, he watches you pick up the slider and he enjoys watching you take a bite and fucking loves the moan that escapes your lips after. "Goddamn." He murmurs, reaching down to adjust himself.

“God,” you swallow the bite and roll your eyes over at him, practically mooning over the slider. “This is exactly what I needed.” You gush. “Good food, beer and a hot guy.” You love tonight so much more since you had plans for another bath if he turned you down.

He blushes at being called hot. He is glad you are attracted to him because he wants you. He needs you. God, he needs you. “Glad you like the food.” He winks playfully, wanting this night to end with a kiss. Maybe more but he wouldn’t push. You have to want him too.

“Oh come on.” You huff and snatch a fry up to point at him. “You know you’re hot. Doing yard work without your shirt on is peak male hotness.”

Frankie snorts, “it’s fucking hot outside and the damn grass goes everywhere so it’s easier to not wear a shirt. I got this from too many beers.” He reaches down to slap his lower stomach. “I’m glad you think I’m hot though because you are - you are the sexiest woman I’ve ever known.”

You scoff, even though you are loving the compliment. “Then you haven’t known many women.” You joke. “I had an ex tell me I was sex with the lights off.” That had stung but he was a prick so you try not to let it get to you too bad most days.

Frankie’s jaw clenches and he is glad he doesn’t know who that guy is because he would kill him. “That guy was clearly blind. What an asshole. I’d beat him up for you.” Frankie says seriously.

Your eyes widen slightly but you don’t take him seriously. “Thanks, but he’s not worth it.” You give a small shrug. “He’s an asshole who wasn’t worth my time.” You repeat your mantra. “So….when was your last relationship?”

Frankie sighs, “it was a while ago. She, uh, she got pregnant and then told me it wasn’t mine. She cheated on me and I was deployed so it couldn’t have been mine. Obviously we broke up but I- it did a number on me for sure.” He admits.

“Shit.” You hiss, hating that you brought up an obvious bad memory for him. “I’m so sorry. What a bitch.” You shake your head, wondering why someone would cheat and then try to pass the baby off as someone else’s. You reach out and take his hand again. “I’ll kick her ass for you.” Playfully offering the same kind of treatment he had offered you.

Frankie chuckles, shaking his head. “I appreciate the offer but honestly? She did me a favor. I didn’t realize that I was unhappy and when I was alone, I felt like a weight had been lifted off of me. It - it was for the best.” He shrugs, wanting to change the subject.

You take another bite of your slider and consider another question to ask, enjoying learning about him. “What’s your dream vacation?”

Frankie grins, “I’ve been to the desert too many times to count. I want to go to the mountains. And a beach. I want to go to Hawaii.” He smiles, “just relax and chill out.”

“Hmmm laying on the beach drinking frozen alcoholic beverages and snorkeling sounds perfect.” You sigh, completely agreeing. “I went on a cruise about five years ago and it was really nice.”

“Yeah? Maybe one day we can go.” Frankie offers, wanting you to know that this is more than one date to him. He wants to be with you and he wants to have you. Wants you to be his. You fluster and he adores it, picking up his drink to take a gulp.

“That would be fun!” You finally manage, grinning at the idea of him Frankie in a Hawaiian shirt. You pick up the beer and take a sip of your own, humming happily at the fruity tartness of it.

Frankie insists upon paying for the bill after you share a brownie sundae. “It’s our first date. I’m paying.” He orders, playfully slapping your hand away from the folding booklet.

You huff, grinning and watch as he pays. “Well, I guess that means I owe you a kiss.” You murmur playfully, knowing he won’t expect that of you. You want to kiss him.

“Now that I can agree to.” He grins, standing up and taking your hand to guide you through the bar. He wants to take you home and when you’re out in the parking lot, he guides you to his truck. He gently pushes you back against his truck. “I want that kiss now.” He smiles and leans down, cupping your cheek to kiss you softly.

You sigh and don’t hesitate to wrap your hands around his back and pull him closer. Opening up and moaning slightly when your tongue meets his as he deepens the kiss and presses into you more. You don’t think about anything but Frankie, completely unaware of everything but him.

He is going crazy. He’s addicted already. The way you taste and the way you feel against him has his heart thumping and he’s certain that this is where he was always meant to be. He kisses you a few moments more before he kisses your neck, catching his breath. “Fuck baby. You’re so perfect.”

Panting, you give a small giggle. “I don’t normally do this, but do you want to come back to my place?” You ask, smiling at the idea of your landlord being in your apartment for reasons other than fixing things. “I think you need to check my smoke alarm…. in the morning.”

Frankie is so pleased and he nods, offering you a smirk. “Yes baby. Come on, let’s go.” He pulls you aside so he can open the door, helping you inside and he smacks your ass.

You yelp and giggle as he shoots you a grin. Watching him round the hood of the truck and climb in beside you. “Someone’s eager to go home.” You tease, throwing him a wink. “I wonder why that is.”

He chuckles when he gets in, “baby I’ve wanted you since you moved in.” He confesses, starting the engine before he backs out of the parking space. “Plus I think you’re eager too.”

“Fuck yes I am.” You admit shamelessly. “You look like a man who knows how to make a woman cum.” Your thighs squeeze together in anticipation and you can feel yourself starting to get wet.

He chuckles, “I’ll make sure you cum. I promise you you will scream my name.” He assures you, driving back towards the house with a little more speed than before. “Tell me what you want? What have you imagined when you’ve rubbed that pretty little clit?”

Your brow ticks for a split second, the question of how he knows what your clit looks like fluttering through your mind before you dismiss it. He is just talking sexy - not implying that he’s seen you. “Fuck, I’ve imagined a lot.” You bite your lip and rub your hands on your thighs. “Wondering what your beard would feel like on my thighs and how my legs would look around your shoulders.”

“We can make it all happen.” He promises, his cock throbbing in his pants, and he is eager to get back and get you naked. A bonus if he fucks you in your place is he can access the footage. Have his own personal porno. He groans at the thought, glancing over at you. “Fuck baby. Let me - I want you to take your jeans off. Let me see you.”

Your eyes widen in surprise but you grin at how dirty he is. “Mr. Morales, right here in the truck?” You ask, sounding scandalized even if you are already unbuckling your seat belt and lifting your hips as you unbutton and unzip your jeans to peel them off.

“Right here.” He nods, grinning and he groans at your bare thighs before you push your panties down. You kick the material aside and he loves seeing your cunt up close. “So goddamn pretty.” He murmurs, glad he’s at a stop light and he reaches out to swipe his fingers through your folds.

“Fuck!” You cry out when he touches you, catching the attention of the car next to his truck but you don’t care. “Frankie.” You whimper, spreading your legs wider and letting him touch you however he wants. The fact that he’s doing this here adds thrill to it, making it even more naughty.

If he thought your pussy looked gorgeous, that was before he touched it. Like pure fucking silk. Jesus, the amount of times he’s imagined doing this. He rubs your clit, gathering up your slick before he pushes a finger into you, loving the way you moan his name.

You gasp, your walls clenching down around his fingers. “Frankie.” You moan, your head leaning back against the headrest and a car honks their horn behind you, making you jump. “Oh shit, the light’s green.”

He huffs, wishing you were already home but he continues driving, maybe a little faster than he should while he has a finger inside of you. He pushes another finger into you, loving how tight you feel. You’re so fucking perfect for him. He loves it. He loves you. “Yes baby. Want you to cum in my truck.”

You whimper, closing your eyes as he pumps his fingers into you. “Good- good thing you have a- a automatic truck.” You pant out, giggling breathlessly. “Fuck Frankie, your fingers, Jesus they’re so good.” You moan, rolling your hips down to push him deeper.

Frankie is so proud and so fucking happy that you are enjoying his fingers. He wants you to enjoy everything he does to you tonight. It’s one way he gets to keep you…to satisfy you. “Fuck baby. You are so tight around my fingers. Want you to cum on them.” He presses his thumb against your clit.

Your moan is loud, nearly a sob when he presses against your clit. “Oh fuck!” Your body lurches forward slightly as your cunt clamps down on his fingers and you soak them.

“Fuck.” Frankie groans when you cum, clamping down on his digits, and he hisses when you soak them. Yes you are everything he’s ever wanted. “Jesus. So tight.” He groans, continuing to work his fingers inside of you.

You can’t wait to get back to the house and get him into your bed. “God, it’s so much better than my own fingers.” You praise, riding out your orgasm with achingly slow aftershocks making your thighs clench. Only when you are completely wrung out and slumping back against the seat does he pull his fingers out of you, holding them up to see how wet they are.

Frankie wastes no time in shoving his fingers into his mouth, groaning because you taste so good and he can’t wait to get you back so he can bury his face into your cunt. He wants to make you cum with his tongue. He speeds a little faster and thankfully pulls onto the driveway, immediately killing the engine and reaching out to pull you close so you can taste yourself on his tongue.

Loving how eager he is, you kiss him back. He had barely parked the truck before he pulled you to him and kissed you. Moaning quietly, you let your mouths meld for a long minute before you pull away. “We should go in.” You pant. “I- I need to put my pants back on.”

He knows you’re right, you don’t need the neighbors seeing anything and he doesn’t want the neighbors to see anything so he lets you go so you can pull your jeans back on. “Hurry up baby. Wanna get you inside.” He says, getting out of the truck and walking around to help you out.

You jump out of the truck and let Frankie hustle you to the outside door. Giggling to yourself at the fact that he drops his keys and curses as he picks them up and tries to get the door open. “Get the door open, baby.” You coo, reaching out and cupping his ass playfully.

Frankie struggles to open the door but manages, guiding you upstairs to your apartment and he uses his master key to open up, pushing you inside and shoving you up against the door so he can slide his tongue back into your mouth.

You moan into his mouth, reaching up and tangling your fingers into his hair. Tugging on the strands while you kiss him back, desperate to make him feel half as eager for you as you are for him. “Frankie.” You whimper when he starts kissing down your jaw. “Bedroom.”

He is grateful he knows the layout as he grabs your waist and guides you backwards towards your bedroom while his lips kiss you back. His tongue sliding into your mouth and his hands sliding down to squeeze your ass.

The two of you stumble into your bedroom and you're grateful that you keep your apartment clean as you reach for the buttons on his shirt. The room is clean and you have every intention of throwing his clothes on the floor so you can touch him. “Fuck.” You hiss, feeling his hard cock grinding against you.

“You’re so perfect.” He groans, letting you shove his shirt off of his shoulders and he reaches for the hem of your shirt, pulling it over your head to expose the pretty lace bra that matches the panties. He might have to take that as a momento. “Love this.” He murmurs, reaching behind you to unclasp it. When he tosses it aside moments later, he leans down to take your nipple into his mouth.

Gasping his name, your fingers fumble with his belt. Eager to open it and touch him, feel the weight of his cock in your hands. Eyes half closed as he bites down on your nipple hard enough to make you moan. “Fuck.” Your hand finally can fit and you don’t waste a second, shoving it into his pants to wrap around his hot and throbbing cock.

“Fuckkkk.” Frankie hisses around your nipple, unable to believe how good just your hand feels on his cock and he prays you like what you find. He wants you to be happy and he wants you to enjoy this. It’s important that you enjoy this since you’re going to spend the rest of your life with him.

Moaning, your fingers encircle him, rolling down the foreskin and swiping a thumb over the sensitive tip. Chuckling breathlessly when his hips buck forward and your nipple pops out of his mouth. “Take your fucking pants off, Frank.” You demand roughly, giving him a good squeeze.

He loves how commanding you are, stepping back to push his pants down along with his boxers after kicking off his shoes and he stumbles while taking off his socks. His eyes meet yours and he hopes you like what you see.

“Shit.” He’s got a cock that is just begging to be sucked. Your fingers eagerly push down your jeans, happy you hadn’t bothered buttoning them up to get into the house, and you kick them off. He’s a combination of strength and softness and you fucking love it. You step closer and wrap your hand around his cock, sinking down to your knees so you can kiss the tip.

“You don’t have to - oh fuck.” Frankie groans when you wrap your lips around the head. “Baby. You don’t - let’s get on the bed. Want you to sit on my face. You can - shit - suck my cock while you do it.” He promises, gently pushing you off of his length.

Pouting slightly, you had wanted to see his face when you took him down your throat. Eager to see the faces he makes when he’s enjoying himself. “Fine.” You push yourself to your feet and press your breasts against his chest as you kiss him. “Get on your back.”

He’s eager, shifting to lay down on your bed, and when you straddle him, he grabs your hips to pull you back to hover over his face. Pulling you down immediately so he can slide his tongue through your dripping folds. Moaning into the flesh while his tongue flicks over your clit.

Giving a small cry, you lurch forward, eyes closed. Feeling Frankie pull your hips back and make you smother him with your cunt. Reaching out, you pant out moans while you start stroking him, eager to make him feel just as good as you wrap your lips around his cock again.

“Shit.” He hisses into your folds and he sucks your clit into his mouth. His hands squeeze your ass and he can’t stop his hips from jerking up towards your mouth when you take him deeper. He’s longed for you to suck him off since you moved in and he is loving it.

Moaning around him, you lap up the salty burst of precum and grind your hips back. His fingers dig into your skin and make you ache pleasantly, knowing they will form into bruises under your skin that you can press as a reminder that this happened. Stroking the base with your hand, you work him deep, loving how he moans into your cunt when he feels that you have him halfway down your throat before you swallow.

Frankie pulls back from your pussy to moan your name, panting when you swallow around him, and it’s been his dream to have you suck his cock. To find out how good you are…it’s unbelievable. It makes him eager to push you over the edge so he can get inside of you. He sucks on your clit, shifting one hand so he can push two thick digits into you.

You squeal around him, the sound muffled and your mouth drops open and his cock falls out while you let out another loud moan. “Oh fuck, oh fuck Fra-nkie.” Your hips roll back and you shudder.

He loves it. The way you soak his face has him nearly cumming too and he laps up every drop of your cum, slurping as he works you through it. When you shake, he stops and smacks your ass playfully.

“Oh shit.” You pant, shifting and moving off of him even when your hand is still around his cock. “That was- holy shit,” you giggle. “You are better than I even imagined.”

Frankie is pleased, so happy that you liked it. “Baby. I need - tell me I can fuck you.” He pleads, cock twitching in your hand and he is desperate for you but you have to want him. He will go home now if you want.

You whine and nod. “I- I’m on the pill and it’s been awhile.” You fluster and bite your lip. “But I have condoms in the nightstand.” You motion over to the table and look back at him to see if he wants one.

"It's been a while for me too. I want - can I cum inside of you?" He asks, caressing your side as you shift to lay down beside him. When you nod, he groans and shifts to kneel between your thighs, gripping his cock and pumping himself a few times as he shifts closer to swipe the head of his cock through your folds.

God, he looks so good as he starts to fill you up. His mouth goes slack, brows pinching together and the sexiest fucking groan you’ve ever heard rumbles out of his chest. It’s hard to watch because your own feelings of relief, of pleasure at being stretched out is starting to make your eyelids flutter. “Oh God.” Hands gripping his shoulder tight, hanging on while he keeps pushing deeper. 

“Good girl. Such a good girl.” He groans, pushing until he is fully inside of you and he leans down to press his lips to yours. The kiss is possessive, taking ownership of you as his as he starts to move his hips. It’s not soft and slow, it’s rough and a little rugged as he lets himself give over to his emotions, the need he has had for you since you moved in.

All you can do is hold on. Gasping and keening every time he pushes deep and his hips snap just a little harder into you. He grabs your thigh, hitching it up onto his waist so he can hit deeper, making you sob and your eyes roll back. “Fuck!”

He watches how much you are loving this. Fucking hungry for his cock, aren’t you? You’re gonna beg him to cum. He clenches his jaw, fingers digging into your flesh again and he hisses when you clench around him. “You like this?” He growls. “You like me being inside of you?”

“Yes, fuck yes!” You cry out, trying to lift up to meet his harsher thrusts but he is pushing you down into the bed with every drilling punch of his cock. “So good, I’m gonna cum.” You promise, feeling the knot in your belly coil tighter every time he moves. “Fuck!”

“Tell me you belong to me. Tell me you’re mine. Then I’ll let you cum.” He growls between gritted teeth, desperate for you to say it. His hips slamming against yours with every word he says, his hand coming up to gently grip your throat.

The possessive tone mixed with slightest pressure makes you nearly squeal the next time his cock bottoms out. “I’m y-yours!” You practically scream it, nails digging into his back as you hold on. “Yours, yours, yours!”

Your words send him over the edge. Burying his cock deep inside of you, he rubs your clit, frantic for you to fall over the edge with him. He can’t hold back anymore, burying his cock deep before he paints your walls with his hot seed. Your name escapes his lips while his hand goes slack on your clit.

Stars burst behind your closed lids and every nerve ending is lit on fire while you shake under him. The heat of his cum floods your core and makes you whimper, feeling the shallow pumps of his hips, the creamy liquid being pushed out from around his cock. “Oh fuck.” You manage after he’s gone still, head tucked into your neck. “That was…..amazing.” You giggle.

Frankie pants, trying to pull himself together and he kisses along your neck after letting go of it. You’re so goddamn perfect. He can’t lose you now. He can’t. You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to him. “So good. You’re so - God, so damn good.” He pants against your neck.

“You did all the work.” You remind him, slowly stroking his back and feeling more relaxed than you’ve been in forever. “Definitely better than masturbating.” You hum playfully.

He chuckles, “yeah I agree. Not enough panties for me to do that.” He pants, not thinking clearly about his words since he’s still riding his high.

Wondering what he means, the words stick to the back of your mind, making you frown. Maybe he had a panty fetish, who are you to judge? “I think I lost some during the move.” You complain, thinking about your favorite pair. “Pissed me off. They were my favorite ones.”

"I'll buy you some new ones." He promises, kissing your jaw before pressing his lips to yours, trying to make you forget what he just said. "So fucking good. God, can't believe we waited so long to do that. Wanted to do that the moment I met you." He confesses, a blush on his cheeks.

“Oh really?” You smirk, a little smug about that and your walls clench down around his cock playfully to make him groan. “Waiting a month is a long time, huh?”

“It is when you have the sexiest woman in town, hell, the state, living above you.” He answers, a cheeky smile on his lips as he looks down at you. “I want to date it and I know - I know I’m your landlord but I don’t want - you aren’t obligated to do anything but I want you to know I want you.”

It’s sweet that he’s literally still inside you and he’s still worried about making sure that you are comfortable. “I said I was yours, didn’t I?” You murmur with a smile on your face, reaching up and caressing his cheek. “I want to date you. Obviously.” You cheekily give him a wink and drag him down for a kiss.

Frankie kisses you, now sweet and slow, and his heart is going a mile a minute. “I’m so - I have wanted this for so long.” He murmurs, caressing your cheek. “I’m going to take you to dinner. A proper dinner.”

You make a noise of protest, even if you are smiling. “Hey now.” You huff. “I loved our dinner tonight.” You lean up and kiss him again. “Dessert was even better.” You tease.

Frankie kisses you, groaning as he pulls out of you and he wastes no time in shuffling off of the bed so he can grab a washcloth to clean you up. "Here you go sweetheart." He murmurs, gently cleaning you before he cleans himself up. He will keep this rag. A memento of tonight.

You stand up and reach for your robe, unsure of what to do now. “I’ll go grab us some water.” You offer, walking out of the room and into the kitchen.

Frankie pulls on his boxers, shoving the rag into his pants that are still on the floor and he makes his way into the living room, following you to the kitchen, and he kisses along your neck, wrapping his arms around you. “Am I crazy if I say I think I’m falling in love with you?” He murmurs.

You give a small laugh, tilting your head so you can let him kiss you. “I think that’s just the sex talking.” You tease him. “Might be a little early for I love yous and proposals.”

Frankie knows what he feels but he doesn’t push you. Humming in agreement and kissing your neck again. His hands slide down to your stomach, imagining you full of his baby. A life with you. Being married and having a family. It’s all he’s ever wanted. “Soon.” He promises, stepping back and taking the water to down half of it. He’s excited to get back to his place and see the footage from your first time.

You shake your head at his thirst and drink your own water. “Well, I should go.” You are surprised, but you don’t want him to feel like he has to go or stay even. “If you want to.” You lean in and kiss him again. “I think I might run into you sooner than you expect.” You grin and kiss his lips again.

Frankie smiles, kissing you one last time. He doesn’t bother changing, just stepping back to grab his clothes, making sure the rag doesn’t fall onto the floor. “I’ll see you around sweetheart.” He winks, not wanting you to feel too pressured just yet. He will have you, you just have to want him more.

Letting Frankie out, you close your door and hum happily to yourself. You had a great time and so what if he might be a little too eager. It was better than douchebags who string you along or decide to ghost you. Things will be fine.

****

“Hey baby.” Frankie greets you when you open the door. It’s been a few weeks since you had your first date and Frankie is ready to ask you to be his girlfriend. He has take out and champagne in his hands. “I got the food.” He holds up the bag.

“Hey.” You plaster on a smile and open the door wider, slightly irritated because you had told Frankie that tonight had been stressful and you were just going to take a bath and go to bed early. You huff, telling yourself that you’re being a bitch and he’s taking care of you. “Thanks. I didn’t expect that.”

“I wanted to cheer you up. I know it’s been a long day and I wanted to make it better.” He says, wondering if he was a good idea but you step aside to let him in and he holds up the bottle of champagne.

“Fancy.” You take the bottle and examine the label. “What are we celebrating tonight?” You bite your lip and turn towards the kitchen, knowing he will follow you. The glasses are in there but you don’t know where your bottle opener is. You’ve seemed to misplace it again

Frankie watches you take out the glasses and he opens the bottle of champagne, chuckling when the cork flies across the room, and he pours two glasses, holding one up towards you. “I wanted to ask you something.” He clears his throat and you frown, wondering what he is going to ask. “I wanted to ask…will you be my girlfriend?”

There are times when he’s so sweet you don’t know why someone didn’t snap him up already. “I kind of thought I already was.” Grinning over the rim of your glass. “I mean, we are together practically every night.”

“Yeah but I wanted to ask you officially.” He blushes, fingers flexing around the small flute in his hand. “I wanted to officially make you my girlfriend and - fuck, it’s a little high school but I want to do this right. It went so wrong in my last relationship and I just - I want everything to go right with you.”

You lean in and smile, pressing your lips to his to soothe away the frazzled nerves. “Yes Frankie, I’ll be your girlfriend.” You declare softly before you take a sip of the champagne. “Ohhh Steven’s gonna be so disappointed we aren’t both single this weekend.” You snicker, although you don’t mind at all. Not really.

Frankie tries to not let it show how much that fucks him off. Hearing about Steven now and then has him on edge. The dude is in love with you and Frankie refuses to let anyone come between you both. “Are you, uh, you’re going out with Steven this weekend?” He asks, trying to sound nonchalant.

“Yeah, I didn’t tell you?” You ask, surprised that you hadn’t mentioned it. “We are going to a concert.” You hadn’t invited him because you knew that he would hate crowds.

The news makes Frankie’s blood boil but he tries to calm down, knowing there’s nothing he can do about it. He nods, “that’s gonna be fun. I, uh, it would’ve been nice if you’d told me, I booked a restaurant for us to go to.” He rubs his jaw, trying to act indifferent but he is upset that you didn’t communicate with him.

“Oh.” You bite your lip, not wanting to point out that he had done the same thing by making plans without communicating. “I’m sorry.” You frown with a small pout. “I would cancel, but I’ve already paid for my ticket.”

Frankie is peeved but tries to not let it show. He nods, "I can change the booking. You go have fun with Steven." He offers, trying to compromise and not scare you off. His mind is already whirling with ideas but he will keep those to himself. "Sorry baby. Seriously, you go have fun." He coos, reaching to touch your waist.

“Okay. I know I’ve been neglecting my friends.” You reach out and stroke his chest. “You should get together with your friends. Have a boys night and complain about your girlfriend.” You grin at the title, wrinkling your body happily. “We can text and complain about how we wish we were on your couch with takeout.”

Frankie chuckles, not necessarily thinking it’s a bad idea to catch up with the guys. He just hates the idea of spending a night without you. Of you with that prick Steven who will probably try and turn you against Frankie. He’s heard the calls on the landline. Steven giving his opinion on Frankie being a little too intense. What the fuck does he know? “Sounds like a plan baby.” He kisses your hair, staring at the camera he put in your coffee machine across the kitchen.

“Okay.” You breathe a small sigh of relief, really not wanting to fight with him. “So what did you bring for dinner?” You ask before you take another sip of the champagne. It’s really sweet that he brought you dinner and you appreciate it. You are hungry and it seems like Frankie knows exactly how to take care of you. It’s like he knows you inside and out.

Frankie knows everything you like and dislike. He has watched your every move for weeks and he feels like he knows you inside and out. “I got us pasta from that place in town that you like.” He tells you, wanting you to know how much he knows you without making you suspicious.

“Ohhh god.” You moan quietly and roll your eyes. “You know I love pasta. You’re the best.” You reach out with grabby hands playfully.

He chuckles, glad you like it and he is pleased you are happy. All he wants is to make you happy. After you eat, Frankie and you cuddle on the sofa. He loves just sitting here and watching a movie, safe from the world and no one to take you away from him. “Are you sure you wanna go to the concert?” He asks casually while you rest on his chest. 

“Yeah? Why?” You frown, sitting up to look at him. 

“I just - it’s not very safe. The crowds. I’m worried about you.”

“I’ll be okay.” He looks doubtful, but you shoot him a serious look. “Seriously, it’s not going to be a rowdy concert. I’m just going to have a beer or two.” You promise, wanting him to trust you.

Frankie wants to put his foot down and tell you you aren't going but he can't be that heavy handed. "I know baby but...Steven won't be able to look after you if something happens. I just - I want you to be safe. I want you to enjoy yourself but I am worried. Steven can't keep you safe."

You sigh softly and shake your head. You don’t want to get into an argument. “I won’t drink, okay?” You compromise, even if you think it’s ridiculous. You have your pepper spray and you’ve never had any major issues. “Will that make you worry less? Maybe you can give me some self defense lessons if it’ll make you feel better.”

"Baby please. I just - it makes me uncomfortable because of my past to let you go to a big crowd like that. I'm scared to lose you." He reveals, his voice small and almost weak as he tries to convince you not to go.

You sigh. “I’ll sell the tickets and we’ll just watch a movie or something.” You are annoyed that he’s talked you out of something that you’ve been looking forward to for a month.

Frankie bites his lip to smother his victorious smirk. and he nods, leaning forward to kiss your hair. "Thank you baby. I promise that I will make this up to you. I just want you to be safe."

You nod, feeling slightly put out but you try to kick the feeling. “I’ll be safe but you need to be safe with your boys too.”

"Sweetheart. We were in Delta...it's who we bump into who needs to be worried." He snorts, wrapping his arm around you to pull you closer so he can kiss your cheek before he focuses on the movie you are watching. Hopefully that is the end of the issue and he is satisfied to keep you away from Steven.

****

“You should just go.” Steven frowns at you. “What is he going to do? He’s not even here and he shouldn’t be dictating what you are doing.” You fluster slightly, not wanting to fight with Steven but you had given Frankie your word before he left. “Why don’t we just stay here and watch a movie.”

Frankie’s phone went off when Steven pulled onto the driveway and he opens the camera app to listen to the conversation. When he hears Steven trying to convince you to go, he rolls his eyes. “You - you are different since you’ve been with Frankie. He squashes you. You do everything he wants. You’ve lost yourself because of him.” Steven shakes his head.

“That’s not true.” Protesting that, you roll your eyes. “I’m in a relationship and there does need to be compromise.” You tell him. “We went out just the other night because I wanted to and Frankie really wanted to stay home.” Shaking your head, you frown at Steven. “Look, I know I’m not spending as much time with you and the others as I normally do, but I feel like everyone pulls away from social groups when they are getting a relationship started. It’s new and honestly? You guys don’t want to see us kissing or having sex.” 

Steven shakes his head. “It’s not that. It’s that - there’s something about him. He gets this weird possessive look in his eyes whenever he’s around you and you’ve changed. You do whatever he wants and that’s not like you. You’re so strong and he has just - he’s controlling you and you can’t see it. Please, listen to me. I care about you. A lot.”

Like the stubborn idiot that you are, you shake off your own doubts that have popped up and sigh. “I know you like me Steven, but badmouthing Frankie isn’t going to make me break up with him and want to be with you.” You hiss. “Now we can hang out or you can go home. Your choice.” You’re pissed because he won’t stop complaining about you being happy and it’s starting to get on your nerves. “You are just pissed that I have a boyfriend who loves me and it’s not you.”

Steven rears back like you slapped him, a hurt look in his eyes as his mouth opens and closes, trying to find the words to argue that but failing. “Don’t do this sweetheart. He’s gonna - there’s something off about him and it’s gonna - you’re gonna get hurt. Do I love you? Yes. I do. I’m in love with you and that’s why I don’t want to see you get hurt. I am acting above my emotions here. I just want you to be safe. There’s something off about Frankie.”

You immediately feel bad, but you sigh softly. The joy of hanging out with your friend is now ruined and all you want to do is curl up on your couch and drink the half bottle of wine that Frankie had brought you the other day. Ironic that he went out with his friends and your night has turned into a shit show. “Listen…” You give a small shrug. “Maybe we shouldn’t do this right now. Obviously we’re both upset and I just-“ you reach out and cup his cheek. “I care about you, I do. But I am fine and maybe- maybe we just need a few days to cool off, okay?”

Frankie listens in on the camera, clenching his jaw at how you cup Steven’s cheek. He’s not out with the boys, he’s just in his truck, watching what is happening. Steven says okay and tells you to be careful, stay safe, before he says his goodbyes. Making Frankie roll his eyes before he sets his phone down, driving towards your place, parking up and waiting until Steven pulls away from the curb. Frankie follows, knowing he can’t allow this asshole to put thoughts in your head. Frankie can’t lose you, not now, and he is going to make sure he never does. Especially because of Steven.

****

You frown as you stare down at your phone. The messages opened and you can clearly tell that they are being delivered. You wonder if Steven has turned off the Read option for you on his phone. Or if he’s just decided that he’s not going to talk to you again. To Steven: “Listen, I know that I said that we needed a few days, but it’s been a week and I really want to talk to you. I’m sorry I hurt your feelings. Text me back and tell me to fuck off at least?” Your front door opens and Frankie walks in, making you look up and close your phone out with a smile. “Hey babe, that didn’t take long.” You look at the bags in his hands and grin. “Couldn’t decide what to make for dinner?” 

Frankie leans down to kiss you when you walk over to take a few bags. "No. I just- I figured we could spend a few days just hanging around the house. I am tired after work and now that I have some days off...I just want to spend every minute with you." He coos, setting the bags down on your counter. He knows you've been trying to contact Steven, the worried look on your face, even though Steven's phone is now in the middle of the Everglades. "You okay?" He asks you, pulling you into his arms after you set the bags down.

“Yeah….” You hadn’t told Frankie about your argument with Steven, because it was over him and you were worried that he was going to use it as an excuse to tell you that you needed to step back from Steven as a friend. You could tell that he didn’t care for the other man, but you had brushed it off as the two men engaging in a silent pissing competition for dominance. Archaic, but they’re men. “Just friend stuff.” 

Frankie hums, trying to not say that he knows what happened but then you’d question it and he doesn’t need you asking questions. He kisses your hair, “well hopefully it gets better. I got your favorite snacks so go pick a movie and we can relax, okay?” He offers, trying to cheer you up.

“You know…” You sigh and shake your head, stepping out of his arms. “I think that I just want to go to bed early tonight.” You admit quietly. “Alone. I just- I think that I just need a night to wallow.” You look into his eyes and try to ignore the hurt because you need to just be miserable and you will be shit company anyway.

Frankie frowns, not liking this sudden change. He knows it’s about Steven and he supposes he should let you wallow for the night so this silly behavior ends sooner rather than later. He nods, “of course. I’ll, uh, leave you to it.” He offers, backing away from you and trying to not show how hurt he is.

“I appreciate it.” You do, wondering why Steven doesn’t see that Frankie lets you have space when you need it and caters to your needs. “I’m sorry, I know you are disappointed.” You murmur softly. “I’ll make it up to you, I promise.” 

“It’s okay baby. I’ll talk to you later.” He promises, kissing you softly before he backs away from you. Disappointed but even he knows when to push. He steps back, making his way to the door. “See you later, baby.” He smiles, shutting the door behind him and makes his way downstairs. Hopefully this passes. Steven is gone and you need to get over it.

****

You hum as you make your way to the shared laundry space in the house. The apartments didn’t have separate hookups, but Frankie had kept the original laundry space and made it free for both units to use. Your night had been restless and at the end of it, you had been pissed. Never hearing from Steven, despite calling him several times, you had sent him one last text telling him that you had decided that it was best if the two of you just stopped talking and you had deleted his number and blocked him. If he couldn’t be an adult and talk to you, you didn’t want to deal with him. Frankie is gone, truck out of his parking space in the driveway before you had woken up, so you had decided to do some laundry. When you get down there, you shake your head with a grin. Frankie hates laundry and there is a load in the dryer and one in the washing machine. You pull out the single outfit from the dryer with an amused expression, the jeans look like they had seen better days and had bleach spots all over them. You wonder if he had an accident with the bleach and decided they would be good yard work jeans. After folding them and transferring his clothes over to start your own load, you decide that you will put them up in his closet so he doesn’t throw them over a chair like he normally does. Wanting to do something nice for him to make up for last night.  

You open his closet, preparing to put his shirts away when you accidentally walk backwards, knocking the dresser. You gasp, spinning around when you see the face of the dresser has come off. Confusion follows the shock and you inspect the dresser, wondering why there’s a façade of drawers when it’s just a large chest. You carefully remove the large piece of wood, frowning when you see dozens of shoe boxes and you wonder why he keeps his shoes like this.

It seems weird and there is a moment where you hesitate as you reach for one of the boxes. You’ve seen two sets of shoes on Frankie, his boots and a beat up pair of tennis shoes. So the dozens of shoe boxes has you wondering. Maybe it’s memorabilia. Pulling out a box, you flip the lid open, eyes widening when you stare down at the contents with a gasp. 

Frankie whistles as he gets out of his truck, looking forward to spending another evening with you. He is so in love with you. It’s never been like this before. He opens the door, ready to go and see you upstairs after he changes but he frowns when he hears movement. He approaches the bedroom, ready to fight but instead he finds you in his closet. “What the fuck are you doing in here?” He growls.

Screaming, you drop the box that you are holding, scattering the contents on the floor next to the other boxes of horror that you have opened. Your eyes blow wide and frantic at being caught, the mottled red fury on his face making your entire body quiver in a panicked flight or fight response. You step back, trying to press deeper into the closet and brush back against his clothes. “I- I was p-putting you-your clothes up.” You stammer, eyes darting back down to the boxes and then back up to him. 

“Doesn’t fucking look like it, sweetheart. What are you - did you open these?” He demands to know, pointing at the boxes scattered on the floor. He steps closer, “did you fucking open these?”

“N-n-no.” You shake your head quickly, as if denying it would make it true. Or maybe it was that you just wanted him to desperately believe you. “I didn’t.” You start edging toward the door trying to move past him. “I- I’ll go get something to clean up.” you offer, needing to get out of this closet and away from him. What you had seen had chilled you to your very soul. 

You get up and Frankie reaches out to grab you by the upper arm, stopping you from moving. “Why did you do that?” He asks, voice calm and even now that he knows you’ve seen the boxes.

“You’re…hurting my arm.” You whimper quietly, trying to pull your arm away from Frankie, but he doesn’t let go. “Frankie, let go!” You hiss, yanking sharply and crying out when his grip tightens even more. 

Frankie keeps a tight grip on you. “Why did you do that? Tell me. What did you see? Did you open those boxes? Fucking tell me.” He roars, leaning closer to you. He’s furious and terrified. So scared he’s gonna lose you now.

“You’re HURTING ME!” You shout, reaching up and shoving the heel of your hand into his nose as hard as you can. You know you don’t break his nose, but he does spit a curse, his hand dropping away from your arm and you scramble to get around him, needing to get away from him as quickly as possible. There was a box with your things in them. Steven’s keys. His wallet, the one you had given him for his birthday two years ago. Frankie had killed him, you just know it. That’s why he hasn’t answered you. You stumble out of the closet and start running for the door. 

Frankie rubs his nose, pain still searing but he knows how to fight against it. "Baby, come backkkk." He calls, stalking out of the bedroom and he crowds you at the door, grateful he always has a habit of locking it with a key from the inside. "Where are you going, sweetheart?" He coos, the anger passing and he doesn't want you to go. He can't lose you.

“Oh god.” You whimper, fumbling with the lock in your desperate attempt to get it open. “Get away- you- you killed Steven!” You sob, tears sliding down your cheeks in your panic.

Frankie chuckles, knowing that there's no point in hiding it. You know now and he has to either deal with you or convince you to accept him. "Baby. He had to go. You were getting upset by him and he wanted to take you away from me so he had to go.” 

Sobbing at his confession, you lurch away from the door and try to rush past him. Frankie is too quick and strong, grabbing you and dragging you closer to him. “It’s okay, calm down.” He croons. “I love you baby, I did it for you.” You shriek and start to struggle against him, desperate to get away.

He pulls you even closer when you struggle, making him huff. "I did it for you! I love you! I can't lose you. I can't - not again. I can't - it can't happen again." He cries, almost smothering you into his chest.

You push and shove at him, trying desperately to get away. Knowing that you have to or you will end up like those women in those boxes. Shrugging against his hold and stomping on his foot as hard as you can.

"For fuck's sake baby. Why are you doing this? Don't you love me? I did all of this for you. All of it was for you. I just wanted to make you happy and you act like this? Baby please, listen to me. I did this for you. Because I love you."

You cry, knowing that you have been so fucking blind. There were pictures in your box. He had been watching you. Inside your apartment. “Let me go!”

"Baby please. This is meant to be. I want you to be mine. I have done everything for you. I killed for you." He confesses plainly. "I - I learned everything about you. What you like...what you don't like. You are perfect for me." He chokes, wishing this nightmare wasn't happening.

Your entire body goes still, knowing you won’t get away from him if you keep struggling. Frankie is a fucking ex-Delta soldier, he can subdue you easily and he’s not done more than hold you. You remember the gun in his closet. “F-for me?” You manage, trying to calm down. You needed to be smart, believable if you were going to survive it. “H-how?” You gesture back to the bedroom and the closet of horrors. “S-show me, show me how this was for me.”

Frankie relaxes a little, feeling like you are calming down, and he guides you towards the closet. “These boxes…they are all of women who have rented here but you - you are different. You are more important. You are the love of my life baby and I had to kill Steven because he was trying to take you away from me. I couldn’t allow him to do that. I couldn’t allow that so he had to go. Baby, I love you. Can’t you see that I did this for you?”

“You love me.” Frankie had told you that over and over again. It had made you feel special at the time, even if it was a little early. “The- the other women…..” You bite your lip and look at all the boxes. So many of them. “Did you- what happened to them?”

He can’t look at you when he says it. “They didn’t want me and they - they didn’t - they had to go. I didn’t want to but if I couldn’t have them, no one could. They had to go.” He chokes, looking at how many boxes have accumulated and he hopes you won’t have to be added.

You shudder at the implication, but his eyes aren’t on you and the gun that he keeps on the shelf is right there. Lunging for it, your hands are shaking when you point it at him. “Get away from me!” You scream, pressing the gun closer and fumbling with the safety on the side.

Frankie’s eyes widen as you grab his gun and he reaches for you but he’s too late and you hit him in the shoulder. He winces but doesn’t react, reaching for you but you manage to evade him. You get underneath his arm as he reaches for you and the gun but you rush out of the closet and through the apartment. Frankie growls, trying to rush after you.

This time you manage to get the door open, fleeing his apartment and then through the door of the house as you start screaming at the top of your lungs. You want someone to hear you, anyone. Desperate to get away from Frankie as you rush towards your car.

Frankie groans, ignoring the pain in his shoulder as he makes his way outside, watching you as you try to pull your car out of the driveway. He slams his hand on the car, stopping you from driving away and he desperately wants you to stay.

You don’t even hesitate. Knowing it’s wrong but in this instance, it’s life or death. If Frankie gets ahold of you, you will disappear just like those other women. You throw the car in drive and stomp on the gas, running the car into Frankie and making him fly back into a crumpled heap on the ground.

Frankie curls around himself, his body in pain from being run over and he watches you drive off. “Come back.” He chokes, lifting his hand and he loses consciousness as he watches your car speed down the street.

It takes you nearly an hour to convince the police to listen to you. That you weren’t crazy. Especially since you had rushed into the station holding the gun that you had shot Frankie with. For a moment, you had five officers pointing their own weapons at you until you had dropped the gun, nearly hysterical. Now you are in the back of a cruiser, headed back to the house of horrors so you can see Frankie be arrested.

When you arrive at the house, the police tell you to stay back, their weapons drawn as they approach the house and when they call out for Frankie, no one answers. They edge closer, kicking the door open and they frown when they see his apartment is empty.

“Madam.” You look up as an officer knocks on the back window. “We need you to come inside.” You are shaking as you get out, scared to confront him. To see him again. Taking a deep breath, you exhale harshly when you see his apartment doesn’t have everything it had in it before. Hastily emptied of a lot of things, mainly the shoe boxes in the closet. “I- I don’t understand. He was here!”

“The apartment is empty.” The police officer declares, frowning at you as he puts his gun away. “We checked the records and no one called Francisco Morales has lived here or owned this property.” He reveals, looking at you with sympathy.

“No, he- he did!” You look around and shake your head. “Francisco Morales, he- he is ex Army. He- he’s delta. He lived in this apartment.” You tremble, trying to figure out what is going on. He had told you so much about himself but none of it was useful right now. 

“I’m sorry honey. He wasn’t here. It’s just you. Do you - do you want us to call someone?” He offers, reaching out to touch your shoulder. “Do you want to - we can assist you inside of your apartment.”

You nod and the police officer escorts you to your apartment. Again, you find things hastily moved. Vent covers removed and fixtures pulled out. “Oh god.” You whimper, remembering the cameras. He had been watching you for god only knows how long. “I- I just need to get some things.” You start to cry. “I can’t stay here. He- he has a key.” 

The police officers offer to stay with you while you collect your things. It’s obvious you are upset so they wait until you have gathered everything. “I’m sorry ma’am. If we hear of anything, we will notify you.” The police officer tells you and you choke, nodding in response as you get into your car. Your relationship with Frankie was a lie. Everything was a lie and you are just lucky to not be another box in his closet. You are the lucky one. As you drive onto the street, you realize that the rental was too good to be true. Frankie was too good to be true.

****

“- so what do you say?” You cringe inside, but try to hold it together while the man smiles at you. He was friendly, a nice co-worker, but you were not going for it. “We can have a few drinks after work, have a good time.” You shake your head and give him an apologetic smile. “Sorry.” You murmur. “I just- I got out of a bad relationship recently.” You don’t even remember this guy’s name right now but you push the door to the office open where he had stopped you. “Thanks though.” You call over your shoulder as you walk out. 

You had moved cities, changed your cell phone number. Rented a house under another name, needing the safety of anonymity and even then you didn’t trust it. Obsessively going through your house every day and checking for cameras or microphones. Scared that Frankie would find you. Your keys in your hand, you hurry to the car and quickly get inside and lock the doors before you start the engine. 

Frankie watches you as you start the engine to your car. He’s been watching you for months, even moving to another city for you. You’re the one who got away and he can’t allow that. He starts his engine, deciding that tonight, he’s gonna make things right. You are his and only he can have you. 

He follows you to your house, parking a few blocks away before he gets out. He walks up the driveway and rings your doorbell. “Coming!” You call out, hands shaking as you open the door, not really thinking about checking the peephole. It’s probably your neighbor asking for some more toilet paper. When you open the door, your blood goes cold and Frankie offers you a wide grin. 

“Hello, sweetheart. Miss me?”

[probablyasocialecologist]

It has long been clear what must be done, such as switching to renewable energy, expanding nature preserves, and eating less meat. Within the dry technocratic tomes produced by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), one can find surprisingly radical proposals reflecting this consensus. In addition to abjuring ‘cost-benefit’ analysis (marking a shift from money being the measure of all things), the IPCC has called for carbon-neutral building codes, a ban on new coal-fired power plants, and reducing cars through ‘effective [urban] planning’. The IPCC even blames the belief in ‘individual autonomy’ and ‘free-market ideology’ for allowing climate denial to fester, as well as ‘vested interests’ and ‘industry group lobbying’ for blocking reform. Despite our knowledge of what needs to be done, carbon emissions increase and mass extinctions continue relentlessly. Capital is at the helm, blindly steering the ship of fools towards ecological disaster. Unable to feel the wind or listen to its shouting passengers, capital can sense only price signals to guide its passage. In this way, capital destroys the world it cannot see.

Troy Vettese, Drew Pendergrass, Half-Earth Socialism: A Plan to Save the Future from Extinction, Climate Change and Pandemics