#Azure Labs

[qwikskills]

Cloud Labs are becoming increasingly popular in the world of technology

Cloud Labs are becoming increasingly popular in the world of technology. They are a great way to quickly and cheaply create virtual machines, networks, and storage for testing, development, and deployment. Cloud labs provide a secure environment for developers to experiment with new technologies without the need for physical hardware. They also allow organizations to scale up their IT infrastructure on demand without having to invest in additional hardware or software licenses. With cloud labs, businesses can also save money by eliminating the need for expensive hardware and software licenses as well as reducing operational costs associated with maintaining physical IT infrastructures.

Azure Cloud Labs offer an innovative way to learn and explore the cloud. With its easy-to-use platform, users can quickly spin up virtual machines and create applications without having to worry about the underlying infrastructure. The labs provide a safe and secure environment for users to experiment with different technologies, such as machine learning, big data, artificial intelligence, and more. Azure Cloud Labs also provide a cost-effective solution for businesses that need to quickly deploy their applications on the cloud. With its powerful features, Azure Cloud Labs is the ideal choice for organizations looking to move their workloads to the cloud.

[nanakithewarrior]

From this post~ || @azure-steel

"Maybe I won't... if the plan was to try and pick a lock with my paws like you people do. I find mine to work best on the ground... or to strike at unsuspecting faces." The beast shoots a taunting glare up at his traveling companion, not skipping a step in their walk. His lanky shoulder blades continue rolling in their rhythmic back and forth with each stride beside the moving pair of leather boots next to him.

"Locks are a problem created for a species that relies on hands; luckily for me, I do not belong to that minority." Red explains. "Most creatures on the Planet feel the world through their nose and mouth, and so do I. Mine are much more trustworthy problem-solvers than yours will ever be."

[cursedalthoughts]

new guns, planes and torpedoes for the research lab!

I'm particularly enamored by the triple 380mm main guns, they're essentially Pommern's main guns from world of warships (Pommern being a sidegrade to FdG), so i will definitely craft them even if they're a bit weird in AL

[chryzuree]

my top ship tag is chryzure, which is good. wouldn’t have it any other way!!

[jcmarchi]

5 Best Large Language Models (LLMs) (September 2024)

New Post has been published on https://thedigitalinsider.com/5-best-large-language-models-llms-september-2024/

5 Best Large Language Models (LLMs) (September 2024)

The field of artificial intelligence is evolving at a breathtaking pace, with large language models (LLMs) leading the charge in natural language processing and understanding. As we navigate this, a new generation of LLMs has emerged, each pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in AI.

In this overview of the best LLMs, we’ll explore the key features, benchmark performances, and potential applications of these cutting-edge language models, offering insights into how they’re shaping the future of AI technology.

Anthropic’s Claude 3 models, released in March 2024, represented a significant leap forward in artificial intelligence capabilities. This family of LLMs offers enhanced performance across a wide range of tasks, from natural language processing to complex problem-solving.

Claude 3 comes in three distinct versions, each tailored for specific use cases:

Claude 3 Opus: The flagship model, offering the highest level of intelligence and capability.

Claude 3.5 Sonnet: A balanced option, providing a mix of speed and advanced functionality.

Claude 3 Haiku: The fastest and most compact model, optimized for quick responses and efficiency.

Key Capabilites of Claude 3:

Enhanced Contextual Understanding: Claude 3 demonstrates improved ability to grasp nuanced contexts, reducing unnecessary refusals and better distinguishing between potentially harmful and benign requests.

Multilingual Proficiency: The models show significant improvements in non-English languages, including Spanish, Japanese, and French, enhancing their global applicability.

Visual Interpretation: Claude 3 can analyze and interpret various types of visual data, including charts, diagrams, photos, and technical drawings.

Advanced Code Generation and Analysis: The models excel at coding tasks, making them valuable tools for software development and data science.

Large Context Window: Claude 3 features a 200,000 token context window, with potential for inputs over 1 million tokens for select high-demand applications.

Benchmark Performance:

Claude 3 Opus has demonstrated impressive results across various industry-standard benchmarks:

MMLU (Massive Multitask Language Understanding): 86.7%

GSM8K (Grade School Math 8K): 94.9%

HumanEval (coding benchmark): 90.6%

GPQA (Graduate-level Professional Quality Assurance): 66.1%

MATH (advanced mathematical reasoning): 53.9%

These scores often surpass those of other leading models, including GPT-4 and Google’s Gemini Ultra, positioning Claude 3 as a top contender in the AI landscape.

Claude 3 Benchmarks (Anthropic)

Claude 3 Ethical Considerations and Safety

Anthropic has placed a strong emphasis on AI safety and ethics in the development of Claude 3:

Reduced Bias: The models show improved performance on bias-related benchmarks.

Transparency: Efforts have been made to enhance the overall transparency of the AI system.

Continuous Monitoring: Anthropic maintains ongoing safety monitoring, with Claude 3 achieving an AI Safety Level 2 rating.

Responsible Development: The company remains committed to advancing safety and neutrality in AI development.

Claude 3 represents a significant advancement in LLM technology, offering improved performance across various tasks, enhanced multilingual capabilities, and sophisticated visual interpretation. Its strong benchmark results and versatile applications make it a compelling choice for an LLM.

Visit Claude 3 →

OpenAI’s GPT-4o (“o” for “omni”) offers improved performance across various tasks and modalities, representing a new frontier in human-computer interaction.

Key Capabilities:

Multimodal Processing: GPT-4o can accept inputs and generate outputs in multiple formats, including text, audio, images, and video, allowing for more natural and versatile interactions.

Enhanced Language Understanding: The model matches GPT-4 Turbo’s performance on English text and code tasks while offering superior performance in non-English languages.

Real-time Interaction: GPT-4o can respond to audio inputs in as little as 232 milliseconds, with an average of 320 milliseconds, comparable to human conversation response times.

Improved Vision Processing: The model demonstrates enhanced capabilities in understanding and analyzing visual inputs compared to previous versions.

Large Context Window: GPT-4o features a 128,000 token context window, allowing for processing of longer inputs and more complex tasks.

Performance and Efficiency:

Speed: GPT-4o is twice as fast as GPT-4 Turbo.

Cost-efficiency: It is 50% cheaper in API usage compared to GPT-4 Turbo.

Rate limits: GPT-4o has five times higher rate limits compared to GPT-4 Turbo.

GPT-4o benchmarks (OpenAI)

GPT-4o’s versatile capabilities make it suitable for a wide range of applications, including:

Natural language processing and generation

Multilingual communication and translation

Image and video analysis

Voice-based interactions and assistants

Code generation and analysis

Multimodal content creation

Availability:

ChatGPT: Available to both free and paid users, with higher usage limits for Plus subscribers.

API Access: Available through OpenAI’s API for developers.

Azure Integration: Microsoft offers GPT-4o through Azure OpenAI Service.

GPT-4o Safety and Ethical Considerations

OpenAI has implemented various safety measures for GPT-4o:

Built-in safety features across modalities

Filtering of training data and refinement of model behavior

New safety systems for voice outputs

Evaluation according to OpenAI’s Preparedness Framework

Compliance with voluntary commitments to responsible AI development

GPT-4o offers enhanced capabilities across various modalities while maintaining a focus on safety and responsible deployment. Its improved performance, efficiency, and versatility make it a powerful tool for a wide range of applications, from natural language processing to complex multimodal tasks.

Visit GPT-4o →

Llama 3.1 is the latest family of large language models by Meta and offers improved performance across various tasks and modalities, challenging the dominance of closed-source alternatives.

Llama 3.1 is available in three sizes, catering to different performance needs and computational resources:

Llama 3.1 405B: The most powerful model with 405 billion parameters

Llama 3.1 70B: A balanced model offering strong performance

Llama 3.1 8B: The smallest and fastest model in the family

Key Capabilities:

Enhanced Language Understanding: Llama 3.1 demonstrates improved performance in general knowledge, reasoning, and multilingual tasks.

Extended Context Window: All variants feature a 128,000 token context window, allowing for processing of longer inputs and more complex tasks.

Multimodal Processing: The models can handle inputs and generate outputs in multiple formats, including text, audio, images, and video.

Advanced Tool Use: Llama 3.1 excels at tasks involving tool use, including API interactions and function calling.

Improved Coding Abilities: The models show enhanced performance in coding tasks, making them valuable for developers and data scientists.

Multilingual Support: Llama 3.1 offers improved capabilities across eight languages, enhancing its utility for global applications.

Llama 3.1 Benchmark Performance

Llama 3.1 405B has shown impressive results across various benchmarks:

MMLU (Massive Multitask Language Understanding): 88.6%

HumanEval (coding benchmark): 89.0%

GSM8K (Grade School Math 8K): 96.8%

MATH (advanced mathematical reasoning): 73.8%

ARC Challenge: 96.9%

GPQA (Graduate-level Professional Quality Assurance): 51.1%

These scores demonstrate Llama 3.1 405B’s competitive performance against top closed-source models in various domains.

Llama 3.1 benchmarks (Meta)

Availability and Deployment:

Open Source: Llama 3.1 models are available for download on Meta’s platform and Hugging Face.

API Access: Available through various cloud platforms and partner ecosystems.

On-Premises Deployment: Can be run locally or on-premises without sharing data with Meta.

Llama 3.1 Ethical Considerations and Safety Features

Meta has implemented various safety measures for Llama 3.1:

Llama Guard 3: A high-performance input and output moderation model.

Prompt Guard: A tool for protecting LLM-powered applications from malicious prompts.

Code Shield: Provides inference-time filtering of insecure code produced by LLMs.

Responsible Use Guide: Offers guidelines for ethical deployment and use of the models.

Llama 3.1 marks a significant milestone in open-source AI development, offering state-of-the-art performance while maintaining a focus on accessibility and responsible deployment. Its improved capabilities position it as a strong competitor to leading closed-source models, transforming the landscape of AI research and application development.

Visit Llama 3.1 →

Announced in February 2024 and made available for public preview in May 2024, Google’s Gemini 1.5 Pro also represented a significant advancement in AI capabilities, offering improved performance across various tasks and modalities.

Key Capabilities:

Multimodal Processing: Gemini 1.5 Pro can process and generate content across multiple modalities, including text, images, audio, and video.

Extended Context Window: The model features a massive context window of up to 1 million tokens, expandable to 2 million tokens for select users. This allows for processing of extensive data, including 11 hours of audio, 1 hour of video, 30,000 lines of code, or entire books.

Advanced Architecture: Gemini 1.5 Pro uses a Mixture-of-Experts (MoE) architecture, selectively activating the most relevant expert pathways within its neural network based on input types.

Improved Performance: Google claims that Gemini 1.5 Pro outperforms its predecessor (Gemini 1.0 Pro) in 87% of the benchmarks used to evaluate large language models.

Enhanced Safety Features: The model underwent rigorous safety testing before launch, with robust technologies implemented to mitigate potential AI risks.

Gemini 1.5 Pro Benchmarks and Performance

Gemini 1.5 Pro has demonstrated impressive results across various benchmarks:

MMLU (Massive Multitask Language Understanding): 85.9% (5-shot setup), 91.7% (majority vote setup)

GSM8K (Grade School Math): 91.7%

MATH (Advanced mathematical reasoning): 58.5%

HumanEval (Coding benchmark): 71.9%

VQAv2 (Visual Question Answering): 73.2%

MMMU (Multi-discipline reasoning): 58.5%

Google reports that Gemini 1.5 Pro outperforms its predecessor (Gemini 1.0 Ultra) in 16 out of 19 text benchmarks and 18 out of 21 vision benchmarks.

Gemini 1.5 Pro benchmarks (Google)

Key Features and Capabilities:

Audio Comprehension: Analysis of spoken words, tone, mood, and specific sounds.

Video Analysis: Processing of uploaded videos or videos from external links.

System Instructions: Users can guide the model’s response style through system instructions.

JSON Mode and Function Calling: Enhanced structured output capabilities.

Long-context Learning: Ability to learn new skills from information within its extended context window.

Availability and Deployment:

Google AI Studio for developers

Vertex AI for enterprise customers

Public API access

Visit Gemini Pro →

Released in August 2024 by xAI, Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence company, Grok-2 represents a significant advancement over its predecessor, offering improved performance across various tasks and introducing new capabilities.

Model Variants:

Grok-2: The full-sized, more powerful model

Grok-2 mini: A smaller, more efficient version

Key Capabilities:

Enhanced Language Understanding: Improved performance in general knowledge, reasoning, and language tasks.

Real-Time Information Processing: Access to and processing of real-time information from X (formerly Twitter).

Image Generation: Powered by Black Forest Labs’ FLUX.1 model, allowing creation of images based on text prompts.

Advanced Reasoning: Enhanced abilities in logical reasoning, problem-solving, and complex task completion.

Coding Assistance: Improved performance in coding tasks.

Multimodal Processing: Handling and generation of content across multiple modalities, including text, images, and potentially audio.

Grok-2 Benchmark Performance

Grok-2 has shown impressive results across various benchmarks:

GPQA (Graduate-level Professional Quality Assurance): 56.0%

MMLU (Massive Multitask Language Understanding): 87.5%

MMLU-Pro: 75.5%

MATH: 76.1%

HumanEval (coding benchmark): 88.4%

MMMU (Multi-Modal Multi-Task): 66.1%

MathVista: 69.0%

DocVQA: 93.6%

These scores demonstrate significant improvements over Grok-1.5 and position Grok-2 as a strong competitor to other leading AI models.

Grok-2 benchmarks (xAI)

Availability and Deployment:

X Platform: Grok-2 mini is available to X Premium and Premium+ subscribers.

Enterprise API: Both Grok-2 and Grok-2 mini will be available through xAI’s enterprise API.

Integration: Plans to integrate Grok-2 into various X features, including search and reply functions.

Unique Features:

“Fun Mode”: A toggle for more playful and humorous responses.

Real-Time Data Access: Unlike many other LLMs, Grok-2 can access current information from X.

Minimal Restrictions: Designed with fewer content restrictions compared to some competitors.

Grok-2 Ethical Considerations and Safety Concerns

Grok-2’s release has raised concerns regarding content moderation, misinformation risks, and copyright issues. xAI has not publicly detailed specific safety measures implemented in Grok-2, leading to discussions about responsible AI development and deployment.

Grok-2 represents a significant advancement in AI technology, offering improved performance across various tasks and introducing new capabilities like image generation. However, its release has also sparked important discussions about AI safety, ethics, and responsible development.

Visit Grok-2 →

The Bottom Line on LLMs

As we’ve seen, the latest advancements in large language models have significantly elevated the field of natural language processing. These LLMs, including Claude 3, GPT-4o, Llama 3.1, Gemini 1.5 Pro, and Grok-2, represent the pinnacle of AI language understanding and generation. Each model brings unique strengths to the table, from enhanced multilingual capabilities and extended context windows to multimodal processing and real-time information access. These innovations are not just incremental improvements but transformative leaps that are reshaping how we approach complex language tasks and AI-driven solutions.

The benchmark performances of these models underscore their exceptional capabilities, often surpassing human-level performance in various language understanding and reasoning tasks. This progress is a testament to the power of advanced training techniques, sophisticated neural architectures, and vast amounts of diverse training data. As these LLMs continue to evolve, we can expect even more groundbreaking applications in fields such as content creation, code generation, data analysis, and automated reasoning.

However, as these language models become increasingly powerful and accessible, it’s crucial to address the ethical considerations and potential risks associated with their deployment. Responsible AI development, robust safety measures, and transparent practices will be key to harnessing the full potential of these LLMs while mitigating potential harm. As we look to the future, the ongoing refinement and responsible implementation of these large language models will play a pivotal role in shaping the landscape of artificial intelligence and its impact on society.

[ashvalentine16]

Dammit. I had a feeling.

I entered Operation Siren once, and the first battle was still too high for my main fleet.

[wamathai]

Microsoft to invest $1 billion in the Kenyan digital economy

Microsoft has announced that it will in partnership with G42 and other stakeholders invest $1 billion in the Kenyan Digital Economy. One of the Kenyan investment priorities is a state-of-the-art green data center that will be built by G42 and its partners to run Microsoft Azure in a new East Africa Cloud Region. The initiative will include four additional pillars that will be pursued with local…

[pissbabysupreme]

My blob not uploading to this bloodclart storage

[yandere-daydreams]

Title: Azure Haze.

Pairing: Yandere!Dottore x Reader (Genshin).

Word Count: 0.9k.

TW: Unhealthy Relationships, Controlling Behavior, Manipulation, and Psychological Abuse.

[Commissioned piece. Donate to Palestinians in Gaza here.]

You’d never taken Dottore for the marrying type.

Not to imply that he was more of a rouge romantic, either, or dedicated enough to the Tsaritsa and her grand machinations to be married to his work, although he did clearly have a passion for experimentation. As a foot soldier, little more than a glorified errand-runner for the higher-ranking officers, you used to think of him (and the other Harbingers, by association) as almost god-like – gifted by your archon with eternal life and distorted by the weight of his many centuries, made too divine to ever feel tethered to something so intrinsically human. When you’d worked more closely to his side, you’d seen him as more demonic than anything; emotive but malicious by nature, uninterested in those beyond the part they played in the progression of his studies.

You wondered, sometimes, if his treatment of you was all a part of some elaborate, prolonged experiment. You wouldn’t put it beyond him, even if it did seem a little less gory than his usual whims. The heartlessness of it fit, though.

If Dottore could be relied on to be anything, it was cruel.

The ring, itself, is surprisingly unoffensive. You turn it over once, then twice in your hand, running the pad of your index finger over the sleek, silver metal. A pinpoint of sapphire glints up at you from where it’s nestled into the unornamental base, and a part of you is thankful that it’s not something more ostentatious, that he hadn’t committed to his musings on palm-sized diamonds and gold so pure and so polished, the archons would be able to see it from their thrones in Celestia. Another, disparate faction can only be devastated that it would take so little for him to claim you so completely.

“Is it not to your taste, love?” Dottore, your soon-to-be betrothed, asks. He’s positioned himself strategically, in spite of the limited space; on the other side of the exhibition table, allowing you just enough distance to breathe, but remaining between you and the door to the jewelry shop’s only private consultation room, ensuring you wouldn’t be able to run, not without passing him. The jeweler is mysteriously absent, but you can’t be surprised. Dottore has never been especially possessive, but he seems to prefer it when your attention remains undivided. “There are several more options, if you find my preferences lacking.”

Your eyes fall to the neat line of ring boxes on display in front you. Some are more gaudy than others, but they’re all silver, all studded with the same vibrant sapphires. Your gaze catches on one with curved, pointed teeth locking a roughly cut gem into place, then fall back to your lap. “Are you going to pick one out?”

His response comes in the form of a quick shake of his head, a coy smile. “Jewelry tends to get in the way of lab work. I’ll have to find another way to show my affection – a breastpin, perhaps, or a scale replica of your heart mounted on the wall of my office.”

You try to summon the revulsion you once had for his grisly humor, but fail to feel anything at all. At least he only claimed to want a replica, this time. “I won’t have to wear mine, then, will I?”

“You will.” His tone leaves no room for debate, but he continues regardless. “Unless you want me to remove your ring fingers and ensure it remains on a part of you myself, that is.”

You swallow dryly. “Both ring fingers?”

“One can never be too thorough.”

You purse your lips. Your fingers twitch once, then twice before dropping the ring in your hand and taking up another from its bed of velvet. The base on your newest selection is unique – crafted in disparate, thorned bands to make it seem as if it’d been made from braided vines, a pair of softly curling leaves encircling the jewel bed. It’s the gem that holds you, though; a shade lighter than the others when it catches the light, closer to a ruddy aquamarine than pure, never-ending blue. You slide it in front of Dottore before you can think better of it. “This one.”

To his credit, his smile doesn’t waver. “Are you sure? The gem is—”

“I’m sure,” you cut him off, almost breathlessly. “I… I like the color. I think it’s charming.”

He takes another moment to evaluate the ring, and then, to evaluate you – fighting not to shake in your seat. Finally, with an airy sigh, he shakes his head, his grin taking on a softened note. “Of course, love. Whatever makes you happiest.”

Measurements are jotted, the ring taken in for resizing with promises of swift craftsmanship. Days later, one of Dottore’s foot soldiers (and your former colleague) delivers a small, gold-foil wrapped box to you – a note from your dearly betrothed attached. You throw away the note without reading it and tear the box open. On a bed of cerulean velvet sat a silver ring of braided thorns, adorned with a single—

You let out a shallow, shuddering breath, tears already welling in the corners of your eyes.

A silver ring, adorned with a single, glimmering stud of the purest, darkest sapphire you’d ever seen.

[qwikskills]

Use cases for Microsoft Azure Labs

Azure labs are Microsoft's R&D center for building and testing new ideas. It is a place where people are encouraged to experiment and explore their creativity.

The azure lab is an open-source lab that provides tools, platforms, and services for developers to build new applications and test them in a real-world setting. Some of the technologies that have been developed by Azure Labs are App Service, Azure Cloud Services, Cortana Intelligence Suite, Mobile Apps for Office 365, and Dynamics CRM Online. On October 17, 2016, Microsoft announced it was rebranding the R&D arm to Microsoft Research. The new name reflects the research work done by Microsoft on a variety of products and services rather than just its enterprise products. The company noted that it would continue to make investments in Microsoft Research as part of a commitment to innovation.

The following are a few use cases for Microsoft Azure Labs :

Give students access to a virtual machine lab that is fully equipped for the class. Allocate a set amount of time for each student to use the VMs for personal or homework tasks.

Create a pool of high-performance virtual machines to handle computationally or graphically demanding research. Run the virtual machines as necessary, then clear up the machines.

Put the on-site computer lab at your school in the cloud. Only increase the number of VMs automatically up to the lab's maximum use and cost level.

Build a lab of virtual machines as soon as possible to organize a hackathon. Once you're finished, simply delete the lab.

[nanakithewarrior]

rcdfcxr​:

       ❝ Reversed… logic of a… hang on a damn minute !! – wait   ,  eaten!?  Is that why ya licked me!?  What ? Like a fucked up try before ya buy!?   I am not edible.   An I wouldn’t make a fuckin’ good chew toy either so don’ even think about it. ❞

On his list of things to do today  ,  arguing with him over the scent of soap and whether Reno would be a good food source ?   Nope  ,  that hadn’t been on his list of things to do today.

Red’s never had to buy a thing in his life, so the mockery was completely lost to him. To the Turk throwing a fit, he just reacted with a scoff through his nose, his good ochre eye wandering to the side, towards the mercenary who had taken his side just earlier.

“You could be learning a thing from Cloud ( @azure-steel​ ) . A single waft of his scent and I knew with confidence that I’d never want his flesh anywhere near my mouth.”

[museswithswords]

Tag dump 2: Verses

[rivatar]

“Love Bites”

Pairing: Adult!Neteyam x fem!human!reader

W/c: 1.2k

Warnings/content: MDNI smut!, biting/marking, blood thirsty neteyam, a lil somnophilia but not much, established relationship, fingering, demon Teyam

A/n: this is prompt 6 for Pandora’s Bloody Moon, I’m sorry it’s 2 days late, I was so busy this weekend😩 also I’m sorry if it’s not good, it’s def not my best work but still hope you guys can enjoy :)

“I’ll see you tomorrow, paskalin,” Neteyam sweetly bid you goodbye with a peck on the cheek.

“Okay, Teyam,” you softly smiled in return.

He had walked you back to the lab and as much as you both stalled already, it was time to part ways. The upcoming Blood Moon tonight meant an early goodbye for the day. You two have been dating for months now, and the future Olo’eyktan has made it clear he wants to be mates with you, only when you were ready. However, it is not always easy handling your differences between your two species. Like tonight, for example; all the other Na’vi could participate in the night of the Blood Moon but you couldn’t, you’d be ripped apart and possibly killed. So, Neteyam made sure you were safe and sound back in your room in the lab complex well before nighttime settled in. He couldn’t have his little paskalin get eaten by the wolves.

…

Neteyam missed you at dinner but he knew it was for the best. He wanted nothing more than to keep you safe. Safe from the others and even himself. He didn’t know what he would be capable of doing to you. He didn’t even wanna be anywhere near his family, so he set off deep into the forest.

It was now eclipse and the Moon made its appearance. The moonlight made his skin tingle and he watched in bewilderment as his skin faded from azure to a milky gray. Though this happens every year, it never fails to bring an unsettling feeling of not having control over the effects. His breaths quickened and he felt strength and power spread through his limbs, creating the urge to break something. His little bioluminescent freckles turned to red speckles, much like the red irises he now possessed. His brain was processing the physical changes to his body as well as the feelings and urges that flooded his mind. His tongue felt his sharper canines and he thirsted for blood. Not just any blood though, your blood. He imagined your human blood would be much sweeter than anything else here. He knew his right mind was slipping away when his body naturally started carrying him in the direction of you.

…

He forcefully entered the lab and went straight to your room. Opening the door carefully, as to not wake you.

You were peacefully sleeping away, probably having sweet dreams. In the very back of his mind he knew he shouldn’t disturb you— knew he shouldn’t wake you and then watch you be terrified of the way he looked right now. But his instincts consumed him and controlled his thoughts now. He had to have you.

Walking over carefully, he noticed you were wearing a loose tank top, exposing much of your skin. He slowly lifted the cover off of your body and was met with the precious sight of you only wearing panties for bottoms. You were so sweet and small to him, your dainty little night clothes driving him absolutely insane. You were too good to be true in his opinion.

He gently slid his hand over your legs and arms, loving how soft and plush your smooth skin was. You moved some in your sleep, still not noticing him yet. He tried to keep his breathing in control by breathing in his nose and out his mouth quietly.

“So beautiful, yawne,” he whispered admiringly.

He started kneading your flesh, getting extremely aroused by you. He wanted nothing more than to dig his sharp canines into your skin and bite you—hopefully drawing some blood. But he needed you to wake up first so you wouldn’t be scared and flee from him.

He softly shook your form, beckoning you to wake up. You slowly stirred out of your slumber and your eyes blinked open—only to see those red eyes staring back at you. You jumped back at the sight of him and gasped.

“Shh, shh, it’s okay baby, it’s me!” He tried to calm you.

“T-Teyam?” You choked out weakly, “You’re n-not supposed to be here” your mind quickly registered.

“I know, I know, and I’m sorry, but I couldn’t stop myself from coming to see you… you’ll have to forgive me for what I’m going to do”

Your body was stiff and your eyes were full of concern for what he meant and what he might do to you in this state. But you slowly nodded as you relaxed some because it was still your Teyam and you trusted him.

“You look so pretty, baby,” he cooed while stroking your cheek tenderly. You smiled in return, still feeling a bit hesitant.

Then suddenly he leaned back down to your thighs and latched his teeth onto one of them.

“Teyam!!!!” You flew up to sit upright on the bed and looked at him. The pain of his canines impaling your skin combined with the pleasurable feeling of his warm mouth overwhelmed the nerves on your skin.

He only hummed and moaned on your flesh in response. You slightly winced, still staring at him in bewilderment. Then he smoothed his tongue over the wound, licking away the blood from the little pricks he made. He pulled back to admire his work, loving how his bite now marked you as his.

“Don’t think I can’t smell you, sevin. You liked it, didn’t you?” He smirked.

You blushed, still feeling confused at the mix of pain and pleasure and how it really did turn you on. You nodded and got out a weak “yeah..”

This only aroused him more. He wanted to see how you’d look writhing under him as he pleasured your pussy while marking other parts of your body. So he lifted your legs up to your chest and slid your panties to the side to see your glistening little cunt.

“Fuck baby. I might have to bite you more from now on,” he gloated.

He slowly pushed a finger into you and you moaned at the sensation, your head already swirling from the intense pleasure he gave you. He started pumping the digit, stating in awe at the mess you made and the loud squelching sounds.

He hovered over you and positioned himself closer to your face, connecting your lips in a needy kiss. You greedily took the kiss, tongues swirling and your lips getting all puffy. He moved down to your neck and latched onto it, pulling out a guttural moan from you. He hummed in the satisfaction of tasting your sweet blood again and it turned him on more, so he mindlessly dry humped your side and the bed, dying to get some kind of friction for his cock.

His efforts made you cum on his fingers, spewing out whimpers and moans in the process. He was still cleaning your neck wound while you were coming down from the high.

It seemed that having a taste of you only made him want more.

It was going to be a long night.

Taglist: @neteyamssyulang @bambithewriter @professional-yapper @property-of-neteyam @hidden-snow @live-laugh-neteyam @nonamevenus @loakstahni @ikeyniofthetayrangi @sugarsong78 @inolaphoenix @strongheartneteyam

[barleyo]

Pollen.

Recom! Miles Quaritch X Fem! Reader

A/N: I finished this is 3 hours, so this might seem a little rushed, but I am obsessed with this man in a life-consuming, unhealthy, scary way. I just feel the need to share the goings on of my mind with you all via my writing, so prepare for a LOT of Miles Quaritch posts. When I say a lot... I mean it.

(PART TWO IS OUT)

Wordcount: 1.4k

TAGS: Age difference, phone sex, public masturbation, solo fem and male masturbation, mutual masturbation, voice fetish, sex pollen, phone sex with a stranger, interspecies relationship

Solo missions were not uncommon for Miles. Any one-man job immediately went to him, as a colonel he could hold his own, however, the forests of Pandora were not kind to lone wolves. Everything and anything out in the wild posed a threat, animals and natives. Plants.

He was confident in his physical abilities, and even though he didn’t like to admit it, he was ignorant to the flora and fauna of this world, so in his mind, everything was blended together into a pool of danger and death. Any sound in the still forest was a red flag to him, any leaf crunching or branch shifting caught his attention. That’s why he was so quick to turn around when a loud rustling of leaves sounded behind him.

“Ha!” Quaritch turned around, gun held up in defense, ready to shoot. He held the gun steadily as the sound continued. He slowly brought his gun back into its proper place, strapped over his bare, azure shoulder.

Just as his guard fell, a small wisp of color lunged past him, knocking him onto the forest floor. He looked up, not seeing the creature, whatever it had been. Pushing himself up, he noticed that he had touched a mushroom-like plant. It was bioluminescent, and left a powdery dust on his palm.

“This fuckin’ place,” he sighed, wiping the white dust off onto his cargos. His face scrunched up in discomfort  as an itching sensation ticked at his hand. He scratched at it to no avail. The feeling built quickly from a small itch to a flaming burn. 

The heat spread from his hands to his arms, then to his chest, and soon coated his entire body. It felt as if he were submerged into a body of boiling water like he was being cooked, simmered and stewed in a pot.

“What was that shit?” He groaned, feeling the slick of his sweat drench through his shirt. Quaritch dug through his pant’s pockets and grabbed his walkie talkie, speaking into the front of it. “Colonel to Blue Team, over.” The line was dangerously quiet, the only sound being the fizzing of the radio. “Blue Team? Lyle?” He cursed, not receiving a response. “Forgot how bad the connection was on these things.”

He smacked the device, hoping it would offer him a clear connection. With his slicked palms, he dropped the walkie talkie, muttering profanities to himself. He snatched it and held it to his ear as a final pathetic attempt to connect to his team. “Hello? Anyone there, for God’s sake?” 

To his surprise, there was an answer. Not just any answer, but a soft, clear one.

“Hello? Hello, are you there? This is (Y/N).” 

He shuddered. From relief, maybe, but the warmth spreading to his crotch pointed towards arousal. It confused him, this wasn’t the first time he’d heard a voice as beautiful as this one, but instead of dwelling on it, he frantically spoke back. 

“Yeah, ‘m here, Colonel Miles Quaritch, over.” His mouth was dry and his tongue felt far too large,

“Colonel? Uhm, well, what has you tuned into the lab department’s line? Can I help you?”

Such a beautiful voice, even for a science puke, he thought. “Damn radio won't connect to my team line, but I’m out in the middle of nowhere in this God forsaken forest. I fell on some weird mushroom lookin’ thing and now I’m so itchy and sweaty that I can’t even fuckin’ think straight,” he said into the device, “Hell, I can barely walk. It’s starting to hurt too.” He stretched the fingers on his aching palm, trying to soothe it. It did not work and the pain only shot through the rest of his body, just as the itching and burning had as well.

“Oh, Mr. Quaritch, I’m sorry to hear that,” the woman replied, urgency in her voice, “can you tell me what this ‘mushroom’ looked like more specifically?” There was a twinge of excitement in her voice that pissed him off.

“What’s that gonna do? Damn it, can you just put me on with my team?”

“Please, calm down. If I can figure out what you have interacted with, I can tell you how to fix it.”

He sighed. “I already told you, it was like a mushroom. It left this weird powdery shit on my hand.”

“Powder? Oh my,” she sucked in a breath, “Colonel, I’m going to ask you something, and I need you to answer me. Are you, uh, are you–”

“Miss, can you spit it out already? I don’t have time for this, if you’ve forgotten, I’m in the middle of fucking nowhere and sweating buckets right now.”

“Are you hard right now? Your– your dick, is it hard?”

Quaritch swallowed thickly, feeling the bulge in his pants twitch again.

“Yes, really hard. What does that have to do with anything?”

“The plant that you had touched, it is known to release pollen that arouses one to an extreme, if you do not satisfy yourself soon, the pain will be unbearable.” Miles could hear panic in the woman’s voice and the click of a door as if it were being locked. “You understand, don’t you, Colonel?”

“It’s already awful.” A groan reverberated in his chest as he spoke, “So I’m supposed to jerk myself off in the middle of the forest, right in the open?”

“I’m afraid so, please you must start now, the pain will be much worse without stimulation.” 

He nodded, even though he knew she would not know and unbuttoned his pants, pulled his boxers down, and freed his dick. It was striped, just like the rest of his Na’vi body that he was slowly getting used to. 

Miles nervously grabbed his own length. This wasn’t the first time he had touched himself in his Na’vi form, it was second nature to him now, but this was the first time he had done it out in the open, and the first time he had done it with a woman talking him through it. 

He pumped slowly, fucking his fist. He couldn’t help but imagine his hand being the warm, tight cunt of the woman on the other line. A trembling moan strained from his mouth as he picked up the pace, seeking more friction in his palm. “(Y/N)--”

“I’m still here, sir, don’t worry,” she said, comfortingly.

His face flushed with a purple tint, not realizing she was still there. Obviously she was still on the line, it’s not like she could just leave, he rationalized it in his head. “It still hurts so bad, darlin’, fucking my hand ain’t helping,” he groaned.

“Just try, you must do it. You must cum, Colonel, please. Do it for me,” she whispered into the walkie talkie, embarrassed yet aroused by her own words.

“Fuck,” he hissed, sharp teeth barring down. “Need ya’ to touch yourself too, not fair if it’s only me.” Pre-cum oozed from his fat, leaky tip, beading at his hole.

“O-oh, I’m not sure..” her hands rested on the band of her panties, undecidedly fiddling with the elastic. 

“Can’t cum unless you do it with me, missy, c’mon, need it bad.” His hips bucked into his hand again, moans catching in his throat.

(Y/N) hummed and slipped her hand into her pants. She slid the tips of her fingers through her wet folds, rubbing past her clit with gentle strokes. Focusing on the peaked bud, she drew tight, neat circles over it and felt her thighs try to close over her hand. “Oh, Christ, Mr. Quaritch, it feels good, mm.”

“I know, sweet girl, I know. Tell me when you’re ready, wanna cum with you.”

Lazily slowing down, Miles gave (Y/N) a chance to catch up with him. When he could hear breathy, needy moans from the line, he continued at his earlier pace, slamming his hips into his hand. Her whines were sweet to his ears, he could practically smell her, taste her. He threw his head back and huffed. 

“Close, ‘m really close.”

“Gonna cum, baby girl? C’mon, cum like you’d cum all over my cock,” he rutted into his fist, feeling his balls tighten and stomach coil.

“Yes, fuck, yes,” she drawled out a messy, noisy moan, “Cummin’ now, sir, ah–”

“Good job, baby,” he said through gritted teeth as he spilled his seed on the ground, fucking himself through his fading orgasm.

There was a long, comfortable silence on each line as they each caught their breath. Miles was the one to break the silence. 

“Thank you for helping out, bunny, but it just wasn’t enough. Still hurting. Gonna help me when I get back to base?”

“Yes, sir. Let me find some proper directions so you can come home.”

“Be ready for me when I get there, I wanna see you as soon as I get there, girl.”

[sad-sweet-cowboah]

Hi, I'm new on your blog and I don't really know if you still take requests for your one-shots, but I'd love to see Arthur get all sweet and maybe fall in love with a girl who owns a dog. We all know he loves dogs and maybe that's how they meet? He sees the dog and goes to pet it and them meets the girl and the rest is history...

I love your writing tho, spent hours reading your stuff and I'm so in love with the way you portray Arthur🧡

HEY THERE!

Thank you so much for the compliment and I apologize for the super late response, I hope you didn't think I was ignoring you!

This is a cute idea and I pieced this together little by little over the past few months when I had the time/energy to do so.

It was a gorgeous day. The bright sun beamed through the azure sky, bathing the land below in its warm rays. 

The local park was teeming with people enjoying the day just as much as Arthur was. He sat content on a bench while the world continued. Picnics in the field across the way, children playing and laughing in the nearby playground. Young couples walking with one another, and of course the occasional jogger. 

He leaned back, taking a deep, relaxing breath. A faint floral scent drifted across in a breeze that carried through a flower bed next to him. His eyes slid shut, not opposed to taking a nap at the moment. It's not like he had anything better to do on a Saturday anyway. No work, no chores, no worries. 

He'd drifted off for a moment when a cold, wet nose nudged his hand and his eyes snapped open, his gaze flicking to a rather happy looking Yellow Lab. The dog was pushing against his palm, looking to be pet. 

Arthur chuckled and smiled, raising his hand to oblige. The dog excitedly shoved its head beneath Arthur’s outstretched hand, immediately leaning into the complimentary ear rub. 

“Hey there...” Arthur glanced underneath for a split second. “Boy.” 

The dog backed up and dipped his head down to retrieve a well-worn tennis ball and placed it in Arthur’s lap, looking up expectantly. Arthur laughed a little. “Wanna play fetch, huh?” 

He picked up the ball, the dog’s eyes focusing on his hand. He stood up, waited, and threw it directly in front of him. The dog took off immediately, bounding after the ball with breakneck speed. He caught it just a moment later, and galloped right back to Arthur, dropping the ball at his feet. 

Arthur chuckled and just now noticed the leather collar adorning his new canine friend’s neck. “Your owner know you're over here?” 

“Brody!” 

As if on cue, the dog’s head turned toward the feminine voice calling from a few yards away. Arthur followed his gaze to see a pretty woman with a leash in hand. 

Her eyes met his, and she gave him an apologetic look. “I'm sorry, is he bothering you?” 

“Not at all,” Arthur chuckled again, glancing down at the pup whose name was apparently Brody. “He's a good boy.” 

The woman jogged to close the gap between them, her eyes flicking to the dog, then back to him. “We’re working on our recall,” she explained. “Except he thinks the first person he sees must be his friend.” 

“I'm glad I can make a friend,” Arthur said with a small smile, rubbing Brody’s head. “Really, it ain't a bother.” 

There was a smile on her lips. She bent down and clipped the leash to the collar. “Well, thank you for being his friend at the moment.” 

Arthur’s smile matched hers. “Any time.” 

As the woman and Brody headed off, Arthur watched while the smile remained on his lips. He loved dogs and missed having one, but hadn't had the heart to seek another after his faithful companion, a hound named Copper, passed away a few years ago. A twinge of sweet, sad nostalgia tugged at his heart. A sigh passed his lips and he sat back down, momentarily lost in the memory of Copper before enjoying the rest of the day. 

--- 

“Sit,” 

Brody’s ears pricked at the command, his hind end planting into the grass with his eyes focused on you. 

The hand that held his tennis ball lifted, and his brown eyes immediately focused onto it, his body vibrating with the beginning of his tail wag. 

“Wait,” you say, lifting a finger with your free hand. Then, you toss the ball. Brody watches and his muscles tense as if ready to chase it. 

“Wait,” you repeat, drawing out the word. He does so, tightened like a bowstring ready to snap. 

Another second passes. “Go get it!” You command. 

You waited for a few seconds, watching for a streak of blonde to pop out from the dense green. 

Nothing. 

“Brody!” You called out. His recall had gotten better over these past few weeks. “Brody, come!” 

Still nothing. 

You sighed in annoyance and jogged toward the thicket, navigating through a small path between two large bushes. You emerged on the other side to a wider path covered by the maples and oaks that lined it, giving immediate shade from the bright sun. 

You glanced left and right, seeing no sign of the meathead of your dog. “Brody!” You called again, adding a sharp whistle to your command. 

As if on cue, up ahead you heard a bark. Your attention snapped forward to a small clearing not too noticeable between the trees. Crossing the path, you barreled into the clearing to see your dog happily harassing someone who sat at the base of one of the trees. 

“Sorry!” You call automatically, surging forward to grab onto Brody’s collar before the Lab could tackle the poor guy to death. 

“S’alright!” A voice chuckles, and you pause, realizing it sounded vaguely familiar. 

Heaving Brody back, you took a better look at the man and realized it was the same one your dog pulled into an impromptu game of fetch a few weeks ago. You smiled in recognition, and then noticed a sketchbook laying haphazardly on the ground. 

“Oh no!” you exclaim, immediately hooking Brody to his leash. “Did he ruin anything?” you gestured pointedly to the book, your eyes skimming for any damage. There didn’t seem to be anything noticeable. 

The man glanced at his sketchbook and gingerly picked it up, brushing off blades of grass from the paper. “Don’t look like it,” he said observantly. Your gaze fell to the page, which you now realized had a drawing on it. 

You automatically leaned forward, taking in the detail. It was a sketch of the park, a view of the field you were just in through the trees here. It only took up half the page and you wondered if there was more to be added, and then you noticed a dirty paw print right underneath. 

A groan passed your lips. “Oh, I’m sorry about that,” you gestured exasperated to the print. 

He only smiled. “S’okay, it’s his contribution.” 

The joke and his easygoing demeanor eased some of your frustration, and you smiled a little. “Then...you might as well draw a dog bursting from the bushes,” you giggled. 

He laughed, reaching to give a hearty pet on Brody’s head. “He don’t mean it, do ya?” 

Brody’s body wiggled in excitement, and almost jumped onto him if you hadn’t held the silly dog back. “Seriously though, I’m sorry for this. I’m glad he didn’t ruin your sketchbook.” 

“It’s only a book, I can always get another if that were the case,” he replied, tucking the sketchbook under his arm. “N’ I’m always happy to see my friend.” 

It took you a moment to remember that’s what he referred to Brody as the very first time they met. “And he was very happy to see you too...” you trailed off, realizing you didn’t even know the guy’s name. 

As if he read your mind, he responded with, “Arthur.” 

Arthur. You smiled wider and introduced yourself to him. “And of course you already know Brody.” 

Arthur tilted his head in greeting. “He reminds me of my old dog, Copper.” 

“Really?” You say with interest. “Was he a crazy Lab too?” 

Arthur chuckled again and shook his head. “Nah, Hound dog actually. But he had the same personality, jus’ wanted to love on everyone.” 

“That’s the best kind of dog,” you reply, watching as his smile shifted. It was a slight change, but you could tell it was a look of remembrance. 

You also noticed other things too. A tinge of green in his eyes almost completely eclipsed by a light blue hue. His hair, a light brown almost shone blond in the patch of sunlight streaming through the trees. It looked soft. His cheeks had a few days’ worth of stubble, but that didn’t cover the hard cut of his jaw. He wore a blue flannel that hung open over a black shirt, the sleeves rolled almost to his elbows. He completed the look with a pair of blue Wrangler jeans and what looked like black cowboy boots. 

He was...pretty good looking, if you had to say yourself. 

“He was,” Arthur agreed, catching your eye. There was another shift in his expression. This time, it was a look you recognize. He too was viewing you in the same manner you were viewing him just now, studying the minor details. His eyes slid from your face and quickly flicked down your body, back up. It was such a quick glance that you had to appreciate him not lingering below your neck. 

A silence fell between the two of you. It wasn't awkward nor uncomfortable, but you were unsure how to even continue the conversation. 

“I should get back to our game,” you say, glancing down at Brody. 

Arthur nodded, and in his other hand, he held out Brody’s ball. You blinked in surprise, not realizing he held onto it the entire time. You reached for it, your fingers gently brushing his for a split second. 

Brody watched the exchange with intensity, waiting for it to be tossed again despite being currently on his leash. Arthur pat his head again, another smile forming on his face. “Maybe next time I oughta show up with a ball of my own, huh feller?” 

“I'm sure he’d love that,” you said with a grin. 

“Then I'll see ya next time,” he replied, giving you a two-fingered salute. You weren't sure why, but that little gesture made your heart flutter. 

“Next time,” you agreed, wondering exactly when ‘next time’ was. 

--- 

The following days your walks in the park led with the small hope you’d run into Arthur again. Though you didn't see him, you weren't going out of your way to actively search. Still, the tiny seed of disappointment that appeared at the end of each walk didn't deter you.  

Truth was, you wanted to get to know him a little more. He was probably one of the friendliest strangers you've ever met, and it was a bonus that he loved dogs. You thought back to the last encounter, and the sketch of the park he was working on. You wouldn't have pegged him as an artist from his demeanor and style. Hell, he seemed more like a casual cowboy. But you knew better than to judge a book by its cover. 

You continued walking along the path, only partly paying attention as Brody happily strode alongside you, his ball in his mouth knowing that his daily game of fetch would be soon. Your eyes lazily scanned the landscape, not really focusing on anything as more thoughts churned in your mind. You knew you had some chores to do after this, including tending to the lawn that started to grow too tall. Some dark clouds in the distance however might delay that, unless you were quick with-- 

The sudden feel of the leash going taut surprised you, and you barely had enough time to regain your balance before Brody made you face plant into the path. Steadying yourself, your other hand grabbed the leash and held tight. 

“Brody!” You snapped, watching as he tried to win the tug of war battle, tail going a million miles. Glancing ahead, you saw what got him excited. 

Who got him excited. 

Your shock was just enough for your strength to falter, and Brody ripped free, charging toward Arthur in pure excitement. Brody jumped up on the man, as Arthur expertly managed to keep whatever he was holding out of your damned dog’s reach. Arthur’s face was full of delight, laughing as Brody continued the happy assault. his paw managed to catch Arthur in the crook of his arm, making the man spill what looked like iced coffee all over the ground. 

You lunged for his leash, yanking him back with all your might. “God damnit, Brody!” You growled. “Enough!” 

All that time spent training for what, your dog to get overly excited over this man? You stared at the ruined coffee in dismay, and then looked up at Arthur, expecting to see irritation all over his face. Instead, it was just amusement. 

“I'm so sorry,” you gasped, heart pounding from the sudden exertion. “I can get you another drink!” 

Arthur glanced down at the coffee, then back to you. There still was no annoyance or exasperation on his face like you expected. “No use cryin’ over a three dollar coffee,” he said with a small shrug. 

“Still,” you said, finally managing to get Brody to calm down at your side. “it's my fault my idiot of a dog made you drop it.” 

Arthur gave a small chuckle. With a slight shake of his head, he replied, “He's jus’ excited.” 

“He knows better,” you insisted. “And please, let me buy you a new coffee. Three dollars or not, I know what it's like to go without your daily caffeine.” 

The smile on his face widened slightly. “If you’re insistin’,” he said thoughtfully. “Then I'll buy you one as well.” 

This caught you off guard. “Uh, that's not necessary, Arthur. I'm—” 

He waved away your refusal. “S’only fair. Besides, seems like you need the energy to keep up with this one.” 

Only fair for what? You had to wonder. The question played on the edge of your tongue, but the way Arthur gazed at you expectantly...it drew you up short. His handsome features weren't lost to you, and you remembered that time beneath the trees, caught up in examining the finer details. The way he did the same... 

Realization struck you like a bolt of lightning. “Are you...asking me out?” You asked suddenly. 

Arthur’s smile turned sheepish, his demeanor slightly folding in a picture of shyness that reminded you of a middle schooler. “Hopin’ you'd say yes,” he said in a roundabout way of answering your question. 

Heat flushed in your cheeks as your thoughts spiraled. This was completely shocking and unexpected, but not at all unpleasant. Hadn't you offhandedly wished you could run into him again? 

“Uh...yes,” you finally breathed out. “I'll go for a coffee with you.” 

Arthur was beaming. 

Youd just managed to get home to drop Brody off before the telltale roll of thunder boomed through the iron clouds. A gust of wind followed, pulling along the scent of rain. The coffee shop Arthur told you to go to was thankfully a few blocks away, which meant a short trip in your car. 

Parking just a half block away, fat raindrops began their descent just as you hustled toward the shop. You made it through the door just before the torrential downpour began, and you sighed in relief before facing the interior of the shop. It was cozy, with a color scheme of warm oranges and browns that somewhat reminded you of the desert. The counter with two baristas were along the back wall. A few small tables scattered around the open floor. It wasn't really busy, the shop sporting what seemed to be just four other people. It was early afternoon on a weekday, so the small crowd made sense. The storm outside muted the interior noises, setting an even cozier ambience. 

You heard your name called, and you glanced over to the corner to see Arthur waiting for you. Smiling at him, you approached and stopped just a few feet before him. “Hey again.” 

He greeted you with a smile of his own and a tilt of his head. “Looks like you didn't get caught in the storm,” he observed. 

“Almost,” you said with a shrug. “Guess that ruins any chance of sitting outside.” 

“S’alright, I don't mind sittin’ inside,” he said, moving up to the counter to which you followed suit. 

The both of you placed your orders, and Arthur whipped out his wallet and paid for yours before you even had a chance to unzip your purse. Despite your efforts to decline, he insisted and paid for your drink and a snack. After retrieving the cold drinks, he led you to a small table pushed up against one of the windows.  

At first it was quiet. It’d been a while since you’d been on a date, and you idly toyed with the straw of your drink to better mix the concoction settled at the bottom before taking a sip. It was good. 

Glancing up, you saw Arthur was doing the same, his eyes cast down at the drink before him. There was a sheepish, almost shy look on his face, reminding you of earlier when first asking you out. It seemed without the intervention of Brody, Arthur was a man of few words. 

He looked up then, meeting your gaze at an instant. “How’s your drink?” he asked. 

“It’s good,” you responded, wondering how else to combat the awkwardness slowly rising. “Yours?” 

“No different than the one before,” he said with a small smile. 

Earlier shame from Brody’s misbehavior flooded your cheeks. “I’m so sorry. Brody’s usually so much better than that. I don’t know what about you makes him go crazy.” 

“Must be my winnin’ personality,” he joked, picking up the blueberry muffin he’d purchased and took a bite out of it. 

That made you smile a little. “I suppose it is,” you thought back to your previous encounters. “Did you finish that sketch from before?” 

Arthur paused for a moment, no doubt trying to remember. Finally, he nodded. “Wanna see?” 

You blinked in surprise, wondering if you’d somehow missed the large sketchpad. Before you could glance around for the obviously missing item, he pulled out his phone from his pocket. It took a moment before he turned the screen to you, producing a photo of the familiar sketch. The scene of the park seemed to appear more detailed than before, along with an addition that surprised you. 

The pawprint Brody had so kindly bestowed on the paper had been faint but noticeable before, but now it seemed more prominent. Your brow furrowed, wondering if his paw had been dirtier than you remembered that day. Upon closer inspection, though, you saw that wasn’t the case. 

Careful strokes and shading showed that Arthur enhanced the pawprint, blending it effortlessly into the rest of the sketch, appearing as if it were intentional. 

You once again blinked in surprise. “You...outlined the pawprint,” you said rather dumbly. 

“Thought it’d be neat,” he responded nonchalantly. 

Somehow...that warmed your heart. It perhaps was an insignificant little thing. Arthur could have just ignored it entirely or drawn over it, or hell, even scrap the entire drawing afterward. But he didn’t. He incorporated your dog’s “contribution” into his art without a second thought. 

Your heart stammered a moment, and once again you found yourself at a loss for words. 

“I also...” Arthur reached with his free hand to scroll, showing another image. “Drew him.” 

Your eyes focused on the new drawing, your breath catching in your throat. He seemed to capture Brody in a moment of play, the glee on the dog’s face apparent as he chased a tennis ball through the bushes. 

“That...” you swallowed the well of emotion that rose. Why did that affect you in such a way? “That’s amazing, Arthur. You’re really talented.” 

“Thanks,” he said, pulling his phone back. “A dog like him really leaves an impression on ya.” 

A small giggle bubbled from your mouth. “In more ways than one, apparently. I’m glad you like him, even when he’s being a pain in the ass.” 

The chuckle he gave matched yours. “He’s a good friend, n’ I hope I can see more of the both of ya in the future.” 

Heat swarmed your cheeks and your gaze dropped to your drink, your heart humming beneath your ribcage. The smile on your lips was shy. “As long as I get to see more of your art,” you replied, peering back up at him. 

He dipped his head in a nod. “I think that can be arranged.”