#Canadian Call Centers

[call2customer121]

The Impact of Technical Call Center Services on Organizational Success

Introduction

Imagine this scenario: you're a customer with a pressing technical issue, desperately seeking assistance. You call the customer support helpline, only to be greeted by an uninterested representative who seems clueless about resolving your problem. Frustrating, right? Now, picture the opposite – a friendly and knowledgeable agent who not only understands your issue but also provides efficient solutions in no time. That's where technical call center services come into play! In today's fast-paced world, businesses understand that impeccable customer service is key to success. And when it comes to resolving complex technical queries and providing exceptional support, technical call centers are the unsung heroes of organizational triumphs. In this blog post, we will explore how technical call center services have become indispensable for companies across various industries in achieving their goals and satisfying their customers' needs.

The Need for Technical Call Center Services

As businesses grow, their customer base expands and so does the complexity of their products or services. This growth necessitates a robust system to handle customer queries, complaints, and concerns effectively. This is where technical support in call center comes into play.

Technical call center services are specifically designed to address complex inquiries related to a company's offerings. These could range from software troubleshooting for tech companies, financial transactions for banks, or even product usage instructions for manufacturing firms.

In today’s competitive business landscape where customers demand instant solutions, having an efficient technical support team can make all the difference. It ensures that you don't lose valuable clients due to unresolved problems or frustrations with your service.

It's not just about resolving issues though; it's also about enhancing the overall customer experience. By providing timely assistance and expert guidance when most needed, these skilled professionals bridge gaps between your business and its customers while fostering positive relationships.

The Benefits of Technical Call Center Services

Technical call center services offer numerous benefits to organizations. One of the key advantages is the ability to provide efficient and effective customer support. With technical expertise and knowledge, call center agents can address complex technical issues faced by customers in a timely manner.

Another benefit of technical call center services for Dubai is increased customer satisfaction. When customers receive prompt and accurate resolutions to their problems, they are more likely to have a positive experience with the organization. This can lead to higher customer retention rates and word-of-mouth referrals.

Additionally, technical call centers help organizations save costs by outsourcing their support functions. By utilizing trained professionals who specialize in handling technical queries, companies can reduce the need for expensive in-house resources and infrastructure.

Furthermore, leveraging technical call center services enables organizations to focus on their core competencies without being burdened by time-consuming customer inquiries. This allows them to allocate resources toward innovation and business growth initiatives. In today's global economy, the availability of round-the-clock support through technical call centers is crucial for businesses operating across different time zones or serving international markets. It ensures that customers always have access to assistance whenever they need it.

Investing in quality technical call center services has a significant impact on an organization's success. From improved customer satisfaction to cost savings and operational efficiency, these services play a vital role in enhancing organizational performance.

The Impact of Technical Call Center Services on Organizational Success

In today's fast-paced business environment, organizations rely heavily on technology to streamline their operations and provide efficient customer service. One key aspect of this is technical call center services. These specialized teams are trained to handle a wide range of technical issues and provide timely solutions to customers.

When organizations invest in technical call center services, they experience several benefits that directly contribute to their overall success. These services help enhance customer satisfaction by providing prompt and effective solutions to their technical problems. Customers appreciate the convenience of having a dedicated support team available around the clock.

Technical call center services improve organizational efficiency by offloading the burden of handling complex technical issues from internal resources. This allows employees to focus on core tasks without getting bogged down by troubleshooting IT problems.

Moreover, outsourcing technical support in call centers can lead to cost savings for organizations. By utilizing specialized expertise available at competitive rates, companies can reduce overhead expenses associated with maintaining an in-house support team.

Additionally, when organizations partner with Canadian Call Centers or utilize Call Center Services for Dubai (in alignment with specific geographical needs), they gain access to a global talent pool capable of addressing diverse customer requirements across different time zones. The impact of technical call center services on organizational success cannot be overstated. They play a crucial role in enhancing customer satisfaction, improving operational efficiency, reducing costs and expanding market reach – all factors that contribute significantly towards achieving long-term success in today's competitive landscape.

Technical Call Center Services: A Key to Organizational Success

In today's fast-paced and technology-driven world, organizations rely heavily on technical call center services to ensure their success. These services play a key role in providing efficient and effective customer support for various technical issues. Whether it's troubleshooting software problems or assisting with hardware malfunctions, a skilled technical support team can make all the difference.

One of the primary benefits of technical call center services is the ability to provide round-the-clock assistance. Customers are no longer restricted by office hours; they expect immediate solutions at any time of day or night. By offering 24/7 availability, organizations can enhance their customer satisfaction levels and build strong relationships with their clients.

Furthermore, technical call centers offer specialized expertise in handling complex technical issues. Their trained professionals possess in-depth knowledge about specific products or software systems, allowing them to quickly identify and resolve problems. This level of expertise not only saves time but also ensures that customers receive accurate solutions tailored to their needs.

Another important aspect of technical call center services is that they help streamline business operations. By outsourcing these tasks to dedicated professionals, organizations can focus on core competencies while leaving the intricacies of technical support in capable hands. This allows businesses to allocate resources more efficiently and improve overall productivity.

Additionally, implementing reliable technical call center services enhances organizational reputation and brand image. When customers experience prompt and satisfactory resolutions to their technical queries, they develop trust and confidence in the organization's products or services. Positive word-of-mouth referrals from satisfied customers further strengthen an organization's market position.

Moreover, leveraging Canadian Call Centers or Call Center Services specifically for Dubai-based companies offers additional advantages such as cultural compatibility and language proficiency for better customer experiences across diverse regions.

conclusion

Technical call center services play a vital role in ensuring that organizations thrive in today's competitive landscape. By offering cost-effective solutions with top-notch customer service experiences around the clock through Canadian or Dubai-based centers, businesses can gain a competitive edge over their rivals.

To harness this power effectively requires careful consideration when selecting a partner among the myriad options available today so that they align with your specific needs.

[aurantiumred]

my boyfriend just described wills accent as "sounding like cornbread and butter" like the real cornbread from the south, like the GOOD stuffs, and i fear no one else has ever been more correct.

[just-wublrful]

not to be obnoxious on main but classic literature is not global literature. it's western literature at best

[mostlysignssomeportents]

It all started with a mouse

For the public domain, time stopped in 1998, when the Sonny Bono Copyright Act froze copyright expirations for 20 years. In 2019, time started again, with a massive crop of works from 1923 returning to the public domain, free for all to use and adapt:

https://web.law.duke.edu/cspd/publicdomainday/2019/

No one is better at conveying the power of the public domain than Jennifer Jenkins and James Boyle, who run the Duke Center for the Study of the Public Domain. For years leading up to 2019, the pair published an annual roundup of what we would have gotten from the public domain in a universe where the 1998 Act never passed. Since 2019, they've switched to celebrating what we're actually getting each year. Last year's was a banger:

https://pluralistic.net/2022/12/20/free-for-2023/#oy-canada

But while there's been moderate excitement at the publicdomainification of "Yes, We Have No Bananas," AA Milne's "Now We Are Six," and Sherlock Holmes, the main event that everyone's anticipated arrives on January 1, 2024, when Mickey Mouse enters the public domain.

The first appearance of Mickey Mouse was in 1928's Steamboat Willie. Disney was critical to the lobbying efforts that extended copyright in 1976 and again in 1998, so much so that the 1998 Act is sometimes called the Mickey Mouse Protection Act. Disney and its allies were so effective at securing these regulatory gifts that many people doubted that this day would ever come. Surely Disney would secure another retrospective copyright term extension before Jan 1, 2024. I had long arguments with comrades about this – people like Project Gutenberg founder Michael S Hart (RIP) were fatalistically certain the public domain would never come back.

But they were wrong. The public outrage over copyright term extensions came too late to stave off the slow-motion arson of the 1976 and 1998 Acts, but it was sufficient to keep a third extension away from the USA. Canada wasn't so lucky: Justin Trudeau let Trump bully him into taking 20 years' worth of works out of Canada's public domain in the revised NAFTA agreement, making swathes of works by living Canadian authors illegal at the stroke of a pen, in a gift to the distant descendants of long-dead foreign authors.

Now, with Mickey's liberation bare days away, there's a mounting sense of excitement and unease. Will Mickey actually be free? The answer is a resounding YES! (albeit with a few caveats). In a prelude to this year's public domain roundup, Jennifer Jenkins has published a full and delightful guide to The Mouse and IP from Jan 1 on:

https://web.law.duke.edu/cspd/mickey/

Disney loves the public domain. Its best-loved works, from The Sorcerer's Apprentice to Sleeping Beauty, Pinnocchio to The Little Mermaid, are gorgeous, thoughtful, and lively reworkings of material from the public domain. Disney loves the public domain – we just wish it would share.

Disney loves copyright's other flexibilities, too, like fair use. Walt told the papers that he took his inspiration for Steamboat Willie from Charlie Chaplin and Douglas Fairbanks, making fair use of their performances to imbue Mickey with his mischief and derring do. Disney loves fair use – we just wish it would share.

Disney loves copyright's limitations. Steamboat Willie was inspired by Buster Keaton's silent film Steamboat Bill (titles aren't copyrightable). Disney loves copyright's limitations – we just wish it would share.

As Jenkins writes, Disney's relationship to copyright is wildly contradictory. It's the poster child for the public domain's power as a source of inspiration for worthy (and profitable) new works. It's also the chief villain in the impoverishment and near-extinction of the public domain. Truly, every pirate wants to be an admiral.

Disney's reliance on – and sabotage of – the public domain is ironic. Jenkins compares it to "an oil company relying on solar power to run its rigs." Come January 1, Disney will have to share.

Now, if you've heard anything about this, you've probably been told that Mickey isn't really entering the public domain. Between trademark claims and later copyrightable elements of Mickey's design, Mickey's status will be too complex to understand. That's totally wrong.

Jenkins illustrates the relationship between these three elements in (what else) a Mickey-shaped Venn diagram. Topline: you can use all the elements of Mickey that are present in Steamboat Willie, along with some elements that were added later, provided that you make it clear that your work isn't affiliated with Disney.

Let's unpack that. The copyrightable status of a character used to be vague and complex, but several high-profile cases have brought clarity to the question. The big one is Les Klinger's case against the Arthur Conan Doyle estate over Sherlock Holmes. That case established that when a character appears in both public domain and copyrighted works, the character is in the public domain, and you are "free to copy story elements from the public domain works":

https://freesherlock.files.wordpress.com/2013/12/klinger-order-on-motion-for-summary-judgment-c.pdf

This case was appealed all the way to the Supreme Court, who declined to hear it. It's settled law.

So, which parts of Mickey aren't going into the public domain? Elements that came later: white gloves, color. But that doesn't mean you can't add different gloves, or different colorways. The idea of a eyes with pupils is not copyrightable – only the specific eyes that Disney added.

Other later elements that don't qualify for copyright: a squeaky mouse voice, being adorable, doing jaunty dances, etc. These are all generic characteristics of cartoon mice, and they're free for you to use. Jenkins is more cautious on whether you can give your Mickey red shorts. She judges that "a single, bright, primary color for an article of clothing does not meet the copyrightability threshold" but without settled law, you might wanna change the colors.

But what about trademark? For years, Disney has included a clip from Steamboat Willie at the start of each of its films. Many observers characterized this as a bid to create a de facto perpetual copyright, by making Steamboat Willie inescapably associated with products from Disney, weaving an impassable web of trademark tripwires around it.

But trademark doesn't prevent you from using Steamboat Willie. It only prevents you from misleading consumers "into thinking your work is produced or sponsored by Disney." Trademarks don't expire so long as they're in use, but uses that don't create confusion are fair game under trademark.

Copyrights and trademarks can overlap. Mickey Mouse is a copyrighted character, but he's also an indicator that a product or service is associated with Disney. While Mickey's copyright expires in a couple weeks, his trademark doesn't. What happens to an out-of-copyright work that is still a trademark?

Luckily for us, this is also a thoroughly settled case. As in, this question was resolved in a unanimous 2000 Supreme Court ruling, Dastar v. Twentieth Century Fox. A live trademark does not extend an expired copyright. As the Supremes said:

[This would] create a species of mutant copyright law that limits the public’s federal right to copy and to use expired copyrights.

This elaborates on the Ninth Circuit's 1996 Maljack Prods v Goodtimes Home Video Corp:

[Trademark][ cannot be used to circumvent copyright law. If material covered by copyright law has passed into the public domain, it cannot then be protected by the Lanham Act without rendering the Copyright Act a nullity.

Despite what you might have heard, there is no ambiguity here. Copyrights can't be extended through trademark. Period. Unanimous Supreme Court Decision. Boom. End of story. Done.

But even so, there are trademark considerations in how you use Steamboat Willie after Jan 1, but these considerations are about protecting the public, not Disney shareholders. Your uses can't be misleading. People who buy or view your Steamboat Willie media or products have to be totally clear that your work comes from you, not Disney.

Avoiding confusion will be very hard for some uses, like plush toys, or short idents at the beginning of feature films. For most uses, though, a prominent disclaimer will suffice. The copyright page for my 2003 debut novel Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom contains this disclaimer:

This novel is a work of fiction, set in an imagined future. All the characters and events portrayed in this book, including the imagined future of the Magic Kingdom, are either fictitious or are used fictitiously. The Walt Disney Company has not authorized or endorsed this novel.

https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250196385/downandoutinthemagickingdom

Here's the Ninth Circuit again:

When a public domain work is copied, along with its title, there is little likelihood of confusion when even the most minimal steps are taken to distinguish the publisher of the original from that of the copy. The public is receiving just what it believes it is receiving—the work with which the title has become associated. The public is not only unharmed, it is unconfused.

Trademark has many exceptions. The First Amendment protects your right to use trademarks in expressive ways, for example, to recreate famous paintings with Barbie dolls:

https://www.copyright.gov/fair-use/summaries/mattel-walkingmountain-9thcir2003.pdf

And then there's "nominative use": it's not a trademark violation to use a trademark to accurately describe a trademarked thing. "We fix iPhones" is not a trademark violation. Neither is 'Works with HP printers.' This goes double for "expressive" uses of trademarks in new works of art:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rogers_v._Grimaldi

What about "dilution"? Trademark protects a small number of superbrands from uses that "impair the distinctiveness or harm the reputation of the famous mark, even when there is no consumer confusion." Jenkins says that the Mickey silhouette and the current Mickey character designs might be entitled to protection from dilution, but Steamboat Willie doesn't make the cut.

Jenkins closes with a celebration of the public domain's ability to inspire new works, like Disney's Three Musketeers, Disney's Christmas Carol, Disney's Beauty and the Beast, Disney's Around the World in 80 Days, Disney's Alice in Wonderland, Disney's Snow White, Disney's Hunchback of Notre Dame, Disney's Sleeping Beauty, Disney's Cinderella, Disney's Little Mermaid, Disney's Pinocchio, Disney's Huck Finn, Disney's Robin Hood, and Disney's Aladdin. These are some of the best-loved films of the past century, and made Disney a leading example of what talented, creative people can do with the public domain.

As of January 1, Disney will start to be an example of what talented, creative people give back to the public domain, joining Dickens, Dumas, Carroll, Verne, de Villeneuve, the Brothers Grimm, Twain, Hugo, Perrault and Collodi.

Public domain day is 17 days away. Creators of all kinds: start your engines!

If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/12/15/mouse-liberation-front/#free-mickey

Image: Doo Lee (modified) https://web.law.duke.edu/sites/default/files/images/centers/cspd/pdd2024/mickey/Steamboat-WIllie-Enters-Public-Domain.jpeg

CC BY 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/deed.en

[canadac2c]

Canadian Call Centers

Canadian Call Center Services provides you excellent world class inbound and outbound services like lead generations, appointment settings, customer services, technical support and many more. Our expert agents have expertise in handling customer’s queries in real-time, delivering relevant and meaningful messages to the prospects to brand your company.

[gyudons]

During the last practice in Pittsburgh before the holiday break, Sidney Crosby brought cookies to the rink along with, of course, some banana bread – “his mom’s famous recipe,” Marcus Pettersson said with a grin. “He’s got a little addiction,” Kris Letang added.

Crosby bakes for the group periodically throughout the season, one of many thoughtful gestures the Penguins captain makes for his teammates – impressive from anyone, much less someone of his stature. During this season of giving, Pettersson and Rickard Rakell had been marveling at the captain’s generous nature that very day.

“Me and Raks were actually just joking around about how good he is with giving gifts,” Pettersson said. “I don't know if he has a thought behind it about when he retires, that he is expecting a lot of gifts back from everybody (laughs). But I don't think so. I think he’s just a great guy.”

Crosby goes above and beyond to mark occasions for the people around him, whether it’s a holiday, a career achievement, or simply a memorable experience. His capacity to do all of that, in addition to continuing to be an elite talent at age 36 and an unparalleled leader, is remarkable.

Evgeni Malkin, Crosby’s fellow franchise center and teammate for nearly two decades, said, “It’s almost like he’s the perfect player, perfect friend. Some guys win just one Stanley Cup, they think they’re like a god, you know? But Sid, never. You see everybody wants to play here, first of all, it’s because of Sid.”

Letang joked that he wasn’t going to use the word perfect, “because there’s nothing perfect,” he laughed. “But he always makes sure everybody is taken care of, and they’re having a good time. He loves to get to know people. For me, what he did for my dad last year… the banana bread stuff… it’s just a way of looking at things, you never want to leave some people behind. There’s not a specific gesture that comes to mind, because it’s such a daily thing for him.”

Tyson Barrie, was touched by something the captain did for his agent, Bayne Pettinger, who had previously worked for Team Canada. Pettinger had been sitting with Crosby at another one of those BioSteel camps, which was in Montreal. At the time, Pettinger had recently come out as gay and mentioned in passing to Crosby how he thought the Pride warmup jerseys were so cool.

“Bayner FaceTimed me a couple months later, almost in tears,” Barrie said. “The concierge at his condo called him and was like hey, there’s a big package here for you, can you come down and grab it? Turns out Sid had gotten a Pride jersey framed for Bayner. He wrote, ‘Bayner, proud of you.’ That’s the kind of guy he is. You'll never hear about any of this stuff. He's just always doing stuff under the radar. He’s just a special guy.”

merry christmas! here’s a sweet little story about canadian hockey star sidney crosby

[sourcherryandsprinkles]

Jace hockey Au where Cregan is captain and jace and reader are fwb. They inevitably catch feelings. One try to distance from the other, but Jace get hurt when you’re not at the game (hospital hurt) and maybe something about aegon hurting him and being in another team? I NEED a hockey au!!!!!!

Although I'm Canadian and should know a lot about hockey, my knowledge comes from going to my little cousin's games a few years ago and the hockey smut books from booktok. Don't take anything too seriously, there's high chances I made mistakes

Also, this is 3.2k and I don't know how I got there. Enjoy!

Warnings: 18+, smut, p+v, mention of fingering,

my taglists are here + you can send requests here at any time

—

Tonight’s game against the Falcons had everyone on the edge of their seats up until the last second. The score was a tie and, with less than three minutes to the third period, the chances of winning before hearing the end buzzer were slim. Very slim. But not impossible because Jacaerys — thanks to a great pass from Cregan — skated his way to scoring the winning goal.

Music blared from the speakers of the frat house when the last of the Wolves bustled through the door, fresh out of their post-game showers and ready to party. 

Cregan and Jacaerys were at the front of the group, the former’s arm thrown over Jace’s shoulders and shaking him as everyone inside cheered and whooped for them. 

‘’Here come the MVP of the night!’’ Cregan shouted over the noise. ‘’Someone bring him a beer!’’ 

The chaos at the door pulled your attention from the story Baela was telling you, your eyes focussed on Jace who was laughing under his teammate’s enthusiastic grip, his dark curls still slightly damp from the shower.

Goddamn, he looked gorgeous. 

Baela smirked and nudged you. ‘’Looks like your boy just came in,’’ she pointed out, nodding towards the entrance where Jace was standing, still surrounded by the cheering crowd.

You tore your eyes away from Jacaerys. ‘’He’s not ‘my boy’,’’ you told her for the third time, rolling your eyes as you took a sip of your drink. ‘’We’re just friends.’’ 

‘’Whatever makes you sleep at night,’’ she teased, a knowing glint in her eyes. ‘’Or not sleep.’’ 

You mentally groaned. If you had been more careful, she would never have had this awkward run-in with Jace last Wednesday at the dorm and therefore would not know about you fucking the Wolves’ center player on the side. 

A beer was brought to him and he took a long and deserved gulp. More of his teammates crowded around him, accompanied by a hoard of puck bunnies. They were easy to recognize as they only hung around hockey players at parties. Most of the time, they didn’t know much about hockey, they only wanted to stroke a player’s ego in hopes of getting in their pants. 

You grimaced at the blonde hanging at Jacaerys’ arm and left to look for Rhaena, pulling Baela along.  

Later into the night, you were talking to Rhaena about Baela’s last Tinder date disaster when you felt a hand on the small of your back. Usually, you would have pushed them off you, but the smirk on Baela’s face told you exactly who it was. As if the woodsy cologne wasn’t enough.

‘’There you are,’’ he said to you, a beer in his other hand, then turned to the twins. ‘’Did you girls enjoy the game tonight?’’ 

Attending the Wolves' hockey games on Fridays had become a routine with your friends. It was a great way to unwind from school and encourage college peers. You used to go alone with Rhaena as you were both friends with Jace, but Baela began tagging along when she found out how hot their captain was. 

‘’Rhaena had to bail on this one. One of the baristas called in so she had to take an extra shift at the campus coffee house,’’ you explained. 

Rhaena nodded, annoyance toward her co-worker visible in her face. ‘’I heard you scored the winning goal. Congratulation!’’ She extended her arm to clink her beer with Jace’s. 

He thanked her, his hand slipping underneath your shirt to stroke your soft skin. You leaned into his touch, pleased with the discreet intimate touch. 

‘’So, how does it feel to be the hero of the night?’’ Baela asked, smirking again. 

Jace rubbed the back of his neck, his dark curls bouncing slightly. ‘’I would not call myself a hero,’’ he corrected, a shy smile at the corner of his lips. ‘’I couldn’t have done it without Cregan’s pass.’’ 

Across the kitchen, the girl who’d attached herself to his arm earlier seemed less than happy he was talking to the three of you. When Jace spotted her, he groaned. 

‘’Not again… I’ve been running from Clemence for the past ten minutes. Some girls can’t take a hint.’’ He didn’t want to leave — you didn’t want him to either —, but running from puck bunnies was sometimes easier than dealing with them. ‘’I’ll see you later?’’ he said to you, cocking an eyebrow as he waited for your answer. 

You nodded, impatient to get your mouth on that dick. 

⁂

‘’Do that again!’’ you begged, completely forgetting about the other Wolves players who had their rooms nearby. 

Below you, Jace gripped your hips and gave another upward thrust, making you gasp in delight as his cock hit every single good place inside of you. 

‘’Ah, yes!’’ Bracing your hands on his abs, you threw your head back, your perky tits swaying as you moved your hips and bounced on his cock, riding him until your legs were shaking from pain. ‘’I’m gonna come, I’m gonna come,’’ you warned, starting to feel yourself approaching the edge.

Getting the message, Jace brought his hand to where you were joined and rubbed your swollen clit with his thumb until a long, drawn out moan left your lips, your orgasm hitting you like a brick wall, your pussy spasming around him.

You collapsed on Jacaerys’ chest, out of breath and eyes rolling into the back of your head as he continued to fuck into you, drawing out your orgasm until he finally reached his own. 

Despite the ache in your legs, you moved off him and flopped on the bed while Jace ran a hand through his hair. ‘’That was your reward for the goal you scored tonight,’’ you said, making Jace laugh as he tossed the condom in the trash. 

He rearranged his body so his head was on the pillow instead of the mattress, tiredness catching him after his game and the sex. ‘’I’ll try to score goal like that more often.’’ 

You joined him in his laughter. 

⁂

The next Friday, the Wolves were playing out of town…in another state. You tried to get a spot on the supporter bus, but all spots were already taken, forcing you to miss the game.  

You busied yourself for the night, making the last corrections on your paper that was due on Monday. It should have been finished days ago, but you got…distracted. 

At around 10pm, your phone buzzed with a text when Jace made it back to the bus. It was a picture of him in the darkness of the bus, a big winning grin on his face.

Jace: I expect a victory kiss when I get back 

Victory kiss he got when you saw him on Saturday at the Omega Phi party. 

⁂

When you started college, you promised yourself to never be the girl who gets fucked in a bathroom at parties, but here you were with your tits out and Jacaerys’s skilled hand under your dress. And you had absolutely no regrets. It was part of the college experience. 

You rearranged the bottom of your dress before slipping out of the bathroom and looking for your friends. Music pounded in your ears as you walked through the people, searching for a white-haired girl in a blue skirt. 

Baela had worn her most flattering skirt, set on getting Cregan’s attention tonight. They knew each other, but she was tired of being overshadowed by puck bunnies playing dumb or flashing their tits in his face. 

‘’Did you speak to Cregan yet?’’ you asked once you found her in the kitchen. ‘’I saw him in the living room with Benjen and Niklaus. No girls in sight. This is your chance if you—’’ 

Baela interrupted you, noticing the wrinkles on your dress and a mark on your neck.  ‘’Please tell me you were not doing what I think in a random person’s bedroom? Do you know the risks of getting an STI?’’ 

You poured yourself a drink, avoiding her eyes. ‘’I was not…doing that. I was also not not doing that,’’ you said, taking a sip to hide your smile behind your red cup. 

⁂

After Sunday practice, you met Jace and Cregan at the pancake place just outside campus. 

‘’Sorry, I’m late!’’ you apologized, walking over to their table in a sweatshirt and leggings. No other attire was acceptable on Sundays. ‘’I couldn’t find my dorm key and Baela’s dad is here for the weekend, so she was already out when I woke up.’’ 

Jace shook his head. ‘’It’s fine. I ordered for you already.’’

You slid into the booth, your stomach growling in appreciation. ‘’Thanks, I’m starving. Have you guys heard about Cassandra from Zeta Alpha Zeta? According to Rhaena, she was caught leaving a bedroom with Marcus at Omega Phi’s party…if you know what I mean.’’ 

There were likely kids at this restaurant, so you switched some of the vocabulary to spare their young ears and not receive looks from parents.

‘’The guy on the swim team?’’ Jace asked, raising an eyebrow.

You hummed as you took a sip of his berry smoothie, and dove deeper into campus gossips. Working at the coffee house had its perks: you were hearing all sorts of dramas. 

Before you, Cregan seemed less interested in the gossip than you and Jace, but he humored you with a nod. ‘’We can switch so you can sit next to your girlfriend,’’ he offered, starting to stand up, but Jace was quick to correct him.

‘’We’re not dating,’’ Jace said, a little too fast for your liking. ‘’We’re just friends.’’ 

Cregan snickered, settling back into his seat. 

⁂

You hated yourself for staying for a movie after sex, but you were unable to say ‘no’ to Jace’s Puss in Boots pout. Besides, you were friends before you added the benefits part. Watching movies was part of the things you did together. 

As the movie played, Jace broke the silence. ‘’I tried to call you this afternoon, and it went to voicemail. I thought you didn’t have any classes?’’ 

‘’I didn’t. I went to the library,’’ you replied, your eyes still on the screen, trying to keep it casual.  ‘’I was studying with a guy from my English class.’’ 

‘’A guy?’’ Jace’s eyes narrowed.

‘’Aemond. He’s in my English class—’’ 

‘’Are you kidding? Aemond?’’ Jace sat up, sheets pooling around his waist. He recognized the name instantly. ‘’You need to stay away from this guy. His brother is captain of the Dragons — our rival team. The same guy who bullied me at hockey camp when I was a kid. He’s probably just asking you out to piss me off.’’

A laugh escaped your lips, more incredulous than amused. ‘’Why would he do such a thing? Aemond is a nice guy.’’

Jace's frustration boiled over. ‘’You don't get it! That whole family is fucking snakes. During my rookie year, Aegon and I were in a corner of the ice and he chucked one of his teammates from behind and blamed me. I was benched for misconduct and not allowed to play for three weeks. And right now you’re giving him material to piss me off!’’ 

You sighed, still on your defenses. Being part of the same family doesn’t make him the same as his brother. ‘’Just because his brother was nasty to you doesn’t mean Aemond’s a bad person.’’ 

‘’He is! We play against the Dragons this Friday. Aegon is probably scheming something…’’ Jace ran a hand through his tousled brown hair, his voice rising. ‘’What are you doing?’’ 

‘’I’m leaving,’’ you said firmly, pushing off the bed. 

You moved around the room, searching for your things, fed up with arguing over an old hockey rivalry. What a moodkill to your night! You slipped your shirt on without another word and without bothering to look for your bra. Before leaving, you grabbed your jacket from the back of the desk chair, uncovering Jace's hockey hoodie, a stark reminder of what just set off this argument.

⁂

Three days went by without hearing from Jace. You saw him on campus yesterday, and he switched directions as soon as he spotted you. It was clear he was avoiding you, and you were doing the same.

Back in your dorm, you watched Baela getting ready, her makeup scattered across her bed. She hummed softly to a Taylor Swift song as she applied her lipstick. 

‘’I was kind of hoping we would have a girls night with Rhaena. Facemasks, sushi and rom-coms, like we used to,’’ you said, sitting on your bed, your voice tinged with disappointment. ‘’It's been so long since we last had one. I think the last time was for your birthday…which was three months ago.’’

Baela glanced at you, a sympathetic smile tugging at her lips. ‘’I know, I miss our girls nights too. But I’m seeing Cregan in fifteen minutes.’’ An exhilarated smile spread on her glossed lips. ‘’Oh my god, I can’t believe it’s happening!’’

You were genuinely happy for her, but a small part of you couldn’t help but wish Cregan would call and cancel at the last minute. Did that make you a shitty friend?

‘’Have you spoken to Jace?’’

You shook your head, fiddling with the bottom of your sweater. It’s difficult to talk to someone when you’re actively avoiding each other. 

Baela sighed, knowing drama would erupt when you agreed to this friends with benefits thing. She’s seen enough movies to know how it always ends. She reached for her shoes and purse, ready to leave. ‘’Rhaena is working the closing shift, so if you’re really lonely you can call her. I don’t know when I’ll be back.’’ 

You nodded and wished her a good time for her date. 

After she was gone, you hesitated for a moment before deciding to reach out to Aemond and asking if he wanted to get coffee. 

⁂

On Friday, Baela and Rhaena were at the game, so you found yourself alone watching Netflix in bed. The new rom-com starring Sidney Sweeney had just hit the streaming service and you were impatient to see it. The male protagonist had nothing appealing, but the storyline sounded fun. 

You were half-way through your bag of Skittles when your phone buzzed with multiple messages. You expected some of them to be from the girls updating you on the game, but you were surprised to see they were from Cregan Stark. 

Cregan: Hey, it’s Cregan. I don’t know where you are, but your boyfriend got hurt at the game. It’s bad. 

You almost corrected him about the use of ‘boyfriend’, but your heart stopped as you read the next messages. 

Cregan: Him and Aegon got into an argument before the game outside the arena and it carried on on the ice. During the third period, Aegon checked Jace and he flew right into the boards. He went down hard and got knocked unconscious. The medic team took him in an ambulance. 

Cregan: He’s at the hospital. Please come. 

You stared at the screen, the words blurring as panic set in. Just because you were not on speaking terms at the moment didn’t mean you didn’t care about him. 

You scrambled off the bed, grabbing your dorm keys and shoes with trembling hands. Within moments, you were out the door, your heart pounding as you took a cab to the hospital. Please be okay. Please be okay.

The journey there felt like an eternity. You re-read Cregan’s messages over again, the twins’s messages coming in at the same time. You ignored them, too into panic mode to type anything back. You arrived at the hospital, breathless and disoriented, and searched for a tall, bearded hockey player.

You found him in a hallway outside a rows of rooms, his face tense with worry. 

‘’Is he okay? Where is he?’’ you asked, your voice shaky. 

‘’He’s stable now, but they are keeping him for the night due to his concussion,’’ Cregan replied, his voice calm and steady, a stark contrast to your panic. ‘’I have to call his mom. And Coach, to update him on the situation. Can you stay here?’’

You nodded quickly. ‘’Yes. Of course.’’ 

You gave him a small smile, a silent promise to watch over Jace during his absence, and took a deep breath before nervously pushing the door open. 

Inside, the usually bright lights were dimmed due to the concussion. Jace lay on the hospital bed, looking pale and asleep. An IV was hooked to his arm, and the room was filled with the faint beeping of monitors. The door creaked as it closed behind you, causing Jace’s eyes to flutter open. He assumed it was either Cregan or a nurse checking on him, but it was you.

‘’Where’s Cregan?’’ he murmured, his voice raspy as he stared at the white wall. 

‘’Making calls,’’ you said softly, walking up to his bedside. Tears welled up in your eyes as you took in the sight of him. He was okay. ‘’You scared the hell out of me.’’

‘’Did you go out with him? Aemond.’’ 

His question took you by surprise. ‘’No. Not really. We just got coffee together—’’ 

Pain crossed his face, but it was not from the concussion. ‘’Do you know what Aegon said to me before the game? He talked about you. Said you dumped me for Aemond, and now it was his name you would be moaning in bed. I wanted to punch him so bad for speaking about you like that, but I didn’t because I knew I would be suspended from the team. It got my head out of the game. All I could think about was Aegon and knocking that stupid smirk off his face, but he got me first.’’ 

This Aegon guy sounded like the biggest asshole. 

‘’Aegon was lying, Jace. Aemond and I got coffee together, but that’s it. You can ask Rhaena if you don’t believe me, she was working that night. I never had any other intentions regarding Aemond. He said this to mess with you.’’ 

Jace sighed, frustration evident in the furrow of his brow. He felt stupid for believing Aegon. He should have seen through his game instead of letting him get to his head. ‘’Of course he did… I should have known better.’’ 

You took Jace’s hand, only now realizing his other was in a brace. ‘’I’m here with you, aren’t I? Not with Aemond.’’

The corner of his lips curled into a smile, and he squeezed your hand. ‘’You’re my girl, okay? I know we said we were just friends, but are we really just friends? I didn’t write ‘mine’ on your upper thigh just because I was drunk. I wrote it while drunk because I didn’t have the courage to tell you I wanted you when I was sober.’’ 

‘’Jace—’’

‘’Don’t say anything. Just…kiss me. Please. I can’t do a lot of thinking because of my concussion, so let’s keep the talking for later, okay? Right now I just need you to kiss me.’’ You didn’t move, giving Jace the impression you didn’t want to kiss him. ‘’You don’t have to if you don’t want to. I’m not gonna force you to kiss me—’’

You cut him off with a kiss. Soft and slow, making up for the days you didn’t get to kiss him.  

Unfortunately, it ended quickly as a sharp pain stabbed at Jace’s temple and he couldn’t hold back his wince. ‘’I think we’ll keep the kissing for later.’’ 

—

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[the-winter-spider]

The Alchemy | Part One

NFL Bucky x reader au

Word Count: 2.8k

Warnings: Angst, fluff,

A/N: I only have one more chapter of Invisible to post so ima get this new series out there. I plan to alternate with this one and Say Don Go! Also im Canadian, ive never watched football in my life before Taylor Swift & Travis Kelce so bare with me, Im a hockey girl 😇🤣

ALSO WOW another ts inspired fic what are the odds lmaoooo

------

The stadium buzzed with energy, every seat packed with fans decked out in the team’s deep blue and silver. Flags waved, chants echoed, and the floodlights bathed the field in an electric glow. The scoreboard flashed 20-24. Fourth quarter. Six seconds left on the clock.

Bucky Barnes stood on the field, his cleats dug into the turf as his breath came in steady bursts. His number 17 jersey clung to him, streaked with sweat and dirt, but his focus was absolute. Across from him, defenders crouched low, their eyes locked on him. Everyone in the stadium knew where the ball was going. The golden boy, the clutch player, the one who could pull miracles out of thin air.

At the line of scrimmage, Steve Rogers—number 18, the quarterback—barked out commands, his voice cutting through the noise like a blade. “Green 18! Green 18! Set!” His hand hovered under center, waiting for the snap.

Next to Steve, Sam Wilson—number 78, the running back—grinned as he looked to his left. “Hope you’re ready to make me look good, Barnes,” Sam called to Bucky, his voice tinged with a mix of adrenaline and humor.

Bucky smirked, glancing over his shoulder. “Always am, Wilson. Try to keep up.”

The ball snapped.

Time slowed, the roar of the stadium dimming to a dull hum in Bucky’s ears. He exploded off the line of scrimmage, his legs pumping as he darted past the first defender. His route was a perfectly calculated arc, his sharp cut leaving his opponent scrambling in his wake.

Steve dropped back, his eyes scanning the field, calm and composed as chaos erupted around him. The offensive line was holding—barely. Sam sprinted out to the right, dragging a defender with him and creating just enough space for Bucky to hit his mark.

“Buck!” Steve’s shout was clear, even over the thunder of the crowd. The ball left his hands in a perfect spiral, arcing high into the night.

Bucky didn’t slow. He kept his eyes on the ball as it sailed through the air, his body moving on instinct. A defender lunged at him, but he sidestepped, his cleats digging into the turf and propelling him forward. Another defender was closing in, but he wasn’t fast enough.

Bucky leaped, his arms stretching to meet it. For a split second, the stadium seemed to hold its breath. His fingertips brushed the leather, and then the ball was in his hands, secured against his chest as he crashed to the ground in the end zone.

The buzzer sounded.

The crowd erupted into a deafening roar, the stands a blur of jumping fans and waving flags. Bucky pushed himself to his feet, the ball still clutched tightly in his hands. His teammates swarmed him, slapping his back and tugging at his jersey.

“Hell of a catch, Buck!” Steve shouted, pulling Bucky into a quick hug, his grin as wide as the field.

“Couldn’t have done it without that throw,” Bucky replied, though his grin didn’t quite reach his eyes.

Sam jogged over, shaking his head in mock disbelief. “Man, you’re gonna make the rest of us look bad if you keep pulling off plays like that.”

“Just doing my job,” Bucky quipped, though his voice carried a hint of weariness.

The cameras swarmed, capturing every second of the celebration. Bucky turned, tossing the ball to an equipment manager as he ran a hand through his damp hair. He offered a practiced smile to the crowd, raising his hand in a quick wave. The adrenaline still pounded through his veins, but underneath it all, he felt…empty. Moments like this used to mean everything. Now, they were just another show.

----

You stood just behind the sidelines, your camera in hand as you captured the final seconds of the game. The stadium’s energy was almost overwhelming, but you kept your focus, snapping shot after shot as the ball spiraled through the air. The lens followed Bucky, capturing the moment his fingertips grazed the ball and the exact second he pulled it to his chest.

Your thumb hovered over the record button as he hit the ground in the end zone, the buzzer blaring through the stadium. The noise was deafening, but you barely noticed, too focused on capturing the raw emotion of the moment—his teammates rushing to him, the grin splitting Steve’s face, Sam throwing his hands in the air as he jogged over.

Through the lens, you could see every detail: the streaks of dirt on Bucky’s jersey, the intensity in his eyes, the way he stood a little apart from the celebration even as he was surrounded by his team. You lowered the camera for a moment, watching as he turned to wave at the crowd, that effortless smile on his face.

There was something surreal about seeing him like this, so different yet so familiar, especially after all these years. The golden boy of the NFL, the star of every highlight reel, and yet…still Bucky. You just wondered what he would think if he knew you were tasked with covering his team for the duration of the season.

-----

The press room buzzed with energy as reporters jostled for position, shoving microphones and cameras toward the front. Bucky sat at the table, effortlessly commanding the room. His jersey clung to him, still damp with sweat, and his dark hair fell messily across his forehead. He leaned forward, resting his forearms on the table, his easy smile lighting up the space.

“Bucky, talk us through that final play!” one reporter called out.

Bucky smirked, shaking his head. “It’s not just me. That was all teamwork. The guys up front gave me the space, and Stevie threw a perfect pass, I just had to do my part.”

“Just your part?” another reporter pressed. “That was your second game-winning catch this season and it just started! You’re making it look easy out there.”

“Well,” Bucky replied, flashing a quick grin, “it’s never easy, i’ve just got a great team behind me. We work hard for moments like that.”

More questions came, volleying back and forth. He answered them all with polished charm, his practiced media persona never faltering. But as the questions wore on, his gaze started to wander, skimming over the sea of faces and microphones. That’s when he saw you, his blue eyes did a double take before confusion and shock swam through them.

You were standing off to the side, not pushing to the front like the others. You weren’t yelling over the noise or angling for the best shot. You were just…there. Scribbling something into your notebook, head ducked slightly as if you wanted to disappear into the crowd.

Bucky froze for a fraction of a second, the polished grin faltering for the briefest moment before he caught himself. His heart stuttered in his chest, a wave of recognition crashing over him. He blinked, his brain scrambling to catch up. No way. It couldn’t be.

You were trying to stay out of the fray while still capturing the scene. Your notebook was a familiar weight in your hands, its pages filling with shorthand notes that you’d polish later. It was your way of staying grounded—your way of not staring too long at him.

The boy you’d grown up with. The boy who used to challenge you to races down your block, who teased you mercilessly, who knew all your secrets. Seeing him now, years later, as the NFL’s star receiver, felt surreal. He’d become everything the world expected him to be. And yet, in some strange way, he was still the same.

You ducked your head lower, scribbling furiously to avoid the wave of memories threatening to crash over you. Focus. Professional. Objective. That was your mantra when you’d taken this assignment. You hadn’t even known it would be his team until you arrived. Now, all you wanted was to finish your notes and leave to compose yourself fully before he could notice you.

Bucky’s gaze lingered on you, his heart pounding in a way that had nothing to do with the game he’d just played. He said your name softly, testing it on his lips. It felt foreign and familiar all at once. You didn’t react—too far away, too focused on your notes.

“Hey, Bucky!” another reporter called out. “What’s your mindset going into the rest of the season?”

He barely heard the question. His focus was entirely on you now, watching as you slipped your notebook into your bag and adjusted the strap over your shoulder. You were leaving.

“Uh, sorry,” he mumbled to the reporter, not bothering to look at them. “I need to…” He trailed off, standing abruptly.

The room went silent for a moment, the reporters exchanging confused glances. “Bucky, are you—?”

“Yeah, uh, excuse me,” he muttered, already moving. He left the table, ignoring the murmurs that followed as the cameras swung to track his movements.

His heart stuttered.

“Y/N?” he murmured, his voice barely audible over the din. He blinked, half-convinced his mind was playing tricks on him. He tried again, louder this time. “Y/N?”

You didn’t look up.

----

The late summer air clung to your skin, thick and still, like it was trying to hold you in this moment forever. The roof beneath you was rough and familiar, each crack in the shingles a memory. Nights like this always felt infinite—just you and Bucky under the stars, talking about everything and nothing. But tonight, that comforting rhythm was broken.

You sat side by side, the glow of the streetlights catching in Bucky’s messy hair. He leaned back on his elbows, that cocky grin you knew so well plastered across his face. “So,” he said, breaking the silence, “you wanna go to prom with me next year? You know, as friends or whatever.”

You couldn’t help the laugh that escaped, but it sounded hollow even to you. “Prom’s not for another year, Bucky. Don’t tell me you’re turning into a planner now.”

“What can I say?” He shrugged, the grin widening, his confidence practically radiating. “I like to lock down the good ones early.”

You rolled your eyes and gave him a light shove, but your hand lingered on his arm for just a second longer than it should have. He felt it. He always felt it.

“Alright,” he said, his grin fading as he sat up straighter, his piercing blue eyes narrowing in concern. “What’s going on? You’ve been weird all night.”

Your fingers twisted together in your lap, your gaze dropping to the shingles. The words felt too heavy to say, but they burned in your chest. You couldn’t keep them in any longer.

“I’m moving.”

The silence that followed was suffocating. It stretched between you like the whole world had opened up, and all you could do was stare into the void. When you finally looked at him, his expression was blank, unreadable. That cocky smile you’d always known so well—it was just gone.

“You’re lying,” he said, his voice low, almost like a challenge.

You shook your head, your throat tightening. “I wish I was.”

His brows furrowed, the disbelief quickly turning into something sharper. “Why?” he asked, leaning closer. “You don’t have to go. You’re almost eighteen—just stay.”

“Bucky—”

“No, listen to me,” he cut you off, his words coming fast now, his tone filled with something you rarely heard from him: fear. “You could stay here. My ma wouldn’t care. Hell, she’d love it. You could move into the basement. You practically live at my house anyway. No one would even notice. You don’t have to go.”

The desperation in his voice broke something in you. You had known it would hurt, but seeing him like this—Bucky, who was always so strong, so steady—was unbearable.

“I can’t stay,” you said softly, the words barely more than a whisper. “I don’t have a choice.”

“Why not?” His voice cracked as he sat up fully, his hands curling into fists against the roof. “Am I not enough for you to stay?” He knew he was being selfish but he was so blind sided he couldn't help it.

The question hit you like a punch to the chest. Your breath caught, and you had to blink hard to keep your vision from blurring. “Fuck, Bucky,” you whispered. “Of course, you’re enough. You’re my best friend. You’re everything. But my mom…” Your voice broke, and you had to take a deep breath before continuing. “She’s finally leaving him. Bucky, we’re finally getting out.”

His jaw clenched, and his chest rose and fell unevenly as he processed your words. His hands gripped the edge of the roof like it was the only thing keeping him from falling apart. “Your mom…” he started, his voice trailing off. Of course, he was happy for her. He knew what it had taken for her to finally leave that asshole. He’d seen the bruises you never talked about, the way your voice would falter when you mentioned home. Of course, he understood.

But that didn’t make it hurt any less. She was taking you away from him, and he couldn’t stand it. "What about school? We have one more year left."

"They have schools everywhere Buck..." Your voice was soft and quiet.

For a long moment, neither of you said anything. The night stretched on, heavy and endless. You thought he might fight you on it again, throw out another plan, another reason for you to stay. But instead, he let out a bitter laugh, shaking his head.

“Well,” he said, his voice sharp and hollow, “I guess this is it then.”

“Bucky, don’t do this,” you pleaded, the words rushing out before you could stop them. “Please.”

He stood up slowly, brushing off his hands like he was trying to shake off the weight of your words. His expression was unreadable now, his eyes cold and distant in a way you’d never seen before.

“It was nice while it lasted,” he said, his voice clipped and emotionless. He paused at the edge of the roof, looking back at you one last time. “Hey, take care of yourself, alright?”

And then he climbed down the ladder, disappearing into the shadows below.

You didn’t call after him—you couldn’t. You just sat there on the roof, staring at the place where he’d been, your heart breaking under the weight of his absence. For the first time, the stars felt impossibly far away.

That was the last time you ever talked to Bucky Barnes.

----

You were halfway down the hallway, your footsteps echoing softly in the empty space, when you heard him.

“Y/N!”

You froze, halfway down the hallway. The voice was unmistakable now—stronger, sharper, but undeniably his. Slowly, you turned, and there he was, jogging toward you with an expression you couldn’t quite decipher. His broad shoulders filled the space, but it was his eyes—wide and almost boyish—that sent your heart racing.

“Is this really you?” he asked, stopping just a few feet away. His chest rose and fell as if he’d just run the length of the field. His gaze swept over you, disbelief and something like relief flickering across his face.

You laughed nervously, a sound that came out more like a breathless exhale. “I didn’t think you’d recognize me.”

Bucky’s lips parted in a huff of incredulous laughter. “Are you kidding? I could find you in any room.”

The words hung in the air, heavy with meaning. Before you could respond, he closed the distance, wrapping you in a hug so tight it stole the breath from your lungs. For a moment, the world fell away—the noise, the cameras, the years. It was just Bucky, holding you like he was afraid you’d disappear. It was like you were kids again, sitting on rooftops and talking about everything under the stars. Holding you in a way where you finally felt safe like nothing or no one could hurt you because you knew these arm’s wouldn’t.

“Holy shit,” he muttered into your hair. He pulled back just enough to look at you, his hands still on your shoulders. “I haven’t seen you in years. What are you doing here? Not that I’m not happy to see you—I’m just…wow.”

You smiled, your heart pounding in your chest. “I’m here to cover the team for the season.” You held up your press badge, a sheepish grin tugging at your lips. “Didn’t realize I’d be covering you.”

Bucky barked a laugh, shaking his head in disbelief. “Fate, huh? Guess it wasn’t done with us yet.”

You both stood there for a moment, the hallway around you seeming to blur. His thumb brushed against your arm absently, like he was reassuring himself you were real. Finally, he stepped back, a grin tugging at the corners of his mouth.

“I’ve got about a thousand questions,” he said, tilting his head. “But I guess we’ve got the whole season to catch up, right?”

“Right,” you replied, the warmth in his eyes making it impossible to think straight. “The whole season.”

[capquinn]

daydreaming about this scenario with dad quinn😭😭 bug as bluey https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMkHYJN9T/

Bug being a Bluey fan is canon so this is exactly how last Halloween went plus some more dad!quinn x Bug Bluey fun 😭 this goes out to all my aussie quinny girls <3

It started innocently enough — just an episode or two of Bluey during snack time after pre-school or when you and Quinn were making dinner. But then Bug became obsessed, and a full-blown Bluey fever hit the Hughes household like a tidal wave.

Before anyone knew it, she was quoting episodes word-for-word, calling Quinn "dad" with a suspiciously Aussie twang, drawing out the "ah" like she’d grown up in Brisbane instead of Vancouver and Michigan. She'd try to turn every mundane activity into an elaborate, imaginative game just like Bluey and Bingo, and quickly enough, you and Quinn figured out how to harness her endless energy on the nights she seemed like she might bounce off the walls with a round of 'Keepy Uppy.'

“Why does she keep saying ‘ta’?” Quinn asked one day, confused when Bug thanked him for her water bottle.''

“She’s bilingual now,” you teased, suppressing a laugh, “thanks to Bluey.”

The first time she called Cub a “little cheeky sausage,” Quinn almost choked on his drink from laughing so hard.

“Where does she get this stuff?” he asked you, wiping tears from his eyes.

It got to the point where her speech was this hilarious hybrid of accents. Words like "no" came out as an exaggerated "naur," but then she’d say something as typically Canadian as "about" right after. When she was really into the Bluey vibe, she'd call Luke "Uncle Stripe," who had no idea what she was referencing, and Quinn just about lost it.

Bug’s Aussie twang was such a hit that the family started joking about it at every gathering. “Bug, say ‘tomato,’” Luke would prompt, and she’d reply, “to-mah-to, Uncle Stripe!” with the biggest grin, making everyone burst out laughing.

So by Halloween, Bug had decided the whole family had to dress as the Heeler family. No arguments, no negotiation.

Quinn, begrudgingly, became Bandit — complete with a makeshift tail and ears — and you were Chilli, naturally. Cub had no choice in the matter and was dressed as Bingo, and Bug, of course, was Bluey herself, running around in her costume like it was the greatest day of her life.

The chaos kicked off in the living room before anyone even made it to the trick-or-treating part. Bug insisted that the night wasn’t official until the family danced to the Bluey theme song, just like in the show. She set the scene by pointing to Quinn and saying, “Bandit, you go first!”

Quinn groaned dramatically, but the tiny, expectant face staring up at him made him cave instantly. “Alright, alright,” he muttered, shaking his head but smiling.

And so, Bandit Quinn hit the center of the living room, doing his best to imitate whatever goofy, flailing moves he thought would make Bug laugh the hardest. She lost it, giggling so hard she had to clutch her sides.

“Your turn, Bingo!” Bug declared, pointing at Cub, who was already distracted and reaching for Quinn's tail.

Finally, it was Bug’s turn. “Here I go!” she announced, her little hands on her hips as she got into position.

She twirled, jumped, and did a dramatic slide across the floor on her knees like she was performing for a stadium. Quinn immediately started clapping, letting out a loud, “Go, Bluey!” as you tried to record the whole thing without laughing so hard the video shook.

By the time you all stepped outside for trick-or-treating, Bug was practically vibrating with excitement. Her Bluey costume was slightly askew from all the dancing, her tail bouncing behind her as she led the charge down the sidewalk. She’d insisted on carrying the biggest candy bag you had, which now dragged along the ground a little because, of course, it was comically oversized for her tiny frame.

“G’day!” she chirped at every house, holding out her bag with the brightest smile. Every person at the door melted instantly at her enthusiasm, slipping her extra candy “for being so adorable.”

“Bug, say thank you,” you prompted gently from behind.

“Thanks for the lollies,” she said, doubling down on the Aussie accent, which made the homeowners laugh every time.

Quinn, standing a few paces back with his hands shoved into his pockets, couldn’t help but laugh. “Lollies, huh?” he muttered under his breath to you. “Next thing you know, she’ll be calling me ‘mate.’”

“She already does sometimes,” you whispered back, grinning.

By the time the night wound down, Bug’s candy bag was practically overflowing, dragging behind her with both hands as her steps grew slower and smaller, the adrenaline of the evening finally wearing off. Her floppy Bluey ears were slightly askew, and there was a faint blue smudge of face paint on her cheek where she’d wiped at her nose.

“Need a hand, Bluey?” Quinn asked, crouching down in front of her. She nodded sleepily, dropping the bag with a soft thunk on the sidewalk. He scooped her up in one arm and grabbed the candy bag with the other.

As they walked home, the night air crisp and quiet, Bug tucked her head into Quinn’s shoulder, her breath warm against his neck. “I’m gonna eat so much candy tomorrow,” she mumbled, her words slurring together as sleep started to take over.

Quinn chuckled softly, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. “You did good tonight, Bug,” he murmured, his voice low and full of warmth.

“Yeah, daddy,” she whispered back, barely awake now. “You too.”

His steps slowed, and he looked down at her for a moment, her face peaceful and her little hands clutching at his shirt like it was her anchor. And right then, Quinn thought, there’s nothing better than this. Even if he was dressed as a giant cartoon dog, his Bandit ears flopping awkwardly with every step and his back already aching from carrying her and her candy bag the last several blocks. None of it mattered. Bug was tucked safely in his arms and the world felt perfect in that moment.

[dramas-vs-novels]

Love Sea Novel Excerpt: Mahasamut Punishing Tongrak (Special Episode)

"Tongrak!"

Fun my ass!

That was what Tongrak thought as he looked into the intense, angry eyes filled with apprehension.

An hour ago, he was having fun because as soon as he stepped into the bar, he became the center of attention for both men and women. He knew he was attractive and always drew attention wherever he went. Palm had done a good job spreading the word across the island, because curious eyes were watching him from every corner.

That was enough to fulfill Palm's request. And... he'd already texted his boyfriend.

If anyone wanted to see Mahasamut with him, they'd get their wish tonight.

Let everyone know that the island's treasure already had an owner! And he loves the owner so much!

Tongrak thought proudly, answering a few questions from the locals, turning down a few advances, until... he met a fellow college friend.

At first, he just helped the Canadian guy who was confused about the menu. They hit it off, talking about their university and city, and he learned the other had just broken up with his girlfriend and fled to Thailand alone. They just clicked, reminiscing about the city they once lived in for years. That was all until...

The man in front of Tongrak pressed close, placing a hand on his thigh, causing him to jerk away, but before he could react, a large hand grabbed his own, furrowing his brow.

Tongrak tried to pull away again, but the warm palm still held his hand.

"Why not?" the man asked.

His light-colored eyes looked sweetly at him, but the writer wasn't swayed. His fair hand was ready to yank away, but then...

"Tongrak!"

Before Tongrak could react, the rough hand grabbed his wrist, pulling him into a warm embrace and a familiar scent.

His heart sank.

Tongrak knew who it was before even seeing the face of the hand's owner.

"Mut," he called out, startled. Tongrak looked up at the sharp-featured, tense, angry face with veins bulging on his neck.

Mahasamut wasn't looking at him, but at the Canadian guy with a scary look.

Mahasamut had a big build, and Tongrak believed that Mahasamut wouldn't lose in a fight. So, the tight grip on his wrist and the intense eyes that seemed to suck the breath out of the onlooker made his slender body tremble.

Tongrak didn't dare say anything, feeling the fury emanating from this man.

Mahasamut looked at the foreigner with dangerous eyes and then yanked him out of the bar so quickly that Tongrak didn't dare make a sound.

The last thing he saw was Palm crouching behind the bar counter, and even though he couldn't hear what the kid said, he knew they were thinking the same thing.... This is going to end badly.

---

---

Thud!

Tongrak jolted as his bare back was pushed against the wall of the house, his honey-colored eyes trembling, looking at the man in front of him with fear.

Mahasamut was furious... very furious.

"I didn't do anything, believe me."

"Then why did you let him touch your hand!?"

Tongrak flinched as the deep voice yelled at him.

Since they'd met, he'd rarely seen Mahasamut angry. The other was always calmer, always listening, always more mature. No matter how badly Tongrak behaved, Mahasamut would cool him down, gently guiding and teaching him. The only time Tongrak saw his lover angry was when he came to make up and was too scared to speak. But that was anger mixed with sadness. This time, it was different.

The dark eyes were so frightening that he almost stopped breathing. The large hand gripped his arm tightly.

"I didn't..." Tongrak heard his own voice shaking, trying to grab Mahasamut's hand as he explained, "he just suddenly grabbed my hand. Believe me. Palm asked me to sit at the bar for a bit. I just did what Palm asked, and I already told you that, too. I didn't do anything. Really."

Tongrak looked into those wild, furious eyes, pleading. He was almost ready to kneel and beg.

"Can you not be angry?"

With a swoosh, the writer flinched as Mahasamut brushed his hand aside to grab his palm and yanked it up to eye level.

"I saw him holding your hand."

"I shook it off."

The slender man tried to touch the rugged, handsome face, but the other turned away.

It's scary.

Tongrak's heart pounded. He didn't know if he was scared or intimidated when those sharp eyes stared at him, radiating an aura that would keep anyone away.

"Where else did he touch you?"

The deep voice was so intense, it seemed to vibrate through him, along with the tall figure pressing against Tongrak, the heat almost scorching.

Their eyes locked as if trying to read each other's souls.

"... my waist," he whispered back, barely audible.

"Ah!"

Tongrak stiffened, gasping as the rough hand pulled his shirt from his pants, and then the hot flesh squeezed his bare waist hard enough to leave a mark and slid up to his chest. He didn't dare look down, only at the eyes in front of him that shone with a crazed light.

Thump, thump, thump.

Tongrak's heart hammered in his chest, pumping blood to his flushed face until it was a deep shade of red.

"... where else?" a deep voice whispered close to his lips.

Tongrak averted his gaze briefly.

Should I tell him?

Deep down, he knew what was coming. He knew he would be punished and understood that he shouldn't reveal more than necessary. Yet something compelled him to answer truthfully.

"My legs."

"Take off your pants."

The listener shuddered at the command, looking at Mahasamut with a startled expression.

They both stood on the spacious porch in front of the house, prompting a repeat of the words.

"What did you say?"

"I said, take off your pants!" The command was repeated, louder this time, causing Tongrak to hurriedly unbuckle his belt under the unwavering gaze that offered no help.

Mahasamut watched him fumble in silence, but this silence made Tongrak's back slick with sweat, his heart racing with a mix of fear and excitement. His hands trembled as he undid his belt and took off his pants. The more Mahasamut watched, the more he shook.

He didn't like that Mahasamut said nothing, but he did like being watched like this.

The soft fabric of his pants pooled around his ankles.

A rough hand seized his thigh, squeezing it hard enough to make Tongrak gasp for breath. He looked up into those sharp, strong eyes, half of Mahasamut's face obscured by the shadows of the evening, making him look like a death god come to claim a life- dangerous, yet so devastatingly handsome.

The man pressed his body close, his muscles as hard as iron against Tongrak.

A burning hand slid up to his inner thigh, making Tongrak jerk in response.

Tongrak knew he should first try to cool down the other man, but his body responded honestly. His core burned, his underwear was damp with desire. Wherever Mahasamut touched, it felt like he left scorching marks. Even the deep voice that asked again was frighteningly arousing.

"Where else?"

"... that's it," his voice trembled with a pitiable crack.

And it was even more pitiable when Mahasamut whispered in his ear.

"Do you know I won't forgive you easily?"

Then punish me.

"What should I do to make you not angry?"

Please, punish me. Do it until I don't dare to do this again.

Tongrak looked up with pleading eyes as the handsome, fierce face leaned in close.

"Find a way."

Fingertips caught his chin, forcing him to meet those wild eyes, and before his brain could catch up, Tongrak opened his mouth to a kiss that plunged in fiercely, tasting almost blood. His heart raced with excitement, his body pressing against the larger frame, his hips grinding against the other's, shamelessly close as their tongues waged war.

Mahasamut liked kissing him, but this time it was hotter, more violent, and savage without tenderness. His sharp teeth nipped at Tongrak's lower lip, making him whimper, but the other man didn't listen to his protests, instead plunging his tongue into Tongrak's mouth, greedy and unrelenting. Pressed against the wall with no space between them, a large hand groped his thigh, fingers trailing to the very inside but refusing to touch further.

It was Tongrak himself who pressed his lower body closer, grinding his hips.

"Mut, ah, Mut," he moaned and groaned, trying to press closer to that hand while his mouth was still captive.

Mahasamut kissed him as if to devour him.

Their tongues tangled fiercely until saliva trickled at the corners of their mouths, and the taller man moved to kiss around his cheeks, down his neck, his hot tongue tracing his jaw before flicking over his Adam's apple. Tongrak shuddered, tilting his head back, his pale hand reaching to grasp the firm flesh beneath the cargo pants.

It was hard and hot, and he wanted it in his mouth.

"Take off your underwear."

Mahasamut commanded beside his cheek, and the listener didn't hesitate to strip off his underwear on the porch, revealing his arousal that was embarrassingly wet with precum.

The tall figure stepped back just enough to stare at it, making Tongrak squirm.

"Take off my shirt."

Now, whatever Mahasamut ordered, Tongrak would comply easily. His fair hands reached to remove Mahasamut's Hawaiian shirt, trembling as he watched it fall to the floor, his heart skipping a beat when the larger man grabbed the hem of his tank top and pulled it over his head with swift movements, revealing the line of muscles that moved beautifully, leaving Tongrak to stare at the man before him.

"Ah!!"

"Do you want it that badly?"

Tongrak shivered when a fingertip touched his slick tip. With just a brush of a thumb, he was close to finishing right then.

"Just looking at me undress makes you this eager? You don't look at others like this, do you?"

"No..."

"I didn't say you could speak."

Tongrak immediately shut his mouth, trembling under the teasing fingers, then squeezing himself hard. He wanted to move, to press against the rough palm.

"It looks like you'll have to endure a bit more, Mr. Tongrak."

That's when the larger man pulled him into the bedroom and pushed Tongrak against the bed, making his upper body fall against the mattress while his legs still touched the floor, spread wide to reveal his eager flesh. Mahasamut's sharp gaze pressed down on him, and then... a wicked smile, he said, "Go on, finish for me."

"Mut..."

"Ssh," Mahasamut placed a finger on those pretty lips and pushed it into his mouth.

And with that, Tongrak flicked his tongue around the long finger, drawing it deep into his throat, while his smooth hand moved to grasp his own center. His legs spread wider, allowing the sharp gaze to see every part of him.

If Mahasamut wanted to see, he'd do it.

"Uh, ah..."

Even though Mahasamut was just watching, Tongrak felt waves of pleasure, moaning from his throat while still sucking on the long finger as if it were that hot flesh. His legs lifted higher, his hand moving faster, aware of the wet sounds and the glistening moisture.

The first time Tongrak pleasured himself in front of someone was for Mahasamut, and he relished the sharp gaze on him, the shadow that partly hid Mahasamut, the long finger thrusting into his throat mercilessly, the embarrassment that made his flesh tremble with excitement, his hips moving faster.

"Ah.... ah!"

At that moment, his beautiful eyes widened when a cool liquid was poured on his sweet spot, and before he could react...

Mahasamut's thick fingers penetrated the tender channel that was still soft from last night's sex, thrusting deep to his favorite spot, making him arch his back like a bow, his legs tensing against the bed, his buttocks lifting off the soft mattress.

"I didn't tell you to stop. Keep going."

Mahasamut pulled his finger from Tongrak's mouth, his voice firm. WIth his free hand, he lifted Tongrak's legs higher, allowing the long finger that had almost completely withdrawn to thrust back into his tight channel.

"Ah... ah, oh Mut, Mut, right there, harder."

Smack!

"Don't stop!"

Tongrak's eyes teared up as he was spanked on the buttocks, leaving a red mark. His fair hand, which had paused, stroked himself again while his hips swayed uncontrollably as Mahasamut kept pressing on the sensitive spot inside. His mouth opened wide, moaning incoherently.

"Don't stop, no more, give it to me again." Tongrak moved his hand faster, begging louder, oblivious to the squelching sounds echoing around the room. Then, his tearful eyes pleaded with the owner.

"No more fingers, enough, ah, give it to me... now."

"Tell me what you want."

Mahasamut rose above Tongrak's body, his large hand on the beautiful chin, whispering low. His fierce eyes stared down, squeezing to force the pretty one to speak with a trembling voice.

"Fuck me... Mut, take me... I want you... please."

That was all it took for Tongrak's world to flip upside down. He was pushed into a crawling position on the bed, his fair buttocks raised to receive, his legs spread wide, feeling the rough palm push both cheeks apart, forcing him to grip the bed sheet.

Tongrak's eyes widened, tears streaming down as the hot, hard member penetrated his tight hole. It was hot, big, almost suffocating, but it made him climax instantly, his cries echoing throughout the room, and then...

"Ah!!!!"

"Who told you to cum?"

Just as it thrust in deep, Tongrak... finished.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, Rak's sorry, ah... sob, ah."

Tongrak cried out unintelligibly before jolting, his smooth hand grabbing the neck of the person behind him as the hot, hard flesh thrust in again. His tears flowed with intense pleasure. He knew that the already fierce Mahasamut was more violent than usual, not allowing him to rest, deliberately thrusting hard to drive him crazy. The large hand grabbed his front, stroking briefly before it was as hard as before.

"Rak, Rak's sorry, ah."

Mahasamut turned Tongrak's face to receive a hot kiss, forcing his tongue out to tangle outside his mouth while the other hand slipped through the remaining buttons of his shirt, pushing him to kneel on the bed, pulling him up to lean against the broad back, making way for the hot, thrusting member inside him.

The sound of flesh slapping against flesh echoed throughout the spacious room, igniting the desires of both parties and causing him to flare up intensely. Tongues entwined outside of their mouths, a lovely piece of flesh released a continuous stream of slick moisture. Then, the fair body shuddered as a large hand squeezed and teased a sweetly colored nub, pulling it until Tongrak quivered with a cold shock.

"it hurts..."

"Do you like it?"

"I like it. Squeeze again. Make it hurt. Ah, make Rak learn his lesson... Mut!" Tongrak cried out embarrassingly, yet his hips met each thrust without yielding.

And so, Mahasamut pulled the fair frame down to sit astride his lap, and before Tongrak could tense his legs to receive him, the large hand gripped his hips, lifting them just enough to...

"Ah!!!! Mut, too hard. Mn, it tingles, ah..."

Mahasamut relentlessly drove into him, plunging deep inside until it was overwhelming yet sending shivers of pleasure throughout his body, making him cry out loudly. Tongrak's hands clutched at the man behind him, who was panting and trembling. Mahasamut's deep, sexy voice resonated in Mahasamut's ears with sobs and gasps, unable to stop his hips.

Again, I can't, I can't...

"Ah!!!!"

Without waiting long, Tongrak released a cloudy white fluid that sprayed all the way to the headboard while strong arms locked around his waist, the strong hips pounding him fiercely. The deep voice filled the room before Tongrak felt a wave of warmth as the hot liquid overflowed inside him.

"Wait, wait, just a moment, let me rest."

"When did I say you could rest?"

Tongrak's voice shook as he was flipped to lie on his back, one leg pushed up almost against his own chest, but he was paralyzed when he met the sharp gaze directed at him.

Tongrak should've been scared, but why was he trembling with excitement instead?

Mahasamut was fierce, wild, and unyielding, like the sea during a storm, but Tongrak couldn't take his eyes off the man before him. This man was dangerously handsome, and he couldn't resist him. Before he could brace himself, he gasped and grabbed the large hand tightly as the handsome face buried itself in his tight entrance, pushing a tongue inside selfishly.

Damn it, even after all this...

"Harder, ah, it feels good. Go deeper, lick more. I like it so much."

He moaned, clutching the thick black hair tightly, ready to receive any punishment this man was willing to give.

Tongrak knew he shouldn't feel this way, but he... liked it when Mahasamut was jealous.

He liked everything about this man.

---

---

Maybe I should make him jealous again.

The thought occurred to him that if Mahasamut heard it, he'd be punished so much that he wouldn't be able to leave the bed.

But what could he do? He liked it!

It didn't matter. He was still paying Mahasamut, but this time paying with the currency called Tongrak.

[olderthannetfic]

On the topic of the ao3 ship stats thing, I would also like to call into question the inclusion of the "Race" category and how races are being categorized and if they should be included at all.

The first thing is that I see Latino is considered a race, but I believe Latino is moreso a cultural/ethnic category and not a race. It makes it more interesting that Afrolatino is separate from Latino, since it means that everyone categorized as Latino could be white Latino characters and therefore not as racially diverse as the category seems to imply? Or something?

Same goes for the Asian category- wouldn't it make sense to separate it into East/South East/South Asian at least since Asia is massive. Especially since it would be interesting to see the % of Asian representation that is taken up by East vs. South East Asians, given that K-pop, anime, Chinese BL, and Thai BL are all very popular.

I don't think that it's a bad thing to include a race category when taking into account this data, but the fact that these racial categories seem to be arbitrarily decided makes it less reliable in my opinion. Also what about characters who are mixed race, or mixed ethnic heritage?

In some ways, I think it would be more interesting to categorize the origin of the media/source material for these ships. How much of the chart is taken up by Korean origin ships (i.e. K-pop groups) vs. Japanese origin ships (i.e. anime) vs. American origin ships (i.e. American movies and TV)? It would also a valuable insight since I would expect something like Thai BL to have all or majority Asian characters. So in some ways, the race category is more insightful into the diversity of American/UK/Canadian/etc. media. It would also be interesting to see how much of the Asian characters are coming from Asian media/music groups.

This is not to say that analyzing the racial/ethnic/cultural backgrounds of characters in the most popular ships wouldn't give insights. I think it would be interesting to see how this changes over time. But I think that if we want the data about racial discrepancies and diversity to be meaningful, the categorization must be consistent and done with more care.

--

Lulu seems like a nice person, but she is a dumbass about Asian media. She told me once that she was shocked the year BTS suddenly popped up all over the top ships.

Like... really? You were shocked? And you literally had never heard of BTS? As a fandom researcher? If that had been 2013, sure, fine, but it very much wasn't.

This isn't even about being Western-centric because shittons of fans in the UK and US are into Asian fandoms. (UK because that's where she's from. US because that's the place we all wank about being centered all the time.) This is just a basic failure of a lot of meta writers and even academics who study fandom.

Part of why people insist on staying this dumb is that acknowledging Asian media, particularly live action stuff, makes it obvious that the real issue is how the media handles characters. Fans who were all about the white guys all the time still fell hard for Wangxian.

Clearly, fandom has no problem attaching to nonwhite characters when they are the unmarked ethnic majority leads in something. So the supposed failings of fic might be about skin color or antiblackness specifically, or they might really be about the failings of media when it either fails to include certain characters or sidelines and others the ones it does have.

Those conclusions aren't as tidy and don't make as good a tire iron to club other fans with.

[tanadrin]

Imagine that a century or two from now, the eastern half of the United States is conquered by the Canadian Empire, its intelligentsia deported, its land colonized by Canadian immigrants, and its remaining people mostly gradually absorbed into a Neo-Canadian identity. The West reorganizes, developing a new political and cultural center, and comes to regard itself as the "true" United States, with the remnant culture of the East (by now much changed by Canadian rule) as representing an unchanged tradition stretching back to the time of George Washington. The holdout western half is subsequently conquered by the Reformed Mexican Empire, and while most of the population remains in situ, its elite is taken to Mexico City. There, for three or four generations, they do their best to maintain their distinct American identity, focusing on the American "civil religion," the distinctive political ideals and cultural features that mark them out as Americans, and come up with a new way of interpreting their history that allows America to be a perennial idea, something not directly physically tied to the territory of the United States, which no longer exists. They compose a body of historical works based on Washington Irving's rather fabulistic approach to early American history, the half-remembered popular versions of the stories of Columbus and the Pilgrims, the First Thanksgiving, even the Revolutionary War. They don't have access to the original texts anymore--let's say this is all taking place in a post-Collapse North America where long-range travel and communication is difficult and a lot of history has been lost--but they do their best. They append to these books, or include in their text, of history a copy of the Constitution, big chunks of the United States Code, and Robert's Rules of Order.

Subsequently, the Empire of Gran Columbia invades, conquers southern and central Mexico, and its Emperor lets the captive Americans go home. They return north, mostly to California, find that the version of American history and civics that is remembered there isn't the same as the version they have (not that the Californian one is correct--the Mexican Empire has suppressed English-language education and high culture in its Aztlani provinces), and set about reforming and reorganizing the Western States (as they're now called) to be more in line with the forms they brought back from the exile. In the meantime, other bits of important literature start being kept in libraries next to copies of the received histories: some bits of early American literature, like Hawthorne, the Song of Hiawatha, some highly abridged Herman Melville, Thomas Paine--heck, even some John Locke, and quotes or fragments from Shakespeare. Some traditionalists now argue the capital of the United States has always been located in San Francisco, and that Washington, D.C. only because the capital later, under the influence of Eastern heretics.

In the following centuries, the Western States retain their independence for a time, but eventually become a secondary battleground for a lot of other empires--the Mexicans, the Canadians, the Pan-Pacific Federation, and so forth. American culture remains distinctive, insulted in part by its unique traditions, though now everybody speaks Future Spanish, and only learns English to read the old texts. In this period additional material, including later compositions, continues to accrete, forming a distinct body of sacred American scripture, although it does not exist in a single canonical form. Attempts to reconcile distinct sources, like more literal and historically-grounded accounts versus the simplified narratives of figures like Irving, produce hybrid texts that sometimes are full of internal conflicts.

Oh, and through all this, some institutions of American government like the Supreme Court still function, although their rulings only apply to Americans, and there isn't much in the way of a federal bureaucracy.

Finally the Great and Sublime Brazilian Potentate conquers most of the Americas, sets up an American client state that roughly coincides with the heartland of the old Western States (California, Oregon, most of Washington and Nevada), and allows the Americans to elect their own President (subject, of course, to Brazilian approval). During this period, an apocalyptic street preacher from Los Angeles claims to have inherited the authority and power of George Washington, and is executed by the Brazilians; his later followers point to the prophecies of Emperor Norton, and out-of-context bits of a Quebecois translation of Moby-Dick and some Mark Twain stories to say no, really, he was George Washington. Inexplicably, a version of this religion becomes the dominant faith of the Brazilian Empire before it collapses. But long before then the American state in California fails, crushed when it tries to revolt against Brazilian rule; the remnant Easterners likewise dwindle down to only a few hundred souls living in a village in Alexandria, Virginia. Centuries from now, as the descendants of the descendants of the Brazilians colonize Mars, they will point to the sacred Americanist scriptures, the Neo-Americanist narratives of their prophet's life, and the letters written by the early leaders of Neo-Americanism, and say, "all of this was written by the spirit of George Washington, and is free from contradictions." Meanwhile the remnant Americanists, who have been writing about Americanism and how it applies to their everyday lives in the centuries since, and whose commentary has formed around the copies of the last editions of the U.S. Supreme Court Reporter (SCOTUS managed to outlast the final American state by a hundred years or so) plus the thoughts of the remaining Americanist community in Mexico, continue to regard their traditions as the unbroken and unaltered practice of American culture, politics, and ideals as they existed since the Revolutionary War.

This is, as far as I can tell, approximately how the Bible was composed.

[callcentersincanadaa]

Call Centers In Canada

Call Centers in Canada play a crucial role in providing efficient customer support and service across diverse industries. Renowned for its multilingual capabilities, Canadian call centers excel in fostering positive customer interactions. Boasting a highly skilled and professional workforce, these centers prioritize quality communication, ensuring customer satisfaction. With a reputation for adherence to strict data privacy regulations and a commitment to excellence, Canadian call centers are sought after by businesses globally. Their strategic location, cultural affinity, and technological infrastructure contribute to a seamless customer experience, making them a preferred choice for outsourcing customer service operations.

[mariacallous]

Assailants firebombed a synagogue in a Montreal suburb for the second time in just over a year, the latest in a series of attacks on Canadian Jewish institutions since Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, invasion of Israel.

As in the other recent attacks on Canadian Jewish sites, no one was injured in the incident.

Mordecai Zeitz, the emeritus rabbi at Congregation Beth Tikvah, a modern Orthodox synagogue in the suburb of Dollard-des-Ormeaux, said the congregants met for morning prayers on Wednesday morning outside the synagogue.

“We were able to recite the morning prayers in an abbreviated way,” he said.”We did not close even if we had to go outside to avoid the fires on the inside, but we had the fires of Jewish identity and Jewish pride very much front and center, in front of the charred doors of the synagogue,” Zeitz told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency.

Police told the Montreal Gazette there were no injuries and that witnesses reported seeing a suspect at the site prior to the arrival of police. The building suffered minor smoke damage in addition to its front glass shattering.

Assailants tossed a firebomb at the same synagogue in November 2023 just weeks after Hamas’ invasion, which launched Israel’s multi-front war. There have been a number of similar attacks on Canadian Jewish institutions since then, including shots fired at Jewish schools. In August, bomb threats were sent to dozens of Jewish institutions across Canada.

This week’s attack also comes after a violent pro-Palestinian demonstration in Montreal in late November where protesters burned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in effigy. And it comes roughly two weeks after an Australian synagogue was firebombed.

Zeitz said the damage was limited to the shattered glass and to the vestibule, and that he expected services to be held inside on Wednesday evening. The synagogue was inviting non-congregants to attend a solidarity Shabbat service on Saturday morning, he said, noting that the day school attached to the building had stayed open and functioning.

“We are never out of business,” he said.

B’nai B’rith Canada called on the authorities to do more to stem the violence.

“This is a terrifying reminder that Montreal is increasingly unsafe for Jewish people,” the synagogue’s cantor, Henry Topas, said in a statement.

“This is the result of the failure of leaders at all levels to hold accountable those responsible for the hate and violence that is infesting Canadian society,” said Topas, who is  also B’nai Brith Canada’s regional director for Quebec and Atlantic Canada. “Specifically, Mayor Valerie Plante must act now to stop the exponential rise in hate and antisemitism which she has permitted to get out of control in Montreal.”

Plante and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau condemned Wednesday’s attack and vowed to track down the perpetrators.

“This vile antisemitic attack against Montreal’s Jewish community is cowardly and criminal,” Trudeau tweeted. “I trust the perpetrators behind this hateful act will be quickly brought to justice.”

Plante wrote on social media that “antisemitic actions are criminal actions,” adding, “It is intolerable that citizens of Montreal should live in insecurity because of their faith.”

[chattahoochiecoochie]

theres been a lot of sadness in recent days obviously, I've felt so deeply for appalachia, having called it home for so many years. there have been so many bright spots though and I thought it might be nice to highlight some of those.

a local man, and master operator, took his own set of master keys and commandeered several pieces of heavy equipment to begin shifting debris. stating to his wife he intends to work first, and ask for forgiveness later.

private pilots across the region are using personal aircraft to deliver supplies and move people out of unsafe areas.

mountain mule packer ranch have moved into rural areas and are bringing supplies in by mule to hard to reach places

the nolichucky dam held. taking on an estimated 1.3 million gallons of water per second at the height of the storm, the dam survived the storm and remains under emergency monitoring.

the wnc nature center has reported that their animals are safe and accounted for.

more than 700 canadian linemen have been deployed to assist north and south carolina to restore power.

the unites states national guard has deployed over 5500 service members from 11 states to support areas affect by helene.

the north carolina national guard has activated five hundred service members and allowed over 200 vehicles and aircraft to move into the western region to begin relief efforts.

search and rescue teams from around the country are making their way east to assist in rescue and recovery.

neighbors are helping neighbors. a woman has been able to make contact, and while doing so has taken it upon herself to catalogue the names of surviving locals in several areas, easing the efforts of local officials as they try to conduct wellness reports.

in cashiers, north carolina, a group of locals have taken their personal off road vehicles in the mountains to excavate debris and deliver supplies to those in need.

people in the south take care of their own. for generations, these communities have stuck by one another and bonded through good fortune and hardship alike. there is light at the end of this hideously long tunnel.