#Child Safety Seats Market

[ayushkolhe]

Child Car Safety Seat Market's Financial Health: Analyzing Trends, Challenges, and Growth Prospects in 2025

The child car safety seat market has seen significant growth over the years due to the increasing awareness around child safety, stringent regulations, and advancements in product designs. From a financial standpoint, this market has become a major player in the automotive and baby care industries, providing a lucrative avenue for businesses involved in manufacturing, retail, and distribution.

Market Demand and Growth Drivers

The growing focus on road safety, coupled with rising parental concern for children's well-being, has resulted in a consistent demand for child car safety seats. Factors such as heightened awareness of road accidents' impact on children, government regulations mandating the use of safety seats, and technological innovations in safety features are the major driving forces behind this market's growth.

In addition, a global surge in disposable income, especially in emerging economies, has led to a rise in demand for child car safety seats. The increasing number of young families and the expanding middle-class population across regions like North America, Europe, and Asia-Pacific significantly contribute to the financial health of this market.

Financial Health of the Child Car Safety Seat Market

From a financial perspective, the child car safety seat industry is enjoying a period of strong stability. The combination of solid market demand, regulatory frameworks, and evolving product technologies ensures the market remains robust. Innovations in product designs, such as rear-facing, forward-facing, and booster seats, as well as advanced safety features like side-impact protection, impact the market positively.

Several major companies in the industry are investing heavily in research and development, enhancing their product offerings. For instance, leading brands have integrated new materials to improve safety and comfort. Likewise, the shift toward sustainable and eco-friendly manufacturing materials in response to growing environmental concerns presents new financial opportunities.

Moreover, governmental regulations, such as those imposed by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the European Commission (EC), offer both protection for families and business opportunities for manufacturers. These regulations set standards that companies must adhere to, which drives the purchase of certified and high-quality products, resulting in financial growth for industry leaders.

Competitive Landscape

The child car safety seat market is highly competitive, with numerous global and regional players. The key players within the industry include major brands such as Graco, Evenflo, Britax, Maxi-Cosi, and Chicco. These companies have established themselves as top choices for consumers by offering products that meet the necessary safety standards and featuring user-friendly designs.

One of the strategic financial advantages that these brands benefit from is strong retail partnerships. Companies have been able to leverage both online and offline retail strategies, securing their place in both e-commerce platforms and traditional brick-and-mortar stores. Additionally, many brands are providing flexible pricing strategies, providing options for budget-conscious consumers while maintaining premium offerings for those willing to pay extra for added safety and advanced features.

Key Challenges and Opportunities

While the child car safety seat market is financially healthy, several challenges affect its continued growth. Rising raw material costs, particularly those related to plastics and foam, as well as the increasing costs of manufacturing high-tech safety features, may put pressure on profit margins.

However, these challenges present opportunities for companies to focus on product innovation, increase supply chain efficiency, and explore new distribution channels. Furthermore, an increasing emphasis on eco-friendly materials and sustainability practices is creating new avenues for financial growth. For example, companies are introducing recyclable products that not only cater to growing environmental concerns but also have cost-saving potential in the long run.

The market for premium safety products is on the rise, which further boosts the industry’s financial outlook. Consumers are willing to pay more for enhanced security, stylish designs, and comfort for their children, contributing to market revenue growth.

Market Outlook

In conclusion, the financial health of the child car safety seat market appears strong, with steady growth trends expected to continue. As long as safety concerns remain paramount, and regulations and consumer interest continue to drive demand, the market will likely thrive. Technological innovations, sustainability initiatives, and evolving consumer preferences will shape the industry’s future, creating more opportunities for long-term financial success for companies within the market.

[little-diable]

Christmas Trip - Jasper Hale (smut)

Just another Christmas Drabble. Please like and reblog if you enjoyed reading this, your comments keep us writers motivated! Enjoy my loves. Xxx

Summary: Jasper takes the reader to a Christmas market and she’s ready to properly thank him for it.

Warnings: 18+, smut, oral (m), road head

Pairing: Jasper Hale x fem!reader (1k words)

“Are you sure you’re okay with this?” (Y/n)’s soft voice filled the car, eyes set on Jasper’s features. He shot her a smile, cold hand finding her cheek to pull her in for a kiss that made her heart skip a beat or two.

“You know I’d do anything for you.” His words made heat rise to her face, still not used to being treated this kindly by a man she was head over heels in love with. (Y/n) pressed her forehead against his, cherishing his closeness for another moment before slowly parting from him again.

“I know, Jas’, and you know I’ll gladly reward you later for doing this with me.” Her chuckles filled the evening as she stepped out into the cold before he could reply. Instantly her attention was drawn towards the small Christmas market, the stalls offering food and handmade goods. Jasper found her hand to pull her along, keeping close to (y/n) who looked like a child in a candy store.

“You don’t know how happy this makes me.” She shifted her weight onto her toes to press a kiss to his cheek, fuelled by her gratefulness and excitement. He squeezed her hand, trying to let his attention rest on her and not on the different smells lingering in the cold air, accompanied by the sounds the crowd surrounding them made.

Something about this evening had something awfully special to (y/n), something she had been aching for the past years. Spending time with her boyfriend was always special, of course it was, and yet this evening was different somehow. Perhaps it was the fault of the many blinking lights that wrapped them in a soft glow. Perhaps it was the fault of the sweet scent she clung to, reminding her of her childhood. Perhaps it was simply the fault of Jasper, who had put so much effort into making this possible for her.

She felt him close wherever they went, looking at crafts, speaking to a few locals, cuddling for a moment while she sipped on her hot drink. And all Jasper could do was admire her, the way her body clearly fought against the cold nibbling on her cheeks and nose, how she seemed to cuddle herself against him at any given chance, further strengthening their bond.

Only as they made their way back to the car, set on warming (y/n) up, did she let go of his hand, “Thank you, Jas’. You’re the best thing that has ever happened to me.”

“You’re stealing the words right out of my mouth, darlin’.” He shot her his signature smirk before he started the car, driving back towards Forks while (y/n) slowly began to warm up. For a while, neither of them spoke, lingering in their memories of this evening, how her smile had grown brighter with every passing minute, how she had clung to her newfound happiness like the luckiest woman earth had ever seen.

Her eyes lingered on his side profile, thoughts set on the reward she had promised him. Jasper must have felt the switch in her emotions, letting his grin linger on his lips while her hand found his thigh, stroking along the cold fabric. He didn’t move, kept his eyes focused ahead to give (y/n) the confidence to keep moving, shifting in her seat to reach his crotch.

“Fuck, darlin’. Careful there, don’t want you risking your safety.” She could only hum, not picking up on his words as she brushed her fingers along the stretched fabric. It didn’t take her long to free his hardening cock from the confines of his clothes, she spat into her palm before she began to stroke the soft skin.

Jasper’s raspy moans filled the car, eyes flickering to meet her widening pupils. She looked like a goddess to him, wrapped in the dark lingering in the car, emanating something soft though teasing enough to push him further towards his doom. (Y/n) was his everything, something to love and to cherish, while keeping a protective hold that was supposed to keep her chained to him until the end of this very earth.

His name left her, rolling off her tongue as if she wanted to speak her truth - no needed to give room to the adoration she couldn’t shake. But no further word left her, nothing but the echo of his name that rang in his ears all while (y/n) moved again. With that innocent look in her eyes, she stared up at him, watching his reactions the second her tongue brushed over the tip of his cock.

Jasper’s moan filled the car, guiding her to take more of him down her throat. The taste of his precum stuck to her, all too familiar as it reminded her of the endless hours they’ve spent tangled between the sheets. She loved being this close to him, loved the feeling of his twitching cock pressing against her tongue. He was the centre of her world, the one thing she’d never let go of.

“God, that mouth of yours is heavenly, darlin’.” His cold hand found her neck, holding onto her in a possessive manner. Jasper didn’t allow her to move - not that she wanted to - he needed her close, ready to fill her mouth with his much needed release. She gagged around him the second he jerked his hips, forcing his cock further down her throat.

She was making a mess on his thighs, saliva dripping from her lips as if her mouth was watering from the mere sight of him. And it was, fuelled by her never ending need for her partner. (Y/n) pulled away for a second, pumping him faster with her skilled fingers while deeply inhaling.

“Want you to fill my mouth, Jas, please.” The words filled the car before she took him back into her mouth. Another groan left him, rumbling through Jasper before a “fuck” clawed its way out of him. He came in her mouth with a raspy sound, filling her cheeks with his cum and the taste she loved.

For just a flicker of a second, he closed his eyes, letting the feeling wash through him while she greedily swallowed. Then his eyes were back on the road, filled with a dangerous twinkle that told her he’d ruin her tonight.

[withahappyrefrain]

⭐ 60 Fun Meet Cutes ⭐

1) A and B’s coffee orders are identical. Confusion (and promised calls) occur.

2) A always steals B’s parking spot and normally they wouldn't say anything but not today asshole!

3) A and B are seated next to each other at the singles table for a wedding.

4) B owns a bookshop and A really needs this book because their book club meeting is in two days.

5) A is a doctor/nurse treating B for an injury, but B won't stop flirting.

6) A pretends to be B’s significant other because they can tell that creep is bothering B.

7) They meet at the dog park and their dogs won't stop playing with one another.

8) They meet at the dog park and B’s dog won't stop following A’s!

9) They're both at a party and notice the other is sitting alone on the couch so we join.

10) They get volun-told to do a karaoke duet by their respective friend groups.

12) A and B’s families have been trying to set them up for years. They meet by accident.

13) A runs a stand at the local farmers market that B loves (the owner being cute and sweet is a major plus too).

14) They grab the same book at the library.

15) “You have the wrong number, but stay on!”

16) A and B have been set up on a blind date together. Neither one of them expect it to go well, given their mutual friend's track record.

17) A and B both want the last pack of cigarettes. It's not even for themselves, but they'll certainly argue about it.

18) "Hi, I'm pretty sure I saw you on a dating app and while I swiped right, you did not and wow you're beautiful in person."

19) A’s a tour guide for B, who is currently supervising a field trip of twenty seven-year olds.

20) A is B’s least favorite author but they don't realize until halfway through their rant.

21) "Hey, my friend is into your friend. But they're too scared to make a move, can you help me get them together?"

22) They're at the grocery store and A can't reach the item on the top shelf, so B helps them.

23) “Hey, so I helped your grandparent cross the street and they insisted that I meet you, their grandchild.”

24) It's their high school reunion and A is like eighty percent sure B was their lab partner, unfortunately B has no idea what they're talking about.

25) A’s friends insisted on going to a strip club for a bachelor/bachelorette party and A is really enjoying their time talking to B, the hostess.

26) An unexpected torrential downpour happens and they end up taking shelter at the same place.

27) “I'm your neighbor and I swear to God, if you don't turn that music down-"

28) They’re both PhD students and their dissertations contradict each other's and boy, are they going to have some intense eye contact about it.

29) B is A’s child's new teacher and their kid won't stop mentioning that their parent is single.

30 “I'm so sorry, but my friends won't stop bothering me until I get someone's number tonight, it doesn't have to be your real one, I'm just so tired of their shenanigans.”

31) A is the hot firefighter who visits B’s classroom to talk about safety.

32) A and B are paired up for a roller coaster and one of them needs to hold the other's hand to get through the ride.

33) “Look, your date may not want to dance with you, but I certainly will!”

34) They're both celebrities and their fans ship them so A and B do an interview together for their respective press tours.

35) They're both on the bus and A is reading the book B’s been wanting so badly and they gotta know if it's good or not because the waitlist at the library is ridiculous.

36) They're at an art museum and have wildly different interpretations of the same portrait.

37) It's been arranged by their families for A and B to marry as a peace treaty. When they meet for the first time, they bond over their families fighting

38) "Do you mind if I sit here? There are no other seats available."

39) A doesn’t know why their friend's girlfriend invited them to their coworker's nephew's bar mitzvah but they have a stain from the chocolate fountain and B is an angel with their Tide to go stick.

40) “If you don't fix your collar/tie/hat, I will do it myself!”

41) “The food in your grocery store cart looks so good, what are you making?"

42) A sees B at the Renaissance Fair and is determined to give B a rose.

43) They're both at the eye doctor and can't figure out which glasses to buy.

44) They end up sitting next to each other in a movie theater during a horror movie, and cling to each other for moral support

45) A owns a flower shop and B just needs the courage to go inside and say hello.

46) B’s dog somehow got out and A find it. Yes, it's late at night but from B’s voice over the phone, A knows they need to return this dog STAT.

47) A has always signed up to bring the dessert for their work's potluck. Who does B think they are taking their slot?

48) A’s friends signed them up for a dating app and set them up on a date with B without A’s knowledge.

49) B’s running an adoption event and A doesn’t even like animals but my God, is B so damn cute with them.

50) They're spies who have to pretend to be a couple for an assignment.

51) They’re professors who teach the same course but disagree over teaching methods.

52) A is B’s friend's asshole boss and B is just trying to drop off C’s lunch without strangling A.

53) A’s a witch who run a shop. B barges in, asking about the best curse to give someone (without killing them of course).

54) A is a hairdresser at a fancy salon and B shouldn't be spending $150 on a haircut but they need to talk to A.

55) A is a personal trainer and B is their client and A knows they need to keep it professional but it's really hard!

56) A is the photographer and B’s the caterer for the worst wedding ever.

57) It's the county Fair and A has lost their niece/nephew, so they ask B for help.

58) A is having a horrendous case of writer’s block, B works at the cafe A has been staying in for the past few days and is very concerned.

59) Hades and Persephone AU bc why not

60) A is a tattoo artist and it's B's first time getting a tattoo.

[llamagoddessofficial]

An HMF x OC commission from @radpunch that made me swoon ❤️ any chance to write this big lug, I'll take!!

---

It was love at first sight. 

Looking out his car window was, oddly, one of the few joys he still had. It was such a strange thing to look forward to. Papyrus wouldn’t allow him to drive anymore, given the state of him, and although it frustrated him to lose his agency having a driver meant he could sit in the backseat and stare out of the tinted window. 

... He was sick and tired of the way everything would stop when he entered a room. He was sick of the world that refused to forget the parts of him he wanted to forget, but at the same time, forgot the things he desperately wished to hold onto.

His eyelight rolled over the street, taking in it all. The colours, the sounds, the sights. He could almost forget what had happened to him. He got the sense of normalcy he had been missing, craving, for so long; nobody could gawk at him like they usually did, nobody even knew he was there. From the safety of that bulletproof box he could see how the normal world went on. People bustling up and down the streets, moving in and out of stores, chatting with friends or arguing with each other, laughing and yelling and living their lives.

How things used to be.

His eyelight landed on something that should’ve been another normal sight. An entirely unremarkable flower shop, sat between a cafe and small family market. It was the kind of area he and his brother would’ve collected protection from in the early days of their ‘business’. There were flowers arranged outside of the store, grey metal buckets full of bouquets set spaced across a low wooden table.

... There was a human woman tending to the flowers. Your apron was the same colour as the store’s green banner.

...

His Soul stilled inside his chest.

“... stop the car,” he said, before he even knew he was speaking.

You weren’t doing anything particularly incredible, nor noteworthy. You blended in with the rest of the people on that busy street - standing outside your shop. Watering the plants? Pruning them? He couldn’t tell from this distance.

Impressively, the driver had heard his mumbled command, shifting down a gear despite the look from the bodyguard in the passenger seat. 

“Where would you like to get out, sir?”

... It was strange. But Sans missed the days when his drivers would question him. It just wasn’t the same now that nobody ever even thought of challenging his word. Sir, this isn’t where we’re stopping. Sir, Papyrus said we must be there at eight, we cannot pull over. Sir, I’m under express orders not to let you go to the bar. 

Now, even the slightest sign of questioning would probably be considered stupid. 

“... florist.”

Sans didn’t miss the second strange look the bodyguard gave to the driver. He would’ve felt anger at that, usually, but instead he watched intently as you headed into the shop.

The driver pulled up to the side of the road, a few cars’ distance from the entrance to the store. Sans opened the car door. 

“How long will you be, sir?” the guard asked. 

Sans didn’t reply; he often didn’t, these days. He merely stepped out of the car. He knew the driver would wait.

The second he exited the vehicle, Sans saw the world around him realise he was there, and react with its usual amount of terror and disgust. His presence was always a blight. People in the street immediately began to stare, freezing in their path, refusing to cross in front of the giant that had just appeared. A mother with a child who had been walking their way suddenly spotted him, and jerked her child by the arm, turning the two of them around and rushing in the other direction.

Usually, he only had to pretend that he didn’t care. But this time, he genuinely didn’t. 

... He was excited.

Sans made his way over to the flower shop, ignoring all the tiny people that flitted away from him. His Soul was... beating. It was beating, thudding against his ribcage. 

He opened the door, ducking slightly under the frame. A tiny bell chimed.

... It was such a quaint little store. Clearly strapped for space, every corner was occupied with pretty things; while one wall was dedicated to shelves full of decorative pots and bottles of flower feed, the rest of the store was bursting with different kinds of blossoms, arranged in all kinds of creative ways. Every taste was catered to - elegant bouquets of dark paddle-leaves and pale lilies, stringy minimalist green stalks dotted with clusters of tiny blossoms, extravagant bunches of pink that more resembled floral fireworks than anything natural. A blackboard displayed bouquet prices, with sweet little illustrations of the various bridal styles available. *Please note that out-of-season flowers might be more expensive!

And at the far end, behind the counter... by far the prettiest thing in the whole room.

You.

Whatever had happened to him in the car, it happened again. His chest was tight, his head was swimming. His Soul felt heavy, and hot, he was certain it had manifested itself inside his ribcage - it felt as if it was twice its usual size. Everything was brighter, more saturated.

You did look at his head crack when he entered. Everyone did. You glanced up from the bouquet you were organising, a classic bunch of perfectly red roses; but your eyes quickly skirted away from the injury, aware that you were staring, and probably not wanting to be rude. It was more politeness than most bothered to afford him.

... Then you smiled at him.

He literally felt his Soul pulse. All his breath escaped him at the same time. You were smiling? At him? People didn’t smile at him anymore, not genuinely. Their smiles were sly and patronising when they assumed he was stupid, or desperate and weak when they were a cornered animal doing their best to appear nonchalant in the face of a predator. 

This smile... your smile...

“Hi sir,” you said, in a voice like a lullaby. “what can I get for you?”

What could you get for him? He hadn’t even started thinking about that. He had just seen you across the road, and followed you like a lost dog. His eyelight scanned the shelves; he couldn’t say he’d ever been into a florist before, nor that he knew how to order a bouquet.

“... what’s...” For the first time in a long time, he was really really trying to get his words right. He was willing to put in the effort. “... your name?”

“Dove. You?”

It took him a moment to remember his own name. 

“sans.” 

Everything about you was soft. You had little lines around your smile that he wanted to trace with his claws. “It’s nice to meet you. Is there anything you’re looking for?”

you. “... just flowers.”

To his surprise, you giggled. It was a small sound, but it shot through him like lightning.

“Of course. My bad.”

“... was lookin’ for... somethin’ pretty.” He stared across the room at you, emboldened by your laugh. “... think i already found it, though.”

You went pink, and looked down at the counter.

Sans was... 

... Well, he was shocked. 

When was the last time his attention had incited anything except absolute terror? Regardless of gender, even just a glance from would make people shudder and cower, retreating into themselves. But here you were, blushing at his first attempt at flirting in what must’ve been years. He almost didn’t know what to do with himself.

... He couldn’t remember a single instance, after his injury, where he genuinely wanted someone. He had a vague aesthetic interest in a member of a rival gang, once, but she’d been so frightened by him staring at her that he quickly gave that up. He hadn’t felt these kinds of feelings in a long time. 

... In fact... now that he was looking at you and your lovely nose and lips, he couldn’t remember a single instance before his injury when he felt this strongly about someone. His younger self had been a playboy who chased anything pretty and distracting. 

He’d never felt these warm, intense, fluttery sensations before.

It felt like love.

“What’s the occasion?” you asked him. “For the flowers, I mean.”

He approached the counter. “... a gift.”

“Are there any particular flowers or colours you have in mind?”

“... which... flowers do you like?”

Your blush hadn’t gone away. Was he just seeing things because he was desperate, or were you leaning on the counter like that to be flirtatious? “Oh... I know it’s stereotypical to say as a florist, but I can’t pick a favourite. I like so many of them.”

His eyelight lingered on your neck. He didn’t want to make assumptions and scare you off. But at the same time, he wanted so much. “how come?”

“Well... there’s a lot of folklore behind flowers. Pretty much all flowers have certain meanings.” You kept fiddling with the roses, changing the position of blooms. “The Victorians were really into it, they got super specific, even down to which hand you gave flowers with. Nobody really cares about that kind of thing nowadays, they just want the bouquets to look good. Which is fair enough. But every time I find out the hidden meaning of a flower, I think about how someone long ago must’ve loved that flower enough to give it so much meaning. And I get all emotional.”

You looked up at him, your eyes glistening in the light. He dug his thumb into the side of his index finger to stop himself from reaching out and caressing your face.

“... Y’know, it does make me laugh, sometimes, when people pick rude flowers without knowing their meaning.” You looked up at him from under your eyelashes. “They have no idea they’re sending a bouquet that would’ve meant ‘I don’t trust you, and I’m extremely disappointed with you’.”

He couldn’t help but smile when you smiled. That... was kinda funny. Papyrus would like this sort of thing.

“what kinda messages... can you send?”

“Almost anything.” You moved the roses to the side. “I can’t say I know many off the top of my head. Romantic love, platonic love, wisdom, bravery. There’s a lot for love. My favourites are the mean ones, though, because it’s so funny to me - orange lilies used to mean hatred. Could you imagine getting orange lilies delivered to your door?”

... He chuckled. He could listen to you talk forever. 

“... could i...” he hummed. “... get somethin’... with a meaning?”

Your whole face lit up. You beautiful thing.

“Of course! I don’t think I’ve ever actually gotten to make a bouquet that uses flower language." You were beaming. "What message were you thinking of?”

He looked right into your lovely, shiny eyes. “love at first sight.”

... He could see exactly how your mind worked, in that moment. There was an instant of surprise, then a glimmer of flattery and embarrassment, it came with another flash of warmth across your face that only deepened the colour in your cheeks. He could tell you were immediately trying to pull yourself back, convincing yourself he couldn’t mean you, reigning in the sudden feelings.

“Whoever it’s for must be very lucky.” You tucked some hair behind your ear. If only you knew. “Hold on, just let me grab my flower language book.”

You rushed over to a shelf. As you did, he looked down to double check that his Soul wasn’t shining through his clothes.

“Here.” You came back quickly, holding the book in question, already leafing through it. It was a faded beige, with beautifully illustrated blossoms on the front, encased in an embossed golden border. “This should help.”

He wanted to purr. You were so cute. Moving around with so much excitement, he liked when you were excited.

“There’s a few, I think. You’re in luck, we have these in stock.” He wasn’t paying attention to the book, he was just looking at you. “Thornless roses - gloxinia too. This one says that lilac roses are good to represent first love. We could make some really nice arrangements with these shapes and colours.”

just keep talking, was all he could think. talk to me forever...

Eventually, you looked up at him, still smiling. He had to physically fight the urge to just pick you up and walk out the door. “What size were you thinking?”

“... whatever... you think... looks best.” He wanted you to have fun with it. “... money’s... no object.”

“I think something medium would be good for these flowers. Anything bigger and it'll just look silly. Any particular styles?”

“... somethin’ romantic.”

You gently giggled. He guessed that that wasn’t a proper bouquet style. Usually, when people laughed at him, he felt the urge to cave in their skull... but when you laughed at him, he laughed too, a soft chuckle escaping his massive chest. His mind was racing to figure out why you laughed, so he could make you do it again. 

“i like your laugh,” he said, before he could stop himself.

“... I like yours, too.” Your voice was sweet. Almost... coy?

He was daring to hope that, despite his gruesome injury, you liked him too. 

... The store bell let out a little chime.

Sans turned around. And, much to his immediate aggravation, he saw his guard standing at the entrance.

“Hello.” Your voice was very different to the one you were just using with him. Far more customer service, far more ‘normal’. “I’ll be with you in a moment.”

The guard ignored you, looking to Sans. “Sir, you...”

Sans’ glare must’ve said shut the fuck up fluently enough to make the man close his mouth again. 

don’t you dare. don’t you fucking dare ruin this for me.

“... Do you two need to speak in private?” You had probably lived in this city long enough to know when it was time to make yourself scarce. “It’s fine, I can go make the bouquet while you talk.”

... He nodded. 

“... sorry. s’cuse me.”

You disappeared away, into the back of the store.

...

He turned to the guard. He could feel his eyelight starting to burn, sharpening and filling with aggressive magic. 

“what.”

The guard visibly shrank into himself. Sans didn’t even want guards, he didn’t fucking need them, he could more than handle himself. But Papyrus was still shaken from the incident to this day, and wouldn’t let him anywhere without at least one armed guard.

“S-sir, we’re... we’ll be late,” he said. 

Sans didn’t care. The clowns he was meeting with would wait for him like nervous children, no matter how long he took to arrive. As the moments ticked by, the guard just withered more and more under Sans’ stare. 

...

He eventually sighed, through his nasal cavity. Being around you had softened his mood significantly. He didn't even feel like breaking anything.

“i’ll tell... pap... you tried to rush me.”

... A wave of relief passed over the guard’s face. Though Sans was the one most feared, Papyrus’ wrath was still nothing to sneeze at. 

“Here!” Your voice snapped him back to attention. He turned around, just in time to see you set an arrangement down on the counter. “What do you think? I’m happy to make adjustments.”

... It was lovely. Really lovely. He leaned in to get a closer look. He knew what lilacs and roses looked like, but he couldn’t say he’d ever seen a gloxinia before; they resembled open roses, lipstick red petals with ruffled white edges. Gloxinia and bunches of lilacs were interspersed by small lavender-hued closed rosebuds... minuscule baby’s breath flowers had been added too, on their thin stalks, floating over it all like stars.

“... s’perfect,” he murmured. You immediately smiled wider. Who would’ve known he’d grow a fondness for flowers?

He took out his wallet, rummaging until he had enough bills. It didn’t take long. He pushed them across the counter to you, and you graciously picked them up. 

“Do you mind me asking who the lucky someone is?” you asked, starting to count what he’d given.

... Sans pushed the flowers across the counter a little, over to you.

“gotta go.” he murmured. “... late.”

...

You looked up at him, blankly. It was such a cute expression on your pretty face. Again, he was restraining the urge to purr, it would just be too inappropriate to do in public. Especially with someone else right behind him. Maybe if the two of you were alone...

“Huh?”

He turned, nodding to the guard, who made his way over to the door and opened it for him. As much as he wished he could just skip the meeting and stay there in that shop with you forever, he did have business to attend to. 

You sounded flustered, behind him. “W-wait. You gave me too much,”

Sans waved over his shoulder at you. 

The walk back to the car was a blur. His soul was still thundering. He genuinely wasn’t looking at the people around him, he didn’t care what they thought. All he cared about was what you thought.

All he was thinking about was the different ways he could make you his.

[crustyfloor]

lowkey becoming a Till hater after this. I hte that guy (Regretted writing this 2 seconds later)

It was established earlier in the series that some of the cast do have parents, some know their parents or remember their face, some don't, I feel like it was important to us to know this fact about Till, because this comic answers more questions about him than I had thought, such as where his sense of humanity originates from entirely.

Starting the comic off with "Lo has always wondered ever since the creation was born whether or not providers also felt the same emotions that they were feeling towards the creation" shows more about the environment of Alien stage than I initially thought, Lo seems to love Till more than any "parental figure" I've seen in alien stage, its real, its affectionate, but Alien stage is so dystopian and detached from our society that Humans have no real solid attachment to morality, social code, etc. Aliens could never relate to humans either, so how can they enforce what they don't understand? This leaves Humans to figure it out on their own because no matter what, they'll still be human and feel inexplicable emotions. Love is one of these major emotions that get confused. and loving someone is normal, but I can imagine "Providers" can't afford to be as attached to their "Creations" as Lo was, they couldn't help forming a special bond with Till. But I love that it's immediately established that Lo loved Till as much as they could, and he wasn't brought into the world without care and familial love.

And it's also made clear that Till's passion for art and music was apparent from the jump.. even as a child, he composed his own song and sang it to his mother, he started showing skill and talent at a young age, he was as much of a prodigy as he's always been said to have been, but Lo's expression upon realizing that is so unmistakably afraid. Lo knew more than anyone in that situation how risky it would be letting Till go on because singing, they were more than familiar with the environment of Alien stage, the elaborate display of talent and entertainment on the big screens, the inauthentic excitement of the performers, Till was almost just like them, and Lo knew that Alien stage was where innocent children like him go to be chewed and spat out by Segyein until they had their fill and moved on to the next talent, Lo feared that fate all the same, humans like them didn't have the right to just sing when they want however loud they want, their voices didn't belong to them. Not anymore, but Till had made it into something of his own, he was too naive to know the truth.

They knew the risk, as a survivor, Lo knew what life, what horrors Till would be subjected to if this was ever found out by the aliens who would only use it to hurt and market him, to put him through a grueling cycle of pain until he too met his end on that stage. Lo's ear notch is a nod to their experience, and they were completely right. But as a mother, they didn't even want to take that innocence away from Till, not when his eyes sparked so brightly and pitifully.

In relationships like these in Alien stage, I always see that there is a choice to make between breaking making reality clear or reveling in obliviousness, it happens with Ivan and Sua, Sua and Mizi, Till and Mizi, etc etc. Something has to give and take.

Sua's sister is my favorite example of this kind of exchange, she told Sua bluntly that she would be doomed on that stage as she is now, that she was pitiful, if only to ensure her safety in some twisted, caring way, it effected Sua a lot as a child, living with such deep seated trauma caused Sua to develop an obsession with safety and security based on the fear her sister instilled in her so deeply, to find that warmth in Mizi, Sua was content living in delusion until she had to face it, continuing the cycle.

Lo made the decision to let Till remain oblivious, they, too, found comfort in such childish carefreeness. Like they had hope, they let Till keep singing despite their unease. They cared so deeply about Till enough to prioritize him being himself rather than making him suppress his spirit. The darkness that shadows over Lo's perspective in contrast to the light that makes Till's shines behind Till shows the difference between living in fear--delusion and living freely, oblivious.

The cruelty of their situation was overshadowed by love for a moment, Lo's one wish for their son-- that he would grow up knowing what it's like to love and be loved and chase after the feeling--if only in his heart he would remember how much they tried to show him that love and actively seek it after they're gone, or give it to someone else. They wanted to teach him to be himself through encouraging his love for music.

I don't believe they failed at all. Till was fully aware of how much he meant to his mother, it was so obvious. He loved making them proud, and making them smile and sing with him every time he tried to replicate those 'good cries', Till loved Lo back equally, and as he grew up he never stopped loving.

One thing about Lo's wish was that they hoped Till would never grow up alone. Till's separation from his mother must have had more of an impact on him than we could ever realize from his perspective, even if we never hear about it again, even if he's forgotten about it, suppressed it, it's a trauma that has deeply plagued his subconscious. He lives with that wariness for the rest of his life.

It was Till's fear that stemmed from the pain and regret of losing his mother that caused him to avoid attachments, emotionally suppressing himself, and he keeps his heart behind restrictive chains because he can never let that vulnerability be used against him again, it explains a lot about his relationship with his friends, how he percieves his own relationship with them after going so long not addressing his feelings. He craves connections but fear, and being in the middle of confusion makes him freeze in place and run back to old habits. Jumping to feelings he can easily rationalize, hatred, anger--or avoiding conflict all together.

Even after Lo and Till were separated, Till did not grow up without love, or without the feeling of loving, even though he was alone in his own self-made bubble distanced from his peers, there is a difference between isolation and loneliness, in his case, he remained distant even with his closest friends, or the girl he loved more than anything, as a way to protect himself. But he was never left alone with 4nakt beside him.

When Till can only realize he's loved when he can recognize it and see it for himself, thats what makes the comic being focused on the whole group rather than just Mizi or Ivan interesting, and telling about his character. It drives home the fact that Till was also a little kid who craved connection just like the others, he expects to be left to himself, and his friends seek him out naturally. He valued and loved all of his friends. rather than a specific person like Sua focuses on Mizi and Ivan focuses on Till this shows that everyone who stayed with Till had an importance to him

(Even Sua looks somewhat fond...)

Till grew up knowing what it was like to be cared about and loved it, sought it out, and inherited that touch from his caretaker, What Till gained from his relationship with his mother shows in the way he treats Mizi, Ivan, even Sua. Mizi's kindness and care were a familiarity, something that instantly attracted him to her, it likely reminded him of his mother in a way and he subtly sought out her attention for that very feeling of love and feeling cared for.

With Ivan, he couldn't help caring about him in little ways, it was only natural, if only because it was part of Till's nature to nurture, letting Ivan be himself around him as a parallel to the way his mother encouraged him to be loud about his interests. And Sua, even if they weren't close at all, Sua was an acquaintance to him, hell even the way he treats a little broken flower with just as much compassion shows us how much Lo impacted Till's growth

To the Segyein, Humans are nothing more than a product, to those who disobey, they are punished, to those who comply, living to sing on stage and feed the aliens is their "prize" for living through it all. Their separation was something Lo saw as a their punishment for having their own little rebellion in making music for themselves, loving it, making it into something the aliens couldn't use against them, it was their own little fun, and they could do it freely. It was an inevitable consequence that they could have prevented as Till's caretaker

In the end, Lo probably never lived to see her son grow up, but they prayed for Till's pursuit of happiness. The traces of them, the evidence of their care that they tried to deeply thread into Till's person stayed with him forever, exactly what kind of trace Lo had left on him...they taught him how to love and be loved, they let him love art, they showed him what living freely with no restraints was like, that's the kind of life he fights for even after he's trapped in this system. her impact keeps him kind-hearted and fighting. It keeps him human despite all of the pain he was burdened with as he grows up

And even when his art is his pain, the creation of art and music reminds him of why he lives, what he lives for, it gives him a vague sense of hope even if for a moment, it brings him that same joy he had when he was a child

"Exactly what kind of trace"

The traces you leave behind is what's important to a human, every human is born to die, what matters most is how you live your life, what impact and memory you leave behind, I love Lo's character, even if we have little context around her background, because she knew that fact and wanted nothing more than to leave a meaningful impact on Till, if they were to one day die they wanted to leave him with a trace of them, a message he would never let go of. and that sentiment became deeply intertwined in his being. Till's emotions, his love, makes him the character he is.

The title of the comic expresses this too. "evidence" or "traces"--this comic is evidence of Lo's impact, evidence that Till was loved and knew how to love in return, Till had relationships. His entire existence was the product of love, it's evidence that he was alive and had humanity, that's what makes this comic even more tragic. It's evidence that he was human at all when we can forget that in the midst of the chaos of all of their lives. Innocence where the aliens don't bother to acknowledge. Till isn't a weapon, or a product. And this perspective of him through his mother's eyes reflects that.

The humanity that he holds within himself even after losing family connects him to more people who prove to care for him as deeply as he cares for them. Till was lonely but never alone with the love he had around him, they always come back, the relationships around him that his mother wished he would have so that he would never sink into a lonely abyss, only a boy and his song, and on that wall is a drawing that draws a picture of a life he's always wanted, a real heavenly garden with real trees and a real sky, and the drawing includes the four of them together, because he had always envisioned a life worth living, free, with all of his friends by his side.

The translation is done by @/WhatfaFruit

[leupagus]

You know what's missing from Game of Thrones? Dragon shenanigans. Dragonanigans.

It had been a year since they'd first come to Meereen, flush from victory over the three cities of Slaver's Bay, yet coming up to the Throne Room still set Missandei's heart to racing. The great hall seemed to hunch over on itself to glower at the supplicant, as though even now, with freedmen walking side-by-side with their former masters on the street, it sought to subjugate all who came within. The Throne Room had been built to inspire fear, and for centuries had done exactly that.

Not that it was called that any longer. Now it was called the Dragon's Chambers — or more often, the Nursery.

Today when Messandei entered, she found the queen stood in the middle of the room, arguing with Rhaegal. The great green dragon had a shovel in his mouth and seemed intent on making as much noise with it against the stone floor as possible. Viserion was curled up on the dais as usual, whistling faintly in his sleep. All around them bustled the newly formed Dragonsguard, orphan boys and girls who had come to the Pyramid in search of work.

(Not every applicant had been accepted — the dragons were the ultimate arbiters of who tended to them, and not every child wanted to climb all over a fire-breathing serpent all day simply to keep themselves fed — but those rejected had been given a place on the queen's staff, though that "place" was often just a bed every night and a seat in the dining hall three times a day. The queen fretted at the children's education and safety, but it was at least an improvement over the temples or slaver-markets where they would have been herded to before.)

(The Westerosi men had spoken at length of opening a new kind of temple called an orfinidge, but thus far the Congressional Council hadn't agreed on "proper resource allocation" for such an endeavor and the queen had simply paid for the current arrangement from her own coffers.) "Rhaegal, drop it this instant," the queen demanded, pointing sternly toward the ground. "That is not a plaything!"

Rhaegal, supremely unimpressed by his mother's arguments, stuck the shovel into the water trough and flicked a shovelful of water into the air, drenching the queen and a half-dozen children. The children shrieked with laughter, some of them jumping into the pool to splash back at the great dragon. The queen, on the other hand, covered her face with her hands and sighed.

It was then that Rhaegal caught sight (or possibly scent) of Missandei and called out to her, his frill lifting in welcome as he lifted his head. The shovel clattered to the floor, forgotten in the excitement of a new friend to pester.

The queen turned and saw her. "Are children always like this?" she demanded, snatching the shovel from the floor and making a face at the dragon drool covering the handle.

[cosmicclownboy]

Look there was always going to be ONE show that did the canonizing of a heavily popular m/m pairing first. If we're being honest a lot of fans wanted their show to be first.

The reality is a lot of the reasons it doesn't go there is because 1.the network they are on and 2. the viewership numbers and demographics they choose to target. What people don't get is half the time the actors and the show WANT to go there. Supernatural the NDA's may of been ironclad but the actors disappointment is forever visible.

Now when it comes to 9-1-1 imo I think why they went fuck it lets do it is multiple factors.

This was always a queer show since day 1. People can fight it deny it try and jump through hoops but since day 1 it has centered queer characters regularly. In real life queer people are drawn together whether they have figured it out or not so Buck and Eddie and Hen all actively working on the same rig makes sense to me. Just like Tommy being gay and originally being on the rig makes sense to me. It's always unintentional but it happens. And probably part of the safety for being there is knowing they will always be actively accepted regardless even if they don't know who they are.

The network change. Now being on Fox they clearly had marked the demographics they cared about the most and threw an odd crumb here and there to the younger fans. And I think that's changed. I think with the transition of networks they just want viewership numbers to be high. Which means looking at what all fans want in general. People were never clambering the seats for Buddie because they were two hot men or whatever. It was about how they both had queer coding and that their relationship moments would often parallel the romantic pairings in the show. Further giving more queer coding. When one of the men is having a panic attack and admitting that they are performing when being with women my thought isn't damn he'll meet the right one eventually. It's um buddy are you sure you like women? And with Buck- Eddie's introduction is centered on his pov so the mighty good man song the slow mo that's all Buck's seeing. There was actively nothing about Buck that was straight he's always been open and nurturing.

THEY HAD A CHANCE TO DO THE FUNNIEST THING AND THEY DID. Between the memeability of Buck being canonized Bi in 4 episodes with a different network. The sheer amount of fandoms who went through the M/M queer coded long running shows - they had an audience they could target with good results. People are already starting the show because Buck got to be himself .And they have actively marketed to Buddie fans.. The interviews with the actors. Buck's bi walkthrough being a positive experience with a guest star. Everything about this story is treated with respect because it was never just the fans who wanted this. Poor Oliver wanted Buck to be kissing men for years. AND ALL THE QUEER CHARACTERS DOING FAMILY FUEDS DURING PRIDE MONTH!!!! Iconic marketing actually. We love to see it.

And lastly out of every m/m pairing Buck/Eddie is the easiest imo to sway general audiences. Think about it. Buck and Eddie are basically raising a child together. Eddie wrote a will that said if he dies Buck raises his son. Eddie forces himself to be with women who he doesn't like out of duty. Buck seeks out unattainable women or relationships he know won't work. WHY IS THAT? The story gives a reason to both characters behavior. Why they keep repeating the same patterns over and over. You won't stop the closeminded people and the ones who are biphobic or ignorant but it opens the door for fans who are none of those things. And changes the game of television.

[kadambarimmr123]

Baby Car Seat Market size was valued at US$ 5.59 Bn. in 2023 and the total revenue is expected to grow at a CAGR of 4.92% through 2024 to 2030, reaching nearly US$ 7.82 Bn.

The market for baby car seats has grown due to a number of causes, including increased parental knowledge of their child's safety, stringent government regulations, and the availability of baby seats that allow the baby to be carried anywhere. The expansion of the infant car seat industry is being hampered by underdeveloped countries' lack of strong regulations and lack of knowledge regarding baby automobile safety.

[i-am-thornqueen]

Lord Jacques

I'm back on my backstory bullshit again, folks! This time, it's a little cut scene from The Monsters of Paris chapter 18, showing what happened when Adrien went into the coffeehouse to get plates.

It's a little more enrichment into the world of A Werecat in London/The Monsters of Paris, for those who would be interested. It will likely be incomprehensible to everyone else.

Bells tinkled cheerfully above the coffeehouse front door as Adrien stepped into the shop.

He’d been here once before during the daylight hours, when sunshine had poured through the windows. The small tables scattered around the seating area had been full; customers and coffee connoisseurs had filled the room with steady conversation, or otherwise quietly kept their own company while sipping a cup of their preferred drink. Coffee in all its possible incarnations had filled the air – roasted beans, freshly ground, cups of steaming coffee richly bitter and black as sin.

Now, in the early hours of the evening, the place was deserted.

Worried, Adrien quickly backtracked to make sure the place was open. It was, with a notice pinned to the door that special extended hours would be observed for Mabon; customers had until four in the morning to get their caffeine fix, after which the shop would be closed for a day and reopen at normal hours thereafter.

Reassured he wasn’t unintentionally committing a case of breaking and entering, Adrien wandered back in.

That bright and welcoming atmosphere he’d known in the daylight was absent now. The lights had dimmed to a low, grey haze that was at odds with the golden glow filling the market outside. Shadows stretched long and dark along the walls, gathering in corners to form impenetrable pockets of Stygian blackness. Distant strains of classical music faded in and out from somewhere in the back of the shop, tinny and disconcertingly off-tune, as if playing from a broken radio.

Adrien shivered, chafing his arms absently. Instead of turning the heat on to chase away the autumn chill, the air was cold and damp like someone was running an air conditioner at full blast. An unpleasant musty odour hung in the air, underpinning the expected aroma of coffee.

“Hello?” He looked down one end of the front counter, then the other. “Is anyone here? I was hoping that I could use some of your plates.”

Silence, aside the discordant music continuing to play from beyond the swinging door set behind the front counter.

Adrien turned to look over his shoulder, seeing his friends gathered within the safety and warmth of the market. He wished he was out there with them. They didn’t need plates that badly. Who said you couldn’t eat a baked apple with only your fingers?

He barely managed a step toward the exit when he heard the swinging door creak behind him.

“Hi, sorry to bother you, but do you...?” Adrien stopped up short and blinked. There was no one, though the door behind the counter still swung silently. The hair on the back of his neck rose, awareness prickling. Someone was in the room with him. “Hello? I know you’re there.”

The sudden shriek of metal across the floor nearly made him jump out of his skin.

A stool pushed its way down the narrow aisle behind the counter, stopping directly across from Adrien. He heard four legs clatter unsteadily as a body climbed up the side. A black-haired head appeared, followed by an expressionless grey face, and finally the rest of the body dressed in raggedy antique clothing, no taller than a child.

Void black eyes stared unblinkingly, endless and empty, set into a face like a haunted porcelain doll’s. It was cracked like a doll’s, too – a severe shatter scar forked out from its right temple, beginning where a single, small blue horn emerged.

A demon.

Adrien’s mind raced, hand flying to his dormant Miraculous. The more humanoid the demon, the greater the portion of a heart it had eaten out of a human. This one had the humanoid shape down. The darkness that radiated from him was not on the same level of choking, strangling dread that came from a Prince. Not a Duke, either. A Marquis, then. Still a high-ranking demon, powerful and dangerous, not a creature anyone would ever want to be standing alone in a room with.

The demon made the first move, raising its right arm at the elbow with a ratcheting motion to fold its forearm across its torso. With the same slow ticking movement, he bowed forward as deeply as allowed while sitting on a stool.

“Your Majesty.” The voice echoed faintly, hollow as an empty cathedral.

Adrien steeled himself, though he knew not for what – a confrontation or a conversation?

The demon clockwork ticked itself back into an upright sitting position and stared silently, showing no signs of aggression. Not that that told Adrien anything of the creatures intentions. Demons wouldn’t – no, couldn’t – show signs of aggression. Or anything else, for that matter. Without a heart, they felt nothing.

If this demon wanted to attack, it could do so without any prior warning.

Adrien’s only assurance was that he was being recognized at the host for Destruction, the recognized King of Demons, which meant he was safe unless the demon had a sincere death wish.

“Do you-” Adrien cleared his throat, finding it uncomfortably dry. “Do you work here?”

More staring.

“Uh, is there someone else here I can talk to?”

Blink.

“Okay, I don’t need plates that badly...” Adrien turned to pretend he’d seen nothing, heard nothing, and had no intention of speaking of this incident ever again.

“You may have plates with purchase.”

He spun back around, but the demon hadn’t moved. Adrien wandered up to the counter, closer to the being whose monochromatic colouring made him look like he’d walked out of an old black and white television. The only splash of colour anywhere to be seen was his blue horn, marking it as a demon who’d fed on the bone-deep, soul-rotting misery within someone’s heart before it bloomed into a physical being.

Standing so close to the demon, the air was much colder. Cold in so many ways more than simply temperature, as if life itself were being drained from the air. Lights were less bright. Sounds were muffled. Dampness seeped through Adrien’s clothes, sank into his bones. The scent of decay was more pronounced – the smell of forgotten places left to moulder, wood rot of felled ancient trees, cemetery soil full of bodies and worms. Scents that clung to the inside of Adrien’s nose, slid down his throat with the physical sensation of slime.

Adrien noticed that someone had pinned a name tag to the lapels of its threadbare waistcoat. ‘Lord Jacques’ it said, nothing more.

“Jacques, sweetheart, the fridge is on the fritz again. Can you come stand in here to keep things cold? I moved the milk to the top shelf so you don’t curdle it this time.”

A human voice, painfully normal with all the right inflections of a living, feeling person, drifted out from the backroom. A woman, by the sounds of things. Possibly an insane one, if she was summoning a demon with such an endearment.

Lord Jacques sat as still as a doll.

Adrien leaned over the counter. “Excuse me? Is someone back there?”

“Oh!” There came a fluster of movement and calls of apologies for not hearing the bells go off.

Moments later, a tired looking woman in her fifties came bustling through the swinging door, prematurely grey hair tangled back in a knot, a brown apron embroidered with cheerful coffee cups tied around her waist. There were purple half-moons under her eyes, standing out starkly against the ashen cast of her skin. She had a look about her of someone who’d been unwell for a very long time.

She stopped dead upon seeing Adrien standing so close to Lord Jacques, the stiffness in his stance giving away the fact that he could see the demon perfectly well.

To her credit, she straightened her spine and stuck out her nervous chin. “M-may I help you?”

Adrien pointed across the counter. “Madame, you know that’s a demon, right?”

“Yes, I know. He’s not hurting anyone, though.”

Lord Jacques, still facing forward unmoving, said, “She is my Mother.”

Adrien cranked his head around. “Your-?” He looked back at the woman. “He bloomed from you?”

She cringed on the spot, wringing her apron.

“I ate her heart,” Lord Jacques said in his hauntingly empty voice, then ticked his head around to stare at his Mother. “He is His Majesty.”

From how quickly she gasped and clapped her hands over her mouth, she knew exactly what the demon meant. Who he was referring to. Oddly, a terror that Adrien rarely saw in civilian eyes when looking at him flared to life in hers. What little healthy colour was left in her face drained away into a waxy, pallid mask. Her steps were mechanical as she forced herself to walk closer to the counter, ever so slightly moving her shoulder so as to partially block Lord Jacques with her body.

Without taking her eyes off of Adrien, she said, “Jacques, please go out back and look after the fridge. I will take care of the customer.”

Jacques turned and dropped from the stool, making no noise as he disappeared into the backroom.

The moment he was gone, the air warmed slightly until it was only vaguely uncomfortable – no longer thick enough to feel like a film clinging to the skin. Light from outside spilled in a little more brightly, adding a sense of comfort that had not existed with a demon draining it from the air. Jacques took the smell of rot with him, restoring the coffeehouse’s original scent profile.

Adrien continued to stare at the nameless woman before him. “He’s killing you.”

She jerked her gaze away. “I know.”

“I can exorcise him, if you want.”

“Please, don’t. I don’t want him destroyed.” She swallowed thickly. “It... it hurts less when he’s here.”

Loathe to pry, but feeling like it was his job to do so, Adrien very carefully asked, "What do you mean?"

One hand curled into a fist in her shirt, over her already partially devoured heart. She took her time gathering her thoughts.

Adrien was prepared to wait. Thankfully, he didn't have to wait long.

“Not... not that you need to know this, but when I lost my daughter, I thought that was it. I lost the will to live; I knew I was going to die. But then I didn't. Jacques ate the worst of the misery away, enough that I could function again, live again."

Enacting the main purpose of a demon - to eat away at that which rots a human heart before it can become diseased and infect other humans. Despair that paralyzes. Rage that consumes. Hate that poisons. Demons served in the capacity of detritivores, a darkly awful but necessary evil.

"When he bloomed, all the feelings came back – smaller and fainter than before, but it was all still there. I couldn't handle it. I asked him to stay, traded what was left of my heart for the chance to know peace for as long as it takes for him to eat the rest of me.”

“That’s not peace. It’s numbness.”

“I don’t care what it is.”

Adrien opened his mouth, only to find that words had deserted him.

“I don’t have much time left. I’m doing what I can to protect him – I’m sure you’ve noticed that Prince Clopin’s been subsuming every freehold demon he can get his hands on into his Court. After I’m gone, Jacques can choose if he wants to join the Court of Miracles or go his own way. Until then, he stays here.” The woman notched her chin a shaky inch higher. “Now, what can I get for you?”

Adrien numbly pointed at whatever scones and pastries were closest to him in the nearby display case, enough to qualify him for the six plates he’d originally come in to get. He ordered drinks as well, hot mulled apple cider being the current special for the day – Mabon only.

Ready to be done with him, the woman grabbed everything as fast as humanly possible and piled it haphazardly onto a tray. She shoved utensils into Adrien’s hands and stuffed napkins into the crook of his arm. She’d bring his drinks out to him as soon as they were ready.

Precariously piled with a mountain of nonsense that could come tumbling down with one wrong move, Adrien slowly made his way to the door. His hands weren't free, forcing him to turn around to push at the door with his back. Doing so put him facing the woman again, who watched him with sad, condemned eyes.

“He’s not staying because he loves you, you know,” he murmured, knowing that it was a cruel but necessary truth. “He can’t love you. He stays because you’re a convenient food source.”

“There’s no guarantee that any child will ever love their parent.” The corners of her lips lifted in a heartbreaking, helpless smile. “At least this way, I don’t have to wonder.”

With nothing left to say, she turned away from him to begin preparing his ordered apple cider.

Adrien forced himself to turn away and leave the woman to her fate.

[fernkids58]

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The childrens stool provides versatile in seating arrangements in educational setups. Each children’s stool has stable construction set at an adequate height for younger users. The design of a childrens stool is lightweight, therefore the children can move it independently while using it without compromising safety. A number of childrens stool units may be stacked up and stored one upon the other as needs dictate.

Professional Childcare Table Designs for Dynamic Learning Spaces

Childcare Tables provide vital work surfaces that support teachers with young children in their daily use. Quality Childcare Tables use good materials that endure through heavy daily use, and each children’s table is designed with safety features such as rounded edges and sturdy construction. These Childcare Tables support a range of activities and are of an appropriate height for young children.

5 Tips for Selecting Early Childhood Classroom Furniture

So, how does this information influence choosing PreK classroom furniture? The right furniture sets the stage to launch profound early learning by cuing students thoughts, feelings and actions. The furniture defines the space and figuratively speaks to students.

For example, a carpet square for circle time conveys a more relaxed vibe. A comfortable, right-sized student chair and collaborative activity table, says, “It’s time to calm your body, quiet your voice, and focus on the instructions or task ahead.”

Innovative Preschool Shoe Storage Systems for Organized Transitions

The preschool shoe shelf organizes the footwear for kindergartners in the classroom. Each preschool shoe shelf contains individual cubicles that are the right fit for oversized children shoes. The preschool shoe shelf was designed in such a way as to allow independence through easy access and organized function. Several preschool shoe shelf units can combine to provide for large groups.

Professional Montessori Open Storage Solutions for Organized Learning

Ergonomic Montessori Seating Designs for Developmental Support

The Montessori chair provide appropriate seating for different stages of development. Each one has dimensions thought to encourage postural and functional comfort. Well-designed Montessori children chairs allow the child to independently move and adjust their seating. Multiple options of Montessori chair will accommodate different ages and activities within that environment.

Custom Montessori Storage Units for Material Organization

Innovative Kids Footwear Storage Solutions for Educational Spaces

The Shoe Shelf for Kids provides organized storage at transition points. Each unit of the kids’ shoe shelf has its fixed compartments designed for holding children’s shoes. The Shoe Shelf for Kids promotes independence through its accessible design and clear organization. Multiple units of the kids’ shoe shelf could be connected to accommodate larger groups.

Dynamic Montessori Table Designs for Active Learning Environments

Ergonomic Angle Chair Solutions for Proper Posture Development

Angle chairs provide special seating support for growing bodies. Each angle chair incorporates a unique design that promotes proper posture and comfort. Hence, specific angles and proportions of an angle chair are used, based on ergonomic principles. More than a few options of angle chairs can accommodate kids of all sizes and developmental stages.

Professional Daycare Table Systems for Educational Environments

Daycare tables provide very much needed work and activity surfaces in early childhood programs. Quality daycare tables are designed to withstand the rigors of intensive daily use, being manufactured from quality materials and constructed properly. Each design is done with safety features in mind and safe heights for young children. These daycare tables will accommodate various activities while maintaining stable and secure work surfaces.

Prioritize Safety: Ensure all furniture meets safety standards, with features like rounded edges, stable construction, and non-toxic materials to protect young children.

Focus on Functionality: Choose versatile furniture that can be easily adapted to different activities and layouts, allowing for flexibility and creativity in the space.

Choose Durable Materials: Opt for high-quality, durable materials that can withstand the wear and tear of active children, ensuring longevity and continued functionality.

Create an Inviting Atmosphere: Use furniture with calming colors and natural materials to create a soothing and welcoming environment that encourages learning and exploration.

[yimarcgroup]

Baby Car Seat Market Size, Share and Industry Report 2025-2033

Baby Car Seat Market Size, Share, and Industry Report 2025-2033

The Baby Car Seat Market Report 2025-2033 provides a comprehensive analysis of the market trends, growth opportunities, and challenges shaping the industry. The study covers detailed insights into market size, share, and forecasts, segmented by product type, distribution channel, and region. It highlights key drivers, including increasing awareness about child safety, stringent government regulations, and the rising adoption of advanced car seat technologies. The report also evaluates competitive dynamics, profiling major players and their strategies. Perfect for stakeholders, it delivers actionable intelligence for navigating the evolving landscape of the baby car seat industry.

[bambinistauk]

Best Strollers for Kids: Make the Right Choice

The best strollers for kids make the lives of both parents and children comfortable and convenient. This market has so many varieties, from being a first-time parent or looking to upgrade an old baby stroller, that its designs, features, and even prices may overwhelm you, and you need to identify what would suit your family's lifestyle. When one is considering the range of quality strollers and pushchairs given specific lifestyles and tastes, it would be helpful to have platforms such as Bambinista.

Why Strollers Are a Parenting Essential

Strollers are not only convenient for carrying your child but also serve as safe and comfortable spaces for your little one while freeing up your hands to do other things. For parents always on the go, a decent stroller is going to make all the difference in their daily lives, like running errands quickly, taking leisurely strolls around the park. With modern strollers, one gets to enjoy new features that include adjustable handles, spacious storage baskets, and multi-position reclining seats as far as providing convenience and adaptability at a maximum level.

Types of Strollers for Kids

It really helps know that there are many kinds of strollers. And if I'm asking, this is just a simplified way of looking at some of the popular categories:

Classic Strollers: A good daily-use stroller, sturdy, versatile, quite good for just walking around the block or even grocery shopping.

Lightweight or Umbrella Strollers: Light as a feather-not to mention size, great for travel, vacations, etc.

Jogging Strollers: These are meant for the very active parent with heavy-duty wheels and good suspension to give the baby a smooth ride over uneven ground.

Travel Systems: This comprises a stroller and its companion car seat. They can be quite handy for parents of newborns.

Double or Tandem Strollers: For families with twins or more little ones, a double or tandem stroller is great. It has a good number of seats without compromising flexibility.

What to Look For

These are the most critical features when buying a stroller:

Safety: Five-point harness, solid frame, and robust brakes.

Comfort: Cushioned seats, recline adjustment, and a sunshade canopy.

Portability: Light weight and foldable to travel with your stroller.

Storage: Extra space in the stroller is for diapers, snacks, and personal items to bring during outings

Durability: good quality material shall make your stroller stand the test of daily wear and tear.

Advantages of Buying Online

One benefit of buying a stroller is the comfort of shopping online. Most retailers, such as Bambinista, provide their customers with full product descriptions, customer reviews, and comparison tools for your perfect purchase. Some of these stores even have special offers, discounts, or deals for customers to take home their premium strollers at discounted rates.

How to Pick the Perfect Stroller

Determine Your Lifestyle: City Dweller or Suburban Parent? That determines your routine.

Test for Comfort: Ensure the stroller fits your child by age, size, and comfort.

Consider Longevity: Some strollers grow with your child, offering adjustable features that adapt over time.

Read Reviews: Other parents' experiences can give valuable input regarding how well a stroller performs and endures.

Conclusion

Choosing the right strollers for kids is a very important decision that can really make a difference in your parenting journey. Know what you want to achieve, and explore trusted retailers like Bambinista for a stroller that gives you just the right balance between comfort, safety, and style. Shop carefully; it's worth your time to find a stroller that fits seamlessly into your family's lifestyle.

[ezshuttlesblog]

5 Signs You’ve Chosen a Reliable Airport Transfer Service

When traveling, whether for business or leisure, selecting the right airport transfer service can make or break your trip. Reliable airport transportation ensures peace of mind, punctuality, and comfort, especially when navigating unfamiliar cities. If you're flying into or out of Jacksonville, Florida, finding dependable Airport Shuttles Jacksonville FL or Airport Transportation in Jacksonville FL is crucial. Here are five signs that you've chosen a reliable airport transfer service to make your journey seamless and stress-free.

1. Punctuality and Reliability

The hallmark of any trustworthy airport transfer service is punctuality. A reliable provider understands that time is critical, especially when dealing with flight schedules.

What to Look For:

A reliable service will guarantee on-time pick-ups and drop-offs. Many reputable companies provide real-time updates, such as GPS tracking, to ensure their vehicles arrive at the agreed location on time.

How to Verify:

Check reviews on platforms like Google, Yelp, or TripAdvisor to see if past customers mention consistent punctuality. Reliable Airport Shuttles Jacksonville FL will have testimonials from satisfied customers praising their timeliness.

Pro Tip:

Always book a service with a strong reputation for reliability during peak travel times, such as holidays or events in Jacksonville.

2. Professional and Courteous Drivers

The quality of the driver can significantly impact your overall experience with an airport transfer service. Drivers are often the face of the company and play a vital role in ensuring passenger satisfaction.

What to Expect:

Reliable services employ licensed, experienced, and well-trained drivers who prioritize safety and customer service. Courteous drivers assist with luggage, maintain a clean vehicle, and make passengers feel welcome.

Why It Matters:

Especially in cities like Jacksonville, with a growing tourism and business travel sector, a professional driver familiar with local traffic patterns and shortcuts ensures you reach your destination efficiently.

Example:

Companies offering Airport Transportation in Jacksonville FL often highlight driver professionalism as a selling point. Look for services that emphasize rigorous driver screening and training processes.

3. Transparent Pricing and Payment Options

Hidden fees or unclear pricing structures are major red flags when booking airport transfers. A reliable company provides upfront, transparent pricing without any unpleasant surprises.

Clear Cost Breakdown:

Trustworthy services will detail costs, including tolls, parking fees, or additional charges for late-night or early-morning rides.

Flexible Payment Methods:

Reliable providers often offer multiple payment options, such as cash, credit cards, or mobile payment platforms.

How to Confirm:

Before booking, ask for a detailed quote or check the pricing information on the company’s website. Jacksonville-based airport shuttles often provide cost calculators or flat-rate pricing for common destinations like Jacksonville International Airport (JAX).

4. Modern Fleet of Well-Maintained Vehicles

The condition of the vehicles used by the airport transfer service speaks volumes about their commitment to safety and comfort.

What to Expect:

A reliable service will maintain a modern fleet of vehicles equipped with air conditioning, spacious seating, and other amenities for passenger comfort.

Safety First:

Vehicles should undergo regular maintenance and meet all local safety standards. Companies offering Airport Shuttles Jacksonville FL often highlight their investment in safe, well-maintained vehicles as part of their marketing.

Additional Features:

Some premium services may offer luxury vehicles, Wi-Fi, or child seats for families traveling with young children.

Customer Tip:

Before booking, inquire about the specific vehicle options available for your transfer and whether they accommodate your group size or special requests.

5. Positive Customer Reviews and Recommendations

One of the most reliable ways to gauge the trustworthiness of an airport transfer service is by reading customer feedback and reviews.

Why Reviews Matter:

Honest testimonials provide insight into the company’s strengths and weaknesses, helping you decide whether they meet your needs. Look for consistent praise in areas like punctuality, professionalism, and overall service quality.

Where to Look:

Platforms like Google, Yelp, and Facebook are excellent resources for finding reviews of Airport Transportation in Jacksonville FL services. Additionally, travel forums like TripAdvisor often feature in-depth discussions about local transportation options.

Red Flags:

Avoid companies with a high number of unresolved complaints, particularly those regarding late arrivals, hidden fees, or unprofessional behavior.

Bonus Tip: Additional Features That Indicate Reliability

While the five signs above are essential, a few extra features can set an excellent airport transfer service apart:

24/7 Availability:

Reliable services cater to all flight schedules, offering round-the-clock availability for early-morning or late-night travelers.

Flexibility with Last-Minute Changes:

A good provider accommodates schedule changes due to flight delays or cancellations.

Easy Booking Systems:

Online booking platforms or mobile apps with intuitive interfaces make the process quick and hassle-free.

Customer Support:

Access to a responsive customer service team for inquiries or issues adds to the company’s reliability.

Why Jacksonville Travelers Need Reliable Airport Transfers

Jacksonville is a bustling city with a diverse mix of business and leisure travelers. The Jacksonville International Airport (JAX) serves as a hub for domestic and international flights, making airport transportation services a vital aspect of any trip.

Whether you're heading to the beaches of Jacksonville or attending a corporate event downtown, reliable transportation ensures you start your journey stress-free.

Dependable Airport Shuttles Jacksonville FL provide a cost-effective alternative to taxis or rental cars while offering a superior level of service and comfort.

Final Thoughts

Choosing a reliable airport transfer service is essential for a smooth travel experience. By focusing on punctuality, professional drivers, transparent pricing, modern vehicles, and positive customer feedback, you can confidently book an airport shuttle or transportation service in Jacksonville.

With options for Airport Shuttles Jacksonville FL and Airport Transportation in Jacksonville FL, travelers can enjoy the convenience and peace of mind that comes with choosing the right service. Next time you plan a trip, keep these five signs in mind to ensure your journey is as enjoyable and stress-free as possible.

[luxurycarsales]

Family-friendly and technologically advanced: Audi Q3 has it all

The Audi Q3 is far from being a small SUV of another generation, but a pretty beautiful amalgamation of family-friendly and technological wizardry. Among the choices in the market for the modern family, it comes out at the top. No matter whether it is a commute through the city roads or taking it out to the adventure on the weekends or even taking it out daily to work, the Audi Q3 matches up with your lifestyle. Here's why the Q3 makes for a family-friendly, technologically advanced companion.

Sleek and pragmatic design

Exterior for the Q3 is extremely sharp and suave, speaking in the Audi language. With the bold Single frame grille, razor-sharp LED headlights, and muscular stance, this vehicle demands attention on road.

But beauty is more than skin deep. The Q3 is perfect for city driving, being small, and a higher ride height provides excellent visibility combined with an added sense of security. Wide opening doors and the low cargo lip make it easy to get the groceries in or a child's seat out.

Huge interior built for families

Inside the Audi Q3, you will find a family-oriented interior. The cabin is an orchestration of luxury, comfort, and practicality.

Ample legroom and cargo space: Q3 has enough legroom at both the front and rear seats to ensure that family members travel in comfort. You can weigh the need for comfort with the passengers against the needs of cargo at the back with the adjustable seats. With a maximum cargo capacity of 1,525 litres when the rear seats are folded up, there's room for strollers, luggage, or sports equipment.

Premium Materials: From soft-touch surfaces to optional leather upholstery, every detail is of the finest, giving a premium feel that will stand up to the rigors of family life.

Child-Friendly Features: ISOFIX anchor points come as standard with the Q3, making installation of child seats easy and secure.

Cutting-Edge Technology for Modern Families

The Audi Q3 is packed full of innovative technology, keeping families connected, entertained, and safe on the go.

Audi Virtual Cockpit

The heartbeat of the tech suite in the Q3 lies in the customizable 10.25-inch digital display of the Audi Virtual Cockpit, which also replaces traditional dials. View navigation, media, and driving data with utmost ease to remain in control always.

MMI Touch Display

The center infotainment system in the Q3 comes with a high resolution MMI touch display up to 10.1 inches in size. Controls, voice recognition, and perfect Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity keep all of the family members entertained, streaming their favorite playlists while mom or dad can see where they are headed.

Advanced Driver Assistance Systems

The Q3 has a range of advanced driver assistance systems, and the most important thing for families is safety. It includes:

Adaptive Cruise Control: It keeps a safe distance from the vehicle ahead.

Lane Departure Warning: It alerts you if the vehicle drifts out of its lane.

360-Degree Camera: It makes parking and manoeuvring in tight spaces much easier.

Bang & Olufsen Premium Sound System

For those who enjoy family road trip playlists, an optional Bang & Olufsen 3D sound system beams concert-quality audio over every drive.

Practicality for Every Day's Adventure

The Audi Q3 is comfort and technology and delivers a rollercoaster ride.

Engine Choices: The Q3 comes in a variety of turbocharged engines that find the perfect equilibrium between power and fuel efficiency. Less people are likely to look past the standard 2.0-liter TFSI engine, though the sporting Q3 S Line is pretty unforgettable.

Quattro All-Wheel Drive: Of course, one is Audi's quattro all-wheel-drive system. With Quattro, excellent traction and stability on any road and in any weather will always be there.

Although extremely potent, the Q3 is economical on fuel for everyday commutes as well as on long-distance travel.

Sustainability Luxury

Audi takes sustainability seriously and this manifests in the Q3. Beginning from its very lightweight construction down to efficient engines, the Q3 minimizes the impact towards the environment minus losing performance power.

Customized Options for every Family

Every family is unique, and Audi offers a variety of options to customize the Q3 to your needs. Tailor it to your needs with countless choices of exterior colors, interior trims, and wheel designs.

Why the Audi Q3 is Perfect for Modern Families

Audi Q3 is a car, but also that outright trusted friend to families- as a vehicle-that is safe and very comfortable in it carrying loads of technologies. The high-performance dynamics mean the Q3 makes life easy.

Whether you’re a parent juggling school runs and extracurricular activities or an adventurer seeking weekend escapes, the Audi Q3 delivers on all fronts. It’s stylish, practical, and loaded with features that cater to every family member's needs.

So, if you’re in the market for a family-friendly, tech-savvy SUV, look no further than the Audi Q3. Visit your nearest Audi dealership today and experience the Q3 for yourself.

[coudicarsxm]

Experience Seamless Travel with Premium Car Rentals in SXM

Why Renting a Car in SXM is a Must

St. Maarten is a unique destination where the Dutch and French sides merge seamlessly, offering diverse experiences. Public transportation, while available, is limited in routes and frequency, making it challenging to access less-touristy areas. Opting for a car rental SXM ensures travelers have unrestricted mobility, allowing them to visit picturesque beaches, historic landmarks, and bustling marketplaces. For families or groups, this option is not only convenient but also cost-effective. Additionally, rental cars provide comfort and safety, crucial for exploring rugged terrains or distant attractions.

Top Attractions You Can Easily Access

Having the freedom to travel across the island unveils St. Maarten’s incredible beauty and culture. A visit to Maho Beach, renowned for its thrilling airplane landings, is a must. Similarly, Pic Paradis offers panoramic views of the island, best reached by vehicle. Travelers can also explore the lively Marigot Market, which showcases local crafts and cuisine. By choosing to rent a car SXM, vacationers can comfortably visit these attractions and even discover secluded spots far removed from the bustling crowds.

Choosing the Right Car Rental Service in SXM

Selecting the ideal rental service is key to ensuring a smooth and enjoyable travel experience. It is essential to choose a provider that offers well-maintained vehicles, transparent pricing, and exceptional customer support. Reading reviews and comparing services will help in making an informed decision. Many services provide additional benefits like GPS navigation or child seats, enhancing convenience. A reliable rent a car SXM service ensures the process, from booking to return, is seamless, enabling travelers to focus solely on enjoying their trip.

Tips for First-Time Renters in St. Maarten

First-time visitors renting a car in St. Maarten should be aware of a few practical tips. Understanding local driving laws, such as driving on the right-hand side and adhering to speed limits, is vital. Insurance coverage is another crucial consideration to safeguard against unforeseen circumstances. Exploring the island with a rent a car SXM service becomes even more enjoyable with a basic knowledge of local traffic patterns and road conditions. Planning routes in advance ensures no time is wasted during the trip.

Enjoy the Freedom of Exploration

St. Maarten is an island that thrives on diversity, from its stunning beaches and vibrant nightlife to its rich history and culinary delights. Renting a car is an invitation to embrace this diversity fully, offering a personalized travel experience. Whether it’s a romantic drive along scenic routes or a family adventure across the island’s attractions, the convenience of having a private vehicle amplifies the joy of exploration.