#Contract CFO

[cfofractional]

The Financial Plan, Critical Component of a Strategic Business Plan

A financial plan for a business contains forward-looking financial statements (e.g., income statements, balance sheets, and cash flow statements), projecting three to five years into the future. It serves as a roadmap for how the business intends to achieve its financial objectives and manage its financial resources over a specified future period. The financial plan is a critical component of a broader strategic business plan and includes several key elements that collectively provide a detailed picture of the business’s current financial position, its future financial expectations, and strategies for managing financial opportunities and risks. These elements include:

1. Executive Summary: A concise overview of the business and its financial goals. This section provides a snapshot of what the business is about and what it aims to achieve financially.

2. Sales Forecast: Projections of future revenues the business expects to generate from its products or services, considering target market size and growth potential, competitive position, historical sales data, and marketing/sales strategies. Sales forecasts are typically broken down monthly for the first year or two and then annually for the following years.

3. Operating Expenses: Detailed projections of the business’s operating expenses, such as Cost of Goods Sold (e.g., labor and materials), Sales & Marketing (e.g., customer acquisition and retention costs), Research & Development (e.g., Product/Service Development), General & Administrative (e.g., rent, utilities).

4. Profit and Loss Statement (Income Statement): It combines the Sales and Operating Expenses forecasts for an estimate of the business’s gross and net profitability during the forecast period.

5. Cash Flow Statement: An analysis of the expected inflow and outflow of cash within the business, highlighting the status of the cash reserves or balance. A negative cash balance will indicate the need for external funding (e.g., debt or equity) or the need to increase inflows or decrease outflows through corrective actions. In essence, it is crucial for understanding the liquidity of the business and its ability to sustain operations and invest in growth opportunities.

6. Balance Sheet: A snapshot of the company’s financial health at a specific point in time, detailing assets, liabilities, and equity. This helps in understanding the net worth and financial stability of the business.

7. Break-even Analysis: An analysis to determine the point at which the business will be able to cover its expenses from its revenue, indicating the sales needed to start generating a profit.

8. Capital Expenditure Budget: A plan for medium to long-term investments the business will make in assets like equipment, property, or technology, which are crucial for future growth.

9. Funding Request and Repayment Plan: If the financial plan is intended to secure funding, this section outlines how much funding is needed, what it will be used for, and how the business plans to repay any borrowed funds. It is driven the cash balance shortfall in the Post-Money Cash Flow Statement.

10. Sensitivity Analysis: An examination of how sensitive the business’s financial success is to changes in key assumptions, such as changes in pricing, cost of goods sold, or sales forecasts.

11. Appendices and Supporting Documents: Additional information that supports or further details the financial plan, such as bottoms-up analysis of any revenue or expense item, market research, legal agreements, etc.

A well-crafted financial plan for a business not only guides the company’s financial strategy but also serves as a vital document for securing investors or lenders’ support. It requires regular review and updates to reflect the changing market conditions and the business’s actual performance.

To explore if you need a Fractional CFO or would like additional information about this role and its benefits, please contact us

CFO_2.4 To read related articles go to our Blog

[hari-100]

Navigating Financial Success: Comprehensive CFO Services in Hyderabad

Are you a growing business in Hyderabad looking to navigate the complexities of financial management with precision and foresight? CFO services might just be the missing piece to your entrepreneurial puzzle. In today's dynamic business landscape, having a Chief Financial Officer (CFO) on board can be a game-changer, enabling you to steer your company towards sustainable growth and profitability by cfo service provider company in hyderabad

Understanding CFO Services in Hyderabad

First things first, what exactly do CFO services in Hyderabad? Think of a CFO as your financial strategist in chief, the maestro orchestrating your company's fiscal symphony. They bring to the table a wealth of expertise in financial planning, risk management, and strategic decision making. Whether you're a startup striving for scalability or an established firm seeking optimization, a CFO crafts tailored financial strategies that align with your goals.

Strategic Financial Planning and Chief Financial Officer Services in Hyderabad

One of the primary roles of a CFO is to develop and execute comprehensive financial plans in Hyderabad. This involves forecasting cash flow, budgeting effectively, and setting financial milestones. By meticulously analyzing your company's financial health in Hyderabad, a CFO identifies opportunities for growth and areas needing improvement. Their strategic foresight helps mitigate risks and capitalize on emerging trends, ensuring your financial trajectory remains steady and upward.

Financial Reporting and Analysis, CFO Advisory Services in Hyderabad

Numbers tell a story, and a CFO translates this narrative into actionable insights in Hyderabad. They oversee financial reporting processes, ensuring accuracy and compliance with regulatory standards. Through in depth analysis of financial data and cfo service provider company in hyderabad give clarity on your company's performance metrics. Whether it's profitability margins, cost efficiencies, or revenue growth, their analytical prowess empowers you to make informed decisions that drive bottom line results.

Risk Management Expertise and Chartered Accountant to take up of CFO Services in Hyderabad

Navigating uncertainties is part and parcel of business ownership in Hyderabad. Here's where a CFO shines as your risk management guru. They assess financial risks proactively, implementing strategies to mitigate potential threats. From market volatility to operational challenges in Hyderabad, a CFO develops contingency plans that safeguard your financial stability. This proactive approach not only shields your business from unforeseen crises but also enhances resilience in a competitive marketplace.

Strategic Partnerships and Stakeholder Management, CFO Service Provider Company in Hyderabad

Building bridges is key to business success in Hyderabad, and a CFO serves as your ambassador in financial negotiations. Whether it's forging strategic partnerships or managing relationships with investors and stakeholders in Hyderabad, they articulate your financial strategy with clarity and confidence. Their ability to communicate complex financial insights in a digestible manner fosters trust and credibility, paving the way for collaborative growth opportunities.

Driving Financial Efficiency and CFO Service Providers in Hyderabad

Efficiency is the cornerstone of profitability and a CFO excels in optimizing your financial operations. They streamline processes, identify cost saving opportunities, and enhance resource allocation. By leveraging technology and best CFO Service Providers in Hyderabad, a CFO drives operational efficiency across departments, freeing up resources for strategic initiatives. This operational agility positions your business to adapt swiftly to market changes and capitalize on emerging opportunities.

Scaling for Growth and Best CFO Services for Startups in Hyderabad

As your business scales in Hyderabad, so do its financial complexities. A CFO provides scalability solutions tailored to your evolving needs. Whether it's expanding into new markets, raising capital, or navigating mergers and acquisitions in Hyderabad, they orchestrate financial strategies that support your growth trajectory. Their expertise in financial modeling and forecasting in Hyderabad equips you with a roadmap for sustainable expansion, ensuring every growth milestone is achieved with financial prudence.

Conclusion and CFO Consulting Services in Hyderabad

In essence, CFO services are more than just financial stewardship in Hyderabad  they're a strategic imperative for businesses poised for growth. By partnering with a seasoned CFO in Hyderabad, you gain a strategic ally who navigates the complexities of finance with finesse and foresight. Whether you're charting a course for profitability, optimizing operational efficiencies, or forging new pathways for growth in Hyderabad, their expertise fuels your journey towards sustainable success.

Ready to elevate your financial strategy in Hyderabad? Embrace the power of CFO services and unlock the full potential of your business's financial future.

For more information please contact.www.numbro.in

[contisofttechnologies]

Customer Not Paying You On Time -Trackpayout

At Trackpayout, we are on a mission to address the issue of "delayed or late payments" from customers by streamlining the payment follow-up and collection process. Our solutions include

Advance Payment Reminders: Send automatic payment reminders to your  clients in advance, preventing  issues like "GRN not done" or "Invoice not received

Email and WhatsApp Reminders: Utilize email and WhatsApp reminders to prompt timely payments.

Customer Payment Insights: Easily identify your reliable payers and those with late payment tendencies.

Credit Hold Capability: Exercise the option to place holds on credit.

Early Payment Facilitation: We assist you in securing early payments.

Debt Recovery: Recover outstanding dues and bad debts.

ERP/Tally/SAP/Zoho/QuickBooks Integration: Seamlessly integrate with your existing software systems.

1 minute video link : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ePzZtjvkEuc&t=2s

For More Information Visit: https://trackpayout.com/

YouTube Link: https://bit.ly/3iFfGbO

Contact Us: 9175288052

[johnbrace]

Merseyside Fire and Rescue Authority 27th October 2022

[margotw10bis]

Boss Me Around. KNJ [m]

boss!namjoon x assistant!reader

Genre: smut; office romance

Words: 13.9k

Synopsis: You have been Namjoon's assistant for four years but something changes the day Namjoon tells you he is going to get married.

Warnings: sexual content; unprotected sex; public sex; sexual harassment (not from Namjoon); oral sex (f. receiving)

You try your best to smile through the unpleasant glance that is set on you. You can't say it's the first time you experience it but it doesn't mean that you're used enough to simply not care. Even if it were true, you don't want to 'don't care'. When you arrived at the office and saw Mr. Choi's name on the schedule, you knew you'd have a bad day. Every single time the forty-year old man — an important partner of the firm you work in — has a meeting with your boss, Mr. Choi always finds a way to flirt with you. You keep a professional behavior but his lewd eyes and disgusting smirk are hard to deal with.

Of course, you could tell your boss but you know that this business partner is crucial for Kim Electronics. So you get a grip on yourself and pray for your boss to come soon. A relieved sigh escapes your lips when you notice Kim Namjoon through the glass walls of the meeting room. However, your reliever doesn't last long: Namjoon's face is tensed and his clenching jaws are a clear sign of anger.

You've been his personal assistant for four years and a single gaze is enough for you to know what's going on in his handsome head. You mentally go through his appointments to guess what happened but you can't find anything that could make him angry. Moreover, he is not really the type to get angry easily. You look at him with a questioning glance but Namjoon is fully focus on Mr. Choi, so you leave to give them privacy while they talk business.

When you reach your desk, you look at the different things that are planned for today but nothing could get your boss in this grumpy mood. You can't help but worrying about him. You attempt to let that aside and do your work, waiting for Namjoon to come back so you can ask him properly. That might be weird for some people that you two talk about non-work related topics but you think that your relationship with your boss contains some kind of friendship too.

You were 23 years old when you started working at Kim Electronics. You were so excited to have your first real job and were willing to be the best you could. At that time, and even if his dad was the CEO of the company, Namjoon needed to prove himself to the board. He needed someone hard-working, dedicated and that wasn't afraid of working overtime — the exact description of you — to assist him. You feel proud when you look back: you helped him get promoted to Finance Director five months after you arrived, and, recently, CFO. It's crystal clear that when Namjoon's father retires, the board will elect him CEO. A warm feeling of pride fills up your chest when you think about it because, for you, Namjoon is a great boss and an even better human being. However, you can't help but wondering if he'll keep you as his PA or if he'll choose that Min Yoongi weasel who is currently his father's PA.

Lost in your thoughts, you haven't noticed Namjoon coming back until he slams his office door. You jolt and basically run to him. You don't bother knocking and enter. You see Namjoon, in his leather chair, elbows on his desk and his head in his hands. You get closer and pat his large shoulder — did he get buffer?

"What's going on?" You ask him gently but Namjoon only growls in desperation

Your heart squeezes to witness him being so distraught. Of course, in the past four years you've seen him in all kinds of mood: angry that an important contract was cancelled; sad when his granddad died; embarrassed when his legendary clumsiness made him spill his wine glass all over himself during a launch party; and so much more. But it's the first time that he just shut his mouth, not confiding to you. You frown when you can't find what to tell him. You don't like seeing him like that.

"I don't know what to do" He eventually whispers with a broken voice that actually breaks your heart, but you stay silent, waiting for him to keep going "You know that this company is my whole life. It's my family heritage and I've always worked my ass off for it... But I don't know if I'm willing to sacrifice my love life for it"

Your brows furrow at the last sentence. Is Namjoon seeing someone? He never mentioned something like that. Honestly, you don't even know how he finds time to date. You're with him all day, and some nights too when you're working overtime — which happens more often that you'd wished. Your job is the main reason why you're single: further than spending most of your time at the office, when you're free you're too tired to go out. And you know that Namjoon works even more than you.

"What do you mean?" You finally ask when you recover your mind

"My dad came to see me this morning. He wants me to marry Lee Ji-Eun..."

"Lee Ji-Eun as Lee Jung-Hwa's daughter? From TalkTive telecom company?" Your voice is higher pitch than usually from the surprise

Namjoon nods, defeated. It's no secret that arranged marriages happen in the Korean high society. Big firms tend to consolidate their business by marrying their children. However, since Namjoon is almost 31, you thought that his parents were going to let him decide who he wanted to marry. You thought wrong. That's when something like that happens that you're glad to be born in an average family.

"She's... pretty" That's all came to your mind to confort him and that's not brilliant

Namjoon scoffs and looks at you, raising one brow that says 'Is that supposed to make me feel better?'.

"If you want to marry your girlfriend, I'm sure your parents won't force you to be with Ji-Eun" You try with an unsure tone

"Well, I don't have a girlfriend. That's the problem. My dad asked me if I were dating someone. When I said no, he came up with Ji-Eun"

"I'm sorry, Namjoon" You gently tell him, and you're sincere

Your boss gives you a weak smile, appreciating your solace.

"I guess c'est la vie like the French say"

You wince as he does the same. You both know that it's not what Namjoon imagined for his future. Actually, you've never thought about him being with anyone because he hasn't had a girlfriend during the four years you've worked with him — occasional hook-ups with random girls met at clubs or fancy events don't count as girlfriends. Is that why some weird feeling you can't seem to identify presses your chest? It's definitely more than worry about Namjoon but what is it precisely?

————

Knowing Namjoon like the back of your hand, you knew exactly what he needed: to keep his mind busy. That's why you've added more appointments for him this week. The side effect of it? You working overtime to support him. As the days of the week went by, Namjoon grew more irritated, knowing that on Friday he'll have to meet the girl. Oddly enough, you went grumpier yourself too. You tried by all means to schedule something for that night but Mr. Kim father made sure to cancel everything last minute.

So, here you are, in Namjoon's office, facing a defeated Namjoon, a few hours before his date with Lee Ji-Eun. He is just sitting in his chair and you feel bad for him. He truly is a nice guy: always smiling, caring, protective towards his employees. He is strict, which makes him a little bit intimidating sometimes, but he's right. You are very lucky to have him as a boss. Honestly, you wouldn't work for anyone else, especially when Namjoon is also your friend. But right now, it's like all his positive energy ran off.

"Should I call you in the middle of the date, pretexting an emergency?" You propose and you feel lighter when a small laugh — the first of the week — comes from Namjoon's beautiful lips

"I don't think it's a good idea, you could have some trouble afterwards. However, keep your phone close because I might call you to get wasted"

You offer him a genuine smile. Namjoon has always made sure to give you some credits when he succeeded at the firm, and he's always invited you to celebrate it with alcohol. Some kind of 'blow off some steam' thing as he calls it. It's not something awkward or a way to get inside your pants, but more like a team celebration. To be true, your relationship with Namjoon has never been ambiguous: he is your boss and your friend, nothing more.

Of course, you're not blind and you can see how attractive he is — and if you were in fact blind, your female colleagues have made sure that you know he's hot. However, you never felt any sexual tension between you, maybe because you've never set the right mood for that, and not that you're willing to set the mood. But why do you keep looking at his buff chest tightened in his white shirt right now? Your body heat increases when your brain drifts away towards some filthy thoughts about the softness of his lips and the hardness of another part of him. You need to escape his office to prevent yourself from marking a huge mistake that would consist of you kissing and fucking your boss like there were no tomorrow.

After you make sure Namjoon doesn't need anything, you leave the office, promising to support him after his date. But now it's 3 am and you still don't have any sign from your boss. To be honest, you thought that he would call you at 9 pm, cutting short his unwanted date. But you have seen 9, 10, 11 pm and so on passed in silence. Does that mean that Namjoon got along with Ji-Eun? It's a good thing, right? But you can't help but feeling an unpleasant pressure in your chest at that thought. Your brain is working like hell to make up every single scenario possible of the night. You sigh every time you imagine your boss kissing Ji-Eun. What the heck is wrong with you?

————

Namjoon hasn't contacted you all weekend and you're kind of mad. You don't know the exact reason but you guess it's because he told you he'd call you but didn't. Yeah, your pride definitely took a hit. That's why you arrive all grumpy at your company building. You even feel more irritated when you see Namjoon's office door open. Even if you have mixed up feelings — for undetermined reasons —, you can't act unprofessional. That's why you make some coffee and knock before greeting your boss.

Namjoon's smile has returned but you are not as happy as you thought you would be. In fact, you frown when you notice his cheerfulness.

"Y/N, hi!" Namjoon welcomes you, taking the cup of coffee with thankfulness

"Hi. Did you have a good weekend?" You ask but you don't know if you really want to know the answer

"It was nice. The date with Ji-Eun went great. She is amazing: super smart and funny. And the rumors didn't lie, she is gorgeous" Namjoon gets all excited and his eyes sparkle when he talks about the woman he is supposed to marry

You stay silent for a moment, trying to prevent a grinning. Is this because of what he is saying? Or because of your weird feelings? You've never felt like this around Namjoon. You don't really like feeling like that. What kind of friend is not happy when their friends' date was 'great' ?

"Great" You finally say but there is no excitement in your voice "I have to meet the new interns so I've sent you your schedule by email"

It is quite a lame excuse to get out of Namjoon's office because, even though you actually have to meet the new interns, you still have a good 30 minutes before that.

Are you jealous? No, it can't be. Namjoon is your boss. Yes, he is friendly but nothing ever happened between the two of you. And nothing can ever happen. You can't have feelings for him. You don't. But the itchy feeling in your chest could say the opposite... You shake your head to push away those ridiculous thoughts and make your way to the lobby.

Once again, you sigh — maybe the hundredth time this morning — when you notice Min Yoongi. Of course, this louse is here. As the personal assistant of the big boss, he'll make a feedback on the new recruits to Mr. Kim who will decide if one of them will be offered a permanent contract. Even though you understand why Yoongi has to be here, you're annoyed. A sudden urge of murder titillate your fingers. There is no secret that you two don't get along. At first, you didn't have anything against him but then, you noticed how haughty he was towards you. Is it because you're a woman? Or just because you're working for a less important member of the firm? You don't know but it doesn't change anything.

You roll your eyes, passing in front of Yoongi, not greeting him. Why would you when you know that he'll blow you off. It's kind of a shame because the man is surely charming physically. His raven long hair makes him charismatic and creates a real contrast with his white skin. His features are delicate but his dark eyes are a little too beady not to be scary. Perhaps it's also because he never smiles.

Some other employees are here to welcome the interns, too. You look at them with kindness: all those five young people are stressed but willing to do a good job, just like you four years ago. You still remember clearly your first day at Kim Electronics and your first encounter with Namjoon. At the time, you weren't used to wear feminine cloths and usually put on some jeans with a t-shirt. But your job gave you the confidence you needed to wear cloths that suit you, not afraid anymore to be noticed. Sure, your first day was full of mistakes from you, so much that you were afraid that Namjoon would fire you at the end of the day — you even spent your lunch time crying in the restroom. But Namjoon smiled at you and told you 'I hope we'll get to know each other better, then we'll be the best team work of the company'.

Your boss, who was 27 years old, was way more mature and intimidating than you. His charisma made you blush and stutter, and it didn't help that he was extremely attractive. When you started working with him, he was not as brawny as he is today and his hair was blonde and long while it's now short and in a beautiful brown cinder color. However, his smile has always been perfect with his cute dimples, making him less daunting. Actually, his smile is the thing that you love the most about him, not only because it makes him so goddamn handsome but because it's always sincere, almost loving.

The five young and enthusiastic people in front of you bring back all kind of memories to you. Among them, you spot a guy with a very unique style: he is tall and very handsome with his black hair and eyes. His features are so perfect: doe eyes, cute big nose, plump lips with a little silver ring matching his eyebrow piercing. But what catches your eyes is the black tattoos escaping from his cream-color suit. His right hand has some inked patterns and you can easily imagine that the rest of his arm is no different. If he weren't wearing a classy suit with a light blue tie, you'd think he is a rockstar. More than his unique look and handsome face, he has a strong aura. It's hard to get your eyes off of him.

"You're going to sexually harass the interns now?"

Yoongi's annoying voice and comment reach your ears and a shiver of disgust runs though your back.

"What kind of sick fantasies fill your brain?" You bark at him

"I'm not the one literally eye-fucking them"

"Don't you have someone else to bother?" You ask while rolling your eyes

"You get so easily annoyed, why would I look for a better prey?" Yoongi smirks

Honestly, you want to slap him in the face but you're not sure that your bosses will appreciate it so you just take a step away from him, hoping that it will make him forget your existence. It does someway since the little fucker—you mean Yoongi stops talking.

————

"Hi, I'm Jeon Jungkook, they told me I'll be with you this week"

The handsome intern you noticed earlier is standing tall in front of you. His sweet voice and his bunny smile are the opposite of his look. He seems kind despite his intimidating piercings and tattoos. As they say, never judge a book by its cover...

"Hi, Jungkook! I'm Y/N, Mr. Kim's assistant. How are you? Not too nervous for your first day?" You tell him with a genuine smile

"I'm okay, I'm actually eager to know more" Jungkook responds, scrunching his nose

Cute. You instantly grow soft on him. Something about him really reminds you about your old self, at the beginning of your career. Namjoon has guided you all the way through it and you perfectly know that things would have been way harder without him, so you are willing to do the same for Jungkook, hoping that he'll feel as untroubled as you when Namjoon was around.

"Let's introduce you to Mr. Kim then"

You knock on Namjoon's door and enter with the intern by your side. You're surprised to see your boss on the phone but not for a business call. You tense when you hear Ji-Eun's name. You grow even more annoyed that Namjoon has a bright smile on his face. What the hell? They've known each other for five minutes! You wish you could roll your eyes but don't. So you just clear your throat, making Namjoon finally realize that you're here.

He straightens on his chair and hangs up. He looks at Jungkook with a questioning look so you take on yourself to introduce them. Some mundane civilities are exchanged and you can finally exit Namjoon's office. The good thing about having Jungkook working with you is that you don't have time to question your weird feelings. Jungkook is actually pretty good and works with his heart. You'll make sure to talk positively about him at the end of the month when Mr. Kim decides which intern should work at Kim Electronics. You spend all week explaining to him how things work and doing your usual job as Namjoon's PA. You don't have an extra minute to think.

Well, that's what you thought until Friday afternoon. In twenty minutes, you will eventually be able to enjoy the confort of your couch, doing nothing but binge-watching Netflix's new series. Your mood is a little lighter than the rest of the week — maybe the new light pink blouse you're wearing is helping too?

You're humming while entering Namjoon's office with a new hot cup of coffee for your boss. Even though you'll clock out soon, the same thing cannot be said for Namjoon who still has to meet a business partner tonight. You see him standing up, a file in hands and his brows furrow. You love seeing him like this: it's his 'work face'. The one he is making when he's fully focus on his job. His whole energy changes, making him a true successor for the CEO post. You could even say that he is more handsome like that.

Namjoon is so focus that he hasn't noticed you yet. You step closer to him but it is a really bad idea because at the same time, Namjoon raises his hand to push back his brown hair. As a result, the whole cup of coffee slashes your — unfortunately new — pink shirt. Thankfully, Namjoon doesn't like boiling hot coffee so you don't burn yourself. However, you're completely stained in brown color liquid and the fabric sticks to your bra and skin.

You wince and Namjoon's eyes widen. You don't really have time to feel embarrassed, even though Namjoon is clearly aware of your curves right now.

"I'm so sorry, Y/N! Let me help you" Your boss exclaims, already grabbing some tissues on his desk.

"Namjoon, it's okay, don't worry" You try to stop him but he is already wiping the liquid off of your shirt — or trying to

Actually, he is making things worst, the tissues crumble in small white particles on your shirt without even absorbing the coffee out of you. The gesture might be kind but Namjoon's movements are nothing like gentle. He is pushing hard against your chest, almost painfully. At every wipe, your shirt is stretched. He is definitely not aware of his strength...

"Namjoon, be gent-"

Your sentence is cut off by a loud noise of ripping fabric. You look down to measure the disaster: your pink shirt is totally open, result of all the little buttons popping. Your white bra is now visible for everyone and especially for Namjoon.

His red cheeks clearly acknowledge that your breasts are right in front of him. But you're blushing too. Your skin is burning and it's not because of the coffee spilt on it. Namjoon's glance and fingers on you cause a wave of arousal washing off all over your body. His eyes even seem to take his dragon shape, intense and darker. Maybe you're going crazy because for a second, you feel Namjoon caressing your boob with the tip of his long fingers — which causes a sweet moan to escape your lips—, right before he removes his hand like he has burnt himself.

He immediately turns to give you some privacy and you feel disappointed—No! You feel relieved that your boss didn't look at your breasts. What the hell is wrong with you?

"I, uhm, I have a spare shirt. Let me grab it for you" Namjoon embarrassedly says with a raspy voice

He grabs a light blue buttoned up shirt from his office cabinet. You know he always keeps one of them, just in case his clumsiness puts him in a difficult situation. Like right now. Except that you're the one in the difficult situation. Namjoon gives you the shirt without looking at you and exits his office to give you time to change.

Namjoon's shirt is bigger than you thought. The bottom hem covers your hips and butt entirely and the sleeves are so long that you can't see your hands. You decide to roll them up to your elbows and tie a knot to shorten the shirt. It will be enough to go home. You're not sure it's your best look, it's surely not flattering but, oddly, you feel good in it. The shirt smells like Namjoon: a light scent of lemon mixed with woody smell. Your insane mind wonders how it would feel to be hugged by your boss. You shake your head to get rid of those ideas. Lately, your brain is going crazy and imagines Namjoon in unprofessional ways.

A light knock on the door helps you to stop thinking non-sense and you informe Namjoon that he can come in. When he opens the door and his eyes meet your features wrapped in his cloths, his mouth opens. He has inappropriate thoughts about you. You look hot and cute at the same time. He can't deny a strange feeling of possessiveness towards you, definitely accentuates by you wearing his clothes. He is somewhat glad that other men will see you like that. He someway wishes to see you more often with his large shirt on your body. More than that, he wishes to see your body without his large shirt on. He has to gather all his strength not to let his dick get hard.

But then, he remembers your gorgeous boobs delicately held by your white bra. So pure and so erotic. Fuck, he wanted to touch you so bad, to feel the softness of your skin, to taste you, to mark you even. He has never had this kind of thoughts and desires about you. Not because he thinks you're not pretty — because you're fucking beautiful — but because Namjoon made a pact with himself: you're too attractive for his sanity so he'll stick to a professional behavior with you. He can't let his tantalizing controlling him. Namjoon is your boss, he can't abuse his power like that. But on the other hand, it's hard to resist, especially when he got a peak of your body.

Namjoon's eyes on you make you blush. You can't say what he is thinking. A tiny part of your brain wishes he finds you good. Once again, what the hell is wrong with you? Namjoon is your boss, period.

"I should run for Chanel's fashion show, right?" You joke and Namjoon chuckles

"You should" He says with a smile "But I'm a bit offended, my shirt looks better on you"

You cheeks redden harder and you look down. Why does your heart beat faster?

————

Three weeks have passed since the shirt incident. Namjoon and you haven't talked about it, not that there were anything else to say. You're back at your professional relationship — a small part of you feel strange about it — and Namjoon had two more dates with Ji-Eun. Every time Namjoon says her name and his eyes sparkle, you get annoyed. You try to convince yourself that it's because he is less focused on his job — although he's not — but you start to understand what is truly going on. You know damn well that you're beginning to have feelings for your boss. But your jealousy — that easily turns into pain — is suffocating. Namjoon is your boss and he is going to marry another woman. That won't be good for you and your little heart. That's why you're trying your best to keep your feelings as far away as possible from you and your overthinking brain.

Anyway, you have to be totally focused on your job, especially when you have to deal with Mr. Choi. Indeed, Namjoon and you have a business lunch with Mr. Choi and his own assistant. You try not to pay attention to Mr. Choi's disgusting smirk every time he looks at you. You can't even smile at him fearing of him misinterpreting it. Unconsciously, you get closer to Namjoon.

You let the three men discuss business while you mentally take note of the details. You have a good memory which is a big benefit for your job. You're good at writing the minutes of the different meetings that Namjoon attends, formal and informal.

At the same time, you enjoy the delicious lunch payed by your company. You can't afford it with your wage but one of the bonuses of being Namjoon's PA is that you are sometimes invited to business luncheons in fancy restaurants. The starter was a tasteful cold tomato soup with parmesan cheese chips. And you're about to take the first bite of your steak with roasted vegetables puree. The presentation of the dish is so delicate that it breaks your heart to sink your fork into it. You hum in delight when the first savors spread under your palate. But you frown immediately. Sesame. There is sesame in the sauce.

You turn your head as fast as you can towards Namjoon. Your heart stops when you see his fork getting closer to his mouth. You scream 'Stop!' and harshly push his hand. His fork lands on Mr. Choi's shirt, staining it but you don't care.

Namjoon looks at you with big surprised eyes. And surely, the rest of the table has the same expression on their faces. You can't mind about it because you are completely panicked. The idea of what could happen drives you crazy.

"Are you okay? You didn't eat it, right?" You ask him, alarmed, checking his face and throat to detect any sign of swelling

"Don't worry" He answers gently, taking your hands off of his face but still holding them

His big palms feel warm around your small fingers. You look into his eyes and you're destabilized to see what looks like affection. You get lost a moment in his beautiful dark brown eyes. The intensity of his glance on you cuts off your breathe. Your eyes move by themselves to set on Namjoon's lips. You automatically lick your own. A not-so-new wave of arousal caused by Namjoon shakes your pussy, painfully clenching around nothing.

A clearing of throat tears you off of your thoughts and you step away from your boss's face. You look around and yell a waiter close by.

"Could you change his plate please? He's allergic to sesame"

"Sure, no problem" The waiter responds, taking the plate that could have killed your boss.

Now that the adrenaline goes down and you're getting aware of what just happened, you feel embarrassed. It's worst when you see the disaster on Mr. Choi's shirt.

"I'm sorry" You apologize to him with a small voice "I'll pay for the cleaning"

"Seo-Joon, go buy a new shirt. Quick"

His assistant wastes no time and basically runs to accomplish his fashion mission. It's the first time you hear Mr. Choi talking with such a harsh tone. He is looking at you without his usually lewd eyes but angry ones. You shiver, unpleasantly, under his threatening gaze.

You're feeling ill-at-ease and it's worse when Namjoon excuses himself to use the restroom. An embarrassing one-on-one with Mr. Choi begins and you instantly regret his severe eye. Yes, his salacious face has returned.

"Aigo! I can't wipe my shirt. Could you help me?" Mr. Choi smirks

As disgusted as you are, you can't say no while you're the cause of his stained shirt. You carefully stand up and get closer, your napkin in hand. Slightly bended over, you try to wipe off but it doesn't seem to do anything.

Your hand halts when you feel something against your butt. No way, it can't be. However, you do clearly feel a caressing movement on your ass. Your blood runs cold. Is Mr. Choi — this disgusting pig — touching your butt? You look up at him and notice his pleased smirk. You want to puke, preferably on Mr. Choi. You are completely paralyzed by horror. You can't move one bit. You feel disgusted by Mr. Choi's behavior but also by your body that has been soiled.

Namjoon stops his steps when he witnesses the worst scene of his life. Mr. Choi, one of his most important business partners, is sexually harassing you. His disgusting hand is caressing your bump in the middle of a restaurant. Namjoon has never felt this angry. He swears he could kill this yucky pig. He clenches his fists and runs to you to harshly push Mr. Choi's palm away from you.

"What the hell is going on?!" Namjoon yells, making few people around looking at your table

Your and Mr. Choi's eyes widen in surprise. You feel relieved to see him but also... ashamed? Why? You didn't do anything wrong, so why do you feel guilty? You look at your feet.

"I said, what is going on?" Namjoon asks again with a harsh and tensed tone which makes you jolt

"Mr. Kim, I think you misread the situation" Mr. Choi responds with such confidence that you could believe him if it weren't your ass he was touching

"Really?" Namjoon's jaws clench in rage "We're leaving. And let's cancel our partnership, Kim Electronics won't be associated with a sexual offender" Then Namjoon gets threateningly closer to Mr. Choi and speaks with a deeper and more intimidating voice "Let me tell you that you're lucky we're in public, otherwise, you'd be on the floor begging for forgiveness"

Namjoon grabs your hand and your bag and drags you out of the restaurant. He is walking so fast with his long legs that you have a hard time following his pace, especially with your high heels. However, he suddenly stops, making you bump into his back. He turns around to look into your eyes. Your boss's face is so tensed with anger, you've never seen him like this in the past four years.

"Has this son of a bitch ever touched you like that?"

"No, it was the first time" You confess, looking down

"Did he ever make you feel uncomfortable?"

You don't think like lying would be a good idea, that's why a weak 'Yes' escapes your lips with a murmur. Even though Mr Choi didn't touch you — until now —, he did ask some kind of personal informations about you, mainly when you were free, or if you were single. If these questions could have been innocent, the tone he used was more than suggestive and the way he sometimes got closer to you was not appreciated. But now that you've told Namjoon, you have hope to not have to face it again.

Namjoon nods like he is trying to internalize the information, gritting his teeth. He truly wants to punch Mr. Choi in the face. Actually, he wants to kill him. Rage makes his blood boil in his veins. How could he have worked with such a piece of shit? Putting you in danger? He is your boss but also your friend. He should have protected you. He should have seen the signs of the sexual harassment that you were undergone. He feels so fucking guilty.

"I'm so sorry, Y/N" Namjoon speaks again with a softer voice, a culpable voice

"Why? You didn't do anything wrong" You immediately say, the last thing you want is him to feel bad

"I should have known, I should have noticed. Fuck, I'm so dumb-"

You cut him off with a hug. Your arms merely circle his large torso and you can feel how brawny he is. You hate seeing Namjoon this devastated while he is not responsible one bit. And maybe you do need to feel safe and protected by someone you trust after what happened. Namjoon is this person. Your heart breaks to see him this guilty but also speeds up to feel him in your arms. That's when you know. You have fallen in love with him.

Namjoon freezes one second before hugging you back. His strong arms totally wrap around your frame. You seem so small and delicate between his arms. It feels right. You're so beautiful, so smart, so funny, so kind to everyone. You don't deserve to be treated like that by a fucking pervert. You deserve to be cherish every single day and the man you'll choose to be with will be the luckiest bastard in the world.

"Stop apologizing, you didn't do anything wrong, Namjoon" You say in his buff chest "I should have told you how I felt"

"No, you have nothing to feel guilty about. He's a fucking asshole. I swear, I won't ever let something like that happen to you again. If someone touches you, I'll take care of them personally"

It's not only a promise he is making to you, but to himself too. You're too precious in his life. The alarming tsunami that shakes his heart at the idea of you being hurt leads him completely lost with his feelings. Why does he feel this moved by anything that happens to you? Why does he feel his heart trying to escape his rib cage to enter yours?

————

You put aside what happened at the restaurant with Mr. Choi for the rest of the week. It's not really hard not to think about it when you have so much work to do. However, it's when you're home alone and have more time to think that it gets harder. Namjoon made sure you were okay and kept telling you that it wasn't your fault. It's still a little bit hard to believe but you know that, with a little more time, you'll truly understand it. Your boss also kept his promise and cut off all business ties Kim Electronics had with Mr. Choi's company. Thankfully, it didn't affect too much the firm you work in since others business partners virtually begged to take Mr. Choi's place.

You gather your documents and head to the board meeting room. Today is the final day of the interns and several employees — including you — are invited to present a report on their work. You didn't change your mind and think that Jungkook should be the one to get a job offer from Kim Electronics.

The atmosphere of the room suddenly changes when Mr. Kim, the CEO, enters, followed by Yoongi. Namjoon looks so much like his dad: tall, dragon brown eyes, charismatic aura. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree like they say. You bow at your big boss like your other colleagues and the meeting starts. Even if some employees defend other interns, most of them praise Jungkook's work. He was enthusiastic and motivated with everyone and showed a real willing to learn the job.

"I kept a report that I asked him to write at the end of his first week. As you can see, he has done a very good job at it and I'm sure that, if we give him the opportunity, he'll be an important element of our team" You end your presentation, glad of how it turned out

Well, that was before the little brat of Yoongi. The second you set eyes on him, you notice his mischievous smirk. Even before he opens his vicious mouth, you want to slap him in the face.

"You seemed to get along with Mr. Jeon. I even think you're the one who got to know him the best. Maybe you could tell us more about his personality? Is he nice?" Yoongi's voice is jeering and a little condescending but you're sure that no one gets it

You know damn well what he means by 'nice'. Yoongi hasn't stopped implying that you had a crush on Jungkook. His sick brain is obsessed with the idea of you having a relationship with Jungkook for whatever reason. But is he really willing to discredit your judgment in front of your boss? You swear you could strangle him right now.

"Jungkook seems to be loyal. Like I said, he is cheerful and motivated. These are the qualities we should look for in a candidate, don't you think Mr. Min?" You answer and internally jump in joy when you witness Yoongi's face turning red in frustration

"Sure" He simple replays, jaws clenched

A few minutes later, a vote designates Jungkook as the intern who'll get the job offer. The good news make you happy. Jungkook truly deserves it after how hard he has worked this month. You can't wait to tell him. You feel like a proud mom, maybe because you see Jungkook as your protégé.

On your way back to your desk, you encounter Jungkook. His all back suit and tie enhances his charisma but the big bunny smile and scrunching nose he gives you make your heart melt in cuteness. You exchange few civilities.

"We just had the meeting regarding you guys" You tell him at some point

"Oh really? How did it go?" He genuinely asks, without even thinking about him in particular but about his four colleagues that became his friends

His sincerity moves you. He looks so much like you four years ago.

"Can I tell you a secret?" You ask with a smile and he nods

You step closer, stand on your tiptoes — Jungkook shouldn't be this tall — and whisper in his ear.

"You're the one who'll get the offer"

Jungkook looks into your eyes, surprise painted on his face. It just lasts a few second because he soon blushes hard.

"Really?" He says with a small voice, just like he was afraid to wake up from a dream if he speaks too loud

"Yes, congratulations!" You tell him

He gives you a big hug, his body completely controlled by his euphoria. You giggle and hug him back. Seeing his reaction proves you once again that he deserves it.

However, in this moment of ecstasy, you didn't notice Namjoon. He, on the other hand, is clearly aware of what's going on. He looks at Jungkook hugging you and a heavy pound is drawing down his heart for an unknown reason. When did you get this close to this intern? He knows you were in charge of him at the beginning of the month but did you keep in touch? Your bright smile caused by another man's embrace irritates him so much. What the hell is going on?

He doesn't think too much and walks — would he dare to say run? — to the two of you and clears his throat. Your pretty eyes land on Namjoon's face and you step away from Jungkook. The young man greets your boss but Namjoon doesn't really respond. Yet, he addresses you:

"You didn't forget our tryst, right?"

What?

Yes, you have planned to grab a drink with Namjoon tonight to wind down all the stressful events of the week, and it's not the first time, but it surely is the first time your boss refers to it as a 'tryst'. It's not a business meeting but it's nothing like a romantic date so why would Namjoon use such a confusing word?

"I-I didn't" You stutter, not sure what else to say

"Good, see you later then, Y/N" Namjoon replies with a bright smile that shows his dimples and leaves as fast as he has arrived, leading to an awkward silence between you and Jungkook

————

You don't know if that's because of Namjoon's words earlier but you do feel nervous while waiting for your boss. You do as always, that is to say you're standing at your desk, right in front of Namjoon's office. You know that he'll join you in a few minutes and your heart beats irregularly. You try some breathing exercices to calm you down. It works — until you heard Namjoon's steps getting closer to you. You're sure you're blushing facing his handsomeness. God, this cream-color suit with his white shirt are too perfect on him.

"You're ready?" He asks you with a smile

You nod and you two exits the building. You're heading towards your usual spot: a lounge bar not so far away from Kim Electronics building. It's not really your style, the bar being attended by rich business men and women, but you know that Namjoon likes it. It's not at all surprising since he grew up in the social elite. However, he is not haughty. He treats people right and never thinks he's superior just because he has money. To be honest, his parents made sure to teach him values and he is so thankful of that when he sees other chaebol, sons or daughters of the rich industrial South Korean conglomerate, being total dicks.

Your nervousness fades with the glasses you swallow. Four glasses of wine later, you're a little bit more than tipsy. In fact, you've drunken faster than you usually do because you didn't know how to act with Namjoon. You're now fully aware of your feelings for him but you can't say anything when he is getting married to someone's else. You sigh at that thought and drink another sip of alcohol.

"Are you okay?" Namjoon asks, worried that you haven't spoke much tonight

"Of course, why wouldn't I be?" You answer but not looking at him, he knows damn well you're lying

"You know you can tell me anything, right?"

The softness of his deep voice and the sudden coming closer to look at you in the eyes are a threat for your weak heart. Fuck, he is even more handsome at close range. You loose all your determination and allow yourself to get lost into his beautiful eyes. Your owns slowly make their way to Namjoon's full lips, dying to taste them. You can clearly depict his little mold under his lower lip and you crave to feel him. A fire sets up inside you and goes right between your legs. You press your thighs together because of your pussy wetness. It enhances when Namjoon pokes his tongue out to moisture his lips, making them juicier.

"Don't marry her"

What the fuck are you saying?! You didn't even realize your words until it's too late. You wish the ground below you could open and swallow you.

"What?" Namjoon's high pitch and gulp say much about his surprise

"I was joking" You attempt, faking a little laugh — you don't even believe yourself

Namjoon doesn't say anything and you feel worse. He is your friend but he is also your boss. You can't tell him not to marry Lee Ji-Eun while you know that they — unfortunately — get along and that their marriage would have such a good and big impact on Kim Electronics. You're ridiculous if you think, just for one second, that something could happen between you and Namjoon. He is way too handsome, way too important to be interested in you. You're just a mundane person. The only reason you're talking to him is because you work for his family's company.

Even though you've been knowing this harsh reality for a long time, it still hurts to remember it. Water fills your eyes and you turn your head to prevent Namjoon from noticing it. But it's too late. You feel two big and warm palms on your cheeks, gently making you look at him. A worried expression is painted on his handsome face.

"Hey, tell me what's wrong" He speaks softly, his heart breaking a little when he remarks the pain into your pretty eyes

You can't tell him the whole truth but you can say a part of it.

"It's just that... I'm afraid things will change between us, at work" Your voice breaks at the last word

It's crystal clear that everything will change after Namjoon's wedding. Would you be strong enough to see the man you love with someone else? To suffer in silence while he'll look at Ji-Eun with love eyes?

"Nothing will ever change between us, Y/N. You're not just my assistant, you're my friend" Namjoon's soft tone is supposed to release you but his words are another dragger in your heart

It's even more painful when his hands caressing your cheeks — now soaked by the tears you couldn't hold — are nothing like the sense you would like them to have. He is doing that by friendship, and you would like him to do it by love.

"I have an idea" You gulp since you have a bad feeling about what Namjoon is going to propose "Let's go hiking, with Ji-Eun. You'll see you have nothing to worry about. I'm sure you'll get along"

Fuck, that hurts. The light of affection in Namjoon's eyes when he talks about Ji-Eun is painful to watch. Even his gorgeous smile and dimples look like a deadly weapon when they're for someone's else. You swallow the lump in your throat and agree. What else could you do? So you drink more than you should to forget that you made a pact with the devil.

————

You thought about all kinds of excuses to cancel the hike but you're a terrible liar and Namjoon would have read right into your lies. For the first time in your life, you pray for a rainy day in May. However, stepping out Namjoon's car — he came to pick you up while Ji-Eun uses her own car to meet you directly at Bukhansan National Park —a bright sun is shining high in the sky on this Saturday morning. You sigh while Namjoon grabs your two backpacks with water, snacks and first aid just in case. He helps you wearing it and adjusts the straps. The brief contact of his hands on your shoulders doesn't go unnoticed by your heart. Why are you sensitive when it comes to him? You can hear your heartbeats in your ears. You're so stupid when you're in love.

"Great!" Namjoon exclaims, finding you very cute with your white cap on and your pouty face

You take a few seconds to appreciate Namjoon without his working clothes. He looks so different with his tight dark blue tank top and his black shorts, with a white cap just like you. You can clearly see his muscles flexing every time he moves. His biceps are huge, way more that you could imagine when they wrapped under the fabric of his shirts. His tank top molds his buff chest so well, you can practically count his abs. You can't deny that he's hot like that, so fucking daddy material. Imagining him being your baby daddy and the process of making it raises a wave of arousal in you. Okay, you're officially crazy...

A horn stops your fantasy. You look up to witness a big red Range Rover getting parked. It doesn't take long for Ji-Eun to step out and meet you. You put a smile on your face while your whole confidence crumbles down. Ji-Eun is so gorgeous, way more than the photos you've seen of her. Her fair skin compliments her dark eyes and hair. Her features are delicate, she looks like a china doll. Just as if wasn't enough for her to have a perfect face, she is wearing a way more appealing outfit than you. Ji-Eun could be a model for a sportswear brand: her adjusted white fake-skirt and her fitness tank top hugs her small frame perfectly.

You look down at your own cloths and frown. You should have picked something more complimenting than some oversize shorts — they actually once belong to your dad in the 1980s — and an old t-shirt from your university. You have no style. Hopefully, your hiking skills will give the change. To be true, you like hiking and since Namjoon discovered your taste in common, he has often invited you to go on a hike with him. You quite love those moments with your boss outside the office. You get to forget everything and breathe pure air for a few hours, and you talk about anything except work. You also do think that this kind of activities deepen your connection with him.

However, his fucking I'm-stupidly-in-love smile has returned and Ji-Eun blushes. You want to slap them both in the face. A burning jealousy builds inside you and you hate the feeling. It hurts to see the man you love loving someone else.

"Namjoon! I hope you didn't wait too long for me" Ji-Eun says with an annoying honey voice

Yeah, just like you weren't here.

"Not at all. Let me introduce you" Namjoon turns towards you "This is Y/N, my assistant and good friend. Y/N, you can officially meet Ji-Eun after hearing so much about her"

"Nice to meet you" You find the strength to lie

"Me too" Ji-Eun offers you a shy smile

Actually, Ji-Eun has heard of you too. Namjoon often talks about you, rather because it's related to work or — something she doesn't like much — unrelated to work. When he offered Ji-Eun to join you for hiking, she accepted thinking that she'd feel less threaten by you. However, it's worse now. She expected you to be less pretty. Ji-Eun is pretty confident about her look, that's why she didn't suggest a one-on-one date with Namjoon today. But now, she knows that it's impossible for Namjoon not to find you attractive. Maybe she should allude for Namjoon to put you in another service after their wedding? Just to keep you away from him.

"Alright" Namjoon claps enthusiastically in his hands "Let's go!"

Your little group starts hiking. At first, you cursed at yourself for wearing an ugly cap but when you see how Ji-Eun is slowly melting down under the sun, you're pretty glad with your choice.

After a few minutes, the rail gets more inclined since the Bukhansan Mount starts. The park is an attended spot of Seoul people willing to go on a trek. It's not an easy one but the delightful tensing in your legs as you feel your muscles working is a great reward. The nature, the trees, the flowers and the butterflies around you clean your lungs from the pollution of the South Korean capital.

"One step further—" Namjoon starts suddenly

"One less step later" You fill, and you both laugh

It's something you've kept saying the first time Namjoon and you went to hike. Namjoon was so tired that day that he was complaining non-stop. So you came up with this sentence to keep him motivated.

"You remember when we went to Geumjeongsanseong Fortress, in Busan?" Namjoon asks you

"Of course I remember! I thought I was going to kill you" You joke

Your hike to Geumjeongsanseong Fortress is definitely one of the most memorable moments with your boss. It was two years ago when Namjoon was assisting a major event with the main industrial firms of South Korea. Since you had one day off, you'd decided to go for a trek. You knew this trek was one of the most difficult ones: nine miles with huge stones path, almost climbing parts. The point was to visit the famous fortress. However, nothing went as it was supposed to when it started raining. Or more like pouring. You had no other choice than to keep going, careful not to break an ankle on a sliding rock. You remember damn well asking your boss if he had checked the weather and his positive respond, while he actually didn't do it.

"I've never seen you this mad" Namjoon continues

"I was but, I have to say, the path was beautiful. I don't regret it"

"I'm glad to hear that" Namjoon gives you a bright smile, remembering all the hardships you both went through to see the goddamn fortress

If you and Namjoon are sharing a good laugh, full of different memories and private jokes, Ji-Eun is boiling in rage. Namjoon used to give her his loving eyes and his genuine smile. So why is he giving them to his assistant? Ji-Eun loves to be the center of attention and right now, it's like she isn't even here. More than jealous, she feels attacked in her pride. She and Namjoon are definitely going to get married so she has to get rid of you. You're just a stupid assistant. Your family is not rich, has no relations with the social elite. In other words, you're nothing.

"Namjoon, do you have some water please?" Ji-Eun asks with a fake weak voice

She is planing to fake a weakness so Namjoon worries and focuses on her.

"Of course"

You stop so Namjoon can dig into his backpack and pull out a fresh bottle of water. Ji-Eun takes it delicately and only drinks a sip. You frown, finding it suspicious. If she were really thirsty, she would have drunk more than this.

"Could you walk next to me? I didn't take a hat, but you're tall enough to be my personal parasol" Ji-Eun giggles

She. is. fucking. annoying.

"No prob" Namjoon's usual cheerfulness shines through his sincere smile

He has no clue of Ji-Eun's deceit. You, on the other hand, are clearly aware of it. Especially when she gives you a cold glance.

You're concentrated on internally bitching on Ji-Eun, walking faster than the couple. The sunny weather is the complete opposite of your grumpy mood. You let your inner negative feelings take over you and you rip on a small rock. A vivid pain immobilizes your left ankle and you harshly fall on the ground. If your ankle weren't so painful, maybe you could have felt the hardness of the ground against your kneels and palms, causing small drops of blood forming on your freshly bruised skin.

"Arg!" You hiss when you try to stand up

"Y/N!" Namjoon exclaims as he runs to you

Worry is all over his face but it's nothing compared to all the emotions shaking his chest. He is panicked that you've hurt yourself. The little traces of blood on yours hands and knees makes him wince.

"Where are you hurt? Is it your ankle?" He asks with urgency

You nod, your eyebrows furrowing in pain. Namjoon palpates the source of the pain. He concentrates to feel anything that it's not at the right place but, thankfully, no broken bones is detected. He takes off the first aid kit off of his bag and tightly bandages your ankle.

"I think you've have sprained it" Namjoon says softly "Get on my back, you're going back"

You wince at the idea but when you're up, you quickly realize that you can't walk. You're so fucking stupid. You should have been concentrated on your steps rather than on your jealousy. Actually, more than jealousy, it's pain that you've have felt when you saw how good Namjoon and Ji-Eun looked together. They are both so beautiful and their smiles are so wide when they look at each other.

Namjoon gives his backpack to Ji-Eun who takes it reluctantly. Then, Namjoon kneels down, and you get up on his large back. He secures his forearms under your knees and stands up with no difficulty, just as you were as light as a feather.

"You okay?" He asks you as he starts walking

"Yeah, don't worry about me. Are you though?"

"Of course I am, I get to show my muscles to a pretty lady" Namjoon jokes

Your hearts skips a beat when you wonder if he meant Ji-Eun or you. It isn't really important because you feel your cheeks redden — hopefully you can blame it on the weather — and your heart enhances its pace. When you get to fill Namjoon's neck between your arms, you forget all the pain in your ankle. You love the sensation. You love his scent. You love how his big frame fit in your smaller one.

Namjoon, even if he tries to stay focus on the path not to drift and hurt you more, truly feels the warmth of your body. He also enjoys a little more than he should your boobs pressed against his back. He tightens his grip around your thighs to pull you closer and feel you better. He wishes he could hold you without the lame excuse of your sprained ankle but he knows he shouldn't even think about it. So he keeps his fantasy of his body between your legs — this time facing you — to himself and walks fast to redirect his blood from his hardening cock to his moving legs.

————

Namjoon is sitting at a coffee shop with Ji-Eun after dropping you at your home. He made sure to put some ice on your ankle and asked you one hundred times if you wanted him to stay. You declined, arguing you were tired while you just wanted to cry, knowing that the man who took care of you was destined to someone's else. Namjoon left you with heavy heart and met Ji-Eun as she proposed him.

They still have both their hiking clothes. Ji-Eun is talking about something but Namjoon has no clue since all he is thinking about is you. He wonders if you're okay, if your ankle doesn't hurt much. You looked sad when he left, causing him to grow worried.

"Are you listening?" Ji-Eun asks him with an upset tone

"Sorry, I was worried about Y/N" Namjoon sincerely answers

'You, again' Ji-Eun thinks with clenched jaws. She really has to do something. Her pride makes her want Namjoon's total attention. She is not willing to share it with someone like you. She doesn't really have feelings for Namjoon, even though he is a good looking guy, but his social status and his money are what Ji-Eun is interested in. He will make her look good and that's all she wants. And you in the frame would be like a strain on the painting.

"You know, I think you should keep your distance with your assistant" She starts, faking a worry

"What? Why?" Namjoon is taken aback

Ever since you entered his life, he has never imagined working — or living — without you by his side. He always thought you would be the one next to him when he is finally elected CEO of Kim Electronics. Not only because you play a great role in his success but also because he wants you there, as a person he cares about.

"When we get married, you'll have way more responsibilities. You will need someone with high qualifications to help you. I know someone who could help you, his name is Kim Seokjin. He went to Seoul National University, that says it all. You should hire him"

"What about Y/N?" Namjoon frowns, rage slowly building inside him

"Come on! She is not good enough for you" Ji-Eun laughs

"You know nothing about her" Namjoon snaps, instantly stopping Ji-Eun's laugh "She is the one who helped me getting the post I have now. She is the one who made me a good successor for my father. I couldn't have done it without her. More than my work, she cares about me, as a person. I think it's the best thing you could wish for an assistant and a friend. I don't care what university she went to, she's still the best person I know"

Ji-Eun stays silent for a moment, completely shocked. No one, no man has ever talked to her like that. She is used to have her natural beauty working for her. She just has to snap her fingers to get what she wants. Her ego is smashed up by Namjoon. Why? Because of you. She can't take it.

"I don't want her around when we get married" She says coldly, her tone makes it clear that it's not negotiable

"Don't make me choose between you and Y/N" Namjoon implores

"Why?" Ji-Eun provokes

"Because I'd choose Y/N. I will always choose her" He confesses, more to himself than to Ji-Eun

She made him realize that. You are the most important person in his life. He can't even imagine his life without you. If he's ready to give up his wedding with Ji-Eun just not to put distance with you, what does that mean? Does that mean he's in lo... No. You're just a good friend and an excellent assistant.

"You're an asshole" Ji-Eun says with clenched jaws "I'll be sure to tell my dad what person you're truly are"

"Go ahead" Namjoon is growing tired of Ji-Eun's attitude and pseudo-threat

With a final dramatic gasp, she leaves. Namjoon sighs, lost in all the overwhelming feelings that suddenly seem to wash over him. It's like everything he has buried for four years resurfaces but ten times bigger. So many details come back to his mind: all the little things that made him fall for you.

————

All week long Namjoon has been someway distant with you. He only talked to you about work. Actually, he was practically ignoring you. You were worried about his strange behavior, wondering if something happened between him and Ji-Eun after your shortened hiking, but didn't want to push him to say something he didn't want to. You know him well enough to say that he'll tell you when he is ready.

It's late on Friday, pretty much everyone when home but you stay: Namjoon is still here working hard. He went to meet his dad about ten minutes ago but you stayed at your desk. Since he has been a little bit down the past few days, you can't abandon him. You'll stay until he leaves. That's why you're taking care of Namjoon's mails and meetings for the next weeks as the sun slowly sets down.

"Sunbae, you still here?" Jungkook asks as he arrives at your desk, a genuine smile on his face

"Oh, Jungkook! What are you doing here? You should go out and enjoy your weekend" You tell him

"I just wanted to give a report to Mr. Kim before leaving" He answers, handing you a file

You take it and thank him. Jungkook looks very good after a long day of work, even though his black hair is a little bit messy.

"You're working late, do you want a coffee?" Jungkook gently offers you but you decline, notifying him that you'll be home soon

Just before Jungkook walks away, Namjoon comes back. His whole body tenses when he sees Jungkook smiling at you. Are you that blind not to see he's flirting with you? Or do you like it? Anyway, Namjoon surely doesn't. At all. He walks faster and opens his mouth when he arrives at your desk:

"If you're here to chitchat, you can go home, Y/N"

His harsh tone surprises you. He has never talked to you like that, even when you've made a huge mistake that costed him a billions wons contract. You want to talk back but Namjoon doesn't give you time and enters his office, not without slamming the door.

"I'm sorry if I put you in trouble" Jungkook tells you with a guilty voice, looking down in shame

"Don't worry, you did nothing wrong" You console him, a reassuring hand on his shoulder "You should go, I'll deal with him"

You two wave at each other when the young employee disappears at the end of the hallway. Your smile fades away too, anger taking over your body. You've been worried about Namjoon all week, you've been working harder to ease him and he thanks you by snapping at you? You can't stand his attitude any longer.

What you don't know is that Namjoon avoided you because, after his talk with Ji-Eun, he tried to understand his feelings. Every time he saw you, he found you prettier. It took all his determination not to kiss you and fuck you. He even had to jerk himself off at home thinking about you to control his horniness towards you. It was too much today when he saw you this morning wearing a fucking pencil grey skirt hugging your pretty ass perfectly. Your tight aubergine shirt was unbuttoned enough for Namjoon to have a peak on your bra. Vivid memories of the day he's spilled his coffee on your chest made up to his mind and he knew he couldn't resist anymore. So he went to his dad's office to announce he won't be marry Lee Ji-Eun and that another woman fills all of his heart. But when he came back, he found you giggling with another man.

You storm into his office, harshly closing the door behind you.

"What is wrong with you?" You bark more than you ask

Namjoon looks at you with a unfazed eye. He is not impressed one bit by your temper. Actually, your small frame shivering in wrath is cute.

"Nothing" He replies with a dismissive voice that drives you crazy and he focuses on his computer again

You scoff and step closer, smacking your two palms on his large desk. The loud noise makes Namjoon look at you but his face stays neutral. This is very hard to do when your slightly bent over upper body offers him a great view on your boobs. Is your bra made out of silk? That seems so soft than Namjoon's fingers subtly brush his computer mouse while he imagines touching you. Of course, you have no clue of that.

"Spill it" You say between your teeth

"There is nothing to say, Y/N"

"Really? Because you've been ignoring me all week and now you're acting like an ass"

"Well, maybe you shouldn't have to be reminded you're at work when you flirt in front of my office"

"What?! I was not flirting!" You exclaim, completely taken aback

"Sure" Namjoon talks back with his jaws clenched

"Wait" You say, making Namjoon look into your eyes "Are you jealous?" You ask with narrow eyes

"Stop talking non-sense" But his reddenned cheeks speak otherwise

"Yes, you are" You insist as you get around his desk and place yourself next to him

"I am not" He whispers, drawing his eyes back to the screen

"Look at me" You say as you grab his cheeks with your thumb and forefinger

Your breathe is cut off one second. He is way too handsome. The whole atmosphere gets heavy and tensed but not in a negative way. His lips are right here, ready to be kissed and you so fucking want it. You would like to ride his pretty face to make him pay for ignoring you all week. Your heart beats louder and faster, and your body gets hotter. Some wetness gathers in your panties. You try to keep calm but your inside is messed up by Namjoon's hotness. You gulp.

Your brain turns off the second Namjoon stands up and kisses you harshly. He moves so fast that you can't react. It doesn't really matter because you don't want to push him away. His pulp lips are so soft that you moan against them. Namjoon grabs the back of your head to kiss you deeper, his other hand presses against your lower back. You can feel his bulge and your pussy gets wetter.

Namjoon starts attacking your neck, pressing rough kisses on your throat. You're quite sure you'll have hickeys tomorrow. Your hands run through his short hair to pull him closer. Namjoon's delicate fingers work on your shirt to open it. He harshly squeezes your boob through the cup of your bra, making you wince in delight. He smiles when he confirms that it was a silk fabric, so soft under his fingers. Then, he drag down your bra, just enough to free your hard nipples. His mouth captures your sensitive tits and you throw your head back under the pleasure. You feel his teeth gently bite them and it's delightedly painful. Are you ready letting your boss tease your nipples with his tongue in his office? You're crazy. Too bad you don't give a fuck right now.

"I've dreamt about that ever since I ripped your fucking blouse" Namjoon groans between the licks he gives to your nipples

He is soft despite his harsh moves. It's almost like he wants to punish you and adore you at the same time.

Once he is satisfied with the swelling of your breasts and the little reddish marks he created on your skin, he pushes you against his desk, turns you over and finally bends you over. The cold material against your heated skin makes you shiver. You have never imagine Namjoon being so dominant but fuck! you love it. Your perfect ass is at full display for him. Only him. He slaps your cheek and the slight burn is so good that your pussy clenches.

"You drive me crazy" Namjoon whispers so low that you barely hear him but you could say exactly the same since your brain is completely fogged by horniness

He pulls up your tight skirt, exposing your cunt and ass only covered by your white — and now soaked — panties. The cold air on your burning skin mixed with the possibility of someone entering his office is so sinful that you could cum right now. The biggest wave of arousal you've ever experienced washes over you. All that caused by your boss.

The view of your ass makes Namjoon painfully hard in his pants. Fuck, he could ruin you, right now, in his office. He wants to make you scream his name while he pounds into your pussy, and if this Jungkook guy hears you, it's even better.

Namjoon kneels down and you can feel his breathing on your skin. Since you can't see him, you're even more focus on physical contacts. He first kisses your asscheek and starts rubbing your clit through the thin fabric of your panties with his thumb, making you gasp of pleasure.

"I want to eat you out" He says with a raspy voice, indirectly asking for your consent

Just imagining it makes a choked moan escape your lips and you nod frenetically. Namjoon smirks at your neediness. You're craving for his touch and he loves it. Does that mean that you want him as much as he wants you?

He wastes no time and push your panties aside. Your glistening cunt is so pretty. Seeing your arousal, caused by him, all over your pussy boosts his ego. He dives into it, taking a large strap of your juices. He applies the right amount of pressure on your clit with his tongue. It's so good that you moan his name. You feel high on horniness. Your pussy clenches when Namjoon roughly grabs your two asscheeks to spread them, giving him more access to your dripping cunt. You look so desperate, so submissive. You are fucking bent over his desk and he is eating your pussy. He fucking loves it. He didn't know how much he wanted to see you like this until now and he is not ready to stop.

"Fuck" You choke up, your right hand making its way to his hair and pulling him closer

"My girl is needy, uh? She loves when I eat her pretty cunt, right?" Namjoon teases against your pussy

How can he be so good with his mouth? His tongue licks, circles and sucks on your sensitive bud. You gasp for air when you feel your orgasm building inside you. It's true that you haven't been touched for a long time but you know damn well that if you'll cum soon it's essentially because of Namjoon's skills. He makes you feel so good, so alive that you wish you've let him touched you before. Why did you wait four years?

"I'm gonna cum" You say in a whimper

Instantly, Namjoon pulls away and stands up, making you wince.

"Namjoon!" You gasp in surprise, disappointment and frustration — you knew it would have been a great orgasm

You turn your head to meet his satisfied smirk. He looks like a predator with his lips, nose and chin glistening of your juices. The sight is so hot and you could appreciate it if he didn't deny your orgasm.

"You'll cum around my cock like a good girl" His voice is so deep and his words so naughty that your walls tighten around nothing "But first, I have to prep you" Namjoon gets closer to your ear to whisper "I wouldn't want to slit you in two"

He looks so confident, but his cock couldn't be so big, right? You don't have time to think about because two fingers slip inside your pussy. The slight stretching is so good you could cry. Namjoon penetrates you at the right pace, making sure your walls get expanded enough not to hurt you with his dick. His goal is not really to give you pleasure — even though he does. You mutter your moans with your hand as you feel his digits going in and out into you. They are making a mess out of your dripping pussy.

Once Namjoon thinks you're ready enough, he takes off his fingers out of you. They are completely glistening with your arousal and he smirks of how wet you are for him. He guides his hand towards your face and you blush when you witness how much of a pool you have between your legs.

"Open your mouth" Namjoon orders and you do

He pushes his fingers between your lips and you taste yourself. You use your tongue to clean his digits and it's so fucking hot that you feel some arousal leaking down your thighs, making you shiver.

"Good girl" Namjoon praises you, then putting those same fingers into his mouth to taste both your juices and your saliva and it's making you clench

The eye he is giving you is totally filled with lust. His eyes are so intense, you have never felt so sexy, so wanted. Your cheeks redden even more and you can't wait to feel him inside you. Your arousal is written all over your face and pussy. Namjoon wishes you could see youself like that: completely desperate for his cock. He drags down his pants and boxers at the same time, freeing his dick. And fuck. Your eyes widen for the greatest delight of Namjoon. He is big. Huge. Definitely the biggest dick you've ever seen. His fat cock, hard and proud, stands a few inches away from your pussy and you wonder how can it fit. You gulp and Namjoon laughs at your reaction.

"My girl can take it" He says to ease you, kissing your cheeks

My girl. Why does his possessiveness make you wet? You want to be his, even just for a moment, even just while he fucks you. You are pretty sure that you could let him do whatever he wants with your body right now.

Namjoon gives himself a few pumps and guides his length to your entrance. You moan when you feel his tip against your pussy. You mouth opens and your eyes shut down while Namjoon slowly pushes himself into you. It's not really difficult considering how wet you are. His two big hands settle on your hips, tightly. He is so big that you feel your pussy getting stretched. A lot. It's almost painful but it's so fucking good. He completely fills you up and you love it.

"So big" You groan, grabbing his forearm with one hand for dear life, the other one trying to catch onto something

"You're so fucking tight. Your little pussy feels so good around my cock"

Namjoon starts pounding, not so gently and enhances the pace just after a few seconds. He's rough. He lets out all the frustration of the week. Thankfully, the fabric of his pants creates a barrier between your skins that mutters the sinful sound of clapping. Namjoon tightens his grip on your hips to enter you deeper and faster. Each single bumping causes you to hit his desk, shaking everything that is on it. Your moans are so loud that if someone goes by the hallway, they'll hear you. You attempt to mute yourself by biting your lip but you don't do a really good job at it.

Your pussy gets tighter as your orgasm comes closer. Namjoon feels it and guides one of his hand around your neck to pull your back against his chest. The change of angle makes his huge cock find your g-spot. You whimper at the surprise and delight but it's so much to take, you're not sure you'll get through this alive, especially when he doesn't slow his pace one bit.

"Right here, right here!" You scream despite your choked throat, overwhelmed by the sensation of Namjoon's fat dick hardly hitting the perfect area

Your legs are so weak that he has to wrap his other arm around your waist to support your body. Between his arms, you look small and fragile although he is ramming you hardly. Namjoon's hand on your throat presses softly and you feel his heavy breathe into your ear. Your ass gets slapped by his abs at each harsh pounding. You've never been fucked so roughly and yet, you love it.

"Be mine" He says so lowly that you're not sure of you imagined it

"What?" Your eyes open in astonishment, your breathe cut off

"Be mine, Y/N" He repeats so desperately and your heart melts at the same time than your pussy

You cum so hard that you can't even let a sound leaves your open mouth. Your legs shake so much that Namjoon has to slow his pace but makes sure to stay entirely inside you. You're out of breathe and completely shaken by the fact that your boss just made you cum — the best orgasm of your life — and by his words. You slowly settle down from your high but Namjoon's cock sliding in your cunt makes you hungry again. A few second after you've cummed, you're ready for another orgasm.

"Answer me" Namjoon orders with a harsh tone that matches his harsh poundings, accentuating his words with a strong slap on your ass

"I'm yours" You moan, your eyes watering

Two big and round tears roll down your cheeks because of the harsh and delightful spanking but also because you have confessed something that you've kept so difficulty to yourself for weeks.

Namjoon tenderly kisses your wet cheek and his hand leaves your throat to caress your jaw. Fuck, he was so afraid you'd say no. His heart was pounding in his chest, and not only from his physical efforts. Now that he knows you both share feelings, he wants to fuck you deeper, just to show you how much he cares about you. Your tits bounce under his tamping.

"You're taking me so good. You're so perfect" He growls "My girl..."

"Joon" You moan, your hand going up to grab his hair, making him groan

You get, once again, so close to your high. Your pussy clenches around Namjoon's cock and he smirks. The hand that secures your waist goes down and starts rubbing your clit. It's too much for you. It's painfully delightful. The sensation is overwhelming, you almost faint out of pleasure.

"Cum around me, baby"

It's all you needed. You cum for the second time, screaming his name. The way his name rolls on your tongue when you're cumming makes Namjoon's cock twitch inside you.

"Fuck, I love you" He whispers, eyes shut down and his face coiling into your neck

Your heart is doing backflips in your chest. Namjoon loves you. Your eyes gets more watery, an overwhelming feeling of affection and love you both share is washing over you.

He gives you a few more dick strokes and hot shots of thick cum are spread on your walls. He is panting. His shirt is now completely sticked by sweat to his chest but he doesn't care. Your shaking frame is wrapped by his strong arms and he hugs you tight while his cock softens inside you. Your hands caress his forearms and your head rests on his shoulder. It's a peaceful moment after the rough fucking you've shared. You're so tired but so light at the same time. Your heart could jump out of your chest from happiness.

"I love you too, Joonie" You whisper after a few seconds of silence

You feel Namjoon smiles against your neck. He pulls out of your pussy, causing his cum to drip. He quickly pushes it back into your cunt with his fingers and you find it so hot. He replaces your panties correctly to secure it. Yeah, he could be your baby daddy and by the playful look in his eyes, you quite have the feeling he is thinking about the exact same thing.

"It's my gift" He teases you and you blush

He quickly puts back his dick into his pants and helps you with your clothes. Namjoon doesn't stop kissing your forehead, your nose, your cheeks and your lips. You giggle like a teenager when you feel so loved. You lift your eyes and meet his beautiful brown ones. They are so tender while they're looking at you.

"Let's go out for diner, I want to take my girl on a date"

"I'm your girl now?" You twit him

"Of course!" Namjoon replies as he softly captures your cheeks with his large and warm palms "You said you were mine. You can't go back now"

You smile at him, not wishing one bit to undo the tie that now links you to Namjoon. You look at his cute dimples that you can now kiss every time you want and this silly thought provides you so much joy that you wonder how you could have lived without it for four years.

[002yb]

Secretary AU: A pipe has burst in Jason and Dami's apartment--they have to stay elsewhere for a week or so while it's repaired and things are being cleaned up and restored. Where are they staying, and how does Bruce make it so the manor is the obvious solution? 😂

It goes without saying that Bruce is the first to extend an invitation for Jason and Damian to stay at the manor while their apartment is being restored. A very eager, borderline aggressive invitation for how intensely it's offered lol.

Jason respectfully declining because Bruce is his boss; it'd be weird. A devastating blow to Bruce's heart, truly.

But Bruce isn't deterred. He insists.

And is promptly reprimanded by Tim who smacks him with a folder filled with contracts they need to review because Bruce is going to be the face of their next HR mandated training on harassment if he doesn't watch it.

Just Bruce tasting bitter defeat in the face of corporate culture and an amnesiac son who still doesn't remember him (and who Bruce had an ulterior motive to wanting to stay at the manor because maybe if Jason could stay in his old room, he would remember something. Something being Bruce. He misses his boy).

Tim offering to help find a hotel. Which he's already researched at length and has a list of suitable choices (all high end, safe, conveniently located on a route to/from the manor).

Jason being grateful for the effort up until he sees the unrealistic prices, at which point his smile drops to an unimpressed look of pure judgment because CEO and CFO salaries can afford this; Jason is a secretary.

Tim insisting WE will front the charges

Leading to Jason quipping about how Tim is going to be at the top of WE's audit risks this year, undoubtedly

And Tim can't even argue because either he's an audit risk or an HR problem - there's no winning

At which point Jason laughs and thanks his bosses for looking out for him, but Jason is fine. He can take care of himself. He's already got a motel booked.

Meanwhile, Bruce and Tim doing their utmost not to react to 'motel' like the rich bitties they are; they can't help it. They do ask which one though. And only let themselves visibly wither and die after Jason leaves the room because it's in such a dangerous location!! They know for a fact that there's an open investigation for a murder that happened on the premise; drug deals go down regularly in the alley just behind it!

Cue Batman and Robin wasting a portion of patrol monitoring the location. Stewing over the circumstances and startling when another pipe breaks.

It's an act of god (it's the League, courtesy of Talia who hears the news and refuses to have her son stay in such an environment) and, like the overbearing dorks they are, Bruce and Tim text Jason to check in, fully expecting news of needing a place for the night after all

The message they get instead: All good. Thanks.

The both of them thinking Jason is too proud or doesn't want to impose. But it's like, 2am and Jason is caring for a toddler. He needs support.

Which is precisely when Dick pulls up and Bruce and Tim (still as Batman and Robin) are so peeved because fucking dick.

But yes, Jason turns to Dick when everything at the motel goes tits up. Because somehow all the motels nearby are booked (again, courtesy of Talia) and Jason just needs help for a night, please.

So Dick comes over despite the late hour (and having been on patrol himself). He helps pack up the few things Jason and Damian have into the car, sends a cheeky little nod Batman and Robin's direction, and then they're off.

Which leads to the dickjay portion of this ask ///u////:

Where Dick's apartment isn't much of a home. It's not something Dick has ever cared about; he's not around enough for any comforts to matter.

Only he might care in that moment. Because Dick brings Jason over to this. Someplace empty and unwelcoming and cold.

'Did you get robbed?' Jason asks, a joke that Dick can't help but laugh at because he realizes that there really is nothing.

Because Dick moved abruptly. He left what little he had behind because everything he wants is here in Gotham now that Jason is back ;A;

But also because he genuinely stopped caring at some point and he's a bit staggered by the apathy in that - it's depressing.

It's such a contrast to Jason's apartment which is filled with warmth and life and comforts. Books on tables, Damian's art displayed on the fridge. Worn blankets folded over chairs and discolored drapes that paint shadows like lace across Jason's skin when the sun starts to set and they're sitting back on his couch and-

Dick's apartment isn't a home. And Dick might feel a little self-conscious about it because there's a vulnerability in exposing your home to someone and having there be so little. ;//////;

And Jason might not say anything, but he clues in. It gives him a new perspective on Dick and it's surprising, but he's not put off. Jason's more than familiar with having nothing and the slow process of finding things to build yourself (and your home) up.

But anyway. Dick showing Jason to the guest room. Scrambling to find which box he stowed away some quilts in. Passing off extra sweatshirts because they might not be enough to keep Jason and Damian warm.

And Jason calming him down by simply grabbing Dick's sleeve and looking up at him and telling him, 'thank you.' Because even if Dick feels it isn't enough, the gesture of being there in a time of need and putting himself out and wanting to do more for them means a lot more than Dick gives credit.

Stand by we're gonna get back to the building a home train of thought after this:

Where the next morning Dick is cooking breakfast for everyone and lowkey sweating because the domesticity is a lot

Jason coming out first (in Dick's sweatshirt and it might take Dick out at the knees a bit; might steal his breath) and being all endeared because Dick is cooking according to Damian's dietary restrictions and the thought is really sweet. ;U;

Something something wholesome breakfast while stood/sat at the counter. Dick, Jason, and Damian ahhhhhhhhh.

And that's how Bruce and Tim find them. Because they 'have a key' (they don't) and 'wanted to talk to Dick about a family matter' and 'oh, hey Jason didn't know you were here.'

Just the contrast of these two guys dressed to the nines while Dickjay + Damian are still in their sweats/pj's LOL

Then they all have breakfast together and it's sweet. It's a taste of the big family Dick misses from his childhood. <3

But yes, back to Dick's home being so scarce. Because of course by the time Jason and Damian leave to return to their apartment, Dick has Damian's art pinned to the fridge. As well as a blanket Jason knits (while on the clock at WE lol; Bruce and Tim are so jealous it's not even funny). It feels like this AU's Jason would know how to knit. Or he’d teach himself on the spot just for this.

Dick's home becoming more and more full of things as Dick sets down proper roots. Gifts from friends and family, second hand furnitures he picks up that Jason (+Tim and Bruce when they find out) helps him move in. (♡´艸`)

[themirokai]

Federal contract my company might get: You need to comply with the ADA.

Me: Cool. No problem.

Asshole CFO: Have we reviewed that?

Me: The… the Americans with Disabilities Act?

Asshole CFO: Yes. It’s part of the contract. We should review it.

Me: It’s longstanding federal law. We’re totally compliant with it.

Asshole CFO: How do you know if you haven’t reviewed it?

Me: Because I am generally familiar with its provisions and we pay an HR company to make sure our handbook complies with federal and state law.

Asshole CFO: The HR company says lots of stuff. I just think if something is in a contract we should review it.

Me: I agree with you generally but are you saying that I need to review every single federal statute?

Asshole CFO: I just think if something is in a contract we should review it.

Me: See, just saying that makes it sound like a reasonable thing. Having me actually review the entire ADA and the Clean Air Act and the Clean Water Act and the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act on top of the Federal Acquisition Requirements (which I *am* reviewing) is not reasonable.

Fml.

[the-eternal-quest-for-balance]

James O'Keefe Launches Countersuit Against Project Veritas, Alleges Defamation, Breach of Contract

"Yet, in a bewildering turn of events, the very institution O'Keefe had nurtured from its inception turned against him."

By: The Post Millennial 

"James O'Keefe of OMG has launched a countersuit against Project Veritas, a company he founded and helmed until February 2023. Project Veritas sued their founder in May of that year, and now, O'Keefe is bringing his own claims against the group. O'Keefe was put on leave, at first for two weeks and then indefinitely, which he has said was an attempt to force his resignation, and he later offered that.

In the countersuit obtained by The Post Millennial, O'Keefe accuses the Project Veritas Board of materially breaching the employment agreement when he was stripped of his position, compensation, and ability to do his work, "which proximately and directly damaged" him. O'Keefe offers a counterclaim of defamation, alleging that the "Board members acted negligently, at minimum, in regards to the truth or falsity of their statements."

Tweets from Board members are included in the documentation, showing remarks and assertions they had made publicly about O'Keefe during the course of the dispute and the suit brought by Project Veritas against O'Keefe. These include calling O'Keefe a "sociopathic liar," stating that "everyone who ever worked for/with him feels exactly the same on this point." O'Keefe was called "evil" and accused of "criminality" in these public tweets from Project Veritas Board member Matthew Tyrmand. Further, private facts were published by Board members, the case reads. "Project Veritas published personal and private communications of an intimate nature, by providing them to wrongdoers for that express purpose, including but not limited to the Twitter Account 'James O’Keefe The Panty Thief.' In doing so, PV published matters concerning O’Keefe’s private life," the suit reads.

"The disclosure of O’Keefe’s private messages was a gross violation of O’Keefe’s privacy and highly offensive to a reasonable person," the suit reads. Additional claims include the intentional infliction of emotional distress, that "Plaintiffs intentionally inflicted severe emotional distress on O’Keefe by deliberately humiliating him in front of the PV staff to create an unbearably hostile work environment and force O’Keefe to resign." Other breaches are also alleged. The suit also gives a glimpse into the background of the case, and O'Keefe's account of what happened during the period of time when he left the company. The document lays out a timeline of events that led to the removal of O'Keefe and the demise of Project Veritas.

It all began, the suit states, in early February 2023 when O'Keefe was confronted by the company's CFO over a pricey helicopter trip. O'Keefe, who had used helicopters before with no issue, fired the CFO, Tom O'Hara. The board, comprised of O'Keefe, Matthew Tyrmand, and John Garvey convened an emergency meeting, during which Tyrmand proposed adding more people to that board. O'Keefe objected, but they were added anyway. Additional people were added to the meeting.

"Ahead of the meeting, Tyrmand had lined up cherry-picked disgruntled current and former employee 'observers' to attend by phone and speak. Other employees, previously happy in their positions, were invited to attend and listen," the suit reads. Grievances were read into the record, along with transgressions by O'Keefe. The board reinstated the fired CFO, put O'Keefe on leave, removed his ability to hire or fire people for 180 days, took his credit card, and restricted his access to the company's "proprietary information."

As O'Keefe was on leave, the board determined that he had engaged in "serial misspending." Shortly thereafter, a letter of employee complaints was issued. O'Keefe's leave went from two weeks paid leave to indefinite unpaid leave in what the suit alleges was an attempt to "force O'Keefe's voluntary resignation." O'Keefe said he could resign or the board could, and when the board did not, he tendered his resignation from the company he founded in 2011. He was replaced at the helm by the woman he founded it with. Those with Project Veritas maintained that O'Keefe was not ousted.

"Over a matter of a few days," the suit reads in the introduction, "a Board — ironically, dedicated to truth and transparency— engaged in a calculated ambush of its founder, stripping him of authority and publicly humiliating him in front of the very team he had assembled. This was not a measured response to legitimate concerns, but a premeditated coup that ignored years of successful leadership and the unique value O'Keefe brought to the organization."

"The Board's actions," it continues, "cloaked in the language of corporate governance, revealed a profound and willfully obtuse misunderstanding of what made Project Veritas special. They failed to grasp that O'Keefe was not merely an employee, but the beating heart of an organization that thrived on his vision, his connections, and his public persona. In their myopic focus on alleged expense reports and management styles, they lost sight of the forest for the trees, jeopardizing the very mission they were sworn to uphold."

"These counterclaims are not merely about contractual disputes or corporate governance," the suit goes on to say. "They are about the willful destruction of a unique institution in American journalism. They are about a small group of individuals who, entrusted with safeguarding a vital public watchdog, instead chose to put it down. The Board's actions have not only harmed James O'Keefe personally but have deprived the public of a crucial voice at a time when investigative journalism is needed more than ever."

[asm5129]

URGENT--HELP NEEDED ONCE MORE

The board of trustees filed their 20 day notice to the Vermont AG on June 26, and the AG’s office has given us no real indication that they are taking our complaints about the BoT’s malfeasance seriously.

We need to once more flood their offices. Make them feel pressured to investigate these criminals.

You can find out more at remakegoddard.org as well as donate to help them pursue actions against the board of trustees.

The main Vermont AG office:

(802) 828-3171 [ext. 3]

Ago.info@vermont.gov

Other AG relevant numbers and emails at the bottom of the post

Complaints (you can pick one to focus on or pick multiple, but these are the primary concerns right now):

Goddard College’s Board of Trustees have flagrantly violated their fiduciary duties, the established bylaws of Goddard College, and the nonprofit standards of Vermont through the following actions:

1. The Board of Trustees has been operating well below its minimum quorum, in secret, often excluding all but the executive members and the president. On the rare occasions when it has held an open (Zoom) meeting it has not allowed meeting attendees to enter into conversation or even see and communicate with each other.

2. In 2023 the administration contracted with CORE Education Services, a Public Benefit Corporation out of Virginia that specializes in “college transformation.” At this point, the people named as Goddard College’s CFO, Comptroller, head of HR, head of admissions, and head of marketing all work for CORE, not for Goddard. Outsourcing of these essential leadership positions is highly irregular for an institution of higher education and not in alignment with Goddard's mission and guiding principles.

3. Rejecting, damaging and/or ignoring options to increase financial sustainability of the college. A few examples:

A) Staff member Alisha Raby and alumnx George Darling worked together to create and donate apparel and other merchandise for sale by Goddard, to be provided for zero upfront cost, yet the administration refused this gift that could have raised tens of thousands of dollars.

B) A parent of a current student offered a donation of $50,000 to help keep the school running, and provost Noah Coborn refused it on behalf of the administration.

C) Staff members created a plan via which the college could raise funds hosting events and engaging in community partnerships that make use of often vacant property.

D) The administration cut off access to the college by alumni, the most likely donors as well as those most likely to write bequests, by making an enemy out of the Goddard Alumni association. Dan Hocoy, soon after his hiring as president despite community objections, canceled the alumni reunion on campus even as people had already signed up for it, paid, and made their travel plans. He then subsequently threatened to sue the elected board members of the alumni association (which was started by and given official status by the college) for using the college name.

E) The National Labor Relations Board ruled on August 24, 2022 that the College violated labor laws when dissolving the Development Office and laying off all of the employees of that Office.

All of these actions combined with the antilabor practices delineated below and the abandonment of any recruitment or donor cultivation efforts ensured that the college would have streams of revenue except tuition.

5. A complete lack of transparency including:

A few days before announcing the closure of Goddard’s campus the board sent out an email asking for ideas on how to keep Goddard sustainable. Considering that they would have had no time to properly consider contributed ideas, it’s clear that this request was never genuine.

The faculty and staff found out about the closure of the campus at the same time as the students, in what I have been told is a clear breach of contract. The same happened with the announcement of the closure of the school.

Students, faculty and staff alike were told that going online-only was simply an “experiment” to see whether it would improve Goddard’s financial situation, and the administration also said (in writing) that in-person residencies would be reconsidered in the following year. As such, new students were actively being accepted to Goddard that very semester. Yet mere months later the board announced it would be closing the school at the end of the semester. So the notion that it was simply an experiment appears to have been a lie, or they would have waited to analyze the full data from said experiment. Unless there was serious negligence, there’s simply no way they could have miscalculated their financial sustainability so much that within mere months they would go from believing they could run the college for a few more years (even if it had to be online-only) to believing they had to close at the end of the current semester.

The “experimental” closure of the campus apparently resulted from a survey that had been conducted where a majority of students expressed preference for online-only. However, the results of the poll may have been skewed, considering that one of Goddard’s campuses had been closed and the remaining campus for those students was across the country, leaving questionable data as to whether online-only was genuinely “preferred”. Additionally, many students were unaware of this poll in the first place.

6. The board has misrepresented teach-out options to students, providing false information about available alternatives and obstructing their ability to make informed decisions about their academic futures. They falsely presented schools as teach-out options that, when contacted, informed students that no such agreements were in place. They did not facilitate financial aid reimbursement when they failed to fulfill their obligations. They did not provide teach-outs for all programs, not in degree type or subject. They attempted to send students to for-profit and non-accredited schools. They refused to assist students who offered to facilitate teach-out outreach, and provided no point of contact for students.

7. They have ignored serious purchase offers from potential buyers, such as Cooperation Vermont. CVT is an organization dedicated to using the campus as a center that would have benefited Vermont in myriad ways including working with former faculty, staff, and students to keep the Goddard spirit and programs alive. Yet CVT received months of radio silence from the administration, which delayed any meaningful progress on its ability to negotiate effectively.

8. Union-breaking behavior. Two semesters ago the staff went on strike for around thirty days. After the first week and a half or so, the board threatened that if the staff did not stop striking within a very small allotted window they would lose access to their health care benefits. This threat was followed through, and the staff only recovered their health care once a new contract was settled.

9. The Board has as of this moment not guaranteed severance for the faculty despite their legal obligation to provide it.

10. Here is an article about how the stakeholders of Goddard college are reacting to the current crisis: https://montpelierbridge.org/2024/06/rumored-goddard-sale-sparks-community-protest/

Contact point is my email Adam.myers.pro@gmail.com

Spread this to everyone you can. The more people who call in asking for the same thing, the better chance we have of getting it. The squeaky wheel gets the grease as they say. We need to be LOUD and we need to be IRRITATING, and we need to call and email EVERY DAY until we succeed.

Other Vermont AG numbers and emails:

Email: Elizabeth.Anderson@vermont.gov Voice: 802-828-5514

Email: Michelle.Bennett@vermont.gov Voice: 802-828-0392

Email: Rebecca.Butler@vermont.gov Voice: 802-828-5512

Email: Megan.Campbell@vermont.gov Voice: 802-828-0096

Email: Ben.Chater@vermont.gov Voice: 802-279-7572

Email: Merideth.Chaudoir@vermont.gov Voice: 802-828-1422

Email: Kelley.Connelley@vermont.gov Voice: 802-917-6373

Email: Christopher.Curtis@vermont.gov Voice: 802-279-5496

Email: Rebecca.Delabruere@vermont.gov Voice: 802-828-5511

Email: Shelley.Facos@vermont.gov Voice: 802-498-3392

Email: Willa.Farrell@vermont.gov Voice: 802-371-8375

Email: Gabriela.Ferrari@vermont.gov Voice: 802-828-5507

Email: Jonathan.Goddard@vermont.gov Voice: 802-371-9012

Email: Michael.Hemond@vermont.gov Voice: 802-371-8029

Email: Megan.Hereth@vermont.gov Voice: 802-828-4605

Email: Marcey.Hodgdon@vermont.gov Voice: 802-595-9893

Email: Jennifer.Hunt@vermont.gov Voice: 802-828-5514

Email: Lauren.Jandl@vermont.gov Voice: 802-595-8679

Email: Melanie.Kehne@vermont.gov Voice: 802-828-5531

Email: Neil.Kelly@vermont.gov Voice: 802-828-2378

Email: Rosemary.Kennedy@vermont.gov Voice: 802-828-6906

Email: James.Layman@vermont.gov Voice: 802-828-2315

Email: Sarah.London@vermont.gov Voice: 802-279-7215 A

Email: Peggy.Lord@vermont.gov Voice: 802-828-3176

Email: Robert.McDougall@vermont.gov Voice: 802-793-6633

Email: Jessica.Mishaan@vermont.gov Voice: 802-828-5500

Email: Jesse.Moorman@vermont.gov Voice: 802-828-5520

Email: Zoe.Newman@vermont.gov Voice: 802-828-2366

Email: michael.novelli@vermont.gov Voice: 802-388-7931

Email: Kelly.OBrien@vermont.gov Voice: 802-828-1105

Email: Domenica.Padula@vermont.gov Voice: 802-595-5161

Email: Gregg.Punchar@vermont.gov Voice: 802-828-5344

Email: Renee.Putney@vermont.gov Voice: 802-828-3166 A

Email: Rizlaine.Sabiani@vermont.gov Voice: 802-828-1963

Email: Jesse.Sawyer@vermont.gov Voice: 802-828-5521

Email: Andre.Souligny@vermont.gov Voice: 802-498-4016

Email: Debbie.Stevens@vermont.gov Voice: 802-828-3176

[rarepears]

The SVSSS Corporate Consulting AU that no one asked for

This isn't really a coherent plotbunny; rather it's more like a string of random ideas and tidbits all set in the same AU.

CFO Shen Jiu unexpectedly goes on short-term medical leave which ends up becoming long term (and then kind of permanent since Shen Jiu decides to permanently become CEO Yue Qingyuan's Trophy Wife and lounge in bed sipping wine all day) and his replacement Shen Yuan suddenly finds himself getting saddled with the CFO title (and pay, which is nice).

----

“President Shen,” Luo Binghe sighs happily, like he’s forgotten every other word in his vocabulary.  "Don't call me that," Shen Yuan sigh a very resigned sigh for the nth time that week. "I'm a director." Luo Binghe doesn't let it deter him. "But you don't want to be called CFO Shen." Somehow he manages to place a cup of hot coffee onto Shen Yuan's desk in a way that can only be called "way too fucking happy for a Saturday morning" because Shen Yuan was the stupid smuck who agreed to juggling all this work for extra money. Was it worth it?

---

The cast:

CEO: Yue Qingyuan

CFO: Shen Qingqiu

COO: Shang Qinghua

CTO: that sword peak lord

CMO: Qi Qingqi

CCO: Mu Qingfang

Liu Qingge: board of directors (because he's only visits the company every now and then but not for long before he hops back to doing other things. There's not much physical activities involving fighting in the corporate world... but hey, a professional athlete can be a shareholder!)

Meng Mo is the CEO of Zoom btw. Luo Binghe was the consultant who won the Cang Qiong consulting company the contract with Meng Mo and was thus the project lead on this case. He poached the contract from Demonly Consulting's Sha Hualing in revenge for her attempt at poach one of Cang Qiong's big contracts by gatecrashing a Cang Qiong private event.

----

Ming Fan is the CFO's secretary - sorry, administrative assistant is the proper title nowadays.

Luo Binghe is one of the newest hires to the company.

Ming Fan is Not Happy about how Luo Binghe is determined to steal his job of admin assistant, spending way too much freaking time in Shen Yuan's office ordering lunches and fetching coffee for the interim CFO, and booking airplane tickets and hotel reservations on top of memorizing Shen Yuan's calendar - which would be known by only Ming Fan (who schedules things onto Shen Yuan's calendar) and Shen Yuan himself.

How the fuck did Luo Binghe get access to it!?

And somehow Luo Binghe is still managing to juggle his consulting work without getting fired from the company. Consultants are expected to be billing at least 90% of the 40 hour workweek (aka that's 36 hours a week) to a client or they would be put on PIP (Performance Improvement Plan) and then fired if they don't improve enough.

Oh and naturally Ming Fan tries to make Luo Binghe's life miserable by canceling Luo Binghe's corporate card while Luo Binghe is away on a business trip.

[More in #The SVSSS Corporate Consulting AU that no one asked for]

[cfofractional]

Overview: What is a Fractional CFO?

Senior-level financial expertise is increasingly in demand as companies seek enhanced profitability and growth through flexible and cost-effective solutions. One such solution gaining prominence is the Fractional CFO. But what exactly is a Fractional CFO, and how can this financial strategist transform the trajectory of your business?

Defining the Fractional CFO:

A Fractional CFO, also known as an Outsourced CFO or part-time CFO, is a seasoned financial professional who offers his/her expertise to companies on a part-time or temporary basis. Rather than hiring a full-time Chief Financial Officer, businesses can engage a Fractional CFO to benefit from their strategic financial guidance without the commitment of a permanent executive role.

Key Characteristics of a Fractional CFO:

Flexible Arrangement:

Fractional CFOs work on a part-time basis, allowing businesses to access high-level financial leadership without the expense of a full-time executive.

2. Strategic Financial Leadership:

They play a crucial role in shaping the financial direction of a company, contributing to strategic planning, financial modeling, and overall financial strategy.

3. Cost Efficiency:

One of the primary advantages is the cost-effectiveness, making it an attractive option for smaller or growing businesses with budget constraints.

4. Customized Services

Fractional CFOs tailor their services to meet the specific needs of each client, providing a personalized and adaptive approach to financial management.

Roles and Responsibilities:

Financial Planning and Analysis:

Fractional CFOs assist in developing and executing financial plans, analyzing financial data, and providing insights to support decision-making.

2. Risk Management:

They identify and mitigate financial risks, ensuring compliance with regulations and industry standards.

3. Budgeting and Forecasting:

Fractional CFOs help businesses create realistic budgets and forecasts to guide financial decision-making and track performance.

4. Financial Reporting:

They oversee financial reporting processes, ensuring accuracy and transparency in presenting financial information to stakeholders.

When to Consider a Fractional CFO:

Growing Businesses:

Ideal for businesses experiencing growth but not yet ready for a full-time CFO.

2. Interim Needs:

During transitional periods, such as executive searches or financial restructuring.

3. Cost Constraints:

When budget constraints make hiring a full-time CFO challenging.

Benefits of a Fractional CFO:

Engaging a Fractional CFO is not just about cost savings; it’s about unlocking the full potential of your business. These financial strategists bring a wealth of experience and a fresh perspective, helping companies navigate challenges, optimize financial processes, and drive sustainable growth.

In conclusion, a Fractional CFO is not merely a cost-effective alternative but a valuable asset for businesses seeking strategic financial leadership on a flexible basis. As the business landscape continues to evolve, the role of Fractional CFOs is likely to become even more integral in shaping the financial success of companies across various industries.

To explore if you are ready for a Fractional CFO or would like additional information about this role and its benefits, please contact us

CFO_1.1 To read related articles go to our Blog

[whentheynameyoujoy]

Betty: Erm… so… boss… yeah, hi… soooo… remember how you were looking for the cheapest supplier to sell you the one-ply toilet paper you plan to sew your high-end fashion with? Right, so the guy you ended up contracting tried to slip me a commission for including him in the final selection which he didn’t need to do because he totally fulfilled the criteria, and *voice breaks *I briefly considered taking it because my family’s broke as shit and I’m working three jobs for you while being paid in cabbage, but I couldn’t go along with it because *close to sobbing* I just could never do something so horrible to you.

Armando: *having already instructed Betty to forge legal documents, WHICH SHE DID, and planning to install her as the head of a fake company to fuck over creditors, WHICH HE WILL DO* Betty. 😑 I cannot be.LIEVE a person of such high ethical standards as yourself even THOUGHT of considering to drop so low. 😑

Betty: *full-on bawling* I hereby resign as your barely paid secretary-assistant-CFO, effective immediately, here’s my last month’s cabbage and my gun.

Armando: YOU 🤬 ARE 🤬 STAYING 🤬 I DON’T 🤬 MATH 🤬 TOO 🤬 GOOD

Betty: But doctor, are you sure? You need your books to be cooked by a person of the utmost professional integrity!

Armando: Yes, I am sure! And as a bonus, I’ve now decided to pay you in an actual non-vegetable based currency.

Betty: Omg, boss, you’re the best! 😍

Armando: I know. I’m super smart too. Hey, wanna run a fake company for me? Because this breakdown of yours convinced me nothing could ever rattle you enough to make you doubt the ethicacy of your unethical actions and decide to fuck me over.

[rigil-kentauris]

Prompt #25: Zip

this is slightly too long for my tumblr but im putting it on here because its one of the more mmm. well it isnt Spicy but it is one of the more charged things ive written and im proud of it so im holding it up to the security camera meme style everywhere i can

jessie/rowena

This is not the worst day of Jessie Jaye's life.

Abandoning her parents. Defecting from Garlemald. Carteneau. Those are bad days.

Getting dressed up and going to a fancy party where fancy rich people are eager and excited to give her company - Cid's company - money? This should be the best day of her life.

She gulps. The zipper on her dress is stuck.

A knock on her door. "Jessie, time's a'wastin'!"

So, Rowena is an objectively bad person. At least, an unethical person. Anyone who you have to clarify her relationship to debt slavery is probably comfortably in the unethical corner. The fact that she is wickedly smart, devilishly effective, and terribly attractive has no bearing on that, true, but Jessie is the CFO of the Ironworks which means not only is she smart she definitely (should) rank up there with the greats.

Drifting over to the House of Splendors everyday to check on their contracts personally with Rowena is a very stupid idea.

Agreeing to go to a fancy dinner shoulder-rubbing investor shindig with Rowena was an exceptionally stupid idea.

Getting a little tipsy on gloomwine and buying a long, tight, fuck-off dress and then not returning it in the morning and packing it up and getting on the airship and landing with nothing else to wear to this thing but that was, possibly, the worst idea anyone at the Ironworks had ever had. And Jessie is including everything Cid's ever done on that list.

"A minute!" she calls weakly.

Outside the door, Rowena pauses. "I'm comin' in."

Shit! "Shit! I mean- Wait!"

The door opens and closes too fast for Jessie to protest. In the mirror, she see's Rowena's eyes widen for a second before her regular composure asserts itself.

Rowena is wearing one of her more delicate business togis. The slit on the side goes all the way up to the top of her bare thigh. She appears to be wearing a bracelet around the soft skin of her upper thigh and little else. Fuck.

"I'm fine!" Jessie coughs. Squeaks. Says. Conveys.

Rowena arches an eyebrow. "Stand up straight," she orders.

"Wha- why?"

"This is no time to be waitin' around. There are deals to seize. Didn't take you much for the dallyin' type, no?"

Rowena steps up to Jessie very bare and exposed back. She's got this horrible feeling that Rowena is about to help her. Sure enough, she feels a slight tug on the fabric where Rowena touches the zipper. Rowena leans forward, and tilts her head over Jessie's shoulder. She looks at her in the mirror. She pulls the sipper slightly, and her fingers brush Jessie's spine.

"Fuck!" Jessie says, accidentally, also accidentally nearly jumping out of said skin.

Rowena just tuts, and tugs the zipper up a little higher. "Jumpy," she says. "They'll eat you alive out there like that."

Rowena's eyes are entirely focused on Jessie's in the mirror. Jessie tries not to jolt at the feeling of fabric sliding over her suddenly hyper-attuned skin as the zipper closes. She watches herself almost succeed.

Rowena smiles slowly. Her finger hooks under the zipper, resting between it and Jessie's back. jessie hisses a breath.

"Sorry," Rowena says evenly. "Don't want it catching on you. This's a tight one. Where'e you get it?"

The sharp tip of Rowena's nail drags very slowly up Jessie's back as the zipper makes a long, low click.

"The store," Jessie manages to say.

"Hm," Rowena rumbles.

She pauses, right in the middle of Jessie's shoulder blades. Jessie catches herself pushing back into Rowena's touch. Fuck. Fuck fuck fuck.

"You know," Rowena purrs. Her breath is warm on Jessie's neck. "You can always come to me with these sort o' things. Me and my girls'll treat you better than... 'the store.'"

Only want you, Jessie thinks, and then says 'Thank you but no thank you.'

Only she does not say that. She says, "The girls? What, no personal touch?"

And then she snaps her mouth shut. Her cheeks color. Rowena's grin widens.

"You'll have to stop by and find out," she says, and with one final quick motion zips the last of Jessie's dress straight to the top.

She lets her hand fall by her side. She looks Jessie over in the mirror from bottom to top, a long, low, slow look.

She nods.

"You look good," she says. "Very fine. What say you?"

Jessie thinks she's in trouble. Jessie thinks she is a boneheaded fool. Jessie thinks she is not going to be able to concentrate on business for the rest of the night.

"I'm ready to go," she lies.

Rowena's grin sharpens in a way that tells Jessie she did not believe Jessie for a second.

"O' course you are." She nods, and steps back. She breaks her gaze with mirror Jessie and turns to regard Jessie for real. In only that shortest span of time, she's put back on her business mask.

Jessie nods. Yes. Yes. Yes, she can do this. She is strong and powerful and smart. Hm.

Rowen clips forward, and opens the door.

"After you, then," she offers.

And Jessie strides out quickly.

[fookinstevienicks]

rewatching Ted lasso season 3 (I remain a season 3 apologist sorry not sorry) and I'm up to Keeley meeting Jack and... no matter how many times it happens I remain furious that they made Keeley actually bad at her job

first she didn't even bother to google CFO for presumably MONTHS because she "trusts the universe"? then. THEN. she's caught out not even knowing who runs the VC firm that's funding her company? at no point in this entire process did she ever look at the VC firm's website? which is basic fucking business practice? and not for nothing, but she was an influencer? knowing how to network is part of the gig!

and then! after barbara is like "that's our FUCKIN BOSS"! she still! does not! google it!

and then! when she had her own PR crisis! she did not handle it AT ALL! just passively waited for jack to take a sex vid off the internet somehow?!?! GIRL YOU WERE AN INFLUENCER YOU KNOW HOW THE INTERNET WORKS. why didn't she handle that crisis like Keeley Fucking Jones instead of cowering in her house and waiting for jack to fix it?

i despise jack and she's trash but also objectively if i were funding a PR firm that didn't even attempt to handle that PR crisis i'd be looking at the escape clauses in that contract too. like Keeley could have done her own statement about not regretting that video and not apologizing and how the only people in the wrong were the people who stole and released it. she could have gotten on ig live and shamed the shit out of people. that would have made her look actually competent, eliminated the need for the locker room PSA, and given her more agency in the ending of the jack relationship

jason sudeikis explain to me why you made Keeley Fuckin Jones incompetent in season three because i was mad then i remain mad now and i will die mad in the future

[blackswaneuroparedux]

Νέκυες κοπρίων εκβλητότεροι.**

- Heraclitus

Corpses are more useless than dung.**

When Elon Musk took over Twitter in early November, he got rid of Twitter’s CEO, CFO, and chief legal officer on his first day. Musk then gave Twitter employees an ultimatum in a midnight email: commit to a “hardcore” culture at Twitter or leave with a generous severance. Barely three weeks later he purged  nearly two-thirds of Twitter’s 7500-person workforce, around 3700 employees.

“What works at SpaceX and Tesla is people being in the office and being hardcore,” said Musk during his first meeting with Twitter employees following the lay offs. In his Tweet defending the layoffs, Musk said all departing employees were offered "3 months of severance, which is 50% more than legally required". Musk has also fired as many as 5500 additional contract Twitter employees recently to cut down on bloated staff and waste of resources.

The mass layoffs prompted knee jerk concerns about content moderation, with NGOs and campaigners claiming the changes could mean more harmful material or misinformation on the site. Most of those culled or those who left voluntarily were from teams responsible for communications, content curation and moderation, human rights, human resources, and marketing.

The language of hard work and commitment demanded by Musk to remaining Twitter staff was mirrored in an email to Twitter employees entitled ‘Twitter 2.0’. “Going forward, to build a breakthrough Twitter 2.0 and succeed in an increasingly competitive world, we will need to be extremely hardcore. This will mean working long hours at high intensity. Only exceptional performance will constitute a passing grade. Twitter will also be much more engineering-driven. Design and product management will still be very important and report to me, but those writing great code will constitute the majority of our team and have the greatest sway. At its heart, Twitter is a software and servers company, so I think this makes sense.”

It sure does. After clearing house of deadwood, Musk has gone on a hiring spree at Twitter, mainly for more talented software engineers.

The two pictures above tell their own story. The top picture were staff who resigned or were culled. Many complained of their ‘inhumane treatment’ at Musk’s demands whilst others were left in tears or were distraught.

The second bottom picture is of remaining Twitter staff - overwhelmingly software engineers - happily working in the trenches at 1.30am with their new boss who was also putting in the hours alongside them.

[dertaglichedan]

15 health systems dropping Medicare Advantage plans | 2024

Medicare Advantage provides health coverage to more than half of the nation's older adults, but some hospitals and health systems are opting to end their contracts with MA plans over administrative challenges.

Among the most commonly cited reasons are excessive prior authorization denial rates and slow payments from insurers.

In 2023, Becker's began reporting on hospitals and health systems nationwide that dropped some or all of their Medicare Advantage contracts.

In January, the Healthcare Financial Management Association released a survey of 135 health system CFOs, which found that 16% of systems are planning to stop accepting one or more MA plans in the next two years. Another 45% said they are considering the same but have not made a final decision. The report also found that 62% of CFOs believe collecting from MA is "significantly more difficult" than it was two years ago.

Fifteen health systems dropping Medicare Advantage plans in 2024: Editor's note: This is not an exhaustive list. It will continue to be updated this year 1. Canton, Ohio-based Aultman Health System's hospitals will no longer be in network with Humana Medicare Advantage after July 1, and its physicians will no longer be in network after Aug. 1.

2. Albany (N.Y.) Med Health System stopped accepting Humana Medicare Advantage on July 1.

3. Munster, Ind.-based Powers Health (formerly Community Healthcare System) went out of network with Humana and Aetna's Medicare Advantage plans on June 1.

4. Lawton, Okla.-based Comanche County Memorial Hospital stopped accepting UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage plans on May 1.

5. Houston-based Memorial Hermann Health System stopped contracting with Humana Medicare Advantage on Jan. 1.

6. York, Pa.-based WellSpan Health stopped accepting Humana Medicare Advantage and UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage plans on Jan. 1. UnitedHealthcare D-SNP plans in some locations are still accepted.

7. Newark, Del.-based ChristianaCare is out of network with Humana's Medicare Advantage plans as of Jan. 1, with the exception of home health services.

8. Greenville, N.C.-based ECU Health stopped accepting Humana's Medicare Advantage plans in January.

9. Zanesville, Ohio-based Genesis Healthcare System dropped Anthem BCBS and Humana Medicare Advantage plans in January.

10. Corvallis, Ore.-based Samaritan Health Services' hospitals went out of network with UnitedHealthcare's Medicare Advantage plans on Jan. 9. Samaritan's physicians and provider services will be out of network on Nov. 1.

11. Cameron (Mo.) Regional Medical Center stopped accepting Aetna and Humana Medicare Advantage in 2024.

12. Bend, Ore.-based St. Charles Health System stopped accepting Humana Medicare Advantage on Jan. 1 and Centene MA on Feb. 1. 

13. Brookings (S.D.) Health System stopped accepting all Medicare Advantage plans in 2024.

14. Louisville, Ky.-based Baptist Health went out of network with UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage and Centene's WellCare on Jan. 1. 15. San Diego-based Scripps Health ended all Medicare Advantage contracts for its integrated medical groups, effective Jan. 1.