#Exporters of Furniture Fittings

[juniper-simblr]

The Harris Sawmill

The Harris Sawmill, a prominent structure at the edge of town, stands as a testament to the community's industrious spirit. It’s one of the primary sources of employment in the small town, providing essential materials and craftsmanship that support both local needs and exports. Through many generations, the Harris family has owned this sawmill, and as of today, Michael Harris continues this tradition.

The heart of the operation is the expansive sawmill floor, filled with the hum of machinery and the rhythmic sound of saws cutting through timber. Here, logs are transformed into beams, planks, and various wood products.

Adjacent to the main floor is a workshop where workers build and assemble various wooden structures. This area is stocked with tools and workbenches, creating a space where creativity and craftsmanship converge. From custom furniture to intricate carvings, the workshop showcases the town’s skilled artisans.

As of year 2, the employees of the sawmill are:

Markus Estrada: Foreman. As the foreman, Markus oversees the day-to-day operations on the floor. He ensures that the work is done safely and efficiently, balancing the demands of Michael with the needs of the workers. His leadership is respected, providing a buffer between the workers and Michael’s stringent expectations.

Bill Kwon: Welder. Bill handles all the metalwork, ensuring that the machinery is well-maintained and that any custom metal fittings or repairs are expertly executed. His precision and skill are vital to the smooth running of the sawmill.

Nasir Bahij. Crane Operator. Nasir skillfully operates the crane, moving large logs and heavy materials with ease. His role is critical in maintaining the flow of raw materials into the sawmill and finished products out to customers.

Max Ford. Cladding Installer. Max specializes in cladding, applying finishes and protective layers to wood products. Her attention to detail ensures that the sawmill’s output meets the highest standards of durability and aesthetics.

Damian Murphy. Drill Press Operator. Damian operates the drill press, creating precise holes and cuts needed for various wood products. His meticulous nature and technical expertise contribute significantly to the quality of the mill’s craftsmanship.

At the front of the sawmill is a small hardware store managed by Michael Harris. The store is well-stocked with tools, building materials, and supplies needed for both professional projects and DIY endeavors.

[so-many-ocs]

Let's Talk: Worldbuilding Small Towns & Cities

this is a request from instagram!

Research!

pick a couple of real-life small towns or non-major cities and look into them!

how, when, and why did they form? some towns or cities form around bodies of water, are created for a specific industry (such as mining or lumber), or grow in close proximity to more major cities. what is the population makeup and density? how do people make a living there?

Essentials!

there are a couple of things that your town or city will need in order to function:

housing, shop(s) for food/clothing, some kind of food source such as a farm or garden, some kind of nearby water source such as a well or river, and a place for medical supplies or treatment.

depending on how modern the setting or how small the settlement, some of these may be located outside of your town/city.

Time Period!

more modern settings may have additional locations: laundromats, auto repair shops, restaurants and cafes, libraries, hardware stores, city halls, post offices, emergency services, waste management services, etc.

a lot of it depends on how big and how current your town or city is. less essential spots may be cut or merged based on these factors. for instance, a very small town might have furniture, groceries, convenience, and a pharmacy all in one building or “store.”

Naming!

for small town/city names, keep it simple! a lot of these places are named after relevant people/cultures, geography, or descriptors; think “Littletown,” “Fairhill,” “Fresh Springs,” or “Jefferson.” some small towns or cities are named after larger towns or cities, like any one of the half dozen places called “Ithaca” in the U.S.

if you’ve built or are using another language, the same naming conventions usually apply.

Questions!

what era is this setting in? agricultural, pre-industrial, industrial, post-industrial, etc? what level of technological advancement does this setting have?

what does trade look like there? what do they import and export? how close are they to major trade routes?

what major cultures, political affiliations, and religions influence this setting? how and when did these influences come about?

what is the geographical location? island, mountain, plains, etc?

what is stopping this location from growing into a major town or city?

Stealing!

when in doubt, steal like an artist!

find an existing (or historical) small city or cities that fit the rough vibe you’re going for and swap out necessary details.

if you use multiple inspiration sources, try and keep it consistent! most things are the way they are for a reason. take climate, geography, and general location into account!

-----------------

that's all! happy writing :)

buy me a ko-fi || what's radio apocalypse?

[trancylovecraft]

(KNY) YANDERE PLATONIC! KOKUSHIBO x SISTER READER: You, Shibou. I, Kokoro (CHAPTER THIRTEEN)

Previous Chapter ☆♡☆ Masterlist ☆♡☆ Next Chapter

AO3 link

CHAPTER THIRTEEN: "You will not be more than a rat in the gutter"

Child abuse can come in many forms including Physical, Emotional, Psychological and Sexual. It happens to more than one in ten people according to local statistics.

The morning rays shone through the window, The disgusting mould building up on the glass making dots in the spotlight.

The room the light had hit was clustered and tossed over, All furniture either broken or tipped over onto the ground. Shattered vases and hives of insects were plentiful in nature, Thriving in the filth of the abandoned house.

It was horrid, Looking like no-one had dared to step foot into the derelict surroundings of the rotted structure. Walls near falling apart and doors barely clicking place into their doorframes.

Larvae gathered around on the decaying wood floor, All from the corpse laying atop it.

It had been there for days, Maggots already crawling in and out of the pores in her skin. She was old, Dying of old age. But that was perfect for the gathering flies and vermin starting to make their young out of the nutritious flesh of her decaying face.

Her figure was as gout as an English king, Her spindly grey hair was scattered across the floor and already falling out of her scalp. It was disgusting, The smell was like spoiled eggs and sulphur from the mould.

But it didn't bother the girl peaking out from the nook in the door that was slightly open, Her little face was shrouded in shadow with the only thing visible being the vivid colour of her eyes staring out at the corpse.

She could of only been about seven or eight, But she looked at the corpse like it was her everyday life, Like she was just observing people passing by on the streets.

Her overgrown hair was matted and tangled into that of a thorn bush, Dirt was displayed on her face and her eyes were wide and vigilant like a bird of prey. It wasn't fit on her and her skeletal complexion, A girl that looked so young.

Her brows lowered as she looked at the corpse, It wasn't of disgust or horror as it should've been but instead it was akin to annoyance or perhaps irritation. It was a mature face, One she should've never been able to make at her age.

The thin bony hands that lain on the other side of the door started to quiver. Even though there was a faint warmth in the air, Her body was still chilled to the bones from the ravenous hunger that laid inside her stomach.

She pushed her fingers forward, The door starting to close. [F/N] took one last look at the infestation gathering on the corpse before huffing.

The door shut softly with a click, Leaving nothing but dead silence to fill the room.

☆♡☆

[F/N] sat upon her futon, Head drooped down to look at her knees.

Her futon was small compared to [F/N]'s already tiny body. The sheets looked like they hadn't been measured to her size in years as it could barely fit over her tiny little feet and provide much needed warmth in the high altitude of the mountain.

The cold air from the atmosphere outside left a lasting chill within the air. The snow-capped peaks above were not too far from where her grand house sat within the rocky terrain, Nestled at the head of the village facing below.

It was lively to say the least. Men with heavy pickaxes slung over their shoulders were waltzing about streets, Most likely on their way to work. Women with baskets of shining ore headed in the other direction from the way, Ready to haul them to the exporting wagons.

Kids ran around the adults, Grinning as they chased each other throughout the plentiful streets and tall buildings lining them. They were having fun, [F/N] could tell from the loud muffled laughs coming from below.

The sunlight village, The place where the sun never went down and where the entire village was eternally basked within the grace of Amaterasu. The only place where scarlet iron ore was cultivated for the demon slayer corps.

For a small village it was a hotspot for both the mining and swordsmithing industry, Never having a quiet moment. It was also a place constructed by the Ubuyashiki family for the sole purpose of collecting and exporting the scarlet ore for the swordsmith village.

The grand house bigger than all the others sat atop a hill overlooking the rest of the village and the entire drop of the mountain miles below them. It was beautiful, Always clean and pristine as it was an example for the rest.

It was gorgeous, At least from the outside view that is.

Screaming erupted from somewhere deep within the house, [F/N] flinched at the high-pitched hollering coming from further within the rooms of the house. It was a constant back and forth of a man and a woman yelling at each other.

"YOU'RE DEFECTIVE! I SHOULD'VE PICKED A DIFFERENT FUCKING WIFE THAT COULD MAKE ME A RIGHTFUL HEIR!"

"I'M DEFECTIVE?! HAVE YOU EVER STOPPED TO THINK THAT MAYBE IT'S YOU THAT'S GOT SOMETHING WRONG WITH HIM?!. IT FUCKING FIGURES, YOU CAN NEVER GET IT UP!"

"YOU WHORE!"

Then the woman's screaming would turn into yells of pain and anger, The sound of a hand connecting with the skin of the face being the cause. Though despite the intensity and the structure-shaking yells that they made, It wasn't the sound of the adults that made [F/N] flinch.

Instead, It was the baby's.

It was horrifying, The shrill crying of a recently born child was mixing in with the roaring of the adults. It made [F/N] ball up and press her knees against her chest, Shutting her eyes and whispering to herself.

She sniffled, A futile attempt to wipe the oncoming tears off her face was made to no avail. [F/N] rocked back and forth, Whispering little confirmations to try and convince herself that it would be okay.

Though she was only a toddler, She was fully aware of what's happening.

Another one of her siblings failed the test, They hadn't been born with the proper hands. An annual occurrence with no deviation from it's result, Again and again she would hear the cries of a child from the other room and the adults screaming would kick up again.

Her family lineage had been blessed by the gods, That's what the villagers said anyways. Sometimes they even claimed that they were the descendants of gods far above them, Gifting them their power.

The Hands of Kagutsuchi, That's what they were called. Named after the kami of fire and the patron of blacksmiths. It was a bloodborne power that gave the blessing of being able to identify any material by the touch of a hand.

It could tell the density of the finest of threats, The way it was woven or the exact touch of the person it belonged to. It could even tell if a glass of sake was poisoned just from a simple graze of the liquid.

It was especially useful here due to the nature of scarlet iron ore, The mining village's sole export. Despite the assumption of the colour in the name, It was impossible to tell what was the scarlet ore or just regular iron.

It would usually take a few hours, Only being able to tell once it was cut into. However with The Hands of Kagutsuchi it would be able to be identified within a second, Saving countless resources and hours of work.

Though there was an is-

"DEFECTIVE.. ANOTHER DEFECTIVE BASTARD- CAN'T YOU DO ANYTHING RIGHT?!"

Sudden thumps of storming footsteps started to make their way down the halls of the house, Though what terrified [F/N] is that the cries of her baby sibling followed with it. Screaming wildly in distress. [F/N]'s breath hitched within her throat, Eyes going wide.

It was happening again, He was going to take another one-!

[F/N] wasted no time in stumbling to her feet and rushing over to the window on the far side of the room. Hopping up onto the soles of her feet, She was barely able to peer over and look out at the valley in front of her.

[F/N]'s eyes landed on the river, Almost second-nature to her by now.

It was the running water sourced from the top of the snow-caps, It was long and winding as it flowed throughout the entire village. It provided hydration and irrigation to the fields of crops growing on the outskirts.

It also had a private part flowing on the hill their house sat on, Separated from the rest of the village a good bit away. It was only a few metre's away, Giving [F/N] a place to run around in if she was lucky.

However [F/N] wasn't bothered by that as she heard the sound of a door being roughly slammed open.

It made her yelp, But her eyes never wavered as she watched the bulking figure of the man storm out into the field facing her house. Her eyes widened, Her vision focusing on what he held high above his head.

It was her baby sibling hung up by the raging grip of the man, They were screaming and wailing with their little face scrunched up in pain. They had only just been born, Still covered in the blood of their mother and freshly cut from the placenta.

Their little fingers were balled up, Their mouth open to let out their high-pitched wails of discomfort as they were hung upside down. They weren't even given the gift of clothing to warm their growing body.

The man marched onwards however, Ignoring the screams of the child as he stormed over to the place where [F/N] feared the most. Her mouth going dry at the sight.

The river.

He had reached the edge by now, [F/N] tried harder and harder to extend the soles of her feet to try and get a better look at what was happening. What was going to happen to her little sibling.

The man stood, Hanging his child like they were meat on a hook. Dangling over the river their cries only grew louder and louder, [F/N]'s breath only picked up once more as she looked on helplessly.

The river water ran cold, The rushing waves speeding down the slope of the mountain in waves. Rocks below it bashed into the water, Hard edges making the water sway and swim in different directions.

The man raised his child higher and higher, The screaming of the child becoming unbearable to [F/N] as her eyes landed on the object gripped tightly in his other hand.

She had been so focused, So attentive to the fate of the little boy that she had failed to notice what he was holding. But as he raised it higher and higher, Dangled his child further and further over the side of the river-

[F/N] knew what it was.

The cold blade of the knife was pressed against the little neck of her baby sibling, The sharp end barely grazing their throat. It was barely developed, Their chubby little cheeks covering what little neck they had.

The blade drew forward, Momentum starting to build.

[F/N] cried out from behind the wall, Hands slamming against the glass to try and stop this. Anything, To try and stop what was going to happen. Tears of her own starting to build up and burst down her face.

SILSH!

The shrill cries of the baby stopped.

[F/N]'s eyes widened.

Unable to pry her eyes off the sudden splash of red dripping down from across the field.

☆♡☆

The cold summer morning's air brushed over the high mountain, A cool breeze tickling at the skin and soaking into the bone.

The sun was still on the horizon, By normal time it would be the very break of dawn but for the sunlight village it stayed eternally light within the closed off confines of it's walls. The ferns flourished with the constant nourishment along with all the other wildlife accustomed to the bright atmosphere.

[F/N] slowly opened the wooden door, Careful to dim the noise of the creak it let out. As soon as she stepped out into the wide open plain of their estate she was hit with the cold spring breeze.

It made her shiver as her little legs hopped down the accompanying steps, Careful not to trip over on her own feet.

The timber-built bucket she had held under her arm was throwing off her balance by a bit, Making her stumble slightly in her step as she trotted over to the accompanying river. It was rushing as usual, Spurts of water foam bursting up and falling back into the stream.

[F/N] waddled onto the edge of the river, Peering over she looked once. Then back towards the house, Left to right before lowering down onto her knees and starting to scoop up the river water.

While the water was chilling it wasn't anything a small fire couldn't heat up, [F/N] learning the tricks of it from running her own baths for years. The few servants employed within her family weren't up at this time, Leaving [F/N] to her own devices.

However she preferred it that way, Not having to worry about interactions with the mean adults living in her house. Nor did she have to deal with the stuffy air flowing about in there, The crisp breeze of the outdoors being a highlight of her eternal day.

She had always felt more mature than the other kids in the village, Always like she was retaking a lesson she had done before. She didn't know why, But sometimes she could swear like she was an adult in a kids body.

Besides, With the upcoming birth of the next child it's been more and more hectic. The woman's pregnancy hitting nine months, The baby due to be born any day now and making both the man and the servants more stressed.

The yelling had gotten louder too, With the man promising and threatening the woman with something [F/N] couldn't make out.

The woman.

The woman was a sorrowful spindly figure, One with bony hands and a slim waist. She was beautiful but in a similar way that you would call a dark tragedy beautiful. Her fuzzy face always facing away from [F/N], Never letting her get a good look at her.

She never talked either, Not in person. Always such a silent and unreactive person whenever [F/N] had been around her, [F/N] only knowing her shrill voice from the screaming.

The man.

The man was a dark hulking figure, His limbs too big on his wide body and he heaved his arms like paperweights. He had horns, Tall winding talons and angry luminescent eyes that seemed to follow in a room.

But his appearance wasn't what sprung to mind when [F/N] thought of him, No. Instead it was his footsteps.

How heavy and thundering they were, How her ears had trained to pick them up from the furthest corner of her house. The way the floorboards decreased under his boot as well as the way she would wait on baited breath, Begging silently for them to pass by on her room.

He wasn't someone that [F/N] liked all that much, Despite the little contact she had with him. He had killed several of her siblings, Even [F/N]'s young mind recognising so.

The only reason she had survived is because she had falsely passed the test when she was born, The test to prove whether she had the divine power of the hands or not.

The test was done as soon as the baby born had fell into a soundless sleep, When it had stilled and calmed down. That was when the feather was brought out, A primary golden feather with a shine that rivalled the sun.

It was a feather said to have been left behind from the bird of the gods, Hou-Ou. One given to her families ancestors long ago. It had been combed several times, Preened and prepped until the touch was ironically featherlight and unfeeling.

The feather would be grazed across the child's hands, For only a second. If the baby awoke and started crying then that would mean that they had been born with the hands, The only thing being able to feel the pristine brush of the plume.

However, If they failed..

[F/N] shook off the jolting chill running down her back as the wooden bucket in her hands finally filled up with enough water to fill her shallow bath. She didn't want to remember the last loss a year ago, No matter how much it filled her head every night.

It appeared in the corners of her eyes, The splash of red. As soon as she snapped her head around to catch a glimpse, It would be gone. It also appeared in her dreams, The visions of the blade wringing the neck of another child. She had issues sleeping because of it, Keeping her eyes wide open in the middle of the night.

The worst part is it had happened every year, The keyword being had as the number of children being slaughtered had risen. The man, Deciding that the woman was not good enough had turned to others within the village for what he called a proper heir.

However, None were good enough. None were born with the hands that would finally appease the mans hunger for blessed blood. The splash of red appearing every three or four months by now. She remembered the woman's voice, What few words were ever spoken directly to [F/N] herself.

"Some are just made wrong, Don't cry over someone you haven't met."

[F/N] pulled up the bucket of water, Droplets running down the side of the bark and dropping onto the lush grass of the mountain. It sloshed around inside as she tried hauling it in her tiny hands.

[F/N] didn't know why she was still alive, A trick of fate perhaps. When the feather was brushed over her hands as a baby she had woken up and started crying, Making it seem as if she was born with the hands.

However when she had grown up it had become obviously apparent that she hadn't been born with such hands, Just waking up at the right time to avoid her demise. And by then the man couldn't kill her, Already having paraded her around the village.

Her father had tossed her aside after that, Just like leftovers. Thrown her into a cage to call her own and the servants were to raise her however distant they liked. He never talked or acknowledged her other than commands, But [F/N] could tell he thought of her like a rat in the gutter.

A disgrace and a failure of a child he was stuck with until he could find a proper husband to throw her away to. A child born without the conditions met to gain his love, The touch just out of her grasp.

But as her hands were graced with the tiny chill of cold droplets running down her fingers, The splintering wood pricking at her little hands. [F/N] was reminded very well that she wasn't of divine blood or of blessed heritage.

She lugged the bucket of limber wood by her side, Careful not to spill anymore of the river water down the sides of the bark. Her feet tapped against the overgrown grass, Wandering towards the main door.

Why she was the one to survive, Why she was the one destined to outlive all the children who didn't even get their chance. Her siblings, The ones that had been tossed away and the one's of whose blood flowed within the river.

They were her siblings, They were her blood and her only family. Each one of them had been given a name, Not by the man or the woman, But by her. Mariko, Amane, Eito and Tarou. The first four off the top of her head.

They hadn't even survived a day outside the womb yet [F/N] made sure to name every single one, Mark every little name into the corner wall of her room. They hadn't lived through breath but instead through their names, That's the least she thought she could do for them.

She loved them, Every single one of them.

Their little hands and their tiny feet, Their chubby little cheeks and their adorable mimicry of human speech. She adored it, Never getting to see what was of her sibling before they were slaughtered like all the others.

She couldn't bare it, Though she was only six she knew how wrong it was. How much pain she felt every time another was killed.

[F/N] tried to smile however. It wasn't all that bad, At least that's what she told herself. Today marked the day of the solstice festival, The one thrown in favour of The Sun Goddess Amaterasu for their eternal brightness.

It had always been fun for the few times she had remembered it, She was only six after all. [F/N] always had fun running about and handed out free food samples, Often partaking in some of the games and watching Shinto-based plays, They were her favourite.

So as she lugged along the bucket back to her house, She tried to keep a big smile on her face in thought of all the fun she was going to have today. What goldfish she was going to try and catch, What plays she would go see.

It was exciting, Fun and ex-

"AAAAAAAAAHHHHHH-!"

A muffled scream echoed out from within the house, One that made [F/N] yelp and surprise and drop the bucket towards the ground.

It clattered on the foot of the steps, Water flying out and splashing against the andesite stairway as she stumbled forward yelping. She fell to her knees and tipped up the bucket, Exclaiming once she saw the emptiness.

But the screaming didn't stop, It kept up on a higher notch. Wailing louder and louder as [F/N] snapped her head up towards the shrieks, Recognising the high-pitch of them very well.

It was the woman, The pain of her yelling was felt in [F/N]'s bone marrow. It was a string of unintelligible curses and proclamations of agony, For no doubt waking up the entirety of the previously slumbering house as she heard frantic shuffling come from inside.

The screams.

[F/N] knew it well.

Her water had broken.

Her tongue had dropped to her throat, Suddenly feeling limp in her mouth. Sweat started to rise up on the palms of her hands and trickle down her forehead as her lungs started going in and out at a much quicker pace.

Another would be killed.

Another.

Another.

And Another.

That was enough for [F/N] to push herself up from the stone steps and yank the door open with what strength her young body had, Abandoning the bucket and running into the labyrinth of her house to seek cover in her room.

Already knowing of the storm that would be approaching as she heard the thundering voice of her father kick up.

☆♡☆

The whines of the woman echoed throughout the house, The soundwaves bouncing off the walls.

It had been a few hours now and [F/N] had barricaded herself within her room. She had to, The man would've kept her inside for preparation of the next child. The hopes of this one finally having the hands he so craved.

He had come around once, Peeking inside her room and barking at her to stay put before leaving once more. All the servants had ran to the woman's side too, Leaving her completely alone.

To keep her mind occupied out of the oncoming demise of another child, She had sat atop a desk next to the windowsill, Longingly staring out into the festival just gracing the borders of her house so closely.

The colourful streamers were shot into the air, Laughing and yells of pleasure were there to cover up the sounds of muffled agony coming from deep within the house. All the lights, What few of them were were lit up in celebration of the goddess.

[F/N] imagined herself running around with the other kids, Envisioned herself catching goldfish with a bag of sweet treats in her other hand as she did. The way her face would light up in favour of the sun deity above.

But instead she was caged within the walls of her house, Forced to listen to the wails of the woman and the yelling of the man. The servants storming footsteps chattering past her door every so often to grab something new for the woman.

The one day when she was going to have an escape, If only for a few hours. Taken away from her.

It was a distraction from her everyday life, Every time she ran through the streets and bit into a piece of mochi she felt as if she was like everyone else. Like she was never trapped in the first place.

But it's not like she could ever get out.

[F/N] closed her eyes, Arms around her chest cuddling herself closer as the screams reached a peak. It was compelling, A siren's shriek that made her want to throwaway all her orders to stay in the room and run to see the face of her sibling.

She never got to see them, She just wanted to see one.

Only one, The glimpses she got of the previous just wasn't enough. She never got to hold their hand or even commit their face to memory. That's all she wanted, All she's ever wanted for herself.

She didn't even have control over her body when she hopped down from the desk, Her bare feet hitting the floor and starting to patter against the floorboards as she quickly made her way to the door of her room.

The door clicking open, She peered out to check if the coast was clear.

Left then right, Before snaking out the crack in the doorway and running towards the room.

☆♡☆

The child had been born.

Hours after labour had started, The woman had finally given birth to a young boy. A child smaller than usual, One that had taken forever to calm down and lulled into a deep sleep. But the servants had managed, Swaddling him in an earth-coloured cloth.

The room that they were in was the main bedroom of the house. It was dark, The blinds shut over to prevent any of the worshipped sun flooding into the room. Candles were lit in it's place, Surrounding the woman who lain strewn on the bed.

Her spindly, Starving figure was exhausted. Long limbs stretched out across the entire surface of the bed with the child placed firmly on her hollow chest as a part of the so-called imprinting.

A wet cloth was placed upon her forehead. What bloody mess of fluids she had made while giving birth were quickly cleaned up, A blanket thrown over the lower half of her body for little warmth.

[F/N] could see through the peek of the door she looked through that the servants had left, Assumedly to give privacy for the ceremony. She had tried peeking over the top side of the bed, Her height a hinderance as she tried to get a good look at her new sibling.

She finally caught a glimpse of them, A faint smile appearing on her face as she saw his young face. The way they slept without noise in their sleep. Their little nose and their big eyes shut down to sleep.

They were adorable.

However it wasn't just the woman in the room. The man had remained too, His back facing the blinded windows with a box gripped tightly in his hands.

[F/N] watched as he turned, Unlatching the box and flipping open the lid. Rummaging around, It didn't take him long to fish out the idolized plume from inside. The candlelight reflecting of the glistening surface of the feather.

He held it up high, [F/N]'s eyes lighting up at the view of it as he presented it up. It was beautiful, The box it was contained in kept it in very good condition. Looking freshly plucked from the crest of Hou-Ou.

Beautiful, The first time she had ever seen it so close.

This was the test, The one that would decide if this would be the child that would end her siblings deaths. [F/N]'s eyes landed on the sleeping face of her new younger brother, His closed eyes and the way he was tightly wrapped within the cloth.

The baby still swaddled lay against the woman's chest, Resting within a post-born sleep. It didn't take long for the man to lower the flower towards the boy, The fluff of the feather dancing in the wind as it lowered ever so slightly.

Would he pass? Would they be the one to finally end all of this, So her and the adults could finally live happily without anymore death? Only the feather would tell, Only the graze of the lightest touch would be the one to determine that fate.

It fell down even further, The baby babbling something incoherent in it's sleep. [F/N] felt as if her little heart had stopped beating entirely, Her body frozen in anticipation of the outcome.

"Please.. Please.. You can do this..!" [F/N] breathed out, It was so quiet and carried no weight in the indoor wind. But it held such pleading tone, A silent prayer to whatever god would listen to her. This would be the one, This would be the one! She could have a sibling and a family, She would have it. Her!

The feather was only inches away from their hands, Mere millimetres apart as every second ticked by with an audible tock. All until the sunrise plume completed its descent, The very tips of the feather grazing the baby's hand.

Time froze along with [F/N]'s body.

The feather stood still, Brushed up against the tips of his fingers.

The baby did nothing, Made no sound nor stir.

The man's eyes lit up. His mouth opening to bare his fangs and the talon dangling the feather was yanked away from the baby's hands, His luminescent angry eyes lit up. A glow burning brighter and brighter.

[F/N]'s eyes expanded, Her mouth going dry.

cry.. Cry- Please cry or anything-! H-He'll kill you! Do something-! SOMETHING, ANYTHING!

The yelling started up once more, Animalistic cries beginning to kick up once more as it shook the room with the sheer magnitude. So loud that the woman jolted up from her position on the bed, Predatory eyes shaking up in surprise.

"ANOTHER ONE! ANOTHER FUCKING FAILURE- "

The woman who was freshly awoken got up onto a sitting position as if doing this a hundred times before, The baby nudged down to the side and abandoned. Her blurry face seeming to get more static as she started to scream right back at him.

"FOR FUCK'S SAKE DO YOU THINK I'M TRYING TO DO TH-"

[F/N] stumbled back, Her feet barely landing their mark as she covered her mouth.

The screams turning into nothing but white noise as the darkness of the hallway started to envelop her more and more, Each step she took back was one more closer to her inevitable cries.

By now, The baby had woken up and had started wailing. Shrill cries mixing in with the wrath of the adults, Confused and helpless with no prior experience to this world. It was screaming, It was screaming so goddamn loud.

[F/N] whined, The hot spill already dripping down her face. Turning her back to the door she turned and ran, Her instincts kicking in. That need to escape pumping through her blood as she sprinted back towards her room.

Feet thumping against the floorboards as she ran through the door to her room, Instantly falling to the floor.

Another one.. Another one would be taken.

Again and again.

Hands bathed in the blood of the monster who took them all from her.

☆♡☆

"B-But- Can't you keep this one? J-Just this one? You don't even need to care for him, I-I'll do it!"

[F/N]'s shrill voice called out, Her discordant voice cried as she watched the man's hulking body stop just beside her doorway.

He had come in, Not even a few minutes ago to command her to stay inside for the next week or so. Bursting into her doorway to find [F/N] huddled under the sheets of her futon, Proceeding to ignore that and hiss at her to obey his orders.

The festival outside still roared with life, People dancing and laughing as they played along the riverbank. [F/N] was thankful that they were, It was the only thing preventing the death of her little sibling.

Due to the copious amounts of people surrounding the riverbank, It was made impossible to kill and dispose of the baby and it's corpse as if he did then the village people would see the blood running in the water and get alarmed.

[F/N] had heard the yell come from him a few minutes after she had ducked into the safety of her room. He would be killed tomorrow when the festival clears, When the people have dispersed and the water made private once more.

It gave [F/N] time as she stood below the figure of the man, Her little body was an ant compared to the mountain of his pitch-black body. His talons and horns reflecting the light of the window parallel.

[F/N] had somehow found the confidence to stand up to him, Though under his height she didn't stand that tall. But she had to try, There was an opportunity to save him, To save her little brother.

She tried to look big, Similar to a cat would as she raised her shaky shoulders and bared her baby teeth. Tears brimming in her eyes with horror as the horrifying man turned around to look at her, Wrathful irises staring death into her.

His needled teeth bore, Maw opening wide.

"No, For fucks sake just stay in your goddamn room and pipe down like a good little girl. Stop arguing back and stay quiet, Don't talk back to me." He rumbled, Voice like thunder in the distant as it struck [F/N] through the heart.

His neck cracked and his limbs settled within there sockets as he moved, Lunging forward as if to pounce. [F/N] flinched, But he pulled himself back at the last second to turn back around towards the door. His claws encircling the knob as he started to yank it open.

[F/N] regained her footing, Heart drumming in her chest as she opened her mouth.

"I-I'll tell the village what you're doing! They'll save him!" She exclaimed as her palms grew clammy at her words.

The man stopped in his tracks.

He turned around, His face revealing the angry glow of his eyes that pierced into her. What little [F/N] could make out of his face seemed to get angrier, His muscles pushing back to reveal a burning rage upon him.

[F/N]'s tears started to spill now, Raising over the brink and piling over the edge.

She backed up, What balance she had seemed to vanish as she watched the man turn around fully now. Baring his shoulders and pushing out his chest as he took a step towards her.

"W-Wait.. No- I'm sorry-!" [F/N] cried out but she was cut short by the icy cold grip of a clawed hand on her cheek.

The man had lowered onto a single knee now, The floorboards decreasing under the weight of his body and almost breaking them in half. What angry expression he had before seemed to have changed now.

It almost looked friendly, Almost as if there was a heart buried within the empty void of his body. But it also looked as if he wanted something, Like he was sucking up to someone just to get something out of them.

[F/N] froze as the grip on her cheek tightened.

"Sweetheart.. You know this is just a family tradition, Right? It's not wrong to get rid of some deficient children." His bestial voice seemed to have been tamed, If only a little bit as he over-emphasised his words. Talking down to her as his facial muscles turned upwards.

Her mouth was dry. [F/N] didn't know what to do, This was the first time he had ever lain a hand on her in such a way. Though it wasn't warm or comforting, It was cold like the hand of a rotting corpse. It made her want to cry and run away.

"N-No..?" She coughed out, Lip trembling as she tried not to invoke his anger any further. Confused as to why he was acting so nice all of a sudden, So friendly as if he was her friend with well meaning intentions.

But [F/N] knew better as he smiled further, Exposing the pointed bone lodging out his gums.

"Well it is. This is completely natural." The man answered. His faux smile stayed strong, Though [F/N] could almost see it falter as he saw the continued confused look on her face. "You know what? How about I tell you a story.."

It wasn't something [F/N] was meant to answer as his hand moved down to her shoulder, Almost as if he was trying to hold her in place as he talked.

"So.. Once upon a time there was a.. A farmer and his livestock. The farmer was the best in all of the land, He especially had these prized sheep. Beautiful fleeces, Their meat was the most delicious and everyone in his village loved the farmer for making it." He started.

[F/N] blinked, Nodding slightly as he spoke. She was still puzzled, Still lost within the mist of her mind as she tried to follow along with what he was saying. Wait, What was he saying? [F/N] didn't know just yet as he continued.

"One day one of the prized sheep gave birth to her lambs, The farmer had been waiting months for them to arrive… But when they did, They came out wrong." The man said, His voice lowering an octave as he got closer to her.

"Wrong.. Wrong how?" [F/N] said slowly. The story he was telling about the lambs and their so-told unfortunate birth still hadn't weighed in on her. Though she was curious, How could something be born wrong.

The man took a second to think.

"..Well their fleeces were dirty and all their limbs were thin and bony. The weren't like the prized sheep that the farmer had raised, And their meat would be dry and tasteless if he decided to make his next batch of sheep with them." The man answered, Looking over [F/N] as she hummed.

The lambs he was describing sounded nothing like the ones she had seen in the village, The ones that were kept in livestock were always floundering about within their pens. They looked healthy and happy.

Though ones that he told of sounded rather sad, [F/N] imagined the little stubs of the usual lamb as the ones he described and how unhappy the lambs would be. She also remembered how the villagers would favour the nicer looking lambs while feeding them, The ones with fluffier coats or the ones that were friendlier.

"The villagers wouldn't like it.." [F/N] mumbled to herself, Deep within the thralls of her mind as she considered his tale. The man's eyes lowered in contentment, Seeing that his point was being told.

"Exactly, [F/N]. The villagers wouldn't like it if the meat turned tasteless, They wouldn't like it if the fleeces became dirty. Now, The farmer didn't know what to do.. These were the only lambs born this season." The man told, Nodding along.

[F/N] blinked, Bringing her hand to her chin in thought.

"..What did he do?" She asked slowly, Her little self looking up towards him. Her eyes still scared and on guard as she stared into the intense shine of his eyes, Though curiosity was laced in within her eyes. The man's hyenic grin widened, Sickeningly so.

"Well it just so happened that the village was being terrorized by a mountain lion for a few months now, And the lion was there to see the lambs. So it told the farmer that if he gave the lion the lambs, It would stop terrorizing the village.." The man started.

"And..?" [F/N] queried.

"And the farmer gave the lion the lambs. It meant that the village would be peaceful and the genes of the prized sheep would be spared, Though he wouldn't be able to provide the village with any meat: It would mean that future lambs would be much better in quality." The man finished. The hand on her shoulder dropping to his side.

[F/N] paused for a moment, Slowly nodding to the story in understanding. The lambs were sacrificed to the lion in order to keep peace in the village as well as the quality of the stock. For the greater good, Was that the moral of the story?

[F/N] didn't quite understand the roles in the story. The lambs she knew, They were the babies: Her siblings. The farmer was the man, The poor man who was tasked with producing quality meat.

But the lion?

"Then.. Whose the lion?" [F/N] asked as she looked up at him, Tilting her head and blinking in confusion. The man just looked at her through the void of his face, Contemplating over his words before speaking.

"The lion is The God Kagutsuchi, [F/N]." The man answered. "He's our ancestor, He's the man who gave this clan the hands in the first place. He wouldn't want it to go to waste, Would he?"

"..No.. He wouldn't." [F/N] concluded as she watched the man get up from his position. Pushing himself up with a hand and getting up onto his feet, Back to his entire height now as he smiled at her.

"Good. You understand now. This is all for the greater good, [F/N]. Telling the villagers would be wrong, You wouldn't want to upset your ancestor." He said as he turned around towards the door.

His claws wrapped around the knob on the door, His claws encircling the silver in-between his palms as he started to open it.

Though, He looked back. His smile completely gone from his face and replaced with that familiar anger painted across his visage.

"Now stay inside the house, Don't dare try to leave."

That was all he said before the door yanked open, The cold air of the outside hallway blowing against her face before it was gone. The door slammed shut and the man gone from within her room.

[F/N] just stood there, Feet fixed in place for several minutes. She just thought over his words as they reeled within her mind and went back over and over again, It was strange.

He said it was for the greater good, That was what he was trying to convey in his story. But something in her gut argued with that sentiment will all their might, Something that just felt so wrong.

Maybe it was the question mixed in with the thoughts in her mind. If the lambs were the siblings that were sacrificed to the lion, Then why was she the one that the lion turned over?

☆♡☆

Feet pitter pattered against the wooden floorboards, The lumber hard against the soles of her toes as she moved along the hallway.

An occasional servant passed her as she wandered down the passage, Barely paying her any mind in favour of getting to their next tasks. Some with plates of food and others with cleaning equipment overflowing in their arms.

[F/N] didn't pay attention to them either as they passed by, Too enveloped within her own thoughts to care about who they were or where they were going. Her shoulders dropped to their low, Her head fallen with them.

Though the story told to her eased her nerves if not a little bit, The build-up of years of seeing her siblings die was not easily broken down. It was still hard to forget the splatter of red across the grass, The blood mixing in with the river water.

The way the body was just wrapped in cloth and tossed away into the river, How their curled fingers went limp and the body turning cold within the freezing chill of the mountains stream.

It was horrifying.

But the man said it was for the greater good, Did he not? The Hands were of the utmost sacred abilities, A rite of passage into the clan. The lambs that were born needed the hands and the lion that had beginned them needed them to be passed on.

She wouldn't want to disrespect the gods, She wouldn't want to go against them in the slightest so why was she still feeling this way? [F/N] still didn't know, Her young mind still not made to handle this stress.

She stopped in her tracks, A sudden light entering her vision.

It broke her out of her wandering trance, The warming light dancing off the floorboards came from the crack in the door beside her. Only noticing it now, She peered over towards the tall frame.

She saw it, And recognised it instantly.

It was that woman's room, The same one she had peered into earlier. Where she witnessed the birth of her sibling and the subsequent fight that had broken out over his birth, Just like the others again and again.

She stared through the crack in the doorway, The small glimpse of the inside showed nothing but a slice of the bed. Curiosity killed the cat, But that notion didn't move [F/N] as she moved a little closer to the doorway.

Could he still be there?

Maybe. Maybe he could still be laying within the chambers, From what sliver she saw of the inside she could tell that the woman wasn't present within. She had never cared for who she had made, Never held them consciously for any reason.

She could've left him within her chambers, Left him out and waited for him to be slaughtered in the coming morning. Not that there was any tell of daybreak, But what if..

[F/N] looked left then right, Making sure nobody was watching her as she pushed open the door to the chambers. It opened with an audible creak, Making [F/N] jolt as she once again checked to make sure nobody was watching her.

Once she made sure of it, She quickly stepped a guilty foot inside and close the door behind her to cover her actions. Leaving her inside the walls of the room.

The blinds were still shut together, Blocking out the natural light of the outside world and leaving the burning embers of the half-melted candles to do the job instead. The shadows long and thick due to the result.

It also made it humid as [F/N] scanned her eyes over the room. Everything was basically the same. The side table, The half-done bed, The nightstands and the closet off to the side. It was all the same as normal.

Except there was something placed upon the table, [F/N] squinted her eyes to get a better look at it. Once her vision cleared she had realised it was a basket, Woven of thatch and twine laying upon the table.

[F/N] stumbled closer to it, Understanding what it was as she rested her hands on the accompanying chair. Pushing herself up onto it she sat on her knees, Peering over into the contents of the basket. Her pursed lips turned into a soft smile at the sight.

It was her baby brother swaddled in the same earth-coloured cloth. He was awake now, Babbling out incoherent speech from within his makeshift cradle. He looked so precious, [F/N] couldn't help but lean over further.

"Hello, Nii-san..!" [F/N] called out in a hushed whisper, Speaking to the baby with a fondness like no other and saying it with such a burning love in her eyes. The baby in turn giggled at her speech, A giddy smile appearing upon his face.

[F/N] gasped as he responded to her words.

"You're so cutee.. My name is [F/N], You're my brother..!" [F/N] told him lightly as she lifted a hand towards him, Holding out her pinky as she peered at her brother.

The baby laughed again. His chubby little hand reached out towards her hand, Grabbing and clenching his hands before it finally grasped onto her pinky finger. [F/N]'s jaw dropped as she felt his hand wrap around hers.

"Ohmygosh-" She breathed out as she watched him rock around within his cradle, The grasp on her pinky finger never letting down. [F/N] in that moment looked at him and saw the world, The candlelight shining in her eyes.

She smiled, Pondering to herself for a moment.

"I should probably name you, You know! What sounds good to you..?" [F/N] asked him, Leaning over the side just a little bit more. She understood that he couldn't answer so she brought a hand to her chin in thought.

"How about.. Kaito? No.. Aito? No.. Akai? Denji? Enmei?" She listed off, Going off the few names off the top of her head and striking a line through the ones she had already used. Her lips pursed back up in thought, Her eyebrows furrowing.

[F/N] gasped, Suddenly snapping her fingers.

"How about Shizuko? I don't know if it's a girl or a boy name.. But I think it's really cute!" [F/N] exclaimed, Eyes sparkling as the now named 'Shizuko' babbled out what [F/N] took as confirmation.

He liked it, Shizuko liked it and that made [F/N] happy. Her other hand reached into the basket, Carefully lifting him up and making sure to support the head like the women in the village carried their own children.

She brought him down into her chest, Making sure his head was held up by her shoulder and her hands keeping him steady. Her smile was like the sun in that moment, The sheer joy she felt from holding Shizuko was coursing through her veins.

"You're not even crying.. It's just.. Amazing.." [F/N] trailed off as her hand rubbed over the cloth covering his back. Her smile dimmed ever so slightly, Turning down until it reached a frown.

This was the first time she's ever got to held her siblings, All been killed before she could. She remembered the mans tale of the lion and the lamb, How to sacrifice the few meant the purification of the future's many.

But how could sacrificing such a child be so good, How could killing him just because he wasn't born with the proper hands such a righteous thing to do? It didn't make sense, The story becoming much more grey as she thought about it more and more.

The hand holding his back made sure the cloth was covering him, Though the grasp she had started to harden. Gripping him and holding him closer towards her, Leaning over and almost protecting him with her body.

The light in her eyes fell. He would be killed in the morning, That was to be sure of. The lion would be provoked and the farmer would need to sacrifice another lamb. But the way the man spoke of it wasn't like sacrifice but instead disposal.

[F/N]'s hand moved down to his midsection, The hands holding him tight as she held him up towards the ceiling above. As if presenting him to the whole world which she saw in him, The tears bubbling in her eyes starting to spill over.

"You don't deserve to die.. Do you?" [F/N] whispered to him. Shizuko giggled once more, His little arms flailing about and treating this like a game of upsies. [F/N] smiled forlornly at him, He looked so happy.

[F/N] saw his face and tried to smile back as happily as she could, Trying to wash away the sadness in her smile to put on appearances for him. It just wasn't fair, Kagutsuchi didn't deserve Shizuko's life. He didn't even deserve to ask for it in the first place.

But what could she do? She was nothing, She couldn't stop the god's will. She was nothing but a mortal soul going throughout the motions. She couldn't even get out the house, The servants were there by the door, Most likely put there for precaution due to her outburst earlier.

Nothing, There was no esca-

"Aaah… Ahh.."

Shizuko babbled out once more, Snapping [F/N] out of her thoughts. His babbling was no more different from what she had heard before but she understood it well along with the hand motions he made. She lowered him down to her eye level, Meeting the dark ebony of his eyes.

[F/N] sniffled, Trying to dry her tears to a fruitless result.

"What is it..? Are you hungry?" [F/N] asked.

Shizuko made no verbal response, Instead [F/N] felt the sensation of a tiny palm hitting her cheek.

It was a suprise, Her body jolting at the sudden touch from him. His hand resting on her cheek and grabbing at it, The tears beneath them subsequently blocked from going any further.

Her eyes widened, Jaw dropping only slightly as her shoulders tensed. Her arm raised up towards him, A hand of her own resting over his own and taking it within her warm grasp and cradling it close to her face.

Was he.. Was he trying to dry her tears?

No way, He was too young to even understand that sort of thing. But as he lightly tried to hit at her face over and over again, Specifically towards the warm spillage going down her cheeks. She could only interpret it as such.

"I.. I.. Shizuko.. You don't need to do that.." [F/N] choked out. The action made striking the chords of her heartstrings, Resonating something deep inside her. Something warm and something she thought long lost.

Shizuko only responded in babbles, Repeatedly trying to rub his hands over her cheeks as more tears spilled out of her ducts. She couldn't stop crying anymore, She brought him close, Hugging him tight.

"I-I can't let you die.. I don't want you to die. Y-You.. I don't want another to leave me.. Y-You just can't die." [F/N] choked out as she sniffled hard, Taking her little brother into her arms and cradling him close.

Though as her blurry vision raised she met the doorway of the room. Sniffling once she dried the tears and snot off her face, Trying to steady herself.

"I.. I won't let you die. N-Not another one.." [F/N] mumbled to him, Settling him back down into the woven cot and positioning him to be as comfortable as he could. She picked up the cot into her hands, All before scampering over to the doorway.

A free hand lightly pushed the door open, Her head poking out to make sure no one was there. But hearing the sounds of footsteps approaching rapidly she hid back inside the room, Watching as another servant passed by through the crack before making a break for it.

She moved quickly and as silently as she could. Her ears perking up at any little sound, The settling of the house or the sound of faraway footsteps. Begging them not to come any closer to where she was. Shizuko babbled out, But [F/N] quickly moved a finger over her lips.

"Sssh! We gotta be quiet now.. Shizuko. We need to be quiet.." She hushed to him. Sweat starting to gather on her skin and the grip she had on his woven cot was grasped harder. She gulped, The implications of what she was doing starting to soak in.

As she made her way throughout the labyrinth of her house she found her way back to her room.

Shoving open the door with her shoulder she quickly shut it with a swift kick to the other side. She didn't bother listening to the slam as she ran over to her futon and set Shizuko down ontop of it.

"O-Okay.. Uhm.. You stay there, Shizuko! Give me a minute okay?" [F/N] told him, Leaning over to make sure he was okay before jerking around and stumbling over towards her closet. Opening it, She could feel the sheer weight of what she was about to do.

What was she about to do? [F/N] didn't know. She wasn't thinking nor did she have a plan. All she knew was the thundering of her heart was directing her every movement as she started scavenging through what she had inside the closet.

Messes of old baby clothes she kept in there, Formal clothes she put on for show. Both were left behind in favour of an old leather rucksack being tossed to the floor behind her. Both followed by a few kimonos and other assorted necessities from inside.

[F/N] could feel the sweat pooling in on her skin. How was she going to get out? There was a servant guarding the door and there was no way she would be able to sneak out Shizuko and a rucksack full of incriminating evidence.

Damnit.. She had no time to think as she started stuffing the rucksack full of clothes. At any moment a servant or god forbid the adults walk into that bedroom, Find that he's gone and start a manhunt.

Any moment they could burst through her door, Any moment they could catch her in the act.

If they did.. If they did then she was sure she'd be seeing the rest of her siblings soon.

[F/N] gulped. Shizuko let out a few more babbles from within his cot, Still not understanding the risk of the situation. She shook it off however, While the main door was completely guarded that didn't mean that there was no way out.

The light from the window shown in on her face, The ethereal light dancing on the smooth of her skin giving her an idea. The way the wooden frame of the window was built, It was a blessing it was able to open.

[F/N] pulled up the leather strap of the rucksack, Throwing it over her shoulder before running back over to the side of her futon.

Shizuko looked up at her, Not understanding what she was doing when she picked up the cot into both her arms. [F/N] smiled as best as she could, Trying to keep him calm and quiet as she made her way over to the window.

"Okay.. We're gonna go on a adventure now. Okay, Shizuko..?" [F/N] whispered to him, Pushing the cot up onto the mahogany desk with her following closely behind on the chair. Shizuko let out a few more noises, And [F/N] didn't hesitate to take them as his confirmation.

[F/N] got up onto the desk quickly afterwards. The latch on the door was stiff as her hands went to open it, Hardened in place from years of no use.

"Gh-!" [F/N] exclaimed lightly as her hands pulled at the latch. Her other hand joining the first as she tried with all her might to push it open. It dug into her palms, It didn't matter as she just tried harder and harde-

SLT!

The latch finally pushed forward, Opening so suddenly it made [F/N] yelp out .

She could feel the sudden gush of cold mountain air hit her knees, A breeze pushing into her hair and blowing it back. It felt glowing, It felt like the key to the door she had went mad looking for her entire life.

[F/N] was near distracted by it, She had felt it many times in her life but this one felt more freeing. An opportunity relished and ready for the taking. Though it was broken when she heard the terrified scream from one of the servants.

"THE BABY IS GONE!"

It was one of the adults personal servants, Loyal like a dog.

[F/N]'s body jolted up in fear, The cold breeze turning into a terrifying chill running down her spine like ocean water. Her hands lunged to the cot, The uproar of muffled footsteps starting to fill the house.

"We've got to go-! We've got to go!" [F/N] shrieked, Her arms wrapping around the cot and her legs throwing themselves out of the window with it in her lap. Thank the gods she was on the first floor.

The footsteps started to drum at the structure, [F/N] could feel it in her bones as they rapidly approached her room.

But by then she had already slipped out the window with the cot in her arms. The chill only fueling her newfound courage, The one that was determined to make sure that this child would survive.

The only one that would survive.

As soon as the grass brushed at the sides of her sandals she didn't waste time on the sensation, Already running down the slope of the hill her house was set on. Shizuko babbled.

The wind rushing in the opposite direction, The sun in the other. Neither bothered her any longer, Her mind was one track and she was determined to get to her destination of who knows where.

The yelling picked up from behind her as she ran, Now the sounds of the man mixed in with the servants. But it grew distant the further she went, As the house grew smaller and smaller atop the hill until it was nothing but a speck anymore.

The village was no option for her to travel through. The people there would question why she had a baby and if they did that would only give the adults time to catch up to her, They'd figure out where Shizuko went eventually.

So instead she diverted through the forest beside the village, Running behind the houses with the sweat flying off her face. Her legs picking up in speed, Going so quick like they never had before.

The alleyways she passed shone the street markets and the people laundering about their days, Flashes of happy smiles she would never see again. While she never had any good friends here, There were still people she would miss dearly.

Hopping over the rocks jutting out the river, Barely missing the sloshing sea foam bursting out the rush of the river. She made it to the other side with Shizuko still untouched and in her grasped.

"Come on.. You can do this.." [F/N] mumbled, Not knowing whether it was dedicated to herself or Shizuko. But it didn't matter anymore as she ran down the mountain, The outskirts of the village growing small just like it did her house.

As the tall acres of tree's rushed by her, As the rocks scattered throughout the forest floor were barely dodged. The freedom grew more and more along with the darkening of the clear blue above.

Liberty, That's what she felt. The emancipation of her and her little brother, She had escaped. But she didn't stop to savour that moment, Running quicker and quicker to make sure that the chains were untethered entirely.

She was out, She had escaped The Sunlight Village.

☆♡☆

The moon hung over the speckled ebony of the night.

The grace of the pale blue moonlight shone down onto the streets below, The air much colder now yet it was comforting to the village it was sired under.

The streets were barren, Most of the residents either huddled in the pubs or the drinking taverns. Loud laughter could be heard from inside and it echoed out into the quiet roads harboured outside.

It was much less developed than The Sunlight village. The houses made not out of stone and manufactured wood but instead crafted from unprocessed lumber and thatch. The lanterns lining the streets illuminating that glow, The warm light providing heat in the chilling night.

[F/N] however didn't care about the people bustling inside the buildings, Nor did she care about how quiet the streets outside were. Instead her head was locked to look straight up, Eyes reflecting the serenity of the moon above.

It glowed in her irises, Her eyes widening to capture all of it. The first time she had ever seen the beauty of the moon, What it was described as in the books was nothing compared to seeing it in person.

"Shizuko.. Look at it, Can you really believe it?!" [F/N] squealed with the biggest smile crossing her face. After running for hours and hours throughout the dangerous wild she finally had time to admire it.

Shizuko by now was fast asleep. His big eyes were shut as he was tucked carefully into the earthy cloth, Warming him up in the brisk of the night. It was nothing like the harsh wintry gales on the mountainside.

This was comforting, It was a cold she let sink into her skin no matter how much she shivered.

She had travelled for hours down the mountain, Then some over unfamiliar flatlands. She had felt hungry, Vulnerable and dehydrated. But she had somehow made it hours later to this village, Assumedly miles upon miles away from where she started off from.

In that time her kimono had gotten ragged, Dirt staining the edges and tiny holes were ripped into the fabric. It didn't bother her however, The mere fact that she was free was more than enough to overpower that.

[F/N] smiled as she looked down upon the sleeping face of her little brother, The hands still holding his cot setting him down onto the stone pavement she stood beside. The noise from the tavern she was leaning against not even waking him.

[F/N] kneeled down, Looming over the cot as she looked at him. She smiled softly, Running a hand over his little face. She wasn't sure what she was going to do next, She had gotten out. But what now. [F/N] hummed.

"You must be hungry.. We've been running for hours without stop so.. I guess I should get you something, Huh?" She spoke to him softly. Watching him rock back and forth within his sleep she pulled the cloth over him.

She hoisted the cot back up into her arms before standing back to her full height of only a few feet. Taking in the deep breath of the night's air her eyes sparked, The moonlight dancing within her vivid colours.

[F/N] took off. Now that she was outside of The Sunlight Village, She wasn't quite sure how she was able to get food. Back then she'd get it every so often delivered to her room while the adults ate in the dining room, But now?

She wasn't quite sure how people got food. She knew how it was made from animals and plants, But where to get it was another story entirely. The shops here all smelled of the stuff she'd catch the man drinking on occasion, She had tried it once and it was nasty meaning it was no good for Shizuko.

So as she passed by the welcoming lights of the pubs and taverns, She tried to keep her eyes out for something else.

Maybe a food stand, But for some reason there was none around in the dead of night. There was no one on the streets she could ask help from, So as she examined all the comparatively tall walls she started to get antsy.

The hopeful smile she had on her face started to dim, The way she fiddled with her ruined kimono sleeves didn't help to soothe her nerves. She bit her lip as her eyes went back and forth again and again to try and find some sense of familiarity or shelter.

"Ehm.. I.. I don't think there's much around.." [F/N] mumbled under her breath, Coming to a halt within the streets. The barren wasteland of the urban landscape yielding no hope to her, Though glancing down at Shizuko she smiled once more.

"..It's fine, We'll keep going.." [F/N] said as she started to pick up her footsteps, Pattering against the stone wood she held her head high and decided to k-

"Hey.. Kid."

A low voice called out from beside her.

[F/N] stopped in her tracks from the sudden voice. The only noise before was the chirping of crickets and the faraway chatter of drunken festivities, So hearing something so close was rather surprising to say the least.

[F/N] turned her head to the side, Blinking as she came face to face with an dark alleyway. It was lodged between two tall fences and combined with their shadows and the night it made it nigh impossible to see a few feet into it.

But she heard the voice of an older man from within it, She couldn't deny it.

"Hello..?" [F/N] called out back into the alleyway, Her voice reverberating against the wooden fences as it went. No one answered, Not for a few dragging moments before the voice spoke out again.

But now with an associated body.

"Heyyyy~…" The man drawled as his body emerged from within the shadows.

His body was tall, Taller than the usual person. He seemed lean or rather thin, But [F/N] could see the muscles hiding under his loose yukata. He stood high with no hunch and had a half-empty bottle of sake swinging within his vulture-like hands.

His face too, It was like the mentioned bird's as well. Skin drooping and furrowed into a point with his nose and chapped lips. But his appearance didn't put-off [F/N], Too innocent to sense the vileness coming off of him.

"What'cha looking for there, Girlie..? Ain't you too young to be out this late..~?" The man drawled as he took a swig from the sake bottle, Liquor dribbling down his chin without care. [F/N] blinked as she looked at him.

"I'm just looking for any places I can get some food.. Do you know where I can get it?" [F/N] asked, Putting on the best smile that she could. The man smiled as he stalked a few steps closer to her in the dead night.

"Well I mean maybe~ Your parents about..? Oh.. What'cha got in there..?" He asked, Now looming over her to create a new shadow. [F/N] held Shizuko tighter in her arms yet her happy demeanour dropped.

She took a moment to think however.

"..No, My parents aren't really here right now. And this is my little brother, He's hungry, That's why I'm trying to find food." [F/N] told him. She watched as his crooked smile grew wider to expose his gums.

"..Well, You're in luck then..~" The man said.

"I am?" [F/N] asked, Tilting her head.

"Mhmm.. I got food back at my place~ How'sa bout I bring you and ya' brother back with me..? How'sa bout that?" The man said, Taking a final swig of his bottle before tossing it aside far into the alleyway with an audible clatter.

[F/N] hummed. Her first time talking with someone outside the village, She had been told how different it was down here but in person she could see what they meant. He was an adult, Adult's were meant to be trusted if you excluded the ones in her house.

The one's in the village were always nice to her, Giving her free food during festival times and always fawning over her lineage. Even so they were always cordial, How different could this one be? Plus he was offering food, That was something she couldn't give up.

[F/N] smiled bigger.

"Okay then! As long as you reall-" [F/N] stopped in the middle of her speech, Jaw left open as she froze in place.

The man raised an eyebrow, His drunken grin turning into a tight-lipped grimace.

"What..? What's wrong..?" He asked, But [F/N] couldn't hear him as she was invested within her own thoughts.

Mid-way through her sentence, Through her acceptance of his offer. She had suddenly been hit with a disgusting sense striking through her heart like a spear, A sudden jolt of concentrated fear radiating within her heart.

It wasn't like anything she had felt before, Nothing at all. But where could it be coming from? What did it mean. It smelt like rotten eggs and the pungent smell of liquor doused on top of it.

[F/N] looked back up at him, Her question answered by the look on his face.

It was coming from him.

"I.. N-Nevermind, I think I'll just continue searching on my own now.." [F/N] said as she backed away. What safety she had felt before gone in an instant, Replaced with an overwhelming terror pumping through her blood stream.

She had went to turn, But the cold hand that lunged out onto her shoulder stopped her motion.

"No, No.. You better come with me if you're hungry~ Come on.. I'll take good care of you.." The man said but the overly-friendly charade had started to break down more and more. The tug of his hand more insistent.

[F/N] started to tremble, The hold on Shizuko's cot becoming that of steel as she tried to shake off his hand.

"Please.. I don't wanna go with you.. Let me go.." [F/N] whispered out with a pleading look on her face. Something was wrong, Something was really wrong and it was confirmed how she was yanked back by his hand.

His grin now gone with the night's wind. Angry eyes reflecting his true intentions as [F/N] yelped out in terror.

"No, No.. Come on now.. You're comin' with me.." He hissed out lowly as he started to drag her out of the alleyway by the wrist, Near sweeping her off her feet and dropping Shizuko as he lugged her along with him.

"N-No! Get off me, Get off!" [F/N] screamed but there was no one to hear. The streets still empty and barren, No soul around but the stars to hear her cries of helplessness. Shizuko woke up too, Sensing the situation he started to cry.

"Shut up-!" The man snapped at her as Shizuko's cries grew louder.

"Let go- L-Let go!" [F/N] cried out.

"Shut it, You little bitch!" The man spat.

[F/N] didn't know what she was doing. But one moment she was being pulled out the alleyway by the wrist, The next her foot connected with the start of his bare knee. Slamming her soles into them as hard as her little body could.

The man screamed in agony as his leg near toppled on itself.

"You bitch- You little whore- YOU GET BACK HERE YOU-!" [F/N] didn't wait any longer to hear what words he would call her next.

Instead grasping onto the cot harder and turning towards the alleyway, Eyes brimming with tears as she sprinted into the darkness. She ran. Feet thundering against the textured stone of the alleyway.

Shizuko crying and firmly within her grasp as she passed by piles of trash and unpolished wood laying around. The scenery was filthy and infested with grime, But she had no time to smell the roses as she heard the man start to run behind her.

He was yelling.

Yelling obscenities she just couldn't make out nor could understand. She ran and ran, Her little legs trying their best to make distance but it was no matter anymore. Turning a corner her feet skittered to a halt.

A wall.

There was a wall.

There was no exit, There was just the end of the alleyway. A single wooden fence with dirt and rubbish piling up against it, Rats and mice scavenging the leftovers. There was no detour or route she could run for.

No.. This can't be-! This can't be it- No- No- NO!

[F/N] felt her heart drop.

Her body started to shake even harder as she took a step back, Looking at the sight with disbelief. The fences were too high to climb for someone of her height, Too tall to scale and her The feet behind her came to halt, Only a metre away.

[F/N] wanted her bed right then and there.

"Alright.. Fucking slut-!" He wheezed out as she turned around in horror to face the monster so close to her and her little brother. He took a few more steps closer, Further and further towards her as she backed up into the alleyway.

"I- I'm sorry-! Please let me go, Pleas- I won't tell no one! J-Just let us go okay, We won't tell-" [F/N] felt her back slam against the wall, Her body collapsing down into a ball. Shizuko's cot in the centre, His cries echoing out in the alleyway.

The man sneered. His body almost doubling in size as he approached closer and closer. A mixture of saliva and booze trailing down his chin, A horrid stench made very clear now. [F/N]'s heart thumped harder and harder, Her hands growing sweaty.

"Fucking ungrateful little shit.. I offer you food and a place to stay- And this is how you act? Not very respecting of your elders, Eh? Ya' mommy and daddy never teach you that?" He rumbled. A tone just dripping with mockery and he grew closer and closer.

What could she do? What would she do? There was nothing, No exit or place to run was made available. Was this really what the world was like?

The green grass fields that were illustrated in the books, Dandelions and bustling cities full of friendly people to talk with. Would she ever get to see that now? Were they real in the first place?

She would never know, Not now. Not by the way she sensed him. Her shaky hand brushed up against cold glass, Dragging her eyes away from him for only a moment.

"Fucking bitch.. You know what..? Pass the little boy you got in there, Teach you a little lesson.. Eh?" His hands lunged out, Time slowing with it as he reached down towards the woven cot.

Towards Shizuko.

In that moment, Looking back. [F/N] wasn't sure what came over her in that single second, She didn't know what divine force drove her actions as her hand wrapped around the sake bottle he had tossed earlier.

She lunged it upwards, Forgetting Shizuko for only a moment as her body turned within the air.

But it was over soon. The hands that were ready to grab her little brother were soon a pallete of red, Fallen to the floor.

His body twitched, Garbled speech dying on his tounge.

The broken bottle was stuck dead within his throat, Shards broken off and splintering into the skin of his shoulders. It was over in an instant, [F/N] somehow striking a vital point within him.

He had fallen to the floor, Covering her with his blood.

What.. What happened?

She sat there wide eyed. Her body didn't move a single inch, Petrified about what had happened. Shizuko tucked in beside her.

The man was easily ten times bigger than him, His muscles toned for a drunkard could've easily overpowered her.

But somehow she was able to overpower him, Somehow knew where to puncture and made a perfect move to lodge it in. Like a blood-borne ability it came off naturally, Like she had done it ten times before.

But she sat there for what felt like hours. Her mouth open and her grey kimono drowned in the intoxicated blood of the man she had slain by her hands.

As her eyes drifted down the corpse only a few feet away, She raised a hand.

The blood dripping down her fingertips, The iron stench flooding the alleyway.

It brought her back to all those times before, How the man dragged all of her siblings to the river and that splash of red would burst from their little necks. How it would fall into the river, Iron flowing in the water.

Did.. Did she do that?

"Woah.. Looks like someone already got him.."

Another voice called out from down the alleyway.

[F/N]'s body tensed up, The primal glint in her eyes stiffening as she pulled Shizuko closer to her. Her eyes wild and ready for the next one, Locking in on a trio of men walking down the alleyway and stopping at the sight.

One of the men looked to the side, Spotting her crouched form deeper within the passage. Tapping his comrades on the shoulder he pointed towards her, Which only made her back further into the shadows.

"Hey- Hey kid, You good there?" One of the men called out. A gruff voice like a smoker, One that seemed scarred as he looked at the young girl hiding within the darkness.

[F/N] didn't respond, Only looked at them with vigilant eyes.

Another man took the opportunity to speak.

"Hey.. Did you do this?" The other man spoke, Daring to take a few steps closer as he pointed at the bloody cadaver. The man's body muscular and marked, Tattoo's running all throughout his body.

[F/N] blinked. Scanning over him before nodding.

The man took a few steps back towards the group, Tapping them on the shoulder and whispering a few things that [F/N] just couldn't make out. They seemed to be in some sort of debate.

She tried to take a few cautious steps forward, Trying to get a better listen to what they were saying. Only understanding a few phrases like "She took him down" "Suzuki? Seriously? That little girl?"

But by the time she could make out the rest they were already done. Turning back to her.

"How about you come with us? You must be starving right? You live out on these streets, Kid? Need some money?" The first man offered as he stepped closer to her. Instinctively she pulled Shizuko closer.

As the man crouched down, [F/N] felt that same sense perk up again. His feel.. No, His soul maybe. His soul was disgusting and torn, It was horrid and it felt like nails on a chalkboard to her.

But it didn't feel dangerous.

Not like the dead man, This one had no intention of harming her or her brother. Not physically at least. It should've deterred her by all means but the promise of money.. That was what she could tell.

So she picked Shizuko up, Hoisting him over her bloody shoulder making sure to support his head as she stumbled over to him. Still petrified and muddled from what had happened but it didn't stop her as she walked over to him.

The man lain a hand on her back and her forward towards the group, Signalling them with some kind of hand gesture. They turned and started to walk out of the alleyway, Marching towards the moonlight shining on the outside.

She followed them, Too confused to understand what was happening as she cradled Shizuko close. Her only sense of comfort as she made her way forward with the man behind her leading the way.

The blood stayed stained on her kimono, Dripping down her head and in her hair. The lifeblood of the man she had slaughtered drenched her, But not just her body now.

That one single scene from the river, The sword against the throat of her siblings. The way she had felt for every single one of them.

The way she could no longer see the face of the man behind the blade, But instead her very own.

Next Chapter

[ghostandsoap]

hi there, seen requests were open! i love your gecko series, and i was wondering if i could request a ghost x gecko!reader were they have to get dressed up for a mission and they can't stop looking at each other?

Simon "Ghost" Riley x Fem! "Gecko" Reader

Tags: Undercover work. Sexual tension. Smut if you squint. Playful Ghost.

Word Count: 3.2k

“You won’t be getting anything if you keep this up.”

Undercover jobs aren’t exactly Ghost’s favorite.

There’s something so unsettling about hiding in plain sight with the understanding that one slip up could cause fatal havoc on himself and the rest of his team. Of course he knows that any and every mission is dangerous for various reasons. But, in his opinion, undercover jobs are just a little too dangerous. Despite this, he understands why they’re necessary and the benefits that they provide.

Going undercover is a solid strategy when it comes to scoping out a target without causing a shower of gunfire and a parade of chaos. A calm and collected demeanor is always the best way to ensure the success of an undercover mission.

For this mission in particular, going undercover was practically the only option.

The subject in question was one bad dude, for lack of a better term. He was the leader of a Russian terrorist group producing and exporting chemical weapons for what you knew to be with not-so-good intentions. There was no telling what devious plans he had in store for the missiles, so the team was on it.

Force 141 was now in the middle of nowhere, preparing to conduct an undercover mission to stalk and track the Russian terrorist leader to find just exactly what his plans were.

Surprisingly, the team acquired information that led them to a rather…odd location.

It wasn’t totally uncommon for an undercover mission to take place in an otherwise public location. Those kinds of places were ideal for finding a target, and the hustle of it all was a great way to go unnoticed.

However, a bar in the middle of nowhere in remote Russia was not where you were expecting to end up.

The Russian leader was known to visit the establishment every week on the same day and around the same time. It was guaranteed that he would be there, and that was the golden window of opportunity.

An undercover ploy was put into effect. Two of the team members would go into the establishment as nothing more than first-time visitors. Staying under the radar while listening for intel and watching for the Russian boss was critical.

The mission was fairly simple: find the target, get the information, and don’t get caught. 

It was decided that you and Ghost were best for this job. The infamous Gecko and Ghost duo was unbreakable. The two of you worked well together and fit one another perfectly. Playing off one another would be important, and no one was better for the job than you two.

It wasn’t like it would be hard to pose as a couple while working undercover. After all, that wasn’t exactly a lie.

You and Ghost spent a couple of days preparing for this undercover mission, mentally prepping yourselves and deciding what you would need to blend in. There was usually a decent amount of prep work when it came to these sorts of things, and this was no exception. 

Not only did you have to act the part, but you had to dress for it too.

“Hey, Ghost?” You called from the closet that you were currently inside of.

The team was holed up in a small house (if you could even call it that) for the duration of this mission. It was a simple structure, a little cramped for all of 141 to fit inside of. It was mainly empty with a few pieces of beaten furniture strewn about. There was one empty room that you could only assume was supposed to be the bedroom, which is the space that you and Ghost were utilizing to get ready.

“Yeah?” The gravelly voice replied from the other side, where he was also getting changed.

“Don’t you think this attire is a bit…formal?” You questioned as you stepped into the black number that Laswell had presented to you.

Ghost chuckled at that. When it came to these kinds of missions, he didn’t ask too many questions. 

“I don’t know, doll. This is just what they gave us.” He buttoned the column of buttons on his shirt.

“Hmm,” You hummed thoughtfully. “Are you going to lose the mask tonight?”

“Very funny,” He said flatly. “Not a chance, Gecko.”

“Don’t you think that will compromise us?” You grinned, although he couldn’t see you from the outside of the closet.

He could hear the smirk in your tone, which brought an amused smile to spread from underneath the black fabric of his balaclava. 

“If it does, then you and Johnny can hassle me about it,” He buckled his belt onto his slacks. “Are you almost ready?”

With a few final adjustments, you stepped out from the closet with a small smile, revealing the outfit that was much more outstanding than your usual kind of clothing. It was a simple, short dress that showed off the shape of your frame that usually buried underneath layers of gear and tactical clothing. 

His eyes nearly popped out of his head. His dark eyes peering from the opening of his mask were wide and glittering with desire. Certainly Ghost had seen it all before, but it was just so…different in this kind of situation. 

It wasn’t often that Ghost was able to ogle over you like this while on a job, and it was something that he was going to take advantage of.

For a moment, Ghost was sure that Laswell was playing a painfully beautiful trick on him. She put you in that dress and expected him to be able to maintain his composure on a critical mission? 

This was torture.

His eyes were wandering, and he didn’t even try to hide it. His mind was racing. This kind of racing that had him dreaming up a dozen different scenarios with each one ending up with you gripping the sheets and whimpering his name with pure ecstasy. 

“Oh baby…” He purred. “I don’t know if I can do this.”

Ghost himself was cleaned up nicely. A black button down shirt and slacks that also showed off assets of his body that were usually hidden away. It brought a tingle to your face and a certain heat to your legs. It wasn’t often that you were blessed with the sight of Ghost being dressed up and stylish. 

“Why not?” You asked him, although you knew exactly what he meant because you were having the exact same kind of sinful thoughts.

“I don’t think I’ll be able to complete this job when you look so…gorgeous.”

His hand reached for yours, the chill of his skin feeling vastly different from your warmth. He had “I want you” written all over his face…well, the part of his face that you could actually see. His free arm came to wrap around your waist, bringing you into the front of his frame. 

“We…we have a job to do, Ghosty.” You breathed slowly to keep yourself calm and cool.

“Oh, I know, baby.” He rumbled.

He raised the bottom of his balaclava, and kissed you quickly, but it was a kiss that said more than words ever could.

“Promise me that when we’re finished…you’re all mine for the rest of the night.” He demanded.

A rush of fire flushed through your core and shot out at your feet. This was going to be one hell of a job to complete.

“That can be arranged.” 

***

The bar was much smaller than you were expecting…and even then, you were expecting a small pub. 

It was a cabin really. The wooden floors creaked when you walked on the boards, and the walls groaned with every bitter cold wind gust blowing from the outside. 

The air smelled of booze and stale cigarettes, a scent that you would definitely be carrying on your clothes when this was over. 

Incandescent light bulbs were hanging from the ceiling, offering a source of illumination that was nearly burned out in certain places. 

The establishment could hold maybe 30 people. It was cramped for sure, and you were just glad that it wasn’t a totally full house on that particular night. Still, even then the bar was a tight fit. 

You and Ghost were successfully able to slip in mainly undetected. It was pretty obvious that the two of you weren’t regular visitors, so staying on the down low was critical. The less suspicion, the better.

“Stay close to me,” Ghost murmured in your ear, keeping a hand on your lower back to guide you through the crowd. “I don’t want to lose sight of you.”

Ghost towered over many of the guests in the bar. He was a giant, so keeping his head low was difficult. There were a couple of odd stares. A strange masked man and a strange (yet dashing) woman hand-in-hand was bound to draw some attention.

Nonetheless, no one was yelling Russian obscenities or shooting, so you were still in the clear.

There was an empty table at the back of the bar, tucked away in the corner that was much dimmer than the rest of the room. It was a decent place to lay low, but it still gave you a good view of the entire bar.

The chatter from the Russian bar-goers was loud enough to where you and Ghost could talk comfortably, as long as you were keeping an eye on who was watching.

“Keep it casual, you two. No mistakes.” Price’s voice sounded in your ear, once you were comfortably seated.

Price and the rest of the team were in a secure location, listening and monitoring the perimeter of the outside to give you eyes to the areas you couldn’t see from the inside.

“Copy.” You replied.

“Anything yet, Captain?” Ghost asked, being sure to take the seat at the table that faced the door.

“Not yet. Have some patience, Lieutenant.” Price replied.

Ghost let out a quiet huff, a sign that he was antsy and ready to get this finished. Ghost’s dislike for undercover work was showing. He wasn’t still and stoic like usual. He was fidgety and looked like he wanted to combust.

“Well…at least we’re not overdressed.” You laughed, noting the fact that, despite its simplicity, the bar seemed to have a dress code.

“Laswell knew what she was doing.” Ghost reassured you.

“She always does,” You smiled. “Do you think it would be indecent to get a drink?”

Ghost’s brows furrowed in an amused expression, the silhouette of his grin appearing from behind his mask. If you were going to play the part, then he supposed it only made sense to really commit to it.

“You don’t speak Russian.” He remarked.

“No, but I can manage. Besides, they have the good stuff here. I can’t pass that up.” You grinned.

Ghost eyeballed the distance from the bar area to the table. He wanted to be sure that he could see you at all times because the last thing he wanted was for you to get cornered by some creep. 

“Go for it,” Ghost nodded. “Make it two.”

“Make it two…?”

Ghost rolled his eyes, knowing that Soap was having a field day listening to this exchange.

“Please.” Ghost corrected, forcing his smile to stay shielded by the mask.

“That’s better,” You snickered. “Be right back.”

Ghost kept an eye on you as you walked away, watching like a hawk for anyone who even remotely looked at you funny. He also was getting a fine view of your outfit from behind, which sent a shudder down his spine that fizzled into his toes. He shifted in his seat as he watched, his hips readjusting as he tried to push his lustful thoughts away. He needed to hold it together just until the end of the night. He couldn’t blow his cover over this. He’d never hear the end of it.

He witnessed you interact with the Russian barkeep, who somehow seemed to know exactly what you wanted despite the fact that Ghost was sure that your Russian speaking-skills were less than present. His eyes squinted when he followed your frame back to your table, your smile growing brighter as you delivered the two drinks.

“I’m impressed. How did that work out?” Ghost asked, curious to know how you had successfully pulled off this encounter.

“Do you know how much alcohol the Russians drink? Like 75% of the world’s vodka is consumed here,” You remarked, sliding one of the glasses to your lover. “Whiskey for you. Vodka for me.”

“Thanks, G.” Ghost took the glass into his hand.

The glass seemed miniature in his large hand, but he held it so carefully and gently. Ghost peered down into the amber liquid, rotating the glass to watch the drink follow gravity. He took a slow first sip from under his mask, one that would get into his system as quickly as possible. He hoped that it would settle his nerves and keep himself grounded. 

“How are you holding up?” You asked, which brought Ghost back from his busy mind.

“I’m alright,” He answered. “Why do you ask?”

“You look like you’re about to dissolve into your chair.” You remarked. 

“I don’t like to wait.” He muttered, his foot brushing against yours as a suggestive motion.

Your eyes darted right, taking note of who was around in case this conversation took a turn. Not that anyone there was listening or spoke much English — but it was still an immediate reaction. Your conversing back and forth dwindled down when he began to look you over, a tell-tale sign that he was thinking hard about something.

He admired the way your skin glowed in the dim light of the bar, and he wanted nothing more than to whisk you away to a private room and kiss every inch of it. It had been a few weeks since he had really had some private time with you. It was hard to get away when you were on a mission. 

He couldn’t wait for when this was all over.

The conversation had dwindled off and gone stale. A new focus had infiltrated your attention spans, and it was hard to tear away from.

Your eyes followed his hands and up his forearms, studying the way that his biceps were so perfectly outlined in the shirt he was wearing. Apparently, he wasn’t the only one having a hard time keeping the sinful thoughts pushed away. The room that was so crowded before suddenly felt empty, as if there was no way that anyone in the room could see that you and Ghost were eye-fucking each other.

“What’s your status, Lieutenant? You’ve gone quiet on me.” Price spoke, causing both of you to give a slight jump. 

Ghost’s eyes never left you, the tone in his words causing you to have your turn with readjusting in your seat. 

“All good, Captain. Just keeping an eye out.” 

“Copy. Nothing out here yet.” Price replied, completely unaware of what was happening.

Suddenly, one of Ghost’s legs wrapped around yours, his strong calf intertwining with yours and forcing you to lean over the table towards him. A heat rushed into your face, a hot blush burning under your cheeks that seemed to spread down your chest. 

“Ghost,” You warned, keeping your voice only loud enough for him to hear. “Focus.”

“I am focused, Gecko. I’m very focused.” He leaned closer to you, his elbows resting on the tabletop.

“I promised that you can have me after. Don’t do this now.” You pleaded.

“Oh, but you look so good now, darling.” His knee worked its way under your skirt, nudging the area between your legs.

It wasn’t a large table by any means, and his tall legs were doing nothing but playing in his favor. His eyebrows were furrowed in mischief. He knew good and well what he was doing.

“You’re making this harder than it needs to be.” You grumbled.

“But it is a little fun…isn’t it, baby?” He cooed, his eyes narrowing the way they did when he knew that he had you pinned.

This was Ghost’s way of taking advantage of an entertaining opportunity. It was fun for you to watch him squirm, but it was even better when he got to see you do it. He knew if he kept this up, then you’d be desperate to get out of here. 

It didn’t change the fact that you were stuck here until the job was done. No amount of sexual tension and loving desire in the world would make either of you bail (because, frankly, that wasn’t even an option). But it was still a blast to see just how much the other person could take. 

Ghost maneuvered his knee further underneath your dress which caused you to jump and make a quiet squeak when the top of his kneecap made contact with the outside fabric of your now damp panties. 

“Simon, stop it.” You hissed. 

One of your hands was wrapped around the glass of your drink, and if you squeezed any harder, it was going to shatter right there in your hand. 

“That’s Ghost to you, Gecko.” He rumbled, his knee beginning to make gentle, yet calculated motions. 

“You won’t be getting anything if you keep this up.” You tried your best to put on your “bad cop” persona, but it was a very thin facade.

“But you promised me. A promise is a promise, is it not?” He bantered back, satisfaction running rampant through his eyes. 

It seemed that glaring at him from across the table didn’t have the effect that you had been trying for. If anything, it was only egging him on. Instinctively, your hips rotated forward against his leg, a quick rush of pleasure coursing through you until he snatched it back.

“Easy, Gecko. That’s a little indecent, don’t you think?” He tutted. 

“I’ll show you something indecent.” You growled back.

“Oh, I know you will.” He smirked.

Just when you were completely about to lose it, Price’s voice sounded in your ear. 

“Gecko. Ghost. The target just made entry,” Price suddenly spoke, his thick accent distracting you from the conversation at hand. “He’s got two escorts with him. Big and burly bastards.” 

Ghost went into lieutenant mode (thankfully) and snapped his head in the direction towards the door. It gave you a few seconds to collect yourself and prepare to work towards getting this job finished. Sure enough, there was an older man, who seemed to fit the Russian leader image. There were two men standing behind him (more like over him) that were towering and buff. That was definitely your guy.

“Wait for him to get settled, then get closer to him,” Price instructed. “Get the intel and get out unnoticed…if you can.” 

“10/4.” You answered.

“Copy.” Ghost echoed.

The Russian target circled the bar scoping out a place that was fitting for himself and his posse. He passed by you and Ghost once or twice, not seeming to mark either of you as an immediate threat. You and Ghost made sure to keep up the “civilian couple” role for the duration of this interaction. Your eyes never left his, although it was for a very different reason. Ghost was going to pay big time for this one. Getting you all hot and bothered on a mission was definitely not something that you would be letting slide by. 

“Pick this up later?” Ghost asked, not even hiding the grin underneath his balaclava. 

You would get him back one day, but for now, you just wanted to make it to your promised end goal of the evening.

“You’re on."

[bulolity]

—- summary.

Everything in the castle carried heavy in your hands. The vast of amounts of furniture were a warehouse worth of dark woods—mahogany, clockhem, walnut—all of it adorned with metallic embellishments. It was a stark contrast to Navy-regulated material. You almost missed the cheap feel of the plastic backing of the off-white chairs in the coffee rooms.

( in which you accustom to the dracule mihawk’s quirks and the overall healthy change of pace in your life. )

— — —

The clouds clustered, and the humidity slipped through the cracks of the castle stone. The delicious touch of satin was cool against your skin as you combed through your wet curls. Dracule kept a steady, calloused hand stationed onto your thigh. His touch was languid, deep. Between sips of wine and the pages of his worn paperback, he drank in the sight of you. There were moments where his fingertips would drift higher, brush close. He knew the rules for wash days, and remained patient, prowling until the boundaries lifted.

“Braids tonight?” he asked.

“It’s late,” you said. “Besides, I’m not set to sail out any time soon.”

The conditioner was slick from the warmth of your hands and the humidity. You combed through until you heard the softest snap. You lifted the pick and noticed a new tooth gone, the plastic stub jagged like the adjacent spaces.

“Don’t move,”—Dracule’s touch was slight—“you’ve the piece in your hair.”

The shard of plastic was small, its red coating faded. Insistent on finishing, you continued to use the remaining two teeth. Dracule rose from the bed, the familiar warmth of his hand leaving your skin. His silk pants, as thin as your set, swayed with his movements and hung loose on his hips. His sinewy back, bare for the evening, was pale, littered with scars.

Before you could untangle the loose strands of hair that stuck and curled to your comb, your Warlord slipped something heavy into your palm as he returned. The bristles were wide, spaced. The touch of it was so cold, and the finish so dark, you were certain that it were some sort of antiquated metal.

“It’s batoja wood,” he said. “It’s been here since I’ve lived in this castle.”

The bed dipped as he settled back into bed. His hand, once again, made a nesting spot between the warmth of your thighs.

“Batoja wood? A Frunean export?” you asked.

He gave a low hum then reached for his book. You turned the comb in your hands. It was clean, oiled, with no traces of dust or debris, or stray hairs from a former owner. There were a few scratches, signs of wear, yet it shone in the light and had the faintest scent of bergamot.

Wash day finished as it always did, with a bonnet secure around your hair and Dracule deepening his touch. The moment you chose to set aside your gift was the moment he rolled his body over yours. He, all angles and sharpness, fitted against you perfectly. His lips trailed to your neck, the scruff of his beard scratching against your skin. You breathed deep. His scent was heavy and rich like autumn spiced oranges. You threaded your fingers through his cropped hair and tugged until he stared down at you, his eyes glowering amber in the dim hue of light.

“My lovely Hawk Eyes,” you cooed, words thick against your tongue, “how ever should I thank my darling consort tonight?”

[hahahahawk]

I want a fake person to live in my computer. But not like that.

The neurospicy coping/productivity technique “body doubling” is about seeing someone doing your desired activity helps your executive functioning circuits let you also do the desired activity.

I’m not a scientist about this, I just have a wonky brain that responds well to this (but not working in an open plan office, go figure (that probably has to do with agency and consent, but this is a derail))

Today I tried a utility/tool/“game” called Spirit City: LoFi Sessions. You get an avatar in a cozy apartment, and both avatar and apartment can be customized. You set the lighting/time of day and tell your avatar where to go (“on the bed”, “at the desk”, “on the window seat”, “by the fire”) and what to do (writing, typing, gaming, drawing, meditating, knitting (as a knitter, I judge the knitting animation “not bad”)).

There are lofi-chill out music playlists in the “game” and rudimentary productivity tools like a todo list, a habit tracker, a pompodoro timer, and a “journal” feature.

The gamification is earning coins (by logging in, having the app open, and using the productivity tools) to buy different furniture/clothes and following hints to find new wacky pets.

I’ve spent about 15 years obsessing over productivity tools and techniques, so that side of the utility did nothing for me. I pay for Spotify, so the included music did nothing for me (the songs were pleasant, but repeated too soon for my liking, and I wasn’t interested in manually switching the playlist every 40 minutes). Dress up/decorating does nothing for me.

Needless to say, I got a refund pretty quickly.

Well, I did… but not without some hesitation because holy shit the body doubling aspect did something for me. At a few junctures in the hour-ish I had the program open, I looked over from my main project, saw my avatar typing away at their desk and thought “hell yeah, we’re getting stuff done” then went back to my project without doing any random googling or checking social media.

I considered keeping the “game” just for that aspect, but

The window didn’t fit well on my vertical monitor

The avatar wouldn’t change tasks/take breaks without my input

I would *so much* love to have a CG avatar in the corner* of my screen that would have its own pompodoro timer and mostly spend 5 hours typing on their laptop in a variety of locations, but also model “get up and stretch/snack/drink water” for me.

The interaction I’d want to have with this avatar:

Patting them on the head to tell them they’re going a good job.

I do *not* want that behavior reciprocated to me because I refuse to be complimented by inanimate objects (or people who don’t know what they’re ‘complimenting’)

Them suggesting I take a break whenever they do

Me notifying them when I start a break/get back to work. (I do a lot of flow state work and usually prefer flexible breaks rather than scheduled ones)

I will accept feedback (and data exports) about my working/taking a break patterns

—-

* I think the large default window was both a blessing and a curse for Spirit City. It allowed the avatar to be big enough to feel like a person in an environment instead of a stick figure in a box. But I don’t actually have a lot of screen real estate to give over. So it’s be nice if the program handled being odd window sizes better.

Anyway, Rusty’s Retirement is an idle game that doesn’t scratch the body double itch (though it might if you identify as a robot), but it is a calm farming game that is designed to only take up a strip along the bottom/side of your monitor and it’s been much better for my productivity. It’s great for the occasional quick hit of dopamine (bring it to the front, plant some crops, queue some bot upgrades, put it away again), and also useful for short breaks. On those longer short breaks, I make larger functional and aesthetic changes to my farm, but it generally takes less than five minutes to catch up/run out of content. After that I’m generally ready to jump back into work, and if I’m not it’s usually a sign I need to stand up and take care of some other needs.

[thepurewood]

Jodhpur, the city of royal palaces and rich heritage, is known for its traditional craftsmanship in furniture-making. If you're looking for a new sofa set for your home or office, Purewood, a leading furniture brand in Jodhpur, is offering up to 65% off on their sofa sets when you buy online.

Purewood is a brand that specializes in handcrafted furniture made from high-quality wood. Their furniture is known for its durability, style, and traditional craftsmanship. If you're looking for a sofa set that combines comfort and style, Purewood's range of sofa sets is sure to impress you.

Purewood's sofa sets are available in a wide range of designs and sizes to fit any space. Whether you're looking for a sleek, modern design or a more traditional look, Purewood has something for everyone. They also offer customization options, allowing you to choose the fabric, colour, and design to fit your specific needs.

Sofa Set Online

[indianfurniture-blog1]

Wooden Trunk - Distress finish - brass fitting - mango wood - colorful - for more Indian furniture and information DM or visit link in BIO - #indianfurniture #tejaswiniexports #woodenfurniture #mangowood #trunk #box #storagebox #artistic #colorful #handmade #furnituredesign #furnituremaker #furnitureonline #manufacturer #exporter #wholesale #uae #europe #italy #spain #france #unitedkingdom #netherlands #bahrain #dubai https://www.instagram.com/p/Coc4REJBEwB/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[niket11]

Stainless Steel J Patti Stockists

Stainless Steel J Patti, commonly referred to as SS J Patti, is a versatile and indispensable material in modern construction and design. Known for its durability, aesthetic appeal, and resistance to corrosion, SS J Patti finds applications in a myriad of industries. This blog delves into the properties, applications, and benefits of Stainless Steel J Patti, highlighting why it has become a go-to choice for architects, builders, and designers.

What is Stainless Steel J Patti?

Stainless Steel J Patti is a flat, narrow strip of stainless steel used primarily for edging, trimming, and as a finishing material. The "J" in its name refers to the J-shaped cross-section that gives it its unique profile, allowing for easy installation and a seamless finish.

Properties of Stainless Steel J Patti

Corrosion Resistance: Stainless steel is renowned for its resistance to rust and corrosion, making SS J Patti ideal for both indoor and outdoor use.

Aesthetic Appeal: With a sleek, modern look, SS J Patti enhances the visual appeal of any structure.

Durability: Its robust nature ensures long-lasting performance, even under harsh environmental conditions.

Versatility: Available in various sizes and finishes, SS J Patti can be customized to fit specific design requirements.

Low Maintenance: Easy to clean and maintain, stainless steel remains pristine with minimal effort.

Applications of Stainless Steel J Patti

Construction and Architecture:

Edge Protection: Used to protect the edges of tiles, marble, and other surfaces, preventing chipping and damage.

Corner Guards: Installed on corners to prevent wear and tear in high-traffic areas.

Wall Cladding: Adds a stylish and protective layer to walls, both inside and outside buildings.

Interior Design:

Furniture: Incorporated into furniture design for a modern, industrial look.

Cabinetry: Used in kitchen and bathroom cabinets for a sleek, contemporary finish.

Decorative Elements: Adds an elegant touch to mirrors, frames, and other decorative items.

Industrial Use:

Machinery: Protects machinery edges and enhances safety.

Equipment: Used in various equipment for its durability and resistance to corrosion.

Benefits of Using Stainless Steel J Patti

Longevity: Its resistance to corrosion and wear ensures that SS J Patti lasts longer than many other materials.

Cost-Effective: Despite a higher initial cost, its durability and low maintenance make it a cost-effective choice in the long run.

Hygienic: Stainless steel is non-porous, making it resistant to bacteria and easy to clean, which is ideal for kitchens and healthcare facilities.

Eco-Friendly: Stainless steel is 100% recyclable, making it an environmentally friendly material.

Versatile Design Options: Available in polished, brushed, or matte finishes, SS J Patti can be tailored to match any design aesthetic.

[photocut-ai]

Crop Images Online Using PhotoCut for Free

Are you in need of cropping your images to a specific size or shape? Look no further than PhotoCuts free Image Cropper! With our user-friendly tool, you can easily crop your images in just a few seconds. Plus, you have the option to crop multiple images simultaneously. Take your image editing to the next level with PhotoCut!

How to Crop a Picture?

Upload

To begin, please upload your images to our online cropping tool. Learn how to capture stunning photos for your Depop listings.

Crop

To begin, select from the available ratios or customize the crop ratio to suit your needs. Additionally, utilize our photo crop editor for additional adjustments.

Furthermore, you have the option to share your PhotoCut account across multiple devices.

Download

To complete the process, download and export the cropped photo. This step is essential in creating a stylish and eye-catching Poshmark header.

Is your photo cluttered with unnecessary elements? No need to fret! Our Image Cropper tool can assist you in removing those distractions and enhancing your image composition. With PhotoCut's Image Cropper, you can easily select the desired image ratio and customize it to your liking. Experience the power of PhotoCut for furniture AI-crafted photography today.

Creating perfectly cropped images for social media has never been easier with PhotoCut. Whether you are looking to update your Facebook cover photo or need an image that fits the golden ratio, PhotoCut allows you to effortlessly crop your images in just four simple clicks. Experience the convenience and precision of our AI Image Generator today.

Do not worry about losing image quality when cropping with PhotoCuts photo cropper. This tool is both free and easy to use. Additionally, it offers a peach background option for added customization.

PhotoCut's Image Cropper allows you to effortlessly crop your photos to any desired dimension. You can even create unique shapes such as circles or squares by cropping your images. Batch editing is made simple with our Image Resizer feature.

Cropping multiple images can often be a time-consuming task, but with PhotoCuts Image Cropper, this process is made quick and efficient. With just one click, you can batch-crop images, saving you valuable time. Say goodbye to tedious editing tasks and streamline your workflow with PhotoCuts Image Cropper.

Utilize PhotoCuts Image Cropper to easily crop images anywhere, selecting from a variety of preset crop ratios and effortlessly adjusting the size and orientation of your images. Learn how to remove backgrounds in Illustrator with these simple methods.

Image Cropping Has Never Been Easier

PhotoCuts Image Cropper allows you to effortlessly crop images for various purposes. Are you wondering how to create a transparent background in Photoshop?

Crop PNG

Easily crop PNG images without compromising their quality and export them with transparency. Learn how to remove background images in HTML.

Crop Photo for Instagram

Easily crop your photos for Instagram with a 1:1 ratio in just a few simple steps. Learn five effective methods to remove the background from your images using Photoshop.

Crop Pictures into Custom Shapes

Enhance your presentations by cropping images into custom shapes such as circles, squares, triangles, and more. Learn how to remove backgrounds in PowerPoint with ease.

FAQs

Q1. How do you crop a JPEG picture?

Ans. Follow the steps given below.

Upload your JPEG picture to our online Image Cropper.

Choose the size you want and adjust the pixels.

Click on Apply, share, and save your cropped image.

Q2. How can I crop a picture faster?

Ans. Use PhotoCut's Image Cropper to cut pictures in just a few clicks. No need to download anything!

Q3. How do I cut out part of a picture?

Ans. Open PhotoCut, choose the size you need, adjust the cut size, and click on Apply. 

[sanwariyarugs]

Transform Your Home with the Perfect Rug & Carpet: Expert Tips

When it comes to enhancing the look and feel of your home, rugs and carpets play a crucial role. A well-chosen rug can instantly elevate your interior, adding warmth, texture, and personality. But with so many options available, how do you choose the perfect one? In this blog, we will guide you through expert tips for selecting the ideal rug or carpet for your home. Whether you are looking for a statement piece or a subtle addition, we will help you make the right choice.

1. Understand the Space You are Decorating

Before selecting a rug, consider the room it will be placed in. Different spaces have different requirements:

Living Room: Opt for larger rugs that anchor the seating area. The rug should be big enough so that the front legs of the furniture rest on it.

Bedroom: For a cozy feel, a rug should extend around 18-24 inches beyond the bed.

Dining Room: Make sure the rug is large enough to accommodate the table and chairs, even when they’re pulled out.

2. Choose the Right Material

The material of your rug plays a significant role in its durability and maintenance. Some of the most popular materials include:

Cotton: Cotton rugs are lightweight, affordable, and easy to clean. They’re perfect for casual spaces like the kitchen or bathroom. If you're looking for high-quality cotton options, consider exploring rugs from Sanwariya Rugs, one of the leading cotton rugs manufacturers in India and cotton rugs exporters in India.

Wool: Wool rugs are plush, durable, and naturally stain-resistant. They're ideal for high-traffic areas like the living room or hallway.

Jute or Sisal: These natural fibers are eco-friendly and add a rustic charm to any space. However, they may not be the best option for areas prone to spills.

3. Focus on the Right Size

Choosing the right size is essential to ensure your rug fits the room's layout:

A too-small rug can make a space feel disjointed.

A rug that's too large might overwhelm the room.

The general rule is to leave at least 12-18 inches of floor space around the rug’s edges to create a balanced look.

4. Consider Patterns and Colors

Rugs are a great way to introduce color and patterns into your home. If your room is already full of bold patterns, opt for a neutral or solid-colored rug to balance the look. If your decor is more understated, go for a patterned rug to add visual interest.

Trending patterns include geometric designs, floral prints, and classic oriental motifs. Sanwariya Rugs, a top rugs exporter in India, offers a wide range of designs to suit every style.

5. Durability and Maintenance

It’s essential to think about the durability and maintenance of your rug, especially if you have kids or pets. Wool and cotton rugs are known for their durability, while synthetic fibers like nylon and polyester are easier to clean. Look for a rug that suits your lifestyle and can withstand daily wear and tear.

6. Experiment with Layers

Layering rugs is a fun way to add texture and depth to your space. Try placing a smaller patterned rug over a larger, neutral one to create a more dynamic look. This technique works especially well in living rooms and bedrooms, giving the space a designer feel.

7. Invest in Quality

When buying a rug, it's tempting to go for the cheapest option, but investing in a high-quality rug will pay off in the long run. Well-made rugs not only look better but also last longer. Sanwariya Rugs, one of the best rugs manufacturers in India, is renowned for its craftsmanship and offers a wide selection of premium rugs that are both beautiful and durable.

Why Choose Sanwariya Rugs?

When it comes to finding the perfect rug or carpet for your home, Sanwariya Rugs stands out as a leading name in the industry. As one of the best rugs manufacturers in India and a trusted rugs exporter in India, Sanwariya Rugs offers a diverse range of high-quality products, from elegant cotton rugs to plush woolen carpets. Their attention to detail, commitment to sustainability, and wide variety of designs make them the go-to choice for homeowners looking to transform their space.

Conclusion

Choosing the perfect rug or carpet for your home doesn’t have to be a daunting task. By considering the room, size, material, and design, you can find a piece that enhances your home’s aesthetic and fits your lifestyle. Whether you’re looking for a soft cotton rug for your bedroom or a bold statement rug for your living room, Sanwariya Rugs has you covered. Transform your home today with the perfect rug!

For more information and to explore their collection, visit Sanwariya Rugs, your trusted cotton rugs manufacturer in India and cotton rugs exporter in India.

[weddingtentsuppliers-blog]

How to Create a Dream Wedding Tent on a Budget: Tips and Tricks

Planning a wedding can be a beautiful yet challenging experience, especially when it comes to setting up the perfect venue. If you’ve set your heart on a wedding tent but are worried about the costs, don’t fret! With a bit of creativity and strategic planning, you can create a stunning wedding tent setup that won’t break the bank. Here are some practical tips and tricks to help you design a dream wedding tent on a budget.

1. Set a Realistic Budget

Before diving into the design process, establish a clear budget for your wedding tent. Consider all potential expenses, including the rental cost from Tent Manufacturers and Suppliers in Indore, decoration, lighting, and any additional accessories. Having a budget in place will guide your decisions and help you prioritize where to spend and where to save.

2. Choose a Versatile Tent

Opt for a tent that can be easily transformed with minimal decoration. A simple, neutral-colored tent provides a blank canvas that can be dressed up with various themes and styles. Look for basic tent structures from Luxuries Tent Manufacturers and Suppliers in Indore that offer flexibility in design without the need for elaborate customizations.

3. DIY Decorations

Save money by handling some of the decorations yourself. Craft your own centerpieces, table runners, and garlands. Utilize budget-friendly materials such as fairy lights, fabric scraps, and fresh flowers. There are countless DIY ideas available online that can help you create beautiful decorations at a fraction of the cost.

4. Rent or Borrow Items

Consider renting or borrowing items like furniture, linens, and lighting instead of buying them. Many rental companies, including Tent Dealers and Exporters in India, offer complete packages that include everything you need at a lower cost than purchasing items outright. Additionally, friends and family might have decorative pieces you can borrow.

5. Use Lighting to Create Ambiance

Lighting can dramatically enhance the atmosphere of your wedding tent. String lights, lanterns, and LED candles are cost-effective options that create a warm and inviting glow. Use lighting to highlight key areas like the dance floor, dining tables, and entrance to make the space feel more magical.

6. Opt for Simple Floral Arrangements

Instead of extravagant floral displays, choose simple and elegant arrangements that fit within your budget. Opt for seasonal flowers or greenery that are more affordable and have a longer shelf life. You can also use flowers from your garden or source them from local farmers for a more budget-friendly option.

7. Incorporate Fabric and Drapery

Using fabric and drapery can instantly elevate the look of your wedding tent without significant expense. Drape the tent’s interior with flowing fabric or hang curtains to add a touch of elegance. Choose textures that complement your color scheme and create a cohesive look.

8. Consider Minimalist Furniture

If you need to rent furniture, opt for minimalist designs that are both stylish and affordable. Look for options from suppliers like Tent Manufacturers and Suppliers in Indore who offer the Best Royal Wedding Furniture Set that combines affordability with elegance. Simple chairs and tables can be dressed up with decorative covers and accessories to match your theme. Keep the furniture arrangement functional yet chic.

9. Plan for Weather

If your wedding is outdoors, be prepared for varying weather conditions. Renting a tent with sidewalls can protect against wind and rain. Look for budget-friendly options from Tent Dealers and Exporters in India that still offer adequate coverage and protection.

10. Leverage Social Media and Local Resources

Use social media platforms and local community groups to find budget-friendly wedding tent ideas and resources. Many vendors offer promotions and discounts, and you might discover helpful tips from other brides who have successfully planned budget-friendly weddings.

Conclusion

Creating a dream wedding tent on a budget is entirely achievable with thoughtful planning and creative strategies. By setting a clear budget, opting for versatile decorations, and utilizing DIY and rental options, you can achieve a beautiful and memorable wedding setup without overspending. Remember, the key to a stunning wedding tent is not in the cost but in the attention to detail and personal touches that make your celebration unique.

[leevallc]

Transform Your Home Management with Leevaap's Home Inventory Software

In today's fast-paced world, managing a home can be a challenging task, especially when it comes to keeping track of your belongings. Leevaap's Home Inventory Software is designed to simplify this process, providing a comprehensive solution to catalog and manage all your household items efficiently. This software is not just a tool but a game-changer for homeowners, offering a myriad of features that bring organization and peace of mind.

Streamlined Inventory Management

Leevaap's Home Inventory Software allows you to create a detailed catalog of all your possessions. From furniture and electronics to jewelry and important documents, you can record every item in your home with ease. The software supports adding detailed descriptions, photos, purchase dates, and values, ensuring you have a complete and accurate record of your belongings. This level of detail is invaluable for insurance purposes, helping you to quickly and accurately report any losses due to theft, fire, or natural disasters.

User-Friendly Interface

The intuitive design of Leevaap's Home Inventory Software makes it accessible to users of all tech-savviness levels. The user-friendly interface guides you through the process of adding and managing your inventory, with easy-to-navigate menus and clear instructions. Whether you're tech-savvy or a novice, you'll find the software straightforward and easy to use.

Secure and Accessible

Security is a top priority with Leevaap's Home Inventory Software. Your data is encrypted and stored securely, ensuring that your sensitive information is protected. Additionally, the software offers cloud-based storage, allowing you to access your inventory from anywhere, at any time. Whether you're at home, at work, or on vacation, you can always reach your inventory list through your smartphone, tablet, or computer.

Customizable Categories and Reports

Leevaap understands that every home is unique, and so are its contents. The software allows you to customize categories to suit your specific needs. You can organize items by room, type, or any other criteria that work best for you. Moreover, the software generates detailed reports that can be customized and exported, making it easier to share information with insurance companies or other relevant parties when needed.

Efficient Claim Support

In the unfortunate event of damage or loss, Leevaap's Home Inventory Software simplifies the claims process. With all your items meticulously documented and readily accessible, you can provide your insurance company with all the necessary information quickly and efficiently. This can significantly speed up the claim process, reducing stress and helping you get back to normal life as soon as possible.

Cost-Effective Solution

Leevaap's Home Inventory Software is a cost-effective solution for managing your home inventory. It offers various pricing plans to fit different budgets, ensuring that everyone can benefit from its features. The investment in this software pays off by saving you time and potential headaches in the future, especially during an insurance claim process.

Customer Support

Leevaap is dedicated to providing excellent customer support. Their knowledgeable and friendly team is available to assist you with any questions or issues you might encounter. Whether you need help setting up your inventory or troubleshooting a problem, Leevaap's support team is just a call or click away.

[zolak-3d-furniture-configurator]

3D Furniture Configurator: Revolutionizing Interior Design

In the rapidly evolving world of interior design, technology plays a pivotal role in transforming how designers and consumers approach spaces. The Zolak 3D furniture configurator stands at the forefront of this transformation, offering a cutting-edge solution that seamlessly blends technology with creativity. This innovative tool empowers users to visualize, customize, and perfect their furniture choices, ensuring every design decision is informed and inspired.

What is the Zolak 3D Furniture Configurator?

The 3D furniture configurator is an advanced digital tool designed to assist users in creating detailed, lifelike representations of their interior spaces. Whether you’re a professional designer or a homeowner with a vision, this configurator allows you to experiment with various furniture pieces, colors, materials, and layouts in a realistic 3D environment.

Key Features and Benefits

Realistic Visualization

The configurator uses high-quality 3D rendering to produce realistic images of furniture in your chosen space. This feature helps users to see exactly how different pieces will look and fit within their rooms, eliminating guesswork and ensuring satisfaction with final choices.

Customization Options

Users can customize nearly every aspect of the furniture, from size and color to material and finish. This flexibility ensures that each piece fits perfectly with the desired aesthetic and functional requirements of the space.

User-Friendly Interface

Designed with user experience in mind, the Zolak configurator is intuitive and easy to navigate. Even those without technical expertise can quickly get the hang of it and start designing their ideal spaces.

Space Planning

The tool also offers space planning capabilities, allowing users to place furniture in their room’s exact dimensions. This helps in visualizing the flow and functionality of the space, ensuring that the layout is both practical and aesthetically pleasing.

Cost Efficiency

By providing a clear and accurate visualization, the Zolak configurator reduces the risk of costly mistakes. Users can make informed decisions before making any purchases, ensuring that every investment in furniture is a wise one.

How to Use the Zolak 3D Furniture Configurator

Sign Up or Log In

Start by signing up for a Zolak account or logging in if you already have one. This gives you access to all the features and allows you to save your projects.

Choose Your Room

Select the room you want to design. The configurator offers various templates or the option to input your room’s dimensions for a more personalized experience.

Select Furniture

Browse through Zolak’s extensive catalog of furniture. You can filter by type, style, and more to find the perfect pieces.

Customize and Place

Customize your chosen pieces to match your vision. Adjust colors, materials, and sizes, then place them in your room to see how they look.

Save and Share

Save your design for future reference or share it with others for feedback. The configurator makes it easy to export your design or share it directly from the platform.

Conclusion

The 3D furniture configurator is a game-changer in the realm of interior design. By combining advanced technology with user-friendly features, it empowers users to create beautiful, functional spaces with confidence. Whether you’re planning a complete overhaul or just looking to add a few new pieces, Zolak’s configurator is your go-to tool for making informed, inspired decisions. Embrace the future of interior design and start creating your dream space today.

[sheetbendingmachines]

Understanding Sheet Bending Products

Introduction

In manufacturing, the precision and quality of metal bending are vital for ensuring the structural integrity and performance of the final product. Sheet bending machines are indispensable tools in various industries, providing the capability to shape metal sheets into desired forms. This article explores the fascinating world of sheet bending products, their types, and their applications across different industries.

What is Sheet Bending?

Sheet bending exporter is a metalworking process where a metal sheet is deformed along a straight axis, creating a desired angle and shape without altering the sheet's overall thickness. This technique is crucial in manufacturing, allowing the creation of components for applications ranging from automotive parts to household appliances.

Applications of Sheet Bending

Sheet bending is employed across multiple industries, including automotive, aerospace, construction, and electronics. It is used to produce parts like brackets, enclosures, structural components, and decorative items. The precision of sheet bending ensures that parts fit perfectly within assemblies, maintaining structural integrity and aesthetic appeal.

Types of Sheet Bending Machines

There are several types of sheet bending machines, each designed for specific tasks. Press brakes are used for bending large sheets into simple or complex shapes. Bending rollers are ideal for creating cylindrical shapes or large radius bends. Folding machines are specialized for bending thin sheets into various angles.

Profile & Pipe Bending Machines

Profile and pipe bending machines are designed to bend metal profiles and pipes into desired shapes without compromising their structural integrity. These machines are essential for industries that require curved or circular metal components.

Benefits of Profile & Pipe Bending Machines

Profile and pipe bending machines offer several advantages. They provide accurate bends, ensuring consistency in production. They are versatile, and suitable for various materials including steel, aluminum, and copper. They also increase production speed and reduce manual labor. Industries such as construction, automotive, shipbuilding, and furniture manufacturing extensively use profile and pipe bending machine to create components like frames, supports, and railings.

3 Roll Pyramid Type Mechanical Plate Bending Machine

The 3 Roll Pyramid Type Mechanical Plate Bending Machine is used for shaping metal plates into cylindrical and conical shapes. It uses three rollers arranged in a pyramid configuration to apply force to the metal sheet.

Operation of 3 Roll Pyramid Type Mechanical Plate Bending Machine

The machine operates by positioning the sheet metal between the rollers, which are adjusted to apply the necessary pressure to bend the sheet into the desired shape. The top roller moves vertically, while the bottom rollers move horizontally to create the bending force. These machines ensure consistent and accurate bends, have robust construction for long-term use, and are suitable for various materials and thicknesses.

Bending Roller Machines

Bending roller machines are used to roll metal sheets into cylindrical or conical shapes. They are essential in creating components like tanks, drums, and pipes.

Functionality of Bending Roller Machines

These machines operate by passing the metal sheet through a series of rollers that apply pressure, gradually bending the sheet into the desired shape. The rollers can be adjusted to achieve different diameters and shapes. Bending rollers ensure uniform bends, can handle various thicknesses and materials, and reduce waste while increasing production efficiency.

Bus Bar Machines

Bus bar machines are specialized tools designed for the bending, cutting, and punching of bus bars, which are crucial components in electrical systems.

Use of Bus Bar Machines

These machines can perform multiple tasks such as bending bus bars into required forms, trimming them to precise lengths, and creating holes or slots for mounting and connection. Bus bar bending-cutting-punching machines are vital in the production of electrical panels, switchgear, and power distribution units, ensuring reliable and efficient electrical connections.

Metal Sheet Bending Machines

There are various metal sheet bending machines catering to different bending needs. Hydraulic press brakes offer high force for thick sheets. Mechanical press brakes provide quick and precise bends. CNC press brakes allow for automated, repeatable bending processes.

Features of Metal Sheet Bending Machines

These machines are known for their precision, accurate angle control, robust construction for long-term use, and user-friendly interfaces and controls. Metal sheet bending machines are used in automotive, aerospace, and appliance manufacturing, producing parts like body panels, brackets, and enclosures.

Folding Machines

Folding machines are used to bend thin metal sheets into various angles, typically for creating precise folds and creases.

Advantages of Folding Machines

These machines offer several advantages including accurate and consistent folds, faster operation than manual bending, and the capability of handling complex folds and multiple angles. Folding machines manufacturers are used in HVAC ductwork, cabinet making, and metal furniture production, where precise bends and folds are essential.

Hydraulic Press Machines

Hydraulic press machines use hydraulic cylinders to generate compressive force, allowing for precise and powerful metal forming.

Working of Hydraulic Press Machines

These machines operate by applying pressure through a hydraulic system, which moves a ram to shape the metal. The pressure can be finely controlled, providing consistent results. Hydraulic press machines can handle thick and tough materials, offer adjustable pressure for accurate forming, and are equipped with safety features to protect operators.

Hydraulic Iron Worker Machines

Hydraulic iron worker machines are multifunctional tools used for cutting, punching, and bending metal sheets and profiles.

Utility of Hydraulic Iron Worker Machines

These machines can perform several tasks, making them highly versatile, including shearing metal sheets and profiles, creating holes and slots, and forming metal into desired shapes. Industries such as construction, shipbuilding, and metal fabrication benefit from the versatility and efficiency of hydraulic iron worker machine.

Nibbling Machines

Nibbling machine use a punch and die to create intricate shapes and patterns in metal sheets by removing small pieces of material. These machines provide high precision and efficiency, making them ideal for detailed and complex metalwork.

Applications of Nibbling Machines

Nibbling machines are used in the aerospace, automotive, and electronics industries to create detailed components and parts that require precise cutting.

Power Press Machines

Power press machines use mechanical force to shape metal sheets, typically for stamping, punching, and forming operations. There are several types of power presses, including mechanical power presses that use mechanical energy for high-speed operations, hydraulic power presses that offer controlled force for precision tasks, and pneumatic power presses that use air pressure for fast and efficient operations.

Industries Utilizing Power Press Machines

Cross soft Power press machines are widely used in the automotive, appliance, and hardware industries to produce parts like brackets, enclosures, and connectors.

Press Brake Machines

A press brake machine is used to bend metal sheets and plates into specific angles and shapes, offering high precision and control.

Types of Press Brake Machines

There are several types of press brake machines, including hydraulic press brakes that offer consistent force for precise bends, mechanical press brakes that provide fast and repeatable bends, and CNC press brakes that are automated for complex and repeatable bending tasks. Press brake machines are crucial for producing precise bends in metal sheets, ensuring that parts fit perfectly in assemblies and maintaining structural integrity.

Riveting Tools

GP-G-Series riveting tools are designed for fastening components together using rivets, providing strong and reliable joints.

Usage of Riveting Tools

Riveting tools are used in various assembly processes, including automotive, aerospace, and construction, where strong and permanent joints are required. Riveting tools create durable and strong joints, offer a fast and efficient fastening process, and are suitable for various materials and applications.

Shearing Machines

Mechanical under crank shearing machines are used to cut metal sheets with precision and efficiency, typically for preparing materials for further processing.

Operation of Shearing Machines

Shearing machines operate by moving a blade in a straight line to shear the metal sheet, providing clean and precise cuts. Shearing machines are used in metal fabrication industries to cut sheets into desired sizes and shapes, preparing them for bending, forming, or welding operations.

Conclusion

Sheet bending products are essential tools in modern manufacturing, enabling the precise and efficient shaping of metal sheets into various forms. They ensure high quality and advanced technology to meet the diverse needs of industries worldwide. Whether you require bending rollers, hydraulic presses, or nibbling machines, sheet bending products provide the perfect solution to enhance your productivity and efficiency.

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The Timeless Elegance of Ship Lamps: Illuminating History and Heart

In a world increasingly dominated by modern technology, there's a certain charm and nostalgia that comes with embracing historical artifacts and designs. Among these, ship lamps stand out as unique relics that tell tales of the high seas, adventure, and the human spirit. Whether you're a maritime enthusiast or simply someone who appreciates the timeless beauty of vintage decor, ship lamps offer a way to bring a touch of history into your home.

The Allure of Ship Lamps

Ship lamps are not just lighting fixtures; they are pieces of history that have lit the way for countless sailors navigating through dark and stormy nights. These lamps, with their rugged yet elegant designs, are a testament to the craftsmanship of an era when each item was meticulously created to withstand the harsh conditions of the sea.

Incorporating Ship Lamps into Modern Decor

The beauty of ship lamps lies in their versatility. They can seamlessly blend into various interior design styles, from rustic and nautical themes to modern and minimalist spaces. Here are a few ways to incorporate these timeless pieces into your decor:

Nautical Theme: Pair ship lamps with navy blue and white color schemes, rope accents, and maritime artwork to create a cohesive nautical theme in any room.

Rustic Charm: Combine the vintage look of ship lamps with wooden furniture, earthy tones, and antique pieces for a rustic, cozy atmosphere.

Industrial Style: The rugged, metallic look of many ship lamps fits perfectly with the industrial style's exposed brick, steel, and wood elements.

Modern Elegance: Even in a contemporary setting, ship lamps can serve as unique statement pieces, adding character and warmth to sleek, modern interiors.

Preserving Maritime Heritage

By choosing to incorporate ship lamps into your home, you're not just adding a beautiful piece of decor; you're preserving a piece of maritime heritage. Each lamp carries with it stories of exploration, trade, and the daily lives of sailors who once relied on these lights to guide their way.

The Perfect Gift for Maritime Enthusiasts

If you have a loved one who is passionate about maritime history or simply enjoys unique, historically significant decor, a ship lamp makes for an excellent gift. It's a thoughtful way to bring a piece of the sea's history into their home, offering both functionality and aesthetic appeal.

Discover Your Ship Lamp

At Aladean, we offer a carefully curated collection of ship lamps that cater to various tastes and decor styles. Each lamp is a piece of history, ready to illuminate your home with its timeless elegance. Explore our collection and find the perfect ship lamp that resonates with your personal style and love for maritime history.

Browse the Full Collection of Ship Lamps

Nautical-Themed Ship Lamps

Rustic Ship Lamps for Cozy Interiors

Industrial Ship Lamps for Modern Homes

Vintage Ship Lamps with Historical Charm

Bringing a ship lamp into your home is more than just adding a light source; it's about embracing a piece of history, celebrating timeless craftsmanship, and creating a warm, inviting atmosphere. Illuminate your space with the elegance and heritage of ship lamps, and let the stories of the sea guide your decor journey.