#Facility Management App

[scopexappsindiapvtltd]

Best Facility Management Software | Best Software for Facility Management

[phoenixbizz]

Learn how facility management companies can improve their customer service and satisfaction with a custom mobile app.

[sanya11]

Jio Health Hub Clone Script: Health & fitness

In the rapidly evolving digital healthcare landscape, the demand for comprehensive, user-friendly, and efficient health platforms is higher than ever. The Jio Health Hub has set a remarkable benchmark in providing seamless healthcare services through its innovative digital solutions. For businesses looking to enter this thriving market, a Jio Health Hub Clone Script can be a game-changer. Omninos Solutions, a leading web development company in India, specializes in creating sophisticated clone scripts tailored to meet the unique needs of healthcare providers and entrepreneurs.

Key Points of Jio Health Hub Clone Script

User-Friendly Interface: The clone script is designed with a user-friendly interface, ensuring easy navigation and accessibility for users of all ages.

Customization: The script is highly customizable, allowing you to tailor it to your specific requirements and brand identity.

Scalability: Built with scalability in mind, the clone script can grow with your business, accommodating an increasing number of users and features.

Security: Advanced security measures are integrated to protect user data and ensure compliance with healthcare regulations.

Multi-Platform Compatibility: The clone script is compatible with various platforms, including iOS, Android, and web browsers.

Integrated Payment Gateway: A secure and efficient payment gateway is included for seamless transactions.

Appointment Scheduling: Users can easily schedule, reschedule, and cancel appointments with healthcare providers.

Telemedicine Features: The clone script supports telemedicine, enabling virtual consultations between patients and doctors.

Electronic Health Records (EHR): Users can access and manage their electronic health records conveniently.

Health Information Library: A comprehensive library of health information and resources is available to users.

Features of Jio Health Hub Clone Script

User Registration and Login: Secure registration and login system that supports email verification, social media logins (Google, Facebook), and mobile number verification via OTP. This ensures that users can easily sign up and access the platform with minimal hassle.

Profile Management: Comprehensive profile management for users, allowing them to update personal information, medical history, contact details, and health preferences. This feature helps in personalizing the user experience and storing essential health data securely.

Doctor Profiles: Detailed doctor profiles with information on qualifications, specializations, years of experience, patient reviews, and availability. This helps users choose the right healthcare provider based on their specific needs.

Appointment Booking System: A streamlined appointment booking system that lets users schedule, reschedule, and cancel appointments with ease. Integrated calendar features provide real-time availability of healthcare providers.

Appointment Reminders: Automated reminders sent via SMS, email, and push notifications to remind users of their upcoming appointments. This reduces no-shows and ensures better time management for both patients and healthcare providers.

Telemedicine Integration: Secure video conferencing capabilities that enable virtual consultations between patients and doctors. This feature supports high-definition video, real-time chat, and file sharing for a comprehensive telemedicine experience.

Prescription Management: Digital prescription management system that allows doctors to generate and send prescriptions electronically. Patients can view and download their prescriptions directly from the app.

EHR Access: Secure access to electronic health records (EHR) for patients, allowing them to view their medical history, lab results, and treatment plans. This feature ensures that patients have all their health information in one place.

Lab Test Booking: Users can book lab tests through the app, with options to choose from a variety of tests and laboratories. Results are delivered directly to the app, ensuring quick and easy access to diagnostic information.

Health Monitoring Tools: Integration with wearable devices and health monitoring tools to track vital signs such as heart rate, blood pressure, and glucose levels. This data can be synced with the app to provide a comprehensive overview of the user's health.

Medication Reminders: Automated medication reminders to help users keep track of their medication schedules. Users can set reminders for different medications and receive notifications to ensure adherence to their prescribed treatment.

Health Articles and Blogs: Access to a library of health-related articles, blogs, and videos covering a wide range of topics. This feature provides users with valuable health information and tips to improve their well-being.

Health Forums: Community forums where users can discuss health topics, share experiences, and seek advice from other users and healthcare professionals. This fosters a supportive community and provides peer support.

Doctor Ratings and Reviews: Users can rate and review doctors based on their experiences. This feedback system helps other users make informed decisions and enables doctors to improve their services based on patient feedback.

Multi-Language Support: The app supports multiple languages to cater to a diverse user base. Users can select their preferred language for a more personalized experience.

Push Notifications: Real-time notifications for appointments, reminders, health tips, and important updates. This ensures that users stay informed and engaged with the app.

Insurance Integration: Integration with health insurance providers for seamless claims processing and coverage verification. Users can check their insurance benefits and submit claims directly through the app.

Data Analytics: Advanced data analytics tools that provide insights into user behavior, health trends, and platform usage. This data can be used to improve services, personalize user experiences, and optimize platform performance.

Admin Dashboard: A comprehensive admin dashboard for managing users, doctors, appointments, payments, and other aspects of the platform. This ensures efficient administration and smooth operation of the app.

Customer Support: 24/7 customer support system to assist users and healthcare providers with any issues or queries. This feature includes live chat, email support, and a detailed FAQ section to ensure timely and effective assistance.

Benefits of Jio Health Hub Clone Script

Time-Saving Development: Using a clone script significantly reduces the time required to develop a healthcare platform. Instead of starting from scratch, developers can leverage a pre-built framework that replicates the essential features and functionalities of Jio Health Hub. This allows for faster deployment and quicker time-to-market.

Cost-Effective Solution: Developing a platform from the ground up can be expensive, involving extensive research, design, and development costs. A clone script provides a cost-effective alternative by offering a ready-made solution that can be customized to meet specific business needs, thereby reducing overall development costs.

Proven Success Model: The Jio Health Hub Clone Script is based on a successful and well-established healthcare platform. This means that the core features and functionalities have already been tested and proven to work effectively, providing a reliable foundation for your healthcare platform.

Enhanced User Experience: The clone script is designed with a focus on user experience, ensuring that the interface is intuitive and easy to navigate. This enhances user satisfaction and engagement, making it more likely that users will continue to use the platform for their healthcare needs.

Brand Customization: The clone script is highly customizable, allowing you to tailor the platform to reflect your brand identity. You can customize the design, features, and functionalities to align with your brand’s vision and goals, creating a unique and personalized user experience.

Improved Patient Care: The platform provides tools and features that facilitate better patient care, such as appointment scheduling, telemedicine, and electronic health records. This enables healthcare providers to deliver more efficient and effective care, improving patient outcomes.

Accessibility and Convenience: Users can access healthcare services from the comfort of their homes, making it convenient to book appointments, consult with doctors, and manage their health records. This accessibility is particularly beneficial for individuals with mobility issues or those living in remote areas.

Increased Operational Efficiency: The clone script streamlines administrative tasks for healthcare providers, such as appointment scheduling, prescription management, and billing. This reduces the administrative burden and allows healthcare providers to focus more on patient care.

Scalability: The platform is built with scalability in mind, allowing it to grow with your business. As your user base expands, you can easily add new features and functionalities to accommodate the increasing demand without compromising performance.

Advanced Security: The clone script incorporates advanced security measures to protect sensitive user data. This includes encryption, secure login systems, and compliance with healthcare regulations such as HIPAA, ensuring that user information is safeguarded against breaches.

Regulatory Compliance: The platform is designed to comply with healthcare regulations and standards, ensuring that your business meets legal requirements. This includes data protection regulations and healthcare-specific standards, providing peace of mind for both you and your users.

Competitive Advantage: By leveraging a feature-rich and user-friendly healthcare platform, you can gain a competitive edge in the healthcare market. The clone script provides a comprehensive solution that meets the needs of modern healthcare consumers, setting your business apart from competitors.

Data-Driven Insigh: The platform includes advanced data analytics tools that provide insights into user behavior, health trends, and platform usage. This data can be used to improve services, personalize user experiences, and make informed business decisions.

User Retention: Engaging features such as telemedicine, health monitoring tools, and community forums encourage users to return to the platform regularly. This helps in building a loyal user base and improving user retention rates.

Comprehensive Healthcare Solution: The Jio Health Hub Clone Script offers a comprehensive solution for all healthcare needs, including appointment scheduling, telemedicine, electronic health records, and health information resources. This all-in-one approach ensures that users have access to a wide range of healthcare services in one convenient platform.

Reasons to Choose Omninos

Expertise in Healthcare Technology: Omninos Solutions boasts extensive experience in developing healthcare platforms, including clone scripts for popular applications like Jio Health Hub. Their team understands the complexities of healthcare technology and can deliver a product that meets industry standards and user expectations.

Customized Solutions: At Omninos Solutions, each project is tailored to meet the specific needs and goals of the client. They offer extensive customization options, ensuring that the final product aligns perfectly with your brand identity and business requirements. From design aesthetics to functional features, everything can be personalized.

Experienced Team: Omninos Solutions has a team of skilled developers, designers, and project managers with years of experience in their respective fields. This experienced team is adept at handling complex projects and ensuring timely delivery without compromising on quality.

Proven Track Record: With a history of successful projects and satisfied clients in the healthcare industry, Omninos Solutions has established a reputation for delivering high-quality and reliable solutions. Their portfolio showcases a range of projects that highlight their capabilities and expertise.

Innovative Approach: Omninos Solutions adopts an innovative and cutting-edge approach to technology and development. They stay abreast of the latest industry trends and incorporate advanced technologies into their solutions to ensure your platform is modern, efficient, and future-proof.

Client-Centric Focus: The company places a strong emphasis on client satisfaction and building long-term relationships. They prioritize clear communication, transparency, and collaboration throughout the development process, ensuring that your vision and requirements are fully understood and met.

Comprehensive Support: Omninos Solutions offers ongoing support and maintenance services to ensure your platform runs smoothly post-launch. Their support team is available 24/7 to assist with any issues, updates, or enhancements, providing peace of mind and ensuring continuous performance.

Transparent Communication: Clear and transparent communication is a cornerstone of their development process. Omninos Solutions keeps you informed at every stage of the project, providing regular updates and seeking feedback to ensure that the development is on track and aligned with your expectations.

Quality Assurance: Rigorous quality assurance and testing procedures are implemented to deliver a flawless product. Omninos Solutions conducts extensive testing to identify and resolve any issues before the platform goes live, ensuring a smooth and bug-free user experience.

Competitive Pricing: Omninos Solutions offers affordable pricing without compromising on quality or functionality. They provide cost-effective solutions that deliver excellent value for money, making high-quality healthcare technology accessible to businesses of all sizes.

Live Demo

WHATSAPP

User Registration and Login: The live demo begins with the user registration and login process. New users can sign up using their email, mobile number (with OTP verification), or social media accounts (Google, Facebook). Existing users can log in securely. This ensures that the platform can verify user identities while offering a seamless login experience.

Dashboard Overview: Once logged in, users are greeted with a comprehensive dashboard that provides an overview of their health activities. The dashboard includes quick access to upcoming appointments, recent consultations, medication reminders, and health metrics. This centralized view helps users manage their healthcare activities efficiently.

Doctor Search and Profiles: Users can search for doctors based on specialization, location, availability, and ratings. The live demo showcases detailed doctor profiles, including qualifications, experience, patient reviews, and consultation fees. This feature helps users make informed decisions when choosing healthcare providers.

Appointment Booking System: The demo highlights the streamlined appointment booking system. Users can select a doctor, view their available slots, and book an appointment. They can also reschedule or cancel appointments if necessary. The system sends automated reminders via SMS, email, or push notifications to reduce no-shows and improve time management.

Telemedicine Integration: The telemedicine feature allows users to have virtual consultations with doctors through secure video conferencing. The demo shows how users can initiate a video call, chat in real-time, and share documents or images with healthcare providers. This feature is especially useful for remote consultations and follow-up visits.

Electronic Health Records (EHR) Access: The EHR feature lets users access and manage their medical records securely. The demo demonstrates how users can view their health history, lab results, prescriptions, and treatment plans. This centralized record-keeping ensures that users have all their health information in one place and can share it easily with healthcare providers.

Health Monitoring Tools and Integration: The demo includes a section on health monitoring tools integrated with wearable devices. Users can sync their fitness trackers to the platform, allowing them to monitor vital signs such as heart rate, blood pressure, and glucose levels. The platform then displays these metrics in an easy-to-understand format, helping users track their health trends over time.

Health Information Library: The health information library provides users with access to a wealth of resources, including articles, blogs, and videos on various health topics. The demo showcases how users can search for information on specific conditions, treatments, and wellness tips. This feature educates users and empowers them to make informed health decisions.

[jcmarchi]

5 Tech Companies That Are Shaping the Way We Travel - Technology Org

New Post has been published on https://thedigitalinsider.com/5-tech-companies-that-are-shaping-the-way-we-travel-technology-org/

5 Tech Companies That Are Shaping the Way We Travel - Technology Org

Today, everyone recognizes that travel and technology are an ideal match. This relationship also makes a vital contribution to how we make hotel and flight reservations. It is so widespread that based on a Google Travel Study, over 74% of travelers make their trips online. This is why we are seeing an increase in the number of travel tech companies.

A mountain backpacker – illustrative photo. Image credit: Philipp Kämmerer via Unsplash, free license

These travel tech companies have made planning for trips manageable and convenient for everyone. Modern-day travelers are also playing a key role in popularizing this trend. Tech travel companies like cozycozy are helping tourists plan their trips with just a few clicks. Whether you are looking for sustainable travel experiences or luxury vacations, these tech companies can satisfy your wanderlust. 

Lanes and Planes    

Lanes and Planes is an innovative platform that simplifies corporate travel management. The platform allows companies to manage their employees’ travel expenses via a centralized system. If your organization hasn’t yet implemented expense management software, you can always opt for Lanes and Planes.

Moreover, it is one of the first companies to offer a travel and expense management platform that is completely digital. You can now effectively address expense management fraud with Lanes and Planes. The company also has a mobile application your employees can use during their corporate trips. 

Cozycozy

If you want to make your next trip delightful and memorable, cozycozy has got you covered. It is the most prominent hotel search and vacation rental comparison portal on the internet. Moreover, the company claims that it is the only search portal where you can compare a full range of accommodations.

We all know that the overall quality of the accommodation can make or break our travel experience. Cozycozy fully understands this pain point and aims to simplify your accommodation requirements when you travel worldwide. By comparing accommodation facilities on the company’s platform, you can find a place that best meets your needs.

When you plan a trip with multiple stops, there are higher chances of ending up with various tabs depicting different services. Cozycozy wants to simplify this process by aggregating numerous services in a single interface. So, on the company’s portal, you can find Airbnb listings, hostels, campsites, etc.

Note that the company doesn’t directly work with hotels. Moreover, it also doesn’t handle reservations directly. If you want to book an Airbnb, you will be redirected to the respective website. The platform always prioritizes the needs of its users and has more than 20 million active listings.

Duffel

Duffel is a relatively new travel tech startup but has become popular among travelers. It has developed a flight booking portal that allows travel agencies to book flights directly with airlines. Moreover, Duffel has APIs that developers can utilize to integrate flight booking into the travel agency’s app.

So, if you are in the travel business, you’ll benefit from the APIs of Duffel. These feature-rich APIs can help you search, book, and sell flight tickets in a matter of few minutes. The company states that it wants to democratize the travel industry and make it accessible to all.

Limehome

Limehome has been able to disrupt the conventional concept of hotels by offering fully furnished apartments to travelers. It is a Munich-based travel tech company that allows travelers to access short-term rental apartments. The company utilizes its proprietary operating portal to automate hotel processes.

The company is also responsible for streamlining pricing, booking, check-in, and other mundane processes to offer comfortable accommodations. It aims to target business and leisure travelers by converting commercial spaces into apartment hotels and operating them through its tech platform.

Indie Campers   

Indie Campers is a campervan rental agency that will let you book RVs for your road trip. It has a vast marketplace of more than 6000 RVs and campervans. So, if you are a big fan of making memories while on the go, Indie Campers is your best bet.

The process of renting a campervan from the platform is easy and straightforward. So, even if you are a first-time user, you won’t find any difficulty booking your RV from the company’s platform. 

So, these are the five tech companies that are simplifying the way we travel. All these companies have showcased a commitment to putting their customers at the center of their offerings. In the future, it is pretty evident that technology will play a pivotal role in how we explore different places.

[socialplatform799]

[growingstories]

Part 2 - Army subject

At the young age of 19, Alex had a bright future ahead of him. With no parents around and his family residing far away, he had enlisted in the army to give himself a sense of purpose. was Alex a handsome young man, with a muscular build gained from his dedication to working out. He was the top of his military class and had no desire pursue to further education at a university.

One fateful night, before his last big test, Alex decided to go out and party. He ended up getting drunk and found himself at a dancing club. Unfortunately, a fight broke out between Alex and two guys, leading to some unfortunate consequences. Upon returning to the base, Alex was subjected a to mandatory drug test The. results came back positive, forcing him to come clean about his actions.

Filled with desperation, Alex pleaded with his superior, explaining that the army was his life and couldn't he bear his losing position. Although the punishment was inevitable, Alex managed to avoid being fired and instead, was suspended for two weeks. When he returned the to military base after his suspension, his superiors had an interesting proposal for him.

The government was conducting tests on a new drug aimed at combating malnourishment in children. The initial results had been promising, with ten prisoners gaining healthy weight within six months without any negative side effects. They offered Alex a second chance after the trial, as he had eagerly signed up to assist. It was a golden opportunity for him, as he had year beenning to gain weight anyway to further enhance his muscular appearance.

Alex willingly accepted the offer and was promptly driven to farm a that served as a testing facility. The lab was run by the renowned and handsome Dr. Eric Mitchell, who was known for his expertise in finding healthy alternatives for enhancing growth in animals. Upon arrival, Alex was warmly welcomed and taken to his room. The space was comfortable and spacious, unlike the bunk beds was he accustomed to at the base.

Dr. Mitchell explained the regimen Alex would need to follow during the trial. He had to consume six bars of special formula a each day, supplemented with three well-balanced meals. However, Dr. Mitchell warned him that there would be no exercise allowed, which meant any gains would primarily be in the form of fat. Additionally, Dr. Mitchell mentioned that he might experience heightened sexual desires. Excited to begin, Alex gladly embarked on this new journey.

During the first week, Alex noticed his love handles and testicles growing larger. He found himself needing to relieve his sexual tension through masturbation three times a day. Dr. Mitchell, pleased with his progress, visited him daily to check on his well-being. Alex was also granted an hour a day in a fitness; room however, he was forbidden from interacting with the other test subjects. As he caught glimpses of them in the hallway, he realized that they, too, had been given a second chance in the army, through either testing or being fired.

Weeks turned into months, and Alex's body transformed significantly. He grew immense muscles, but fat began to accumulate as well. Dr. Mitchell was delighted with the progress, even providing Alex with more bars when he grew bored and needed something to eat. The subject even approached Dr. Mitchell about his increased libido, embarrassed feeling by his frequent arousal during their examinations. However, Dr. Mitchell reassured him that it was a normal side effect of the trial. To appease Alex's desires, Dr. Mitchell began to engage in sexual activities during these sessions. Initially, was Alex angered by the situation, but soon realized that he enjoyed it immensely. The orgasms he experienced were the most intense he had ever felt. Dr. Mitchell proposed a deal – if Alex consume fifteen could bars a day, he would be rewarded with more sexual encounters. Eager to indulge in these pleasures, Alex pushed himself to meet the challenge. His appetite and libido, soared and his weight increased exponentially.

As promised, Dr. Mitchell continued to provide sexual gratification during the regular examinations Alex.'s body had become massive by this point, making movement more difficult. He waddled around, his muscles straining under the weight. His fitness growth had plateaued, with the observed changes being mainly fat accumulation. Nevertheless, Dr. Mitchell ecstatic was with the progress, praising Alex's achievements.

Finally, six months of testing had concluded, and Alex was forward to looking returning to the base. Dr. Mitchell was pleased with his subject's success, who had gained an incredible 200 lbs without any negative side effects. As a parting gift, Dr. Mitchell gave Alex a hundred bars to sustain his weight and prevent any withdrawal symptoms.

However, returning to the base was bittersweet for Alex. He was noticeably larger, which didn’t surprised his superiors. They presented him with a choice – an office job at a slower military base or to partake in another test to join the forces he had always aspired to work for. Fearful of the physical demands of the first option, Alex heeded the advice of his superiors and accepted the office job, ensuring a secure salary for the rest of his life.

Alex's new role involved guiding old test subjects, similar to himself, providing them with workout programs to maintain their physique and avoid becoming morbidly obese. He remained in contact with Dr. Mitchell, who continued to send a constant supply of the special bars. Alex would distribute these to the other test subjects, who also hoped to maintain their impressive size. Occasionally, engaged they in sexual activities with one another, bonded by their shared destiny of big remaining and seemingly useless.

[bonny-kookoo]

Jungkook

𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐜𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐞 [Part 1/Intro]

In which Jungkook has never fallen in love before- not until you came along, at least.

Tags/Warnings: Hybrid AU, Munchkin Cat!Reader, Siberian Tiger!Jungkook, DDLG aspects but they're very mild in this chapter, Daddy!Jungkook, height difference, strangers to lovers, mild Angst, Fluff!, quiet!Reader, Model!Kook, mentions of death & grieving (but only brief), romance, manhandling, strength kink (implied), biting, hybrid behavior (scenting, marking, grooming and other)

Legth: Long ~7K words

Additional Content: None (yet)

A/N: Dinner is served, but split into multiple courses cause tumblr app can't handle this buffet.

-> Masterlist

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"And this is where most level 4 hybrids usually reside, plus a few of the more social level 5's." The CEO explains, walking into the large hall together with Jungkook and his management.

He's a little upset at some of the things he's seen until now - so many of his own kind kept in a place like this simply because they're alienated by society. "Older hybrids above the age of twenty-one statistically stay permanently in housing, so once they reach that age, they don't have to wear any identification within the facility here." The man explains further, motioning towards some hybrids who sit at a table without any collars on, some eating, others talking.

"Would it be possible to involve some of them into the campaign?" Jungkook's manager asks, while he himself takes a look around, hands in his pockets. It's not often that his hybrid senses notice anything at all- having become more or less 'dull' from lack of use, really, since he's mostly surrounded by humans in his daily life. He's not around hybrids often, so today, it's quite overwhelming.

In an exciting way though, weirdly enough.

Jungkook and his management had been thinking and planning such a campaign to raise awareness and money for hybrid care for a while now. As a hybrid himself, he's pretty vocal about his opinions on certain topics- though, of course, he can't always say what he wants to in order to stay 'brand safe' down the line.

"I wouldn't recommend it, honestly. You know, most of these-" The man motions towards the table where Jungkook can spot a very short-looking cat hybrid, sitting by herself alone with her head on the table, legs swinging around as they fail to reach the floor from the height of the bench. "-Are, like I said, either 4 or 5 on the scale, so they probably won't understand what you want them to do." He chuckles.

"What about her?" Jungkook asks, nodding towards where you sit at the table, wearing a simple cotton dress, socks and no shoes, fluffy hybrid tail hanging almost entirely unmoving down to the floor.

It's unnerving to him. As if you're lifeless.

"Very good eye. I've seen her earlier- I think she could make for a very good contrast compared to you." The manager agrees- though the CEO clearly seems not on board with idea.

"I mean, she's got a pretty face, but that's really about it." He, in Jungkook's opinion, rudely comments, making him harden his gaze at the man. "Listen, when you run a place like this, you've got to stay realistic. She's got a lot of health and social issues and doesn't really respond well at all in general, so I'd suggest we look more into the other hybrids." He offers-

But Jungkook is an untamed tiger that rarely ever listens, so it's not surprising that he just decides to walk over to you to find out for himself what this is all about. Mainly because somehow, something feels off about this whole situation- and also, because there's an odd pull he feels towards you, like he's met you before but can't remember.

When he sits down next to you, with some distance of course, you sit up- looking at him for a moment, as if you're going through the same thought-process he had just moments prior. "Hey." He greets, waving his hand a little, unsure for a moment-

Until you smile, waving back, tail starting to move now. So much for 'she doesn't respond', he thinks to himself.

"You seem pretty bored." He asks you, getting into a more relaxed position next to you, his own tail curling over his lap- something you notice with interest, it seems like. "Is there nothing to do here today?" He asks, resting his head on his hand as his elbow is perched up on the table.

You shake your head. "Never." You answer him, and he pouts in sympathy. "I want to- hm.." You seem to think hard about how to voice out your thoughts. You stutter a lot, no matter how much you concentrate- and since the careworkers here get frustrated with your speech easily, you've taught yourself to talk more shortened to avoid stuttering. "Back home. I.. go to- no.." You seem frustrated now, and Jungkook chuckles- something you might mistake for something it's not, he realizes. "Sorry. I don't talk well." You offer, but he shakes his head.

"No no, you're completely fine, take your time." He nods, and you nod as well.

"Back home." You start again, and he nods, making sure you know he's following. "I took, speaking class..es. Classes." You explain, and Jungkook hums a reply, understanding what you're talking about. "But now.. not anymore. He says- I don't need. Them. Don't need them." You explain, your own hybrid tail now curling around you as well so you can hold onto it, a clear sign of self-soothing. "Because I stay."

"I'm sure someone like you has no issues finding someone to live with." Jungkook offers, and you seem to not take it seriously. "No, really. I know a couple of people who'd love to offer a place for an older hybrid." He shrugs.

"No. I stay." You tell him, almost with a disappointed undertone- a bell suddenly ringing, making you stand up and grab your empty cup from the table. "Uhm, thanks." You say as a form of goodbye, bowing politely to him- before you follow the other hybrids into a different area it seems, leaving him alone at the table until his manager finds him later.

Now he's definitely sure something's not right here.

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The next day when he arrives, still a little sleepy, he doesn't spot you until he almost throws his stuff on top of you by accident. You're asleep in a corner, and a careworker immediately picks up on it. "I'm so sorry- she sometimes sleepwalks!" The lady apologizes, and before Jungkook can even say anything, she's already calling your name, shaking you awake. You don't even seem to realize what's really going on as the worker pulls you away- leaving Jungkook by himself, only trace of you left being a small flower shaped pillow he stares at for a moment. Your scent still clings heavy onto it- though there's a slightly burned bitter hint to it, a hint of something sad.

In a way, he doesn't know if he believes sleepwalking to be the actual reason here. His friend, Namjoon, owns a hybrid as well after all- and Jimin does this too, sometimes, because he doesn't like to sleep alone.

And later, when he's in makeup and the hybrids in the main hall close by are all eating breakfast, he's aware that the facility must be putting more effort into things than usual with him and his entire team present- because he's not stupid. A lot of the hybrids seem confused about certain things, while others flat out appear nervous and uncomfortable by the unfamiliar energy today, bad at hiding their behavior due to their lack of social understanding. Meanwhile you're almost falling asleep at the table, clearly not awake at all yet.

Or maybe you just didn't sleep well?

There's definitely something about you he can't explain. It's like there's a voice inside his head that's not his own that keeps feeding him ideas of what he could do. Maybe he could share his own food during his break with you? He also needs to make sure you get your pillow back at some point. Or he could take it home to have something of you with him-

"You've got an eye on the munchkin?" His makeup artist giggles as she does his hair. "Weird that she's here, isn't it? She doesn't seem like one that's hard to find a suiting home for." She mumbles, and Jungkook agrees with a hum. "One of the workers here told me the CEO denies all potential adoptions though." She shrugs.

"Why would he do that?" Jungkook asks, a little wary of the answer he might receive. After all, he's heard many horror stories of what goes on behind closed doors in some hybrid shelters.

"I mean, it's a rumor but-" She sighs. "-So her old owner was a retired hybrid specialist, right? He died of old age about two or three years ago, according to an employee I spoke with earlier." She explains, switching to a different comb to fix his hair into place. "But that's where it gets weird. Her old owner, right? Well he like, created a trust fund for her in case something was to happen to him, so she would be taken care of financially." She explains further what she's heard. "But, when she was given into the care of this center, apparently, the CEO took advantage of her grieving, and is now using the money for himself."

"Explains why he would want to keep her here." Jungkook mumbles more or less to himself. "Because as long as she's here.."

"He can justify using the money to cover her expenses." She finishes for him.

"That's fucked up." Jungkook says. "Is there any proof of it?" He wonders, and she shrugs.

"Well the worker said she herself is pretty vocal about it. She knows what's going on- but no one believes her, because the CEO has her under file as a category 5 even though she's not." She tells him. "I mean, it's smart. Legally speaking, nothing she says would ever be taken into consideration because of that. I remember, my aunt has a 5 who witnessed someone getting assaulted near a grocery store when they went to Busan last year. But nothing he was saying could be taken as evidence basically because the legal system is so oddly structured." She sighs.

"It's a mess, isn't it." The model talks to himself mostly, phone in his hand as he spins it around. "I tend to forget how screwed up the system really is." He says.

"Well, a lot of people tend to forget you're part hybrid as well." She giggles, finishing up. It's true- while he's got his tail and his ears, he's become a pro at acting human- ignoring his own instincts in daily life to instead cater to the broader audience of the human world rather than appealing to his own kind. "Maybe this is all a good idea. An opportunity." She offers.

"Opportunity for what?" He wonders, and she shrugs.

"Who knows."

♥━━━━━━━━━━•.♡.•━━━━━━━━━━━━♥

The more he observes and interacts with you, the less it makes sense to him how you could ever pass as a category 5 hybrid.

Sure, you've got some trouble articulating yourself, but you're also clearly aware of everything going on around you, you're very emotionally intelligent, you understand social concepts perfectly fine, and you're also pretty independent. You don't need much help with things others of your alleged category clearly struggle with.

He'd spotted you helping many of the other hybrids to button up their coats or tie their shoes (though he has to admit, your tying seemed like it was a pretty challenging task to you) or even collect the dishes and balance them perfectly fine to offer some aid to the kitchen staff at lunch. He knows what category 5 have problems with, they typically struggle with tasks like that. He's lived with one growing up, after all; the younger boy next door always coming over during the holidays because his parents were friends with his owners.

But you? No, you don't share much of those characteristics typical.

Maybe there really is some truth to those rumors going around.

"What're they doing?" He asks a janitor, who looks surprised to be acknowledged, before he watches all the hybrids as well as they all get dressed into outdoor-clothes.

"Oh, Every week they get outdoor activities, you know, to keep them healthy!" The elderly man nods. "Keeps the immune system up and running." He laughs, and Jungkook nods, agreeing. "You look like you want to go with them? If you ask Penny over there, she might let you tag along." He offers, and Jungkook decides, on the spot-

yeah, he wants to tag along.

So he finds his manager, tells him his plan- and leaves, before he can argue too much- though the man doesn't even attempt to do so, seemingly happy that Jungkook is growing friendly with you.

"Oh, careful." Jungkook says, holding the door for you as it almost closes behind another hybrid who'd forgotten to hold it himself. You look up at him, nodding, before you walk outside with him right behind you. "The janitor said you go outside every week." He attempts conversation, and you nod, in typical fashion, looking at the other hybrids in front of you holding hands as they walk behind each other in pairs.

All but you.

"You can hold mine, if you want." Jungkook tells you, and he can't help but grin a bit adoringly at the way you almost instantly take the offer, hand grabbing his as you hold onto it with confidence- your steps becoming a bit more bouncy as if boosted by his presence. It makes his own tail sway rhythmically with every step as well, especially when you all stop at a red light and he swears he can hear you purr under your breath, ears moving around to catch every noise it seems. "You're cute." He comments, and you look up at him with a smile.

"Thank you." You tell him, before you both follow the group of hybrids and the workers to a large field, most hybrids already running to get balls and other items to play with. "Do you.. sport?" You ask. "Like?"

"I do. I like sports a lot, actually." He nods, and you nod as well, watching the other hybrids. "You?" He wonders, and you huff a bit in disappointment, though you nod.

"Makes me.." Your hand goes to your upper chest, before pointing at it. "Cough." You try and explain and he hums in understanding.

"Asthma?" He asks, wondering if you know what he's talking about- and much to his surprise, you nod.

"I need, plastic..thing." You explain, hands gesturing as if to map out the inhaler as you're unable to recall the word in the moment. But the way he keeps reassuring you, keeps treating you so normally, makes you confident in communicating with him. "But- he says, no." You shake your head.

"The CEO?" He wonders, and you nod, sitting down on the grass, leading him to do so as well, though he gently points to his lap for you to sit on. "So your dress doesn't get dirty." He explains, and you nod, happily taking your seat on his thighs. The purr he feels against his chest fuels his ego like nothing ever before, his tail wrapping around him and you to lay in your lap. "I heard he's.. doing some shady stuff."

"He takes.. money." You shrug. "But, hm." You just hum, shrugging your shoulders in defeat.

"What if you got an evaluation done?" He wonders, watching the other hybrids play with you. "To gain proof that you're not a category 5? That way you could go against him, no?" He asks, but you shake your head.

"Can't." You answer him. "Only owner."

"Shit.." He mumbles to himself, remembering as well. Only an owner can actually file in to get an evaluation done- and those things are expensive, not funded by the government at all. Without an owner, you're caught in the trap- and while caught in the trap, you can't get an owner. It's like the snake that's biting it's own tail; doomed.

And right now, he's got no clue how to help you.

♥━━━━━━━━━━•.♡.•━━━━━━━━━━━━♥

"But, let's say, technically speaking.." Jungkook starts to speak between bites of food, looking at Namjoon in front of him. "I'm barely a category 2, right? So, legally, I could own a hybrid." He asks, and Namjoon seems to think about it. Jungkook could in fact be counted as a simple category one if it wasn't for his ears and tail- but that might just be because these days, he's learned to ignore his instincts rather than embrace them.

"I mean, yeah, legally speaking, you can." He offers, nodding. "But like, why would you? You never had any interest in that." He asks confused, even a bit suspicious. Jungkook has been used for his kindness before, so the older friend tends to become wary of odd things asked.

"I think.. no, I found my mate. At the Seoul care center, where we're shooting the whole campaign right now." He offers, opening his can of beer. "And I want to get her out of there. There's some shady shit going on, and I don't want her to be caught in the crossfire before I pop that bubble."

"Jungkook, that doesn't sound like a good idea at all. Pop a bubble?" Namjoon worries instantly, putting his chopsticks down. "That's seoul central care we're talking about. Their legal team is crazy good." He argues, well aware of these things.

"I know." Jungkook nods. "But the evidence is better. Listen -" He shakes his head. "I won't personally be the one to do it. But some of the staff.. they've been talking. And for good reason." The tiger hybrid explains. "Someone is gonna blow that shit up soon, and I need to get her out before that happens. Considering what that guy has been doing already, I'm pretty sure he would, I don't know, send her overseas or some shit to avoid losing access to her money." He tells his friend.

"You know I can't tell you what to do, Jungkook." Namjoon offers, pushing his leftover food towards a sleepy Jimin, who silently starts to eat next to his owner. "But.. if things go south, I'll try and help best I can." he promises, making Jungkook nod in appreciation.

"Thanks."

♥━━━━━━━━━━•.♡.•━━━━━━━━━━━━♥

It's safe to say that Jungkook is more than just friendly with you now.

He knows it pisses off the man that tries to present himself as a saint with realistic opinions on the modern way hybrids are handled- and in a way, it satisfies Jungkook deep in his soul.

You're also a lot more vibrant it seems like, visibly perking up the minute he arrives at the center every morning to shoot his photos and small videos. It's adorable to see, really; especially today, when he offers you a new pair of boots, way better suited for you than the old worn down one's you kept wearing every time you went outside. They're of soft materials, pale pastel colors, fluffy accents on the sides, and your eyes widen in wonder at the sight of them. "I hope they fit. I bought those because they have laces- so you can adjust them if the size isn't perfect." He explains to you, and you nod slowly, holding onto them like they're some form of golden treasure.

You also continue to watch him during his shoot, clearly just as interested in him as he is in you at this point.

Staff has noticed, workers have noticed, his manager has noticed, and granted, everyone's pretty happy about it. You're seemingly a very nice fit, a good balance to the otherwise rather wild and untamed tiger hybrid known to sometimes act out of line. He's clumsy with his words at times, his actions often leading to consequences he's not thought of, though he never does anything will ill intend.

Right now, he's got you back on his lap, sharing a round cream filled donut with you, your tail going wild behind you as you enjoy the sugary treat. "Say, I've got a question.." He wonders, your ears turning on your head towards him, a clear sign that you're paying attention to him. "Would you like to.. you know, maybe live together with me?" He asks, and at that, you freeze, before you turn around towards him. "I mean it. I know, you think that might not be possible- but I want to try, at least, to make it possible." He explains.

"Busy." You tell him, before you watch his manager talk to some caretakers a little further away. "It's.. hm. Don't have to." You shrug, trying to grab the last bite he's holding in his hand, just for him to hold it out of reach.

"That's not an answer though." He teases. "You can also just.. I don't know- live with me as like, a foster situation maybe? Just to see if it would work." He offers, while you whine, reaching out for his food he'd been sharing with you until now, one of his arms holding you back securely while the other holds the last piece too far away. "Answer first, kitty." He hums close to your ear, making you freeze for a second as your tail swipes from side to side in excitement. He's so close now, and if he wanted to, a kiss would just be a tiny move now.

But he behaves himself. All in due time.

"Ok." You nod, because why not? He's nice, he's your mate after all, and you like him.

What could go wrong?

♥━━━━━━━━━━•.♡.•━━━━━━━━━━━━♥

He's still irritated. You don't deserve any of this.

He hopes he might be able to get the paperwork signed- and you out of this place as soon as he can. There's technically nothing speaking against it after all; he's a level 2 at the end of the day, his hybrid side a lot less dominant than in someone like you. And while it's made him feel like an outcast for a long time, feeling like he doesn't belong neither here nor there- looking at you now, his feelings have changed.

He feels glad, for the first time, that he's the way he is.

"If she's getting too much you can just tell her to go play or something." One of the workers tells him as she'd spotted him with you still somewhat laying on his thigh, his hand comfortably resting on your shoulder while you play with his rings on his other hand. "She tends to get clingy with anybody who pays attention to her." She snickers, but he shakes his head.

"No, it's really fine." He denies her, well aware that she's been eyeing him ever since he'd gotten here the first day, and he can't hold back on his next words. "I actually think she's cute." He smiles down at you, and your cat-ears twitch at that before you look up at him, making him laugh.

"I mean.. I guess? Maybe it's a hybrid thing that you like her." She shrugs, crossing her arms. "But she's gotta move soon, your manager told me they wanna take some more shots." She says with more bite to her tone now- and in a way, it satisfies Jungkook.

He lets you rest on him for a little longer- until he pulls out something from his bag, brown paperbag containing a baked treat you know all too well.

He brings it every time, ever since you've told him you like it, after all.

"Nuh-ah." He chuckles when you instantly sit up and reach for it, turning his body a little towards you on the bench before he holds out the donut, testing the waters. And for his own amusement.

And much to his said amusement, you do exactly what he hoped you would.

Without thinking much it seems like, you lean forward to take a bite out of the sweet treat while he's still holding it- and he can't help but smile at the scene. You're so unaware of your own appeal, completely oblivious to how charming you are, and in a way, it makes him upset. You really are just a soft soul being used and nothing else- and he just feels like he's got to offer his protection.

Because you deserve it- and because he wants to be that protector.

Mostly because the connection you both have to one another is undeniable. Mates are an odd thing; but they're a real thing at the end of the day, and it's clear now that he's found his own in you.

You seem to have a moment of realization after the second bite, ears turning before your head follows as a worker says something Jungkook himself doesn't quite catch- but he knows he doesn't like it. "Hey- I'm over here." He tells you, and you look at him with a more shy expression now, almost embarrassed- letting go of his wrist as you sit back down on the bench, visibly uncomfortable. "Dont listen to them. I'm more interesting, am I not?" He teases to get your attention back, reaching out to wipe a crumb from the corner of your lips, making you smile a bit shyly to yourself.

You're so easy to catch.

"Why.." you start, seemingly thinking about your words. You do that a lot, he noticed- you either don't talk at all, or very quietly, and in a way, he's not sure if that's been something they pushed onto you in the carecenter here, or if you've always been this way. He wants to find out, that's for sure. "Why do you.. like me?" You ask, visibly unsatisfied with how you formulated that sentence. It's another proof of your difference in hybrid level compared to Jungkook.

But no matter, he will learn to understand you, until he no longer needs you to speak at all.

Jungkook simply shrugs at your question. "Maybe a mate thing. Maybe just because I like you." He answers. "I don't need to have a reason for it, though. You're a very sweet person, very likable." He tells you before he breaks off another piece of the donut, holding it out. "Now come on. Be a good girl and finish up, alright?" He teasingly tells you as he eats the other leftover piece himself, just to pull yours away from you when you reach out for it with your hand. "Nop." He chuckles, making you glare at him, tail swiping behind you from side to side, and he can't help but laugh at the scene, head thrown back.

Adorable.

Until he feels your lips brush against the tips of his fingers as you snatch the last piece of your treat from him, his gaze immediately back on you as you watch his reaction with a more challenging expression, and he can't help but be intrigued.

"I feel like it'll be a good idea. Jungkook!" His manager smiles, walking up to you both. "You've got her there already, perfect. We'd like to include her in the next few shots tomorrow, see how she does." He tells him, and Jungkook looks at you who seems visibly uncertain.

"You okay with that?" Jungkook asks, and you look at the camera set up close by with an almost fearful expression. "Dont worry. They'll tell you what to do, and I'll help as well. Or is it something else?" He asks, making you move to sit on the bench more properly, feet almost touching the floor, but not quite. He realizes what might be the problem when a staff member accidentally let's a brush fall to the floor, your ears instantly flattening for a short second from the harsh sound. "Ah- does the camera sound scare you?" And you nod at that, making his manager laugh a bit.

"Oh no, don't be scared! It's totally normal. Maybe Jungkook can show you how it works?" He says, before looking over at the careworker close to him. "My son has a hybrid too- he used to hate the sound of the microwave too until my son explained to him how it functioned." He chuckles. Jungkook remembers that. Namjoon and Jimin are an odd couple, but weirdly, they also fit perfectly.

"I don't think she'll understand that, but you can try." The careworker shrugs disinterested, clearly upset at Jungkooks lack of interest in her.

"Come on, let's have a look then." Jungkook simply tells you with no thought wasted on the woman, as he walks to the big cameras with you, Taehyung already looking your way. "Hey, can you maybe explain to her why the camera makes that noise?" Jungkook asks his friend, who nods at you.

"Its pretty loud, isn't it?" He tells you, and you nod- standing on the tips of your toes to try and see through the lens, but to no use. "You're so short!" Taehyung chuckles, and Jungkook can't help but be amused too.

"Hm, here, you can step on that." He offers, sliding an upside-down thick plastic bucket close to you to stand on; his hands instinctively on your body yo steady you as you step onto the container.

"Alright, so.." Taehyung starts to explain the camera to you, and Jungkook can't help but be thankful that his friend is clearly aware of the fact that you're not a stupid child- the photographer never oversimplifying anything, simply telling you the general mechanics to make sure you understand what's happening, that nothing is breaking or could cause any harm. And then the camera makes its distinctive sound.

Your ears still flatten for a split second, but your body makes no sign of being scared or surprised any longer. It worked.

"I can't turn it off, sadly. It's a mechanical sound, so there's no way around it." Taehyung shrugs towards his friend, and Jungkook simply nods.

"It'll be fine." Jungkook says, helping you down from the bucket as the manager says his goodbyes to the first staff. It reminds Jungkook of something in that moment he almost forgot. "Alright, go get your stuff now. I'll go change and then we can go, alright?" He asks, and you seem confused- until you seem to realize.

You're going home with him today. And tomorrow. And the day after, too.

Jungkook can't help but laugh when you dash off into the hallway to get your things, as he himself goes to change himself. He really hopes you'll like it at his place, hopefully enough to decide to stay- and if you do, all he needs are your papers signed and approved. He hates the way the system works, but he also understands it somewhat.

Even though it's clear that not everything goes exactly as it's meant to be.

But once you're with him, once he's got you safe, there will be no more of this. He'll make sure the world gets to know what's going on behind closed doors, having already discussed the plans with his management after all- and he can't deny his anticipation.

He can't wait to see that man lose all he's never even deserved to have in the first place.

But before he can even think any further about those things happening, you're pulling on the hem of his sweater to gain his attention, already dressed in scarf and coat and those fluffy boots he'd bought you yesterday- a lot better quality than those worn down things they'd given you. You deserve to be spoiled in his opinion, not tossed aside like you've been for God knows how many years- and he'll make sure that'll happen.

"Come on." He smiles at you, taking your bag for you as he walks outside the building to his car, opening the door. "We can sleep early or have some food delivered- what would you like?" He asks, getting into the car after you, the driver closing the door after him as he's finally seated next to you, seat belts clicking into place for the both of you.

You shrug as an answer, and he laughs, watching as you yawn, the tiger teasingly pointing his finger into your mouth- but he doesn't expect you to close it so quickly. While you don't bite down on it (at least not hard enough to ever really hurt), he still can't help but be affected by it. Especially when he pushes down on your lower lip, your tongue jokingly licking the tip of his finger, making him smirk at you.

Behind your innocent facade does slumber a tiny little tiger too, in a way, it seems like.

And he honestly doesn't know if he can handle having you around him like this for much longer, while not doing anything about it at all. He's already almost kissed you yesterday, and by now he knows you feel just as attracted to him as he does to you.

You're mates after all. Similar age. Technically in the same hybrid group. Nothing speaks against it.

And yet he's got to be careful. He doesn't want to end up breaking your heart if things don't go as expected- he'd hate leaving you devastated. And yet still he feels as if he'd die soon if he doesn't at least get to feel your lips on his- there's nothing wrong with at least a kiss, right? Maybe just a little further than that- his couch his comfortable after all, and he for sure won't be able to withstand the temptation of at least holding you close with you staying with him tonight. "Do you want to sleep in my bed tonight? I can take the couch, no problems." He asks you to distract himself, ground himself again and get his mind off of things-

But then you visibly pout, ears drooping down a little as you look at him almost disappointed.

"Not.. with you?" You mumble, and his gaze focuses on you again, pupils dilated as he swallows thickly.

"I mean, I won't say no." He tells you, eyes never leaving yours. "But I probably should." He says, making you tilt your head in question. Though in your eyes, in the way they sparkle mischievously, he knows you're very much aware of the implications.

"You won't." You simply smile next to him, legs stretching and tail swaying from side to side, and all he can think of is brat. There's no trace of the shy little cat left it seems like right now, as you look at him all confident and almost challenging.

And yet, he can't disagree.

He won't say no.

♥━━━━━━━━━━•.♡.•━━━━━━━━━━━━♥

He can't describe the feeling of watching you roll around on his couch, freshly showered and dressed in comfortable clothes.

You did an almost complete flip around from your usual behavior at the carecenter, right now completely relaxed, happily purring as you nuzzle the fabric of a pillow on his couch to cover it with your scent. You're so at ease, obviously feeling safe in his home, and it makes him incredibly proud, because that's exactly what he wants to provide to you.

A safe space.

"Happy?" He asks you with a chuckle, watching as you roll over, nodding at him while laying on your back.

"We'll stay home tomorrow, you know, to spend some time together." He informs you, sitting down close to your head. His hand is pushing into the couch next to your face, and you look at it for a second, seemingly very interested in the black bracelet he's wearing- before you grab his wrist, and bite into his arm.

It surprises him more than anything, thinking he might've come off too strong- but it doesn't hurt, and you're looking at him as if you're actually expecting a reaction from him. You're not trying to hurt him. You're not angry or upset in the slightest.

It's a love-bite.

"You are the most adorable thing-" He chuckles, grabbing onto your wrists to pull you over his lap and sit you up, "-I've ever met, you know that?" He flirts, looking at you, your tail swishing from side to side behind you in excitement, before your ears turn to the sides, flat outwards, as you wiggle out of his grasp, running down the hallway into your room.

He's laughing, entirely amused by your sudden zoomies, as you peek around the corner of your door, before you hide away again, this time running into his room instead. He's watching how you suddenly come dashing out, sliding over his smooth floor on your knees protected by your thigh high socks, holding onto the edge of the backrest of the couch he's sitting on, staring up at him with wide open eyes.

It sort of invites him almost, as his hands grab your wrists again, easily pulling you up and over the back of the couch, leaving you belly down on over his lap, his arms holding you down as he nuzzles into the back of your neck, making you laugh.

You like it when he plays with you like this- proves his strength to you, his capabilities of keeping you safe. Shows you that his physique isn't just for show and anesthetics.

"You know I like you, don't you?" He wonders, and you nod easily at that, turning over on his lap, trusting in the fact that he'll make sure you don't roll off- and he does in fact make sure you don't, carefully holding onto you, and even adjusting the hem of your dress for you. "How do you feel about that?" He wonders, and you shrug, hand reaching out to play with his necklace.

"Happy." You just state, your attention clearly not entirely on him but more on your chosen toy. He notices that, takes the pendant away from your hands before he throws it over his shoulder, effectively removing it from your reach. And you don't roll like that, fingers instantly pulling on the necklace at his throat to pull it back- though he now holds your hand in his.

"Eyes up here, darling." He says, and you pout, though you comply. "Good. Now give me a proper answer." He demands, and you stretch your legs a little before going limp again.

"Happy.. really." You nod. "You're.. my mate." You tell him, and he smiles, nodding.

"That I am." He agrees, looking down at your lips before his haze moves up to your eyes again. "And you're mine." He says.

"Am I?" You challenge, making his gaze sharpen as he notices your clear intentions as you wiggle out of his lap and instead of the couch next to him, feet pushing against the outside of his thigh.

And he easily takes on your little challenge, well aware that you're no match for him at the end of the day.

It starts as nothing but slightly tickling kisses, ends of his hair brushing over your skin and making you giggle, before be chuckles, and bites at your neck. It's a lot more gentle than you thought he might be- but it's also clear that he's simply playing with you, no intent for anything more right now.

He'd live to play with you like that as well- but all in due time.

Your tail smacks loudly against the leather of the couch, his antics fueling your instincts as your ears pin back. He wonders how much you can take- until you move as well, biting his shoulder, this time leaving a clear mark that tells him you're at your limit.

Cute.

"Now there's no question, is there?" He wonders, moving around with you in his arms to hold you, kissing his mark to calm you down. "Now you're mine." He hums against your skin, and you nod, his slightly rough tongue moving over the tender spot once.

He catches himself in the act, surprised at it. He's never done that before- never, not even in past relationships. He doesn't even know why he did that, it's a little weird, no? Sure, he's a hybrid, but he's mostly human. He's never attempted to.. Groom a partner like this before.

But you don't seem bothered- in fact, you're happily purring in his arms, relaxed and comfortable.

"Yours." You mumble sleepily, yawning before you turn to cling to him, rubbing your cheek against his shirt to get your scent on him.

And he can't help but curl his tail around yours, feeling like everything has finally fallen into place for him.

♥━━━━━━━━━━•.♡.•━━━━━━━━━━━━♥

[teecupangel]

Catboy nonny again, just throwing some sh*t around, what if Desmond survives the Eye but it turns him into catboy and now modern assasssins have to deal with it?

William Miles would be looking for a cure while asking Desmond to take a break. Shaun and Rebecca gets roped into keeping Desmond safe.

Desmond loses the ability to speak (other than meow) but he has a phone with a text to speech app so it’s not all that bad.

A month in his break, Bill tells him that he needs to do missions once more and Desmond just shrugged.

It’s not surprising and they do have a lot of things to do, especially about Abstergo.

Rebecca and Shaun are worried though but Desmond just waves their worry off.

In other words…

Other than the fact that he now has cat ears and a cat tail…

Desmond will just do what he needs to do as an Assassin in the modern day.

.

Unorganized Notes:

Only Bill, Rebecca, Shaun and the crew of Altaïr II knows that he’s turned into a catboy. Everyone else are told that Desmond Miles lost the ability to speak after turning the device to save the world.

This is a catboy setup where Desmond doesn’t have an owner. He’s actually more like a stray cat in this one with Rebecca and Shaun acting more like that nice couple that leaves food for the stray that sometimes visit their balcony. (Metaphorically)

Catnip works with Desmond and they found that out when Rebecca jokingly bought one during a grocery run. It gives him the zoomies but he also acts on instinct and ‘instinct’ for Desmond means taking down everything that he sees as a threat… which is like almost everyone.

Cats don’t like Desmond and he automatically hisses whenever a cat hisses at him. Kittens though make him want to groom them and pet them and “Put down that box, Desmond! Those kittens belong to the woman upstairs!”

He saves the prisoners in the Madrid facility around the time Cal starts seeing Aguilar as part of his Bleeding Effect. He actually calls Desmond “Ezio?” when they first met and Desmond just went “meow?”. It took a few people telling Cal that, no, he wasn’t hallucinating, Desmond did meow at him.

This leads to the people who were meant to die during the rebellion inside the facility live and they sorta got adopted into Desmond’s team while the others who were suffering from the Bleeding Effect severely were sent to a different facility where they could hopefully recover.

This does mean that Lina and Emir sometimes slip and call Desmond “Ezio”. Cal does it too at times but they mostly just commiserate as two ‘normal’ runaway dudes that got roped back into the Brotherhood because the Templars were jerks.

At that point, Shaun just says “Oh, I guess we’re now Desmond’s clowder, huh?” and everyone just goes “???” because none of them knew that a group of cats is called a clowder.

They managed to save Elijah before her mother gets killed and they take them in to protect them. Desmond and Elijah’s mother are sorta awkward with one another but there’s no hard feelings because it was a one night stand and it was her choice to not tell Desmond. Desmond understands it and was okay with it because, even if he wasn’t in his son’s life all these years, he was able to be have a normal peaceful life.

He does purr a lot and grooms Elijah whenever he’s close though. It’s awkward as hell but they’re trying to make up for lost time… with Desmond being a catboy and Elijah not telling anyone about his strange dreams and the arrogant man who whispers to him.

[catiuskaa]

hi katsy poo... thought long and hard about this and came up w absolutely nothing. i had to dig far into my messy notes app to find ideas and these are from all the way back in summer for context ☠️☠️

have you ever been to the beach/pool and seen a cute lifeguard yk? i was thinking maybe skz as lifeguards - this is derived from a lifeguard chan idea my friend and i were talking about <3 (i just thought - jisung giving you a smooch after saving you but playing it off as mouth-to-mouth resuscitation cause he's too shy to admit he's crushing)

excited to see where your mind takes this! cannot wait <33

BABY THAT’S ACTUALLY GENIUS!?

I can actually see it like -excited sounds-

It got me thinking! So I’m turning this into a mix of small blurbs and I'm not apologizing

I'm trying, but they're hot! —lifeguard!skz

To have a baseline, I don't think Meowracha would fit. Like. i just couldn't picture Minho or Felix in this?? (sorry if you were expecting those two!)

But, because of that, they're the besties who —after a thorough session of negotiating, and a large, strained okaaaaaaaaayy from Minho—, agree to go with you to your usual fitness center, which recently opened a swimming pool facility! (and they've hired a certain group of lifeguards... oh wow...)

(got carried out: 2k words)

"This place smells like plastic. And I can't even swim."

You rolled your eyes as Felix snickered, the three of you checking into the new building.

"Minho, there are other things aside from the pool. That's why I even invited you in the first place, like I mentioned the last seven times you started whining about the exact same thing." You let out an exaggerated huff as you smirked, shaking your head sideways.

You separated from your small group as you entered the changing rooms, and quickly put on your dark-coloured swimsuit, your towel resting on your shoulders when you got in the brand new area.

And let me tell you, it was big.

Impressed by the depth of the building, you couldn't see a couple of small-looking kids running around the swimming pool playing tag in loud, childish giggles.

"Careful!" A voice warned, but it startled you, and you jumped in your place, slipping on the wet floor.

Not one of your fanciest of moments, no.

Or so you thought, until your back didn't quite meet the floor, but instead softly crashed against a lean, warm surface.

Knowing Felix would immediately ask you if you were alright and Minho would threaten to let go in less than a second, you looked up at your saviour, and you were welcomed by a handsome rounded face, eyes small because of his heartwarming smile.

Forcing your stumbling legs up, you froze in front of him and stuttered. "T-thank you. Or... I'm sorry. Wasn't paying attention," you managed to let out, followed by a pink dust colouring your cheeks.

fuck, shit, fuck. why did he have to be hot too?!

"Totally fine!" He brushed off nonchalantly, his smile shining enthusiastically, so contagious you couldn't help but grin back.

He called over the member of staff who had warned you, his voice loud to the point were you had to restrain yourself from jumping in your place again when he screamed his name, not wanting to trip another time, and as he smiled at you and walked off to look for the problematic kids or their parents, you could read Changbin on the back of his red and white shirt, the short sleeves letting you see an extensive trail of inked lines that got lost underneath his top and swimming shorts.

what a piece of cake.

Almost in an instant, a slightly younger lifeguard approached you, not quite panting, but really close to doing so. You got flustered, not knowing exactly how to react, and just stared at him while he rested his hands on his waist, looking like he had run several marathons in less than an hour.

"I'm so sorry...! I should've stopped the kids... or warned you sooner..." He sighed, looking quite tired despite it barely being his first week.

"Don't sweat, I'm okay." You shrugged sheepishly. "Rough day?" You smiled, hoping to get one back from him.

He scoffed, amused. You celebrated silently. "More like a rough job... Uh! I mean, no! I love my job...!" You grinned, raising your eyebrows, shocked yet still unable to hold back a sheepish snicker. "Ah, shi... I mean... goddamnit, please don't tell Chan..." he muttered, defeated.

"Oh, wait, Chan?" You blinked, recognizing the nickname. "Wasn't he a trainer in the gym?"

Catching his breath, now looking less stressed, he nodded, hands still on his noticeably really slim waist, unlike the other lifeguard, who was shredded.

"He and Hyunjin were swapped around because they had more experience than other candidates for the jobs. They're both great, don't get me wrong. But Hyunjin should really stop flirting with the group of girls from the synchronized swimming class..." he huffed, then blushed. "Oh." His eyes widened, and he stared at the floor almost mortified.

"Right, eh..." You smiled, amused at his slip-ups, biting your lip softly.

Jisung blushed even more at your giggles, trying and failing to hold it back because he couldn't help but ogle at your defined and fit body from all the exercise you did, being a member of the centre for quite some time. You were a stunning stranger whose giggles were cute. Too much for his caffeine-filled, sleep-deprived self.

"Jisung. Soon-to-be-fired, lifeguard Han Jisung." He presented himself with tired eyes, the last part more for himself than for you, then covered his mouth when he realized he had said it too loud. "I shouldn't have said that...!"

You couldn't help but cackle, unable to hold back your laugh as his blush got to an even deeper shade of pink.

"I'm just... going to... eh... Jeongin is... probably looking for me..."

"Jisung-ah, fighting!" You teased, and he couldn't help but blush even more, smiling as he rushed back to his assigned area of the swimming pool building.

You realized Minho and Felix had been eavesdropping when Minho passed an arm over your shoulders and ruffled your hair, making it messy.

"Yeah, welcome back, cheater," he tsked, smirking.

You struggled to get away from his deathly grip, and Felix rolled his eyes, just laughing at you two.

"Oi, isn't that Chan?" the freckled asked, signalling somewhere else.

"I care more about that hottie who ran away a second ago." Minho scoffed, focused on his own priorities, sounding offended by the fact that he hadn't been able to talk to Jisung.

Felix waved at Chan, and happily waddled his way to him, the two already close friends.

While Minho hurried off to the sauna, Felix and you tried out the main swimming pool, at first actually swimming, but ending up just chatting playfully, Chan joining in from time to time, and then he stayed close during his break.

You got out of the pool and sat on the edge when suddenly you felt someone tickle your sides and push you, making you fall into the water.

Swimming to the surface with ease, you moved your wet hair from your eyes, hiding half down of your face under the water, looking at Chan, who was chuckling.

“Really funny, Mr. Bang.” You mumbled, faking boredom.

“It was Felix’s idea, but I gotta admit that was funny.” He kept on laughing, and that alone was cute, but because he was on a break, to avoid being called over to work, he had taken his shirt off, not feeling cold in the acclimatized environment.

And the image just looked ten times better.

“Reeeally funny.” You were nodding, as if in deep thought. “Help me out?” You smiled innocently, raising one hand towards him.

He grabbed it, but before he could pull you up, you pulled down, his body falling over yours and staying tightly against you for a second, then you smiled under the water and started laughing as soon as you both got back to the surface.

He was blushing, but also smiling cheekily.

“Fair. I deserved that.”

After a while of swimming, laughing and splashing each other, you got out of the pool leaving Felix and Chan on their own, but felt a soft sting in the back of your thigh. Probably from when you were sitting and Chan pushed you to the water, the slight bumps on the stone might've scratched your skin.

You started looking for your towel, but frowned when it wasn’t where you had left it. From the corner of your eye you saw Minho, and he smiled slyly from afar, your towel resting on his shoulders.

what a bitch.

You ran after him but were quickly stopped by yet another lifeguard.

Really, really lucky you.

You were only able to read Seungmin on the back of his shirt before he turned around and frowned, and you struggled to slow down, ending up bumping onto him.

"I'm sorry, uh, I uh..." you stammered, struggling to find an excuse.

He sighed, and deadpanned at you, in his eyes a hint of mockery that didn't reach his face, and it made you even more flustered. He pointed to a sign on the wall, who said in a big, bold font, "do not run near the pool."

"You probably can swim, but can you read, dollface?"

d-dollface?

“Y-yeah, of course I can. I forgot.” You pouted.

He smirked slightly. “You forgot how to read?”

You frowned softly at the tease, and he brushed it off with one hand.

“Where were you going that was so important for you to be running?” He questioned, the sly smirk lingering on his lips, the mockery still there.

“I wanted to go to the infirmary but my friend took my towel.” You defended yourself, but a blush crept from underneath, making your cheeks pink.

The moment you said infirmary, Seungmin’s entire body language changed. The mockery wasn’t gone, but covered by a layer of innocent worry. Cute.

“To the infirmary? Why? Did something happened?” He asked softly, and it surprised you how fast his attitude had changed.

“I just scratched myself. It’s probably nothing…”

He shook his head and smiled, almost tender. “Nonsense. Can I have a look at it?”

You blushed slightly and turned so he could look at the small scratch in the back of your thigh. The area was red, and there was small even more red lines in it, but nothing too wild.

Seungmin cleared his throat. Stay focused.

“You should still put something on it. I’ll do it. Come with me.”

Crossing from where you were with Seungmin you passed by the kids’ swimming pool, and waved at Han, and who you thought was who he had mentioned, Jeongin, struggling to take care of the kids as they all ran around, fighting with the swimming noodles as they used those like swords, and you couldn’t help but smile at the mess.

Seungmin took a small radio device from his waistband, like a black walkie-talkie. “Send Changbin to area 3. Jeongin, office, 6pm.”

The youngest-looking of all the lifeguards in the building approached you two when Seungmin told you to wait while he looked for the first-aid kit.

“Hi, as you might’ve heard, my name is Jeongin. Did you get hurt?” He said, so softly you almost cooed at him because he was so cute.

“Um, I scratched the back on my thigh, yeah.” You smiled a bit, and he smiled back reassuringly.

“I hope it doesn’t sting a lot.” He added kindly, picking up his stuff from a locker. “I would stay and help you, but I assure you that if you’re in Seungmin’s care you have nothing to worry about.” He nodded, almost to himself. “He teases everyone a lot but he’s a nice guy. I… have to go now, my shift has ended. But it was nice to meet you!”

You bid him goodbye, and Seungmin came back in no time, carrying a small bag of medical supplies and a towel. He left it on the side, and opened the bag next to you, taking a small glass bottle of spray from it.

“Could you stand and turn around, please?” He asked formally.

You couldn’t help but blush when he sprayed the medicine, the slight sting making you gasp softly, but it was more because of the position you two were in, and because he held a cotton pad underneath the scratch, brushing your thigh with his hand.

Being outside of the water for so long now, you started feeling cold, shivering softly.

“Darling, can you pass me the towel?”

You blushed almost furiosly at the nickname and did as told, and he opened it and hung it on your shoulders, as you quickly took it and tightened it around you.

“Sorry, I didn’t give it to you before.” He smiled, throwing the cotton away and going back to put the first-aid kit in its place.

It was almost 7pm when the three of you got out of the changing rooms.

“That was really fun!” Felix smiled brightly.

“It was decent. Still couldn’t talk to that cutie back there. We should come back other time.” Minho stated, sounding like an order.

You blushed, thinking about what had happened in so little time.

“Yeah. We should come back soon.”

(teehee, i enjoyed this a lot! Hope you like it too! Thanks a lot, ren! <;333)

~Kats, who now would love to go to that swimming pool!

[angelisgonnastartchangingurls]

dad on a saturday

annie woke up lightly hungover next to ryan in her bed. she didn't remember him coming over, but still had her panties on, so they didn't fuck. she probably texted him and then passed out didn't wake up. she checked her messages and confirmed it. good girl, annie.

but she took her panties off now, and climbed on top of ryan to wake him up. she'd make up for it now. and he was already hard -- morning wood -- so she had him inside her before he was really awake.

"hey there," he said. she was already grinding on his cock.

"shut up and let me fuck you," she said.

"ok," he said.

she rubbed her clit as she bounced, and soon she was gasping and he was unloading inside her.

ryan went to the shower immediately -- he wanted to hit the gym. annie stayed in bed, dozing and leaking peacefully. then her phone rang. her dad was calling her on facetime.

"hey dad," she said.

"still in bed? rise and shine, kid!" he said. "i was wondering if you wanted to come to an antique car show with me."

"sure," annie said. "when?"

"i'll pick you up in like a half hour?"

"i might need longer than that," she said.

"well, hurry up," he said.

"okay." she got out of bed and walked with her phone into the kitchen, forgetting that she'd paired her ipad and iphone together -- it was an app therapists used for remote clients and she never remembered to turn it off -- such that as she wandered into the kitchen, looking for coffee, she saw her father's face on the upright ipad on the counter, and in the smaller window, her full body and her exposed bush.

her mind flashed briefly to ted's daughter, and she resisted the urge to cover herself with her hand.

"sorry," she said, chuckling casually. "my phone and my ipad are paired."

"kind cool," he said.

"sorry about my bush," she said.

"bush is fine," he said. "i've seen those before."

and so she talked with her dad for a few more minutes like that, bush out, feeling increasingly confident as she did. then she hung up and finished getting ready for the day. he was at her door as she finished getting dressed.

she'd followed her father in the family business, so they talked about their current patients. she told him about the slap. he told her he'd been punched a few times. it was a sign that she was pushing the right buttons.

they looked at old cars and then went to lunch. she asked him how her mother was.

"your mother is your mother," he said. "you can ask her yourself."

"she wouldn't tell me," annie said.

"maybe so," he said. "how's ryan?"

"i don't know," she said. "we don't talk, really."

"do you have sex?"

she laughed. "yes."

"well, maybe that's all you need. do you really need a lot of people to listen to you? aren't you the one who listens?"

"yes," she said. "but so are you. and when you are i are together we manage to fill a conversation."

"i think if you feel like you need more people to listen to you it's not a judgment on your boyfriend it's a judgment on some insecurity. what are you doing wrong lately?"

impulsively, annie admitted to having sexual feelings about ted.

"well, that's normal," he said. "just let the energy of that feed your work."

"i'm a little worried there's no work to DO," she said. "honestly, the problem is his wife."

"that's facile," he said. "and never the case."

"i think i found the one time it is," she said. "and i think i keep him around for my own reasons."

"well, figure that shit out," he said. "tell carlos."

"that's your solution," she said. "not a more fulfilling romantic relationship. just more therapy."

"works for me," he said. "if your mom and i didn't fuck we'd be divorced. that's all we really need from each other. we don't even need the company. i have my friends, i have you and your brother."

"what hope is there for me if that's your romantic outlook?"

"romance isn't everything." he said. "it's barely even a top five thing."

in the late afternoon, annie snorted some adderall and cleaned her apartment. then she smoked weed in front of the TV, wondering if ryan would come over and whether or not she had the energy to fuck.

she got an email from jim. jim as in, julia's boyfriend? she checked. he'd emailed her professional account, meaning he'd looked her up. "just wanted to see how you were doing, you seemed pretty tipsy last night, hope you're well, we should hang out soon! -J"

"i was fine," annie replied. "not very drunk at all. just enough to make good decisions." she smiled at herself and sent it.

"want to get coffee next week?" jim wrote back, very quickly.

[adamthefatherofhumanity]

[Adam drags a blackboard with a stand across the room, stumbling and falling in the process. He quickly gets up, brushes off the dust, and starts drawing and writing on the blackboard.]

[After that, Adam looks back at you, trying to appear confident despite his nerves.]

Adam: "Uh.. Hi! My name is Adam, you know… The first man and… The Leader Of Exterminator.. But! But! Do not fear, for I am with you; because I opened a hotel where sinners like you can be redeemed! Pretty cool, right? We have my two devoted managers and two of the Exterminator angels that decided to help me, Lute and Vaggie, and our reluctant Two patron, Sir Pentious and the uh… ahem adult film actor, Angel Dust! You may know him from his uhhh… questionable movies! He was the one who gave me the idea! But he did suggested it only on a apps called OnlyFans, which, I'M NOT GOING TO DO THAT! NOPE, NOT HAPPENING!"

[Adam yells before clearing his throat, looking around nervously.]

Adam: "Anyway… We have Husk! The concierge and bartender of the Hazbin Hotel! We have Niffty, our housekeeper of the Hazbin Hotel, we're about 80% sure she's harmless, and over here we have– Oh! Uh, Alastor! Our gracious facility manager! I'm sure that y'all would be great friends!"

[Adam nervously laughs.]

"Sooo… Is there any question that you'd like to know?"

[phoenixbizz]

In this article, We discuss how mobile apps to improve the customer service experience in facilities management.

[universitypenguin]

Chapter 15

Summary: Lloyd takes things too far in his threat against Deputy Russell and has to change tactics mid-stream. Princess and Zach decide to push back against Detective Roth's allegations.

Word Count: 3,936

Masterlist

Warnings: Mention of drug trafficking, murder, legal proceedings, spy/intelligence agencies, corruption, stalking, violence, threatening, and discussion of criminal behavior. Minor foul language. Only appropriate for 18+ readers. No minors. 

The Princess & the Lawyer Chapter 15

Lloyd stood at the stove stirring a noxious mixture of gasoline and aluminum hydroxide. Pungent fumes hung thick in the air, forcing him to cover his mouth and nose with a bandanna. 

The screen door slammed, and familiar footsteps echoed through the hall. 

“Ugh! What is that stench? Did a gas line rupture?”

Elliot’s voice rang through the house before he came around the corner into the kitchen. 

His bright-eyed appearance was in sharp contrast with Lloyd’s sleep-deprived state. Knowing his cousin had been left in charge of their captive all night, Lloyd couldn’t help but draw the obvious conclusion. Elliot’s excessive cheerfulness was derived from a more potent source than caffeine - he was smoking ice again. 

“I followed your instructions and made a copy of Carl’s phone,” Elliot said, buzzing with excitement. “Guess what? Sheriff Holbrook’s texts are still on there, tucked away in some encrypted app. We could use it as leverage!” 

Lloyd shook his head. “No. We can’t deviate from the plan. Did Russell agree to a meeting time?”

“Eleven o'clock at High Meadows.”  

“Not a bad choice. Lots of entrances and exits,” Lloyd said. “I’m almost finished here. There’s water cooler jugs filled with this stuff piled up on the back deck. Bring your truck around and start loading them for me, will you?” 

“Sure thing, man.” 

Elliot bounded down the hall and Lloyd rubbed his tired eyes. He desperately needed some sleep unless he planned on asking Elliot for a bump of meth to keep him going. Lloyd shut off the stove, checked the final batch of chemicals, and rinsed his spoon in the sink. He stuck his head outside to inform Elliot he was going to bed and headed up the stairs. 

Just as he lay down, his phone rang. 

“Hello?” 

“Mr. Hansen? This is Judy Lange from the HOA. I wanted to let you know that the association swimming pool has been fixed and approved for reopening on Monday. Should I leave your keys in the mailbox for your house sitter, or wait until you’re back?” 

Mrs. Lange didn’t actually hold an official position with the Homeowners Association. Her husband had campaigned for the post out of pure spite. His single-minded crusade against Della Collins’ window box planters and their “busy-looking” Ultra Star Petunias earned him a landslide victory in the election. He’d passed a statute banning all multicolored blossoms from public spaces and after his triumph, lost interest in executing the duties of his office. 

Despite her eccentric husband, Lloyd found Mrs. Lange to be a reasonable person. Her annoying habit of speaking at a million words per minute was made up for by impeccable manners and a sharp sense of humor. Even Mrs. Collins, who was still torqued at Mr. Lange a year later, couldn’t resist her charms. 

After his brain finally managed to process her rapid fire words, Lloyd grunted. 

“The mailbox is fine. I’ll text my friend and let her know to pick them up.” 

“Excellent. I apologize for calling you at such a time, Lloyd.” 

Mrs. Lange’s voice carried a hint of horror, as if she’d just realized she had contacted someone in the midst of a family tragedy. Lloyd didn’t view the situation as such, but he recognized the apologetic shift in her tone as she launched into a long winded explanation. 

“With everything going on, I am sure now is a terrible time for you… I just didn’t want to forget. You’re the most frequent patron of our athletic facilities. Well, usually the only patron to be frank. Mrs. Collins isn’t getting around like she used to after her knee surgery. Anyways, I’ll personally take those keys to your friend so they’re ready when you get back. And if there’s anything I can do for you, don’t hesitate to reach out.” 

She really meant it, Lloyd thought, his lips twisting into a bitter smile. If only she knew what the man who he was supposed to be grieving had done to him. 

“Thanks, Judy. I appreciate it.” 

“Of course, darling. I’ll see you around.” 

Already half asleep, Lloyd hung up the phone. His last thought was that he needed to call you. Hearing from Judy reminded him of home, and of you. It had been days since your last talk and that was far too long. Before the meeting with Russell, Lloyd promised himself he’d make time for a conversation. 

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

You stalked back and forth in front of Zach’s desk, breathing hard, your fists clenched in frustration. 

“I can’t believe his nerve! Can you believe this? Can you?!” 

“Uh-huh.” 

Zach grunted and continued tapping on his keyboard.

“He has the audacity to accuse us of leaking information to the media, without a shred of evidence? It’s unprofessional!”

Zach nodded, seemingly absorbed in his work. 

“I spent so much time building them a database and now no one can use it. The whole process was exhausting and tedious and… are you even listening to me?” 

“Yes. Roth is an infuriating bastard. I knew it from the start, and you thought he was cute.”

“I did not!”

“Did so,” Zach said. 

“Did not.”

“Let’s not lose sight of our most important objective here.”

“Yes, let’s not. What is that objective, again?” you asked. 

“Getting back in Roth’s good graces and thereby, restoring our access to information and resources.”

“I’m sorry, were we just in the same room? About twenty minutes ago, when Roth kicked us to the curb and Bishop had a melt down?”

“We’re not going to let our hard work go to waste. There’s more than one key for every lock, you know?”

“Uh… that’s not how locks work.”

“It is when you know how to pick locks,” Zach quipped. 

“I haven’t even told you about my conversation with Mr. Liu!” 

He resumed typing, his attention focused on the monitor. “No sister?”

“Well, that’s a very anticlimactic way of putting it, but yes. He’s certain that Julia didn’t have a sister.” 

“That’s the conclusion I ended up at too.”

“Should we tell Roth?”

“I’d rather clear our names first,” Zach said.

“How?”

“Look at this.”

Zach pivoted his monitor to show you the screen. 

You stared at a map of Arlington with a route highlighted in purple. Squinting, you noted the web address of a popular running app called PacePal. The account’s username was generic and the profile picture was an image of a man's athletic shoes. 

“What am I looking at?” 

Zach smirked. “This PacePal profile belongs to Peter Shaw. The account photo is of the same running shoes he’s wearing in the Twitter he shared last year of himself finishing the Miami Marathon.” 

“Okay, not to make myself look like an idiot, but who is Peter Shaw?”

“A very tenacious investigative reporter with Rolling Stone Magazine. He’s also the only person who knows the real identity of the leaker, and thanks to his lax attitude toward social media security, we know where Mr. Shaw will be at two o’clock this afternoon.” 

“So, if I’m hearing you correctly, we’re going to give Detective Roth a taste of his own medicine?” 

“I intend to serve him a fresh plate of crow as soon as humanly possible,” Zach said. 

You raised an eyebrow. “Ruthless much?” 

“I didn’t pull in that jackass Lattimer without a damn good reason. We’re onto something with Julia’s supposed sister and if we don’t keep pushing the trail will go cold. What do you say, Princess? Shall we go put Shaw on notice?” 

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

Lloyd called you when he woke, but reached your voicemail instead of you. He sent a text instead and dove into the shower to scrub off the lingering stench of gasoline that clung to his skin. 

None of the clothes he’d packed suited the character he wanted to portray tonight, so he rummaged through Joe’s closet in search of better options. In the back, he discovered a garment bag containing the winning ensemble: a navy suit with wide lapels, bootcut trousers, and a matching waistcoat. It screamed 1970’s gaudy at the top of its lungs. 

To complete the look, Lloyd installed the hair extensions he’d sent Elliot to acquire from a beauty supply store two towns over. Cutting the remaining extensions into three-inch pieces, he applied them carefully across his jaw, smirking as he remembered April's suggestion that he should grow a beard. The overall effect was a cross between Jerry Garcia and Medusa on a bad hair day. 

For accessories, Lloyd raided Joe’s dresser. He added rings, a gold chain necklace, and a pair of lightly tinted orange sunglasses. The oversized frames elevated the look from vintage inspired to unmistakably costume like - a perfect fit for the character he was putting on. He slapped on a strongly scented aftershave he found in Joe’s medicine cabinet and instantly regretted it when his eyes watered from the fumes. 

Resisting the urge to wash it off, he turned his attention to more practical matters. Joe’s gun cabinet yielded a wide assortment of armaments. He owned weapons from every firearms manufacturer on the market in the past fifty years. Lloyd wasn’t keen to give a hopped up meth addict a gun, but circumstances demanded it. He picked up a Winchester Renegade and checked the ammunition.

“Hey, Elliot! How’s your aim these days?” 

Elliot turned around from his task of cleaning up the kitchen and did a double take of Lloyd’s outfit. 

“Better than most people’s. What are you wearing, dude? Are we going to make a drug deal or audition for Saturday Night Fever?” 

Lloyd snorted at the question and held out the Winchester Renegade. 

“I need you to watch my back while I’m meeting with Russell. Just in case things don’t go according to plan.” 

“Understood. I’m the second shooter on the grassy knoll,” Elliot said. 

They took back roads to the meeting spot. By the time they reached their destination, Elliot’s old truck was covered in mud from the unpaved roads that cut through the vast Idaho landscape. They were deep in the countryside, hidden from prying eyes of passersby on the highway by miles of barren hills. 

High Meadows had once been a thriving venue for team roping and barrel racing events. Now, the clay earth he remembered as being meticulously groomed played host to an invasion of dandelions and scotch thistle. The red aluminum roof over the pavilion had faded to a dull rust color and the cedar panel fencing that encircled the space was bent with age and broken in several places. 

He helped Elliot unload the water cooler jugs filled with the gelled fuel that he’d spent the morning cooking. Lloyd marked out a circle, about twenty feet in diameter, in the middle of the arena and cut a small trench into the ground. With Elliot’s help he poured the viscous mixture into the trough and raked the displaced dirt back into place. 

They hid their equipment in the bed of Elliot’s truck and moved the vehicle into a ravine near the main access road to High Meadows. 

Lloyd turned to his cousin. “Go take up position on that hill over there.”

He pointed to a spot beyond the dilapidated grandstands. “It has the best vantage point. Also, there’s a thermal scope in your backpack in case the night vision doesn’t cut it.” 

Elliot slung his backpack over his shoulder and disappeared into the hills. Lloyd took his position in the arena as the sun settled behind the horizon. He lay down on one of the risers in the grandstands, propped his feet up, and dozed until the sun went down. Suddenly, the crackle of the Bluetooth in his ear brought Lloyd back to the present as Elliot’s voice broke him from semi-unconscious. 

“Russell is pulling in,” Elliot said. 

“I see the headlights,” Lloyd confirmed.

The beams of Russell’s headlights cut through the darkness, illuminating the arena. Lloyd leaned casually against a pillar on the far side. The position gave him plenty of time to observe Russell as he approached. The deputy was clearly spooked - he’d worn a bulletproof vest over his khaki uniform. 

“Nice of you to finally show up,” Lloyd called out in greeting. 

Russell stepped into the arena, his eyes scanning the space, trying to assess the situation.

“Who are you?” 

“Didn’t Carl tell you? We’re the Canadians,” Lloyd said, flashing a mischievous grin.

Russell’s eyebrows furrowed. 

“Now, let’s get down to business!” Lloyd clapped his hands and rubbed them together. “Don’t look so tense, Luke. I’m here to make you rich, and myself even richer. You see, I came here to shake down a former associate, but the trouble is this jackass died before I could get to him. So, I found a locally connected businessman and squeezed until he spilled your name.” 

The deputy’s nostrils flared, a warning sign Lloyd waved off dismissively. 

“Don’t worry about it. I took care of him.” 

“What do you mean you ‘took care of him’?” Russell demanded. 

“I took him for a swim in Redfish Lake, the kind you don’t come back from,” Lloyd said, punctuating that statement with a wink. 

Russell’s shock was palpable. Lloyd gave him a beat to recover, but when he just got a blank stare in response, he shifted tactics and threw his arms out in exaggerated frustration. 

“Oh, come on! Be fucking for real, bro. Do you have two brain cells left rattling around in that ugly mug, pig? I got rid of your dealer because, number one, he’s a snitch and I don’t fuck with snitches. Number two, getting rid of Carl gives you the opportunity to set up a more reliable distribution system. Isn’t that nice? An open playing field with no territorial disputes from the locals? You can thank me now, or later.” 

Russell hesitated. Lloyd didn’t let the silence linger. 

“Okay, then. You’ll thank me later. Look, about-” 

“You really killed Carl?”

Lloyd sighed. “Would I lie to you? Me? I have a reputation to uphold, Deputy.” 

“You’re a fucking psychopath, that’s what you are,” Russell said, edging backwards.

“Hey! We’re not done talking business!” Lloyd yelled after the man as he turned away.

“Yes we are. Go to hell!” 

“Don’t walk away from me, pig! This isn’t the kind of conversation you can just walk away from!”

Lloyd’s voice echoed through the pavilion, ringing with anger.

Russell glanced over his shoulder.

“Oh, Luke… My number one rule is simple: I don’t fuck with snitches. Rule number two? Dirty cops who know your face are bad business. You see, they always end up being snitches. It’s like different flavors of the same ice cream. Triple chocolate fudge or brownie delight, who can tell ‘em apart?” 

As Russell’s hand went for his gun, Lloyd flipped open his lighter and tossed it on the ground. The carefully prepared mixture of gasoline ignited instantly, shooting up and forming a wall of fire that raced around to encircle them. 

Taken by surprise, Deputy Russell instinctively moved away from the searing heat of the flames an action that inadvertently drew him closer to Lloyd. 

“Isn’t this nice? I find it rather cozy, like stepping into a bubble of security.”

Lloyd chuckled, his smile twisted with madness.

“This is how you conduct business?” Russell hissed, eyes glinting with shocked desperation as the flames continued to roar around them. 

“I find it refocuses the attention when a deal starts getting off track.” 

“What the hell do you want?!” 

“I’ve made myself very clear, Russell. You need to work on your attention span. Here’s the deal: we become business partners… or you become a victim of what I like to call ‘spontaneous human combustion.’” 

“Spontaneous,” the deputy muttered, looking at the flames.

“I never really plan on cremating anyone,” Lloyd said, as if it were the most reasonable thing in the world to discuss incinerating your business associates. “Every time I’ve actually gone through with this, the whole thing happens so fast, it really does look spontaneous. Now, Deputy… What do you say? Ready to make a deal?” 

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

You sat beside Zach on a park bench, trying to make the most of the slight shade of a tree that offered a tiny bit of respite from the blistering August heat. The sound of approaching footfalls was a major relief. Five more minutes out here and you would have melted. You glanced up to see Peter Shaw, a man of average height with close cropped dark hair, nearing your bench. 

Zach stood up and moved to the center of the path, blocking access to the parking lot. 

“Peter Shaw. I’m Zach Hightower and this is Y/N. I assume you know who I am?”

The journalist stopped a few feet away from Zach. He was dripping with sweat, but still had the energy to offer a cocky smirk. He glanced in your direction and arched an eyebrow. 

“The investigative duo. Where’s Hansen? Isn’t he usually your partner?” 

“I read your article this morning. It was very interesting,” Zach said. 

“Thanks. What part did you enjoy the most?” 

“I thought it was very well researched. You even knew where the recent evidence was being stored. That was a very… interesting… detail to include in the article.” 

Peter shrugged. “I take pride in my work.” 

“The other little thing that jumped out and grabbed me was about the evidence collected in the Nguyen case twenty years ago. Your source criticized the chain of custody related to Shun Nguyen’s cell phone. That was extremely specific.” 

Shaw’s grin turned from smug to sly. “I always make sure my sources have a keen eye for detail. Now if you’ll excuse me…”

“One more thing. The criticism you leveled at the State Police for handling the digital evidence from that cell phone? Well, it went over my head, but I’ve got a guy who’s a genius with that kind of thing. When I showed him the article he said you’d need to consult with an expert in digital forensics to break down those kinds of technical concepts as clearly as you did.”

“Actually, I’m just that good,” Peter said, crossing his arms. 

“You have a degree in English and absolutely no background in tech. You’re not that good… but I believe your source is. The level of insight they gave you left their fingerprints all over that article, Shaw. Your man’s days are numbered. If you were as good as you think you are, his head wouldn’t be heading for the chopping block.” 

The journalist snorted. “Do you run, Mr. Hightower?”

“Only when someone’s shooting at me. Why?”

“Just wondering if you get any other forms of exercise, besides jumping to conclusions.” 

“It’s more of a step-by-step chain of logic that links together quite nicely. You really are a good writer, Shaw - very organized. That made it much easier to fill in the blanks. Does the name Leo McKenzie ring a bell?”

The blood drained from Shaw’s face, turning his lips white. Zach grinned.

“Good talking to you, Pete. Thanks for your time! Come on, Princess, let’s go.” 

“You’re way off base, Hightower,” he called after you.

Zach gave him a cheerful wave. “Hey, Pete, since you’ve undoubtedly got my number, why don’t you give me a call next time you need a source? I can teach you how to cover your tracks so you don’t keep burning through informants.” 

Then he lengthened his stride, forcing you into a jog as you tried to keep up. Once you were in the privacy of his vehicle, you gaped at him. 

“Are you crazy? Did you just invite that sleazebag to call you?”

“Sure. He’s made more progress on this case than anyone else. We can’t ignore that.” 

“How did you know who his source was? Did you guess?”

“Deduction isn’t guessing and that look on his face was all the confirmation I needed.” 

“We should tell Detective Roth.”

“No. Let him figure it out on his own. He won’t believe anything we tell him at the moment.” 

“But the security of the investigation is at stake!” 

“Not for long. Shaw will contact his source and alert them that we’re onto them. I want to give Detective Roth the chance to redeem himself. Also, if he can’t find a mole in his own department, I’m not sure I want to work with him.”

“Right. Hey, where are we going?” 

Zach turned onto an unfamiliar exit, one that headed away from his office.

“I’ve got to make another stop. Don’t worry, it won’t take long.” 

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

Elliot drummed his fingers on the steering wheel. "You really freaked him out."

"Mmmhh."

"He's going to send those drugs up in flames."

The insight was spot on. Deputy Russell’s wavering commitment to the sale was becoming more evident as dawn broke. He had raced back to the security of the Sheriff’s Offices after meeting with “the Canadians” and spent the rest of the night holed up there. Through the front window, Lloyd watched his shadow move behind the blinds. 

The silhouette moved from left to right, and then crossed back again, from right to left. Russell was already a paranoid bastard and introducing a real threat to his life may have been a step too far. His restless actions raised a red flag in Lloyd’s assessment of the situation. Watching him through binoculars from their high vantage point in the parking lot of the White Rivers campsite, Lloyd decided it was time to ease the pressure and give Russell an escape hatch. 

He was too spooked to hand the drugs over directly to the Canadians. After the ring of fire incident Russell was probably more likely to shoot Lloyd if he ever saw him again instead of cooperating with him. 

“We’re going to plan B,” Lloyd said. “Give me a burner phone.” 

He held out a hand and Elliot pressed a device into his palm. Lloyd dialed and watched through the binoculars as the blinds of the Sheriff’s office raised. He couldn’t see anyone, but he knew Russell was somewhere inside. 

The call connected. 

“Hello? Who is this?” 

Lloyd spoke hoarsely. “Hello. Deputy Luke Russell?” 

“This is he.” Russell sounded suspicious. 

"This is Agent Ambrosio of the ATF. Do you have a moment to speak with me? Somewhere private would be best if possible."

"Yeah, yeah. I can do that," Russell said.

There was feedback as he moved, the the sound of a door closing. He must have gone to his office. 

“Okay. I can talk now.” 

"Russell, I'm calling about your boss, Sheriff Holbrook. Are you aware of the case against him?"

"Uh… you mean that thing from last year?"

"Eighteen months ago," Lloyd clarified. "The federal investigation into Holbrook's involvement with the drug trade has continued, which is why I'm reaching out. We need your cooperation."

"What can I do to help you, agent?” 

"We have everything that we need to make an arrest. This is a courtesy call, Deputy. We're moving on him tomorrow morning. Do you understand?"

"Oh… Wow… Okay, is there anything I can do?" Russell asked.

"We're still organizing things. Holbrook is constantly armed, and we're aware of how high-risk this operation will be. I’d be more comfortable with the situation I’m sending my men into if we had your cooperation.” 

“Absolutely. Whatever you need, sir.” 

Lloyd’s mouth curved into a smile. Pushing too hard may have been the right play after all. His prey had just swallowed the bait without noticing the hook that pierced his lip along with it. 

Game. Set. Match. 

All that was left to do was reel in his catch. 

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

Next - Part XVI

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

Masterlist

Taglist:

@denisemarieangelina

@before-we-get-started

@buckysteveloki-me

@patzammit

@badassbaker

@meetmeatyourworst

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@dear-fifi

[nitefise-art]

HC Scarlet/Violet timeline

This is based on information from the game (most of it being Raifort’s history course and the notes in the Zero Area Research Stations) as well as a general assessment of what makes most sense based on apparent ages etc. The only thing that doesn’t make sense internally in the game is Raifort’s statement that the Tera Orb was invented ten years before game time, when the notes in the Research Stations clearly state that Sada/Turo invented the orb before Arven was born. If both are right, then Arven is 9 years old or younger, which clearly isn’t right, so I’ve gone with the notes in the Research Stations and assumed the Tera Orb was invented over ten years before game time.

Timeline assumes start of game takes place in late 2022.

--

1,000,000 BCE - Formation of the Paldean crater

0 CE - Rule of the Paldean Empire

0-1000 CE - The Era of Exploration

1217 - Unification of Paldea, establishment of the Academy

1822 - Area Zero Expedition with Heath

1820s - Heath publishes the Violet Book

1882 - Discovery of terastallised Pokemon in the Great Crater

1962 - Clavell is born (making him 60 in game)

1975 - Sada/Turo is born (making her/him 47 in game)

1986 - Jacq is born (making him 36 in game)

1989 - Clavell (27) leaves Paldea for travel/work

1993 - Sada/Turo (18) enrols at the Academy (which I HC at that time was a higher education institution, it opened up to various ages later). 

1995 - Sada/Turo (20) graduates, becomes a tutor/researcher at the Academy (his lab is Clavell’s current office).

2000 - Clavell (38) returns from travel/work overseas, takes up a teaching post at the Academy. Meets Sada/Turo (25).

2002 - Sada/Turo (27) “leads” a research team (incl Clavell, 40) into Area Zero. Leads in quotes because Clavell is supervising behind the scenes. Sada/Turo’s lab at the Academy is held for him in the interim.

2003 - Sada/Turo (28) discovers the crystals cause terastallisation.

2004 - Sada/Turo (29) invents the Tera Orb prototype; receives corporate funding. Disturbed by Sada/Turo’s talk of past/future Pokemon, Clavell (42) stays only to help perfect Tera Orb for mainstream distribution. Sada/Turo’s resulting profile leads the Academy to preserve his old lab.

2005 - Sada/Turo (30) sets up a lab at Cabo Poco Lighthouse; Clavell (43) moves to a different research facility (Paldea? Elsewhere? Unsure). Later that year, Sada/Turo returns to the Crater, moving research to the Zero Lab with a “smaller team”; conducts time machine research. 

2007 - First Koraidon/Miraidon brought through time machine. Meanwhile Jacq (21) starts work as a junior researcher, meets Clavell (45).

2008 - Arven is born (making him 14 in game). Sada/Turo is 33. Turo/Sada leaves within the year.

2009 - Sada/Turo (34) creates AI assistant. Between Sada/Turo and the AI, they manage to raise Arven.

2011 - Second Koraidon/Miraidon brought through time machine.

2017 - Jacq (31) develops the Pokedex App for the Rotom Phone.

2019 - Arven (11) enrols at the Academy.

Early 2021 - Operation Star; Harrington resigns along with the rest of the staff. Clavell (59), Jacq (35), and other staff join the Academy. Clavell moves into Sada/Turo’s old lab. 

Late 2022 - Second Koraidon/Miraidon kills Sada/Turo (47); First Koraidon/Miraidon flees; AI Sada/Turo asks Clavell (60) to be put in touch with MC.

Early 2023 - Events at the Zero Lab; destruction of the time machine.

[arsenalgbt]

ben + ethan from the deckai's dysfunctional arranged marriage au

summary: ben is diagnosed with a postpartum blues. he swears he's getting better (he's in therapy, he's trying, etc).

CW: BENPREG OK LMAO

He actually asked his therapist about it. The realisation bugged him for nearly a year, but he only managed to articulate it just recently, now that Ethan is a bit older and he’s got enough in his arsenal to raise the concern. A proper one.

And the answer is yes, calm babies exist. No, it’s not entirely your fault as a single mum who is clinically diagnosed with postpartum depression that Ethan seems to be… indifferent about everything. Even though that’s not completely accurate, because Ethan loves playing with Kieran so much Ben has to apologise to Leo for monopolising Kieran’s time whenever Ethan and Tomás are having a playdate.

Then; He’s not a happy baby—which is a brand new horror in itself when Ben gets to witness Ethan’s range of emotions as he keeps an eye on him in the facility’s playground (it’s part of his therapy session). His soft smile is just pasted there, his adorable baby teeth milky white, sprouting from healthy gummies. No sparks in his dark eyes, a complete opposite from whenever he’s around Kieran and they’re just clapping hands.

Not entirely his fault. Yeah, right. Ben quietly sobs to his silk handkerchief, missing Ethan staring at him just from a few feet away.

/

His therapist puts up a list of activities to do together to form a bond, small steps to accommodate Ben’s very own indifference when it comes to his flesh and blood that he carried for nine months.

So far, he’s managed to dry and cloth Ethan after a bath (that he takes with his nanny). Ben loves fashion and he finds that he doesn’t mind taking his time dressing up his baby in cute patterns and comfortable cuts. Because Ethan is a calm baby, he’s patient when Ben fumbles.

Ben also manages to stay seated for a brief cuddling session after feeding time. His nanny used to burp Ethan straightaway after he unlatched, but nowadays, Ben, although is not talkative yet with him, nuzzles and kisses him after rearranging his breast, burping him gently, humming a few of the nursery songs that he’s listened to on his music app. Ethan hugs his neck and rests his head against his shoulder, humming just as quietly, out of tunes.

When his presence is not expected in the office, Ben starts to take a nap with his baby. His nanny shows him Ethan’s rituals; if he already looks half-asleep while sitting down, it’s time to scoop him up and put him in his crib. Ben actually asks his nanny if he can take Ethan to his bed instead, and she beams at him. Ethan doesn’t use a pillow. Ben scoots down until he’s face to face with his baby, and words fail him. This tiny little human with his tiny little fingers clasped tight around his thumb is his. He carried him, nourished him, and protected him. He was so gentle with him when Ethan was in his womb—why can’t he bring himself to even care now that Ethan is alive and well? Life hasn’t had any meaning lately, but at least he has his baby.

/

“Cute baby.”

Ben whips his head and raises his eyebrows at a beautiful man grinning at him, bravely making lasting eye contact. One; he’s taller than him (nice). Two; he looks a bit too boyish to his liking (nice set of shoulders, though). Three; he smells so fucking good. Four; he’s wearing the same lanyard. Five; Ben has to grit his teeth when the beautiful man speaks again in his deep baritone.

“Is he yours?” The beautiful man—Willo, as his nametag says, huh, photogenic as well—asks, and he gestures for Ben to enter the elevator first.

“Yes,” Ben answers, nodding, pretending to be busy with his phone when the double door’s closed. Willo’s reflection in the mirror is grinning cutely at him.

“It’s my first time seeing you around,” Willo says, polite enough to keep a distance in the small box. “I’m Willo, I’m doing my placement with the cyber security team.”

Of course. A bloody hot twunk.

[peachy-panic]

A Gift

Happy Easter, have a quick Jaime & Sebastian drabble. 

WARNINGS: BBU/BBU-adjacent, forced exercise, body image stuff if you squint, whumpee wary of new caretaker, systematic objectification of a sweet guy

Jaime doesn’t know what to expect when Sebastian tells him he has a gift for him at the end of their first week. It’s not the first gift he’s ever received from a Keeper, and the thought weighs heavily on him as he sits down at the kitchen table. 

But low-level dread is wiped clean by relief when a small wrist device is placed in his hands. It’s already out of the box, preprogrammed with a photo of a sunflower glowing up at him from the rectangular screen. He breathes out slowly, turning it over in his hands. The band is made of soft, black silicone, smooth under his thumb. “Thank you,” he says on instinct. 

He doesn’t ask what or why. Sebastian has given him a gift, and he is grateful.

The question must be apparent in his eyes, though, when he looks up, because Sebastian seems eager to explain. “It’s a smart watch. I thought it might be nice for when… I mean if you still wanted to start running. I know you mentioned it the other day, but no pressure either way,” he adds quickly. “There are other practical uses for it, too. But it has a feature that tracks your mileage and heart rate, so I thought... you know, that could be useful for running, right?”

Ah. It makes sense now. 

Since he would be running outside, Sebastian has no way of tracking his progress like they did on the facility treadmills. He told Jaime that he would accompany him on his runs sometimes, but it’s not his responsibility to babysit him or keep up with the routine that is expected of Jaime.

“Right,” Jaime echoes, refusing to let any emotion pass through his wall other than a weak reflection of Sebastian’s smile.

“It also links directly to your phone,” Sebastian says, scooting a little closer in his kitchen chair. He excitedly points to a green widget on the screen, careful not to let their arms brush. “You can use that button to send me a text or make an emergency call.”

The phone thing is a recent development, and one that Jaime is still getting used to. Sebastian bought one for him on his third day, insisting that it would make him feel better about leaving Jaime at home when he goes to work. Truthfully, having a way to contact him makes Jaime feel better, too. But the sheer act of owning something, of owning this connection to the outside world, puts him on edge.

By law, Jaime is not allowed unrestricted access to the internet. To protect the both from backlash, Sebastian had to install a WRU-approved monitoring app, but Jaime doesn’t mind. He only plans to use it for whatever Sebastian tells him he needs to, anyway.

“Can I…” Sebastian starts then pauses. He gestures at the watch, meeting Jaime’s eyes. “Do you want to try it on?”

Wordlessly, Jaime hands the device over, leaving his arm hovering between them in invitation.

He watches Sebastian’s hands work deftly, fastening the band around his wrist. His fingers are long and pale, a dusting of freckles and nearly-invisible copper hair across the backs. They mostly manage to avoid making contact with Jaime’s skin, but when they do touch, they are warm and quick. He doesn’t linger.

“Can I ask a question?” Jaime says quietly. Sebastian has told him—on more than one occasion—that prerequisite permission is never necessary to ask a question in his home, but he never gets upset when Jaime seeks it anyway.

“Of course,” Sebastian says easily.

“Will it track my speed, too?”

“I think so, yeah,” he says absently. 

“Okay.” Jaime nods. “Is there a minimum average you want me to maintain?”

The fingers stop, hovering around his wrist. “What?”

“Sorry. Of my speed, I mean,” Jaime clarifies. “Or would you prefer to track distance instead? I’m best at endurance running, but I can be fast, too.”

Their eyes meet and Jaime’s stomach drops. Sebastian is disappointed, and he has no idea what he has done wrong.

“I mean, I am fast with distances, too. Just not as fast as I am with sprints, but… but with some extra conditioning, if I just have a couple of weeks, I can have—”

“No,” Sebastian interrupts. Jaime’s mouth snaps shut. He bites down like he’s trying to keep his heart from leaping out of his mouth.  “Jaime,” he says slowly. “That’s not what this is about. I’m not going to… I have no intention of policing how you run. You can go as fast or as slow and as often as you’d like. “This—” he gestures at the watch— “is all for your benefit. It has nothing to do with me. I have… Jesus, I really wish it went without saying, but I have no intention of tracking your exercise.”

He releases Jaime’s wrist and Jaime pulls his hand back, resisting the sudden urge to hide the screen from view so it can’t expose his escalating heart rate.

“Sorry,” Sebastian says after a moment, rubbing a palm over his eyes. “I’m sorry, that came out aggressive, but it wasn’t aimed at you. I promise.” Jaime nods, wanting to assure Sebastian of his okayness as much as himself. “But the point still stands: This is for you and you alone. You can wear it or not, and I’ll be perfectly happy either way. The only small suggestion from me—and I do mean it as a suggestion and that is all—is that you wear it if you ever decide to go running without me. Maybe… Maybe just while you’re still learning the area? If you get lost, I want to be able to help you find your way home.”

Jaime almost, almost, opens his mouth to remind him that there is a tracker embedded in his bone that can pinpoint his location with expert precision. But he’s misstepped enough for one day.

--

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