#TRAY ZEE

[zodapack]

girlz who kizz other girlz

[backwzzds]

Plug!Zoro x Black Reader. It’s literally 4 am right now and I cannot get him off my mind like just imagine him pulling up and his dark green hellcat for a late night drop but really he’s trying to give you more than just weed 😵‍💫

i never even thought of plug!zoro omg…cuz u onto sum!

like literally i can imagine zoro being that chilled n laid back typa plug. unlike eren or even connie, not a lot of people even know that he sells. he’s the type of plug that has like a set list of customers, and the only way you could cop from him is if one of his already-customers vouched for you to him.

it’s not that he’s scared of getting caught or anything, zoro can give less than a shit about that. but he just didn’t like having his business out there like that. in addition, he didn’t even mean to become a trustworthy ‘plug’ in the first place when his dumb ass accidentally ended up growing some fire ass weed one night. this is purely a hobby for him, one he just happens to make mad bread from!

you on the other hand would be on zoro’s client list through his close friend robin. you forgot how you even got close with him, but that’s how long you’ve known zoro. you could hit him up at any time at night and best believe that blacked out, tinted, emarald green scat pack would be parked outside your house within the half hour.

you couldn’t help but open the door for zoro before he even had the chance to walk in like he usually found himself doing. there was some sexual tension there, you both knew that. but you knew yourself well enough to know that if you gave yourself to zoro, you were never getting your soul back.

“hey mama.”

“man, bout time you got my shit.” the drug dealer gives you a lopsided grin before briefly smiling, flashing you the shiny gold of his canine grill piece. zoro holds up a back and smirks at you. this man would be so fine with the way he’d pat your ass the moment you turned around to let him inside the house.

with a little jump from his grip on you, you playfully roll your eyes at him before taking a seat on the couch. with a small joke, you tease, ���31 minutes to get here, that mean my bud free?”

“tch,” the man gives you a quick suck of his teeth as he rests his gun on your coffee table before grabbing your rolling tray and pouring bud on it. “you always get this shit for free, don’t even play with me.” you giggle and throw your feet on his lap underneath the tray as you watch him roll up for the night. “we testing six tonight?”

“are you trying to kill me?” you gasp.

“nah, not when i can do something else,” zoro teased, not even looking in your eyes as he started to seal the first blunt with his saliva. but he doesn’t miss the way your brown cheeks flush a deep red and you look away from his pretty face. he chuckles at your nervousness around him. you were so cute.

six said blunts in, and you were both gone. here you were, perched nearly in zoro’s lap as you yapped his ear off.

“nah, cuz i see the way you be lookin’ at her,” you teased, recalling the memory of some mutual friend of yours, flirting with zoro.

“yeah, so?” zoro teased. “she’s annoying as shit. don’t want her.”

you gasp loudly before giggling. “zee! that’s so mean!”

zoro chuckled, “i didn’t say anything wrong. besides, i got someone else being a pain in my ass right now. i’m good with that,” his voice drops an ovtave as he shoves his face in the crook of your neck. your hand can’t help but fly to his green hair and run your fingers through it.

“damn, imma pain in your ass huh?”

“fine as fuck too,” zoro muttuers, kissing along your neck. “you gonna let me give you sum’n besides bud tonight?”

your breath falters as you feel zoro move his kisses as his hands traveled all over your body. his large hands find their way underneath your pajama shirt and they grip at the fat of your tit, possessively squeezing the flesh in his hand. “yeah? what?”

“could give you dick or head. your pick, mama.” between your legs nearly tingle at his reserved nickname for you. soon after, zoro’s kisses trail across your face as he’s pecking all over your lips. “‘m stayin’ the night either way though.”

you can’t help but test your influence over the plug by teasing him. “ion know, you me playing round. how i know you don’t just wanna fuck me and dip?”

zoro rolls his eyes and slowly shoves his hands down your pajama shorts, finding your already wet heat. with a lopsided smirk, he looks at you malevolently. “yeah, i think you’d like it if i stayed tonight too.”

“nah i don’t think my nigga’ll like that,” you tease, just pulling his leg. at the sight of his glock laid out against your coffee table, you add, “he got a gun you know. like to shoot people. like real scary shit.”

zoro can’t help but smile into your skin as he pulled you into him. “he sure do.”

“oooh, fuck!” you’re damn near struggling to breath as zoro has you split against his cock. “you’re reaching so deep, daddy.”

“yeah, daddy reaching deep in that little pussy baby?” zoro teased as he gave you long and deep strokes. “tell him how much you like that shit mama.”

“so much, daddy. like it so much,” you cried, holding the back of your knees up as far as you could. “gonna cum soon.”

“i know baby, i know,” zoro mutters as he thumbs circles against your puffy clit. “gonna show you that this pussy’s all mine. ‘s all mine right? no one else’s?”

you’re breathing hard as you watch the site of where you two connect. “all yours, zee.” a white ring soon forms against the brownish base of zoro’s cock, highlighting the mix of both your arousals.

eventually, you begin to feel overstimulation peak your adrenaline, so out of instinct, you can’t help but rest your small hands on zoro’s pelvis not exactly pushing him away, but instead trying to relieve the own pressure between your legs.

“man move your hand,” zoro kissed his teeth, but you were too fucked out to even listen.

“‘s too much!” you whined.

ignoring your pleas, zoro gravs both your legs and rests them on your shoulders, watching as the gold anklet he bought you dangle by his ears. “mama move your hand or imma move that shit for you, don’t play with me.”

immediately, you move your hand but let out a sharp cry when zoro grips your hips tight and begins to drill your shit with no mercy. “o-oh my go—“

“can’t help you now, pretty.” zoro gave you his million dollar smirk as he began to rub your nipples between his fingers. “fuck, ‘m almost there baby. gonna cum soon.”

“gonna cum soon daddy?” you whine, grabbing his hand. zoro uses his free own to wrap around your neck, lightly squeezing as he watched you effortlessly submit to him.

“mhm,” zoro hummed, feeling the familiar knot tie in his stomach. gosh, he loved fucking you in missionary like this. he loved looking in your eyes and watching all the love you had for him just flow right down to the juices of your waterpark pussy.

it was rare that a smoke session with him didn’t turn into this man fucking you an inch from pure insanity. zoro was crazy and he proved it each time he stroked his dick deep inside you and flooded you with all of him.

“damn girl, this pussy’s so fuckin’ good,” the drug dealer muttered to himself. “all fuckin’ kine. no one’s fuckin’ you like this but me, ya hear?”

you immediately nod your head, finally feeling yourself cum against him. “i’m coming zee! i’m coming i’m com—!” your screams are cut short as your legs shook around zoro’s shoulders

“might be a little selfish and might just put a baby in you,” zoro smirked down at you. “you’d want that pretty? want me to fill you up and make you a mama?”

“yes,” you whined, feeling your energy slowly drain as you continued to cream against him and the sheets. “please come in me, zoro!”

“sure you want it baby? gotta use your words mama.” zoro bites down on his lip as he tries to hold himself back from drilling into you like a madman.

“mhm, yes zee! cum in me please!”

the greenhead takes a deep breath as he feels his dick twitch inside your warm gummy walls. with the green light, he uses the last inch of stamina left in him to completely wreck you. “fucking hell, that’s it, mama. that’s it. just like that. milk me for all i fucking got—fuck!”

you’re left breathless as zoro fills you up and then some, his cum dripping out of your gaping hole and onto the sheets below you. with a collapse beside you, the plug pulls you into his chest and places chaste kisses all along your face.

[sakurajjam]

MASTERLIST DE FCS TAILANDESES : MOÇOS !

Se está buscando fcs novos para seus personagens, por que não dar a chance para os fcs tailandeses? Existem opções lindíssimas para representar todos os tipos de personagens! Pensando nisso, após o cut, reuni 72 garotos tailandeses que permitem o uso de sua imagem; ia colocar se tinha resources disponíveis ou não, mas optei por colocar apenas o instagram já que muitos tem hunts, mas não estão disponíveis. Essa lista vai ser atualizada conforme junto novos nomes ou os atores ficam mais velhos, porque alguns são de 2003, então acho melhor esperar um pouco. 

AJ Chayapol Jutamat, ator, 2001 (Gêmeo de JJ Jutamat)

Aou Thanaboon Kiatniran, ator, 2000

Apo Nattawin Wattanagitiphat, ator, 1994

Bambam Kunpimook Bhuwakul, membro do GOT7, 1997

Bible Wichapas Sumettikul, ator, 1997

Billy Patchanon Ounsa-ard, ator, 1994

Book Kasidet Plookphol, ator, 1996

Boss Chaikamon Sermsongwittaya, ator, 1999

Boun Noppanut Guntachai, ator, 1995

Bright Vachirawit Chivaaree, ator e cantor, 1997

Chimon Wachirawit Ruangwiwat, ator, 2000

Dew Jirawat Sutivanichsak, ator, 2000

Drake Sattabut Laedeke, ator, 2000

Dunk Natachai Boonprasert, ator, 2001

Earth Pirapat Watthanasetsiri, ator e cantor, 1994

Fluke Natouch Siripongthon, ator, 1996

Fluke Pusit Ditaphisit, ator, 1997

Force Jiratchapong Srisang, ator, 1997

Fort Thitipong Sangngey, ator, 2000

Frank Thanatsaran Samthonglai, ator, 2000

Gun Atthaphan Phunsawat, ator e apresentador, 1993

Heng Asavarid Pinitkanjanapun, ator, 1997

James Supamongkon Wongwisut, ex-ator e cantor, 1999

Jeff Satur, ator e cantor, 1995

Jimmy Jitaraphol Potiwihok, ator e doutor, 1994

JJ Chayakorn Jutamat, ator, 2001 (Gêmeo de AJ Jutamat)

Joong Archen Aydin, ator, 2001

Junior Panachai Sriariyarungruang, ator, 1996

Kao Noppakao Dechaphatthanakun, ator e modelo, 1994

Khaotung Thanawat Rattanakitpaisan, ator, 1998

Lay Talay Sanguandikul, ator, 1995

Louis Thanawin Teeraphosukarn, ator e cantor, 2000

Mark Pakin Kuna-anuvit, ator e ex atleta de badminton, 1998

Mark Sorntast Buangam, ator, 1992

Max Kornthas Rujeerattanavorapan, ator, 1993

Mike Chinnarat Siriphongchawalit, ator e economista, 1993

Mile Phakphum Romsaithong, ator, 1992

Mix Sahaphap Wongratch, ator e cantor (ex membro de boyband), 1998

Nani Hirunkit Changkham, ator, 1997

Nat Natasitt Uareksit, ator, 2002

Neo Trai Nimtawat, ator e jogador de basquete, 2001

Net Siraphop Manithikhun, ator, 1997

New Thitipoom Techaapaikhun, ator, 1993

Nichkhun Buck Horvejkul, membro do 2PM e ator, 1988

Nine Naphat Siangsomboon, ator, 1996

Nodt Nutthasid Panyangarm, ator, 1993

Noeul Nuttarat Tangwai, ator, 1999

Non Ratchanon Kanpiang, ator, 2001

Nunew Chawarin Perdpiriyawong, ator e cantor, 2001

Ohm Pawat Chittsawangdee, ator, 2000

Ohm Thitiwat Ritprasert, ator, 1997

Pavel Naret Promphaopun, ator, 1997

Peat Wasuthorn Chaijinda, ator, 1997

Perth Nakhun Screaight, ator e modelo, 1994

Perth Tanapon Sukumpantanasan, ator e cantor, 2001

Pond Naravit Lertratkosum, ator, 2001

Prem Warut Chawalitrujiwong, ator, 1998

Satang Kittiphop Sereevichayasawat, ator, 2001

Sea Tawinan Anukoolprasert, ator, 1999

Seng Wichai Saefant, ator, 1999

Sing Harit Cheewagaroon, ator, 1997

Tay Tawan Vihokratana, ator, 1991

Tonnam Piamchol Dumrongsoontornchai, ator, 1996

Toptap Jirakit Kuariyakul, ator, 1994

Tor Thanapob Leeluttanakajorn, ator, 1994

Tum Warawut Poyim, ator, 1993

Tutor Koraphat Lamnoi, ator e youtuber, 2000

Win Metawin Opas-iamkajorn, ator e cantor, 1999

Winny Thanawin Pholcharoenrat, ator, 2000

Wynn Pawin Kulkaranyawich, ator, 1996

Yim Pharinyakorn Khansawa, ator, 2000

Zee Pruk Panich, ator, 1992

[pis3update]

Happy Blue by concat_plays

"Happy Blue Home is perfect for a growing family! This is a 2 bedroom, 1 bathroom. The decoration is very bright and happy! A huge backyard with potential to host great get togethers and cookouts!

Happy Blue was built to be placed on a corner lot such as 72 Water Lily Lane in Sunset Valley since the driveway is on the backside of the lot.

CC FREE BUILD HOWEVER I USED THE FOLLOWING STORE CONTENT: -Wonderfully Woven Hanging Chair -Happily Hippie Patchwork Pouf -Enchanting Faire Love Seat -Warbling Wind Chimes -Athena's Olive Tree -Faire Wheel Barrow -Solace Snugabunny Deluxe Baby Swing -Potted Orchids Divine -Earth Day Plants -Peter's Safari Mobile -Learn your Sim-E-Zees -Hydrocombo Sink -Year of the Rabbit -String of Inspiration (Wall) -Coffee Tray with Book Accents -Jazz Me Up! Photo Series

Lot Information: 20x30 Lot Price: Unfurnished-$21,211 Furnished-$53,032

...more preview images on MTS"

More Info + Download @MTS.

[lovevalley45]

#fictober24 - day nine

"Is this normal?"

fandom: dc's legends of tomorrow

word count: 815

a/n: just in case it wasn't clear, zee is zari 1.0 and zari is zari 2.0... having characters who are literally the same person from different timelines is so confusing for modern AUs!!

Astra had heard enough about the Tarazis to know she would be in over her head when they invited her to dinner. 

"You'll love them," Behrad told her. "Nate and Zee are great." 

"Right. I'm sure I will." She'd grown up an only child, and certainly not with a pair of twin older sisters who were different in every way - aside from looking eerily identical, that was. Astra had met Zari Tarazi - the Zari Tarazi, influencer and surprisingly easy to get along with - a few times, since she also lived in California. 

But Zee and Nate lived in Seattle, doing whatever a white-hat hacker and historian did to keep themselves busy. Visits from them could be rare, which meant she hadn't yet met the third Tarazi sibling.

That changed tonight. 

As they walked up the steps of Zari's mansion, Astra was more worried than she thought she'd be. What if they hated her on principle? What if Zari had made too many jokes about her being Behrad's sugar mama and they'd think he deserved better?

Behrad knocked on the door before she had too much time to spiral. They barely had to wait before the door swung open to reveal a buff white man with too much hair gel and a giant smile. '

"Nate, buddy!" Behrad opened his arms wide for Nate to give him a hug. 

Astra raised her eyebrows. "Should I be jealous?" 

"Maybe," he admitted, pulling away. "Nate, this is Astra. My girlfriend." The way he grinned, both wide yet sheepish, made her feel all warm inside. "Astra, this is Nate." 

"Hey." Nate held out a hand - thankfully not going in for the hug. "B's told me all about you." 

Astra had also heard a lot about Nate: he had a PhD in history and the random facts up his sleeve to prove it, that he used to be Behrad’s stoner buddy before he moved to be closer to Zee, but most importantly, that he was a giant sweetheart. She didn't doubt that last point as she shook his hand. "It's nice to finally meet you." 

“Ooh, strong handshake,” he said. “Come on in, Zee and Zari are in the kitchen reportedly getting together some snacks for us to munch on while we let B do the real cooking.” 

“Tell me; why didn’t we just host this at my apartment again?” Astra asked, following him inside.  

“Because you hate having company,” Behrad said. 

That was true. It wasn’t that she hated having people in her space, it was - actually, it was exactly that. 

“Better than your place,” Nate teased, with a shrug. 

“Hey, I clean,” he said. “My kitchen is spotless.”

“And your bathroom?” Astra asked. 

Behrad spun on his heel towards the kitchen. “Let’s see how Zee and Zari are doing, shall we?” 

Nate turned to Astra with a conspiratorial grin. “Been that way since we were roommates.” 

She shuddered. “I hope you’ve improved your quality of living since then?” 

“Yeah. Helps when I’m living with the Tarazi sibling who sheds the least.” 

Behrad had beat them to the kitchen by the time they came in, right at the heart of… whatever siblings got up. Zee was sitting on the counter, taking nuts from the snack tray Zari was trying to assemble as their brother puttered around the kitchen. The three of them were too busy to notice Nate and Astra approaching the doorway.

“Seriously, how am I supposed to prep dinner when you’re both all in my space?” Behrad was asking. 

“Don’t mind B, he’s just nervous about us making a good impression on his little girlfriend,” Zari told Zee. “Stop stealing my almonds.” 

“No one else is gonna eat them,” she said. “It’s gonna be fine. We won’t scare her off.” 

Zari pulled the snack tray out of Zee’s reach. “You sure you aren’t going to hit her with the ‘if you hurt my brother, I’ll kill you’ routine?”

She stretched over to try and snag another almond. “I thought you had that covered.” 

Behrad turned from where he had looped an apron over his nice clothes. Astra was momentarily distracted by how hot and domestic he looked in an apron to miss what he was saying, only catching, “...so embarrassing, oh my God.” 

Zee jumped off the counter. “We’re your older sisters. That’s what we do.” 

Zari turned to face him, pinching his cheek. “Yeah, B.” 

“Seriously, guys-” He tried to push Zari away gently, but soon found himself dogpiled by the twins. 

“Is this normal?” Astra whispered to Nate. 

“Totally.” He sized her up. “You an only child?” 

“Yeah.” 

“Me too. It takes some getting used to.” Nate patted her shoulder. “Welcome to the family.” 

As he stepped forward to join in the joshing, Astra smiled to herself. She was definitely in over her head with this bunch. But she found she didn’t mind it too much.

[frogsofdeath]

A few days ago, @tdjulia asked me to share the CC I used on my Total Drama Sims, so I decided to create a masterpost in case anybody else wanted to know! :)

Side note - in-game, some of them may look different, as I did some touching up and editing in photoshop for the final pictures. I'll link everything I used to make them, and I'll also include a downloadable zip with CC I made myself along with some pieces I made some edits to.

The Ferocious Trout

Zee:

Hair - Included in file | Shirt | Shorts | Leg | Socks | Hat

Chase:

Hair | Hoodie - Base Game | Undershirt | Pants | Shoes - Get Famous EP

Priya:

Hair | Shirt | Pants | Shoes - Get to Work EP | Earrings - Base Game

Millie:

Hair | Hairline | Top - Base Game | Jacket - Included in file | Pants | Boots | Earrings

Ripper:

Hair - Cool Kitchen SP | Jersey | Undershirt | Shorts/Pants - Base Game | Socks | Necklace | Facial Hair

Damien:

Hair - Base Game | Jacket/Shirt | Pants - Discover University EP | Shoes - Incheon Arrivals Kit | Socks | Hat | Necklace | Earrings - Base Game | Facial Hair

Scary Girl:

Hair | Dress | Socks - Dream Home Decorator GP | Boots | Gauntlets - Vampires Pack | Choker

Axel:

Hair | Black Tank | White Tank | Pants | Boots | Earrings/Nails

The Frogs of Death

Julia:

Hair | Top | Shorts | Shoes | Necklace - Outdoor Retreat GP

Emma:

Hair | Sweater | Skirt | Shoes

Bowie:

Hair - Included in File (May Need Mesh) | Tops - Included in File | Pants | Shoes - Base Game | Necklace | Earrings - Included in File

Raj:

Hair | Jersey - Included in File | Shorts/Socks - Base Game | Shoes | Side Burns

Wayne:

Hair | Hat | Jersey - Included in File | Shorts | Socks | Boots - Base Game | Facial Hair

MK:

Hair | Shirt | Jacket | Pants | Shoes | Beanie

Nichelle:

Hair | Shirt | Pants - Discover University | Shoes | Earrings - Base Game

Caleb:

Hair | Shirt | Pants - Base Game | Shoes | Necklace

Original/Edited CC- Download

And if anybody wanted them for their game, here are their tray files! - Download

[dearbisexual]

also im stuck on this level

i bought a puzzle game called "inbento" on switch, it's cute

[madaboutmunson]

Again - Part 14

Part 1 | Part 13 | Part 15 | Full list of Again series links

Steddie fic where Steve and Eddie are in their mid 30's and everyone has sort of drifted apart

Notes: This one is over 8K and is quite dialogue heavy.

Taglist: @adaed5 @grtwdsmwhr @swimmingbirdrunningrock @mightbeasleep, @jewellthebooknerd, @fentiibratzz @rvllybllply2014

================================================

Steve takes the decanter tray downstairs, placing it next to the large hi-fi system. He pours two glasses and sits crossed-legged in front of the old box of records. His eyes move over it, and it is devoid of stickers, scratches, and scuffs. Not even his name was on it. It could have belonged to anyone.

When he brought it down from the attic, the only thing wrong with it was the thick layer of dust it had collected. He guesses that's what happens when you must keep any shred of non-curated personality hidden. Lest your father finds out you had one. Steve shakes his head in an attempt to swipe away at the negativity that had no place here tonight and smiles at the secrets carefully hidden by Eddie between the album covers and etched vinyl. Steve wonders if this was something, especially for him, or if Eddie is just the kind of guy to leave cute things like notes around for everyone. He doesn't mean to, but he hopes it is. He hopes to the heavens it's something just for him.

He pulls out The Breakfast Club LP and carefully reaches inside, but this time can't find any paper. He takes the record out, carefully placing it on the record player before inspecting the inside of the album cover again, but there is no note. Maybe it was too much to expect that Eddie had left Steve something in all of them. Admitting defeat, he lifts the arm of the turntable and places it on the record as it crackles into life. The drums hit, and Steve quickly turns it down instinctively with a wince like anyone else was here to disturb with it. He laughs, turns it back up, quietly sings along, and, fuelled by his earlier success, allows himself to have a secret celebratory dance to the music.

Won't you come see about me?

I'll be alone, dancing, you know it baby.

As he spins around, a fully recovered, cleaner, comfier Eddie is smiling happily, leaning in the doorway and looking at him. Steve waves him over and picks up a drink to hand to him. He accepts it with a nod, his other hand draped across his chest, as he sways a little to the music. Maybe he shouldn't read too much into that small line of defence, but he'd be lying to himself if he said it wasn't bothering him.

"Has the great Eddie Munson had a change of heart about music that isn't the heaviest of metal" Steve chuckles into his drink, taking another sip.

Eddie puts his hands up, "Ok, ok, maybe I grew to appreciate other music over time. Anyway, I didn't hate anything that wasn't metal. I just liked metal best."

"I have a confession," Steve says, knocking back his drink with a spin and a grimace at the taste, "I didn't get your notes until today."

"My notes?" Eddie's puzzled eyes follow Steve's as he picks up the Fame album and hands it to him, so he can see for himself, "Oh yeah!" He chuckles, "I remember these." his gentle eyes scan over the retrieved paper before placing it carefully inside the album and turning his attention back to Steve.

"I might have never found them if Zee hadn't mentioned it" Steve smiles and picks up The Breakfast Club sleeve, "Disappointed to find there wasn't one in this one though", and Eddie starts laughing as he trades records with Steve. "How many times did we watch this?"

"Too many times. You're right. There is no note in this one because it's on this one" Eddie stands next to him and shows him next to the track listing is a conversation using the track titles, except there are two sets of handwriting here. Eddie's and Steve's.

Don't You (Forget About Me) Never!!  Too much shared trauma couldn't if I tried!

Waiting For Eddie to stop hogging the fucking joint

Fire In The Twilight A.K.A Steve gets hot rocked.. looking holier than the Virgin Mary. Jokes on you. This is your shirt.

I'm The Dude No I am! You are not! You ruined my favourite shirt with your incompetent smoking! This is not your favourite shirt. It is one of your million Hellfire shirts. It is! I can tell! It had a very sexy person in it once. Fuck off! It did not! I literally just pulled it out of the box!

Heart Too Hot To Hold That is no heart!!! 'Tis a baked potato that Steve microwaved for an hour because he thought it worked like an oven. That was weeks ago! You hadn't eaten anything, again and potatoes don't come with instructions! That was not an excuse to launch it across the trailer park, using a shovel as a catapult! The new neighbours had to get to know me sooner or later. 

Dream Montage Madonna, Kelly LeBrock, Susanna Hoffs, Phoebe Cates, Sigourney Weaver, Pringles, We've just eaten a whole pizza! I'm nervous ok? About what?? You know what? I'm cutting you off. No more "herbs" for you! 

We Are Not Alone Definitely not from the sounds coming from your lounge! Hey it wasn't me who invited over the band. That was you!!

The Reggae

Didn't I Tell You 

Love Theme

“I am not shocked you don't remember this night, Harrington. You were so wasted.” Eddie sets down his glass and goes into storyteller mode, “We’d been watching The Breakfast Club, and you were getting down on yourself about what an asshole you used to be at school and decided you were gonna call people to apologise. I sagely advised you that Wayne might finally get annoyed at his Sunshine Steve if you ran up his phone bill. I managed to placate you with the numbers of the band, and you invited them over for pizza and drinks, and you’d pay for whatever they wanted out of my stash. So naturally, they raced over, but you were apologising and explaining how much you had changed for so long that they smoked themselves to sleep by the time the pizza arrived, so I snuck it, you and the music into my room. You decided that talking was too loud, and we might wake your new best friends, so you wrote on the album.” Eddie smiles at it and then at Steve.

Steve’s eyes widen with embarrassment, and he thinks about pouring himself another drink when he notices something. The last three songs have nothing written next to them, "We must have passed out around this point" Steve laughs in the hopes it and the alcohol would wash away his awkwardness.

"Hmmm, one of us did, and one of us might have had his head full of stupid watching the other one sleep" Eddie grins, takes Steve's finger, and traces it next to Didn't I Tell You. Steve feels the slight indentation in the card and quickly holds it at an angle to the nearest light to make out what it says. There was definitely an L, maybe three Ls. He grumbles in frustration as Eddie looks on, amused. Steve rustles through the kids’ arts and crafts drawers and finds a crayon and a scrap of paper. He holds the paper still and rubs the crayon over it until the letters appear on the paper I.L.Y.

"Are you kidding me??!! So this was there the entire time?" Steve is beside himself, holding up the wax-covered piece of paper to Eddie, whose laughter is getting louder. "Eddie, this is not funny."

"Oh, it is. You're trying to imply that if at some point you had found those letters that, not only would you have understood them, but that it would have changed anything" Eddie is teasing him, but from his smile, Steve knows there is no malice in it. "Also, the fact that Zee found the notes before you did is prime oblivious-Steve behaviour." He walks over to Steve again and embraces him, "It's a good thing you're so pretty", he chuckles. Steve pokes him in the ribs pretending to be annoyed, but he's too busy enjoying being in his arms for a moment though something does eventually cross his mind with the mention of Zee. He drinks the remainder of the harsh bourbon in his glass with a wince.

"God, this stuff is disgusting. Wanna switch to something nicer? I'll save this for my nightmares" Steve grimaces, looking at Eddie, who, in turn, drains his glass and nods enthusiastically. Steve twists a few things on the globe in the corner, and it opens up, "A single malt a little older than us", He offers and pours them both a drink in fresh tumblers. Eddie takes a sip and makes an approving noise, so Steve takes that as his queue to ask.

"So I was thinking about something…more, you know, hypothetically." He waves his hand around in the air in as easy breezy a way that he can. "That if you and I continue to date, and say Morgan and Zee date. Isn't that gonna be kinda…weird?"

"Why would that be weird?" Eddie asks, confused, and Steve mirrors his confused face back.

"Why wouldn' that be weird?" Steve asks in return, slurring his words a little.

They are both in a stalemate of narrowing their eyes at one another.

"How about this," Eddie says, swilling the drink around in his glass before taking another gulp of it, "You tell me why you think it's weird, and I can agree or disagree," Steve thinks it's pretty apparent why this would be a peculiar situation, especially seeing as the whole of Steve's being has no intention of letting Eddie go ever again.

"Well, for starters, what if one of the pairs were to break up? We'd all still have to see one another, right?" Steve says.

"Ok, what the hell, man?! This is your starter question?? We, not two hours ago, kissed for the first time, and you are thinking about breaking up already? What is wrong- you know what," Eddie says with a hand on his hip before looking into his glass and taking another sip, muttering to himself, "Gods, this is good. Anyway, in answer to your question, the little hellions will just have to suck it up. I'll fight them." 

"You'll fight the kids?" Steve coughs out a laugh as he almost chokes on his drink.

Eddie rolls his head around dramatically. "Steve Heather Morton Aragorn Harrington, I have been waiting for you to be mine forever, and I will fight anyone who tries to take this from me. Including but not limited to you, kids, humans, animals, minerals, vegetables, any other inanimate objects, strange old wizards from other dimensions, whole tiny towns that live on a speck, giant world-eating overlord space beings, gods or the devil himself. The manner of the fight may differ depending on my opponent, but the result will be the same: I win or die trying." He smiles crookedly at Steve, "It's too late for you now, Steve. You're mine" he makes a silly, creepy gesture with his hands, finishes his drink and holds his glass out for a refill. Steve obliges, still laughing at Eddie's list of opponents. "I can't believe you wouldn't fight kids for me, Steve. At least I know where the line is."

"Ok, ok, maybe I'm approaching this too negatively. So say, I dunno, we get married." Steve shrugs up his shoulder, raising his hands in the air.

"Ok, uh huh, keep talking. I'm liking this scenario better. So we would have pyros, right?" Eddie asks with wide eyes imitating explosions with his free hand.

"What? Sure, whatever you want, but what I was getting at is-" Steve tries again.

"One of those many-tiered cakes that are actually all made out of a hundred different flavours of cupcakes?" Eddie indicates with his hands that when he says many-tiered, he means something over six feet high.

"I mean ok, but-" Steve agrees to the cupcake mountain and attempts to continue, explaining his potential issue.

"Corroded Coffin could play, right? Or maybe we could perform together for the guests?" Eddie leans in towards him, excitedly humming a tune.

"Of course. I think we're getting a little off-topic here."  Steve pulls on the reins of the conversation, trying to reel it back into where it started.

"Beans could be the ring bearer. She is probably more reliable than any human." He gets excited, clicking his fingers, and points at Steve, "And we could dress her up like a little hobbit? In a doggy waistcoat?"

"Yep, definitely not on topic" He tries walking closer to Eddie to capture his attention, and it seems to work, but Steve is distracted for a moment looking at Eddie's enthusiastic smile. Wow, ok, he has to remind himself they are both very merry in the way of drinking. He takes a deep breath and softens his speech. "If we did all that and got married," he bites his lips together to hide the enormous smile threatening to break across his face, " my point being Zee and Morgan would be step-siblings. That would be weird for them to date one another, right?"

"Yeah, that would be weird, Steve," Eddie replies, and Steve's heart sinks a little. He knows he was trying to make this point, but he wishes so badly he didn't have to. He couldn't put his own happiness before the happiness of his daughter. No way! But as Steve is figuring out a convoluted plan whereby they can wait, and Zee and Morgan probably wouldn't last forever, Eddie interrupts his plotting with, "if it was possible, which it is not."

"What do you mean it's not possible? Ok, civil partnership, domestic partnership, whatever it's called, then" Steve waves his hands around, trying to find the correct term. 

"No, Steve, Morgan isn't my kid." Eddie looks straight at Steve and says seriously.

"What do you mean?" Steve asks, looking right back at Eddie in confusion.

"Well, Steve, with two of your own, I didn't think I'd have to explain this, but when two people love one another very much…." Eddie chuckles.

Steve's thoughts are completely scrambled. Why was this so funny to Eddie. He tries to grab a loose thread. "So, hold on, do you mean you aren't his biological father?"

"Yes. I just said he's not my kid. You got any snacks?" Eddie repeats with a laugh wandering towards the kitchen, but Steve pulls him back.

"Wait, so you're his stepdad?"

"No, Steve. He's not my kid. I keep telling you that."

"But you said about Alice…."

"Yeah, not my doing either. Believe me, I tried. It's kinda how I found out she was cheating on me." Eddie says with an awkward half-shrug.

"What do you mean? What do you mean you tried?" And as the questions leave his mouth, he immediately wishes he could eat his words back up and choke on them. In realisation, Steve slowly closes his eyes, and his heart crumbles for Eddie.

"I can't have kids" Eddie's eyes meet Steve’s as he reopens them. It feels like a heavyweight boxer just thudded Steve right in the gut and right in the middle of his chest, rendering him speechless." I thought it might be because of the bites and stuff from The Upside Down, but then you walked into that library with two kids that were very obviously yours" he lifts his head and grins at Steve, "definitely little Harringtons." Steve returns a weak conflicted smile. He can't even imagine how a five-minute conversation between them in a library, which had no consequence to Steve other than being over the moon to see Eddie, must have flipped Eddie's understanding of things entirely on its head.

"I am so sorry, Eddie. I shouldn't have pried. I just didn't understand." Steve profusely apologises.

"Hey, look, it's ok. Clearly, there are some crossed wires here. Let me explain. So it's all out in the open. Yeah, it sucks, but it's not a new thing." He waves Steve towards the sofas and pours them another drink each, gesturing for Steve to sit down as he paces and tells his tale, "Just so you know, I've dealt with it and made my peace with it, and I understand it doesn't make me less than a human being because I can't. It's just something I can't do, and that's ok." He smiles at Steve, who is presently dying inside and resisting the urge to grab hold of Eddie to comfort him. "So, like I explained, I was trying to rush things with Alice to get stuck, and stupidly I thought pregnancy was a key objective. I know what a scumbag I sound like. I'm just gonna put it all out there, ok. So brace yourself for unpleasant Eddie because he's a strong factor in this first act," Eddie says, taking a sip of his drink and continues pacing back and forth, animating the words of his story as he does so.

"Well, it didn't happen, and she thought it was her and was understandably getting upset about it. So I saved up and saw a specialist, and it turned out it was me. At the same time, I found out about you and Jenny." Steve uncomfortably grimaces, he doesn't regret his past with Jenny, but he is very conscious now of how that made Eddie feel and act out. "Don't pull that face. Not your fault. I'm just telling you what happened. Went a bit wild on the ol' drink and other recreational substances to ignore my feelings about everything. Never did get around to telling Alice it was my fault we couldn't have kids because we stopped trying." Eddie takes another sip of his drink and spins on his heel with his finger in the air. "Well, what I mean is I didn't want to be intimate with her anymore because there was no point. I know that makes me sound like a supreme asshole, but honestly, at the time, I was one.” Eddie says it so matter-of-factly Steve can barely believe it.

 “Then one day, she walks in with this test, and she's all excited, and I think, man, a miracle, finally, maybe this isn't what I wanted, but I could make a go of this. Except it wasn't. It couldn't have been. I hadn't touched her in months, but being the genius I am, I was like, oh, something must have happened when I was wasted. What a moron." He rolls his eyes at himself. "Until one day, she completely loses her shit at me, rightly, I might add, because whilst I'm cleaning myself up, I'm still not the greatest conversationalist and absolutely do not want to be anywhere near her in case I fuck something up with the baby. Anyway, she's pissed and spills the beans about her affair, but I'm a cold, cruel, heartless bastard at this point, and I just say I suspected as much. I didn't know how long it had been going on. In my gut, I knew this couldn't be my kid, but with no proof, there is always a maybe, right? She throws everything in the apartment at me until I leave. I wait on the stoop, trying to decide to stay or run, my stuff is cascading out of the window, and some guy walks past me not ten minutes later and goes straight up there. He doesn't even know who I am. I wait for him to leave, and having had a while to think about it, I go up and calmly ask her what she wants to do. She is adamant the kid is mine, I'm not buying it, but I'm not just gonna leave her, right? I stay, but I'm still a complete dick. She rightly kicks me out after a month. Shacks up with the other guy. I agree to support her, paying for whatever she needs. Once it's possible we get the test done, the kid isn't mine. That's that in regards to Alice." Eddie stops pacing a moment and does a quick look to check in with Steve, who nods for him to continue. Eddie tops up his glass and offers to do the same to Steve's, but he shakes his head. He wants to listen.

"Morgan, ok." Eddie's sweet half-smile appears, " So he is Gareth's kid, remember him? Drummer in my old band?" Eddie says as he air drums before picking up his drink and resumes his walk and talk, " He gets a message a few days after he graduates from a girl he knew that had disappeared from school a year or so before. She tells him he was the father to her child, and she’d had to run away to her brother’s place in Canada for the last few years. She said she was fine, and so was the baby. They didn't need anything. She simply thought it would be the right thing to let him know. Gareth is understandably shocked to his core. He had no idea. He takes her number and calls me like I fucking know what to do." Eddie laughs and shakes his head," We’re talking, and he says he doesn't know what he should do, and I say what do you want to do, and he says I don't know, but I don’t want my kid to think I didn't want them when I didn't know about them. So I’m like, talk it over with this girl, and if you wanna go. I’ll take you. Like, Gareth can drive just fine, but I knew he’d be in bits the whole way there and back." Eddie swills his drink in his glass.

"We get there and are greeted by this family of giants. I mean, all of them were pretty or handsome, gorgeous family, just hella tall and broad too. Anyway, I'm sitting beside Gareth in this goddamn lumber storage thing, surrounded by Annie and her siblings. They’re repeating the same thing. The kid is fine and happy. Annie doesn't want to get tied into a marriage for the sake of it. Gareth can’t get a word in, and I can feel him trying and getting more wound up. You don't know him well, but I knew it would be a pretty shitty first impression if he lost his cool. So, you know me, I gotta interrupt. So I foolishly tell everyone to shut up. Which, surprisingly, they do, and I just remind them that, yes, this might have been an accident, but Gareth only found out about this a few days ago, and whilst I agree a man doesn't get to tell a woman what to do with her body, he’s not a bad dude, doesn't he at least get to meet his kid before we make some forever decisions. I think I’m seconds from being thrown into a chipper, but they are all really fucking nice about it, apologise to Gareth, and Annie goes to get Morgan." A big grin spreads across Eddie's face, his eyes bright with exhilaration at this recalled memory.

'I swear, Steve, I have seen many different facial reactions to a great many things, but I will never forget when she put this little chubby dude on the ground in his little flannel shirt, dungarees and deer stalker hat too big for his head covering his ears, from the cold. The hat slides down, and this kid," Eddie chuckles fondly and acts out a toddler walk, "he can't see where he's going, right? Waddles over towards us pushes up his hat, and locks eyes with his Daddy" Eddie's hands clutch together at the centre of his chest, making the bourbon swish dangerously close to the lip of the tumbler, "Gareth’s eyes immediately just well up with this massive smile on his face and he turned to look right at me, and I knew he was all in. He asks to hold him, and he’s wriggly, but he’s fascinated by the pins and studs on Gareth’s vest. Then Gareth asks, well, pretty much begs to be a part of this, even if Annie doesn't want him as a partner. They let Gareth visit. I do the chauffeuring still because he tried once alone and was a complete mess on the way there and back. He had to keep pulling over. He called me several times! Anyway, one day, we’re sitting up in a cabin in the fucking wilderness, freezing our goddamn asses off, and Annie goes out for a smoke, and Gareth is just like, dude, watch my boy. I’ll be right back. I just wanna talk to Annie. I don't even get a chance to respond before he rushes out." Eddie pantomimes out panic and horror around the living room " I’m sitting there on my fucking own, staring at this sleeping kid and praying to all the gods he does not wake up. After about five minutes, I go to check where the fuck they are, and you know what, babe, I’m gonna do you a solid and not tell you what I saw because I’ll never be able to unsee it, needless to say, they would not be accessible to me for some time. So the kid wakes up, and I’m panicking because if he cries, it's gonna ruin their moment, so I scoop him into this bouncy chair thing I know he likes, and I’m trying to remember a drum pattern for Run to the Hills by Iron Maiden. I’m using his bouncy chair as the foot pedal and air drumming. He’s laughing, and then the little shit grabs onto my hair. I can’t upset him because he’ll scream the place down, so I’m just there, air drumming and losing fistfuls of hair to this kid. They eventually come back and save me from premature baldness with their news of getting back together, and the rest is kind of history." Eddie shrugs.

"So I'm not Morgan’s Father. I’m his Godfather.” Eddie says with a quick Don Corleone impersonation. “I wasn't much of one at some points, but I'm making up for it these last five years or so. I have him over the summer, it's like a touring D&D holiday, and Morgan still seems to like that. Gareth's a trucker, so his hours are weird to get the big bucks, and that doesn't stop over the holidays. His Mom used to take summers off to spend with Morgan, quit her job, and get a new one after, but it became increasingly difficult for job availability and money to do that. Once I was home and working on my business, I offered to help out, so we have our summers together, but um yeah, not sure how many more cool Uncle Eddie years I have left," he shrugs. "So, it's not a problem, Steve. Not an issue for any of your weird scenarios." Eddie smiles at Steve and leans against the fireplace raising his glass.

"I'm sorry for bringing all that up, Eddie. Just because I'm too fucking dumb to put pieces together myself." Steve self-reprimands because, although these things are important to know, he knows he's opened old wounds on Eddie. He is more than familiar with the whole,  smile bigger, so they're so dazzled they can't see the pain.

"Hey! You are not dumb! I didn't advertise it, and it was kinda nice to think that you thought me capable of that, honestly. Besides, it doesn't hurt anymore. Like I said, I'm ok with it. Even more so today," he beams at Steve, "because I'm right where I'm supposed to be."

"I know it's irrelevant, but the way you are with all the kids. Not just the three now, but the kids in hellfire too. I think you would be really good at it, or at the very least, you'd try, and frankly, that's more than some parents do." Steve tries to offer up a peace offering of a compliment. A genuine one.

"Would be? You mean would've been," Eddie corrects, but it's way too late. Steve's head is already full of Eddie pacing around the living room, babe in arms, gently crooning some song about dragons or demons.

"Yeah…but also…would be, I think," Steve says at the floor with a quick glance at Eddie.

"Ok, that's quite enough! You don't get to pull this stuff on me all evening. You had your surprise kiss over the table, and you're King Steve moment out there. Now you're suggesting getting me in the family way, Steve? Now I thought, you said no funny business?" Steve can see the shield of Eddie's humour being wielded and backs off a little.

"Technically, I said the sleepover would have no funny business! Besides, it's nice to get to fluster you for a change," Steve laughs and plays along so Eddie is back in his comfort zone.

"You think I'm flustered by all of this?" Eddie scoffs.

"Come on. Admit it. I one hundred per cent got you in the restaurant and out there." Steve playfully pokes with teasing, hopefully reeling Eddie back in.

"I will give you your props for out there, you got me, but in my defence, that was something I had been waiting nearly half my life for, but the restaurant? No way, that was an ambush. You caught me by surprise. I mean, I enjoyed it once I realised it was actually real and not a daydream." Eddie makes an admission that Steve can't resist clutching at. 

"So you daydream about me?" Steve tries to say in his smoothest King Steve voice with a raised eyebrow.

"Alright, enough!" Eddie shouts, waving his hands around, and Steve chuckles at his animated display. "What were we doing? Music and drinking, right? So what has Steve Harrington been listening to since the eighties?" 

"Just this and that, radio mostly, whatever the kids or Jenny listened to" Eddie eyes him curiously

"And those weeks when you're alone, what then?" Eddie tilts his head, running the back of his fingers down part of Steve's t-shirt, and the alone holds a weight that Steve doesn't know if Eddie intended, and it makes his brain drift dangerously into things he shouldn't be thinking about right now.

"I dunno, really," Steve replies, and clearly, the lack of information isn't entirely displeasing to Eddie, that glint in his eyes that he quickly covers over with a false annoyance.

"Point me at your CDs, Steve. Jesus, I'll find it myself" Clearly, he'd merely been waiting for the excuse to delve into Steve's things. 

"So let's play the game, shall we? You're an alphabetiser, which I appreciate, but you have kids, which means that they do not put things back where they should, so…" he opens the cd player and takes out a cd, reads it, shakes his head and finds the case. "this is not yours, but…" he opens the case swaps the discs over "also not this one" Disc placed on his finger he scans the cd racks for its home "aha!" He quickly switches the discs over and reads the new one over. "A single…interesting…you always seemed like an album, man, to me."

"I generally am a soundtrack, compilation album type, except for a few albums. The story ones…er…" The word completely escapes Steve because he's too busy enjoying watching Eddie figure him out. He really was at his cutest when solving a mystery, and Steve would gladly remain an enigma the rest of his life if it meant he could see those little wrinkles of concentration, the flashes of inspiration, and the funny little mannerisms every day from here on out.

Eddie beams over at him, "Concept albums. Very interesting, we'll circle back to that" he presses play on the CD player and pretends to strum along to the song as the woman's voice pours out of the speakers, and Steve gives him a big grin and points with his drink holding hand at Eddie as he lip-syncs along.

Twenty-five years and my life is still

Trying to get up that great big hill of hope

For a destination

"Oh yeah, this one, I’d hear it on the school run often, and I dunno, I just liked shouting along with them. So I got a copy. Because, as you’ve probably realised by now, I have very little idea of what's going on," Steve shouts over the music.

"Oh really? Let's hear you then, Harrington," Eddie says excitedly, making Steve duck his head away.

"Nah, I'm not a singer," He waves his hand away from himself and notes he is very much starting to feel the effects of the liquor in the fuzziness of his limbs now.

"Come on, for me? Please?" Eddie clutches his hands and drink together at his chest, begging, "I wanna hear you let loose, Steve. I've missed it." How does he make his eyes so big like that? As if he's straight out of a Disney movie. Steve tries his best to stay on planet earth and tilts his head.

"Missed it?" Is all he can string together.

"Sure, some nights maybe I'd make sure I didn't get wasted as quickly as you. Fill my beer bottle or can with water so I could see. Sneaky of me, I know," Eddie says bashfully, "but it was kinda worth it" he looks adoringly at Steve, "I'd wonder if it was something you only saved for like special friends or girlfriends and when I got to see it made me feel special, you know?"

"Why?" Steve laughs a little when he asks. He'd only ever really been used to having his silliness reprimanded or shamed, friendly or otherwise.

"Because you look so beautiful when you feel free. You're handsome 24/7, but it's not like that." Eddie says it like it's nothing, but it sends a wave of heat to Steve's cheeks, "It's like you radiate, like a fucking star exploding, and I just wanted to be that crumbly piece of asteroid that was lucky enough to get swept up in it occasionally" Steve realises something and starts laughing really hard, doubling over, "What's so funny?" Eddie is trying to speak, but he's been caught by the giggles too, "I dunno, I'm pouring my heart out here, and you're laughing at me? This is very un-kingly behaviour," he says with a smile. Finally, Steve manages to catch his breath and straightens up.

"I was laughing because that's how it feels being around you all the time. You're like this huge energy. Impossible to resist and impossible not to get swept up in." Steve spins around with his arms out, acting out his own orbit, only to stop when his eyes get caught by and lock onto Eddie's sparkling and creased with happiness. "Sometimes I feel like there is nothing I can't do when I'm next to you. You're an act of God, Eddie Munson." He hears the words like they aren't his own and thinks they probably sound stupid, but he does mean them. There is no way Eddie was simply made like every other human on the planet. The thought of doing something dumb right now pulls his eyes from Eddie's, like they've realised they aren't worthy of looking into them for so long. "Even now, how you talk inspires me to say more and be more…er…descriptive. But it's all the time with you, Eddie. I didn't let go just because I was drunk. I let go because I was with you. You make me feel safe to be me. Well, you know when I'm not nervous as hell around you because you're so…well, you know" The powers of descriptiveness leave him as his mind gets swamped with how exquisitely stunning Eddie is.

Steve looks up to check he hasn't blown it, sees Eddie swallow, and his eyes look tear brimmed, "Hey, no. No way. No more of those" Steve puts his drink down and rushes over, frowning at Eddie, pointing at each of his eyes in turn, reprimanding them, making Eddie laugh and blink them away. "Ok, good, now I don't want to have to tell you again, alright? Now, where was I? Oh yeah!" Steve launches loudly into the song, and Eddie joins in with him, yelling at the top of their lungs along with the lyrics.

A few times, Steve looks over at Eddie, and he feels that something, that forbidden big scary thing, that you have to wait for, so he pushes it down and just smiles it away. Then a few times, he's almost jealous of Eddie. How many of these times he remembers that Steve can't.

Steve turns to Eddie a few songs and drinks later, "You wanna know a secret?" Steve giggles, and Eddie nods happily, "You're my first sleepover here," Steve says with a laugh and cutely covers his mouth with his fingers.

"Huh, really?" Eddie says, knocking back his drink, "guess that makes me mighty special then, don't it?" Steve stops dead, mouth open in surprise, and he's pointing at Eddie's face, "What is it?"

"You let your old accent out," Steve says, and it almost surprises himself. He isn't sure how he knows that.

"Well, if ever there was a sign to call it a night, that was it. Can't let lil' ol' country bumpkin Eddie back out, now can we, darlin'? No accountin' on if we'd ever get him to go back into hidin’," Eddie drawls in parts, and he knows he's hamming it up a little now. Steve consciously slows his movement down, trying to not make it so obvious how nervous and excited he is about this next part, he places his glass on the nearest coaster, and his brain repeats the question around in his head so quickly it starts to overlap itself and become a jumble of words, but he manages to wrangle them together.

"Do you, um, want your own room?" Steve starts, but the anticipation of the answer makes his heart pound so hard he keeps babbling, "There is a guest room already set up down the hall upstairs, so it's no extra work. I think I changed the bedding Friday, yeah, Friday, because I did everyones at the same time. It can be quite a workout, can't it changing all the sheets and stuff. I should teach the kids how to do it themselves, shouldn't I?" Eddie reaches out to touch his arms softly with a small laugh and catches Steve's avoidant eyes to make them still and focus on him.

"Or?" Eddie says with a slight raise of an eyebrow.

"Or you can sleep with me. I mean, next to me. Sorry, I mean," Steve laughs at his own floundering, and Eddie simply smiles and waits, "Or you can sleep in the same room or bed as me. That's what I mean," Steve finally manages. He can hear his own pulse in his head. His heart is beating so hard. It's weird because Steve has made it very clear that this evening wasn't going to end the way many of his dates usually did, but that's not what he's been so excited about anyway. There is something he's been wondering about. The way he holds people sometimes. His arms instinctively reach a certain way, but it's never quite right, so he readjusts to suit. He wonders if this is the Cinderella moment or if he'd even get to try tonight.

"I'd like that, please. I'd like to sleep in the same bed as you." Eddie says kindly and takes his hand. Steve sighs mainly to let out the breath he is holding and sends him a crooked half-smile back. They do a quick sweep of everywhere, making sure everything is locked up safely, and then ascend the stairs. Steve is sure walking up these stairs has never felt longer or more arduous, but they finally get to the top, and Steve opens the door for Eddie, letting him through first.

"So, um, you've been in here before, but the bathroom is over there, closets over there if you want something else to sleep in," Steve says as he walks round to his side of the bed and sits on it with his back to Eddie.

"Steve? What are you doing?" Eddie chuckles.

"I dunno, actually." Steve starts laughing also, "I guess I wasn't trying to make you feel, um, uncomfortable. You know, if I looked at you whilst you were getting undressed, if you were, I don't know" Steve cringes at his own words spilling out of his mouth.

"You think I look like this for my health, Steve? You think I work out because I enjoy it?" Eddie laughs a little more, "I'd like it if you looked at me, if you wanted to, that is, for as long as you wanted." Steve looks over his shoulder back at Eddie, who has his arms folded and his head tilted, waiting for Steve to respond.

"Sorry, I don't know why I'm so nervous. My heart is racing, and I feel like I don't know where to look or what to do." He laughs and shakes his head, "I feel ridiculous. I'm sorry, Eddie" Steve feels the bed dip behind him, and soon enough, Eddie's legs appear on either side of his own. The warmth of his body against Steve's back immediately makes him take a deep breath and some of the tension in his back releases. Eddie's arms wrap around his upper arms, squeezing him tightly as his chin rests perfectly over Steve's shoulder.

"I've had a lot to drink, as have you, so I don't have the mental capacity to figure out the why." He utters calmly as he plays gently with Steve's hair, "but I can tell you, you've got nothing to worry about. If my being in here is too much. I don't mind sleeping in another room. Not if it helps." Steve lets himself lean backwards into Eddie a little more. "There have been a buncha firsts for us today, and things maybe you're still trying to process. I know I still won't be getting over some of this for days" he laughs softly, and Steve instinctively leans his head against Eddie's.

"Don't want you to stay in another room", Steve finally says, slurring a little, "Jus’ don't want to mess anything up, or either of us do something we regret. I just want to do everything right so it's perfect. You deserve it. No more struggling now. No more half-assed anything for you, Eddie. You get everything you want, and I wanna be the guy who makes that happen. I wanna be the guy who chases your dark clouds away. Me. I wanna be the guy who makes you stay when you wanna run. But how can I be that guy if I can't even work out when it's ok to look at you? I feel like I know where I wanna be, but I have no idea how to get there. Is that totally stupid?"

"Oh, sweetheart", Eddie snuggles Steve closely and plants a kiss on his head, "For a Jock, you think way too much." That pulls a small laugh from them both, and Eddie nuzzles into his hair. "Everything is already perfect because you're here with me, ok? I don't need things. I just want you." He squeezes Steve in his strong arms, "And if we make mistakes, we'll give one another room to fix them, but just talk to me, ok. Sure, I might be a dick and laugh initially, and sometimes it might be difficult to get a word in edgewise, but I'd never leave you worried or hurting again." Eddie pauses with a sigh, "So are you gonna gawp at me now, or what? Because I have to tell ya I worked hard on all this today, one hundred sit-ups. I'd do more, but it's as high as I can count" Steve rolls his eyes and nudges him with his elbow.

"Well, I guess. I could. For you, obviously," Steve jokes.

Eddie slinks back off the bed, and Steve turns himself around to watch him. Eddie isn't making a show of anything. He's undressing like Steve isn't even there until he's down to his underwear and jewellery and smiles at Steve before getting under the covers like he'd done it a thousand times. Steve stands up and does the same whilst Eddie watches. He tells himself it's probably the alcohol, but he can’t remember anyone staring at him like Eddie is, this side of twenty-one. He then gets into bed, leaving a respectful space between them.

"Goodnight, Steve," Eddie says, giving him a peck on the cheek before turning away from Steve on his side.

"Goodnight, Eddie," Steve says softly, leaning over to kiss his shoulder before laying back on his side of the bed, smiling happily at the ceiling.

A thought pops into his brain. Steve knows that his arm will be numb in less than an hour, and maybe he'd regret that, but he has no idea what tomorrow holds, so he asks.

"Um, Eddie, can I…." Steve asks a little nervously. He keeps reminding himself he's in his mid-thirties and not some bumbling teen. In some ways, he feels like as a teen, he probably had more confidence than he does right now, but he knew that was because of the person next to him, not just anyone inspired this heart-pounding adrenaline in him, and if it were anyone else, it probably wouldn't feel so urgent to hold them.

"Uh, yeah, I'd like that", Eddie answers quickly. Almost like he's been waiting. Eddie props himself up on his elbow, making a little space between himself and the sheets. Then, with a face-splitting smile, Steve pushes his arm through the gap and reaches across Eddie's chest, and his hand finds its resting spot. The heel of his palm in the centre of Eddie's chest, his fingers stretching over his scars and tattoo. Steve's other arm snakes around Eddie's waist, and that hand smooths across his stomach to find its landing pad of the scar on his side. It was like his hands had found their respective homes. It was a perfect fit.

"That ok?" Steve checks he's not overstepping. 

"Well, um, how can I…." Eddie shakes his head with a small laugh, "It's a little loose for my liking."

"Oh," Steve says, a little surprised, and he feels the heat in his face and yet again curses his awkwardness at this age. He tightens his arms around Eddie like a King Snake would crush its prey, releasing a minute amount to end up in a snug hold. Eddie's back is pressed against Steve's chest, so he easily hears the air as it gets taken out of him with an oof and shortly after feels a happy hum from Eddie, whose arms now map over his own. 

"That's the stuff," Eddie sleepily mumbles. Steve couldn't agree more. That felt good. It felt mostly right, but something was missing that he couldn't quite remember.

Steve carefully shifts his hips away from him, to let Eddie know he isn't going back on his word, especially after they'd both been drinking so much. If they did get that far, Steve didn't want to forget a second of it and wouldn't want either of them to regret it. He inhales that new leathery fragrance from Eddie's skin, sending him hazily nuzzling forwards into his hair to inhale deeper. Eddie moves in his arms with his silent laughter.

"Such a gentleman, Steve", Eddie chuckles in the dark, "I know you wouldn't. You're good." 

"But what if…." Steve starts before he's abruptly cut off by Eddie's hand reaching back to grab the back of his thigh. He gives it a squeeze and an impressed noise of approval before Steve gives him a pinch on the side, making them both laugh and Eddie's hand stills.

"I get it. I do, but you and I both know something is missing here, so either you can let me remind you, or we can lie here waiting for you to figure it out for the next hour. No offence meant. I just know your memories are a little fuzzy, honey." Eddie says through a few gentle laughs. His other hand strokes across Steve's forearm, "And if it makes you feel weird about it, we can just retcon it, ok?" He says kindly, "You know, for all my forwardness, I don't wanna make you uncomfortable either."

"Retcon?" Steve tilts his head in confusion.

"Retroactively revising the continuity. We'll rewind like it didn't happen and say something else did." Eddie explains, and Steve can hear the smile in his voice.

"Ok, retcon. Yeah, that sounds like a good option," he agrees and feels much more at ease with this new avenue. He nuzzles the tip of his nose against the back of Eddie's neck, "Go for it". Steve feels Eddie move slightly in his arms before he hears him exhale, and his hand moves down Steve's thigh until it hooks under his knee. Eddie pulls upwards until Steve's leg is draped over his hip in a quick sudden movement.

"How's that? Good? Uncomfortable?" Eddie asks gently, his hand resting on Steve's leg.

Suddenly under Steve's fingertips, he feels the textured cotton of gauze and bandage, and a medicinal aroma fills his senses. Eddie's guitar on the wall, posters, empties, and moonlight streaming through the window lighting up their arms on top of the comforter, Eddie's hair spilling over them. Then, before he can get pulled too far in, he feels a pinch on his arm.

"Hey, come back. Are you ok?" Eddie asks, turning his head to the ceiling, straining to look at Steve in his peripheral vision. Steve responds with a loud laugh that really had no place in this tender moment, but he can't help it as more things start opening up in his mind, like Christmas but for memories, and he squeezes Eddie tightly with gratitude.

"Nightmare nuker", Steve manages to say with a laugh, "That's what we called this…er…this arrangement" Steve laughs.

Eddie laces his fingers with Steve's hand on his chest, "That's it! You remember!" He says excitedly, "Can't believe I got away with it, honestly" he laughs.

"My memory is new, but I certainly got the impression I thought I was getting away with it!" Steve chuckles, snuggling into Eddie's hair, "What a pair of dinguses" he smiles against his skin, "Did you ever return the favour, or were you always the little spoon? My memory was like how we are now" Eddie scoffs out a laugh in disbelief.

"Au contraire, I was very rarely the snuggle-ee. You blamed it on my hair, so I'd tie it up, and you said it didn't make any difference, but I think we both know that was complete bullshit, right?" Steve nods against his back with a fit of mischievous giggles brewing. "Thought so," Eddie says with a yawn. "Now, if you could just sing me to sleep, that would be great."

The surprise stops Steve's laughter dead, "Sing? Ok, now I know you're ribbing me. We talked about this earlier. I'm not a singer." Eddie's interlaced fingers squeeze Steve's.

"I'm not, I swear. It's not the same as normal singing. It's lullaby singing. We tried so many different things to help us get back to sleep." he yawns again.

"What did I sing?" Steve asks, suddenly wide awake at this revelation. His mind races about what other things they'd tried that he doesn't remember.

"Oh, all sorts of things. Chart stuff, old stuff, sometimes something heavy if I gave you the lyrics, but reading in the dark sometimes you'd make up your own, TV Themes, but also commercials and jingles." he replies in a mumble, "Honestly, the song choice was the least important bit…I just liked to hear you sing to me. Your singing voice is very gentle, like soft fluffy clouds, you know?" he adds fondly, making Steve's heart swell. Finally, he could do something that helped the person he loved. Steve's brain, for a moment, will only give him the Slinky jingle, but then something else appears, and he leans near Eddie's ear so he can sing softly in a whisper.

Golden slumbers fill your eyes

Smiles awake you when you rise

Sleep, pretty darling

Do not cry

And I will sing a lullaby

As Steve finishes singing the short Beatles track, he feels Eddie's full weight against him. He is fast asleep. Just like that. Out like a light. He knows that, yes, the drink and events of the evening probably are heavy factors in both of them feeling so tired, but he can't help but feel pride swell inside himself. Steve looks at the ceiling, and for the first time in years, he can't believe he finally might have it all. He whispers a thank you to it before snuggling back against his love and descending into sleep.

[softguarnere]

Like A Girl (Like A Man)

Like A Dream (Like A Plan)

Shifty Powers x OFC

Three: Innocence Retained

Summary: For once in her life, she would like to have done something. But at the same time, she’s just grateful that she doesn’t have to worry about it anymore. The problem got taken care of, no matter who came out of it a hero.

A/N: Another early update because I have no self control and no concept of what day it is anymore! 🤗 The ramps (or wasti) that Zenie refers to near the end of the chapter are a type of wild onion that are popular in the southeast.

Warnings: mentioned animal death

Taglist: @latibvles @liebgotts-lovergirl @mrs-murder-daddy @lieutenant-speirs

North Carolina, 1938

Stars shine brighter on cold nights. Zenie has noticed this several times throughout her life, on nights that she’s spent lying on her side in bed, staring out the window at the dark world on the other side of the glass.

Being out under the stars is different. They look so close that she feels like she could reach up and touch them. It’s a beautiful distraction.

Her hands are cold. Summer nights have a reputation for bringing a chill with them, and this one with its dazzling stars and enormous moon is especially so. But Zenie has to remain vigilant as she watches the chicken coop. Even with the cool ground freezing her legs. Even with the stars calling to her from above. She has to watch and be ready. She readjusts her grip on Matthew’s old rifle and sighs through her nose.

All her vigilance is for nothing. All her practice shooting down old bottles from the fence so that she could defend the chickens against whatever kept leaving pawprints and scratch marks on the door of their coop doesn’t amount to anything.

She trudges back into the house the next morning, sore and cold and exhausted, and with nothing to show. Well, that’s not true – she has the live chickens, but it’s not like she did anything for them. Not really.

Granny is gliding about the kitchen when Zenie comes in through the screen door. She’s got eggs and bacon already on the table, and she immediately pours a cup of coffee that she hands to Zenie with a smile.

“Ma, Zenie shouldn’t have coffee,” Mama says as she removes a tray of fluffy biscuits from the oven. “It makes her all shaky and distracted.”

“You mean more so than usual,” Marilyn quips. She holds out her own mug and kisses Granny on the cheek as she fills it for her. When Zenie sticks her tongue out at her, she returns the gesture before smiling, ever prim and proper, and taking her seat at the table.

“She needs to get warmed up,” Granny insists. “Poor child looks half frozen.”

Zenie tries to sip the coffee. She can’t taste the bitterness of it for how hot it is. “Yeah, and all for nothing. I watched all night, and nothing ever showed up.”

Marilyn passes Zenie the plate with the biscuit that she’s just buttered. “Whatever it is, it’ll probably be back soon.” She gives Zenie that look she always has when she’s teasing – a barely restrained half-smile and eyes that are full of laughter. “Guess you’ll just have to become nocturnal and stay out there every night, Zee. Gosh, I sure will miss seeing you.”

“Ha ha,” Zenie deadpans around a mouthful of biscuit.

The sound of an engine rumbling pulls their attention toward the window. Outside, gravel pops and snaps as a truck pulls up in front of the house.

Conversation ceases as all four of the women in the kitchen immediately make their way over to the door, crowding around to see who gets out of the truck. Mama is already pushing the door open when Zenie’s father calls out from the other room.

“Who is it?” he asks over the sound of the radio. “Who just pulled up?” His chair never creaks, signaling that he’s making no move to get up and come check himself. “Lily, who’s outside?”

The three McGlamery women and their matriarch are already out the door, tuning out his questions the way that they’ve all learned to tune out the sounds of his loud radio broadcasts over the past year. By the time that Dr Dills from next door is shutting the door of his truck behind him, they’re already in the yard, the screen door shut behind them, separating the two worlds.

“Good mornin’!” the doctor chirps.

“Good morning,” they all echo.

Mama steps forward. “It’s nice to see you, Dr Dills. How are you this morning?”

“Oh, I’m fine,” he says with a smile. A big smile that’s a little obscured by the curls of his white beard. Zenie has always liked their neighbor, because he seems to always be in a good mood and seems to mean what he says. He’s sturdy, both in his physical build and his demeanor, and his forearms have tan lines from all his afternoons out in his field. It doesn’t seem likely that he’ll ever just give up and wilt away like some people’s fathers.

“Just wanted to drop in and let y’all know that a fox tried to get into our chicken coop last night,” Dr Dills continues. “Daniel managed to pop him. Don’t think anyone has to worry about that little menace anymore this summer.”

A fox! That’s what’s been trying to get the chickens. And the one night that Zenie had been determined to put a stop to its tricks, it decided to try its luck next door instead.

Well, she tells herself. At least I won’t have to spend another night out in the cold.

“Good,” Marilyn bites her lip and clasps her hands behind her back as she nods. “Good for Danny. He must be pleased.”

Dr Dills laughs, loud and jovial. “Oh, he is! We’re not likely to hear the end of it for the rest of the summer.”

“Thank you for letting us know,” Mama says. Zenie and Marilyn echo her appreciation and Dr Dills smiles.

“No trouble at all. I’ll see y’all later. Take care.” They head back inside when he backs out of the driveway, Zenie’s father’s questions about who was outside punctuating the sounds of tires spitting gravel as their neighbor leaves.   

Mama immediately begins fixing a plate to take to her husband. She pats Zenie on top of the head as she leaves. “Still be careful with the chickens, please. Watch them carefully when you let them out. The fox might not be the only one after them.”

“I will,” Zenie promises. Following them around the yard and catching them when they try to wander too far is nothing compared to sitting on the ground in the cold all night, staring at one fixed spot, waiting for something to happen.

“Darn, I was so looking forward to having my own room,” Marilyn sighs, even though there’s a grin on her face. “Hope you’re pleased with yourself.”

“Oh I am.” She can’t contain her smile. She tries to hide it with her coffee cup when she says in a quiet, sing-song voice that’s supposed to mimic her sister’s, “Danny must be pleased.”

It’s a miracle that Marilyn doesn’t resort to murder then and there – probably only because Granny is about to take her seat on the other side of the table. She does snatch the biscuit out of Zenie’s hand, though, putting it back on her own plate and giving her a sharp look that cannot mask the embarrassment on her face.

There’s a special sense of satisfaction that comes from intentionally upsetting a sibling. If she weren’t already, now Zenie really is pleased.

The smell of moist dirt being turned up is one of the best in the world. It reminds Zenie to enjoy the few months when the earth comes to life and she can enjoy her time away from school, outside and content.

“Oooh, look at these,” Granny says, holding up some of the plumpest ramps that Zenie has ever seen. She tosses them into her basket. “We’ll use those tonight.”

Zenie would have accompanied Granny anywhere this afternoon. She likes spending time with her, and it’s aways nice to get her all to herself. But digging ramps – or wasti, as Granny tells her they’re called in Cherokee – is a real treat, because it gets them away from the house for a bit. In the small patch of woods behind the barn, it’s just the two of them, and Zenie feels like she can speak freely, secrets and thoughts spilling easily from her lips without consequence. They’ll have to go back to the house eventually, but Granny will fry the ramps up with some potatoes, and it will feel like a delicious consolation prize.

With a sigh, Granny sits back on her heels and looks up at the sunlight filtering down through the canopy of trees above them. She sets down her shovel and carefully lowers herself to a seated position. The smile she gives Zenie is warmer than the summer weather.

“Can I ask you something?”

Zenie pauses with her shovel halfway in the ground. It doesn’t sound like she’s in trouble. Still, sometimes her father has started lectures with that sentence, so she can’t be sure.

“Hawa,” she says, partly because she knows it pleases Granny when she makes an effort to speak Tsalagi, and partly because she hopes that might soften the blow of whatever is about to be said.

As if she can read her thoughts, Granny assures her. “You’re not in trouble, I promise.

“I was just thinking about the fox. I know you care about those chickens. You were so determined to protect them. Are you disappointed that Danny Dills got the fox and not you?”

Is she? She’s a little upset that she stayed up all night in the cold and didn’t get to prove herself. She’d like to have something to prove her devotion to the safety of the chickens. For once in her life, she would like to have done something. But at the same time, she’s just grateful that she doesn’t have to worry about it anymore. The problem got taken care of, no matter who came out of it a hero.

“Ayoheli,” she admits. A little.

“Hmmmm.” Granny tilts her head, studying her. After a pause she asks, “Do you think you could have done it though?”

“Done what?”

“Killed the fox. Do you think you could have done it?”

Zenie sets down her shovel and thinks long and hard about it. She’s never killed an animal before. Her father used to take Matthew hunting, back before everything went sour, but even then it was strictly a boy’s activity – no girls allowed. She would like to think that she would have been willing to do it. She can picture squeezing the trigger . . . but she doesn’t know how she would feel after that.

“I think so.”

“You do?”

She reconsiders. “I wouldn’t want to kill one for fun, like when our dad used to take Matthew hunting. But if I had to protect my chickens, I think that I could do it.”

“Hawa.” Granny nods. She shrugs. “I was just curious.”

“Why?”

Her grandmother shrugs again. “You’re an incredibly loyal girl, Zena. I think you would do almost anything for those you care about.” She shifts her weight, leaning closer, like she’s going to tell Zenie a secret. “Just remember to take care of yourself. Sometimes that’s who you really have to stay loyal to.”

Nothing bothers the chicken coop for the rest of the summer. Zenie gets to pass her nights warm under her blankets, safe in her room while they’re safe in their coop. There is no more discussion of foxes and what might have been. Yet some nights when Zenie can’t sleep, she stares out the window and thinks about Granny’s question.

If it really came down to it, could she pull the trigger?

[beccassmiles-blog]

Check out this listing I just found on Poshmark: 🐬🐬PLEASE RE-LIKE/LIKE THIS TO BE NOTIFIED WHEN I GO LIVE🐬🐬.

[rashmikasinghroy]

भारत में DTH services के लिए नए अवसर और चुनौतियाँ

DTH services भारत के लिए एक क्रांति के रुप में आया, जिसने पूरे भारत की सैटलाइट और टीवी देख��े का नज़रिया बदल दिया । आज DTH service industry एक बहुत बड़ी इंडस्ट्री के रूप में स्थापित हो गई है । आज लगभग हर दूसरे घर में DTH cable service मौजूद है । इसकी शुरूआत साल 2003 में हुई जब Zee group ने भारत में अपना पहला DTH provider पेश किया, इसे आज पूरी दुनिया में Dish tv के नाम से जाना जाता है । भारत में अपने लॉन्च के साथ ही ये साल 2006 तक आते-आते भारत का सबसे पसंदीदा DTH बन गया । फिर कुछ और कंपनियोंं ने अपनी-अपनी तर्ज पर tata sky, reliance big tv और airtel digital tv जैसे दूसरे dth provider लॉन्च कर दिए और साल 2007-08 तक भारत में DTH service providers के बीच एक कंपिटिशन हो गया और आज स्थिति ऐसी है कि इनके बीच ये कंपिटिशन लगातार बना हुआ है । ऐसे में हर कंपनी ग्राहक क��� पूरी सुविधा और उसकी सर्विस का ध्यान रखती है । आज जहाँ हर ग्राहक अपने नज़दीक dth services near me ढूंढता है वहीं कंपनियां भी अपने नज़दीक ही nearby dth services सभी लोगों को अपना ग्राहक बनाना चाहती हैं । लेकिन इसमें ग्राहक के लिए समस्या ये हो जाती है कि सर्विस के नाम पर dth service technician काफी पैसे चार्ज कर लेता है । लेकिन अब नहीं, क्योंकि NumberDekh ऐप आ गया है जो dth service मार्केट में सबसे सस्ते रेट में प्रदान करते हैं ।

इसके अलावा, पब्लिक बॉडकास्टर FTA DTH DD freedish जिसे पहले डीडी डायरेक्ट+ के नाम से जाना जाता था, वह ये सर्विस प्रदान करता है। TRAI की मानें तो, साल 2020 तक DTH क्षेत्र के लगभग 70.58 मिलियन ग्राहक थे । अभी की स्थिति ये है कि पूरे विश्व में भारत में सबसे बेहतर DTH services और उनका ग्राहक है :

DTH PROVIDERS                  CUSTOMERS BASE

डिश टीवी                           30 प्रतिशत

टाटा स्काई                          22 प्रतिशत

सन डायरेक्ट                       25 प्रतिशत

एयरटेल                              8 प्रतिशत

बिग टीवी                            13 प्रतिशत

बीते साल में, भारत में लगभग सभी डायरेक्ट-टू-होम (DTH) ऑपरेटर ने इकोसिस्टम ट्रांसफॉरमेशन को मान लिया है। OTT कंपनियों ने जो चुनौती दी थी, उसके लिए इंडस्ट्री ने अपनी सर्विस पर ज़रूरी रूप से फिर विचार करना शुरू किया है । अगर हम इसे एक उदाहरण से समझें तो, बीते साल में बहुत सारे DTH providers ने ग्राहकों को अपने साथ जोड़े रखने के लिए full package के साथ अलग-अलग OTT platform की सेवाएं भी दी ।

भारत में DTH Services का विकास और बढ़त

भारत अपनी बढ़ती जनसंख्या और 1 अरब से ज़्यादा यूज़र वाली इकोनॉमी के साथ, पिछले कुछ सालों में satellite tv provider के तौर पर मील का पत्थर बनकर उभरा है । DAS से पहले, DTH बिजनेस के पास एक फायदेमंद डिस्ट्रीब्यूशन कंपनी बनाने का बड़ा मौका था क्योंकि केबल टीवी ने DTH के साथ कोई कंपिटिशन नहीं किया था । एक्टिव यूज़र की गिनती में केवल वे लोग शामिल हैं जो 90 दिनों से ज़्यादा वक्त से कभी भी अनएक्टिव नहीं हुए ।

मौके के मिलने के बावजूद, DTH बड़े डिस्ट्रीब्यूशन ऑप्शन के रूप में केबल टीवी से आगे नहीं निकल पाया और इसकी वजह है DAS के साथ-साथ HITS का स्थापित होना । इसने केबल टीवी को बहुत सस्ता बना दिया और इसे मार्केट में अपनी सबसे ज़रूरी पोजिशन बनाए रखने की अनुमति दी । इसी समय के दौरान DD Freedish ने भी लोगों के बीच बहुत नाम बनाया और low ARPU वाले क्षेत्रों में भी इसे बहुत तेजी से अपनाया है ।

इसी समय के दौरान, देश में मान्यता प्राप्त सैटेलाइट टीवी चैनलों की संख्या में बहुत तेजी से बढ़ोतरी हुई । बीते 10 सालों में ये समाचार और गैर-समाचार दोनों ही कैटगरी में 50 प्रतिशत से ज़्यादा की तेजी से बढ़ा है । इनमें से ज़्यादातर फ्री-टू-एयर चैनल हैं । इसके अलावा भारत में DTH क्षेत्र के विकास के कुछ ज़रूरी कारण यहां हम बता रहे हैं -

सैटलाइट क्षमता की मांग बढ़ गई

KU Transmitters भारत में DTH Service in Sector 12, Noida के लिए एक ज़रूरी प्वाइंट हैं। रजिस्टर्ड सैटलाइट टीवी चैनल की संख्या में जैसे-जैसे बढ़ोतरी हुई, वैसे-वैसे ज़्यादा सैटलाइट क्षमता की मांग बढ़ने लगी । आज डिस्ट्रीब्यूशन क्षमता के साथ, कोई भी ऑपरेटर अपने अलग DTH network पर हर तरह के रजिस्टर्ड टीवी चैनल का प्रसारण करने की ज़रूरत पूरी नहीं कर सकता । 

सबका मिलकर एक हो जाना

साल 2016 और 2017 में पार्टनरशिप की लहर आई । ज्यादा कंपीटिशन, नए जमाने के डिस्ट्रीब्यूशन नेटवर्क का दवाब और नियमों के सख्त माहौल के साथ, DTH ऑपरेटर के होने और न होने पर एक प्रश्नचिन्ह खड़ा हो गया है । पार्टनरशिप की तरफ सबसे पहला कदम videocon D2H और dish tv ने बढ़ाया, ये दोनों एक हो गए जिसका नतीजा ये हुआ कि ये कंपनी देश की सबसे बड़ी DTH कंपनी बन गई । अब इसका कुल DTH एक्टिव यूज़र 45 प्रतिशत हो गया । इससे पहले dish tv के साथ Airtel ने हाथ मिलाया था लेकिन किन्हीं कारणों की वजह से ये डील नहीं हो पायी । 

अब ये देखना है कि ये दोनों सर्विस प्रोवाइडर आने वाले सालों में खुद को कैसे विकसित करते हैं । टॉप पोजिशन पर बैठे ऑपरेटर के बीच का फर्क बहुत कम होता है और टॉप पोजिशन के लिए वो लगभग बराबर होते हैं। आने वाले वक्त में अब ये देखना भी दिलचस्प होगा कि ये दोनों ही अपने आपको मार्केट में कितनी मज़बूत पोजिशन देते हैं ।  

भारत में DTH services की चुनौतियां

ऊपर बताए गए DTH के विकास के बाद भी, DTH industry के सामने बहुत समस्याएं हैं, जिसमें केबल टीवी का खतरा और बैंडविड्थ का लगातार इस्तेमाल शामिल है, जो ग्राहक का ध्यान इंटरनेट टीवी की ओर लगातार ले जा रहा है । DTH provider के लिए मार्केट में बने रहने का एक ही तरीका है - नए डेटा और इंटरनेट के इस दौर में खुद को फिट करना ।

इंटरनेट के इस्तेमाल में बढ़ोतरी

बीते 5 सालों में इंटरनेट डेटा का इस्तेमाल 25 गुना ज़्यादा बढ़ा है । यूज़र ज़्यादा कंटेंट ऑनलाइन देख रहे हैं क्योंकि टेलीकॉम प्रोवाइडर के डेटा रेट कम हो गए हैं और ब्रॉडबैंड की मौजूदगी बढ़ गई है । साल 2016 में यूज़र द्वारा ऑनलाइन फिल्में देखने पर 49 प्रतिशत डेटा की खपत हुई है । साल 2023 आते-आते ये प्रतिशत बढ़कर 80 हो गया । इन सभी प्लेटफार्म पर कीमतें या तो DTH और cable operator की तुलना में कम है या फिर बराबर हैं । ये सब हालात DTH providers को बेहतर प्रोग्रामिंग, कम रेट और ज़्यादा चैनल देने की ओर प्रेरित कर रहा है । 

बाज़ार के हिसाब से सेट नहीं हो पाना

जब इंटरनेट कंटेंट की बात आती है तो ये ग्राहक के लिए हर वक्त मौजूद है । देश में ज़्यादातर लोग अपने पसंदीदा कंटेंट को ऑनलाइन ही देख रहे हैं और उनकी ये आदत आने वाले समय में भी यूं ही जारी रहने की उम्मीद है ।

यूज़र या ग्राहक की ये आदत dish tv और Airtel जैसे DTH providers के लिए एक बहुत बड़ा खतरा है । DTH providers को digitization process में मदद करने के लिए न केवल नकद रूपए देने होंगे, बल्कि उन्हें इंटरनेट टीवी से भी कंपिटिशन करना पडे़गा और क्योकि अभी तक भा��त में ज़्यादातर घरों में पूरी तरह इंटरनेट टीवी नहीं आया है, DTH providers ने मार्केट पर अपनी टिप्पणी की है और अब वो ग्राहकों को इंटरनेट टीवी भी दे रहे हैं ।

फीस ज़्यादा और डिजिटाइजेशन की कमी

Licence fees और Tax, ये दो वो रूकावटें हैं जो DTH business को बढ़ने से रोक रही हैं । ये, सस्ते रेट के साथ, डीटीएच बिजनेस की low ARPU (average revenue per user) सबसे ज़रूरी वजहों में से एक है । अगर इसे एक उदाहरण से समझें तो, Bharti Airtel ने जून के तीसरे हफ्ते में ARPU में हर साल 2.1 प्रतिशत की गिरावट के साथ 228 तक पहुंचने की सूचना दी है ।

देश के केबल टेलीविजन का डिजिटाइजेशन अभी तक पूरा नहीं हो पाया है क्योंकि ज़्यादातर लोग जो गांव के इलाकों में रहते हैं, वो केबल टीवी ही देखना पसंद करते हैं, वो DTH service लगाने में असमर्थ हैं, नतीजा ये कि इसका DTH companies पर बहुत बुरा असर पड़ रहा है ।

इधर DD ने ग्राहकों को Free dish service दे दी है ���िससे DTH industry के सामने एक बहुत बड़ी चुनौती आकर खड़ी हो गयी है । अब आने वाले समय में जैसे-जैसे कंपिटिशन बढ़ेगा, DTH providers अपने रेट में भारी कटौती या कमी करने को मजबूर हो सकते हैं । ऐसा करने से उनके बिजनेस पर दवाब बढ़ेगा ।

[sakurajjam]

Que homem lindo esse Bright. Tem outros homens tailandeses bonitos pra sugerir?

O Bright é fenomenal, um dos meus fcs favoritos... Tenho sim, não vou fazer uma lista gigante, pois já estou providenciando algo maior, mas fique com alguns nomes aqui.

off jumpol adulkittiporn (1991)

mew suppasit jongcheveevat (1991)

zee pruk panich (1992)

jimmy jitaraphol potiwihok (1994)

perth nakhun screaigh (1994)

lay talay sanguandikul (1995)

ten chittapon leechaiyapornkul (1996)

nani hirunkit changkham (1997)

gulf kanawut traipipattanapong (1997)

bambam kunpimook bhuwakul (1997)

boom tharatorn jantharaworakarn (1998)

sea tawinan anukoolprasert (1999)

win metawin opas-iamkajorn (1999)

dew jirawat sutivanichsak (2000)

mark siwat jumlongkul (2000)

ohm pawat chittsawangdee (2000)

neo trai nimtawat (2001)

nunew chawarin perdpiriyawong (2001)

perth tanapon sukumpantanasan (2001)

nat natasitt uareksit (2002)

[mysterymanjoseph]

One of the grounds keepers, tending to the flowers in the garden spots the young woman, dozing on a bench and reports to Richard the head butler, who in turns tells Gramms.  The older woman has soup fixed for the girl, then carrying the bowl of steaming tomato soup, with crackers on a tray, heads out to where Lia is dozing, having a blanket thrown over her shoulder for good measure.  Sitting on the bench beside the girl, she softly taps Lia’s hand, waiting to be acknowledged.

@lovely-dove-zee​

Lia had been born blind, and an illness when she was little had made her deaf too.

She lived her childhood in her home. Then her parents had died in an accident and she was put in Fostercare, where she's moved from family to family until she's put with the Armstrong family.

She was 15 when put with them, the same age as Joseph at the time, and she was essentially dependant on other people.

@mysterymanjoseph

[pointreyesjournal]

A Swan Named Solleone : ep185

Henrik: Welcome to Monaco!

Me: Dude, this boat is NOT the sister ship to your Swan 48.

Henrik: No, very much not. The boat we rented had some service issues, so the brokerage offered me another boat, but I wasn’t impressed. So I decided that since Autumn is pregnant, and this is our special engagement trip, I would just upgrade to a crewed vessel. So here we are … all 115 feet of us.

Me: Free upgrade??

Henrik: Ha! Oh no my friend. It’s a six figure upgrade.

Me: Jesus, this boat is huge. I don’t even think we could sail this if we wanted to.

Henrik: That’s right. Over 78 feet in length and you need a licensed captain onboard. And once you have a captain, you have a crew. And if you have a crew, you have a chef. So now we don’t have to spend the summer doing dishes. We can just relax and enjoy ourselves.

Me: Perfecto.

Cheyenne: Hi Henrik!

Henrik: Bonjour mon amour!

Henrik squeezes Cheyenne with a big hug. After the past month or so of drama surrounding Cheyenne’s lack of commitment to this trip, it’s nice to see Henrik genuinely excited to see her. She’s here. She made it. All is forgiven and we’re going to have a great summer together. Plus, this yacht is fucking mega.

The 115 foot hull is made from carbon fiber and painted in a rich navy blue. Exquisite teak decking runs from bow to stern, with a large comfortable cockpit for relaxing and dining tucked away out of the wind behind a sleek, low coachroof. The sail rig towers over the boat, 100 feet at least, probably more. It towers over most things in the harbor.

I take a look below deck. The entire interior is finished in glossy, honey colored European oak, with the requisite navy accents and pillows. It’s classy in an understate Scandinavian way. I’m enjoying a quick look below deck when my moment of awe is broken up by the sound of Captain Jean-Luc’s voice.

Captain Jean-Luc: ALEXA! Take zee guest’s bags to zer staterooms!

Alexa is a black haired Italian bombshell. She looks like the result of a supermodel fucking a Formula 1 driver or soccer star about 25 years ago. She’s long, muscular and lean like a triathlete, but still has hips and curves. She probably has a quarter million followers on Instagram following her #naughtyyachtylife but here she is in her white short shorts and navy polo dragging our bags down the companionway to make a living.

Captain Jean-Luc: ALEXA! Please unpack zee luuggaaage for zee guests too.

Floody and Autumn are giggling because everytime the Captain barks out an order, he sounds like he’s talking to an Amazon Alexa. Cheyenne leans in and whispers a little concern to me.

Cheyenne: I don’t want her going through my luggage.

Me: Why not honey? This is white glove service.

Cheyenne: I dunno. It seems weird having her going through my underwear.

Me: Don’t worry, she doesn’t want to touch your underwear as much as you don’t want her to touch your underwear. I’m sure she’ll just toss them in a drawer and move on.

Beri appears seemingly out of nowhere, and the girls do a big three way hug.

Cheyenne: Where’d you come from darlin’?

Beri: I was in town making dinner reservations for tomorrow. Oh my god Autumn, your boobs are … huge!

Autumn: Yeah, first trimester, but the boob fairy has already come.

The sun is setting and again, the captain’s voice cracks like thunder in the sky.

Captain Jean-Luc: FILET! Champagne for zee guests!

A moment later Filet climbs the companionway with a tray of full champagne flutes. We walk to the bow, toast and take a few moments to enjoy the bright colorful sunset sky.

Monaco is heaven, and it makes perfect sense that the rich people of the world (those most deserving of paying taxes) had the power and influence to create for themselves a tax free haven right in the middle of the Côte d'Azur. Tax free heaven. It doesn’t seem fair, but if you understand human nature, it also makes perfect sense.

Monaco has been a playground for the rich and famous for generations. John and Jacqueline Kennedy sailed the med on Gianni Agnelli’s private sailboat. Dodi Fayed and Princess Di sunbathed aboard the Al-Fayed family yacht. And of course, Grace Kelly became Princess of Monaco by marrying Prince Rainier III in April 1956. And tonight, because of the generosity of my billionaire best friend, we get to enjoy this place too.

[zeearchitect]

Humidity

Zee Architect is Best Interior Designing Company in Patna. Some Interior points are:

Light Lighting affects how much light a plant receives during the day. Plants require sunlight to produce certain chemical compounds necessary for their survival. Sunlight should be able to reach the whole leaf surface if possible and should not fall below 80% of the canopy height. If the plant does not receive enough sunlight, then it may be stunted and have lower quality bud production. Good lighting consists of at least 12 hours of uninterrupted light exposure daily.

Temperature Temperature determines whether a plant grows well indoors. A good temperature range for cannabis cultivation indoors is between 60-80 degrees Fahrenheit. Cannabis thrives best in temperatures around 70 degrees F. If the air gets too cold, the plant will start to shut down its metabolism, leading to poor bud production. Too warm temperatures could kill off the buds before they even leave the mother plant.

Air circulation Air circulation is extremely valuable for both indoor and outdoor cannabis cultivation. Without adequate airflow, plants tend to become root bound and unable to spread out properly, resulting in less oxygen being pumped into the system. As a result, your plants will get stressed and will stop producing high quality bud. An ideal air flow rate is about 5.5 litres per square meter (35 cubic feet) per hour. You can use fans and/or ventilators to help circulate air throughout your space. Fans can create drafts that blow away airborne seeds and pollen. Ventilators help eliminate odors and reduce humidity levels.

Water Water is the most important factor for any plant to thrive. Even though it’s not actually alive, water is still critical to cannabis plant growth. Most plants need water to live and grow, but cannabis requires more than average amounts. It needs approximately 2 gallons of fresh water every week if grown indoors. When you water your plants, make sure to avoid direct contact between the leaves and water because this creates wet spots where mold can easily take over. In addition, do not let the water sit in one place for long periods of time. Always gently move the water over the plants to avoid stagnation. When watering, mist your plants instead of splashing them directly. This helps prevent fungus and disease while keeping the water moving to keep your plants growing strong.

Humidity Humidity refers to the amount of moisture in the air. Most indoor growers choose a relative humidity (RH) level between 45-65%. Too dry a room will cause your plants to wilt and die. Too moist can lead to mould formation. A good rule of thumb is to aim for somewhere between those two extremes.

CO2 Carbon dioxide is essential for plant growth. It is a gas produced naturally by humans and animals respiration. By maintaining elevated levels of carbon dioxide, you can encourage stronger and healthier plants. An ideal level for cannabis cultivation is about 600 ppm. To maintain a steady supply of carbon dioxide, you should install a small bottle of soda pop under each pot or tray filled with your plants. There are also carbon dioxide generators that run 24/7. These devices cost anywhere from $200-$1000 dollars and can be purchased online.

Hydroponic Hydroponics (Best Interior Designer in Patna) is a way of cultivating plants without soil. Instead, you put the roots in a solution of nutrients, water, and minerals. Your plants can either be planted in trays filled with this mixture or attached to hanging baskets filled with water. Many people prefer hydroponic methods because they feel that it produces cleaner, more potent marijuana.

-

Title: "How to Grow Cannabis Indoors"

Lighting Lighting (Best Interior Designing Company in Patna) is the first thing to consider when growing indoors. You need to have enough lighting to cover your entire grow room, but not so much that it causes damage to the plant’s root system. You also want to avoid having direct sunlight shining directly onto your plants. As soon as you turn on the lights, make sure they are at the right level, since you don't want them too high or low.

Temperature The ideal temperature for a cannabis grow room should be between 68°F and 78°F (20°C and 25°C). Keeping the room above 70°F (21°C) will cause the plant's leaves to become dry. However, you may have to make adjustments if you live in a cooler climate. If you do, you'll just have to keep the grow room warmer than normal. Ideally, you should always keep the humidity around 60% for best results.

Humidity Keeping the humidity levels around 55% to 65% is ideal, though you won't encounter any problems unless you're keeping it below 45%. You should aim for a range of 50% to 80%, because anything lower than 50% will lead to mold and mildew issues while anything higher than 70% will result in overgrowth. Keep an eye out for condensation inside the grow space and on windowsills.

Heating You can use heating mats, fans, and dehumidifiers to regulate the temperature in your room. If your grow room doesn't have air conditioning, you shouldn't worry about using heating mats, instead, focus on regulating the temperature in the room. If you decide to use a fan, make sure it isn't blowing directly at the plants. If your room does have air conditioning, you can use it to cool down the room.

Airflow Make sure the airflow coming into the room is adequate. In general, you should try to maintain a flow rate of 0.75 cubic feet per minute. A good way to gauge how well your air flows is to measure it. Once you find out what the recommended number is, multiply that by 6 to get the actual amount of airflow entering the grow area.

Watering

Contact Us Zee Architect is Best Interior Designing Company in Patna.

[xluciifer]

From his observations and taking in the rather lovely intricacies this theater really had to offer in their lower floors, he had been accidentally obstute in acknowledging being spoken towards again while the two others had conversed. A click of a tray is what caught his focus again. After all, even if he had been here to officially meet Carmilla, he also wanted to observe and watch as well on how interactions went between them.

He strode over and sat, waiting for Zestial to grab their glasses for him as he got comfortable. After all, royalty never serviced themselves and Zee could sometimes be a stickler about Lucifer being too lax. So he smiled at his friend once glass met his hand, stirring the contents a few times before helping himself. Let's break the ice a little, shall we? Time to act like the dad he was.

⸺ ❝ So, Miss Carmilla, how long have you and Zee known each other? And why haven't we had a proper meeting until now? ❞

⸺ ❝ Sounds lovely. Please, lead the way. ❞

Again, it wasn't often he'd indulge in such festivities; grateful that Zestial had invited him to partake in this rendezvous together. And it was lovely to finally get to meet this Carmilla that enamored his friend so dearly. Was it so wrong of him to play matchmaker? ( Even though Zestial has never verbally claimed he had romantic feelings towards the woman; Lucifer could always just tell. )

And so they followed not far behind the woman. The fallen angel just could NOT help himself from wanting to accidentally embarrass the Overlord further. Through their walk, he motioned his friend lower to whisper into his ear.

⸺ ❝ You got good taste, Zee. Proud of ya; glad I could finally meet your little 'friend'. Really know how to pick'em! ❞

Once his sights were set on the lounge that was spoken about just minutes before, the King gave his nod of approval as his gaze turned to checking out the room's decor.