#Top Aws Consulting

[pritivora26]

Amazon Web Services helps lots of businesses with their online stuff, like storing data and running websites smoothly. But sometimes, companies need extra help to use AWS well. That's where consulting companies come in. These companies show businesses how to make the most of AWS. As businesses embrace the versatility and scalability of Amazon Web Services, AWS consulting becomes integral for navigating the intricacies of design, implementation, and optimization. Choosing a reliable partner ensures a seamless transition to the cloud. Among the top companies providing AWS consulting in 2024, Serverless stands out with over a decade of cloud architecture experience. 

[bdccglobal]

Boost your team's productivity with Azure DevOps pipeline. Automate your development process and focus on what really matters - building great software!

[sierra-cedar]

Navigating the Future with Cloud Managed Services

Cloud managed services have become a game-changer for companies trying to streamline operations, cut expenses, and keep up with technological breakthroughs in the quickly changing world of IT infrastructure. Specialized management services are becoming more and more necessary as businesses move more and more to the cloud in order to take full use of cloud computing’s advantages. This post will explain cloud managed services, their advantages, salient characteristics, and how they can revolutionize your company.

What Are Cloud Managed Services?

Cloud managed services entail contracting with outside service providers to handle cloud-based platforms, apps, and infrastructure. These companies, also known as Managed Service Providers (MSPs), are in charge of managing, optimizing, and keeping an eye on cloud resources on a daily basis. This makes sure that cloud environments run smoothly and efficiently while letting enterprises concentrate on their main business.

Benefits of Cloud Managed Services

1. Cost Efficiency: Saving money is one of the main advantages of cloud managed services. Businesses can avoid the high costs of recruiting and training internal IT professionals by outsourcing cloud management. Managed services frequently have fixed price structures, which aid businesses in better budgeting and lowering unforeseen costs.

2. Expertise and Experience: A multitude of skills and experiences are offered by cloud managed service providers. Their specialist knowledge of different cloud platforms and technologies guarantees that the performance, security, and compliance of your cloud environment are optimized. This knowledge is especially helpful to companies without internal cloud experts.

3. 24/7 Monitoring and Support: Round-the-clock monitoring and support are standard features of managed services. This implies that such problems can be found and fixed before they have an effect on how business is conducted. Ensuring high availability and reliability of cloud resources is facilitated by proactive monitoring.

4. Scalability and Flexibility: Cloud managed services are flexible and scalable, allowing them to change to meet evolving business requirements. Without requiring a substantial initial investment, providers’ rapid resource scaling in response to demand enables companies to react to shifts in the market and chances for expansion.

5. Enhanced Security and Compliance: Cloud managed service companies place a high premium on security. They put strong security measures in place, such as frequent security audits, data encryption, and intrusion detection. They also guarantee that your cloud environment conforms with industry standards and regulations, which lowers the possibility of data breaches and legal problems.

6. Focus on Core Business: Organizations can free up internal resources and concentrate on their core skills by outsourcing cloud administration. Teams can now focus on strategic objectives and innovation instead of getting bogged down by operational and routine maintenance activities, thanks to this transformation.

Choosing the Right Cloud Managed Service Provider

Selecting the right cloud managed service provider is a critical decision that can impact your business’s success. Consider the following factors when evaluating potential providers:

Experience and Expertise: Seek out suppliers who have a track record of success and who are knowledgeable about the particular cloud platforms and technologies that are pertinent to your company.

Service Level Agreements (SLAs): Examine SLAs to make sure they match the requirements and expectations of your organization in terms of performance indicators, uptime, and support response times.

Scalability and Flexibility: Select a service provider who can adjust services to accommodate the expansion of your company and accommodate shifting needs.

Security and Compliance: To safeguard your data and adhere to legal obligations, confirm that the supplier possesses strong security protocols and compliance certifications.

Customer Support: Evaluate the level of service and accessibility. In order to resolve problems and address concerns, a supplier with competent and responsive support can be extremely helpful.

Conclusion

For companies looking to get the most out of cloud computing while reducing the hassles of cloud management, cloud managed services provide a competitive edge. Cloud management can be outsourced to seasoned providers, which can save costs and improve security and operational effectiveness for enterprises. Cloud managed services will be essential in assisting companies in navigating this ever-changing environment and advancing their digital transformation as cloud technology develops further.

Adopting cloud managed services may help any size business, from startups to established multinationals, maintain its competitiveness, agility, and innovation in the current digital landscape.

[listofwhyyouloveher]

Hiii

Can you do the gang with the reader who can sleep anywhere and everywhere as they pleased😴 (Sorry if my English is a bit broken😭🫶)

Summary: The Outsider x Sleepy!Reader

Warnings: none Author's Note: gonna try and get thru a lot of requests today, ive got like 15 in my box

You were always tired. Many times you fell asleep in random places, always leaving the gang in awe of how you could sleep so well in such obscure places. Your boyfriend decided that you two needed to spend some time together, so imagine his reaction when you fell asleep!

PONYBOY CURTIS

He invited you over to study, but it really was just catching up over textbooks. It was a little past 3 and Pony was starting to get hungry, so he told you to wait while he grabbed you both a slice of cake. It was a minute before he came back, two plates in hand but he stopped dead when he saw you. You were slumped over the table, head resting on your arm, fast asleep. He laughed and you woke up with a start. 

“Sorry, didn't mean to wake you” he smiled at you, placing your cake next to you. You give him a hazy smile and gently nod.

“Sorry, what were we talking about?” You ask, yawning. He smiled and shook his head.

“Maybe we should just stop and go to bed” He led you to his room and piled blankets on top of you, letting you fall asleep in his arms.

JOHNNY CADE

 Johnny is also a victim of falling asleep in random places, but was never quiet at the same level as you. 

Today, he invited you to the lot for stargazing. You both sat in comfortable silence as you observed Tulsa’s night sky. Johnny turned to you, a smile on his face.

“Don't you think it's pretty?” And he immediately stopped. You were asleep, curled up tightly for warmth, the moon reflecting off your pretty skin. He sighed and smiled wider, wrapping an arm around you and scooting closer to sleep alongside you.

SODAPOP CURTIS

 Soda took you out to the local diner as your weekly date. He got up once to grab some milkshakes from the counter when the waiter engaged him in conversation. He tried to cut the conversation short and get back to you, but apparently he didn't do it fast enough. 

When he came back to your table you were asleep, your hair splayed out and your face down in your arms. He laughed and unbuttoned his flannel to put on top of you as a makeshift blanket. He sat there in his white work tee until you woke up.

STEVE RANDLE

Invited you to come to the DX for his shift and keep him company when a customer walked in. Steve left you alone to consult them and the urge to sleep took over. 

When he came back, you were nowhere to be seen. He looked for you frantically, and only until he checked the corner of the workspace did he find you.

You were passed out and curled up in the corner. He sighed out of relief and sat down next to you for a moment before laying his jacket on you as a blanket.

TWO-BIT MATHEWS 

You, him and his sister hung out often. You took her to dance classes, the park and other places. 

He expressed his interest in going to watch movies with his sister, so you went over to his house with a few DVDs in hand. 

The movie only barely started when he went up to get popcorn and returned to find you both asleep together. He laughed and sat down next to you, careful not to wake the both of you.

DARRY CURTIS

Finds your sleepiness a very good opportunity for someone to mess with you so he always warns you about it. He was in the kitchen with you making dinner when you dozed off next to the stove. 

Darry immediately woke you and started to lecture you about falling asleep near dangerous things but he turned away for one moment and you were asleep again!

He sighed, frustrated, before calming down and picking you up and carrying you to bed.

DALLAS WINSTON

He understands your sleepiness because he often gets really tired too. However, that doesn’t mean he doesnt tease you for it. He’d taken you to another one of Buck’s parties, but you were already tired from a long day, so when he sat you down to get another drink you found yourself drifting off. It didn’t matter how loud the music was or how loud the people were talking, you soon fell asleep.

Dallas came back with the drinks and gave you an unimpressed look. He sighed before placing down the drinks and picking you up. He quickly went up into his room and dumped you on the bed before going back down to the party.

[dragon-ascent]

Zhongli often sees couples strike cute poses for the kamera, capturing memorable moments in unique ways. Zhongli is naturally elegant for sure, but...he wonders if posing for pictures on a casual date is an artform that requires something of a different tune. Something that renders his elegance into stiffness.

Therefore, he decides he'd like to improve his own posing game for you.

Hmm...he has a picnic date with you coming up this weekend. Zhongli will do everything in his power to make sure you have the most enjoyable day, of course, but if he can even spruce up the pictures you take - well, that'd be the icing on the cake.

And thus he spends his free time practicing all sorts of trendy things - regular hearts, finger hearts, cat-eared hearts, winking (something he finds a little challenging), blowing kisses, and the like.

He even takes the height-adjustable coat hanger and sets it to around your height, practicing making couple-hearts, hugging the hanger from behind, giving it cheeky little horns on top where the head would go, and all the while his mind's eye envisions you as his stomach gets warm and fuzzy.

That's not where the practice ends: when he's out and about on the streets, he sometimes drops everything to pose, suddenly having remembered a couple of hand positions that couldn't wait until he gets home to try out and polish. Some passersby think the funeral parlor consultant has gone loony; must be all the death and sorrow finally taking a toll on him.

As he makes hearts at a puppy watching him curiously, tail wagging with every gesture, Zhongli smiles to himself. Perfect.

When y'all go on that picnic, you're squealing in elation the whole time during the photo-taking session. Everyone around you even watches in awe as the "old soul" Zhongli makes winky faces and peace signs.

[wh1msic4lwasab1]

”Dear Assistant”

synopsis: you take up a job with the fatui, and you didn’t think being a doctors assistant meant being the doctors assistant.

tags: medical malpractice, dub-con, insertion, vulgar, explicit, sadist!Dottore

wrd cnt: 1.4k

a/n: lowkey not feeling like my best writing but i hope yall enjoy

You stood outside the unmarked door, clutching the letter that had brought you to this mysterious location. The Fatui's emblem adorned the top of the page, and the words "Confidential Assistant Position" were typed in bold font. You had applied for the job, hoping to use your skills to make a difference in the world of Teyvat. The pay was generous, and the benefits were unparalleled. But as you raised your hand to knock, a shiver ran down your spine. Something didn't feel right.

The door creaked open, revealing a dimly lit corridor that seemed to stretch on forever. A figure in a white coat beckoned you forward, their face obscured by the shadows.

"Welcome. I am Doctor- ah, my apologies. You may call me Dottore. I've been expecting you."

You followed Dottore through the winding corridors, taking in the sights and sounds of the laboratory. Beakers bubbled, and strange machinery hummed in the background. The air was thick with the scent of chemicals and something else... something sweet and metallic.

As you entered the main laboratory, your eyes widened in awe. Rows of workstations stretched out before you, each one cluttered with equipment and strange devices. In the center of the room, a large, metal table dominated the space. Dottore gestured for you to approach.

"This is where the real work happens, my dear assistant. I've been working on a project of great importance, and I require someone with your...unique voluntary willingness."

You felt a flutter in your chest as Dottore's eyes locked onto yours. His gaze was piercing, and you couldn't help but feel like he was seeing right through you.

"What kind of project?" you asked "Ah, well…" Dottore said, his voice low and husky. "I'm working on a project that will change the course of human history. A project that will unlock the secrets of the human mind and grant us unimaginable power."

He gestured to a nearby workstation, where a strange device hummed and whirred. It looked like a cross between a medical scanner and a medieval torture rack.

"This is the Neuro-Resonance Amplifier," Dottore explained. "With this device, we can tap into the deepest desires and fears of the human mind. We can manipulate thoughts, emotions, and actions. We can create an army of mindless drones, loyal only to us."

You felt a shiver run down your spine as Dottore's eyes gleamed with excitement. This was getting out of hand, and you weren't sure if you wanted to be a part of it.

"But what about ethics?" you asked, trying to sound calm. "Isn't this a bit... extreme?"

Dottore chuckled, a cold, mirthless sound. "Ethics are for the weak. In this world, it's every man for himself."

He stepped closer, his eyes burning with intensity. "And I think you are too, y/n. I think you have a certain... spark within you. A spark that I can fan into a flame."

You felt a flutter in your chest as Dottore's words sent a shiver down your spine. You weren't sure what he meant, but you had a feeling that you were in over your head.

Suddenly, Dottore's expression changed, and he became all business. "Now, let's get down to work. We have a lot to cover, and I need your full attention."

He gestured to the metal table in the center of the room, and you felt a sense of trepidation. What did he have planned for you?

"Please" Dottore said, his voice dripping with darkness. "Take off your shirt and lay down on the table. We're going to begin your...consultation."

You felt a wave of fear wash over you as you realized that you were trapped with some crazy scientist. But you had to keep this job, somehow.

Hesitantly, you removed your top, and layed your head down slowly on the cushioned end of the table. Dottore had soon started taping small pieces of wire and metal to your arms and torso, two on each side of your temples as well.

“Now, you’re going to help me with the first stages of this, excited?” He joked, taking this whole human experiment thing way too casually.

You lay there, breathing heavily as you don’t know what to expect.

He finished setting a few things up on the computer, and you observed a chart on the projector infront of you; screencasting the computer with a plethora of scattered pieces of what seemed to be data alongside a key.

Without much warning, Dottore pulled you up by your waist, hoisting your body up and standing next to you and holding your face up to look at him.

You haven’t gotten a chance to clearly take a look at him before, but you observed each fragment of his face; his eyes pierced yours in a way that turns them into ice, frozen in place.

“I need you to remain calm, try to keep your limbs the same.” He said, before snapping on a pair of blue gloves and pressing pressure points along your back.

Every harsh breath you’d take at the pressure caused the chart to create a spike in data.

The lower he went, the more data appeared on the chart.

“Hmm… I see.” He mumbled.

He set his clipboard down, and pushed your body down. “Don’t yell too loud now, I’ve been getting far too many noise complaints from the others.”

You felt as if someone struck a strong left hook into your stomach, the worst possibilities reaching your brain.

The room’s lights dimmed, even brooding noises of flickering lights distract you from your thoughts.

You were on your back, chilly scales under your hips and barely clad skin. With a sudden pull, Dottore pulled your trousers off, throwing them away and spreading your legs apart as if you’d signed away your body to him.

“Ack—Fuck-What are you doing!?” You hissed, as you felt his hand grab hold of your face roughly

“This is for the research, sweetheart,” He mumbled, his deep voice coated in mania.

“Doctor- please...” You gasped, feeling him dig for something deep within you, your hand under his grip struggling to free itself.

“I need to be sure, until the data calms down I can’t trust it.” He said, the annoyance laced with concern felt like an aftertought, not fully registered until he panted, “You signed up for this. Now do the part.” He said moreso like a warning.

Apart of you wanted to scream, but another was screaming to find out more. You felt shameful of the heat growing within you, and even more ashamed that he could definitely tell.

“Let’s see what the data shows, shall we?” He said sternly, picking up a rod-like device that seemed to be a good forearms length.

“I-“ You began, finding a it in you to at least say something.

“Shh…” He interrupted, shutting you up.

He dragged your body back up so he could sit behind you, pulling your hair to one side so he could observe what his hands were doing inbetween your legs.

“Doctor please I don’t think this is-Shit, Oh fucking God-!” You moaned, feeling his gloved fingers rip off your panties and insert the device inside you.

“Oh my…you’re so wet it just slid right in. You like this don’t you? Fucking slut.” He’d say, before pushing it in and out of you at a faster pace each swipe, laughing against your ear as the chart turned into a mess; points of data appearing every second.

“Ahh- Doctor-! It hurts….” You yelled, feeling the cold metal fill you up, over and over again as he rammed it inside you from behind, holding your thigh apart with his large hand as he observed the chart furiously.

“Shut up.” He exclaimed, moving his hand to cover your mouth as he kept going.

“Shhh….It’ll feel good soon. Just keep quiet. Such a messy little thing.” He said, letting you lay your head on his shoulder as you melted into him, feeling your pussy tingle with warmth as you felt the knot in your stomach threaten to burst.

And him pinching your hard nipples was just what you needed, feeling small bursts of liquid shoot out of you, splattering over the metal table

Your legs began to shake as everything escaped you, practically soaking the table along with the sleeve of his lab coat.

He felt tears from your eyes soak his hand as it ran down your face, muffled moans and pleas escaping your mouth and into the cavern of his palm.

“Tch- fine”. He said, removing the object out of you and leaving it on the table as he went back to his chair, “Clean this up.”

whimsic4alwasab1 ™ - do not copy, translate, modify, or claim any of my work as your own.

[tiredfox64]

BI HAN X FEM FIGURE SKATER READER?? I man cold man..reader who's constantly in the cold come onnn

History Maker

Prior notes: Of course I see it, I THOUGHT OF IT BEFORE! Also no one call me out on the title.

Pairing: Bi-Han x Figure Skater! Afab reader

Warnings ‼️: I’m holding onto the edge I can’t skate

Liu Kang has gained all his champions, you being one of them. You would have never guessed that your ice skating skills made you a potential fighter. Your flexibility, the ability to stay stable and balanced, strong legs, and grace were all aspects of a great fighter. Liu Kang has made no mistake. You might doubt yourself but he sees potential in you. You just need the right mentor.

That’s why Liu Kang unexpectedly dropped in to see Bi-Han and ask him to be your mentor. Bi-Han questioned why he didn’t send you to the Wu Shi Academy with everyone else. The answer is simple, Artika is a better environment for you. Liu Kang has already allowed you to mess around in the area. Bi-Han was not happy with Liu Kang making a decision without consulting him. He got up and told the fire god to show him where you were.

It didn’t take long for them to find you. They followed the music that was coming from the frozen lake. Bi-Han makes his way toward you with annoyance before turning into curiosity.

You moved so gracefully on the thick ice. Your skates left marks on the frozen lake and left bits of shaved ice behind. It was surprising to see you weren’t wearing extra layers. All you had on was a long-sleeved shirt, bootcut pants, and mittens. Gotta keep yourself from getting hypothermia. You started sliding backward on the ice without even looking. You took a deep breath before launching yourself into the air. You spun quickly. One revolution, two revolution, three revolution, four revolution! Four revolutions before you landed on the opposite foot. You kept moving on like you didn’t do a lutz jump. A jump that many would cheat at. Not you, because you’re that good. So good that you caught the eye of the Lin Kuei’s grandmaster.

The cherry on top was when you finished off your routine by doing a camel spin. You lifted your left leg to make a perfect 90-degree angle as you spun on the other leg. You looked so graceful, you were unlike anything Bi-Han had seen. You lowered your leg and brought yourself to a stop. You noticed Liu Kang was nearby watching you with a proud smile on his face. Bi-Han was next to him, staring in awe but it was hard to tell since his eyebrows were still furrowed. You skated up to Liu Kang and asked who Bi-Han was.

“This is the Lin Kuei’s grandmaster, Bi-Han. I was hoping he would mentor you if he so desires.” Liu Kang looked at Bi-Han for confirmation. After what he saw he already made a decision.

“She has potential. It is clear to me that she will fit right in.”

His stance on you changed pretty quickly. He would have refused to deal with you if he didn’t see your wonderful display of skills. But now that he has seen, he can’t let you go.

You were fine with working with him. You just had one condition. You wanted to use the lake whenever you wanted so you could keep skating.

══💤══╡°˖✧🦊✧˖°╞══💤══

Your time with the Lin Kuei was beneficial. Actually your time was mostly spent with Bi-Han.

The environment was perfect for you. A frozen lake that you could use every day to practice skating. The ice was so thick you never feared falling through. Even if there was a risk, Bi-Han was always there to watch you. He enjoyed watching every special jump or spin you could do. Not only was it impressive but it was majestic. That doesn’t distract him from the fact that he is supposed to be training you.

One of your strengths, as he pointed out through observations, was your flexibility. You could make a straight line with your legs while standing on one foot. You could do a split with no struggle. You could almost make your foot touch your head while standing on one leg. That one is his favorite stretch since it allows him to get close. He liked to “check your form” which meant he’d come up to place a hand on your waist and your thigh. You might have felt him squeeze your thigh once or twice but you weren’t sure. You were more focused on keeping your balance.

You two were very compatible, not much of a shock there. It was a deadly duo that consisted of ice. He can control ice; you can control yourself on ice. A clever trick you guys could perform is when Bi-Han made a path of ice that you can skate on quickly before kicking your opponent at the last second. It catches everyone off guard with how fast you came towards them. It was fun to do, you can’t lie about that.

It became a habit for you two to take walks. You would skate on the ice while he would walk around the lake’s edge. Some of those walks would be quiet, other times you would go on about how you have improved both in skating and fighting. Once in a while when you were close to him he would take your hand and make you do a spin. The first time he ever did that to you, you tried your hardest to stop yourself from giggling. It was romantic you can’t act like he didn’t charm you in that moment. He liked getting a look an all-around look at you.

There was nothing that Bi-Han wanted more than to have you for himself. There was no other woman in his life that had drawn him in like you had. The compatibility when it came to fighting already made him see you as a worthy partner. Ever since the first time he laid eyes upon you, he wanted you. Your beauty and grace were that of a swan’s, but you had the strength and control of a warrior. You were also someone who didn’t pull away from his touch. Not a flinch or a shiver. You acted as if his body wasn’t cold. To you he never was. You never felt like his personality was cold either since he treated you better than everyone else.

The tournament was soon, meaning you wouldn’t need training anymore. It would be nice to return home once the tournament was over but at the same time, you didn’t want to leave. You adjusted to Artika quickly. You fell for Bi-Han quickly. You didn’t want to leave this all behind. Neither did Bi-Han. Perhaps it’s best to establish a relationship now before it’s too late.

══💤══╡°˖✧🦊✧˖°╞══💤══

You were on your usual walk, him walking at the side while you skated on the lake. You were in your usual spunky mood. You were spinning and giggling as you glided. It didn’t show on Bi-Han’s face but he was thoroughly enjoying you enjoyment.

“I never asked you before, but is there anyone waiting for you back home?” He asked.

“Just my family. But they rarely see me anyways, so this doesn’t make a huge difference.” You replied.

“There is no one back home that is lucky to have you for themselves?”

You knew what he meant by that. He was asking if you were dating anyone. You grew excited by this, in hopes of him wanting to ask you out.

“Nope, no one is lucky. Why do you ask?” You spun around with a smile on your face as you waited for Bi-Han’s answer.

“No reason.” He replied bluntly.

He kept walking before taking your hand into his. He spun you around to face forward again. You thought you made the wrong assumption until you felt his arm wrap around your shoulders. He never let go of your hand. He doesn’t want to let go.

Bi-Han’s not gonna ask you out in the usual way. This is his way of asking you out and making you his girlfriend. His hands are on you, that’s enough to prove that you are his. That move he just pulled was weirdly smooth and slick like ice. Don’t expect less from him. Just appreciate that he did this for you. For his new, special, gorgeous, and talented girlfriend.

After notes: You know I started this and then I didn't know what I was doing. I added the audio cause I felt like it worked idk you don’t have to work with that. I'm hoping I made some sense. If I didn't...damn. Adiós!

[thewulf]

Pretty Girl || Aaron Hotchner

Summary: So, the request/idea is an Aaron Hotchner x F!Reader where the reader is actually a criminology or psychology professor and is good friends with Spencer... Read Rest Here

A/N: Loosely based on one of my favorite story lines because I sat here for an hour trying to come up with a good enough story that’d stump Reid and failed. Mosely Lane. Doesn't get fluffy until the end. Hope you enjoy!

Pairing: Aaron Hotchner x Y/N

Word Count: 5.4k +

Dismissing the class for the weekend you sat back at your desk in the front of the auditorium strumming away at the keyboard. You heard the clapping before you saw him. Eyes crinkling a touch you smiled brilliantly at your longtime friend.

“Another excellent lecture Professor.” He grinned at you.

“Spencer!” You laughed shooting out of your seat hugging the tall lanky man tightly, “To what do I owe this visit to?” You asked after breaking apart from the hug.

His face shifted from one of joy to a downcast expression, “I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t serious.” He sighed taking a seat on your desk, “We need some help.”

You nodded listening, “Go on.”

He looked down as if he was ashamed to ask for help. As if he should’ve been good enough to solve it. But nobody was perfect. Sometimes cases can get away from you. You’ve had it happen once when every decision you made was the wrong one. It was always awful when you realized you might’ve made a mistake that got somebody killed.

“Kids. They’re just kids.” His voice wobbled as he looked back up to you. You felt your heart clench at the voice crack, “Another child was found off the Potomac just north of here.”

Your cocked your eyebrow in curiosity, “A local case? How many children?” You asked quickly hopping from professor to profiler in your mind.

He drew a deep breath, “Ten.”

Your eyes widened, “Over how long?” That was a lot of murdered kids. Who in their sick minds could do something like that? You’d been around a lot of sick people in your years in criminology, but this was already coming to the top of the twisted pile. Killing kids was another level of sick you despised coming across.

“A year and a few months.”

Your eyes bugged even further, “Christ.”

He nodded solemnly tossing the case file down on your desk. He watched as you meticulously poured over everything the team had put together in two weeks. You hummed and hawed as you fingers ran across the pages. Reading everything.

“These poor babies.” You let out an equally defeated sigh looking at the pictures of the mutilated bodies of the innocent.

He hummed in agreement, “We can’t figure it out. Another girl just got abducted in the same way the last boy was. We just found his body. I’m missing something here. I can’t see it.” You looked up at him. He looked utterly defeated. Tired eyes gave way to the lack of sleep he’d been getting. Messy hair and wrinkled clothing also adored his figure.

“I’m in. Let’s go.” You shoved your laptop in your bag before closing the massive case file to read in the car.

He gave you a confused look, “Right now? Don’t you have to teach?”

You nodded, “I’ll cancel it. Let’s go. Time is ticking for the girl. First to the office.” Hurriedly, you stood next to him eyeing him to lead the way. He nodded seeing your seriousness, You followed him all the way back to Quantico after calling your Dean. It had some perks, being the Director of Criminology at Georgetown. It almost made you giggle it sounded so ludicrous.

You flashed your badge having consulted on a few cases for different departments of the FBI. Security let you through in a flash. You’d never worked with Spencer on an actual case of his. Hell, he’d normally figure it out before he’d ever dream of pulling an outsider into the team. But even he knew he was missing something. A puzzle piece he couldn’t seem to find. That’s when he thought of you. His longtime friend from postgrad. The two of you were ostracized early in your studies. You for being an incredibly intelligent female and him because he was a know it all. The two of you found each other and the rest was history. You stayed in academia while consulting on the side and Spencer went the FBI route. Luckily, you’d stayed in touch through all the years. You found it easy to love him as a friend once you knew how to deal with the boy genius.

“Team, this is Y/N. Y/N, the team.” Spence said quickly once he all but yanked you into the large conference room on the floor. Your eyes glossed over each of them quickly before falling to the one on the end. Tall, dark hair, dark eyes, and a smoldering look? Whew, he was just your type. He’d make you nervous. You didn’t see a ring on his finger as you scanned him from head to toe quickly.

You nodded bashfully. You could lecture hundreds of students but the eyes of six profilers right on you was rather intimidating, “Hello.” You nodded quickly walking over to the white board that listed intricate details of the case you hadn’t skimmed across in the file.

“Director of Criminology at Georgetown?” The handsome man stood next to you. A quick nod before turning your eyes back to the board.

“Yes, sir.” You cringed at your own voice sounding so unsure of herself. That wasn’t like you, not at all.

You noticed the hard stare turn to curiosity for a second before the stoic gaze returned, “Aaron Hotchner, BAU Unit Chief.”

Ahh, the infamous Hotchner. You had to admit it was almost fun putting faces to the names you’d heard from Spencer throughout all the years. At no time did he mention that Hotch was as striking as you’d found him to be. It never crossed your mind to find them online. It seemed too invasive on Spencer’s life but now you were second guessing that decision.

“Nice to meet you Agent Hotchner.”

He wasn’t being unfriendly, but he certainly wasn’t warm. You could tell he didn’t want you here but agreed out of necessity. They weren’t able to save the seven-year-old boy and Aaron was sure as hell not going to let the little eight-year-old girl meet the same fate because of pride. Even though it stung.

He didn’t reply though, only giving you a quick nod. He stood there rereading the same damn sentences he’d read over a thousand times over the last week.

“This is the order they were taken and killed?” You pointed to the wall seeing the boy-girl pattern curiously.

“Seven-year-old boy and then an eight-year-old girl every time. Over and over.” It sounded like the case had depleted him entirely. Haunted eyes scanned over each of the children’s faces. Helpless. All looking eerily similar too each other.

“And you all interviewed 21 suspects in northern Virginia.” You stated more than questioned as you looked up to the curious eyes. They were expecting you, but they weren’t expecting you.

The blonde woman nodded with a gentle look settling on her face, “All dead ends.”

“Can I read their case files?” You asked ready to spend the next few hours scouring over the notes. Maybe a fresh set of eyes could pick up on something they’d missed.

She nodded running out of the room to grab them. Spencer watched you before joining you at the table as you read through the entire file from where you left off in the car. You thanked JJ when she set another

“Y/N will stay here with Reid. The rest of us, we’re heading back out.” Spencer nodded reading what you were. Still not seeing anything. He watched as you scrunched your eyebrows and highlighted certain words on the page. Gray Honda. Black scooter. Pink bike. What were you onto? What did you see? He wracked his brain as you worked seamlessly between pages.

You read over the next potential suspect. He must’ve heard the small gasp escape from your lips. As he immediately urged you to go on by asking, “What is it?”

“The Darcy’s. We need to go back. There’s something here Spence.” Your finger held over a simple line in the interview. One that’d been glossed over. A seemingly useless detail in a sea of muddled mess of facts and fiction.

He shook his head not getting it continuing to urge on with his eyes, “He messed up. He slipped up and said gray.” You started reading from the transcript, “He said, ‘I took the car out for a spin at that time.’ And then JJ asked, ‘What kind of car to you drive Mr. Darcy?’ He responded, ‘A gray… shoot I mean black Honda Civic. Sold the gray one last year to a family member.’”

His head cocked, “A gray Honda Civic... oh, shit.” He dove into the papers finding exactly what you were looking for, “The interview with the witness who found the body. She spotted a gray Honda along her route.”

You nodded, “She thought it was odd because it was so early in the morning. Nobody is ever out.”

“We need to call Penelope.” Spencer gaped.

He pulled out his phone, “Garcia, who did David Darcy’s sell his car to last year?”

She hummed, “Well hello to you too! Give me a second boy genius.” You heard her typing away through the speaker phone, “Looks like it’s Mike Darcy. His brother.”

He looked at you with nothing but approval. He knew you were good at your job, but this was exceptional. You’d pieced it together so easily he was almost embarrassed he hadn’t caught that himself, “What do you have on him?” He asked. Again, silence with more typing before another really long silence and the faintest gasp.

“Garcia?” Spencer was finding it rather infuriating he was the one on the other side. He was the one who couldn’t seem to piece it all together. It wasn’t like him.

“He lost his entire family in a car accident two years ago. His wife and two children.”

He was shaking his head know all too well the aged of those two children, “An eight-year-old girl and a seven-year-old boy?”

“They don’t call you boy genius for nothing right?” Her laugh sounded strained but relieved. It wasn’t an easy life. Often times so much harder than you could ever dream of. The horror of humanity never ceased to amaze you in the worst ways imaginable.

“Thanks Penny. We gotta call Hotch.” Reid’s eyes were huge before as he dialed his boss’s number, “Hotch, you’re never going to believe this.” He walked off spouting off everything you’d just concluded. Letting out a huge sigh of relief, you listened to your friend off in the distance. It had to be the brother. That had to be the missing puzzle piece.

You felt somebody watching you as you cleaned the files up. You’d begged Spencer to let you go but he straight up refused. Hotch wanted to talk to you or some bullshit like that. You’d, very reluctantly, agreed.

“We looked for days.” His voice sounded harsher. A bit meaner than it did earlier. You turned to meet his eyes that looked how his voice sounded, unhappy with you.

“Just needed a fresh set of eyes was all.” His eyes didn’t change. His state only seemed to harden as he took you in.

“Thank you. She was found safe.” It sounded as if it was torturing him to give you the thanks.

You nodded quickly turning back around to clean the mess up, “Anytime.” He didn’t look bad by any means. Must’ve been a pretty easy arrest. You’d seen Spencer at his worst after unsub’s had been confronted. It was inevitable when you hunted the worst of humanity.

“We won’t be needing your services any longer.” Your heart both sped up and dropped a little at that statement. He didn’t like you. Plain and simple. Had you done something to piss him off? Upset him somehow? You ran through the events of the last few hours and came up miserably short. You’d just have to ask Spencer later.

Before you could respond though an older, almost more intimidating than him, woman walked into the room shaking her head, “That’s not what we agreed on Aaron.” She turned to smile at you, “Erin Strauss, BAU Section Chief.” She walked over to shake your hand eyeing you up. You’d were curious to what she was thinking as she approached you.

“I didn’t agree.” He all but mumbled out. That didn’t sound like the intimidating man that had just tried to put you in your place moments before.

“One vote matters more.” She turned to him. She must’ve given him a look you couldn’t see because he mumbled an agreement. It was surely a sight to be seen. Spencer would eat this one up later. Your longtime friend loved gossiping even though he’d never admit to it.

“That was impressive.” She kept sizing you up, profiling you. She wasn’t shy about doing it either. She’s the big boss and she knew it, used it.

“A new set of eyes can do wonders.” You’d downplay it, for Aaron’s sake. Not that he deserved any of your mercy at this point. He hadn’t exactly been the nicest too you.

She nodded quick, “Sure.” She didn’t have the time to go back and forth with you, “You teach close?”

“Yes I do. Georgetown.” You kept it short and sweet not bothering to elaborate with details she clearly didn’t care about.

A smile broke out on her face, “Dean Willow is a dear old friend of mine. I’ll give him a call. We may call in the future. That is if you want.”

She was giving you the option now, “I would like that. Real world examples are invaluable for my students.” You could’ve sworn you heard a scoff from over her shoulder.

She smiled though, “Wonderful. I’ll give him a call later. Nice to meet you Doctor?” She questioned trying to find out more about you.

You nodded giving her the confirmation you too were one, just like Reid. He wasn’t the only one with a PhD, “Nice to meet you as well Erin.”

She walked off quickly leaving you alone with Aaron. Instead of chatting with him you turned back to the table trying to finish what you’d started long ago, cleaning the damn table up.

“You have no right.” His voice was much louder, much closer now.

Heart hammering in your chest you had to be strategic here, “It was an offer.” Your voice was soft, too soft, and gentle for the moment. You hated confrontation this aggressively, it always seemed to get the best of you.

His lips pursed as he considered his words, “Stay out of the way.” Was all he said before walking out just like Aaron. Yikes. That couldn’t have gone worse.

You’d been called back for almost every local case and even a few further away ones that needed urgency on the clock. That’s where you’d seemed to thrive when the clock was ticking. It never seemed to get better with Aaron. He was cold with you. Never downright mean but brushing the line that he knew he couldn’t cross. Still, you’d never seemed to grow to dislike the man. Spencer let it slip that he felt like he let the entire team down when I came in and solved a case in hours.

You knew how finnicky pride could be. You knew just how dangerous that emotion could turn out to be. You’d let it get the better of you a few times. That was the difference between life and death though. The difference between bringing a family back together or giving them the worst news of their lives. So, you’d give Aaron a pass even if he didn’t really deserve it.

You’d also grown to adore his team. You’d made sure to ask Spencer time and time again to confirm that you weren’t overstepping but he shook it off each time telling you that he enjoyed having you on some of the cases. It brought him back to the fun they had in post-grad all those years ago. Naturally, you’d gravitated towards your friend during the cases you’d been asked to join. Aaron’s eyes always seemed to be glaring at you whenever you caught him. You had a sneaking suspicion you didn’t catch him nearly as often as you did.

Spencer would always just tell you that it was just Aaron. But it had been months now and he was still as ice cold as he was on day one. One by one you’d become close with each of the other members but never dreamed of approaching him. He’d let you know just how much he disliked you. You’d gotten the message loud and clear.

A call came through in the dead of night waking you from the light sleep you were in, always ready, “Hello?” You sounded groggy.

“Y/N. It’s Strauss. Another abduction. Fifteen-year-old girl this time.” She didn’t elaborate waiting for your response.

You sighed, “Why is it always children? I’ll be there in forty.”

Sleepily, you drove into Quantico. You were delighted to see you were the last on there, the team already at work. Yawning you slipped into the conference room greeted by a rather

“Y/N! You’re here. I was getting nervous.” Emily smiled patting your shoulder before moving over next to JJ.

Derek laughed, “Pretty boy was just about to call.”

You grinned looking over at Spence, “Sorry guys, the apartment is closer to Georgetown than it is here.” Your commute was just under an hour. Forty minutes if you pushed it.

“We’re just glad you’re here.” JJ chimed in patting the seat next to her, “We think we have a lead, come take a look.”

Hotch watched in awe as you moved to sit next to her. You’d seamlessly integrated yourself as a semi-permanent member of his team. They’d all seen you an integral member to specific types of cases. Cases that had time constraints. And unfortunately for you that seemed to be child abductions more often than not. Had he been too harsh on you? Was he doing it to protect his team that didn’t even need it? He had a sinking feeling he already knew the answers to those questions, and it wasn’t going to be what he wanted to hear.

He continued to watch as Rossi joked with you, Reid smiled far more often than he’d been used to, Derek already gave you the nickname ‘pretty girl’ to match Spencer’s own pretty boy. You brought ease and order to the team. You took the stress and siphoned it out of a situation. Even Aaron had to admit you were a hell of a profiler. He wasn’t blind either. He found you exceptionally beautiful. A detail Spencer conveniently left out.

He knew he might’ve already burnt that bridge with you though. He’d been nothing but an ass to you. You’d never snapped back though. Always taking everything in grace. You knew the pecking order and it wasn’t up to you to dismantle that or shake up the status quo.

Spencer noticed Hotch’s apprehension to his friend. Spence felt awful that his boss had yet to warm up to you. You were nothing but kind and incredibly good at your job. A combination that Hotch was usually a sucker for. Was his pride really that badly wounded?

He heard you let out a string of cuss words seeing the pictures of the last crime scene. Brutal. Absolute brutality. Whomever was doing this to children was beyond help.

“Jeeze Y/N, you kiss your boyfriend with that mouth?” Derek smirked laying it on thick. That comment brought Hotch right back into the present far too curious to hear what you had to say.

You threw your head back in laughter, “Hardly Derek. Between the teaching, directing and this. I don’t have the time to go meet anybody.”

Derek’s eyes flicked to Hotch’s so quickly even you didn’t catch it, “Who says you haven’t met him already?” Your eyes found his, a fiendish persona reveled in your bashfulness after tops of your cheeks turned a twinge pink.

You couldn’t let him win like that. Not with all those eyes listening in to the conversation intently, “In your wildest dreams Morgan.” A wink sent him into a fit of laughter. He too loved your ability to give and take. Knowing how to play along with him seamlessly.

Hotch coughed drawing all those curious eyes back to him, “Let’s get moving. Reid and JJ head back to police station and update the chief on the latest. Emily and Rossi go update the family. Morgan and Y/N you’re with me. Unsubs house.” You gave him a twisted look. You’d never been with him, and you’d certainly never been to an Unsubs residence while on a case. You were a profiler. A professor. Not a cop. Not comfortable with confrontation your heart was already picking up the pace just thinking about it.

“I don’t think this is a great idea sir…” You’d managed to mumble out once most of the team had cleared the room. You were sure your nervousness was full front, and center displayed across your facial features.

He cocked his head studying you again. Always studying you. Always on guard around you, “I think it is.”

You cursed under your breath almost embarrassed to admit it to him, “I’ve never done that before, going to an active scene.”

He shrugged loosening his gaze a smidge for the first in front of you, “First time for everything. You’ve been through the training in the last few months. You can do it.” He nodded eyeing the door but making sure your head was in it before he left. Last thing he needed was you not 100% ready and getting injured. He knew you were ready for it though. He’d had a daft curiously of how you’d handle that type of pressure.

The three of you sped to the crime scene. Morgan forced you to sit up front by diving into the truck and taking the entirely of the back seat up shooting you a sly grin before shutting the door. You felt the weight of the bulletproof vest

“Stay behind me, pretty girl. We’ll go room to room on the main level.” Derek spoke with conviction once the three of you made it to the front of the home. Your heart was hammering so hard you could hear the blood echoing in your ears. Focus. You could do this. Aaron believed you could.

Hotch nodded, “I’ll take upstairs. Listen to Morgan.” He ordered before nodding at Derek. All hell broke loose as you went room to room clearing. Before you heard the gunshots upstairs. Morgan rushed upstairs with you behind him. Hotch stood with his gun pointed at the now deceased unsub who had a shotgun in his own procession.

“The girl. Where is she?” You asked turning away from the blood spatter that laced the wall behind the body.

“Go, find her.” He barked turning away from the kill. You prayed that was something you never had to do.

You ran out downstairs searching. It wasn’t until you found the basement door that you flew down there. A strangled gasp came from your throat as you spotted the girl in the corner on a bloody mattress. You shuddered at the thought that it wasn’t only her blood coating that mattress.

“Hotch! Morgan! She’s down here!” You bellowed out dropping the gun immediately and softening your expression after witnessing the shaking, bound girl. She’d been beat up. Quite a few times by the look of differently faded bruises littered haphazardly around her hardly dressed body.

You unzipped your jacket clutching it in your hand. Putting your hands up you dropped down to your knees keeping a distance away letting her know you weren’t a threat. You put your hands up, “Hi sweetheart. My name is Y/N. I work for the FBI and we’re here to help you. Can I bring you this jacket to cover up?” You asked her in your most gentle voice. Like you were talking to the most helpless soul on the planet. She might’ve been at that very moment.

Aaron and Derek watched from the stairwell as you stood up walking over to her with slow small steps. Once you reached her you dropped down again, “Is it alright if I touch you? What hurts the worst sweetheart?”

She shook her head before breaking. Breaking down completely. The tears turned to ugly sobs. She reached out for you, and you grabbed her quickly. Pulling her right into your embrace. She fisted your shirt like her life depended on it unaware of the two men watching the scene unfold before them. They’d called for an ambulance and just had to wait. But you were there for her. He felt a light flutter in his stomach as he watched you caress her face and play with her hair. Whispering in her ear and hold her tight. You were a natural. Aaron could see it plain as day now.

Slowly her harsh wails turned to strained tears. Almost all her energy depleted as she leaned on you. You wrapped your jacket around her small frame to cover whatever decency she had left. The poor babies life was over as she knew it. Her life was going to be an uphill battle from this point going forward. Your heart shattered as you brought her back into your chest. Whispering those sweet reassurances to the utterly broken girl sitting in your lap.

Once the ambulance took her away Hotch turned towards you observing once more. Your usually chipper grin was downturned. It had affected you more than he had sensed. It was hard. Impossible sometimes. And this was a good outcome. An exceptional one even.

“Are you okay, Y/N?” He asked finally letting that guard down.

You nodded so softly he didn’t know if you truly meant it or not, “Yeah. I just… I’ve never done that. Spence always told me stories, but I guess… I don’t know.” You sighed at a loss for words.

He stepped forward placing a hand on your shoulder this time, “It’s okay. It’s difficult. We all know. But think of the good you’d done. You were there for her when she needed it most. We didn’t train you for that. You’re just a good person. Don’t let this job ever take that away from you.”

Your mouth almost dropped as listened to him. He was always a man of so few words this felt like an all on speech for you. So long was that hard gaze you grew to expect over the last few months and was replaced with something much softer and kinder. The look he gave him other agents. The ones he’s known and worked with for years. Maybe Spence was right, maybe he was warming up to you a bit.

Things had been going well. Another month had passed, and you’d been called on for few more cases. You’d refused pay simply because you came and went as you had time. You called it tunning up for your professorship.

Aaron had completely warmed up to you over that time. You were still terribly timid around him. Old habits died hard with you. But he was trying. Making small gestures when you were around. Getting you coffee, holding open the door for you, smiling a little bit more.

It wasn’t lost on the team. They’d seen the change even if you refused to. Spencer constantly bugged you about it once Morgan put a big in his ear. Planted a seed that bloomed in that beautiful brain of his.   

Aaron had a scowl on his face watching you and Spencer joke around in the conference room. Why weren’t you even remotely like that with him?

“You could just tell her instead of shooting daggers at Reid.” Derek clapped his bosses back cracking a smile at him.

“She doesn’t like me.” The scowl dropped as he turned towards his agent.

“So, you think. More intimidated by you than doesn’t like you. You were kind of an ass there for a while.” Derek egged his boss on. It wasn’t often he was able to get under his skin.

Aaron rolled his eyes, through gritted teeth he answered him, “I know Morgan.”

“Why were you anyway?” He asked, digging for more and more. The true king of gossip at Quantico.

He shrugged, “To protect you guys. She was an outsider. We didn’t know anything about her.”

Derek let out a laugh that even drew your attention away from Spencer and over to them. Giving them a sheepish wave, you looked away back to Spence quickly. Aaron’s hard eyes turned soft made you feel a certain type of way. He was back to being that handsome man you first laid eyes on. A man who seemed so far out of your league it was laughable.

“Whatever you want to tell yourself boss man. But we both know that’s not the case. It’s okay to have feelings after Haley. It’s been years Hotch.” Morgan squeezed his shoulders urging his friend on, “I’m going to go grab Reid. Go apologize and tell her how you feel. You might be surprised. Go be happy instead of being jealous.”

He mumbled something incoherent but didn’t stop him. Spencer gave Derek a knowing look. You waved him off turning back to the case you were reviewing. It wasn’t a moment later the same chair Spencer

“I’m sorry.” He spit it out certainly not afraid to beat around the bush with it.

Tilting your head to the side you asked, “What for?”

“Being an ass your first few months here.” Again, he was com

You were a bit stunned, “Oh, thanks. I’m happy to be here.”

“You are an exceptional profiler Y/N and an incredible asset to this team. You’ve got a heart of gold. You work with victims better than anybody I’ve seen. Do you know how heartwarming that is to witness? You’re a natural with it all. So, I’m sorry. I’m so happy to have you here.” He let out a breath after airing it out there.

Your heart rate sped up to that rapid rate that made you feel almost uncomfortable, “You mean it?”

“Every last word.” He looked at you expectantly. It could go either way. Either really good or horrifically bad.

You gave him your first genuine smile. One he’s seen come out for everybody else except for him. Until now, “Thank you Aaron. That was very kind.”

He nodded, “Of course. It’s the truth.” You could tell he wanted to say more but didn’t know how to.

You felt a weird surge of confidence brush over you, “For the record. I’ve really enjoyed working for you. With you. I’ve learned a lot.” You too wanted to say something more, but the words were impossible to think of.

The tension was thick. But Aaron decided to cut it. Throwing caution to the wind, “Since you technically don’t work here I don’t think what I’m going to say next is really crossing the line.” He breathed taking a second before gathering the courage he needed, “You are absolutely beautiful Y/N. Inside and out. You’ve been chipping away at my heart ever since you stepped into this world. You are exceptional. I like you. Way more than a boss should. Way more than a friend should.”

Your mouth did drop this time. That was everything you wanted to hear and exactly what you expected not to hear. He liked you? You’d thought back on the month and didn’t see the signs. It seemed so obvious once he spoke it so clearly.

You started giggling at the hilarity of it all.

“What?” He asked smiling, easing back in his chair feeling eased by the lightness of the room.

“I can profile everything but my own damn life.” You kept giggling only to be stopped when he grabbed your hands.

“You’re even prettier when you laugh like that.”

Your blush was mad by now, “Thank you Aaron.”

“Would you let me take you out sometime? On a date? A proper one. Where we get dressed really nice. I’ll take you to a fancy restaurant. All that jazz.”

You smiled even wider, “If that’s really what you want.”

Squeezing your hand as a confirmation he nodded, “Pretty girl, it’s all I want.” His grin was everything as you both sat there smiling at each other like two lovesick fools.

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[thetempleofhades]

DANCE OF FLOWERS!

repost of one of my older fics that i had saved somewhere. I was and still am really proud of this fic, i still like it a lot.

Upon hearing about you, The Tsaritsa found herself eager to find out more. To see you with her own eyes. That’s why she finds herself in Monstad for once. She doesn’t want to be here, of course, but you’re more important than any of those she holds in contempt.

Laughter sounded from a crowded area just up ahead, and she went towards it. She listened to the tune playing as successfully weaved herself to the front of the crowd.

The laughter and music grew louder and she couldn’t help but watched in awe as you twirled yourself and the child you held onto, smile wide on your face. Your face flush red from happiness. This look was what she liked best on you. Happiness suited you better than the benevolent neutrality that people made you famous for.

Flowers were weaved into your hair, resembling the ones that bloomed all throughout teyvat. Flowers seemed to blood in her stomach as well as she stared at you, completely mesmerized.

You locked eyes with her and smiled at her, head tilting to the side before letting go of Klee’s hands and heading towards her. “Dance with me.” You spoke out, smiling happily at her without a single trace of fear as you grabbed her hands. They were cold, like ice, but you didn’t mind.

“Ah.” She spoke out finally, looking down at you and let you drag her out. She easily followed your footsteps and twirled you around without having to be told.

Venti watched closely while still playing the tune with ease. He was a bard after all. He knew why she was there and he didn’t want her hurting their precious creator, so he made sure to keep an eye on them.

“You dance really well, my lady.” You beamed at her as you held onto her hands, cheeks flushed as you still danced to the song that was nearing it’s end. “It was my honor to dance with you.” You smiled as you looked up and all kind of petals rained down upon the surrounding people.

You stepped back, letting go of her hands and reconnecting with Klee before turning around and heading off with Klee and Venti in tow.

She searched for you for weeks afterwards but never found you, so she went back to Schneznaya with hope that you may get her gifts and letters.

Every single gift and letter she sent was intercepted by one of the acolytes, except for a music box.

A beautifully crafted music box with the same tune that the two of you had danced to, and on top where the figurine usually was, sat you. Beautiful, kind, happy you with petals drifting around. It was a beautiful gift. One you fawned over to everyone that would listen.

“Your Grace....” Zhongli glanced at your pouting lips before his eyes drifted over to your puffed out cheeks and up to your furrowed eyebrows. “Please understand, it’s dangerous. We only wish to keep you safe.”

“Why would she hurt me? She’s been sending me gifts and letters! Which you always discarded Zhongli!” You crossed your arms, upset at the actions they took.

Zhongli’s face softened as he came closer to you and grasped at your hand so that he might press a kiss to it. “I’m sorry. I just want to protect you. I’m your loyal acolyte. I wish only good things to come your way. I should have consulted you first, my creator.”

Your face softened and a sigh came from your lips as you gazed at him. “I can never stay mad at you.... But!” You added on as his face brightened. “I want to meet with her! She sent an invitation to have tea with her in her palace! I’ll take Aether and Lumine! I’ll be safe so please Zhongli!!!” You pleaded with him, grasping at his hand, desperate for his approval.

You knew they only did these things to protect you, to protect your happiness so you always let it slide but you wanted to see her again so badly! You couldn’t stop playing the music box and listening to it with longing.

Venti sighed from the doorway before making his way into the room. “C’mon Zhongli! It’s the Honorary Knight and Lumine is just as capable! They’ll be perfectly safe. Let them have a little fun.”

“Alright.” He sighed as he agreed, making you jump for joy and hug him tight, repeatedly thanking him.

You were so happy! You had been waiting so long to see her again. Ever since that dance, you hadn’t been able to get her off of your mind. And now, you were going to have tea with her in Schneznaya. Lumine and Aether would be there too but you knew they wouldn’t cause any trouble, they were good people.

Oh, you couldn’t wait!

And that led you to where you were right now! In front of the Zapolyarny Palace with the twins at your sides and a bouquet of red carnations in your hands.

“You have to be on your best behavior, okay? No matter how much someone aggravates you. The Tsaritsa has been very kind to allow us to visit, so we must be kind in return.” You lectured them, sternly.

Lumine nodded her head and nudged Aether to the same. “We’ll make sure to be civil no matter who it is, right Aether?”

“Yeah. Don’t worry so much your grace. We’ll be role models!” Aether pumped his fist in the air with Paimon at his side watching in suspicious silence.

“Paimon too, right?” You smiled at the floating girl and she pouted before nodded reluctantly.

“Paimon will be nice.”

A snort cut through the silence as Scaramouche appeared in front of them. “Surprised to see you three, survival must be easy for you huh?” He smiled mockingly at them before it turned sincere once he turned to you and bowed. “Your Divine Grace, The Tsaritsa sent me to guide you to the tea room.”

“Thank you.” You smiled at him and ushered your three companions to follow as you knew they disliked Scaramouche and you knew why but you aimed to have a peaceful tea time with The Tsaritsa!

“You’ve come.” Once she saw you, the Tsaritsa smiled at you, the corners of her eyes crinkling up with it. “I thought you wouldn’t, you never responded to any of my letters....”

You rubbed the back of your neck with a hand. “Ah, yes. The letters and gifts except the music box and the letter than came with it were all not given to me.” You spoke and upon seeing the Tsaritsa’s rising anger, hurried to soothe her. “They’re just trying to protect me. Will you forgive them this once?” You pleaded with her.

“If it’s what you wish...” She conceded, not wanting to go against your will.

“I... um.... I didn’t know what kind of flowers you like so I made red carnations for you.” You handed the bouquet over to her and she smiled down at it.

“You are much too kind, come. Let’s have tea together. Scaramouche, lead the twins and their companion towards the other table.” She commanded and you smiled at the three companions.

Lumine frowned but bit her tongue. You wanted them to be on their best behavior. Even if it means being nice to....ugh..... Scaramouche, she’ll do it. For you.

Aether was working hard to hold himself back, reminding himself that this was what you wanted.

“Sorry Travellers, heard you were coming and made sure you wouldn’t have too many options. Must hurt your head to think all the time, huh?” Scaramouche remarked as he smirked and walked forward.

Aether wondered if it was too late to stop being nice to that prick.

Meanwhile, with you and the Tsaritsa, you both were chatting happily with each other.

“Thank you for the music box. It was lovely.” Hands clutched at the teacup in your hands as you smiled down at the contents in the cup.

“I’m glad you liked it, you left an impression on me. I wanted to see you again.” She spoke out as she reached out her hand and brushed her thumb along your cheekbone. “I’m happy you came to see me.”

Red filled your cheeks and you nodded fervently. “M-Me too! I wanted to see you too......”

You bit into one of the tea cakes, a pink one. “Mmm!” You made a sound of approval as you swallowed it. “So good!” You spoke before taking a sip of your tea. "I’ve never had a tea cake that tasted so good before.”

The Tsaritsa watched you with a fond look on her face as she pulled back her hand and grabbed the white chocolate tea cake grabbed a piece of it with her fork. “Let me food you.” She insisted and you nodded eagerly, opening your mouth.

She fed it to you and you made another sound of approval. “This one is good too!” You looked so happy and she couldn’t help herself but to learn forward and press a kiss to your lips.

A crash sounded somewhere behind you and you turned bright red as you hid your face. “My lady! W-W-W-” You couldn’t form a response to what had just happened.

My first kiss!

You could have sworn you heard Scaramouche cackling behind you as Lumine whispered at Aether to calm down.

[sitp-recs]

Hullo! I was wondering if you have any good recs for extremely magically inclined Draco or Harry? Or both? Like they exude badass, and they are in awe of each other. Maybe with a hint of morally grayness? I've ran through quite a few tags of the like and have deeply enjoyed them and was wondering if you had a few goodies.

Hi anon! I definitely got a few recs for you, some with morally gray characters as a treat 🙌

Powerful Harry:

Under Pressure by VivacissimoVoce (M, 21k)

Harry Potter has quit magic and left the wizarding world. Draco, a top-notch Tracker, has been hired to find him and save his life.

And One To Play by @tackytigerfic (E, 21k)

Draco Malfoy and Harry Potter are the best team in the Auror Department, even when they're driving Gawain Robards up the wall. When Malfoy is injured on a mission, it causes Harry's magic to go haywire. Meanwhile, a mysterious criminal is draining people's magical cores and turning them into Squibs.

If an Injury Is to Be Inflicted by @shealwaysreads (E, 45k)

Harry Potter disappeared a year after the Battle of Hogwarts, and with him went all hope for true change in magical Britain. Three years later, Draco indulges himself and attends his first Dog Fight—the infamous underground fights with no rules, no referee, and no points system bar blood on the floor. The game was simple: you win, or you die.

REVOLVEVLOVER by @firethesound and @lol-zeitgeistic (E, 46k)

The work Harry does is justifiable. It’s justice. He works for his country, and his country is a republic—the magical side, anyway. It’s not laudable work, it’s not work he’s proud of, but it’s necessary work. Harry has always taken the necessary jobs that no one else has the stomach for. It’s just that he’s never deciphered a kill sheet and seen Draco Malfoy’s name on it.

I Am Not Who I Became by mab_di (E, 93k)

Draco left England after the trials and has travelled the world meeting wizards and Muggles from different cultures and with vastly different relationships to magic, each other, and the natural world. Now he's a fisherman in Finland on commercial vessels. Harry has been struggling since the war and has become a recluse while trying to write his autobiography.

A Sword Laid Aside by @korlaena (E, 128k)

When Draco’s cover is blown during a deep undercover operation and the Ministry is compromised, Ron takes Draco to the only safe place he can think of—Potter. Hiding out with a taciturn Harry Potter, who has been missing from the Wizarding World for almost two decades after a shocking fall from grace, is nothing like Draco thought it would be.

Powerful Draco:

check this hand 'cause I'm marvelous by @lqtraintracks (E, 8k)

Harry's had a crush on Malfoy for months now. But it will take a bar full of his friends, some Firewhisky, wagers made on his behalf, and Malfoy himself to get him to act on it.

you look so fine by michi_thekiller (E, 16k)

In which Draco is a Veela and Harry is his mate. Dark!Humor or Crack!Horror, you decide.

The Foxing Ring by @vukovich (E, 24k)

Harry's got no magic, one good ear, no great dating prospects, and a nice little wand workshop. Draco's got too much magic, a history of biting off ears, no great dating prospects, and a growing fondness for wandmakers. And a very fetching tail.

A Pocket Full of Stones by @amywaterwings (E, 68k)

A curse is spreading through the wizarding world, erasing memories of the war. Harry Potter is on the case! Where Draco is the DMLE’s most wanted dark wizard and Harry is the private investigator tasked with bringing him in. It goes as well as one might expect.

Threshold by @kbrick (E, 126k)

Unspeakable Draco Malfoy finally gets his chance to consult with the Auror Department when a series of mysterious doors covered in runic symbols appear all across the country, only to fade away minutes later. Draco’s eager to help solve the mystery of the doors until he’s partnered with Harry Potter, who still treats him like an enemy.

All Our Secrets Laid Bare by firethesound (E, 150k)

Over the six years Draco Malfoy has been an Auror, four of his partners have turned up dead. Harry Potter is assigned as his newest partner to investigate just what is going on.

[bdccglobal]

Are There any AWS Consulting Companies that Advise on Infrastructure Setup?

Yes, there are many AWS consulting companies that offer advice and assistance with setting up infrastructure on AWS. Some of these companies include: 

2nd Watch 

Accenture 

Rackspace

Algoworks 

Avanade 

IBM 

Deloitte 

Cognizant 

Wipro 

Infosys 

HCL 

RightScale 

Optimum Solutions 

Dimension Data 

2nd Watch 

Flux7 

Peak Performance 

Datapipe 

Navisite 

Rishabh Software 

Agile IT 

These companies also offer a range of services, including cloud migration, DevOps automation, disaster recovery, and managed services. They can help you make the most of AWS services, such as Amazon S3, Amazon EC2, Amazon RDS, and more, to achieve your business goals. 

[sierra-cedar]

Moving Forward Together with Sierra-cedar

Sierra-Cedar delivers industry-focused client success by providing consulting, technical, and managed services for the deployment, management, and optimization of next-generation applications and technology.

[sunsetkerr]

MRS ARNOLD | m. arnold

summary: headcanons of what is was like to being mrs arnold.

pairing: fem!reader x mackenzie arnold

notes: my very first piece that isn't sam???????? what???? this was a request, and I've decided that on occasion I will accept requests for other players, see my masterlist so you know who to request for!! If they aren't there, I most likely won't write for them, but there is never ever any harm in asking. if you have anymore questions/thoughts about mrs arnold, send them in so we can chat about her!! lots of love!!

you had been around football your entire life

your dad was a trainer for west ham’s womens team

you grew up a die-hard west ham fan

you played as a kid and a teenager

but as you got older you decided to head onto a different path

you studied audiology once you graduated high school 

focused on your studies and graduated as one of the top students in your degree

your family was so proud of you

of course you still watched football once you stopped playing

you never missed a match (and your dad would never let you)

 in 2023, you were at the height of your career, heading into owning your own clinic

you were loving your job

so when your dad asked you to come in and take a look at one of his players, you were surprised

but of course, you weren’t one to ever say no to him

you arrived at chadwell heath and received a great reception

everyone there knew you as your dad’s daughter

they loved having you around

you walked into your dads office not thinking about it

when you were met with mackenzie

you hadn’t officially met her before

but up close, wow, she was even more breathtaking than in goal

as you went to apologise for barging in on her, your dad came in

he introduced mackenzie to you and explained why he had brought you in

she had suspected that she was suffering from hearing loss

you tried your best to tread lightly on the topic as it was a relatively new concept to her

she was familiar with hearing loss

her brother had worn hearing aids since he was young

but she had never considered needing them herself

you said that you could book her in for an audiology test and have a look

you ended up diagnosing her later that week

mackenzie was so grateful for you

for such a hard experience, you sure made it easy

she was in awe of you and how smart you were

she marvelled at your mind

you were just so intelligent

she couldn’t help herself

you stayed close after fitting her for her hearing aids

you would be in the change room at half-time at west ham home games

you were technically working as a ‘personal player consultant’ on the medical team

(thanks dad)

but really, you just wanted to be near mackenzie

she was starting to excel even more in her game (if that was possible)

and she always chalked it up to you

‘well since y/n fitted my hearing aids’

‘y/n did the most really’

‘she’s just so smart, without her i’d be struggling still’

mackenzie gloated about you 24/7 to anyone who would listen

she ended up asking you on a date after four months of officially knowing each other

she found herself at your clinic way too often 

there was only so many times mackenzie could lie about a faulty battery

so when you mentioned how many times she had come in

she was a blushing mess, but managed to murmur out

‘would you want to get dinner tonight?’

you said yes right away

you had only been waiting four months for her to ask

she asked you to be her girlfriend on your fourth time out together

(after getting a very big hint from your dad that you were waiting)

‘already made her wait for that date, macca. wouldn’t want to keep her waiting much longer’

she called you after that conversation and said she was taking you out that night

you couldn’t really ask for more with mackenzie

she was everything you wanted in a person

and now you get to watch west ham matches from the player suites

not just the friends and family section 

[centrally-unplanned]

How exactly was so just dumb about 2020?

Honestly its a book-worthy subject - Freddie deBoer wrote one for example - and I lack the spoons to do the topic justice. So just to quickly summarize my stance, in 2020 there was a massive wave of activism, originating in the George Floyd protests, that was both wrong-on-the-merits and actively harmful in what it did. Big activist groups wasted time on bad ideas like "police defunding" and carrying water for street violence & theft, bad-as-outlined and specifically against the interests of minority Americans (who want more policing not less because crime is awful and hurts them the most, just also accountable policing).

Many, many organizations got convinced that ~structural racism~ was Inside The House and organized large-scale inner-org ideological wars against their own staff, generally hunting ghosts since, no, progressive political organizations and liberal US universities are not the source of racial income inequality. People wasted millions of dollars, fired innocent people, made tens of thousands feel afraid to share their true opinions, and degraded organizational trust and effectiveness.

The scale of these things is, of course, small! Most people work in accounting firms or at State U and maybe had to put up with some dumb "racial reckoning" zoom calls. But A: individual lives are lived individually, for the people affected this was very bad. These organizations engaged is systematic discrimination against their racial & ideological opponents, in ways that were very hard to escape. And the results of these things stuck - political campaigning orgs and media outlets just got bad at their jobs because their staff was spending time on purity tests and building parasitic checkbox consulting orgs that are still around.

And most notably, it was awfully, ludicrously unpopular. It pushed all Americans who are not highly educated elite professionals (and generally white, generally women at that) to the right out of disgust. Which if your goals are like your own career or w/e I guess you don't care, but if you are an explicitly political movement I think own-goaling that badly is a demerit. This movement's contribution to the lasting appeal of Donald Trump is not zero by any means.

Hard to say what the counterfactual is because 2020 was uh quite a year. But imo if the social justice "racial reckoning" did not happen we would on net be better off.

(On top of all this, as deBoer mentions in that link, it is particularly annoying how many people in the SJ camp today pretend none of this ever really happened)

(And thank you for the question ofc!)

[spaceistheplaceart]

Body Swap - The Exorcism Part One

finally done... ough. its really hard to make shigeo emote just the right amount... hes such a deadpan boy its hard to have variance over the panels

masterpost

previous

(Please Reblog! Leave a comment in the tags! They make me very happy :)

SUMMARIZED ID: Reigen gives Mob a pep talk about speaking to other people and tells him he just has to gain experience by training his social skills. Mob is at 50% progress towards his explosion. They arrive at the clients house and Dimple leaves due to the powerful spirits inside. FULL ID UNDER CUT

START ID:

(This is a body swap, so I'll be referring to the characters as who they actually are but keep in mind that Reigen is in Mob's body and vice versa.)

"Reigen is speaking to Mob,his hand is on his shoulder and he's holding up one finger while speaking. Reigen says, "There is no set way to get along with other people. Because every person is unique- what might be the right thing to say to someone, could be the wrong thing for somebody else, understand?"

Mob looks at Reigen with a slightly awed expression. Reigen continues, "The best you can do is try to treat people with the same kindness you'd want for yourself."

Reigen smiles and leans over a bit, putting his free arm up on his knee that's perched on the curb. His other hand is still on Reigen's shoulder. Dimple is sitting to the right of Mob on the curb, with two little legs dangling over the edge. Reigen continues, patting Mob on the back. "More than likely, they're feeling just as awkward as you are! Nobody's got it all figured out- it only seems that way because you're not seeing the bigger picture of their lives."

Reigen holds up two fingers, smirking confidently. "People who are really good at talking to others benefit from common sense and experience." He gestures his hand out and shrugs a little dismissively. "And while you don't have common sense," He points at Mob, smiling widely again. "You can get experience!" He places his hand over his mouth in thought. "You're still in that exercise club, right?"

"Mhmm." Mob replies. Reigen points at him. "How much can you lift right now?"

Mob looks a little embarrassed, averting his eyes with a slight blush on his cheeks. "mm... 35 pounds."

"And how much could you lift when you started?" Reigen asks. Mob looks back to him, eyebrows raised slightly and a sweatdrop on his cheek. "20." He answers.

Reigen beams and holds up a finger, gesticulating. "That's a huge improvement, right!? But that's only because you trained everyday."

He tilts his head slightly downward, lopsidedly grinning, and confidently looks at Mob. "You have to train your social skills too, remember that."

He continues, "Hey, why don't you start helping me with consultations every once in a while? We can start small."

Mob's lips are slightly parted and he looks at Reigen in slight awe. "It's like training...?" He thinks to himself. He smiles, eyes shining and nods. "Yeah."

PROGRESS TOWARDS EXPLOSION: 50%

A transition panel of the top of a taxi, just showing the 'taxi' sign on the top of the car as speed lines go across the panel horizontally.

Mob and Reigen stand outside the clients house. It very boxy in shape with a square roof and garage. The windows are in triplets and shaped like rectangles. There is one small tree in front of the house. The double doors are framed by an angular archway and are dark. Above the archway is a semicircle window. Outside is a square, brick, fence.

Reigen knocks on the door. Hiroto opens the door. Reigen looks up at Hiroto, the camera angle makes him seem smaller. He is smiling up at him with his customer service smile. "Good evening, Mr. Hiroto!" Reigen greets.

Hiroto crouches down, hands on his knees, and smiles at Reigen. "Good evening, young man. You're right on time!"

"Come on in." He continues. Reigen keeps his smile, but it's tighter and strained now. There's an angry pulse symbol on his forehead. He heads inside with Hiroto. Mob stays stood outside.

Mob looks behind him at Dimple, who is floating away. "Dimple? Are you going somewhere?"

Dimple turns to Mob. "Yeah. I can tell there's some pretty powerful spirits in there so... I'm gonna steer clear for now."

He shrugs, smiling in a lighthearted manner. "Would've been fun to see Reigen try to use your powers, though!"

"Oh." Mob says.

Dimple's lightheartedness lessens and he looks a little unsure. "But... uh... if you need me... you know how to reach me, right?"

Mob nods, smiling slightly.

Dimple floats off, waving behind his back to Mob. "Alright, good luck. And don't let Reigen get your body killed! You don't wanna be stuck looking like that forever, ahaa!~"

END ID