#Touch Screen Controllers Market

[almiarangers]

I can’t get Phantom Hourglass controls to cooperate with me, h e l p

[macabr3-barbi3]

CTRL ALT DELETE- Task Manager (Vox/Reader)

Something's up with Vox and you offer to help troubleshoot- it both does and does not go how you're expecting it to.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/54688282

The least serious thing I've ever written: inspired by the time i started a timer in class one day to see how long my teacher talked about her son instead of teaching us; i ended up realizing 4 months later that i never stopped the timer and it was just running in the background and making my shit slow that entire time lmao there's a screenshot in the ao3 notes

Tags: Stress Relief, Sexual Tension, Chair Sex, Vaginal Fingering, Begging, Computers. Dirty Talk, very basic knowledge of computers

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Your new boss seemed stressed. 

Not in the usual way that he was stressed, either- the note from the assistant you had replaced was that usually when Vox was having an off day he would call for Valentino or have you pull a list of low earners for the month, banishing you from the room in either case. But he hadn’t spent any time with Val in months, basically the entire time that you’d been working with him as a personal assistant after getting promoted from a stage grunt for the news channel.

You had thought for a bit that he might make a move- that maybe that was why he promoted you, that he was charmed enough by you to end the on/off thing he had going on with Val, which made sense based on the timing. But when you tested that theory recently- made double entendres, brushed your hands against his arms or leg or back, blatantly invited him out for dinner and drinks- he didn’t seem interested. He declined your invite, allowed you to touch him without being overcome with lust, and the sex jokes just seemed to go whoosh. 

Right over his head. 

He was on edge and twitchy. He took longer to respond to things than he normally did, his processors slow, occasionally getting a ‘buffering’ message that flashed across his screen when someone asked a question. His hypnotic eye seemed to be suffering as well, the swirls having slowed down now to the point that they were no more mesmerizing than watching paint dry. It was frustrating and enraging him, and in turn frustrating you- he was fucking hot when he was angry, which didn’t help your attraction to him that he was ignoring. 

He was sitting at his desk in the control room when you entered, head in his hands as he stared at a piece of paper on his desk. The monitors were all lit behind him, showing recorded footage of the Tower throughout the day- you spotted a short recording of yourself talking to some of the marketing team a few hours ago. Like a Valentino caricature he read the paper, blinked his eyes a couple times, read it again. Picked it up and pulled it closer to his face like that would help, and his screen scrolled the words along the bottom like his internal system was trying to transcribe it so something he could understand. He finally dropped the paper with a groan, letting it flutter to the floor where it slipped under his chair and stopped just before you. 

“Are you okay, sir?” The question is out before you can stop it, and as was the normal recently it took a few minutes for him to answer. 

“I don’t know what’s wrong with me,” he muttered, swiveling around to look at you. He clutched the sides of his screen, eyes narrowed and mouth delayed in its movements as he spoke. “I feel like I can’t focus on anything. I can’t process anything. My- just, fucking everything is slow and useless in my head right now! How am I supposed to be a master media manipulator when I can’t fucking concentrate for more than two minutes at a time?”

“You have seemed more… stressed than usual,” you agree. “Are none of your usual relaxing activities helping? Or have you done any troubleshooting?”

He raises an eyebrow. “Pardon?”

“Troubleshooting,” you say again, and at his blank stare you chuckle a little. “You know, doing a couple ‘quick fix’ things to see if that’s what’s causing the problem. Do you have like, a cache or something that you have to clear? An archive dump to get rid of old files?” You let your eyes track his body from top to bottom. “I’m not super familiar with how your… anatomy works?”

God, but you wanted to be.

He blinks a couple times. “I think I used to have someone that did that for me,” he says. “Years ago. I fired them because it didn’t seem necessary, I was running perfectly fine.”

“Yeah, well, that might be what the problem is.” You offer him a soft smile. “Sometimes stuff will work in sub-optimal conditions for a while before it starts causing issues. I used to do programming customer support when I was alive- it’s been a while but I could take a look if you want?”

His mouth twists in a frown. “I guess so,” he agrees. “I’m desperate enough to try anything. I need to be able to fucking concentrate if the Vees are gonna stay on top, everyone fucking knows that Val is hopeless with the business aspect of everything.” He gets the buffering symbol on his screen for a few seconds, groaning and shaking his head as he clears. “What do you need access to?”

“Do you have a way to access your… system? Externally,” you clarify. “I’m not a surgeon- I don’t plan on cutting into you to get to anything.”

Vox gestures behind him. “I can hook up to the monitors,” he says, “but we’ll have to be pretty close, doll. I have to be sitting here to be hooked up, and since this is the only chair, looks like this will have to be your seat.” He pats a hand on his thighs, not so much an invitation as a statement.

You fucking wished. You know this isn’t him trying to initiate anything though- you’d been trying for long enough that you’re ready to give it up and just accept that your hot, overlord boss didn’t want to fuck you. Helping him out felt more important than that anyway, so you would do your best.

“You got it,” you say, and cross the remaining space to perch yourself gracefully on his lap. You push the inappropriate thoughts about how firm his muscles are underneath you- how exactly did this man’s body work? Was it really just his head that was not organic matter?- and let him rotate the chair back to face the monitors.

The sight is intimidating, as is the position- you’re surrounded by reflections of yourself from every angle, Vox’s lithe frame seated behind you. This is where he does most of his business, the background site of everything that VoxTec handles. And he’s trusting you to help him fix whatever is wrong with him so he can get back to handling all of that, free of distraction.

You watch as thick wires come up from the floor to plug into the back of his head, the sharp hiss making you wonder if it was painful or intrusive. You won’t ask though, not when you’re getting ready to try to restore him to his usual ruthless self; he might consider that to be prying.

He pulls something up on the main monitor, the one that sits directly across from you, and waves a hand to it. A little keyboard and mouse emerge from the desk as the monitor powers on, and when you glance back you can see the same thing reflected on his face. “Have at it,” you hear him say, even though you can’t see his mouth moving.

Ignoring his open programs for the time being in case he needs any of them, the first thing you do is go in and clear his archived files. He’s got entire terabytes of useless information; employee records for people that have been dead or fired for decades; funny videos that he saved; resources for old news stories that are no longer relevant. Some of it you help him upload to a cloud server- after explaining to him what a cloud server is- and create files to designate for actual important shit.

You find the internal browser that he uses to pull information on the fly and help him clear the cache and cookies.

You help him sort security footage from Vee Tower and get rid of stuff that wasn’t actually necessary, like the short bits of static and dead air that happened whenever he used the cameras to teleport around the building. Everything that he has saved about mentions of that fucking radio demon also goes into the garbage. There are some files you can’t access, things like his memories and day to day recordings of conversations and things that he personally is part of. 

You delete what you can and empty the recycling bin.

As the process has gone on, Vox has relaxed more and more behind you. “I still don’t feel completely back to normal,” he murmurs, “but this is already loads better. It’s like a massage directly on my brain. You know, if I still physically had one.”

You hit the keys to open his task manager- CTRL ALT DELETE. “Unholy fuck- Jesus, sir, if you thought that was good this is gonna feel orgasmic,” you say absently, scrolling through the opens apps and programs that he has running. Has this man ever closed anything? You hadn’t realized a person or device could even have so many things going at once. “Do you just leave everything open in the background?”

He peers around your shoulder, bracing his hands on your hips as he sits up a little straighter. The movement causes your stomach to drop, arousal threatening to make itself known, but you push the notion down as he sets his hands back on the arms of the chair. “I guess so?” He watches you scroll through the extensive list. “I guess it just never occurred to me to close them. Opening the programs to use is just like my stream of consciousness I suppose.”

“Kay, well, that’s stopping now.” You click on the first item on the list- VoxtaGram. “I recommend closing non-essential stuff out at least once a month. More, if you have the time to go through everything. For now, just in case, there is something important we’re gonna go through some of the more recently opened things, set them up to open automatically when you start up, before we reboot your system- wait, can we reboot your system entirely without killing you?”

“No worries there, dear. I can, I just haven’t done it in years because it can take a while to start back up afterwards.” He sneers at the social media page. “You can close that shit. Any of Velvette’s crap she can handle on her own. Same with any of the fucking games that Val loads up when he’s bored- can I delete those entirely? Or block them? Fucking moth and his blue-light addiction…”

You get through a lot of the list, Vox kind of dozing off and only passively participating in the process. You’ve got the gist of it; things like his news sources, contacts list and phone, and the notes app are staying open and set to automatically launch when he does reboot and start back up. Pretty much everything else is closed out, things he pulled up for two seconds weeks ago to check on something or another before abandoning it. You’re making excellent progress when the next thing on the list gives you pause.

“Vox? Why is this- oh my god.” You can’t help it- you start laughing, throwing your head back to rest on his shoulder as you look at what’s now displayed on the screen.

A stopwatch had apparently been started and never stopped. The elapsed time was over three thousand hours, which came out to something like four months if your mental math was correct. He had had this running constantly in the background since you had started working for him, possibly even before. “I think I found the problem,” you chuckled, and his eyes were narrowed as he looked at the timer continuing to tick. “What is this?”

“What the actual fuck?” He buffers for a second- and you’re pleased to note that it’s already much faster than it has been lately- before you hear a dinging sound coming from him. ‘Fucking Hell, I should have known this was all Valentino’s fault.” He drags a clawed hand down his screen in an imitation of a facepalm. “I was timing him. He was fucking ranting about Angel Dust again while we were in a strategy meeting with Velvette- I had the stopwatch going to see how much of the hour session he wasted talking about that whore. I must have forgotten to turn it off.” He barks out a laugh, throwing his head back with the force of it while you look at him with amusement. “I’m gonna owe you big time for this, doll, you’re a lifesaver.”

You close the app out with a smile. “Just trying to help,” you say. “I think that was probably the worst of it- do you want to just try rebooting now?”

He lets out a groan when the app closes, and the sound shoots through your body straight to your core. “Go for it, hun,” he says, eyes closed as he leans back against the chair. “I think I’m good to go now, but it can’t hurt. You were right, sorting this shit out feeling fucking good.”

You’re suddenly very aware of the dampness of your panties as you bypass ‘kinda horny’ straight to ‘fuck me on this desk.’ You scold yourself mentally: Don’t jump your boss. He’s trusting you to help him right now- do not take advantage of that. Do not ride his leg like you very clearly want to because his voice is fucking hot. Fucking focus.

You clear your throat, closing out the task manager and hitting the button to restart him. “See you in a bit, sir.”

You stay seated on his lap just in case- he might still have something he wants you to do when he comes back online, some settings you could apply to close out things that are used for more than a week or so. It’s definitely not because you like the feeling of his strong thigh underneath you, tantalizingly close to your cunt if you, by chance, decided to tilt your hips forward and start grinding down on him. 

After just a few minutes get a message on the main monitor telling you to wait a moment- things start popping up on the other screens surrounding the central one, and it takes you a moment to recognize the pattern.

Its all videos of you- shot from Vox’s perspective, and a mortifying blush takes over your face. They’re all the moments that you had tried coming onto him. The innuendos and subtle entendres, the times that you touched him, pressed yourself against him in a tight space despite having another way to get to the copy machine, when you had invited him out for dinner. There’s also videos where he had just been watching you, apparently, taken from a distance as you spoke with Velvette or passed instructions along to a member of the team or discreetly tried to hide behind a vending machine when you noticed  Val coming into a room. 

There’s a satisfied grumble behind you, and before you can turn to look at him Vox has settled his claws onto either side of your waist and shifted you over a bit, to rest directly on the erection straining his pants. 

Which is a surprise, albeit a pleasant one.

“Thanks for the reset, doll,” he says, and his voice is a quiet growl as he lets his hands wander from your waist to your hips and back again, claw tipped fingers catching on the fabric. “I got a chance to look at some files while I was under and found quite the treat in your logs.”

This could either be very bad or very, very good. “Sir-”

“You know, I’m usually pretty good at picking up what a woman is putting down. Imagine my surprise when I realize you’ve been coming onto me for weeks and my shit was so fucked up and bogged down that I didn’t even notice. Like that?” He uses one hand to point to a screen in the far left of the central monitor, while he snaked his other hand down to rest on your thigh, his hand large enough to encompass the muscle at the edge of your skirt. On the screen, you had come to his office to drop off meeting notes for something you attended on his behalf. You had dropped the stack as you came around his side of the desk, and got down fully on your knees to pick them up, glancing up at him through your lashes. You blush watching it now- it had seemed obvious to you even then, but watching it now, the way that Vox had seen it? When he didn’t say anything about you being face level with his prick you had used a hand on his thigh to brace yourself to stand up, letting your fingers run along the inner seam of his trousers when you rose back to standing. Still no reaction, and you had left his office equal parts turned on and irritated with yourself. Him not having acted on it had been the final nail in the coffin cementing the fact that he was not interested in the slightest.

You let out a weak exhale as the Vox sitting under you gets his other hand in the same position as the first, using his grip to ever so slightly spread your legs on his lap. He lets his fingers skim your inner thighs and you shake with the effort of not begging him to just touch you. This was delicious, agonizing torture.

“Had I been in my right mind for that display, baby, I would have fucking ṛ̣̬̫̍͌ͩ͟ụ̴̴̾̀͟͡i̧̻̻͉̜͑ͪ̾͟n̫̫̘̗͕̲̲̎ͥḛ̡̰̳͓̥ͬ͋ͪͧd̶̵̯̯̼̘ͨ̓ y͙͙̪̰ͫ͌́o͙͙̙̘̙ͤͫ͞ụ̴̴̾̀͟͡.” His voice crackles and glitches on the last words, and the sound of it forces a moan from your throat as you let your head fall back. You clutch your hands to the arms of the chair as his tongue- and who even really knew he had a tongue, what the fuck?- licks down the side of your jaw and at your exposed neck. “I would have had you choking on my cock before getting a taste of that sweet cunt and fucking you into the desk for hours.”

One hand finally slips under the edge of your skirt and you shiver when his fingers make contact with your soaked core. “Is that what you want now, babygirl? You want me to give you my cock as thanks for helping to set me straight? To make up for lost time?” He slides a finger under the thin material of your panties, groaning in your ear at how slick he finds you. “That’s what I want, doll. I want you to ride me so hard you go stupid with the feeling, and you never feel whole without some part of me in your cunt for the rest of for-fucking- ḛ̡̰̳͓̥ͬ͋ͪͧv̹̹̘̼̞̻͆ͩ̓ͪ͢ḛ̡̰̳͓̥ͬ͋ͪͧṛ̣̬̫̍͌ͩ͟.”

“Fuck, please,” you gasp out, the word devolving into a cry as Vox finally slides a finger into you, mindful of the claws as he pushes in and quickly follows the first with a second. He uses his free hand to hold your hips still as you try to grind into his digits, keeps you held firmly against his erection as you squirm in pleasure.

His sharp fingertips angle to prod gently at a spot inside of you that has you seeing stars; your eyes are clenched shut as you ride the feeling, so close to the edge you feel like you’re going to implode with the force of it when you finally tip over. “Fuck, sir, please, so c-close,” you mumble, and his tongue is back to licking at whatever parts of your skin it can reach.

“You wanna come like this, sweetheart?” The main monitor in front of you glitches out, and when it comes back into focus you see yourself on the screen- like a mirror, you’re reflected, and you can see Vox’s grinning face behind you. Your skin is flushed, sweat dripping down your face, the hint of tears along your lashline as your mouth drops open when he adds a third finger. “Look fuckin’ beautiful, baby, you were made for this- maybe we give Valentino a call, he could-”

“No!” You release the arms of the chair to grab onto his wrists where his hands meet your body. “No one- no one but you, sir. Vox, please, l- let me come. Please?” You let a little whine into your voice, and you can see the way his mouth goes lax and his eyes laser-focus on where you’re grabbing at his hands.

“I didn’t mean to join us, dollface, just to record- but you’re right, you’re right.” He pulls his fingers from your pussy, slicing the center of your panties in the process before he brings his digits to his mouth- you watch on the screen as he curls his tongue around each one, licks the flavor of you from his skin and glitches out at the taste. “How could I possibly share such a fucking vision with anyone else?

He shifts you to one side so he can get his dick out, and the sight of it in the monitor, his own arousal beading at the top and rock hard, has you whimpering before it’s even inside of you. He carried himself like a man with a big cock, but Christ.

“Hope you like what you see, hun, cause it’s all yours.” He scoots forward in the seat, tilts his hips forward for the right angle, and moves you back into your previous position with ease- this time, the tip of him is pushing inside you, and you watch in the monitor as you sink inch by glorious inch onto him.

Once you’re fully seated, Vox seems to lose capability for rational thought. “Fuck me, you’re perfect,” he moans, bracing his feet more firmly on the ground to thrust up into you, getting a firm grasp on your hips to pull you down into it. The result is a beautiful stab at that sweet spot inside of you that makes you clench and cry out, watching Vox’s hypnotic eye start spiraling at its normal speed on the screen, and you can see backwards scrolling text of his stream of thoughts- a bunch of nonsensical letters and cuss words interspersed with your name. “I want to fucking- chain you to my desk so I can have this perfect pussy whenever I want it. Fuck, I can’t believe we- we could have been doing this for weeks.” He punctuates his sentence with a hard thrust.

“A-all the more reason to regularly clear your task manager, sir,” you say, so caught up in the feeling of him railing you from below that you can hardly believe you formed a coherent thought. He feels so fucking good and you’re a hair trigger away from collapsing and wringing him for all he’s got.

With one quick movement he’s shifted, and there’s a hand on your throat arching you backwards at the same time that he gets a couple clawed fingers rubbing at your clit. The shock of the combination makes you flutter around his length, a choked noise escaping your throat before he tightens his grip- not enough to really cut off your air supply, but enough that your brain starts going soft and mushy and the vice grip your cunt has on his cock gets impossibly tighter. You can see the shine of your slick arousal coating him every time he pulls out to rut back into you, and the sights and sounds are threatening to rip you into the chasm of ecstasy that you’re flirting with. 

“Vox,” you whine, “please, I’m so fucking- please please please-“ 

“Christ, babygirl, whatever you fucking want.” His eyes are wide and frantic as they watch the place you’re joined, his mouth set in a snarl as he fucks into your pliant body. The cry you release is nothing short of agonized- it’s so fucking close you can taste it, nearly overwhelmed with the tension.

“You wanna fucking cum on my cock? Do it, angel, let me see it- come on, baby, cum for me-“

Your walls clench down hard as you reach your orgasm, Vox’s grip on your throat making your vision and mind go fuzzy with the force of it as you choke on a moan that tries to escape your tensed muscles. You’re distantly aware of Vox thrusting hard into you, more praise and curses falling from his lips as he hits his peak as well, pressing his screen to the side of your face when he relinquishes his handle on your throat to clutch at your hips and grind into your cunt as he spills inside of you. The aftershocks of your release leave you twitching, milking his cock of everything he has to offer before he collapses into the chair behind you, a boneless pile of a man now simply running his hands over any bit of skin he could reach. 

It’s truly a testament to how helpful the reset and reboot had been that Vox’s system doesn’t simply crash. “Fucking Hell, I haven’t felt this good in decades,” he mutters in your ear, and you shiver at the feeling of his tongue brushing the sensitive skin.

“Ha, you think that’s the reboot or the mind-melting orgasms?”

He hums contentedly. “Jury’s out on that, doll. Guess we’ll have to do a re-run on both and see how it stacks up to this one.”

“I’ll make sure to schedule some time out for it,” you chuckle before fixing him with a stern glare through the monitor. “I’m serious about clearing your apps and shit more frequently though. Christ, you had decades of backed up shit open-“

“Don’t berate me while my dick is still inside you, fuck.” He leans you forward far enough to pull out, and you grimace at the feeling of his cum starting to spill back out of you. He notices the expression though- “Whoops, sorry,” he says, and after a quick second during which he tucks his softening prick away he scoops you into his arms, standing from the chair and stepping away from the desk. “Let’s get you cleaned up at the penthouse, angel, what do you say?”

“If you’re carrying me then lead the way.” You gesture towards the door out of the control room. “Just don’t start any timers to see how long it takes to get there or anything and we should be good.”

The glare he fixes you with shouldn’t be hot, but it fucking is. “Hardy har,” he deadpans, and rolls his eyes while he stalks towards the elevator, control room door closing behind you; but there’s a small smile on his screen despite his ire and he’s functioning normally, and when you see the little stopwatch icon pop up in the bottom right corner of his face and start counting, you can’t help but laugh.

[saturnville]

bite, l. hamilton

pairing: he (lewis hamilton) x black best friend oc (anvika dawson) content: in which two friends cross a line people have been waiting for them to cross. warning: 18+ content song: bite by njzoma an: y'all know I don't write smut fr, so ntm. but I hope y'all enjoy it. wc: 2,498 tags: the girlies who were hyping me up to post this @boujiestpoet @mauvecherie-writes @saintslewis @greedyjudge2 @vile-harlot @emjayewrites

“Just because we’re attracted to one another doesn’t mean we need to sleep together. I’m off that. Plus, we’re friends.”

Anvika prided herself on being a woman of self-control and discipline. Though it did not come easy, years of abstinence grew dreary and at times, very lonely, her hard work was not something she was willing to risk. Her decision to step into abstinence wasn’t one she took lightly, nor was it one that she planned, but once Anvika began the journey of healing from a heartbreak, intimacy with another man wasn’t the priority. Though that had been over four years ago and she was well over the situation, she could admit that while it was difficult to maintain her self-control, not having to worry about anyone’s snot-nosed son brought more peace than she could ever imagine. 

“Even more of a reason to let it happen. Everything happens better when you have a solid foundation first. Everybody thinks you two are together anyways. He truly cares for you, in more ways than one.” 

Anvika hummed and rolled her eyes as she brought the slender champagne fluke to her full lips. The liquid went smooth down her throat. She shrugged. “Then let them think that. Lewis is a good man, a good and attractive man, but…”

Her friend, Onyx, sighed and downed her drink with a wave of her hand. “I don’t know how you do it! I would’ve lost my mind by now. I commend you.” Onyx bowed playfully which pulled a light laugh from Anvika. Though she was joking, she couldn’t help but sense the truth behind her words. 

Though swearing off men and intimacy had become a more common practice among women, many people found it taboo and unrealistic. She soon began to ponder--what if she’d never find anyone that could give her what she wanted because of how she chose to navigate her dating life? She shook it off internally. That would be a problem, but none that would be hers. 

Before she got the chance to respond, her phone rang against the glass table that held their expensive lunch on it’s back. LH flashed across the screen. She smiled softly which caught the attention of Onyx, who gave a teasing smirk. For someone who was insistant on keeping a strong boundary between herself and her closest friend, she surely smiled like a fool whenever he called. 

“I told you I have a lunch date with Onyx today,” she reminded the racer lowly, using her index finger to draw doodles in the condensation her water glass sweat off on the table. “Everything alright?” 

“Everything’s fine, angel,” he spoke smoothly. “Just wanted to make sure you were still wanting to join me for the event on Friday.” Anvika hummed and nodded as though he could see her. He was attending a gala in London and of course, offered his plus-one to Anvika, as he had done since their friendship had begun years prior. What was his, was hers, including access to rooms and events that would grant her opportunities to further her career as a branding and marketing consultant. 

“Yes,” she replied excitedly. “I still haven’t found a dress. What color are you wearing?”

There was shuffling in the background before he spoke again. “Blue. Don’t worry about it,  I’ll handle it.” Her heart fluttered. “Enjoy your lunch. Tell Onyx I said hello and call me later, alright?” 

Anvika’s teeth trapped her bottom lip. “Alright. Talk soon.” 

“Bye, love.” 

Anvika turned her phone on its face and looked up, catching Onyx’s playful eyes. Her thick eyebrow touched her forehead. “Friends, right?” Anvika gave her a look. Onyx raised her hands in defense, “My bad, my bad.” 

-

Lewis Hamilton was a gentleman. Sure, this was universal knowledge, but something about him being gentlemanly with her made her heart flutter and her stomach clench with desire. And it almost made her question Onyx’s point, “he truly cares for you; in more ways than one.” It’d typically be something she’d deny, but as she stood in front of the mirror with her hair done by a hairstylist he arranged to come, her nails done by a nail technician he’d flown out, and a dress he arranged to be custom-made to suit her body, how could she deny it any longer? 

“Don’t think too deeply into it,” she scolded herself, slipping out of her robe. She walked toward her dress, pulled it off the hanger, and carefully slipped into it. “You’re friends. Close friends who care for one another. That’s it, that’s all.” 

They met at the paddock six years prior. She was invited to her first Formula One race through her consultant agency, which took her team on an all-expense paid trip for their hard work. She wasn’t aware of Formula One, just of familiar names. Then, at the end of the match, she had the chance to put a face to the infamous name of Lewis Hamilton. 

“You raced well,” Anvika noted, taking in the slightly disheveled appearance of the raceman. “I’ve never been to a Formula One race; good job on giving me a reason to come back one day.” 

The man’s eyebrow raised in interest. He crossed his arms over his chest, his muscular build on display. “Is that so?”

Anvika nodded. 

“We can make that happen whenever you want.” 

It was Anvika’s turn to raise an eyebrow. A smirk played on her lips. “Is that so? Tryna be my friend, Lewis?” 

He shrugged his shoulders. Friends wasn’t too bad. Anything to get to know her. “Any man would be a fool to refuse that opportunity, Anvika.”

That marked the beginning of an inseparable union.

Anvika continued to mumble and grumble, doing whatever she could to keep her mind eased. Her self-conversations were halted by a knock on her door. Lewis. “Coming!” Holding her dress to her chest. She turned the doorknob, and the familiar scent of his cologne filled her nose. “Are you…oh. Oh.”

Closing the door behind him, Lewis’ eyes were trained on her, the most beautiful woman he’d laid eyes on. The dress, complementary to his suit, was perfectly designed and tailored to her. She was a fan of long-sleeved dresses, so that’s what she got. It was constructed with a heavy, luxurious velvet material and it hugged every riff, edge, and curve on her body. The neckline showed the swell of her breasts and her beautiful collarbone. The mermaid-like tail further accentuated her shape. 

Her hair was parted to the side and curled to perfection. The makeup complimented her features--thick eyebrows, full lips, and a round nose. And her scent, goodness, it suffocated him. The jasmine and almond notes filled his nostrils and he wanted to nuzzle his face in her neck and inhale like she was the air he needed to breathe. 

“You look beautiful,” Lewis managed to speak. His voice was so low that she almost didn’t hear his compliment. With a bashful smile, she thanked him and led him to her room where she wandered toward the bathroom, which had a series of jewels across the counter. “Help me pick a necklace?” 

Anvika turned to face the jewelry and fought hard to ignore the heat that radiated from Lewis’ body as he moved to stand behind her. From over her shoulder, his eyes followed the line of jewels the stylists brought. His eyes landed on a silver necklace; a thin chain with a multi-carat teardrop diamond. “This one.” 

Lewis took the necklace in his hands and placed it around her neck. Anvika lifted her hair to grant him easy access and shivered as his cool fingertips brushed against her skin. She inhaled deeply. “Stunning.” His breath was warm against her neck. They locked eyes in the mirror ahead of them. The tension was thick. Suffocating. His brown eyes, usually so full of love and warmth, were filled with something she couldn’t quite identify, but it made her body heat like wildfire. 

“I’m ready,” she announced, careful not to let her voice waver. She turned, purposefully ignoring the groan he released when she brushed against him. Her lips quivered as she tried to give a steady smile. What the hell was happening between them? Anvika placed her hands on his chest and soothed the non-existent wrinkles on his suit jacket. He was so handsome. “You look great, darling.” 

“Thank you…” his words came out as a whisper. He was too distracted by her. Six years of friendship and what he felt from the time he met her at the paddock all those years ago had reached a breaking point. He’d boiled over. 

Anvika tried to smile as she pressed a kiss against his cheek, but with how he reacted, her lips landed at the corner of his lips. She took a step back. “Let’s get ready to go, yeah?” 

Lewis swallowed thickly. He held his arm out for her, which she grabbed instinctively, and together, they were out the door with a million and one thoughts swimming between them. 

-

“And that beauty you’ve brought?” an older man questioned Lewis, who had his eyes on Anvika as she danced through the siloes of people in the room. The gala was nothing short of a popularity function, a random event on a random weekend for the host to flaunt their money and connections, Truthfully, his desire to attend dwindled once he saw her in that dress. She was the only thing on his mind. 

“Anvika Dawson,” Lewis said, nodding in her direction. “One of the best branding and marketing consultants in the industry. She’s amazing at everything she does. You’ve got a business, don’t you?” And that’s why he was a good friend, Anvika noted as she began to walk over, hearing him advocate for her in front of the man. 

“You flatter me,” she said with a smile as she took a position under Lewis’ arm, which slid around her waist. “Anvika Dawson, nice to meet you.” 

The older man, who had went by the nam Eli, shook her hand firmly and nodded in interest. “Well, pardon me, but the two of you would make a wonderful couple.” The young adult chuckled lightly; the comment was nothing new to them, but it seemed to bring them both discomfort given the fact that they had a very intimate moment just an hour before their arrival. Before Lewis could speak up, Anvika thanked the man sweetly then they were whisked in another direction. 

They were joined together at the hip for the remainder of the evening. And, on the rare occasion that they were apart, they stole glances from across the room like teenagers in a romantic sitcom. Soon, the event wrapped up and they were in the backseat of the car, sitting in a thick silence. 

Anvika sat at the right of the car, her knees turned inward and her legs crossed. With every bump in the road and swerve of the car, the tip of her heel brushed against Lewis’ leg. His breath hitched. She said nothing. 

The car came to an abrupt stop and the doors were opened for them. Before her foot could touch the ground, Lewis’ hand was awaiting. “Thank you,” Anvika said softly, and allowed him to guide her into the hotel. 

He still hadn’t said much. The walk to the elevator was quiet, yet, he hadn’t let go of her hand. What was he thinking about? If it was the sudden shift in their interactions, it didn’t go unnoticed by her either. 

The elevator doors peeled open and Lewis guided her in. He pressed the button, 10, that would send them to the floor their rooms were on. The elevator ride seemed slow as each ding indicated they’d entered another floor. 

Anvika cleared her throat and decided to speak up, “I enjoyed tonight. And again, you looked great. I love blue on you.” 

He couldn’t remember what happened between her compliment, her back against the elevator wall, and his lips on hers.  The only thing that forced him to key in was her hands pressing against his abdomen and his name falling from her lips. “Lewis…” What he’d heard time and time again in his dreams had finally become a reality. His stomach churned; could he get her to say it again? “What are you…” She cut herself off when she fell victim to the wonderful feeling of his lips against her jaw. 

“I just…” Lewis settled his face in her neck. “One night, Vi. Let me have one night with you…” Her heart pounded in her ears. What the hell was happening? 

“Lewis…” Her hand slipped and fell just above his belt. She extended her arm just slightly. “We can’t do this. I-I don’t want to mess up our friendship and you know I’m not going all the way with anyone--” 

Lewis hummed. His eyes sat low as he looked at her. She looked completely worn out as if he’d done to her what he truly wanted. Her forehead glistened with sweat, her lipstick was smeared, and her chest heaved. “Nothing will change for the worse, angel. And I don’t want to go there with you, just want to make you feel good…always have.” His left arm circled around her waist and his large hand palmed her backside. She whimpered. “Can I?” 

“Someone might see...” 

He ignored her. “Can I make you feel good?” His tone was stern as he repeated his question. Suddenly, the gala was out of her mind and the only thing that clouded her thoughts was him. Him and him only. Lewis Hamilton had infiltrated her mind and she finally stopped fighting it. 

The elevator dinged. “Yes…” 

-

“Should I…?” her hands reached for the necklace that shone beneath the dim lights of the hotel suite. Lewis shook his head and peeled his jacket off his shoulders, revealing a crisp white wife beater. He shed that too. Anvika’s breath hitched. “Keep it on. Lay back for me, angel.” 

Anvika looked like an angel surrounded by the comforter. Her undergarments were long discarded, save for her underwear which he kept in the pocket of his pants. The pure white of the sheets were a stark contrast to the richness of her complexion. Her hair was sprawled against the pillow with a few strands covering her face lazily. The look on her face was one of comfort, relief in one way or another. 

She welcomed Lewis’ body between her legs as he crawled on the bed and his lips against hers as he hovered above her. For the first time that night, Anvika’s hands didn’t tremble when she touched him. She welcomed the feeling of every ridge of muscle, every raised scar, and every mature tattoo. 

Their hands moved frantically over each other’s body, and it felt amazing. She hadn’t realized how touch deprived she was until she heard his chuckle in her ear. Her face warmed. She felt like a teenager. “It’s okay…” his lips ghosted against the shell of her ear. “Make all the noise you want.” 

Anvika didn’t respond--her mouth wouldn’t allow her to. As Lewis moved down her body, she sat on her elbows, watching and waiting. God, he was so handsome like this. His head was dipped between her thighs and his tattooed glistened under the dim lights. Slowly, he lips created an intentional trail from her belly down to the treasure just centimeters away from his mouth. 

Her fingers clawed at the bedsheets as the anticipation rose. She was becoming impatient. He was giving attention to every other place except where he wanted her. She huffed. “Lewis…” 

He hummed, clearly unbothered by her frustration. He glanced at her, “Yes?” She whimpered. “Talk to me.” He was amused, very amused. She was desperate for him. It was evident by the way her arousal seeped onto the bed. He gathered some on his fingers, using it as a lubricant as he finally began to touch her. 

Anvika gasped. His movements were slow and meticulated but they were enough to set her over the edge. He brought his lips to hers again, which she accepted sloppily. Her jaw fell slack as he continued to work her to her first release of the night. It came quickly, quicker than she would have liked. When his fingers hit that spot within her, her hips jerked and she squeaked his name. 

Lewis chuckled, “That’s it?” He prodded that spot again. “Right there?” Anvika nodded. He removed his fingers. She groaned in frustration, “Lewis, please!”

“Please what?” He brought his fingers to his lips and moaned at the taste of her on his tongue. If this was just the beginning, he couldn’t imagine how mad he’d go in the coming moments. “Tell me what you want.”

She clocked it. He wanted her to beg. Anvika wasn’t the begging type. She may have been far removed from having sex, but she always got her way, especially with Lewis. Her hands trailed down the muscular planes of his stomach. Her fingers hooked in his belt and pulled him forward. Her fingers curled around his neck and her nails toyed with the faded hair there. She brought her smeared lips to his ear, her tongue dancing against the shell of it. He shudder. “I want you to make my legs shake and rock my world. Can you do that, Lewis?” 

Her voice. The way her voice dropped in octave but increased in seduction had his head spinning. There were a few moments of silence as he fought hard to gather himself and the more she spurred him on, the most difficult it became. But then, she heard it, “Yes…”

-

“Right there, right there! Oh my…” He was a lover of music. Being in a studio, creating melodies to go with lyrics, was his favorite pastime. But this took the cake. She created her a song better than he could have ever imagined, and was it addicting. 

Her moans, cries, and screams were melodic and his name was the only lyric she knew. He hated repetition in music, but loved hearing hers. So addicting. So well created. So beautiful. 

Her legs trembled around his head and her hands were buried in his braids. He fought the urge to bend her over when she whispered out the faintest, “Baby, please…” She’d used terms of endearment before, but in this context, it was different. “I’m close!”

Her body, damp with sweat and covered in bruises created by his mouth, jumped and jolted as she grew closer to her peak. Lewis sat up, replacing his tongue with his highly skilled fingers. He used his arm to stabilize his body as he hovered over her. What a sight.

Her hair was completely sweated out, pooped and frizzy at the roots. Her makeup stained the pillows and her lips were swollen from her biting and his intense kisses. Her neck was dark with love bites. Her eyelids were hooded but he could see the fire behind her eyes. If only he could capture her and keep the picture in his pocket forever. 

“Doing so well for me,” he whispered, kissing against her cheek and jaw. His fingers made quick work of the huddle of nerves between her legs. “Taking it like a good girl.” Her moans grew louder, higher in pitch, and full of air. It was becoming too much—her hands pushed against his arm, trying to run. “Don’t run now. Isn’t this what you wanted?” 

“Lewis, I’m—“ she cut herself off with a high pitched scream that seemed to ring on forever. Lewis chuckled lightly and worked her through her orgasm. “That’s it, baby.” Her body shook as she tried to come down calmly.

He spent a few minutes between her legs, caressing her gently as an act of comfort. Her loud noises had diminished to soft whimpers as she came down from cloud nine. When she finally opened her eyes again, he asked, “You okay?” 

She was better than okay. Though they didn’t cross all the lines, Anvika had gotten the best orgasm she’d received in her life from a man’s mouth and hands. She’d deal with the consequences later, but in that moment, she felt amazing. 

She nodded and smiled lazily. “I’m okay. Are you…do you want me to…?” Her eyes fell to the evident bulge that strained against his pants. He shook his head.

“I’m okay. Let’s get you cleaned up…”

-

What was supposed to be a shower to clean her up resulted in her on her knees giving him the most intense release he’d experienced in months. It left him panting, shaking, and whimpering like it was his first time all over again. 

Once again, she looked angelic with her now curly hair flat against her back and big brown eyes staring at him as she worked him like the expert she was. He came in her with with a groan, his fingers in her hair. She stood to her feet, smiling innocently as she showed him there was no remnant of him left in her mouth. 

“You’re nasty,” he announced, grabbing her jaw to place a sloppy kids on her lips. 

“Mhmmm, just the way I like it.” 

They migrated to her bed shortly after, laying together in a comfortable silence. Anvika’s head was against his bare chest and herfingers traced the tattoos on his body. Lewis’ arm was around her waist and his hand massaged her plump bottom. 

They were tired, exhausted even. But, they fought sleep like children, internally afraid of what the morning would bring. All actions had consequences whether good or bad. It was a mutual hope that what they’d done wouldn’t bring on the latter. 

“Lewis?” Anvika called after some time. 

“Yes, angel?” 

“Are we gonna be okay?” Her voice trembled slightly. They’d crossed a line--a big one. She had wobbled on her boundaries. There was a lot to discuss and a lot to consider. It was an amazing experience, she couldn’t lie, but her biggest fear was that she’d lose him as an important person in her life if reality didn’t set in the way they intended. 

Lewis gave her a squeeze and brought his lips to her forehead. Sensing her worry, he reassured, “We’ll always be okay.” And she believed it.

[muiitoloko]

Heyyy, please tell me there are more Lionel fics on the way?? You’re so good at writing him.

Title: Skype

Summary: Lionel, engrossed in a dull meeting about opening a new California branch, finds unexpected excitement when his wife initiates a bold, intimate act during his call.

Pairing: Lionel Shahbandar × Fem! Reader

Warning; Smut

Author's Notes: Heyyy! 😄 Thanks so much for the love! There are definitely more Lionel fics brewing in my brain—he's just too fun to write! Think of me as a literary mad scientist, concocting more Lionel goodness in my story lab. Stay tuned for more adventures with our favorite character! 🧪📚

Also read on Ao3

Lionel was bored, sitting in his home office, discussing the intricacies of opening a new branch in California via Skype. His baritone voice droned on about potential properties and zoning regulations, but his mind wandered to how he wished he were spending the day with you, his wife of less than three months.

He looked up when he heard the soft hiss of the office door. There you were, a shy smile playing on your lips as you approached him silently. Lionel felt a flicker of excitement but returned to his meeting, attempting to maintain his professional demeanor.

As you knelt between his knees and reached for his belt, Lionel’s heart pounded with a mix of anticipation and nervousness. He tried to push you away, his hands brushing against your shoulders, but it was a half-hearted effort. The prospect of receiving such intimate pleasure while in a meeting was too thrilling to resist.

His voice faltered momentarily as he felt your fingers deftly unbuckling his belt and unzipping his pants. "Gentlemen, let’s focus on the market research data for a moment," he said, his voice slightly strained as he struggled to maintain his composure.

You freed him from the confines of his underwear, your touch sending a jolt of pleasure through his body. Lionel’s breath hitched, and he clenched the edge of his desk, his knuckles turning white. He glanced at the screen, praying none of the men noticed the faint tremor in his voice.

"Yes, I believe the property on Wilshire Boulevard could be quite suitable," he managed to say, his voice thick with barely contained desire.

Under the table, you took him into your mouth, your warm, wet lips sliding over his erection with a slow, deliberate rhythm. Lionel’s eyes closed briefly, a shudder of pleasure coursing through him. He bit down on his lip, trying to suppress a moan as you set a torturous pace.

"The property’s... location offers excellent visibility," Lionel continued, his voice wavering slightly as your tongue swirled around the sensitive head of his cock. "And the... amenities are... quite suitable."

His colleagues droned on about property values and market trends, but Lionel’s attention was entirely focused on the exquisite sensations you were creating. He could feel his control slipping, the pleasure building to an unbearable intensity as you sucked him with increasing fervor.

"You’re doing this on purpose," he muttered under his breath, his voice a rough whisper meant only for your ears. "Trying to make me lose control."

You responded with a soft, teasing hum, the vibration adding to the intense pleasure that made his hips buck involuntarily. Lionel’s fingers tangled in your hair, his breath coming in short, ragged bursts as he fought to maintain his composure.

"We need to finalize the budget allocations," one of the men on the call said, drawing Lionel’s attention back to the screen. He forced a smile, his eyes glazed with desire as he tried to focus on the conversation. "I’ll review the figures... and get back to you with a proposal," he replied, his voice trembling with the effort to stay composed.

Your mouth worked him with a relentless, skilled rhythm, your tongue flicking over his slit with every stroke. Lionel’s pulse quickened, his body tensing as he felt himself teetering on the brink of release. "Oh, fuck," he muttered under his breath, his voice a low, desperate growl. "I’m going to come."

His colleagues continued talking, oblivious to the sensual torment Lionel was enduring. He clutched the edge of the desk, his knuckles white as he fought against the overwhelming desire building inside him. "Let’s schedule a follow-up meeting for next week," he said, his voice tight with barely contained lust. "I’ll have more detailed feedback by then."

As the call finally ended, Lionel’s relief was palpable. He ended the meeting with a hasty farewell, then immediately looked down at you, his eyes blazing with a mixture of frustration and desire. "You’re incorrigible," he growled, his voice thick with need.

You pulled away, a satisfied smile on your lips as you looked up at him. "I couldn’t resist," you said, your voice a seductive purr. "You looked so serious, and I wanted to see if I could make you lose control."

Lionel’s breath came in heavy gasps, his body trembling with the effort to restrain himself. "Well, you’ve succeeded," he muttered, his hands reaching down to pull you up from under the table. "But now it’s my turn."

He stood up, his eyes dark with a fierce, possessive hunger as he guided you to his desk. Your skirt rode up as he lifted you onto the surface, his hands rough and demanding as he spread your legs wide. "I’ve been thinking about this all day," he growled, his voice a low, guttural rumble. "Watching you walk around the house, teasing me with those eyes."

You gasped, your body arching towards him as his fingers traced the outline of your panties, teasing the sensitive skin beneath. "Lionel," you moaned, your voice a breathless plea. "Please."

His eyes gleamed with a predatory glint as he pulled your panties aside, exposing your wet, glistening heat to his hungry gaze. "You’re so wet for me," he murmured, his voice filled with a dark, possessive satisfaction. "I want to taste you, make you scream my name."

Before you could respond, Lionel’s mouth was on you, his tongue parting your folds and lapping at your clit with a fierce, relentless rhythm. You cried out, your fingers gripping the edge of the desk as waves of pleasure crashed over you, your body trembling with the intensity of his touch. "Oh, God," you gasped, your voice breaking with need. "Yes, Lionel. Don’t stop."

Lionel’s hands gripped your hips, holding you in place as he devoured you with a ravenous hunger. His tongue flicked and swirled over your clit, the sensation driving you closer and closer to the edge. "Come for me," he growled against you, his voice thick with desire. "I want to feel you come on my tongue."

Your breath came in ragged gasps, your body trembling with the overwhelming need building inside you. "Lionel," you cried, your voice a breathless scream. "I’m so close. Please, don’t stop."

With a final, powerful flick of his tongue, Lionel drove you over the edge, your orgasm crashing over you with a force that left you breathless and shaking. You cried out his name, your body writhing beneath his mouth as the pleasure surged through you, every nerve alight with ecstasy.

Lionel continued to lick and suck at your clit, prolonging your orgasm until you were trembling with the aftershocks, your breath coming in short, uneven bursts. "You taste amazing," he murmured, his voice a rough, satisfied growl. "I could do this all day."

You shivered with the lingering pleasure, your mind hazy with the intensity of your release. "Lionel," you whispered, your voice a breathless plea. "I need you inside me. Please."

Lionel’s eyes darkened with a fierce, possessive hunger as he stood up, his erection pressing hot and hard against your entrance. "As you wish," he murmured, his voice a low, seductive rumble. "But I’m not going to be gentle. I want to fuck you hard. Make you scream my name."

Your breath hitched, your body arching towards him in eager anticipation. "Yes," you gasped, your voice trembling with need. "Fuck me, Lionel. Make me scream."

With a low, guttural growl, Lionel thrust into you, the sudden, intense sensation sending a jolt of pleasure through both of you. You cried out, your fingers digging into his shoulders as he moved with a fierce, relentless rhythm, his hips slamming against yours with each powerful thrust.

"You feel so good," he groaned, his voice rough with lust. "So tight. So perfect. I want to feel you come around my cock. Scream for me."

Your moans grew louder, your body trembling with the intensity of his thrusts. "Lionel," you gasped, your voice a breathless scream. "Oh, God. Yes. Don’t stop. Please, don’t stop."

Lionel’s movements became more urgent, his hips driving into you with a force that left you breathless, your body arching towards him with each powerful thrust. "I’m going to come," he growled, his voice a rough, desperate whisper. "Come with me. Scream my name."

With a final, shuddering thrust, Lionel felt your muscles clench around him, your orgasm triggering his own. He buried himself deep inside you, his body trembling with the force of his release as he spilled into you, the pleasure so intense it left him gasping for breath.

"Lionel," you cried, your voice breaking with ecstasy. "Oh, God. Yes."

They stayed like that for a moment, their bodies pressed together, the echoes of their pleasure still pulsing through them. Lionel’s hands stroked your back soothingly, his breath warm against your skin as he murmured, “You’re incredible, absolutely incredible.”

Your breath came in shaky gasps, your body still trembling with the aftershocks of your orgasm. “I love you, Lionel,” you whispered, your voice a mixture of exhaustion and bliss. “So much.”

Lionel pressed a gentle kiss to your forehead, his heart swelling with love. “I love you too,” he said softly. “You’re perfect.”

As you and Lionel basked in the afterglow of your passionate encounter, a sudden, discreet throat-clearing sound shattered the intimate atmosphere. You both froze, your eyes widening in alarm. Lionel pushed himself off you, his head snapping up as he looked around the room, searching for the source of the noise.

“Who’s there?” Lionel demanded, his voice a mixture of confusion and a hint of leftover irritation from your previous escapade. His gaze swept over the room but found nothing out of place.

Then, realization dawned on him, and his eyes fell on the laptop. His face turned ashen as he saw the Skype meeting still active, the camera icon dark but the microphone clearly on. The faint sounds of muted laughter and clearing throats echoed from the laptop speakers, confirming his worst fear.

“Uh, Lionel?” one of the men on the call spoke up, his voice tinged with awkwardness. “You turned off the camera, but, um, the audio… well, we could hear everything.”

A wave of mortification washed over you, your cheeks burning with embarrassment. You scrambled to cover yourself with a nearby throw, your mind racing with the implications of what they had just heard. “Oh my God,” you whispered, your voice a mixture of horror and disbelief. “They heard everything?”

Lionel, however, remained remarkably composed, his initial shock giving way to a sly, mischievous grin. A gleam of amusement sparkled in his eyes as he turned back to the laptop, clearly unbothered by the situation. “Well, gentlemen,” he drawled, his baritone voice oozing with a cheeky nonchalance, “at least you had the pleasure of listening to the hottest audio show of your lives. Consider it a free sample.”

Your mortification deepened, and you shot Lionel a furious glare, your eyes blazing with a mixture of anger and embarrassment. “Lionel!” you hissed, your voice a low, reprimanding whisper. “What on earth are you thinking?”

He merely shrugged, a hint of a sneer curling his lips. “I hate technology,” he replied, his tone almost dismissive. “I don’t know how to deal with these modernities. Besides,” he added with a wink, “you’re the one who started it, love.”

Your fury only intensified at his cavalier attitude, and you reached over to the laptop, your fingers moving swiftly as you ended the Skype meeting with a decisive click. The screen went dark, and you turned back to Lionel, your eyes narrowing with a mixture of exasperation and lingering desire. “I can’t believe you,” you muttered, your voice filled with a mix of reprimand and reluctant amusement. “You’re impossible.”

Lionel’s eyes gleamed with a playful light, his expression unapologetic as he leaned in, his lips brushing against your ear. “And yet you love me,” he murmured, his voice a low, seductive rumble that sent shivers down your spine. “Despite my quirks.”

You couldn’t help but soften slightly at his words, a reluctant smile tugging at the corners of your lips. “I suppose I do,” you admitted, your voice a whisper filled with affection. “But you’re still in trouble for that little stunt.”

Lionel chuckled softly, his fingers trailing down your arm in a soothing, affectionate caress. “I’ll make it up to you,” he promised, his voice a low, reassuring murmur. “Starting with a very long, very thorough apology.”

Your irritation melted away as his touch and words enveloped you in a warm, comforting embrace. Despite the mortifying incident, you couldn’t deny the magnetic pull Lionel had on you, his cheeky charm and mischievous nature endearing him to you even in moments of chaos.

As you settled back into each other’s arms, the memory of the Skype call faded into the background, replaced by the comforting rhythm of your breaths mingling together. Despite the embarrassment and Lionel’s incorrigible attitude, you knew that his unwavering love and playful spirit were what made your relationship so uniquely vibrant and fulfilling.

[ace-race-ace]

Legacy AU - Part 2 - SIM work

Masterlist - previous part - next part

Fernando rubs his eyes. The numbers on screen in front of him are starting to blend into nonsensical symbols, drifting aimlessly. He needs to take a break, one he's been restricting himself from taking all day. His back cracks loudly as he lifts off his chair. They need to invest in better goddamn seating in this place! Looking at the time, the break would have to be short—only a few minutes before he has to haul himself to another meeting. Fernando knew becoming team principal wouldn’t be as fun as being a driver, but no one could expect how stress-inducing it has become. Last year, the only thing that mattered was driving well, but now his days are filled with hundreds of different, ever-pressing issues. The engineers are missing parts, more funds are needed towards this development, the designers are asking for time extensions, marketing is pitching new ideas, and events need to be planned and approved. There was never a moment of rest.

Especially with the car launch coming up, the expectations have never been higher.

He quickly stops by the kitchenette and grabs a coffee and a sweet pastry before checking where he needs to be next. The sim room, to catch up with the team and see if any progress has been made. The past few weeks have been a bit touch-and-go. After the first incident where Lance had to be snapped out, the team had worked tirelessly to try and fix the issues and relay them to the rest of the production. Hopefully, this means an improvement in performance on the simulations.

No one was in the rig as Fernando entered the control center; only the engineers crouched over their data sheets. He greets them, hoping to see some excitement on their faces, but instead, most of them look down, as if embarrassed. Fernando approaches the lead engineer, a blond man who seemed quite at the end of his wits.

“Hola, I’m here for an update. How is performance looking? Are the drivers improving?”

The man sighs and turns his screen so Fernando can look over.

“Technically, yes, but... not enough. And the times set are unexpected.”

“How so?”

"Well, obviously, we’d want to see Lance top the board, but that’s not the case.”

“Oh? Felipe is faster than Lance?”

“No. He’s lacking pace. At the moment, Jessica is actually topping most of the simulations.”

Fernando frowns. Of course, he knows Jessica is an incredible driver, but there is no reasonable explanation why she is doing better than Lance, who has much more experience. Most importantly, she wasn’t set to drive the car this year unless Lance or Felipe fell ill. He looks at the comparison for the drivers and notices something immediately.

“Wait, why does it say Lance has only done 87 hours in the simulator? Jessica is nearing 200 hours!”

The engineer scratches the back of his neck, seemingly unable to find the proper words to say.

“The time is accurate. Lance has been difficult as of late. He cuts his sessions short; he isn’t pushing as hard. We don’t really know why. We’ve talked to his trainer and his assistant; they are as lost as we are.”

Fernando feels a pit form in his stomach. How could he not have noticed Lance wasn’t doing well? Sure, he hadn’t seen him much these last few weeks, but the well-being of his drivers is a huge priority. Especially when it was Lance, no matter how impartial he tries to be. The Canadian had been communicating via text on a regular basis with him, yet nothing had ticked him off about the young driver having any issues. Looking back, his short and to-the-point responses should have been an indication. Fernando has just been so caught up in everything else that he comforted himself with the fact that Lance seemed to be fine, keeping an extra responsibility off his shoulders. How wrong he was!

“Why wasn’t this communicated to me sooner? We are only a few weeks away from testing!”

“We have tried. But this meeting is the first time it seems our efforts to contact you have gone through.”

Fernando feels more guilt surge through him. He vaguely remembers receiving emails from the SIM team but consistently putting them on the back burner because why would anything be going wrong? And everything else was so important! Now, he realizes he’s just created a brand new problem that could have been addressed a while ago.

His fist clenches on the table. He needs to fix this. The team around him is all observing him, looking for guidance. A deep rumble makes its way out of his chest.

“When is Lance scheduled to come in next?”

The lead takes back his computer and clicks through a few things, the frown on his face deepening. He releases a sigh.

“In about ten minutes, actually. But…”

Fernando raises his eyebrows in question.

“It’s just… He’s booked it during our lunch break. He’s done this a few times. He goes in and slacks a little while we are away.”

This was all wrong. The Lance Fernando remembers from last year was nothing like this. He was one of the hardest-working drivers he’d ever met, always looking for improvement and training. He never took a poor performance lightly, pouring over race footage to analyze where he could have done better. Hell, he’ll never forget their first year as teammates in 2023, where Lance pushed through and finished P6 despite his injured wrists. Most of all, the team meant everything to him, so why was he seemingly messing up his SIM work? Fernando needs to get to the bottom of this fast.

“All of you have a long lunch. Check in a few hours.”

The engineers looked at each other in disbelief, but Fernando gave no indication that he wasn’t being serious. He raises his eyebrows expectantly, which finally got a few people rolling their chairs out from under their desks. The procession of engineers slowly makes their way out, some still expecting some kind of trick, but Fernando lets them shuffle past without a word. Finally, alone in the control center, he grabs a chair. He sends a text to his secretary, asking to cancel all other meetings he’d planned for the day; no questions asked. Then, he rolls up to the panel and starts flicking through the different simulations, taking note of the most lacking ones. He settles on something easy to start: Silverstone, in dry conditions, a track Lance will have done thousands of times in his life. He wants to set a baseline and see what might actually be going wrong. After a few more set-up arrangements, Fernando shuts off the lights, making him undetectable from the actual sim room. Now, he waits.

A few minutes later, the door to the sim room opens, filtering some soft light obscured only by a tall figure. Lance walks in carrying a backpack, and sipping on a drink. He switches on the rig and places all his stuff on the ground. Then, he raises his arms above his head in a deep stretch. Fernando can’t help but catch the slightest sliver of pale skin as his shirt rides up. He shifts in his seat, accidentally causing the wheel on his chair to scrape the floor. Lance’s eyes immediately shoot towards the sound. Fernando holds his breath as the young driver scans the window of the control room, but thankfully, he doesn’t see him. Lance turns back around and rolls his shoulders a few times before hopping into the rig. The program starts up, and Fernando hears a little huff come through on his headphones.

Everything seems fine at first. Lance starts off slow, building up his rhythm. Peeking at the data, it looks like the handling and cornering are smooth; all that it needs is a bit of speed. Lance continues at a slow pace for a little more than needed, but again, this isn’t anything concerning. A good racing line is important. All of a sudden, Lance slams on the accelerator, sending the car into the barrier. Strange. He resets the lap, this time pushing the speed. Pushing really hard. He loses the car by the fourth corner. He starts again, this time with a bit more control, but his steering is inconsistent and not as smooth as it was before. The braking zones are also starting to cause trouble, with Lance locking up the brakes constantly. It made absolutely no sense!

Eventually, Lance lets go of the wheel and lets the car meet the barrier once again. Then he just sits there. Not moving, not restarting the sim, not even getting up for a break. Fernando decides this is his moment. He takes off the headphones and opens the adjoining door. The squeak of the door alerts Lance, who turns around, eyebrows raised, before sighing when he recognizes who it is.

“I knew someone was there.”

Fernando makes his way up to the rig and places his hand on the “engine intake," near the top of Lance’s head. Both stay silent for a while, with Fernando trying to catch his gaze, but Lance continues to look straight ahead. Fernando’s fingers start to tap against the top.

“What is wrong, Lance?”

Lance keeps his eyes on the screen, his frown deepening as he crosses his arms over his chest.

“What’s wrong in the car is shit. Handles badly, can’t take the speed, and is an absolute tire destroyer.”

“That’s not true, Lance; it was looking great at low speed. But when you picked up the pace, you started making mistakes you hadn’t before.”

Lance continues to say nothing, only shrugging his shoulders. Fernando wasn’t going to make any progress like this. In a decisive moment, he drops his hand into Lance's dark hair and tugs once on the strands. Lance gasps and instantly looks up at the man looming above him. His attention finally falls on him, and Fernando speaks again, his voice low.

“Lance, I know you. This is not like you. You’re going to start the sim again and show me the good work you can do.”

Lance visibly swallows and bites his top lip.

“While you stare me down like that?” he asks, his voice shaking slightly.

“If I have to.”

Fernando removes his hand and points to the screen. Lance gets the message and straightens up, pressing the restart button. He starts off strong, but one wrong brake input sends him off track. He looks up at Fernando, his doe eyes shining.

“Again.”

He launches again and makes it halfway through the lap before oversteering and spinning out like crazy. He looks up again.

“Once more.”

This goes on a few more times, with Lance not even being able to complete a single clean lap. Fernando sighs and crouches down to Lance’s level. The Canadian meets his eye this time but continues to give no explanation, no emotion, not even frustration.

“Your braking zones are off. You won't be able to get the handling down if you keep missing them. So this is what we’ll do.”

Fernando reaches his hand into the open cockpit and places his warm hand on Lance’s lower left thigh, his braking leg. He squeezes once.

“Every time I squeeze, you brake. A harder squeeze means brake harder.”

The driver’s eyes widen for a moment before turning his attention back to the screen. Lance grips the steering wheel hard, his knuckles turning white, but after a deep breath, he releases slightly and presses the restart button.

The lap starts flat out on the accelerator, with Lance turning in perfectly, which means he doesn’t need to lift to gather good speed. The first braking zone comes into view, and as the car hits the right marker, Fernando gives a tight squeeze to his thigh. Lance jumps slightly, but his muscle memory kicks in to press the brakes. The next turn is quick, so Fernando only taps his leg this time. It still sends chills running up Lance’s spine. Then comes the long straight, which leads into a hairpin. Fernando’s hand has absentmindedly drifted, his fingertips brushing Lance’s inner thigh. They sink into the soft flesh at the braking zone. He notices Lance taking a shaky breath. Next is another long, flat-out section, which Lance easily weaves through, slowing and downshifting without prompting. The bumps and jumps of the rig continue to slowly force Fernando’s hand to shift up, his hand now closer to mid-thigh, yet he does nothing to stop it. The last two big braking zones come up, along with firm squeezes on Lance’s leg. After rounding the last corner and crossing the line, the screen lights up green at the top, accompanied by a soft ping indicating the fastest lap of the session.

“That’s more like it, no? I knew you can do it!”

Lance can’t help a small smile from coming onto his face at the praise. Fernando brings a hand to Lance’s hair, grabbing the back of his head in encouragement before dropping his hand back into the driver’s lap. His hand this time is firmly at the top of his leg, his fingers dipping dangerously into his inner thigh. Fernando should shift his hand back down. He really should. Instead, he turns back toward the screen.

“Let’s do more like this. No stopping this time. Let’s see how many good laps you can get in!”

The next hour flies by, lap times getting progressively faster and cleaner over time. Fernando continued his squeezing for the first few laps, but it became soon clear that Lance was getting the hang of it on his own. Yet, instead of removing his hand, Fernando instead lets it settle comfortably on the same spot in his lap. Without even noticing, his thumb starts to slowly rub across Lance’s leg as he continues to fly through the track. Every time the screen lights up green, he flashes a wide grin towards him and pats his leg twice before returning to rubbing his thigh soothingly. Lance continues to push, his timing now near perfect, hanging on to every noise or sense of approval coming from his older boss. He doesn’t let it show on his face, but his insides flip every time Fernando smiles at him, and he truly believes his heart rate hasn’t dropped below 100 ever since he's started touching him.

Eventually, the times plateau, and there is no way to improve more at the moment. Lance is also sweating profusely, the effort and concentration catching up to him. And perhaps also, for the most attractive man in his eyes, paying all attention to him doesn’t help lower the warmth of his body. Fernando notices how damp his face is and reaches over for a dry towel in a basket nearby. He finally peels his hand off of Lance’s leg, catching the pout that makes it onto the driver’s face instantly. But it doesn't take long for his expression to change again as Fernando brings the towel to his face. He presses it to his forehead and drags it down to his cheek, picking up stray droplets of sweat along the way. Lance’s doe eyes fix his face, his tongue peeking out to collect some moisture from his lips. Fernando follows the movement with his gaze before continuing to wipe the other side of his face. He tosses the first towel away and grabs another, placing it on his hair, giving it an initial dry before prompting Lance to finish drying his hair himself.

“You did really well, Lance. I want you to keep it up like this and top all the other simulations. You’ve just shown me you can.”

Lance bites his lip, looking down bashfully.

“With your help, I couldn’t do it without you.”

“Not true. You were doing great on your own at the end. I was just here for support. But if you need my help, you can always reach out, yes? I always make time for you.”

Even in the darkened sim room, there was no missing the blush taking over Lance’s cheeks. He subtly tries to hide it with the towel, but Fernando could see right through it. Cute, he thought. Which is something he shouldn’t be thinking about his employee, but no matter how much he tries to draw a new line, Lance is still the adorable teammate he cares so much for. It also doesn’t help that Lance looks extremely attractive with sweat on his face, his lips parted to take deep breaths, causing his Adam's apple in his glistening neck to bob up and down. Jesus, get yourself together, old man.

He shakes himself out of his gawking. Placing his hand on the other man’s leg one last time, he uses it as leverage to stand back up. However, when he does, Lance lets out a soft whimper. Fernando is immediately concerned.

"Oh, sorry, did I hurt you? Are your legs sore?”

Lance shifts in his seat, looking a little hesitant.

“N..no… It’s just…ugh.”

Fernando looks down at his lap, and, oh. Oh.

The front of Lance’s jeans is tented, the zipper seemingly barely holding on. Breath catches in his throat. He opens his mouth to speak, but his mouth is suddenly dry. Meanwhile, Lance has gone completely red and miserably tries to hide his predicament with his hands but only ends up bringing more attention to it.

“I’m sorry. You’ve just been touching me, and well... it just...fuck, please stop looking at me. It’s so embarrassing.”

Fernando takes a deep breath and collects his thoughts. I’m a professional. I’m a professional; things happen, and you deal with them professionally.

“Is ok, Lance no need to be embarrassed. Is probably just adrenaline.”

It sounds completely unconvincing, but what else was Fernando supposed to say? Lance continues to turn away from him, probably wishing a black hole could just swallow him whole right now. Fernando gingerly reaches for his shoulder and gives it a light squeeze.

“I go now. I expect you to keep up the good work with the engineers, yes?”

Lance doesn’t say anything, but he sees him nodding.

“Good. I see you soon, Lance. And remember, I’m here for anything you need.”

He takes one last look at the boy curled up in the sim chair before stepping out of the room. He heads back to his office, desperately trying to wipe anything indecent from his mind. Like how easy it would have been to reach over and help out the poor whimpering boy. The sweet noises he would make, squirming in his seat, make him soil his pants like a teenager. The worst part is that Fernando is so sure Lance would let him.

He shakes himself out of his daydreams once again, opening up his computer in hopes of finding some distraction. Thankfully, it seems that the upcoming car launch needs a lot of his input, so he dives in head first. The 'shortlist’ of guests is actually not so short, so he needs to weed out those that are unimportant. It makes him feel quite villainous to parse through all the names and decide who to ax off. He makes sure the main sponsors will be happy, but limits the inclusion of plus ones. With a championship win now under their belt, many people have come out of the woodworks, looking for their time in the sun. Fernando knows how to see right through it. After he’s satisfied with the list, he takes a peek at the livery. He doesn’t have much input in this aspect, but he makes sure to take notes on a few special details he can mention in his speech. Being team principal has taught him an important skill: pretend to know more than you do so others don’t have the guts to ask questions. His natural confidence has made it surprisingly easy. Never once has someone been able to notice that Fernando actually has no clue if the car is even going to have a fighting chance.

A new email pops into his inbox. It’s from the SIM team. They are delighted by Lance’s progress. His times are more rapid and consistent, and his feedback is more helpful. He’d even stuck around after the session to look over his data and watch Jessica drive in order to find where he could improve in the future. The team profusely thanked him for whatever he’d done for Lance’s change. Fernando wasn’t so sure how to react. The improvement in Lance’s performance came from an extremely unprofessional training session. If anyone else got a whiff of how he’d convinced Lance to improve, his entire career would be over. He needs to nip this in the bud soon. Build a more conventional relationship with Lance and keep his results up without any conflict of interest. Easier said than done, of course, but trying to avoid it might make it worse in the long run.

So, he pulls out his phone and clicks on Lance’s WhatsApp contact. His fingers hover indecisively over the keyboard for a moment, before he shakes his head. Do not overthink this.

Hey Lance, Glad to hear SIM work is doing better! Good job!

If you are in Monaco next week, we should set up a paddle day :) We haven't played in a while. Could be good training session? Let me know!

Paddle is a safe bet. They’ve played it together often ever since they became teammates. It became a tradition after races to debrief together without the prying eyes and ears of the team. They stopped over the summer break as Fernando’s new roles as team principal kept him busy. But now it could be a perfectly casual way to catch up with Lance without being too close to him. As long as he didn’t let his eyes stray too much if Lance decides to wear his ridiculously short shorts. Fernando shakes the image out of his head as he feels his phone vibrate.

Sure! Sounds like a good idea :)

Fernando can’t help the smile that creeps on his face. He hearts the message before returning to his computer. He needs to get back to planning this stupid car launch.

———————————————————————————

Wow! Look at me actually posting my fics!

Everyone clap pls 😌

This has been sitting around for so long, and I have so many ideas for this AU…I’m just a really slow writer 😅

Let me know what we thinkkkk

Next part is a paddle ‘date’ 😉

[beechersnope]

Summer of Cum Days 22/23/24: felching, coming in pants, cuckolding

logan/oscar & mark/oscar, warnings for accidental voyeurism/exhibitionism, non-monogamy, semi-public masturbation, and a stuffed animal used in a sexual context, 1280 words

***

The bear was an inspired idea.

“Are you at the factory?” Oscar asks curiously. He’s wearing a long t-shirt like Logan asked; if someone happens to walk in unannounced, they shouldn’t see anything out of the ordinary on the screen of Logan’s phone.

“Yeah,” Logan replies. He pushes one of his AirPods back in with a slight grimace. The left one always seems to fall out. “They called us in early to do some marketing thing, but then it turned out they only needed Alex for like, ninety percent of it, so I’ve just been sitting in this conference room for like an hour.”

“Poor baby,” Oscar says mockingly before his face turns serious again. “We can always reschedule, you know.”

Logan shrugs. “I was actually kinda thinking it might be hot if you got me all worked up even though I can’t do anything about it.”

“Yeah?” Oscar replies with a grin. “Gonna get yourself hard for me and go take some photographs, then?”

Logan flushes. “They’re just headshots.”

“Hmm. Just for me, then.” Oscar sets down the phone on the bed, and for a minute, all Logan can see is a flash of his thigh and a glimpse of the pale, downy fur of the gigantic stuffed bear he’d bought for Oscar on impulse right before the break.

“Can you still hear me?” Oscar asks.

It’s a bit quieter, but still clearly audible, so Logan compensates by turning up the call volume.

“Yeah,” he says. “Should I switch to the thing?”

“No, not yet.”

Logan listens intently as Oscar’s mattress creaks under his weight and then settles again.

“Okay,” Oscar says a few seconds later in a higher, breathier tone. “You can look now.”

Logan nearly drops the phone in his haste to bring up the app. BearCam, it’s called, which is a stupid, if not practical, name for it. He holds his breath while the feed loads, and then nearly drops his phone again when Oscar finally comes into view.

He’s straddling the bear, shirt rucked up around his waist to reveal nothing underneath. His hips are lifted just a few inches, revealing the strap-on harness attached to the life-size stuffed animal and the accompanying dildo already sitting snugly inside his pussy.

“Fuck,” Logan gasps.

“It’s good?” Oscar checks. “I can reposition the head, maybe, if it’s not a good angle.”

“No,” Logan replies tightly. “No, it’s good.” He’s already starting to get hard, and yeah, fuck, maybe this wasn’t the great idea he’d thought it would be all of five minutes ago.

“Okay, I’m gonna—” Oscar doesn’t even finish the sentence, instead just sinking down onto the strap-on cock with a loud groan. It’s a little bigger than the toys he usually uses when they’re on opposite sides of the world, and his thighs tremble with the effort of lifting himself off of it again.

“Can you, like—lean back?” Logan asks, throat closing up with every uttered syllable. He doesn’t think he’s gonna survive this now, and if he were any smarter, he’d probably tell Oscar that they should stop. Pause. Save it for later.

Oscar does as Logan asks, bracing himself on his palms against the mattress with his thighs splayed wide. He’s so wet that Logan see the gleam of it on the silicone as he fucks himself, slow and deep at first, and then a little faster, until quiet frantic moans slip out from between his lips that have Logan’s cock twitching in his pants.

Logan was determined not to touch himself at all during this little experiment—at least not until he got back to the apartment—but the way Oscar is squirming on the end of the shiny silicone cock as Logan watches him through a fucking nanny cam instantly tears his self-control asunder, and he breaks, shoving a hand down his pants right as the door to the conference room flies open.

Logan manages to act fast. He mutes his end of the Facetime call and whips his hand out of his jeans quickly enough that he doesn’t think Alex has cottoned on to what he was actually doing, though there’s a suspicious look on his face as he approaches the table.

“You’re not watching porn, are you?” Alex asks, and well. Maybe Logan hadn’t been so subtle after all.

Logan shakes his head, Oscar’s moans still echoing in his ear. He intentionally avoids looking at the screen of his phone and prays that he can manage to get Alex out of the room before Oscar comes. “On a call,” he says through gritted teeth. “With Oscar. I’ll be done in a few minutes.”

Alex wrinkles his nose a little in mild disgust. “Of course, you are,” he says with a sigh before turning to leave the room again. “I’ll tell them you’re taking a shit,” he adds, and then the door swings shut again, cutting off Logan’s half-hearted attempt at laughter in response to Alex’s ribbing.

Logan quickly scrambles to pick up his phone and leans back in his chair, thighs spread to give himself as much room as possible to squeeze a hand down the front of his jeans. The app has disappeared from the screen somehow in the time that Logan has neglected it, though he can still hear the harsh, guttural cries emanating from Oscar’s mouth echoing loudly in his ears. He could probably get off to just that, he thinks, but Logan wants to see him when it happens.

Logan pulls up the app again, and his eyes nearly bug out of his head.

Oscar is on his stomach now, face mashed into the soft, white chest of the stuffed bear, but he isn’t alone.

Mark is behind him. Mark is inside him, and Logan feels a flash of heat deep in his belly as he thinks about how full Oscar must be, with the dildo still inside his cunt and Mark fucking his ass so hard the whole bed jerks with every thrust.

Logan knows he should unmute himself, say something. He knows that Oscar couldn’t have explained anything to Mark because there had been no audible interruption to the endless string of moans that had come through Logan’s AirPods, so that means Mark must have, what—just walked in on Oscar and started fucking him? Just like that?

The thought doesn’t upset him nearly as much as it should. Logan knew they fucked around sometimes, especially when they went to Australia together so Oscar could visit his family, but he’d never asked for details, never expected them. He certainly hadn’t expected this.

Logan keeps watching, his jaw hanging slack as Mark’s thrusts get faster, and then he’s coming, the jerky, abortive movements of his hips against Oscar’s ass unmistakable. Mark pulls out a few seconds later, and Logan only has a moment to wonder if he’s going to make sure Oscar comes too before Mark leans down and buries his face between Oscar’s legs.

Logan’s cock jerks against his hand. There’s a painful throb in his balls as he feels himself spilling into his underwear, his vision blurring as he watches Mark lick his own come out of Oscar’s ass while Oscar writhes and cries and humps the bear underneath him until he finally comes too, so loudly that Logan feels his balls seize up again like his body thinks it can wring another orgasm out of him right after the first.

Then the video cuts out. Logan stares down at his phone, devastated. Wi-fi signal lost. Fucking worthless Australian internet.

Somehow, Oscar's wi-fi shitting the bed (again) feels more like being cucked than actually watching another man fuck his boyfriend.

[videogamelover99]

[Gravity Falls] Waking Days Ch. 6: A Message

Summary: Bill Cipher is reborn, but not in the way he would have wanted. Stuck as a mortal and relying on those who brought his downfall, he realizes that maybe he didn't lie as hard as he should have. [AO3 Link] Characters: Bill Cipher, Mabel Pines, Dipper Pines, Stanford Pines, Stanley Pines, Jheselbraum the Unswerving, The Axolotl Pairings: past BillFord Rating: T

A/N: The plot. Plot is happening. Also wacky sci-fi worldbuilding. Also, I might skip next week and go on a small hiatus to help prepare for the next arc. I will make a post if that's the case. Thank you to @megxolotl and @nexstage for beta-reading. Enjoy!

---

“Someone noticed it a day ago,” Miko said, his rock fingers clinking nervously together. “We didn’t know what it was until it got bigger, is it-?”

“A rift,” Nora breathed. “A rift to the Nightmare Realm.”

Baragerth shuddered. Miko whimpered and looked back at it in horror.

They found it in a small grove, a crack in the ground, just a short walk away from Miko's neighborhood. The blades of grass surrounding it shifted and warped as if on an old television screen, their shadows appearing multicolored. The oil-like surface of the Nightmare Realm rippled from inside the rift, threatening to spill out.

It was spreading too quickly.

“Seal the area,” Nora turned to Baragerth, who nodded, his gaze heavy with fear. “We don’t want anyone contaminated.”

“What happens if we touch it?” Miko asked.

Nora looked down at the rift. “The Nightmare Realm is made of Bill’s chaotic energy. If it infects anyone, the consequences could range from severe to fatal. You could grow a second head.”

“Oh.”

“Or your skin could peel off.”

“Oh.”

“Yes, ‘oh’. So don’t go poking it with a stick.”

“I wasn’t planning to,” said Baragerth. “So, what is the plan, aside from quarantining this?”

“I have a device that would slow down its spread.”

“That doesn’t sound like fixing it.”

“No,” Nora said. “It doesn’t.”

The squid-man turned a bit pale.

“What I ask of you is to keep your people calm. And to tell me as soon as you find any others like it,” she continued. 

“There could be others?” Miko asked, his tone verging on panicked.

“Yes.” The Oracle’s gaze did not betray any hint of the nervousness her companions were feeling. “I will return shortly with the device.” 

As she walked away, she was suddenly halted by a slimy arm on her shoulder. “Is there something you want to tell me? Away from the others?” Baragerth’s tone was measured like he was testing the waters.

She turned to him. “This is nothing to concern yourself with. Not yet, at least. I have a solution. It will just take time.”

He held her gaze for a moment longer, searching for something. She gave him no leeway. “You know,” he remarked. “It’s funny, looking into two eyes instead of seven.”

She smiled, measured, and in control. “You’ll have plenty of time to get used to it.”

That’s when a loud, thunderous explosion rocked them on their feet. Nora turned and saw smoke coming from the market district, just a few blocks from where they were.

Ah. So out of the ten thousand visions, it had to be this one. 

—

Once they made their way down to the valley, it was a lot easier to follow the path of destruction the Riddle Bot created for itself. 

“What was that?!”

“It blew a hole through my wall!”

“Your wall? I almost got pulverized!”

“My cabbages!”

Dipper and Mabel arrived at a market, the same one they’d seen on their first visit to this dimension. Except now everything was on fire. And alien people were screaming. And Dipper had just stepped into cabbage mush. 

“Hey, let's all calm down,” Dipper raised his voice over the crowd of people gathered in the middle of the road, some sporting bruises and singed clothing. “Everything is gonna be fine! Just tell us where that robot went and-”

“A hyooman!” One of the villagers, a being made entirely of crystals, pointed at him.

“Two of them!”

“Did they bring forth such a contraption?”

“It’s their fault!”

“Whaaat, don’t be silly!” Mabel stepped forward, and put on her best charming smile. “We’re here to fix it! We’re the, uh, robot police! Yeah! And if you cooperate, we’ll take that pesky robot to jail in no time! Where it won’t start any more fires. How does that sound?”

“You’ve been spending way too much time with Bill.”

“Silence, dear brother! I mean Agent Dipper!”

“You’re pretty short for police officers,” one of the creatures muttered, stroking its chin. Or at least, what was probably a chin. It was hard to tell, with its face embedded in its stomach. 

“That’s rude!” Mabel said. “Rude enough that maybe we won’t help you after all!”

“It went that way!” A tree-like creature with an adolescent voice pointed toward the rows of stalls down the road.

“Thank you for your cooperation!” said Mabel. 

“Sorry about your cabbages,” Dipper muttered to a pink-colored man, his one eye soaked in tears as he cradled what was left of his stock.

They managed to catch up with the robot. It was staring down a humanoid-looking alien with pink skin and three magenta eyes. In the alien’s arms was a smaller, baby-looking alien. The adult seemed mesmerized by the robot. The baby reached its bubblegum-pink hands toward it.

“I knew it. I should leave my husband,” they heard the alien say. “But will I ever find love?”

“PROPHECY #175-02 FOR TROMINIZ, JOHN, CONTENT: FINDERS KEEPERS, LOSERS-”

“Weepers,” John Trominiz finished, and burst into tears.

“Um,” said Dipper, who suddenly felt like they were intruding.

The robot turned toward them. Then, not breaking eye contact, it snatched the baby from John’s hands and flung it into the air.

“No!” John cried.

“Ahhh!” the twins screamed. The robot darted away.

“I got it, I got it,” Dipper flung himself to the ground and caught the giggling toddler. “Ow…”

“Not so fast!” Mabel dashed toward the robot as it took to the sky and made a running leap, grabbing its leg just as it left the ground. She wrapped her arms around its middle as it started sputtering, trying to shake her off. 

“Here you go,” Dipper gave the baby back to its stressed-out father and ran toward his sister. He grabbed one leg of the bot, keeping it from flying away. “We got it! Hit the switch, Mabel!”

Mabel reached with one hand toward the switch.

As if sensing what they were about to do, the robot suddenly made a sharp, panicked noise, and the thrusters on its hands let out an increasing, high-pitched whirr.

“Uh oh,” said Dipper. 

The robot’s thrusters burst into flame, and the force catapulted all three of them across the square.

—

Eegbock Borg had been present in this dimension for over 900 years. For his species, Eeg was still middle-aged, but even then, he couldn't help but think about retirement. His shop had been run for 3000 years, by his grandfather and his father and now him, and he had no children of his own, therefore no heir to entrust the shop to.

Ggrarky across the street had been eyeing it for some time now, that old crone. He couldn't risk it falling into her hands.

He'd gone to the Oracle to ask about the fate of the shop, once. His future wasn’t promising.

"I see many futures for your business, Mr. Borg…I would invest in insurance if I were you."

That day Borg got insurance. His family had survived Bill Cipher's absent-minded hunger for destruction, and if anything, it had instilled in him the risks of not having his bases thoroughly covered.

The insurance manager knocked on the wooden beams holding up the roof of the shop and scrutinized the dust that came raining down on Borg's stock. "Hmm, when have you last had these replaced, Mr. Borg?"

Ugh, renewal was a pain. All they did was look for excuses to raise his rates. He'd procrastinated on it, and his insurance had expired a few weeks ago. Luckily, nothing had happened that would require a payout. "Last week. Can I sign already?"

The inspector gave the wood one last sniff before shrugging in defeat. He pulled out a manila folder and from it, a stack of files. "Please sign here, here, here, and here and here. Aaaand here."

Borg grabbed the pen and signed the little boxes, only for the pen to run out of ink on the last page. "Damnit, do you have a spare?"

"Afraid not! I like to travel light."

Grumbling, Borg went to grab one from his office.

Maybe he should have expected the two strange, alien children and a person-sized mechanical robot to crash through the roof at that moment. And for the roof to catch on fire. And for his stock to be stomped on as the child with the long hair got up, looked down at the ruins, and sheepishly put the crushed items back on the shelf. The shelf, then, also caught fire. 

—

Back in Dimension 46’/, Bill Cipher had the distinct feeling that something wonderfully chaotic was happening without him.

—

Dipper slowed down, and leaned against the nearest tree, gulping in a lungful of air. Beside him, his sister appeared barely winded, though no less frustrated. 

They’d run through a crowd of panicked and confused aliens, past neighborhoods of small, quaint-looking buildings, only to end up on the other side of the town, nothing beyond them but dense forests and a sharp cliff that tumbled down into a deep ravine. 

“This is a nightmare,” Dipper sighed and hid his face in his hands.

“Hey, come on, don’t give up now!” Mabel said. “It can’t have gone far!”

Instead, Dipper sat down on the ground. “I really screwed up,” he said. His throat felt tight. “She had to have noticed the rampaging robot. I just made everything worse. She’s never gonna trust me again.”

“That’s not true. It was totally a mistake!” Mabel sat down next to him. “She’ll understand.”

“I really thought I was helping,” Dipper said. “If it were Grunkle Ford-”

“Look,” Mabel said, suddenly serious, “Grunkle Ford let an evil demon into his brain, he doesn’t always have the best judgment.”

“That’s…true,” said Dipper.

“And I’m pretty sure Nora’s the one who built the crazy robot. So…”

“That’s…okay, but we shouldn’t have touched it.”

“Then why wasn’t there a ‘DO NOT TOUCH, WILL START LEVELING BUILDINGS’ sign, huh?”

Dipper laughed. 

They sat in silence for a moment as Dipper caught his breath.

“You know what I’ve learned?” said Mabel.

“What?”

“Adults also don’t know what they’re doing. So quit putting them on pedestals. Unless they’re a super cute boyband in which case it’s a parasocial relationship and not real.”

“I…don’t know if I agree with that last part. But you have a point,” said Dipper. He got up and offered his sister a hand. “Come on, I have an idea.”

 —

“There is a hole in my ceiling, ma’am.”

“Yes, I can see that.” The Oracle looked up, where there was, in fact, a hole in the ceiling. Though calling it a hole was a stretch - it made up the majority of the roof. 

“Excuse me, coming through, careful there.” Baragerth’s voice rose over the agitated crowd gathered outside. 

Baragerth walked in and stopped dead in his tracks, taking in the state of the shop. Most of the wooden structure and furniture were soaked through, the villagers having put out a roaring blaze just an hour ago. The wares were either shattered or ruined completely by the mix of soot and water. In the middle of it all was the sullen shopkeeper.

“Borg?”

“That’s me,” the shopkeeper replied. “And that’s what’s left of my father’s legacy.”

Nora suppressed a wince. 

“And his father’s legacy.”

Baragerth looked to the side, at a loss of what to say. 

“And the father before him-”

Oh, come on.

“And the father-”

“Yes, I think you’ve made your point clear,” Nora held up a hand. “Let’s skip to the part where you tell me where they went.”

—

“Ready?” Dipper whispered.

“Ready,” Mabel lifted her grappling hook.

Dipper peeked around the bush. The Bot was hovering over the clearing, telling a little bug-like girl with a picnic basket a riddle that might have been about her parents’ times of death.

“FOR THE TWO THAT HAVE SPURRED YOU WILL COME TO THE SOIL WHEN THE SUN SETS ON THE AXIOM STAR-”

“Hey!” Dipper jumped out of the bush, waving his hands up and down. The girl and robot turned to him. “What’s my library backlog for the next year?!”

The girl frowned, unnerved by this sudden alien stranger. The robot, meanwhile, got to reciting every book author and title Dipper had written down, in alphabetical order. “IN THE LIGHT OF EVOLUTION, AVISE, JOHN. THE UNIVERSAL MYTHS, ELIOT, ALEXANDER. LOST CITIES, HAMILTON, SUE-”

“Oh wow,” Dipper suddenly pulled out his journal, overwhelmed by the new titles. “I haven’t thought of that one-”

Before he could write any down, Mabel leaped in front of him, grappling hook pointed at the robot. “That’s enough nerd stuff! GRAPPLING HOOK!” 

The little alien girl shrieked, dropped her basket, and ran. Mabel’s grappling hook made a clear shot toward the robot, catching it by the head and dragging it toward the twins at top speed. 

“Oh, man.” Dipper stuffed the journal in his jacket and got ready to press the switch. He could feel his palms sweating. 

The robot barreled into them. Thankfully, it was light enough for the two to catch it by its arms. The robot struggled in their hold, shrieking garbled titles of books and articles, before letting out a long, electronic wail.

Dipper held it with one arm and stretched out the other, reaching for the switch. “Come on, almost, come on…” His fingertips brushed the button.

Then it twisted around, thruster pointed at Dipper’s middle.

“No!” Mabel yanked Dipper out of the way just as a white-hot jet of flame erupted where he was standing. The robot propelled itself back, toward the canyon drop. Mabel and Dipper tumbled down into the grass, wet dirt staining Dipper’s knees.

“It’s getting away!” he cried.

A small amber rock flew over his head. He watched, panic forgotten, as it pinged off the robot’s hull. The area surrounding the rock erupted in an amber glow, encasing the ground and the robot within it. The robot froze like someone had hit the pause button on a remote. A startled butterfly froze too, encased in the amber. 

“Well, that was dramatic.”

Dipper craned his neck to look back, and saw Nora, standing with her hands on her hips. In her hands was a vial containing more amber rocks. Dipper had a feeling he’d seen something like it back at the temple. She corked the vial and deposited it into her pocket, before making her way over to them. 

Mabel was the first one up. “Whoa, that was some shiny stuff you got there.”

But Nora didn’t answer, her gaze on them steady, filled with an amusement Dipper could tell was only surface level. “I hope you two had fun with your little excursion,” she said calmly. “But I’m afraid it’s time to go.”

“Wait,” Dipper climbed onto his feet, wincing at the sting in his knees, “I can explain!”

“Oh, I’m sure you can, but you don’t have to,” Nora’s curt smile made him want to run. “You decided to experiment with a device you didn’t know anything about because you had gotten bored. It happens.” Her gaze fell on each of them in turn. “I know you two are quite capable, I’ve seen it myself. That’s why I’m just a little baffled by this display of childishness.”

“I-I just thought…” Something was squeezing the back of Dipper’s throat. He swallowed it down. “I just wanted to help. If I could find a way to fix it-”

“I’m sorry, fix it? Fix the robot?”

“Yeah, and if-”

She laughed, loud and cold, and it was so unlike her that Dipper didn’t know what to say. “Well, you fixed it alright!”

No one noticed the flicker in the amber, nor that the stone Nora had thrown had cracked upon landing. 

“That’s not fair,” Mabel suddenly spoke up, her fists clenched at her sides, “Dipper was just trying to help.”

“No,” said Nora. “Dipper just wanted to feel special.”

Every nerve in Dipper’s body froze at that statement. Because it was true.

Mabel tried to say something in protest, but Dipper put a hand on her shoulder. She looked startled when she saw his face.

There were tears in his eyes and the embarrassment never even came. “Whatever. This was stupid. I get it. I couldn’t do anything.” He trudged past them, toward the bot. “How do we shut this thing off, anyway? Press the switch, right?”

“Dipper-” Nora said.

Whatever she wanted to say next never came. The amber bubble flickered, once twice, until it went out. The momentum the robot had before its immobilization was fully restored. And Dipper was standing right in front of it. 

Dipper had little time to do anything when the robot barreled into him, lifting him off his feet and dropping both of them into the canyon below.

—

Nora and Mabel knelt before the edge of the canyon, staring down into its depths. It was misty, with a few treetops peeking out through the cloud of fog.

“Dipper!” Mabel yelled. Her voice echoed back to her. There was no reply. No explosions, no rampaging robots. 

She was suddenly filled with dread.

“He’ll be fine,” said Nora.

Mabel glared at her.

“What?”

“How would you know?!”

“I can see the future,” Nora deadpanned. 

“Then why haven’t you predicted this?”

“Because that’s not how it works.”

“Well, you don’t explain anything!” Mabel got to her feet and pointed an angry finger at Nora. “How was Dipper supposed to know the robot would go crazy, huh?”

“That’s not the point,” Nora frowned, “I trusted you to not touch anything you didn’t know about.”

“Meow meow meow.”

“Okay,” Nora’s eye twitched. She seemed to be holding something back. “Have fun with your tantrum. I’m going to find your brother.”

With that, she got up and walked away.

Mabel watched her climb down a tight, brambled path along the canyon wall. She stood there stubbornly for ten seconds before she reluctantly followed, keeping a few paces back and chewing on her hair. Nora cast her an unreadable glance but said nothing. 

It wasn’t long before the anger gave way to anxiety, and Mabel kept looking for glimpses of her brother in the dense fog.

—

Dipper opened his eyes and willed the treetops above him to stop spinning. There were small cuts and bruises along his arms and legs, but at least he could move them, so, good sign there. His head hurt, but his vision wasn’t blurry, so probably no concussion. 

He tried to sit up, groaned, and gripped his ankle. He had likely twisted it in the fall.

The robot! Dipper looked around, frantically searching the little mass of fallen trees for any sign of it. He spotted it a few dozen feet away, partially buried under branches and dirt. It sat on the ground, slumped against the stump of a fallen tree. 

It wasn’t moving.

Dipper tried to stand up, winced when his ankle flared up, then sat back down. He slowly crawled toward the robot, watching for any sign of movement. Its eyes and lights were completely out, the mechanical hum silent.

It looked dead. 

Dipper sighed and stopped, instead resting his head on the fallen tree. Even the trees here were alien, made of a substance that was not quite wood and not quite fungi, soft and dry despite its more greyish tone. Dipper had not noticed that. 

He reached for his journal, before realizing it wasn’t there.

“No…no, come on!”

He had lost it. He’d lost it tumbling down the ravine. How could he lose it?

He looked around the small clearing, frantically hoping to spot its blue leather cover hidden in a pile of leaves. 

He froze when the robot’s head suddenly shot up.

The robot turned its head to look straight at him, and Dipper scrambled back, letting out a yelp. But it didn’t do anything. Just watched.

Dipper tried to think through panicked breaths. No sister, no Oracle, no journal, and no working foot. 

The robot spoke: “Hello, Dipper.”

—

They were close to the bottom of the canyon now, and the mist settled around them in a thick, chilly blanket.

It took Mabel all of five minutes of silence to start going crazy.

“Meow.”

“...”

“Meow meow.”

“...”

“Me-oww meow meow.”

“Sigh.”

“Meow meow meeeoooo-”

“Will you please stop?”

Mabel stopped and bit her lip. 

“Thank you,” Nora snapped.

There were five more minutes of awkward silence. Mabel couldn’t take it anymore. “To be clear, I’m still mad.”

“I’m aware.”

“But…how does your future thingy work? Do you know what I’m gonna step on in three seconds? Or is it more of a ‘great prophecy’ sort of thing?”

“Neither,” said Nora. “I see a kaleidoscopic quantum phantasmagoria of infinite possible futures across a spectrum of probability. In 49% of them, you trip over a branch. I’d watch what’s under my feet if I were you.”

“Woah, so it’s like a- oof!” Mabel did, just then, trip over a branch. She jumped back up, not too hurt. “Like a guessing game, almost? Only you know what all the answers are. So it’s like cheating.”

“Something like that,” Nora’s mouth twitched in an almost smile.

“Can you predict when I’ll stop being mad?” Mabel asked.

“I can’t see into your head, so no. Besides, it’s much harder to get a clear vision when I’m part of it.”

“Oh,” Mabel said. “That’s dumb.”

“That’s how it works,” Nora shrugged.

They walked in silence for a few more paces, before Mabel couldn’t help herself. “Why’d you say all that stuff to Dipper? He just wanted to impress you.”

“And that’s the problem,” Nora’s face suddenly soured. “He let his ego get in the way and look what it led to.”

“But he knew that,” Mabel insisted. “And it’s not all his fault! Maybe don’t build crazy robots!”

“I didn’t build it. It was a gift. Well, a joke. Not a very funny one.”

Gifting an oracle a robot that sees the future, but badly. “You’ve got weird friends.”

“It wasn’t from a friend.”

“Oh, so like, from someone special.”

Nora made a face. “Definitely not.”

“Then-”

“They sent it to me knowing I was going to try to fix it. Engineering isn’t something I do often, and it was a pain. You know what I couldn’t figure out? Why it rhymed. But only sometimes. There was no pattern to it, no cause and effect. Why is it only sometimes?”

“You and Dipper would go crazy fixing this thing. Too bad you said all that stuff.”

“I may have…been a little harsh,” Nora admitted.

“Ya think?”

Nora looked uncomfortable. She didn’t meet Mabel’s gaze when she said: “I don’t think I quite remember how to be around others, but that’s no excuse. I was frustrated and took it out on Dipper. He didn’t deserve that.”

“...Why don’t you know how to be around others?” Mabel asked quietly.

“I-” Nora’s eyes caught something in the distance. A blue, leather-bound journal, with a silver pine tree on the cover, lying on the ground.

“That’s Dipper’s journal!” Mabel ran toward it and picked it up. She dusted off the dirt, holding it close. “He must be close!”

Suddenly, Mabel could see, superimposed like a bright, golden hologram, five more eyes, hovering right above Nora’s brow. They all stared at something intensely in the distance. “We need to move this way.” She gestured to a smaller, more overgrown path. 

Mabel clutched the journal to her chest. She just hoped they weren’t too late. 

—

“Hello, Dipper,” said the robot.

The voice had little similarity to the robotic tone it had used before. It was soft and kind, with a calm, almost lulling quality, and feminine in tone. Dipper didn’t know what to think.

“Um, hello?” he tried. “I didn’t know you could talk. Like…like a person.”

Dipper got the impression that the robot was smiling, despite it not having any lips. “I am not the robot, Dipper. This was the only way of speaking to you.”

“Oh.” Dipper leaned back against the tree behind him.

The robot laughed. It was soft and melodic, like wind chimes. It carefully made its way over to him. 

Dipper flinched. “Stay back!”

It didn’t listen, instead kneeling before him. “Does it hurt?”

“What?” Dipper felt a little lost.

“Your ankle,” the robot repeated patiently. “Does it hurt?”

“Oh, um,” Dipper blushed. He felt kind of like a little kid who’d fallen from the swing set, with the way it spoke to him. “Yeah, a little. I twisted it in the fall.”

It reached a hand toward his busted-up ankle. “May I?”

After a moment of hesitation, Dipper nodded. The robot took a nearby branch and a handful of grass and proceeded to tie it to his leg as a hand-made brace. “Don’t put too much weight on it.”

Dipper tested the brace, standing up slowly. “Thanks.”

Still hurt, but less. Dipper didn’t know what to think. “Who are you?” he asked, not without caution. “Are you what Bill’s riddle was about?”

The robot tilted its head. It looked amused, despite having no facial expression. “Afraid not. That string of numbers refers to someone else.”

“But then why-” Dipper realized something. “‘She is watching’. You’re who the robot was talking about.”

The robot looked surprised. “You’re very clever, aren’t you?”

“Well, I-” Dipper blushed again. “I don’t really feel like it at the moment.”

The being inhabiting the robot let out a sympathetic hum. 

“You still haven’t told me who you are.”

“And I’m sure you have many other questions. I would explain everything if I could. However your time is limited, and I came to warn you.”

“Warn me?” Only one question suddenly came to mind “Bill! What’s he planning? Do you know why he’s back?”

“Bill Cipher.” The being sounded amused like it was holding back laughter. “Silas Birchtree is a liar, blame the arson for the fire,” she said in a sing-song manner.

“Okay,” Dipper said, “I got enough junk from that robot.”

“Afraid that’s the best I can do for now,” the being said. “Besides, he’s not what I came to warn you about.” She lifted one busted-up arm, only for it to spark and fall. Black ooze, shiny like oil, dripped from the robot’s joints.

“Okay, I’m listening,” Dipper said.

“Do you trust the Oracle?” she suddenly asked.

“What? Of course, I-” Dipper’s eyes darted to the side. He felt a stab in his chest when he remembered what had happened just moments earlier. He’d disappointed her. But that wasn’t just it, was it?

The robot regarded him sadly. “I would be careful. She has many faces. She only shows you and your family the ones she wants you to see.”

Dipper gulped. “How can I trust you?”

“I do not blame you if you don’t. All I ask is that you listen.”

Dipper considered it for a moment. “Fine.”

“The fabric of reality is splitting at the seams,” it said. “And you must-”

A small, cube-like structure landed in front of them. The robot looked down, and suddenly it was engulfed in a beam of bright blue light. Dipper watched with horror as parts of it started breaking off, like small square puzzle pieces, dividing again and again until it completely disintegrated, and the only thing left of it was the blue cube.

“Dipper!” 

He turned and flinched stiffly when Mabel barreled into him, hugging him tight. 

Nora walked over and snatched the cube from the ground. “Well,” she said. “That’s over.”

Mabel pulled away when he didn’t hug back. “Hey, you okay?”

“I-” Dipper swallowed. “Y-yeah, yeah. I’m fine.” 

“Oh! And we found this!” Mabel pulled out his journal and handed it back to him.

In all other scenarios, Dipper would have been nothing but glad to get his journal back. Instead, Dipper watched Nora put away the cube. He stepped away from his sister, suddenly feeling sick. “You destroyed it.”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

The Oracle gave him a surprised look. “Because it was a malfunctioning, dangerous menace?”

“But-” Dipper clamped his mouth shut. He wanted to tell her what he heard, and yet.

Do you trust her?

He looked down at the blue cube and kept quiet.

—

It was dark when they finally got back to the temple. Exhausted from the day and the dozen apologies the twins had handed out to the locals, Mabel immediately collapsed into one of the hand-woven bean bags in the corner and fell asleep. 

They watched her snore for a minute or two before Nora offered tea.

They sat down at the table in silence. While Dipper was all too eager to get a taste of true interdimensional tea, Nora barely touched hers. She looked at the cup, her brow furrowed, before she sighed, and put it down. It was cold. “About what I said earlier-”

“It’s fine,” Dipper said quickly. “I mean, you were right. I was being stupid. Getting in my head, like I do all the time.” Suddenly the strange-tasting tea wasn’t all that appealing. Dipper gulped down the dregs without tasting any of it.

“I was right,” Nora said. “That doesn’t mean I was being very fair to you.”

“Oh.”

“And your sister will not let it go unless I apologize.”

“Ha ha, yeah.” Dipper scratched the back of his neck, embarrassed.

“You’re extremely capable, Dipper. Which is why I found it so frustrating when you chose your ego over my trust.”

Dipper winced. “Right.”

“But lashing out at you accomplished nothing. I guess- I mean- What I’m trying to say is…” The measured tone was all but gone. Nora flailed her hands as if looking for the right words. 

“I know,” Dipper said. “It’s okay, really.”

Nora looked frustrated but nodded. Dipper felt a wave of fondness wash over him. He wanted to tell her about the robot, about the being that spoke to him. He really should.

Do you trust her?

If there was anything Dipper learned, it was to not trust mysterious entities who claimed to want to help you. Still, he could take the time and think about it.

Couldn’t he?

“I know what you’re trying to say.” Dipper looked back to where Mabel was sleeping. “I’m the king of socially awkward, you know?”

“I’m not socially awkward,” Nora huffed, “I’m just…out of practice.” She frowned. “That sounds worse, doesn’t it.”

“Kinda, yeah.”

“And you are clever, Dipper,” Nora added. “I don’t know why you would ever think otherwise.”

“Wow, um,” he suddenly felt his cheeks heat up. “Thanks? You’re pretty good too, with all those cubes and the…tech wizard stuff.”

“‘Tech wizard stuff’?”

“You know, ugh, wow, forget I said that.”

But Nora was smiling. “I think I’ll have to remember that one.” She finally took a sip of her lukewarm tea. “I should show you how they work.”

“Really?” Dipper couldn’t help but light up at the thought.

Nora shrugged. “If I feel like it.” She lifted her cup. “Here’s to our inconvenient little adventure. And subsequent property damage.”

Dipper clinked his cup with hers and tried to school his expression to something a little less eager. “Cheers.”

—

Baragerth found her in front of the rift. He approached quietly, but he knew she’d seen him coming before he even stepped out of the house. “The human children are gone, then?”

“I sent them home,” Jheselbraum’s hand went up to play idly with her pendant. “There was…another development.”

“Oh? Don’t tell me anything. I’m too old for so many stressors.” He joked. She did not return his smile, her gaze set far away, to somewhere he could not see. “Has there been any contact with the ancient one?”

“No. It’s like he’s waiting for something.”

“I cannot assume what you know, old friend, but perhaps it’s time to talk to you know who?”

Jheselbraum scowled.

“Or…not.”

“No,” she shook her head. “No, you’re right. Asking anything of them is just…frustrating.”

“Oh, I know that much.” He leaned on his cane. “Heard the head of their organization is a particularly meddlesome one. From a certain source. You might know her. She lives on top of that mountain.”

“I will speak with them,” the Oracle said, in a tone Baragerth figured was supposed to be calming and not like she wanted to set something on fire.

Immortals. Peel back the layers and they were all eerily similar. He decided not to tell her that. Her mask was one she took pride in and it had a good track record. It would be a shame to shatter the illusion. 

He left her soon enough, his knees starting to ache from the nighttime chill. Jheselbraum was still rooted in the same spot, and the glow of the rift cast shadows onto her strange human features.

She did not notice him leaving. She didn’t seem to notice much of anything, except some distant vision. 

—

Back at the temple, Nora pulled away the dusty long curtain in the back of the room. In front of her was a big, dark chalkboard.

Nora reached down underneath the frame, and something clicked in place. The chalkboard flickered; its surface suddenly filled with an interconnected map.

Nodes flowed into each other, bent around each other, their shapes complex and yielding. A node labeled "42'/" was in a corner, circled in different holographic chalk. An angry, red line pierced through the node sharp and jagged.

In between all the nodes was a dark blackness, a space that seemed to pulse with uncontrollable power.

Nora took a piece of chalk, and ran another red line through the node "52".

It was spreading.

---

[next]

[prev]

[first]

[yvetteheiser]

Yvette Heiser - Phone Photography Essentials without Formal Education

In today's digital world, the art of photography has become more accessible than ever. You no longer need a formal education or expensive camera equipment to create stunning images. With advancements in smartphone technology, your phone can be a powerful tool for capturing professional-quality photos. Here’s everything you need to know to excel in phone photography without a formal education.

Understanding Your Phone’s Camera

Before diving into photography, it’s essential to understand the capabilities of your phone’s camera. Modern smartphones are equipped with high-resolution sensors, multiple lenses, and advanced image processing software. Take some time to familiarize yourself with the various settings and features available on your phone's camera, including HDR, portrait mode, night mode, and manual controls for ISO, shutter speed, and white balance. For more detailed insights, consider exploring resources like Yvette Heiser Texas – All You Need to Know about Phone Photography.

Mastering the Basics of Photography

Even without formal education, you can learn the fundamental principles of photography. Start with the basics:

Composition: The rule of thirds, leading lines, and framing are essential techniques that can help you create balanced and visually appealing photos.

Lighting: Excellent lighting is essential for taking outstanding photos. Natural light is your greatest ally, so it's important to learn how to use it effectively. Understand the differences between soft and hard lighting and how to leverage shadows and highlights to enhance your images.

Focus and Exposure: Ensure your subject is in sharp focus. Most smartphones allow you to tap the screen to set the focus point. Adjusting exposure can help you manage the brightness and contrast of your photos.

Leveraging Photography Apps

One of the advantages of phone photography is the plethora of apps available to enhance your images. Here are a few must-have apps:

Editing Apps: Tools like Adobe Lightroom, Snapseed, and VSCO provide robust features for tweaking exposure, contrast, saturation, and other elements. They also come with presets and filters that can add unique and creative touches to your photos.

Camera Apps: Apps like ProCamera and Camera+ offer advanced manual controls, allowing you to fine-tune settings like ISO, shutter speed, and white balance.

Special Effects: Apps such as Lens Distortions and Afterlight can add unique effects and overlays to your photos, helping them stand out.

Building a Strong Portfolio

Your portfolio is your introduction in the photography world. Create a diverse collection of your best work to showcase your skills and style. Include different subjects such as landscapes, portraits, and macro shots. Regularly refresh your portfolio with updated and enhanced photographs. Sharing your portfolio on social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest can help you reach a wider audience and attract potential clients.

 Networking and Marketing

Building a successful photography career requires more than just taking great photos. Networking and marketing are essential components:

Networking: Join online photography communities, attend local meetups, and participate in photography challenges. Networking with other photographers can lead to collaborations, referrals, and learning opportunities.

Social Media Marketing: Use social media to market your photography services. Regularly post your work, engage with your audience, and share behind-the-scenes content. Consider creating a website to establish an online presence and make it easy for clients to find and contact you.

 Continuous Learning and Experimentation

Photography is an ever-evolving field, and staying updated with the latest trends and techniques is crucial. Follow industry leaders, read photography blogs, and watch tutorial videos. Don’t be afraid to experiment with new styles and subjects. Continuous learning and experimentation will help you grow as a photographer and keep your work fresh and innovative.

Conclusion

Excelling in phone photography without formal education is entirely achievable with dedication and practice. By understanding your phone’s camera, mastering photography basics, leveraging apps, building a strong portfolio, networking, and continuously learning, you can create stunning images and establish a successful photography career. Yvette Heiser- Is it possible to start a career in photography without formal education? Embrace the journey, and let your creativity shine through your lens!

[waycaseuk]

The **evolution of the iPhone** since its introduction in 2007 has been a defining journey in the world of smartphones, with significant advancements in design, performance, and features. Here's a brief overview of key milestones in iPhone evolution:

### 1. **iPhone (2007)**

- **Notable Features**: 3.5" touchscreen, 2 MP camera, 4GB/8GB storage.

- **Innovation**: The first touchscreen-only smartphone, removing the physical keyboard seen in other phones at the time. It introduced multi-touch technology and mobile internet.

### 2. **iPhone 3G (2008)**

- **Notable Features**: 3G network support, App Store.

- **Innovation**: Faster internet browsing with 3G connectivity and the launch of the App Store, which opened the door to third-party apps.

### 3. **iPhone 3GS (2009)**

- **Notable Features**: Faster processor, video recording, voice control.

- **Innovation**: Significant speed improvements ("S" stands for speed) and better camera capabilities, including video recording.

### 4. **iPhone 4 (2010)**

- **Notable Features**: Retina Display, FaceTime, 5 MP camera, glass design.

- **Innovation**: A major redesign with a stainless steel frame and glass front/back, and the introduction of the Retina Display, which had higher pixel density for crisper visuals.

### 5. **iPhone 4S (2011)**

- **Notable Features**: Siri, 8 MP camera, A5 chip.

- **Innovation**: Siri, the first virtual assistant on an iPhone, was introduced, along with significant camera and processor upgrades.

### 6. **iPhone 5 (2012)**

- **Notable Features**: 4" display, Lightning connector, LTE support.

- **Innovation**: The iPhone grew in size to a 4-inch screen and introduced the Lightning connector, replacing the 30-pin dock.

### 7. **iPhone 5S & 5C (2013)**

- **Notable Features (5S)**: Touch ID, 64-bit architecture.

- **Notable Features (5C)**: Colorful plastic body.

- **Innovation**: The iPhone 5S brought Touch ID for fingerprint authentication and a powerful 64-bit A7 chip. The 5C was a more affordable model with colorful designs.

### 8. **iPhone 6 & 6 Plus (2014)**

- **Notable Features**: 4.7" & 5.5" displays, Apple Pay.

- **Innovation**: Apple entered the "phablet" market with larger displays, along with introducing Apple Pay, the company's mobile payment system.

### 9. **iPhone 6S & 6S Plus (2015)**

- **Notable Features**: 3D Touch, 12 MP camera, 4K video.

- **Innovation**: The introduction of 3D Touch, which allowed the screen to detect varying levels of pressure, creating new ways to interact with the phone.

### 10. **iPhone SE (2016)**

- **Notable Features**: 4" screen, A9 chip (same as iPhone 6S).

- **Innovation**: A smaller, more affordable model, resembling the iPhone 5S but with the internal power of the iPhone 6S.

### 11. **iPhone 7 & 7 Plus (2016)**

- **Notable Features**: Dual cameras (7 Plus), no headphone jack, water resistance.

- **Innovation**: The removal of the headphone jack was controversial, and Apple also introduced dual cameras on the 7 Plus for improved zoom and portrait photography.

### 12. **iPhone 8 & 8 Plus (2017)**

- **Notable Features**: Wireless charging, glass back, True Tone display.

- **Innovation**: While similar to the iPhone 7, the 8 series introduced wireless charging through the glass back and enhanced display technology with True Tone.

### 13. **iPhone X (2017)**

- **Notable Features**: Edge-to-edge OLED display, Face ID, no home button.

- **Innovation**: A radical redesign that removed the home button and Touch ID, replacing it with Face ID, Apple’s facial recognition technology. It also introduced the first OLED display in an iPhone.

### 14. **iPhone XS, XS Max, & XR (2018)**

- **Notable Features**: Larger OLED display (XS Max), Liquid Retina display (XR), A12 chip.

- **Innovation**: The XS Max brought a massive 6.5" screen, while the XR offered a more affordable option with an LCD display but the same powerful internals.

### 15. **iPhone 11, 11 Pro, & 11 Pro Max (2019)**

- **Notable Features**: Ultra-wide camera, night mode, A13 chip.

- **Innovation**: A triple-camera system on the Pro models enhanced photography, including better low-light performance with night mode.

### 16. **iPhone SE (2nd Gen) (2020)**

- **Notable Features**: A13 chip, 4.7" display, Touch ID.

- **Innovation**: Like the original SE, this model combined older iPhone design (resembling the iPhone 8) with powerful internals from newer models, offering a budget-friendly option.

### 17. **iPhone 12 Mini, 12, 12 Pro, & 12 Pro Max (2020)**

- **Notable Features**: 5G support, MagSafe, Ceramic Shield.

- **Innovation**: The iPhone 12 series introduced 5G connectivity and the MagSafe system for attaching accessories. Ceramic Shield provided increased drop protection.

### 18. **iPhone 13 Mini, 13, 13 Pro, & 13 Pro Max (2021)**

- **Notable Features**: Smaller notch, ProMotion 120Hz display (Pro models), Cinematic Mode.

- **Innovation**: Focused on camera improvements, including Cinematic Mode for video recording, and higher refresh rate displays on the Pro models for smoother performance.

### 19. **iPhone SE (3rd Gen) (2022)**

- **Notable Features**: A15 chip, 5G, improved battery life.

- **Innovation**: Continuation of the budget-friendly SE line with more powerful internals.

### 20. **iPhone 14, 14 Plus, 14 Pro, & 14 Pro Max (2022)**

- **Notable Features**: Dynamic Island (Pro models), 48 MP camera (Pro), Always-On Display (Pro), satellite SOS.

- **Innovation**: The Pro models introduced the Dynamic Island, a new interactive notification area, along with the powerful 48 MP main camera and satellite communication for emergencies.

### 21. **iPhone 15, 15 Plus, 15 Pro, & 15 Pro Max (2023)**

- **Notable Features**: USB-C port, A17 Pro chip, Action Button (Pro models).

- **Innovation**: The transition from Lightning to USB-C for universal charging, along with enhanced performance and camera upgrades.

The iPhone's journey reflects major technological strides and design shifts, focusing on improving usability, camera quality, and processing power with each iteration.

[drizzileiscool]

hey man

I had a really bad day yesterday

can you say something random and off topic please

that would be great

thanks :)

im not the best at cheering people up I'm sorry aaa

but I sure will try!

have you heard about this neat little video game series by square enix calle The World Ends With You? you should check it out maybe!

the music in these games is great and the artsyle as well! beautiful!

maybe check out a few trailers for the DS version or watch the opening and I'll let you see for yourself if it's something you're interested in!

currently the only games in the series are the original on ds, Solo Mix for mobile devices (though it's unlisted from the app store and google play and in order to play it you need to pirate it) (like I did), Final Mix for the nintendo switch (which is just a remaster of solo mix but with motion controls instead of touch screen), and Neo, a sequel available on steam, PS4, and switch. Do not check out trailers for Neo the marketing team did a terrible job and just spoiled everything.

I'd say more stuff about it but I'm on the way to school rn so I kinda can't soooorrry hopefully this helped a bit

[wedesignblog]

Spacing and Sizing in Web Design 📐✨

Understanding spacing and sizing is crucial for creating an intuitive and visually appealing web design. Let’s break it down!

1. What is Spacing?

Margin: The space outside an element. It controls how far apart elements are from each other.

Padding: The space inside an element. It affects the space between the content and the element’s border.

2. Why is Spacing Important?

Readability: Adequate spacing improves text readability and overall user experience.

Hierarchy: Proper spacing can help establish a visual hierarchy, guiding users’ attention to important elements.

Aesthetics: Well-spaced designs look cleaner and more professional.

3. Sizing Elements

Fixed Sizes: Set dimensions that won’t change regardless of the viewport (e.g., width: 200px;).

Fluid Sizes: Use percentages or viewport units (e.g., width: 50%;) for a responsive design that adapts to different screen sizes.

Responsive Design: Combine fixed and fluid sizing with media queries to ensure elements resize appropriately on various devices.

4. The Role of Interior Spacing

Example: Buttons: The size of a button is influenced by both its width/height and its padding. A button with too little padding may look cramped, while excessive padding can make it appear too large.

5. Best Practices for Spacing and Sizing

Consistent Units: Use consistent units (like rem or em) to maintain scalability across your design.

Grid Systems: Implement a grid layout for balanced spacing and sizing, making the design more predictable and user-friendly.

Whitespace: Don’t underestimate the power of whitespace; it enhances focus and reduces clutter.

6. Testing and Iteration

Regularly test your designs on various devices to ensure spacing and sizing work well in all contexts.

Gather feedback from users to identify areas needing adjustments.

Quick Tips:

Aim for a harmonious balance between spacing and sizing.

Use design tools or frameworks that offer predefined spacing/sizing options.

Be mindful of touch targets; ensure buttons and links are large enough for easy interaction.

Mastering spacing and sizing will elevate your web design, making it more functional and visually appealing! 🌟

----------

What marketing strategies are you excited to try this year? Let’s share ideas and inspire each other! Visit Our Web Design Blog!

[cinnamon-j-scudworth]

Fanfiction

Relationship: Joan and Candide

Word count: 963

Summary: Joans still not used to being 20 years in the future

Joan stomped her foot angrily as She took her pointer finger and violently swiped at the screen "Ugh!" She groaned as she threw her phone across the room almost immediately regretting the decision as she realized they weren't nearly as strong as they were back in 2003. Still angry and stomping her feet She went over to grab her phone which now had a spider webbed crack in it "stupid phone I wish toots hadn't lost my damn Nokia now that was a good phone-" She said with a smile on her face almost reminiscing. She paused as she looked at her new iPhone x- something or another her foster mom (candide Sampson) had gotten for her claiming it was one of the newer ones. Joan knew logically that she should be grateful and that it was probably quite a bit of money (even though that never seemed like an issue for Candide) still Joan didn't like it. It was far too hard to use and it made her physilly legs act up whenever somebody tried to explain a new feature to her. All she wanted from a phone what's the ability to call her friends and play Snake. That game didn't even seem to be so popular anymore. It was all very upsetting and distressing to Joan. It made her want to cry and at the same time it made her so angry she could cuss.

Candide walked in to see her daughter (er- foster daughter-) holding her phone and looking at it Like it was going to give her some disease "what?" She said her voice, sounding gruff "something wrong with the phone I got you?" Candide Asked thinking it was going to just be some boring teenage drama shit like Joan being upset that the phone wasn't the brand newest one on the market. "You know if you don't like the phone I got you I can always give you a damn flip phone-" She said preemptively Just assuming what Joan was going to say and she wanted to be the one in control in the situation.

Joan had mainly not been listening to her foster mom. She just stared at the phone, her leg twitching as she reminisced. Only for her to immediately be snapped out of it by the 'offer' of a flip phone. She looked up at her wide eyes, dropping the phone on the ground again. She rushed over and hugged her without almost a second of hesitation, completely misunderstanding the tone that candide had taken.

"Yes! Yes! Please!"

Candide was almost immediately uncomfortable with a hug not being the touchy feely person nor did she understand why Joan was so happy at what she was trying to make into a punishment. "Ew first of all do not touch me" She grabbed her by the shoulders and pushed her off and took a few steps back to establish a distance. "Secondly, do you even know what I said?" She asked raising an eyebrow

Joan nodded "mhm! You said that if I don't like this phone You'll give me a flip phone- I don't like this phone, I don't like it at all! It's too confusing!! And too fragile I don't get how much of it works! I just want my old phone back! That was simple. It was easy. I don't know why I need this new thing. My old phone worked great!" The more she talked about her old phone the more her legs started to twitch. "Everybody else is so happy with their new technology but I don't need it! It's stupid! Stupid! Back in my day-" her leg was twitching violently at this point

Candide Who was just watching her rant began to grow increasingly concerned (totally not because she cared but because Joan was the top candidate for operation spread eagle) grabbed her by the shoulders ``calm down! Calm the fuck down soilder!" She snapped her voice, sounding as if she was a sergeant in the military with the amount of power she carried in that one command. Joan almost immediately stopped and looked up at her like a deer in headlights. "Dear lord Joan, if you wanted a different phone that bad all you had to do was ask-'' she sighed and grabbed her by the wrist as she dragged her upstairs and into her bedroom. "Sit on my bed and Wait"

Candide then went into her closet rummaging around for a little bit and emerged with a box. She sighed and looked at Joan "this has all of my old phones in it, they all still work fine and come with the chargers they've all been completely reset as well.So go wild" She placed the box beside Joan.

Joan looked up at her glancing a few times at the box then back up to ask "I-i can I have one?" She asked, almost crying.

Candide groaned clearly annoyed "one? I'm Giving you the box. You can work your way up to new technology or whatever or keep the old one- I don't really care but I don't want to see you throwing around 900 dollars worth of technology again!" She said pinching the bridge of her nose causing her glasses to slide up slightly

Joans face twisted into a massive smile as she tackled and hugged her from the side. The sudden movement caused the box of phones to fall off the bed. Candide giggled softly small enough for it to not even really be registerable as she hugged her back. And looking down at the box both knew not one was cracked.

[alltrade]

The White Smartwatch: A Blend of Style and Innovation for Your Wrist

In today’s fast-paced world, smartwatches have become an essential accessory for those who seek a perfect balance of fashion, technology, and functionality. One of the standout options in the market is the White Smartwatch, which not only offers cutting-edge features but also enhances your everyday look with its sleek and modern design. At Alltrade.ae, we bring you an impressive range of white smartwatches that complement any lifestyle, whether you're tracking fitness, managing daily tasks, or staying connected on the go.

1. Elegance Meets Functionality

A white smartwatch exudes elegance, making it a perfect accessory for any occasion, whether you're dressing up for a business meeting or keeping it casual. The neutral white color is versatile, blending effortlessly with any outfit while adding a touch of sophistication. But don’t be fooled by its stylish appearance—these watches are packed with powerful features that keep you connected and on track throughout the day.

2. Fitness at Your Fingertips

One of the main reasons people opt for smartwatches is their ability to track health and fitness metrics. The white smartwatch is equipped with a host of health-monitoring tools, including heart rate tracking, step counting, sleep analysis, and even workout modes for various exercises. Whether you’re a fitness enthusiast or just starting your health journey, the smartwatch provides valuable insights into your daily activity levels, helping you stay motivated and reach your goals.

3. Stay Connected, Anytime, Anywhere

Gone are the days when you needed to pull out your phone for every notification. With the white smartwatch from Alltrade.ae, you can receive calls, texts, social media alerts, and even control music playback right from your wrist. Its seamless connectivity to your smartphone ensures you never miss an important update, even when you're on the move.

4. Long-Lasting Battery Life

Worried about constantly charging your devices? The white smartwatch is designed with long-lasting battery life, ensuring it keeps up with your busy schedule. Whether you're using it for fitness tracking, GPS navigation, or simply checking the time, this smartwatch can go for days on a single charge, making it a reliable companion.

5. Advanced Features at Your Disposal

In addition to its basic functions, the white smartwatch offers advanced features like GPS tracking, voice assistant compatibility, and even water resistance for those who lead an active lifestyle. Its touch-screen interface is intuitive and user-friendly, making it easy to navigate through apps and settings. Some models also offer customizable watch faces, allowing you to personalize the display to suit your taste.

6. A Gift Worth Giving

Looking for the perfect gift for a tech-savvy friend or loved one? The white smartwatch is a thoughtful present that combines practicality with luxury. Whether it's for a birthday, holiday, or special occasion, this stylish accessory will impress anyone who receives it. Plus, with the variety of models available on Alltrade.ae, you’re sure to find the perfect match for their needs.

7. Why Choose Alltrade.ae for Your White Smartwatch?

At Alltrade.ae, we understand the importance of combining quality with affordability. Our collection of white smartwatches is carefully selected to ensure you get the best of both worlds. We offer an extensive range of options with varying features, ensuring there’s something for everyone. Plus, our hassle-free online shopping experience allows you to explore, compare, and purchase with ease.

Conclusion

The white smartwatch is more than just a timepiece—it’s a lifestyle upgrade that offers convenience, style, and functionality in one sleek package. Whether you're looking to stay on top of your fitness goals, manage your day efficiently, or simply accessorize with elegance, a white smartwatch from Alltrade.ae is the ideal choice.

Explore our collection today and find the perfect white smartwatch that fits your style and needs!

[cartoonfanaticmonsterrobotalien]

Sneak Peak to Upcoming Unnamed Solar Opposites Monster Universe Au (Now Solar Opposites: Unleashed)

In Parker’s lab, she was busy working on a scanner that can detect monsters while the adults were chatting and Kevin’s kids were playing with the Pupa.

Parker: just finished putting the final touches And done!

Phoebe: Is it done kid?

Parker: Yep. This scan can detect any monster in sight, even bad ones.

The scanners is starting to beep on the computer as it shows some blue dots

Sonya: Oooh, can you see if it works?

Kevin’s Kids: Yes, yes!

Parker: Okay! turns on the computer

Kevin: Look! These signals are us. Me, you guys, Phoebe and our kids!

But until there was a big red dot coming out of the screen.

Miss Frankie: What the fuck, what's that red dot?

Parker: Huh? The computer has detected something!

Miss Frankie: What is it?!

Darcy: I don’t know, it looks like it's coming to our house.

Then something's smashed on the walls as it makes a huge crack and a roar was heard as everyone gasp.

Principal Cooke: Oh, shit! what was that!?

Phoebe: What the fuck...?!

The wall breaks apart and it was revealed to be Mutant Vampire Jaime as the gang gasp.

Mutant Vampire Jaime: ROOAAAAAHHH!

Darcy: J-Jaime?!

Miss Frankie: Holy shit! What happened to him?! He’s fucking huge!

Phoebe: Hey! Bring it on you fucking monster!

Mutant Vampire Jaime: ROOOAAAH! *He's gotten angry and fighting Anti-Ray*

Kevin’s Kids and Sonya: Aaaahhhh!!

Principal Cooke and Kevin: KIDS! quickly grabs the kids

The humans run outside to safety where they quickly went inside a closed grocery store and hide.

Miss Frankie: What's the fuck is happening?

Darcy: My husband is a giant beefy vampire monster!

Kevin’s Kids: crying

Kevin’s Wife: Shh, it's okay, kids. Mommy and daddy are here.

Principal Cooke: Aw fuck, now what do we do?!

Suddenly, Jaime appears and starts to break through the window by smashing it with his fists.

Kevin: Oh fuck! He’s back!

Mutant Vampire Jaime: ROOOAAAAH!

Darcy: Honey, please! It's me, your wife! Darcy!

Mutant Vampire Jaime: ROAR!

Darcy: Argh! 😫

Phoebe: punches Jaime in the face Sorry Jaime! to her friends and frenemies Run!

Mutant Vampire Jaime: Urgh! Grrrr! grabs Phoebe but she kicks him as she lands on her feet

Miss Frankie: Quick! Keep him busy!

Phoebe: Oh I’ll keep him fucking busy!

Mutant Vampire Jaime: beats his chest RRRAAAAAH!

Meanwhile, at the Solar Opposites’ house, Korvo and his family hears a distress signal and opens it up, to show Jaime fighting with Phoebe.

Korvo: Holy shit! Is that Jaime?!

Terry: What happened to him?!

Monica: I-I don’t know!

Parker: comes in with Sonya Korvo, we need you and your family help to stop Jaime! He’s out of control!

Sonya: What are we gonna do, Mr. Opposites?!

Korvo: thought of something I know how!

The Solars drove up to the market with Monica, Sonya and Parker while Phoebe is still fighting with Jaime.

Phoebe: Jaime, calm down! This isn’t you and you know it!

Yumyulack: What the fuck is happening now?!

Pupa: screams as he hugs Terry

Terry: Don’t worry Pupa, I got you.

Jesse: Aw geez! We have to stop Jaime before he and Phoebe both get hurt!

Korvo: Don’t worry, I got us covered.

The Solar Opposites made it where Phoebe turns to look at them and smiles in joy.

Korvo: Not so fast! loads his tranquilizer gun

Phoebe: Guys!

Principal Cooke: What are the fuck are you aliens doing here? He’s gonna bite you!

Mutant Vampire Jaime: RRRRR! He's going to bite her, but Phoebe punches him in the face and Terry holds him back

Terry: Hey! Nothing of bites! Now Korvo!

Korvo gets out his gun and shoots a dart at Jaime as it hits his chest and Jaime collapse on the floor.

Mutant Vampire Jaime: he felt woozy and fell down on the floor Ugh!

Jaime turns back to normal as Principal Cooke and Kevin helps pick him up.

Korvo: Quick we must get home out of here before someone sees him.

Phoebe MacCarthy and Monica Miller belongs to @themagicwolf6677

Parker belongs to @prospitdaydreamer

[snoppy]

why is everything so ugly: the curse of modernism / everyone is beautiful and no one is horny / the empty promises of marie kondo and the craze for minimalism

ID given below readmore

[Image ID: five screengrabs of a youtube video by Mina Le, followed by four screenshots of two articles.

in the video Mina is sitting on a couch with a mic in her hand talking to the camera. she says, “Minimal traits, from Apple products to mid-century modern IKEA furniture. Millennials, the current apartment-renting, house-buying market, clearly have aligned themselves with minimalism, maybe in their plight to be more environmentally cautious, or at least to seem like it, or to appear spiritually superior in a pseudo-Buddhist kind of way, but that's another topic. But in general, we like to buy a house that's new, because newness implies that things aren't broken.”

the first two article screenshots are of white text against a black background. it reads, “The house looks real, too. There are toys and magazines scattered around the floor. There are cardboard boxes waiting to be unpacked since the recent move. Framed pictures rest against the wall; the parents haven’t gotten around to mounting them yet. The kitchen counters are cluttered and mealtimes are rambunctious and sloppy, as one expects in a house with three children. They’re building a pool in the backyard, but not for appearances: it’s a place for the kids to swim, for the parents to throw parties, and for the father to reacquaint himself with his love of diving.

At the time, this house represented an aspirational ideal of American affluence.

In her blog McMansion Hell, Kate Wagner examines precisely why these widely-hated 5000-square foot housing bubble behemoths are so awful. Over and over again, she reiterates the point that McMansions are not built to be homes; they’re built to be short-term investments.

Kate writes, “The inside of McMansions are designed in order to cram the most ‘features’ inside for the lowest costs.” These features exist to increase the house’s resale value, not to make it a good place to live. No thought is given to the labor needed to clean and maintain these spaces. The master bathroom includes intricate stone surfaces that can only be scrubbed with a toothbrush; the cathedral ceilings in the living room raise the heating and cooling costs to an exorbitant sum; the chandelier in the grand entryway dangles so high that no one can replace the bulbs in it, even with a stepladder.”

the next article is black text against a white background. it reads, “Little of this feels true today. The percentage of workers who are freelance instead of salaried grows each year. House prices are prohibitive in any place with a strong labour market. Economic inequality is more severe than ever in the modern era. To make matters even worse, the greatest wealth now comes from the accumulation of invisible capital, not physical stuff: startup equity, stock shares and offshore bank accounts opened to avoid taxes. As the French economist Thomas Piketty points out, these immaterial possessions grow in value much faster than salaries do. That is, if you are lucky enough to have a salary in the first place. Meanwhile, crisis follows crisis and mobility now feels safer than being static, another reason that owning less looks more and more attractive.

Apple devices have gradually simplified in appearance over time under designer Jony Ive, who joined the company in 1992, which is why they are so synonymous with minimalism. By 2002, the Apple desktop computer had evolved into a thin, flat screen mounted on an arm connected to a rounded base. Then, into the 2010s, the screen flattened even more and the base vanished until all that was left were two intersecting lines, one with a right angle for the base and another, straight, for the screen. It sometimes seems, as our machines become infinitely thinner and wider, that we will eventually control them by thought alone, because touch would be too dirty, too analogue.”

/end ID]

[interest-articles]

The 2024 Africa Twin: A True Adventure Machine

Honda's iconic Africa Twin receives significant updates for 2024, enhancing its performance and versatility for adventure riders.

The Africa Twin has long been synonymous with adventure riding, capturing the spirit of exploration and offering riders the confidence to venture further. With the release of the 2024 models, Honda has taken this legendary motorcycle to new heights. The standard Africa Twin and Adventure Sports versions have undergone significant updates, making them more specialized and capable than ever before.

From enhanced off-road performance to improved on-road handling, the Africa Twin lineup offers a wide range of options for riders seeking thrilling adventures on any terrain.

Since its in 1988, the Africa Twin has been a symbol of "True Adventure" in the ADV riding world. Inspired by the NXR750 and NXR800 factory racers that dominated the Dakar Rally in the late 1980s, the Africa Twin created a new market and became a global hit. After a hiatus, the Africa Twin made a triumphant return in 2016 with the CRF1000L, and has since garnered a dedicated following of adventure enthusiasts.

A Legacy of Adventure

The Africa Twin's history is steeped in adventure and off-road prowess. The original XRV650, introduced in Europe in 1988, was based on the NXR750 and NXR800 racers that conquered the Dakar Rally. It quickly gained popularity and evolved into the XRV750 in 1990, selling over 73,000 units before being discontinued in 2001.

In 2016, Honda revived the Africa Twin with the CRF1000L, offering it in both European and American markets. The following year, the Adventure Sports version joined the lineup, catering to riders seeking a more touring-focused experience. The Africa Twin has since become a staple in the adventure riding community, known for its rugged durability and versatility.

What's New for 2024

The 2024 Africa Twin models receive a host of updates and refinements, enhancing their performance and capabilities. Adventure Sports versions now feature a 19-inch front wheel and shorter suspension travel, optimizing on-road handling and maneuverability. Tubeless tires, previously exclusive to Adventure Sports versions, are now fitted on the standard versions as well, providing convenient repair options without removing the wheel.

The 1,084cc twin-cylinder engine generates stronger power and torque in the low- to mid-rpm range, thanks to a higher compression ratio and updated ECU settings. The Dual Clutch Transmission (DCT) has also been improved for smoother engagement at low speeds. Both standard and Adventure Sports versions receive updated electronic settings, a redesigned intake/exhaust layout, and revised styling, making them even more capable and appealing to adventure riders.

Design and Styling

The design of the 2024 Africa Twin models has been refined to enhance their performance and aesthetics. The standard Africa Twin features a slim, compact shape with a redesigned front fairing and rear seat, improving its off-road capabilities. The Adventure Sports versions receive a new front fairing that optimizes aerodynamics and wind protection, as well as a thicker and more comfortable seat.

The Adventure Sports versions also come with a smaller 19-inch front wheel and reduced suspension travel, lowering the bike's center of gravity and improving on-road handling. Both versions maintain the Africa Twin's iconic look while incorporating modern design elements.

Electronic Technology

The 2024 Africa Twin models are equipped with advanced electronic technology to enhance the riding experience. Throttle-by-wire and a six-axis Bosch IMU provide precise control and enable features such as cornering ABS and traction control. The Africa Twin's 6.5-inch TFT LCD touch panel display offers customizable screen arrangements and is compatible with Apple CarPlay® and Android Auto™, allowing riders to connect their smartphones for navigation and communication purposes.

The Adventure Sports versions also feature three-stage cornering lighting for optimal illumination during different types of corners. With these technological advancements, the Africa Twin offers riders a seamless and connected riding experience.

Engine and Drivetrain

All versions of the 2024 Africa Twin are powered by a 1,084cc water-cooled, parallel-twin engine that delivers strong power and torque. The engine has undergone improvements, including a higher compression ratio, optimized ECU settings, and an updated muffler design. These enhancements result in increased performance and improved driveability across the rev range.

The Africa Twin is available with either a six-speed manual transmission or Honda's innovative Dual Clutch Transmission (DCT). The DCT version offers seamless gear changes and can be operated in automatic or manual mode, providing riders with the flexibility to choose their preferred shifting style.

Chassis and Suspension

The Africa Twin's chassis and suspension have been designed to handle a wide range of terrains and riding conditions. The steel semi-double-cradle frame provides optimal rigidity and flexibility for challenging situations, while the aluminum swingarm ensures rigidity and lightness. The standard Africa Twin models feature fully adjustable front and rear suspension, with long-travel Showa forks and a Pro-Link® rear suspension system.

The Adventure Sports versions are equipped with Showa Electronically Equipped Ride Adjustment (EERA™), which adjusts damping based on bike speed, stance, and fork behavior. This high-tech suspension system allows riders to customize their suspension settings for different riding scenarios, ensuring optimal comfort and performance.

Brakes and Safety Features

The 2024 Africa Twin models are equipped with advanced braking systems and safety features to provide riders with confidence and control. Dual front 310mm petal-style floating rotors and radial-mount four-piston calipers deliver consistent stopping power, while the rear rotor features a petal design for efficient braking. The ABS system is designed to adapt to different riding conditions, with separate modes for on-road and off-road performance.

The system utilizes information from the IMU to detect rear-wheel lift and adjust braking pressure accordingly. Riders can also switch off the rear ABS for more precise off-road braking. Additionally, Honda Selectable Torque Control (HSTC) helps optimize acceleration performance by providing smooth slide control and wheelie control.

Accessories and Customization

Honda offers a wide range of accessories for the Africa Twin, allowing riders to customize their motorcycles to suit their preferences and riding style. From aluminum luggage to higher and lower seats, there are options to enhance comfort, storage, and functionality. Honda also offers accessory packs, such as the Rally Pack, Adventure Pack, Urban Pack, and Travel Pack, which provide a combination of accessories tailored to specific riding needs.

Whether riders are looking for added protection, increased storage capacity, or improved touring capabilities, the Africa Twin's accessories allow for endless customization possibilities.

The 2024 Africa Twin lineup represents the pinnacle of adventure riding, combining Honda's rich heritage with cutting-edge technology and performance. With updates and refinements across the board, these motorcycles offer unparalleled versatility and capability on any terrain. Whether riders are tackling off-road trails, exploring remote landscapes, or cruising on scenic highways, the Africa Twin delivers an exhilarating and unforgettable riding experience.

With its legendary status and the latest advancements, the Africa Twin continues to inspire riders to push their boundaries and embark on new adventures.