#and that was not enough to satisfy the internal control team

[monster-noises]

Hgggg

Had one of those sundays where i felt just like

A little bit like shit all day

So i didn't really get any of my comic work done and it just kinda became a Lost Day

So now as consequence my brain won't let me go to bed because i did not Satisfy the Requirements as Set Beforehand

But i would like to actually set myself up for a successful week of going to bed on timebl because i haven't the last two weeks and i can Feel it slowly destroying me spiritually, mentally, and physically

But sometimes there js Naught you can do in the face of Wanton Mental Illness

[zilliondollarpussy]

IM DIVINELY THANKFUL EVERYTIME I SEE THE WORD ALDI IT SIMPLY MEANS IM POWERFUL AND COMPLETE BECAUSE I TRULY AM. I ALREADY MADE IT IRREVOCABLY AND IRREVERSIBLY INTERNALLY. NOW ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING THAT OCCURRED IN MY INTERNALLY IS REFLECTED EXTERNALLY, THATS WHY EVERYTHING IS ALREADY TAKEN CARE OF. THE UNIVERSE DESIRES TO DO EVERYTHING FOR ME AS I RELAX, TREATING ME LIKE A KING QUEEN PRINCESS PRINCE OF ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING. IVE DONE ENOUGH. MORE THAN ENOUGH. IVE DONE MORE THAN ANYONE EXPECTED ME TO AND IVE ACHIEVED AND MANIFESTED MORE THAN WHAT I EXPECTED IN THE WAY I DESIRE AND PREFER. I SIT BACK AND RELAX IN MY SECURED KINGDOM. I ALLOW ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING TO FLOW AND IT'S ALREADY DONE. ALL I HAVE TO DO AT THIS TIME IS JUST FEEL MY EMOTIONS BECAUSE EVERYTHING IS ALREADY TAKEN CARE OF FOR ME ALL I GOTTA DO IS FOLLOW MY HEART. ALL I GOTTA DO IS CHOOSE THE PERSPECTIVE THAT FEELS GOOD, IT'S THAT SIMPLE AND MY "ITS THAT SIMPLE" IS NEVER TAINTED OR STAINED. IM SHOWERED IN LOVE ABUNDANCE EASE REASONS TO BE CONFIDENT TRUST AND WINS. THE UNIVERSE IS VERY PROUD OF ME. MY SPIRIT GUIDES ARE VERY PROUD OF ME. MY SPIRIT GUIDES SPIRIT TEAM DIVINE TEAM DIVINE PSYCHIC TEAM ARE FULFILLING ME INTERNALLY VERY OVERFLOWINGLY OVERWHELMINGLY. IM DIVINELY THANKFUL ABSOLUTELY ALL OF THE DEPTHS OF MY EMOTIONS ARE COMPLETELY SATISFIED WITH MY TEAM MY POWER MY CAPABILITIES MY ABILITY TO BE IN CONTROL. IM DIVINELY THANKFUL ALL ALONG ALDI WASNT EVEN A THREAT IT SIMPLY MEANT IM THE ONLY ONE THATS POWERFUL LOL THAT IM COMPLETELY POWERFUL AND COMPLETE. IM DIVINELY THANKFUL THATS AN IRREFUTABLE FACT. AN OBJECTIVE FACT.

[dandelion-wings]

In the category of "writing warmups that ate my entire afternoon," I re-read my Sekirei fusion AU the other day (and rather liked it, for all that it may be cringe; I'm contemplating editing it to put on AO3, because the kissing is the important part and that's very good). And then I decided that I would warm up today by writing a bit of the whole affair with Eroch that I knew all along was how it went down, but didn't include in that bit because it didn't fit the tone. And then I started working out how it would work differently than I'd originally envisioned in the context of the Hidden Strife info, and next thing I knew it was way longer and had taken way more time than I intended. Whoops. XD;;

Anyway, warnings on this one for what is essentially sexual assault/mind control (they come together in this premise) and suicidal ideation on the part of a non-POV character.

---

ETA: now archived on AO3!

---

Kaeya is the faster runner. He always has been. So when he spots the back door still swinging when they storm into the cabin and find it empty--find that Eroch had known they were coming somehow, even though Jean's forces were hand-picked and Kaeya himself had been certain of every one of them--he shouts to Jean and then plunges through it without waiting for her command.

She shouts after him, but it's not to call him back, only to command, "Be careful!", as if Kaeya isn't more than willing to take a risk to net the former Inspector at last. The Grand Master had given Eroch the chance to leave quietly when Jean had first uncovered his misdeeds, and Kaeya had hated it then. When Eroch hadn't been satisfied with that, when they'd found positive proof that he was still coordinating the internal sabotage of his fellow traitors, he'd leapt at the chance to help Jean track the man down and take him down for good. The number of times he's slipped their noose has been infuriating.

As he follows the hidden trail through the rubble of Old Monstadt, another knight leaps down from a higher perch to sprint along beside him. Kaeya glances sideways long enough to give Sir Danila a nod. She's the only other knight on Jean's team who can keep up with him, nearly as tall and almost all legs, and with a Hydro Vision to give her the same extra stamina that Kaeya's gives him. She doesn't bother to ask where he's going as she follows along. They all knew that this mission might turn into a chase.

Watching the ground ahead of him carefully, Kaeya sees the bootmark on the stone where the path splits, a fresh bit of scuffed dirt on half-broken ancient stairs. He telegraphs his movement to Sir Danila as he turns. She's right on his heels as they go up the stairs, and there's no door to swing on the ruined building ahead, but Kaeya can see a flash of movement within.

"We'll freeze him," he tells Sir Danilia without looking back, and draws his blade, ice crackling around its length, as he dives through. The burst of Cryo hits the Inspector as he turns, frost wreathing the air around him and clinging to his clothes. Kaeya steps sideways to make room for Sir Danila's Hydro.

"Pin him down," Eroch says, looking past Kaeya.

He turns too late; the blade of water knocks his blade from his hand. Then Sir Danila is on top of him, wrestling for his Vision. Reaching for it as no one ever should, even another Sekirei, a taboo that Kaeya hadn't realized he'd absorbed so deeply under his own skin until the shock of it makes him falter now. She wrenches it from his belt, chanting the norito she shouldn't have, unwinged as she is--as she isn't. Kaeya hisses out an imprecation as he realizes, at last, why Eroch had kept escaping their noose. She's Jean's lieutenant, ever-reliable, loyal and trusted, always included in all of their plans. And it turns out she's in Eroch's pay.

As she finishes her norito, Kaeya can feel the strength running out of him. He lies gasping, struggling even for breath. His Vision is dim in her hand. She looks down at him with a look of anguish on her face that he doesn't understand--or maybe understands too well. What led her to this particular treason?

Then Eroch kneels beside Kaeya, sinking fingers in his hair to keep his head steady, and Kaeya feels a wash of cold through him as he leans down as if for a kiss. Not as if. He can feel now what he'd never picked up on before, because Eroch has never before touched him. Has taken delicate care never to touch anyone, and Kaeya is furious at himself for missing that datapoint, even though Master Fredrica holds herself at an equally impersonal distance and he knows that she's no Ashikabi. It had seemed so much a part of the Inspector's fastidiousness that he'd never questioned why.

Sir Danila isn't in his pay, she's under his thrall. An Ashikabi doesn't need to offer their Sekirei any incentive to force them into action.

Kaeya's 'destined Ashikabi,' whoever they are, has always been a mystery. The pulling in his chest changes direction sometimes from hour to hour, never mind day to day. He's always imagined them, the person the stars say will bring him under their command, as some roaming Khaenri'ahan noble traversing the Abyss from place to place as they wait for the right moment to call a disobedient tool back to heel. It's not a nice thought, but it seems far more likely a fate for him then the perfectly-fitted love that the surface world's fairytales promise.

Right this moment, though, the pull is coming from far too close, above and to his side, where Eroch kneels. He feels sick. It should be impossible, but if it's true--that's even worse than his usual nightmare.

And then Jean comes through the doorway behind Eroch, wind whipping around her, and knocks Eroch to the ground with her blade piercing straight through his side. The rest of the team piles after her. Sir Eula wrenches Sir Danila away from Kaeya, then twists her wrist until Kaeya hears a snap. Sir Danila cries out in pain as his Vision clatters to the ground at his side.

He snatches it and scrambles to his feet, finally catching his breath again. Jean is shifting to draw her sword back out of Eroch. It's a deep wound, through and through, probably into the liver. He could very well bleed out in a moment. Her face is hard, furious, and Kaeya realizes that she's willing to do it. That in this moment of emotion she might.

"Jean, no, he's an Ashikabi," he tells her.

"I know," Jean says, all bright-eyed, righteous fury. "And one who would wing a Sekirei against his will deserves-"

"He's already done it!"

Jean freezes, all the color draining from her face, fingers tight around the hilt of her blade. There's blood spreading on the floor beneath Eroch already, and she hasn't even pulled the blade out yet. He's moaning softly, hand wrapped around the blade of the sword where it emerges from between his ribs, moaning softly.

"Let him die," Sir Danila says, her voice thick.

Kaeya ducks down for his sword and then takes a step back towards her and Eula, who is still holding her pinned. "Are you the only one?"

Her face twists, but she says, low and defeated, "No."

Jean takes a deep breath, then puts a hand to her own Vision and mouths her norito.

The scent of dandelions swirls through the ruined room, carried on a whirling breeze. Kaeya can feel the bruises from the struggle fading; Eula hurriedly yanks Sir Danila's wrist straight, elicting another yelp. Jean draws the blade from between Eroch's ribs slowly, inch by inch, her face screwed up in concentration as she focuses her healing on the torn flesh left behind. She pulls it free at last with a gasp. The whirling breeze dies.

Kaeya starts to step forward, his sword out, but Jean holds a hand out to stop him and calls out for other knights before Eroch can make it to his feet. None of those she names are Sekirei. As much as Kaeya wants to slam the man back into the floor himself, he can see the reason in it. Those she calls rush forward to grab and bind him, including a strip of cloth against his mouth to keep him calling out to Sir Danila again. Eula still holds her tight until he's been hustled all the way outside.

"I'll make sure he makes it all the way back to the Ordo," Jean says, not quite meeting their eyes. There's still a trace of horror on her face. "Eula, Kaeya, can you escort Sir Danila back?"

"We can do that."

"Thank you." Jean starts to turn.

"Wait." Kaeya can feel the pulling in his chest shifting as Eroch is swept away. It's not directed towards him, out past the door; the source is right in front of him. He stares at Jean, and this time, she does look up to meet his gaze directly. It feels like a blow. "Jean-"

"I didn't know where you'd gone," Jean says, very soft. "I was praying to Barbatos for a sign. And then I knew exactly where you are."

"I…." Kaeya swallows and shakes his head. "I'll catch up with you later."

Eula shifts her grip on Sir Danila to one less punishing, though she doesn't let go. Kaeya falls in on her other side to help usher her out. Without Eroch right here, she should be better able to resist any orders he's given her. Though she'll still be a danger until he's well away from her, a nation's width or more. A Sekirei naturally wants to please their Ashikabi, to want what they want, to bend to their will. And to ensure their safety. Sir Danila will want to rescue him as long as he wants to be rescued. Never mind what other orders he's given her that proximity will reinforce.

If Eroch had winged Kaeya, he would have wanted what he wanted, been at his disposal, would have turned, just as Sir Danila had, on Jean.

Sir Danila gives him a sideways glance. "Master Jean should have killed him," she says, fiercely.

She's shaking a little, Kaeya notes. So is he. Only Eula, with her firm arm around Sir Danila, is unwavering, and she's looking over Sir Danila at Kaeya as if she's wondering if he needs to be held steady too.

"And kill you and anyone else he's winged? You know she wouldn't do that." He side-eyes her back. "You know who the others are, don't you?"

"I do. I can't- can't tell you now. But get me far enough away from him, and I'll write you a list."

"Getting him far enough away from the whole Ordo would be better, so we can sort out the unwilling traitors from the corrupt without his interference. We have deals with Liyue and Fontaine for exactly this purpose."

Deals they've had to call upon twice since Kaeya started with the Knights, which should put the lie all on its own to those romantic ballads about destined bonds. He pushes the thought away. Better to focus on work. He starts peppering Sir Danila with questions, noting her hesitations and too-quick answers as well as the honest answers she seems to be able to give. What Eroch wants to hide is even more important than what he hasn't thought to.

There are more knights waiting at the Ordo, all Sekirei, all with known Ashikabi. They usher Sir Danila off to, essentially, house arrest, one of the unused officer apartments with a guard on the door. Eula demands to know where Jean is and is pointed down to the cells where she's still processing Eroch. When she starts that way, Kaeya starts after her on instinct, then stops himself.

"Tell Jean I'm taking off for the rest of the evening," he calls after Eula.

She looks back over her shoulder at him and frowns reprovingly, but nods. Kaeya makes his escape before she can say anything to go with the frown.

Most of a bottle of wine later, Kaeya wanders back out of the Cat's Tail wondering where Jean actually is. The pulling in his chest seems to be tugging the wrong direction. She has no business at the cathedral. But maybe she's taking a moment to pray, or to talk to Barbara, or….

Or she's still at the Ordo, and Kaeya's ever-wandering destiny has shifted again, because he fetches up at the foot of the statue in the cathedral plaza with no sign of Jean to be found. The pull is as strong as that moment in the ruin when she'd been right there with her sword run right through Eroch, willing to kill him to keep Kaeya free. But there's nothing here but solid stone and grass gone dry with the winter.

"She prayed to you, huh," Kaeya says to the stone, as if the statue can hear him.

Right now it seems perfectly reasonable to sit down at the statue's feet, in the shelter of the stone sweep of the cloak. Kaeya breaks a dry branch from the nearby bushes and starts to systemically break the leaves from the twigs, and then the twigs from the main branch. This drunk, he's not sure how he feels about anything. The wine lays a haze between him and the echoing abyss in his chest, the one into which he's always afraid to look. Every time he does it feels like another little piece of him crumbles off and tumbles into it.

The draw of his destiny Ashikabi wanders, sometimes from hour to hour, impossible differences. Is it… from person to person? He's never heard of such a thing, but then, there's nothing normal about him, a Khaenri'ahan sinner with a Vision at his waist. Or if it is one person, instead of stepping from place to place through the doors of the Abyss, maybe, just maybe, it's place to place on the wind-

It's a ridiculous thought. Kaeya puts his hand against the stone, feeling the pull resonate through him as if he's touching something familiar. A ridiculous thought, and one he should loathe. He's still a poison in the midst of Mondstadt, safely bottled, but always ready to spill over if the wrong force does someday bring him to bear. And he's still a child of Khaenri'ah, with every grudge his line bears against Barbatos and his City of Freedom.

But try as he has to remember that, Mondstadt's false promise of freedom--from his duty, from the weight of hatred, from all the pain he grew up with--has always tempted him. Finding himself a Sekirei, with its implicit bondage, had seemed a cruel taunt to remind him that he never could be truly free. In that moment in the ruin, though, when Jean had felt herself pulled to him and him to her, she'd sped to deliver that promise of freedom in person. If that's his destiny-

Kaeya can't entertain that fantasy any longer, drunk or not. Building it up in his head will only make it come crashing down harder once he's sober. But he can let his thoughts wander further while he still has the excuse of the wine. He leans back against Barbatos' cloak and lets himself picture Jean, breathless and angry and horrified, desperate to keep him safe. If he has to be bound to someone, someday, willing or not, he thinks Jean wouldn't bind him any more tightly than someone as untrustworthy as he is needs.

[haniit]

How to Conduct a Security Audit for Your Business with SIRA Standards

In today’s world, different organizations in Dubai pay great attention to safety and security, and the security check is imperative. Organizations will be in a position to guarantee that they have the best forms of security systems that would satisfy compliance to SIRA standards while at the same time protecting their assets, employees, and customers. This blog will help you understand how to do a SIRA compliant security audit to a site and the part that a SIRA approved security company in Dubai plays in the process.

1. Understanding the Importance of Security Audits

Information security audit is a systematic examination of an organization's security policies, systems, and practices. Indeed, it is aimed at finding out areas of risk and plans to contain them. With rising threats to data, physical assets, and personnel, a well-executed security audit helps:

To meet SIRA standards, as well as rules and regulations of the targeted geographical location.

Avoid unauthorized access and breaches.

Therefore, increase the broad risk-reduction of business activities and optimize general business functioning.

2. Familiarizing Yourself with SIRA Standards

SIRA sets high regulatory standards for the security industry in Dubai by ensuring that all. These include security surveillance systems, security access controls, security alarm systems and other related security systems. Companies have to base their security frameworks on these standards if they wish to avoid penalties and provide exceptional protection.

In implementation of systems that are compliant in Dubai, working with a security company which has been approved by SIRA puts one off a safer side, considering you are working with a company of certified security experts.

3. Steps to Conduct a Security Audit with SIRA Standards

a. Evaluate Present Security Levels

Start the design process with an assessment of the current levels of security in your firm. This includes:

Surveillance gears (cameras, recorders and so on).

Key cards, biometric scanners for example in hotels, universities among others.

Fire and intruder alarms, first aid and evacuation procedures.

Security measures within an organization; adoptions by employees of security measures in the organization.

Thus, it is appropriate to also document discrepancies in relation to gaps and weaknesses with reference to SIRA guidelines.

b. Identify Security Risks

Work with your team to identify potential risks, such as:

Unauthorized entry points.

Lack of enough surveillance camera installations.

Security equipment that are outdated or not conforming to international security standards.

Cybersecurity threats.

It allows for such issues to be addressed as per their risks of occurrence as well as their consequences.

c. Consult a SIRA-Approved Security Company

Compliance and accuracy are much to be expected when a company hires a SIRA-approved company in Dubai. These professionals are trained to:

Carry out audits according to the standards formulated in SIRA.

Suggest you upgrade your security products.

Give information on how to sustain legal health.

d.Develop a Corrective Action Plan

Once risks have been discovered, develop an approach with which to confront them. This ranges from improving on hardware, increasing surveillance of areas or introducing better access control measures.

e. Train Employees

Of fleets of measures, the greatest risk to a security infrastructural design is often the lack of adequate training for human employees. Set time from time to conduct unit training to teach employees about the organizational security measures, handling of emergency situations as well as the need to observe set standards.

f. Monitor and Review Regularly

Security audits are not a one time exercise. It is important to check effectiveness and updates regularly; for that reason, set frequent meetings and dates. This also makes it possible to detect such risks and modify the approaches used for tackling them since they may be newly developing.

4. Key Components of a SIRA-Compliant Security Audit

Surveillance Systems

SIRA rules must also be complied with in the selection of cameras, their quality, resolution and storage capacity as well as installation. High risk areas and blind spots should always be areas under coverage of cameras.

Access Controls

Access the efficiency of the access control systems in that it limits access of everybody whether anonymously or in groups to certain areas.

Alarm Systems

Regarding protection and detection, some of the features include fitting alarms for fire, intruder and other eventualities, for monitoring and are required to be SIRA compliant.

Data Security

Taking physical security from SIRA, incorporate cyber security measures as a way of guarding business critical data.

5. Benefits of Partnering with a SIRA-Approved Security Company

Hiring a SIRA-approved security company in Dubai offers numerous advantages:

Expertise: Certified professionals also know the requirements of SIRA standards and will help to meet all the requirements of the law.

Tailored Solutions: This can be made to order for the security needs of your business.

Peace of Mind: This means that when one understands that systems already meet the legal, they get to focus on the business growth aspect.

6. Common Challenges and How to Overcome Them

Challenge: High Costs of Upgrades

Organization and compliance can at times be costly when certain massive improvements are necessary. One should plan his or her budget thus make sure that he or she plans on phasing his or her projects.

Challenge: Employee Resistance

Employees will object to modification of procedures and other related processes. Stress security and give an inducement for people to join.

Challenge: Keeping Up with Regulations

SIRA standards are reassessed and revised from time to time. Working with a company that has the approval of the SIRA makes you avoid being trapped or punished for not following the law.

Conclusion

Organizing a security audit according to SIRA standards is essential for companies in Dubai in terms of security and compliance with requirements as well as the rational use of resources. By evaluating the existing controls, establishing risks, and partnering with a SIRA-approved security service provider in Dubai, it is easy to construct an environment secure for the employees and customers.

Compliance with SIRA standards also increases security levels while frequent audits, as well as commitment to high operational standards, will only contribute to the growth of reputation and trust among clients and competitors in the competitive environment of Dubai.

Do not wait for it to happen to your business and take the first step today by contacting certified security experts to conduct an audit on the security of your business.

[montekservices]

How to choose a software development partner

The year 2023 is a new beginning for many businesses. This entails selecting a software development partner for IT businesses. Although it's always tempting, outsourcing your software development team requires attention to every last detail.

How you find and collaborate with a software partner can vary greatly depending on the type of software project you are working on. It's crucial to stick to a set protocol while outsourcing. In this way, you can continue to have control over the quality of the job you get.

This blog talks about how to choose a software partner for your business. But first, let’s understand what a software development partner is. 

What is a software development partner?

From the planning stages to the launch, a development partner offers direction and experience. They'll collaborate with you to help you set timelines, identify users, and understand business processes. In addition to providing you with the necessary software development knowledge, offshore development partners help you finish your project.

In other words, if your software project will be handled by one of the top software development companies in India you can then devote more time to your company.

Why Are Businesses Seeking Software Development Partners?

Companies opt for a software development agency for various reasons. Some of them are:

01) There aren't enough resources available for your organization to hire more employees.

02) The project is temporary, and the business does not want to recruit developers on a permanent, full-time basis.

03) The company's internal team might not have software experts with the technical expertise to finish the project.

04) A software partner can ensure outcomes are delivered on time and under budget.

How to Choose the Right Software Development Partner

If you've determined that working with a development partner is the best course of action for your project, you must be deliberate in your selection process. 

01) Assess Your Project

It's crucial to sit back and assess your project before starting your search for partners. 

Make preparations to think about how outsourcing will affect your project.

Describe in detail your objectives for this particular project, and make an effort to quantify any benchmarks you intend to achieve.

Describe the reasons why you're attempting to hire a development partner to handle all or a portion of your project.

Is it connected to internal development costs? Make sure your budget allows for the hiring of qualified personnel.

Are there some abilities that your staff lacks? Then, be sure to express the abilities you are seeking in a clear manne

02) Define the Project Scope

Define your project's final product in terms of aims and expectations.

Set the precise specifications you need for your project to satisfy you, but keep your expectations in check along the way.

Consider the resources you intend to use so you may have a clear sense of what is feasible.

It could be helpful to create mock-ups and visual designs of your software during this planning stage to get a sense of how your project will look.

Even though it may seem like a lot of work, this can be quite helpful when pitching your project concept to possible partners.

03) Define the Time-Frame of The Project

Here, you'll choose the deadline for your project. Setting a firm deadline for your project can be challenging without prior experience in software development.

Don't be hesitant to enlist the assistance of your software development partner to help you map out this portion of your project if you are having problems describing your project in terms of time-based goals.

You can start to divide your project into pieces after you have an estimate of how much time you have to complete your overall project goals.

Some project managers provide a basic timeline for how long you should expect to need to finish each phase of your software project. Be adaptable because a lot of this can alter once you start working with a software development partner.

04) Define Your Budget

It's time to set up your annual budget now. Choose the percentage of your budget that will go to your software partner.

Calculating your budget will require knowing the value of your product. To do this, some in-depth research will be necessary.

Once more, your software partner can assist with any misunderstanding in this circumstance. Money isn't everything when looking for technical expertise, yet it's important.

Budget for quality above quantity when working with a software development partner to increase your trust in the final output.

05) Plan Staff Resources 

Don't forget to account for how outsourcing will affect your internal workforce while planning your project. Map out how your employees will be impacted by outsourcing sections of your operations.

Think about whether you'll need to work with your contracted team and use internal developers', other managers', or your own time and resources to get the job done.

You can calculate how many hours your various employees will need to work on the project's various components. The objective is to carefully consider how your project will impact the core business activities of your firm.

Business workflow will inevitably be improved by integrating your software partner into your business's processes and structures.

06) Define Your Technical Stack

Determine the technologies and programming languages you'll be using for the software system. List them and think about including a brief description of how they will be used in your project proposal.

As a result, you'll be able to find the best professionals for your project and better express your demands to possible software partners.

07) Consider Different Types of Outsourcing

Now that you've defined the project's scope, it's time to make plans for how you'll hire developers. There are various approaches to doing this. You can hire a software partner using staff augmentation as well as project-based outsourcing.

08) Location of Outsourced Talent

It can be crucial to find a good custom software development company in India. Geographic disparities can significantly change how remote teams function.

Day-to-day business is greatly impacted by elements including language barriers, time zone variances, and cultural differences. There are various types of location-based outsourcing options, such as: 

Onshoring :

Onshoring is the process of hiring distant workers from your own nation. 

Nearshoring :

Nearshoring means outsourcing workers from nearby countries. 

Offshoring :

In offshoring, workers from distant countries like India or China are outsourced at a very low cost.

09) Compare Potential Partners

By now, you should be fairly clear on how outsourcing will fit into the organization of your business. It becomes reasonable to formally begin your hunt for your software partner once you have a clear understanding of this.

There are several ways to look for developers who are available for hire. In your search, cost and reliability will be important considerations.

1. You can find a partner on freelance marketplaces like Fiverr, Upwork, etc.

2. Software development agencies can also be a great option as your development partner.

10) Contact and Evaluate

You must make contact once you have a general idea of the kind of software partner you're looking for. Pay attention to their communication skills and consider this when making decisions.

Interview prospective partners to select the best ones. To identify talent, use innovative techniques like coding competitions.

Alternatively, some partners in software development will let you test out their programmers for a short while.

Therefore, finding the best outsourcing team requires carefully vetting your software partner before engaging them.

11) Hire a Partner

The contracts must now be ready for signing once you have examined your software partners and selected the best fit.

Times like these are exciting. After signing, stay in touch regularly with your outsourcing partner, and utilize your timeline to determine when to begin the project.

For many businesses, hiring a software partner can be a significant move.

You may speed up development while lowering costs by working with a company or developer who is adaptable and inexpensive.

These are the steps to choosing a software development partner for your business. If you are thinking about hiring a software development agency as your partner, Montek Services is the best software development agency in Pune who makes the best software as per your needs and budget.

So what are you waiting for?best software development agency in Pune

Contact Montek Services and get a quote for your business today.

[howellmedical]

Orthopedic Operating Table Traction Frame

Orthopedic Operating Table Traction Frame

 Model: Side-end column design, ideal for orthopedic surgeryCarbon fiber table plate, aluminium alloy table frame, 304 stainless steel column and base It can be used with C arm and G arm machine This classic table comes with advanced microcomputer control and high level electro-hydraulic system. The unique side column design of it makes the bigger space for surgery and X-ray, C or G-arm operating. It’s the best choice for urology, nephrology, thoracic surgery, and other surgeries for lower body. It’s special design and superior material makes a very elegant appearance, will certainly be a quality combine industry beauty factor for the OT. Features * Driven by electric hydraulic that makes lower noise, and with better stability and flexibility also longer lifetime. The main components of electric hydraulic are from top supplier of the world. Reliable, stable, and easy to operate.

* With 7CM thick of memory foam makes the mattress comfortable and relaxing for patients. Special designed mattress cover is anti-static and very easy to clean. * The unique T-shape base design of it leaves more space for surgeon to stand around, is also better for X-ray equipment to be moved and operated during surgery. The 4 hidden wheels below can avoid stumble risk, and with mechanical brake to guarantee better stability. * The table frame, cover of column and base are made of fine 304 stainless steel which with mat polishing. Makes the table remain fine look and with low light reflecting which is better for surgeon and other participates in OT.

Orthopedic Operating Table Traction Frame

Whatsapp+8615146602893 email：howellmed@outlook.com

Advantage: 1. The trapezoidal carbon fiber traction arm with high light transmission will not interfere with the inspection, fluoroscopy and imaging of the upper and lower, left and right, and inclined planes of the C-shaped arm during surgery. 2. The modular structure design can not install the traction arm on the healthy side, leaving enough space for the doctor to operate and the C-arm 3. The left and right movable traction arms are convenient for doctors to adjust the patient's muscle axis during surgery 4. The patented rapid traction device on the traction arm, combined with the stretch handles on both sides, can quickly and easily stretch the patient's lower limbs 5. The full retractor is made of nickel-chromium stainless alloy steel, which is strong, durable and easy to clean. 6. The tractor has a laser-engraved fine-tuning tractor ruler, which can clearly and accurately control the retraction distance of the tractor. 7.A single traction arm can be placed.

Orthopedic Operating Table Traction Frame

Whatsapp+8615146602893 email：howellmed@outlook.com

Harbin Howell Medical is a leading manufacturer of high-tech medical equipments used in OR and ICU, mainly: Operating Room Equipment: Operating Table Operating Light Anesthesia Machine Ceiling Pedant Infusion Pump Syringe Pump Patient Monitor ICU Equipment: ICU Ventilator Supply Beam Others: Gynecological Tables Ultrasound Ambulance Howell advocates resolve technical difficulties comprehensively base on excellent technical R&D; to satisfy customer requirements and demand; to create technical value through application experience; to explore the market on spirit of cooperation; to realize development sustainability of enterprise and brand adhere to wining respect from the market and customers. R&D team has more than 10 years experience in the line of operating table, some engineers took part in train courses held by top table manufacturer in the world. Every year, 10% of turnover invests in R&D department. Howell has achieved the leading position in technical level among domestic industry through continuous scientific technology innovation, moreover, the Company will continue to put more investment into R&D, aiming to exceed international standards. Leading products and perfect service has served for numerous domestic and foreign customers, helping customers to create value and social contribution through application of leading technology, in the future, Howell will continue to provide high quality products and services to partners in manufacturing, creation and conception and focus on the line of high-tech operating table, aiming to become the leading enterprise and brand in the supplier of operating table. Howell accumulated valuable experience in supplying accessories to equip with top brand tables, and there is a mold factory owned by Howell. All these advantages give us more power to supply OEM even ODM service to world partners.

[nypaenergy]

National Engineers Week 2023: Jorge Jimenez

NYPA is celebrating Engineers Week to recognize the achievements and contributions of our talented engineers in developing and maintaining reliable, affordable, and sustainable energy solutions for New York State.

Name: Jorge Jimenez Title: Senior Real Time Systems Engineer 1 Location: WPO

What is a typical day/week like for you?

I am fortunate enough to get to work on various multi-disciplinary projects where the engineering decisions that are made can have long-lasting effects. In the process, through thought-provoking technical discussions, ideas are shared between many talented engineers where the collective objective is to provide a sound, robust and optimized solution that ultimately benefits the people of the state of New York.

What drew you to NYPA as an engineer?

The opportunity to work on a wide range of systems and technologies that are in use throughout the NYPA fleet. For example, renewable energy, hydropower, conventional thermal units, transmission systems and substations, distributed control systems, communications networks, cyber security and data-driven asset health predictive maintenance programs, just to name a few. Every day at NYPA is different and every project is different, and I get to put my hand in this mixed box of chocolates where each one has a different and unique delicious flavor.

Can you tell us about one of your best accomplishments in engineering? What about this project makes you most proud? 

The opportunity to work on and see to completion the Lewiston Pump-Generating Plant controls long-term extension and modernization program. I got to work with a great team of engineers, mechanics, electricians, technicians and operators throughout this multi-year effort. We had many challenges and problems along the way where, one by one, we relentlessly tackled them from different angles until we came up with the most optimal solution. No stone was left unturned. This was extremely satisfying, and I feel that we, as a team, provided a safe, reliable, intuitive, easy-to-use and overall fantastic product to our internal and external customers that will be in operation for many years to come.

Do you have any advice for engineering students or engineers just entering the workforce? 

In school, we are taught how to “answer engineering questions.” When we become engineers with a direct influence on projects, systems and decisions, we should then “question the answers.” In other words, don’t be afraid to ask, “Is this the best and most efficient way to go about this, or can it be done better?” If you have an idea, express it. If you have new potential solution, discuss it. If you have an enhancement, test it. Innovation is key to success.

What drew you into the discipline of engineering? 

After high school, I didn’t know for sure what I wanted to major in at college. A family friend suggested I try an engineering major, so I did. I have never looked back since and am grateful that I had that conversation. I don’t see myself doing anything else other than engineering.

What kind of engineering skills would you like to develop in the near future? 

Technology is constantly changing, whether we like it or not, and as engineers, we have to constantly keep up to date with those industry advancements. We wouldn’t go to a doctor who is still engaged in medicinal practices from the 1950s, would we? No, we wouldn’t; the medical field has advanced tremendously since then. The world will face new technological problems tomorrow that will be different than those of today, and in turn, we have to continuously develop new skills and gain additional knowledge to be prepared to face tomorrow’s problems. The new skills needed by the industry, and by the world for that matter, are constantly shifting, and we have to adapt accordingly.  

What personal characteristics do you think are needed to become a successful engineer? 

A curious mind and a willingness to be a perpetual student within your engineering discipline. A willingness to challenge the established norms, to not be afraid to express your creativity, and having problem-solving skills, dedication and passion. Also, not being afraid of what some might call “failure.” It’s not a failure;  it’s a just another learning opportunity. As the great Thomas Edison once said, “I have not failed 10,000 times - I’ve successfully found 10,000 ways that will not work.”

[a-scary-lack-of-common-sense]

[busts out of the ground]

I'M NOT DEAD @jbeetle814 @hattedhellspawn I'M SO SORRY I ABANDONNED YOU GUYS INSIDE MY INBOX FOR A YEAR

I'll tell you everything with pleasure!

Buckle up because this might be a long ride :)

So, let's first establish the basic context of this whole AU; such as background info on what in the actual fresh hell is going on here.

First things first: this AU just kind of co-exists on the sidelines of canon tf2 with its own separate story happening while the OG mercs are off following canon at the same time in New Mexico and stuff. So technically, they both are in the same universe, just, from entirely different perspectives. I guess we can’t even call this an AU at this point but shhhh, we like having fun here.

Okay, so now that we’re clear with that let’s hop onto the actual story of ✨️ ze switcheroo mercs✨️:

BASICALLY, the 'mercs are actually all clones' theory is very much a real thing in my world. Except that the canon RED mercs are the “original mercs”, and literally everybody else are just clones.

Multiple cloned teams of the "original mercs" are scattered worldwide, and the job switcheroo mercs are one of them! Every single cloned teams are controlled by the one and only, you guessed it: Administrator. RED and BLU basically run a massive international chain company at this point, but like, with clones that fight each other to death.

The job switched mercs are one of the few cloned teams that have the least physical differences from the OGs they are supposed to doppelgang, which is surprisingly rarer than you’d expect. Ironically enough, clones rarely ever look exactly the same as the "originals" because of gene mutations (don't trust me on this, I'm not a science person at all), and more often than not a clone is going to pop out blond instead of brunette- or tall instead of short.

PERSONALITY HOWEVER, is a whole different story. My version of clones are "born" with a blank slate for a mind, with only the bare necessary knowledge for, ya know, living (i.e. how to eat, how to speak, how to do their job, yada yada you get the gist). All memories and pasts of the "originals" are wiped clean and you've got yourself a fancy new clone, yayyy.

So because of the obvious lack of everything inside the clones' minds, clones often don't have the same personality as the "originals", and sometimes even differ completely. It's up for them to build experience and form their own identity (as long as they don't end up revolting against Admin or anything, but that's never happened before so it should be okay).

The job switcheroo mercs have been stationed at a base in bumfuck nowhere (think of any country to slap em onto) with another cloned BLU team for approximately 3 2 years now; and all members of each team have formed their own entirely unique identities by now, and guess what that means! They're starting to have thoughts!

In the beginning, no one really cared about the jobs they were assigned with as a clone, but as the years grew they started thinking: “Hey, how about no [breaks the social norms]”. Everyone eventually realized that no one was happy with the jobs they were initially given, so they said fuck you to the system and started passing around their classes like a hot potato to see what sticks. By the end of this whole ordeal, everyone had tried everyone else’s job at least once before they eventually found the one they were satisfied with. TADA, ✨️the job switcheroo mercs were born✨️

Admin didn’t really care about this whole thing because 1) they're technically still doing what they're supposed to be doing, just with different jobs now and 2) she had other, bigger things to worry about, and the most emotion this mini revolt drew from her was: “ew, Miss Pauling, they’re starting to have opinions”

So far the team consists of:

Sniper as Soldier

Scout as Medic

Medic as Engineer

Spy as Demoman

Soldier as Spy

Demoman as Sniper

Heavy as Pyro

Engineer as Heavy

Pyro as Scout

ANYWAYS that’s all I got for now so if u got anymore questions feel free to ask

(Friendly reminder that this AU is a joke that I got way too invested in, and these job switches were made completely on random. AND ALSO literally nothing about this makes sense so let's just fuck around and find out at this point)

[anlian-aishang]

SNK Men - Video Games - Levi, Erwin, Eren, Jean, Armin, Reiner

The pinnacle of my nerdiness - but also the combination of my two most beloved things: video games and anime men. Hope you enjoy as much as I did!

Levi: Rock Band.

It’s not only his No Name background, but this man is just so good with rhythm, timing, and his fingers. Guitar. Expect 100% accuracy on every song, and though he is not fighting for control of the playlist, he internally longs for some harder songs. All this pop-rock shit… he could play it with his eyes closed.

Maintains a totally calm, stone-cold face as the others are screaming and failing. Carries the band for sure, but he also has a specific attitude about saving others. Will let out an exasperated sigh, reluctantly rescuing the member who is about to get their third strike. Refuses to retry songs if the band ends up failing. That’s what you brats get for picking expert.

He is also the type to begrudgingly agree to sing when no one else at the party wants to. His voice is the type that makes the others gawk upon reveal, but he is less than in love with the attention. “Keep it up and your lead is leaving.”

Erwin: Minecraft.

A casual Sunday morning. Coffee and sweatpants. Long-sleeve and socks to match. Legs propped up on the ottoman. The blinds open, the sun risen, the hours pass like minutes. A game he used to play back then stirs that same curious wonder, a weekend break from his demanding job. Not a mindless activity, but free of deadlines and stress.

In his coffee table, a stash of old gaming magazines contains tutorials for windmills, granite countertops, everything. Well, almost everything. For something he cannot find or figure out, he admits defeat and searches for a Youtube how-to.

Adorably proud of the day’s progress, he plays it off nonchalantly: asking if they want to see all the new things he made. This grown-man, this company executive, in his pajamas and showing off his server, it’s hard to tell if it is him or his partner who enjoys this more.

Eren: Counter-Strike: Global Offensive.

Handsome, funny enough, often serious: twitch streamer cover boy. Dual monitors. Mechanical keyboard. Matching mouse. Brand-name headset and gaming chair. He is in for a couple hours at least, might as well have the best of the best.

Streaming sessions are primarily his competitive matches, but occasionally, coaching and critiquing a subscriber’s play. For milestones, letting some followers play a match with him or having the chat decide an in-game challenge for him to try. For charity streams, he will indulge even further: playing mouse-only or hosting a truth-or-dare. Those tend to bring the most viewers and the most donations.

Apart from those special streams, he is a total sourpuss. Expect knitted brows, annoyed snarls, eye-rolls, tons of sarcasm. Talking about either his team or his opponents: Oh my fucking god these guys are fucking horrible. It takes some starstruck fans in the chat to cheer him up.

Jean: Rocket League.

Not professional. Not hardcore. Just a couple steps above casual. A standing hangout every Friday night with his pair of friends, Sasha and Connie, for a 3v3 marathon. The team plays often enough that their positions are set. Goalie, middle, striker.

A certain mix of playful and serious. Tons of laughs for the misplays that happen to score. Serious strategic conversation when they are down with a minute to go. Sips of drinks and handfuls of snacks between rounds.

A little bit of a fanboy. Has a playlist of compilation clips. Moves that he can only hope to pull off in a match some day. Also has a secret obsession with detailing his car. Equips all the accessories for the season. Always has a strict theme: hat, boost, celebration, set to match.

Armin: Stardew Valley.

After this game was released, he wondered how he ever lived without it. It is so uniquely satisfying to see his crops grow, to develop friendships and relationships with those in town, and best of all - to make the most of a day.

Armin is the type of player to maintain a colossal spreadsheet with multiple pages for everything that one could ever need. Has a perfect mix of livestock, flowers, fruits, vegetables. Has a deliberate routine from sunrise through evening. Always knows the perfect gifts to give everyone.

Happy to play online with his friends, but has to lower his expectations a little bit - not optimizing the day perfectly, but instead, learning to go with the flow. When they log off, though, he is more than happy to stay and tidy up some things.

Reiner: Street Fighter.

How the game demands all of his attention, it allows him to turn off certain parts of his brain and focus wholly on this. Button combinations and special moves that he knows like the back of his hand occupy the space that is too often owned by external stressors.

With his friends, he plays like a nice guy. Not letting them win, but definitely going easy. For his friends, he will point out the strengths and weaknesses of each character, giving them time to figure things out. He is having so much fun, so grateful to have his favorite people playing his favorite game with him, that he makes sure that they have a good time: leaving good impressions, hoping they will play with him again.

For online opponents, though, it is like an entirely different game - a different side of him. A serious look. Fast-moving fingers make his character act the same. Losses will see sweaty hands and clenched teeth. Wins are followed up by fist pumps and an expletive or two. That is only until someone else comes into the room, and with a blush, he tones his reactions down a bit.

// masterlist //

[ejzah]

Secrets and Lies, Part 7

***

As they walked away, Deeks heard Kensi skillfully flirting with Bennett. He was pretty sure he wouldn’t mind if the drinks never showed up.

It took a little longer than Deeks expected to ditch Lisa; she kept trying to get him out on one of the balconies, or to check out Bennett’s ungodly car collection. He’d known she liked him, or at least his attention, but hadn’t realized how deeply her crush went.

“Marty, we just got a new shipment of wine the other day. Maybe we could go down to the cellar and test some,” Lisa suggested, staring up at him hopefully while she clung to his arm. It was amazing how much more animated she became in Bennett’s absence.

“You know, I would love to, but I promised Thomas Walters I’d take a look at a contract for him,” Deeks declined, softening any sting from his words by dipping his head close enough he could smell peaches and vodka. “Rain check?”

“You’re always working. You need to relax.” She smoothed her hand down his arm, a coaxing note entering her voice. “And I have the perfect remedy.”

“Another time,” Deeks offered, gently sliding out from under hand.

Fortunately, she didn’t follow him, and he made a detour to the main reception room in case Lisa decided to watch him, before looping back around and taking a side door to the right wing of the house which led to Bennett’s private office and den.

“Alright, it’s show time, Eric,” he muttered, holding back out of range of the cameras he knew lined the hallway.

“Hacking in right now,” Eric responded, making a satisfied noise. “Oh look, the entire right wing has experienced an unfortunate disruption in service.”

Deeks had some rudimentary lock picking skills, courtesy of Kensi’s expertise, but fortunately they weren’t needed. He slipped into the office, closing the door quietly behind him, and began searching through the mahogany desk in the center of the room.

He heard Kensi’s intermittent responses to Bennett every so often. Right now it sounded like he was giving her a private tour of the spa facilities and questioning Kensi about her last job.

She handled him masterfully; playing into his flirtations and innuendos without giving up too much control. Deeks was certain Bennett was thoroughly distracted for the moment.

“That’s my girl.”

“What was that?” Nell asked, voice rising significantly at the end.

“Uh, nothing.” Deeks internally smacked himself for his slip up. Now was not the time for the team to start questioning his and Kensi’s relationship.

He continued searching the office, taking longer than he liked as he made sure to leave it looking the same as when he arrived. With a growl of frustration, he ran his hand behind bookcase, shaking his head.

“It’s not here,” he sighed. “I’ll have to search the master bedroom.”

“Deeks, Kensi and Forthright, just headed that way to look at the private gallery,” Nell warned. “What are you going to do if you run into them?”

“Do some fast talking and if all else fails, Kensi can incapacitate him, and we’ll lock him in the master bath.” A pointed silence followed and Deeks rolled his eyes. “I’m joking. Mostly.”

“Go ahead, Deeks,” Callen decided, speaking up for the first time. Deeks had to wonder what they’d been talking about off comms.

Deeks ran into a few waitstaff as he cut through the kitchen and took the back staircase to the second floor. Fortunately, most were too busy or accepted when he told them he was one of Forthright’s security.

He was sweaty slightly, heart rate just a bit faster than normal as he finally reached the master bedroom.

He rolled his eyes at the giant bed centered against the far wall with black bedding and a thick slab of polished wood serving as the headboard. The rest of the furniture he’d bet Lisa had a hand in picking out based on their more subtle and attractive style.

While Deeks searched with increasing urgency, Kensi used all her skill to keep Bennett confined to the gallery. Right now, she’d gone into a monologue about Monet. Although he couldn’t hear Bennett, he had the feeling he was looking to move the the tour onward.

When he reached a medium sized table across the room, he found the top drawer was locked. It took a minute for him to pick the lock, and he could picture Kensi standing over his shoulder, gently taunting him about his speed. He sighed when the mechanism finally released and slid the drawer open to reveal a slim, silver laptop.

“Ok, I’m plugging the flash drive in now,” he whispered once the screen was fully loaded.

“Yup. It should be done in three minutes,” Eric told him.

“Nice work, Deeks,” Sam complimented him.

“Thanks.” He exhaled heavily, bracing his hand on the desk as he closed his eyes.

“You gonna be ok, Deeks?” Callen asked, a note of laughter in his voice.

“Yep, definitely fine. Great in fact. Now can we get the hell—”

“Actually, I think Lisa and Marty are probably wondering where we are,” Kensi said suddenly, and this time he heard her voice down the hall in addition to through his comm.

Deeks still, eye flicking to the laptop screen which still showed a loading green line.

“Eric?” he barely breathed.

“I need one more minute.”

“Kensi, stall him,” Callen urged her as Deeks looked around the room desperately.

“Oh, I think there’s something you’d really enjoy seeing,” Bennett said, voice traveling down the hallway and through the walls. “It will only take a minute.”

“Mr. Forthright, I’m not sure what you’ve heard about me, but I’m not the type of woman to go into a man’s bedroom for a couple of drinks,” she teased, playful.

“I think you’re exactly the type of woman I like.” If it was any other time, Deeks would have gladly punched Bennett Forthright in his smug mouth, but for now, he was praying Kensi could guide him away long enough for Deeks to escape.

“We’ve got it!” Eric shouted, making Deeks jump slightly. He ejected the flash drive, tucking it into his pocket, shut down the laptop, and shoved it back into the drawer as quietly as he could.

“Now I won’t take no for an answer,” Bennett insisted, his voice right outside the door. Deeks stiffened for the briefest of seconds, before making a beeline for the walk-in closet.

***

A/N: Duh-duh-duh.

Thanks for sticking with this story. I hope it’s still enjoyable.

[alpines-bucky]

No one said Starks weren't a little dramatic

This is the first time I write Tony x daughter reader I hope you guys like it :)

Word Count: 2319 ( Things got a bit out of my hands while I was editing and eventhough it's edited I can't promise that there aren't any typos and I dtill wasn't satisfied with what I wrote but 🤷‍♀️Ig )

Warnings: Major character death, a lot of angst

Y/N loses her dad when he decides to save the universe with a snap of his fingers but when did anyone see a Stark not getting what they want? Let me answer for you, Never. ( AKA Y/N gambles with time and space and universes surprisingly there isn't any VA involved cause in my opinion they suck to save her dad but apparently there are always consequences)

Y/N had arrived at her destination albeit being a little late. She wanted to be there when the team tried to go back in time to get the Stones in hopes of saving aunt Tasha too but she had one and only shot at this so she had to make do with what she had. What she didn’t realise was she accidentally changed universes instead of going back in time.

The way she found out that the place she had arrived wasn’t when or where she intented to was Morgan, the little girl with big Brown eyes who had total control over her older sister the second they met. Y/N had to lay low and do her research before approaching them. But when she heard about Morgan she had to meet her before doing what she came to do. And that’s exactly what she did.

She found Morgan in a house by the lake with a woman who she assumed was Pepper.Her visit was short since she couldn’t afford getting caught by Pepper which would mean jeopardising the whole plan she had spent months making. She left a message for her dad before going off to save the man itself.

Her dad was fighting with Thanos when she arrived to the scene. The more she looked around the more it looked like the place she fought along with her dad and that meant one thing, she had to act quick.

‘’I am inevitable’’ Thanos said as he snapped his finger but nothing happened. Confused, he looked at his gauntlet to find that the Stones that were there a minute ago were no longer in their places. He looked around to see that Tony had them somehow.

‘’And I’m Iron Man’’ said Tony full of emotions as he was about to snap his fingers. He thought having all six Stones in his hands would kill him being a mortal and he was fine with it if that meant she could ensure his family’s security but he felt nothing. He thought he had died instantly but he found out that wasn’t the case when he got startled by an unknown voice.

‘’Oh, the hell with that!’’ said a girl who wore a similar suit to Tony’s. She seemed to appear out of nowhere. Which confused both man further.

‘’Who the hell are you?’’ asked Tony. Who the hell was mad enough decided to mess up the only chance of him stopping the big purple psycho of a man.

‘’Who do you think?’’ said the girl, winking at him confidentally but her eyes told a different story. There was sadness in them, grief and loss but it seemed like she was happy at the same time.What surprised him was the familiarity she carried but he couldn’t put his finger on it. So he searched her suit for some clues which led up to him finding the Stones. She was the reason he was not dead, she somehow got possession of the Stones.

‘’Kid, no!’’ yelled Tony. He attempted to get closer to her but she snapped her fingers before he could stop her. Everything stilled for a second. The other avengers thought Tony had done it as Thanos’ soldiers had started to turn to dust all of a sudden but when they found a girl that they’ve never seen before in the arms of Tony with fetal injuries they were puzzled. They gathered around Tony and the girl who struggled tos tay alive.

‘’I made it! I… I saved you, Dad.’’Tony was shocked at her words. He was processing what he heard as Pepper landed next to them and kneeled. They couldn’t Wrap their heads around what was happening but they both were not going to let a dying kid down for sure.

She had a difficulty breathing, she was in agonizing pain but she had a peaceful smile on her face. She tried to lift her hand but it pained her more, she whimpered. Tony sensed her intentions and put her hand on his cheek for her. He put his hand on top of her, gave it a gentle squeeze. ‘’Friday, what do we have?’’ asked Tony.

‘’3 to 4 degree burns from her right hand up to her face. Internal bleeding. Her lungs are collapsing... Life functions critical.’’ Answered the voice from both of the suits. Pepper grimaced, she didn’t know who this girl was but she had sacrificed herself for Tony, the man she referred ‘dad’. ‘’Who are you?’’ asked Pepper.

‘’I’m–‘’ she coughed, blood was pooling in her mouth. ‘’I’m surprised you couldn’t figure it out yet…’’ she let out a bloody laugh. ‘’I’m Y/N. Y/N Stark.’’ She said with her last breath. That shook the whole group to their cores. The girl wasn’t lying or confusing Tony with someone else. The girl who lied in his Tony’s arms nonbreathing was infact the daughter of Tony Stark. From the moment they realised the truth everything was a blur to the Stark Family and the avengers.

Y/N was Tony’s first daughter who had died in a cross fire 7 years ago. She was a teenager at the time. She would have been a few years older than Peter if she had lived. It was a wrong place wrong time type of situation, she had died on the scene. Tony had nightmares after that, his insomnia got worse. He had blamed himself although it had nothing to do with him. The guilt ate him alive day by day. He realised why the girl’s eyes were so familiar to him now, she was his Y/N/N. A grown, older version of her, but his Y/N nontheless.

He didn’t think he could recover from her death but losing her, seeing her die in his arms for the second time ruined him. He had no idea what was happening outside of his head, he was in a trance, he had stayed still looking at his hands where Y/N laid. Until his little girl, Morgan came up to him with a disk in hand and said ‘’Daddy! Daddy! A girl called Y/N wanted me to give this to you’’ That got everyone’s attention.

Tony told Friday to scan the disk and display whatever is in it. When he saw Y/N in front of her, he couldn’t stop the tears from falling and when she started speaking as if she could see her Tony lost it. He couldn’t hear her because of his own sobs, he didn’t even realised the rest of the avengers and his wife as they piled in the room when they heard Tony and Y/N’s voice. He had to stop the hologram a few times to gather himself. When he got control of his breathing, he built up his courage and displayed it all over again.

‘’Hey dad. I’m assuming since you are watching this I suceed. I’ve saved you.’’ She had to stop for a second to take a breath in to compose herself. ‘This time’ she said under her breath but Friday caught it.

‘’You are wondering how the hell I am alive. Well… For starters, I didn’t know that I was dead in this world which… makes you realise that I’m not from this world. I’m actually from what you call an alternative universe. Things got out of hand in my universe after… after you… Oh shit! This is too hard. I knew I couldn’t do this shit! I can’t even talk to my own god damn suit picturing it as my hypothetical dad without messing it up’’ that made a few people chuckle and a few others tos mile. The girl really was his father’s child after all.

‘’Okay I’m hoping you either won’t have to watch this or I can cut that part before giving it to Morgan. Anyways, I’m rambling.’’ Tony saw his younger self in Y/N which put a sad smile to his face. This was something he never got to experience before. To see her this grown up. To see a pieces of him in her.

‘’ So things went down hill after you did the whole ‘I’m Iron Man’ thing –which by the way I’m still mad at you about­- You… You died in my hands, dad.’’ She gulped. She had begun crying a while ago but now that she was talking about her dad’s death, she felt like the lump in her throat got bigger and bigger, suffocating her. ‘’ I was all alone for years! You were all I had and then within a second you were gone! I didn’t have anyone else!’’ She tried to calm herself. She wasn’t recording this to make him feel guilty or get answers she was possibly never going to hear. This was a goodbye. A goodbye she knew he deserved just like how she did from him.

‘’That’s why I made the decision to change it but I accidentally changed universes instead of going back in time. But this was my only chance, only shot at making it right. And then I found out that I had died in this universe and you had moved on. Good for you, dad. I’m really proud of you. You did what I couldn’t. It was a relief to know that you were happy and that you had a family now. I thought for a second that maybe the blip didn’t happen. That in this universe, you had a lovely life and I thought for a second maybe I could be in it too. Stay with you but that hope was shortly lived.’’ She gave a sad smile.

‘’And now I’m about to go to the battle field. Before I go, I have to say, I don’t know how if there is any way for me to stop you. I can’t take it all back but I will do anything to not let another girl grow up without her dad. And I ain’t going to let my own sister down. Oh, did you know that I always wanted a sister?’’ she chuckled making Tony’s heart warm. It has been so long since he heard his daughter chuckle the damn way he does. She stopped for a second to think ‘’Well, she has the Stark charm, that’s for sure. I only knew her for a few hours and she had me the second we met. I wish I could be there for her as her older sister. I would give anything to see her grow up but if that has to be for only one of us to see, I’d rather that be you because I’ve been there. I know how hard it is to lose your dad. I could see clearly what she would have to go through and the moment I realised that I knew what I had to do. I would stop you at all costs and since this reacording is being played I could sleep peacefully knowing she has you.’’ She smiled with tears escaping her eyes once again. Tony was full of emotions. His daughter he has been longing for years was right in front of him but way too far away at the same time.

With a sigh she started ‘’ You have people you can hold on to. I never did. Pepper, Morgan, Rhodey, the spider kid... Hold on to them Tony. Hold on to the team. Oh, speaking of the team, tell them I love them and I missed them so badly. I’m sorry. I thought I was going to have more time to talk And maybe if a miracle happens and we all can manage to stay alive I could tell you all about it but I have to go now. Have an old man to save’’ She saluted and looked around right where the broken team of Avengers were with longing in her eyes. She moved closer to the disk to cut the recording but decided against it the last second. Tony hung his head, his heart broke to hear the hope in her voice when he knew what already happened. He thought this was the end of the recording but he looked up when he heard her talking and she had turned to him and looked right at him as if she knew where he was stated. That sent shivers up Tony’s spine.

‘’I know you think I made the wrong decision but I saved you. I refuse to let you down once again. I refuse to see you die in front of me once again. I’m not sorry for what I’m about to do, I knew the consequences when I made this plan months ago. I’m only sorry because although I tried so much to have the future we always talked about with you, I won’t be able to, Tones. But Morgan will be. And I would give up anything for that little girl. And for you.’’ She said as she caressed the necklace Tony gave her when she was a child. She took the chain out of her neck and put it somewhere Tony couldn’t see. And Tony knew this was only a tape but he tried to hold on to his daughter, to stop her from going out there. His breath caught in his throat when his hands went through Y/N’s body. He fell to his knees.

‘’ But hey if it turns out that I, this badass manage to get both of us home in one peace one we can laugh our asses off as we watch me being the drama queen that I am… Well, no one said Starks weren’t a bit dramatic.’’ The heart Tony thought had broken to a million pieces broke further as he heard the tremble in her voice as she tried to put her brave face on. But she couldn’t hide it when one last tear escaped from her slightly swollen eyes as she ended the recording.

Why do I never have good endings? Cause I write in the middle of the night when I feel sad most of the time and it's easier to write sad than it is to write happy.

I hope you liked it. I would love to hear your thoughts on this one. I'd also like to discuss if you'd like the alternative ending that could be a happy one :)

[mostlysignssomeportents]

The infosec apocalypse is nigh

When the Pegasus Project dropped last week, it was both an ordinary and exceptional moment. The report — from Amnesty, Citizenlab, Forbidden Stories, and 80 journalists in 10 countries — documented 50,000 uses of the NSO Group’s Pegasus malware.

https://www.occrp.org/en/the-pegasus-project/

The 50,000 targets of NSO’s cyberweapon include politicians, activists and journalists. The Israeli arms-dealer — controlled by Novalpina Capital and Francisco Partners — has gone into full spin mode.

NSO insists that the report is wrong, but also that it’s fine to spy on people, and also that terrorists will murder us all if they aren’t allowed to reap vast fortunes by helping the world’s most brutal dictators figure out whom to kidnap, imprison and murder.

As I say, all of this is rather ordinary. The NSO Group’s bloody hands, immoral practices and vicious retaliation against critics are well established.

It’s been four years since NSO’s assurances that it only sold spying tools to democratic states to hunt terrorists were revealed as lies, when Citizenlab revealed that its weapons targeted Mexican anti-sugar activists (and their children).

https://citizenlab.ca/2017/06/reckless-exploit-mexico-nso/

Then Citizenlab found 45 more countries where NSO’s Pegasus weapon had been used, and demonstrated that notorious human-rights abusers got help from NSO to target everyday citizens to neutralize justice struggles.

https://citizenlab.ca/2018/09/hide-and-seek-tracking-nso-groups-pegasus-spyware-to-operations-in-45-countries/

Outside of human rights and cybersecurity circles, the story drew little attention, but it did prick NSO’s notoriously thin skin — the company dispatched (inept) private spooks, late of the Mossad, to entrap Citizenlab’s researchers.

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/28/world/black-cube-nso-citizen-lab-intelligence.html

As far as we know, the company never managed to infiltrate any of Citizenlab’s systems — but their weapons were found on the devices of an Israeli lawyer suing them for their role in human rights abuses.

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/13/technology/nso-group-whatsapp-spying.html

That had some consequences. The attack exploited a vulnerability in Whatsapp, owned by Facebook. FB retaliated by suing — and terminating NSO Group employees’ Facebook accounts. Judging from NSO’s outraged squeals, getting kicked of FB hurt far worse.

https://www.vice.com/en/article/7x5nnz/nso-employees-take-legal-action-against-facebook-for-banning-their-accounts

Through it all, the NSO Group insisted that its tools were vital anti-terror weapons — not the playthings of rich sociopaths with long enemies lists.

They continued these claims even after Pegasus was linked to the blackmail attempt against Jeff Bezos, in a bid by Saudi royals to end the Washington Post’s investigative reporting on the murder and dismemberment of the journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

https://www.vice.com/en/article/v74v34/saudi-arabia-hacked-jeff-bezos-phone-technical-report

Despite all this — attacks on the powerful and the powerless, grisly deaths and farce-comedy entrapment attempts — NSO Group plowed on, raking in millions while undermining the security of the devices that billions of us rely on for our own safety.

Until now.

Something about the Pegasus Project shifted the narrative. Maybe it’s the ransomware epidemic, shutting down hospitals, energy infrastructure, and governments — or maybe it’s the changing tide that has turned on elite profiteers. Whatever it is, people are pissed.

Finally.

I mean, when Edward Snowden calls for the owners of a cybercrime company to be arrested, people sit up and pay attention. But Snowden’s condemnation of NSO and its industry are just for openers.

https://edwardsnowden.substack.com/p/ns-oh-god-how-is-this-legal

Snowden describes NSO as part of an “Insecurity Industry” that owes its existence to critical vulnerabilities in digital devices in widespread use. They spend huge sums discovering these vulns — and then, rather than reporting them so they can be fixed, they weaponize them.

As Snowden points out, this is not merely a private sector pathology. Governments — notably the US government, through the NSA’s Tailor Access Operations Group — engage in the same conduct.

Indeed, as with all digital surveillance, there’s no meaningful difference between private and public spying. Governments rely on tech and telecoms giants for data (which they buy, commandeer, or steal, depending on circumstances).

This, in turn, creates powerful security/public safety advocates for unlimited commercial surveillance, to ensure low-cost, high-reliability access to our private data. Those agencies stand ready to quietly scuttle comprehensive commercial privacy legislation.

This private-public partnership from hell extends into the malware industry: the NSA and CIA can’t, on their own, create enough cyber-weapons to satisfy all government agencies’ demand, so they rely on (and thus protect) the Insecurity Industry.

But as Snowden points out, none of this would be possible were it not for the vast, looming, grotesque tech-security debt that the IT industry has created for us. Everything we use is insecure, and it’s built atop more insecure foundations.

We live in an information society with catastrophic information security. If our society was a house, the walls would all be made of flaking asbestos and the attic would be stuffed with oily rags.

It’s hard to overstate just how much risk we face right now, and while the Insecurity Industry didn’t create that risk, they’re actively trying to increase it — finding every weak spot and widening it as far as possible, rather than shoring it up.

It’s a cliche: “Security is a team sport.” But I like how Snowden puts it: security is a public health matter. “To protect anyone, we must protect everyone.”

Step one is “to ban the commercial trade in intrusion software” for the same reason we “do not permit a market in biological infections-as-a-service.”

We should punish the cyber-arms dealers — but also use international courts to target the state actors who pay them.

But this fight will be a tough one. The huge sums that governments funnel to cyber arms-dealers allows them to silence their critics — I’ve been forced to remove some of my own coverage thanks to baseless threats I couldn’t afford to fight.

Writing in today’s Guardian (who also removed unfavorable coverage of NSO Group following legal threats), Arundhati Roy demolishes the company’s claims of clean hands.

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/jul/27/spying-pegasus-project-states-arundhati-roy

After all, NSO charges a 17% “system maintenance fee” that gives them oversight and insight into how their tools are being used by the demagogues and dictators who shower them with money.

https://www.thecitizen.in/index.php/en/newsdetail/index/9/20672/pegasus-hack-how-much-did-it-cost-to-spy-on-citizens

“There has to be something treasonous about a foreign corporation servicing and maintaining a spy network that is monitoring a country’s private citizens on behalf of that country’s government.” -Roy

The NSO Group claims that the human rights abuses it abets are exceptions that slip through the cracks, but the reality is, it has no business model without state terror — without powerful thugs who demand weapons to help jail, torture and kill their critics.

NSO, more than anyone, should know this. But as Upton Sinclair wrote, “It is difficult to get a man to understand something when his salary depends upon his not understanding it.”

[minor-solemnity]

Curiosity pt. 5

(There’s smut btw)

In the dim light, he looks more sinister and more beautiful than you’ve ever seen him. A low-light creature designed to ensnare and tempt those who stray too far from the light. You can imagine what you look like to him, wide eyes, mouth slightly open, your entire body trembling with something that can’t accurately be described as fear or anger. 

Another essay deadline means another exhausting weekend spent in the library whilst the rest of your friends spend their free time enjoying themselves. At least it's Charms this time around. You’re researching the methods behind apparation and floo powder as methods of instantaneous transportation and are quite enjoying the intellectual debate between Charms masters that seems to span decades when Stephanie throws her bag down on the table next to you. You glance up at her confused as to why she’s decided to join you when you catch the worried crease between her brows. “Everything alright?” 

She sighs and shakes her head and glumly passes you a scroll of parchment. The letter is from Larkins. He says that she’s been playing too poorly and obviously isn’t cut out for the rigorous training and dedication it takes to compete for Hogwarts and for any Pro team in the future. He is, of course, completely wrong on all counts. “I need a reference from him if I have a chance of playing Pro. So… you know, everything is actually incredibly bad. My life is essentially over.” She slumps further down into her chair and stares listlessly at the stack of book you have on the table.

“Your life isn’t over.” You say sharply, ignoring the reproachful glare the librarian shoots your way. “Leave this with me. I’ll figure something out.” She looks very unconvinced. “Trust me, I’ll sort it.” You give her a reassuring smile and she leaves, still looking despondent but maybe also a little relieved. It’s hardly a secret that you can be ruthless when it comes to looking out for your friends.

Once you’re alone, you pull the quill out of your robes and place it on the desk in front of you, just watching it. You're still staring at it intently when you hear a soft laugh from just behind you and you jump in your seat, startled. Riddle laughs again and before you can stop him, he’s reaching over your shoulder and plucking the quill up delicately, twirling the quill elegantly between his fingers. You stare up at him, panic writ clear across your features and he raises an eyebrow before delicately returning the quill to the desk.

“I believe this conversation would be best suited somewhere a little more private, don’t you?” Without waiting for a response, he gracefully pushes back from the table, stretching out like an oversized purebred cat, and leads you by the shoulder to the restricted section. You wonder briefly how he can be so confident that he can just waltz into this area of the library, but you shake that thought out of your head quickly; Riddle probably charmed the librarian into giving him a pass and with it complete access to you away from prying eyes. Your stomach is in knots as you follow him into the deepest corners of the library, and you can’t tell if it’s because of worry or excitement at the thought of being alone with him. Merlin, you’re in trouble.

You watch for a moment and he seems to be trying to decide something, some internal conflict flickering across his face before his expression settles and he  takes a deliberate step towards you. He presses you against one of the desks, his arms bracketing you so that you’re essentially trapped. In the dim light, he looks more sinister and more beautiful than you’ve ever seen him. A low-light creature designed to ensnare and tempt those who stray too far from the light. You can imagine what you look like to him, wide eyes, mouth slightly open, your entire body trembling with something that can’t accurately be described as fear or anger. 

That slow satisfied smirk you’ve come to know far too well curls his upper lip as he watches you, dark eyes glittering in the candlelight. Slowly, his eyes never leaving yours, he moves a hand and gently presses his palm to the curve of your waist. You don’t - can’t - move. Your breath feels as though it’s caught in your chest, as though breathing too harshly will shatter whatever is happening into pieces. He trails his hand up the side of your shirt, tugs your robes off your shoulders, and presses closer still so that you’re half sitting on the desk behind you, half leaning on him for balance. You can feel the warmth of his body underneath his shirt as you spread your palms across his body for support. He feels sturdy, tense, as though this is as disorientating for him as it is for you. 

He’s watching you and that glint of curiosity that you’d first noticed at dinner and then again outside Larkins office is back. He looks at you as though you are the single most interesting thing he’s encountered and that makes you brave. Slowly, you reach up and curl your fingers around his neck and he breathes in sharply. You’re not sure who breaks first, who makes the first move but suddenly his grip on your waist tightens and your hands are tugging at his hair, pulling him down, closer and then his lips are brushing yours. He kisses you like he’s trying to figure you out like you’re a puzzle designed specifically for him to solve and who knows? Maybe you are. 

All you can really be certain of is that it feels good. It feels so unbelievably good. Your touches becomes frantic and he pushes you back further onto the desk, one hand curving around your throat adding pressure - not enough to hurt, but enough to make you dizzy with want and need and so much more. His other hand moves to your thigh, leaving trails of goosebumps as he skims higher and higher until his fingers brush against the laced edge of your underwear and you let out a shuddering gasp of want. He smirks against your jaw and bites a bruising kiss just below your ear. “Tell me what you’re hiding,” He whispers soft and dangerous and you’re too caught up in the sensation of his fingers rubbing circles over the damp cloth of your underwear that you don’t think before nodding. 

Just as suddenly as he started, he pulls back and you keen at the distance between the two of you. He hums quietly and you’re dimly aware of the fact that his pale skin is flushed and his eyes are bright with desire and something else that you can’t quite decipher. Before you can pull him back to you, he drops to his knees and your eyes widen when you realise exactly what is about to happen. “Tell me what you’re hiding,” He coaxes as he tugs your underwear down your legs and drops them unceremoniously on the floor. He hooks one of your legs over his shoulder and flattens his hand against the meat of your thigh, pinning you in place. 

Your entire body feels as though it’s on fire and you stare down at him with wild eyes as his gaze flickers briefly to you before he turns his attention to the task at hand. He barely touches you is the thing. Presses teasing kissing against the hollows of your hips, tongues delicately at your folds, but he doesn’t… There’s not… It’s not enough and every time you move to try and push closer or grind against his mouth to get some kind of friction, he grips your thighs and hips in a warning. You realise with a mixture of annoyance and grim admiration that he isn’t going to do more than tease unless you start talking.

And you do. You gasp and shudder and bite your lips to stop yourself from moaning and you talk. You tell him about Larkins’s underground betting ring over matches, the bribes and promises he’s been making to ensure that certain players will get a place on a Pro team, about the way he’s been tampering with brooms to give unfair advantages to certain teams. All the while, Tom rewards you with his tongue, exploring, curling, lapping, slow and sensuous one moment then fast and hot and so fucking filthy the next. As with most things, he’s frustratingly talented. 

You’re telling him about Larkins’ family - four children, a wife who refuses to work - you hold his entire family’s future in the palm of your hand when you feel your orgasm build with startling speed, it starts in the arches of your soles and spreads upwards until your thighs are shaking and your head is thrown back in a silent, ragged scream of pleasure. You’re still gasping for air, twitching through the aftershocks of your orgasm when he pulls away, and he stares up at you - his mouth wet and red and - with curiosity and something that you’re not stupid enough to think is wonder glittering in his dark eyes. 

Tom climbs to his feet and you make a move to return the favour but he brushes your hands away. “Later.” The next time he touches you it’s shockingly gentle. He smoothes back your sweat-slick hair and runs his thumb over your cheekbone. “You could ruin his life,” He murmurs, “His family’s lives.” Tom doesn’t sound disgusted as you might expect. He sounds reverent. 

“For Stephanie.”

Something flashes across his expression and he shakes his head, “No. Don’t lie to me. Don’t pretend that this is just for her anymore. Don’t pretend that you’re not doing this just because you can.” You open your mouth to protest and have have to shut it when you realise that he’s not wrong. You do enjoy the sense of control you have over Larkins’ future. And Tom knows it too. He leaves you to sort yourself out, which is an odd display of modesty for someone who had five minutes ago brought to one of the most powerful orgasms of your life with his tongue.

When you finally exit the restricted section, Tom is sitting at your abandoned desk. There is a thick folder in front of him. He looks completed collected, every bit the perfect student and prefect he makes himself out to be and the smirk he shoots you makes your stomach drop. “I think I remember saying that by the end of this, you’d want to tell me what you’ve been hiding. I must say when I first realised you were up to something I hadn’t imagined find out what would be half as entertaining.” Anger and shame sweep over you, leaving you feeling cold and dirty. You can’t stand to look at him. Can’t stand to see his features twisted into that awful smirk. It’s been a game to him. Everything he’s done has been calculated. The ends justifying the means. You feel bile rise up your throat and you scowl as you rush past him, desperate to be as far away from him as possible. 

It’s only when you’re in the safety of your dormitory that you realise you’ve left the folder on the desk.

(part 1) (part 2) (part 3) (part 4) (part 5) (part 6)

[aresonaro]

Goldric Week: Day 7

Prompt: Free Day -> Star-crossed lovers (beginning)

It’s been a fun week, @kai-strophics!

...

"Well, we meet again. How's life treating you, Golden Boy?"

The party around them is buzzing. Edric hadn’t had many big plans when he agreed to come to the event in the Emperor’s castle… okay, no, that was a lie. He wanted to catch a glimpse of the ever elusive Golden Guard. With Luz and Belos focused on constructing a working portal, their respective allies had been busier than ever. A race against time.

And it just so happened they needed information on Belos’ progress and Edric was good with distractions. He had volunteered out of the goodness in his heart. For his duty as an older brother, who wanted to avoid another clash between the Bad Girl Coven and the Golden Guard. Yup. No other reasons. None at all.

"Can't afford any distractions tonight, Blight. Leave." Came the gruff response.

"O-ho, someone's in a bad mood."

"I'm just doing my job."

"Man, this is a party. Relax a little! How about a dance?"

The Golden Guard throws him a dry look. At least, Edric thinks it’s a dry look? With that mask on, he can’t really tell. He curses that fact internally—he works best when he can see the other person’s face. 

“No.”

“Well, fine, I can respect that.”

A glance to the clock at the far side of the room. Five more minutes before his sister and the rest of the team are done with the investigation phase of the plan… if everything goes according to plan, that is. Belos is nowhere in sight, never one to care about parties, so the Golden Guard is his priority. He needs to keep the conversation going. He needs to make sure that Hunter won’t intervene if the team gets discovered.

He adjusts his tie, returning his attention to the shorter boy.

“So! I came instead of my parents because I wanted to see how the environment in the Emperor’s Coven felt like. Pretty dull so far, if I do say so myself. What would you say is the most interesting thing to do around here?”

“Well, everyone really likes to mind their own business.”

“There’s that witty charm I lov—ah, that we love! The, uh, people interested in the Coven, I mean. Heh.” That… hadn’t been very smooth.

Focus, Blight, he chides himself, focus on the mission!

Hunter, for his part, only rolls his shoulders back. Edric can’t tell if it’s a nervous tick or an annoyed response. That damned mask…

Whatever. Edric isn’t one to give up so easily.

“Who did the lighting? They really nailed it! Way better than the one we had for Grom—”

“You know,” Hunter interrupts, “I’m not interested in idle chit-chat.”

“...well, how about you say something then?”

The blonde groans. “If I humor you for a second, will you leave?”

“That depends on how well you do it. I’m hard to satisfy.”

“...what did… I don’t know, what did you do on the weekend?”

Edric raises both eyebrows, an amused grin turning his lips upwards. “I think that qualifies as chit-chat, but I’m glad you asked! See, my sister and I wanted to decorate our rooms a bit more, so we went shopping for materials to make something handmade. I wanted to make something bird-themed.”

Amity had told them about Hunter’s Palisman. Edric was not one to miss details.

The blonde’s shoulders drop, just slightly. Is he interested? Is he bored? How to find out…

“So I went mainly for wood. Giving it shape is kinda tricky but—”

An explosion cuts him off. Edric wants to say he is surprised, but he isn’t. Since when has a plan gone smoothly for any of them?

He’s a fan of drama, but not at this level.

As expected, Hunter is the first one to react, slipping into his Golden Guard persona effortlessly. He’s on his staff in a blink, beginning to shout orders while the other guards try to catch their bearings. Edric takes a second to admire his precise movements, and then casts the illusion of a giant abomination about to enter the ballroom. He summons a gust of wind that sends Hunter spinning out of control with a surprised ‘woah’.

Sorry babe, Edric thinks, wincing.

Hunter recovers soon enough. The rest of the guards take down the illusion, stare confusedly around for a few seconds, and then start scanning the room for traces of magic. Edric is confident he can get away with a few more tricks before his magic can even be traceable—

“Blight!”

He freezes. What? How had Hunter found him out so quickly?

The blonde appears before him like a wild flame, agitated, shoulders rising and falling. His mask is askew. This slightly disheveled look does things to Edric that he can’t even begin to name.

“Golden B—”

He can barely react when Hunter grabs his arm, pulling Edric towards him.

“It’s not safe here,” he grunts, beginning to head away, eyes on the door—and Edric gets why soon enough. It’s full of overgrown plants.

Go Willow, Edric thinks, with a slight shiver. That girl could be scary when she wanted.

The guards are already moving to deal with it. Edric acts almost without thinking, using magic to break the chandelier above them. He can’t ask for a more chaotic distraction. Hunter, thankfully, doesn’t notice the spell, too focused on shielding Edric with his armored body.

“They’re crazy! Whoever is doing this is crazy!” Hunter mutters, shaking a few fragments of glass off. “Make sure to stay behind me, Blight.”

“What’s happening?”

“Nothing you should worry about.”

He’s still distracted. Edric takes the chance to look around, taking everything in. The ballroom is a complete mess. Everyone is huddled together in a corner, not really caring about personal space for once. Safe to say his mission is a success. It should have been enough time for everyone to escape, right?

Hunter gives him one last look, full of unsaid concern that disappears once the blonde checks him over, makes sure he’s all right, and then he jumps on his staff again and teleports out of there, out of sight but not out of mind. Edric can see his face clearly in his mind’s eye, and silently wishes this day will end well for everyone. That Luz got the information she wanted and that Hunter won’t suffer for it.

He won’t. He surely won’t.

Edric is getting tired of playing double agent. Hunter is not their enemy, not by a long shot. He’s just misguided.

And Edric will get the blonde back on track, no matter what.

[urijihoons-blog]

Bokuto: Clarity

/ Kōtarō Bokuto x reader /

genre: angst to kind of fluff ish(?)

wc: 1507

summary: After you leave Bokuto in the hotel, crap hits the fan.

warnings: none.

a/n: thank you guys so much for your love!!!! :)) means the world to me!! pt1 can be found here :)

pt2

///

Where could she have gone? This is all my fault. Is she safe? I need to fix this. Am I strong enough to?

Bokuto took long strides back to the hotel room with the full intention of finding you and making sure you were at the very least safe. He made you this way, he made you upset and irrational.

You flinched under his touch. The memory still freshly burned into his mind, for a brand is something that cannot simply be erased.

He shakes the pain away, focusing on the task at hand, finding you. He swipes the room key and glides around the suite, finding warm clothes for his search in the night. He checks his phone every couple of seconds in between his clothing search. It’s made clear almost immediately that you’ve turned of your phone, sending him to voicemail and making him unable to see your location. Great.

When he’s completely ready to leave the room, he can’t find his rental car keys anywhere. He searches the bedside table, the dresser, the bathroom, and that’s when he finds it. On the bed sits the box containing his anniversary present from you.

He doesn’t even know when you laid it here, which is strange because he can remember every heart-wrenching second of you being in this room. He picks it up tenderly, and sits soundlessly on the edge of the bed. He can guess what it is, it’s not everyday you get a box shaped like this. His throat goes dry, vision already getting a slight blur around the edges.

The tiny box is covered in black silk, soft to the touch. He presses it open with a snap and his shoulders tighten. Inside is the wedding ring you had picked out for him. It is a thick band of pale silver, with an inscription on the inside of the bend. It read, ‘Forever, my love.’ Bokuto gingerly takes the ring from the box, and puts it on. It’s a perfect fit, and it looked just as he was sure you intended it to.

“I have destroyed my own happiness.” He whispers to himself, alone in his dark hotel suite.

His phone starts to buzz in his jacket pocket and he frantically tries to pull it out, not even noticing the stream of tears staining his shirt. Is it you? Are you okay? Where are you?

“Bokuto, you won’t believe what Tamra is saying to everyone in the bar right now! Did you really do that to Y/N? I-“

He cut Hinata off quickly, trying to clear his name, “I promise, it isn’t at all wha-“

“Uh, I’ve got to call you back.”

//

You have to recompose yourself again as you walk into a crowded building going straight for the noisy bar area when you hear a clear, familiar voice ring, “Uh, I’ve got to call you back.” You turn in that same direction where you see Hinata and a couple of the other guys out having drinks. Great. “Y/N?” You barely hear over the sounds of drinks clinking and people bustling.

“Shoyo, I-“ You start off, just trying to be alone right now.

“And then, someone knocks on the door, and guess who it is?” A woman laughs obnoxiously, loud enough for the whole bar to cringe. That voice. “It’s his girlfriend! The look on her face when she saw me in just a towel-“

You walk over calmly to the table containing Bokuto’s teammates, all of them looking extremely uncomfortable by this story. When you come into complete view, the whole group stiffens. Hinata is trying to stop you, saying something you can’t quite hear. Everything is moving so fast in your mind, as if you’re not in control over yourself anymore, you’re simply along for the ride. You stroll right up to stand face-to-face with her, staring into this girl’s, Tamra’s, eyes. “I’m not a girlfriend,” You lift your left hand up while wiggling your ring finger, and put your right hand’s palm on the back of her head, slamming it onto the table. “I’m the fiancé.”

At the sudden sound of a crack of wood fills the room, the building goes completely silent. You jump back in surprise at your lack of control in this moment, equal parts horrified and satisfied. You walk briskly out of the building, hoping that you could escape before someone decided to call the cops on you for assault.

As you walk down the empty street, tugging your collar to hide your neck and cheeks from the frosty air, your barriers come down yet again. Your knees buckle and you have to steady yourself on the nearby wall of a building just to keep from completely collapsing to the ground. Your shoulders are heavy with the weight of today, and you just want to forget it all happened.

I don’t want to believe this, I can’t believe this, my Bo would never.

But he did.

You saw the evidence, you heard the story. The hands you gave your heart to keep safe tore it in two right in front of your eyes. It’s all right there, slapping you over and over again. Random flashes of the night start playing in your mind, reminding you of your fresh wounds. To escape the windy night, and your misery, you decide to try another bar.

After you enter, you realize it’s a pretty low-key place. It was dim, the bar area was almost completely empty, and they were playing calming orchestral music in the speakers. You found a chair to call your own for the night, felt someone claim the seat beside you, and after that everything’s a blur.

//

“Kuto, you are never going to guess who I just saw at the bar!” Hinata practically screams into the phone, right into Bokuto’s ear.

“Who-“

“Y/N!” He says excitedly, “She overheard Tamra and she-“

“Where is she? Please go grab her! She’s run off and turned off her cellphone!” Bokuto expresses his worry. “Better yet, where are you? I’m on my way.”

Bokuto stands from the bed immediately, finally finding the keys in his jacket pocket. He had them the whole time? Ugh. He stomps out of the hotel room, hastily walking to the elevator. “Oh, she left a little bit ago, we had to stop Tamra’s nose from bleeding.” Hinata let out a little giggle. “We thought she broke it.” Bokuto let out an internal sigh. Wait-

“What happened at the bar again?”

“Come to our usual hangout and I’ll explain everything when you get here.”

-

Bokuto arrives on the scene to a smily Hinata, a sea of angry stares from his teammates, and a pissed-off, red-faced Tamra. As he sat down at the table, no one made a sound. “Where’s your little slut?” Tamra broke the silence, managing a devilish smirk. She stepped towards Bokuto with ease.

“I don’t believe you have any grounds to call someone a slut, not today not ever.” Bokuto spat back, his eyes dark with resentment. Tamra stiffened immediately. “Get away from me, now.”

“That’s not what you were saying earlier,” her eyes narrowed, taking another daring step closer, trying to keep her seductive air about her. “you know, in your hotel room?”

“Oh yes, yes I did, you just don’t know how to listen.” Bokuto shot back, pushing off the table to tower over her. He looked down at her in disgust. “Now, get away from me.” Tamra flinched under his glare, and wordlessly walked into the crowd.

“What do you mean you told her to get away?” “Wait-“ “Does this mean-“

Bokuto looked over at his teammates, all of them sharing similar facial expressions of confusion. “What I’m trying to say is that I didn’t cheat on Y/N.” The table’s faces went from looks of confusion, to relief, and ended in gloom as Bokuto explained the entirety of his whole night. He finally sat back down after he finished, slamming his fist on the table in complete frustration. He mournfully looked down at his left hand, thinking of your sad eyes on the elevator. The woman he loved so much, turning away from him. “What am I going to do?”

“Tell her!” Hinata grabbed his hair in his hands, tugging on it with aggravation. “Freakin’ duh!”

“But,” Bokuto couldn’t lift his head to meet his team’s eyes, his shoulders slouched, “I’ve lost her trust.” He said just above a whisper. “She left the hotel and turned off her phone. I’ve left countless text messages, so many voicemails. She’s somewhere out in this city alone, and I’m afraid for her and her safety.” He closes his eyes, his eyelashes wet. “What if she doesn’t believe me? I wouldn’t blame her. Worse, what if she does believe me, and still chooses to leave?” He sniffles. I don’t think I could live with it. “What am I going to do?”

“That’s why you have us, Kuto.” Hinata places a hand on his tense shoulder. “We will help you find her.”

///

I really hope this lived up to pt1, and if you really enjoy it like/comment for a pt3!! :)))) again, thank you so much for the love and support, it means so much!!

Update: heres part 3 :)

[caffernnn]

Haru’s hopelessness - an extensive rambling.

Watchers of Free! Eternal Summer - y’all remember this moment, right? 

Throughout S2, as some of the boys now have to seriously think about their lives and paths after high school, Haru struggles to think past what he’s always known: swimming for his friends/himself, eating mackerel, and being free. Things arguably take a darker turn once Haru cannot run from the question anymore and breaks, lashing out at Rin and saying he doesn’t have a dream or a future. 

There are so many things that can be unpacked from this quote alone, and my thoughts on the matter will probably be sporadic, but here are a few key things I’d like to try diving into in this post:

My interpretation of Haru’s, Makoto’s, and Rin’s characters’ mindsets

What Haru is likely trying to say

How Makoto and Rin interpret his words (based on their mindsets and experiences)

I’d love to hear other people’s thoughts on it all as well, so please feel free to add on :)

DISCLAIMER: This post will reference material outside of S2 itself to explain my insight/interpretation of the characters (S1 episodes, High Speed novel), but I won’t be putting full links to all of those materials in this post. If you’d like a specific link to anything I’m referencing, let me know and I can try to dig one up.

When first hearing Haru say that he doesn’t have a dream or a future, it is shocking and concerning, especially to his friends. However, as broken as lost as Haru is in this moment, the weight of his words and what he’s verbally trying to convey is most likely different than what his friends hear. I feel as if a big reason for this comes down to the different ways the characters perceive time and approach general goal-setting. 

Here is a video that can give a frame of reference for what I mean by “time perception,” but I’ll still try to explain my thinking ---> https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMJsdVUhu/

Rin and Haru butt heads on many occasions throughout the series due to having opposing characteristics and approaches to life. The big difference that comes into play during S2 is how they both approach goal-setting and time. As soon as we’re introduced to Rin, it becomes apparent that he is someone who is a visionary that has always set his sights on the future. From boldly proclaiming his Olympic goals in elementary school to encouraging their team to put their relay trophy into a time capsule, Rin establishes himself early on as a dreamer that puts his all into his long-term goals. Being someone who thinks about things in this manner isn’t inherently good or bad, but it does lend a hand to many of the issues we see Rin go through in S1 (having tunnel vision on his goal that isolates him from his friends, being prone to catastrophize when confronted with road blocks along the way [like when he breaks down after losing to Haru in middle school], etc.). However, all of that dreaming puts him at an advantage now when preparing to move forward into post-high-school life. He has a frame of reference for most of his next steps (winning races, talking to scouts), and now he just has to make it a reality.

Haru, in essence, lives his life in the moment. If he wants to swim, he’ll try to swim; if he wants mackerel, he’ll try to make mackerel. He lets the people around him (usually Makoto) worry about the possible consequences for his actions (swimming too early in spring might get him sick, swimming in a fish tank might get him kicked out of XYZ place, cooking mackerel after a long bath might make him late for school, etc.). The way he thinks about all of his “tomorrows” beyond acting freely on impulse is through having a consistent routine or norm to cling onto. When swimming, he’ll swim freestyle. When given a choice, he’ll default to eating mackerel. He’ll find a way to get in a swim or a bath most days because water is safe. He’ll walk with Makoto to and from school, sticking to the side of the path closest to the ocean and anticipating sharing the same split popsicle. This is about as much thought as he lends to the future, usually: he’ll keep doing the things that make him happy and comfortable, whatever that’ll mean to him in the moment. In opposition of Rin, this frame of mind based in immediacy and short-term goals helps him in S1 (teaching Rin to appreciate the moment, connecting with his friends, not getting lost in the overly analytical or competitive side of swimming), but it makes the challenges that come with his looming graduation in S2 much harder to cope with. 

The reason that it’s important to understand how both Haru and Rin frame their perceptions of time is because it plays right into what Haru is saying during their argument. He is frustrated with Rin because Rin doesn’t understand the way Haru thinks/lives moment-to-moment (he yells as much in this fight) and he is tired of hearing people for years try and push him into long-term thinking about his future when he doesn’t naturally approach life that way. Think back to one of the first things Haru said in S1: 

“When you're ten, they call you a prodigy. When you're fifteen, they call you a genius. Once you hit twenty, you're just an ordinary person. About three years until I'm ordinary. Man... I can't wait to be ordinary.”

Because of Haru’s swimming abilities, people have looked at him as a prodigy and have had their own visions about his potential or his future ever since he was young. Even if it seems like flattery, Haru feels boxed in by all of this. Being considered a prodigy comes with expectations that put him on a pedestal he never asked to be placed on -- if he’s going to swim, he’s expected to swim well; if he swims well, he’s expected to capitalize on his abilities in a competitive manner or expand his horizons to other forms of swimming; if he’s going to live his life tied to the water, people view him as a swimmer before they view him as anything/anyone else. Haru has been frustrated with all of this since he was younger (as expressed in S1), but it gets even worse as people close in on Haru from all sides with advice and sentiments that compound in Haru’s head as belonging to the echo chamber he hates so much. 

So... what does this all mean in relevance to Haru saying he doesn’t have a dream or a future? Here’s my line of thinking: all of the internalized frustration Haru has with long-term thinkers (from his perspective) speaking over him and not taking time to understand his in-the-moment intuition-led mindset comes out in this line. What Haru is trying to say is that he doesn’t have a detailed long-term plan because he isn’t a romantic visionary like Rin. He wants to stick with his relatively free lifestyle (y’know, the one where he can do what he wants, but still ultimately sticks to a routine) because he sees no point in forcing himself to put effort into big changes if 1) he’s satisfied and 2) the system isn’t broken.*

*we learn later, especially through Haru and Makoto’s later fight, that these two points are up for debate, but this is what Haru has convinced himself to believe at the time of this specific confrontation.

However, with the way Haru vocalizes this frustration, it is vague enough that Rin and the others hear something much different. It’s written right on their faces. Like I mentioned earlier, being a long-term thinker prone to catastrophizing, Rin interprets (and possibly misconstrues) Haru’s words to mean that he doesn’t think he has the potential or abilities to strive for something. Rin feels Haru’s words like a punch to the gut because he relates Haru’s hopelessness to the times he has felt lost and hopeless, like when defeat after defeat led to him breaking down after his middle school race with Haru. It’s shocking and it stings for Rin to hear, because as much as he’s learned to believe in himself and his own future, he’s also held onto those dreams and hope for his friends. I’ll admit, his dedication and borderline obsession with swimming lends to him mostly vocalizing the dreams he has for his friends that are related to swimming (Makoto and Haru getting scouted, Sousuke returning to swimming), but the love is still there. 

The idea of long-term vs short-term thinkers I’ve presented isn’t completely dichotomous or black-and-white, even though Haru and Rin tend to fall on the far opposite sides of the proposed spectrum. So, where does someone like Makoto fall? 

Makoto is an interesting case. From how I’ve come to understand his character, I would say he also looks to the future, albeit in less idealistic or extreme ways than Rin. Makoto’s forward line of thinking presents itself through both his people-pleasing tendencies and his caring disposition. When Makoto interacts with people, he is often observant and calculating, trying to figure out how he can navigate a conversation in the most complimentary or polite manner. This ability and tendency to understand/empathize with others ties into a lot of the roles he takes on: team captain, big brother, part-time position as a swim coach, full-time position as Haru’s impulse control... he is inclined to think about the future and all of the possible consequences for his actions. This also ties into some of the other things we know Makoto’s character for, such as being a scaredy-cat (aka, someone who overthinks consequences in fear of the unknown) and a ray of sunshine (aka, someone who wants to see the best in people and holds onto optimism/hope for the people he loves, even if it sometimes means not saving enough for himself and his own abilities). 

Despite being more of a forward-thinker, Makoto has definitely been influenced by his close relationship with Haru. Makoto has spent most of his life observing and learning how to read Haru, and it has been shown time and time again that Makoto is one of the people (if not, the person) that understands Haru best. He understands that Haru values the freedom of choice and harbors a desire for unconditional appreciation. He understands that Haru puts stock in consistency/reliability and needs time and space to process or reflect when life deviates from that carefully-crafted norm. Makoto’s actions towards Haru over the years all reflect him trying to be respectful of these observations. Even when he can tell something is bothering Haru, Makoto tries to let Haru work it out on his own first, not prodding him for information but letting his presence/support be known all the same. I digress, being best friends, their lives and routines are tightly woven together. Because of this, Makoto spends a lot of time also living in-the-moment with Haru -- he is a large proponent in Haru’s “free” lifestyle. 

Since Makoto has a foot in both Haru and Rin’s respective worlds, how does he interpret Haru’s declaration that he doesn’t have a dream or a future? Surely, since he understands Haru and his position so well and has always been respectful of his mindset/wishes, he gets what Haru is trying to say... right? 

Unfortunately for Haru (or fortunately, depending on who you ask), Makoto is immediately concerned by those words in a way similar to Rin. Like I mentioned earlier, Makoto holds deep optimism and hope in his chest for all of the people he cares about. Even though he never forced lofty expectations onto Haru to swim or be anything other than himself, he still holds so much care and hope for his best friend. For Makoto to hear that Haru might not have that faith in himself or the belief that he is worth a bright future, it breaks his heart. Similar to Rin, he is probably thinking back to his own moments of hopelessness, and I can’t help but think back to the lost and scared Makoto fighting with himself during the middle school days. When entering middle school, Makoto struggles with his identity, trying to figure out just how dependent he is on Haru’s friendship. One of his darkest moments in my mind comes from Chapter 8 of the High Speed! 2 novel, when Makoto is beating himself up especially hard after being frozen by his fear of the ocean yet again. Haru finds Makoto alone on a secluded part of the shore, where he says this:

“Will I be alright even if Haru isn’t here? …..I wanted to make sure of that.”

Raising his eyebrows, he shows a lonely smile. Makoto was fighting all along. He was suffering, all along. In a place where Haruka’s thoughts couldn’t possibly reach... 

“Would Haru be alright even if I weren’t here?”

If Makoto’s internal struggles throughout their middle school days reveal anything, it is that Makoto has experienced a hopelessness that he wouldn’t ever wish on his friends. To think that Haru might now be at war with himself in a way that makes him question his own place in the world, his future... it is the ultimate catalyst for Makoto to step in and try to talk to Haru. Sadly, we all remember how that confrontation went...

ENTER: THE FIREWORKS FIGHT (S2E11)

(Since this post is already super long, I might go more into my thoughts on how this all plays into the misunderstandings about the fireworks fight in a separate post. We’ve talked about the fight at length on multiple occasions and you can definitely find my thoughts on the matter if you look under the “#fireworks angst night” or “#meta” tags on my profile.)

If you’ve made it this far into the post, thanks for sticking with me. I’d love to hear about how you interpreted Haru’s words or how you think the others took in his breakdown.