#and they put the tap to pay right on top of the chip reader/swipe

[girlbob-boypants]

Getting new hardware and software makes it incredibly clear that the people who design technology hate people who use it

[nickgerlich]

Last Time

They say you never forget your first time. But what about the last time?

It’s Sunday, and as I like to do, I’m veering outside of my normal lane to ponder something that’s not in the news, yet as much a part of everyone’s life as anything. Put on your thinking caps, kick back, and stroll with me down Memory Lane.

The longer you live, the longer the list becomes of the things you have done for the last time. But in all likelihood, you did not know at the time that it would be your last time. I know. There are somber instances in which we might be with loved ones on death’s doorstep. There are those occasions when we vacate a residence and say farewell to it. For the most part, though, we do things unknowing that it is indeed the last time.

For example, have any of you even used a payphone? Maybe you will never have a first time, much less a last time. But I am old enough to have dropped many a dime, and then later a quarter, into the slot to make a phone call, basically a mobile call without a truly mobile device. Finding an operating payphone these days is exceedingly difficult.

Or how about the last time you used a VHS cassette? Audio cassette? And for people of my age, 8-track tape? I won’t add vinyl, because they have enjoyed a resurgence, a rarity these days, but little different from the surge in film photography as well. My records and old cameras have new life, but those are few and far between.

And what about those plastic cards in your billfold? I remember when a retailer or gas station attendant had to use one of those clunky card swipers that made a loud “ka-chunk” sound when you ran the swiper over it, effectively making an imprint of your raised-letter card. Oh, but that was after they looked through a frequently published book of bad credit card numbers to make sure yours did not appear there.

Then we graduated to cards with magnetic stripes on the back. How many of you had some of these? And do you remember the last time you actually swiped a card through a mag reader? That’s not that long ago, because it has only been a few years since the arrival of chip cards, which we insert and wait for the prompt.Even that’s old, though. I was reminded of that now-dying technology at the gas pump in Winslow Arizona, where I found myself looking for the tap symbol somewhere, only to discover they had not upgraded their pumps yet. We tap for everything these days, right?

Do any of you have a checkbook? I still do, but I often go three months between writing any. Between online bill pays, Venmo, Zelle, and other options, I just don’t have much need to write a check. And I will be honest in saying that I am happy those days are more or less over, because there was nothing worse than having to wait at the grocery for some little old lady with shaky hands to write out her check. You could watch Oppenheimer and she still wouldn’t be done.

I could go on. Air Fryer instead of a convection oven. Streaming over cable. Automatic transmission over manual (oooh, that’s an old one!). PDFs and scans over faxing. Hotel reservations on an app versus on the computer, or—shudder—by phone. Googling over card catalog. Smart home versus dumb home. Smart TV over dumb TV. Renting music on Spotify instead of buying CDs (it has been more than a decade for me). AI instead of writing it yourself. The list could go on for days, and were my father alive, he could tell you about the last time he punched a hole in the lid of a beer can with a church key, because pop tops had not been invented yet.

My point is simple: Technology continues its maddening rush to the future, constantly upsetting the apple cart, kind of like Apple just did last week when it announced Apple Intelligence, effectively rebranding everything we had learned in the last 19 months. Name it, claim it. Sorry, Siri, there’s a new kid in town. And that’s a blog for another time.

Have some fun with this. Take stock of where you are now, and how your life has changed as new innovations and technologies have been introduced. Think about the things that somehow faded into the rear view without you even realizing it at the time. I bet your list is long, even if you are only a third of my age. And it is just going to get longer.

Yes, you really do never forget the first time you did something, but I am betting that as you age, the nostalgia gene will take over and you will spend more time reminiscing about the old days. You might not recall the actual “last” time, but you’ll recall how life was for all the times.

It’s a great time to be alive. Make the most of it, and savor both the firsts and the lasts alike.

Dr “Reeling In The Years” Gerlich

Audio Blog

[saturatedboy]

Greetings! it is me again

im here for another request for m'lady donna

Could you do Mafia Donna x Mafia Reader

Enemies to lovers please ( ╹ v ╹ )

Donna Beneviento x GN!Mafia!Reader

Words: 6k

Warnings: Mentions of death, gore and violence

Requests: Open

Smoke drifted into the crisp cold air as the clouds overhead began to turn into a darker grey, carrying the weight of all their pent-up water. The breeze had turned against the sky, picking up speed as time went on. “Seems to be a stormy night tonight boss,” A croaked voice spoke out, putting out their lit cigar as they scraped it alongside the cobbled wall that they were leaning on.

With an audible sniff and eyes turning upwards, a smile was drawn upon your lips. “Seems so. However, don’t let the simple trickle of water make you forget your place. We are doing this tonight, rain or no rain. I can’t have any more fuckups you hear me?” The other cowered down a little, turning their head to face the other way down towards the open entrance of the alleyway that both of you were hiding in.

“Yes boss,”

“Good, now get the horse and cart ready, we have an order to deliver.” soft noises of the worker footsteps travelled down the alleyway, echoing with each step. Once out and turned, you shook your head and pulled fingers through your hair. The slight texture of grease made you sigh, disappointed at the fact your hair wasn’t as soft as it had been in previous days. “I need a shower,” you moaned, glancing up as you felt the first drop of water touches your skin and slide down. The feeling of its coldness made you groan, pulling your hands away from your hair onto your shoulders where the hood to your poncho over your head keeping you dry from any further water droplets. Once you made sure it was secured, you began to set trail off down the same way your partner had travelled, down the alleyway and made a sharp right as you entered back onto the streets of the village. Although it was bustling with life, you found not many people had travelled down the small areas of darkened light between houses. So instead, you and your team began to meet up there to discuss matters upon next delivers.

Keeping your head low, you walked down the dirt pathways, only to look up when the noises of soft neighing could be heard. A horse stood tall; its brown of its body being sploshed with bits of dirt along with the odd leaf in its mane. Smiling at the beautiful creature, you ran your fingers through its mane, starting with the top of its head and working your way down, picking the fallen leaves out and throwing them onto the ground. Beng caught up in pleasing the horse, a sudden tap of your shoulder made you turn and huff. “What.” You spoke, the word coming out as a demand rather than a question. Another partner of yours looked at you, rubbing the back of their head sheepishly as they cracked a long-side smile.

“Time to get going, everything is ready.” Nodding, you looked back at the horse one more time and placed a soft kiss upon its mussel, cooing as you stared into its black eyes.

“Aren’t you just magnificent.” You whispered, giving one last stroke through its mane before you walked away, letting your hand wonder over the side of its rather plump body. The horse whimpered under your touch, missing the feeling of your warmth soothing its headache from staying up all day since the crack of sunlight.

You stopped just behind the horse, grabbing hold of your partners hand as they pulled you up upon a wooden cart that had the edges as benches and the middle being filled with bags. Waiting for the rest of your team to climb on, you fiddled with your dirt and cracked nails letting your mind wander. Everything had changed after the disappearance of Mother Miranda. People had no one to worship so instead a vote for mayor had been decided as the village needed someone to keep everyone in shape. Although the Lords and Ladies still existed, no one had really known much of them as it sometimes felt like they too had disappeared. ‘Fools’ you spoke within your mind, leaning back against the wooden rest as you relaxed your body slightly, opening your legs taking up much space since a small of your group would be coming with you for this delivery.

Soon once everyone was settled, the cart began to move with the horse towing it. As the journey had begun, you checked in on everyone in your team making sure that they were okay and that any sort of fuck up they make, you would handle it appropriately- not like they really made ay fuckups; a generous pay drop would be the worst thing you could do to them. Back to your thinking, you smirked as a sudden image crossed your mind.

The fair and sweet Lady Beneviento.

Oh, was she a kicker to your reputation amongst the vast of villages. Although not many knew this, but their ‘oh so wonderful’ Lords and Ladies hadn’t actually disappeared. They just worked in more secretive jobs, like you. Now, being a contraband giver was more of an illegal crime now that the mayor had placed down laws but what's the fun in following when breaking them gave you such more of an experience to be truly alive. Now, knowing the whole area, you had knowledge of where the Lords and Ladies were hiding away and doing their own nasty deeds.

When you first got into business by delivering the ‘secret bags’ as the Duke would sell them to their buyers, you had stumbled across The Lord Heisenberg being someone you were delivering to. It didn’t come to any shocker that you and him got along almost instantly. The dynamics of your relationship with the fourth Lord was nothing more than a buddy to see very now and again- it was your listening skills that got him to like you on a mutual level.

In the past 3 years, you had stumbled across what the other lord and Ladies were doing. Lord Moreau would ask for you to deliver DVD’s that he could watch, Lady Dimitrescu would ask you to deliver your services to her to help out with her three daughters and lastly, Lady Beneviento. She has never asked you for such things. She was quite secretive in the past, keeping to herself. You did expect so much her to keep that up- but you never expected to find her doing such activities like yourself.

It was a dark night that you saw her for the first time. You both had crossed paths that faithful night. You were doing a private mission of walking to Lady Dimitrescu’s castle for a ‘play date’ with her three daughters. Upon arriving, you had bumped into the Lady Beneveinto and knocked her onto the floor. The doll cradled in her arms came to life and attacked you by the legs, with small bruises, you huffed and picked up the doll, holding her out at arm reach so her long limbs of wood couldn’t hit you. The Lady on the floor stared up at you as the impact had revelled something one might describe to be ‘horrifying’ to the human eye. She had quickly began engaged with red as she stood back up and swept her veil back over her face, walking over to you and giving you a straight punch in the face just as you were trying to apologise for your mistake. The impact had you falling onto the ground, and the doll was released being brought back to its owner the doll maker. “How dare you,” She spat out, letting the doll in her arms glide above her shoulders.

You got up again and muttered a ‘sorry’ before trying to proceed past her, already knowing you were going to be a little late to the ‘play date’. However ,it seemed the doll maker had other ideas, seeing as you did reveal something she was so self-conscious about she had the doll at her shoulder swipe down at you, using a thin string to wrap your arms behind your back. The quick movements of the doll flying about had you unbalanced as you tried to keep up with the doll’s movement moving around your head. Misplacing your step, you fell back onto your knees and received a harsh blow to your face by a black shoe. With your head tilted to one side, blood running down your nose with the taste of metal between your lips, you could feel a sweep of warmth burst in your chest as your senses began to argue whenever you should try fight the Lady or scream for help. You didn’t know what to do so you kneeled in silence, waiting the next move. “I see you again I’ll make you more broken than porcelain doll that has fell of the highest shelf” Lady Beneviento had spoken, walking out with her doll back in her arms. It wasn’t till the daughters had gone searching for you that they found yourself in a bloodied state, holding back their hunger and instead getting you cleaned up. You kept the meeting between yourself and the doll maker a secret, saying that you were simply ambushed by a maid that worked at the Castle not really thinking about their lives since anyone who worker for the Lady Dimitrescu would be dead anyway.

The cart had come to a sudden stop, awaking you from your memories. Biting your lip, you could feel one of your canines scrape along- the tooth being chipped after being kicked in the face. A frown came to your face, another day doing business was not the most amusing thing you could be doing but none the less you had to get it done. A day’s worth of money was more you could ask for, being the secretive organisation that brought the outside technology and knowledge into the homes of those willing to pay large amounts for such items. Scanning the cart, watching as your team for this mission take some of the bags from the middle, you readjusted your hood on your head and jumped out after. Turning around to face the empty cart, you leaned in and collect the last of bags that were carrying such items that you didn’t know since the Duke gave no information what-so-ever, just to deliver the goods and collect the money.

“Let’s go.” You called out, walking in front of your team as you felt the water of the rain come more intensely down, matching your sudden mood. Rain was the worst of the weather; it wasn’t like you had anything to shield yourself from its droplets since your last umbrella was back at the base. Water fell off your frame, your poncho soaking it up and letting it cling to your clothes underneath. Shaking your head, you took in your surroundings. It appeared you were in a wood, maybe forest? You weren’t sure, you hadn’t exactly explored such parts since you were a child. “Charles, recite what Duke said,” You called out behind you, waiting for the other to respond.

“he said we should head Nother-West to deliver these bags. A mansion that he had spoken of should be there and we are to give the bags to the house owner.” Nodding to the words, you kept along a path that was littered with the dried leaves and dust from the dirt below. It was as though the bright colour from the grass had been taken away, leaving nothing more than distress and dust of those had become one with the ground. As you walked with your team trailing behind, the hairs on your arm shad spiked up, peaking interest at the sudden change in atmosphere. It felt as though you were being watched, maybe by the owls, maybe by the squirrel's that gazed down at your forms from the high trees- all that you knew was that you had eyes watching you and your every move. You felt mildly disturbed.

Deep breaths had calmed your nerves slightly, a silent voice in your head telling you that you were safe yet the nagging guy feeling had you on your toes, leaving our shoulders to be tensed. The quietness had been broken by one of your team mates, them speaking up in a high pitch voice. “What was that?!” Turning heads stared at him as he looked to the side, his eyes focusing on the trees that were staggered about.

“What was what.” You asked, arching a brow as you stopped walking. The man that had spoken up stayed quiet, staring at one spot until he shook his head getting rid of his thoughts.

“Nothing, let's keep moving. I thought I saw the doll moving.”

“Great he is going insane,” A woman had joked, making others around you laugh at her comment.

“Keep talking and each word you all say is a deduction of your payment. Let's go, we can’t be late.” That had shut them all up, this time you all were walking a faster pace to find the mansion, still sticking on the path hoping it led you there.

Each minute that had passed, you felt the feeling of your disgust growing. You were fine with the one doll that was laid against a tree a moment ago, the thought of a child that came through crosse our mind and they may had left it but every minute that passed and the deeper you followed the trail, the more dolls that were hanging, left and stuck to trees, branched and the floor had grown in popularity. Mentally you were no prepared for such toys, ever since the doll maker had attacked you, you had grown disgusted of the creation finding it to be a taint onto your pride to let such a dainty, yet somewhat nerve-ticking woman to beat the crap out of you. How she made the blood that circled your body become thick with hatred. “I can see the house up ahead!”

Your team and yourself had heaved the bags onto the front porch of the mansion, being wary to not knock over any plant pots that were settled amongst the rocking chairs that were soft rocking in the wind. Pulling down your drenched hood, you rolled up your sleeves of your grey dress-shirt and knocked against the door waiting for the house owner to answer. “This place is giving me the creeps,”

“You can say that again, I mean look at that doll in the window.”

“Oh gosh, it’s so large.”

“That’s one creepy ass-looking doll.”

Rolling your eyes at your employee's comments, you knocked again getting slightly impatience waiting for the owner to answer. It was hammering down with rain; the wind was picking up and not to mention you have yet to head back to base and sort through all the money this week to give out. You were a busy person; you had no time to be waiting around for-

The door had creaked open slightly, letting the small amount of light from the inside pour into line on the dark porch. “We have brought your package.” You spoke, stepping into the small amount of light in between the double doors hoping to see who the buyer was. The door creaked more open and you stepped back, taken back at the sudden appearance who you were facing.

Lady Beneveinto had stood, her veil over her face and swarmed by her feet were many small dolls, dressed and suited in different colours. You could feel your nose twitch, the sudden reminder of what she had done to you last time. You bit back a hateful comment and breathed out heavily. “Your order...ma’am.” You stepped aside so she could stare behind her veil at the bags your employees were carrying. She slowly nodded and she took a step outside to stand next to you. In a low voice she had spoken.

“Please, leave them inside by this door and you may get going.” She turned to look at you. “I’ll give your...boss their money.” Oh, you could clearly here the smile playing at her lips, the way her voice had deepened slightly when saying the last part brought your jumble of nerves to appear more. Hearing your team agreeing, you watched as each of them entered her house and left unharmed by the dolls that sat waiting patiently by the door. You did however find it humorous how each one of them had carefully stepped over them, as though they would come to life and attack them if they dared to accidently touched them. Once all bags were safely inside, they nodded at you and began to leave the porch, disappearing the further they walked as a lonesome fog had taken up the atmosphere. Soon, it was just you, Lady Beneviento and the creepy dolls. “Why so tense,” She spoke up suddenly, scaring you half-to death. Placing a hand over your fast beating heart, you looked away and pulled your hood over your head.

“Because its cold,” You weren’t going to back down to her, yeh she has creepy dolls but you have pride and dignity to not be stricken down by such a sly woman. Her laugh had caught your ears, it was eerily soft and gentle, as though she was the one nervous in this situation.

“Hm, sure. Do come in then whilst I fetch your money- if your cold you’ll warm right up.” She backed away into her home, looking back waiting for you to make your move. Looking back at the fog becoming thicker, you quickly gathered the much-needed courage to walk into her home and close the door behind you. You couldn’t lie, you almost moaned at the heat you felt surrounding your body. Seeming to approve, Lady Beneveinto began to walk away and out of your sight, leaving you with the hundreds of dolls surrounding you. Leaning against the wall by the doors, you looked down at your nails and picked at them finding comfort when doing so...

“Boo,” A voice had whispered into your ear, making you jump and grab the hunter knife that was hidden in your boots. Pointing the knife at the offender who floated above you, you scowled at the so-called-being. “Oh, I see your nose isn't bleeding. How sad, red is a pretty colour on you.”

“What do you want,” Sneering your words at the doll, it in response laughed at your facial features.

“Ya know you squint when your mad, that’s pretty cute but that isn't why I’m here. Lady Beneveinto was hurt deeply when you scared her- and I don’t like those who harm my mistress in any way.” The doll had stepped onto the wooden ground Infront of your feet. It slowly touched your left knee and watched in amusement as you tucked them under your body, being sat on your knees holding the knife out at it. “Sadly though, you work for the Duke and we can’t harm the only person being a life saviour brining the goods to us.” She smiled as you lowered your knife, a little relive that you won’t be dead within this place that you now wanted to badly leave.

Taking another step, the doll was now close to your position, looking up to see you staring down at it. “You work for a mafia, right?” It asked, it’s eyes never leaving yours.

“Maybe, though I see it much more as a bunch of individual enjoying breaking the law.” You responded, not even noticing the feeling of small hands gripping your knees gently as they lean up further to your face.

“Enjoy breaking the law hm? Too bad we can’t break your nose again-” the doll spoke, fully climbing onto your thighs ignoring your protest against it. “Your kind of fun,” it said, smiling up at you. “I’m Angie, and you are play mate?” You grimaced at the word. Playmate. It sounded weird.

“(Y/n), pleasure.” The doll giggled, jumping up and down slightly and clapping her hands.

“I have a name to a face, how fun. Playmates don’t normally get to speak their names, but you're weirdly different.” an awkward laugh erupted from your throat, you were silently hoping that the Lady would come back and save you from the doll of hers. “She hates you.” Angie said, humming slightly at your reaction. You pursed your lips into a thin line and nodded.

“I hate her to, she didn’t have to attack me and neither did you,” Angie stared at you, her smile disappearing of her face.

“You revealed her insecurity, how could you take her safety and pull it away from her.” Her posture on your lap held little aggression, yet her voice held anger. You were taken back from her change in mood, what had you done exactly?

“I don’t understand, what has she to feel insecure about?” Your question lingered between the both of you, the other dolls that you didn’t even bother to register had stood off to the side in a line watching you, hushed voices of their own talking amongst each other.

Angie turned her head slightly to look at the, you followed her gaze and a small gasp came from you. You hated dolls even more- BECAUSE THEY FUCKING MOVED AND THEY WERE MORE OF THEM! “Jeese calm down, they aren’t going to hurt you...unless you want them to-”

“No, I’m good thanks.”

“Okay goodie! Now let's talk more! You revealed her face! Everyone knows Lady Benevento hides her face for a reason. And you went ahead, pushed her and made her veil show her face to you. Of course, she hates you! I do too! Well- sort of. You’re fun!”

You sweated at Angie’s word, giving a half-smile. “Yeah, you said that earlier that I was fun. Now c’mon. She has nothing to hide, she’s pretty why would she need to hide her face? -wait I didn’t mean to say pretty she’s average, ya know? Like all females, average and cute- not cute just-”

“Shut up, please. You’re becoming less fun and more annoying.” You nodded and stayed quiet, going back to biting your bottom lip. Any further conversation between you both had been left alone. You just wanted to get your pay and go back home, to everyone in the village and to never come here again. You’ll have to talk to Duke about this.

“Apologies for waiting, I was caught up in looking at one of my finest creations all dolled up for me. And had to make sure the others had done their jobs.” Her clicking of her shoes had you pushing Angie of your thighs and as swift as a fox grabbing prey you stood up, your hood falling down and splatting against your shoulder remining you of how wet you felt around yourself.

You stared at her, looking down at her hand to see she was carrying a money bag that looked rather filled. She walked further towards you, her expression unseen to your eyes as she held the bag out for you to reach. With itching fingers, you grabbed the bag and nodded a ‘thanks.’ “We do hope to have you over again, maybe this time we can play with you.” She tilted her head, hands clasping in front of her. You gulped and didn’t reply too shocked or scared to even use your words.

“I’m going to head back now,” You whispered, turning around to face the double doors and grabbing hold of the handle. When pulling the handle, a familiar hand caught your laying over it.

“It’s quiet the storm tonight, Stay over hm? I’m sure you can stay the night.” Her voice was right beside your ear. You felt intimidated by her as her grip on your hand had soon stung as the iron handle under your grip had pushed itself up into your flesh, marking it with red.

Not answering her, she let go of you and walked away again, letting her shoes echo against the wooden floor. “Take those wet clothes of you, you’ve already started to make a pond in my house and I don’t appreciate it from the likes of a low-life like yourself. At least my dolls do high quality services and not try to strip someone of their safety.” Body freezing up, you dropped your hand to your side. You still didn’t understand why she was so mad at that- she's a Lady for Mother Miranda’s sake. She has no need to feel self-conscious about herself, in fact you didn’t even think of any questions about when you saw her face. She was somewhat...pretty you guess.

“Oi daydreamer, c’mon. I’ll show where you shall be sleeping- that is if you can even manage to sleep hehe!”

‘stupid fucking doll’ the thought of even sleeping in this house surrounded you with dread, a frown placed upon your face however it was soon wiped away when you felt Angie’s hand wrap around your own. She led you up the stairs that were on the right, pulling up and chanting that you should ‘hurry up’ like there was something chasing after you both. Once making to even the top, after slipping one time on the stairs, she unshed you to continue forward and into a room that was plain. A simple single bed with a wardrobe and rocking chair in the corner. You looked back to see Angie gone and a sigh of relief was released between your clenched jaw from holding back your tongue when it touched you. Finding yourself wandering to the bed, you stripped your poncho off and let it sit on the windowsill, opening the window a little to let cold air rush in, and after you laid back on the bed. Getting yourself comfortable you laid down against the pillows and closed your eyes, letting your hands lay upon your stomach interwind with each other. “Quicker I get to sleep, quicker morning will come,”

The feeling of something petit touching your cheek had you groaning. “What is it mum?” You mumbled out, forcing an eye lid open. Soon the tiredness within your eyes had been slapped out of exitance as you scrambled awake. Letting your body scrunch up as you laid fully back up against the head board of the bed. Sat on the other side of your bed, near the bottom, were a range of different size dolls. All of them were giggling, making you once again grabbing the hunter knife in your shoe and pointing it all at them. “Stay back!” Your throat felt slightly sore, only have woken up. The dolls all looked at each other as though they were whispering to each other, soon they had scrambled off the bed and out of the door, running past the Lady. “I see you’re all dry now,” She spoke, walking into the room with a silver tray in her hands.

You quickly let your fingers glide over yourself, finding new clothing on yourself. This time a baby blue dress-shirt accompanied with white pants. You glared up at the Lady as she placed the silver tray on the end of the bed. “You changed me whilst I slept?”

“Why yes, it took all my power to not turn you into a doll when doing so.” Her remark sent shivers down your spine, your body reacting by feeling your skin just to make sure you weren’t actually wood. Your shoulders slumped when you felt your skin, finding the meat still on and attached. “I suggest you eat up; my dolls don’t like guests that stay too long and I’m very busy today.” She left the room in long stride, having the decency to close the door behind her. Wiping a hand down your face, you leaned towards the end of the bed and grabbed the tray, gabbing it and pulling it towards your body. Upon the tray sat a plate of toast and a cup filled with water. Hearing your stomach rumble suddenly, you dug into the food which soon settled the unknown hunger. Once done, you swung your legs out of bed and placed your shoes on that were settled under the bed. Once they were slipped on, you took your partially dry poncho of the window sill and placed it over and arm- like a butler would do with a towel or a waiter.

Walking out the room, you jumped slightly back as the smaller dolls once again were running bout, each carrying different doll limbs with themselves. Waiting for them all to go past, you stepped fully out the room just to have Angie swing by quickly. “Hey there! Morning, now c’mon you can be helping hands!” She exclaimed, grabbing your hand like she did the previous night and dragging you along with her.

“B-But Lady Beneveinto said I had to le-”

“Thats because she doesn’t want you to get mixed up but oh well- now c’mon slow poke!” You could already tell Angie was trying to sit trouble between yourself and the Lady, you were so close to going back home as well. Following you complied, going through hallways and down the elevator shaft with the many dolls.

‘I hate dolls’

“Why are they here Angie,”

“They can help”

“Why would I want them to help us, we are doing fine.”

“But it’s nice to have a more interactive company”

“Angie”

“They can be of use.”

You were sat on a stool, overlooking a deceased child body that was paced on a medical table. At first glance, you had almost thrown up your breakfast into your mouth however you weren’t going to give the Lady satisfaction of getting under your skin with her wicked ways a ‘mortal can’t handle’. The body was cut open, limbs cut and replaced with wooden and iron ones. It wasn’t until you saw the sun and moon crest that had been burned into a wooden leg attached to the body that some things made sense.

‘so, she is the one that sends the so-called gifts and toys into the village.’ you thought as you placed a hand over the creates and stroked it, feeling the indents under your skin.

“Okay fine, if you want to stay then stay. Don’t touch anything you hear me?” The Lady spoke, pulling back her veil and rolling her sleeves to her black dress. You nodded and stayed in your place, staring at the body again.

‘They aren’t giving me any sort of reaction...no words spoken even.’ The Lady stared at you, feeling a little more comfortable with the situation. A small smile even broke out on her lips, eyes drooping a little as she felt a warmth claim her normally cold body. “If you could grab the screws over there on the able behind you, that would be helpful.” You turned to face her, nodding and got up out of your seat to do as told. Angie waited until you had sat down again, nodding at the teamwork you both had unknowingly fell into. Soon she left the room, leaving you both alone to work on the ‘gift’ for the children down in the village.

“So, I’m guessing these creepy things are given to the children?” You spoke up, watching as Lady Beneveinto as she weaved stitched upon the open cuts on the body.

“Yes,” she spoke out softly, tying a knot at the end of her thread and cutting it. “It’s so I can keep an eye on everyone. The dolls, I can look through their eyes and watch the world play. Mother Miranda had ordered me to do so before she left to wherever she had to go.” You listened, muscles relaxing as you watched her work.

“I’m sorry for taking your safety away, I honestly didn’t realise what I had done to do so but I believe an apology from me is the right thing.” She stopped her hands, looking up at you with a soft smile.

“My veil hides my deformed face; it hides the scar on my right side. I’ve been told by...villages when they accidently saw it that it scares them.” Her words had wiggled their way into your heart, you felt so much sympathy for her as she had been outcasted by such people. “But you didn’t scream...It was a new feeling.”

“I suppose we are all feeling new feelings. I didn’t even question your scarring, it’s a part of you. It shouldn’t make you different.”

“For someone who does illegal crimes, your oddly nice.” You chuckled at her, sending a smile of your own her way whilst a soft heat took over your ears.

“Many people are within the business; we just are hidden from the society we are forced to grow up in.” Your words hung into the air; the conversation cut off as Angie came flying in screaming as a fox chased after her.

“Angie!” Lady Beneveinto had shouted, grabbing her and bringing her close to her chest as the fox clawed at her leg. Getting your hunters knife at, you jumped at Lady Beneveinto and made a clean cut through the fox, blood splatting onto the floor. The heavy breathing of Angie was only heard now, Lady Beneviento to shocked to even say a word whilst you stood above the now dead fox, hand dripping in blood a little. ”Like I said...your oddly nice.”

A total of a week had passed after that day, Angie was house bound for at least another week after she had brought in the fox chasing her. Within that time, you and Donna (as you found out), had settled differences and began acquaintance with one another. Whenever you didn’t have an order to give out from the Duke, you would visit her to join her and Angie for a tea party or to just help around the mansion. Her company was far more peaceful than you would expect, she had slowly started to greet you without her veil over her face and instead a warm smile is what you would see when she answered her doors.

Weeks had turned to months, and months had turned to years. You were still a successful business runner for contraband, still not caught by Mother Miranda as she had returned from wherever she had gone off to. Life was running smoothly, you felt safe when at Donna’s house, the dolls somewhat warming up to your presence and not giving you so much of a creepy vibe.

On this particular day, you were sat on the front porch in the rocking chairs with Donna, a China cup in both your hands. “How has the selling been Donna?” You asked, sipping upon the herb tea feeling your body settle in comfort. Donna shifted in her chair, looking over at you on her left side.

“I’ve heard so much gossip lately so you better be careful out there. They are starting to get suspicious of your recent buyers, the blacksmith in particular. Apparently, he left a ‘television’ out in his workshop and the sewers wife with her child by her side was suspicious. Luckily, he lied and spoke that it was a random object he created.”

You chuckled and leaned over, resting your hand on her knee. “You worrying about me? Isn’t that sweet.” you teased, only fake pouting when she slapped your hand playfully.

“Oh yes, I worry about you a lot. So much I’m scared one day I may not kiss you being alive.”

Time stopped, her words replaying in your mind. “You...want to kiss me?”

“Well yes, isn’t it obvious I have taken a liking towards you?” Her forwardness had you blushing deeply, your whole face, neck and ears covered by the red. You opened and closed your mouth like a cod fish, making her sigh and lean over this time to meet your face in the middle. Using her free hand, she cupped your cheek and forcefully pulled you into a soft kiss. Her lips moved in sync with your, yours reacting to the feeling of both love and affection almost immediately. The moment was blissful, you enjoying the feeling of her being closer than ever to you.

Until you dropped your China cup upon being to focus on the kiss- making a perfect memory for your first ever kiss with your future wife.

[asphalt-cocktail]

Kinkmas Prompt #8: Voyeurism

If you are considered a minor do NOT interact with this post. This is fictitious content and I own nothing. A/N: Hi cuties! The next installment of Kinkmas, I know i promised these would be done by New Years day, but it’s just not going to happen tbh. BUT I will complete them. I’ll be recovering from my hangover tomorrow so I’ll be able to write almost all day. Anyways, enjoy some good old fashioned hate fucking from 80s!Roger, you already know he’s my favorite.

If you would like to request a prompt and character yourself please reference my Kinkmas masterpost.

Pairing: Roger Taylor x F!Reader

Word Count: 2.9k

Warnings: Smut, fingering, public sex, fr its super public, alcohol and cigarettes, slut shaming, dirty talk, Roger and reader being dicks to each other, what’s up with me and enemies to lovers?? What can i say, i love the fic. not proof read.

Kinkmas 2019 Masterlist

General Masterlist

Asks

If you are considered a minor do NOT interact with this post. This is fictitious content and I own nothing.

Touring with Queen as an up and coming rock and roll band was honestly everything you had ever hoped for and more. With them having been established and a world-wide success for roughly a decade, they could have easily ignored you and your band, but they took you in with open arms. They mentored your troupe and made you all feel included.

Well, most of them did at least.

There was one that just couldn’t seem to stand your antics.

Roger Taylor.

You didn’t know where you had gotten off on the wrong foot, maybe it was when your guitarist accidentally shattered all the hotel room windows, or when your bassist got punched in the face by a guard after starting an argument mid show, or maybe it was when your drummer was arrested for being too drunk in public and passing out outside of the club you were at. Either way, he could not stand your careless and stubborn attitudes.

Tonight, the post show ritual was like any other. You quickly changed from your show clothes into something suitable for the after party and tried to quickly clean some of the sweat from your body before you headed over to back to the hotel.

Because of the success of Queen, they could afford to rent out the penthouse suite on the top floor, while you and your bandmates crammed into two hotel rooms. It didn’t bother you though, you often found yourself waking up on their living room floor at some weird time and dragging yourself back to your hotel room.

As you approached the room to their suite, you could practically hear the shouting and music through the door, you pushed it open and let yourself in. Your senses were overwhelmed by the different smells mixing together, sweat, alcohol, cigarettes, filled your nostrils. It was familiar and comforting.

You quickly lit up your own cigarette and grabbed a bottle of beer, frowning when you saw it wasn’t a twist off. You looked around before your eyes settled on the counter in the kitchenette, you walked over carefully lining up the edge of the cap on the counter and hitting your hand against it, successfully popping it off. “Can’t use a bottle opener like a normal person?” You turned, to see Roger leaning back against a wall, brooding.

“I didn’t break anything.” You said back, furrowing your brows with frustration.

Roger rolled his eyes, “You chipped the bloody counter, I saw it.” He chastised

You flicked your cigarette ash at him, “Piss off,” You spat back at him, before taking an angry drink of your beer.

“We’ll mail you the bill.” He said, stuffing his hand in his pockets.

He wasn’t right, you did chip the counter. But did you care? No, not in the least bit because the night was just getting started and a little chip on the counter was nothing compared to what the night could potentially have in store.

“What’s the cause?” you asked, tapping a finger to your lip in a mocking manor “I hope its for you to finally get a better haircut, can’t stand looking at the god-awful mullet. Makes you look way older than you already do…”

Oh, that did it, his cheeks flared red and you swore if this was a cartoon, steam would have blown from his ears. He sputtered out a few incoherent words before he clenched his jaw, stomping off.

The more the alcohol flowed the more you found yourself loosening up, dancing and swaying your hips along with the music and even occasionally grinding on a groupie that had found her way in Queen’s suite.

You let out a loud burst of laughter when one of the scantily dressed girls bumped into you, causing you to spill your glass all over yourself and the floor, you turned to see Roger frowning and shaking his head across the room, despite him wearing those stupid dark sunglasses you knew he saw you and you loved getting a rise out of him, you might even would have called it your favorite pastime. Your hand reached up to your cleavage, swiping up a droplet of alcohol from your skin and sucking it off your fingers while maintaining eye contact with the sunglasses clad Roger.

You frowned, stumbling a bit, “I’ve got to change, I’ll be back!” You said to the nameless girl who was swallowed by the crowd as soon as you left.

You ran into Freddie who looked down at the dark stain on your tee shirt “What happened to you?” He asked, wrapping a friendly arm around your waist and pulling you against his side.

“Some girl bumped into me!” You said holding up your half empty drink, “Can I borrow a top dear?” You asked leaning onto his shoulder.

Freddie rubbed your shoulder and gripped your hand “Of course, love, let’s go.” He said pulling you off into one of the closed bedrooms. He rummaged through one of his many suitcases, “Roger’s been pissing and moaning all night.” He said shooting you a knowing grin, “Because you called him old and said his haircut was god-awful.”

You tried to bite back a smile, “I wanted to get a rise out of him, you know I love to piss him off.” You answered honestly.

Freddie threw you a button-down shirt, you quickly slipped it on frowning when the buttons didn’t touch.

Curse Freddie and his stylishly tight shirts.

You shrugged opting to leave it open, “Just watch yourself, you don’t want to get him too riled up.” Freddie warned as you exited his room.

You grabbed another cigarette, sticking it between your lips and lighting it as you wandered over to the table with all the alcohol on it, quickly making yourself a heavily mixed drink. You sipped it as the crowd swallowed you, bodies pressed against you as you turned and swayed your hips to the music, you soon felt small hands gripping your hips and rubbing up the sides of your torso as you swayed against them. You turned seeing the girl that had bumped into you earlier. You grinned, gripping her hands and keeping them placed on your hips as you began to grind against her. Her hands slipped from your grip and lightly trailed up your waste, tracing the band of your bra with her delicately decorated fingernails.

You shivered against her touch and leaned back, burying your face into her neck and sighing against her soft skin. You briefly looked away, locking eyes with Roger from across the room. Even at a distance you could tell his eyebrows were furrowed, still bothered by your comment from earlier. He was clearly not paying attention to Brian who was seated next to him and talking.

The groupie pulled your hair back and her mouth lightly ghosting over your neck as you let out a breathy sigh. You turned, glancing sideways at Roger and cupping the girl’s face, placing a soft sensual kiss on her lips. Your mouths lightly touched, and she laced her fingers in your hair, pulling you closer against her. You two kissed only for a brief moment before you pulled away, finding yourself breathless “I’ll be back.” You said swallowing thickly, feeling her lingering touch as you made your way to the bathroom.

You just needed to freshen up, your skin felt excruciatingly hot and your panties began to dampen from the girl’s soft touches. You tugged on the handle to the bathroom door, only for it to be pulled from your grasp, you looked up to see Roger. How had he made it here before you?

Maybe your brief kiss wasn’t as brief as you thought.

He scoffed, looking down at you, not moving, “Surprised you aren’t running off with that girl, slut.” He harshly said.

You crossed your arms over your chest, “Not like you wouldn’t have done the same thing,” You moved to push past Roger, but his body filled the frame, “It’s kind of nice though, all those fake moans wake me up so I don’t have to see the painful interaction when those tramps do the walk of shame.” Roger looked taken back and his mouth hung slightly ajar with shock, “Surprised you can even get it up, you’re so old you know.” You continued, sensing the anger bubbling within the blonde-haired man.

His jaw clenched with frustration, “You should have really just forgone the shirt tonight, love,” his tone sent a shiver down you’re your spine, “Lord knows it winds up coming off when you drink anyways.” When you didn’t respond, he boldly took a step closer to you, “What, no smart remark?” He asked, watching you step back, you back hitting the wall behind you.

When did this hallway get so small?

Sweat began to prick the back of your neck as your heart began to race, you looked up at him and locked eyes with his intense gaze, “I can’t fucking stand you.” you tried to sound confident, but your voice failed you.

Roger’s face fell into a mocking frown “Aw, what’s wrong, has the kitten lost her bite?” He mocked and stepped closer towards you, closing the distance between the two of you.

Your hands splayed against the cheaply painted wall as you averted your gaze, your thighs clenching together at his words, “I-I can’t fucking stand you,” Your voice not hiding the arousal you were feeling while cornered.

Roger smirked, “You like this, don’t you?” He asked, pushing his knee between your legs and putting his hands on either side of your head “Bet it’s getting you off, isn’t it?” His hand lightly brushed against the exposed skin around your neck and shoulders, massaging it in his rough hands. Your mouth hung open and you let out a shuttering breath, “You’re fucking filthy, aren’t you?” He chastised as his hand covered your throat, keeping it there just to tease you.

You whimpered against his hand, shifting the weight of your legs in hopes of some form of friction. You opened your mouth but found yourself unable to speak. Roger’s grip tightened around your neck, causing your jaw to fall open and a stuttering moan to fall from your lips. He released his grip and watched as you let out gasping breaths, your eyes rapidly blinking in an attempt to focus once more.

His smirk widened as he felt you slowly rubbing your self against his leg, desperately trying to relieve some of the tension that had begun to build between your legs before once again squeezing your throat. You gasped against the pressure, feeling your throat constricting as you struggled to inhale. Your eyes fluttered shut and pressed harder against his thigh, his free hand came up and stilled your hips, pushing them against the wall. Your mind began to feel fuzzy from the lack of oxygen, you reached up tapping at his hand.

Roger quickly released, rubbing the sides of your throat as your legs wobbled while you gasped, sucking in the air your lungs were deprived of. You looked up at Roger, blinking to clear your hazy vision and saw his stern face looking down at you, almost in judgement, “You think you can get off after the shit you’ve put us through on tour?” He asked, his hand now moving to the side of your face, squeezing your cheeks together and forcing you to look at him.

“Please,” You whimpered through your forcibly puckered lips.

Roger dramatically rolled his eyes “Please?” He scoffed at your request, “If you’re going to act like a slut, I’m going to treat you like one.” He said letting go of your face and stepping back, “Turn around” He said pushing your shoulders.

You shivered with excitement and turned around. He immediately pressed you against the wall, pulling your hips flush against him, “I’m going to fuck you right in this hallway,” He said, slipping his fingers down the front of your pants, harshly rubbing against your clit, “Christ, your soaked.” He said, his fingers easily moving between your slick folds. Your hands desperately pressed against the wall, clawing at it as you whimpered while his fingers worked you.

You spread your legs and pushed against his hand, desperately chasing your release “Rog, please” You gasped.

“Please what?” He taunted you with his words as his fingers slowed down, now lazily rubbing your swollen clit.

“Fuck me,” You whined.

Roger pulled his hands from your pants and toyed with the waistband of your pants “Fuck you where? Here in this hall, where everyone can see how much of a filthy girl you are?” He asked.

“Yes,” you jumped, feeling him roughly pulling your pants and underwear down, exposing your ass and wet cunt to him.

“No,” He sharply said, “Say. It.” His words were harsh and purposefully articulated.

Your walls clenched at his demanding tone before you swallowed your pride, “I…I want you to fuck me,” You breath hitched in your throat, feeling his rough hands rubbing against the globes of your ass, “Fuck, I want you to fuck me in the hallway.” You tightly balled your fists.

His hand harshly came down, smacking your ass, you jumped and pushed back against his hand, preening into his touch, “Why?” He pressed, spreading your cheeks apart and teasingly running his hard on between your folds.

You hissed and arched your back, pressing against him in hopes that he would finally fuck you, “Because I’m a slut.” You finally answered, swallowing your pride down and submitting to him.

Roger hummed in content “There, you go,” He softly cooed, “Feels good to finally say it, doesn’t it?” He asked, finally pressing into your slick folds.

Your back arched against his touch, as his hips harshly snapped against yours “Oh god,” You gasped out “Yes, feels good.” You whined, pressing your hands against the wall, clawing at it in desperate need to hold on to something.

“Come on, let those pretty sounds out,” He hissed, letting you fall forward as he securely held you, “I want this who fucking party to know you’re a little slut.”

. Your breasts bounced with his thrusts, spilling out of your bra. You turned and looked down the hall, seeing people unknowingly waking past. Your mouth hung open as he rutted into you, his jaw tightly clenched as he grunted with his thrusts, “I’m a slut,” You sobbed out with pleasure.

Roger’s free hand came down and slapped your ass loudly, “Yeah, who’s fucking you right now- go on tell them.” He said nodding towards the light at the end of the hall.

“R-Roger” You sputtered out weakly. His hand came down harder on your cheek, “Fuck, Rog, your cock feels so good inside me.” You cried loudly.

“You like knowing that slut from earlier can see you getting fucked out here?” He grunted, your arms felt tight and sore as they stretched out, bracing you against the wall once more. His now free hands reached down, rubbing harsh, messy, circles around your clit.

“I want her to see,” The words spilled out of your mouth without a thought, the filter between your brain and mouth now gone.

Roger’s hips harshly snapped against yours, “You’re filthy, you know that?” he said, pinching your swollen clit and rolling it between his fingers, “Fucking filthy, wanting everyone to see you like this.”

You hissed at the delicious burn between your legs and your walls fluttered around Roger’s cock. The thought of anyone walking in and seeing the two of you was pushing you dangerously close to the edge, “’M close,” You whimpered, pushing yourself back and meeting his thrusts.

Your body sloppily shifted as he reached down pulling your arms away from the wall and turning you so you could face down the entrance of the hallway, the light reflecting off the sweat that had begun to speckle your forehead. Your shoulders burned as Roger slammed you back against his hips, tightly holding your wrists in his hands. Your back arched as he hit that spot inside you that caused the string of tension in your belly to ware thinner and thinner, “R-Rog,” You gasped, squeezing your eyes shut.

Roger jerked your arms roughly, “Keep them open, I want you to see everyone that walks past here.” He clenched his jaw, his thrusts faltering and losing their rhythm. He was close as well.

Your mouth hung ajar as a string of whiney gasps passed through your lips while you struggled to keep your eyes open. Several people walked past, glancing, quickly averting their gaze, and shuffling past; their mumbled apologies going from one ear and right out the other as the two of you lost yourselves in pleasure.  With one last sharp thrust, Roger had you coming undone. Your walls pulsated around him, the pressure causing him to reach his own release. He quickly pulled out, releasing hot spurts of come on your back.

Your legs shook and threatened to buckle as you gasped, coming down from your high, “Christ, Roger you’re room is less than three meters away, you could have gone in there?” You recognized the voice but averted your gaze, maintaining your bent over position.

Roger let your arms fall limply to your sides, the muscles in your shoulders aching from how he held you “Don’t worry, we’re finishing up in there, Bri.” Roger said tucking himself back into his pants. You slowly sat up right, rubbing your sore back and caught Roger’s gaze “Don’t bother fixing yourself, you’re just going to take it off.” He said while opening the door to his bedroom. You shivered with anticipation, he wasn’t done with you yet?

[lokishornns]

Make a Wish [2]

—

masterlist

—

— send requests!!

pairing: loki x reader (fem)

type: series, some humor?

rating: pg13

word count: 4,419

warnings: cursing? probably. occasional mentions of being killed. loki being annoyingly arrogant

summary:  You’re a new employee for the Make a Wish foundation, struggling to make a living in the ever expensive New York City. When your boss - who, for the record, hates your guts - assigns an impossible task as a way to get you fired, you do everything in your power to make a kid happy. Even if that does include getting face to face with the most hated man in the city.

notes: im actually dead but i managed to crank this out, so hopefully, this does well. also, a huge thanks to @lady-loki-ren for being a saving grace for this chapter!

send requests

—

“So, this kid wants to meet Reindeer Games?” Tony asks and you hum in acknowledgment.

“Yeah, not sure why, but I don’t really think it matters too much,” you shrug, eyeing the billionaire from the back.

In all honesty, he’s not super impressive. His presence is intimidating and practically terrifying, but presence set aside – he almost seems normal. He’s on the shorter side and his hair is starting to grey – from stress or age, you couldn’t really tell. His skin, however, is smooth as hell and you wonder what products he uses to get his skin like that.

Tony turns into a random room that’s shrouded in darkness and smells far too similar to a hospital. You glance around in the darkness, hoping to catch sight of everything, but you can only make out a few computer monitors. Tony goes to one, turning it on, the light piercing through the darkness.

“Unfortunately, Reindeer Games is hard to contact, but if I piss him off enough, he’ll answer,” Tony says, and you crack a bewildered smile at his words. They almost seem like teenage enemies.

Tony begins to type in some random credentials that you probably shouldn’t know or even be around to witness him doing it, but he doesn’t seem to mind, so you watch as he pulls up some sort of program, typing in what you could only decipher as code. He leans back in the chair, his fingers now interlaced and placed over his chest.

“What do we do now?” you ask, peering at the screen, unable to make out any of what Tony had just done.

“Give it a minute, Loki does not really care for the ever-pressing concept of time,” Tony explains as you nod. You resort to leaning back against a metal table, the edge biting into your skin in the slightest.

Time passes slowly in the room and the awkward silence seems to make everything significantly worse. On top of that, your stomach growls loudly, startling yourself and Tony.

I would kill for a piece of bread, you think, or maybe some hot chocolate.

“When was the last time you ate, kid?” Tony asks and you’re surprised at the amount of concern you detect in his voice.

“Uh, maybe last night? I’m not entirely sure,” you say, sheepishly.

“Well, we can’t have you starving, can we?” Tony says, springing up from his seat, then instantly regrets it. You watch as he sways in the slightest, his hand going to cradle his head. “There’s a price you pay for being a near-alcoholic,” he mumbles before regaining his composure and striding out of the room in his ‘Stark’ glory.

You’re not sure if you should follow, but you aren’t in the mood for being in an abandoned room that houses the only communication to the most villainous person in New York City, so you scramble after him, your feet almost tripping over themselves.

You soon reach what could only be described as a massive kitchen. There are white, polished wooden cabinets that are on almost every wall – save for the one wall that is purely windows – and around four or five ovens are pushed into one section of the kitchen. Drawers litter the kitchen and it’s hard to miss the impeccable stainless-steel sink that seems to be as big as your bathroom in your apartment. Your eyes land on two massive fridges that you initially thought were doors leading into the many rooms in this monstrosity of a tower.

“Whaddya want? We have pasta, some leftover beef roast, some pop-tarts; really anything you want,” he says, and you glance back at the massive room, surveying the large granite countertops and the grey backsplash.

“Whatever is fine, I don’t want to impose more than I already have,” you mumble and from what you can tell with his sunglasses on, Tony rolls his eyes in the slightest.

“Please. You know what, Bucky’s been annoying me lately; let’s just swipe some of his snacks,” Tony suggests – or more instructs – and heads over to some cabinets on the opposite side of the kitchen. He shuffles through some things before snatching up some chips and other random snacking items.

He motions for you to grab the snacks and follow him out of the kitchen, walking down the same hallway you had come from before entering the same dark room. He sets the chips and snacks on the table, grabbing a bag of chips and sitting down in his seat. You carefully pry some saltwater taffy from the pile, popping it in your mouth.

A loud beeping sound makes your heart jump and your attention is drawn to the monitor that is now flashing red and has words you can understand. Incoming call.

“Perfect timing,” Tony mumbles before hitting the enter button on the keyboard, answering the call. A loud, staticky crackling sound pierces your ears at first and you wince alongside Tony who’s practically cringing away from the sound. The crackling fades away to a light static sound before a voice comes through the monitor.

“What does my brother want now?”

You’re surprised at the voice. You had never heard Loki talk and his voice is surprisingly smooth – much smoother than Thor’s. He doesn’t sound like a villain.

“We have a special guest who is very eager to meet you!” Tony cheers with fake enthusiasm and you frown, not sure if Loki’s going to be all too happy with his enemy taunting him. But surprisingly, he bites back.

“A guest so special they came through you? How exciting!” the sarcasm drips from the monitor and you almost want to laugh before remembering that this dude terrorizes New York on a daily.

“Yes, I’m afraid so. I have someone from the Make a Wish foundation here,” Tony starts, and you hear what you presume to be a snort crackle through the speakers.

“And what does that have to do with me?” Loki asks, and before Tony can respond, you tap his shoulder gently, as if asking if you have permission to talk. He nods and you swallow thickly, your hands beginning to shake.

“There’s a little boy in a hospital right now who would love to meet you,” you pause waiting for some sort of evil comment. “He really idolizes you –”

“A terrible idea, really,” you hear Loki’s voice puncture through your sentence and a snort slips from you before you can control it. Who knew that Loki Laufeyson had humor?

“I was just wondering if somehow we could work something out for a visit? He’s in his last stages, so he doesn’t have very long,” you chew on your lip as you finish your anti-climatic speech to the literal God. You only get more nervous as the second tick on, feeling as if it’s been an eternity since you fell silent.

“This child can die happier without knowing me,” his words cut through you like a knife and before you can respond or plead for his assistance, the line goes dead and you freeze, your mouth open wide. At this point, you didn’t care about your job, but you sure as hell cared about this kid.

You groaned – loudly, staring at the now-blank screen. What were you to do now? Go back and tell this kid ‘hey Danny, what’s up, so you’re probably going to die without meeting your idol, sorry!’? You dragged a hand down your face, cursing the dumb villain that is too sure of himself and prideful to do anything for a dying kid.

Tony swivels in the chair, offering a sympathetic look towards you. You only smile weakly as reassurance before a loud clanging sounds from outside the room.

“Dammit, Bucky and Sam can’t work together to save their lives,” Tony mutters before racing out of the room to somehow stop a quarrel. You stand silently for a minute, surveying the room as your mind reels over the recent events.

Your eyes land on the keyboard, noticing a manila folder placed underneath it, as if a cheat sheet in a test. You hadn’t noticed it before so Tony must have put the folder there. You peer at the doorway, holding your breath as you wait for the Avenger to come back in, but he doesn’t, and the loud sounds are still erupting from the kitchen. You tiptoe over to the folder, gently scooting the keyboard off it. Your eyes widen a fraction when reading the name of the folder.

Laufeyson, Loki

You hesitate, your fingers tracing the small bends and creases in the folders as if it were ages old. You pry open the front, your eyes trained on the folder. In it are news reports, criminal records, and details of some of the encounters with the villain. You’re just about to shut it closed when a bright orange tab catches your attention. You flip the papers to the orange tab, shock filling you. There’s an address.

And it’s Loki’s.

You wave your goodbyes to the few Avengers, assuring that you would be able to navigate on your own, and thanking Tony and Thor for their hospitality. You actually cringe once you meet Steve’s gaze that holds a petrifying look, but you just escape into the elevator, giving an unsure smile.

You’re finally able to breathe in the elevator, your head pounding from the number of experiences you had gone through today. You had met with some of the Avengers, stole and ate snacks with Tony Stark, and contacted a Supervillain. Oh, and you also stole the address out of the file, but no worries. You may just get tracked down by a gang of superheroes and find yourself eternally imprisoned.

Why do they have his address, yet they don’t attack? You shake your head of the irrelevant thoughts. All that matters is this kid.

You meet Helda’s gaze as you step from the elevator, and somehow it makes you curl into yourself and reminds you that your clothes are still damp from the torrential downpour. You glance through the windows that are black and spotted with raindrops, your steps uneasy as you approach the doors that lead outside. You give one last look to Helda before pushing out into the rain.

You’re immediately met with burning cold rain that tears down your face and clothes, prompting you to shiver through the walk. You glance occasionally at the small post-it note that has begun to get ruined by the rain, the ink smearing slightly. You tuck it into your hands, hoping to keep it as dry as possible.

When you arrive at your intended destination, it’s well past ten and the sky has retreated its attack, only leaving a small drizzle in its place. You glance from the paper to the house, your brows furrowing. This was the right address. Loki lives in this?

It was a large, modern-style home with black doors and polished, white rock that made up the body of the building. Large, opaque windows stood ominously encasing the black doors. You gulped.

Well, Loki sure did have a flair for design apparently.

Your nerves begin to overtake you, anxiety springing through your bones like lava. Your hands are trembling, and you can’t tell if it’s from the damp clothes that are still on your back or if it’s from the prospect of coming face to face with the most feared dude in New York. You bit your lip.

You cautiously approached the door, knocking twice on the doors that now seemed much larger than when you surveyed them from across the street. You waited patiently, your eyes catching sight of a small and hidden camera in a crevice, the camera facing you. You narrowed your eyes at it before looking back to the house and knocking again. When you were once again met with only silence, you rolled your eyes, stepping up to the camera. You hoped this thing had a mic on it.

“Hey, uh,” you pause, not knowing what to say. Improv is obviously not exactly your forte. “I spoke with you over the weird communication thing with Tony. I know this is probably really weird and kind of imposing, but I really cannot have this kid let down. I am totally willing to let you kill me if it means this kid gets everything. Oh, and no Avengers are with me. Most of them didn’t seem all too happy with me anyways.” You glance back at the door, waiting a few moments for a response. You’re just about to give up when you hear a crackling sound.

“Ah, so this is the brave little girl who spoke to me on the phone. How delightful to see you for once,” you hear his smooth voice even over the crackling of an intercom and you think you’re about to pee yourself. You swallow your nerves.

“Listen, buddy, don’t think you’re slick by escaping me on the phone call earlier. I really, really just need a moment to speak with you. It won’t take long unless you’re down to let me camp out on your porch,” you call out and you sense a hesitation in his response.

“My, my, how mouthy you are. That mouth is in desperate need for discipline.” You can practically hear the smirk in his voice and your jaw drops. Did he really just insinuate that? You stand in shock, not able to process what he just said.

“I beg your pardon?” you ask incredulously.

“Oh, dear. You have much to learn,” he almost mocks and your stomach churns at the sound of his voice. You’re just about to lay one on his camera when a small chime rips your focus back to the door where it’s now swinging wide open.

You give one last look to the camera before stepping through the threshold, squinting your eyes in the darkness to make out details of the house. Two winding staircases meet at a second floor, a small table with a white orchid poised between the two of them. Further back you can see a sitting area, but for now, it mainly rests obscured from creeping eyes by darkness. You’re just about to start exploring for yourself whenever you hear footsteps approaching from above.

You glance up to find the Loki Laufeyson carelessly strutting down the stairs.

“You’re much more enticing when you’re not dripping on my floors like a wet dog,” Loki bites and you look down to see that you have indeed made a puddle around yourself and a small trail of water from the door. Your nerves hit you like a brick and suddenly you feel like fainting.

“I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to-”

“Such a submissive thing. Shielding when one hint of criticism is thrown your way,” Loki taunts and your eyes narrow at the villain, forgetting that he could very well kill you right now.

“No, I just happen to have respect for housing and nice floors,” you snap and surprisingly, Loki’s smirk is soon replaced by what seems to be an amused smile before it quickly fades.

“Are you here to plead to me about your insufferable cause?” Loki asks, making his tone very dramatically exasperated and you roll your eyes at the notion. You freeze, realizing you just rolled your eyes at a notorious criminal.

Jesus Christ, I’m such an idiot. I’m going to die. Yep. It’s been awful, bye world, you think. You manage to find your voice through all of your anxiety.

“Yes, and by the way, it’s hardly insufferable for you. I’ve lost my dignity multiple times today. I was almost detained by a woman named Helda; can you imagine how humiliating that would have been?” you babble, not noticing the way Loki seems to be scrutinizing you until you stop. You wish you were smaller. Loki’s facial details were hidden to you by the shadow that lurked over him, making all that you could see of him a lean and muscular body.

“I do believe you have no clue what this entails in terms of my appearance,” Loki patronizes, and you press your lips together, awaiting his next words. “First, the hospital will go under complete lockdown. Then, the police will arrive, and Odin knows that when that happens, the SWAT team arrives. Then your precious friends. I’m not particularly fond of searching for chaos.” You crinkle your nose in confusion.

“Aren’t you the God of Chaos?” Loki sighs deeply before rolling his eyes.

“While I do like chaos, chaos usually finds me, not the other way around,” Loki concludes, and you look away. Weirdo.

“Alrighty, bud. Aren’t you the most powerful guy in New York? Like isn’t that enough to go to the hospital? I’ll make sure no law enforcement reaches you, but I can’t promise for the Avengers,” you sassed. You realized a second too late that it’s probably not good to feed into his ego, but he only gave a small smirk.

“I may consider this pathetic deal of yours, but I need something in return,” he says and raises an eyebrow. Your face distorts in disgust.

“Uh, if you’re into sex stuff, I’m probably the last person you should ask-”

“What? No. You’re not my taste,” Loki says, startled, scanning your figure with his eyes and you become hyper-aware of the dampness of your clothes once again. Your face flushes a bright red and you attempt to cough the awkwardness away.

“I guess you get attention out of it.”

“I get attention all the time,” Loki deadpans and you flush even redder – if possible.

“It’s good attention. Someone who genuinely thinks you’re super cool,” you try to remember the marketing class you took in college, attempting to throw random rhetoric strategies in your words.

“I do hope you realize I get far enough of good attention too,” Loki lowers his voice, smiling suggestively at you, and you have to restrain yourself from gagging.

“Fine, what do you want?” you ask, exasperated. For a moment, Loki seems caught off-guard, hesitating in the slightest before his lips curl into a smile that eerily resembles a sneer. Sheesh. Pretty teeth, though.

“For you to work for me.”

“No,” you say quickly, your facial expression only showing bewilderment and disgust.

“Ah, that’s too bad,” he hums. “You could have gotten your precious boy a visit.” You almost waiver at his bargaining, but you bite back.

“You’re scared? And that’s why you’re escaping this?” you ask, making sure your eyebrows were raised for an extra effect.

“No-”

“You must be. And let me tell you,” you take a threatening step forwards, the god following you with his eyes, “I sure as hell know how to make this a lot scarier. So, I suggest that you concede to me and we be done with it.” By the end of your little escapade, you feel your hands trembling, hoping that Loki doesn’t notice. But Loki only cracks a smile.

“My, my, you are far fiercer than I initially believed. You have quite a bit of fire in you, little one,” Loki says, his eyes sweeping over you once again as you huff, attempting to stand taller.

Why am I even trying? This dude could probably kill me with his eyes. Whatever. Girl power, am I right? Black Widow would be proud.

“I thought you already had shitty morals, but this is even lower. He’s a child for god’s sake. Can you extend any sort of kindness? At all?” you almost plead, realizing that pleading like this was most likely going to be the best way to convince him. Let him know he had the upper hand.

“Kindness is not in my nature.”

“But mischief is, and I promise you, this will take a lot of mischief,” you say, watching as his eyebrows draw together to study you. You attempt to smile, but you’re sure your lips just pull into an uncomfortable, thin line.

“Why do you care so much?” Loki asks and you stand for a moment, unsure of what to say. Why did you care so much? Why did you even come here, in the face of one of the most dangerous criminals, to plead with him for a kid? You didn’t know, so you let your mouth run away from you, hoping that will be the best way to a truth.

“I don’t have a lot of time in my life like you do, and I guess it’s human need to leave an impression. Plus I love the kid; he’s super funny,” you conclude, your shoulders slightly relaxing from some unknown tension. Loki hums.

“Human nature is a repulsive and disgusting thing. You mere mortals usually end up tearing yourselves apart,” Loki decides to say before abruptly turning back into his monstrosity of a house.

You stand in shock at first before he turns around, waving you forward. You stumble to keep up with his steps, his long legs taking impossibly long strides. Damn him and his long legs.

“However, although you are quite persistent and annoying, you are far more intriguing than most mortals I have met,” Loki speaks over his shoulder, and you glare at his back, wishing you could pierce holes through him with laser eyes. Screw being a villain, he was an annoying ass. You huff, following him through winding hallways, a thought popping into your head.

What if he’s leading me to my death? What if he’s trying to kill me? Oh, god. I guess I deserve it.

You almost sigh in relief when he leads you to an open and covered balcony. You study him, careful to make sure the psychopath isn’t looking.

He’s attractive. Dammit! You are not supposed to find him attractive! He’s a villain! He could kill you in an instant.

You feel the ever-constant, ironic want of death rise in your stomach, wishing to erase those thoughts from your memory. You glanced at yourself, horrified that you even began to think any such thoughts of the villain. It’s over for you if you find out you’re somehow attracted to criminals and psychopaths.

Do they have standards? you wonder.

You’re caught red-handed as you look back up to the villain, who’s watching you with a bewildered look.

Oh great, he probably thinks I’m a lunatic now. I guess they do have standards.

“Why did you take us out here?” you ask, just as the cold begins to seep into your clothes, giving you a bitter reminder of what your day had entailed. Loki glances back to the door – which he’s thankfully left open (for needs of escape, of course) – and reverts his gaze back to you as if thinking that he couldn’t trust you. Haha, buddy. Very funny. You’re the villain here, Mr. Bad Guy.

“There are prying eyes everywhere, fierce one. In this storm, no one can hear us,” Loki says, this time his tone isn’t biting or sarcastic as usual. He’s serious and for some reason, that makes your stomach feel very unsettled.

You turn to survey the balcony. It was only what you could call enormous. There were occasional sitting areas and plants, leaves blowing in the wind. There was a firepit across the balcony and you wished you could somehow cuddle up next to a raging fire and fall asleep, warm and dry. You still shivered.

“Are you going to kill me?” you asked, apprehensively. You swear you almost felt faint when he chuckled.

“No, mortal, I have no needs or intentions to do so. You are not a threat to me, and nor am I to you,” Loki said, an amused smile on his lips. You almost felt comfort in his words. Almost.

“You’re the God of Lies; how can I trust you?” you ask, biting your lip again. He only cracks a bigger smile.

“Although I am the God of Lies, I don’t lie when I need to. What motivations do I have to kill you?” he asks, arching a teasing brow. Wow, his brows are nice. Ugh. This is so bad.

You think for a moment, trying to come up with some plausible reason that the bad guy in front of you would kill you. Your eyes narrow as you pick out a few reasons.

“I’m annoying you, plus, you get off on watching people die,” you state, pointing a finger at his chest before turning a dark shade of red and retracting your finger. Loki only quirks a brow, as if asking ‘Is that the best you can do?’.

“I happen to not find satisfaction in death. If I need remind you, I am the God of Chaos. I get off on chaos,” he says, and you furrow your brows. Uh-huh, sure buddy.

“Chaos makes people die, so, it’s basically the same thing,” you point out, thinking you have him in a corner, but he only laughs.

“Darling, we could debate all day about this, but unfortunately it is quite late, and I do want a good night’s sleep,” Loki responds, and you shiver at the nickname.

“I’m not your ‘Darling’,” you drawl, glaring at the God, but he pretends to not notice as he takes a seat on a nearby couch. You stiffly follow him, plopping into the seat across from him. Surprisingly, the seat cushions are warm and dry, contrary to the storm that seems to be picking up again. You curl into them.

“So, do tell, who is this boy?” Loki asks and you respond, filling him in on Danny – the one, who for some reason, loves Loki. Loki only seems to become more and more intrigued by each word, and soon it feels like he’s staring through your soul. You shift, unsettled by his stare.

By the end of your little biography of Danny and occasional, thrown in rhetoric devices, you blush, realizing you were taking quite a long time to explain it all. However, Loki doesn’t seem to mind as he leans back against the couch, his finger absentmindedly rubbing his chin in thought. He still studies you, yet this time is less intense, and for that, you’re relieved.

“Do you trust me?” he asks out of the blue, and you stare at him as if he lost a head.

“Of course not,” you respond, watching his mouth pick up the signature smirk that’s starting to annoy you.

“Clever girl, now, about the boy. Where is he located? We must plan this soon, for time is of the essence of you pathetic mortals.”

—

taglist: ��@quenilla @darkprincessloki92

[redhourglass]

Bad at Love

Written for @leatherwhiskeycoffeeplaid and @kitchenwitchsuperwhovian‘s Divas of Storytelling Challenge. My song was Taylor Swift’s “Back to December,” but I also took inspiration from Halsey’s “Bad at Love,” which is where the title is from, as well as countless other TS songs because I’m a monster.

Summary: Ten months after your breakup, you meet up with your ex, realizing where you went wrong in your last fight. (Non-hunter AU)

Warnings: Angst and fluff throughout, reader has some anxiety, Dean has a daughter from a previous relationship

Words: 2.9k

“Huh.” She doesn’t quite know how she feels about it now, but in almost cynical way, she finds it kind of funny. She’d been mistaking love for so many smaller emotions for so long, and the one time she actually gets it right, it’s well after the relationship is already over.

Yesterday.

Her hands hug her coffee mug, now mostly empty, her paint-chipped nails anxiously tapping against the porcelain cup as she shifts her gaze from the looking out the window, to the door, and back again. Straightening her sweater and smoothing the pleats of her skirt, she takes a deep breath through her nose and exhales slowly through her mouth, counting backwards from ten the way her therapist told her to.

Her therapist also advised against multiple cups of coffee, but here she was, on her third cup of the day. She wouldn’t have been so tempted to accept the refill if she hadn’t been so early, but nerves got the best of her. She hadn’t slept more than a few hours the night before, tossing and turning most of the night.

Ten months is a long time to go without thinking about someone. She’s never been able to do that, but kudos to the people who have.  Is it foolish to linger on something that ended almost a year before? Most definitely, but it’s not like she can just forget about what happened. He was a huge part of her life. To discard all those memories would be losing a part of the person he helped her become.

Pushing up the the sleeve of her sweater past her wrist, she glances down at her watch. Seven minutes past ten.

Is he coming? Had he changed his mind?

To be honest, if he had decided not to come, she won’t blame him. She would’ve been hesitant, too, if if one of her exes had asked to see her again.

“And Dean, the one you dated before this. You loved him, correct?”

She opens her mouth to correct her therapist because obviously she hadn’t loved him or she wouldn’t have left, but the words don’t come. Her mouth just hangs open, and she realizes, with a twist of the winch around her heart, that she’d been wrong about herself all along.

“Huh.” She doesn’t quite know how she feels about it now, but in almost cynical way, she finds it kind of funny. She’d been mistaking love for so many smaller emotions for so long, and the one time she actually gets it right, it’s well after the relationship is already over.

The memory threatens to put a gloom on her otherwise hopeful mood, so she straightens her posture, pushes stray strands of hair back behind her ear before glancing again at the watch on her wrist. Figuring she would at least wait another half-hour, she pulls her book from her purse and opens up to the place where she left off.

She found the fairy-tale much simpler and more forgiving and than the real world. As they say, everyone does love a good happy ending. She just hoped her own story could have a fraction of that same happiness, though perhaps with less dragons to slay.

Four pages later, the bell above the door chimes.

She glances up, having been so immersed in her ink and paper world she’d forgotten there was a much larger universe outside of it. As if by magic, her eyes are drawn to the man who’d just come in, her breath catching in a barely audible gasp in her throat. She sets her book down slowly, not even paying much attention to where she places it.

Her table is closer to the wall at the back of the diner, so it takes his eyes a minute to find her. The green of them nearly stops her heart the instant they do. He crosses the room in a few strides, and she reads a similar apprehension on his face as her own.

To combat some of the winter chill, he’s grown a beard, a burgundy knit beanie pulled down over the tops of his ears, and he’s wearing the same mossy green coat she remembers wearing a few times around the apartment. It had smelled so much like him, almost feeling like a hug whenever he wasn’t home.

“Hey.” His voice is gentle, as rugged as she remembers, and warm like tomato soup as he slides into the booth seat across from her.

“Hey yourself.” So much of him is the same, yet now that he’s up close, she can see many of the finer differences. His eyes are different, not in color, but in intensity — stronger, yet distant, like he’s keeping his emotions behind a concrete wall. He doesn’t look like he’s been sleeping well, either. Maybe thinking about today kept him up late, too.

Her hair has fallen back in front of her face again, bangs too long to be bangs but too short to stay behind her ears. She pushes the hair back out of the way with a single swipe of her hand. “I guess this is kind of awkward, huh?”

“A little,” he says, though his smile is kind.

“Should we start off with the basics?”

He shrugs. “I guess. I’ve never really done this before, met up with an ex, so…”

Her heartbeat thumps loud and fast. “Is it bad that I asked?”

“No, not really,” Dean says. She’s relieved. “It wasn’t really weird or anything, just…strange?”

“That would be a synonym of weird,” she says and can’t help but laugh. It’s not hard to force herself to relax at this point. She’s always been comfortable with Dean, but he was right about this being strange. There’s an urge to let things fall back into old habits, but she knows that she’d quickly fall into the realm of becoming too comfortable if she let things go too far. They aren’t together anymore. She has an inkling that it’s going to be hard to remember that the longer they’re together.

She leans forward, resting her elbows on the table, ignoring the heavy pounding in her chest. She’d read somewhere that acting confident in an otherwise uncomfortable situation could help alleviate some of her anxiety. Sort of a ‘fake it til you make it’ mentality. Her smiles is twice as cool as the nervous teenager she feels like she is on the inside. “So, how has life been treating you, Dean Winchester?”

“Well…” He purses his lips, searching for the right words. “Life’s been treating me…pretty okay, I guess. The shop’s been keeping me pretty busy since you wrote that article about the benefits of supporting local small businesses, so thanks for that. Again.”

“Of course,” Her smile is polite, if not kind.

“But mostly, it’s just been back and forth between home and work,” Dean says. “Bobby…You remember Bobby right?” Y/n grins, remembering the man fondly. It had taken her two weeks to break through his gruff exterior. She finally broke down and bought him an expensive bottle of whiskey. He’d warmed up to her pretty quickly after that. “Well, he hired a couple more people to help run the place and to keep me from working on the weekends as much as possible. Gives him the chance to relax more, too.” Dean leans in close, resting his elbows on the table. “You know, he’s talked about retiring?”

“Well, he’s worked there, what, thirty years?”

“Close to it, yeah.”

“Then he should retire.”

“That’s what I told him,” Dean says. “But I also bet he’d be so bored from sitting around all day that he’d be back at the shop within a month.” His rumbling laugh sends shivers down her spine. He’s exactly the way she remembers. She’s not sure what she expected, but the familiarity of him hits her like a punch to the gut.

She laughs, too, but it’s too distracted to be genuine. “That’s probably true. Poor guy.”

Dean smile remains on his face as he relaxes, small crow’s feet crinkling warmly around his eyes. “So, how’s life treating you these days, Y/n? Same old chaos or has it mellowed out some?” His arms stretch out to rest casually on the top of his booth. “You’re still working for that online newspaper, right?”

The waitress comes by then, taking Dean’s order — a black coffee and a piece of their best pie.

“Yeah, I’m still working there,” Y/n says as the waitress walks away. “It’s been the same old kind of thing, you know, either running around like a madwoman trying to finish an article or throwing crumpled up pieces of paper at the trashcan because I can’t think of what to write about.”

“That sounds stressful.”

“It is,” she says with a sigh, propping her elbow up on the table so she can rest the side of her cheek on the palm of her hand. “Which is part of why I’ve started looking for a different job. I could use a little quiet right now.”

The waitress come back with Dean’s coffee and the slice of pie, setting both down in front of him. Y/n can’t help but smiles when she sees it’s a slice of apple pie, the kind she made for him on Father’s Day.

She sits up straight in her seat as Dean picks up his fork. “How is she?” She bites her lip, fingers knotting together with genuine concern. If anything hurt as badly as ending her relationship with him, it was knowing she’d inadvertently ended her relationship with his daughter as well.

“She’s…good,” Dean replies slowly. “She started the first grade a few months ago at a new school, so that’s been a little rough.”

“Understandably,” she adds. She’s done her fair share of moving around to know what that’s like.

“But she seems to be making some new friends, so I’m happy.” He takes a bite of the pie. His eyes almost roll into the back of his head, unable to hold back a low moan.

There had been a reason she’d chosen this diner. One of her friends at the paper had reviewed it a few months ago and said this diner’s pie was some of the best in the state.

She laughs lightly at Dean’s dramatics, pleased he’d liked it so much. “That’s good. I’m glad she’s doing okay.”

Dean nods, swallowing. A somber looks crosses his face and he stares down at his plate. “She misses you,” he says, looking up as if to gauge her reaction.

Her heart clenches in her chest. Without much thought, she places her hand over his, brushing her thumb back and forth across his knuckles in a gesture meant for comfort as she says, “I miss her, too.” Dean gives a stiff nod, his jaw locking in discomfort as he struggles to look away from her hand, and she realizes she’d overstepped a boundary. She pulls her hand away and returns it to her lap where it form into a tight fist, so tight her nails dig half-moons into her palm. Stupid, stupid, stupid. Why’d I do that?

The rest of their time together is brief and skirted. Though they’re getting along just fine for the most part, she can tell Dean’s holding back, not quite laughing the way he used to or smiling as brightly as she remembers. She doesn’t blame him in the slightest, feeling she’s guilty of the doing the same thing.

Ten Months Ago.

He stands behind her as she cooks, distracting her by trailing kisses down the side of her neck as he wraps his arm around her middle, holding her close to him.  “Marry me,” he whispers as he plants a kiss right below her earlobe.

She’d gotten so caught up in what he was doing that she nearly drops the spatula. “What?”

“Marry me.”

She starts to laugh uneasily. “Don’t be ridiculous.”

“Why is that ridiculous?”

She gives him a dubious look. “Um, because we’ve only been together four months?”

He purses his lips, contemplating it for a second, then shrugs. “So what? I don’t see any problem with that.”

Wriggling out of his grasp, she turns around to face him. “So, I haven’t even met your dad yet.”

As expected, Dean stiffens.

“See? What I’d tell you?”  She turns her back to him, returning to her cooking, completely dismissing him.

“That’s not…” Dean huffs, scowling. Digging into the pack pocket of his jeans, he pulls out his phone.

“What are you doing?” she asks, glancing over her shoulder.

“Calling my dad to see if he wants to have dinner tomorrow night.”

“What? Dean, no!”

“You wanted to meet him,” Dean says, “so I’m letting you meet him. What’s the big deal?” With a frustrated huff, she rips the phone from his hands. “Hey!”

“Dean, I’m not marrying you,” she says stubbornly.

“Why not? Do you not want to?”

“No, I…” The decision is too difficult, too complex for a simple yes or no answer.  She shakes her head helplessly, groaning in frustration as she drops her face into her hands. “I don’t know,” she says, her voice slightly muffled, though not enough to where Dean can’t understand her. “It’s just,” She lifts her head, crossing her arms. “It’s too early for me to think that far into the future. A lot could happen between now and then.”

“Too early to think about our future?” Dean’s eyes narrow. “I have a daughter, Y/n, the one thing I constantly have think about is my future. I need to know that she’s going to be okay, that if something were to happen to me, someone would be here to take care of her. If you’re not willing to think about a future for us, if you can’t even see one, then what’s the point?”

Her eyes widen in shock as the weight of his worlds settle. Moisture stings in her nose, making her eyes glisten.

“You don’t mean that.”

“I do, actually. I do. I don't date to fool around, Y/n. I do it because I want to marry someone. I’m ready for marriage. Clearly, you’re not, which means I love you in a completely different way than you love me, if you even love me at all.” It’s a low jab, but the resentment and bitterness has been building up for some time.

Y/n’s bottom lip trembles without a sound. She hasn’t said the words yet, fearing their relationship would just end as badly as her previous relationships if she does, like it was some curse of irony or misfortune. He’s said them a number of times, and he’s always said he was okay with her not saying it back, that actions spoke louder than words, but clearly that was a lie.

Dean turns away from her, facing the kitchen table where the two dozen roses he bought for her last week have wilted in their glass vase.

“I’ll sleep on the couch tonight. We can pack up your things in the morning after I take MJ to school.”

Y/n instantly pales. “What am I supposed to tell her?”

Dean looks back at her. “I’ll tell her,” he decides, knowing it would best best if she heard it from him.

Y/n nods, sniffling, and quickly wipes her eyes and nose on the sleeve of her sweater. “I don’t want to stay ‘til morning,” she says quietly.

Dean presses his mouth in a thin line. “You want help packing your stuff?”

She shakes her head. “No. I’d rather just do it myself.”

When MJ is dropped off after soccer practice later that evening, there’s one less car in the driveway.

Now.

Drinking when you’re at an emotional low is not something she recommends. She hadn’t realized she’d been keeping her feelings locked up until she’d already downed half a bottle of wine.

She should have guessed though, that seeing Dean again after all this time wasn’t something she would just walk away from unscathed. Wounds she’d thought healed have opened like a floodgate, and before long she’s sitting in the driver’s seat of her car, coasting down the road at about forty-five. She has no destination in mind, just relies on the hum of the road beneath her tires and the autonomy of the drive to calm her down. It starts to rain, a dull pat-pat that soothes her tortured soul like a strings in a symphony.

She takes back roads through unfamiliar neighborhoods, choosing turns at whim, and it’s not until she turns onto the last street that she realizes she’d unknowingly been leading herself to an actual destination. She eases to a stop in front of his house, peering out through the rain-streaked car window at the house that glowed softly in the yellow light of the streetlamp out front. There’s a few lights on inside. Pulling up the sleeves of her jacket, she sees that it’s almost midnight, yet Dean appears to still be awake.

The rain has eased up to a light mist by the time she gets out of her car, her breath condensing in a white smoke as it hits the air.

This is her swallowing her pride, her regret, and the feeling that ten months ago she didn’t understand. This is her taking her future by the hand and running with it. Love was once a fleeting thing to her, a mystery, a curse. Now, it’s as simple as breathing.

At his front door, she takes a moment to gather herself and raises her fist to his door, knocking hard four times. Then she shoves her hands back inside the pockets of her jacket, stands back, and waits, counting to ten as she holds her breath, then exhales.

Let me know if you would like to be tagged in future fics!

Tagging: @tardis-is-mine @andhiseyesweregreen

[marketingcomcaio]

The Best Credit Card Processing Companies (In-Depth Review)

Disclosure: This content is reader-supported, which means if you click on some of our links that we may earn a commission.

There are many touchpoints along the customer journey. The transaction is of course one of the most important, if not the most important.

So, the way in which you accept payments matters for both you and the customer. You need to have the right software and/or hardware in place to make sure transactions are simple and secure for both parties. 

Not only that, as a business owner you need to know that you’re not shelling out cash on inferior services or unnecessary additional fees.

Therefore, this post will cover everything you need to know about choosing the right credit card processing company. Plus, I’ll introduce my top picks for a wide range of businesses of different sizes and with different needs.

The Top 10 Credit Card Processing Companies

Square

PayPal

FIS

Stripe

Payline Data

Fiserv

BitPay

Adyen

Dharma Merchant Services

Fattmerchant

How to Choose the Best Credit Card Processing Company for You

Here are some key elements to consider when choosing the right credit card processing company for you:

1. Fees

Look at the payment terms and fees carefully. Different companies offer different pricing models and things can start to get a little complex.

Firstly, there are interchange fees, which is the percentage taken by the company on every transaction made. Full-service credit card processing companies also take a monthly fee. There may also be additional costs, such as setup or monthly minimum fees.

2. Accepted Payment Methods

Nowadays, you need a payment processing company that accepts more than just debit and credit cards. Digital wallets like PayPal, Google Pay or Apple Pay have become extremely popular. 

3. Customer Experience

When shopping, customers want the entire experience to be quick and easy. This is particularly important in e-commerce where the checkout process needs to be streamlined. 

In fact, a long and complicated checkout process is the number three reason why consumers abandon their carts in 2020.

It’s also vital that the payment gateway is secure because obviously we’re dealing with sensitive data here. So, look for elements such as PCI compliance and encryption.

4. User Experience

Of course, you or your staff are going to be the ones actually using these systems. Thus, the software, apps and/or hardware need to be user-friendly.

Furthermore, with tech, there’s likely to be a glitch or an issue at some point. This means that you need a credit card processing company that offers superior customer support. The reason being, the longer your payment processor is down, the more sales you lose.

Now you know what you need to consider when researching credit card processing companies, let’s take a look at how they work.

The Different Types of Credit Card Processing Company

There are two main types of credit card processing company. Here’s the 411:

Credit Card Processor

A credit card processor is the go-between that takes care of transactions. The processor takes the funds from the customer’s account and deposits them in your merchant account. It also ensures that the transaction information is correct, the customer has sufficient funds and notifies the payment gateway that the transaction was successful.

Full-Service Credit Card Processor & Merchant Account

Full-service providers do the same as credit card processors but also provide a merchant account, meaning you don’t need an additional merchant account with a bank. These providers tend to offer lower interchange fees but also charge a monthly fee and additional fees, such as the above-mentioned setup fees and so on.

Depending on the size of your operation and the volume of payments you receive, you’ll have to calculate which type of credit card processing company is going to keep costs low overall. Look for companies that are transparent and straightforward about the way in which they operate and take fees.

#1 – Square — The Best for Ease of Use

Square is a hugely popular, low-fee credit card processing company for online and brick-and-mortar stores.

Its POS app is rich in features and easy-to-use. Square is also known for providing an exceptional, frictionless range of POS systems:

Bonus: you can get the software and Square Reader for free.

The beauty of Square truly lies in its simplicity. The company offers a transparent, straightforward pricing model: 2.6% + 10¢ for every tap (mobile payment), dip (chip card) or swipe (magstripe card) on the POS and 2.9% + 30¢ for e-commerce transactions.

Other benefits include active fraud prevention, end-to-end encryption, a quick sign-up process and live phone support.

Essentially, Square is an easy-to-use all-rounder that would be an excellent choice for a wide range of businesses.

#2 – PayPal Commerce Platform Review — The Best for Individuals & Low-Volume Sellers

You’re no doubt familiar with PayPal (unless you’ve been living under a rock), but you may not be as familiar with its commerce platform.

With the PayPal Commerce Platform you can take payments online, in-store, on-the-go with an iZettle card reader, by QR code, over the phone and via social shopping links:

If you’re a solopreneur or small business just starting out then the platform is a fantastic choice for you. PayPal offers a flat-rate system where you only pay for the processing services you use.

The other great thing about PayPal is that it’s a highly recognizable and trusted brand. Therefore, advertising the fact that you accept PayPal payments could lead to more conversions.

Overall, the PayPal Commerce Platform is a secure, user-friendly and low-cost solution for beginners, individuals and low-volume sellers.

#3 – FIS — The Best for Small Businesses

FIS (formerly Worldpay) is a global banking software provider that offers payment processing solutions for large enterprises, small businesses and e-commerce stores.

However, this company puts most of its focus on small businesses, serving a range of industries including grocery, retail, restaurants, personal and professional services: 

And this is where FIS really shines as they work directly with small businesses to give them competitive terms and rates. You must contact FIS for a quote.

FIS also stands out as a great provider because of their superior 24/7/365 customer support. Furthermore, their software integrates with 1000+ POS systems which is great if you don’t wish to purchase one of their smart terminals.

FIS is the choice for you if you own a small business and want a customizable solution.

#4 – Stripe — The Best for Internet Businesses

Stripe was designed with a range of online businesses in mind, including e-commerce, mobile commerce, subscription services, marketplaces and other platforms. So, if you’re primarily a web-based business then Stripe is the choice for you.

What also makes it the best choice for online businesses is that the company provides tons of pre-built integrations and ready-made checkout forms for major e-commerce platforms, subscription services and the like:

There’s a simple pay-as-you-go pricing model of 2.9% + 30¢ with no additional monthly or setup fees. 

Stripe is also one of the most technologically-advanced solutions out there with its dedication to improving the platform and machine learning models for intelligent optimizations.

If you’re looking for a competitively-priced credit card processor that will integrate easily with your online business, choose Stripe.

#5 – Payline Data — The Best for High-Risk Merchants

Payline Data offers in-person, online and mobile payment solutions for companies of varying sizes. 

It’s the best option for high-risk merchants that struggle to get approved for accounts elsewhere. Thanks to its partnerships with major banks and premiere support team, Payline Data is able to simplify high-risk account management.

Payline Data’s pricing model is a little more complex than other options with setup, monthly and other additional fees involved. Take a look:

However, you can work out exactly what your monthly costs will be using their payment calculator tool.

Another advantage of using Payline Data is its integrations with major POS, shopping cart and accounting software providers, along with developer APIs for a customizable solution.

As long as you consider the costs carefully, this could be the simplest and cheapest option for those looking for a high-risk merchant account.

#6 – Fiserv — The Best for High-Volume Retailers

This company provides a convenient, secure and reliable payment processing service as well as end-to-end accounting services, if you require them.

What makes Fiserv the best choice for high-volume retailers is the fact that you can negotiate favorable interchange-plus pricing and terms. Or you can opt for flat-rate pricing via its Clover platform.

Having recently merged with international payment processing leader First Data, Fiserv is also a great option for those who operate globally. 

Seven out of the ten largest digital merchants trust Fiserv. Plus, retailers can accept a range of payment methods that are popular around the world, such as Alipay.

Fiserv is the right choice for more experienced, high-volume and global retailers.

#7 – BitPay — The Best for Accepting Crypto

Though technically not a credit card processing company, BitPay is a forward-thinking payment processing company for those who want to add crypto into the mix.

Owned by Shark Tank powerhouse, Mark Cuban, BitPay allows you to accept a range of cryptocurrencies online, via email and in-store. 

The way it works is simple – the customer gets an invoice, they pay in crypto at a locked-in exchange rate, BitPay converts the payment into your local currency and you receive the payment in your account the next day:

Due to the nature of crypto, you can accept payments from around the globe without having to worry about fraudulent purchases. What’s more, BitPay promises a flat rate fee of 1% and no hidden fees. 

So, if you’d like to expand your reach and gain access to the crypto market, BitPay is for you.

#8 – Adyen — The Best for Growing Enterprises

Adyen isn’t for newbies. It counts the likes of Uber, Virgin Hotels, Hunter and Spotify among its customers. So, it’s perfect for growing enterprises that are ready to take their business to the next level. 

You can benefit from transaction optimization to help you get the most revenue from your sales, as well as in-depth reporting on the platform to better understand your customers and aid growth:

Fees vary depending on the payment method used. Yet, Adyen provides a transparent list of all fees for each payment method on their site.

Other benefits include data-driven security, fraud prevention and access to a dedicated team of payment specialists who will provide you with expert advice.

Overall, if you’re focused on growth, Adyen is the perfect partner.

#9 – Dharma Merchant Services — The Best for Quick Service Payments

Dharma is a low-fee credit card processor that specializes in retail and quick service transactions. In other words, if you own a restaurant, bar, fast food joint or other quick service business then this is a great choice for you.

The company offers a low fee of 0.15% and $0.07 per transaction above interchange for storefronts and restaurants:

Plus, the virtual terminal and app are free. The e-commerce rate is slightly higher at 0.20% + $0.10.

With Dharma, you also benefit from exceptional customer service. If you’re new to credit card processing you can get a free consultation and ask all of the questions you need to. Plus, they offer 24/7 tech support.

Choose Dharma if you own a quick service business and need support along the way.

#10 – Fattmerchant — The Best for Professional Services

Fattmerchant provides a range of smart payment processing solutions, but really nails it when it comes to professional service providers.

The reason being, the platform offers the ability to send invoices and retrieve recurring payments quickly and easily. There’s also the option to create payment links and even buttons to take payments for subscription services.

The platform has features which will speed up your business processes through automation, e.g. automated payment reminders:

Fattmerchant offers a different pricing model to many other credit card processing companies. There’s a flat rate subscription fee starting at $99 but 0% markup on interchange and no pesky additional fees.

Essentially, Fattmerchant’s software is a fantastic choice for a range of businesses, but especially for those in professional services or that take recurring payments.

Summing Up

Naturally, there are several criteria to consider when choosing a credit card processing company. Often it will depend on the type of business you run and the volume of payments you take.

Furthermore, some options are better suited to smaller businesses or beginners while others provide more advanced solutions for experienced, higher-volume companies.

Above all, you want a company that offers transparency, security, strong customer support, great software and hardware and the right pricing model to suit your needs.

Now it’s over to you to explore these top providers further and make the right choice.

The post The Best Credit Card Processing Companies (In-Depth Review) appeared first on Neil Patel.

The Best Credit Card Processing Companies (In-Depth Review) Publicado primeiro em https://neilpatel.com

[remelitalia]

The Best Credit Card Processing Companies (In-Depth Review)

Disclosure: This content is reader-supported, which means if you click on some of our links that we may earn a commission.

There are many touchpoints along the customer journey. The transaction is of course one of the most important, if not the most important.

So, the way in which you accept payments matters for both you and the customer. You need to have the right software and/or hardware in place to make sure transactions are simple and secure for both parties. 

Not only that, as a business owner you need to know that you’re not shelling out cash on inferior services or unnecessary additional fees.

Therefore, this post will cover everything you need to know about choosing the right credit card processing company. Plus, I’ll introduce my top picks for a wide range of businesses of different sizes and with different needs.

The Top 10 Credit Card Processing Companies

Square

PayPal

FIS

Stripe

Payline Data

Fiserv

BitPay

Adyen

Dharma Merchant Services

Fattmerchant

How to Choose the Best Credit Card Processing Company for You

Here are some key elements to consider when choosing the right credit card processing company for you:

1. Fees

Look at the payment terms and fees carefully. Different companies offer different pricing models and things can start to get a little complex.

Firstly, there are interchange fees, which is the percentage taken by the company on every transaction made. Full-service credit card processing companies also take a monthly fee. There may also be additional costs, such as setup or monthly minimum fees.

2. Accepted Payment Methods

Nowadays, you need a payment processing company that accepts more than just debit and credit cards. Digital wallets like PayPal, Google Pay or Apple Pay have become extremely popular. 

3. Customer Experience

When shopping, customers want the entire experience to be quick and easy. This is particularly important in e-commerce where the checkout process needs to be streamlined. 

In fact, a long and complicated checkout process is the number three reason why consumers abandon their carts in 2020.

It’s also vital that the payment gateway is secure because obviously we’re dealing with sensitive data here. So, look for elements such as PCI compliance and encryption.

4. User Experience

Of course, you or your staff are going to be the ones actually using these systems. Thus, the software, apps and/or hardware need to be user-friendly.

Furthermore, with tech, there’s likely to be a glitch or an issue at some point. This means that you need a credit card processing company that offers superior customer support. The reason being, the longer your payment processor is down, the more sales you lose.

Now you know what you need to consider when researching credit card processing companies, let’s take a look at how they work.

The Different Types of Credit Card Processing Company

There are two main types of credit card processing company. Here’s the 411:

Credit Card Processor

A credit card processor is the go-between that takes care of transactions. The processor takes the funds from the customer’s account and deposits them in your merchant account. It also ensures that the transaction information is correct, the customer has sufficient funds and notifies the payment gateway that the transaction was successful.

Full-Service Credit Card Processor & Merchant Account

Full-service providers do the same as credit card processors but also provide a merchant account, meaning you don’t need an additional merchant account with a bank. These providers tend to offer lower interchange fees but also charge a monthly fee and additional fees, such as the above-mentioned setup fees and so on.

Depending on the size of your operation and the volume of payments you receive, you’ll have to calculate which type of credit card processing company is going to keep costs low overall. Look for companies that are transparent and straightforward about the way in which they operate and take fees.

#1 – Square — The Best for Ease of Use

Square is a hugely popular, low-fee credit card processing company for online and brick-and-mortar stores.

Its POS app is rich in features and easy-to-use. Square is also known for providing an exceptional, frictionless range of POS systems:

Bonus: you can get the software and Square Reader for free.

The beauty of Square truly lies in its simplicity. The company offers a transparent, straightforward pricing model: 2.6% + 10¢ for every tap (mobile payment), dip (chip card) or swipe (magstripe card) on the POS and 2.9% + 30¢ for e-commerce transactions.

Other benefits include active fraud prevention, end-to-end encryption, a quick sign-up process and live phone support.

Essentially, Square is an easy-to-use all-rounder that would be an excellent choice for a wide range of businesses.

#2 – PayPal Commerce Platform Review — The Best for Individuals & Low-Volume Sellers

You’re no doubt familiar with PayPal (unless you’ve been living under a rock), but you may not be as familiar with its commerce platform.

With the PayPal Commerce Platform you can take payments online, in-store, on-the-go with an iZettle card reader, by QR code, over the phone and via social shopping links:

If you’re a solopreneur or small business just starting out then the platform is a fantastic choice for you. PayPal offers a flat-rate system where you only pay for the processing services you use.

The other great thing about PayPal is that it’s a highly recognizable and trusted brand. Therefore, advertising the fact that you accept PayPal payments could lead to more conversions.

Overall, the PayPal Commerce Platform is a secure, user-friendly and low-cost solution for beginners, individuals and low-volume sellers.

#3 – FIS — The Best for Small Businesses

FIS (formerly Worldpay) is a global banking software provider that offers payment processing solutions for large enterprises, small businesses and e-commerce stores.

However, this company puts most of its focus on small businesses, serving a range of industries including grocery, retail, restaurants, personal and professional services: 

And this is where FIS really shines as they work directly with small businesses to give them competitive terms and rates. You must contact FIS for a quote.

FIS also stands out as a great provider because of their superior 24/7/365 customer support. Furthermore, their software integrates with 1000+ POS systems which is great if you don’t wish to purchase one of their smart terminals.

FIS is the choice for you if you own a small business and want a customizable solution.

#4 – Stripe — The Best for Internet Businesses

Stripe was designed with a range of online businesses in mind, including e-commerce, mobile commerce, subscription services, marketplaces and other platforms. So, if you’re primarily a web-based business then Stripe is the choice for you.

What also makes it the best choice for online businesses is that the company provides tons of pre-built integrations and ready-made checkout forms for major e-commerce platforms, subscription services and the like:

There’s a simple pay-as-you-go pricing model of 2.9% + 30¢ with no additional monthly or setup fees. 

Stripe is also one of the most technologically-advanced solutions out there with its dedication to improving the platform and machine learning models for intelligent optimizations.

If you’re looking for a competitively-priced credit card processor that will integrate easily with your online business, choose Stripe.

#5 – Payline Data — The Best for High-Risk Merchants

Payline Data offers in-person, online and mobile payment solutions for companies of varying sizes. 

It’s the best option for high-risk merchants that struggle to get approved for accounts elsewhere. Thanks to its partnerships with major banks and premiere support team, Payline Data is able to simplify high-risk account management.

Payline Data’s pricing model is a little more complex than other options with setup, monthly and other additional fees involved. Take a look:

However, you can work out exactly what your monthly costs will be using their payment calculator tool.

Another advantage of using Payline Data is its integrations with major POS, shopping cart and accounting software providers, along with developer APIs for a customizable solution.

As long as you consider the costs carefully, this could be the simplest and cheapest option for those looking for a high-risk merchant account.

#6 – Fiserv — The Best for High-Volume Retailers

This company provides a convenient, secure and reliable payment processing service as well as end-to-end accounting services, if you require them.

What makes Fiserv the best choice for high-volume retailers is the fact that you can negotiate favorable interchange-plus pricing and terms. Or you can opt for flat-rate pricing via its Clover platform.

Having recently merged with international payment processing leader First Data, Fiserv is also a great option for those who operate globally. 

Seven out of the ten largest digital merchants trust Fiserv. Plus, retailers can accept a range of payment methods that are popular around the world, such as Alipay.

Fiserv is the right choice for more experienced, high-volume and global retailers.

#7 – BitPay — The Best for Accepting Crypto

Though technically not a credit card processing company, BitPay is a forward-thinking payment processing company for those who want to add crypto into the mix.

Owned by Shark Tank powerhouse, Mark Cuban, BitPay allows you to accept a range of cryptocurrencies online, via email and in-store. 

The way it works is simple – the customer gets an invoice, they pay in crypto at a locked-in exchange rate, BitPay converts the payment into your local currency and you receive the payment in your account the next day:

Due to the nature of crypto, you can accept payments from around the globe without having to worry about fraudulent purchases. What’s more, BitPay promises a flat rate fee of 1% and no hidden fees. 

So, if you’d like to expand your reach and gain access to the crypto market, BitPay is for you.

#8 – Adyen — The Best for Growing Enterprises

Adyen isn’t for newbies. It counts the likes of Uber, Virgin Hotels, Hunter and Spotify among its customers. So, it’s perfect for growing enterprises that are ready to take their business to the next level. 

You can benefit from transaction optimization to help you get the most revenue from your sales, as well as in-depth reporting on the platform to better understand your customers and aid growth:

Fees vary depending on the payment method used. Yet, Adyen provides a transparent list of all fees for each payment method on their site.

Other benefits include data-driven security, fraud prevention and access to a dedicated team of payment specialists who will provide you with expert advice.

Overall, if you’re focused on growth, Adyen is the perfect partner.

#9 – Dharma Merchant Services — The Best for Quick Service Payments

Dharma is a low-fee credit card processor that specializes in retail and quick service transactions. In other words, if you own a restaurant, bar, fast food joint or other quick service business then this is a great choice for you.

The company offers a low fee of 0.15% and $0.07 per transaction above interchange for storefronts and restaurants:

Plus, the virtual terminal and app are free. The e-commerce rate is slightly higher at 0.20% + $0.10.

With Dharma, you also benefit from exceptional customer service. If you’re new to credit card processing you can get a free consultation and ask all of the questions you need to. Plus, they offer 24/7 tech support.

Choose Dharma if you own a quick service business and need support along the way.

#10 – Fattmerchant — The Best for Professional Services

Fattmerchant provides a range of smart payment processing solutions, but really nails it when it comes to professional service providers.

The reason being, the platform offers the ability to send invoices and retrieve recurring payments quickly and easily. There’s also the option to create payment links and even buttons to take payments for subscription services.

The platform has features which will speed up your business processes through automation, e.g. automated payment reminders:

Fattmerchant offers a different pricing model to many other credit card processing companies. There’s a flat rate subscription fee starting at $99 but 0% markup on interchange and no pesky additional fees.

Essentially, Fattmerchant’s software is a fantastic choice for a range of businesses, but especially for those in professional services or that take recurring payments.

Summing Up

Naturally, there are several criteria to consider when choosing a credit card processing company. Often it will depend on the type of business you run and the volume of payments you take.

Furthermore, some options are better suited to smaller businesses or beginners while others provide more advanced solutions for experienced, higher-volume companies.

Above all, you want a company that offers transparency, security, strong customer support, great software and hardware and the right pricing model to suit your needs.

Now it’s over to you to explore these top providers further and make the right choice.

The post The Best Credit Card Processing Companies (In-Depth Review) appeared first on Neil Patel.

Original content source: https://neilpatel.com/blog/best-credit-card-processing/ via https://neilpatel.com

See the original post, The Best Credit Card Processing Companies (In-Depth Review) that is shared from https://imtrainingparadise.weebly.com/home/the-best-credit-card-processing-companies-in-depth-review via https://imtrainingparadise.weebly.com/home

[jjpocketbook]

The Best Credit Card Processing Companies (In-Depth Review)

Disclosure: This content is reader-supported, which means if you click on some of our links that we may earn a commission.

There are many touchpoints along the customer journey. The transaction is of course one of the most important, if not the most important.

So, the way in which you accept payments matters for both you and the customer. You need to have the right software and/or hardware in place to make sure transactions are simple and secure for both parties. 

Not only that, as a business owner you need to know that you’re not shelling out cash on inferior services or unnecessary additional fees.

Therefore, this post will cover everything you need to know about choosing the right credit card processing company. Plus, I’ll introduce my top picks for a wide range of businesses of different sizes and with different needs.

The Top 10 Credit Card Processing Companies

Square

PayPal

FIS

Stripe

Payline Data

Fiserv

BitPay

Adyen

Dharma Merchant Services

Fattmerchant

How to Choose the Best Credit Card Processing Company for You

Here are some key elements to consider when choosing the right credit card processing company for you:

1. Fees

Look at the payment terms and fees carefully. Different companies offer different pricing models and things can start to get a little complex.

Firstly, there are interchange fees, which is the percentage taken by the company on every transaction made. Full-service credit card processing companies also take a monthly fee. There may also be additional costs, such as setup or monthly minimum fees.

2. Accepted Payment Methods

Nowadays, you need a payment processing company that accepts more than just debit and credit cards. Digital wallets like PayPal, Google Pay or Apple Pay have become extremely popular. 

3. Customer Experience

When shopping, customers want the entire experience to be quick and easy. This is particularly important in e-commerce where the checkout process needs to be streamlined. 

In fact, a long and complicated checkout process is the number three reason why consumers abandon their carts in 2020.

It’s also vital that the payment gateway is secure because obviously we’re dealing with sensitive data here. So, look for elements such as PCI compliance and encryption.

4. User Experience

Of course, you or your staff are going to be the ones actually using these systems. Thus, the software, apps and/or hardware need to be user-friendly.

Furthermore, with tech, there’s likely to be a glitch or an issue at some point. This means that you need a credit card processing company that offers superior customer support. The reason being, the longer your payment processor is down, the more sales you lose.

Now you know what you need to consider when researching credit card processing companies, let’s take a look at how they work.

The Different Types of Credit Card Processing Company

There are two main types of credit card processing company. Here’s the 411:

Credit Card Processor

A credit card processor is the go-between that takes care of transactions. The processor takes the funds from the customer’s account and deposits them in your merchant account. It also ensures that the transaction information is correct, the customer has sufficient funds and notifies the payment gateway that the transaction was successful.

Full-Service Credit Card Processor & Merchant Account

Full-service providers do the same as credit card processors but also provide a merchant account, meaning you don’t need an additional merchant account with a bank. These providers tend to offer lower interchange fees but also charge a monthly fee and additional fees, such as the above-mentioned setup fees and so on.

Depending on the size of your operation and the volume of payments you receive, you’ll have to calculate which type of credit card processing company is going to keep costs low overall. Look for companies that are transparent and straightforward about the way in which they operate and take fees.

#1 – Square — The Best for Ease of Use

Square is a hugely popular, low-fee credit card processing company for online and brick-and-mortar stores.

Its POS app is rich in features and easy-to-use. Square is also known for providing an exceptional, frictionless range of POS systems:

Bonus: you can get the software and Square Reader for free.

The beauty of Square truly lies in its simplicity. The company offers a transparent, straightforward pricing model: 2.6% + 10¢ for every tap (mobile payment), dip (chip card) or swipe (magstripe card) on the POS and 2.9% + 30¢ for e-commerce transactions.

Other benefits include active fraud prevention, end-to-end encryption, a quick sign-up process and live phone support.

Essentially, Square is an easy-to-use all-rounder that would be an excellent choice for a wide range of businesses.

#2 – PayPal Commerce Platform Review — The Best for Individuals & Low-Volume Sellers

You’re no doubt familiar with PayPal (unless you’ve been living under a rock), but you may not be as familiar with its commerce platform.

With the PayPal Commerce Platform you can take payments online, in-store, on-the-go with an iZettle card reader, by QR code, over the phone and via social shopping links:

If you’re a solopreneur or small business just starting out then the platform is a fantastic choice for you. PayPal offers a flat-rate system where you only pay for the processing services you use.

The other great thing about PayPal is that it’s a highly recognizable and trusted brand. Therefore, advertising the fact that you accept PayPal payments could lead to more conversions.

Overall, the PayPal Commerce Platform is a secure, user-friendly and low-cost solution for beginners, individuals and low-volume sellers.

#3 – FIS — The Best for Small Businesses

FIS (formerly Worldpay) is a global banking software provider that offers payment processing solutions for large enterprises, small businesses and e-commerce stores.

However, this company puts most of its focus on small businesses, serving a range of industries including grocery, retail, restaurants, personal and professional services: 

And this is where FIS really shines as they work directly with small businesses to give them competitive terms and rates. You must contact FIS for a quote.

FIS also stands out as a great provider because of their superior 24/7/365 customer support. Furthermore, their software integrates with 1000+ POS systems which is great if you don’t wish to purchase one of their smart terminals.

FIS is the choice for you if you own a small business and want a customizable solution.

#4 – Stripe — The Best for Internet Businesses

Stripe was designed with a range of online businesses in mind, including e-commerce, mobile commerce, subscription services, marketplaces and other platforms. So, if you’re primarily a web-based business then Stripe is the choice for you.

What also makes it the best choice for online businesses is that the company provides tons of pre-built integrations and ready-made checkout forms for major e-commerce platforms, subscription services and the like:

There’s a simple pay-as-you-go pricing model of 2.9% + 30¢ with no additional monthly or setup fees. 

Stripe is also one of the most technologically-advanced solutions out there with its dedication to improving the platform and machine learning models for intelligent optimizations.

If you’re looking for a competitively-priced credit card processor that will integrate easily with your online business, choose Stripe.

#5 – Payline Data — The Best for High-Risk Merchants

Payline Data offers in-person, online and mobile payment solutions for companies of varying sizes. 

It’s the best option for high-risk merchants that struggle to get approved for accounts elsewhere. Thanks to its partnerships with major banks and premiere support team, Payline Data is able to simplify high-risk account management.

Payline Data’s pricing model is a little more complex than other options with setup, monthly and other additional fees involved. Take a look:

However, you can work out exactly what your monthly costs will be using their payment calculator tool.

Another advantage of using Payline Data is its integrations with major POS, shopping cart and accounting software providers, along with developer APIs for a customizable solution.

As long as you consider the costs carefully, this could be the simplest and cheapest option for those looking for a high-risk merchant account.

#6 – Fiserv — The Best for High-Volume Retailers

This company provides a convenient, secure and reliable payment processing service as well as end-to-end accounting services, if you require them.

What makes Fiserv the best choice for high-volume retailers is the fact that you can negotiate favorable interchange-plus pricing and terms. Or you can opt for flat-rate pricing via its Clover platform.

Having recently merged with international payment processing leader First Data, Fiserv is also a great option for those who operate globally. 

Seven out of the ten largest digital merchants trust Fiserv. Plus, retailers can accept a range of payment methods that are popular around the world, such as Alipay.

Fiserv is the right choice for more experienced, high-volume and global retailers.

#7 – BitPay — The Best for Accepting Crypto

Though technically not a credit card processing company, BitPay is a forward-thinking payment processing company for those who want to add crypto into the mix.

Owned by Shark Tank powerhouse, Mark Cuban, BitPay allows you to accept a range of cryptocurrencies online, via email and in-store. 

The way it works is simple – the customer gets an invoice, they pay in crypto at a locked-in exchange rate, BitPay converts the payment into your local currency and you receive the payment in your account the next day:

Due to the nature of crypto, you can accept payments from around the globe without having to worry about fraudulent purchases. What’s more, BitPay promises a flat rate fee of 1% and no hidden fees. 

So, if you’d like to expand your reach and gain access to the crypto market, BitPay is for you.

#8 – Adyen — The Best for Growing Enterprises

Adyen isn’t for newbies. It counts the likes of Uber, Virgin Hotels, Hunter and Spotify among its customers. So, it’s perfect for growing enterprises that are ready to take their business to the next level. 

You can benefit from transaction optimization to help you get the most revenue from your sales, as well as in-depth reporting on the platform to better understand your customers and aid growth:

Fees vary depending on the payment method used. Yet, Adyen provides a transparent list of all fees for each payment method on their site.

Other benefits include data-driven security, fraud prevention and access to a dedicated team of payment specialists who will provide you with expert advice.

Overall, if you’re focused on growth, Adyen is the perfect partner.

#9 – Dharma Merchant Services — The Best for Quick Service Payments

Dharma is a low-fee credit card processor that specializes in retail and quick service transactions. In other words, if you own a restaurant, bar, fast food joint or other quick service business then this is a great choice for you.

The company offers a low fee of 0.15% and $0.07 per transaction above interchange for storefronts and restaurants:

Plus, the virtual terminal and app are free. The e-commerce rate is slightly higher at 0.20% + $0.10.

With Dharma, you also benefit from exceptional customer service. If you’re new to credit card processing you can get a free consultation and ask all of the questions you need to. Plus, they offer 24/7 tech support.

Choose Dharma if you own a quick service business and need support along the way.

#10 – Fattmerchant — The Best for Professional Services

Fattmerchant provides a range of smart payment processing solutions, but really nails it when it comes to professional service providers.

The reason being, the platform offers the ability to send invoices and retrieve recurring payments quickly and easily. There’s also the option to create payment links and even buttons to take payments for subscription services.

The platform has features which will speed up your business processes through automation, e.g. automated payment reminders:

Fattmerchant offers a different pricing model to many other credit card processing companies. There’s a flat rate subscription fee starting at $99 but 0% markup on interchange and no pesky additional fees.

Essentially, Fattmerchant’s software is a fantastic choice for a range of businesses, but especially for those in professional services or that take recurring payments.

Summing Up

Naturally, there are several criteria to consider when choosing a credit card processing company. Often it will depend on the type of business you run and the volume of payments you take.

Furthermore, some options are better suited to smaller businesses or beginners while others provide more advanced solutions for experienced, higher-volume companies.

Above all, you want a company that offers transparency, security, strong customer support, great software and hardware and the right pricing model to suit your needs.

Now it’s over to you to explore these top providers further and make the right choice.

The post The Best Credit Card Processing Companies (In-Depth Review) appeared first on Neil Patel.

Original content source: https://neilpatel.com/blog/best-credit-card-processing/ via https://neilpatel.com

The original post, The Best Credit Card Processing Companies (In-Depth Review), has been shared from https://imtrainingparadise.wordpress.com/2020/09/04/the-best-credit-card-processing-companies-in-depth-review/ via https://imtrainingparadise.wordpress.com

[nomadstevergxrs]

Bones (A Marvel AU)

Characters: Steve Rogers, Female Reader, Wanda Maximoff, Natasha Romanoff, Peter Parker, Tony Stark & Loki Laufayson 

Warnings: Language

Pairings: None. (Eventual Steve Rogers x Female Reader)

Summary: You are a forensic anthropologist working for the Smithsonian Institute in Washington D.C. when you and your team get recruited by the FBI to aid one of their top field agents, Special Agent Steve Rogers. Together, along with your colleagues/friends you put faces on the voiceless and throw the bad guys where they belong.

Author’s Note: So this is my first Marvel AU series and I’m quite nervous on how this is going to turn out. The series is going to be based on the TV show Bones and since the show is 12 seasons long I’m just going to base the series on some of my favorite episodes including the series finale coming out in the upcoming weeks. I only hope I do it justice. I want to thank @mrs-squirrel-chester for convincing me into writing this and for not only being as awesome beta but because she also made this kick-ass edit above. 

Catch up here!

Chapter Two (Part Two): The Woman in the Sand

Steve and you drove down the long stretch of asphalt for a half hour, nothing but cacti and sand whipping past you. You thought back to that Skype call from earlier and that exchange between him and Natasha.

 “So…” you began to say, grabbing your partner’s attention, giving you a quizzical expression. “Are you and Nat a thing?”

 Confused, he turned to you. “What?”

 “What?” you mocked. “You know what I’m talking about Steven,” you snickered after using his first name.

 He rolled his eyes at you in annoyance. “Don’t call me Steven.”

 “Then don’t call me Bones, you shot back with a snarl.

 “Anyways, there’s nothing going on between Nat and I,” he assured.

 You laughed in his face. “Yeah, right and I’m Ghandi.”

 “You know for a squint, you’re not that smart,” Steve muttered.

 “Heads up, Rogers. Victim’s house is up on the right.” You pointed at the trailer park that was on your side, completely changing the subject.

 “And here I thought she left me,” The victim’s husband, Donald reacted solemnly after Steve told him that his wife’s body was found.

 “Now why would she do that, Don?” Steve asked, taking a seat next to you.

 “I - I got laid off a couple of months ago.” Donald ran his fingers through his hair, a nervous tick you happened to assess. “Poor Billie. She hated seeing me sitting around the house all day, depressed.”

 “Drinking?” You rose an eyebrow at the husband.

 “Punching walls?” Steve added, to the skepticism you both had.

 Donald’s eyes quickly averted to his hand, then back at you. “No. I..I just fell of a ladder,” Donald sputtered.

 “Breaking a fall like that would fracture distal radius, not proximal phalanges,” you noted aloud, quickly calling out his lie.

 “My what?” he asked in confusion.

 “She means that the fall would break your wrist,” Steve clarified.  “Not your thumb.”

 “Anyways, listen. I got my hands on a police record that says your neighbors heard you screaming at your wife three weeks ago,” Steve mused, pulling the report from his back pocket.

 “No. Just arguing. See Billie wanted to help out, she thought she could bring in some money, you know, the exotic kind. I kind of flipped out,” Donald tried to explain to you both.

 “And then you broke your thumb against your wife's face?” you ground out through your teeth.

 “No!” Donald got up from where he was sitting.  “Look, I could never hurt Billie. Okay?” He gave you both a look, pleading for you to believe him.

 “Then how did she lose her hearing?” You still questioned him, damn sure that he was the reason behind her injury.

 “I don't know.” He shrugged his shoulders.  “She was a kid playing sports. One to many soccer balls against the head?”

 “Oh, please,” you replied, unable to keep from rolling your eyes.

 Steve got up as well and pulled out a pair of handcuffs from the waistband of his jeans. “Listen Don, you're my number one suspect so it would be wise if you're straight with us,” he warned

 “Implants,” Donald shouted, putting his hands out in front of him.

 Both you and Steve looked at each other, then back at Donald before Steve spoke up, “Implants?”

  After talking to the victim’s husband, you and Steve found out that Donald had taken a loan of 8 thousand dollars from a loan shark to pay for his wife’s breast implants. Needless to say, Don didn’t have the money by the time the loan shark came to collect; it earned Donald a broken thumb.

 “Laufeyson,” Steve spoke into the phone as you drove. “Yeah, that's right. Loki Laufeyson. Send his information to my cell as soon as you can,” Steve ordered before hanging up.

 “We got the shark in our system,” Steve said turning towards you.

 “Well, proving at least that he exists,” you replied absentmindedly, still looking at the road in front of you.

 “Ya know, Don's story might seem a little off, but just try to keep an open mind,” Steve said cautiously.

 You snorted loudly. “An open mind to what? All those soccer balls to the head?”

 “I'm just not sold on the whole domestic abuse thing, alright. A scrawny guy like that-” Steve tried to say before you interrupted him.

 “Rage has nothing to do with size.”

 Steve sighed. “I know that Bones, It's just…” He took a moment to think about what he was going to say.  “I look into the guy’s eyes and I just didn't see it.”

 “Okay, but what about the implants Donald mentioned?” you asked, foot gently pressing  down on the gas pedal as the traffic light turned green. “if she'd gotten them they would have been a part of her remains.”

 “True,” Steve replied. “But, what if she used the money for something else?” He let out a chuckle as he pulled his phone back out, and handed his phone to you with a picture of a man about your age with long raven colored hair and pale skin. “And hopefully that guy will be able to tell us what it was.”

  Entering the Tangiers Casino, you were blown away by the amount of people gambling their money away.

 You heard Steve take in a deep breath. “Ahhh, I love the sound of winning.” You looked up at your partner and gave him a quizzical expression.

 He let out a laugh and shook his head. “Sorry, it just reminds me of my first time in Vegas,” he explained. “Fresh out of the army, I walked into the Desert Inn with 35 bucks in my pocket. Walked out with a cool 10 grand,” he recalled, dropping his smile a moment later. “The next night, I lost everything. Tapped out my ATM trying to get it back.”

 You looked towards the end of the casino and found the man you were looking for. At the end of the bar, there sat the man with pale skin and long, flowing, raven colored hair, sipping from his glass of scotch while eyeing everyone there like a predator stalking his potential prey.

 “Hey. There's our loan shark, let's go!” You almost shouted, taking a hold of Steve’s wrist, but he wouldn’t budge.

 “Okay, you stay here. I know how to talk to these guys,” Steve replied, pulling you behind him and giving you a do what I say look.

 Not wanting to argue, you conceded. “Fine. What do I do then?” you asked.

 “Well you’re a forensic anthropologist, doll. Observe the culture.” He shot you a wink and left you alone.

 Steve grabbed a beer bottle from a platter one of the waitresses was holding and chugged it, then ruffled his hair to make it look messy.

 “Loki Laufeyson,” Steve said, sitting down in the barstool next to the loan shark. “Don't I owe you money?”

Irritated at the new arrival, Loki turned in his stool to face the man. “I’m afraid you have me confused with someone else,” he said, British accent thick on his tongue.

 “I don't think I do.” Steve chuckled. “You see my buddy, Don Morgan, he introduced us. 30. Scrawny guy. Broken thumb.”

 “Do I need to call security?” Asked Loki through gritted teeth.

 “You know what, pal?” Steve asked, smirking slyly as he yanked his badge out and slapped it onto the bar. “That’s a great idea. And hey, while you’re at it, maybe you can tell me what you did to Don and just maybe how his wife ended up dead.”

 Defeated, he spoke, “Look, The guy owed me money. He neglected to pay and he fell of a ladder.” He looked down at his glass, watching as the ice spun in the amber liquid. “Instant karma.”

 “Instant karma. That's going to get you every time, isn't it?” Steve mused.  “What about his wife, Billie Morgan?” Steve asked, pulling a photo of the victim out of his coat pocket and placed it on the table. “She have instant karma too?”

 Loki glanced at the photo quickly. “I didn't even know he was married.”

 “How about the name Mason Roberts?” Steve asked, frustration eating at him. “I'm sure that rings a bell.”

 He snorted. “Whispers on the strip is that you finally found him.” Loki downed the rest of his drink. “Congratulations, now leave me alone.”

 “If you know more than what you're saying, I'm gonna find out eventually,” Steve warned.

 The loan shark laughed in your partner’s face. “Do I look worried?” The look on Steve’s face, made Loki stop short. “I'm a businessman. What are you harassing me for?”

 “Ah, ya know. I don’t like bullies,”Steve said simply as he swiped Loki’s third drink. “Thanks for the drink, pal.”

 He turned on his heel and left, walking through the vast amount of people playing coin slot machines until he spotted you on the main floor, smiling from ear to ear, playing blackjack. He chuckled to himself while watching you win hand after hand.

 “Nineteen's a winner,” announced the blackjack dealer as he handed you what amounted to be three thousand dollars in chips.

 “Yes!” you celebrated to yourself gathering the chips for yourself. “Come. To. Mama.”

 Steve looked past the dealer and noticed two tall and burly pit bosses flanking over to you.

They think she’s counting cards, he thought to himself.

 “Hey Bones!” Steve shouted, making his way over to you.

 “Oh, hey Rogers,” you answered, taking a sip of your champagne. That’s when you noticed two big and burly men coming toward you.

 You spun around in your stool to face them. “Fellas,” you greeted simply.

 One of them grabbed you by the elbow. “Ma’am, I’m going to need you t-”

 He was quickly cut off by your partner. Steve took hold of your other elbow and swiftly pulled you away from the pit bosses. “We were just about to leave.”

 “Come on,” he whispered in your ear, dragging you out of the casino.

  Back in D.C, Nat stood over the platform examining the body of Billie Morgan when suddenly Tony barged in holding a tray. “Aegialia concinna!”

 “Excuse me?” Nat asked looking up from her microscope.

 “They’re Scarab Beetles,” Tony corrected himself and placed the beetle under the microscope that connected to the monitor. “They came from the soil around Billie Morgan. These adults feed on putrefied organic matter. Or in this case, Billie. As a result they suffered unusually short life spasms,” he went on to explain.

 “From ingesting Billie's flesh?” Natasha asked, looking at the monitor.

 “More likely the powerful glucocorticoid in her system,” he answered. “However, I've yet to isolate which one specifically.”

 “Be sure to notify Doctor Y/L/N when you do,” Nat ordered. She then turned to Peter as he walked up the steps and onto the platform.

 “Mr. Parker, any specifics on the bat used to kill Roberts yet?” she gruffly asked.

 “Here's a replica,” Peter said, handing a bat to Natasha. “Louisville Slugger with a 3 inch diameter weighing about 27 ounces.”

 “You think the mob would come up with less clichéd ways to whack people,” Tony mused aloud, taking a few steps away from his boss.

 “Hang on, there’s something else,” Peter muttered as he grabbed the camera and placed it at the beginning of the spine. “Staining on Roberts’ cranium indicates seepage to the cervical spine.” He pointed the monitor. “So somehow blood from his head, got down to his neck.”

 “Vertebra C7,” Natasha said as she looked at the monitor. “Are those cut marks?” She asked, squinting her eyes when she noticed some nicks on the bone.

 “His throat got cut?” asked Peter.

 “Looks like it,” Tony replied after taking a look for himself. He turned to Natasha and asked,“Did you find a specific cause of death on Billie Morgan yet?”

 She grabbed the tablet and tapped on the screen, making the monitor switch from camera to a picture of the victim’s x-rays. “She displays a hemothorax in her left lung,” Natasha answered his question, pointing at the hole in the victim’s lung. “Between pre-existing injuries and the new ones, poor girl never had a chance.”

  Sitting out on the balcony with Steve, you listened to Peter and the rest of your colleagues as they talked about the findings on Roberts and Morgan.

 “Take a closer look at the stress markers to her sternum, Pete. They strike you as unusual?” you asked, taking a sip of your beer bottle.

 “Well, they do seem more the result over repetitive medium impact manual blows than the single high impact from a bat,” Peter answered confidently.

 “This husband could really dish it out.” You heard Tony say in the background.

 “Maybe she dished it back,” Peter mused. “There are hairline fractures on her knuckles”

 Your eyes widened in realization. “Defensive wounds.” You clicked on the home button on your phone, then tapped on the photo app, revealing a picture of Billie Morgan’s x-ray Peter sent you. “Wait a minute,” you said aloud, grabbing Steve’s attention. “Repetitive manual blows.”

 “Fractured knuckles,” Steve said, taking a seat next to you.

 “The glucocorticoid that killed your bugs, Stark. Could it have been simple cortisone to treat an injury?” You jumped in.

 “Yeah. That's certainly possible,” Tony answered.

 “What are you thinking Dr. Y/L/N?” You heard Natasha say on the other end of the call.

 You sat on the lounge chair for a moment, relishing in the cool November breeze. “Billie Morgan could have been a boxer.”

 “But wouldn't boxing gloves prevent injuries like these?” Rogers asked, pointing at the x-ray.

 “Unless she wasn't wearing gloves,” Tony mentioned.

 “What kind of boxer does that?” You heard Wanda join in on the call.

 “Ultimate fighters,” Both you and Tony said in unison.

 “Ultimate fighters. Ah, you're into that crap too?” Steve smirked in amusement as your cheeks flushed crimson.

 “Dude, it's barbaric, When it shows up on cable I can't turn it off.” You could hear the excitement in Tony’s voice.

 “And it's actually legal?” Natasha asked with skepticism in her tone of voice.

 “Completely sanctioned, Peter assured her. “They do wear some protective gear, which would fly in the face of our girl's injuries, though.”

 “That is, unless it was underground,” you breathed.

 “Underground where?” Asked Steve in bewilderment.

 “Come on. Haven't you’ve never seen Fight Club?” you answered his question with a question of you own.

 He raised his eyebrows and shook his head no.

 “Illegal, no hold barred, slugfest. Modern day Panem et Circenses,” you mused in excitement.  “But generally there's no free bread.”

 You thanked your team for the new information and hung up, turning to Steve who had a smug look on his face.

 “Why are you smiling?” You asked.

 “Don Morgan didn't beat his wife,” he answered with triumph in his voice.

 “Oh my god.” You let out a sigh. “Don’t start.”

 “Got to say doll, I told you so.”

 “Whatever,” you snarked, rolling your eyes at him. “Come on.” You got up from your seat and took Steve by the hand.

 “Whoa where are we going?” He asked, stopping you from pulling him.

 “God you’re clueless aren’t you?” you giggled at him. He made a face and you rolled your eyes at him. “Get your mind out of the gutter Rogers. We’re gonna go see Fight Club. That’s all.”

  The next day you and Steve headed back to the victim’s home to question the victim’s husband only to find out that Billie Morgan was boxing illegally behind his back. Now you were sitting across your partner at the food court in the hotel you were both staying at, picking at your food.

 “You okay Bones?” He asked, watching you intently.

 “Yeah. Just thinking, you answered softly, your eyes drawn to the street.

 “What’s on your mind doll?” he asked, taking a sip of his beer.

 “Why would anyone fight illegally in the first place?” You ran your hand through your long Y/H/C hair.

 “There's limited options. Not everybody can be Floyd Mayweather or Ronda Rousey,” Steve replied, successfully stealing a fry off your plate.

 Suddenly you heard your phone vibrating against the table. Quickly, you tapped on the green button, then tapped on the speaker. “What’s up Stank?” you greeted to Tony to which Steve snorted.

 “Fedex guy says my name wrong one time, and you and Wanda will never let me live it down.�� You could practically hear the annoyance in his voice.

 “Anyways, have you found anything yet?” you asked, staring down at Steve as he went to steal another french fry from your plate.

 “Right, I found something in the particulates from Billie's shoes,” he answered. “Traces of hexavalent chromium. It's a chemical used in high end automotive shops, specializing in chroming. Mechanics who use them have to file reports for the EPA.”

 You slapped Rogers’ hand. “Ow! What?” He asked, grabbing his hand.

 “Am I interrupting something?” Tony asked.

 “I'm sorry, and Stark, you lost me at hexavalent chromium,” Steve called out.

 “Tony can you contact the Environmental Protection Agency?” You asked.

 “I’m on it, replied Tony before hanging up.

  Later that night, Steve and you drove down the long stretch of highway until you were about a half hour away from Las Vegas to an abandoned auto body shop.

 “This was an auto shop?” You asked with disgust laced in your voice.

 You got out of the SUV and jogged behind your partner who crouched down and pulled up the security gate.

 “EPA, they shut it down months ago for a hazardous waste material. It was the only shop authorized to use that chromium stuff,” Steve said as he handed you a flashlight. “See it anywhere?”

 Walking further inside the shop, you shined the flashlight as you looked around for the chemical, but you came up empty-handed. “Could be absorbed into the dust particles on the floor,” you said in conclusion.

 Before Steve could come up with a sarcastic remark, you cut him off, “Shut up. I found something.”

 You shined your flashlight on the concrete where there was a thick red line. “They painted a ring for the fights,” Steve said to you in surprise.

 Thinking quickly, you grabbed your ultraviolet flashlight from your bag and turned it on. “Holy shit,” you gasped at the scene in front of you.

 “Blood.” Steve looked around the concrete floor covered with blood spatter. “The whole place is covered in blood.”

  Looking at all the blood samples found at the automotive shop, Natasha decided to take a small break and rest her eyes for a bit.

 “Nat? You alright?” She heard Tony ask.

 She yawned and got up from her desk, stretching her limbs in the process. “I’m fine, just a little tired.”

 “Would that have to do with a certain FBI agent?” He teased.

 She rolled her eyes at him. “Rogers and I are just friends.”

 Tony chuckled sarcastically. “That’s not what I heard.”

 “Anyways,” Natasha cut him off changing the course of the conversation back to the investigation. “Of the thirty blood samples found at the bodyshops , 6 were A positive; same as Billie Morgan. I’m still waiting on DNA.”

 Suddenly Peter joined them both on the platform. “Thirty fighters translates to five two person fights per hour over a three hour period or three fights over five hours, six fights over-”

 “We get the idea, Parker. Lots of fights.” Nat interrupted him.

 “I ran thermal imaging on Billie's remaining soft tissue to reconstruct her injuries,” Wanda mused, joining them on the platform. She turned on the monitor and tapped something on her tablet. “This is what she might have looked like after the fight.” She put the picture up on the monitor of a battered and bruised Billie Morgan.

 “Just when I get to a place where I can almost stomach seeing maggots eating intestines,” Wanda added in disgust. “How could anybody do this to themselves?”

 “Ya know. 900 B.C.- the Greek ruler, Theseus, entertained himself watching two men sit in chairs beat each other to death,” Tony revealed, earning a glare from the rest of the group. “Just saying. It's nothing new.”

 “I can work up force and velocity reading for each blow,” Wanda said before turning towards Peter.  “Pete, can help me ID her opponent from the circumference and diameter of the fist.”

 “I'd rather Peter focus on our second weapon for Roberts,” Natasha replied gruffly.

 Peter had the group follow him into the office he shared with Tony. “None of these blades are narrow enough.” He walked over to a tray filled with different sets of knives. “It's as if his vertebra was cut with some sort of razor blade.”

 Tony stared at the tray for a moment while the others spoke, What can cause that kind of damage to the victim’s vertebrae? Suddenly it hit him.

 “A razor wire,” He said, grabbing everyone’s attention. “Luca Brasi. The Godfather? Please, someone buy a DVD player,” He added, beginning to get agitated.

 “Oh,” replied Natasha as realization struck her. “You mean a garrotte?”

 “Yes!” He pointed at her in excitement. “Yes. A garrotte pulled so tightly around Luca's- or rather Robert's neck-”

  “-that it sliced through his throat and severed his carotid artery,” Natasha jumped in.

 Wanda grabbed her phone and headed out of the Peter and Tony’s office before turning back at the others. “I’ll tell Rogers.”

  You decided on taking a small break from the investigation to relax and enjoy the scenery of Las Vegas. Steve mentioned that he had a contact back at the Tangiers Casino, so the pair of you decided to meet back in the hotel room within the hour.

 “Welcome to the Cosmopolitan.” You heard a bubbly voice say, grabbing your attention. “Would you like anything to drink?”

 You lifted your sunglasses and found a tall woman with blonde hair wearing a purple bikini, holding a tray in her hands. You closed the book you were reading and propped yourself up on your elbows. “What do you recommend?” you asked.

 “We have our signature cosmopolitan,” she responded with a wide smile. “They are so good.”

 “Then I’ll have a cosmopolitan.” You gave her a smile just as infectious as hers.

 “Coming right up!” She wrote the order down on her notepad before finally leaving.

 You laid back down on your lounge chair and continued reading Fifty Shades of Grey, something that Wanda had been begging you to read since the book was released, but you refused. That is until now. “What the hell did Wanda get me into?” you muttered to yourself as you continued reading the book.

 It felt a little strange being in the setting you were in now, sitting poolside in a black bikini drinking cosmos and listening to music the hotel’s resident DJ was playing.

 Suddenly you felt your phone vibrate on the table next to you. You pressed the green button on the screen to answer. “Y/L/N”

 “Bones!” Steve greeted you with that awful nickname that you hated. “I think I got a lead on where Billie would’ve gone for the fight club. I need you to meet me back at the hotel and wear something nice.”

 “What? Why?” You asked, confusion etched on your face.

 “Just do it, alright?” Steve said before hanging up on you.

 You quickly got up from your chair and grabbed your things while muttering how much of a dick your partner was.

“So what’s so important that you couldn’t tell me over the …” You trailed off as you stood in the hotel room you both shared, mouth agape at the sight of Steve shirtless. Jesus you thought to yourself as you stared at the tattoos that covered his toned chest and abs.

“Hey,” Steve replied, knitting his eyebrows in concern. “You okay Bones?”

 “Uhm yeah.” You shook your head, trying to push the inappropriate thoughts from your mind. “So you found something on the fight club?”

 “Buddy of mine says that there’s an underground fight club. Bare knuckles, no rules,” Steve answered, turning his back to you and grabbing a navy blue tank top, slipping it on.

 “Great!” you replied simply as if you weren’t checking your partner out. “Where at?” You asked walking over to your bed and pulling your suitcase from underneath.You pulled out a simple black dress and walked into the bathroom closing it behind you.

 “It moves around. Former champion Cornell “Cottonmouth” Stokes sells 800 numbers,” Steve said as he looked at himself in the mirror and brushed his sandy blonde hair back. “You call, you find out the time, the place, code to get in.”

 “Okay? So where can we find him?” you asked, slipping on the short sleeved mesh covered dress.

 “He owns a gym here on, uh, on Federal,” Steve answered simply. “Ya know, maybe I should talk to Cornell alone.”

 “What is it with you and leaving me behind?” You were starting to get pissed at your partner.

 “Listen Bones, the rules? They don't apply here. Okay? The deeper we get I don't want anyone knowing that we're FBI,” he told you, his tone authoritative and firm.

 You snorted, “Well, that's easy for me. I'm not.”

 He heard the bathroom door open, and spun on his heel to face you. “Hey, what do you think?” you asked with what he could’ve sworn was a hint of nervousness in your voice.

 He took a moment to get a good look at the short sleeve, mesh covered dress before cracking a joke at your expense. “I have enough Bibles, thank you, but try next door.”

 “Oh come on Rogers!” You complained. “It’s not like I have anything else to wear.”

 “See Bones, now that’s where you’re wrong,” he replied with a knowing smirk.

 He walked around the other side of the bed, picking up a white shopping bag and placing it on the mattress. “So I got a phone call from Wanda earlier and she knew you were going to bring that hideous dres-”

 “Hey!” You cut him off, offended while he put his hands up in defense.

 “Her words. Not mine. Anyway,” he rummaged through the bag and pulled out  a short, black cocktail dress along with a pair of shoes to match. “She asked me for a favor and well, here we are,” he said, handing you the dress and shoes.

 “Do I have to wear this?” You were going to kill Wanda when you got back to D.C.  

 “Just humor me Y/N.”

 You let out a deep sigh, “Fine.” You grabbed the dress and heels from his hands and stomped away to the bathroom.

 “So?” Steve heard you ask after a long pause. “What’s our cover?”

 “We're newlyweds,” Steve announced, grabbing his olive green jacket and throwing it on. “Takin' Sin City by storm. Ready for action.”

 “Really?” You replied with skepticism.

 Steve rolled his eyes at the tone of voice you were using on him. “Listen Bones, I know what I'm doing. Okay? I've done this before,” he assured you.

 “Alright fine,” you replied, swinging the bathroom door open and stepping out to face him. “But we’re engaged.”  

 “Yeah yeah sure….” He looked up from a message Natasha sent him and was absolutely floored by how beautiful you looked in the black wrap dress and heels.

 Your hair was down and in waves, and your makeup simple yet Steve was shocked by how amazing you looked. “Rogers?” you asked in concern. ”You okay?”

 He shook his head, shaking the inappropriate thoughts from his mind. “Yeah, let’s go.”

TAGGING: @always-an-evans-addict @ariallane @heather-lynn @mrs-squirrel-chester @lilasiannerd @motleymoose @hello-sweetie-get-the-salt @notateenbeachmovie @hellkat2 @kirmt15 @shamvictoria11 @yourtropegirl @basicallybucky @jonsnowisnotdeadthough @animexchocolate @westoftheglass @feelmyroarrrr @maris-astrum @heir-of-light-33 @labyrinth-of-storylines @dirajunara @danijimenezv @elfwriter1088 @sebbytrash @aprofoundbondwithdean @crazyliraz @onebigfangirlworld @erinvanlyssel @buckys-other-punk @musichowler @lady-thor-foster @meatballevan @bionic-buckyb @therealsabalicious @fly-little-butterfly @deanmon-winchester-666 @madhattervanessa @the-most-handsome-ginger @luckygrahams @goodtanaba @angel-starbeam @queen--valeskaxx @theycallmebecca @daisykane535

If anyone wants to be added or taken off the list shoot me a message!

[reputationiseverything]

The Best Credit Card Processing Companies (In-Depth Review)

email marketing plan sample

Disclosure: This content is reader-supported, which means if you click on some of our links that we may earn a commission.

There are many touchpoints along the customer journey. The transaction is of course one of the most important, if not the most important.

So, the way in which you accept payments matters for both you and the customer. You need to have the right software and/or hardware in place to make sure transactions are simple and secure for both parties. 

Not only that, as a business owner you need to know that you’re not shelling out cash on inferior services or unnecessary additional fees.

Therefore, this post will cover everything you need to know about choosing the right credit card processing company. Plus, I’ll introduce my top picks for a wide range of businesses of different sizes and with different needs.

The Top 10 Credit Card Processing Companies

Square

PayPal

FIS

Stripe

Payline Data

Fiserv

BitPay

Adyen

Dharma Merchant Services

Fattmerchant

How to Choose the Best Credit Card Processing Company for You

Here are some key elements to consider when choosing the right credit card processing company for you:

1. Fees

Look at the payment terms and fees carefully. Different companies offer different pricing models and things can start to get a little complex.

Firstly, there are interchange fees, which is the percentage taken by the company on every transaction made. Full-service credit card processing companies also take a monthly fee. There may also be additional costs, such as setup or monthly minimum fees.

2. Accepted Payment Methods

Nowadays, you need a payment processing company that accepts more than just debit and credit cards. Digital wallets like PayPal, Google Pay or Apple Pay have become extremely popular. 

3. Customer Experience

When shopping, customers want the entire experience to be quick and easy. This is particularly important in e-commerce where the checkout process needs to be streamlined. 

In fact, a long and complicated checkout process is the number three reason why consumers abandon their carts in 2020.

It’s also vital that the payment gateway is secure because obviously we’re dealing with sensitive data here. So, look for elements such as PCI compliance and encryption.

4. User Experience

Of course, you or your staff are going to be the ones actually using these systems. Thus, the software, apps and/or hardware need to be user-friendly.

Furthermore, with tech, there’s likely to be a glitch or an issue at some point. This means that you need a credit card processing company that offers superior customer support. The reason being, the longer your payment processor is down, the more sales you lose.

Now you know what you need to consider when researching credit card processing companies, let’s take a look at how they work.

The Different Types of Credit Card Processing Company

There are two main types of credit card processing company. Here’s the 411:

Credit Card Processor

A credit card processor is the go-between that takes care of transactions. The processor takes the funds from the customer’s account and deposits them in your merchant account. It also ensures that the transaction information is correct, the customer has sufficient funds and notifies the payment gateway that the transaction was successful.

Full-Service Credit Card Processor & Merchant Account

Full-service providers do the same as credit card processors but also provide a merchant account, meaning you don’t need an additional merchant account with a bank. These providers tend to offer lower interchange fees but also charge a monthly fee and additional fees, such as the above-mentioned setup fees and so on.

Depending on the size of your operation and the volume of payments you receive, you’ll have to calculate which type of credit card processing company is going to keep costs low overall. Look for companies that are transparent and straightforward about the way in which they operate and take fees.

#1 – Square — The Best for Ease of Use

Square is a hugely popular, low-fee credit card processing company for online and brick-and-mortar stores.

Its POS app is rich in features and easy-to-use. Square is also known for providing an exceptional, frictionless range of POS systems:

Bonus: you can get the software and Square Reader for free.

The beauty of Square truly lies in its simplicity. The company offers a transparent, straightforward pricing model: 2.6% + 10¢ for every tap (mobile payment), dip (chip card) or swipe (magstripe card) on the POS and 2.9% + 30¢ for e-commerce transactions.

Other benefits include active fraud prevention, end-to-end encryption, a quick sign-up process and live phone support.

Essentially, Square is an easy-to-use all-rounder that would be an excellent choice for a wide range of businesses.

#2 – PayPal Commerce Platform Review — The Best for Individuals & Low-Volume Sellers

You’re no doubt familiar with PayPal (unless you’ve been living under a rock), but you may not be as familiar with its commerce platform.

With the PayPal Commerce Platform you can take payments online, in-store, on-the-go with an iZettle card reader, by QR code, over the phone and via social shopping links:

If you’re a solopreneur or small business just starting out then the platform is a fantastic choice for you. PayPal offers a flat-rate system where you only pay for the processing services you use.

The other great thing about PayPal is that it’s a highly recognizable and trusted brand. Therefore, advertising the fact that you accept PayPal payments could lead to more conversions.

Overall, the PayPal Commerce Platform is a secure, user-friendly and low-cost solution for beginners, individuals and low-volume sellers.

#3 – FIS — The Best for Small Businesses

FIS (formerly Worldpay) is a global banking software provider that offers payment processing solutions for large enterprises, small businesses and e-commerce stores.

However, this company puts most of its focus on small businesses, serving a range of industries including grocery, retail, restaurants, personal and professional services: 

And this is where FIS really shines as they work directly with small businesses to give them competitive terms and rates. You must contact FIS for a quote.

FIS also stands out as a great provider because of their superior 24/7/365 customer support. Furthermore, their software integrates with 1000+ POS systems which is great if you don’t wish to purchase one of their smart terminals.

FIS is the choice for you if you own a small business and want a customizable solution.

#4 – Stripe — The Best for Internet Businesses

Stripe was designed with a range of online businesses in mind, including e-commerce, mobile commerce, subscription services, marketplaces and other platforms. So, if you’re primarily a web-based business then Stripe is the choice for you.

What also makes it the best choice for online businesses is that the company provides tons of pre-built integrations and ready-made checkout forms for major e-commerce platforms, subscription services and the like:

There’s a simple pay-as-you-go pricing model of 2.9% + 30¢ with no additional monthly or setup fees. 

Stripe is also one of the most technologically-advanced solutions out there with its dedication to improving the platform and machine learning models for intelligent optimizations.

If you’re looking for a competitively-priced credit card processor that will integrate easily with your online business, choose Stripe.

#5 – Payline Data — The Best for High-Risk Merchants

Payline Data offers in-person, online and mobile payment solutions for companies of varying sizes. 

It’s the best option for high-risk merchants that struggle to get approved for accounts elsewhere. Thanks to its partnerships with major banks and premiere support team, Payline Data is able to simplify high-risk account management.

Payline Data’s pricing model is a little more complex than other options with setup, monthly and other additional fees involved. Take a look:

However, you can work out exactly what your monthly costs will be using their payment calculator tool.

Another advantage of using Payline Data is its integrations with major POS, shopping cart and accounting software providers, along with developer APIs for a customizable solution.

As long as you consider the costs carefully, this could be the simplest and cheapest option for those looking for a high-risk merchant account.

#6 – Fiserv — The Best for High-Volume Retailers

This company provides a convenient, secure and reliable payment processing service as well as end-to-end accounting services, if you require them.

What makes Fiserv the best choice for high-volume retailers is the fact that you can negotiate favorable interchange-plus pricing and terms. Or you can opt for flat-rate pricing via its Clover platform.

Having recently merged with international payment processing leader First Data, Fiserv is also a great option for those who operate globally. 

Seven out of the ten largest digital merchants trust Fiserv. Plus, retailers can accept a range of payment methods that are popular around the world, such as Alipay.

Fiserv is the right choice for more experienced, high-volume and global retailers.

#7 – BitPay — The Best for Accepting Crypto

Though technically not a credit card processing company, BitPay is a forward-thinking payment processing company for those who want to add crypto into the mix.

Owned by Shark Tank powerhouse, Mark Cuban, BitPay allows you to accept a range of cryptocurrencies online, via email and in-store. 

The way it works is simple – the customer gets an invoice, they pay in crypto at a locked-in exchange rate, BitPay converts the payment into your local currency and you receive the payment in your account the next day:

Due to the nature of crypto, you can accept payments from around the globe without having to worry about fraudulent purchases. What’s more, BitPay promises a flat rate fee of 1% and no hidden fees. 

So, if you’d like to expand your reach and gain access to the crypto market, BitPay is for you.

#8 – Adyen — The Best for Growing Enterprises

Adyen isn’t for newbies. It counts the likes of Uber, Virgin Hotels, Hunter and Spotify among its customers. So, it’s perfect for growing enterprises that are ready to take their business to the next level. 

You can benefit from transaction optimization to help you get the most revenue from your sales, as well as in-depth reporting on the platform to better understand your customers and aid growth:

Fees vary depending on the payment method used. Yet, Adyen provides a transparent list of all fees for each payment method on their site.

Other benefits include data-driven security, fraud prevention and access to a dedicated team of payment specialists who will provide you with expert advice.

Overall, if you’re focused on growth, Adyen is the perfect partner.

#9 – Dharma Merchant Services — The Best for Quick Service Payments

Dharma is a low-fee credit card processor that specializes in retail and quick service transactions. In other words, if you own a restaurant, bar, fast food joint or other quick service business then this is a great choice for you.

The company offers a low fee of 0.15% and $0.07 per transaction above interchange for storefronts and restaurants:

Plus, the virtual terminal and app are free. The e-commerce rate is slightly higher at 0.20% + $0.10.

With Dharma, you also benefit from exceptional customer service. If you’re new to credit card processing you can get a free consultation and ask all of the questions you need to. Plus, they offer 24/7 tech support.

Choose Dharma if you own a quick service business and need support along the way.

#10 – Fattmerchant — The Best for Professional Services

Fattmerchant provides a range of smart payment processing solutions, but really nails it when it comes to professional service providers.

The reason being, the platform offers the ability to send invoices and retrieve recurring payments quickly and easily. There’s also the option to create payment links and even buttons to take payments for subscription services.

The platform has features which will speed up your business processes through automation, e.g. automated payment reminders:

Fattmerchant offers a different pricing model to many other credit card processing companies. There’s a flat rate subscription fee starting at $99 but 0% markup on interchange and no pesky additional fees.

Essentially, Fattmerchant’s software is a fantastic choice for a range of businesses, but especially for those in professional services or that take recurring payments.

Summing Up

Naturally, there are several criteria to consider when choosing a credit card processing company. Often it will depend on the type of business you run and the volume of payments you take.

Furthermore, some options are better suited to smaller businesses or beginners while others provide more advanced solutions for experienced, higher-volume companies.

Above all, you want a company that offers transparency, security, strong customer support, great software and hardware and the right pricing model to suit your needs.

Now it’s over to you to explore these top providers further and make the right choice.

Google

[reviewandbonuss]

The Best Credit Card Processing Companies (In-Depth Review)

Disclosure: This content is reader-supported, which means if you click on some of our links that we may earn a commission.

There are many touchpoints along the customer journey. The transaction is of course one of the most important, if not the most important.

So, the way in which you accept payments matters for both you and the customer. You need to have the right software and/or hardware in place to make sure transactions are simple and secure for both parties. 

Not only that, as a business owner you need to know that you’re not shelling out cash on inferior services or unnecessary additional fees.

Therefore, this post will cover everything you need to know about choosing the right credit card processing company. Plus, I’ll introduce my top picks for a wide range of businesses of different sizes and with different needs.

The Top 10 Credit Card Processing Companies

Square

PayPal

FIS

Stripe

Payline Data

Fiserv

BitPay

Adyen

Dharma Merchant Services

Fattmerchant

How to Choose the Best Credit Card Processing Company for You

Here are some key elements to consider when choosing the right credit card processing company for you:

1. Fees

Look at the payment terms and fees carefully. Different companies offer different pricing models and things can start to get a little complex.

Firstly, there are interchange fees, which is the percentage taken by the company on every transaction made. Full-service credit card processing companies also take a monthly fee. There may also be additional costs, such as setup or monthly minimum fees.

2. Accepted Payment Methods

Nowadays, you need a payment processing company that accepts more than just debit and credit cards. Digital wallets like PayPal, Google Pay or Apple Pay have become extremely popular. 

3. Customer Experience

When shopping, customers want the entire experience to be quick and easy. This is particularly important in e-commerce where the checkout process needs to be streamlined. 

In fact, a long and complicated checkout process is the number three reason why consumers abandon their carts in 2020.

It’s also vital that the payment gateway is secure because obviously we’re dealing with sensitive data here. So, look for elements such as PCI compliance and encryption.

4. User Experience

Of course, you or your staff are going to be the ones actually using these systems. Thus, the software, apps and/or hardware need to be user-friendly.

Furthermore, with tech, there’s likely to be a glitch or an issue at some point. This means that you need a credit card processing company that offers superior customer support. The reason being, the longer your payment processor is down, the more sales you lose.

Now you know what you need to consider when researching credit card processing companies, let’s take a look at how they work.

The Different Types of Credit Card Processing Company

There are two main types of credit card processing company. Here’s the 411:

Credit Card Processor

A credit card processor is the go-between that takes care of transactions. The processor takes the funds from the customer’s account and deposits them in your merchant account. It also ensures that the transaction information is correct, the customer has sufficient funds and notifies the payment gateway that the transaction was successful.

Full-Service Credit Card Processor & Merchant Account

Full-service providers do the same as credit card processors but also provide a merchant account, meaning you don’t need an additional merchant account with a bank. These providers tend to offer lower interchange fees but also charge a monthly fee and additional fees, such as the above-mentioned setup fees and so on.

Depending on the size of your operation and the volume of payments you receive, you’ll have to calculate which type of credit card processing company is going to keep costs low overall. Look for companies that are transparent and straightforward about the way in which they operate and take fees.

#1 – Square — The Best for Ease of Use

Square is a hugely popular, low-fee credit card processing company for online and brick-and-mortar stores.

Its POS app is rich in features and easy-to-use. Square is also known for providing an exceptional, frictionless range of POS systems:

Bonus: you can get the software and Square Reader for free.

The beauty of Square truly lies in its simplicity. The company offers a transparent, straightforward pricing model: 2.6% + 10¢ for every tap (mobile payment), dip (chip card) or swipe (magstripe card) on the POS and 2.9% + 30¢ for e-commerce transactions.

Other benefits include active fraud prevention, end-to-end encryption, a quick sign-up process and live phone support.

Essentially, Square is an easy-to-use all-rounder that would be an excellent choice for a wide range of businesses.

#2 – PayPal Commerce Platform Review — The Best for Individuals & Low-Volume Sellers

You’re no doubt familiar with PayPal (unless you’ve been living under a rock), but you may not be as familiar with its commerce platform.

With the PayPal Commerce Platform you can take payments online, in-store, on-the-go with an iZettle card reader, by QR code, over the phone and via social shopping links:

If you’re a solopreneur or small business just starting out then the platform is a fantastic choice for you. PayPal offers a flat-rate system where you only pay for the processing services you use.

The other great thing about PayPal is that it’s a highly recognizable and trusted brand. Therefore, advertising the fact that you accept PayPal payments could lead to more conversions.

Overall, the PayPal Commerce Platform is a secure, user-friendly and low-cost solution for beginners, individuals and low-volume sellers.

#3 – FIS — The Best for Small Businesses

FIS (formerly Worldpay) is a global banking software provider that offers payment processing solutions for large enterprises, small businesses and e-commerce stores.

However, this company puts most of its focus on small businesses, serving a range of industries including grocery, retail, restaurants, personal and professional services: 

And this is where FIS really shines as they work directly with small businesses to give them competitive terms and rates. You must contact FIS for a quote.

FIS also stands out as a great provider because of their superior 24/7/365 customer support. Furthermore, their software integrates with 1000+ POS systems which is great if you don’t wish to purchase one of their smart terminals.

FIS is the choice for you if you own a small business and want a customizable solution.

#4 – Stripe — The Best for Internet Businesses

Stripe was designed with a range of online businesses in mind, including e-commerce, mobile commerce, subscription services, marketplaces and other platforms. So, if you’re primarily a web-based business then Stripe is the choice for you.

What also makes it the best choice for online businesses is that the company provides tons of pre-built integrations and ready-made checkout forms for major e-commerce platforms, subscription services and the like:

There’s a simple pay-as-you-go pricing model of 2.9% + 30¢ with no additional monthly or setup fees. 

Stripe is also one of the most technologically-advanced solutions out there with its dedication to improving the platform and machine learning models for intelligent optimizations.

If you’re looking for a competitively-priced credit card processor that will integrate easily with your online business, choose Stripe.

#5 – Payline Data — The Best for High-Risk Merchants

Payline Data offers in-person, online and mobile payment solutions for companies of varying sizes. 

It’s the best option for high-risk merchants that struggle to get approved for accounts elsewhere. Thanks to its partnerships with major banks and premiere support team, Payline Data is able to simplify high-risk account management.

Payline Data’s pricing model is a little more complex than other options with setup, monthly and other additional fees involved. Take a look:

However, you can work out exactly what your monthly costs will be using their payment calculator tool.

Another advantage of using Payline Data is its integrations with major POS, shopping cart and accounting software providers, along with developer APIs for a customizable solution.

As long as you consider the costs carefully, this could be the simplest and cheapest option for those looking for a high-risk merchant account.

#6 – Fiserv — The Best for High-Volume Retailers

This company provides a convenient, secure and reliable payment processing service as well as end-to-end accounting services, if you require them.

What makes Fiserv the best choice for high-volume retailers is the fact that you can negotiate favorable interchange-plus pricing and terms. Or you can opt for flat-rate pricing via its Clover platform.

Having recently merged with international payment processing leader First Data, Fiserv is also a great option for those who operate globally. 

Seven out of the ten largest digital merchants trust Fiserv. Plus, retailers can accept a range of payment methods that are popular around the world, such as Alipay.

Fiserv is the right choice for more experienced, high-volume and global retailers.

#7 – BitPay — The Best for Accepting Crypto

Though technically not a credit card processing company, BitPay is a forward-thinking payment processing company for those who want to add crypto into the mix.

Owned by Shark Tank powerhouse, Mark Cuban, BitPay allows you to accept a range of cryptocurrencies online, via email and in-store. 

The way it works is simple – the customer gets an invoice, they pay in crypto at a locked-in exchange rate, BitPay converts the payment into your local currency and you receive the payment in your account the next day:

Due to the nature of crypto, you can accept payments from around the globe without having to worry about fraudulent purchases. What’s more, BitPay promises a flat rate fee of 1% and no hidden fees. 

So, if you’d like to expand your reach and gain access to the crypto market, BitPay is for you.

#8 – Adyen — The Best for Growing Enterprises

Adyen isn’t for newbies. It counts the likes of Uber, Virgin Hotels, Hunter and Spotify among its customers. So, it’s perfect for growing enterprises that are ready to take their business to the next level. 

You can benefit from transaction optimization to help you get the most revenue from your sales, as well as in-depth reporting on the platform to better understand your customers and aid growth:

Fees vary depending on the payment method used. Yet, Adyen provides a transparent list of all fees for each payment method on their site.

Other benefits include data-driven security, fraud prevention and access to a dedicated team of payment specialists who will provide you with expert advice.

Overall, if you’re focused on growth, Adyen is the perfect partner.

#9 – Dharma Merchant Services — The Best for Quick Service Payments

Dharma is a low-fee credit card processor that specializes in retail and quick service transactions. In other words, if you own a restaurant, bar, fast food joint or other quick service business then this is a great choice for you.

The company offers a low fee of 0.15% and $0.07 per transaction above interchange for storefronts and restaurants:

Plus, the virtual terminal and app are free. The e-commerce rate is slightly higher at 0.20% + $0.10.

With Dharma, you also benefit from exceptional customer service. If you’re new to credit card processing you can get a free consultation and ask all of the questions you need to. Plus, they offer 24/7 tech support.

Choose Dharma if you own a quick service business and need support along the way.

#10 – Fattmerchant — The Best for Professional Services

Fattmerchant provides a range of smart payment processing solutions, but really nails it when it comes to professional service providers.

The reason being, the platform offers the ability to send invoices and retrieve recurring payments quickly and easily. There’s also the option to create payment links and even buttons to take payments for subscription services.

The platform has features which will speed up your business processes through automation, e.g. automated payment reminders:

Fattmerchant offers a different pricing model to many other credit card processing companies. There’s a flat rate subscription fee starting at $99 but 0% markup on interchange and no pesky additional fees.

Essentially, Fattmerchant’s software is a fantastic choice for a range of businesses, but especially for those in professional services or that take recurring payments.

Summing Up

Naturally, there are several criteria to consider when choosing a credit card processing company. Often it will depend on the type of business you run and the volume of payments you take.

Furthermore, some options are better suited to smaller businesses or beginners while others provide more advanced solutions for experienced, higher-volume companies.

Above all, you want a company that offers transparency, security, strong customer support, great software and hardware and the right pricing model to suit your needs.

Now it’s over to you to explore these top providers further and make the right choice.

The post The Best Credit Card Processing Companies (In-Depth Review) appeared first on Neil Patel.

[dyernews]

2019 Pay with GasBuddy Review: Yes, You Can Legitimately Save Money Every Time You Fill

I don’t remember what it was like to drive to new places before I had GPS on my phone — how did I get anywhere? Similarly, I don’t know how I survived road trips before I had GasBuddy to lead me to the best gas stations along the way. Given this reliance, you’d think I would have learned about their Pay with GasBuddy feature sooner. Alas, it was only a few months ago that it was brought to my attention.

Put simply, the value proposition of Pay with GasBuddy is that you can use a special card that’s accepted at most gas stations in order to save a few cents off of every gallon of gas you buy. That sounds good — almost too good, if you think like me. However, after getting a chance to test the service out, I can report that Pay with GasBuddy really does work and could be a great feature for some drivers.

With that background, let’s take a closer look at what Pay with GasBuddy is and how it could save you money on the road.

Signing Up for Pay with GasBuddy and How it Works

The first thing you should know about Pay with GasBuddy is that it is completely free to sign-up and start using the service. All you’ll need to do is either select the Pay with GasBuddy option in the app or go to their website to begin the process. On top of basic information like your name, address, and phone number, you’ll also be asked to link a checking account. Keep in mind that the account you select will be the one that’s charged whenever you use the service.

After you sign-up, a Pay with GasBuddy card will be shipped to (again — this is all free). To the untrained eye, these look like any regular credit or debit cards except that it lacks an EMV chip or Visa/Mastercard/etc. logo. Before using your new card, you’ll also be asked to create a Driver ID number, which will essentially function as a PIN.

Once your card is activated, you’re ready to go. You’ll be able to insert your card at the pump or most stations and automatically save 10¢ per gallon on your first fill-up and 5¢ per gallon after that. Alternatively, thanks to a partnership with Sears, you can elect to earn Shop Your Way CASHBACK points instead, earning 30¢ per gallon in points for your first 60 days and 15¢ per gallon after that. These points can then be redeemed at Sears and K-Mart locations as well as online.

GasBack Offers There is another way to save using Pay with GasBuddy and that is via their GasBack offers. Similar to how Ebates or Dosh offers result in cash back, taking advantage of deals offered by multiple online retailers in the “Savings” section of the app will deliver a percentage (or flat dollar amount) of your purchase in GasBack. For example, current offers include 8% GasBack from Reebok, 3% from Hotwire, $5 from SiriusXM, as well as many others.

To earn GasBack, you’ll want to shop at the participating retailers using the links found in the GasBuddy app. Also note the “Fine Print” for each offer that will list what types of items will be eligible, how long your GasBack will take to process, and more. Once you’ve received your GasBack, you’ll be able to spend it using your Pay with GasBuddy card. Plus, these savings come in addition to the 5¢ per gallon off you’d normally receive.

Personally I have yet to try out any GasBack offers but I will say that GasBuddy does seem to have a pretty decent line-up. Unfortunately, since you’ll need to use their link for purchases, these offers would likely have to take the place of those you’d get from Ebates or others. That means GasBack is just one more thing to consider when you’re shopping for the best deals online.

Using Pay with GasBuddy

On their website, GasBuddy says that their service works at most gas stations — calling out a few where it doesn’t work while showcasing logos of a few that do. Since my local station was not explicitly listed, I was very skeptical when I went to insert my Pay with GasBuddy card for the first time. Since that time, I have noticed that stations that don’t support Pay with GasBuddy are actually noted in the app. For example, next to Sam’s Club, there’s a small icon of a card with a circle and slash through it next to the station’s address. For what it’s worth, Sam’s is one of only a handful of stations in my area that don’t accept the card.

To my surprise, after swiping my card, the pump prompted me to enter my Driver ID. Once that was done, I was good to select my fuel grade and start pumping. Admittedly, at this point, I still wasn’t 100% clear on how Pay with GasBuddy actually worked, so I printed my receipt to keep tabs on the whole process. What I soon discovered was that the price listed on that receipt is not what would end up being debited from my account. Instead — with this being my first fill up — I saved 15¢ per gallon, with the net balance deducted from my checking account (note: Pay with GasBuddy’s site says you get 10¢ per gallon off of your first fill-up, so I’m not clear on why mine was higher). It was like magic!

With my first fill-up behind me, I knew the ropes now — or so I thought. The next station also asked me for my Driver ID but then also asked for an odometer reading. Not wanting to take the time to look at the dead-on reading, I entered a nice, round number and that seemed to work just fine. Unfortunately this may have caused some issue down the literal and proverbial road (more on that later).

Finally, something I noticed when using Pay with GasBuddy is that, while some purchases showed up immediately, others took some time to reach both my GasBuddy and bank account. This wasn’t really a problem but it’s something to be aware of (lest you think you made off with a free fill-up).

The Pros and Cons of Pay with GasBuddy

First, the biggest compliment I can give Pay with GasBuddy is that, to my surprise, it was accepted at every station I tried it at. That said I should note that the service is only intended to work at the pump itself and cannot be used inside (even if it is just to pre-pay for gas). As a result, if you only want to pump a certain dollar amount, you’ll have to do it manually.

Going back to the odometer reading, I later found out that this is a feature GasBuddy is testing in order to eventually be able to offer you tips for improving your gas mileage. That’s all well and good, but the problem I ran into was that, at the station I arrived at, I entered another fake number and was told to see an attendant. This may have been because I added an extra digit (oops) but, either way, I elected to just use another card. While this was a minor inconvenience, I also discovered you can just enter “99” to opt-out of this upcoming service and proceed without issue.

Another feature that’s both a pro and a con is the upgrade to earning Shop Your Way points. At 30¢ gallon back in your first 60 days, you can quickly rack up CASHBACK points on a road trip. Even at 15¢ per gallon, it’s still a pretty good deal. The problem is that these points don’t last forever and expire a couple months after they’re earned. Therefore, if you’re not a frequent Sears or K-Mart shopper, you’ll need to make an effort to use your points on time. Plus, given the chain’s much-publicized financial woes, it’s understandable that some users might not be too interested in holding onto such currency.

When I originally reviewed Pay with GasBuddy, I noted that I was unable to find a clear way to switch back from the Shop Your Way option back to the regular 5¢ per gallon off scheme. Luckily, as some helpful readers have pointed out, the app has been updated to make this process quite simple. When in the “Savings” tab of the GasBuddy app, tap the gear icon in the upper right to access your Settings. From there, under “Account,” you’ll see a “Shop Your Way” option where you can unlink your account.

Final Thoughts on Pay with GasBuddy

Overall, I was really surprised and impressed with the Pay with GasBuddy product. After all, it’s essentially giving users free money. Of course the big disadvantage for people like me is that I’d be missing out on credit card rewards by using this service instead. With one of my cards granting me 4% back on gas, that likely bests the 5¢ off GasBuddy offers after the initial fill-up. Again, the Sears Shop Your Way figure would actually exceed the credit card cash back offer, but I’d also have to redeem my points sooner rather than later.

With all that said, if you don’t have a credit card that puts a premium on gas, Pay with GasBuddy could be a great option for saving at the pump. Given its wide acceptance, ease of use, and now two reward options, I’ll be taking my Pay with GasBuddy card along with me for many future road trips.

The post 2019 Pay with GasBuddy Review: Yes, You Can Legitimately Save Money Every Time You Fill appeared first on Dyer News.