#buidling materials

[mohammedfarhan942]

"The Future of Concrete Scanning: AI and Advanced Sensing Technologies"

As the construction industry evolves, the demand for safer, more efficient methods of assessing structures has grown rapidly. One such area seeing significant advancements is Concrete Scanning. With the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and advanced sensing technologies, the future of concrete scanning is set to revolutionize how we understand, maintain, and strengthen concrete structures.

AI-Driven Concrete Scanning

AI has found its place in nearly every industry, and construction is no exception. In concrete scanning, AI algorithms can process large sets of data in real time, helping engineers and contractors to detect structural anomalies that would have been impossible to find with traditional methods. This not only speeds up the process but also enhances accuracy, allowing for earlier detection of issues that could compromise the integrity of a building.

How Advanced Sensing Technologies Are Improving Concrete Scanning

3D Ground-Penetrating Radar (GPR) Ground-penetrating radar has long been a staple in concrete scanning, but recent innovations are making it even more powerful. Advanced 3D GPR systems can now provide real-time imaging with higher resolution, allowing engineers to visualize the subsurface layers of concrete in greater detail. This makes it easier to identify rebar, post-tension cables, and potential hazards before concrete cutting begins.

Laser Scanning Laser scanning, often referred to as LiDAR, has made significant strides in recent years. It provides a highly accurate digital model of a concrete structure, capturing everything from surface cracks to voids beneath the surface. Laser scanning not only improves the speed of data collection but also offers precise measurements, crucial for structural strengthening and repair planning.

Ultrasonic Testing Ultrasonic testing is another sensing technology making waves in concrete scanning. By sending sound waves into the concrete, ultrasonic devices can detect flaws such as voids or cracks deep within the structure. AI can process this data, providing insights into the material’s condition that are invaluable for concrete repairing.

The Role of AI in Data Analysis

AI is especially powerful when combined with these sensing technologies. With its ability to sift through massive amounts of data, AI can automatically detect patterns and pinpoint areas of concern. For instance, AI can differentiate between minor cracks that pose no immediate danger and larger structural issues requiring urgent attention. This capability helps engineers prioritize repairs and allocate resources more efficiently.

Benefits of AI and Advanced Technologies in Concrete Scanning

Improved Accuracy: AI-driven analysis reduces human error, ensuring more accurate results when scanning concrete structures.

Faster Decision-Making: With real-time data processing, decisions regarding concrete strengthening and repairs can be made faster.

Cost-Effective: Advanced sensing technologies minimize the need for destructive testing methods, reducing both time and material costs.

Enhanced Safety: By providing a clearer picture of what lies beneath the surface, these technologies help prevent accidents during construction and repair processes.

The Future of Concrete Scanning

The future of concrete scanning is undoubtedly tied to the continued development of AI and advanced sensing technologies. As AI becomes more sophisticated and sensors become more sensitive, the accuracy and efficiency of concrete assessments will only improve. This will allow the construction industry to build safer, longer-lasting structures while minimizing waste and environmental impact.

As these technologies evolve, we can expect to see even more innovations that will redefine how we approach concrete scanning and other key aspects of structural assessment.

[ganondoodle]

so i sort of half accidentally did the end of totk on monday, i had over 130 hours and slightly over 50% of the game done and did the second to last fight with 3 hearts left and no way to heal but fairies after i gave up multiple times thinking the game might be trying to force me to fight a certain way xD

so im still playing it and am aiming for the 100% but i dont think theres gonna be much more to discover story wise the game is really fun and has a lot of detail and love put into it that you can really see, the music is fantastic as well, some of the characters get more love which is great but the story is … well disappointing but not surprising, especially in its treatment of ganondorf, who still feels incredibly flat as a character, which was to be expected but also … you cant fault people (including me) for faintly hoping theyd do something more interesting tho i will say the end fight is really well done and i cant think of a way to top that in terms of epicness xD

anyway, some unfiltered thoughts and opinions in no particular order (keep in mind i know its viddy game logic uwu but still some things can really destroy the immersion; and also i like to think too hard about the stuff i care about so take this with a grain of salt, i never expected the story to be world changing but i want to remind you that i am criticizing it bc i love this franchise)

--what the hell happened to all the sheikah tech?? botws story gets mentioned a few times but never is it mentioned what happened to all the tons of tech lying around everywhere? if they dismantled the towers for purah to build her new ones around i guess thats fine, but all the srhines? the titans ??? THE SHRINE OF LIFE??? its all gone, esepcially the shrine of life irks me bc the cave is still there and its still called by its bame but its nothing but a cave in a vague shape of how the buidling was it absolutely drives me crazy bc its so dumb?? even if it all stopped working for some reason why would you dismantled it all and even then where did the material go?? why would you dismanlted an neitre building like that anyway?? if you want to have a cave there just have it be half collapsed, if all sheikah tech has gotten useless just leave it there but overgrown?? and why is all of purahs tech still working then? zelda doesnt seem to care about it anymore either even tho shes been so obsessed with it for so long? the titans how would you even MOVE them?? you CANNOT tell me that all this tech that survived tens of thousands of years just went poof within a few years; and sometimes it even feels .. insulting? like you know how much robelo cared for cherry and now shes tiny and just serves as a way to buy fotos for your collection? the fact that the shrine of life is fully gone but the cave is vaguely shaped like its interior and where the bed used to be is a healing pool of water too? like idk if im just insane but it feels like 'haha lol remember what used to be here? get it? the water heals you like the bed in the shrine of life and lol there was the stairs HAHA remember? its gone now for no reason.lmao.' to be clear i like having some mysteries and all but that is just …. so weird? when i discovered the shrine of life i was so taken aback i didnt know what to do, it really broke my immersion, by alot even, it just makes it feel even more like all sheikah tech was replaced by much cooler (tm) sonau tech

--what happend to the sonau people? we only know that rauru and mineru are the last two remaining ones back then but … what made them die out like that? this is by far not as important to me as the issue with the sheikah tech but still feels like a point that could have been mentioned

--as much as i like the open world and how free you are to do things your own way but, regardign the dragon tears i think they should have been locked more behind story progression, i got all of them rather early on and it made it a lil frustrating to play through the other story parts bc you know the truth but you cant tell anyone and everyone around you is acting like a dumbass running after fake zelda while the real one is floating around above you, and i know thats partly my fault for getting them all so early but it still felt like some could have been more well hidden or locked or something since theres no hint to when it would fit to do which one; i expecpted impa to travel to each one but it seemed like she appeared on only a few here and there- additionally i fully expected her to be more important, that she would have an actual involment trying to help zelda undragonfy but that turned out to be very wrong lmao

--why are the enemies in the underground mining sonanium? ganondorf didnt seem itnerested at all in any of their tech, only in the mystery stones (only one too, he didnt seem to want any more of them either) they dont use it for anything? at least the ones on the surface collected stuff they could eat or use for fighting?

--did mineru really build herself a robot body just to fight ganondorf for a bit and then leave? as the last of the sonau, even tho long dead too, why wouldnt she tell their history and knowledge or something and instead if just helping a lil in the fight and then go poof (i half expected purah to be a surprise sage since the spirit one would have fit her i think)

--the zelda being the white dragon plot point lost alot of weight to me when it was just .. resolved like that in the end, i know she spent thousands of years like that and all but it seemed like a much heavier decision that later on felt a little less flat after fidning mineru even tho i felt like i didnt care at all at first bc of the way i found out ,and i half expected there to be an extra mission to try and find her soul again since that apparently gets lost when you do the whole dragon thing, but in the end that wasnt a problem at all, two ghosts and link (somehow naked again) blasting her with some magic(tm) and boom shes back and well and fine woohoo it was a non problem after all i didnt expect her to stay dragon since that would mean the end of the legend of zelda basically, but still it took away alot of the weight of her decision to me? like i get undragonfying her before the end would be difficult since you can get material off of her but still i hoped for something other than boom it resolved itself and i thoguht and worried about it for nothing honestly a post game or even another title where the main focus wouldnt be desstroying yet anyother one note evilest guy of them all and isntead the goal is to bring zeldas soul back and undragon her or something would have been a cool idea tbh tho i know its unrealistic

--did ganondorf think turning himself into a dragon would end the world somehow? did he mean the lil evil goo clouds he spit at you in the last fight to end the world? and how come that he was vunerable to fight? none of the other dragons could be hurt and for an 'immortal' dragon he sure went down fast also how did the stone get back on his forehead? you need to eat it to dragonfy yourself and zelda doesnt have her stone out either (i know viddy games logic but still) (on another note, gan shoving half his arm in his own mouth felt really cursed to watch)

--into WHAT exactly wanted gan to reshape the world into?? only destroying it is such a non reason if you want to rule it? theres nothing left to rule if you kill everything in it?? he just gonna play cards with some bokblins or what -i really wanted to fight ganondorf on the surface, not in his lil miasma incubation cave again :(

--so …. why he evil? are we really doing the and WHOOP suddendnly theres the eviliest guy of the world and he hates your guts for some reason thing again? no tension with the gerudo that seemed to follow him in the lil cutscene we see and the ones that went on raurus side? no actual origin? does he have ANYONE to talk to normally or did he just surround himself by monsters all the time or abadon everyone that once followed him once he got his power up?? you can make any design or fight as good as it can possibly be but in the end its still gonna feel hollow if the character has no character besides evil even the fake zelda wasnt actually him and just a lil puppet made of miasma so even him fucking with people is a little less interesting when he was actually just marinading in his lil goop cave, and the lil hand wink he gives you at phase two can only do so much lmao

--ganondorf is cool and all, but tbh he feels more like the evil miasma goop guy than anything else --why are the old sonau ruins in hyrule so different from the rest? like we know now that they arent actually a civilization from the sky alone but were even in the underground too, and all of their ruins have that blocky white style to it, the supposedly sonau ruins in phirone for example, albeit they share the dragon theme the style on the outside is very much different? and the ancient ruins from the other races dont match it either --are the sheikah descendants of the mixing of sonau and hylians? the white hair and third eye theme would fit to the only alive sonaus we see having white hair (fur?), the literal third eye and their affinity to techonology similar to the sheikah, and zelda having both light and time powers would make sense if its yet another descendant thing, but that would mean zelda was at least part sheikah .. (ngl white haired zelda might look pretty neat actually) but also … it didnt seem like sonia and rauru have been together all that long and no mention or even hint to them having children … which given that both of them die would be an important thing to mention no?

--why cant you do anything with the dongos but feed them????????? i wanna ride them :(

--where is kashiwa????????????????? they talk about him like hes a lost legend

--putting in all the amiibo stuff is cool and annoying at the same time, i spent 5 hours fighting my way throguh the underground to follow treasure maps and found 3 nigh identcal link hats from past games in a row, then two other parts of similar, then two aiimbo weapons and then jsut yesterday another one from a bigger quest that i expected more of; getting the armor sets of past games is cool if you want them but if i did i would have just gotten the amiibos back in botw, my inevntory already feels super bloated with all the new and old armor sets and now the amiibo stuff as well even tho i have like .. half of it all atm (and dont go and argue 'oh so complaining about more content for free???' yes. yes i am.)

--whats with this game and making link almost naked? rauru saving you from death? naked. (annoying) survival shrines? naked. weird teleport to alternate ghost dimension to blast zelda with magic power tm to solve all problems? naked.

--(added in edit) im glad dorephan didnt die!! i fully expected him to have died offscreen or something to make way for everyones favorite fish

--(added in edit) so are definitely other lands besides hyrule if yona came from there, also lol

--the story feels, espeically once you see the last cutscene, very …. uncomfortable to me if dare to think about it more than just taking everythign as its said to you, like … the oh so perfect descednants of the gods(what) marry a normal hylian lady and sourround themselves with perfetly obedient faceless servants of the other races so the perfect and good kingdom tm is born and oh suddendly theres an evil brown man (makign him grey doesnt change the implications, if anything, it makes it worse bc they wont even stand for it and instead are trying to hide it behind uuuuh no no its fine hes blue actally kinda way) from the desert that attacks the perfect good kingdom and king, then he swears alliance to them only to betray and murder da queen right away to get his hands on a super power the perfect and good king held and would have never never used it in a bad way nono and now they need to defend it by all means and at the end woohoo zelda has now again the perfect kingdom with no opposition except the yiga who are (as much as i love them) mostly played for laughs or .. well, evil(tm) as epic and cool the dragon fight was, zelda being the slim tiny white/gold/blue dragon and ganondorf being the evil spiky big black and red dragon and them literally being called white/black dragon feels like wow they arent even trying to hide the black and white storytelling huh (i know its a design trope to the bad be black(color) and the good anything else and spiky vs round and soft blah blah but that doesnt make it any better .. maybe even worse? idk)

the way nintendy was keeping stuff a secret and hinting around so much made me feel like it would finally be a little more nuanced and then it turned out to be even flatter than before and all that secrecy(?) was only to keep dragon zelda plotpoint a secret, something that was resolved no problem in the end anyway (i didnt need zelda to stay dragon but .. it all just lost so much weight the way it was done at the end)

-- (added in edit) master koga is the best character and no one can beat him, the most joy i felt was seeing him again and i am not joking, i wish i could talk to him normally tho without him being able to see through my yiga disguise :( im so glad he didnt die tho bc if he actually went to gan he would 100% be dead within seconds

--(added in edit2) i forgot to mention but was just reminded that link getting his arm back felt super weird too, so really everything that meant major changes got reversed basically ... coool ...back to status quo i guess, couldnt he if he wasnt missing it at least have it be discolored somehow? or scarred? any reminder? zelda too even, could she also have some sort of scar or similar due to her transformation ??

--(added in edit2) so where did the mystery stones even come from? gans and zeldas are gone after dragonfying i guess so ...what?

so in summary, im not eloquent enough to properly analyse all the problematic/questionable stuff and put it into the right words, but these are my random thoughts just spilled out, theres gonna be things i missed, forgot, or gonna think about later, maybe ill add it maybe not

again take it with a grain of salt, the game is still one of the most fun games i have ever played, my problems with it lie majorly in the story, its still very much worth playing!

[nemfrog]

Buidling materials. Practical problems in mechanical drawing and blueprint reading. 1921.

Internet Archive

[elahogn]

Top of my head reaction while watching CR3E89 below, there's some discussion about the gods and the world, contain some SPOILERS so here's a warning.

Also contain some discussion and spoilers about the gods and world building of the 2 podcasts Legend Lark (Dames and Dragons) and Spout Lore. They are both very good and coming to an end of a long campaign, so check them out if you want to feast on some delicious delicious world buidling.

This whole discussion of whether the gods are necessary for the world to function comes up ever so often in this world of Critical Role and once again in c3e89. True to what Travis said, I think there're tons of missing links here. The only written record of what the gods done to Exandria is definitely by the followers of the gods, given it is by Vasselheim or by the Colbalt Soul (they are the followers of goddess Ioun, regardless of how neutral she is, still one of the gods). That's so obviously unavoidable bias to the gods! No one knows what was going on before the gods arrived. What was called chaos can be orders, just to a different standard. As an aware-but-not-religious person, I'm so deeply related to Ashton (Taliesin)'s sceptical pov on the gods, especially in this world! It's complicated in this fantasy world because the gods are somehow present and physical, and some people actually meet and talk to them. It's true that some people have special power connecting with the gods, it's true that the belief keep the world in order and there's some impact from the gods to keep other realms away from the material plane. But also because they are believed to be bringing orders and peace that there's no way to know what would be without them? It's true that the gods grow stronger with worship and followers. It's also true that they only look out for their own followers. So it's even more questionable whether they would even care if the world is destroyed if not for the dent in their own power.

In Legend Lark (Dames and Dragons) podcast, they also fight gods. The gods in this world are somehow enormous, intangible forces but also so human and selfish. The main big bad, Torva - the Conquerer, is one of the strongest gods, who is known to be the main cause of several destructions of civilizations. His motivation is so selfish, but so true to the chaotic nature of his domain and the grey moral of being one of the strongest gods that live so close to the mortal realm. In short, he wants to destroy the world and deconstruct the pantheon, dethrone the primordial forces to free his love from the cycle, a goddess who ascended from mortal who, in every lifetime, has to reborn herself and dedicate everything to care for her people (I'm not saying she's a selfless entity tho). An amazing thing is that throughout the campaign, it comes to light how humanity doesn't really need the gods to continue as a society. They are aware of the gods' existence, and some receive the blessing and power from the gods. Much at all, in the world history, the gods are recorded as the main force of destruction than anything.

Spout Lore podcast also has a very interesting take on the gods and the world. Interestingly, the world of Spout Lore has 3 realms, the material, the spirit, and the fairy. In which the gods, fundamentally, embodie forces of nature that walk across the three realms but bring the most destruction to the material realm. But somehow, the world survives, and the people live without much attention to the gods at all. The campaign is still going on at this point, but much to my understanding, the big bad, the Gibbous man, was a powerful god, still quite a god, but punished by other gods to be entangled with the human world. He is trying to free himself from the punishment while entangling himself stronger into his own chain. And the force of evil in the world materialised as demons, stem from his power, plague the world with greed, violence, and destruction.

On another note, back to CR, what even is Predathos? There's still so little information about this main reason that this whole campaign even has any plot at this point! Why is it called The Gods Eater? What did it do? What is it doing right now with the flares and the connections with the Ruidus borns? Somehow, this lack of explanation about the main force of the plot makes this campaign feel little like a drag sometimes. I know a lot of people saying that Bells Hells keep trying to avoid the main mission. But also, I feel now that they are on the main mission, all these moments of role-playing character development feel like roundabouts (!?). I don't know if it is a good choice to have the big final boss looming in the distance so early on the campaign with no return like this. Or is it better to establish the characters and story and as the story progressing, buidling up to the reveal of the villain?

[wri0thesley]

nat i am dying i need kaveh carnally. i will die without him. ohhhhhhhhhhhhhh to be his chubby life drawing model, convinced he's just asked me there to Study the Form when unsecretly he is down horrendous and trying everything he knows to seduce me

he is SO incredibly gorgeous oh my god. and ah . . . to see kaveh and know he is the light of his darshan, to admire his profile in the golden light and how his hair falls over his lovely face, to think he is so far out of your league (he must have people falling over themselves to be his, you think--)

but for kaveh - romantic at heart, who falls fast and lets his emotions do his thinking for him - the same thing is happening in his head. you are so so beautiful. he can never tear his eyes away from the curve of your thigh or the softness of your dimpled arms, the round fullness of your cheeks and your gentle smile and the knowledge of how soft you would feel beneath his own hands (roughened and calloused from handling quills and paper and books and buidling materials when he feels like getting stuck in himself, which is often). how out of his league you are. he wanders about the house waxing poetic about you as if you hung the stars yourself, melodramatically sighing and trying to come up with reasons to see you and bring you back so he might at least TRY--

when he falls upon the idea of life drawing, your heart speeds double time in your chest - because it is so open, so brazen . . . kaveh, though, seeing your reaction and thinking it fear, falls over himself to say that he has no impure intention, he promises, it is all for the ART you see - and perhaps your heart falls, but you want to spend time with the lovely blond, so you paste on a smile and agree.

and oh, the awkwardness . . . kaveh trying to seduce you without embarrassing you or making you feel as though you are there for nefarious purpose - and you, misunderstanding everything he does as the two of you bumble and awkwardly apologise and get all nervous and light-headed around one another

(whilst alhaitham in the next room puts on his noise-cancelling headphones and sighs)

[blazedrawsstuff]

Meet Terra Firma, the son of an earth elemental!

Terra Firma

Son of an Earth Elemental

Parent

An Earth Elemental

Age

16

Killer Style

I'm a fan of "work clothes", stuff that feels comfortable when you're on the job. 

Freaky Flaw

Aside from stubborness, I can be very ridgid when it comes to my daily routine, one wrench thrown into the works and I'll freak!

Pet

Dune, my pet prairie dog. He was a bit snappy at me when I first got him, but she's warmed up to me since.

Favorite Activity

I'm a natural born builder. I build with my toy bricks almost every day. 

Pet Peeve

As down-to-earth as I am, I can't STAND celebrity relationship drama, it's such a waste of time and energy to read about when you could be doing something more productive.

Favorite Subject

Geology, naturally. Architecture is my second fav. 

Least Favorite Subject

Swimming, I sink like a rock...quite literally.

Favorite Colors

Brown, Green, and Yellow

Favorite Food

Those gummy building blocks, and toy block shaped waffles. And they say "don't play with your food".

Friends

Geo Firma (OC, Little Brother)

Lupita Ahogada (OC, Girlfriend)

Rochelle Gargoyle

Venus McFlytrap

Brock Chelicerata (OC)

Abbey Bominable

Abilities

Geokinesis

Naturally, as an earth elemental, Terra can create, shape, and manipulate earth and "earthen" elements (soil, sand, rocks, etc)

Skillset

Buidling

Terra has a fondness for building structures, wether it be with earthy materials or with toy building blocks and thus excells at it. 

Personality

Terra is, at his core, a down-to-earth guy. He's kind and caring to others, and prefers to remain modest and unpretentious. He cares more for the pratical and productive things in life than the frivolous nonesense of it all (such as celebrity drama). He focuses a lot on hard work, and as such is a rather patient and honest fellow. 

However, like a big rock or a mountain, it's difficult to get him to budge, as he is pretty stubborn, rarely backing down from a decision or viewpoint he's made unless thorougly convinced otherwise. He's also ridgid when it comes to his schedule, and tends to get agitated or panicked when things do go as planned for him. 

Trivia/Additional Information

Terra's name comes from "Terra firma", a term referring to dry land.

Her birthday is April 14th, the month comes from the atomic number of Beryllium (4) and the day comes from the atomic number of silicon (14). This makes him an Aries.

His headcanon voice is Matthew Mercer, the voice of Chrom from Fire Emblem

Terra has a love-hate relationship with rainy weather. On one hand, he appreciates the benefits it creates for the earth and the feeling of it on his hair, but on the other hand he doesn't like how it makes his skin all muddy (which makes it all cracked and hard later when it dries).

[emmaameliamiaava]

Building Materials - Construction Materials for House Building - UltraTech Cement

Discover Building Materials  and construction materials. Explore our comprehensive list of high-quality materials used in construction for your next home buidling project.

[happyharvesting]

Buying Wall Cladding UV Sheets: A Comprehensive Guide

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[maiaszecket-grad604-2023]

W9 - Writing

Over the weekend, I looked at the break-down of the Critical Review, and started writing notes of the kinds of things I want to talk about in each section.

Today in class, I started to refine a bit - I looked through class presentations to get down to the details that need to be included.

Something else I did to make things clearer for me was write down a cohesive list of key words that will help me frame the purpose of my review, what kinds of messages I want to portray, and also creating my title:

Textures

Textiles

Physical

Material

Material thinking

Iteration

Hand-buidling

Design

Process

Creative

Collections

Objects

Versions

Exploration

Process-driven

I will continue to add to this list as my purpose develops.

[comaron]

Cement Industry and Major Players in Jharkhand

This post provides an overview of the growth of the housing and cement industries in India, specifically focusing on the involvement of five different companies operating in Jharkhand. It highlights the unique features of each company and their contribution to the development of the real estate industry in the state. Visit the website to learn in detail. Additionally your can make a call to us at 8377044077 to get best deals on buidling materials. https://www.comaron.com/blog/cement-price-jharkhand

[acculine]

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[painesau]

Paines  lead Buidling material supplier with the largest selection of Merbau Timber Supplies Melbourne wide. As a result, our company only carried A grade Merbau Timber that had been kiln-dried. In Melbourne, we are a wholesaler and direct supplier of Merbau Timber and 140mm Decking. As a result, our company welcomes Tradies, Builders, and the general public. Timber Decking set lengths are a specialty of Outdeco Living. We have lengths ranging from 1.2m to 6m in stock, as well as random lengths.

[chasingnewdawn]

The forest moon of Tsukimori plays a relatively small part in Chasing New Dawn, but I still wanted to try to get the details right - like what the day/night cycle would look like, and what the gas giant the moon is orbiting around would look like in the sky. And I found out some interesting bits about the phases of the planet, and how each day brings a few hours of total darkness - which is one of those neat little details that never would have occurred to me.

[generalobi]

What if Obi-Wan stayed on Melida/Daan after their war was over to help them piece together peace. As a foreign advisor, he’d have plenty of time to read up on his nerdy interests, like maybe the only Mandalorian Jedi. How would Jango react to a warrior poet former Jedi who speaks in flowery ancient Mando’a?

It was never Obi-Wan’s intention to become a politician. But, things being as they are, he didn’t really have much of a choice.

In the beginning, it was fine. He was appointed Minister of Education, after helping Cerasi and Nield form a government. He enjoyed being Minister of Education. He got to help shape the next generation of children, and watch them grow up in a world without war. It was great, actually.

But, of course, nothing good ever lasts. MelidaDaan needed to rejoin the wider galaxy, and who better to lead that project than Obi-Wan? No one, because no one else had ever left the planet. No one else speaks another language, and no one else knows how trade deals work. So, Foreign Minister Kenobi is born.

¬

When his buir tells him he’s considering reaching out to MelidaDaan for a trade deal, Jango nearly laughs. Not only does MelidaDaan have nothing of value, nothing is known about them. The planet only recently emerged from centuries long isolation. 

He does laugh when his buir tells him that Jango will be the one to head this negotiation.

¬

When Jango brings the ship into the atmosphere, he understands. MelidaDaan resembles Mandalore. The planet is a wasteland, remnants of towns and cities amongst barren fields and bomb craters. A civil war tore the planet apart, every continent and city ravenged by it. That’s why Jaster wants this deal. Their planets are similar.

Next to him, Myles whistles lowly, “Fuck, they destroyed this place. I reckon the Manda’lor’s got a point. They’re not so different from us.”

“Maybe,” Jango says, still scanning the surface.

They’re approaching a city, and the coordinates his buir gave them. Like everything else, the city shows signs of war. But progress too. Buidlings have been fixed, and strengthened. They fly over a street market, and a school, before their stop comes into view. A small landing platform.

“I think they found peace in a very different way,” Jango points out, jerking his chin at their welcoming party.

Myles stares at the group of barely adults that awaits them, “Shit.”

¬

“Olarom,” Minister Kenobi greets, accent strange but the word undoubtably Mando’a, “We welcome you to our city.”

“We thank you for your welcome,” Jango inclines his head, “You speak Mando’a?”

He shrugs, a smile playing at the corner of his mouth, “Oh, only a bit. I’ve had some time on my hands recently.”

Next to him, the woman (girl, really) who has yet to introduce herself rolls her eyes.

Jango has no idea what to make of these people. The three members of their welcoming party can’t be older than twenty. And that’s being generous. Jango himself is young for his position, at twenty-five. How have these... children ending up in charge of a planet? And why?

“Your accent is good,” Myles says gruffly, when Jango has been silent for too long, “For a beginner.”

Minister Kenobi laughs, “Thank you, Ser Myles. I try my best. Would you like to see your rooms? Negotiations start tomorrow, as I’m sure you’re aware, and dinner is in three hours. I’m sure you want to relax before then.”

Jango trades a look with Myles, “Thank you, we would appreciate that.”

Unlike Sundari, MelidaDaan doesn’t have a palace. The girl, who introduces herself as Dari, explains that this is the Fortress. At Myles’ raised eyebrow, Minister Kenobi explains that the building was one of the few that still stood at the end. He doesn’t specify at the end of what, but he doesn’t need to. 

The third member of the welcome committee is presumably a guard, as they offer no introduction and remain at the back of the group.

As they walk, Dari and Minister Kenobi point out things of interest and explain the next two weeks itiniery more thoroughly. The latter is mostly Kenobi. The building is mostly duracrete, wood and some strange material Jango can’t identify. It’s clearly designed for practicality more than anything else. Apart from tapestries lining the walls, the decoration is sparse.

Frankly, Jango would be hard pressed to find his way without the tour. All the corridors look similar, and the doors have no sign to differentiate one from the other. How Dari manages to point out each one baffles him. 

“And these are your rooms,” Kenobi stops at an unassuming wooden door, “Someone will bring your bags from the ship, and fetch you for dinner. Please, rest. You might need it.”

¬

“This place is strange,” Jango groans to his buir, when the only person to witness his lack of decorum is Myles.

Jaster sighs, “And why is that?”

“They’re kids,” Jango says, running a hand through his hair.

“What?”

Myles pops his head into view, “He’s not lying Jaster. They’re off age, but only just. This is an elected government, and for some reason they’ve chosen to elect children. Scary children, sure, but I swear I saw a twelve-year-old in a guards uniform.”

Jaster frowns, “I’ll look into it. But other than that?”

“Minister Kenobi speaks Mando’a.”

“Okay,” Jaster nods, “That is weird. I have to go, but I will look into it. I’ll talk to you tomorrow Jan’ika.”

The call disconnects and Jango is left staring down at his comm. 

“Come on,” Myles slaps his shoulder, “Let’s get ready for this dinner.”

[baepsaesbae]

Heal Me, Kill Me Ch.1

Pairing— Kim Namjoon x reader (only in this chapter), Kim Taehyung x reader (main focus) ft. Yoongi

Genre— Vampire!Taehyung x Vampire Hunter!y/n, ANGST, smut +18, comedy (i tried)

Warnings— Death, violence, oral (f receiving), fingering, explicit unprotexted sex

Word Count— 7.6k

Summary— You’re one of the best vampire hunters in the world. That's to be expected when your parents are the best of the best. Your life had solely revolved around ruthlessly killing vampires. You were essentially a cold blooded machine. However, things take a turn once you meet Kim Taehyung, your latest target.

A/N— Huge shoutout to @dee-ehn for this beautiful banner! I hope you guys enjoy this chapter, please let me know what you think! 

You didn’t choose this life. You had no past trauma that spurred you on to take this path. Most vampire hunters became hunters because a loved one was murdered and they wanted revenge or some bullshit like that. Not you though.

You were born into this lifestyle. Your parents were allegedly the best hunting team in history. They were usually too busy with work, so you were practically raised by the faction itself. The grandmaster of the Vampyre Extermination Company (VEC for short) was your main parental figure. 

While normal children went to school, you were being trained in combat. The only lessons you had were those pertaining to vampires. You knew everything there was to know about them. Being the youngest member of the company, it was clear that you were a prodigy. 

By the age of 13, you had already killed 5 vampires. Most seasoned hunters only kill 5 in their entire lifetimes. You were incredibly smart, and used your youth to your advantage. 

That was ten years ago. You had lost track of your kill count (not that it matters, it’s officially documented somewhere). You were now the youngest person ever to achieve the Expert Hunter title. 

None of that fancy stuff matters to you. You get assigned a job, and you do it. That’s all it was. In fact, you were on a job at this very moment. 

You were all dolled up sitting at the bar of a very busy nightclub, with a drink that you had no intention of drinking. Your assignment had been spotted frequenting this club quite often. He preyed on young women (as most of them do) and many of them had gone missing from this location. 

You had on the skimpiest dress you could find. Its low cut neckline coupled with a push-up bra had your breasts nearly spilling out of the dress. Its tight material clung to your body to reveal your curves. You absolutely hated it. 

“Why are you alone, pretty girl?” a drunk man stumbled up to you. He definitely wasn’t your target.

“I’m waiting for someone to kill,” you replied nonchalantly.

“To kill? That sounds kind of scary,” he put his hand on your waist.

You grabbed his wrist and twisted it, causing the man to cry out in agony. 

“I don’t have time to waste on you. Get out of my sight or else I’ll break your wrist,” you warned with cold indifference.

The man scampered away as soon as you released him. You refocused your attention on the crowded dance floor. It’s possible that the vampire would smoothly dance with a girl before luring her to her doom.

You began to sigh in frustration when there was no sign of your target. Suddenly, the room’s temperature dropped. The hair on the back of your neck stood up, and goosebumps covered your body.

He had arrived.

There was no doubt about it. You felt a malevolent presence as soon as he entered the buidling. Your eyes scanned the club again, in search of the source. Finally, you found him.

There was a tall handsome man standing in front of the dance floor, surveying it as intensely as you were surveying him. He glanced your way, causing you to freeze up. When your eyes met, you shot him a coy smile, and turned to your drink.

Hopefully that was enough to pique his interest. You debated on whether you should sip your drink or not, to make you appear more vulnerable. It didn’t take long before a deep voice rang in your ear.

“Are you waiting on someone?” a seductive voice asked.

You could already tell he was using his charms. One of a vampire’s many tricks was their gift of persuasion and seduction. Supernatural powers were involved, of course, but their good looks helped seal the deal. 

“Maybe. Maybe not,” you replied before sipping your drink. 

“If you were, you probably wouldn’t have smiled my way,” the man took a seat beside you.

“Ah, you got me there. You’re a sharp one huh?” you smiled.

“In more ways than one, dear,” the man chuckled before extending a hand, “I’m Namjoon. Pleasure to meet you.”

“I’m ___. The pleasure is all mine,” you shake his hand, taking note of how eerily cold it was. This was definitely him. 

The night went on with playful flirting and shallow attempts at getting to know each other. You were well aware that everything both you and Namjoon said was a lie. Namjoon insisted on ordering you a drink after you finished the first one but you politely declined, saying you’ve had more than enough for one night (another blatant lie). 

Namjoon finally made his move. He leaned over to you and kissed your exposed shoulder. 

“You wanna get out of here?” he asked. You could feel how heavily laced his words were with mystical persuasion. 

“I thought you’d never ask,” you kissed his cheek. 

It wasn’t hard to flirt when your target was so attractive. In fact, that’s how most of your hunts have gone ever since you got older. You’d seduce them into letting their guard down, and kill them when they weren’t paying attention. It was a slight perk that vampires were much better at fucking than humans, but you were willing to keep that information private. 

Back at Namjoon’s apartment, he wasted no time getting you undressed. You were passionately making out with him on his bed when reached down to palm his clothed erection. Namjoon released a guttural moan.

“So impatient,” he chuckled, kissing down your throat. 

His hands wandered down between your thighs, rubbing your clit. He kissed his way down your stomach, pausing before your heat. He delicately flicked his tongue down your folds. You bucked your hips up, begging for more. Namjoon slid in his long slender fingers while his tongue worked your clit. 

He expertly curved his fingers into you, hitting that special spot perfectly. His intensity picked up, causing your cries to get louder. He held you down as you started to squirm beneath him. He sucked on your clit as he rapidly pumped in and out of you.

You came without a warning, your body shaking from the impact. Namjoon licked up all of your juices. Your chest was heaving as Namjoon kissed a trail back up to your lips. His eyes were darkened with a dangerous hunger you were all too familiar with. 

Going any further would be dangerous, but you couldn’t help yourself. He was too alluring to resist, plus your motto was that there’s no harm in having a little fun. A satisfied smile crept across your face after you tugged off his bottoms. His dick was just as big as you imagined, and you needed it inside of you immediately. 

You immediately straddled Namjoon, lips still locked as you lowered yourself onto him. You moaned into his mouth as he filled you completely. Your hips moved on their own accord, leaving you no choice but to enjoy the ride. Namjoon let you take the lead, enjoying an unfamiliar balance of power in the bedroom. His hands rested on your hips as you rocked back and forth.

“You’re so hot. I could stay like this forever,” Namjoon praised.

“Have you ever been tied up before?” you asked before kissing his ear. As much as you wanted the night to continue, you knew Namjoon was at his limit. Endorphins were high, right now would be the perfect time to devour you.

“No, I haven’t. I’m usually the one doing the tying. But I’m always willing to try something new,” Namjoon smirked.

“Wait here then. And close your eyes!” you giggled.

Your legs were wobbly as you made your way to your discarded bag. You were delighted when you reentered the bedroom to find Namjoon still closing his eyes.

“Good boy,” you cooed while taking out silver chains.

“Are those chains I hear?” Namjoon sounded excited.

“Yes, I’m gonna chain you up real good. You’ve been a bad boy,” you whispered into his ear. Namjoon groaned, and you noticed his cock twitch. 

With impossibly quick motions, you wrapped the chains around Namjoon’s wrists. The silver burned his skin upon impact. There was no need to chain up his legs, as the silver severely weakened him. He tried to wiggle free of the chain but it was no use. His eyes darted open to see you smiling down at him.

“There’s no use in struggling, Namjoon. These chains are pure silver and are anointed with holy water for extra measure. I am ___, from the Vampyre Extermination Company. You have been found guilty of numerous kidnappings and murders,” you say as you take out a wooden stake.

“Fuck you, you bitch!” Namjoon spat at you, fully baring his fangs.

“That’s not very nice, dear. You were so sweet to me before. Well, before you were going to kill me of course,” you laughed as if it were a joke, “Thank you for showing me a good time. May your soul rest easy in the next life.”

Namjoon bared his fangs at you while you plunged the stake into his chest. Blood gushed out of his wound. Cries of agony filled the room. A few moments later, Namjoon’s body turned to dust. The job was complete.

You made a call while getting dressed. Your clothes were soaked with blood, but that was nothing new. 

“Hi, I’m gonna need a clean up crew at this address. Nothing super messy, just burn the bed I guess. Yeah, the mess was pretty much contained. Mhm. Yeah. Ok thank you,” you say curtly.

Back in your hotel room, you rewarded yourself with a bubble bath (after a shower of course). With most of the blood scrubbed off, you relaxed in the fragrant water. You had a habit of reflecting on your life after every job.

Was your life ever going to be normal? Probably not.

Were you going to die on one of your jobs? Probably.

Do you enjoy your job/life? Maybe? You couldn’t tell. 

You did acknowledge that you loved the thrill of the hunt. You enjoyed acting weak and innocent, only to violently kill your targets. The sex and stuff was a nice bonus too. You were taught that vampires prefer to ‘wine and dine’ their prey. Apparently happy people make for happy meals. Due to this, it’s quite common for vampires to seduce their victims before devouring them. 

‘Do vampires make other vampires?’ you asked when you were a child.

‘Yes. But they rarely do that because they are solitary creatures. Also, only the strongest vampires can turn humans since it drains their own life force tremendously,’ was the answer.

You got an assignment about once every month. During the time that you don’t have anyone to kill, you enjoyed traveling. The VEC pays handsomely. You never understood where all the money came from, until you were told that the deceased vampires’ assets get transferred to the VEC. How that happens, you had no clue. But it doesn’t matter; you get paid well enough to travel wherever you wanted to at a moment’s notice. 

You perused the internet for flights to France. You’ve been craving macarons lately. You were about to buy a ticket when your phone rang. You groaned when you saw the VEC caller ID.

“Hello?” you answered.

“___. I need you to come down to HQ immediately.”

“Grandmaster?” your eyes widened. You never got a direct call from him. Whatever this was, it must be urgent. 

He hung up as soon as he delivered the message. Typical. He’s a very straight to the point kind of guy. 

There goes the rest of your relaxing evening. You packed up all of your belongings. A driver was already waiting for you in the lobby. Again, you had no idea how the VEC can be so quick and efficient, but you’re thankful for it regardless. 

The car brought you to a private airport, in which a jet was already ready for you. 

‘This must actually be serious,’ you thought. The VEC was boujee, as they usually flew you out first class, but the private jet is a first.

Within a few hours, you had finally arrived at HQ. You were greeted warmly upon entrance. After a quick congratulations on another successful job, you were escorted to the Grandmaster’s office.

“___. Please take a seat,” the grandmaster said as he paced back and forth.

“Is everything okay, Yoongi?” you asked. You always dropped the formalities when you were alone together. This man had been more of a parent to you than your actual parents, with whom you only had fleeting encounters with.

“It’s your parents. ___, I’m so sorry. They were killed on a hunt,” Yoongi placed a firm grip on your shoulder.

You silently processed the news. More than anything, you felt shocked. Shocked, because they were supposed to be the best hunters in the world. Shocked, because you felt nothing. You felt no sadness, no anger. You were so detached from your parents, they might as well have been strangers. 

Yoongi on the other hand, looked like he was about to break down. He had known your parents for a long time. They were practically family to him, just like you. 

You get up to embrace Yoongi in a long hug. You seldom showed true acts of affection, but this was as genuine as it gets. More than anything, you felt sad for Yoongi. You couldn’t fathom what he felt. You couldn’t imagine what it was like to lose a loved one, mostly due to the fact that you didn’t have any loved ones. Yoongi may have been the closest thing to it.

You helped sit Yoongi down. After he was seated, you poured him a drink. Lord knows he needed it. 

“Did their target kill them?” you asked, breaking the heavy silence.

“Yes. Their bodies were drained and left out in a field. I began to think the worst when your parents failed to make two check in calls in a row,” Yoongi took a swig of his drink.

“Their target must be pretty powerful…” your voice trailed off.

“He is. I knew he was strong, but taking out our two best? Inconceivable,” Yoongi scoffed, “I’m gonna kill the bastard with my own hands, I swear to God--”

“I’ll go,” you interrupted.

“You?” Yoongi blinked, “Absolutely not. I already lost your parents, I can’t lose you too--”

“You haven’t been in the field for years. A male vampire would never trust you, so you would have to resort to immediate violence. If he took out both of my parents, then his physical strength must be no joke,” you stated the facts.

Yoongi looked at you dumbfounded before taking another long sip of his drink. 

“Fine. But I’ll go with you--”

“No, you won’t. Your presence will blow my cover.”

“I can stay in the next town over.”

“Just to snoop around and fuck up my hunt? No thanks.”

“God, you’re so fucking stubborn, kid. How about this? Give me a night to concoct a safe alibi for you. I get to plan out how your first encounter with him goes. You can choose to kill him on the spot, or go for your usual route,” Yoongi raised his eyebrows as he said the last bit. 

“Works for me. I’m pretty sure I can’t suddenly kill him without the element of surprise and a shit ton of luck.”

“You’re willing to seduce your parents’ murderer?” Yoongi couldn’t hide the concern in his voice.

“This is just another job to me. A job is a job. Don’t let your personal feelings get in the way. That’s what you’ve always preached to me,” you shrugged.

That was Yoongi’s last straw. He pulled you in for a tight hug as a single tear rolled down his cheek. He kissed the top of your head.

“I’m truly sorry, ___. I never should have let you into this world. Your parents insisted that I train you. I should have refused, and let you live a normal life,” Yoongi apologized.

“Yoongi, you did nothing wrong. I’m perfectly fine the way I am. Believe it or not, I’ve probably saved a lot of people from becoming someone’s midnight snack,” you try to lighten the mood. 

“I just worry about you, you know? It’s almost as if you’re my own kid,” Yoongi sighed, finally letting go of you, “Come back here tomorrow morning at 10am. I’ll have your assignment by then.”

“Please get some sleep, Yoongi,” you squeezed his hand.

“I can’t sleep. Not like this. To be honest, I’m afraid that I’ll dream about your parents,” Yoongi admitted.

Noticing that you didn’t know how to respond, he quickly dismissed what he said.

“I think the alcohol is getting to me. Don’t mind me. Go to sleep, kiddo,” he patted your head.

You excused yourself and headed to your room. Your new target has sparked intrigue. You were in awe at how powerful he must be. You concluded that he must be clever. Your parents knew every trick in the book. They knew how to hunt and kill every and any type of vampire. At least, you thought they did.

You drifted off to sleep. Your last thoughts lingered on the vampire who killed your parents. 

That night, you had a strange dream. 

You felt trapped. You couldn’t move your body. All of a sudden, you were freezing. The sound of water surrounded you. Everything was pitch black, and soon, it was getting harder to breathe. 

“I loved you” you heard a muffled voice say. 

You woke up in a cold sweat. What the hell was that? You couldn’t remember the last time you had a nightmare. You weren’t even sure if that could be classified as a nightmare. After getting up to drink some water, you went back to sleep without giving it a second thought. 

“Yoongi, this is literally the worst cover you’ve ever made,” you admitted as you examined the file he handed you.

“I worked on it all night! I believe it’s foolproof,” Yoongi argued.

The bags under his eyes got impossibly darker, hinting at the fact that he probably did work on it all night. Upon realizing this, you decided to tone down your criticism. 

“Maybe it could work. I’m just worried that I won’t be able to play the part,” you stated. 

“I feel like this role is more natural than just being a flirt. But, of course, I could be mistaken,” Yoongi gave you a disapproving glance.

“Okay whatever. Yes, I’ll make it work,” you rolled your eyes. 

You were flown out to the target’s town the next day. Your living arrangement had already been prepared. You found yourself settling into a small cottage surrounded by a forest. It looked like something out of a fairytale.

It was oddly freeing being able to go on a mission in normal clothes. There was no need for revealing and uncomfortable clothing. You didn’t have to beat your face with makeup or worry about how your hair looks. Yoongi emphasized the importance of being plain. You needed to be someone who could easily sneak up on the target.

So, with a regular t-shirt and jeans topped with a jacket, you made your drive to the target’s location. Even though Yoongi’s plan was less extreme than you’re used to, the possibility of it taking a turn for the worse was still present. After all, this was the monster who murdered your parents. You couldn’t afford to let your guard down. You took a deep breath. It was now or never.

You pulled up to an impressive mansion. From what you could tell, there were no neighbors for miles. The house looked like something from a horror movie. The yard was overgrown, and the building was decrepit. 

There was a large fountain in the middle of the front courtyard. Unfortunately, the fountain had been neglected. The water was filthy and the statues were covered in moss, making them unidentifiable. 

Now standing in front of a grand, or rather, once grand front door, you mustered up the strength to knock. You firmly knocked on the door three times. A minute passed, and you couldn’t hear anything from inside.

You tried again, knocking harder and for a bit longer. There was still no reply for a couple of minutes. You began to think maybe he had left. Or maybe he was so weary of strangers that you’d have to force your way in.

You tried a third time. You were about to yell, ‘Hello? Is anyone home?’, but the door slowly opened.

From behind it, peered out the most beautiful being you’ve ever seen in your life. He was so effortlessly stunning that you forgot why you were there for a second. A tall man with dark hair gave you a quizzical look. 

“Can I help you?” his deep voice vibrated.

“Hi! I have a flower delivery for a Mr. Tom Davis?” you presented an extravagant bouquet of flowers to him.

“Sorry, you have the wrong house. Which is an incredible mistake, as I don’t have any neighbors remotely close by,” the man was still standing cautiously behind the door.

If you couldn’t lure him out, it would be damn near impossible to kill him like this. On the other hand, you weren’t too eager to try and have him invite you in.  

“What really?” you glanced at the address, then dropped your jaw in surprise, “Oh my god, you’re right. I’m so sorry for the inconvenience! My first delivery, and I already botched it,” you began to mumble as you turned back to your car.

This was a calculated mistake, of course. This was all a ploy to make you seem naive and vulnerable, just in a more innocent way than you’re used to. 

“Do you need help with directions?” the man called out to you. You smiled, this is just what you’d been waiting for. If you could just catch him off guard, you could easily lop off his head with the silver short sword hidden in your jacket. 

“That would be awesome!” you spun around happily. 

You walked back up the steps and approached him before he held his hand out.

“Stop right there,” he commanded.

You froze still in your tracks. He wasn’t using any magic, but his sudden request was unexpected. 

“Can you hand me the delivery papers from there please?” he asked, avoiding eye contact, “Sorry, I’m not good around strangers.”

You wordlessly handed him the papers. You were dumbfounded. Vampires were the masters of suave and the epitome of seduction. This man gave off no such presence. Other than his otherworldly attractiveness and subtly powerful aura, you never would have pinned him as a vampire.

You quickly put yourself back on high alert. Maybe that was his plan. Maybe he was a more passive vampire. Those were rare, but still a possibility. 

“If I’m not mistaken, I think you took a right instead of a left at the crossroads that led you here,” he said quietly as he held out the papers for you. 

Now you were flabbergasted. You took back the papers, but awkwardly lingered on his front porch. How would you come back? You couldn’t use a delivery excuse again, that would make him even more suspicious. Your mind raced as you thought of something to say or do.

“Those flowers are beautiful,” he observed.

“Oh these? Yeah I guess. Flowers are supposed to be pretty, aren’t they?” you laughed nervously. What was he trying to do?

“Yes, they are pretty externally, as are most things in life. But I think their true beauty lies within their intent,” he slightly opened the door wider, revealing half of his body.

“These flowers have intent?” you asked, genuinely curious.

“For example, this Mr. Tom Davis either loves his partner a lot, or whoever is sending these to him loves him a lot,” he gestured towards the bouquet, “A mixture of orchids and wax flowers is a nice way to express a lasting love, patience, and sometimes even lasting wealth.”

“These flowers say that much?” you were amused.

“Only to those who listen, I suppose,” he seemed to be lost in his thoughts.

“I wish I knew as much about flowers as you. I don’t know jackshit about them, and I was just bequeathed an entire flower shop,” you sighed. You hoped he would take the bait and prolong the conversation. 

“You own a flower shop?” his face lit up for an instant before his features returned to a more somber state, “And, I’m sorry for your loss.”

 He almost had a cute boyish charm about him. His condolences seemed sincere, not at all like the false statements you were used to being fed by his kind.

“Well, I guess I do now. I have no idea how to run it, so I’m kind of freaking out about it. I have all these orders but I’m not even a certified florist. Oh, and thanks,” you shrugged, hoping to give off the illusion of helplessness.

“I don’t mean to overstep any boundaries, but maybe I could be of assistance?” he offered, his eyes finally meeting yours.

Something happened at that moment. You felt a pang in your chest as soon as your eyes met. Those weren’t the eyes of a hungry predator. Instead, you saw only kindness and maybe something else that you couldn’t quite place. Maybe Yoongi was wrong, maybe this wasn’t the right target.

“Are you sure about that? I don’t want to overwhelm you,” you took a step closer.

“It may be a nice change of pace for me. I don’t socialize much these days,” he chuckled. Seeing him smile made your heart skip a beat. It was so wholesome. Part of you thought you saw a flash of a fang, but another part of you wanted to deny it. 

“Well, you would be more than welcome to come visit my shop! I promise I won't bite,” you winked at him, extending your hand.

You noticed that his smile faltered at the mention of biting, but he quickly dispelled his observable unease. He slowly reached his hand out to meet yours. You prepared yourself for the worst, as he might yank you into his home with enough force to pop your arm out of its socket. 

Instead, you were met with a firm handshake. You gave him the name of your flower shop and politely excused yourself. He shut the door as soon as you were off the porch, but you still felt his eyes on you.

You got back into the car and stared at your hand. There was no doubt about it. His hand was just as cold as every other vampire you’ve encountered. It wasn’t the type of cold you could blame on poor blood circulation. No, it was the undead type of cold. 

As you drove back to your cottage, you admonished yourself. Why did you feel disappointed that it actually was the target? You should rejoice. You can avenge your parents (not that that really mattered to you). You’re a step closer to getting this job done and going home.

But you couldn’t quite decipher what you felt. You felt as if you had a genuine interaction with him. God knows how long its been since you’ve actually gotten to be yourself. You always had a role to play. 

Even though you almost fell for his stupid smile, you couldn’t detect a hint of magic. Nothing he said was laced with magical words of persuasion. There was no shroud of alluring lust that you could feel. 

You plopped onto your bed. You needed to focus. 

‘All you gotta do is kill the target. Easy peasy,’ you thought to yourself.

You figured you should do your routine check in call. Yoongi was probably worrying himself sick. Usually calls are spaced out every few days, but a call on the first day would ease Yoongi’s nerves.

“Hello?” Yoongi picked up after the first ring.

“Hey Yoongi,” you greeted him. Usually he doesn’t answer these calls, but this job was an exception.

“Thank god you’re okay. How did it go? Did you kill him?” he asked eagerly.

“No, I didn’t have an opening,” you sighed.

“How are you going to meet him again? Don’t tell me you tried to seduce him…”

“No, I did not. Stop assuming that! He has a weird appreciation for flowers, so I told him he can come by the shop. I don’t know why you gave me a florist alibi, but it worked out perfectly.”

“Honestly, I don’t know either. The alcohol mixed with sleep deprivation had me thinking funny things,” Yoongi admitted, “Either way, I’m glad you’re safe. What was he like?”

“He was...nice?”

“...nice? Did you just call the monster that murdered your parents nice?” Yoongi asked in disbelief.

“I don’t know how else to put it. He was weird. He didn’t act like a stereotypical vampire. He didn’t use any form of magic. He was oddly shy. I even began to doubt he was the target until I shook his hand. His hand was eerily cold, so he’s undead for sure,” you explained.

“Sounds like a peculiar case. If you run into trouble, call my personal line, got it?” Yoongi ordered.

“Yes sir,” you affirmed before hanging up. 

The next day, you headed to the flower shop that the VEC had set up for you. It was a quaint shop that looked like it had been part of the local town for years. Another impossible feat achieved by the VEC. The town itself was quiet. It was mostly full of elderly folks whose family had moved on to bigger cities. 

The shop was filled with flowers of every color. A myriad of different species were spread across the interior. You sneezed the second you walked in. Good grief, this place was gonna have your allergies fuck you up. 

A pile of papers were piled up on the front counter. Upon examination, you groaned. Yoongi is SUCH a bastard. He actually gave you flower arrangement orders that needed to be fulfilled. 

‘It will help with the authenticity of the shop! Every order has already been prepaid so you have to make them. Have fun~’ he wrote in his instructions. 

“You fuckin piece of--” you were cut off when you heard the front door chime.

“Hi! Welcome in,” you exclaimed quickly as you turned around.

An elderly couple had entered the store. They kindly greeted you, saying they thought it looked so pretty from the outside that they had no choice but to come in. 

You watched them from behind the counter. You were oddly moved by how sweet they were to each other. They held hands the entire time. The man smiled fondly whenever the woman pointed out a pretty flower. They laughed together as they strolled through the store.

You felt as if you were invading their privacy somehow, but what else were you supposed to do? They were your only customers, so you had to pay attention to them.

Soon your attention turned towards the front door. Would your target actually show up? Vampires are creatures of pride, so they aren’t ones to break a promise. However, this one was different. Maybe he won’t keep his word. That would suck. It would make approaching him even harder.

The old couple shuffled over to the counter with a dozen roses in hand. Together, they had 6 white roses and 6 red roses. 

“Would that be all?” you ask with a smile.

“Yes ma’am,” the man replied, handing you money.

“Call me old fashioned, but roses are my favorite flowers,” the woman said to you.

“They’re my favorite too, a classic can never go wrong,” you reply happily.

“Do you know why this bouquet is special?” she asked you. 

“Please enlighten me, you say, leaning over the counter.

“Red and white roses together symbolize unity. I’m so happy I was able to find unity with my soulmate,” the man answered, giving his wife a kiss on the cheek.

“Oh stop, you sap! The poor girl doesn’t care about old farts who are in love,” the woman playfully slapped his arm.

“I think it’s incredibly sweet. I’m happy for you two. Please enjoy the flowers!” you bow to them.

“Don’t worry dear, you’ll find your own soulmate too!” the woman called out to you as they left the store. 

After they had left, the store quieted down. Your only company was your own thoughts.

Soulmate? Love? It’s not that you didn’t believe in that stuff, it’s more like you didn’t believe that stuff was for you. Your line of work was extremely dangerous. Any hypothetical loved one of yours would constantly be in harm's way. 

By the end of the day, you managed to finish 2 extravagant bouquets. The town’s post office was more than happy to deliver your finished products. It appeared that they didn’t get much work nowadays. 

This became your routine for the next few days. An entire week had passed, and there had been no sign of your target. Patience wearing thin, you began to think of another excuse to go to his house. Hopefully this time, he would be less cautious. Rain poured outside as if to mimic your growing anxieties. 

You had grown strangely fond of the flower shop. Being among the pretty flowers was calming. Putting arrangements together was a new challenge that you’ve never faced before. It was, perhaps, the most peaceful time you’ve had in your life. It was almost as if you were living a normal life. 

The front door chimed, and you automatically called out a greeting to the potential customer. You weren’t answered. That didn’t really bother you though, as you were engrossed in reading the day’s arrangement orders. How the hell did Yoongi get so many?

“Hello again,” a familiar deep voice disrupted your focus.

You looked up and once again faced the most beautiful man you’ve ever seen. He had finally arrived. He looked less cautious than before, but still nervous nonetheless. 

“You actually came!” you exclaimed, you couldn’t tell if the excitement was genuine or not.

“I always keep my promises. I’m sorry it took awhile for me to get here. I had to wait for...uh…” his voice trailed off.

“For?”

“The weather.”

“The weather?”

“It’s easier to travel in gloomier weather. Preferably rainy,” he answered concisely.

“That’s odd,” you noted. Of course, you knew the reason why. Sunlight would instantly kill him.

“I suppose I’m rather odd,” he glanced around the shop, “You have a wonderful set of flora here.”

“Thank you! I can’t really take the credit. I just sell them, not grow them,” you say bashfully.

“But it takes a keen eye to pick the best ones,” he replied, examining the flowers closely.

“Everything was here when I arrived. I’ve just been selling and making shitty arrangements,” you slowly crept towards him. 

Now was your chance. You could land a fatal blow while the weirdo gawked at flowers.

“You’re making arrangements?” he whipped around to face you with inhuman speed. You couldn’t help but jump back.

“Yeah! I have a ton to go through. I had no idea this place was so popular,” you say quickly, trying to act natural. He was too unpredictable to do anything rash. 

“Do you need help with those?” he asked.

“Actually...if you don’t mind…” you gestured towards the huge stack of papers on the counter, “Maybe if you can give me some tips, I can make them faster! And hopefully they’ll turn out prettier.”

“Sure,” he nodded. 

The rest of the day was spent making arrangements together. He had a talent for picking the perfect flowers and giving them the perfect placements. You were in awe. Was this a secret vampire power? Or was this guy just weirdly into flowers?

“Hey, I never got your name,” you say. You realized you had only labeled him as “the target” in your head. 

“Ah, yes. I’m Taehyung. Kim Taehyung,” he gave you a shy smile, slowly extending his hand to you, just as you did to him during your first encounter.

“Pleasure to meet you, Taehyung! I’m ___,” you replied, giving him a firm handshake.

Taehyung went back to arranging flowers, but you froze in your place. Your eyes grew wide in shock. Your jaw silently dropped. It was a good thing Taehyung couldn’t see your face, or else he’d think something was wrong.

Which there was. Something was definitely wrong. How could you be so stupid?!? You gave him your name. Your real name. One of the most important rules about vampire hunting is to keep yourself as anonymous as possible. Vampire hunters are excellent liars. And you usually were as well. You’ve never slipped up like this before. Was he charming you somehow? You couldn’t detect a hint of magic anywhere. 

“___? ___ did you hear me?” Taehyung waved his hand in front of you.

You snapped back to reality.

“Sorry, I guess I zoned out for a second. What did you say?” you gave him an apologetic smile. Not only did you give him your real name, you also just zoned out in front of an extremely dangerous vampire. What the hell is wrong with you today?

“I asked which flower embodies you the most,” he said.

“What? Like personality wise?” you couldn’t help but chuckle, “That’s a weird question. Are you a walking Buzzfeed quiz?”

“Buzzfeed? What is that?” Taehyung looked confused.

“It’s a news company. Or an entertainment company? They basically write clickbait articles. But they also have personality quizzes for literally anything. But wait, what kind of flower would I be? I don’t know,” you answered him.

“Why don’t you know?” he asked innocently.

“Because I’ve never been asked that before?” you were genuinely amused by this guy, “But I guess I’ll humor you. Let’s say I’m a rose.”

“Why a rose?”

“Cuz I’m beautiful, duh. And I can be thorny if you’re not careful,” you winked. 

Taehyung seemed to seriously mull over your answer. It was silent for the next few minutes. You meant to come off as playful, but maybe he took you seriously? You couldn’t figure him out at all.

“I don’t think that was a sincere answer,” Taehyung finally said.

“Pardon?”

“I don’t think that was a sincere answer,” Taehyung repeated, “I think you just said you’re a rose because you don’t know many other flowers.”

“Alright, which flower do you think I am then?” you asked, now slightly annoyed. 

You were taken aback by how odd this vampire was. He was much too pensive. Too thoughtful. Not once did you feel any lust or hunger in his aura the entire time he’s been in your presence. Not even when you were at his mansion. 

“I can’t answer that,” he replied as he tied a ribbon around a finished vase.

“Why not?” you inquired, taking the vase from him.

“I don’t know you. I can’t make an accurate judgement,” he shrugged.

You couldn’t believe him. Any other vampire would have said something charming. They would have picked a pretty flower to ‘compare to your beauty’. It was the perfect question to show off their charisma. 

“Which flower do you think you are, then?” you asked. 

“Belladonna,” he answered without skipping a beat, “Which is also known as deadly nightshade.”

“And why are you a deadly nightshade?”

“You would understand if you knew me,” he stopped what he was doing to look you in the eyes.

His gaze was piercing. He was an enigma that you became determined to solve. Everything about him was intriguing. 

“Is that a threat? Or a flirtation?” you questioned, amused.

“Which do you want it to be?”

“Preferably not a threat.”

“Then take it as a flirtation.”

“Well now that just seems disingenuous.” 

Taehyung laughed. It was a real, hearty laugh. His deep laughter echoed around the room. You joined in his laughter. You were actually enjoying yourself. To be quite honest, your guard was completely down. You trusted him. You actually wanted to befriend him.

Closing time had rolled around. By some miracle (which was Taehyung) you managed to get through half the stack of orders. Finished bouquets were scattered across the shop. You profusely thanked Taehyung for all his help.

“All of these are so beautiful! I really could not have done it without you. I feel bad for my previous orders now…” you realized that your bouquets were hideous compared to Taehyung’s.

“I can come help you finish the rest of your orders tomorrow, if you’d like,” he offered.

“Are you sure? I can’t pay you for all your help just yet,” you paused to think if you should offer to hire him.

“Don’t worry about that. Money is not a concern for me. I genuinely would like to help you. At first, it was because of my appreciation for nature. After today, I think I actually enjoy your company,” he smiled.

“Wow, you actually enjoy my company? I’m flattered,” you rolled your eyes, but couldn’t contain your smile. 

“You should be, I generally don’t like company,” Taehyung leaned in to close the space between you two. 

He was now extremely close. His face just inches away from yours. You could smell his cologne, the scent made him even more alluring. You caught yourself slowly leaning closer to him. You instantly snapped yourself out of his spell.

Pulling back, you looked around the room. You couldn’t find it in you to meet his gaze, even though you felt his eyes on you. You were surprised once you realized that there was still no hint of any magic. What had just happened?

“God, there’s a lot of vases I gotta carry to the post office,” you say after clearing your throat.

“I can help,” Taehyung replied, already beginning to gather up vases.

“You don’t have to! You’ve already helped a bunch today. There’s a cart around back that I can use,” you didn’t understand why you were getting so flustered.

“Please allow me to help you, ___. I’m stronger than I look,” Taehyung gave you a reassuring smile. Of course he was. 

“If you insist. I’ll go get the cart,” you happily fetched the cart.

What is this feeling? Were you actually enjoying yourself? You completely forgot that you had to eventually kill him until you were outside by yourself. The thought disappointed you. You quickly shook your head. This monster killed your parents. He’s a monster. A bloodsucker. A beast that must be slain. 

Even knowing that, why did you feel so conflicted? Your time with him today was surprisingly enjoyable. He was so unpredictable. Your sparse conversations felt natural, as if he really just wanted to get to know you. 

Taehyung helped you load up all of the vases onto the cart. He even pulled the cart for you, accompanying you to the post office. The trip was mostly done in silence. Every time you tried to spark a conversation, he would reply curtly, not giving you much to work with. It was rather peculiar for a vampire to be quiet or shy. 

He walked you back to the flower shop after the deliveries were dropped off. You both lingered in front of the entrance, not really knowing what to say.

“So, you’ll swing by tomorrow?” you asked quietly.

“If that’s okay with you, yes. I’d like to make bouquets tomorrow too,” Taehyung nodded earnestly. 

“That’s 100% good with me. I’ll see you tomorrow!” you wave at him before turning towards the shop door.

“___--”

“Yes?” you turn around.

“I--nevermind. I’ll see you tomorrow,” Taehyung awkwardly bowed before departing.

His weird standoffish tendencies never failed to entertain you. It somehow added more charm to accompany his handsome face. 

You lay in bed later that night, recounting the events of the day. 

Did you enjoy hanging out with Taehyung today? Yes, more so than you could’ve imagined.

Did you have the opportunity to kill Taehyung today? Yes, multiple if you were willing to take risks (which you usually were).

Why didn’t you take a risk? You weren’t sure. It wasn’t that you were trying to be cautious, in fact, you were very careless the entire day. 

Did you catch yourself almost trying to kiss him? Yes.

Hopefully he didn’t notice that last part. You tried to play it off as soon as you realized what you were doing. 

You pulled out your phone to call Yoongi for a second mission check in.

“Hello?” Yoongi answered.

“Sup Yoongi,” you greeted him casually.

“Did you kill the target yet?”

“No, but he came into the shop. He didn’t let his guard down the whole day.”

“The whole day? Was he in the shop all day?” Yoongi sounded confused.

“Yeah, he helped me make bouquets--”

“He WHAT?!?” Yoongi yelled.

“Calm down. He actually helped me get through a shit ton of your stupid orders--”

“You’re telling me that the bouquets I ordered for victims families’ were made BY a vampire? God, you gotta be shitting me, ___,” Yoongi grumbled.

“I think I have to play the long game with this one. He’s too unpredictable for me to land a fatal blow in one strike,” you explained.

“Be careful, ___. I’m glad he didn’t attack you today. Kill him as soon as possible. Then you can come home, and your parents will be avenged,” Yoongi said before hanging up.

Yoongi’s final words swam around in your head before you fell asleep. 

Published October 2nd, 2020. No editing, copying, translating, or reposting allowed. All Rights Reserved © 2020 Baepsaesbae.

[noodles-07]

Brick - favorite building material? Crafting Table - what’s the first thing you do when you make a new world? Quartz - when/what version did you start playing? Jukebox - favorite Cd? Sword - do you usually play on peaceful, easy, normal, hard, or hardcore? Melon - do you build simple or complex farms?

Brick: I’m not sure, it all depends on where/what you’re buidling! In general I’d say my favorite block is dark oak planks, though

Crafting table: ole’ reliable: punch a tree

Quartz: ... I think I got it seven years ago

Jukebox: Chirp always has been and always will be, with Far as a close second

Sword: Easy

Melon: Simple! it’s very satisfying to do everything yourself