#company debit card

[hsmagazine254]

Navigating Online Expenses: The Power of a Company Debit Card

The Importance of Having a Company Debit Card for Online Expenses In the ever-evolving landscape of business, managing online expenses efficiently is crucial. One powerful tool that can streamline this process is a company debit card. In this article, we’ll delve into the significance of having a dedicated company debit card for handling online expenses. Enhancing Financial Management 1. Secure…

[ponytailzuko]

im gonna be so real wishmaker made me try so hard to imagine adriens future career but i cant do it. when i imagine adriens future i cannot imagine his career AT ALL. but also i think he has a source of income outside of marinette just for the feeling of independence. because financial dependence would probably be bad for his mindset after the 15 yrs of gabriel. so i cant imagine him as a stay at home husband either.

so my brain just sees him doing random jobs that he quits whenever he wants bc he lives with marinette in a little apartment over her boutique. like every week he somehow changes jobs and no one understands how. nino goes to the mcdonalds across the street from his house on monday and adrien takes his order. then he facetimes adrien on wednesday and he's in peru because hes got a job as a flight attendant. saturday, alya mentions that she had to report on a play being thrown by a local theater troupe and did you know adriens in it? and sometimes he just quits for awhile and does marinettes bookkeeping and occasionally models for her when he wants to. does some community center classes such as cooking, arts, etc. volunteers at the cat shelter. and is also a superhero i guess. chat noir does door dash.

[ibrithir-was-here]

.

[smol-lizord]

I just had to do a recorded interview and that was the most uncomfortable shit ever >.<

[investingdrone]

Best Student Credit Cards In Australia 2024

University is an exciting adventure, but it can also be a financial tightrope walk. Between textbooks, rent, study supplies, and that epic weekend trip to Byron Bay, managing your cash flow can feel like an impossible feat. Enter the world of Student Credit Cards! This handy guide dives deep into everything you need to know about these cards, from navigating the application process to using them…

[idolatries]

kinda hate how bad rep mhy games are even compared to similar gachas bc like. the stories are good. the story is fucking good. and theyre fun

[offshoregateways]

Offshore Company Registrations with Bank Account?

In today's globalized economy, businesses are increasingly looking beyond domestic borders to "optimize their operations", reduce costs, and gain access to international markets. One strategy that has gained popularity among entrepreneurs and investors is the establishment of offshore companies. In this comprehensive guide, we'll explore the concept of "offshore company registrations", their benefits, considerations, and the process of setting up an offshore company with a bank account.

Understanding Offshore Companies

Definition and characteristics of offshore companies

"Offshore companies are entities registered" in a jurisdiction different from where they conduct their primary business activities or where their owners reside. These companies often enjoy favorable tax treatment, regulatory advantages, and enhanced privacy compared to domestic entities.

Reasons why businesses choose to register offshore Businesses may opt for "offshore company registrations" for various reasons, including tax optimization, asset protection, confidentiality, access to global markets, and simplified regulatory requirements.

Legal and financial implications of offshore company registration While offshore companies offer several benefits, they also come with legal and financial considerations. It's crucial to understand the regulatory environment, tax implications, and compliance requirements associated with offshore operations.

Benefits of Offshore Company Registrations

Tax advantages Offshore companies often benefit from low or zero corporate tax rates, allowing businesses to minimize their tax liabilities and retain more profits.

Asset protection By holding assets offshore, businesses can shield them from potential legal claims, creditors, or other financial risks.

Privacy and confidentiality Offshore jurisdictions typically offer strict confidentiality laws, ensuring the privacy of company ownership and financial information.

Access to global markets Offshore companies can facilitate international trade and investment by providing a platform to conduct business across borders more efficiently.

Simplified regulatory requirements Some offshore jurisdictions have lenient regulatory frameworks, reducing administrative burdens and compliance costs for businesses.

Considerations Before Registering an Offshore Company

Jurisdiction selection Choosing the right jurisdiction is critical, as it determines the regulatory environment, tax implications, and overall suitability for the business's objectives.

Legal requirements and regulations Businesses must comply with the legal and regulatory requirements of both the offshore jurisdiction and their home country to avoid legal issues and potential penalties.

Banking and financial considerations Access to banking services is essential for offshore companies. However, some jurisdictions may have restrictions or challenges in opening and maintaining bank accounts.

Costs involved in setting up and maintaining an offshore company While "offshore company registrations" offer potential cost savings, businesses should consider the upfront and ongoing expenses associated with incorporation, administration, and compliance.

Risks and challenges associated with offshore operations Offshore companies may face risks such as regulatory changes, political instability, reputational damage, and increased scrutiny from tax authorities.

Steps to Register an Offshore Company with Bank Account

Conducting thorough research Before proceeding with offshore company registration, businesses should conduct comprehensive research on potential jurisdictions, legal requirements, and service providers.

Choosing the right jurisdiction Selecting a jurisdiction that aligns with the business's objectives, preferences, and industry requirements is crucial for successful offshore operations.

Hiring professional services Engaging legal, financial, and other professional services is advisable to navigate the complexities of "offshore company registrations" and ensure compliance with relevant laws and regulations.

Preparing and submitting necessary documents Businesses must gather and submit the required documents, such as identification proofs, business plans, and incorporation forms, to the offshore jurisdiction's authorities.

Opening a bank account for the offshore company Securing banking services is an integral part of "offshore company registrations in UK". Businesses should approach reputable banks in the chosen jurisdiction and fulfill their account opening requirements.

Compliance with ongoing regulatory requirements Once the "offshore company" is registered and the bank account is opened, it's essential to maintain compliance with ongoing regulatory requirements, including filing annual reports, tax returns, and other obligations.

Common Challenges and Solutions

Regulatory compliance issues Navigating complex regulatory frameworks and staying compliant with evolving laws and "regulations can be challenging for offshore companies". Seeking professional advice and regular updates on regulatory changes is essential.

Banking restrictions and challenges Some offshore jurisdictions may "face banking restrictions" or challenges due to regulatory scrutiny or international sanctions. Exploring alternative banking options or engaging specialized banking services can help overcome these challenges.

Tax implications and controversies Offshore companies may face scrutiny and controversies related to tax avoidance or evasion. Maintaining accurate records, adhering to tax laws, and seeking tax advice from experts can mitigate tax-related risks.

Reputation risks associated with offshore entities Offshore companies often face stigma and negative perceptions due to associations with tax evasion, money laundering, or illicit activities. Maintaining transparency, ethical business practices, and good corporate governance can help mitigate reputational risks.

[merchantservices444]

Credit Card Terminal Services

[beetlebip]

the universe is having a kick me while I'm down competition with itself

[always-a-slut-4-ghouls]

My state’s insurance being like “we see you are getting home nurses visits every week”

Me: “uh, yeah. Why?”

The insurance: “you know how we said we were the type that covers disability?”

Me, suspicious: “yeah”

The insurance: “well we don’t cover people with that much disability. Your severity has been changed so you get this new other state insurance that is for more disabled people! Don’t worry, they cover your doctors and nurse visits”

Me: “okay, cool. What about my dentist and eye doctor?”

New insurance: …

Me: “you fucking bastard whores! You covered them on my old one, I need to get my wisdom teeth removed now! What are you going to do with that?!”

My insurance: “we’ll just have to see what happens”

Me: “you fucking shitty ass bastards! Fuck you!”

[ariyogames]

Patreon has laid off their security team

I know this isn't an update on my interactive fiction game but I just wanted interactive fiction creators and other people who have Patreons to be aware about this issue.

Whitney Merrill on Twitter: "Whoa @Patreon laid off their ENTIRE security team. Wouldn’t trust my data there. Also there’s some amazing talent to scoop up." / Twitter

For creators with a Patreon, I would recommend using a password manager to generate a randomly generated password so that when Patreon has (another) security breach, your password will be unique.

For creators that are uncomfortable with using Patreon and do not want to lose their Patreon content, you can import your Patreon content to a WordPress website with a WordPress plugin that can be used with a WordPress membership plugin like Paid Memberships Pro that lets patrons subscribe to your content like on Patreon. However, please keep in mind that WordPress plugins are also very vulnerable to attack so it is very important that you update the plugins frequently if you choose to go this route.

Ko-fi is also a good alternative that I know a lot of interactive fiction creators use for their work. SubscribeStar is a good option for NSFW artists.

Hopefully there won't be any serious security breaches with Patreon but who knows what will happen...

UPDATE (10th September 2022 - 11:30AM BST):

Patreon has confirmed to reporters that they are hiring an external security team to handle Patreon's security.

Kevin Collier on Twitter: "Wild. Patreon confirms the layoffs in emailed statement to me, says it's ok, they're using third-party security. https://t.co/zV9zw9yOlh" / Twitter

What this means is that Patreon has decided to go for the cheaper option by outsourcing their security to a team abroad instead of spending more money and resources on an in-house security team. This is what is known to infosec/cyber security experts as MSSP/MSP.

However, a lot of cyber security professionals have criticised this decision by Patreon because historically, organisations that have outsourced their security to a team abroad have usually had a lot of security issues/security breaches later on down the line because they do not check/scan the security of the company as frequently as an in-house security team would.

This also conflicts with what a laid-off security employee has said about the situation where they disputed Patreon's claims of this decision not impacting their security by alleging that Patreon has cut down of its use of external security vendors in the past four months.

So what does this mean for Patreon's future and how am I affected?

What this means is that there are things going on behind the scenes at Patreon that we do not know about yet, all we know is that the leadership over there is making incredibly unwise business decisions by firing their entire internal security team and what this usually means is there will either be a huge security breach down the line or an announcement of a merger or acquisition.

Another potential risk is supporter deanonymisation, where attackers with malicious intent could blackmail subscribers that pledge to NSFW artists and kink content creators and threaten to reveal their Patreon pledges to an employer.

Your payment information (credit/debit card information) should be safe because Patreon do not process payment information themselves, they outsource it to Stripe and PayPal.

This blogpost by a cyber security professional is worth reading to know more on what to do about this situation.

Should I delete my Patreon account?

If you have no other option, then I would not delete my Patreon account especially if it is your only active source of income. What I would do is what I have listed above: by turning on two factor authentication through an app like Google Authenticator or Authy and changing your password to a randomly generated password so that you are not too much at risk when a security breach inevitably happens.

If you do have other options and are not as financially dependent on Patreon alone, then I would think about switching to other crowdfunding services like Ko-fi, SubscribeStar (I hear SubscribeStar is a good option for NSFW artists) and Comradery

I was originally going to create a Patreon for my interactive fiction/narrative game studio after I release the demo/first chapter of the interactive fiction game I'm currently working on (Mutants of Mayprice) but Patreon's lack of communication about this situation and their unwise decision of firing their entire internal security team (which wasn't many people to begin with, five people) does not leave me with a lot of confidence about the future of the platform.

[yusafaliemircom]

Auto debits installation can be advantageous for those who forget to make the costs by the due date. Autopay means entrusting your credit card issuer or lenders to automatically deduct the outstanding payment or minimum charge from your bank account on a particular date every month. This protects you from the hassle of remembering to settle your debts on time says Yusafali, CFO at Emircom.

[1800-lemonadeg1rl]

Shopping date

Dark! Wanda Maximoff x reader

Minors dni!! Masterlist°•☆

Summary- how could you be so silly as to lose your cards?

Warnings- manipulation, dark! Wanda, obsessive Wanda, unhealthy obsession, potential Stockholm syndrome?, not proofread!!, coercion, gaslighted, darkthemes, I'd say some parts contain a little fluff

Wordcount - 1.8k

A/n-this is my first side part for craving you!!! This has little link to main series so can be read separately if you want but I would recommend reading all of it!! Inspired by a comment by @mrsmothermaximoff

You'd been meaning to pay Wanda back for something, anything really. Despite how casual she acted about you just living with her rent free and essentially doing nothing of any great contribution all day you still felt this nagging shameful feeling that tugged at your chest everyday, everytime she paid for you at a restaurant, bought you something she thought looked cute or let you borrow her clothes when yours seemed to go missing.

You felt awful.

Watching her pay for you and provide for you. Your whole life you'd never relied on anyone for anything. Never felt like you'd owed anyone anything. Rarely ever been in any kind of debt but now you owed Wanda everything. But she was so unwilling to ever let you pay her back, always insisting things were no trouble for her, of course they weren't have you seen that woman's paycheck? Telling you to save your money for better things. Making sure you never had to lift a finger for anything you desired.

This was different though. When you first moved in you'd practically begged Wanda to let you atleast pay for groceries and how she couldn't resist how you looked when you begged. So reluctantly, and with a backup plan, she agreed to let you do the weekly grocery shop and pay with your own money. Which for some stupid reason you'd been very responsible with and had a large amount in savings which could easily buy the two of you groceries for a few years.

Wanda did not want to wait a few years for you to come to the end of the money you had saved before gaining a little more power over you. She wanted it now. And Wanda gets what Wanda wants even when she has to play dirty, which she did often.

A rough plan she had concocted the day you'd practically forced her to let you pay for things was to get rid of your debit card in some way. It couldn't be too obvious but she still had to be your Knight in shining armour and save the day for you when you couldn't pay. She couldn't bare the thought of you embarrassedly leaving the shops after not having a way to pay, no she didn't want that for you. She wanted to swoop in and offer to pay.

Around two months maybe three had passed since you started buying groceries. You'd made a set schedule of it by now, you went Friday mornings around 10:30am when the shops were quiet so you could buy your groceries in peace without worrying about running over someone's child with your trolley. Occasionally Wanda came with you but not all that often. You assumed as ceo of her own company she'd have better things to do than go round the supermarket and also partly that she wasn't interested by it, that she didn't actually ever care what you bought as long as you liked it.

Wanda awoke early this particular Friday about 5:00am sharp and was careful as she got off the bed not to wake you, though she doubted she would, you were the heaviest sleeper she'd ever met. It was lucky she was looking out for you then, without her God knows what could happen to you while you were asleep. Before leaving the room she took a quick picture of your sleeping body, head firmly in the pillow and legs wrapped around the duvet half in and half out of it. How cute. She thought as she left gazing at the picture.

Once downstairs she located your handbag, a stylish one she'd gifted you when you worked in the office. Wanda took note of how tatty it was now. Scuffed and marked up. Definitely time to get you a new bag, she can't have her darling going out looking rough. Your bag was always fairly empty so she had no trouble finding your purse in it. Upon opening the purse Wanda took out any large bills and both your debit and credit card from within before closing up your purse and placing your bag back where it was originally sat.

Now the money was easy. Crisp paper bills burnt quickly in her ornate fireplace and brought warmth to the somewhat cold living room, you'd appreciate this warmth when you eventually woke up. Wanda knew this after all she knew everything about you.

The cards were a little tricker that the notes but nothing she couldn't handle as she quickly had another idea. Cutting up your card into tiny minced up indistinguishable pieces and then tossing them in a bin outside that you'd never look in. Wanda was left feeling... proud of her work. She felt like this was well a complished and you'd never be any the wiser. Not that you'd ever dream of accusing Wanda anyway, she was your saviour after all. Your were too clueless to ever once look past her charismatic facade. Too stupid, naive, gullible, dumb.

You woke up to an empty and cold bed a few hours later. Waking up alone always made you feel so awful but you could never guess why. It's not like you and Wanda were dating.. we're you? You brushed the thoughts away, she's just being kind she'd never think of someone like you like that, you tell yourself as you stretch and make the bed.

Later in the morning, you and Wanda were both being chauffeured to the supermarket. Whenever Wanda wasn't around to drive you or couldn't be bothered to drive she'd have you driven around by a private chauffeur who you knew little about. When you asked Wanda she only gave you vague answers saying the chauffeur called herself N and that was all you needed to know apparently.When you drove with N the car was always ominously quiet Wanda occasionally speaking in what felt like code to her and occasionally asking simple questions about how you felt.

Thankfully the supermarket was only a couple of miles away so the drive was over quicker than most.

When Wanda went shopping with you it was quite a different experience to shopping alone. She'd walk ahead of you almost protectively into the supermarket and then would make sure the entire trip round she was by your side at all times, leaving no room for you to sidle off or get lost. Despite what could be described as a dominant presence she never stopped you putting whatever you wanted in the trolley. If you believe the two of you needed that much dry spaghetti or fizzy sodas who was she to argue. I mean it was your money so she reasoned to have little to no input even if she despised some things you added to the trolley. She'd only really comment if you were going to hit something with your trolley, you were lucky you had someone to look out for your clumsiness, or if she also liked something you were putting in the trolley. Other than that she engaged in simple talk with you, she found your small world of excitements and thoughts cute. After all she had curated that small world.

Today was no different. If something was off, which it was. You'd be none the wiser as Wanda kept exactly to her act as she always did. Talking to you about favourite crisp flavours, laughing at your rant about creepy food mascots and helping you guide the trolley. Going round the shops together you felt some sense of domestic bliss even of you kept telling yourself you weren't dating Wanda it definitely felt that way and looked that way. The way her hand would occasionally glide across your back. Her lingering gazes. To anyone not so oblivious they would have thought you two had been dating for months.

Getting to the checkouts you placed your items in your own specific order on the conveyer belt. Wanda deciding to help out with the heavier things, she didn't want you to strain yourself for no reason. All was normal as it would be.

"Cash or card?" You were awoken from your daze of frantically bagging when the cashier spoke suddenly. Opening your purse it felt a little lighter than it should do usually.

"Cash." You responded while looking down into your purse. There was no cash. But you were so sure you'd taken cash out last week at the bank. Still the empty purse stared back.

"You alright darling?" Wanda's voice broke the panic building in you as you looked up at her calm smile while feeling instantly reassured. You nodded in response, a small but firm smile planted on your face as you spoke again.

"Uh.. can I pay card actually." The cashier smiled and nodded before pulling out a card machine. You sifted throught many a gift and reward card sitting in your purse many times awkwardly as a queue began to form before realising your cards weren't there. Your cards were gone. Gone. And you were none the wiser to where.

Your breathing began to pick up as you made eye contact with impatient customers behind as your braced yourself to have to put everything back. "I-..uh- I."

Wanda had been watching your small meltdown confidently until she heard your voice break. The moment she knew it was her time to save you, again.

"Don't worry I've got it." Before you could object she'd swiped her card across the scanner and begun picking up the bags for you and leading your slightly shaking figure away from the tills.

"Come on sweetie. What was going on back there?" She murmured in a tone so sweet you could've got diabetes. Before she could continue speaking you wrapped yourself around her arm. As if it was ab instinct more than a choice. "Oh.. it's okay darling we all make mistakes. I'm sure you'll find your money. You probably just misplaced it. Your such a klutz sometimes detka." You just dumbly nodded as she pulled you into the back of the car staying completely wrapped around her the whole way home, still shaken from the store.

Your cards and cash never did show up and at somepoint you gave up looking. It was clear for whatever reason they were gone and you weren't going to find them. Wanda gave you her card to keep buying the groceries on.. for now, I mean we can't have some klutz who loses her own money handling the ceos cards and shopping.. it'd be better if you stayed home. But Wanda wouldn't push it on you all at once, she knew you needed time yo adjust to using her money all the time. To being reliant on someone. To being reliant on her.

Taglist: @stayevildarling @reginassweetheart @alexawynters @your-my-mission @witchmaximoff @imjustvibingsworld @mrsmothermaximoff

[allforhee]

ੈ✩ — 𝐒𝐇𝐄 𝐊𝐍𝐎𝐖𝐒 𝐇𝐄𝐑 𝐒𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐏𝐀𝐓𝐂𝐇 𝐊𝐈𝐃𝐒. (BLURB) | LEE HEESEUNG

୨୧ pairing — older brother's best friend!lee heeseung x park!fem!reader

୨୧ synopsis — living under the protective eyes of your older brother, park sunghoon, he thinks he knows you the best. but litte does he know that heeseung knows you love your sour patch kids more than you love his usual swedish fish. (inspired by the summer i turned pretty scene where conrad knows belly's taste of candies more than jeremiah)

୨୧ genre — non!idol au, you're 20 and hee is 22, you and hee are dating but sunghoon doesn't know, sort of childhood friends to lovers?

୨୧ warnings — cursing, forbidden (ish) romance, cute fluff where heeseung knows you best, backstreet dating behind sunghoon's back, heeseung and sunghoon having a little quarrel, possesive/sassy-ish hee

୨୧ word count — 562 words, 3148 characters (sort of proofread?)

୨୧ author's note — first blurb and i lowkey wrote this on my phone during english class.. had to get this out of my system cause i absolutely loved this scene in tsitp. plus i felt like i needed to write something since i won't be releasing "it's a crisis"'s full fic anytime soon since i'm busy with exams coming up :(

𝐒𝐔𝐍𝐆𝐇𝐎𝐎𝐍 𝐋𝐈𝐊𝐄𝐃 𝐓𝐎 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐊 𝐇𝐄 𝐊𝐍𝐄𝐖 𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐌𝐎𝐒𝐓.

the car comes to a stop under the gas station’s bright led light. sunghoon takes off his seatbelt as he grabs his wallet in his pocket, before exiting the car, leaving you and heeseung alone.

you could feel the tension between you and heeseung. the heavy rain outside making it seem louder. he was slumped over in the backseat with his phone in his hand, the bright light illuminating his features.

when did he become so handsome?

sunghoon opens the driver’s side’s door, “we’re two hours away from home, gas is filling up and i’m gonna get some snacks. you want any y/n?”

“i’m down with anything, honestly.” you respond.

as sunghoon is about to close the door, heeseung takes off his seatbelt, whispering a “i’ll come with.” before closing the car door.

the mini market’s door rings a slight ding! as sunghoon pushes the door open. the constant buzzing of the refrigerator and the broken acs filled the room. the two split up searching for bare necessities like snacks and water to keep them company on the way home.

as a couple minutes passed, the two found each other again at the cash register, dropping the things at checkout.

in sunghoon’s hands was a bag of swedish fish, meanwhile in heeseung’s was a bag of sour patch kids.

“don’t waste your money bud, she likes these better.” heeseung snickered, a smirk on his face.

sunghoon lets out a sigh, “they’re practically the same.” he defends himself.

“not to y/n. she thinks swedish fish tastes like candles. she likes sour.”

“why do you even care, hee?” he asks him. “she’s my sister, i know her.”

heeseung licks his lips as he lets out a small laugh, “i don’t.”

“that’s bullshit.” sunghoon scoffs.

“you still want these?” the cashier asks the two, pointing at the swedish fish.

“yes yes, of course.” sunghoon answers.

“i tried to warn him.” heeseung laughs at his best friend.

“why are you acting lik—like this?!” sunghoon asks, a slight bit of anger heard through his voice.

“relax, you big fucking baby. i’m just messing with ya man.” heeseung chuckles, giving his best friend a pat on the back.

with a glare, sunghoon taps his debit card at the scanner, paying for their snacks, picking up the plastic bag and murmuring a small thank you, to the cashier, before they rush out back into their car in the pouring rain.

as the two car doors slam, you take the plastic bag from sunghoon’s hands, diving in.

“what did you get?” you ask the two, ruffling the inside of the bag.

“ooh! sour patch, my favorite!” you glimmer, opening the package as you dive into the sour goodness. but you didn’t miss the bag of swedish fish in sunghoon’s hands.

“oh! i could, um, eat this swedish fish… after?”

sunghoon opened the bag before he responded with a “no, no it’s okay. i got them for me.” as he popped a little fish in his mouth, chewing with disappointment.

“okay.”

sunghoon’s brows furrowed, knowing damn well that his best friend was right.

even from the backseat, he could feel heeseung shooting him a look that was screaming i told you so! before he put the car into ignition.

as sunghoon pressed the gas and started driving into the dark rainy night, his sister chewing on her sour patch kids, he heard heeseung letting out small whisper right in his ear.

“you see? my girl knows her sour patch kids.”

taglist; @ariadores

back to my masterlist?

© 𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐇𝐄𝐄, est. 2024 | do not plagiarize, modify, translate, or repost my works on any platforms.

[powerfultenderness]

lord powerfultenderness, I don't know how to fully picture it but can we have neighbor könig doing grocery shopping with y/n? Please!~

I swear I saw a post somewhere that said König probably makes bank. And Sugar Daddy König hc born/accepted. This man will spoil you if you give him the chance (and then idk wreck you later?)

Either you were oblivious to the looks strangers gave you, to the way women quickly turned around and went down different aisles, or you didn’t care. It was, in fact, the latter. This big menacing looking guy beside you practically cleared a path wherever you wanted. Busy aisles you’d normally have to do trick maneuvers with your cart? Cleared out when he looked at other shoppers. It was amazing, really.

You stopped and looked up at the shelf, the item you wanted on the very top and if you stretched out…you still couldn’t reach it. Even before you could pout and try again, König reached over and plucked the box of snacks off the shelf and dropped in the basket. 

Maybe it was the way his eyes crinkled a bit, but you could tell he was smiling at you. “Those are car snacks.” 

“Car snacks?”

You nodded and continued to push the cart down the aisle. You’d deviated from your shopping list so much that you were now just going up and down aisles to see if there was anything you needed.

“You know, snacks you keep in the car for emergencies. Like, getting stuck in traffic, or on the side of the road while waiting for a tow truck…or lost…” 

“How often do you get lost?” He laughed, shoulders shaking as he tried to keep his laugh at a reasonable indoor level.

“It was just the one time! My GPS wasn’t working!” It wasn’t your fault downtown was an impossible maze!

“What did you do?” 

“I had a snack and figured it out.” You gave up and went home, but he didn’t need to know that. 

Though he could probably guess with the way he was side eyeing you. You knocked your hip into his side (and he didn’t budge at all!) “What do you say to pasta for dinner?” 

He titled his head, “you’re making dinner for me?”

“Yea, I want to do something nice for you for helping me out.” 

König beamed at you, though you couldn’t see behind his mask and you were currently looking at one of the shelves. “I will eat whatever you cook.”

You laughed, it sounded so weird when he said it like that. “Alright, pasta it is.” 

On the way to the checkout, you happened upon a display of clothing, mostly blouses and tee shirts, but some printed leggings as well. “Ooh, that’s cute.” You stopped and picked up a strappy sundress printed with your favorite flowers. “And my size!” You cheered to yourself as you looked at the tag. You flipped it over to check the price tag then set the dress back on the rack. “Pssh, not that cute.” 

You looked at him just as he turned away from the dress you liked. “Hey, can you wait in line while I run and get my prescription?” 

He nodded and took over pushing the cart as you handed him your debit card, “just in case it takes too long.” 

It was a good thing you handed him your card too! There was a bit of wait while your prescription was transferred to the new in store pharmacy. You half debated whether or not you should just leave to pick it up another day, but you already missed a day and didn’t want to throw off the effects. 

By the time you had your medication, König was waiting for you out front. “Sorry about that!” 

He shook his head, “no problem.” And handed you the receipt and your card back. 

You giggled as he loaded the bags in almost one scoop into the back of his truck. Your car was currently in the shop and he very quickly offered to help you out in the meantime. 

“Thank you so much!” You smiled at him once all of the groceries were sitting on your counter. 

“Anytime.” He answered simply.

 “Still up for dinner tonight?” 

He nodded, “of course.” 

The little short answers, no hearty laugh included, were weird. But maybe he just had enough company for a few hours. “Alright, I’ll pop over later then?” 

“Goodbye.” He nodded again and quickly left you alone.

Weird…

Whatever. Maybe he’ll feel better once he…oh! 

You pulled out one of the very dresses you thought was cute, but too expensive, from one of the bags. König’s doing? You checked the receipt and it wasn’t listed. He…bought it himself? And hid it from you? Suddenly the way he was acting nervous before he left made sense. 

-

König’s stomach flipped and his face burned when he opened the door later that night. You were standing in front of him wearing the dress he bought. “You look like an angel.” 

You smiled and spun around, the dress flaring cutely as you did so. “I can’t believe you bought this! Thank you so much! But, let me repay you?” 

“No. Have dinner with me?” 

You giggled, you were already having dinner with him! “You sneaky man! Come on, let’s go!” You then grabbed one of his hands and started to pull him out and towards your flat.

“Wait. Let me lock up.” He fished his keys out of his pocket and locked the door with one hand, refusing to pull out of your touch. 

“Oh. right!” 

“You didn’t lock up, did you?” 

“What! It’s just right there!”   

König was laughing again as he followed you to your home, a dopey smile you couldn’t see lighting his eyes 

[More neighbor König]

[rohirric-hunter]

The online portal that I use to pay rent won't take direct deposits from my bank, but nowhere is there a list of what banks they do accept direct deposits from. I'm forced to use my debit card, which incurs a $4 processing fee every month.

The algorithms on basically every social media site in the world are mysterious entities that promote or suppress various keywords based on seemingly arbitrary criteria that no one understands.

My old thermometer could be used to measure any temperature up to about 150F; when it finally broke I bought a new, more expensive one and if you give it a temperature of 104F or higher it just beeps loudly and says, "Hi!" 94F or lower and it beeps and says, "Lo!"

The bus system in the city I currently live in doesn't have posted schedules; in order to find out when the bus is coming you have to use the, "Plan a Ride" feature on their website.

My local grocery store takes down the regular price of items when they're on sale. You only get to see the sale price. (This is regularly used to promote "sales" that are like. 10 cents.)

Cars with computers in them collect all sorts of data about your driving but this data is proprietary to the company that sold you the car. You don't get to see any of it.

My MMO that I play overhauled the legendary item system a few years ago and in the new one experience gain related to your legendary item doesn't have numbers associated with it. You don't get to know how much you need to advance and you don't get to know how much you earned from certain tasks. (I am seriously concerned that they might expand this to regular experience gain in the future.)

Computers don't give you searchable error codes. I had to make a phone call to find out when my internet bill was due. I have to go up to employees in stores to ask how much things cost. My phone won't tell me how much data I used last month. The list goes on.

When I was a kid they told me I was growing up in the Age of Information but quite frankly all I see is the Age of Withholding Information for No Goddamn Reason