#dating application development company

[techsolutions-world]

Dating Mobile App Development Company | Protonshub Technologies

Protonshub Technologies offers the best dating app development services, creating customized and rich applications designed to guarantee success and user satisfaction. They offer advanced feature integration, and robust security measures. Contact: digital@protonshub.com to develop your dating application today!!!

[ai-development-solutions]

Dating App Development Company India | Protonshub Technologies

Looking for a dating app development company in India? Protonshub can help you to build your dating app that enhances the online dating experience, making it safe, engaging, and efficient. They ensure to follow the entire app development lifecycle, from ideation and design to development, testing, and deployment. Drop digital@protonshub.com an email for details now!

[techerasworld]

Dating App Development | Protonshub Technologies

Get dating app development at Protonshub. From swiping to match and messaging, they have specialized in crafting immersive platforms that bring people together. With the advanced features and creative and appealing design, they are trusted partners in creating unforgettable dating experiences. Contact: digital@protonshub.com.

[jcmarchi]

Unlocking the quantum future

New Post has been published on https://thedigitalinsider.com/unlocking-the-quantum-future/

Unlocking the quantum future

Quantum computing is the next frontier for faster and more powerful computing technologies. It has the potential to better optimize routes for shipping and delivery, speed up battery development for electric vehicles, and more accurately predict trends in financial markets. But to unlock the quantum future, scientists and engineers need to solve outstanding technical challenges while continuing to explore new applications.

One place where they’re working towards this future is the MIT Interdisciplinary Quantum Hackathon, or iQuHACK for short (pronounced “i-quack,” like a duck). Each year, a community of quhackers (quantum hackers) gathers at iQuHACK to work on quantum computing projects using real quantum computers and simulators. This year, the hackathon was held both in-person at MIT and online over three days in February.

Quhackers worked in teams to advance the capability of quantum computers and to investigate promising applications. Collectively, they tackled a wide range of projects, such as running a quantum-powered dating service, building an organ donor matching app, and breaking into quantum vaults. While working, quhackers could consult with scientists and engineers in attendance from sponsoring companies. Many sponsors also received feedback and ideas from quhackers to help improve their quantum platforms.

But organizing iQuHACK 2024 was no easy feat. Co-chairs Alessandro Buzzi and Daniela Zaidenberg led a committee of nine members to hold the largest iQuHACK yet. “It wouldn’t have been possible without them,” Buzzi said. The hackathon hosted 260 in-person quhackers and 1,000 remote quhackers, representing 77 countries in total. More than 20 scientists and engineers from sponsoring companies also attended in person as mentors for quhackers.

Each team of quhackers tackled one of 10 challenges posed by the hackathon’s eight major sponsoring companies. Some challenges asked quhackers to improve computing performance, such as by making quantum algorithms faster and more accurate. Other challenges asked quhackers to explore applying quantum computing to other fields, such as finance and machine learning. The sponsors worked with the iQuHACK committee to craft creative challenges with industry relevance and societal impact. “We wanted people to be able to address an interesting challenge [that has] applications in the real world,” says Zaidenberg.

One team of quhackers looked for potential quantum applications and found one close to home: dating. A team member, Liam Kronman, had previously built dating apps but disliked that matching algorithms for normal classical computers “require [an overly] strict setup.” With these classical algorithms, people must be split into two groups — for example, men and women — and matches can only be made between these groups. But with quantum computers, matching algorithms are more flexible and can consider all possible combinations, enabling the inclusion of multiple genders and gender preferences. 

Kronman and his team members leveraged these quantum algorithms to build a quantum-powered dating platform called MITqute (pronounced “meet cute”). To date, the platform has matched at least 240 people from the iQuHACK and MIT undergrad communities. In a follow-up survey, 13 out of 41 respondents reported having talked with their match, with at least two pairs setting up dates. “I really lucked out with this one,” one respondent wrote. 

Another team of quhackers also based their project on quantum matching algorithms but instead leveraged the algorithms’ power for medical care. The team built a mobile app that matches organ donors to patients, earning them the hackathon’s top social impact award. 

But they almost didn’t go through with their project. “At one point, we were considering scrapping the whole thing because we thought we couldn’t implement the algorithm,” says Alma Alex, one of the developers. After talking with their hackathon mentor for advice, though, the team learned that another group was working on a similar type of project — incidentally, the MITqute team. Knowing that others were tackling the same problem inspired them to persevere.

A sense of community also helped to motivate other quhackers. For one of the challenges, quhackers were tasked with hacking into 13 virtual quantum vaults. Teams could see each other’s progress on each vault in real time on a leaderboard, and this knowledge informed their strategies. When the first vault was successfully hacked by a team, progress from many other teams spiked on that vault and slowed down on others, says Daiwei Zhu, a quantum applications scientist at IonQ and one of the challenge’s two architects.

The vault challenge may appear to be just a fun series of puzzles, but the solutions can be used in quantum computers to improve their efficiency and accuracy. To hack into a vault, quhackers had to first figure out its secret key — an unknown quantum state — using a maximum of 20 probing tests. Then, they had to change the key’s state to a target state. These types of characterizations and modifications of quantum states are “fundamental” for quantum computers to work, says Jason Iaconis, a quantum applications engineer at IonQ and the challenge’s other architect. 

But the best way to characterize and modify states is not yet clear. “Some of the [vaults] we [didn’t] even know how to solve ourselves,” Zhu says. At the end of the hackathon, six vaults had at least one team mostly hack into them. (In the quantum world where gray areas exist, it’s possible to partly hack into a vault.)

The community of scientists and engineers formed at iQuHACK persists beyond the weekend, and many members continue to grow the community outside the hackathon. Inspired quhackers have gone on to start their own quantum computing clubs at their universities. A few years ago, a group of undergraduate quhackers from different universities formed a Quantum Coalition that now hosts their own quantum hackathons. “It’s crazy to see how the hackathon itself spreads and how many people start their own initiatives,” co-chair Zaidenberg says. 

The three-day hackathon opened with a keynote from MIT Professor Will Oliver, which included an overview of basic quantum computing concepts, current challenges, and computing technologies. Following that were industry talks and a panel of six industry and academic quantum experts, including MIT Professor Peter Shor, who is known for developing one of the most famous quantum algorithms. The panelists discussed current challenges, future applications, the importance of collaboration, and the need for ample testing.

Later, sponsors held technical workshops where quhackers could learn the nitty-gritty details of programming on specific quantum platforms. Day one closed out with a talk by research scientist Xinghui Yin on the role of quantum technology at LIGO, the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory that first detected gravitational waves. The next day, the hackathon’s challenges were announced at 10 a.m., and hacking kicked off at the MIT InnovationHQ. In the afternoon, attendees could also tour MIT quantum computing labs.

Hacking continued overnight at the MIT Museum and ended back at MIT iHQ at 10 a.m. on the final day. Quhackers then presented their projects to panels of judges. Afterward, industry speakers gave lightning talks about each of their company’s latest quantum technologies and future directions. The hackathon ended with a closing ceremony, where sponsors announced the awards for each of the 10 challenges. 

The hackathon was captured in a three-part video by Albert Figurt, a resident artist at MIT. Figurt shot and edited the footage in parallel with the hackathon. Each part represented one day of the hackathon and was released on the subsequent day.

Throughout the weekend, quhackers and sponsors consistently praised the hackathon’s execution and atmosphere. “That was amazing … never felt so much better, one of the best hackathons I did from over 30 hackathons I attended,” Abdullah Kazi, a quhacker, wrote on the iQuHACK Slack.

Ultimately, “[we wanted to] help people to meet each other,” co-chair Buzzi says. “The impact [of iQuHACK] is scientific in some way, but it’s very human at the most important level.”

[divukanwar]

Dating applications are popular at this time everyone needs a perfect partner. In this app, we match users based on their interests, preferences, and lifestyles. Helpfulinsightsolution Provides the best dating apps. Dating Application Development should come with search filters, and push notifications. In this app, we involve in-app messaging, video conferencing, and analytic dashboards. At this time dating applications are fast growing. Dating Applications connect people who are looking for love or other pleasures.

[ars-webtech]

Revolutionizing Romance: Insider Strategies for Crafting Successful Dating Apps with ARS WebTech

In today's digital epoch, the quest for companionship has transcended traditional rendezvous locales such as bistros, parks, and grocery aisles. The contemporary love-seeker often turns to the digital realm, utilizing online matchmaking platforms. The burgeoning demand for such applications has spawned a diverse array of options, catering to varied preferences. Yet, navigating the competitive landscape of dating app creation presents its own set of challenges. Nevertheless, cost-effective solutions for crafting successful mobile love-connecting applications, particularly in the vibrant city of Dubai, do exist. This discourse will unveil key strategies for efficacious dating app development in this bustling metropolis.

1. Key Considerations in the Forge of a Matchmaking Application

Embarking on the venture of developing a digital cupid's bow, pinpointing your intended audience is paramount. This entails discerning the specific demographic for whom your application is crafted. Prioritizing one group does not entail neglecting others; rather, it involves gaining an intimate understanding of your target market to tailor an application that resonates with their needs. This insight becomes a powerful tool in devising effective marketing strategies. In identifying your target users, two pivotal types of data emerge: psychographics, encompassing interests and values, and demographics, which include age, location, and other statistical data. Understanding your audience's demographics provides a foundational understanding of who your potential users are, while psychographics delves into the psychological attributes of your app's prospective users.

2. The Role of a Dating App Development Company in Dubai

In the arena of matchmaking app development, two universal user expectations surface: robust security and veracious user information. Prioritizing user data protection and providing authentic information is crucial. To this end, engaging a reputable Dating App Development Company in Dubai can be a pivotal step in achieving growth and success.

3. Prioritizing Safety in the Digital Dating Domain

For users of dating applications, feeling secure and safeguarded is of utmost importance. This encompasses measures to protect personal data as well as individual safety. For instance, a lesbian-focused app, 'her', utilizes Facebook to conduct security verifications, confirming users are indeed women. This app also aggregates data from other social networks linked to the same email, such as Twitter or LinkedIn. Here are some fundamental safety measures:

4. Verification of Alternate Profiles

Encouraging users to share additional personal information, such as phone numbers or social media accounts, can foster a safer environment by deterring potential threats.

5. Categorizing Notifications

Top app developers in Dubai employ manual or automated mechanisms to prevent intimidation or hate speech, fostering a respectful and safe user experience.

6. Enabling User Reporting

Providing users with the ability to report inappropriate behavior or misconduct is crucial. This empowers users to contribute to the app's communal well-being and safety.

7. Facilitating User Control

Top developers in Dubai enable users to exclude or filter undesirable interactions, granting them greater agency in their app experience.

8. Ensuring Robust Data Security

When collecting additional personal data for security checks, app developers must prioritize user data protection, adhering to industry standards to prevent data misuse or unauthorized access.

9. Crafting an Intuitive User Interface

An intuitive interface allows users to navigate the app effortlessly. Achieving this involves minimizing actions and screens required for tasks, prioritizing user comfort, and maintaining a clear, uncluttered UI.

10. Concluding Remarks

The journey of developing a matchmaking app is neither trivial nor economical. It demands consideration of numerous factors, including audience identification, competitor analysis, algorithm design, security implementation, and chat feature integration. Despite the hefty investment, effective marketing can render the endeavor fruitful, as evidenced by successful applications. For a more streamlined development process, seeking assistance from a specialized company like DXB Apps is advisable.

Revised Concluding remarks: 

The odyssey of creating a digital platform for love connections is a complex and resource-intensive endeavor. It involves an intricate tapestry of elements such as pinpointing the target audience, scrutinizing competitive landscapes, architecting sophisticated algorithms, fortifying security protocols, and embedding interactive chat functionalities. Although the investment required is substantial, the potential returns, amplified by astute marketing and promotional strategies, can be significant, mirroring the triumphs of existing popular applications. For a more streamlined and efficient development process, collaborating with a specialized entity like ARS WebTech is a prudent choice, offering expertise and innovation in the realm of dating app development.

[technovation]

Features Of Dating Apps in 2024 | Protonshub Technologies

Check the latest feature of dating applications and related things. Read full blog to learn about dating applications.

[mobileappdevelopmentsolution]

Localization Challenges: Adapting Dating Apps for Global Markets

Embarking on a journey with an esteemed Dating App development company through the dynamic world of dating app localization can be both exhilarating and daunting. Discover the complexities of localizing these online dating applications for worldwide markets as we list the principal localization challenges.

[consagoustech]

5 Advanced Features To Implement High Security In Dating Apps

Online dating applications have become increasingly popular recently, especially between Genz and millennials. It is because these applications provide thousands of options in one place. Also, these apps offer a convenient way to connect with potential partners. 

However, every rise comes with some concern. And the rise of online dating applications comes with the issue of scams and data breaches. 

But today’s youth is also one step ahead; they are very well aware of the risks associated.

They only use those apps which provide them with better security and privacy options. This has led to a growing demand for dating apps prioritizing user safety and security. If you also want to build a high-security application, this blog is for you. 

In this blog, we will discuss five advanced features that will provide high security in dating apps and make the app more trustworthy for users.

Let's drive in. 

5 Advanced Features To Implement High Security In Dating Apps

Here are the 5 Advanced Features To Implement High Security In Dating Apps: 

End-to-End Encryption

End-to-end encryption is the golden standard for securing the communication channel. With this feature, only the sender and receiver can read the message; even the app maker cannot read your communication. Some popular messaging apps like WhatsApp and Telegram use end-to-end encryption to ensure private communication. If you are considering building Online Dating Applications, integrating end-to-end encryption can be a preferred choice. It prevents hackers from accessing user conversations, and despite being vulnerable to hacking, it would take hundreds or even thousands of years to crack it.  

Facial Recognition

Facial recognition ensures master protection from scammers. One of the biggest issues of dating apps is fake profiles. A Dating App Development Company can integrate facial recognition features to prevent this. Facial recognition ensures master protection from scammers. It is a biometric security feature that identifies users by using facial recognition technology.

With this feature, the dating app will verify the identity of users before they sign-up the account. 

Facial recognition will only allow authorized users to sign-up for accounts that make the app more secure and reliable. 

Geo- Location 

Geo-location is a must-have feature while adding security layers to the app. It helps users know the exact location of the matches, and they can avoid meeting in unfamiliar places. On the other hand, geo-location features also allow users to find nearby matches, making it possible to meet up in real-time.

By implementing this feature, a Dating App Development Company will not only ensure high security but also makes it easier for users to find potential matches and improves the overall user experience.

Artificial Intelligence

Artificial Intelligence is not only required for security purposes but also helps a Dating Apps Development Company develop more efficient, accurate, and personalized dating apps. Users are always concerned about fake profiles while using dating applications. AI will help app makers to detect fake profiles, spam messages, and other suspicious activity, making dating apps more secure for users. 

By integrating AI,  dating app developers can quickly identify dubious profiles and generate a machine warning to users to stay cautious.  Moreover, you can protect app users from cyber threats and prevent hackers from accessing user accounts and stealing personal information.

Two-Factor Authentication

Two-factor authentication is an extra security layer that requires users to provide two steps of identification before accessing their accounts. This feature can be activated by emailing or texting the user's phone number or email address. Nowadays, a typical Dating Apps Development Company is integrating Two-factor authentication to provide top-notch security to its users. This feature ensures that only authorized users can access their accounts and prevent hackers from accessing them even after obtaining the user’s login credentials.

Summing Up

The security and privacy features of dating apps are crucial for user safety. According to a recent survey, 57% of users are concerned about their personal information being exposed while using dating apps and websites. To address this concern, every Dating Apps Development Company must prioritize implementing advanced security features in the dating applications, such as end-to-end encryption, biometric authentication, AI-based fraud detection, etc., to make dating a more secure experience. 

These features will not only enhance the overall user experience but also ensure that users can trust the app with their personal information. 

If you want to build a top-notch security dating app. Look no further than the experts at Consagous. We at Consagous offer customized dating app development services that will appeal to your target demographic. Our team is made up of qualified dating app developers that are ready to implement the newest technology and all required security features. 

Get in touch with us right now to discover the potential of developing technology that connects people and minds. 

[merrybloomwrites]

Spencer - Smosh UTI Live

Summary: When you apply for a cast position at Smosh, you're only goal is to get a job. But that job introduces you to Spencer, the cute editor on staff. You keep your crush a secret for months, but taking part in a livestream where alcohol is a key factor may lead to a turning point in your relationship.

Word Count: 3K

CW: alcohol consumption

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Getting hired to be a cast member on Smosh is a dream come true. 

Literally. 

You’d watched Smosh videos when you were growing up, and loved when it expanded to include new people. From that moment, you had one goal in life, and you did everything you could to achieve it. 

The audition progress was equal parts exciting and terrifying, weeks spent on your application followed by multiple callbacks, each time meeting a new person who you have been a fan of for years. 

Getting the call that you were hired was the best moment of your life. Not only were you excited that you achieved your dream, but now you have proof that your hard work paid off. Plus, the people that you always looked up to had chosen you. They liked your comedy, your personality, and thought you’d fit in with them. 

Your first day is nerve wracking, as first days always are, but everyone is so welcoming that by the time you’re heading home, you feel only excitement about what’s to come. 

Over the first week or so, you manage to meet almost everyone who works for the company. You recognize plenty of them. Of course you know all the cast members, as you’ve been watching videos of them for years. You also recognize some of the crew members who have guest starred in some videos as well.

It isn’t until the start of your third week that you meet Spencer the editor. He looks familiar, you know he’s been on the channel before, but without Kimmy doing an official introduction you wouldn’t have been able to put a name to his face. 

Ever since that first conversation there was something that just drew you to Spencer. Maybe his fluffy hair, maybe his laugh, maybe even his passion for Mountain Dew kickstart. Whatever it was, it was the start of a great friendship. 

It wasn’t long before you and Spencer ended up at the same lunch table every day. It also wasn’t long before your feelings for him switched from platonic, to maybe something a little bit more. 

So yea. You developed a crush. On a coworker. Which is generally a pretty bad idea. There’s always the chance that if you started dating, you could break up and that would cause tension amongst everyone at Smosh. And with Spencer being there years before you, it probably wouldn’t end well for you. Plus, he probably doesn’t even like you back, so if you were to ask him out he’d reject you, and then everyday would be totally awkward.

That’s why you keep your feelings a complete secret. No one knows. You only tell your best friend, Katie, that you like someone at work, but don’t even tell her his name.

Time goes on, you make great friends and fun videos, and life is going well. You and Spencer talk every day, but nothing more ever happens.

Then you get put on a Smosh Pit video. It’s one of your favorite series, “Beopardy”. You adore trivia, having watched Jeopardy with your parents every night after dinner growing up. This is your second time on this series, and you had lost by only a few points the last time. You’re determined to win this episode, but they hadn’t revealed the topic yet, as they didn’t want any of you studying in advance. 

It’s not until you’re on set sitting between Ian, Olivia, and Shayne, that you learn Spencer is the host of the episode which is titled, “Are We Smarter Than Our Editor?” You’re feeling pretty confident in your editing knowledge, having learned a lot from Spencer over the last couple of months. Your only problem is the potential for getting distracted simply watching Spencer be on camera. 

It still is rare that he’s in this position, and from the start his confidence is, unfortunately, very attractive to you. Taking a deep breath, you center yourself to remain professional. 

It’s a fun shoot, one of your favorites so far. You win by 200 points, and celebrate your first victory. When the cameras stop you joke with your video costars for a little bit before getting up to make your way to the lunchroom. 

Before you can leave the studio Spencer comes over and says, “You did a great job today.”

Blushing at his compliment you reply, “Thank you. Guess sitting with you at lunch really paid off.” 

“Wow, I thought my company was the prize there but it looks like you’re using me for my editor knowledge.”

“Oh absolutely. I knew that would come in handy someday,” you say with a laugh. 

“Heading to lunch?” He asks. 

“I am indeed,” you answer. 

The two of you walk over together and grab some food before heading to your normal table. 

“Be right back,” Spencer says after putting down his lunch. A moment later he walks over again, carrying a drink for himself as well as a can of your favorite flavor of La Croix, which he places in front of you. It makes your heart race just a bit faster, seeing that he not only knows which drink you like the best, but made sure to bring you one. Not the whole table, just you.

Things like this have been happening for a few weeks, little interactions and favors that make you wonder if maybe Spencer has feelings for you the same way you do for him. After thanking him for the drink, you sit quietly, lost in your thoughts while conversation flows around you. The table you’re at is full, the rest of your friends discussing a new game they’ve been playing. 

But then you look up and see that Kimmy is being just as quiet as you. She’s looking at you, like she’s trying to solve a puzzle. It isn’t until she looks pointedly at you, then Spencer, that you realize she may have you figured out. 

Turning back to your food you ignore her eyes practically burning a hole in your head. After finishing lunch you head to the bathroom, choosing one that’s hidden in a back hallway. You thought that would mean no one would find you, but Kimmy is waiting for you when you’re done.

“Is something going on between you and Spencer?” she asks with no preamble, a large smile on her face.

“Nothing is happening,” you reply.

“But do you want it to?”

You don’t answer right away, not wanting anyone at work to know the truth. But this is Kimmy. One of your closest friends here. If there’s anyone at Smosh you can confide in, it’s her. 

“I may have the tiniest little crush on him. But that’s all! I’m not planning to act on that or anything. I don’t want it to get awkward at work if anything goes wrong.”

“And why do you think it’d go wrong?”

“Kimmy, I bet he doesn’t even feel the same way, so it’s silly to even worry about it,” you say. 

“Oh, he absolutely feels the same way. Boy has heart eyes every time he looks at you,” Kimmy replies. 

“He does not!”

“Okay, sure. Honestly I thought you were going to confess the two of you are dating in secret, not that you both have silly unrequited crushes on each other. I guess I could be wrong, but I’m certain that boy is head over heels for you.” 

Just as she says this, your phone buzzes with a ln incoming text message. It’s from Spencer and reads, “You disappeared after lunch, you okay?”

You can’t help the smile that forms on your face as you read the message, endeared by him checking up on you. When you glance up, Kimmy is giving you a knowing smirk. You jokingly say, “shut up,” before walking back to the tables. 

Spencer is standing there, looking around worriedly. He catches sight of you and relief spreads across his face. 

When you get close he says, “Everything alright?” His hand rests gently on your elbow, and you feel like your skin is burning from just that small point of contact. 

“Yea, I’m good. Just stopped to talk to Kimmy,” you reply, hoping no one notices your reaction to him touching your arm. Well, no one except Kimmy, who is giving you yet another knowing look from across the room. 

Luckily it’s time to get back to work, and you can focus on something other than your crush.

The next few weeks fly by. You’re all getting ready for the first live show that Smosh will be doing in years. It’s a big undertaking, on top of all the normal videos you need to shoot, and everyone is incredibly busy. 

And yet, you still get to see Spencer every day. At the very least you get lunch together, but he also often happens to be getting coffee in the kitchen at the same time as you, and you see each other during the rehearsals. Your heart skips a beat every time you get him to laugh, and the two of you share more eye contact than is strictly necessary.

All of this has you thinking that maybe Kimmy is right. Maybe Spencer really does like you as well. But still, it’s a tricky situation to date a coworker. And this job, as well as Spencer’s friendship, means too much to you to risk it. So your crush continues to remain a secret.

Finally, it’s time for the live show. Smosh Live: Under the Influence. Oh yea. That’s the other part of the live show. You’ll all be drinking alcohol during it. 

Well, not everyone. A few cast members will be staying sober. One of them being Spencer. And you’re grateful for that. And for the fact that he’s your designated driver for the night.

The live show is an absolute blast. You make sure not to go too crazy with the drinking. Not only are you technically at work, but everything you do is being live streamed to thousands of people. The last thing you want is to make a fool of yourself, so you take it easy with the alcohol.

Or well, you take it easy until the celebratory afterparty. Where you may go a tad overboard. Not too bad, not blacking out or anything, but definitely feeling a bit inebriated. Your inhibitions are definitely lowered. 

Which would be fine. Except Spencer is your ride home. Sober you should have realized this is a recipe for disaster. But now drunk you is in control. Alone. With Spencer. 

It’s after midnight when everyone finally starts to head home.

“You ready?” Spencer asks, handing you a glass of water which you happily take sips from. 

“Ready,” you reply once you’ve finished the glass. He takes it from you and places it on a nearby table before leading you out to the car, his arm wrapped around you protectively to keep you upright as you stumble slightly. You giggle as his hand wraps more firmly around your waist and you lean into him. 

He opens the passenger door for you, and you pout as you’re forced to separate from him. When he gets in the driver's seat and looks over he sees the big doe eyes you’re giving him. 

“What is it?” He asks. 

“Nothing,” you quickly answer, making no move to look away. Spencer knows something is going through your mind but decides not to push. He begins to drive, hand resting on the center console, and in your inebriated state that seems like a perfect invitation for you to slide your hand into his. You’re so focused on watching his fingers intertwine with yours that you miss the pleased smile on Spencer’s face. 

“Thank you,” you suddenly say. 

“What for?” Spencer asks. 

“For making sure I get home safe,” you reply. 

“I’ll always make sure you’re safe,” he answers. 

“You’re a really good person. I’m so happy we met. I’d be really sad if you weren’t my friend. Which is why I don’t want to mess it up.”

“What do you mean?” He asks. 

“You know, wanting too much and ruining what we have. I mean, I like you but it’s complicated.” You don’t even realize you’ve just confessed your feelings to Spencer, but he immediately notices, and begins to feel hopeful. He hopes that this isn’t just drunk ramblings, that you actually mean what you’re saying. 

“It doesn’t have to be complicated,” he says. 

“But it is! What if you don’t like me back?”

Spencer can’t help but laugh at how honest you’re being, like you don’t even realize you’re admitting this all to him. 

“Okay well first of all, don’t worry about that. Because I do like you back,” Spencer admits just as he parks the car in front of your building. 

“You do?” You ask, eyes finally meeting his. 

“I do. I have for a while now.” Spencer’s watches as your entire face lights up, eyes sparkling as you  smile the brightest smile he’s ever seen. 

“C’mon,” he continues. “Let’s get you inside.” 

You’ve barely opened your car door before Spencer is there, once again wrapping an arm around your waist. You’ve sobered up a bit, no longer stumbling at all, but you’d never deny yourself a chance to be close to him. He keeps his hand lightly on the small of your back while you fumble with your keys. 

He comes inside, needing to make sure you’re settled for the night. He’s been to your place a couple times before during group hang outs so he knows where to find what he needs. While you duck into your bathroom to change into pajamas and get ready for bed he fills a glass with water, placing that, a granola bar, and some pain relievers on your bedside table. He figures you’ll need all of that at some point between now and tomorrow morning. 

You're about to walk into your room, suddenly feeling exhausted and just wanting to climb into bed. But you nearly bump into Spencer as he walks out of the bedroom. 

“I left some things on your table,” he explains. 

“Thank you,” you shyly reply. 

“I should get going,” he says, but you don’t move to let him pass. Instead you ask, “Can you stay? Just a couple minutes until I fall asleep?” It’s bold of you to ask, but you always feel extra lonely after drinking, and you’d already been pretty bold in the car so you figure it couldn’t hurt. 

“Of course,” he replies and steps to the side so you can enter the bedroom. You get under the covers, laying on your side, and look at Spencer with expectant eyes. Understanding your wordless request, he sits on the edge of the bed. His hand rests on your hip before he starts to gently rub your back. 

You’re asleep in no time, comforted by Spencer’s presence. 

When you wake up the next morning you’re feeling better than you have any right to after a night of drinking. You eat the granola bar and take the pain medicine in order to relieve the mild headache before it can get any worse. As you finish the glass of water you reflect on the night before. 

Your eyes go wide as you realize what happened at the end of the night. You’d drunkenly confessed your feelings to Spencer. You’d asked him to stay with you until you fell asleep. You’re mortified! You actually told him you liked him. Were you insane?

But before you spiral too much, you remember his response to everything. How he admitted his feelings as well. How he stayed with you, gently lulling you to sleep. 

Could this be the answer to months of pining? A drunken confession?

You pull yourself out of bed and decide a shower is definitely needed. When you get out you see a few texts in a Smosh group chat, you’re friends planning to meet up at a diner. You text that you’re in, and a moment later your phone dings again, this time Spencer asking if you want a ride. You accept his offer, hoping the ride won’t be too awkward after everything that happened. 

You get ready and Spencer pulls up a little while later. 

“She lives!” Spencer shouts as you climb in the passenger seat. 

“Ha ha,” you answer dryly. “I’ll have you know I felt perfectly fine this morning.”

“Well then I am impressed,” he replies and you both laugh. 

Throughout the drive there, during the meal, and even the drive back home, neither you nor Spencer acknowledges the elephant in the room. But the suspense is killing you, so you once again invite Spencer inside when you get home. 

“I wanted to talk about what happened last night,” you say once you’re both seated at your kitchen table. “I didn’t mean to blurt everything out, but I guess I’m happy you know the truth.”

“So you meant it? You weren’t just saying that because you were drunk?” Spencer confirms. 

“I mean, I probably wouldn’t have said it without some liquid courage, but I did mean it. I’ve liked you since I met you. But I never thought you’d like me back,” you explain. 

“Of course I like you! How could I not? God, you’re so pretty, and funny, and kind. You’re like, the coolest person. So yea, I’ve liked you the whole time too.”

You both sit quietly for a minute, absorbing this information. 

“What happens now?” You finally ask. 

“Well now I can ask you on a date without worrying about you rejecting me,” he answers. 

You blush and duck your head, bashful at this statement. But before you can hide too long, he gently lifts your chin so you’re looking at him again.

“Y/N, will you go out to dinner with me?” he asks.

“Spencer, I would love to,” you reply. 

The two of you can’t help but start giggling like two high schoolers that just decided to go to homecoming together. You realize that this could be your future. Lots of smiles, and laughs, and time spent enjoying one another’s company. 

You know it’s too soon to think about forever, but when Spencer suggests a round of Mario Kart to ease the tension, it’s clear that there’s something good between the two of you. And you can’t wait to see how it all unfolds.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

AN: Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoyed it! I have 5 more Spencer fics planned at the moment, but feel free to send in requests!

[estherax]

Disco Elysium creative team VS Studio ZA/UM: the complete(?) timeline (updated on March 24th)

Recent news confused a lot of people, including me, so I made a timeline of events to understand the situation better! If you have any corrections, more info and sources feel free to reach out to me or add to this post!

Important parts are highlighted in orange, names and organizations to keep in mind are in italics, the newest corrections and updates are highlighted in green, other information elaborating on the situation is in (brackets).

October 1st, 2022. Martin Luiga puts out a Medium post announcing the dissolution of ZA/UM cultural association and confirming that Kurvitz, Hindpere, Rostov no longer work at ZA/UM studio "since the end of last year and their leaving the company was involuntary."

October 3rd 2022. Kotaku published an article, claiming "the studio hasn’t been transparent about what exactly happened with staff either." According to "two sources familiar with the situation, the studio’s internal announcement of Kurvitz’s departure late last year [2021] also contained a threat of possible legal action against him. Any split would have been made messier by Kurvitz and Rostov being shareholders in the studio, the sources said. It’s also clear ZA/UM has gone out of its way to try and keep the situation quiet. Kotaku reached out for an interview with Kurvitz in February [2022]. The studio declined on his behalf, but provided no indication the developer had already left the company." Kotaku also mentions a tweet from Martin Luiga announcing the dissolution of ZA/UM cultural association. One of Martin's tweets (further elaborating on the dissolution) was quote tweeted by user nob69691 with caption "the suits have killed disco", to which he responded with pictures of the game’s executive producers, Tõnis Haavel and Kaur Kender.

October 25th, 2022. Kotaku Australia reports Kurvitz’s company, Telomer, has filed an application against Studio ZA/UM to "obtain information and review documents." Court date is listed as November 28th, 2022.

Kotaku also reached out to Martin Luiga for a comment; when asked if the case’s purpose was to regain control of the Elysium IP, he responded, “What else could it possibly be?”

November 9th, 2022. Studio ZA/UM puts out a statement detailing the dismissed employees (unnamed) "had limited to no engagement in their responsibilities and work, created a toxic work environment, demonstrated misconduct towards other employees including verbal abuse and gender discrimination, and attempted to illegally sell ZA/UM's intellectual property".

In an Estonian newspaper, Estonian Ekspress, ZA/UM CEO Ilmar Kompus has further accused Kurvitz and shareholder Saandar Taal (Rostov's alias) of "humiliating colleagues and intending to steal IP" as well as "belittling women and co-workers."

Kompus added that their dismissal was demanded and carried out by Kaur Kender, executive producer on Disco Elysium and their direct manager at the time. Kender was placed on a leave of absence on medical grounds in late August according to Kompus.

Speaking to the Estonian Ekspress, Martin Luiga said he was "driven to drink by the unnatural work arrangement" at the studio. "The work was organised in such a way that the goal did not seem to be to make games, but rather to make people quarrel with each other."

(I am also adding anonymous claims, take them with a grain of salt)

One source that spoke to GamesIndustry.biz, who asked to remain anonymous, described the situation as "not black and white," and said that long-term staff were reluctant to speak out about Kurvitz’ behaviour because they respected him, and felt like they owed him for their positions. Sources that spoke to the Estonian Ekspress described a clash of two visions between the business team of ZA/UM led by Kompus, and the creative team formerly headed by Robert Kurvitz, which considered profit "secondary." This was corroborated by our sources, one of which described the situation as "CEO corporate scheming on one side, a toxic auteur on the other."

On the same day, Kurvitz and Rostov shared a Medium post explaining their side. Kurvitz and Rostov are minority shareholders in Studio ZA/UM, while "the majority of this company’s shares were initially held by Margus Linnamäe, who provided the initial capital. In 2021, Linnamäe was bought out by another minority shareholder," a company called Tütreke. They say this company "is a vehicle for two Estonian businessmen — Ilmar Kompus and Tõnis Haavel." Kurvitz and Rostov described Linnamäe as a trusted majority shareholder, but didn't share the same sentiment regarding Kompus and Haavel. "As soon as they became majority shareholders, we were quickly excluded from daily operations, our employment was terminated and our access to the company’s information was shut off. Our firing came weeks after we started asking for documents and financial data, which is still being kept from us. We have now learned that Tütreke OÜ must have obtained control over Zaum Studio OÜ by fraud. We believe the money used by Tütreke OÜ to buy the majority stake was taken illegally from Zaum Studio OÜ itself".

Studio ZA/UM denied any claims of fraud and insisted that dismissal of wokers "was a decision that had to be taken for the wellbeing of the collective."

Correction: Ilmar Kompus's statement came out first on Estonian Ekspress on November 8th 2022 21:06. His statement and Studio ZA/UM's statement given to GameIndustry.biz were reproduced and published in a GameIndustry.biz report on November 9th. Rostov and Kurvitz's Medium statement came out later on November 9th. GameIndustry.biz report added an excerpt from Medium on November 10th. (i used Wayback Machine to check this, the report was updated between 11:08 and 11:53)

November 9th 2022. Kotaku puts out an article, summarizing the above statments from Studio ZA/UM, Kompus, Kurvitz and Rostov. "When asked by Kotaku, a spokesperson for ZA/UM declined to elaborate beyond its original statement [about dismissal of employees over misconduct], including whether the allegations also applied to Rostov as well as Helen Hindpere."

23rd of November, 2022. PC Gamer reports a hearing was held in Harju County Court in October, where Kurvitz and Rostov argued that Kompus had allegedly sold four concept sketches (for Disco Elysium sequel), to Tütreke for just over €1 and then immediately bought them back for €4.8 million using Studio ZA/UM's money. This amount is what was apparently used to buy Linnamäe's large stake, and put it in the hands of Kompus. "Kompus allegedly hoped that ZA/UM and Disco Elysium could be resold quickly. [...] But there remained a problem: Robert Kurvitz is the creator of Disco Elysium, still owns a piece of it, and has the right to block any acquisition."

The latest legal battle was lodged by Kaur Kender, executive producer and marketing manager of the game, "who claimed in court that Kompus cheated him out of just under €1,000,000." At Kender's request, the court seized Kompus' stake in Studio ZA/UM to prevent a sale or transfer of holdings during the proceedings.

Haavel is also accused in the lawsuit of following Kompus' actions. The filing pointed out that the holder of the IP rights to Disco Elysium is a subsidiary called YESSIRNOSIR LTD, which is owned by ZA/UM UK. The director of ZA/UM UK is Anu Reiman, who is also reportedly a partner of Haavel's. Kender claims that Haavel's involvement is being "kept secret" because he's €11.2 million in debt as a result of his 2015 conviction.

Speaking to the Estonian Ekspress, Kompus denied the existence of a lawsuit against him, and Haavel called the allegations "completely absurd." Both were shown legal documents by the outlet and did not respond.

December 8th, 2022. According to GamesIndustry.biz article, Kaur Kender has withdrawn a lawsuit against Tütreke.

Studio ZA/UM provided a statement from Kompus, but could not provide a reason for Kender's withdrawal. Kompus says: "We are pleased that Kender and his attorneys have chosen to withdraw their lawsuit – one that should never have been filed in the first place. Their decision affirms there was no basis for their accusations and that I have acted appropriately and responsibly, as underscored by the corporate records I provided."

The article also mentions Studio ZA/UM was unable to provide an update on the suit's progression against Kurvitz's company, Telomer.

PC Gamer reached for comment, Kender stated that his lawsuit against the owner of Studio ZA/UM proved to be successful and provided a timeline of the lawsuit:

Kaur Kender's lawsuit against the owner of ZA/UM was successful.

Kaur Kender's (his company, Chromed Investing OÜ) lawsuit against the owner of Zaum Studio OÜ proved to be successful.

On October 25, 2022, Kaur Kender's company filed a lawsuit against OÜ Tütreke (Ilmar Kompus company), in which was demanded the seizure of Zaum Studio OÜ's share belonging to OÜ Tütreke.

On October 29, 2022, the Estonian court secured the action and shares belonging to OÜ Tütreke were seized.

On October 31, 2022, the order securing the action was forwarded to Nasdaq and the Estonian Business Register.

On November 1, 2022, Kaur Kender sent a letter in English to contacts, including Ilmar Kompus and Tõnis Haavel, stating that the minority shareholders demand the convening of a general meeting.

On November 4, 2022, Ilmar Kompus' company OÜ Tütreke paid a total of 4 million euros to Zaum Studios OÜ in two payments.

On November 11, 2022, Ilmar Kompus' company OÜ Tütreke paid 800,000 euros to ZA/UM Studios OÜ.

Ilmar Kompus referred in the corresponding payment orders: "Return of the amounts received on the basis of the contract on 12.2021-01.2022 due to the nullity of the contract".

To the extent that Ilmar Kompus returned the illegally taken 4,800,000 euros, Kaur Kender achieved the goal of the lawsuit filed, and the court proceedings in this case will be terminated.

PC Gamer also provided commentary and an excerpt from Estonian Ekspress: "Eesti Ekspress reports that Kompus "paid back" €4.8 million to Studio ZA/UM in November. The outlet says that the reason provided for the transaction was that the €4.8 million "was received on the basis of a void transaction." Eesti Ekspress points out that Kompus "controls both sides" of that void transaction. [...] By now transferring €4.8 million to the company to repay it for a "void transaction," the intended message seems to be that he didn't use company money to buy his shares. But why did he have the €4.8 million in the first place?"

Robert Kurvitz told PC Gamer that his party is aware of "Kompus’s view that the money taken from ZA/UM Studio was 'repaid'." Kurvitz says he's seen a "partial bank statement allegedly confirming such repayment," but remains unclear on the "source and legal nature of this repayment, and the further use of the allegedly repaid funds."

"Further, any 'repayment' of the company’s money which was used to illegally acquire a majority stake does not erase the main consequence of the initial injustice⁠—which is that Kompus remains the majority owner, a position that he was only able to attain by using the company’s money as his own," said Kurvitz. "In light of this, there has been no material change in our situation, and we continue to consider our legal options. We cannot comment on the decisions taken by Kaur Kender with regard to his claim, to which we were never a party."

March 14, 2023. GamesIndustry.biz reports legal dispute between Studio ZA/UM and the game's producer Kaur Kender has been resolved.

"ZA/UM has announced that ex-staffer Kender has repaid all debts owed to it. Also, per a court order, Kender has repaid CEO Ilmar Kompus for legal fees from a lawsuit that was eventually withdrawn back in December. Additionally, he's divested all his shares in the games company.

Studio ZA/UM says both Kurvitz and Rostov have dropped their "unfair dismissal" claims due to lack of evidence. However, the company says it continues to face a "series of baseless allegations from former employees" and expects more claims to "fall apart under legal and factual scrutiny."

March 16, 2023. In a statement sent to GamesIndustry.biz, Kurvitz and Taal (alias for Aleksander Rostov) said the press release is false in multiple areas. The pair maintain they are the remaining minority shareholders of the studio. The developers explained, "The press release implies that our employment claims against the studio were withdrawn for lack of evidence. They were not. We see our dismissal as part of a larger campaign against us and will pursue legal options accordingly." The statement adds that they disagreed with Kender admitting the lawsuit he withdrew in December 2022 was misguided.

"Kender's lawsuit was based on the misuse of ZA/UM's funds (€4.8 million) by the majority shareholders [Ilmar Kompus and Tõnis Haavel] to increase their own stake in the company. In the press release, Kompus and Haavel admit to this misuse, arguing only that the money has been 'paid back to ZA/UM,' " the duo explained.

"Paying back stolen money, however, does not undo the crime; here, it does not undo the majority that Kompus and Haavel have illegally gained in ZA/UM."

Additionally, they described that, unlike Kender, they will not be silenced in this ongoing legal dispute. "Unlike Kender, we have not participated in the looting of ZA/UM, and Kompus and Haavel have no power over us."

March 23rd 2023. GamesIndustry.biz updates initial post with a reply statment from ZA/UM. The studio reiterated that Kender admitted that the lawsuit was misguided on his part. It said, "In addition, as part of a court order, he also paid the legal fees for CEO Ilmar Kompus, who had to respond to that now-withdrawn claim." ZA/UM adds, "Using details like 'looting,' 'stolen money,' and 'crime' make for riveting reading but are far from reality. The actual harm to the studio is not from some fictional 'looting,' but rather from Mr. Kurvitz and Mr. Taal, while employed by the studio, refusing to do their jobs, creating a toxic workplace, demeaning colleagues, and attempting to misappropriate Studio IP."

Additionally, the studio explained that Kurvitz and Taal are welcome to challenge these facts in court.

(The next court hearing is scheduled for September 11th.)

[mostly-marvel-musings]

Minor Inconvenience

A/N: Hello Stark Squad! Trying something new here, an actor AU with our beloved Mr. Stark. Because I had a request for ‘sharing a bed’ prompt in my ask box a million years ago, here it is! Hope you enjoy it :)

Pairing: Actor! Tony Stark x Actor! Reader

Warnings: Almost smut, fluff.

Word count: 2.2k

My Masterlist

.

“And cut!” the director yelled, letting out a sigh of relief and thanking the crew before turning to his lead actors.

“That was amazing, Y/N and Tony. Rest up. We’ve got a big day tomorrow.” he gave you two a thumbs up, and a green signal to break out of character for the day.

You didn’t realize you were holding in a breath until you let it out, all thanks to your co-star Anthony Edward Stark. The feelings you had developed for the man during the schedule of your film weren’t going anywhere, and there was nothing you could do about it.

It is just a crush! It’ll pass. That’s what you kept repeating in your mind on loop. Justifying it by blaming the story you two were a part of.

The film was about your characters falling in love in times of uncertainty and your love being tried and tested over the course of the journey. It was so beautifully written, the writer being one of your closest friends, and the director being a legend in this genre, you were beyond ecstatic to be a part of the project.

And then there was Tony.

The actor loved by millions, the superstar who had the world at his feet. Being in his presence felt like being swept up in a storm, there was flurry all around, but the eye of the storm was him. And you could say you were officially in the whirlwind.

Tony had an aura about him, he definitely was every bit the superstar they made him out to be. His presence was commanding, magnetic and nobody could look away. And he romanced the camera like nobody’s business. You were definitely a fan and every interaction with him had you turn into a giggling schoolgirl.

Over the span of your shoot, you got to know the man a little better, he had been courteous, warm and inviting. And now you knew him well enough to be invited to the legendary lunches that he hosted with great music, good food and amazing company. The man knew how to show people a good time.

You often wondered if that ‘good time’ was applicable in other areas as well…

Those were just some of the thoughts you had to mentally shake yourself out of.

“It was a good day, wouldn’t you agree Y/N?” Tony offered you a kind smile, frowning watching you a little dazed.

“Huh? I’m sorry I-I wasn’t..” you stared at your fingers, mentally cursing yourself for zoning out again. This happened enough times for it to be embarrassing now.

“Paying attention, yeah I got that. You okay?” he seemed genuinely concerned, giving your shoulder a gentle squeeze, not helping your situation as you felt a thrill rush through your body.

For fuck’s sake, Y/N! He has touched you before, hell, you had hugged the man several times. And now there was a major scene you had to perform tomorrow. One where you kiss Tony, well, your character kisses his character.

“Mmmhmm super! I uh, I guess I’m just tired. Today was brilliant, you were brilliant, as always! I mean you are brilliant!” you chuckled, hoping your nervousness wouldn’t show. The smirk he hid behind his handsome features said otherwise though.

“You sure you didn’t sneak in a weed gummy earlier or something?” Tony said in jest, your eyes going wide in reaction simply amused him.

He secretly enjoyed watching you all flustered. It was endearing.

“Did they fix the plumbing in your room?”

“Oh no, they haven’t. And I can’t stay at my friends’ room tonight, she’s got a hot date that she is confident she’d fuc–um, sleep with tonight.” you managed to correct yourself terribly, placing a stray lock behind your ear as you two walked towards your cars.

That was the thing. The hotel you were staying at had been modest given the remote location, it wasn’t a big production and you were quite comfortable with it. Two days ago, you had woken up to a pipe bursting in your bathroom and your room flooding in a matter of minutes. You had to bunk up with the one person who didn’t mind sharing given that the hotel had been fully booked.

Tonight you were out of options, there was no hotel in sight for miles and no empty rooms were available.

“What are you gonna do?” he asked, opening the card door for you, making you realize you had to think of your options pronto.

“I guess I could look for another hotel but there isn’t one that’s so close to set. I am screwed.” you sighed, closing your eyes as the back of your head hit the backrest of your car.

Tony motioned you to roll down the window as he shut the door for you, leaning against it casually as he spoke, adding much to the fluttering of your heart.

“You could stay with me.”

“What?”

“For tonight. We can share the room, if you’d like.” he offered, his big brown eyes looking at you full of hope.

“I wouldn’t want to intrude, Tony. I’m sure you’ve got plans.” you didn’t want to be a bother, especially not with your situation. No matter how many excitable flips your insides did, you had to be a professional.

“I sure have plans. I plan on spending this lovely evening cracking open a bottle of whiskey that is said to taste better with some company. What do you say, Y/N?”

He made you laugh, hell, he made you feel like a teenager with raging hormones. You would hate to make those pretty brown orbs sad, so you agreed.

“Okay. Thank you, Tony. Really.”

He merely brushed it off, tapping the car twice before heading to his.

“And no you’re not sleeping on the couch!” he called out, almost sensing your thoughts, making you giggle yet again.

…

The keycard bleeped before Tony held the door open for you, watching you intently as you dragged your suitcase inside.

His room was definitely the best one you’d seen amongst all. Of course, it was him. He would be given the best suite the hotel had to offer.

It offered through their floor to ceiling windows the most amazing views of the meadows that surrounded, the pine trees lining the beautiful landscape topped off with the most stunning sunset.

“It is quite something, isn’t it?” Tony murmured, smiling at the way your body had naturally dragged you towards the windows.

“Stunning. I love outdoor shoots for this very reason. It’s sunsets, nature and all the things you wouldn’t normally experience back home.” You let out a soft sigh, placing a hand against the glass as the skies dramatically changed colors.

It took everything in Tony’s might to not walk up to you that very moment, push your hair aside and kiss your neck. And it would be a lie to say that he hadn’t thought about doing it before.

“I’m gonna take a shower, if you don’t mind?” You asked timidly, making Tony realize you were now facing him.

“Sure. I’ll join you.” He blurted out without thinking, shaking his head and scratching the back of his head nervously.

“I mean, please go ahead. I will take one when you’re done.” He muttered, missing the blush that had crept up on your cheeks at his earlier statement.

…

The shower was relaxing, hot water cascading down your back worked out all the knots and kinks while your mind was preoccupied with what Tony had said earlier.

I’ll join you.

Was there a tiniest chance he felt the same way about you? The Tony Stark crushing on his co-star who also happened to crush hard on him? It was ridiculous to even think about but the part of you that often had you day-dreaming about him encouraged you to believe in the possibility.

Tony jumped up from his seat as he heard the door unlock, gulping as you walked out in a fluffy robe, drying your hair, smelling heavenly. Clearing his throat awkwardly, he brushed past you to head to the bathroom, inhaling your scent inevitably. It made his cock stir as you passed him, giving him a shy smile.

“Feel free to open the bottle of whiskey, it’s right there. I won’t be too long.” he nodded at the expensive looking bottle on the small table they had in his room. It looked like it was sent from a fan, a female one that was too complete with a handwritten note and a not-so-subtle imprint of red lips.

“Oh and I ordered some fries. I remember you saying you loved them.”

Could this man be more perfect?

You did mention your undying love for fries at one of his parties but you never thought he’d remember.

“Thank you, Tony. You’re really going out of your way to impress me.” you blurted out, biting your bottom lip to stop the grin that formed.

“Hey as long as it’s working!” he chuckled, sending you a wink before disappearing in the bathroom. You were screaming internally at this point.

The evening was definitely going to be interesting.

…

You spent some time checking your phone before hearing the water turn off, your heart doing a little flip as Tony’s head peeped out from the door, calling your name.

“Could you be a dear and pass me a towel?”

Handing him a towel, you couldn’t help but let your eyes feast on his physique that was now glistening and was tantalizingly on display, making you wish he’d push the door just a little further. He had arms to die for and a toned chest that made you weak in the knees, his happy trail inviting you to explore a little lower, until Tony cleared his throat.

“I mean I could’ve walked out naked if I knew you’d enjoy the show.” he smirked, giving the towel you held in your hands a firm tug, pulling you forward. Your cheeks felt hot as you let out a nervous laugh, shaking your head.

“Maybe I needed to join you.” you felt bolder now, letting go of the towel and mirroring his smirk.

You figured it was now or never.

Pouring both your drinks, you waited for the man to join you, doing your best to get your erratic heartbeat to calm down.

Conversation flowed easily between the two of you as it always did, reminiscing about the first time you met, how you got into acting and landing this role. You even admitted to breaking into an embarrassing dance with your team the moment they confirmed you had been signed on for this film.

It was way past midnight by the time either of you bothered to glance at a clock.

“Jeez! Is that the time? I’m afraid we must get our beauty sleep as much as we can, big day tomorrow.” he placed both your glasses on the nightstand, chuckling as you both let out a sigh in tandem.

You’d changed into your sleep shorts and a large t-shirt that you had hoped nobody saw you in, thanks to the unforeseen situation, Tony now knew you slept in t-shirts with cheesy quotes on them.

“Tony, are you sure about this, I mean I’m tiny I can manage on the couch.” You tucked a lock of hair behind your ear as you watched him fluff the pillows.

“Look, if anything, it should be me offering to sleep on the couch but I’m gonna be selfish tonight.” he murmured, his voice soft.

“What do you mean?” your own voice barely over a whisper at the close proximity of him as he extended his hand for you from across the bed.

Maybe it was the whiskey that sat warm and fuzzy in your bellies or just the fact that there was something you both felt in the moment. An unsaid chemistry, tension you could cut with a knife.

The bed dipped under your weights as you got on your knees, still clasping Tony’s hand as you got closer, breathing each other in.

His scent was intoxicating to you, his eyes criminally brown as they bore into you, making you lose yourself in their depths.

“Well, I’ve been told, you’ve never kissed anyone on screen yet. Is that right?” he asked softly, bringing his other hand to brush your hair out the way gently to cup your face.

You managed a nod, leaning into his touch and closing your eyes momentarily. It was true. You had been in several films before however somehow there wasn’t any that had required you to kiss a costar. That added to the fact that your big on-screen kiss would now be with this gorgeous man who was right before you.

“We’ve got something here, Y/N. Something electric, palpable. See how our bodies react to each other?” his lips were now inches away from your ear, a smile adorning his features as his words sent a shiver down your spine, proving his point.

“And what are we gonna do about it?” you breathed, pressing your hand against his chest, noting how his heart beat against your palms and his very obvious boner that wasn’t hidden anymore.

Definitely not a one-sided crush. He wanted you, and you wanted him.

“I think we’re gonna go off-script. A lot. And not just on set.”

The gif is simply because I LOVE IT. What do we think?

[dragcnbreak]

love languages

5 times Ness called Mike a pet name + 1 time Mike called Ness a pet name.

Also cross-posted on AO3!

◞♡࿐

1. Sugar

The first time was a complete accident; Mike and Ness hadn’t even started dating yet. Their crushes on each other were known throughout their friend group and by each other but they hadn’t ever done anything about it.

Mike is leaving Abby in Ness’ capable hands when it happens. He has a job interview lined up and Ness will always get his shifts covered when Mike needs him. Mike is about to leave out the front door when Ness approaches him. “Wait,” he calls out, sidling up to Mike, “your tie is a bit messed up.”

Ness fixes it in a jiffy but their eyes suddenly meet and they both instantly become flustered and nervous. “Thanks.” Mike smiles when he’s recovered and Ness nods in response. “Break a leg, sugar.” He says softly, the familiar theater expression slipping from his lips easily. He barely even recognizes the endearment that left his mouth as well.

Mike is fully red, unable to get any words out this time. “Are you guys finally gonna kiss?” Abby calls out from in front of the television, grinning knowingly. Ness nods, surprising Mike, but kisses his cheek instead of another place. Mike hurried out the front door soon after, too embarrassed to even lock the door behind him.

◞♡࿐

2. My love

Mike and Ness have been barely dating for a month but Ness thinks about calling him pet names all the time. He’s definitely one for sappy terms of endearment, words of affirmation being his love language and all. But he’d never want to make Mike uncomfortable so he figures he should ask first.

They’re sitting at the dinner table by themselves, Abby at a friend’s house for the night, when Ness gets the courage to ask. “Mike,” he begins and the mentioned looks up from his food. “Yeah?” He responds, stabbing at his dinner. “I wanted to know if it’s okay if I called you pet names.” Ness smiles kindly. “Like… like that time I called you sugar.”

Mike blushes at the memory, ducking his head to peer down at his food nervously. “Y-yeah, I don’t mind.” Ness gently takes Mike’s free hand and kisses the top of it. “Thank you, my love.” Mike somehow turns even redder, still staring down at his food but Ness can see his strawberry cheeks perfectly.

◞♡࿐

3. Puppy

When Ness gets home from work one evening, Mike is sitting at the dinner table. The taller comes behind him and kisses the top of Mike’s head, running his fingers through his hair after. “Whatcha working on?” He asks Mike when he sees the stack of sheets on the table. “Papers I’m filling out for Abby’s school, bills, job applications, y’know, the usual.” Mike sighs and leans into Ness’ gentle touch.

“I’ll get changed and come back and keep you company.” Mike looks up to argue against it but Ness has always escaped to their room, doing just that. He comes back in a few minutes, comfier clothes than before on. “Here, get up for me.” Ness manhandles Mike with surprising strength, sitting down on the chair himself. Mike sputters indignantly but Ness grabs him again and sits his body down again.

Mike is sitting normally in the chair again, but now he’s in Ness’ lap. Ness is sitting with his back facing the table so their chests are touching. They lean into each other’s warmth simultaneously. “So you can work and we can cuddle.” Ness explains simply, resting his head down on Mike’s shoulder. Mike huffs but continues where he left off.

A few minutes pass by again and Ness can’t help but move his head back to begin leaving gentle kisses along Mike’s neck. The latter freezes, shocked by the new development. “What are you doing?” He asks quietly. “What? Does puppy not like it?” Ness teases his boyfriend, who turns scarlet at the pet name.

“P-puppy?” Mike stutters. “Where did that come from?” Ness smiles and chuckles softly. “I’m still trying out new pet names. Do you not like it? It’s okay if you don’t.” The shorter shakes his head. “Um, no… I… I like it.” He admits, almost too low for Ness to hear. “Good. You’re my puppy.” Ness reaches up to card his fingers through Mike’s hair again, almost like he’s petting a dog. Mike resists the urge to whine like one too.

◞♡࿐

4. Hon

Mike almost forgets about the double date at the mall as he’s so busy with his new job and taking care of Abby. Ness reminds him before he leaves for work in the morning. “Abby will be at school. You know Vanessa’s been trying to arrange this for a while. I’ll meet you guys at the mall at 1.” Mike nods automatically, giving Ness a goodbye kiss before he leaves.

One o’clock arrives all too quickly and Mike finds himself sitting across Vanessa and her girlfriend, Cindy. “Hi, Mike! It’s so good to see you.” The latter goes in for a hug while the former just gives him a smile. “Hi, Cindy.” He responds before escaping her grasp. “How’s Abby?” She asks and the three launch into a conversation.

A few minutes pass and suddenly, Vanessa looks behind Mike. He turns to see his boyfriend jogging over to the group. “Hi, hon, sorry I’m late.” Ness takes a quick glance to make sure no one’s looking before pressing a kiss to Mike’s cheek. Mike blushes from both the attention and the pet name.

Vanessa literally laughs out loud while Cindy lets out an “awww”. “Hon? Really?” Vanessa smiles cheekily, holding her face with her hands. Ness grins and shrugs. “I’ve been trying out pet names.” He explains, sitting down with the rest of them. “How cute.” Vanessa guffaws again and Cindy rolls her eyes at her girlfriend. “Like we’re any better, babe.” The blonde blushes and it’s Ness’ turn to laugh. Mike even manages a smile at the antics of the people he cares about the most.

◞♡࿐

5. Angel

Mike gets home late, a usual occurrence with the job he recently got hired at. Because of this, Ness waits up for him on the couch, usually curled up with a book or watching television. But tonight is different as Mike unlocks the door and slams it closed behind him. “Hey, hey, hey,” Ness sits up immediately, chiding him, “you’ll wake Abby.” The gentle tone makes Mike deflate immediately.

The shorter rushes over to the couch, dropping his stuff on the floor and throwing himself onto Ness’ lap. Ness catches him with a huff, wrapping his arms around his boy. “What’s wrong, angel?” He lets the pet name slip, hoping it’ll soothe Mike. It just makes him break down into tears.

They sit like that for what feels like an hour, Ness running his hands along Mike’s back while the man sobs quietly. He’s not one to cry very often so Ness is grateful for the opportunity to comfort him this rare time he does. “I’m so… tired.” Mike finally mumbles into Ness’ chest. “I know, so why don’t we get to bed?” Ness asks softly but Mike shakes his head.

“No, I mean… I… I got fired.” Mike admits and Ness frowns. “What happened?” Mike shakes his head again. “Doesn’t matter. I just don’t know if I can do this anymore. I’m so tired.” He repeats the phrase. “Do what, angel?” Ness throws out the pet name again, realizing Mike didn’t argue against it before.

“Going from job to job after getting fired so many times. It feels pointless.” Mike explains as best he can; words don’t ever come to him that easily. “It’s not pointless.” Ness tries to reason with him. “I know how hard you’re trying, for me and for Abby. You just haven’t found the right place yet.”

Ness suddenly gets an idea. “Why don’t you come work at Sparky’s?” Mike looks up at his boyfriend, blinking owlishly. “I can put in a good word for you and we can get shifts together and I can train you.” Ness rambles on, excited at the idea. His excitement must be infectious as Mike smiles a small yet still genuine smile. “Okay.”

◞♡࿐

+ 1. Baby

Mike’s love language isn’t really words of affirmation. He doesn’t much say anything like that, even to Abby. Instead, he relies on his actions or other, less mushy-gushy words to convey how his feelings. He’s been doing stuff like that for Ness ever since they first met, especially when they started dating.

But Mike soon comes to realize something that’s a bit terrifying: he loves Ness. And he wants to let him know somehow but he doesn’t think he can say the words. So, instead he opts for saying something that Ness will know is basically an “I love you”.

Mike wakes up one morning and decides today is the day he’ll attempt to convey his love for Ness. He notices the mentioned man is not in bed but he can smell the reason why. Mike shuffles out of bed and into the hallway to get to the living room. He stands by the dinner table, watching Ness make breakfast for a few seconds.

Then, he walks forward and wraps his arms around the taller. Ness is startled a bit but quickly resumes making breakfast. “Good morning.” He hums. “Good morning, baby.” Mike responds and is shaken when Ness turns around in his arms. “What did you call me?” He asks, a bit too loud for so early in the morning. “I called you baby, Ness.” Mike smiles, chuckling. Ness’ face immediately softens when he realizes he heard right.

“I love you too.” Ness sighs albeit fondly and leans down to kiss his boyfriend. They both are grinning into the kiss, Mike because the other understood what he meant and Ness because he’s never been this happy before. Their lips don’t part for a while, too busy relaxing in each other’s presence. Until they smell something burning anyway.

[divortion]

To folks in the US who are interested in film/TV jobs: A24 is currently advertising for a bunch of remote paid internships (they're not a struck company so you can work for them!). For some reason their website is being glitchy with links, but you can access the individual job listings & application pages here:

Publicity (Remote) START DATE: Sept 18 2023

TV Development (Remote) START DATE: Oct 2 2023

Unscripted TV (Remote) START DATE: Oct 2 2023

Talent & Artist Strategy (Remote) START DATE: Oct 2 2023

Acquisitions & Development (Remote) START DATE: Oct 2 2023

I am truly not affiliated w/ A24 in any way so can't vouch for them or the quality of these internships at all, but just thought I'd make a post in case anyone following me wants to apply <3

[codingquill]

Why is landing an Internship as a Computer Engineering/Computer Science Student so hard ?

Hey there, dear coders!

I apologize for my long absence—life caught me off guard with a lot of work and projects. Now that I finally have some time, I wanted to make a post to connect with you all. Thank you so much for 1,000 subscribers! I know maintaining a community requires consistent posting, and I feel like many of you might have forgotten about me. But I promise to make something big out of this. I've been thinking about starting a newsletter where you can receive weekly emails from me, discussing something I learned that week or anything that intrigued me and I felt like sharing.

Now, back to our question: Is it really hard to land an internship as a computer science student? The answer is yes, and as a computer engineering student myself, I can attest to this.

I've often wondered why it's so difficult. After some observations, I discovered that almost every computer science student's resume looks the same. The portfolios are nearly identical, lacking uniqueness. If you've studied at the same school as your friends, what would make a recruiter choose you over them?

This is where uniqueness and a sense of self come in. Your portfolio or website should reflect exactly who you are as a person and highlight your strengths.

The second crucial factor is dedication. I've had classmates who are extremely dedicated. They might not have any special skills, but they show immense interest in what they want to do. This drive is palpable, and recruiters can sense it too.

Sometimes, the resume isn't even the most important aspect. For big companies like Oracle, what you say and know during the interview and technical tests matters more. The resume is just the very first step.

So, what I've learned along the way can be summed up in two words: uniqueness and dedication.

Now how to Create the Perfect Resume to Land an Internship as a Student ?

1. Keep the design simple:

Avoid extra designs or too many colors. While uniqueness is important, recruiters generally do not favor overly designed resumes.

2. Structure your resume properly:

- The Resume Header

Contact Information:

Full name and title: List your first and last name. Use the title of the role you want instead of your current title.

Professional email address: Use a clean format like firstname.lastname@gmail.com.

Phone number: Choose the number you check most frequently. Record a professional voicemail greeting if yours is too casual.

Address: List only your city and state. Let recruiters know if you're willing to relocate if applicable.

LinkedIn or other professional social media: Include your LinkedIn profile if it's active and relevant. List any portfolios or computer engineering-related sites.

- The Resume Summary

A paragraph where you describe yourself by answering these questions:

What is your professional style? (Use one or two descriptive words such as patient, critical thinker, consensus builder, excellent designer.)

What is your greatest engineering strength?

What will you add to this particular team?

What is your process for building and maintaining computer networks?

What are you proudest of in your career?

Example:

Motivated computer engineering student with a strong foundation in software development and solid analytical and problem-solving skills. Looking for an opportunity to enhance my skills in a challenging professional environment.

- The Employment History Section

Be specific about how you contributed to each position and the impact you made.

List the job title, organization name, dates of employment, and 3–6 bullet points showcasing your achievements.

Start each bullet point with a strong action verb like collaborated or designed.

Highlight significant achievements rather than just listing responsibilities.

If you have no experience, include a projects section. This will act as your experience. Highlight how you worked on each project and your passion for it.

- The Skills Section

Combine hard and soft skills. The skills section is often the first place recruiters look to ensure you have the key abilities they're seeking. Your entire resume should support the skills you list here.

- The Education and Certifications Section

List your education, including any relevant courses or special achievements during your degree. Also, mention any certifications you have, whether from freeCodeCamp, Google, Coursera, etc.

By following these tips, you can create a resume that stands out and showcases your unique strengths and dedication. Good luck with your internship search, and remember to stay true to yourself!

[xannador]

Have you considered going to Pillowfort?

Long answer down below:

I have been to the Sheezys, the Buzzlys, the Mastodons, etc. These platforms all saw a surge of new activity whenever big sites did something unpopular. But they always quickly died because of mismanagement or users going back to their old haunts due to lack of activity or digital Stockholm syndrome.

From what I have personally seen, a website that was purely created as an alternative to another has little chance of taking off. It it's going to work, it needs to be developed naturally and must fill a different niche. I mean look at Zuckerberg's Threads; died as fast as it blew up. Will Pillowford be any different?

The only alternative that I found with potential was the fediverse (mastodon) because of its decentralized nature. So people could make their own rules. If Jack Dorsey's new dating app Bluesky gets integrated into this system, it might have a chance. Although decentralized communities will be faced with unique challenges of their own (egos being one of the biggest, I think).

Trying to build a new platform right now might be a waste of time anyway because AI is going to completely reshape the Internet as we know it. This new technology is going to send shockwaves across the world akin to those caused by the invention of the Internet itself over 40 years ago. I'm sure most people here are aware of the damage it is doing to artists and writers. You have also likely seen the other insidious applications. Social media is being bombarded with a flood of fake war footage/other AI-generated disinformation. If you posted a video of your own voice online, criminals can feed it into an AI to replicate it and contact your bank in an attempt to get your financial info. You can make anyone who has recorded themselves say and do whatever you want. Children are using AI to make revenge porn of their classmates as a new form of bullying. Politicians are saying things they never said in their lives. Google searches are being poisoned by people who use AI to data scrape news sites to generate nonsensical articles and clickbait. Soon video evidence will no longer be used in court because we won't be able to tell real footage from deep fakes.

50% of the Internet's traffic is now bots. In some cases, websites and forums have been reduced to nothing more than different chatbots talking to each other, with no humans in sight.

I don't think we have to count on government intervention to solve this problem. The Western world could ban all AI tomorrow and other countries that are under no obligation to follow our laws or just don't care would continue to use it to poison the Internet. Pandora's box is open, and there's no closing it now.

Yet I cannot stand an Internet where I post a drawing or comic and the only interactions I get are from bots that are so convincing that I won't be able to tell the difference between them and real people anymore. When all that remains of art platforms are waterfalls of AI sludge where my work is drowned out by a virtually infinite amount of pictures that are generated in a fraction of a second. While I had to spend +40 hours for a visually inferior result.

If that is what I can expect to look forward to, I might as well delete what remains of my Internet presence today. I don't know what to do and I don't know where to go. This is a depressing post. I wish, after the countless hours I spent looking into this problem, I would be able to offer a solution.

All I know for sure is that artists should not remain on "Art/Creative" platforms that deliberately steal their work to feed it to their own AI or sell their data to companies that will. I left Artstation and DeviantArt for those reasons and I want to do the same with Tumblr. It's one thing when social media like Xitter, Tik Tok or Instagram do it, because I expect nothing less from the filth that runs those. But creative platforms have the obligation to, if not protect, at least not sell out their users.

But good luck convincing the entire collective of Tumblr, Artstation, and DeviantArt to leave. Especially when there is no good alternative. The Internet has never been more centralized into a handful of platforms, yet also never been more lonely and scattered. I miss the sense of community we artists used to have.

The truth is that there is nowhere left to run. Because everywhere is the same. You can try using Glaze or Nightshade to protect your work. But I don't know if I trust either of them. I don't trust anything that offers solutions that are 'too good to be true'. And even if take those preemptive measures, what is to stop the tech bros from updating their scrapers to work around Glaze and steal your work anyway? I will admit I don't entirely understand how the technology works so I don't know if this is a legitimate concern. But I'm just wondering if this is going to become some kind of digital arms race between tech bros and artists? Because that is a battle where the artists lose.