#high quality Drop in Anchor

[mitsuki91]

@hamriceagenda this is for you! You inspired me.

Enjoy my Katniss/Gale for you 💖

@tumblingghosts I tag you too since you reblogged my post!

What remains

Summary:

"They’re not coming back, Katniss."

Peeta? My mother? Snow, or Coin to destroy my life from beyond the grave?

Prim?

"No one's coming back."

Stressing the obvious has always been his prerogative, and my lips curve into a bitter smile.

"But you're staying."

A moment's pause, as the icy wind rattles the bare branches above our heads.

"I'm staying. Like you."

Link on ao3:

Author notes: I can't format on tumblr. This is visually better on ao3.

It happened after the first incident.

Peeta had only been back a month. A month since I had seen him planting primroses for me, him and his sun-flavored smile.

It seemed like a day like any other, me returning from hunting and him tending the garden. The sun at its zenith and Haymitch's geese quacking. Someone had dropped something heavy just down the street and the noise had made both me and Peeta jump with fright.

Suddenly I had his hands on my neck again, his horrified expression inches from my face. Someone screamed, someone ran and snatched him away from me - someone saved me. From Peeta's murderous fury.

And so it happened, exactly one day, two hours and twenty minutes after Peeta tried to kill me a second time.

Gale came back.

***

"I thought you were in Two, immersed in your military career."

"But you needed me, Katniss."

***

Sometimes I wonder what I did wrong to deserve this.

I know my life doesn't belong to me - I knew this from the first moment Prim's name was drawn in the Hunger Games - but I wonder what the point of fighting any longer is. After all, I have fulfilled my function in this world. I have been a Mockingjay, I have been the Girl on Fire, I have been the Face of the Revolution. The last arrow shot, the end of the Games. Why am I not allowed to escape even from myself now? Why am I forced to stay, why am I not allowed to slip over the edge?

Peeta has been taken away.

'Unstable', so Capitol City declared him. How they found out is a mystery - or perhaps one of the many things I don't want to admit even to myself. A suspicion, an unspoken thing, lurking in the shadows behind me.

Because now I am no longer alone.

I am not and - I would like to abandon myself, but I can't. I cannot because he looks at me.

Gale.

And when Gale looks at me, everything about me tenses by instinct - it's the sadness in his eyes. That magnet that is impossible to ignore. A center of gravity that pulls me along, preventing me from drifting.

An anchor.

And I hate him for it, too.

***

"That's not true. I never needed you."

The flash of a smile, cruel.

"My only quality was taking care of your family. And you are what remains."

 ***

The sun burns high in the sky as July sets, even in the early morning.

Gale is with me in the woods, like every day.

In silence, like every day. He can no longer speak of injustice and revolution now - they are no longer imaginary dreams, but lived nightmares.

I ignore him, as I have become good at doing. But he does not give up. He has turned into my shadow.

I just have to not look him in the eye.

The anchor is always there, keeping me clinging to myself even as Peeta's absence burns in my soul. I can always pretend he doesn't exist, though.

If I don't look at him, he doesn't exist. If I don't talk to him, he's not real.

I know he knows it hurts me. I know he knows that what I had with Peeta was real, and that the loss of what we could have been is destroying me to the core.

Killed before I can even taste life.

But Gale is too much like me and uses the same techniques against me.

If his eyes do not let me go, I cannot disappear. If his mouth is sealed, he cannot lose to Peeta.

The world won't change until one of us gives in. And, deep down, we both know it'll be me who surrenders.

***

"We're too similar to make it work, Gale. You know that. I don't need that in my life."

A step forward, one foot crushing a dandelion.

"I won't believe you until you tell me by looking at my face."

***

The beginning of November brings a week of uninterrupted rain and a sudden frost that turns the primrose bed into a muddy, dead mush. 

I feel myself dying a little with it, watching it through the window and feeling helpless.

It is like losing her a second time. Will this torment ever end? 

Gale comes back into the house at that moment with a handful of wood in his arms and does his best to light the fireplace. I close my eyes for a second and inhale deeply, because I know that if I do it now, I won't be able to go back. But the decision is already made. It is only a question of coming to terms with what I want to do - no, what I need to do. To not lose Prim. To never let her go again. 

"Gale" I call softly, in a whisper, and I hear him stand up and turn to me.

I turn as well.

And I stare him straight in the eyes.

Because I know Prim is there. She is the ghost that inhabits those gray irises, consumed by guilt. And if I look into his eyes, I can almost see her.

If I look into his eyes, I already know that I will have to surrender.

Because nothing breaks my heart more than seeing Gale sad, and I know only one viable solution to erase the torment from his soul.

I try to resist, anyway. I enjoy my sister dancing devoured by the fire at the bottom of his eyes, and I postpone the inevitable to a new day.

***

"They’re not coming back, Katniss."

Peeta? My mother? Snow, or Coin to destroy my life from beyond the grave?

Prim?

"No one's coming back."

Stressing the obvious has always been his prerogative, and my lips curve into a bitter smile.

"But you're staying."

A moment's pause, as the icy wind rattles the bare branches above our heads.

"I'm staying. Like you."

***

'A complete separation is necessary for the serenity of the subject' is the last line penned by one of Capitol City's most renowned doctors, in a graceful and elegant handwriting.

I clasp the letter in my hands as snowflakes fall placidly around me. I didn't even go back into the house before I tore open the envelope, I just stood by the mailbox reading.

It was devastating to discover how, despite all the months that had passed, I still had hope. My mind had long since given up; my heart and soul, however, had different ideas.

I return home feeling almost light, drained while everything around me seems unreal.

It is not real. It is not real. It cannot be real because I, because I...

The letter slips through my hands and I advance towards the sofa, where Gale is taking a nap. I watch him for a moment, trapped in that suspended realm where illusion still dominates over reality, and then I realize. Enlightenment hits me.

 I never kissed Gale because I wanted to make him feel good in the past.

I kissed him because if I could become the right girl for him, even for a moment, then it meant I no longer had to be Katniss Everdeen.

I kneel beside him and grab his face. Before he can fully wake up, my lips are already on his. He won't mind coming back to the world like this, I hope.

If by kissing him I can become whoever I want, then that means I can also be the girl who was never in love with Peeta - the girl who never lost him.

***

"You're the one who wanted it."

Both of our breaths are broken, his cheeks are red and his gaze is hard as steel.

"You can't regret it now, Katniss."

***

There is an aspect of fire that I had never considered before. That destructive force that animates us, that ignites us with its desperation, can be channeled in many ways.

It was with Gale that I discovered passion.

Pain is best expressed when you can carve flesh with your nails, then lick the trails of ferruginous blood returning from orgasm. Guilt is best borne when you can at least partially atone for it when it all comes down to an irrational instinct to grab, to have, to suffer - and only the dark bruises remain, which you look at with a satisfied smile the next day.

You no longer feel the guilt of being alive during the day, if in the night you season your nightmares with sex, which seems to erase all sin.

Even Gale seems more relaxed.

There is always Prim in the back of his eyes, dancing on skulls and ashes. But she smiles, for once. She is serene and watches me live with a mysterious smile.

To have Gale is to have her and that I can never give up.

Gale smiles much more often. When we go out hunting together; we don't speak, but sometimes he holds me in his arms and the world thins out around us.

Understanding each other with a glance and without making noise has always been a prerogative of us hunters. We have known each other almost all our lives and, after all, we both live with the same ghosts.

Since I have had the courage to look, everything seems to have fallen into place.

I'm not saying my life is perfect, not this, never this. But Gale is my rock.

And with him, I know I can live one more day.

***

"Where are you going?"

He smiles, amused by the hint of panic in my voice.

"Just to the market, to buy bread."

"I'll go with you. Wait for me."

"As you wish, Katnip ."

[tiffyfoundsomething]

Lady Doolli

I’ve mentioned before that I like blind box toys and ball jointed dolls and now I’m in trouble because there are blind box ball jointed dolls out there.

Lady Doolli is blind boxed but is NOT a BJD though she’s in a similar style. I’d seen these on Amazon for a while and was curious but only recently decided to give one a try.

There is 1 skintone, 6 different hair styles/colors, and it looks like maybe 2 eye colors.

There are also 6 possible outfits.

The dolls and clothing are separate, but are each $26 and both are in the same listing here: https://amzn.to/3OrhHsk

The box is small and cute with a lot of pictures and writing on it, especially making a point to let you know there’s no second outfit in here and they must be bought separately.

The outfits are packed in a little paperboard box shaped like a garment bag. It says 2022 Spring, so I wonder if there are many other outfit sets that have been released.

To be honest, I don’t care for any of these outfits, really. Figured I should get one to review, at least.

Both the doll and outfit are packed in these silver foil bags inside the boxes. There’s no plastic shell or anything to hold their position in the packaging. They’re just loose in there.

I got dark, long hair with a side part with blue and purple eyes, and almost missed the tiny little bag of extra hands inside the silver bag. She does come already dressed in the pajamas.

I tried to get a good photo of the face screening but my phone is a potato. There’s a good amount of detail with a simple layout. She has eyeshadow, blush on the cheeks, chin, nose, and brows, a little lip line to separate her lips... It’s a cute face, but I do prefer my dolls to not look sad or startled.

She does have rooted hair which is silky and smooth. It’s a little stiffer than Kiwi nylon (Rainbow High) while still being soft.

She also has a couple paint spots on her face that look to be from the eyebrow paint.

The rooting isn’t super dense in some areas.

Her head is harder than a Barbie’s head but is squishable to a degree so her eyes could be removed and replaced with some heat and her hair could be rerooted if you wanted.

Hair drop on a new doll head is normal. This looks like a plug or two which didn’t get anchored.

I’m impressed with the posing. The joints are stiff enough to hold a pose but easy to move other than her hips which take a little bit more pressure, and have a high range of motion.

The torso joints aren’t as mobile as the arms and legs, though.

Her head can look up and down or tilt left and right depending on how you turn the neck joint which is a simple hinged ball.

The backs of the knees...

All of the jointing reminds me of Figmas.

Honestly I feel like the body alone is worth the $26 price tag, AND you get a rooted head with quality hair and inset eyes, a pair of pajamas, and an extra pair of hands.

-

Neither outfit that I have has any sort of closures or openings so you do need to remove the head and hands to dress her.

Getting the hands on and off is difficult

Turns out there’s a LOT of flash on her wrist pegs. I did go in and clean that off. There was a good sized bit on her neck ball, too.

Heat up the hands, though, and they go on and off pretty easily.

-

As for the outfit.

Silver bag again.

I couldn’t get this headband to stay on her hair because it’s satin and her hair is satiny smooth, but it does have a wire in the “ears” so you can pose it as you wish.

......

LOOK AT THESE TINY LITTLE SHOES!

They have stitches, laces, tongues, glued on rubbery soles with IN SCALE texture on the bottom...

They went on a lot more easily than I expected them to OVER her socks. I did need to get a little stick to pull the back of the heel out and over the doll’s heels. Other than that, easy-easy.

I also didn’t even try to extract and tie the laces. They looked really short and I have poor motor control, so I opted to just shove her feet in there with the laces tucked inside.

The outfit came with shorts, a one-piece sweater and shirt combo, and some long socks. The socks aren’t hemmed but everything else is. Again, no closures, not even an elastic waistband on the shorts. The shorts were a little difficult to put on.

All of the fabrics are soft and despite the sweater having a feelable texture, it’s not rough or scratchy so it’s not kicking off my texture-BAD senses.

Action pose! FWIP!

She can’t quite pull of Sailor Moon’s signature pose.

Here she is next to some other blind box BJD (the others really are BJD). They all could certainly share clothes despite Doolli’s longer, thinner body.

From left to right:

Penny’s Box Antu Natural Wonderland - https://amzn.to/3IqKfOz

SimonToy Teenar Campus Series - https://amzn.to/3IlnGLl

Lady Doolli and outfit pack - https://amzn.to/3MiOflA

Come4Free Bonnie Journey of Streets - https://amzn.to/42QlMKG

-

While I do feel that the quality of Lady Doolli is in line with the price (all together she costs $52), and am impressed with, basically, everything about her, I don’t feel a need to buy another. Out of all of the blind box BJD I’ve tried (not pictured here is the Penny’s Box centaurs), the only one I’ve wanted more than one of was Bonnie. I have three.

[xocasper]

Evergreen Ink

Pairing: Mikey Way x Reader Summary: Kinktober Day Seven - Kitchen Sex Warnings: NSFW content Tags: oral sex, praise kink, kitchen sex, fluff Word Count: 2827 A/N: Another short one! Don't worry though, bungalow fic is nearly 9k and drops in two days. If you slander this fic, I will be in your walls tonight. She is my baby. Anyway, enjoy!

Touring was one of the most rewarding experiences in the world, especially alongside your brother and best friends. With that being said, it came with endless stress and sleepless nights, weighed down with homesickness, leaving Mikey tired and empty offstage. As much as he loved performing, he yearned to be back home, for some sort of normality in his high-class world. Even then, it was hard to readjust, having to relearn basic habits that he lost during tours, cooped up in the same bus all day, and rarely having the freedom to sleep in or dine regularly. Luckily, he had you by his side to keep him steady, helping him settle back into a normal life after his time on the road.

Grateful was hardly the right word for it, as it struggled to fully encompass how he felt towards you. He was constantly thanking you for being patient with him and dealing with his restlessness despite how annoyed he got with himself. Mikey had only been home for a few days, and he felt like an intruder from the moment he stepped through the door, regardless of your constant reassurance. You’d learned how to live without him–it wasn’t your independence that bothered him, but rather his dependence on you. Although he loved his freedom, he needed an anchor, someone to come home to when the nights grew cold, willing to hold him as the world caved in.

“You’ve done so much already,” you’d told him, smiling pitifully as he tried to think of ways to make himself useful, desperate to do anything after doing everything for the past few weeks. 

Your patience was priceless, Mikey spewing apologies left and right after each effort to get him to settle in, to breathe for once. He didn’t get to relax on tour, and it showed at night when he’d toss and turn, a high-quality mattress foreign to his sore back, waiting all the while for someone to startle him awake and drag him off to an interview. Guilt filled him to the brim, swallowing him whole until he felt trapped and suffocated, resenting his inability to calm down. You were losing sleep and he knew it. No matter how hard you tried to stay still, your breathing was a dead giveaway, Mikey still familiar with the soft and steady pattern despite your time apart.

Through all of his struggles, you stuck by him, keeping him in your warm embrace, pressing delicate kisses to his chest and mumbling sweet nothings until he could shut his brain off. It was the only routine he had developed, unable to sleep unless he could hear you, feel your lips against his skin, soothing invisible scars and insomnia with a feather-light touch. Not once did you complain; when you said your wedding vows, you meant them, fully dedicated and devoted to him no matter the hardships.

“Baby steps,” you’d reminded him, watching with a heavy heart as he grew frustrated at his lack of self-control, beating himself up after reorganizing the kitchen cabinets for the second time this week.

Mikey needed to do something. He needed to feel important, like he was someone outside of his band. Who was he, when he wasn’t being a teen heartthrob, jamming out onstage in new shoes and a discount personality to go with it? A fraud, he’d guessed at first, until spotting you in the corner of the room, and realizing that if nothing else, he was your husband.

By the end of his first week home, the guilt and defeat had melted away, replaced by appreciation instead. Rather than getting upset at himself, he turned it to gratitude, treasuring your care and attentiveness each day. You had a way of making him feel special, and Mikey soon learned just how much you had missed him, whether that was shown through mundane tasks or in the bedroom. Domesticity was vastly different from anything he’d experienced before, despite having a respectable home life. It was a tricky lifestyle to settle into, still jumping up eagerly when you’d ask him to run errands, but he found himself growing more fond of it each day, gradually learning how to live again.

Today, when you asked him to go pick up groceries, he lit up like a Christmas tree and immediately headed off, happy to do something other than space out. It was nice to be around people again; he felt normal, shopping at the supermarket and then heading home to his normal life. Fame had made basic chores fun, and they made Mikey feel like he was good for something other than playing bass. Plus, he was kind of hooked on the sweet kisses you’d give him for helping out.

It was only half-past five, but you had already started prepping for dinner, figuring it would give you something to do until Mikey got home. There wasn’t much you could do, really, other than clean and cut vegetables, having sent him off to retrieve the rest of the ingredients. Still, it kept you busy, humming along to the radio, hushed tunes from the eighties keeping you company.

You heard the key turn, the creak of the front door, and the sound of footsteps padding through the hall, but you never bothered to turn. Graciously, you focused on Soft Cell and slicing produce, letting Mikey bask in the second-hand peace of a picturesque scene.

Peace wasn’t the only thing he felt, but affection, standing in the doorway and watching lovingly as you cooked dinner for him. He must’ve been the luckiest guy in the world to end up here, a soft, subconscious smile stretching across his lips, swelling with pride as you did something ordinary and still managed to turn it into an art. The sway of your hips as you hummed along to Tears for Fears was captivating, Mikey wholeheartedly believing that perfection stood six feet away from him, meal prepping for their husband.

Eventually, he grew tired of standing around, stepping forward and wrapping his arms around your waist instead, his head resting in the crook of your neck. “You’re so perfect,” he said, voice muffled as he pressed kisses to your skin.

“I could say the same about you,” you laughed quietly, leaning into his touch.

He shook his head, “I’m serious! Just… everything about you, you know? You’ve been so great about all of this, and I know it’s been hard on you.”

“That’s because I love you,” you said, making him smile uncontrollably.

He held you closer and planted a final kiss on your cheek, his lips meeting the shell of your ear. “C’mon, let’s dance.”

You barely had time to wipe your hands on the dish towel before Mikey was turning you around, chests and lips meeting for a brief moment before he pulled you away from the cutting board. His hands naturally flew to your waist, and your arms wrapped around his neck in the same fashion, Mikey giving you a cheesy smile as he spun you around the kitchen. It wasn’t long before he was singing melodramatic renditions of the radio tracks, aiming for your picture-perfect smile as he covered Whitney Houston.

“I love you,” he whispered spontaneously, as if it were a ground-breaking secret meant just for you.

You raised your brows in mock surprise, “Do you now?”

Nodding earnestly, he leaned in close, “I do.”

Gravity pushed the two of you together, your lips meeting ceremoniously in a tender kiss. It was the kind that took you back years, to coffee shop dates and movie nights, because he still gave you butterflies like the first time. Mikey’s kisses were something special, each one meaningful, having evolved from the hormonal type that he gifted to partygoers, now reserved only for you. They’re the kisses that you missed dearly for the past few weeks, plush lips that moved so smoothly against your own, still brushing together when you broke apart to breathe.

His hands were never idle, sneaking under your shirt, desperate for contact, desperate to know this was real. Mikey had a rough history with the universe, often wondering if you were a cruel trick, but alas, you were flesh and bone like him, overflowing with love and contentment. His lips were an anesthetic, luring you mindlessly into a state of peace as if the world could crash down around you and the only sound you’d hear was your heart skipping a beat.

No matter how many kisses you'd exchanged since his return, you couldn’t seem to get enough, more than willing to make up for lost time. Besides, they hadn’t been like this, the kind that had you falling in love with him over and over, Mikey silently convincing you that you meant something, everything, to him.

The way his tongue split your lips was so beautifully careful, as if you’d shatter beneath his fingertips with any less caution. He was meticulous with nearly everything, especially when it involved you, not shoving his tongue down your throat like a horny teenager. Rather, gliding and running it along yours, one of his hands rising to cradle your cheek as he deepened the kiss, lost in the irresistible taste of you. After a moment, he pulled away, leaving another slow kiss on your lips before doing so, and resting his forehead against yours.

You were sure you looked dazed, staring up at him as if he’d hung the moon, while he gave you another sly grin and pulled you back in. It was messier this time, the kind of messy caused by desperation, drunk on passion as your lips slotted against his. Despite the mutual fervor, Mikey carried on with delicacy, his hands firm on your waist as he backed into the counter.

“What about dinner?” you asked, hardly having the strength to protest as he sat you on the countertop.

Lowering to his knees, he shushed you gently. “Dinner can wait.”

It didn’t take more than that for you to bend at his will, mesmerized by hazel eyes spiked with serenity, stomach fluttering as you stared down at him. God, he looked so beautiful beneath you, gazing up at you as if you were sent from the heavens, deserving only the finer things and hoping he was enough. A shiver ran through you as he held your gaze, Mikey still having the same effect on you after so many years.

Hooking his fingers around your sweatpants, he stayed focused on your features, savoring your anticipation as he tugged the fabric down. A sharp inhale broke your silence, the marble cold against your thighs, but his hands were the perfect contrast, gentle and warm as he caressed your skin. Everything about him was enthralling, namely the way he spoke to you, his voice smooth as praise rolled easily off his tongue, causing you to stir and shift closer to him.

“Sit back for me,” he requested softly, ceasing your movements. “You’ve been so good to me, I wanna show my appreciation.”

That was perfectly fine by you, nodding as his lips returned to your skin, his kisses trailing up your legs, higher and higher until he heard your breath hitch, tag-teamed by anticipation and arousal. He looked up at you so innocently, eyes wide as he pressed his lips between your thighs, fabric and friction stealing his kisses away.

“You’ve been so patient,” he told you, soothing the incessant ache with open-mouthed kisses, though you were shielded by thin cotton. “And so, so perfect.”

You almost wanted to turn away, shut your eyes or hide your face, Mikey still leaving you flustered after all this time. He wouldn't let you shy away though, persisting until you knew how loved you really were, how much you deserved his soft kisses and tenderness.

His movements were agonizingly slow, every action teasing as his lips lingered on your skin, tasking his hands with tracing illegible shapes on your thighs. For the first time in days, he seemed content, while you got the flip slide, growing restless as he dawdled.

Right as you went to speak, his fingers slipped beneath your waistband, Mikey staring at you doe-eyed as he tugged off your panties, lips ghosting over your skin. His breath made you shiver, one of your hands slipping away from the countertop to card through his hair, pleasantly surprised when he stayed put. With his hands keeping a firm hold under your thighs, he leaned in close, the tip of his tongue trailing up your slit, reveling in the taste of wanton desire. He moved at a leisurely pace, pressing open-mouthed kisses to your skin, tantalizing swirls of his tongue making you grip the countertop a little tighter. Despite being quite an erotic sight, he still found it pure, yet to act on lust as opposed to love. It was sensual, every motion laced with affection. Your reciprocation showed in the way your eyes softened as you watched him, wonderstruck as he lapped at your cunt, flustered by his eye contact and confidence.

Your sweet gasps and moans were music to his ears, gazing up in adoration as he pulled each sound from you, his name never sounding sweeter than when it poured from your lips, cut off by soft cries as his tongue flicked against your clit. He was overcome with insatiable desire, the only clear thought being you–the arousal that coated his lips, the soft moans that filled his ears, and the way you tugged him closer, greedy for more.

Mikey was happy to give into your silent requests, his eyes locked on yours as he retracted one of his hands, popping two fingers in his mouth before gliding them across your skin, spreading your folds with ease. He set you aflame, your whole body burning up under his gaze, and your muscles wound tight as heat pooled in your abdomen. With parted lips and bated breath, you watched as his tongue ran flat, everything turning warm and wet as his lips wrapped around you.

In return, you gave a shaky moan and drew your thighs together, Mikey hooking your legs over his shoulders as he slid closer. Still clinging to the counter for stability, your free hand rested against the back of his head, pulling him impossibly close. The small act of assertion had him reeling, blessed with the knowledge that you wanted him, wanted his touch, to feel his skin against yours until the world blurred and euphoria flooded your veins. You could hardly feel something other than Mikey, the languid strokes of his tongue growing quicker, having evolved from light and teasing. Your hips ground against him, resolve cracking under the weight of his tongue, heavy as it swirled against you.

Through dense air and tunnel vision, you watched him, tracing over his features and memorizing the sight of him. His cheeks were flushed, porcelain skin tinged pink, while his eyes stayed trained on you, his gaze relaxed and easy as he stared back in awe. Saliva and arousal painted his lips, pairing well with your own, slick and bitten as you tried to keep your voice down. His hair laid lopsided across his forehead, messily pushed back as your hand tangled through it, ‘disheveled’ hardly encompassing his appearance.

He was ethereal, effortlessly sending you spiraling, blasphemy bubbling up in your throat as you came, etching the taste of pure desire on his tongue. Much like a bottle of champagne, the ever-building pressure ceased at once, preluding a steady cool-down as the high fizzled out, leaving you in a paradisiacal afterglow. Mikey slowed as well, resorting to gentle kitten licks until he was sure you couldn't take anymore. Finally, he pulled away, already missing you regardless of the kisses he was peppering on your thighs.

Everything felt serene, from the way he slowly rose from his knees to the tender brushes of his hands, retreating to your waist as he kissed you. It was a moment so fragile that you were half-expecting glass shards to pierce your skin, waiting for something minuscule to shatter the exchange, but the pain never came. From an outside perspective, it was nothing more than a kiss between lovers, a mundane observation lacking the tender passion that encircled the two of you.

It all seemed to fall into place, a week of stress soothed by stolen kisses and sweet affirmations, Mikey’s embrace keeping you on cloud nine.

“I love you,” he whispered again, his forehead resting against yours as his eyes looked earnestly into yours.

This time, you didn’t question or tease, unable to deny your everlasting love. “I love you too,” you whispered back, and he knew it was true.

On stage or off, he would always be something, whether it was a rockstar or a civilian, but between both worlds was a blurred line–one with your name scrawled across it in evergreen ink, because no matter when or where, he would always be yours.

kinktober taglist: @clichedlovers  @halloweenbitch2764  @lubbockshusband @cigarettesandalcohol  @couldbegayer1234  @doc-martens-enthusiast @yachiiko @becausethedrugsneverwork @house-of-wh0res @dangerouslittlefairy @chronicallythicc​ @zggystrdst @partypoisonzz

[missmungoe]

Omg omg I’m literally screaming just came back from finals to find THIS😭😭😭 literally made my day🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹

I saw your other ask about mistaking the WIP meme for a recent one, but no worries!! I've been wondering if I should do it again, so here you go! From Heart and Anchor, a longer snippet, since it's been a minute<3

Her morning regulars left as the day sank into a deep blue afternoon, a quiet lull between shifts where she usually caught up with chores, but with her glasses polished and her floors mopped, there wasn’t much left for her to do, allowing her a moment’s peace, humming under her breath as she did the books, going over unpaid tabs and next month's shipment, listening to their muffled voices in the kitchen where the boys had taken it upon themselves to do the dishes. So far Makino had counted three plates breaking, and primly ignored the fourth, followed by Luffy's muffled "it was Ace!"

It was probably about time she got new dishware anyway.

She was behind the counter, her back turned to the room, when the bat-wing doors swung open, the floorboards creaking gently, and pausing, she frowned, but then she’d always had an uncanny ability to know who’d be coming through her doors before she saw them, only this time, Makino couldn’t even make a guess.

But she realised why when she turned, only to find an unfamiliar man in her doorway.

He was looking around the empty common room, but with her crew away for the day, the tables were empty, although he didn’t look like he’d come with a drink in mind, Makino thought, even before he fixed his gaze on her.

He was well-dressed, a burgundy velvet coat with shiny brass buttons above a high-necked shirt, the fine quality standing out, which ruled out a common sailor or pirate, although no merchant she'd ever seen had looked like this, as though he was about to go on stage. A trimmed moustache curled along his upper lip, giving him a cheerful air, and he wore his hair arranged to perfection.

“Can I help you?” Makino asked, and hoped he couldn’t tell that she was uneasy, but then ever since the raid, she’d been wary about new visitors. And while she couldn’t be suspicious of every newcomer to her shores, she couldn’t seem to shrug off the sensation now.

He didn’t answer, considering her where she stood behind the bar, his eyes lingering on her face a beat too long, but while it wasn't a leering look, the feeling it left was worse.

“I am looking for a pirate,” he said then, withdrawing something from the inner pocket of his coat, and coming up to the bar, he slid it towards her.

She’d already recognised the black lettering of a Government-issued wanted poster, although catching a look at the photograph beneath, her eyes widened.

Shanks’ face looked back, her wide eyes moving over the handsome features captured on the page, his scars and the crooked grin that defied them, but even instantly recogniseable, it took a full second for Makino to understand just whose wanted poster she was looking at.

Then she saw the row of numbers printed beneath his picture. And even if she'd always known there was likely a price on his head, she wasn’t prepared to see the truth in print, or for it to be what it was.

She couldn't drag her gaze away from the numbers, her mind struggling just to take in the obscene amount, let alone reconcile it with the face in the picture, and the pirate captain who'd woken up in her bed that morning; the same one whose child she was carrying.

He had a bounty of over a billion berri?!

Her own face had betrayed her, because the stranger mused, “It seems I have found the right place.” Although with a glance around her empty bar, “But he is not here, and I couldn't see his ship in the harbour,” he said, before his gaze settled on her and stayed. “But maybe it’s just as well.”

Then, this time in a business-like tone, “I was told this was where my shipment got lost,” he said. He hadn’t taken his eyes off her, and her heart dropped like a stone when he added, “I am here for compensation.”

Her former unease had deepened to fear, but while he might have just been a merchant whose ship had gone aground, Makino knew then which shipment he was talking about, and that if he was a merchant, it wasn’t grain and spirits that filled his hold but living cargo.

She’d taken an instinctive step back without thinking, only for the cupboards to meet her, and realised her mistake a second later when his gaze dropped from her face to her belly, before they lit up.

“Oh?” he said, this time with a pitch that made her blood run cold. His eyes were fixed on her belly, heavy in the cup of her hand. “Perhaps I might salvage this after all.”

His eyes lifted, as he took her in anew, but where his interest had made her uneasy before, the look in them now froze her in place. “Exquisite. You'll fetch a high price, I wager. Enough to make up for my lost shipment and more besides. Or at least enough to get my gracious benefactor off my back for losing him valuable business.”

She couldn’t move, frozen where she stood behind the counter, although it felt like a paltry shield. She couldn't even reach for Yasopp’s pistol, all of her seized by that calm, assessing gaze where it weighed her worth.

Her heart was racing, her thoughts stumbling over each other as she tried to keep calm. Beneath her hand, the child in her belly was unusually quiet.

On the counter before her, Shanks’ wanted poster lay, but they wouldn’t be back from Goa for another few hours, and she couldn't make a run for it with the boys in her kitchen.

As though in answer to the thought, she heard the door to the kitchen swinging open, and her heart stuttered with her breath as they appeared.

Stopping at the sight of the man in her bar, “Who the hell are you?” Ace asked, as narrowed eyes swept across him. The front of his shirt was wet, and his hands were wrinkled from washing up.

Sabo and Luffy were with him, although the former put the latter behind him, coming up beside Ace where he was seizing up the newcomer.

For his part, he only spared them a perfunctory glance, before he gave a snap of his fingers, and they must have been waiting, because it wasn’t a second before the bat-wing doors swung open again, admitting four men, although none as finely dressed as the first. Instead, they wore uniforms, although she only caught a glimpse of the symbol emblazoned over their backs, red like a bloody hoof-print, before they came to stand beside the one who was ostensibly their boss. One of them was holding something; it looked like heavy metal ring.

A chill went through her, as, “Ace,” Makino said, and saw him look at her, but she hadn’t taken her eyes off the slavers. Her voice was even; a calm she didn’t feel. “Take your brothers and go.”

His eyes widened, the suspicion on his face swept off with his surprise. “What?”

“Go,” Makino said, and was glad when her voice didn't waver. “Get Dadan.”

They all reacted with shock, as Ace snapped, “We’re not leaving you!”

“Yeah, not a chance,” Sabo said, as Luffy brandished his fists.

“Like hell!”

They’d moved to stand before the counter, putting themselves between her and the slavers, although the leader of their operation didn’t seem overly concerned by their presence or their anger.

Nodding to the one holding the metal ring, “Collar her,” he said, as Makino’s breath seized, her gaze shooting to the collar. “But be mindful of the child. I know a Celestial Dragon who’d pay a fine fee for it, and I mean to get my money's worth.”

The slaver hadn’t even taken a step towards her when Luffy shot forward. “I’ll kick your ass!”

His arm shot out, extending from his boy, although his fist missed its mark, bouncing off the wall instead, and she saw the surprise on the slavers’ faces.

“A devil fruit user?” the leader asked, his eyes alight where they’d fixed on Luffy, and her heart lurched in her chest. “Interesting.” Then to his men, “Take them both," he said, and with a dismissive jerk of his chin, “Kill the other two.”

One of the slavers reached for Luffy as Sabo lunged forward, although Ace hesitated, torn as his gaze shot up to her, but before Makino could shout at them to run, the slaver knocked Sabo out of the way, seizing the back of Luffy’s shirt to lift him up as he shouted, striking out blindly. "Let me go!"

“Luffy!” Ace shouted, and was about to move towards him when the slaver holding him snapped the collar around his neck, and he froze.

Luffy’s eyes sprang wide as his hands shot up to grip it, confusion twisting his face as Makino cried out, “Luffy!”

His bravado had disappeared, clutching the heavy collar, and she saw from the distress that shaped his features that something was wrong, although didn't know what had put that fear in his eyes, knew only that he was afraid, the force of his feelings so great Makino almost thought she felt it, like a ripple across her senses, and her eyes widened as she felt something within her responding.

It happened so fast.

The windows exploded outwards, along with every surface of glass within, a sudden force ripping through her bar like a shockwave, so great it shoved her back against the cupboards, knocked out before her head even struck the counter.

The last thing she felt before it went dark was from within, a voice she didn't recognise, that wasn’t even a voice, that was only a feeling, as instinctive as it was fierce, and leaving the impression within her quiet mind, of a tiny but resounding roar.

—

“—she okay? Doc!”

“—leeding. Shallow cuts, but a lot of them—”

“—the baby? Doc? Doc!"

“—fine. Jesus, Boss, calm down. It’s kicking, but she’s—”

There were voices speaking somewhere above her head, but they were muffled, as though she was underwater. Was she underwater?

“—the boys?”

“—no outward injuries. Looks like they were knocked out—”

“—the hell did this?”

She couldn’t make out what they were saying, the words like broken flotsam, bobbing in and out of hearing. Her head hurt, a throbbing that seemed to be growing in intensity.

“—kind of destruction. If I didn’t know better, I’d think it was—”

Her ears were ringing, a high, persistent keening, and she couldn’t help the sound that shattered on her tongue, begging it to stop.

“She's coming to. Boss!”

Then a voice she knew carved through the muffled layers, the warm timbre like a lifeline.

“—kino? Makino!”

Blinking dazedly, she struggled to focus. The world was a blur, and her mind jumbled with so many thoughts and feelings, she couldn’t even find herself in the midst of it all.

Faces were coming into view as her vision slowly cleared, and she'd latched onto the familiar red of his hair before she saw him, his scars taking shape, furrowed above his eyes as Makino blinked hers open.

He was kneeling in front of her, his hand cradling her face, lolling a bit as she tried to fix her gaze on him.

“Hey,” Shanks said, gently. His voice was a mooring, keeping her from drifting. “Can you hear me?”

She nodded, although regretted it when a splitting headache lanced through the back of her skull, and sucked a startled hiss through her teeth.

She saw him draw his hand back from where he’d cradled her head, his fingers streaked with blood. “Doc!”

“Careful,” said a new voice, and Hongou was beside her, Makino saw then, although couldn't understand why he looked so serious.

She tried to move when Shanks stopped her, his hand cradling her head gently to keep it in place. “Stay still,” he said firmly, before he added in a gentler pitch, “You’ll cut yourself.”

Her brows knitted, but looking down, she saw what he meant.

She was sitting behind the counter, her back to the cupboards. The floor around her was covered in broken glass and liquid, seeping into her skirt, sticky and smelling heavily of spirits, a sickening mixture of different liquors, and lifting her eyes to the shelves above saw that there wasn’t so much as a shot glass left.

“Makino?”

She couldn’t formulate her thoughts, or what she was feeling, could only feel, everything, as though her senses had been heightened to an uncomfortable degree. The world was too bright, too vivid, every sound and sensation like the broken shards of glass around her, so sharp that every little movement felt like she might cut herself.

“I don’t—” She clenched her jaw over a shivering whimper. “What—”

“Easy,” Shanks said, the soothing pitch of his voice anchoring her, like his gaze. “Breathe.”

She tried, although it was hard to find herself through the chaos, so many feelings she couldn't even tell them apart. It felt like she was drowning, tossed around like a piece of driftwood on a heaving sea.

But the hand cradling her neck was steady, like his big frame where he knelt in front of her, his presence anchoring her panic, and seizing it, Makino tried to fill her lungs, a shivering sob escaping with her exhale.

“Attagirl,” Shanks murmured, with something that almost sounded like pride, even if she didn’t know why, when all she was doing was breathing. “Awakened observation takes some getting used to. Just try to keep your head above water for now.”

“Haki?” someone whispered.

“She always was a latent user,” someone else said. Lucky Roo. “Boss said so, anyway.”

“This is a helluva lot more than observation.” Yasopp.

She was trying to focus, but every time someone spoke, it was like she could feel them, outlined in her mind, their feelings and their heartbeats, every pulse painfully present.

Lifting her eyes from Shanks' found them watching from above the counter, their faces ashen as they looked around the broken furniture of her bar, the shattered windows and the ceiling lamp hanging on by a thread. Every single bottle and glass had exploded, the broken shards in piles around her where she sat, small and confused amidst the destruction and unable to even remember what had caused it.

She started at the gentle brush of his thumb over her bottom lip, and realised with a hiss that it was split, although now that she was becoming aware of her surroundings and herself, she could feel more cuts, stinging her cheeks and her hands, and something wet trickling down her temples and the back of her neck.

She looked at Shanks, conscious now but confused. The sun had dipped beneath the horizon, the gathering shadows deepening his scars, furrowed above his eyes where he watched her. Wait, when had he come back from Goa?

Then she remembered—the stranger in the velvet coat, who’d talked about compensation. The metal collar, and Ace and Sabo, and Luffy—

Her thoughts must have broken through her confusion, because, “They’re okay,” Shanks said, still cradling her head to keep her from moving, and looking up, she saw them. Ben had Luffy in his arms, the collar gone from around his neck, and Lucky and Yasopp had Ace and Sabo, all of them out cold.

She couldn’t see the slavers anywhere. “What—” she tried again, but her voice was so hoarse, she struggled sounding out the words. In her belly, the baby was kicking, which was at least a relief, and she felt his hand releasing her neck to settle over the curve, the broad width covering it, warm through her skirt. Seeking his eyes, “What happened?” Makino croaked.

Shanks was watching her, the look on his face somewhere between shock and wonder, and she found it in his voice when he said, ��Conqueror’s haki.”

The words registered, even as their meaning eluded her. But his crew understood, because their eyes widened, their shock surging like a wave through the quiet waters of her mind.

“Conqueror's haki?" someone asked, seeming on behalf of them all. "Makino has it?”

She didn’t understand what was going on, but then she couldn’t make sense of what they were saying. What did she have?

“No,” Shanks said. His eyes hadn’t released hers, although he seemed to be looking further, as he lowered them to her belly, his hand shaking where it spanned the taut curve as he said, his voice rough with a terrified wonder,

“Not her.”

[once-was-muses]

[ oh fuckin hrhrhrjjrjr also. Forgored last night. The Blighted Cosmetics List™️. That I also forgored half the ideas of. It's Absolutely not complete and I've just copy-pasted it off the doc below the cut here so it's nothing fancied up, fairly disorganized (still has the symbol/numbers and cosmetic descriptions.) I am so sorry if it's impossible to read but this is what I have rn djdjdjdjjd ]

How Talbot captured each of the killers (in chronological order), and the numbers/symbols on their tags

Huntress (Copper, 2114-25; “This feral specimen was the first experiment of its kind.”): as the cosmetic’s description states, she was the first Talbot “captured” and experimented on- with the help of Vigo, the two hoping to find some way to turn the killers against their Master and/or find some way to use the blight to vanquish Her. Anna was easily lured by Vigo to where Talbot waited to drop onto the wild woman from his perch in a tree and jab the syringe into her.

Wraith (Copper, 2114-25; “A tortured prototype with a unique, otherworldly densely corrupted quality.”): the second killer-turned-victim of Talbot and Vigo’s experiments, the Wraith was the subject of a more coordinated plan. The pair waited until the Wraith was whisked away to a trial before descending on Autohaven, quickly and efficiently assembling the trap which Vigo designed, making use of the wreckage strewn about for parts. When the Wraith returned to the small building he dwelled most often in, he tripped a wire which sent a crudely made cage crashing down from the ceiling. While Talbot didn't hesitate in taking advantage of the killer's compromised state to inject him with the experimental serum, Vigo took notice of the Wraith's utter lack of struggling after the initial shock, rather cowering against the bars and flinching away from Talbot’s hands.

Trapper (Copper, 2114-25; “A cruel specimen injected with metalloids congealed at high temperatures.”): the plan was too simple to have gone so horribly wrong, but really they both should've seen the major flaw immediately. Once again sneaking into their target killer's domain, Talbot and Vigo carefully swiped two each of the cruel traps they'd seen many caught in- including themselves, and the very brute which utilized them. Creeping through the ruins of the MacMillan Estate, they again assessed the interior to determine the Trapper's favored space to reside in, setting the bear traps then hiding themselves. With no reason to suspect his own den to hold dangers, the Trapper almost immediately stepped into one of the inconspicuously placed sets of metal jaws, Vigo quickly snagging the old chain left in the workshop to attempt binding the killer. Quicker than anticipated, the Trapper abandoned prying himself free to instead snatch up the smaller man by the neck, retrieving his blade with the other. In a split second snap of apparent rage, Talbot hoisted one of the unsprung traps over his head and slammed it into the Trapper's side, forcing him to drop both machete and Vigo. The latter simply sat there stunned as Talbot quickly snatched up the machete himself and swung it into its owner's shoulder before driving the syringe in.

Hillbilly (Copper, 2114-25; “A particularly aggressive specimen following experimentation. Injected in multiple locations to yield faster results, which caused severe fluid-filled lumps.”): after the first three, Talbot felt it made sense to move on to one of the more dangerously armed "subjects," Vigo not outright disagreeing but no longer as enthusiastic as he had once been. Nevertheless, he continued to assist Talbot in using four of the many butcher hooks on Coldwind Farm to restrain the particularly brutal killer, looping them over beams in the old barn and using the cattle chute fencing as anchors. Once the Hillbilly was secured, Vigo left the area while Talbot carried out the experiment.

Doctor (Copper, 2114-25; “A relentless specimen with acute aggressive responses to experimentation. Physical restraints were used on both ankles.”): when Talbot suggested the Doctor as their next target, Vigo was beyond horrified- yet still laughed in his face in utter disbelief. He refused to even set foot within the cold walls where the Doctor dwelled, informing Talbot he could be tortured by himself if he was fool enough to carry this out- yet still, Vigo assisted Talbot in securing sedatives and, still, helped in acquiring proper restraints. The only reason they received comparatively minor voltage was the silent yet swift way Talbot moved (which seemed almost innate to the strange man), getting much closer to the hulking figure before lunging than Vigo ever expected could be possible. Of all their "subjects" so far, the Doctor fought them the hardest, and received the most grievous injury beside the injection site. Vigo would not speak to Talbot for a long while after their fifth experiment.

Nurse (Copper, 2114-25; “With foul serum still dripping from her wound, she broke free from her captor.”): Talbot didn't believe Vigo when he again refused to assist him any further. He continued to convey his plan to his partner in crime, choosing to interpret his empty silence as attentive listening. He was proven wrong when he was forced to make the trek to Crotus Penn on his own, forced to concoct a totally new plan. Cursing his so-called "partner" between ideas. Soon after setting foot in her domain, the lone survivor found himself being stalked through the grounds, screams echoing around him as the resident drew closer. With a hooked chain stolen from Coldwind in one hand and syringe in the other beneath his coat, Talbot fought to resist the icy fingers of dread as he lured her into a claustrophobic hallway. Despite his best efforts, without anyone to have his back he froze up when met with the Nurse, snapping out his daze once she was only an arm's breadth away. Ducking beneath the raised saw blade, he jabbed the hook into her chest and used that anchor to pin both her arms to her sides. Not wasting any time, Talbot jabbed the syringe in- only for the Nurse to react immediately, a godawful shriek leaving her as the hook tore itself free from her. Talbot scrambled to get away, electing to vault from a window rather than waste precious time afforded to him by the growing threat's struggle on taking the stairs.

True Blight (Agrilla [clay], 3412; “An extreme overdose of putrid serum culminated in a corruption like no other. Visceral cankers blossomed through his body, sprouting from his flesh and twisting out of nearly every orifice.”): occurred after Talbot was sent to the Void and later escaped, but not without the cost of losing pieces of himself. The Entity encouraged Talbot to continue his experiments on the killers only once he was thoroughly addicted to the very same serum. It took a long time for Talbot to realize this encouragement was for Her own gain, planning he would discover a way to rid Her of the annual blighting for good and force him to do so. Needless to say he's thus far yet to even concretely explain the cause nor origin.

-----

Hag (Putrefaction, 1227; “She escaped when a charm of strength buried within her was ignited by the serum.”): 

Clown (Aqua Vita (alcohol)?, 1130; “He took off when the substance provoked a profound hunger that made his belly swell with anticipation.”):

Plague (Vinegar-2 [distilled vinegar], 2330; “She emerged from confinement when the serum amplified the disease coursing through her blood.”):

Ghostface (Air, 2825; “A specimen who reacted strangely to the latest compounds, resulting in unexpected mutations that cannot yet be explained.”):

Spirit (Air, 2825; “She emerged from captivity when the serum sparked her ancestral rage, making her blood boil with fury.”):

Oni (???; “His overwhelming strength made him a priority candidate for testing. The searing pain of the experiment, more than anything, made his rage even more potent.”): the Oni’s strength and rage is infamous throughout the Fog, seemingly outmatched only by those that were not originally human at some point. While the mutation had rendered Talbot twisted and hunched over, the serum provided him unnatural strength and speed- but nothing to compete with the elder Yamaoka. How, then, did the Blight manage to capture such a fearsome target? By using the shreds of humanity left against him. His descendant was already undergoing her own experiment at the time Talbot used her hypothetical safety as distraction long enough to get close enough to lunge, grabbing on with the awful limbs that sprouted from his back, one hand gripping the fearsome mane while the other plunged the syringe into the muscular neck.

Legion (Putrefaction, 1227; “Repulsive. The serum has grafted the four specimens into a single creature, three of which are entrapped within the flesh of the host, ineffectually attempting to escape.”):

Nemesis (Zinc, 1823; “The putrid serum mixed with the Ne-a Type parasite to create a chimerical horror that not even The Blight could have anticipated.”): 

Pyramid Head (Zinc, 1825; “The putrid serum took hold of the creature born from a dark wish, rotting with putrid ways to punish the guilty.”): the Red God volunteered itself to be subjected to the serum, for what purposes Talbot did not dare risk angering it to find out. What he did discover, however, was that the Executioner required two full doses for any effects to take hold.

Wesker (probs Red Arsenic, possibly Regulus?, 1513-15; “Nobody could predict the complex interactions that would occur between the serum and Uroboros, but that didn’t stop him from testing it on himself.”): the Mastermind intercepted the Blight before he had even crafted a plan for him. Swiping a unique concoction, Wesker swiftly injected himself with it, leaving Talbot no choice but to witness and document the effects. And do his best to stay out of the path of destruction.

Sadako (???, 4020-68): 

Xenomorph (???): 

[kedsandtubesocks]

erika erika erika!! i am dropping by with a few things i find pretty bc april is so very pretty to me! 🍞🌻💭🌷☀️🫧✨🌱💗🍓 how are you?? i hope the month is lovely to you 🥺

i also come back with a curious sel question 🤓 a more technical writing one but, what is your anchor point to writing a character like gojo? what part of him do you like exploring and what quality of his stays the same to you across any universe you put him in? 🥺

SEL HI MY APRIL FLOWER 🥹🌻🌼🌸💐🌷💕

Those sweet April vibes are so precious thank you for sharing and for being such a sweet treat!!! April really is such a lovely month and you’re such a great reminder of that bb 🥺💕

I’m still on that post eclipse high so I’m like “THE COSMOS ARE WILD?!” so that’s how I’ve been LOL

Now to your question!!

what is your anchor point to writing a character like gojo? what part of him do you like exploring and what quality of his stays the same to you across any universe you put him in?

But okay… Sel… as the kids like you say, you COOKED with this!?!? 😮‍💨 what an incredible question and thank you for wanting to ask me??? 🥺

Okay! So the parts of Gojo I love exploring are strangely enough his humanity (if this makes sense omg rip) like the way he interacts with others in any universe and how he shoulders his ties and connections with others I think is so interesting to see in different scenarios! His humanity is so unique and tied distinctly to his abilities and who he is as a sorcerer! So then getting to see how that works in different situations & even sometimes when he’s not a sorcerer has been such a great way to just explore his character more (unfortunately) LOL

And to me his most persistent quality that I believe doesn’t change no matter where or when you drop this moron into, is how silly he can be 😔

He’s such a weird guy and has a weird way of interacting with people and he’s such a peak Sagittarius with how he holds his energy and loves to giggle and even be a bit of a pest but it’s out of a way of wanting to connect with people, he’s so SILLY AND I HATE HIM abdudbehGSYSGHS

The silliest of gooses 🫠

But then again, after all the rambling did… maybe I am just as bad of a silly goose 🤡🫠

Also wow do I heckin’ love you so much Sel thank you again for this amazing message 😭💕🦋✨

[mintawasalreadytaken]

new fic alert for my depraved besties

sup, freaks. hot on the tails of my MCD Deathly Hallows re-write comes more of the same, and also the opposite.

Bad Times is now posting. nothing but “you think this is bad?” and then it gets worse.

it’s whump. un-beta’d. no magic. posting at random. not sure when it’ll end.

here’s an excerpt from chapter 1. enjoy 😘

—

Draco leans to the left, digging his weight into the elbow at his knee as he digs his toes into the squishy bathroom rug and rising onto the ball of his foot. From this hunched angle the stream of cold water pulses directly at the centre of his anus. He twists the dial of the bidet higher, like setting an egg timer, and rocks forward, pushing the sphincter out until he feels the stream breach him. It's not as thorough as a full enema, but the bulb is at the back of the cupboard under the sink and this low-rent rectal pressure-wash will do the intended job neatly. This isn't group sex captured with a mobile on a tripod: the bedspread is navy, but he'll still put down a towel. He's not an animal.

He sighs, dropping his forehead and closes his eyes. He'd give anything for another hour of sleep, but Harry's already made the Moka pot. He's in bed now, mug anchored on that sweet roll of pudge at the bottom of his belly, scrolling Twitter on his phone.

Draco will drink his own coffee lukewarm in a half-hour, after tossing the medium-sized butt plug on the bed. Harry will coax him open with it (Harry likes that part best, squirting more lube than Draco ever bothers with until his every ministration produces ludicrous, pornographic amounts of squelching). When he's happy with the ease with which the toy slides in and is pulled sweetly out, Draco will straddle him, then ride him (Draco's preferred position, his knees on the bed, his feet wrapped over the furry tops of Harry's thighs.) When he tires of the work of bouncing Harry will roll him onto his back to fuck him missionary—it's a fifty-fifty if he'll stand and pull Draco to the edge of the bed or arrange him with his head on a pillow, pushing one knee to meet his shoulder. Either way, twenty minutes from Draco's arrival in the bedroom, Harry will jackhammer into him for up to a minute before pulling out, tossing the condom to the floor, and coming as directed on Draco's belly. Draco will join him, at the same time or shortly after, by his own hand. Harry will deflate, sweat-damp and panting on top of him. He will kiss Draco's cheek and nose and eyelids, tie off the condom and dispose of it in the wastebasket in the ensuite, discreetly wrapped in tissue, as though anyone but them would ever go rooting around inside the covered bin. He will wipe Draco clean with a flannel soaked with hot water, smelling of their laundry soap, and return to bed cheery. He will, for a few days, be comically touchy: hugs from behind and bum-pinches and a holding Draco spooned to him even as they grow too hot and damp with it. The glow will linger, then fade. This is a gift Draco seldom bestows.

Draco doesn't often take Harry's cock. He admits this once, still a little high from Saturday's escapades over brunch mimosas with Pansy. Over time this tidbit of gossip develops into the a commonly held belief that Harry's penis is extraordinary, a fact that Harry hotly denies and Draco remains mum about. This combination anchors his friend's belief that Harry is the incredible person he is, and humble to boot, and Draco is the indulgent little shit he's always been, superficial to the last.

Harry's cock is not special. He's the first person to tell you this, and has no qualms about it.

It is average in every way: 5 and something inches, thick enough to feel good in the hand, with no curve to it. The single freckle on the tip is its most memorable feature.

On the contrary, Draco's ass is special. If anyone cared to ask him about its intrinsic qualities he'd describe it as particular, finicky, and utterly demanding.

read Bad Times on AO3

[sullustangin]

Fluffy February Day 14: Heartbeat (Free Space)

Fandom: SWTOR

Pairing:  Theron Shan/Smuggler (on pause at the moment for reasons that will become obvious)

Time: Carbonite Years

Rating:  T, mostly for one Trant f-bomb at the end

Words: ~1880 (Ok, I let the feels get to me on this one)

~~

The air conditioning ducts were a tighter fit than anticipated.  ...that was true of a lot of things, these days.

Theron gagged on some dust that had escaped the filters of his respirator, but he kept pushing forward.

Trant’s voice came in. “Left at the next junction.  That should put you within range of the terminal.  From there, you can slice in.  Are you sure --?”

“The intel was good,” Theron insisted through grit teeth.  He was not going to get stuck in here, and his slice was going to be successful.   It had to be.

A nascent resistance depended upon it, and Trant didn’t even know it.

Sure, Trant was fully cognizant of the fact that he was leading Theron through the long-neglected ventilation system of some ancient Zakuul office building.  He was well-aware that Theron had received intel that there was a data package left behind on the network.  Yes, it would help the Republic black ops against Zakuul…given the fact that Marcus Trant and Theron Shan were the only members of that operational corps, the data wasn’t travelling far.  

But Trant didn’t know about Lana Beniko and her Great Idea.  Theron had an agenda beyond the one Trant knew about.

“You should be right under it.  There a vent nearby you can fit your droid through?”

“Yeah.”  Theron reached back to pull out his magnetic screwdriver set and went to work at wiggling the slats of the vent open just wide enough.

That done, Theron deployed a remote droid, one specially modified by him.  He could control it with his implants, and its sensors were so fine that it could replicate his own slice work – if he could think clearly enough. The high-quality holo cam he mounted on it (at ridiculous prices, given the Zakuulan crushing of the economy) made it possible for him to port the image to his ocular implants; it was like being right there in front of the terminal himself.  

Given the fact that this terminal was on an antenna platform that was several hundred feet in the air in the Spire, it was highly recommended that Theron not attempt to be there in person.

(Though he probably would have tried it, if he was… yikes, ten years younger)

(And…if he was physically in better condition…)

Theron pushed those intrusive thoughts away as he activated the high-quality cam on the droid to help it scurry its way up to the terminal.  Once the droid was able to activate its anchors, carefully, Theron was finally able to move in the ventilation shaft without worrying about dropping the droid off the top of the building and probably killing someone on the street.

With a grunt and few moments of strain, he managed to get all of his limbs straightened out.  Using his glove grips and his toe picks, Theron managed to get a hold on the ceiling of the shaft he was in and slide along his back toward the last air exchange he’d mapped.  He … he needed space.

As he pushed himself into the larger space of the exchange, he let himself go limp in exhaustion. Roughly he tugged at the zipper of his tac suit pulling it down.  He wasn’t as bad as he was that one time he sliced an Imperial destroyer, but he was hot and sweaty –

“Hey, Theron, your vitals –”

“I know, I.. I had to maneuver.”  Theron cringed at the sound of his voice, making excuses.

…It was Theron’s first external mission since Ziost.

He’d gone up two tac suit sizes in the intervening years.

Some of it was the alcohol.  A significant part was the fact he’d given up the fitness regiment he’d had since he was a youngling.

And some of it was grief.

What was the point, after the Republic knuckled under to Zakuul?

Rather than get Zakuul’s boot off the Republic’s throat, Saresh focused on the Sith Empire, which was suffocating just like they were.

But she had willing counterparts to play that game over on the Imperial side, so the war between the Sith Empire and the Republic had continued, even as Zakuul ruled over both.

(There was another source for the grief, something deeper than he wanted to acknowledge.  He batted it away.  Not now.)

Theron was disgusted. With Saresh.  With the Republic that let her get away with it.  With himself for giving up and just going through the motions, hoping to make it to 36 years, 10 months and 8 days so he could collect his pension and –

Do what?

Nothing good.  Nothing meaningful.  That was the story of the last two years.  

And then came Lana and her Great Idea.

Her demand for a man on Coruscant mentally and physically capable for the mission.

And with it… news. The first good news since… he didn’t know when.  

And now he was going to test that news, because he didn’t have faith in anything now.

No matter how good it seemed, Theron suspected it wasn’t true.

It was too good.  For him.  For what he’d become.  He didn’t deserve that sort of… luck.  That… whatever it had been, what could be again.   That second chance.

Trant had been all too willing to join him on this misguided crusade.  He was restless too.

Theron knew Trant would help him resist Zakuul.  They’d screw up things, thwart transports, inconvenience their conquerors.  But that was going to be a war of two against an entire Empire.  It would never be enough.

Theron wanted something more.  

And so he let the little droid do its work, slicing into the Zakuul network, bypassing the defenses that would have infected it with a virus that would have resulted in a complete bricking.   (Theron knew what to watch for now.)  Theron leaned his head back into the dust, letting it stick to his neck and hair, damp with sweat.  He closed his eyes.  Then he let his implants trigger the deep dive into the remote droid’s system.  The last part would be tricky – the data cache had been stashed in a tight space to ensure it would remain until the proper recipient found it.

Theron believed he was the man it was left for.  

Just as the data spike carefully drew the packet just so, clear off the Zakuul network, it seemed to spring to life –

“Theron, you did it. I got – stars, the data.  It’s… it’s the Spire.  It’s a map, it’s the public transport it’s – oh god, it’s everything.”

Thank you, tiny omnitool.

Theron exhaled deeply. Mission success, for the first time in so goddamn long.  

But there was one more thing.  

Theron directed the slice toward one particular physical address.  He’d demanded it from Lana for tonight.

Because he had to know.

“Theron, you read me?”

“Yeah.”

“You ok?”

“Yeah.”

“… you stuck?”

“No!” Theron said, a little too loudly.  “Gotta do something.  Going silent.”

Then he killed the comm between him in Trant.  He even took his own comms implant offline.  Now he was all about the dive, all about the place he was going in his mind…

Two levels of encryption. Easy, now.  He’d practiced for weeks before coming here.

Security.

Storage.

Med data, storage unit.

Theron sent a little signal scurrying down the line, wanting a view –

He got it.  Security holo cam, aimed right at –

Too still.  Too quiet.   The lights could lie.  Nobody would know until it was too late.

Theron felt his own pulse quicken, he could practically see the blood pressure numbers rising as the slice through continued, layer after layer until –

Cardiopulmonary.

Monitoring.

Theron opened his eyes, sightless in the darkness of the carbonite chamber.

Theron yanked his respirator off, as if that would make it harder to hear him.  

He called out for her, once.

“Eva?”

He waited.

He waited.

He waited.

He waited.

He waited.

And then.

A beat. Two parts. Slow.

But that was an unmistakeable human heartbeat, sluggish and slow though it was.

Theron counted to five again, in his head.

There was again.

“Eva.”  Theron wanted to laugh – she was alive. 

He wanted to sob.  She was here and had been here for over two years.

He did both, and he couldn’t help the words that spilled out of him.  She couldn’t hear him – he knew that (no, he didn’t.  Maybe she could).

“I—I’m here.  I’m finally… I’m so sorry --!”  His pressed the heels of his palms into his eyes sockets, trying to hold himself together.  His knees bent, the soles of his boots on the ventilation shaft floor.  He tried to take a deep breath.  “Everything’s fallen apart since you’ve been gone.  We’re… we’re gonna put it back together again.  Fix it all.  And –”

Theron could feel vibrations on his wrist.  It was probably Trant probably trying to get through to him over his personal comm, desperately, because his vitals were all over the place.

“—and we’re going to get you out of there.  I – I still got your ship, Eva,” Theron shakily reassured her.  “You – you got everyone out of Wild Space.  They’re fine, I swear to the gods, and I’ll find them for you.”   Theron tried to swallow, his mouth and throat dry, lips now covered in a fine layer of grime.  “I’ll do anything for you.  To get you back.  I don’t deserve you, but everything seems so dark without you…”

A single thought crystalized in Theron’s head. He’d always known it in his head, he supposed.  But now he knew it in every part of his body.

“I… have so much I want to say to you.  But we’re gonna get you out, and I want you to be wide awake for this, all right?”  Theron hoarsely chuckled at himself as he dragged his tac gloves across his eyes, trying to rid himself of the tears and the dirt before he had to face Trant again.  “I’ve … I’ve got to go.  But… if you can hear me  -- I didn’t forget you.  Not for a damn second.”

He wished he had, so many times.

He never could.

Now he was pleased to confess –

Theron listened once, heard the slow beat again, and then put his tac gear pieces that he’d shed back on.

Then he reopened comms with Trant.  “Situation resolved.  I’m fine.”

There was silence and static.

And then:  “hOly FUCK Shan I swear on the Emperor’s black bones that I thought you ended up like some poor goddamn cat that got stuck in my aunt’s walls when I was a kid –”

Theron could not stop the laughter as Trant went off.   “Are you hearing this?” he asked Eva.

Another heartbeat.  Theron sighed and lay back in the filth as he let Trant vent for a few more minutes.

~

@fluffyfebruary @ayresis @ermingarden @starlightcleric @bluephoenix1347

[seadragon-sailing]

Food is a topic we talk about often. You got any favorite food head canons or ideas for your Treasure island gang?

Shinju: Narezushi/鮓 (picked fish with salt and rice), lotus root, bamboo shoots, roast chestnuts, and plain rice.  She prefers savory/smoky flavors, and likes to put more spice into her food if they’re available.  Enjoys a glass of homemade kombucha/hung caa kwan/紅茶菌.  Has a moderate alcohol tolerance (about the same as Luka).

Luka: Whole roasted duck, beef, chicken, and fried dough sticks/yu char kway/油條. Seafood makes him a little nauseous if he eats too much, or if it has a weird texture, but he’ll tolerate it.  Holds his alcohol surprisingly well, but can’t drink more than one serving of stronger alcohols.  As for his favorite food from his homeland; he was used to eating TONS of meat since he came from the noble class (Shinju had to help him actually eat his goddamn vegetables when he started living with her and Feng) such as pastries filled with beef, lamb or goat.  He is also very fond of various cheeses, preferably soft to semi-hard cheeses.

Lee: Noodles (either made of rice, or sweet potato), loves his citrus fruits (will eat whole peeled lemons occasionally), dried nuts, and plain rice (he’s especially a fan of putting butter on it if it’s available).  Prefers chicken as a primary source of protein, but will eat beef on occasion.  Tends to be picky about what he eats due to being easily grossed out by jelly-like or gristly textures, but usually relents if he doesn’t have any other choice (or if you tell him that someone he cares about made it for him, he’ll eat whatever it is just to avoid upsetting said person).  He has the highest alcohol tolerance out of the bunch, and absolutely loves indulging in high-quality booze.

Feng: Rice porridge/jook/粥 with either mantis shrimp, or chicken and tea eggs.  During the New Years, he enjoys dried plums, and maybe even a bowl of bird’s nest soup if he can find any.  He also has a preference for beer more than wine, and likes to add the pulp from honey locust bean pods into it for a little added sweetness.  While wheat isn’t a staple crop in the southern parts of China, Feng does remember learning how to make dumplings, and hand-pulled noodles from his mother (who was born and raised in the Northern region of China); he still makes them if he gets his hands on proper wheat flour.

Tamara: Fufu; groundnut stew/maafe with mutton or beef; goat skewers (thoroughly seasoned, of course); really enjoys her vegetables and peppers.  She also enjoys baking breads with various herbs and garlic.  In the tavern/inn she works at in Port Tortuga (The Jade Dagger), Tamara not only helps with supplying the bread loaves that are served there, but also has a hand in making its own special brand of palm wine, and clairin.

Kyung: Mantis shrimp rice porridge/jook/粥, sweetheart cakes/lou po beng/老婆餅, and if she can get her hands on it–Tanghulu/糖葫蘆.  Tends to also really like eating edible flowers (roses, lotus, hibiscus, and any others that she knows are safe to eat).  Likes to make her own rice wines, but ironically can’t process alcohol very well which means she drinks the least.  Has the lowest tolerance of the bunch.  If given the option, she’ll confidently order milk or (non-alcoholic) fruit cider at a tavern rather than drink alcohol (this is especially well-known at the Jade Dagger whenever the Sea Dragon drops anchor at Port Tortuga).

[fauxkaren]

The Glory - 9/10

Yoooooooooooo, this drama was so good!  It’s not a 10/10 for me, just because idk if I could stomach a rewatch, but damn there were so many amazing performances in this drama! The female lead is fantastic, but so is the primary antagonist and all the secondary characters. Like, the bullies are SO good at making you loathe them and feel they deserve everything that is coming to them.

This drama centers on Moon Dong-eun who was a victim of horrific bullying. And calling it bullying is letting them off too easy. Her bullies physically tortured her. Since she was driven to drop out of high school due to her bullies, Dong-eun has dedicated the past 18 years of her life to getting her revenge. Watching her orchestrate her bullies’ downfalls is GLORIOUS because so much of what she does is just set things in motion, knowing that the bullies natural awfulness will cause the to act in ways that will lead to their own doom. It is SO satisfying watching these horrible people get their comeuppance.

The quality and range of acting performances really elevate this show. The actress who plays Dong-eun is the perfect center to the chaos around her. She exudes this quiet calm as she exacts her revenge that is sometimes unsettling. Dong-eun has dedicated her life to this vengeance and in some ways, she’s no longer a person. She’s become only her revenge. Another stand-out is the actress who plays the main antagonist and lead bully, Yeon-jin. HOLY SHIT she is good at being horrible. She has this barking laugh that is bonkers and is excellent at cultivating the vibe of someone who is on the verge of snapping. She’s great.

Another thing about this drama that really stood out to me was the spectrum of characters who have experienced traumatic events. Not everyone has the same reaction to trauma. Some people hide their (metaphorical and literal) scars, but for others, their pain is visible for the world to see. Some people seem ok on the outside with a cheerful personality, but on the inside, they are falling apart.

Idk. It was just... it was a really great drama. Amazing performances anchored a story with lots of turns and an INCREDIBLY satisfying story of vengeance.

[kultofathena]

Deepeeka – Landsknecht Katzbalger with Byknives

This reproduction of a Landsknecht Katzbalger sword has a hand forged blade of C60 high carbon steel – a steel with properties similar to 1060 high carbon steel. The blade is both broad and durable and its form allows for particularly hard-hitting strikes closer to the tip than many other swords. The sword is durably anchored into a hilt with a guard and pommel of darkened steel and the grip has a section of carved and polished wood. The sword is matched with a wood core scabbard which is tightly bound in genuine high quality leather and fitted with a blued steel chape with brass embellishment. A slot for a pair of byknives is integrated with the scabbard and fits the included utility knife and pricker.

The iconic German and Swiss Landsknecht mercenary companies were a dominating force on the late 15th and 16th century battlefield. Impossible to miss with their outlandishly colored and voluminous style of dress, their carnival-esque appearance and predilection for purposed swagger was a velvet glove over an iron fist; their mercenary companies were a disciplined core of pikemen and halberdiers supplemented by greatswords and eventually arquebusiers. As their lives were deemed to be “short and fierce” these men were permitted to break social dress code laws and dress themselves in colors and stylings usually reserved for nobility and the distinct styling of their armaments reflected a desire for bold fashion crossed with grim utility. Though polearms and larger weapons were primary weapons, the secondary sidearm weapon for almost all of these mercenary troops would have been a Katzbalger or Messer. The Katzbalger in particular was optimally designed for the type of warfare that Landsknecht mercenary companies engaged in. Battlefield engagements often resulted in a clash of pike and halberd regiments and in the scrum of such a chaotic melee a shorter sword would be needed so that it could operate without entanglement.

In such an environment, breakage of primary weapons was not uncommon, and should the clashing polearm regiments end up pushed closer together by pressure from the rear ranks it could be necessary for the front ranks to drop their poleweapons in order to deal with opportunistic combatants who would engage at close range with shorter weapons to disrupt formation. The Katzbalger is ideal for desperately fiece, close-in combat in such an environment. The blade is both broad and exceptionally durable in its design which is necessary in an environment in close proximity with weapons as brutish as halberds and greatswords. The S-shaped guard on these are often thick and appear overbuilt and very wide to a casual glance, but were probably constructed durably and to these exagerrated dimensions so that the bearer could stop a wayward strike from a poleweapon on the guard without breaking or injuring the bearer.

The lack of a thrusting tip on these swords is probably so that the sword can stay wider for a farther length up the blade, this effectively brings its most useful cutting portion farther forward and closer to the tip than many other swords of similar length, thus allowing for effective cutting at the near extremities of the blade length, without needing the blade to be so long as to be entangled in a dense poleweapon-heavy combat. The Katzbalger is easily one of the most recognizable and unique swords of the period and its design seems to be a convergence of practical utility in a specialized combat environment crossed with the ostentatious tastes of fashion and swagger that Landsknecht Mercenaries were famed for.

[technology01tools]

The Ultimate Guide to Buy Backlinks: Boost Your SEO and Website Rankings

In the competitive world of digital marketing, the importance of search engine optimization (SEO) cannot be overstated. Among the many strategies to improve your website's SEO, one that stands out is the acquisition of backlinks. But what exactly does it mean to "buy backlinks," and how can it impact your website's ranking? This comprehensive guide will answer all your questions.

What Are Backlinks?

Backlinks, also known as inbound or incoming links, are links from one website to another. When a site links to your website, it signals to search engines like Google that your content is valuable and worth referencing. This, in turn, can improve your site's authority and rankings in search engine results pages (SERPs).

Why Are Backlinks Important for SEO?

Backlinks are one of the most significant factors in Google's ranking algorithm. Websites with a high number of quality backlinks tend to rank higher because they are seen as more authoritative. Here's why backlinks are crucial:

Boosts Website Authority: Backlinks from reputable websites increase your site's domain authority (DA) and page authority (PA).

Improves Organic Rankings: Quality backlinks help you rank higher on SERPs, driving more organic traffic to your site.

Increases Referral Traffic: When users click on backlinks from other sites, they are redirected to your site, boosting your referral traffic.

Accelerates Indexing: Backlinks help search engines discover your site faster, leading to quicker indexing of your new content.

Should You Buy Backlinks?

Buying backlinks is a controversial topic in the SEO world. While it can offer quick results, it also carries risks. Here's a balanced look at the pros and cons:

Pros of Buying Backlinks

Speed: Buying backlinks can quickly improve your site's authority and rankings.

Competitive Edge: It helps you stay competitive in niches where other sites are heavily linked.

Time-Saving: Acquiring backlinks organically can be time-consuming; buying them can save you time and effort.

Cons of Buying Backlinks

Risk of Penalties: If Google detects unnatural backlink patterns, your site could face penalties, leading to a drop in rankings or even deindexing.

Quality Control Issues: Not all backlinks are created equal. Low-quality or spammy links can harm your SEO instead of helping it.

Cost: High-quality backlinks can be expensive, and there’s no guarantee of ROI.

How to Buy Backlinks Safely

If you decide to buy backlinks, here are some tips to do it safely:

Choose Reputable Providers: Research backlink providers carefully. Look for those with good reviews and a track record of delivering high-quality links.

Focus on Quality, Not Quantity: A few high-quality backlinks from authoritative sites are better than many low-quality ones.

Diversify Your Link Profile: Ensure your backlink profile includes a variety of links from different domains, anchor texts, and link types.

Avoid Spammy Practices: Stay away from link farms, paid blog networks, and other black-hat SEO practices.

Alternatives to Buying Backlinks

If buying backlinks seems too risky, there are other ways to build your link profile organically:

Create High-Quality Content: Produce content that others want to link to naturally.

Guest Blogging: Write guest posts for reputable blogs in your niche and include links back to your site.

Outreach Campaigns: Reach out to bloggers, influencers, and webmasters to request backlinks to your content.

Engage in Social Media Marketing: Share your content on social media platforms to increase its visibility and attract backlinks.

Conclusion

Buying backlinks can be a quick way to boost your SEO, but it comes with risks. If you choose to buy backlinks, do so with caution and prioritize quality over quantity. Alternatively, focus on building backlinks organically through content creation, outreach, and guest blogging. Remember, the goal is to build a diverse and natural backlink profile that enhances your website's authority and search engine rankings.

[jamisonblog]

Efficiency of Abseiling Window Cleaning in London

In the vibrant cityscape of London, where towering skyscrapers and modern architectural marvels dominate the skyline, maintaining the cleanliness and aesthetic appeal of buildings is a critical task. Among the various methods employed for window cleaning, abseiling has emerged as a highly effective and increasingly popular technique, particularly for the tall and complex structures that characterize the city. Abseiling window cleaning, also known as rope access window cleaning, is a specialized service that combines the precision of traditional window cleaning with the efficiency and reach provided by industrial rope access techniques.

Abseiling Window Cleaning: The Ultimate Solution for High-Rise Structures

Abseiling Window Cleaning is the go-to solution for high-rise buildings, where traditional methods, such as using ladders or scaffolding, are either impractical or impossible. The technique involves highly trained and certified professionals descending from the roof of a building using ropes and harnesses to clean windows as they go. This method is not only safe but also allows for easy access to all areas of the building, no matter how complex the structure may be. The flexibility offered by abseiling ensures that even the most challenging architectural designs can be addressed, making it an essential service for maintaining the pristine appearance of London’s skyscrapers.

One of the key advantages of abseiling window cleaning is its minimal impact on the surrounding environment. Unlike scaffolding, which can be cumbersome and obstructive, or cherry pickers, which require space and can disrupt traffic or pedestrian flow, abseiling requires only a secure anchor point on the building's roof. This means that businesses and residents experience little to no disruption during the cleaning process, allowing daily activities to continue as usual.

Safety and Professionalism in Abseiling Window Cleaning

Safety is paramount in abseiling window cleaning, and all technicians undergo rigorous training and certification to ensure they are equipped to handle the physical demands and potential hazards of the job. Companies offering these services in London adhere strictly to the highest safety standards, including those set out by the International Rope Access Trade Association (IRATA). This ensures that every cleaning operation is carried out safely, efficiently, and with the utmost professionalism.

The safety measures employed in abseiling window cleaning extend beyond just the technicians. The method itself is designed to minimize risk to the building, its occupants, and the public. The use of high-quality, regularly inspected equipment, combined with the expertise of the cleaning team, guarantees a smooth operation from start to finish. Furthermore, abseiling allows for a thorough inspection of the building's exterior, enabling early detection of any potential issues such as structural damage or wear and tear, which can be addressed promptly to prevent more significant problems down the line.

Why London’s Buildings Need Regular Window Cleaning

London’s buildings, especially in the city center, are exposed to various environmental factors that contribute to the accumulation of dirt and grime on their windows. Pollution, dust, and bird droppings are just a few of the elements that can tarnish the appearance of a building over time. Regular window cleaning is essential not only for aesthetic reasons but also for the longevity of the windows themselves. Dirt and grime can cause scratches and other damage to the glass, leading to costly repairs or replacements if not addressed regularly.

For businesses, the appearance of their building can significantly impact their brand image. Clean, well-maintained windows project a professional image and can contribute to a positive first impression for clients and visitors. In a competitive market like London, where reputation and appearance matter, investing in regular window cleaning is a smart business decision.

Contract Window Cleaning in London: A Tailored Approach to Maintenance

While abseiling is an excellent solution for high-rise buildings, contract window cleaning services in London offer a comprehensive approach to maintaining the cleanliness of buildings of all sizes. These services are tailored to meet the specific needs of each client, ensuring that all aspects of window cleaning are covered, from the frequency of cleaning to the methods used.

Contract window cleaning is particularly beneficial for commercial properties, where regular maintenance is crucial. By entering into a contract with a professional window cleaning company, businesses can ensure that their building's windows are cleaned consistently and to a high standard. This not only keeps the property looking its best but also helps to prevent long-term damage caused by neglect.

Contract window cleaning services in London are designed to be flexible and convenient. Clients can choose the frequency of cleaning, whether it’s weekly, monthly, or quarterly, depending on their needs and budget. Additionally, professional window cleaning companies use a range of methods and equipment to suit the specific requirements of each building. For instance, low-rise buildings might benefit from traditional window cleaning techniques, while mid-rise structures could use water-fed poles, and high-rise buildings would employ abseiling.

The Environmental Benefits of Professional Window Cleaning

In addition to the aesthetic and maintenance benefits, professional window cleaning also has environmental advantages. Many window cleaning companies in London are committed to using eco-friendly cleaning solutions that minimize the impact on the environment. These solutions are not only effective at removing dirt and grime but are also safe for use around people and animals, making them an excellent choice for buildings in busy urban areas.

Furthermore, regular Contract Window Cleaning London can help reduce energy costs. Clean windows allow more natural light to enter a building, reducing the need for artificial lighting during the day. This can lead to significant energy savings over time, particularly for large commercial properties.

Choosing the Right Window Cleaning Service in London

When selecting a window cleaning service in London, it’s important to consider several factors, including the company’s experience, reputation, and the range of services they offer. A professional and reliable window cleaning company will have a proven track record of delivering high-quality services and will be able to provide references or testimonials from satisfied clients.

It’s also essential to choose a company that prioritizes safety and follows industry best practices. This is particularly important for abseiling window cleaning, where the risks associated with working at height are greater. Clients should look for companies that are members of professional organizations such as IRATA and have fully trained and certified technicians.

In conclusion, abseiling window cleaning and contract window cleaning services are indispensable for maintaining the appearance and integrity of buildings in London. Whether it’s a towering skyscraper or a mid-rise office block, regular window cleaning ensures that properties remain in top condition, enhancing their value and appeal. By choosing a professional window cleaning service, building owners and managers can enjoy peace of mind, knowing that their property is in safe and capable hands.

[seocompany1010]

How to Use Analytics to Measure SEO Performance

In the world of digital marketing, measuring SEO performance is crucial for understanding how well your strategies are working and where improvements are needed. Analytics provides invaluable insights into various aspects of your SEO efforts, helping you make data-driven decisions to enhance your online presence. For businesses seeking professional guidance, partnering with a SEO agency Singapore can further refine your analytics approach. Here’s how to use analytics to measure SEO performance effectively:

1. Set Clear SEO Goals

Before diving into analytics, define what success looks like for your SEO efforts. Clear goals could include increasing organic traffic, improving search engine rankings, generating more leads, or enhancing user engagement. Align these goals with specific metrics that you’ll track using analytics tools. If you work with a SEO agency Singapore, they can help you establish these goals and align them with your overall business objectives.

2. Use Google Analytics for Traffic Insights

Google Analytics is a powerful tool for measuring SEO performance. It provides detailed data on website traffic, user behavior, and conversion rates. Key metrics to monitor include:

Organic Traffic: Track the number of visitors coming from search engines.

Bounce Rate: Measure the percentage of visitors who leave your site after viewing only one page.

Average Session Duration: Evaluate how long users stay on your site.

Pages per Session: Understand how many pages users visit in a single session.

A SEO agency Singapore can assist in setting up Google Analytics correctly and interpreting the data to guide your SEO strategy.

3. Monitor Keyword Performance

Tracking keyword performance is essential for assessing how well your SEO efforts are resonating with your target audience. Use tools like Google Search Console, SEMrush, or Ahrefs to:

Identify Top-Performing Keywords: See which keywords drive the most traffic to your site.

Track Keyword Rankings: Monitor changes in your keyword rankings over time.

Analyze Click-Through Rates (CTR): Measure the percentage of users who click on your site’s link after seeing it in search results.

An SEO agency Singapore can help optimize your keyword strategy and ensure your content is aligned with high-performing keywords.

4. Analyze User Behavior

Understanding how users interact with your website provides insights into their experience and how well your SEO is performing. Use tools like Google Analytics to analyze:

User Flow: Visualize the path users take through your site, from landing pages to exit points.

Behavior Flow: Identify common paths users take and where they drop off.

Conversion Tracking: Measure how well your site converts visitors into customers or leads.

By evaluating user behavior, you can identify areas for improvement and work with a SEO agency Singapore to enhance user experience.

5. Assess Backlink Quality

Backlinks are a crucial component of SEO, influencing your site’s authority and ranking. Use tools like Moz, Ahrefs, or SEMrush to:

Monitor Backlink Profile: Track the quantity and quality of backlinks pointing to your site.

Analyze Anchor Text: Evaluate the keywords used in the anchor text of your backlinks.

Identify Toxic Links: Detect and disavow harmful backlinks that could negatively impact your rankings.

An SEO agency Singapore can help you develop a robust backlink strategy and manage your backlink profile effectively.

6. Review Technical SEO Metrics

Technical SEO plays a vital role in ensuring your site is crawlable and indexable by search engines. Use tools like Google Search Console and Screaming Frog to:

Check Site Health: Identify and fix issues like broken links, crawl errors, and duplicate content.

Evaluate Site Speed: Measure page load times and optimize for better performance.

Assess Mobile-Friendliness: Ensure your site is optimized for mobile devices.

Working with a SEO agency Singapore can help you address technical SEO issues and improve your site’s overall health.

7. Track Competitor Performance

Understanding how your competitors are performing can provide valuable insights into your own SEO strategy. Use competitive analysis tools to:

Compare Keyword Rankings: See how your keywords stack up against competitors.

Analyze Competitor Backlinks: Identify where competitors are gaining their backlinks.

Evaluate Content Strategies: Review the type and quality of content competitors are producing.

A SEO agency Singapore can help you conduct in-depth competitor analysis and leverage insights to strengthen your SEO efforts.

8. Report and Adjust

Regularly generate SEO performance reports to track progress and make data-driven adjustments. Look for trends, successes, and areas needing improvement. Based on your findings, refine your SEO strategies to enhance performance. An SEO agency Singapore can assist in creating comprehensive reports and recommending actionable adjustments.

Conclusion

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[anoray]

I am now three books into the High Republic (Light of the Jedi, The Rising Storm, and The Fallen Star) and I'm feeling rather puzzled and annoyed. Spoilers ahead for anyone who hasn't read anything yet.

I should preface this by saying I find some of the Jedi characters engaging and likeable, and the various authors' writing is fine overall, but I am increasingly frustrated with the Nihil scenario. Namely, I still know next to nothing about the supposed main villain, Marchion Ro, and what is going on with the "creatures" or whatever they are that basically suck the Force out of the Jedi. Everything about Ro's origins, how and why the old woman prisoner can create the paths in hyperspace, where and why the Force eating creatures came from...why Ro hates the Jedi in the first place...all the continued vagueness and non-revelation just goes on and on and on and it is getting very old. Ro so far is basically a sadistic SOB who leads a bunch of not very interesting marauders and I have no idea why he's driven to want to wipe out the Jedi because nothing in the story so far covers any of it. I want to pull my hair out.

The Jedi are a mixed bag. On one hand, they are capable of doing amazing things (most especially when they work as a unified hive mind), but, holy cow, on the other hand, they also come across as so incompetent at times. The Fallen Star in particular had me grinding my teeth over and over. And, yes, I know the Jedi were affected by the infuriatingly unexplained, non-described Force sucking "creatures", but the Jedi seemed to be doing some extremely obtuse things (like a total lack of basic security measures), as well as making boneheaded decisions about how to deal with the Nihil even before that happened. I mean, so far, the Nihil almost destroyed an entire solar system, they destroyed a huge galactic political event, and now an entire space station (killing millions along throughout these attacks) and yet somehow the Republic and the Jedi think the Nihil are almost beaten and not that big of a deal. Really?

Maybe a bunch of pertinent story development about the Jedi's resistance to the Nihil and information about Ro is covered in the many other side books? If that's the case, I don't understand the decision to scatter major plot and character development outside of the main series. Shouldn't the 5 books of this particular series tell a complete tale on their own? Right now, chunks seem to be missing and I'm having a problem with caring much about the trio of Avar, Stellan, and Elzar. As for Ro, so much of his history is off the page somewhere and sometimes he barely even appears in the books at all.

Bell and Burry have become my anchor characters because they come across as very relatable and empathetic, plus I've liked several of the Jedi and non-Jedi side characters (although some either got killed off or just dropped out of the story between books for whatever reason).

Bottom line is that I'll probably read the last two books in this particular series in the hopes that Burry is not dead, plus that they will finally reveal something about Ro that makes him a more compelling antagonist. Right now, he just grates on my nerves and I wish the Nihil as a whole were something more compelling than ruthless killers and thieves. To me, Ro and his horde have all the worst qualities of pirates but absolutely none of the charm.

[fast-safety-nets-chennai]

DIY Guide to Installing Bird Spikes at Home

Installing bird spikes is an effective way to prevent birds from landing and roosting on your property. If you're considering a DIY approach, this guide from Fast Safety Nets Chennai will help you through the process with practical tips and expert advice.

1. Gather Your Materials

Essential Tools and Materials:

Anti-Bird Spikes: Choose spikes suitable for your needs (stainless steel or plastic).

Measuring Tape: For accurate measurements.

Drill: If you’re using screws.

Screws and Anchors: For securing spikes (if drilling).

Adhesive: For surfaces where drilling isn’t possible.

Screwdriver: For tightening screws.

Clean Cloth: For surface preparation.

Safety Gear: Gloves and safety glasses.

2. Prepare the Installation Area

Clean the Surface:

Remove Debris: Ensure the surface is free of dust, dirt, or old bird droppings.

Ensure Dryness: The surface must be completely dry to ensure proper adhesion or drilling.

Inspect the Surface:

Surface Type: Determine whether the surface is flat, sloped, or uneven. This will affect your installation method.

3. Plan the Installation

Measure the Area:

Determine Length and Width: Measure the area where the spikes will be installed to ensure you have enough spikes.

Mark Placement: Use a pencil or marker to outline where each spike will go. Ensure even spacing to prevent birds from landing between spikes.

Spacing:

Typical Spacing: For most birds, spacing the spikes about 4 to 6 inches apart is effective.

4. Install the Spikes

Drilling and Screwing:

Mark Drill Points: For surfaces like wood or concrete, mark the drill points where screws will go.

Drill Holes: Use a drill to create holes at the marked points. Ensure the holes are the right size for the screws and anchors.

Attach Spikes: Align the spikes with the drilled holes and secure them with screws. Use a screwdriver to tighten the screws.

Adhesive Installation:

Apply Adhesive: For surfaces where drilling isn’t an option (e.g., glass or painted surfaces), apply a strong adhesive to the base of the spikes.

Place Spikes: Press the spikes onto the surface and hold them in place until the adhesive sets (follow the adhesive manufacturer's instructions).

Ensure Proper Coverage:

Check Placement: Make sure there are no gaps between the spikes and that they cover all the areas where birds might land.

5. Final Checks and Maintenance

Inspect Installation:

Check Stability: Ensure that all spikes are securely attached and that there are no loose or wobbling spikes.

Adjust if Necessary: Add more spikes or reposition them if you find gaps or insufficient coverage.

Clean Up:

Remove Excess: Clean up any debris, adhesive residue, or leftover materials from the installation process.

Regular Maintenance:

Inspect Periodically: Check the spikes regularly for signs of wear or damage and make any necessary repairs or replacements.

6. Expert Tips from Fast Safety Nets Chennai

Choosing the Right Spikes:

Material Matters: Stainless steel spikes offer durability and resistance to rust, while plastic spikes are generally more affordable but may not last as long.

Installation Tips:

Weather Considerations: Avoid installing spikes in extreme weather conditions to ensure proper adhesion or stability.

Safety First: Always use safety gear and be cautious when working at heights.

Professional Help:

Consultation: If you’re unsure about the installation or need custom solutions, Fast Safety Nets Chennai offers expert advice and professional installation services.

Get Started

For high-quality anti-bird spikes and professional assistance, contact Fast Safety Nets Chennai. They can provide the products and expertise needed to effectively deter birds and protect your property.