#i was trying to base the apartment price on other property prices in the game so that's why it seems so low lol

[nibbyzor]

MBTI LEGACY CHALLENGE - GEN 1: INFJ

After learning they're going to have a child, Matteo and Elle decided to get a bigger place together! Thanks to Matteo making great money as a freelance writer, they decided to buy instead of rent. Fortunately a beautiful, recently renovated apartment came on the market right next door and they fell in love with it at first sight! Especially the kitchen.

[melon-wing]

The Kissing Challenge Part 5/8

Before I start, let me say how sorry I am that this chapter took so long. I received some bad news while I was working on it. Threw me kinda out of the story. I’ll try to make the next waiting time a little less long. Thank you all for your patience!

~~~~~~~~~~~~

[PART 1] [PART 2] [PART 3] [PART 4]

Grian landed on the peak of a mountain wearing some sort of mask and looked down at his own building. It was a little strange and he had no clue why Doc and Bdubs had been so adamant on buying it at the end of last season only to have to rebuild it block by block in this world.

But he had to admit it looked kind of funny with the fence in the middle, being split apart. He carefully climbed down the mountain and searched for any movement, but nobody appeared to be around. He would be gone in a second, he just needed to trade with Doc’s villagers. Sure, he could have asked, but Doc would have wanted payment and he was getting a little short on diamonds at the moment. And Doc would not even notice anything amiss until it was too late and Grian would be gone by then.

As he crept down the mountain and reached the front lawn he noticed movement behind the house and sure enough, Doc was busy building something in the back. Well that made his plan a little more risky, but not impossible. Grian stayed hidden behind a few chests for a while, but Doc seemed to be fully immersed into his work. And he knew Doc good enough by now. If that guy was busy working on something it was almost as if he was in a different world. There would be no better time than now to pull off his plan.

He slipped through the iron doors and was welcomed by wild mumbling. Those villagers had always been way too noisy. The only good thing was, that they were constantly talking, so any noise he might make should go unnoticed. Now for the trading…

Grian put down a few Shulkerboxes, glancing at the door one last time before getting his first items out. Not a second later he was swarmed by a villagers, all holding up emeralds to trade with him. And trading he did. He pulled out one item after the other, storing the emeralds in his chest, looking at the growing number with a satisfied grin. He was just getting out the last stack of paper to trade for emeralds, when he felt hot breath ghosting over his neck, making him freeze up.

“Nobody touches my villagers”, a low and threatening voice whispered into his ear. He startled and turned around so fast he almost fell down.

Doc was standing right there, one eyebrow raised and just staring at him. Damn, with all the villagers talking he’d never heard the sound of the iron door. And he had been so close to finishing and getting away without being discovered. How was he supposed to talk his way out of this? He had been caught red handed after all.

“So Grian… I think a little payment is due. I can’t trade with them today after all. Or rather a little punishment. You wouldn’t want to start another Civil War now, would you?”

Grian swallowed and shook his head. He always felt so nervous around Doc. They had been on opposing teams constantly last season after all.

“Yeah, thought so. Now what can you offer me? How should we proceed?” Doc’s voice was still dangerously low and he was looking at him with a calculating grin.

“I could… Give you half the Emeralds I just got?”, he suggested slowly, but soon caved in when Doc shook his head. “Or you can have all of them. I don’t really need them that badly. You can have them.” Doc was still silently watching him and each second that went by without any answer made him even more nervous. Of all the Hermits only Doc had that affect on him. “Alright. Name your price. What can I pay to make it up? I got like… 15 diamonds left.”

And finally Doc decided to break his silence. “That’s a nice start. I’ll take those 15 diamonds… Oh and I’ll also take you.”

Grian’s eyes widened and he blushed at the last demand. He didn’t even know what Doc meant by that but his mind was already working in overdrive. His brain conjuring up images he’d never ever forget.

Doc chuckled, clearly amused by his state. “You’d think, someone running around the server kissing people would be a little less innocent. It’s nice to know you haven’t changed.”

“So you just said that to tease me?”, Grian whined, crossing his arms in front of his chest, feeling a little vulnerable under Doc’s intense stare.

“Oh no. I meant what I said. I’ll take you…”, he paused for a second, walking up to Grian and putting one of his fingers underneath Grian’s chin, so he was forced to look up at Doc, “on as a personal assistant for the prank I planned on good old Bdubs.”

“Oh…”

“Well what were you thinking? Expected me to do some dirty things to poor innocent Grian? I think Mumbo would kill me if I laid a finger on you.”

“Mumbo’s not my dad”, Grian grumbled, not even trying to deny that Doc was right about the other part. He needed to change the topic and he needed to change it fast, before he could be teased any more. “So a prank on your neighbour, right? Got anything in mind or do I have to plan it as well?”

“I got a little plan. I just needed someone to play a part in it. You happened to drop by at the right moment. I already prepared everything. You just need to lure Bdubs into my trap. He wouldn’t trust me enough to follow any instructions. And while everyone knows you are a prankster, you haven’t interacted with him enough to raise suspicion.”

~

Half an hour later, Grian regretted everything that had led him up to this moment in his life. “Is this really necessary for your big plan or are you just doing it to punish me?”

“Both. It is the best way to get his attention I think… And I also enjoy seeing you like that.” Doc chuckled darkly, looking Grian up and down. Grian was wearing a red and white dress that Doc had told him was apparently called a ‘Dirndl’. He also wore matching High Heels and bright red lipstick. Doc had even put a flower crown on Grian’s head that reminded him a little of his time as a Hippie.

Grian felt his face light up almost as bright as the dress he was wearing. Sure, he had worn a dress before when he dressed up to do an advert for Sahara. But this? This wasn’t what he had in mind when he left his base today.

“I hate you...”

Doc only laughed with his deep rumbling voice, giving Grian a few pats on the shoulder.

“You’ll do fine. Just, you know… Go over there and lure him into the trap and that’s that.”

Grian sighed in annoyance.

“Yeah. I get that. But why the hell am I wearing this freaking dress and those heels? Like it is obvious it’s me. I can’t pretend I’m anyone else. He’ll know as soon as he sees me.”

“Sure,” Doc just shrugged, “But that’s not the point. The point is to get his attention and to make him curious, you know. Bdubs can’t resist. And I enjoy seeing you suffer like that.”

Grian groaned, throwing one last dirty look at Doc before walking around the fence to Bdubs�� side of the house. He regretted the moment he had decided to sneak onto Doc’s property. He really shouldn’t have done that. But it was too late now and he would have to suffer the consequences.

Bdubs was lying at the side of his little pool on a chair, sun glasses on, simply relaxing. He hadn’t noticed Grian yet, despite the noises his shoes must have made.

Alright. He could do this. Sure, it was ridiculous, but he’d show Doc. If he looked like he felt uncomfortable, Doc would be even happier. So he would just rock this.

Without hesitation Grian swung one leg over Bdubs and just sat down on his waist, legs spread, putting his hands onto the other’s chest.

“Hey there, pretty.”

Grian could feel the way Bdubs startled, trying to jump up, but unable to do so because of the added weight on his lap. So he settled for simply sitting up, which only put him closer to Grian.

“Wha- What? Grian, dude? What’s going on?”

Grian grinned, raising one hand to caress Bdubs cheek, looking at him from bellow his eyelashes.

“Well, you know… I was just passing by and couldn’t resist such a good looking man...”

Bdubs looked utterly confused and Grian really couldn’t blame him for it. Weird things tended to happen quiet often when the Hermits were concerned, but that didn’t make them any less weird. And Grian walking around in a dress making his moves on someone? That was definitely not a common occurrence.

Grian slowly leaned forward, his breath already ghosting over Bdubs lips.

“We could have a little fun, if you are interested. Go somewhere nice and cosy. Just me and you.”, Grian whispered, before he leaned in for the kiss.

And then he looked at Bdubs, blinking a few times in confusion. His lips had only met a book that Bdubs had held up right between them.

“What is Doc planning this time?”, Bdubs voice came from the other side of the book and Grian’s eyes widened even more before he laughed nervously.

“Why would you think Doc has anything to do with it?”

Bdubs raised an eyebrow, looking at Grian as if he had just asked him why water was wet. “I’ve been his neighbour for a while. I know how he ticks. I mean, I heard you were running around kissing people lately, but this? This is a little over the top for that little game. I also saw you sneaking around Doc’s side of the fence about an hour ago. I might pretend to be stupid sometimes, but I can put two and two together. So what does he want you to do? Seduce me?” Bdubs snorted in amusement at his own question and slowly lowered the book still between them, his eyes looking Grian up and down. “No offence, but I don’t really swing that way, even if you are looking really pretty in that dress. And Doc should know that.”

Grian groaned. This wasn’t working out the way he had planned. Not at all. And he didn’t even want to think what else Doc had in store for him as a punishment now that this stupid plan had failed.

“Okay, okay. You got me. You are right. Doc wants me to lure you into his trap. I don’t know much about it. I guess it will probably end with you respawning in your bed though.”, Grian replied after a little hesitation. Surely Doc wouldn’t hear him. He was already at their agreed rendezvous point

"So you are helping him because...?" Bdubs looked at him in mild curiosity, eyes drifting over the dress once more. "Just for fun? Or does Doc have some dirt on you? I know he likes to collect dirt to get people to agree to his plans, the nasty goat."

"I broke into his villager trader..."

Bdubs laughed, a loud bellowing laugh that made Grian want to pout. He didn't enjoy being laughed at, especially not in the get up he was in right now. This was already embarrassing enough as it was.

"Not funny...", he murmured, holding up his hand and flicking Bdubs forehead softly.

"Well, it is kind of funny, you've got to admit. And rather interesting", Bdubs replied and Grian shuddered as he could feel a hand caressing his back, slowly wandering down, but just stopping above his butt. "I've been trading with his villagers as well. I bet I stole far more than you by now, but he never put me into make-up and a little dress. Not that I would look as good in it as you, but I think you need to consider that he's telling you something by that."

"Like what? That I look like a girl?" Grian snorted and rolled his eyes. He knew he was slender and not that tall and maybe had soft features, but he would not really pass as a girl and to call him girly would really be a far stretch.

"No. More like, he thinks you look hot."

Grian’s brain seemed to short circuit at that. He could feel heat rising to his face, sputtering a few times, unable to form words. The thought that Doc – stoic, cold, emotionless Doc could look at him and feel any sort of thing was unbelievable.

"Listen, Grian. I've been his neighbour for a while now. And we don't exactly have walls thanks to splitting this mansion down the middle. I have a pretty good view of his bedroom. And boys like you? Well considering who he had in his bedroom so far I'd say you'd fit right in to that. And I guess he's pretty good going by the sounds his partners make. So if you are interested in some no-strings-attached sex, I'd say go for it." Bdubs had a broad grin on his face and even though his tone was teasing, he sounded like he was telling the truth.

Grian glanced over his shoulder at the other half of the mansion. Above the fence he could see Doc's rather pink bedroom. An image popped into his mind of himself lying on top of that bed. Doc looming above him, looking down with that unreadable stoic expression of his. Would he like that? It had been a while since he had gotten some action – besides kissing that is. Maybe... Maybe having some fun would be a nice change of pace. Make him lose some of the stress that came with starting so many projects at the beginning of a new world.

His train of thought was interrupted by Bdubs laughing and Grian's head snapped back around.

"You are thinking about it, so it's probably already a done deal. Let's go then. You shouldn't leave Doc waiting. His ego couldn't bare it."

"Go...?", Grian echoed, looking at Bdubs in confusion. Hadn't he already said, that Doc was waiting with a deadly trap for Bdubs? Why would anyone walk into that? Or did Bdubs have some secret ace up his sleeve that would end in even more prankage?

"Yeah, go. I'm taking pity on you, dude. So I'm gonna be your wingman in this. A dead wingman, but a wingman nonetheless. And I rather like the thought of such an amazing builder and prankster to be indebted to me. You owe me a big one after this is over, Grian."

An enthusiastic smile spread on Grian's face and if he wasn't still sitting in Bdubs lap he would have jumped into his arms then and there. He settled for simply throwing his arms around Bdubs and planting a sloppy kiss onto his cheek, leaving a deep red lipstick mark on it. "Bdubs! You are the best! I'm gonna build you the most amazing thing you can imagine for this!" Bdubs just half heartedly patted his back until Grian scrambled backwards to stand up so they'd be able to get started.

"Lead the way, little miss."

Grian couldn't even muster up the energy to throw a glare at the name, he was just too delighted at the moment. This might not be going to plan, but Doc didn't need to know. As long as Bdubs walked into his trap, he could celebrate victory and Grian's punishment would end. And then – Grian bit his lower lip, throwing one last glance at the upper level of the mansion – well, he'd see what happened when the time came.

Grian slowly ascended the stairs to the shared mine below the mansion, stepping down carefully, not to stumble in the high heels. After only a few shaking steps, Bdubs sighed and stepped up next to him, holding out one arm to steady him. Grian looked at him with a thankful smile, took a few more steps and then stopped, earning a confused glance from Bdubs.

"I can't do this.", he whispered, looking at Bdubs arm that held him, "I know you'll respawn, but still... You never did anything mean to me."

"I can decide on my own, Grian. I'm a grown ass man. And right now I want to help out my good friend get rid of his debt and maybe get laid. No backing out now. I'm ready to go off with a bang... Or whatever other nasty method Doc chose. And I sure as hell will get him back for it so don't you worry your pretty head over it."

Bdubs gave him a reassuring smile and kept walking, half pulling Grian with him, who had to fall in step not to fall down. When they got to the bottom of the stairs, Grian took a deep breath. Well, it was too late now to turn around and he wouldn't hesitate again. He'd much rather be indebted to Bdubs than to Doc, seeing what that maniac made him go through. After calming down a little Grian put a smile on his face and trying to pretend that everything was alright and going according to plan. Doc should be close by now after all.

"Just around the corner there! I prepared a nice little surprise for you. You just need to get it", Grian said and giggled a little, pretending that he had been able to convince Bdubs to come down here without knowing about the prank. As he looked at Bdubs stupid grin, Grian had to keep himself from looking too fondly at his friend.

"Wow, that is so nice! It is really amazing to have so many friends on this server! I can't wait to see the surprise!"

Bdubs let go of Grian's arm, throwing him one last smile. He jogged up to the corner and then turned to Grian, throwing him one last wink before walking on. A second later there was a deafening boom and hot wind and dust blew through the mine, making Grian's skirt flutter up.

"Well done." Doc stepped out of a side mine and Grian hurriedly pushed the fabric of his skirt down, throwing a glare in Doc's direction.

Doc didn't seem all to impressed by his glare and just kept walking over as Grian slowly stepped back. It only took a few steps for Grian's back to hit one of the walls and Doc's grin widened. He was looming over Grian, one hand pushed against the wall, the other gently resting under Grian's chin, making him look upwards. "Such a good boy, Grian. I feel like offering you something in return for your hard work."

"You are gonna let me keep my diamonds and the emeralds I traded."

An amused laugh left Doc's mouth as he shook his head. "No way. My villagers, my emeralds and my compensation. But you know I heard the rumours... Little Grian walking around and collecting kisses for some challenge. I'd be inclined to give you one more for your collection from the goat himself", Doc whispered in a low, promising voice. His thumb was gently caressing Grian's lower lip and Grian could feel his heart racing.

"Yeah...", he breathed out quietly, not sure what else to say below Doc's looming presence. The moment he answered Doc's lips were on his. It wasn't gentle and he knew his lips might be bruised and swollen later, but he didn't care. He put his arms around Doc, pulling him closer. And then he could feel a hand travelling up his leg, making his way under his skirt. Grian let out a little moan into the kiss, pressing his body even closer to Doc.

He needed to feel more. He needed... He wanted...

Suddenly an image sprang into his mind. Scar standing in front of his door, smiling at him, cheeks red and waving.

Grian pressed his eyes shut, trying to get rid of that thought. He didn't even know why he was thinking about that all of the sudden. He was about to get it on with one of the hottest guys on the server. This was no time to be distracted. He needed do savour this moment. It had been so long since he had any fun. He didn't even know why he had stopped going around the server looking for some fun... He had done it so often last season. And he couldn't even say that he was too busy getting started any more.

A hand grabbing his ass hard brought him out of his thoughts and back into the present. The tongue in his mouth was completely dominating him and he loved every second of it. They separated for a second and Grian opened his eyes again to look at Doc. Doc, who looked at him with such a hungry expression it send shivers through his whole body.

"How about we take this somewhere more comfortable? Not that I wouldn't just take you against this wall, but you don't seem like the type to do it outside."

Grian licked his lips, his heart beating so incredibly fast. He was trying to compose himself to give an answer, but words seemed to fail him at the moment. He hadn't expected for this to head in this direction, no matter what Bdubs had said. He finally settled to simply nod, earning himself a dark chuckle from Doc.

"Well then..."

Grian squeaked when he suddenly felt his feet lifting of the ground. Everything around him was shifting and suddenly he was lying atop of Doc's shoulder, like he weighed nothing and was just a sack to carry around. And he found himself kind of liking it...

The way up the stairs seemed to pass way too fast and it was as if only a few seconds had passed when he was thrown onto the pink sheets of Doc's bed. He looked up at Doc looming over him and took a deep breath to calm his nerves.

"I wanted to do this since I put you into this dress, you know? You look so fucking sexy in it.", Doc growled out, climbing on top of Grian, his hand caressing Grian's hip softly. "So fucking pretty."

And then his lips were on Grian's again and Grian could only whimper at the touch.

Doc was slowly unzipping the side of Grian's dress, pulling the fabric down.

Grian was about to get lost in the sensation, his hips bucking upwards on their own accord. And suddenly he froze. His mind going back to the desperate kiss he had shared with Scar in the End. The way Scar had looked at him. The way his heart had started beating faster. Oh damn it. Why was he thinking of that now?

Doc stopped suddenly, looking at Grian in question. He had probably noticed the way he had tensed up. "You alright?"

“Yeah. Yeah, keep going… Your hand was a little cold. That’s all”,he lied and smiled, letting his own hands wander over Doc’s back.

Doc looked at him as if searching for something, but then shrugged and bend down again, his lips going for Grian’s neck, gently nibbling the skin there. His mouth kept trailing down, leaving a burning hot trail on Grian’s skin.

Grian felt a wave of pleasure running through him, closing his eyes again as he threw his head back, only for his mind to go back to the time when he had made out with Scar in his base. Suddenly this felt so wrong and he didn’t even understand why. He just knew that he didn’t want to do it any more. He put his hands onto Doc’s chest and with gentle force he pushed the other away a little.

"I... Sorry, I can't. I'm just... I don't know. You are a fucking attractive guy but I'm... I guess I'm not in the mood. I keep getting distracted."

Doc heaved a sigh, but without Grian needing to say anything else he pulled the dress back up, patting his head and then standing up again. "Your clothes are in the closet around the corner. Take your time. I'm gonna go work off some steam."

“I am really sorry, Doc”, Grian mumbled, lowering his gaze. He honestly did feel bad for stopping, even if he hadn’t wanted to go on.

“No need to apologize or explain. It’s alright.” When Doc had almost reached the stairs down, he turned around again to look at Grian. "If you ever change your mind about this, you know where to find me. No pressure though. I prefer my partners to enjoy themselves…"

Grian stayed in the bed for a few more seconds, starring up at the ceiling. Damn. What had just happened? He must be really tired or something like that. Maybe he had been going around kissing too many people that his brain started mixing everything up… Yeah that sounded about right. Maybe he just needed to spend a few days without kissing anybody and then he would be focused on the task again…

It couldn’t have anything to do with Scar. All of this was just a game after all.

[jimmymcgools]

If you're still up for the writing ask meme: the part in chapt 13 where Kim decides to take the phone call in *another* direction (like, WHY does she decide to do that?)

(thank you for letting me ignore this for a full week as i worked on chapter 4 of slip and fall season instead ♥️)

but yes i will do this forever!!! if anyone else has scenes they’d still like to hear my thoughts on 🙏hmu

fic commentary meme and my answers 

the boring doylist answer to your question is: because considering the 1x03 call i figured if i was gonna write mailroom mcwexler i’d be letting myself & everyone else down if i didn’t include a phone sex scene!

and “hold tight to the ropes” really hooked me on the idea of jimmy calling from cicero. so huge credit to that wonderful fic, i mention it in the chapter notes because i stole (and hopefully remixed?) so much of that set up. 

A click. “Hello?” “Hey,” Jimmy says. “Happy Thanksgiving.”  this made me think of mulder and scully when i wrote it and i thought of them reading it over again now. 

“A Thanksgiving classic,” Kim says dryly. “No Way Out.” Jimmy grins. “Nice. Costner at his best.” one of those movie picks where hopefully kim’s joke works just based on the title. jimmy’s dialogue could read ironic, but i do think this is one of costner’s best roles. 

Jimmy chuckles. “We played Monopoly.” mcgill bros monopoly! writing this chapter i learned that you’re supposed to auction off properties if you don’t choose to buy them when you land on them, apparently. #research  💀that’s right i researched monopoly “10 most common arguments people have over a game of Monopoly according to Hasbro” guess i should’ve credited more in my chapter notes huh

A scrap of paper reading That Hamilton Woman rests beneath the plastic but above the original cover for The Boys from Brazil. ruth mcgill playing favourites with laurence olivier movies

“Yeah,” Kim says. “Yeah, sometimes it would snow.” i think i looked this up as well and it only snows like one in 20 thanksgivings but, uh. fanfic.  

Flat white fields dotted with fence posts, like ellipses on a page, drifting into the distance i really like using “this thing looks like writing on a page” type metaphors for kim, but also the idea of endless ellipses seemed pretty perfect for red cloud. 

A little blue dot in the endless fields of white. He exhales. “Kim?” a strange thought process for jimmy here, but he gets to white sands from it somehow. it helps that kim had made the comparison herself, too, while they were at white sands. that it reminded her of winters back home. 

“Can we go back to White Sands?” he asks. i think/hope you can tell from the convo, but jimmy’s not asking for phone sex, he’s more asking for a return to that openness/vulnerability/intimacy. they’ve had a nice conversation so far, but it’s kind of the conversation two friends might have -- “yeah, family. we fought over monopoly. how are you?” -- and he wants more. 

A beat. “What, tonight? That might be pretty tricky.” kimberly #deflection wexler

“But scared of what I might do next. Scared to get too close, maybe.” i wanted there to be this real wariness in the family around jimmy at this point in his life. i didn’t have much to work with for the acb ruth relationship, other than knowing she had nobody by her deathbed but chuck and jimmy, and that she was still up in cicero/berwyn.  i liked the idea that, as much as ruth loves jimmy, in 1992 she’s starting to close herself off from him in that way mothers can do -- she pretends everything is good, she has innocent conversations about movies, she tells him she loves him. to protect/spare him? to protect the purity of the relationship so that she has an outlet where she can pretend nothing’s wrong for a while? i’m not sure. i don’t think it’s good for them. 

It’s like he can hear the connection between them, the long strands of copper wire humming over the country. little reference to chapter 5 when they’re watching born yesterday: “But this is as precious and as fragile to him as crystal, as a string wound to its snapping point, as small human breaths down copper wire.”

“Is there anything you can do?” Kim asks finally. kim the fixer 

staring up at the vine-patterned cornice. oh great jimmy’s looking at a ceiling again 

He counts the leaves, one-two-three, but his brain keeps racing okay whew, at least i only mentioned this one because i brought it up in the white sands chapter -- “His childhood bedroom back in Cicero used to have one, too, carved with vines or flowers or something” -- because he’s staring at the cornice in the motel room while he’s wondering what else he can do with his life. 

he still feels half a step behind something, like there’s something just around the next bend, like the top of a mountain that keeps vanishing into the distance,  two road trip references for the price of one in this paragraph -- them driving up the sandias out of abq, here

And then, as if she can feel the tension and wants to break it, Kim says, “You know, we could do more than just talk.” ayyy we made it, moment of truth!! so why does kim do it, in the fun, watsonian way? 

i think it’s largely what you’ve brought up before -- like she does in breathe, and elsewhere in acb -- i think it’s kim turning to sex when the emotions get too muddy. and you put it better than me! “Kim seems to go physical instead of talking about things”. and when they’re states apart on a phone call? close enough! 

it’s also fixer kim still, right? she can tell that she hasn’t really helped at all with her responses, that jimmy’s still hurting. so here’s take 2. and maybe it’s kim following her own advice she’s just given to jimmy: “is there anything you can do?” 

and there’s that “kim and jimmy giving the other person what they think they need” thing that we’ve all talked about before. and i can’t remember the origin of it now! some interview? 

also she’s definitely hungry for it right now, too. that, like, addictive connection after she’s walled herself off for so long. and after she’s had that “i should call jimmy--oh shit i can’t. huh. hm. this is fine.” moment earlier in the day, too. 

“I’m kidding,” Kim says quietly. “Don’t leave me hanging.” and yeah, with the jimmy pov im always worried about trying to show how much kim wants jimmy, too. i hoped to give the sense that she needed the connection in this scene, too. 

“I mean, I haven’t checked the window, so Gene Hackman might be out there with an audio dish, but—yeah.”  always time for a movie reference. a bit of an ironic one -- he’s referencing the conversation, and i’m pretty sure the chuck stuff in 3x10 is inspired by the scene at the end of that movie when hackman tears up his apartment hopelessly looking for a bug.  (also jeepers, second gene hackman movie of the phone call, he’s also in no way out)

“I miss touching you.” It’s the first time he’s really spoken out loud about that physical intimacy, and something unwinds in his stomach, something that’s been coiled there a long time. oh man, spoilers for safs chapter 4 -- but interesting to reread this part of the conversation in particular when i’ve just written a chapter trying to show a really comfortable physicality between them. aw man. 

He breathes out, tipping his head back against the cold door, eyes tracing over the bare basement ceiling. there he goes there he goes again.mp3

And Kim exhales, and it sounds heavier than it did earlier. “You know, I had bruises there after last time.” starting from jimmy’s “i miss touching you” and then this from kim, i wanted to play with this shift in excitement/energy in the phone sex that comes when they both start actually opening up about the specific emotions/fallout from white sands that’s otherwise mostly gone unsaid. it drifts into more of a pure fantasy scenario after this but i always liked that honesty being a catalyst  kim: “I thought you might notice somehow.” :( 

and then it also seemed very them that they’d end up going with this HHM fantasy with discovery stakes and everything 😂they love their hypotheticals. and also i kinda got to weave in mailroom sex to the fic, almost, sneakily! 

“Thank you yourself,” she says you’re welcome seriously

i hope that wasn’t just me repeating everything we’ve already talked about back at you! 😂

[newstfionline]

Tuesday, April 13, 2021

Biden’s Infrastructure Push Spurs a Flurry of Lobbying in Congress (NYT) Members of Congress have begun a frenzy of lobbying to ensure that their pet projects and policy priorities are included in President Biden’s $2 trillion infrastructure and jobs plan, eager to shape what could be one of the most substantial public works investments in a generation. Officials across the country are dusting off lists of construction projects and social programs, hoping to secure their piece of a plan aimed at addressing what the administration estimates is at least $1 trillion worth of backlogged infrastructure improvements, as well as economic and racial inequities that have existed for decades. “My phone is blowing up,” Pete Buttigieg, the transportation secretary, said in an interview. Nearly every lawmaker “can point to a road or a bridge or an airport” in his or her district that is in dire need of repair.

Truck seized over ‘munitions of war,’ 5 forgotten bullets (AP) Gerardo Serrano ticked off the border crossing agents by taking some photos on his phone. So they took his pickup truck and held onto it for more than two years. Only after Serrano filed a federal lawsuit did he get back his Ford F-250. Now he wants the Supreme Court to step in and require a prompt court hearing as a matter of constitutional fairness whenever federal officials take someone’s property under civil forfeiture law. The justices could consider his case when they meet privately on Friday. It’s a corner of the larger forfeiture issue, when federal, state or local officials take someone’s property, without ever having to prove that it has been used for illicit purposes. Since 2000, governments have acquired at least $68.8 billion in forfeited property, according to the Institute for Justice, a libertarian public interest law firm that represents Serrano and tracks seizures. The group says the number “drastically underestimates forfeiture’s true scope” because not all states provide data. Serrano’s troubles stemmed from some pictures he took along the way of a long trip from his home in Tyner, Kentucky, to visit relatives, including a dying aunt, in Zaragosa, Mexico. The photo-taking attracted the attention of U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents in Eagle Pass, Texas. When Serrano refused to hand over the password to his phone, the agents went through the 2014 silver pickup truck in great detail. They justified its seizure by saying they found ���munitions of war” inside—five forgotten bullets, though no gun. Told to park the truck, he said, he complained a bit before one agent reached into the pickup, opened the door, unfastened Serrano’s seat belt and yanked him out of the vehicle. “I got rights, I got constitutional rights and he snaps back at me, ‘You don’t have no rights here. I’m sick and tired of hearing about your rights.’ That took me aback,” Serrano said.

Should the U.S. boycott the 2022 Winter Olympics in China? (Washington Post) As if there aren’t enough sources of Sino-U.S. friction already, an emerging new irritant may soon outpace the rest: the growing calls for a boycott of Beijing’s 2022 Winter Olympics. The games are still 10 months away. But it’s not too early for the event to turn into a flash point. Critics of China’s ruling Communist Party—including a coalition of more than 180 human rights organizations—argue that the regime’s record of human rights abuses and geopolitical malfeasance ought to deprive it of the right to burnish its image with a spectacle like the Olympics. “Beijing won the right to host the 2022 Olympics in 2015, the same year it cracked down on lawyers and activists across China,” Chinese human rights lawyer Teng Biao wrote earlier this year. “Since then, it has detained journalists; harassed and attacked activists and dissidents even outside China’s borders; shut down nongovernmental organizations; demolished Christian churches, Tibetan temples and Muslim mosques; persecuted, sometimes to death, believers in Falun Gong; and sharply increased its control of media, the Internet, universities and publishers.” An Olympic boycott has become a popular cause among Republicans. Major sporting events—and especially international spectacles like the Olympics—always bear a political dimension.

‘Huge’ explosion rocks St. Vincent as volcano keeps erupting (AP) La Soufriere volcano fired an enormous amount of ash and hot gas early Monday in the biggest explosive eruption yet since volcanic activity began on the eastern Caribbean island of St. Vincent late last week, with officials worried about the lives of those who have refused to evacuate. Experts called it a “huge explosion” that generated pyroclastic flows down the volcano’s south and southwest flanks. “It’s destroying everything in its path,” Erouscilla Joseph, director of the University of the West Indies’ Seismic Research Center, told The Associated Press. “Anybody who would have not heeded the evacuation, they need to get out immediately.” The ongoing volcanic activity has threatened water and food supplies, with the government forced to drill for fresh water and distribute it via trucks. “We cannot put tarpaulin over a river,” said Garth Saunders, minister of the island’s water and sewer authority, referring to the impossibility of trying to protect current water sources from ongoing falling ash.

Colombia’s cartels target Europe (The Guardian) At 5 am on a chilly Tuesday morning last month, 1,600 police officers and balaclava-wearing special forces, bristling with arms and battering rams, were ordered into action around the Belgian port city of Antwerp. More than 200 addresses were raided in what was the largest police operation ever conducted in the country and potentially one of the most significant moves yet against the increasingly powerful narco-gangs of western Europe. An incredible 27 tonnes of cocaine have been seized on Antwerp’s quays, in container ships and safe houses, with an estimated value of €1.4bn (£1.2bn), and many arrests have been made. It has been hailed as a mighty blow against what Belgian federal prosecutor Frédéric Van Leeuw calls “a world where morality has totally disappeared”, but Operation Sky has also highlighted a chilling development. Europe has eclipsed the US as the Colombian cartels’ favoured market, because of higher prices and much lower risks posed by European governments in terms of interdiction, extradition and seizure of assets. Jeremy McDermott, a former British army officer who is now executive director of the thinktank InSight Crime, said a kilogram of cocaine in the US is worth up to $28,000 wholesale but that rises to $40,000 on average in Europe, and nearly $80,000 in some parts of Europe. “It is more money for less risk. I see a deliberate decision by some of the top-level Colombian traffickers, based on sources who sat in a series of meetings in 2005-6, where the business decisions were made,” McDermott said. “It is a business no-brainer.”

Conservative Ex-Banker Headed to Victory in Presidential Election in Ecuador (NYT) Guillermo Lasso, a 66-year-old conservative former banker, was set to win Ecuador’s presidential election and beat out Andrés Arauz, a 36-year-old leftist handpicked by former President Rafael Correa. With more than 94 percent of the votes counted after 10 p.m., Mr. Lasso had 52 percent compared with Mr. Arauz’s 47.32 percent, according to the Electoral Council official counting system in Ecuador. Mr. Arauz conceded defeat. The vote signaled a desire, at least among some, to shift right following years in which Mr. Correa has held sway over the country.

England reopens with pints pulled, shopping sprees and hair cuts (Reuters) People queued up outside retailers across England on Monday to release their pent-up shopping fever and some grabbed a midnight pint or even an early haircut as England’s shops, pubs, gyms and hairdressers reopened after three months of lockdown. After imposing the most onerous restrictions in Britain’s peacetime history, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the reopening was a “major step” towards freedom but urged people to behave responsibly as the coronavirus was still a threat. Getting people spending again is crucial for Britain’s recovery after official data showed that 2020 was the worst year for its economy in more than three centuries with a 9.8% decline in gross domestic product.

Tropical Cyclone Seroja flattens Australian town (Washington Post) A tropical cyclone battered Australia’s west coast Sunday night and into Monday, destroying homes and leaving thousands without electricity. Severe wind gusts of up to 105 miles per hour tore houses apart and sent debris flying all over Kalbarri, a coastal tourist town of 1,350 people in Western Australia. Authorities estimated some 70 percent of the town’s buildings were damaged. Drone footage from the scene showed dozens of homes with their roofs ripped off. Power lines were down and roads were littered with shards of metal and other debris. Cyclone Seroja made landfall as a category three storm at about 8 p.m. local time on Sunday between the towns of Kalbarri and Gregory. Cyclones of such intensity rarely travel this far south in Australia, and towns outside the cyclone belt are not usually built to withstand the devastating conditions.

Muslims navigate restrictions in the second pandemic Ramadan (AP) For Ramadan this year, Magdy Hafez has been longing to reclaim a cherished ritual: performing the nighttime group prayers called taraweeh at the mosque once again. Last year, the coronavirus upended the 68-year-old Egyptian’s routine of going to the mosque to perform those prayers, traditional during Islam’s holiest month. The pandemic had disrupted Islamic worship the world over, including in Egypt where mosques were closed to worshippers last Ramadan. Ramadan, which begins this week, comes as much of the world has been hit by an intense new coronavirus wave. For many Muslims navigating restrictions, that means hopes of a better Ramadan than last year have been dashed with the surge in infection rates though regulations vary in different countries. A time for fasting, worship and charity, Ramadan is also when people typically congregate for prayers, gather around festive meals to break their daylong fast, throng cafes and exchange visits. Once again, some countries are imposing new restrictions.

Iran blames Israel for sabotage at Natanz nuclear site (AP) Iran on Monday blamed Israel for a sabotage attack on its underground Natanz nuclear facility that damaged the centrifuges it uses to enrich uranium there, warning that it would take revenge for the assault. The comments by Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh represent the first official accusation leveled against Israel for the incident Sunday that cut power across the facility. Israel has not directly claimed responsibility for the attack. However, suspicion fell immediately on it as Israeli media widely reported that a devastating cyberattack orchestrated by Israel caused the blackout. If Israel was responsible, it would further heighten tensions between the two nations, already engaged in a shadow conflict across the wider Middle East. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who met Sunday with U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, has vowed to do everything in his power to stop the nuclear deal. According to US intelligence officials, it could take more than nine months to resume enrichment in the nuclear facility.

Abductions and Torture Rattle Uganda (NYT) Armed men in white minivans without license plates picked up people off the streets or from their homes. Those snatched were taken to prisons, police stations and military barracks where they say they were hooded, drugged and beaten—some left to stand in cellars filled with water up to their chests. The fear is still so palpable in the capital, Kampala, that many others have gone into hiding or left the country. Three months after Uganda’s president, Yoweri Museveni, won a sixth five-year term in office in the most fiercely contested election in years, his government appears to be intent on breaking the back of the political opposition. His principal challenger, Bobi Wine, a magnetic musician-turned-lawmaker who galvanized youthful crowds of supporters, is now largely confined to his house in Kampala. Mr. Wine’s party said on Friday that 623 members, supporters and elected officials have been seized from the streets and arrested in recent weeks, many of them tortured.

Prince Philip’s mourners in the South Pacific (Foreign Policy) The death of Prince Philip, the husband of Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II, triggered mourning rituals across the country over the weekend. The mourning is not only reserved for the United Kingdom—on one of Vanuatu’s islands, Tanna, hundreds of members of a local tribe have long venerated Prince Philip as akin to a god, and are preparing to mourn his passing. Although it’s unclear how the Prince Philip Movement began, it is believed to have taken root in the 1970s—given life by the royal couple’s visit in 1974. Key to the movement is the belief that Prince Philip is one with the tribe, and fulfilled a prophecy of a tribesman who had found a powerful wife overseas and “would return some day, either in person or in spiritual form,” Kirk Huffman, an anthropologist, told the BBC.

[coppicefics]

Masked Omens: Week Four

[Image Description: Image 1 - A simple rendition of the Masked Singer UK logo, a golden mask with colourful fragments flying off of it. The mask has a golden halo and a golden devil tail protruding from either side. Below, gold text reads ‘Masked Omens’.

Image 2 - A page from the Opinion section of the Capital Herald, dated Saturday, 16th January, 2021. Full image description and transcript below the cut. End ID.]

Read the fic here!

(Falling records template from Pixeden)

The Capital Herald, Saturday 16th January 2021 Opinion, page 20

Main Story: TOFFLEY GATE: FIFTEEN YEARS ON, IT’S NO HOME Where is the affordable housing that was promised? And why can’t local people get access to it? The Toffley Gate development once seemed like that most elusive of rarities; a politician's campaign promise made real. When Lawrence Richmond, a distinguished barrister, was elected as MP for Toffley South in 2005, it was partly on the strength of his pledge to build a brand new block of affordable accommodation for the people of Toffley. In fact, if you ask most local voters why the future Transport Secretary won his seat, they'll point in the direction of Toffley Gate. The development, it was claimed, would create jobs in the area, boost property values, and allow more buyers and renters on low incomes to invest wisely in their future. Fifteen years on, how are those claims holding up? Well, the development did indeed bring in construction jobs, as well as long-term positions in the shops and services on Toffley Gate's street level. As construction continued, however, some concerns were raised – even as early as February of 2006, seven months before the grand opening – that changes to the specification meant almost all the flats in the towering buildings would be described as luxury apartments, rather than affordable housing. But as long as they were still rented out at low rates, that wasn't necessarily a bad thing. When the development's 312 flats were put on the market, however, 276 of them were priced at luxury rates. The remaining thirty-six were a single block of small studio apartments, suitable for a single occupant or two, a far cry from the family homes Richmond had promised to provide. Protests followed, in 2009 and 2010, but it was too late. Now, fifteen years on, only 194 Toffley Gate units are occupied. The rest remain empty and useless, far beyond the means of most local residents and workers. The Capital Herald popped into the local coffee shop to canvas opinions. “Oh, they're lovely, aren't they?” said Gladys Jones, retired, who'd stopped in with her grandson, Chris, a student. “I'd love one of those balconies, but not on my pension.” And Chris? “They're going for what, two or three grand a month? I could work for years and never save up enough to live there.” What would he like to see done with the place? “Drop the prices, maybe set them up as student accommodation, the uni's always oversubscribed. Or just... make sure normal people can afford them, you know?” “I put my name on the waiting list for the cheap flats when the place opened, when I was about twenty-five,” Jenny Tyler, a teacher, told me. I asked her what changed her mind. “No, I'm still on the list. Fifteen years, I'm still on the list.” Has she considered applying for one of the more expensive unused units? “No. On a teacher's pay? No, in fact, I'm moving back in with my dad. It's cheaper to commute in from Tadfield than to keep paying rent in Toffley.” And what of those behind the counter? Of the three employees on shift, two had joined the waiting list for the affordable housing at Toffley Gate. All three agreed that they'd love to live in one of the fancier units, if it were possible. One, Tom, has a second job as a cleaner on the development. “I have to clean all the luxury homes, even the empty ones,” he said. “And there are a lot of empty ones. Even the ones where you can tell someone's moved in, there's hardly any sign of life. It almost seems like an investment property type thing, but I don't know how they can be making money without sub-letting it.” When approached for comment, Lawrence Richmond – an Eton graduate who lives in a large historic house with his wife and son – argued that he is not responsible for market rates, nor for setting the level of affordable housing provision within the development. Why, then, did he make such grandiose promises during his election campaign in 2005? And why, sixteen years on and after several protests, is he still in office? If Richmond is as keen on affordable housing as he claimed to be in 2005 – as he has continued to claim, during the run-up to every local election since then – there must be something he can do, in his capacity as Toffley's MP, to encourage the building's owners, Selectan Homes Plc, to lower rents and allow lower-income families to access the many unoccupied units in the building. Surely it would be a win-win situation; Selectan would reap the rewards of a fully-let building, existing Toffley Gate residents would benefit from an invigorated community, and local people could live in the area where they actually worked. The businesses established at the base of the Toffley Gate tower blocks would have as many customers as they could want. In short, Lawrence Richmond, what are you waiting for? TINA MOON

[Image Description: A colour photograph of a gleaming block of flats. End ID] [Caption] Toffley Gate gleams in the sunshine. But are its units overpriced? (Photo: Daniel Brubaker on Unsplash)

Right hand column: OLD TUNES ARE BEST How wonderful to hear some music from the good old days on ITV’s The Masked Singer. When I sat down to watch it - under duress, I’ll admit, and largely to keep my wife and daughters happy - I expected nothing but noise of the variety that makes up the modern singles chart. Imagine my surprise and delight, then, when several of the songs reminded me of the heady days of my youth. Some, of course, were older still, overshooting the perfect era of my teenage years to land in the tragically uncool Jazz Age, but for the most part over the last few weeks I have been able to sing along with abandon, embarrassing my daughters no end and infuriating my wife, who is desperately trying to ascertain the identities of all of the disguised celebrities inside the ludicrous costumes. I doubt we’ve ever heard any of those voices before, given that the really big names in entertainment no doubt have better things to do than make such fools of themselves on a Saturday night, so I won’t be participating in the silly guessing game. Instead, I’m picking my favourites based on the songs they sang in the first few weeks. Snake is my favourite, by virtue of singing a Whitesnake song in the first live show, and it was a good enough performance that I will, for now, dismiss last week’s show as merely a momentary lapse in skill and judgement. Bonfire got everyone in my house smiling with ‘Disco Inferno’, and it’s rare that my children and I agree on anything, so they have to be the house favourite. Axolotl chose wisely in channelling Kermit the Frog, a universally beloved entertainer, and Pony’s tribute to America with ‘Horse With No Name’ was very enjoyable, too. So, I don’t know who Snake is but I’m rooting for them anyway, it seems. Who knows what tonight will bring? READER’S LETTER FROM DEREK METTE

Coupon, bottom third of page: [Image Description: Graphic of two falling record sleeves, with corresponding vinyl records also falling beside them. The first album sleeve shows two silhouettes of a face, looking towards each other in the style of the face/vase optical illusion, and is labelled “talking about it - Anathema”. The second shows a closeup of hands holding a book, and is labelled “Anathema - Narrative Devices”. At the bottom of the graphic are track listings. “Talking About It: Talking About it, Here I Go, Talking in Circles, The Magic Word, Seventh Sense, Pour My Heart Out, Nobody’s Fault, For A Spell, Living In The Past, Parting Words. Narrative Devices: Narrative Devices, Stab In The Dark, Look Before You Leap, Out Of The Crowd, Daisy Chains, I Hate To Leave, Ashes, Eagle Eyes, End of Days, Parting Ways.” End ID.] EXCLUSIVE DISCOUNT FOR CAPITAL HERALD READERS Exclusive to the Capital Herald, this voucher entitles you to 50% off the listed price of Anathema's first album, Talking About It, when you buy her new album, Narrative Devices. Featuring hit singles 'Daisy Chains' and 'End of Days', Narrative Devices has been described as 'a breath of fresh air for folk music' and 'a powerful meditation on the stories we tell ourselves every day'. 'Talking About It' contains the gorgeous ballad 'For A Spell', which has already sold over half a million units as a single in the two years since its release. Don't miss out on this amazing deal! Just take this coupon to your nearest participating retailer, or enter code CAP50 when ordering online. [Image Description: A barcode marked ‘FOR RETAILER USE’, from barcode.tec-it.com, and a QR code, from qr-code-generator.com. End ID.] Voucher expires 12AM 23/01/21. At participating retailers only. While stocks last. Not valid outside of fanfiction. For full terms and conditions, see page 28.

[klaineccfanficlibrary]

sour undertones - klaine oneshot

AN: this work is based off of a piece of fanart by animateglee

words: 1723

summary: Kurt finds Blaine’s diary and is surprised at what he finds there. Blaine thought it was good at the time, I mean, he got an A in creative writing from Miss Eavesbridge once! (quarantine fic)

The days have been long for the both of them, and it’s not like he was snooping, really, he wasn’t. He was bored. 

Ever since the lockdown had started in New York, Kurt felt like he was going to go mad. His apartment with Blaine was only small (despite their success and newfound fame, prices to live in the city were still ridiculously high) and there was only so much they could do in such a tiny space. After multiple different jigsaw puzzles and games of monopoly and other miscellaneous things that didn’t involve sitting around and scrolling through Instagram, he was starting to go a little bit crazy.

It was also hard for them - they were different types of people; Kurt was an extrovert… and well, Blaine… not so much. For Blaine, it was much easier; he would happily sit around at home all day keeping himself busy doing nothing much at all. 

But Kurt, he thrived on socialisation, on meeting new people, new faces and interesting personalities. He was growing tired. So he wasn’t surprised when he found himself searching through the shelves and bits of storage in their tiny home, not really knowing what he was looking for. 

He found lots of old things knocking around in their draws - a photo album of their first year together as a couple, and smiled as he looked through the miscellaneous memories that had been captured and saved, something to hold onto for all their lives. The receipt from their one of their many dates, a recipe book Kurt had given to Blaine one year for his birthday in their old loft in Bushwick, and Kurt was a little offended to find it hidden away in a random draw next to their bed, but then he decided to search some more. 

He wasn’t sure why he hadn’t seen it before, but it was a beautiful thing, a notebook with a leather covering and writing on the front, stuck on with different clippings of letters from headlines of newspapers, and Kurt laughed to himself as it reminded him of The Burn Book from Mean Girls. A guilty pleasure of his, if he was being honest. 

However, this expression changed as he opened the notebook. He saw on the very first page, ‘property of Blaine Devon Anderson’ scribbled messily onto the parchment. Around it was lots of different doodles and hearts and other little drawings that made Kurt smile. Then he turned the page, realising what he was actually looking at. 

15th March 2011

Dear Diary, 

Kurt’s eyes widened as he recognised the date. That date was special to them. He recognised it, even more so, when he read the words ‘I kissed Kurt today!’ in big, capital letters, confirming why it was so special to them. That was when he burst out laughing, deciding to read on. Half of him felt bad for reading through his husband’s diary from nine years ago, but dammit - they were husbands! It was healthy to have some secrets in a relationship, he thought. Reading again, a big smile lit up his face.

I don’t think I’ve ever been happier than I am right now. I’ve been so oblivious all this time, and only now I’ve realised how much I appreciate him. I can’t believe that this might turn into a real thing soon! And hopefully, his feelings are the same. I mean, they would be, wouldn’t they? He did kiss me back. Twice. Anyway, I think I love him. He’s beautiful, and his eyes are so blue… 

Kurt was aware that his face was probably lit up like a Christmas tree, but he didn’t care. His now-husband had written about him in his diary on the day of their first kiss. He was allowed to be happy. 

“Kurt?” 

It was only then that Kurt closed the notebook abruptly, jumping up from where he was sat on the floor against the bed, dumping it on the floor and turning to face Blaine, who had now walked into the room. 

“What are you doing?” 

Oh god. Kurt looked suspicious. He was fully aware of that. He was trying to wipe his sweaty palms on his trousers (even if they weren’t allowed outside, didn’t mean his fashion game was going to falter) and his eyebrows were raised up far too high as he tried to keep a sense of nonchalance about his aura but failing. 

“Nothing, sweetheart.” He smiled. The tension in the room was suffocating. He shouldn’t have been nervous, really, he shouldn’t have, but Blaine was standing there looking very worried and curious and Kurt wasn’t ready for whatever would happen next. 

Blaine frowned, moving closer to Kurt. 

“You’re acting weird. What’s going—” 

He paused as he realised the notebook on the floor. He looked at it, sitting there, then back at his husband, whose eyes were now comically wide, and they stared at each other incredulously. 

“Kurt, I swear to fucking god—” 

Kurt broke the tension by letting out a giggle, deciding teasing was the best way to go about this situation. He bent down and picked up the notebook from the floor, and continued to read the page he’d been reading, but out loud to Blaine this time. 

“So, my soft but scratchy lips tasted exquisite… the sweet flavour of starburst fruit gums but also the sour undertones of orange juice, along with the sweet promise of love?” He burst out laughing. Blaine scrambled towards him, trying to snatch his old diary out of Kurt’s hands. 

“Kurt! Give that back!”

“Why… are you talking… about our first kiss… like it’s a fucking Michelin star meal?”  Kurt marvelled, between fits of laughter. Blaine was trying to grab the notebook but Kurt made sure to keep a hand on his chest, preventing him from stealing it back.  

“Kurt… please! I was excited!” Blaine shouted, exasperated. 

That only made Kurt laugh harder, running away from Blaine who was now getting closer to stealing the diary back, so he jumped up on the bed.

“No! I have a right!” He screamed, jumping down from the bed and now running around the apartment, trying to find another excruciatingly cringe-worthy piece of writing to read out to his very embarrassed husband. 

“When we pulled back, I stared into his piercing blue orbs… what the fuck are orbs?” He joked, collapsing onto their couch, reading some more, “and I was so dazed, the only thing going on in my mind was Kurt, Kurt, Kurt, then he said, in the softest, most beguiling voice—” he broke off his reading again, trying to understand Blaine’s writing, “sorry… Blaine? Why are you using such descriptive words? This sounds like a fucking fanfiction!” He laughed, then continuing, “he said we should practice,” he raised his eyebrows as he noticed Blaine was watching him at the end of the couch with an exaggerated pout on his face. 

You’re so mean,” Blaine whined, he fucking whined, and that was when Kurt started to feel bad. 

  “Honey, I’m sorry,” He apologized, “but you’ve gotta admit, it is pretty funny.”  

  “You’re making fun of my sixteen-year-old self’s writing skills,” Blaine said, the pout on his face still prominent, “Miss Eavesbridge gave me an A for creative writing in English at Dalton once!” He said, referencing their Eleventh Grade English teacher.

  “Oh, sweetie, I’m sorry for making fun of your creative writing skills,” Kurt laughed, affectionately, pulling Blaine onto the couch from where he was sitting, untangling his folded arms. “Although I don’t think this would be creative writing since it actually happened.” He cross-examined, stroking his hands through his husband’s hair. He was so grateful that Blaine had loosened up on the gel now, moving away from the brick-like hair he had five years ago. He loved stroking Blaine’s hair.

Blaine groaned in annoyance at Kurt’s display of his pedantic trait but obviously appreciated the attention, nestling his head into Kurt’s neck, wrapping his arms around his husband. 

“You’ve embarrassed me.” 

“That’s what marriage is for!” 

"Rude.”

“You’re cute.” 

Blaine looked up at Kurt then, lifting his torso so he was fully on top of his husband, holding himself up by his hands. “I can’t believe you found my old diary. Although I am sorry that I described our first kiss like a Michelin star meal. It’s just— it was special, you know? And I wanted to remember every bit of it.” 

Kurt’s face was glowing. He was so in love with Blaine, every day his love grew stronger. As he looked into his hazel (Kurt laughed to himself as he thought of the word orbs) eyes, he wondered how he had become so lucky. 

“It was special. Do you want to recreate it?” He replied.

Blaine hummed appreciatively, “mmm. Sounds like a good idea,” and leaned in for a kiss. They stayed like that for a while, breathing each other in, Kurt’s hand cupping Blaine’s cheek, eyes closed. 

When they broke apart, they stared at each other for a while, when Kurt mumbled, obviously quite dazed, “Any sour undertones of orange there?”

Blaine groaned, dropping his head back down onto Kurt’s shoulder, “That honestly sounds so fucking disgusting. I can’t believe I ever wrote that.” 

“Well, actually, you said you wanted to remember every moment of our first kiss, but you actually got a bit of it wrong in your writing.” Kurt acknowledged, picking up Blaine’s old diary again, “you see, here you wrote that I said we should practice, but I actually remember quite clearly that you said that.”

Blaine frowned at this, grabbing the diary out of Kurt’s hands, reading out loud where he had written that. 

“he said, in the softest, most beguiling voice, we should practice. Huh. I did get that wrong. Guess my mind was so dazed all I could think about was Kurt, Kurt, Kurt.” Blaine said, quoting his diary entry. 

Kurt burst out laughing at that, wrapping his arms around Blaine’s neck, pulling him in for a short kiss once again. “You’re such a dork.” 

“But you love me anyway.” Blaine smiled.

“Of course I do. And I know you love me too.” Kurt replied, pressing their lips together again. He loved his beautiful, ‘I-got-an-A-in-creative-writing’, beguiling husband. And he wasn’t going to see the end of this story in a very, very long time.

AO3 link

[boilerevans]

A Waiting Game

Summary: Carrington Price was a small-town girl with a big dream. She just didn’t think it could become real life.

Pairing: Chris Evans / Original Character

Word Count: 2.7k

Warning: SMUT, dom!Chris, spanking, dirty talk.

Author’s Note:  If you’re interested in becoming part of the tag list, comment or message me. :)

Chapter Four 

Chapter Five

When Chris woke up, he immediately felt refreshed. Last night had been the last day of filming and tomorrow he would be back in Boston. He sat up and stretched his arms above his head as he yawned. He grabbed his phone the side table and found that it was already two in the afternoon. Fuck. When was the last time he actually slept for eight hours?  

Carrington: Good morning honey.

11:38 AM  

Carrington: I can’t wait for our date tonight.  

12:05 PM

Carrington: You know if you’re bailing that’s cool.  

1:25 PM

I am so sorry. I just woke up. You still good to meet at 4? Send.

Chris quickly takes off his basketball shorts and heads to the shower. As the hot water covers his body, he begins to feel nervous about his date. He turns the temperature of the water up and moves so the pressure hits the sore muscles of his back. Chris takes his hands and runs them back over his wet hair. Breathe Chris, breathe. He finishes up and checks his phone.  

3:30. My trailer. You owe me ice cream.  

2:47 PM

Damn. She means business. Chris dries off and wraps the towel around his waist. He steps in front of the mirror. Beard looks good. He runs a comb through his damp hair. Chris then heads to the bedroom. He rummages through his clothes making a complete mess. He ends up deciding on a pair of black jeans and a white t-shirt, leather jacket to go with it. He lays the jacket on the couch before going back to the bathroom to finish getting ready.  

Across the lot, Carrington is taking her time to curl her hair into loose waves. She had been dressed for a while seeing as it took Chris forever to get up. She decided on a pair of Levi’s and a lightweight green sweater. She ran her fingers through her light brown hair to help break apart the waves.  

She gets her phone out of her pocket to check the time. Only twenty more minutes. She could work with that. Cara hides her dark circles with some concealer. She hadn’t gotten much sleep from all the nerves. She had been on plenty of dates before, but not with anybody like Chris. Not because of who he was but how he made her feel. She finished with some gold eye shadow and mascara. While sitting on the couch putting on her shoes, there was a knock on the door.  

“Just a second!”  

She quickly pulled up her pants and adjusted her shirt before getting her purse. She opened up the door.  

“Hi.” Chris smiles.

Carrington smiles back. She locks the door and then steps down in front of Chris. He leans down to plant a soft kiss on her lips.  

“You look beautiful.” He says.  

He runs his thumb across her cheek. Carrington grabs the collar of his leather jacket.  

“And this might be the sexiest thing I’ve ever seen you wear.” She says.  

Chris takes her hand and they begin to walk towards the gates of the property.  

“What do you have planned?”  

“I was thinking we could go to Glasgow. Walk around, maybe a little shopping. Then I have a reservation for dinner. After that is up to you?”  

“What do you mean by that?”  

“Well if I get to take you to bed or not?” A smirk crosses his face.  

Carrington takes her hand from his and swats at his chest.  

“Such a perv.” She laughs.  

“Oh, come on. You know those jeans make your ass pop.” He slaps her ass.  

They make it up to the gate and a black SUV sits waiting for them. Chris opens the door up for Carrington and they both slide in.  

“Where to?” The driver asks.

“Just downtown.”  

“Easy enough.”  

The car pulls away and within half an hour they had made it to the central hub of Glasgow. The pair begin walking down the brick sidewalk, their fingers continuously brushing against each other.  

“When’s our reservation?” Carrington asks.  

“Six. So we have about two hours to explore I guess?”  

Carrington nods and starts looking into the shops as they walk. She finds interest and starts to walk into a plant shop. Chris follows shortly behind and watches as she makes her way around the aisles. She gently touches everything as she walks past it. Chris walks up to the front counter.

“Excuse me?” He says.  

“Yes?”  

“I was wondering if you guys deliver?”  

“Uh, we can yes.” The woman says.  

“Could I get two dozen roses sent to this hotel? I’ll call and make sure someone can sign. It needs to be by 7 if possible.”  

“Yes, sir we can get that taken care of.”

“Here’s my card. I’ll be right back.” Chris gives a small grin and leaves to find Carrington again.  

Chris sneaks up behind Carrington and puts a hand on her waist.  

“Hi there.” She smiles.  

“I’m sorry but I need to make a quick call.”  

“What are you up to?” Cara asks.  

“You’ll see,” Chris whispers in her ear.

Carrington watches as he goes back up to the counter and signs a receipt that the woman gives him. After signing and getting his card back, he leaves and steps outside. Carrington gets her phone out of her purse. The call rings only a few times.

“Carrie? What’s wrong?”  

“I’m only telling you this because before long you’ll find out. Probably by tomorrow or sometime next week.”

“What is going on?”

“Well, you know that I’m working with Marvel.”  

“Yes.”  

Carrington sighs into the phone.  

“Carrington you’re scaring me.” She could hear him shutting a door.

“I’ve been seeing Chris Evans.” She rubs the pedal of a peony under her thumb. 

“As in on set?”

“As in he’s kind of my boyfriend and we’re on a date in Glasgow before we come back to the state.”  

“Bullshit.”  

“Just pay attention to the internet. You’ll see.”

The bell on the door rings and Carrington turns to see Chris coming back into the shop.  

“I have to go.” She hangs up the phone and puts it back in her purse.  

“Are you ready to go?”  

Carrington smiles and nods. As they leave, her phone begins vibrating in her purse.  

“Do you need to get that?” Chris asks.

“No, it’s alright.”  

They keep walking down the street and wait at a crosswalk. Their hands brush again.  

“Chris?”  

“Yes, sweetheart.” He looks down at her.

“You can hold my hand. I don’t mind.”  

Chris smiles and interlocks their fingers. They walk around for about another hour before deciding to go ahead and make their way to the restaurant. They find a seat to wait.

“I’ll go grab us some drinks.”

Carrington nods. She watches as Chris walks away and then soon comes back with two glasses of white wine.  

“Mister fancy, aren’t you?” Cara smiles.  

“Shh,” Chris says and takes a seat next to her.  

He checks his watch.  

“Shouldn’t be too much longer.”  

After being seated, Chris requests for a full bottle of wine. They make small conversation as they start eating the appetizer.

“So throughout the rest of the evening, I have some surprises planned for you.”  

“Is that so?” Carrington smirks and takes a drink of her wine.  

“Well after dinner, I was hoping to take you to a hotel tonight?”  

“I am sorry to interrupt but are you two ready to order?” The waiter asks.  

Carrington gives an awkward cough.  

“Or I could come back?”  

“No, we’re ready,” Chris says.  

After they order, the waiter comes with a second bottle of wine. Chris and Carrington awkwardly stare at each other in silence as the waiter fills their glasses.  

“A hotel?” Carrington says as soon as the waiter leaves.  

Chris smiles, “Well I booked a suite. For the weekend actually. I figured you and I could have some time together before we go back to Atlanta.”  

“Alright.” She takes a drink, “What about my clothes? Everything is back at the studio.”  

“I’ve got it all taken care of. I’ll make a call when we leave here and it will be waiting at the hotel.”  

“You’ve got a lot of pull huh?”  

“I just know the right people sweetheart.”  

Through the rest of the dinner, they have conversations about high school and movies, dreams and ambitions. Chris orders dessert to go and they walk outside to get a cab to take them to the hotel. Carrington holds the bag of cheesecake in her lap as Chris calls about her belongings. The sun has set when they make it to the hotel. Carrington waits patiently as Chris takes full control of the evening. She enjoyed having him take care of her. It felt good.  

As they stood in the elevator, there was much tension between them. Walking into the room, Carrington is mesmerized by the beautiful room. A large king-sized bed. Big glass shower.  

“Chris thank you.” She smiled and threw her arms around his neck.  

“Anything for my girl.”  

“I’m your girl?” She pulled away looking up at him.  

“Of course, you are.” He leans down and kisses her gently.

“Say it again.” She coos.

“You’re my girl.” He smiles and kisses her neck.  

“Again.”  

“My. Girl.”  

Chris takes the edge of her sweater and lifts it over her head. Carrington’s hands make their way across Chris’s chest and she pushes the leather jacket off of his shoulders. He pulls his hands away from his waist and takes his shirt off. Carrington looks up at Chris and he places his hand at the base of her neck. She holds her breath.  

“Let’s try something,” Chris says.  

Carrington gulps and then nods. Chris bends down and picks Cara up to take her to the bed. She lays back and watches as Chris takes off his belt.  

“Put your arms up.”  

Carrington slowly moves her arms above her head. Chris kneels onto the bed and then straddles over her hips. He moves her wrists together and then tightly bonds them with his belt. Carrington’s breath hitches. Chris begins to take his pants off and then moves onto Carrington’s. Once they’re both only in their underwear, Chris walks away.  

“Chris?” Cara whimpers and tries to look up for him.  

The lights go out.  

“Shh, baby girl. I’m right here.” Chris is suddenly back by the bed.  

His fingers trail from her ankle up to her breast. His hand leaves her skin. The light next to the bed is clicked on. Carrington blinks as she adjusts to the light.  

“How come you’re naked and I’m not?” Carrington asks.

Chris chuckles. He kneels over and begins leaving kisses down her body. Once he makes it back down to her ankle, he crawls onto the end of the bed.  

“Spread your legs for me, baby.”  

“Where did this come from?” Carrington asks.

“Don’t make me do it for you.”  

Carrington laughs. Big mistake. Chris flips her over onto her stomach. He gets up and goes to lay next to Carrington. He nuzzles his way into her neck.  

“Ass up. Now.” He whispers.  

Carrington feels her face flush and does as she’s told. Chris takes either side of the panties and pulls them down till they hit her knees. His had then comes up her thigh and rests on her ass. Chris groans and squeezes a little. Carrington turns her head to see Chris propped up on his elbow next to her. His eyes catch hers. He removes his hand and brings it back down with a smack. Carrington jumps, but their eyes never leave each other.  

“You need to listen.”  

Carrington nods slightly and Chris rolls her back over. She spreads her legs open. Chris makes his way in between her legs and kneels down. Small kisses are places on her inner thigh and Chris makes his way up to her wet skin. He begins softly sucking on her clit. Carrington’s breathe hitches. Chris slowly begins tracing along her opening. This only lasts a few moments before he pulls away. Chris moves up and positions himself over the top of Carrington.  

“I don’t have to do much work. You’re already dripping for me.”  

Carrington blushes. Chris begins nibbling on Carrington’s collar bone. It becomes more difficult to stay still as Carrington feels Chris’s hard cock rubbing against her thigh.  

“Chris?”  

“Yes, baby girl.” He begins kissing her neck.

“Please.” She whimpers.  

Chris breaks away from her neck. He grabs onto himself and then slides his way into her. They both let out soft moans. Chris keeps a slow pace and reattaches his lips to the skin of her neck. Carrington wanted so desperately to hold onto his arms. Instead, she crosses her ankles around his back attempting to pull him in closer to her. Chris reaches a hand up and holds Carrington’s wrists downs.  

“Be a good girl. Or I’ll have to spank you again.” He whispers in her ear.  

Her breath hitches and he picks up the pace.  

“Yes, sir.”  

“Fuck.” Chris sighs, “You feel so good.”  

They both quickly become breathless. Right before Carrington is about to reach her next orgasm, Chris pulls away. She groans. Chris moves up and undoes the belt around her wrists.  

“I want to feel that mouth wrapped around me,” Chris says.  

He lays on his back and Carrington makes her way to kneel next to his waist. She leans over and takes him into her mouth. From the way she is positioned, Chris can caress her ass in his hand. He gives it a light squeeze and Carrington moves in closer. Chris slides a finger into her wetness. Cara tenses up but continues moving her tongue along his cock.  

“How about you go for a ride to finish baby,” Chris suggests.  

Carrington pulls away slowly and then straddles over him. She takes him into her hand and helps to guide herself onto him. Chris runs his hands and places them on her hips. Carrington lays her body down and rests a hand on his chest. Chris moves her hips and helps in moving her up and down. They reach the finish and Carrington moves to lay next to him. Chris begins to run his hand down her spine.  

“I wanted to talk to you about something.” Chris breaks the silence.  

“Hmm?”  

“I’m going to fly to Boston tomorrow and be in Atlanta in the next few days. I have a house lined up since we’ll be staying to keep filming. And Dodger is going to be with me. My dog.”  

Carrington looks up at him.

“I guess what I’m trying to get to is that I want you to move in with me. Because I know that apartment, you’re paying for isn’t cheap, especially on the salary you have.”

“So it’s our first date and you want me to move in with you?”  

Carrington gets off the bed and begins to go through her bag to find some clothes to put on. Chris gets up and puts his boxers back on.  

“We’ve been sleeping together for nearly two months. We hang out all the time.” 

“Chris. This is crazy.”  

She is now dressed and walks into the bathroom. She brushes the tangles out of her hair. Chris follows her and watches from the doorway as she begins brushing her teeth.  

“You could have your own room. We could make dinner together. Watch movies.” He walks up and wraps his arms around her waist, “Carrington, I’m falling in love with you.”  

Carrington spits out the toothpaste into the sink.  

“What did you just say to me?” She looks at his reflection in the mirror.  

Chris turns her around. They’re now looking into each other's eyes.

“I’m in love with you.” He says.

“That’s not what you said the first time.”  

“It’s what I meant and you know it.”  

Carrington pushes past him. She begins packing her bag up.  

“Where are you going?” He asks.  

“This was a mistake, Chris.” She begins to drag the bag behind her and head to the door.  

“Carrington please don’t go now.” He grabs onto her wrist, “Let’s talk this out.” 

“I’ll see you in Atlanta.”  

And then she was gone.  

Taglist: @katedrexel @denisemarieangelina @smilexcaptainx @winnielinleigh

[theavenir17-blog]

Just how Condo Buyers Can Stay away from Paying Too Much: Ten Crucial Tips

Whether you're some sort of first-time buyer or a expert professional in the real estate online game, purchasing a condominium can be an daunting task, fraught with economic pitfalls as well as potential income. It's an emotional course of action filled with difficult choices-and each and every decision you make has funds riding on it. Finding the right rental for your family's needs will be tough enough; knowing how in order to avoid paying too much for that amazing living space is another job totally.

As a professional Realtor® who have helped countless buyers locate their dream home in addition to save money at the same time, I've produced this guide to help you avoid the prospective hazards inherent in the condo-buying process. I'll show you making certain you've found the correct home, as well as how to loan provider a price to your advantage. These are classes you truly can't find the money for to learn through trial and error.

Suggestion #1: Determine Your House "Minimums" Ahead of Time.

Understand that you can find two condos out there eager for your attention-one that fits your needs and one that suits your desires. In a excellent world, you could choose that will three-bedroom condo with area for your family to grow, nevertheless have the perfect floor policy for entertaining and social get-togethers. Is that big kitchen more vital to you than a few added rooms?

When you begin shopping for your own personal condo, you'll encounter qualities you'll fall in love with for different causes. It's best to list the features you want before you start shopping. Break your personal list into two categories-"Needs" and "Desires"-and prioritize those items accordingly. Understanding what you genuinely need in your condo rather than what you'd like to have will help you keep your priorities straight when you shop around .

Don't let emotion impair your judgment. Satisfy your preferences first, and if you can accomplish some of your desires at the same time, so much the better. What's crucial is to understand the difference before getting caught-up in the excitement in the hunt.

Tip #2: Obtain a Pre-Approved Mortgage.

In case you are not buying with dollars, getting a loan pre-approved could be the smart way to shop for a loft apartment. It tells sellers that you are currently a serious prospect, and you realize in advance the maximum mortgage it is possible to afford.

I've seen customers make the mistake of understanding what they qualify for, but not having pre-approval in writing. You've removed this far, so take next step-get it written.

The good news is that it's easier than ever to be approved for a home loan.

Tip #3: Communicate with Your Realtor.

Coming from finding the right condo to examinations and negotiating the best package, the condo search practice can be exhausting for the particular hardiest souls. That's why smart condo buyers have a Realtor® in their corner. Most vendors you encounter are undoubtedly going to have professionals particular side. Having a pro on your own team is the safest solution to ensure that you get the best deal achievable.

Once you have a clear, detailed photograph of the condo you want, make sure that your agent has the same graphic. This communication is critical. In any other case, you'll both waste time considering homes that hold little curiosity for you.

Also, make sure your Agent knows your priorities. Your own personal shared goal is to it is worth it to find an excellent condo that complies with all of your needs; your Will give will then try to satisfy as much of your desires as possible.

Idea #4: The Cliché is valid... Location, Location, Location!

The particular desirability and resale associated with your condo-to-be depends on place more than any other single aspect. Again, don't let emotion get involved the way of a wise investment. Simply no condo is an island, as well as the value of yours is influenced in what surrounds it. The Avenir showflat

There are several factors that combine to create a fine location. Your first consideration is a neighborhood itself. Every local community has its own unique character; you should make sure you'd be comfortable inside the one you're thinking of moving into. Take a long walk as well as observe carefully. Do folks take pride in their building? Speak to the neighbors and ask concerns that give you a better sense for the property. But try not to appear judgmental-you might be conversing with a future neighbor.

If the developing is to your satisfaction, try to find units on the market in the area. Incredibly large units surrounded by more compact ones tend to appreciate not more than a large condo among some other large condos. Conversely, the actual unit in the building is commonly "pulled up" by the additional units in the building. Nonetheless it might take longer to sell a smaller sized unit when the time will come because many people are unwilling to cover extra for the neighborhood. The Avenir showflat

The outside edge of a neighborhood is normally not good for resale value. You can find noticeable dividing lines in between dissimilar neighborhoods. It could be a change in architectural styles, property or home use or something else. Search for a condo in the middle of a location of similar buildings; it will eventually hold its value far better.

An exception to this rule can be a building on the edge of your neighborhood bounded by h2o, parkland, a golf course or maybe other open space. Normal boundaries appeal to buyers, and the "edge" condos can actually command word a better price. Be mindful, still of the planned use for that open space. A community park is nice; a fresh freeway, strip mall as well as industrial center isn't.

Other stuff that can negatively affect residence values are traffic, seems, smells, etc . Be sure to supply the neighborhood a long, hard seem. The condo you're interested in could be perfect, but if the neighborhood provides problems, your investment defintely won't be worth as much when the moment comes to sell.

Tip #5: Enjoy the Present, but Look at the Future.

Buying a condo is often a big investment. If you can stretch out a little today financially to obtain a unit that you can grow with-whether it's having a child, operating a home-based business, or turning an extra room into your personal gym-do it. In the long run, it will oftimes be less expensive than moving up into a marginally larger unit if the need does arise.

Hint #6: Pay Attention to Red Flags While Evaluating a Condo.

When assessing the advantages and drawbacks of a certain property, be sure you know the big difference between acceptable and unwanted problems.

Some issues-peeling fresh paint, worn carpeting, ugly wallpaper-are cosmetic and can be easily dealt with. You can even use these "problems" during negotiations to lower the particular asking price. After all, you'll need to spend some money to bring the condo around snuff.

Make careful take note of the issues you realize that can be used to your advantage. May nit-pick, however-if taken to two extremes, you could end up alienating owner and creating a hostile ambiance.

In my experience, spending a few hundred or so dollars on a professional condominium inspection is the best investment likely to ever make. A professional inspector brings experience in evaluating a great many homes, good review standards, and an neutral perspective. And a written review can be an excellent negotiating application.

Don't let a condo's optimistic attributes blind you to extremely real problems. If you do, the possibilities are good that you'll end up wasting much more money than you ever before expected at some point down the line.

Fortunately for buyers is that the regulation now requires sellers for making complete disclosure of identified material defects. Make sure to fully grasp this in writing. And carefully take into account how these defects may possibly influence what you're ready to pay.

Tip #7: Some Fixer-Uppers Are "Good-Byes, " Negative Buys.

You may be the sort regarding person who looks at a condo looking for significant work as "a challenge" and an opportunity to make money. Many individuals have bought fixer-uppers at below-market rates, invested a little sweating equity or more than a tiny money on renovation, and after that eventually put it back on the market with a profit.

But if your unit basically priced low enough, you may not recoup your investment of the time, trouble and expense. Prior to deciding to proceed, do a careful examination of what you'll have to spend. Then, consult with your Realtor to master what you can reasonably anticipate to earn when you put the model back on the market. And be certain to consider the unexpected-there's no such thing as being a "sure thing. "

Word of advice #8: Put on Your Best Holdem poker Face.

One of the costliest blunders you can make is letting the vendor know how much you love their condo. Once you've let it fall, you can just about forget about settling the price-the other area knows how motivated you happen to be. In fact , a seller often see this as an opportunity to squash a little more money out of an individual even when you've made a good offer you to start with; no matter how wonderful a property is, keep it to on your own.

Keep your own situation for you to yourself as well. Information can be utilized against you. How much most likely willing to spend, the size of loan you can afford, your move-in deadline-it all can be used to acquire more money out of your pocket. Make sure you tell your agent everything he / she needs to know to be effective with your behalf-whether you plan to pay income or the size of the home finance loan you can afford, etc . Nevertheless , keep your personal circumstances and also timeline to yourself.

Inversely, knowledge is power. The causes behind a sale can often be accustomed to your competitive advantage in the course of negotiations. For example , a vendor whose company has transported him to another city may perhaps be more motivated to sell as compared to someone who is still looking for a fresh home.

Other signs of a new motivated seller include a vacant system, or a condo that's been in the marketplace for several months with savings in the asking price.

Tip #9: Don't Be Pressured, but Carry out Negotiate.

While you want to proceed expeditiously once you're inside negotiations, don't let the other edge pressure you into a speedy close. It may be a sign there's something you should know, but may. And the reason could be well worth money.

Sometimes, the seller's Realtor will try to discourage a hesitant buyer with all the threat of another significant potential buyer. Don't fall under this trap-it will only cost money. If there is another consumer, then the seller's agent will endeavour to get a bidding war started out. In these situations, whoever benefits also loses because the client ends up overpaying.

If there just isn't another buyer, there's a excellent chance that "the various other deal" will fall by means of and the seller's agent should come calling. Be sure to let the different side know that you might be fascinated if this were to happen, prior to deciding to walk away.

You may be the type of person who also prefers a hard-and-fast cost on everything. "I don't like to help haggle, " you point out. But negotiation is the key to secure a good deal! If your goal is to get the best house possible for the least amount of money, then you certainly better be prepared to play. Your personal Realtor can assist you with these sometimes-stressful negotiations.

Tip #10: All set - Set - Obtain!

Good properties move quickly! Once you've made up your mind to get a condo and you've prearranged your Realtor, be prepared to help to make decisions quickly. If you find the ideal unit today but usually are ready to buy until down the road, you may already be too late. Is actually that simple-if you have decreased in love with a particular condominium, somebody else in the market probably has also.

If this all sounds like plenty of work, it is. But this is certainly to be expected when you're getting anything of such fantastic value. And you'll thank by yourself and your Realtor when the result is to your satisfaction.

You should feel free to call me if you'd like further explanation on some of these tips, or if you have virtually any real estate questions at all.

Our mission is to share the information and insights I've obtained from years of experience on the market in order to help you optimize your house investment.

The Avenir by GuocoLand. Hotline 61006768. Get Discount, Direct Developer Price, Brochure, Floor Plan, Price List & More. Former Pacific Mansion at River Valley

[ectrs-blog]

Sports Betting Is Enjoyable!

If you are still slightly confused about what a teaser and parlay is maybe this will enable you to to understand them a bit. 2 The introduction of in-play betting has allowed bookmakers to increase the variety of markets out there to guess on throughout sports events, and gamblers are capable of place bets based mostly on many different types of in-recreation exercise through the matches. Officials said bets provided on the parlor could embrace a variety of sports, including overseas events like soccer and cricket. In Canada and the United States, wagering on sports is barely really allowed in 4 states: Nevada, Delaware, Montana, and Oregon.

This compels bettors such as you to hunt out the very best sportsbook that offer the very best odds in comparison with others and play on this site. However with the legalization of sports activities gambling in the United States and its progressively increasing implementation across the nation, including fastened-odds wagering could be a way for the horse racing to adapt and compete within the changing panorama. To cowl these prices the federal government must increase taxes and drive millions of Americans to surrender extra of their hard-earned cash to help those who have been affected by this on-line on line casino sickness.

Becoming a Professional Sports Investor requires that you've got entry to an enormous away of comparative statistics and a team of people who continually crunches numbers, analyzes performance, and back-exams all of that information to find repeating patterns and traits. Both companies will supply actual-cash sports activities betting this fall in states where it is legal and they are licensed. The findings point out that smartphone playing may very well be problematic for society, due to the ease with which people psychologically predisposed to habit can access betting video games on their cell phones—without ever having to set foot in a betting store.

You should play and place your bets wisely (remember it's your money at stake!), and you'll finally start to win larger amounts of money and even prizes. Nevertheless, most nations, globally, do not need nicely-defined legal guidelines and rules related to sports activities betting and related actions. If you happen to secretly dream of turning into the champion of sports betting on the internet, you shouldn't neglect the recommendation that you will be able to glean on our website.

So trying to find the perfect sports betting websites may be fairly a process and this guide will enable you discover one that is best for you. There would have been lots of people betting on them to return back and win,” he stated. Go to to read an unbiased evaluate a few high-of-the-line sports betting system. This is notably true in a busy on line casino, however even a game or playing app on a smartphone contains loads of audio and visual frills to seize your consideration.

888sport is one of the greatest online betting websites because it provides premium betting promotions from a terrific welcome bonus on a buyer's first deposit to various promotions that blend sports betting with occasions and prizes that prospects need to participate in. there's all the time something to play for other than the fun of profitable that can all the time set 888sport apart from other betting sites and provides prospects each cause to make a sport bet.

While sports betting just isn't truly authorized in New Mexico, two casinos have sportsbooks. Pennsylvania was one of many first states to go a law authorizing sports activities betting. The house vigorish - and your chances of profitable - get worse with the more teams you add. Maybe that is for the concept once you wager online, with a lot of on-line sports activities books, you get the full idea of what one of the best lines and odds are.

HOU -4 vs. JAC - First pattern I see and like, good groups enjoying with out starting QB for the preliminary time usually step it up. Forget Leinart, this recreation is all about the Texans Protection. At first, bettors will have to join accounts in person at casinos, racetracks and off-track betting services. So for novices who're excited by betting on football, the percentages on this sport can be a typically good guideline. Larger selection: You're going to get a huge variety of on line casino video games by enjoying them on-line.

Tioga Downs Casino Resort within the Southern Tier has introduced plans to supply sports wagering beginning Friday. On condition that DraftKings already sells advertisements, together with branded games, by itself properties, DraftKing's involvement in ad sales may help the companies to overcome a possible hurdle in successful over non-endemic advertisers who could also be uncomfortable being related to playing, which most states have yet to legalize. Gombe is aware of the protection and responsibility for football gamers and 3-card gamblers, so introducing a good and quality dealer like 188bet makes you comfortable to play and entertain.

[thisguyatthemovies]

Four for the price of one

“The Last Black Man in San Francisco” (on disc/streaming Aug. 13, 2019; rated R; directed by Joe Talbot; run time 2 hours) is a cinematic love letter to San Francisco, one full of postcard-worthy imagery and tender moments but also one that questions what the City by the Bay has become. The story follows friends Jimmie Fails (as a version of himself) and Jonathan Majors (as Mont). They are adult black males, underemployed but clinging to big dreams. Mont is a sweet, odd man who is an artist and wants to be a playwright. Jimmie is pensive and sensitive. And he is homeless, sleeping on the floor next to Mont’s bed in the home of Mont’s grandfather (Danny Glover). Jimmie and Mont often wheel around town on Jimmie’s skateboard. Jimmie has a fascination for an old Victorian home in the Filmore part of the city, a neighborhood once predominantly black but one now that has been revamped through gentrification. Without the owners’ permission, Jimmie starts fixing up the house. When it becomes vacant, he and Mont move in and plan to get the property through squatting. Their plan is foiled, though, by an aggressive real-estate agent who wants to sell the $4 million home – a price Jimmie can’t possibly afford. While “The Last Black Man in San Francisco” is a story about gentrification (the black population in the city has fallen from about 15 percent in the 1970s to 5 percent today, and a one-bedroom apartment can cost more than $4,000 a month in previously blighted areas of the city), but it makes its social commentary subtly and uniquely (but offers no answers), and through the friendship between Jimmie and Mort. A sort of Greek chorus of young men who hang out on the street ruthlessly insult each other and Jimmie and Mort, and they and others sometimes let the two know they aren’t as “black” or “masculine” as young black men are traditionally expected to be. Fails and Majors are excellent even when they aren’t saying much with words. First-time feature director Joe Talbot (a childhood friend of Fails) fills the movie with warm but decidedly urban imagery. The entire movie seems to have been filmed just before dusk on a warm autumn day. “The Last Man in San Francisco” was released to talk of being a Best Picture contender. And it is worthy of the academy’s consideration. Rating: 95 out of 100.

“Ready or Not” (in theaters Aug. 21, 2019; rated R; directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett; run time 1 hour, 35 minutes) is a horror story (and a gruesome one at that) that also is a thinly disguised condemnation of old wealth. It stars Samara Weaving as Grace, a young woman who is about to marry into money. That money belongs to the Le Domas family, who inherited their riches from a relative who made his fortune through board games – and apparently made a deal with the devil in the process. After she marries black sheep Alex Le Domas (Mark O’Brien), the family informs Grace she must participate in a Le Domas wedding night tradition. Grace and her new in-laws will play a game randomly chosen from a stack of cards. When Grace draws a hide-and-seek card, she laughs it off. But soon she realizes the game is deadly. Grace must stay hidden from her armed pursuers in the darkly lit family mansion (candles everywhere despite the film being set in the present day) until dawn the next day. If she survives, terrible things will happen to the Le Domas family. “Ready or Not” is brutal in its violence but also aspires to be a dark comedy, and in the end it does both better than average, but not a lot better than average. It seems to work best as an action/suspense film when the family is chasing Grace. The black comedy has its moments, but the laughs are sporadic and the dialogue annoying (and full of F-bombs). Also grating are some of the characters, particularly Alex’s Aunt Helene (Nicky Guardagni), who glares at Grace throughout and looks ridiculous in swept-back hair and too much eyeliner (there are many smoky eyes throughout). Weaving is the film’s strong suit, but she delivers a ridiculous one-word last line, one that simultaneously goes for a cheap laugh and groans. “Ready or Not” is bloodier and more contemporary but mines much of the same territory as last year’s “The Favourite.” Both want us to know that the wealthy are weird at best and dangerous at worst. Rating: 74 out of 100.

“Overcomer” (in theaters Aug. 23, 2019; rated PG; directed by Alex Kendrick; run time 1 hour, 55 minutes) is a movie with a message, one it doesn’t reveal (though a few hints are apparent) until about a third of the way through. And then it hammers home that message time and time again. “Overcomer” is a faith-based film directed by Alex Kendrick and co-written by him and his brother, Stephen Kendrick, who have made a series of Christian dramas that are produced inexpensively but do moderately well at the box office. Alex Kendrick also stars as John Harrison, a basketball coach at a Christian high school. The city where it is located is experiencing hard times. When the largest employer shuts down, Harrison’s best players start moving away and the school starts cutting jobs. The principal (Priscilla Shirer) assigns Harrison the school’s cross-country team. But just one runner, Hannah Scott (Aryn Wright-Thompson), a sophomore move-in with asthma and a penchant for small-time theft, tries out. Harrison is trying to come to grips with his situation when he, by chance, meets a hospitalized middle-aged man (Cameron Arnett) who just happens to be a former cross-country runner and expert on the sport. When Harrison seeks his help, he gets more than he bargained for. At this point in the story, “Overcomer” shifts from a potential teen sports drama to an all-out story of faith. Much of the dialogue in the second two-thirds is praying or talking about praying (and much crying), and Hannah finds the Lord with the help of her principal. The climactic scene takes place at the state cross-country finals. And since we only get to know one of the many runners, and since she is the only one who we are certain has found Christ, guess who wins the state championship? “Overcomer” is predictable and full of many plot conveniences, and the acting, to put it kindly, is not major motion picture caliber. But it is a nice enough film. And if you are in the choir it preaches to, the message will mean much more than the way it is delivered. Rating: 35 out 100.

“Suspiria” (2018; rated R; directed by Luca Guadagnino; run time 2 hours, 32 minutes) is a film that is not for everyone. And when I say not for everyone, I mean it’s a film not for many people at all. But if you are into artsy, pretentious (to say the least), macabre stories about witchcraft and the ritualistic mutilation of human bodies set against a backdrop of a 1970s German dance troupe, this is the movie you’ve been waiting for. “Suspiria” is a reboot (not really a remake) of director Dario Argento’s 1977 horror classic of the same name. In this version, Susan (Dakota Johnson) is a young American dancer who comes to Berlin in the 1970s to study at a prestigious dance academy, Markos Tanzgruppen. Something is amiss from the get-go, as Susan is replacing a dancer who left the academy under mysterious circumstances. A power struggle is taking place among the academy’s leadership, but for now it is being run by Madame Blanc (Tilda Swinton). She becomes enamored with Susan, whose talent is immediately apparent. But Madame Blanc has more in mind for Susan than her becoming the academy’s star dancer. In the meantime, an elderly, grieving psychotherapist, Dr. Josef Klemperer (played by “Lutz Ebersdorf”), is treating the displaced dancer, Patricia Hingle (Chloe Grace Moretz), who is convinced the academy is being run by a cloven of witches. Soon, other dancers are meeting Patricia’s fate. What lies ahead for Susan? “Suspiria” might be the darkest movie you see, literally. The lighting budget could not have been more than a few dollars; some of the scenes are so dark as to make it difficult or impossible to tell what is going on. The Berlin setting is bleak; apparently it was never not raining in 1970s Berlin. Swinton is fantastic, of course, playing three roles, including a man. But much of “Suspiria” will be lost (or worse) on your average movie-goer. The audio alone is disturbing, with the crystal-clear sounds of breaking bones, much heavy breathing and grunting, and a wonderfully and fittingly strange-but-beautiful score by Radiohead’s Thom Yorke. And there will be blood. And guts. And lots of them. If you can stomach it, and if you don’t mind a film that seems to jump the rails but keep plowing ahead (sometimes into unintentionally funny territory) about the two-hour mark, “Supspiria” can be rewarding and mesmerizing. Everyone else should take a pass, though. Rating: 78 out of 100.

[choiceslife]

When Worlds Collide: Part Five (Limited Series)

Disclaimer: Based upon characters in Choices - Endless Summer, It Lives in the Woods, The Royal Romance, #LoveHacks, Home for the Holidays, and The Elementalists series. All characters presented are the property of Pixelberry Studios. I claim no ownership. This story is purely the work of the poster as fanfiction.

Overall Series Rating: 18+

Warnings: Adult Language, Adult Content, Sexual Discussions. Future chapters may contain SMUT and Gratuitous Sexual Descriptions

Overall Series Summary: The sisters are together again and Ava Cunningham believes only they can help her.

Author’s Note: This Limited Series is a companion/sequel to Divided By Circumstance. I suggest you at least read that series in order to understand this one. As with most of my stories, this is a crossover and is part of my interconnected Chromatic AU. My MC’s are as follows: Carrissa Monroe (TRR), Abby Bennett (#LH), Scarlett Joy (HFTH), Taylor Reed (ES), and Donovan Bailey (TE). Previous Chapters can be found in my Master List located in my header.

Tag List: @cinnamonroll-duffy @darley1101 @debramcg1106 @brightpinkpeppercorn @katurrade @ladynonsense @luxurylives @regrettingnathan @teamtomsato @akrenich @riseandshinelittleblossom @kinkykingliam @jlouise88 @eileendannie @marshmallow-ortega @littlecrookedheart @i-choose-liam @tmarie82 @bobasheebaby @boneandfur @europeanguy @walkerismychoice @pixieferry @sstee1 @endlessly-searching-for-you

***

New York City, New York

Carissa, Abby, and Scarlett removed their hands from the amulet that Ava had instructed them to hold. They couldn’t believe the visions the ornate piece of jewelry projected into their minds. As sad as the three women felt to learn of the terrible price their mother paid to bring them into this world; just knowing the lengths she went to protect them gave the sisters some closure.

“So our mom knew about the powers we possessed? And she knew that birthing us would kill her?” Abby wiped a stray tear from her eye. Knowing the sacrifice her birth mother made broke her heart.

Ava placed the amulet back into the black velvet bag which Cora kept it stored. She could have told the sisters the lengths Cora went to hide them from the world, but Ava thought it better for the three to see for themselves. “From what I could gather from the amulet and Cora’s journals, Anastasia figured out sometime after the first trimester that she was carrying babies with extraordinary abilities. It was Cora that let your mother know the likelihood of her surviving the birth was extremely low. Carrying three of the most powerful beings in the universe takes a toll on the human body.”

“What about the fact that the late Senator Vega is our father?” Carissa questioned. “Mom clearly feared him finding out about us.”

“Thankfully we won’t have to worry about him.” Abby placed her hand onto Carissa’s shoulder to calm her worries.

“Are either of you upset that everything we have is because Cora set things in motion to keep us apart as her way of keeping us safe?” Scarlett questioned. Tears were also in her eyes as she looked at the tall woman standing before her. “Why couldn’t she find us when we became adults and tell us about our birthright?”

“I think Cora did what she felt was best. She certainly nudged some things, but you three are where you are because of your own strengths.” Ava took a seat across from the sisters. She took a deep breath, knowing that the trio had a lot to process. “Perhaps we should...”

Carissa rose from her seat on the couch, which immediately silenced Ava mid-sentence. “It seems that Cora went to great lengths to keep my sisters and I apart. Fate of the world and all that. But you’re wanting us to use our powers for some purpose that you haven’t quite explained. Why risk something that Cora worked so hard to prevent?”

“Fate actually brought you together with your sisters after Cora’s death, Your Majesty,” Ava answered. It was true. Without Cora Pritchard around, the universe set in motion to bring The Sisters back together. “When you three came together, you felt something. A spark. You broke Cora’s binding spell. My original plan was to come tell you about your powers and then re-engage the binding spell with some tweaks so that mere touches between each other wouldn’t break it again.”

“Original plan? What changed?” Carissa asked.

___

The groups stepped away to mingle, giving Ava some private time with Carissa, Abby, and Scarlett. The shaggy haired pilot found a corner of the room that gave him a vantage point to watch the others while he got lost in his own thoughts.

Cade mingled with Griffin and Zeph, taking a moment to feel the former’s biceps, while Lucas teetered on the edge of the group. Stacy seemed to marvel at Shreya’s fashion, while Donovan and Beckett snuck flirtatious little finger grabs with each other. Mara checked up on Eagle Eye stationed outside the door, as Dan pulled up a seat beside Jake.

“You’re never much for group chats are you?” Dan questioned as he playfully punched Jake on the knee. The pilot smiled back with a low laugh that caused Dan to tingle inside. Something kept pulling him back to the gruff smart ass he’d known for all of a few days, despite Jake’s attempt to steer him towards Lucas. Dan liked Lucas for sure. He’s smart, attractive, and a phenomenal friend. Yet something was missing. Dan didn’t feel that spark. His breath didn’t hitch in his throat like it did the first time he saw Jake. It was wrong to feel this way. Dan knew he was here to help Jake get Taylor back; but part of him imagined a future involving the brash, ex-military guy with a penchant for nicknames.

“Not particularly Mop Top, but I don’t mind talking to you.” Jake flashed that underwear dropping grin of his and Dan swore he felt himself tighten against his jeans. Jake noticed, but before he could give his new friend grief, he spotted the Queen approaching out of the corner of his eye. “Your Majesty,” Jake said jumping to his feet and pulling Dan up with him in the process.

“Please, you don’t have to do that. Sit, sit. Call me Carissa. You’re Jake, right?” The Queen inquired, extending her hand to the shaggy haired man before her.

“Yes ma’am...err...Carissa. And this here is Mop...Dan.”

“Pleasure to officially meet you both.” Carissa took a seat beside the two men, gesturing for them to sit back down. Although she didn’t know him, the dog tags around his neck gave her some confidence that Jake would be trustworthy and honorable enough to be forthright with her. She had been through so much in Cordonia before marrying Liam and her emotions were on overdrive the past week after meeting her sisters. And now she had a gaggle of strangers telling her that she was part of a powerful witch trio. To say that her mind was blown would be an understatement. At this point, Carissa was beginning to doubt her sanity. The scariest part to her was that she believed them. Hell, someone could show up next week and tell her that Justin was abducted by an evil corporation and replaced with a murder prone robot and she’d believe it. “So Jake, tell me something. What made you believe Ava’s words? I have to think a military man like yourself isn’t someone that is easily swayed by simple stories.”

Jake ran a hand through his hair as he contemplated Carissa’s question. Why did he believe Ava? His very first interaction with her, she used her friend Dan as a thirst trap. Yet it worked and after speaking with the two, Jake felt a level of comfort that was quite rare for him. The last time he trusted that quickly was the day he met Taylor. “To be honest Carissa, I wasn’t swayed by Ava’s words. Something inside told me that I could trust her and Dan.”

“She believes that Taylor left a bigger impression upon you and your friends than Vaanu expected. The feeling Ava got from her interactions with Taylor was that he was supposed to fade from your memories in short order after he left, but the love you all have is willing him back into existence.”

“Sounds like Taylor,” Jake chuckled. “Things happened on La Huerta that nobody will ever know. Taylor saved the world, but he also saved me as a person.”

“Thank you Jake,” Carissa said as she clasped his hands between her own. She left the two men back to return to their conversation while she rejoined her sisters.

“So? What do you think?” Abby asked with baited breath. Her mind had been made up rather quickly. Abby thought it would be super fun to experience magical powers. It must have been Ben’s comic book imagination rubbing off on her. Scarlett was a little more reserved, but was willing to try if precautions were in place. All that remained was Carissa.

___

Griffin gathered his friends beside Ava. It was time for them to return to Penderghast. The had work to do on their own mission. “I wish we could stay cousin, but circumstances beckon us back home.”

“Yeah. Donovan has Thief practice tomorrow and he’s gonna need to focus. Especially since he missed the first game,” Zeph remarked.

“Thief practice?” Stacy arched an eyebrow at Zeph’s words.

“It’s like flag football,” Donovan answered. “Just with magic.”

“Yes. Well, while you all entertain yourselves with sport, I’ll be studying in the library,” Beckett scoffed.

Shreya and Zeph chuckled at Beckett’s expense before the two groups said their goodbyes. Cade hugged Griffin just a little longer and tighter than the others, much to Stacy’s chagrin. Ava watched her girlfriend forcefully whisper to their friend after his embrace as Griffin’s friends made their way back through the mirror portals.

“So you’re all going to forget about this as soon as you go through?” Ava questioned as she hooked Griffin’s arm before he could depart.

Griffin nodded to his cousin. He knew she was slightly sad that he’d forget seeing her again after so many years apart. “It’s for the best. The Sisters need to stay safe. Just remember what I told you about the potions and the talisman. If they agree to help you, the talisman will keep your location hidden. I imagine magic that powerful will be sensed by many attuned beings rather quickly. Once you’ve completed your task, use the potions for binding and memory alteration.” Ava hugged her cousin one last time before watching him disappear through the mirror to rejoin his friends.

___

The Queen and her sister’s gathered the attention of those that remained. “I’m surprised to see your cousin leave us so soon Ava,” Carissa said, a hint of dejection in her voice

“He and his friends have some matters to handle back in their realm, but I assure you that Griffin put precautions in place to keep your secrets safe. He also provided me with a few items that should assist with the spell if you, Abby, and Scarlett are willing to help.”

Carissa looked between her two sisters, both of whom were smiling greatly before confirming to Ava their willingness to try and restore Taylor to the timeline. “We were talking between ourselves about what to do. Something you and Jake mentioned struck a chord with us. You said Taylor has been trying to will himself back into existence. And Jake mentioned that lots of things went down on La Huerta. If we are going to have the best chance of being successful, I think we need to go where Taylor’s Earth presence was strongest.”

“You’re saying we need to go to La Huerta,” Jake grinned.

“Precisely.”

“Well then Your Majesty, I’m sure you’ve got access to a Royal jet. Think you can take this motley crew with you? I need to make some phone calls and arrangements for some others to join us. If we are going to be successful, then we won’t only need La Huerta. We’ll need those that still have Taylor in their hearts.”

The Queen nodded in agreement while Stacy practically bounced off the walls, excited no doubt to get to fly on a luxurious royal airplane replete with every amenity imaginable.

“Excellent,” Jake replied. “I’ll send you the coordinates and let Malfoy... errr, Aleister know we’re coming so arrangements can be made for your arrival. La Huerta here we come.”

***

(To be continued)

[foxrun-fluffery]

The Greatest Distance - Daily Challenge

Tag list: @sdavid09 @walking-potter-davinci-games @sherala007

Time sinks are great aren’t they, you just fall into an activity and time drifts away as you enjoy your activity…what is your character’s time sink?

Idle Hands

Bofur sighed, hating that he had these unplanned days off. But the production line was at a standstill after a fire in the building one night. Something about the electrical wiring. Beyond him, but he knew enough to know it was a problem that required professional repair, and he wasn’t qualified so he stayed home, while Piper worked and he had little to do. He had fixed the kitchen sink, and the back steps, and installed a new handrail in the front. With the two of them trying for a child, he wanted extra safety measures in place.

While he was puttering, he spotted the toy his cousin had made for Riordan and his heart ached for those he had left behind. It hurt, but not as bad as living without his One. Within the hour, though, he had wandered outside, to the very same oak tree, and had cut one of the branches to work with. Soon he had a small line of wooden toys, a couple of horses with moving legs and hairy tails, the old fake fur coat that Piper had thrown into the dumpster yesterday had been cut up. Then he added some other things, a detailed dragon, far too detailed he realized after looking it over and feeling a chill at the base of his spine. So he made happier things, bunnies and kittens, and one running dog. There was some weatherproof varnish for the deck in the garage, and he coated each piece in that, letting them dry outside. It felt good to have his hands on wood again, and it filled up three separate dull afternoons. After that he made some nice serving ware, a few bowls, a large serving bowl, and a ladle and spoons. Rather pleased with his creations, after a week of happily working on them, he found himself sitting on the deck, which he and Piper had built the year before, staring at them. Now what?

Coming out with a tray of iced tea, which Bofur swore would both intrigue and horrify poor Bilbo Baggins, Piper looked at the carvings again. “You know… the farmer’s market in town starts next week. It’s not very big, but I bet we could set up a booth and sell these, if you want to, that is.” There were two chairs, side by each, but she found she far preferred his lap and sat there instead.

“Tha’ moight be jus’ de thing I need,” Bofur readily agreed, his eyes sparkling with eagerness. “I do miss workin’ with wood an’ makin’ sellable items.” His thick hand rested on her hip as he kept her balanced on his knee. “Think folk would go fer ‘em?”

“Sure! We don’t see anything like these here.” Piper nodded, sipping her tea. “I’ll call the coordinator in the morning and get us a spot. Broadbeam Woodwork? Gotta call us something.”

Sitting back, he stroked one side of his mustache and thought about it. “Woodcraft.”

“Perfect.” Piper set her tea aside and curled up against him.

“But ye an’ Rio gotta come an’ help sell.”

“Of course!” Piper snuggled under his chin, letting his beard and mustache tickle her skin. “What else can you make in a week?” When he didn’t answer, she sat up to see a sparkle in his eyes and she swore she could see the gears turning. “We have to clear a space in the garage to keep it all until then.”

And by week’s end, he had added five child sized chairs, two foot stools, one milking stool, and a small rocking bassinet. Piper begged to keep that, in hope they would need it, but he insisted he would make a better one later. She was so amazed by what he could make, of such quality, and so quickly, she was in utter awe of her beloved husband. Riordan also had a number of new little toys, mostly puzzles, things to figure out and solve.

The market came and went, every single item selling, aside from one large spoon that Piper quickly claimed as a spoil of war. She had him engrave their name on it even.

“Piper…” Bofur mused from his deck chair, pipe between his teeth, a half finished carving in hand. “I made more at tha’ sale than I do in a full months paycheck.” How she had priced everything so well had probably helped, but it had all still sold, apart from her prize spoon. “Do ye think… I mean, is dere a market fer dis here?”

“I was just thinking that.” Piper said, setting her tablet aside, having been going through work correspondences. She looked out where Riordan was kicking his soccer ball around for practice. “I think we can do it. I can handle the sales, if you can make product, we have more than enough wood on the property to last us a while, until we have to buy more. And we can do local markets, and online sales.” She raised a hand, “I know you don’t like online shopping, but there’s a lot of buyers out there.”

He huffed a tendril of smoke out of the corner of his mouth, but couldn’t argue. She knew better than he did, so he conceded to her knowledge and hoped she was right. “Alright, we’ll do it yer way. I’ll need some more tools though.”

Piper nodded, “We can get those.”

His idle hands, and something to pass the time, seemed to have found him a far better niche in this world, and all in all, online sales included, he was quite pleased. It set something in his heart back into sorts and some of the discontent that lingered from his transition dissipated, much like the trailing smoke from his pipe.

[kerrykety17-blog]

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The Online Dispensary Canada Pitfall When you visit a dispensary, you will be guided first to the waiting room, wherever your marijuana registry card will be checked by way of a staff. Been in a position to purchase marijuana in Canada may include plenty of difficulties mainly on account of the simple fact you could only have the ability to purchase it for medical reasons alone. Mail order marijuana is clearly the best way to go. The increase of marijuana is prohibited due to the high potential for abuse. Whether you're on the lookout for a recreational or medical marijuana dispensary, marijuana doctor or perhaps a place to attach with local marijuana users, you've come to the correct website! Marijuana does not have any recorded deaths as a consequence of use, and has proven clinical studies that signal the hundreds of advantages. Since it must be delivered to you if you wish to receive it at house, then you're likely to also must pay for them to bring it by in a sensible quantity of time. Another thing you ought to think about when you are deciding on the best internet marijuana dispensary is the price of weed. When you purchase weed online based on our on-line dispensary reviews and internet cannabis store reviews, you'll have the peace of mind you seek so it is possible to purchase weed online with confidence and receive the best prices and discounts out there. The package is discreet and does not have any smell, so you've got nothing to fret about. An exhaustive search online about importing a particular medication in your State is also suggested. As soon as your payment is processed your package is going to be on its way within one day. Every cartrid a lot of people buy medical marijuana online but they might not always. Sometimes they just want to come in, get their medicine, and leave. As a result, they often fail to get the medical treatments they need to cure their acute and chronic conditions.

[geoffreymoorere]

Geoffrey Moore Is Promoting Palms Springs LGBTQ Resort Style Retirement Community Living Out

Palm Springs real estate agent Geoffrey Moore is drawing attention to the all-LGBTQ+ resort-style retirement community set to open in 2023 in Palm Springs, Living Out. The real estate agent is encouraging his senior LGBTQ+ clients to find out more about the community which is currently accepting reservations.

Living Out bills itself as an elegant apartment community for active LGBTQ 55+ adults. On its website, it says that it is designed to be a “beautiful, welcoming, safe, and inclusive living experience that celebrates the vibrancy of living authentically as an LGBTQ person.” The apartment complex has been designed keeping in mind the mid-century modern design that Palm Springs is well-known for. Its construction ethos features open floor plans, large lanais, an inviting grand lobby, desert mountain views of the San Jacinto, Santa Rosa, and San Gorgonio Mountains, and dramatically landscaped grounds.

The apartment community features several indoor lifestyle amenities such as an upscale full-service restaurant and bar, a state-of-the-art fitness center, a massage studio, a private hair, manicure, and pedicure salon, a screening room for watching movies and entertaining guests, and community, game, card, and arts & crafts rooms. Outdoors, the real estate project boasts of a nine-acre oasis with more than six acres of dramatic landscaping including curated trees, shrubs, flowering plants, herb gardens, rose gardens, orchards, a large event lawn, outdoor BBQ and dining areas, walking trails, and more. There is also a grand resort-style pool and three separate jacuzzi spa areas, a dog park with amenities, two professionally designed bocce ball courts, real grass putting green, and residential, guest, and retail parking.

When it was announced, the project was set to offer condominiums to buyers within a price range of $600,000 to $900,000. However, post the coronavirus pandemic, the company behind the project, Los-Angeles based KOAR International, decided to shift to a rental model, in line with other senior independent living communities that it manages in other parts of the state.

When asked about the considerations to make while moving to Palm Springs as someone who identifies as LGBTQ+, Geoffrey Moore says, “Are you an LGBTQ+ individual or family unit that is considering moving to Palm Springs? In that case, you are going to be welcomed by the friendliest community filled with kindred spirits that understand your struggle and will try to make you feel at home in this lovely and vibrant resort city. To make your transition to Palm Springs as smooth and hassle-free as possible, I recommend visiting the city and living here for some time before committing to moving here.

Live here for a couple of months and experience the many notable and iconic gay events on our calendar such as the Dinah Shore Weekend, Greater Palm Springs Pride, White Party Palm Springs, Cinema Diverse Palm Springs LGBTQ Film Festival, Desert AIDS Walk, and more. A lot of the residents who are currently lapping up the private properties in Palm Springs began by moving here temporarily. They experienced the inclusive and inviting atmosphere of the city for all LGBTQ+ individuals and loved it so much that they couldn’t wait to call this place home. So, give our desert oasis a try and when you are ready to pick out the perfect spot in the city to settle in, give me a call and I’ll put all my resources behind you to find a dream picturesque abode that will let you enjoy the legendarily sunny California weather.”

Geoffrey Moore has designations from or is certified as a Certified Residential Specialist (CRS), Graduate Realtor® Institute (GRI), Seller Representative Specialist (SRS), GREEN Designated Realtor® and Accredited Buyer's Representative (ABR®) – all of which are recognized by the National Association of Realtors®. Readers can browse through the many different types of homes that Palm Springs offers for buyers by heading over to Geoffrey Moore’s website at the link: https://www.geoffreymoore.com/home-styles-for-sale-palm-springs.php.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8AbnwTY_as

Geoffrey Moore can be contacted at the phone number (760) 641-5689 or the email address geoff@geoffreymoore.com.

Source: Geoffrey Moore Is Promoting Palms Springs LGBTQ Resort Style Retirement Community Living Out

[adamrevi3ws]

Yakuza: Like A Dragon

Yakuza: Like A Dragon is the first game I bought for my PS5. It is also the first game in the Yakuza series that I’ve played. These two honors imply some pretty high expectations, but with all things considered, I think it does pretty ok.

Like A Dragon is a JRPG to its core. Most of its gameplay is turn-based combat (apparently a first for the series) and takes place in an open world of the city of Yokohama, with plenty of random enemy encounters and fun minigames/sidequests to complete. The closest thing I’ve played to it has been the Persona games, and the differences aren’t too far apart.

For what it’s worth, the gameplay wasn’t the highlight of the game for me. It lacks the fantastic soundtrack and aesthetic Persona 5 has to make turn-based combat, something I otherwise hate, endearing and cool. Yakuza instead turns to absurd humor to spice the combat up, giving you crazy moves like being able to summon a Korean movie star to hug your enemies to death or take a nap mid-combat to heal yourself. Comedy, particularly the contrast between the grounded and gritty setting and the full embrace of its video-gamey nature, is one of the biggest highlights of the game. However, the turn-based combat gets so long and repetitive that its comedic aspects don’t redeem it. Because this is an RPG, boss fights often implicitly require you to be at a far higher level to stay alive. This results in me having to grind ~7~ levels up, going through hundreds of fights to survive the big ones, and making any fun from the combat lose its flavor. Oh, and it definitely kills any momentum from its story. It feels quite similar to the predicament of Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey, a game I got so tired of that I didn’t want to review it. While Odyssey’s grinding was far more blatant and financially motivated (characters would straight up tell you to level up before the next plot segment and you could level up faster using microtransactions) Yakuza isn’t doing itself any favors. One of my friends firmly believes that style IS substance, and Yakuza: Like A Dragon simply doesn’t have enough of either to make its combat fun or interesting.

On the other hand, Like A Dragon’s gameplay absolutely shines when it comes to its many minigames and sidequests. They are some of the comedic centerpieces of the game, giving so much more to do than simply fight your way through the story. Like the Grand Theft Auto series, there’s a ridiculous variety to them, ranging from 10 types of elaborate gambling to zanier things like a clear Mario Kart parody and one centered around staying awake when trying to watch old movies. My personal favorites, however, were two of the series’ lynchpins: its overdramatic karaoke rhythm game, whose signature song Baka Mitai became Tiktok famous, and its business management system, which could function as a full game in itself. While I’m so far left that I don’t even want to disclose it on this platform, the business management minigame was one of the best gameplay experiences I had in Like A Dragon. Originally jumping into it because I heard it could get you an extra member to your party, it quickly became my life for one or two weekends. Focused on rising up to having the most expensive share price in Yokohama through buying and selling properties, upgrading businesses, treating your employees far better than irl corporations do, and arguing your way through shareholder meetings, the business management minigame has probably taught me more about economics than my 8 AM freshman year ECON 101 class ever did. I was so obsessed that a few friends of mine can attest to me giving unsolicited updates on my company’s stock price, but what can I say, my shareholders love the chicken I’ve employed. With its business management and other sidequests, Yakuza: Like A Dragon is definitely one of those games where you can an absurd amount of time not actually playing the main story.

Speaking of the main story, it’s kind of a mixed bag. Centered around a former low-level Yakuza goon trying to find a new path in life after being abandoned and shot by his fatherlike boss, most of the cutscenes feel like a hard-boiled soap opera. This generally works quite well, especially when dealing with the main character’s relationships with his old crime family and new, found, family, but runs into plenty of problems regardless. The plot will have often a great sense of trajectory and progression, but then immediately gets cut short by it going into a completely different direction, only to be recaptured in later chapters. Not only is lack of focus in the plot itself an issue, but its momentum also gets cut short by the grinding sessions I previously mentioned, where when I lose a boss fight after getting really immersed in the plot, I have to drop everything to spend a few hours leveling up so I can keep on going. The momentum even gets broken by random minigame tutorials shoehorned into the main quest, when they should’ve been discoverable on their own. Ironically, the game’s storyline is far too long (a complaint I have with most non-indie games these days) and yet it still somehow feels like it's too short. After a point halfway through, the storyline becomes a bunch of cascading twists and elaborate reveals, and it feels like we don’t get enough breathing room. Despite all these issues, the plot still manages to pull through and tie together all the loose threads from all its overlong cutscenes for an immensely satisfying and shocking ending.

Another one of the story’s most positive assets is its hotheaded, happy-go-lucky protagonist, Ichiban Kasgua. His distinctive, charismatic yet childish, grave yet goofy personality serves as a perfect anchor for all the game’s high drama and silliness. Hell, even the combat’s over-the-top nature is explained by the fact that Ichiban, a 40-year-old man, visualizes everything in his life like it’s his childhood game Dragon Quest. Unlike a lot of protagonists in games these days, Ichiban is unique in that, with his distinctive personality, it’s easy to understand why people like him as a person without putting his heroic acts into consideration. Even though it’s rough around the edges, Yakuza: Like A Dragon’s storyline still very much gives you its money’s worth.

Yakuza: Like A Dragon is by no means a perfect game, but still an above-average JRPG experience. If you can shrug off its chores, length, and lack of focus, you’re bound to have a fun time, even if all you do is hang out at its gambling parlor underneath the Chinatown bathrooms. 7.7 stars out of 10.

[ar-vr-trends]

VR Tours — What’s all this hype about?

When the concept of Virtual Reality was launched, I remember dreaming about being able to play the Sims or Minecraft in Virtual Reality. I was barely 13 and was heavily obsessed with Minecraft.

Initially, Virtual Reality was a concept that was first intended to revolutionize gaming and entertainment. They seemed like the most obvious use cases.

Interesting Enough, Earlier Versions of VR were also more focused on theatre experiences. A theatre that provided more sensory input than just sight.

Before the Introduction of any Computers or Screens, early VR was just a Mechanical Device.

The early 70s saw some development in the Industry, where it started being used in Medicine, Aviation Training, and Military Training.

In an interesting turn of events, in 1994, in the inauguration of the Visitor Centre in the Dudley Castle in England, a 3D Reconstructed Walkthrough was created.

The Walkthrough depicted how the Castle would look as it was in 1550 when it was first finished, after a series of Conquests and Refurbishing, and before a Fire in 1750.

The Queen called it a “Virtual Tour” because it was a cross between a Royal Tour and Virtual Reality.

Over Time, These Virtual Tours became extremely popular with the Real Estate Industry. They started Experimenting with better ways of showcasing their properties — Images and Flyers upgraded to Videos, Videos were Upgraded to VR Tours which were interactive and worked at the pace user wanted.

Let’s go over each one by one -

Photographs and Flyers

Ever since Photography and Mass Printing became easier, this has been the cheapest medium of Advertising. Realtors have long used this method for Advertising. While being cheap, the method does not Guarantee advertising to the right group of people and we often find flyers given to the wrong people littered around, which greatly affects the goodwill of a company and adds to the Environmental Damage.

Videos and Video-Based Tours

Another Popular Method of Marketing Properties. Videos became popular as soon as the hardware associated and the Internet became popular.

Videos, while being a little more expensive to shoot and produce, work in a single line. Once started, there’s no way the user can explore the space the way he wants to. Everything lies at the discretion of the Video Editor. They also require expensive Hardware, Software, and Human Resources to Produce.

VR Tours

Probably the most exciting out of them all, VR Tours are interactive experiences created with Panoramas, or 360-Degree Images of a Space, which mimic the experience of actually being in the space. These Walkthroughs are interactive and are designed to work at the pace and style the viewer wants. The viewer can navigate Spaces the way they think best, in the order they want.

VR Tours are also accessible and very easy to make these Days. They elevate pictures

to another level in an extremely simplistic manner and put the Users in the Driving Seat.

On top of this, you can easily share them with a Web Link, and anyone, from anywhere, can see it.

VR Tours just have the initial cost of the 360-Degree Pictures, and creation, which is comparable with the prices of Commercial Photography.

A relatively basic Walkthrough can be made with Panoramas from a Mobile Device and with some help from free VR Tour Creators.

These impactful Tools support almost all images — from professional 360 Equirectangular Pictures to iPhone Panoramas.

The VR Tours can be integrated with Background Music, Popups, Additional Images, Videos, and Gifs that highlight important Landmarks in the property, and tell Visitors about things to lay emphasis on.

These can also be integrated with an AI-Powered Talkbot, which can be programmed to detect Voice Input and Answer Questions in Real-Time. Moreover, they’re secure and are far better at Analytics than any of the other methods. VR Tours give you precise Analytics about Clicks, View Time, The way people explore the Tour, and more.

Apart from the slight initial cost, I don’t see any drawback to this method.

From Newspaper Listings to Handing out Flyers, to VR Tours, Marketing in the Real Estate Sector has come a long way.

In a mere span of 20 years, showcasing in the Real Estate Industry has changed and gone through so many upgrades, it’s hard to keep track of it.

Working in the VR Industry for almost a year now, and I can say VR Tours are here to stay.

With the ease of making, the effectiveness, the Impact on Viewers, quite a lot of Realtors have already shifted to VR.

We’re not very far from the time when before buying Anything, we would check it in VR/AR, the way we research on the Internet before buying anything right now.

The Future is here, and we couldn’t have been more excited about it!

Melzo.com has its own No-Code, Drag, and Drop-based VR Tour Platforms, Melzo Kalaa(kalaa.melzo.com). They are DIY Virtual Tour Creators. For more details, Get in Touch with a Consultant here.

Want to create AR experiences for free? Check out udyog.melzo.com, for the revolutionary AR Try-On check out noor.melzo.com. host new generation virtual events with mela.melzo.com