#in my years of living because when your family has dabbled in the bartender business you know bars a little too well in your area | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

iamnightduchess · 4 years ago

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Dangerous Woman (R18+)

Rating: Mature (AO3)

Pairing: Reiner x Mikasa (ReiKasa) ft. tiny Armin x Annie (AruAni).

AU: Love Like This

Trope: One-night stand (?)

Summary: Something about him makes her feel like a dangerous woman. Making her do things she won’t normally do.

She’s a married woman and she sure as hell shouldn’t be out here at a bar, planning to wine and dance the night away all by herself. She isn’t supposed to be flirting with a random stranger whose name she’d never bothered to ask. She’s most absolutely not supposed to be grinding bodies with this handsome enigma and allowing him to take her dancing all the way back to his hotel room. ReinerxMikasa ft. ArminxAnnie. Modern AU.

A/N: Inspired by this post & this post.

Rhythmic Muse: Dangerous Woman (Cover) by Travis Garland.

Content Warning: Adult undertones. Dubcon (somewhat). Rough, unprotected sex. (I do not condone this. Please practice safe intercourse in real life, everyone and only with people you trust, please!). Expect some OOC-ness because this is a self-indulging Modern AU fic. Happy reading!

----

The smooth tunes of the Spanish guitar blasting from the seaside cafe’s stereo speakers and the sounds from the crushing waves of the ocean serenaded her weary senses, soothing her jaded body after a long day at work. She’s been busting her ass more than usual, covering more graveyard shifts than she could humanly manage in her years of field experience. The salty seaside breeze wafted through her senses, mixed with the smell of grilled seafood and freshly-made martinis from the nearby bar, reminding her that her work vacation had been long overdue.

God, that trip to the Mediterraneans sounded much more tempting than before. Just lazing at the beach, soaking up the sun, reading a book or two and maybe toss in some kinky actions with a hot hunk somewhere along the way. But alas, they only managed to get away to a seaside resort just slightly out of town for the weekend.

A low, murmured whisper coming from her opposite direction turned into an uncontrollable cackle and she leered at her flaxen-haired companion, who’s now already tongue-deep inside her date’s mouth.

“Gross.” The raven-haired woman rolled her eyes, yet not without a small smile on her face.

“Don’t be jealous, Mikasa,” chided Annie as she broke her kiss with Armin, causing the latter to blush and stared back at his childhood friend sheepishly. “Just because your husband’s not here, doesn’t mean I can’t make out with mine.”

Armin sent a cautionary look at his wife and sighed. “Annie, we’re not supposed to remind her of him tonight. Sorry, Mikasa.”

The small smile turned into a tight frown as she continued to nurse the drink in her hand. She rolled mindlessly at the double olives on that tiny skewer inside her glass. “It’s fine, Armin. Annie’s right, you two are supposed to have fun. Don’t let me hold you both back. It’s your first night away from the girls after half a year, right? Go wild. But, not too wild ok?” She signaled to the other woman’s slightly protruding belly.

The upcoming fourth addition to the five member brood of the Arlert family.

Armin sent her a concerned look. He didn’t miss the way Mikasa had been restlessly fiddling with the wedding ring on her finger ever since she reached their planned venue of the evening from work. He and Mikasa have always been tighter than two halves of a whole since they were both in grade school.

He’d know when she’s in distress. That doesn't require his professional skills in psychology to read the other woman's body language and facial expression.

“Did he wish you an anniversary greeting this morning?,” asked the blonde-haired academician.

She shook her head, her glazed eyes cast downwards as she took a sip from her dry martini. “Not yet, at least. I did slip something into his luggage before his flight out last week. Maybe he’s just busy.”

Annie slammed her own glass of fruit juice on the lounge table and declared out loud, “I’ll kick his ass for you tomorrow. If he ever gets here.”

“Thank you for the offer, Annie but I still got this under control and please don’t. You’re pregnant.”

Annie scoffed in return, expressing her distaste at said man’s nonchalant attitude. “Well, at the very least he should have given you a hall pass if he’s going to be ditching you here on your own. Give you the freedom to make up for his shortcomings. It’s your anniversary for crying out loud,” remarked the expecting mother before continuing to offer her unwarranted opinions. “I don’t know how you could go through all this for more than ten years? Sure, Armin and I have been married for fourteen years, together for sixteen and I can’t ever imagine being away from him for too long.”

Armin’s gaze hardened, he looked back at his wife’s rather harsh words in concealed disagreement, but he also knew that his long-time friend's married life was also none of their business. “I’m very sure he has a very good reason. Which has something to do with his work.”

Annie let out a long drawl of sigh. “Still doesn’t give him a reason to be a dick to her.”

Armin’s jaw dropped down in disbelief. “Annie!”

Mikasa waved away Armin’s chastising of his own wife. “It’s the hormones. This is not your first rodeo, Armin.”

He shrugged, “But this time, she’s much more brutal than usual, Mika.”

“After three girls, maybe this is finally a boy. Who knows?”

Armin beamed at the possibility, catching his wife’s eyes in a soft, appreciating gaze. “That would be nice, but even if this one’s another girl, it’s still not an issue to me. I love all my girls regardless.” Annie snuck a quick peck on the tip of her husband’s adorable button nose and nuzzled against his cheek softly, whispering, “I love you.”

Mikasa held the other couple in an admiring gaze. They are rock solid, there’s no doubt there. Also, by the way Annie’s hands had been slinking into the folds of the younger man’s casual dress shirt, rubbing slowly against her husband’s skin, Mikasa knew that Annie’s hormonal condition also came with other perks, which Armin clearly appreciates very, very much.

She shook her head and chided the pair teasingly, “Just head on back to your room, guys. Don’t remind me what I’m missing.”

Armin turned his head back at her, reluctance persisted against his own conscience. “We’re not going to leave you here on your own.”

“I’ll be fine. I just want to get another drink then I’ll be calling it a night.” She lifted the triangle-shaped glass in her hands and gestured for the couple to make their way back first.

It was Annie yet again, who made her concerns very vocal for the umpteenth time. “You know, if you’re gonna be dicking with one of these attractive men available around here tonight, we’re not gonna tell him. Scout’s honor.” She just had to end her sentence with a sly wink and a two finger salute.

Yep, someone’s super horny right now.

She raised an eyebrow with a mock disappointment on her face. “Just get the hell out of here. Armin, fill her mouth good.”

“Mikasa…” Armin shook his head in embarrassment at the crudeness of her sentence. He could still never get used to the savage side of his best friend, who’s more of a sister to him than anything else in this world. “Stay safe and just call me if you need anything at all.”

“Thanks. Now go on.” God bless Armin’s kind soul but it was bold of him to think that she’d be calling him when he’s already in way too deep inside his wife. Even IF she’d really ever needed someone’s assistance. Regardless, she waited patiently until the silhouette of the pair disappeared beyond the canopy walk heading towards the guest rooms’ direction. Only then she lifted herself off the lounge seat, clutch in one hand and fixed the hem of her skirt and her hair, already messed up from the strong breeze in the other. Eventually making her way towards the bar. With the manner she strode across the dining area, her heels clattered against the wooden floor, she willfully disregarded all the stares thrown her way - appreciating or lewd - from quite a number of the male patrons of the establishment. Deliberately, she dabbled lightly at the thin gold chain around her neck. Putting her wedding band on obvious display and on purpose.

Mikasa sighed in relief, silently to herself the moment the message was duly received by the interested parties. The last thing she needed was to be in a complicated entanglement. She continued walking towards the bar, nodding at the chirpy bartender who bid her good evening and asked for her latest choice of poison for the night. She took her seat on the high bar stool, crossing her long legs comfortably and decided on another appletini. While waiting for her drink, she rested her face on her hand and tapped her fingers lightly against her cheek to the smooth R&B rhythm, staring fondly at the sight of a beautiful young couple slow-dancing not too far from the live DJ booth.

The moment a nostalgic tune she had once heard from an amazing night in Hizuru’s Havana Club years ago began to play - the intro to the Spanish dancehall genre blasted through the speakers - her body couldn’t help but move slightly to the sleek music.

This was their song. It was playing on one of the first few dates they had with each other. She’s even wearing the same red dress that she wore on that date eons ago. Back when they were younger. Back when promises were made to never be apart even for a day.

After eleven years of being married together….well, who’s counting anyway?

Unbeknownst to her, a set of dark amber eyes had been lingering appreciatively at the way she tapped her heels and the manner which her body grooved slightly to the playing tune.

----

The moment she’d walked across the distance between the patio lounge and the bar, she’d caught his attention from the get go.

Everything about this woman reminded him of Edwyn Collins’s crooning of his timeless serenade, A Girl Like You. She’s absolutely making him acknowledge the devil in him without an ounce of doubt.

His eyes glazed at the way her short dark tresses wavered in the evening draft and the way her off-shoulder red dress hugged her body tightly. The sheer fabric outlined the lithe curves of her waist, its edges danced around the long legs that seemed to be endless with every motion, beckoning his admiring gaze even further. She took her seat on the high bar stool, legs crossed and the edges of the dress hitched upwards, exposing the sight of her smooth thighs. Porcelain. Perfection.

It seems that he’s not the only person sending interested looks her way as he spotted several other men staring in awe at this breathtaking lady in red, without so much as a blink.

He exhaled a breath, much deeper than before.

He eyed the dark gold pumps on her feet that matched the delicate gold chain on her slender neck and the gold wedding ring on her finger. It also didn’t escape his observation on the beginnings of a rather intricate ink, emerging from the lace fringe on the back of her silky dress.

He wants to study the story behind it from the top down to where it might end if she’d be keen to share it.

He’s itching to know how much skin the ink covers.

He took in another long, deep breath, fixing the crisp collar of his suit. A hand smoothed his hair back in one fluid motion and finally, made his move towards the bar.

He’s going in for the kill. A wedding band had never stopped him before.

Several steps away from the bar and he’d already caught the fragrant scent of something succulent and delicious in the air coming from her direction.

Her perfume.

Juicy. He found himself licking his dry lips in response towards the prospect of savoring the taste of figurative sweet cherries on luscious porcelain skin.

As it were, she could feel the prickle of piercing eyes on her back. She then turned her head around and their eyes met from across this crowded space.

Her eyes, a curious granite hue, reflected a hunger that has not been fulfilled for quite some time.

It’s a rather perfect coincidence that he’d been ravenous for the similar thing as well.

He wandered over to the empty seat next to her. “Good evening. Can I buy another drink for you?”

She pretended that she didn’t hear him at first, yet began to cave in after realizing that she was just too polite to turn down a stranger’s offer. “Thank you but I can buy my own.”

A knowing grin graced his lips. He knows an elegant woman with a refined taste when he sees one. “I can see that you’re waiting for someone. Can I, at least, keep you company for the time being?”

She gestured to the vacant bar stool next to hers with a short tilt of her head. “Help yourself.”

He asked for a serving of whiskey on the rocks from the gentleman on the other side of the tropical themed bar. Certainly didn’t miss the way her chest hiked the moment she took in the smell of his cologne and he also didn’t miss the way she ran a thumb against the small jewelry on her finger at the same time she took a sip of her martini. Like she was reminding herself of a line she’s not supposed to step over.

Instead of taking over the offered seat, however, he turned his body around and reclined against the side of the wooden bar’s curved edges. He’d caught her staring at the outline of his pecs between the already undone buttons of his shirt. “Can I take a guess?”, he eased his way into another opening for small talk, “A husband who’s running late or almost letting you know that he’s not going to make it?”

Bullseye. He could feel her glaring at him from the corners of her eyes. “Aren’t you the expert on lonely women?”

A deep chuckle escaped his lips shamelessly. “Well, if you were my wife, you’d never find yourself waiting all on your own or getting stood up for that matter.”

The large hoop earrings dangled against the side of her neck when she turned her head sharply towards the devilishly handsome but certainly up-to-no-good face. “Does that line work with all the married women you’re trying to seduce?”

His sturdy, well-trained shoulders shrugged incredulously. “Only those that match the very specific types: cold, mysterious, killer legs and silent ones that are forbidden to touch.”

“Hmmm….” She shook her head at his rather brave yet stupid audacity of assuming she’s just like the other women he had successfully added to the notch under his belt. She’d wished he’d just take a hike and let her finish her drink alone.

“How about this, one dance and I’ll leave you to your lonesome for the rest of the night?”

One dance. It wouldn’t hurt anyone, would it?

She should’ve said no. But she didn’t.

The second he pressed her snug against his own well-honed body on the dancefloor, she could feel her own conscience gradually diminishing through every grip of this man's fingers against her waist. His muscular arms ensnared her in a vice hold before he turned her around again and again to the fast tempo of the music. Their touch electric, their bodies coordinated flawlessly to the sensual rhythm and lips almost brushing dangerously against each other.

He twirled her around and let her back rest against his chest. His voice was a low, deep growl - reminiscent of a sly devil, whispering nefarious sins into her ear. "You are a very interesting woman.

"I know what you're trying to do."

"Let's not beat around the bush then."

She shook her head incredulously, lifting the hand with her wedding band right in this stranger's face. "I'm still married."

A dark chuckle escaped his lips, the thrumming of his chest reverberated against her bare back. "I'm still interested."

She pushed herself forward ahead of him. "I need to go." Only to have her hand ensnared in his again.

The blonde enigmatic stranger lowered his head, his warm breath mixed with his sharp clean scent assaulted her senses. A contradiction to the sudden shift in his voice to a firm, authoritative tone instead. "Your husband is holding extremely confidential information that could jeopardize national security. I'd strongly suggest that you remain compliant until we can get to a more secure and private place to talk."

"You can't force me to go anywhere with you. I don't even know you!"

"I can assure you, making a scene is only going to make things more complicated, Ms. Ackerman."

Her eyes widened in shock. "How did you know my name?"

"You're a person of interest. I have all the intel on you." His dark, cryptic eyes held her gaze in a subtle warning. "We can do this the easy way or the hard way."

"Fine."

----

As soon as he closed the door to his room, the stranger pressed her body hard against the wooden surface, wasting no time in taking over her body’s will through the pull of his hands. He began to pat her body down with a force so strong she could feel the pervasive grip of his muscle against her skin.

She tried to push his hands away, almost gasping in shock upon his sudden action. "What are you doing?!"

He lifted a finger against his lips, demanding her absolute silence. "Searching for any hazardous items you might be hiding underneath your dress."

She scoffed. "As if."

An arm held her shoulder down while his other hand pressed at the curve of her hips, pushing her ass hard against the door of his room. He lifted one of her long legs and let it wrap around the side of his broad torso.

He palmed the lower front of her dress, caressing the shape of her hidden mound and his lips curved upwards in a wicked grin. "Found it." The same hand hitched her dress upwards and slipped through the layers of fabric until it reached its intended destination. "This, I believe requires a more thorough search."

He dropped down to the floor yet not without holding her leg in place so it now rested firmly on his toned shoulder.

The pointy end of her heels grated tantalizingly against his back as he marveled at the leverage he had taken from her, along with her resistance. Mikasa looked down in horror as the top of his blonde head disappeared underneath the wavy ends of her crimson dress, a gust of warm breath against her barely-covered mound. The only thing that she could register on her brain next was something wet and boiling hot brushing against the flimsy fabric of her lacy thong, just before the muscle of his tongue slid across her cunt in one long, torturous lick.

She could only moan involuntarily, her breath coming out in pants with every daring lick of this mysterious man's tongue against her already dripping core. Oh God, it’s been too long. “More….” She whimpered softly, yet her voice though, was a contradicting guttural sound, even foreign to her own self as she urged him to pay more attention to that little bundle of nerves hidden somewhere in between her folds. But that asshole wouldn’t give her the satisfaction.

His powerful hands gripped her waist in an unyielding hold, pulling her with him before pushing her body back on all fours onto the springy mattress. She bit her lower lips in anticipation, her watchful gaze lingered on the way the stranger's lips savored the taste of her with his tongue.

He pulled on the edges of her dress downwards, leaving her in only her brassiere, her thong and her pumps. A tiny shiver tingled across her spine as the cold air from the air conditioned room hit her bare skin. He grabbed hard at the firm shape of her ass, only covered by a measly thin string and eventually tore the flimsy underwear away.

"Beautiful." His tone appreciative, followed by a low growl. "So much more beautiful in person. Your husband is a very lucky man indeed, Ms. Ackerman. Or should I call you Mrs. Braun instead?"

Her breath labored heavily in her arousal, induced by this man's words. "No-- we can't--" Her body heaved as she felt this man's long digits prodding through her drenched slit without warning. Her traitorous lips let out a slow whimper, grunting in regret at her own body's betrayal.

It wasn't supposed to enjoy another man's intrusive touch. But it's too late. The intense animal magnetism of this man was just too much for her body to resist. Certainly not when its needs haven't been satiated for quite some time now.

She heard the rustling of coat and dress shirt, followed by the unmistakable sound of a zipper coming undone from behind. "Wait--we can't--"

"You're my captive for tonight, Mrs. Braun. You won't be getting any rest until my questions have been answered and our bodies have been mutually satisfied."

She felt his hand undoing the clasp of her brassiere and she watched helplessly as the undergarment was ripped apart, landing against the carpeted floor of the luxury hotel room. "What answers?"

"For starters, tell me how hard do you like to be fucked?"

Her head turned sharply, her body struggling to wrestle control against the iron grip on her nape and her waist. "HOW ABOUT NO?"

"Are you sure?" She could feel his fingers toying with the sacred bundle of nerves within her folds and the blazing hot tip of his manhood already teasing at her slick entrance.

"God…." She moaned in agony. The sloshing sounds made by her own treacherous body couldn't make her sinful desires even more obvious than it already was. "Wait--we can't--" Don't do it, Mikasa. "Please…" Oh, heavens... Her voice cracked, her words turned into a series of low, incoherent grunts and mewls.

She muttered another low whimper, cursing when she felt the unwarranted sting on her skin following the sound of a loud smack from this smug asshole's palm hitting her ass.

Without yet another warning, the piercing tip of his member penetrated through her slit as he rammed into her viciously; she could truly taste him pervading her walls, its head hitting her crux with a painful yet thrilling contact. Her shock manifested in the way her lips trembled and her knees buckled against the soft egyptian cotton sheets. A long drawl of whimper escaped her scarlet sunrise-painted lips when he filled her so deliciously.

“Can your husband make you scream like I do?” He whispered those vile words into her ear when their hips pounded against each other once more upon impact. This sinful stranger imposed on her a choice she’d never make as a decent woman, wife and mother. The second he thrusted his whole length and girth raw into the tight passage deep inside her with no abandonment, she’d eventually admitted that her conscience had been long gone the moment they first laid their eyes on the other in the crowded bar.

She felt a hand seizing her chin from behind, tilting upwards and forcing her long neck to stretch further than she usually could. Their bodies fusing, this man rested his whole weight on her, pressing her flat against the mattress. It sprung from their combined weight. This man's mystifying gaze punctured through her conflicted soul - he was a metaphorical devil. Claiming not only her unjust body, but also her reluctant soul. Even more so when he brushed his thin full lips against her trembling ones. Their teeths chattered, their tongues wrestled for dominion of the other's will.

He snickered through the kiss, his chest vibrated against her back. She could even feel his member vibrating deep within her wet, hot canals. "What would Mr. Braun say if he sees you this way, hmm?"

Fucker. He stretched her thin and she cursed herself -- her body kept pulling him in. This man commandeered full authority over her body through every twist of his hips and every angle of his thrusting. Harder and faster. Faster and harder. Yet her mouth kept screaming a feigned resistance. As if the pure, innocent part of her was justifying the pleasure she was receiving along with her impending, forced shame.

Something about his recklessness and guts made the wicked person inside her want to break free. She was a good wife but this man is pushing her to the edge, tipping her scale from good to super bad really quickly. If these walls had eyes, they would patronize her for being so unabashedly wanton with another man’s dick deep inside her, filling her up, stretching herself tight using his substantial size with every thrust, wet glides and titillating tractions.

This man kept on thrusting mercilessly, his hips pounded hard against her ass again and again from behind until their inevitable gratification of merciful release, eventually setting her free.

He growled loudly for one last time when he unloaded his release deep inside her tight passage. Almost frozen, barely able to move as their bodies crashed flat against the springy bed, stacked on top of the other.

"Break." She mumbled against the sheet, still gasping - almost choking- for the air that she had lost.

"Agreed." He nuzzled against the back of her nape, inhaling in her sweet fragrance and the unavoidable scent of their aftermath. "Fuck, I miss you so much, baby." He snuck a kiss on her cheek as he pulled himself out of her, staring at his already flaccid member, secretly commending it for an exceptional performance even when he's almost approaching the big 4 Oh.

Mikasa turned herself slightly and rested her hand against the sinewy hardness of his thigh, showering it with gentle and loving caress. "Welcome home." God, he still amazes her even after twelve years together.

"Come here." He pulled her body closer to his so they both rested against the headboard of the bed, with his arms around her. "I've never stopped thinking about you when I was away."

"I wasn't doing any better." She cupped his jaw, smiling at the thick growing beard she found there. "You haven't been shaving."

He wiggled his eyebrows cunningly. "I think it adds more character don't you think?"

A sudden realization caused her body to spring up and asked, "What time is it?"

He leered at the watch on his wrist. "Eleven. Why?"

"I was supposed to take the pill two hours ago, Reiner."

"It's fine. I forgot to pack a box too. Miraé found the one at home and she thought it was a really special balloon we've been hiding. Thanks to her, I think the one we have might have expired anyway."

A grin formed on her lips. "That girl. I told her so many times not to snoop around our dressing table." She looked back at him hesitantly before confiding, “Reiner, I’ve actually been forgetting to take the pill for a week now. What if we--”

“Then it’ll be a nice surprise don’t you think? I kind of missed seeing you pregnant again.” His large hand rested on the curves of her sculpted abdomen. He remembered very vividly how breathtaking she had been, even more beautiful when her body was swelling with not one but two babies from nine years ago. The pregnancy had been harder for him due to his Couvade Syndrome for two full trimesters but he’d do it all over again.

She traced the inks on the left side of her husband’s torso : the kanji of their twin’s names - Masaru and Miraé. “I thought we’re done having babies?”

“I’ve held our home front with the double trouble and I love every single second of it. Another baby’s not gonna be a new challenge but it’s really up to you, dearheart. You know I’d carry the baby if I could.” He rested his palm over the hand on his torso. “Another ink would be nice. Or two? Rémy's been asking if he can have his own baby brother, I quote, and or sister since Armin and Annie's having another new cousin for them.”

Mikasa swallowed slowly, envisioning another pair of twins inside the house. Her eyes lit up at the potential new adventures or misdemeanours in tow - either way you can't have one without the other. "I think it would be really amazing. I couldn't do it without you."

"And I couldn't do it without you."

He ensnared her lips in another appreciative kiss.

“Happy Anniversary, Mrs. Braun. Thank you for an amazing eleven years of married life together.” He fumbled around his wrist for the luxury watch, engraved with their names and the most important date of his life: the day he made her his wife. “Thank you for the gift. I love it very much. And, here's mine for you.” He retrieved a custom-made dark blue box wrapped with a matching dark purple ribbon from the side table.

Her eyes widened as she saw the box and recognized the label. Only from the finest custom jeweller in South Marley. "Oh…."

"I know you don't wear jewellery because it's hazardous when you're performing surgeries but I really want you to have something more practical but still reminds you of me every second."

Great minds think alike it seems as he too had gotten her a custom fitness watch made from palladium only available in Marley. "I love it. Thank you so much, Reiner." She wasted no time in placing his gift around her wrist, absolutely revelling in its perfect weight and its snug fit. Just like every part of him to hers.

"Look, we match." He grinned as he moved their wrists closer.

"Always."

They basked in their blissful aftermath before their lips found each other again.

“If you were my wife?", she laughed at the callback of their earlier rendezvous at the seaside bar. “Your roleplaying skills have gone rusty, Vice Commander Braun”

“Well, my dear Dr. Ackerman-Braun, it only means we need to do this more often. Hey, maybe next time we can do the hot teacher, bad student routine?”

“We’ve done that 2 years ago.”

“This time I’ll be the hot teacher.”

“Hah…depends though, will you wear your reading glasses?”

He wiggled his eyebrows hilariously. "How thick do you want it to be?"

"Oh god."

He pecked at the juncture of her neck. "Hey, do you think I can borrow one of Armin's work shirt vests?"

"Please stop." She was already laughing hard at the horrendous mental image yet didn't stop his fondling hands or the tiny bites of his teeth against her skin.

They were about to dive deep into another round of lovemaking when the room's phone rang, completely shattering the private haven they have built between the sea of sheets.

"Baby, leave it." Reiner growled into her ear, his hand pulling on her own that's already pressing at the device's speaker button.

"HAPPY ANNIVERSARY YOU SICK FREAKS!" A loud voice could be heard from the other end.

"Shut up, Annie." Reiner barked at the phone, but his tone was betrayed by the amused smirk on his face.

Mikasa shook her head at her husband. "Thanks, Annie. Armin too if he's still awake."

"Hey… welcome back, Reiner." Armin's voice could be heard coming from the background of the other couple's room.

"Thanks, bro. Sure good to be back."

"You know Reiner," quipped Annie. "If you really stood her up, I'll be the one who personally hooks Mikasa up with one of those handsome rando strangers we saw at the bar."

"Not today, Satan. I meant, sis."

"Asshole."

The two couples broke into a mutual amused laughter.

"Now, Annie, can you please piss off so I can get back to banging my sexy missus?"

Their respective spouses' hollering their names echoed behind their backs before the call ended with a quick 'Make a baby!' phrase from his stepsister.

"Now, where were we, Mrs. Braun?"

The ends of her painted lips curved upwards and her lightly painted nails were already trailing down her husband's impressive body. She leered sensuously when she climbed on top of her husband's broad frame. "Making a baby."

----

A/N: This is inspired by my upcoming Love Like This AU, where Reiner’s stepsister, Annie is married to Armin, who’s also his wife’s childhood friend. Mikasa and Annie are competitive in-laws and the dysfunctional Braun-Leonhardt family are chaotic, eccentric and loving as they come. No children were harmed in the making of this fic. As a matter of fact, on that night, a child has been conceived haha Thank you for your reading! xoxo

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monster-bait · 4 years ago

Note

Soooo 👀 you got anymore HCs up your sleeve on Rukh? He has been living rent free in my brain for a while now (like a lot of your OCs!)😅🤩😍

Here are some HCs for Rukh, our favorite gruff bartender in the GW universe. (I've already started writing a small one-shot of Rukh's job interview with Tate, because once I started writing these, I couldn't get the idea out of my head! That will be posting to Patreon shortly!)

If you're interested in learning more about any of my existing characters, all ko-fi contributions earn a headcanon! (Higher amounts will be more detailed!)

Previous Rukh headcanons, including the extremely memorable moment of IvyMemnoch finding a Celtic flute version of Despacito (my fav Tumblr moment of the year, by far! 😂) can be found here

RUKH

Had never heard of the tiny resort town where the Pixie is located before responding to the job listing, despite the fact that he lives in neighboring Starling Heights. He’d been working in one of those quick-service garages before then—an embarrassing waste of his skills, but he figured with his prison record, he was lucky to find a job at all. He’d not been planning on leaving his position, was only looking for a part-time gig, but the job post for the Pixie was too intriguing to scroll past—it was written in Orcish, practically unheard in a mixed-species society, catching his eye immediately. Unlike the other half-a-dozen bartender help wanted ads he’d looked at, the Pixie’s post said nothing about requiring an “upbeat personality” or his “smile being part of the dress code,” all descriptors that made him cringe. Punctuality, accountability, and an authoritative presence were the expectations, experience a plus but not required...it was straightforward and direct., it was clearly directed at orcs...he fit the bill, he thought. He considered himself to have a finely-tuned bullshit meter, and the Pixie’s ad didn’t set it off at all

He has since admitted to himself that he has fallen for Tate’s particular brand of bullshit repeatedly over the years

Rukh is a very tightly closed book. He’s definitely the strong silent type and is not at all comfortable talking about himself. (Despite that, he spilled his guts and told Tate his whole life story during his job interview—falling for the bullshit instance #1)

He discovered a love of reading during his incarceration, one he didn’t possess in his younger days. When he moved to Starling Heights, he was low-key delighted to find his apartment was on the same block as the library. He prefers mysteries and crime novels to anything overly literary, doesn’t have the patience for the endless world-building of high fantasy, and enjoys a wide spectrum of non-fiction. It’s become a game of sorts, engaging Ainsley in conversation and being able to not only keep up, but add his own insights and facts.

Another mental game he likes to play is trying to pinpoint Tate’s actual age. He’d never come right out and ask but sometimes Tate will chime into conversations knowing things he just...shouldn’t, or else will make references to things that Rukh can barely remember from his *own* childhood, things he remembers his parents reminiscing over. He’s added some Celtic history books to his rotation and surreptitiously jots down notes on the random head-scratchers Tate will casually drop and follows rabbit holes looking into said notes...as a result, he’s even more spooked by Tate than he was before he started snooping 😂

When Rukh first started at the Pixie, he thought they would fail. He was positive about it. Too small, in the middle of nowhere, an owner who very quickly made enemies with most of the people in town...he was shocked when the old girl's business plan actually fell into place. Shocked and thrilled, of course. He loves having a routine, loves having a reason to get up and feel energized every day, likes the clientele and takes his job of overseeing the “sightseers” during tourist season seriously. Since the bar turns a respectable profit, they're constantly receiving promotional odds and ends, which is how Rukh wound up with a Bourbon of the Month club subscription for a free year. (Tate hissed like a cat and shooed the offending pamphlet away as though it might bite.) He continued the subscription once the free year ended, and looks forward to his monthly ritual—he waits until his night off, puts on some moody jazz, cracks open the month’s bottle, and enjoys it with a cigar. Thessa referred to it as a self-care routine once, after asking him about his plans for the night, and he nearly turned inside out in mortification.

He doesn’t talk about his time in prison, nor the crime he committed to wind up there. Tate is the only one who knows, and Rukh is happy to keep it that way. It’s not that he regrets the act itself all that much—he has no remorse for his brother, but rather the way it fractured their family, upended his life, and had branded him as someone to be wary of since his release.

That being said...things he did pick up during his incarceration—the ability to keep his head down and just get by, the knowledge that sometimes you simply need to kick someone’s ass, and the value of tidiness—are assets at the Pixie.

Loves nothing more than his solitary days at the Pixie during the off-season. The night-time regulars, while they consistently fill the cash till, are still a handful. He loves the quiet of the daytime, the handful of day drinkers, the time to hear himself think without needing to watch over every aspect of the business. Speaking of which—he knows how to do everything in the Pixie. The ordering, the inventory, the budgets, the schedules, the upkeep...he's not entirely sure why, as Tate very much micro-manages every bit of the day-to-day management, but it was something the boy insisted on and Rukh wasn't about to argue. "Someone needs to be able to take care of her if I'm not here anymore," was the only answer he got, and he decided it was easier not to ask questions. Since Silva has been on the scene, Rukh has been left to his own devices more often and it is *bliss.*

He thought he'd left his days of vice behind him. He drank, he smoked, he dabbled in recreational drugs, he worked on souped-up hot rods and bet on drag racing...prison changed all that and his life afterward left little room for any of it...but Tate and Ainsley are terrible terrible influences. Gamblers and hustlers, he has someone to talk cars with again, to trade intel on illegal street racing with, the chance to get his hands just a littttle bit dirty again, and he loves it

Smokey blues, soulful R&B, moody rock

Sloooow dancing

He is *incredibly* protective of Elshona. He’s the first person who meets her once she arrives in her new home, and he recognizes the fear in her eyes. He’s the only one who understands what it means to be cast out of one’s community, he knows what it means to have to start over again. He doesn’t understand the relationship she has with Tate, doesn’t know all of the details of her expulsion and shunning from her clan, but he’s made a quiet promise to himself that she’ll never be left to flounder completely alone again.

Has a FWB relationship with a half-troll woman in his building. Single mom, splits custody with her ex, so has several nights a week free, and she’ll spend one of them in his bed. It’s casual and neither of them is interested in pursuing more, but it’s occasional companionship and scratches an itch.

He's not immune to the plethora of easy sex the commune attracts. There would be hell to pay if the staff acted on anything beyond mild flirtation at the Pixie, but he'd be a liar if he said he hadn't drifted down to the parties and pool-side bar before to check things out. He's been on the receiving end of more than one edge of the party blowjob to know how addictive that sort of access to easy sex could be; he sees the commune residents and the reckless way they behave and knows how easy it would be to slip into that lust-crazed mindset, and makes a point of only indulging in visiting that side of the resort occasionally

He much prefers to find his partners the old fashioned way: closer to home, in one of the dimly lit little pubs around his neighborhood. He loves the adrenaline rush of a flirtation turning into close talking and lingering hands, that first heat-filled kiss. He doesn't mind the evening ending back at his or her place, he's not picky, and prefers to savor the night (as opposed to the fast, anonymous sex at the commune parties.) Ladies on top or old-fashioned missionary, any position that lets him see their faces: heads dropped back, faces screwed up in ecstasy, that moment when they come...he'll take that over a blow job in the dark any day of the week

A skill that Tate possesses that Rukh greatly admires and strives to emulate: easy banter which leads to confidences shared. They were talking about cars one minute, and in the next Rukh was revealing the details of the day he killed his brother, the shunning of his clan which followed, and his incarceration. He left that initial interview feeling shaken, positive that he'd been the victim of fae magic...but he's come to realize that there is truth in the old adage of hairstylists and barkeeps being the keepers of the whole town's secrets. Tate knows everything about everyone, is able to tease out information as casually as pouring the next drink, and Rukh has begun to employ the same tactics. He was shocked to find that it actually works. As the years have gone on, he's improved his game and knows much about all of the Pixie's regulars, hears the commune gossip and news from town, and is gleeful with the power of being able to pass on information that the Pixie can use to leverage her business.

There is very little that scares him in this world. Possessions are just things and things can be replaced, he's been in fights with bigger, meaner dudes than the Pixie's roughest patrons, and he's not afraid to meet his maker. He's let go of the past and the people in it and tries to live life one day at a time, and that's not a mindset that lends itself to fear much. Tate is a wholly different story. Rukh knew his type in prison: those who viewed other people as pawns, who traded and secrets gossip to advance their own positions; had a minotaur cellmate who was that sort and he got his ass kicked on the regular for it. He knew a lizardman who was as slippery, who contorted himself in and out of trouble, ingratiating himself with the guards and the inmates of the upper echelons to hold himself out of real hot water...but he's never met anyone with the same capacity for mischief and spite as his current employer, has never met anyone so terrifyingly adept at causing trouble while staying out of it. The boy isn't overly concerned about making enemies or worrying about his own hide and wreaks havoc for havoc's sake, and Rukh might be impressed if he didn't actually care about him. Silva is, in Rukh's opinion, Tate's perfect match. A sweet little angel, an absolute beauty, wide-eyed and innocent looking and, Rukh (rightly) suspects, just as shrewd and self-preserving as Tate. He has a feeling the entire town will be set ablaze if/when their relationship consumes itself, and only hopes it happens on his day off.

I hope you enjoyed this little peek into a character who doesn't get as much page time as some of his peers! If you'd like a headcanon of your own, visit my ko-fi! Thanks so much, IvyMemnoch!

#monsterbait answers #ko-fi #girls weekend #the plundered pixie #rukh #ivymemnoch

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houseofvans · 7 years ago

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SKETCHY BEHAVIORS | Jennifer Parks (Portland, OR)

We’ve been following the magical and mystical artwork of Portland artist Jennifer Parks whose drawings of witches, women, and woodland creatures bring a dark delight to our sensibilities. Not only does Jennifer create these fantastical illustrations and ceramics, but also helps to curate and organize shows at the artist run space, Pony Club in Portland. We’re excited to feature Jennifer’s art and talk to her about her influences, artistic process, and find out more what she’s up too in the rest of 2017!

Artist portrait by Richard Darbonne | Images courtesy of the artist

Who are you and what do you do?

My name is Jennifer Parks and I make drawings and ceramic things. I’m also a gallery owner, cat mama, part-time bartender, and believer of ghosts and magic.

When did you first come across art or find yourself making stuff? What it something your parents encouraged or were you always a doodler type of person?

I was always a doodler. I started drawing as soon as I could pick up a crayon. I think pre-school was when I realized I was sort of good at it and started to get encouragement from my parents and other adults.

Did you go to art school or take classes for illustration? What’s your art background?

I took art classes in high school, and junior college and that led me to the Pacific Northwest College of Art here in Portland. I majored in illustration with a focus on storytelling.

Your artwork has a distinct flavor to it that we love–not only is it filled with fauna, nature, but a female character often surrounded by magical and mystical elements. Can you tell us a little bit about how your illustration and artwork reached this point?

It was a natural evolution I think. I learned to draw girls by drawing my mother’s porcelain doll collection. She had a lot of these dolls which were pretty but also kind of creepy. They all had on fancy victorian dresses with lace and floral patterns. I think that led to my interest in old black and white victorian photos which then led to my interest that dark era of witchcraft, seances, and ghosts.

Ive always had a fascination with death and the idea that its not the end, so it just felt natural to start adding those elements to my drawings. Plus, at some point I got tired of people telling me my drawings were “pretty’ and “cute”. Adding some dark and mysterious elements to them made me feel more comfortable.

When I moved to the Pacific Northwest about 13 years ago, which is just surrounded by lush wilderness, I started including those elements as well. I think its hard to live here and not be inspired by our surroundings. They are pretty magical.

What inspires the imagery and symbolism that we find throughout your illustrations?

I am totally fascinated by death, the afterlife, and anything supernatural. Ghosts, aliens, magic, etc. I think there are so many things around us that we can’t see and I like to include some of that magic and mystery in my drawings. The world is kind of boring without them.

We’re always curious about an artists’ process. What’s your process like? Sketchbook, night owl, or scheduled drawing time?

I’m such a night owl. Its sad really. My best drawing hours are somewhere between 8pm and 3am. I will sit at a desk all day with coffee, listening to podcasts, trying to draw, but I really don’t get started until the sun goes down.

What’s a medium you’ve yet to try and want to start dabbling in? Any specific reasons?

I really want to learn how to do intaglio or lithography. I love printmaking and how involved the process can be. Intaglio has been around since the mid 1400’s and lithography since the late 1700’s… It would be amazing to learn such an old process.

Not only do you make some amazing illustrations and murals, but your ceramic pieces are insanely cool and rad. Tells us a little about how you got into ceramics? What do you love about that medium that maybe you can’t achieve or don’t necessarily get from illustration?

I had been collecting these vintage plates and painting faces and designs into them for awhile. It was a lot of fun, but I wanted to take it to the next level and actually make the plate as well. So I decided to take a ceramics course at my local community college. I immediately fell in love with it. I had dabbled in clay before but nothing felt like ceramic clay. Its so soft and easy to work with. I took a morning class because it was the only thing that worked with my schedule and even though its so hard for me to be awake and functioning that early I found it very calming and therapeutic. Now I have my own kiln. If I don’t feel like focusing on drawing, I will just grab my clay, make some shapes, and carve into them. I don’t have to think too hard about the imagery. Thats one of my favorite things about it. I feel like I can zone out and just carve anything into them and it looks cool. Working with ceramics has taught me to be less uptight and less attached to my work. Im clumsy and break so many pieces after hours of working on them. All I can do is shrug it off and start over.

What’s your studio or creative space like? What would we find in there–what do you keep around for inspiration or do you keep it minimal?

My studio space is pretty cluttered with things. I have so many art supplies, frames, paper, old drawings, prints, etc. I have a big drawing table and a big ceramic table. I have lots of art up for inspiration, some plants, and of course a few cats running around.

Does music play a role in your artistic process? Does it inspire you or is it more of something that keeps you company while you work? Can you share with us what your top 5 songs/bands that you are currently into?

I do listen to music while I work, but honestly not very often. I find music very intense and very distracting when Im trying to focus. Im better off having a documentary of some sort playing in the background while I draw.

You also run a gallery space called Pony Club where you support and show artists! How did this idea come about for Pony Club and when did you start it and how has that evolved? What’s been the most challenging part of running a space? What’s been the best part of it?

I got lucky enough to be invited to join the gallery in 2009. Its a collective of 6 artists that work out of the space, curate shows, and help run the shop. It started off as a gallery run by a group of cartoonists who catered heavily to that scene. It hasn’t changed too much, except that the members are different and we began to focus more on illustration.

I would say the most challenging part is trying to run/manage a small group of artists. We all have our own careers and ideas that we are trying to focus on. It can be challenging to find the time focus on the space, promoting other artists, and taking care of other business-related responsibilities.

The most rewarding part is being able to provide a venue for young new illustrators, printmakers, and cartoonists.

Who are your top 5 favorite artists (past or contemporary?) that folks should check out.

Right now Ive been drooling over works by Alex Kuno, Andrea Wan, Tran Nguyen, Saddo, and Bill Crisafi.

Lots of times artists aren’t just one thing, what do you do when you’re not making art or helping out at Pony Club? How do you spend your free time?

Im usually practicing witchcraft or hanging out in the forest.

If folks wanted to follow in your footsteps, what advice or what would you tell folks?

Make sure your in love with what you do, and that your not doing it for the wrong reasons. If your stuck in a rut, go outside to find some inspiration or try a new medium.

Never stop creating.

Tell us about the art community in Portland? Seems like a tight community of talented folks. Who are some of your local favorites?

The art community is pretty amazing here. It feels like we are all part of this very supportive, very talented and caring family. It can be a little overwhelming to have so many awesome artists around you, but it helps to keep you motivated and doing your best.

Some of my favorite local artists are Mark Rogers, Christina Mrozik, Lauren Gonsalves, Martin Ontiveros and Susannah Kelly.

What’s are your favorite Vans? How would you describe your personal style?

My favorite vans are the old school retro looking hi-tops. I wear a lot of black. My style is somewhere between artsy, witchy, and lazy.

What’s your favorite art secret that you’d like to share with folks?

Its not really a secret but artists are really magicians.

What’s coming up for you in the rest of the 2017 year that folks should stay tuned in for?

I will be painting a mural in August with my awesome buddy Meg Adamson for the Forest For The Trees Mural Fest. And hopefully, I will also be learning to tattoo!

Follow Jennifer Parks Website: www.spectralgardens.com Instagram: @spectralgardens

#Art #Vans #vans art #vans girls #Sketchy Behavior #jennifer parks

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kevintalexander · 4 years ago

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The Friction-Free Way To Recruit Without Prospecting Or Selling

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There’s an easier, friction-free way to promote your products and business without experiencing rejection.

If you’re still prospecting by bugging friends, family or complete strangers to grow your business then this may just be the most important post you read today..

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Imagine how it would feel to never have another one of those ‘catching up’ conversations with old acquaintances…

Just waiting for the right time to pounce with your offer.

I read somewhere a long time ago that there’s ONLY 1 Way We As Humans Learn… and that’s by making mistakes.

The mistakes can be yours or someone else’s so learn from other people’s mistakes because you won’t live long enough to make them all yourself.

I can’t remember the author’s name to give credit so if you happen to know who said this let me know in the comments.

That message of learning from other people’s mistakes had a massive impact on my life as well as my business. It’s why I decided to get a mentor who had already been where I was and could help me avoid pitfalls and get to success faster.

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My search led me to find my mentor Ferny Ceballos. Ferny has been in the industry since 2008.

He’s a top producer in his company and has a very successful networking business.

Before I let Ferny talk about the top 5 WRONG ways to recruit on social media (as well as what to do instead), let me quickly tell you my story…

I started dabbling with network marketing way back in 2008. Between 2008 and 2010 I joined numerous companies because truthfully I hated all of the options I was taught to grow my business.

I did not want to contact my warm market

I did not want to reach out to strangers

I did not want to do home meetings

I did not want to babysit… sorry, I mean motivate a bunch of people in order to grow my team

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I wanted to find a company that solved these problems for me.

In 2012 I found Empower Network (EN) and went ALL-IN.

If you knew about EN then reading the phrase ALL IN either made you smile (because it’s funny now in hindsight) or it made you cringe and possibly even increased your heart rate… and not in a good way.

If you’ve never heard of EN and you’re curious you can google it and my statement will make a lot more sense then.

Anyway, the point of meniting EN isn’t to rag on them. It’s to explain what made me decide to go all in and why that matters to you.

EN promised to solve all the problems I faced with growing my business utilizing the power of the internet.

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We were going to draw people in towards us utilizing content marketing… namely blogging.

Long story short, EN ended up crashing and burning… and along with it all my hopes for growing my business in a way where I could avoid doing the things I disliked.

Back then I knew very little about the internet in terms of using it to attract and influence other like minded people.

For almost the next decade I did a deep dive with how to run paid advertising profitably so it was no longer an expense but an investment that paid me back in spades.

Along the way I quit my job, went full time as an entrepreneur, got distracted and left the network marketing altogether and picked up affiliate marketing.

I had a few successes and a bunch of failures. Too many failures to mention here. Overall, the few successes I had outweighed all the failures.

Not too long ago I stumbled across an interesting post from a lady on Facebook.

I clicked on it and read her blog post. She had successfully built her networking business utilizing the internet.

I studied everything she was doing. I read all her emails and blog posts and even watched her videos on social media.

This was the missing piece!

What she was doing was both simple and brilliant!

It solved all the problems I had over a decade ago that made me turn my back on network marketing.

Her name was Brandy Shaver. I dug in a bit deeper and found her mentors were 2 guys (Tim Erway and Ferny Ceballos). I immediately hired those guys to mentor me as well.

Now let me turn this over to Ferny so he can tell you a bit about himself and what qualifies him to talk about this topic.

*************************

Hey guys, Ferny here.

It’s been over a decade since I entered the network marketing arena and my life took a crazy detour into the world of entrepreneurship.

I’ve undergone deep personal development and experienced more negativity than any human should have to endure, but the good news is that my story in this industry has a happy ending.

I quit my job as an engineer 2 1/2 years after joining the industry in 2008, became a 6-figure earner in direct sales by 2009, built a 7-figure internet company by 2012, and I am now the co-owner of an online direct sales company.

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My journey was filled with many fumbles, embarrassing moments, and more prospecting “faux pas” than I care to share

I hope my friends, family, and strangers I have attempted to prospect have long forgotten the things I did. LOL!

But here’s a few, so you have an idea…

Have you ever invited friends over for some beers and very unsmoothly transitioned to showing the business plan to a very angry audience?

I have.

Have you ever tried to prospect your bartender, a few too many beers past ‘buzzed,’ and have him respond with, “Is this Amway?”

Doh! I have.

Here’s a good one… have you ever, while on a date, prospected a girl as a “test,” because your upline told you that if a girl is not positive about your business, she’s not a keeper?

Yep… that didn’t turn out well!

And that’s about as much as I’ll reveal because I’m starting to get really depressed remembering all this right now. Haha.

The point is, before I cast some heavy stones at some networkers, but I just wanted to let y’all know I’ve made mistakes too.

But that doesn’t mean we should go easy on those that are committing some MAJOR mistakes when recruiting with social media.

In my day, my fumbles happened offline and there is no record…thankfully!

Unfortunately, today…

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The Internet Never Forgets and It’s Ruining It for Everyone Else!

I once heard that success in business is all about ‘time’ and ‘place.’

As a professional marketer, I would add ‘message’ to the equation as well.

Network marketers today are being taught methods of recruiting with social media. Unfortunately, these so often include the wrong message, at the wrong time, at the wrong place.

Here’s the truth!

There is a VERY fine line between recruiting with social media and spamming people.

I’m sorry to say that most network marketers have been turned into human spam bots by their upline and company leaders…

‘Disposable distributors’ tasked with the job of spreading the word about their company’s products or opportunity at the expense of the individual’s reputation and risking the suspension of their social media accounts.

Just recently, I asked affiliates of my company to share examples of the WRONG WAY to prospect online by sending me screenshots of the poor attempts at prospecting they receive every day…

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The WRONG Way to Prospect and Recruit

Have a look at these…

Successful entrepreneurs and networkers alike eventually learn the true secret to success, and it becomes the foundation upon which their entire prospecting, recruiting and business building strategy is founded.

That secret being:

“People don’t care how much you know, until they know how much you care” – Theodore Roosevelt

The screenshots above are an example of a weak attempt from people recruiting with social media…

People who haven’t yet figured out that building a business is not about tricking people or finding the right copy/paste FB messages to send to strangers.

It’s about actually caring about people, becoming a person of value, and being someone uniquely positioned to help someone with their problems!

That last part is critical: “uniquely positioned to help someone with their problems.”

Any idiot can copy and paste a message into the Private Message function on Facebook.

What sets you apart from the rest of the desperate reps hitting people’s inboxes with their new “ground floor” opportunities or cash programs?

Now, this doesn’t mean prospecting online doesn’t work.

I know some very skilled recruiters who are excellent at online prospecting, but just like offline prospecting, they’ve devoted the time and effort to learn this very difficult skill and have mastered it.

And if that’s the strategy you want to deploy, you need to do it right or else!

But if you’re still a little fuzzy on whether you are a spammer or not, here’s a guide of sorts…

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Top 5 Warning Signs Your Social Media Prospecting Efforts are Actually SPAM

1.) Your first private message to a stranger on social media includes a link to join your opportunity.

2.) You get angry replies via private messaging and/or you have been reported as a spammer.

3.) You post links to your opportunity or website in the comments section of other people’s social media posts.

4.) You compulsively want to talk about your company or products without anyone asking you to share.

Finally… this one is the most important one…

5.) You engage in interactions online with a hidden agenda hoping to transition the topic to something that would get people interested in your opportunity without caring about knowing the other person.

This last one for me is a big one but could also be controversial.

After all, #5 is the very definition of prospecting (online or offline) that even when done right… can still feel awkward, result in people getting angry at you, and very unleveraged.

That is why I eventually decided to stop prospecting altogether.

But here’s the interesting thing…

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“When I Stopped Prospecting People, My Business Started Growing!”

I can’t tell you how relieved and at peace I felt, when I once again, was able to go out with my friends, visiting a family member’s home, or be in a public place without having to think about prospecting anyone.

Just enjoying being normal again was incredible after two years of being taught by my upline that “everyone was a prospect” and approaching every conversation with a hidden agenda; I was free!

That’s because it wasn’t until I STOPPED prospecting that my business actually started growing!

Weird, right?

At this point, you may be asking…

“Then how the heck did your business grow? How can you grow a network marketing business without recruiting with social media and spamming your friends and family?”

Well before I answer that, I have to say that there are people who are very skilled prospectors and recruiters who completely disregard the issues I mentioned above.

They knowingly and unashamedly, approach every interaction with a stranger as a prospecting opportunity.

Getting yelled at or cursed out by prospects is no big deal, as long as some people say ‘yes.’

And just like doing it right offline, there’s a way to successfully do it online as well. After learning and becoming very good at prospecting, I decided that I didn’t want to build my business this way.

The problem with prospecting in general, as it’s normally taught, is that the mindset going in is still about what YOU want people to do and about manipulating people into doing what you want them to do.

In other words, it’s about YOU, not them. I didn’t like that, but I still did it for a little while… until I found a better way.

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The More Leveraged Alternative to 1-on-1 Prospecting, Which Won’t Make You Feel Like a Cheap Salesman

Now, I am not trying to be high and mighty about all this prospecting stuff because I’m not.

If it came down to either feeding my family with ‘stone cold’ prospecting tactics or my kids starving, I would choose stone cold prospecting every time, without remorse.

But the reason I was able to quit prospecting was that, with the help of some extraordinary mentors,

I eventually discovered an online recruiting strategy which enabled me to recruit more people in one day than the most skilled recruiter in the world can do in a month.

I was able to passively generate leads, customers, and new reps even when I was out having fun with friends and family.

(Hence why I didn’t have to worry about prospecting them!)

Rather than spending hours spamming or private messaging people on social media, I learned how to legitimately get Facebook and other networks to actually help me attract the people who are most interested in what I have to offer by using their own ads platform! (i.e. going legit!)

In fact, every day for almost 8 years now, I’ve awoken to an email inbox full of notifications for new leads, new customers, new team members, and commissions I earned while sleeping!

All without resorting to the odious and deceitful tactics commonly used when recruiting with social media in our industry.

This strategy is called ‘attraction marketing’, which is an internet marketing strategy designed for networkers and people in direct sales!

You see, if your business depends on you being on social media, sending private messages, or commenting on people’s posts all day, you are NOT doing internet marketing… despite what you may have been led to believe.

Online prospecting and internet marketing are NOT the same thing! Internet marketing is a passive strategy, which works, even when you are not.

So if you want to learn how to PASSIVELY build a business by attracting the prospects you want online, then get access to my free 10-Day Online Recruiting Bootcamp available here.

There, I reveal the strategy I’ve used for the past decade, plus.

You’ll also get more details about a book I wrote that goes into the nuts n’ bolts of my recruiting & selling formula.

Now if traditional prospecting online or offline is your thing and you want to stick to that, by all means, go for it.

There are many top trainers and earners of mine in the industry that focus on cold market recruiting skills…

(And they do ‘attraction marketing’ too!)

For me, there was simply a certain way I wanted to live my life and that was more important.

I would much rather make a ton of money in my business first and then have my friends and family beg me to tell them more about it.

It’s much better than begging my friends and family to join a business which isn’t making any money.

Which would you prefer?

Exactly!

Sincerely,

Kevin Alexander & Ferny Ceballos

FREE INTERNET RECRUITING COURSE

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micecream · 7 years ago

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35 Ways to Get Paid While Traveling the World

In many parts of the world, you can live comfortably for very little money—substantially less than you spend in your home country.

Between cheap flights, living in hostels, or CouchSurfing, and finding ways to earn money, food, and/or accommodation while abroad, travel can be shockingly affordable, even profitable. I’ve now been to 21 countries by pursuing #1, #8, and a few others.

Without further ado, here are 35 ways to partially or entirely finance a trip abroad:

1. Teach English

I taught English in South Korea for one year through the EPIK Program and managed to pay off my student loan debt and save ~$10,000. English is, in many ways, becoming a universal language. There are job opportunities in countless locations all over the world, and often you only need to be a native speaker and/or take an online certification course (you may also need a college degree, but in some countries you don’t). Many programs will pay for your airfare and housing on top of a healthy salary. Google and Dave’s ESL Cafe are good resources to begin discovering your options.

Posing with my sixth graders in South Korea in 2014.

2. WWOOF

This is something I’ve wanted to do for a while. Through the World Wide Organization of Organic Farms (WWOOF), you can travel to many different countries and work on organic farms. Basically, you work for 4-6 hours per day in exchange for food and housing with a host family. This leaves the majority of your day open for exploring and other activities. With the necessities covered, you only need to pay for travel expenses. I have friends who “WWOOFed” for 6 months in Japan, and some friends of a friend did the same for about 6 months in South America.

3. Peace Corps

Peace Corps is another option I’ve strongly considered and may still do. Corps members make a two-year commitment to live and work in a developing country. Members work in the sectors of education, youth and community development, health, business, agriculture, environment, and HIV/AIDS, among others. In exchange, you receive a housing and living allowance, student loan assistance, a re-adjustment stipend of $7,425 upon completion, full medical and dental coverage, plus a few other things. I know the Peace Corps would be a profoundly life-changing experience.

4. Housesitting and petsitting

Watch someone’s house and/or pets for them and get a free place to say. Some people bounce around the world housesitting for years at at time.

5. Sell art in unconventional ways

My favorite rapper-artist-novelist KOOL A.D. has made thousands of dollars selling his original artwork on Instagram. Others use services/tools such as Redbubble, Teespring, Gooten, and/or Shopify to sell their art or print/sell their original artwork on t-shirts, posters, and more.

HighExistence team members Jordan Lejuwaan, Jon Brooks, and I at a festival in Amsterdam, Netherlands in 2016.

6. Bartending

One of the easiest and most popular options for travelers. I’ll never forget the island of Koh Rong, Cambodia, where all of the bartenders I talked to were just travelers who had arrived on the paradisiacal island and decided they wanted to stay a while. I have friends who’ve bartended in Australia, Cambodia, South Korea, and probably a bunch of other places.

7. Work at a Hostel or Resort

Resort positions are among the most common forms of employment that can be easily acquired by people from foreign countries. And, there are resorts all over the planet. You could potentially work as a front desk attendant, in a restaurant, or in the activity/entertainment department. You could save money, and in your downtime, experience a tropical locale.

8. Start an online business.

It’s becoming more feasible all the time to work from a remote location, and people are capitalizing on this state of affairs to become digital nomads.

Make no mistake: online business is not a get-rich-quick scheme, but there are countless people who have found a way to earn a living online through diligent effort. If you’re curious to learn more about this possibility, read this guide I wrote.

9. Become a yoga instructor

Get certified and find yoga jobs all over the world and/or start your own classes or personal training business wherever you go.

I saw many of the best sunsets of my life on the Mediterranean Sea in Durrës, Albania in 2016.

10. Become a scuba instructor

Similar to yoga, you can get a scuba certification most anywhere in the world then get positions all over the world.

11. Do something through Workaway

Workaway is like WWOOF but broader. Workaway shares opportunities around the world to volunteer a few hours per day in exchange for food and board.

12. Tutor kids online

Many companies offer the opportunity to tutor a variety of subjects from the comfort of your home. Job websites such as Craigslist and Indeed are good places to start searching for such positions.

13. HelpX

Similar to WWOOF and Workaway, HelpX offers interesting volunteering opportunities one can work in exchange for free food and accomodation.

14. Online poker

I’m hesitant to include this one because this could easily become a black hole that sucks up thousands of dollars of your hard-earned money. It’s true, however, that Texas Hold’em and other poker games are not like most gambling games. You play against other people, and skill is a huge factor.

The best poker players win substantial amounts of money over time. If you know a lot about poker, this is an option to consider, though it’s highly advisable to read a number of poker books before starting and to begin at playing at the lowest stakes. Phil Gordon’s Little Green Book: Lessons and Teachings in No Limit Texas Hold’em is a solid book to start with. I’ve most recently played online poker at Ignition Casino, though I personally have only ever lost small amounts of money pursuing this pastime.

With my lovely girlfriend Jacki in Athens, Greece in 2016.

15. Start an Etsy or eBay business

This is another path of online entrepreneurship in which many people find success. Some people create crafts or other things and sell them on Etsy. Others hunt for undervalued items at antique shops or garage sales and sell them for much more money on Etsy or eBay. Still others start businesses helping other people sell their old, unwanted stuff on eBay.

16. Become a tour guide

With little to no experience, you can get tour guide jobs in various countries worldwide. Get paid to show people amazing places.

17. Become a flight attendant

Help people have good flight experiences and see the world in the process. Layovers for flight attendants are typically only a few hours but can be as long as a week. If you take maximum advantage of your layovers, you could get out an explore countless cities in a matter of months.

18. Use credit cards very effectively

This another item that I hesitate to include, considering credit cards are very easy to misuse, and millions of people currently find themselves in credit card debt, paying ridiculous interest rates as they try to dig themselves out of proverbial quicksand. With that being said, if you’re financially savvy, you can use credit cards to earn large sums of reward points/money, and use this to finance world travel. This article/blog is a good place to start. I’ve been simply using a couple Capital One credit cards with 1-1.5% cash-back rewards for the last few years and have probably received ~$1,000+ in rewards; others hack the system to get far more.

19. Create music and sell it digitally

It’s easier than ever for anyone to start creating and selling their own music. Get a program like Fruity Loops or Ableton and start making your own electronic music, or buy a good, cheap microphone and start recording. Sell your music independently on Bandcamp or use a service like CD Baby to get your music on Spotify, Apple Music, Google Play Music, iTunes, and more. I’ve made nearly $1000 in revenue making unusual rap music purely as a passion project over the last few years.

20. Become a massage therapist

Similar to being a scuba diving or yoga instructor, people get certified and then take their skills on the road, offering a valuable service while traveling and earning enough to live on.

21. Sell timeshares

Selling people shared vacation homes can be pretty easy and profitable compared to other jobs you can work abroad. Worth looking into.

22. Work remotely

This is one of your best options. There are now millions of jobs that you can work from your computer, in your pajamas. Here’s a nice guide to the best remote job sites. Also, an incredibly useful trick is to use SearchCraigslist.com, which lets you search all of Craigslist at once. Just search for “remote,” “telecommuting,” “remote writing,” “remote social media,” etc. For more details on how to pursue this path, see this guide I wrote.

23. Fruit-picking

Fruit-picking jobs can be found worldwide and are a good option for travelers.

Athens, Greece, as seen from the top of the Acropolis, 2016.

24. Day-trading

I’ve recently begun to dabble in cryptocurrency investing. I don’t know much about stocks or investing yet, but if you’re motivated to learn, day-trading could be a great option, and in the long-run investing in low-risk stocks (index funds, mutual funds, etc.) is one of the best financial decisions you can make.

25. Work on a Cruise Ship

A few years ago, I went on an extraordinary Alaskan cruise with my family. While on the ship, I met a woman from London who encouraged me to check out working for a cruise line if I was interested in traveling abroad while earning money. She said she makes $1,800 per month, and her housing and food are completely covered. She also told me she was on a 6-month contract, so the job wasn’t an overly large commitment. Find cruise ship jobs here.

26. Be an Au Pair

When I was in Spain last summer, I met a girl who was working as an au pair for the summer. She was spending time in Germany, Italy, and Spain looking after different families’ children during the workday. She was then able to spend her evenings as she liked and travel on weekends. It seemed like a pretty sweet gig. Find au pair jobs here.

27. Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO)

VSO‘s vision is a world without poverty. VSO volunteers work in the areas of animals and natural resources, communications and fundraising, communities and social development, engineering and technical, health, business, education, and more. VSO covers the travel expenses, insurance, and day-to-day living expenses for their volunteers. Additionally, keep in mind that VSO and Peace Corps are two among many volunteer organizations around the world that will finance your travels to volunteer abroad. Don’t be afraid to do some digging and check out others.

28. Give haircuts

Another skill you can take on the road, if you possess it.

29. Create online content and monetize it

YouTube channels, podcasts, webcomics, blogs, vlogs, games, animations, video game streaming, social media, and on and on and on. The web is bursting with mountains of multimedia content, and many of the creators of this content are making good money through advertising, affiliate marketing, or accepting donations from fans through sites like Patreon.

30. Give music lessons

Yet another skill you can take on the road. You can give music lessons anywhere or play your instrument outdoors for tips.

Jacki and I in Amsterdam, 2016.

31. Be a surfing instructor

Surf’s up, dude! Surfing lessons are popular at beach destinations worldwide.

32. Travel photography

This is a classic dream of many people. Here’s what it takes.

33. Corporate work

Many of the largest companies in the world are not in your home country. Many more have offices overseas and offer exchange programs. Here’s a good list to get started thinking in this direction.

34. Work on a yacht

Yacht jobs: they’re a real thing. Join the crew of a yacht and sail the world.

35. Be creative and entrepreneurial

This is the ultimate advice when it comes to finding ways to earn or save money while traveling abroad. In truth there are countless ways you can make this work. The limiting factors are your imagination and determination. If you are dead set on making this work, you really can do it. Think outside the box, don’t take “no” for an answer, and get out there.

#travel #traveling #globe_travel #motivation

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