#instead it's much more energy-efficient to do the work once and save the result for reference on subsequent occasions when it may be needed

[catastrophic-crow]

occasionally i'll do some kind of mental math and really astound someone around me bc they just can't conceive of being able to do [whatever] without a calculator and it always takes the wind out of their sails when i tell them it's all memorized gimmicks and shortcuts. sorry to disappoint. humans are bad at math. finding ways to not do math is almost always quicker and easier than doing the math.

Guys. Guys. Calculating tips. Just. Look at your bill. And move the decimal point one step left. That’s ten percent. Double that number. Now it’s twenty percent.

$100.00 bill? $10.000. Ten dollars. Double it. Twenty dollars. That’s a 20% tip.

$67.50? Now it’s $6.750. $6.75? Might as well be $7. Double it. Roughly $14. You’re not going to miss the change.

Please. I failed math three times

[ultra-creepy-fucker-things]

Me, Randomly Fantasizing About An Imaginary Spore Clone

I have no ability to implement these ideas, and cannot speak on whether they'd be fun in a game or not. This is just stuff I'd like to see in a spore clone.

-Instead of using DNA points to evolve, maybe use energy points, which represent the amount of energy the creature would be able to invest in any given mutation, mutations which would result in less energy expenditure refund a bit of energy. Energy points would be calculated based on three things: the player's own skill at collecting food, the stomach's efficiency at digesting that food, and the overall quality of that food. Could probably work "how much energy the player uses" in there too, but I fear that would discourage expairementation.

-Not all mutations are visible, some effect organs, which will control things like stamina, and what food can be digested, sapience would be achieved not by going along a linear path with sapience at the end, but by increasing brainpower past the sapience threshold via mutation, something which will take a while, as you won't be able to make massive leaps through mutation, no matter how much energy you have saved up.

-I'd want it to be really physical, this might be a weird comparison, but if you've ever played Minecraft, you'll know that you can take the things it gives you and just do incredible stuff that probably wasn't intended by the programers just with the components they gave you, this is probably how the ideal spore clone would work, the game gives you components, and you figure out a workable survival strategy from there.

-tying into the last one, if the physics simulation is good enough and the player confident in their abilities, maybe their should be an option to directly sculpt parts of the creature yourself if a way which will affect gameplay.

-unlike spore, were survival is a guarantee, maybe there should be more skill involved here, if you, the player, are bad at the game and keep dying, that branch of the tree goes extinct, and you have to go back to the species your current fella evolved from and try again, maybe the amount of lives you have could be determined by how many young the species has and it's parental care, if it has little parental care and lots of young, you start off weaker but have more lives, lots of parental care but few young, and you start off stronger but have less lives(reproduction will probably cost energy up front, and both having more kids and taking more care of those kids would increase that cost. Energy is probably different from energy points, but might factor in to the calculation... Although, again, still a bit iffy on that)

-Creative limitations once your multicellular, you can't add any new parts once you get out of the unicellular level, only delete or mutate existing ones... Not that you'll be that limited in how your able to mutate them, so long as it stayed incremental.

-SKIN! How your skin works (fur, scales, feathers, whatever) can mutated and does effect gameplay.

-different biomes with varying humidity and temeratures.

-fore the sake of your poor abused computer, only your evolution is simulated, for other creatures it pulls from a library of premade life forms to populate your world, choosing them based on what biome their most suited to, possibly including your own creatures ancestors.

-while there are special stages for sapient species that you may advance to upon achieving sapience, this is optional, your path is your own, and you can evolve in whatever direction you please, the goal is survival.(hey, maybe you can play as a plant or fungi)

-maybe to represent intelligence, upgrading you brainpower gives you intellegence points, which are spent on behavioral mutations instead of physical ones. Hey, maybe quantity of young could be upgraded through energy points, and child care through brain points(you do not purchase sapience, it just happens when your brain is upgraded enough)

-I'd prefer for the sapience stages to be heavily affected by the creature stage, but God, I don't know how you'd do that. Ideally, the next stage up for a social species would look different then for an asocial one.

-difficulty options, you should probably be able to toggle on and off, say, the creativity limitations, or incremental evolution only, or extinction.

[best-ac-repair-services]

Is Your Old AC Costing You More in Repairs Than It’s Worth?

Is Your Old AC Costing You More in Repairs Than It’s Worth?

Here’s a question for you: How many times have you had to call for AC repair in the last year?

Once? Twice? More than you can count?

If your AC keeps breaking down, it’s not just annoying—it’s costing you money. And here’s the kicker: At some point, those repair costs might outweigh the price of simply replacing the whole unit.

But how do you know when you’ve hit that point?

That’s what we’re diving into today.

Why Old AC Units Break Down More Often

First, let’s address the elephant in the room: old AC units are not built for today’s demands.

1. Outdated Technology

Your 10-year-old air conditioner is like a flip phone in a world of smartphones.

Challenge: Older systems aren’t as energy-efficient as modern units.

Result: Higher energy bills and frequent breakdowns.

2. Wear and Tear

After years of battling Gilbert’s summers, your AC isn’t running like it used to.

Challenge: Components like compressors, coils, and fans wear out over time.

Result: Parts fail more often, leading to costly AC repairs.

3. Struggles With Extreme Heat

Gilbert’s scorching summers aren’t easy on any AC system—especially an older one.

Challenge: The intense heat forces your unit to work overtime.

Result: Shorter lifespan and more frequent repairs.

Signs Your AC Is Costing You Too Much

So, how do you know if your old AC is burning a hole in your wallet?

Here are some red flags:

1. Frequent Repairs

If you’re calling for AC repair more than twice a year, it’s a problem.

Example: Replacing a compressor once is fine. Replacing it twice in 12 months? Not so much.

2. Rising Energy Bills

Have your energy bills crept up over the last few summers?

Why it happens: Old units aren’t as efficient, so they use more power to cool your home.

3. Uneven Cooling

Some rooms feel like a sauna, while others are freezing. Sound familiar?

What it means: Your unit is struggling to distribute air evenly, a sign it’s on its last legs.

4. Strange Noises

Grinding, banging, or buzzing sounds are your AC’s way of crying for help.

What it means: Internal components are worn out or failing.

5. It’s Over 10 Years Old

The average lifespan of an AC unit is about 10-15 years. If yours is older than that, start budgeting for a replacement.

The True Cost of Sticking With an Old AC

You might think sticking with your old unit saves you money. But does it?

Let’s break it down:

1. Repair Costs Add Up

Even small repairs can add up over time.

Example: A $300 repair here, a $500 repair there. Do that a few times a year, and you’ve spent enough to buy a new unit.

2. Higher Energy Bills

Older units can use up to 30% more energy than modern systems.

Example: If your energy bill is $200 a month, an inefficient AC could be costing you an extra $60 per month. Over a year, that’s $720.

3. Decreased Home Comfort

An old AC can’t keep up with Gilbert’s heat, leaving you sweaty and miserable.

Result: You’re paying for cooling but not getting it.

4. Emergency Repairs Are Costlier

When your AC breaks down in the middle of a heatwave, you’re looking at premium repair rates.

Result: A simple fix can turn into a costly emergency call.

When to Replace Instead of Repair

Here’s a simple rule of thumb:

If the cost of AC repair is more than half the price of a new unit, it’s time to replace.

But there’s more to consider:

1. Age of the Unit

Under 10 years: Repairs might be worth it.

Over 10 years: Replacement is usually the smarter choice.

2. Frequency of Repairs

Once a year or less: Repairs make sense.

Multiple times a year: Start shopping for a new unit.

3. Energy Efficiency

Old units: Inefficient and costly to run.

New units: Can save you up to 20-40% on energy bills.

Benefits of Upgrading Your AC

Still on the fence about replacing your old unit? Let’s talk benefits.

1. Lower Energy Bills

Modern AC units are designed to use less energy without sacrificing performance.

Example: Switching to an energy-efficient unit can cut your cooling costs by hundreds of dollars a year.

2. Improved Comfort

New units cool your home more evenly and effectively.

Result: No more hot spots or uneven temperatures.

3. Fewer Repairs

A new unit means fewer breakdowns and lower repair costs.

4. Better Air Quality

Modern systems come with advanced filtration to remove dust, allergens, and pollutants.

Result: Cleaner, healthier air for your family.

Why Choose Olive Air and Heating LLC for Your New AC?

Here’s the deal: Replacing your AC is a big decision. You want a team you can trust.

1. Expertise You Can Count On

Olive Air’s technicians are trained, certified, and experienced in installing all major AC brands.

2. Transparent Pricing

No hidden fees. No surprises. Just honest, upfront pricing.

3. Fast, Reliable Service

Gilbert summers wait for no one. Olive Air prioritizes quick installations to get your home cool ASAP.

4. Financing Options

Don’t have the cash upfront? No problem. Olive Air offers flexible financing plans to fit your budget.

FAQs About Replacing Your AC

Q: How do I know if it’s time to replace my AC?

A: If your unit is over 10 years old, needs frequent repairs, or isn’t cooling effectively, it’s time to consider a replacement.

Q: How much does a new AC unit cost?

A: Prices vary depending on the size and type of unit. Olive Air provides free estimates so you know exactly what to expect.

Q: How long does installation take?

A: Most installations are completed within a day. Olive Air works quickly without cutting corners.

Q: Will a new AC really save me money?

A: Absolutely. Modern units are much more energy-efficient, which means lower energy bills and fewer repairs.

Final Thoughts

Here’s the bottom line: An old AC might seem cheaper to keep, but the cost of constant AC repair, high energy bills, and reduced comfort can add up fast.

If you’re tired of sweating through Gilbert’s summers with an unreliable unit, it’s time to make the switch.

Stop wasting money on repairs. Start enjoying a cooler, more comfortable home today.

[anthonybialy]

Really Pretend Politics

Fantasy fans enjoy fiction enough to apply it to the everyday.  Some imagined lessons don’t translate.  There’s the problem of making literal translations work, but some movie magic will surely turn dreams into reality.

Performance politics are popular amongst those who take gestures most seriously.  There’s no help by simply claiming to be assisting, if you can believe it.  The tiresome act isn’t any phonier than the rest of liberalism.

Paying people who have failed to muster much cash with funds taken from those who have doesn’t quite seem to have enriched either party.  Ancient capitalists used to conduct this transaction by working for each other.  But your ancient methods sound an awful lot of needing to do something in order to survive, and such self-reliance-based barbaric notions epitomize cruelty.

Planners of abundance created yet another perfect example of why everything they believe turns life into a barren wasteland.  Common ground doesn’t seem to motivate those affected to work together or at all.  Creators as demotivated as recipients, but everyone’s eager otherwise.

Enabling an economy by removing obstacles creates a level playing field that offends the useless.  The most optimistic either don’t think advancement is possible or don’t want to bother themselves with anything as undignified as toil.

A full shift is really more for peasants without student loan debt that Supreme Court fascists refuse to excuse.  Failing to recognize the value of creating it seems too confusing.  Woke studies majors are so smart that they didn’t take classes in any subject that could lead to a lucrative career.

Extension cords trailing behind cars puttering along at the speed of rather sluggish golf carts keep our planet existing.  Hybrids are based in the presumption the outlet is magical.  Amateur climatologists surely grasp how the globe’s temperatures work.

Oblivious researchers have found a way to liberate motorists from the thought of fuel pouring into a tank, which is more of an omission than emission.  Instead, the planet’s most pious defenders can instead focus on invisible energy beams powering smugmobiles.  Hiding emanations don’t make them dissipate.

Chopping down trees to keep life clean isn’t just in defiance of photosynthesis.  Progressive states bringing back paper bags are leading us into a different century.  It’s just one that’s already occurred.  Enjoy your receptacle that rips while attempting to enjoy a drink using a straw that dissolves as it tastes awful.  Plastic happens to be an effective way to carry the result of commerce or direct potable fluids into one’s mouth.  Pretending sipping leads to filling venti bodies of water with clogged junk may not save Earth, but at least they make you feel like you’re suffering with purpose.

The embodiment of liberal meddling coincidentally make life even worse.  Confiscating rights is supposed to make us enjoy the lack of overwhelming choice.  The actuality defied smug intentions turning into widespread misery.  Masks were a perfect symbol of embracing symbols.  Doing something is trickier unless increasing smugness levels counts.

Making it impossible to use natural gas to cook will similarly advance society as long as raw meat seems futuristic.  The style of range you likely have right now was once touted as an efficient way to heat pans, perhaps because it is.  Such controlled burning to permit pancakes to be consumed after heating remains clean, as the experiment’s results don’t change.  The inability to alter evidence through perception shocks those who claim to believe in science.

Banning joy and progress would be as close as Democrats get to efficiency, so forget it ever happening.  Incremental autocrats go step by step because they either don’t know what they want to prohibit next or wish to avoid revealing their tiresomely nefarious intentions.  You may feel inclined to believe pushy suzerains never think that far ahead, which mirrors how they don’t think about what’s happening now.  Lurching to whatever hysteria infects them next is not exactly the most efficient way to shape our future.

Taking the simplest conveniences is part of the ever-charming Democratic mentality that everything people have is a privilege granted by visionary politicians.  Unworthy subjects need to provide a reason to justify having anything, which is great unless you believe in rights or practicality.  We’re really lucky to possess anything, from stoves to straws to currency.  And we haven’t even gotten to decadent rights like demanding warrants.

Everyone suffering is how we learn empathy.  You selfishly don’t want to spend a term hurting just to see how all the other wretches feel.  Don’t forget what Joe Biden did to you if you’d like to remain a good person.  Making a show out of doling out currency buys votes as long as the interest hikes to compensate doesn’t kick in first.  A magical president turned bills themselves into virtually worthless slips.  It’s as if increasing the supply makes something less valuable.  I wonder how demand affects the process.

Tossing around currency was supposed to enrich us poor bastards.  The party into utter control thought out doling, perhaps because they were using money that was technically taken from others.  Targets of pilfering were probably thieving barons, anyway.  Generosity is unparalleled aside from how this style of altruism technically requires money taken from others.  A trifling detail about presuming everything belongs to everything else is how nobody ends up with much of anything.

[onealomatseyelajuwomi]

Oneal Omatseye Lajuwomi Explains Easy Ways to Save Energy and Reduce Your Carbon Footprint

Today, As an Energy Consultant I want to talk about easy ways that you can save energy and reduce your carbon footprint. It’s important to be mindful of how our actions affect the environment, so here are some simple tips for doing your part.

1. Unplug electronics when not in use:

Many devices continue to draw power even when they’re turned off or in standby mode. To avoid this “phantom load," unplug any device you don't need right away or use a power strip with an on/off switch so you can easily turn off all devices at once.

2. Adjust the temperature of your water heater:

Lowering the thermostat setting on your hot water heater from 140°F (60°C) to 120°F (49°C) could help reduce energy usage by up to 10%. You may also consider installing an insulating jacket around it if it's more than five years old as well as periodic flushing out of sediment buildup at its base which can further improve efficiency and extend its life span too!

3. Use efficient light bulbs:

As an Energy Consultant I want to say Switching over from traditional incandescent bulbs is one way we all can make a big difference in reducing our electricity bills while helping protect against climate change too! LED lights last much longer than their predecessors and require less wattage per lumen produced saving both money & resources over time without sacrificing brightness levels either!

4. Change air filters regularly:

Keeping clean air filters will ensure that heating/cooling systems run efficiently by allowing them enough airflow without having any strain put onto motors due to excessive dirt build-up inside filter media itself resulting in lower utility costs throughout the year plus fewer repair needs down road since the system won't have work harder just keep the same level performance going strong every day.

5. Utilize natural lighting during daytime hours:

Taking advantage of sunlight available outside instead of relying solely on artificial sources indoors helps conserve energy while providing great source. free illumination during daylight hours whenever possible just remember to close curtains shades at nightfall to keep heat out of the house during summer months cool temperatures inside winter ones too!.

I hope these tips help get started making small changes today and add up to big savings tomorrow good luck everyone happy saving!

[financestrats]

clever ways to save money : Tips from an Economic

clever ways to save money Introduction:

clever ways to save money Saving money can be challenging; however, with the right strategies and a bit of ingenuity, it's possible to maximize your savings and secure your financial future. In this blog post, I, as an economic expert, will share some clever ways to save money, utilizing plenty of transition words to make your reading experience enjoyable and effortless. Body:

First and foremost, automate your savings

- To begin with, set up automatic transfers from your checking account to a designated savings account each month. Consequently, this helps you consistently save money without even thinking about it.

Secondly, track your expenses

- After you have automated your savings, use budgeting apps or a simple spreadsheet to monitor your spending. By doing so, you'll identify areas where you can cut back without sacrificing too much.

Next, shop smart clever ways to save money

- Following the tracking of your expenses, look for sales and discounts when you shop. Additionally, consider purchasing generic or store-brand products instead of name brands to save money without compromising quality.

Subsequently, embrace DIY

- Once you've learned to shop smart, learn to do simple home repairs or create homemade gifts for special occasions. As a result, you'll save on labor and consumption costs.

Furthermore, use cashback and rewards programs

- To maximize your savings, take advantage of loyalty programs, cashback credit cards, and rebate apps for everyday purchases.

In addition to that, cut back on energy costs

- Also, make your home more energy-efficient by sealing drafts, using energy-saving light bulbs, and turning off electronics when not in use.

Moreover, focus on meal planning and bulk cooking

- In order to save on groceries, plan your meals for the week and cook in bulk. Consequently, you'll enjoy homemade meals at a fraction of the cost of dining out. clever ways to save money

Beyond that, eliminate or reduce debt

- As another strategy, pay off high-interest debt as quickly as possible and avoid new debt by using a budget and sticking to it.

Additionally, consider a side hustle

- On top of everything else, find innovative ways to earn extra income, such as freelance work or gig-based opportunities. Thus, this can be an effective way to increase your savings.

Lastly, set financial goals clever ways to save money

- To wrap things up, establish clear short-term and long-term financial goals to stay motivated and keep your savings strategy on the path to success. Explore 25 Amazing Ways to Save Money

clever ways to save money Conclusion:

"charles schwab roth ira A Comprehensive Guide to Charles Schwab" In conclusion, by implementing these clever ways to save money and considering the smooth transitions shared in this blog post, you can master the art of smart spending and make the most of your hard-earned income. As an economic expert, I encourage you to reassess your financial habits and adopt the strategies that best suit your lifestyle and needs. With perseverance and creativity, you can reach your financial goals and enjoy a more secure future. save money Read the full article

[cleaning-service-providers]

The Advantages of Hiring a Massachusetts Post-Construction Cleaning Service

Cleaning up construction mess to move from one location to another is no easy task. But sometimes you need to do this type of work just because of moving from one place to another. For those facing this situation, hiring a post-construction cleaning service can be the best decision you can take in your life. This post will give you some benefits of hiring a post-construction cleaning service. When you have just moved into your new home or office, you want to make sure that the space is clean and organized. Driving at a settled time is not easy. You may not have the time to clean the area right away. The first few weeks are not very comfortable in your new home or office. There are a variety of services available to assist you, but it’s time-consuming and requires a lot of elbow grease, but if you hire the exemplary post-construction cleaning service, you can get back the valuable time you need. It is critical to pick the best contractor possible to help you clean up the space and bring it to a livable state. Your new construction site is filthy, right? You do not have to be a professional contractor to participate do this. achieve this to know that the site is dirty, and it’s going to be a huge hassle to clean up. It can also be a headache dealing with the construction company to make sure everything is clean before you sign the final paperwork.

You don’t have to accomplish everything on your own house cleaning services can lighten your load after moving or remodelling. You deserve a break – call in professionals for Dec Master Cleaning in Worcester, MA, and get back to living your life again. The sooner you contact professionals, at least with projects such as these, the better overall results you’ll get from hiring post-construction cleaners. They specialize and are trained specifically for these tasks (obviously), so they know how to handle what needs handling. It will take them less time (presumably), and they will be more efficient at their jobs, which means more efficiency for you and eventually – what we all want – more free time! There are many advantages to hiring professional post-construction cleaning services. It is well worth your time to weigh out all your options and see what works best for you. An important factor is time, which you save by hiring post-construction cleaners!

Furthermore, you will save money by simply giving professionals a call instead of spending countless hours with elbow grease and detergents. Most people decide to hire post construction cleaning services instead of doing it themselves because it is all about time and money. Both are fundamental aspects of every person’s life, so weigh out all your options and choose what works best for you. One factor that matters above everything else is the time! Time is undoubtedly one commodity we can never get back once lost. It will be worthwhile for you to make contact with professional house cleaning services Worcester MA, instead of doing all that work yourself.

What are the Advantages of Working With a Professional?

There are many benefits to using professional services, especially when hiring a cleaning company after construction. By choosing to use a professional house cleaning service, you will be able to get your home back into an inhabitable state much faster than if you attempted it on your own. Many advantages are particular to your situation if you hire professionals for post-construction cleanup rather than trying it yourself. You’ll have more time and energy to devote to your hobbies and interests your hobbies and interests devote to spending doing other things and won’t worry about having strangers or family members traipsing through your home. While most homeowners don’t like letting others into their homes, there is something special about not having any choice but to invite strangers inside while they perform necessary tasks on your behalf. If you are going to hire someone else to do your cleaning, you must choose carefully. It’s important to remember that you will be trusting these people with your home and possessions, so it pays to make sure that they are professional, trustworthy, and thorough.

What does Hiring a Professional Service Entail?

Although hiring professional House Cleaning Services Worcester can make your life easier, there are still some key advantages to doing it yourself. These include: saving money and time, cleaning more efficiently and knowing precisely what clean. A professional cleaning service will be able to give you more thorough and consistent cleanings for one-tenth the price of doing it yourself. And when your house is clean, you don’t have to worry about directing or instructing anyone on what you need to do, leaving you free to do other things or enjoy your time off. Hiring a professional cleaning service will save you time and money while also making your home cleaner than if you did it yourself. So save some stress by hiring one today! How much does it cost? Many factors influence prices, but they can vary based on project scope, frequency and location. You can expect to pay somewhere between $50 and $500 per visit for house cleaning services depending on your site. Remember to factor in that most services require you to book at least two visits per month. Expect to pay more if you want more frequent cleanings (such as once a week). Many factors influence house cleaning service prices, but they can vary based on project scope, frequency and location. You should budget between $50 and $100 per visit for house cleaning services depending on your site. Remember to factor in that most services require you to book at least two visits per month.

How to Choose the Best Company for You

To find the right company for you, make sure to shop around. Quite a few reputable companies offer post construction cleaning in Massachusetts and find on Houzz or Angie’s List sites. Compare pricing by asking each company for an estimate and checking their profiles for any complaints or other feedback about customer service. Ask about the cleaning solutions they employ so you know exactly what chemicals you use in your home; if feasible, request to observe one of their cleanings before hiring them. In addition, it’s always important to check if they have proper insurance should something go wrong while they’re on your property or damage any property while cleaning it – make sure everything covers before signing anything or giving out payment!

There are two main types of cleaning services: residential and commercial. Residential cleaning can occur once or twice per week, depending on your needs and schedule. In some cases, you may only need to get it done every few months or once annually, while other times, you may need multiple cleanings each week to keep up with busy work schedules or a family with kids who leave their toys all over. Commercial cleaners usually have more precise requirements for when they need cleaning done, such as if you have an office space that needs post construction cleaning in Massachusetts during the week. Weekend deep cleans or periodic significant maintenance cleanings.

Considerations When Choosing A Professional Home Cleaning Service

Make sure you’re working with a reputable company. If you can, check references and verify that they’ve worked on projects similar to yours. Whether someone at your church or neighbour gave you their business card, ask them how things went home clean. You want to be sure that your possessions are handled with care and respect. It’s also good to know how long they took to clean up so you know what expectations to set for your home cleaning process. Check online reviews, too, but be wary if there are only positive ones or, worse, no reviews.

When getting quotes from cleaning companies, ask how much time you spend cleaning your home. You’ll want to know that your house will get cleaned thoroughly, and you might be surprised if you find out that some places want to clean for an hour and charge $100+ per hour! You don’t want someone rushing through your home–you want them to take their time, so everything is genuinely spic and span! If you’re concerned that you’ll wind up with a long quote, tell them exactly what part(s) of your home you’d like cleaned and then do some investigating to see what price range other services are charging. Source URL.

[txshelby]

You Can Learn Quite A Bit About Home Improvements

Let's say you can see that there are some home improvement tasks ahead of you. The bathroom faucets may need replacing. The kitchen cabinets may need refacing. As any homeowner knows, the possibilities are endless. Once you recognize a need, the question becomes: "How do I go about it?" This article offers tips to answer that question.

Use energy efficient appliances when remodeling or building a new home. The utility costs can add up quickly if you aren't using efficient appliances. You can find the rating of any machine you are purchasing on the tag. It will tell you the cost of using it over a year and over it's lifetime.

In order to save money on air conditioning costs during the summer, try installing ceiling fans. Ceiling fans recirculate air within a room, cooling it down without the need for turning on a central air system. They are relatively easy to install and can be installed in place of your lighting fixture.

Often it can seem gloomy if the room is small; this does not always have to be the case. You can invite the light inside. Shine your windows and raise the blinds. A room tends to look larger when there is ample natural light. Stick to lighter colors on the walls, and diminish clutter in the room. Your room will feel much less crammed as a result.

If you're unsure of how to fix something in your home, hire a professional instead. Many people start in on home improvement projects thinking that they can do it easily, but that is not the case with many projects. It is easier and more cost effective to let a professional handle it instead of messing up and throwing your materials out.

Looking for a way to improve your home? Instead of hiring an interior designer to decorate your home for you, buy home decor magazines and books to use as inspiration. Give yourself some time to learn. Take some design elements from pictures you see, and use other people's ideas to help spark your creativity. Spend the money you would on an interior designer on your furniture and accessories instead.

While some people like to do hands-on work such as carpentry, interior decorating is a simpler form of home improvement that anyone can enjoy. Changing the colors, materials or furniture in a room can give it a whole new look. Use this article's advice for making excellent home improvements.

Read more here Painters near me Painters In Riverside Affordable Painters in Riverside Expert Painters in Riverside

[vjflooring]

Tips And Resources For Bathroom Renovations

Whether you're looking to overhaul your bathroom or just make some small changes, there are a few things you should keep in mind. A professional remodeler can help you every step of the way—from choosing materials and designing the space to making sure you stay within budget. Here are some tips and resources to get started on your own bathroom renovation:

The importance of using a professional

If you're serious about getting the best possible results and avoiding unnecessary risk, injury, wasted money and time, then hiring a professional is your best option. A professional will have the right tools and knowledge to complete your bathroom renovation safely and efficiently. They can also help guide you through the process so that you don't make any mistakes during installation that could cause damage to your home or health (like forgetting about electrical wiring).

The cost of bathroom renovations

One of the most common questions we get at our showroom is "how much will my bathroom renovations cost?" It's a good question, and one that can be difficult to answer without knowing more about your situation.

There are many factors that go into determining how much it will cost you to renovate your bathroom. The first thing we need to consider is what type of materials you want in your new space: tiles or marble? New fixtures or refurbished ones? These choices alone can affect how much money is required for completion.

Next we need to take into account labour costs--the people who work on site every day during construction will make up most of your final bill (and they deserve their wages). Then there are permits and home insurance premiums; these may seem like small details but they add up over time! Finally, don't forget utilities--electricity bills tend not go down when there's construction happening inside a house!

How to get started with your project

The first step to renovating your bathroom is getting a quote from a professional renovator. A good tip is to ask around and see if any of your friends or family have had renovations done on their homes, as they may be able to recommend someone based on their experience with them.

Once you've found an experienced contractor that suits your needs, it's time for planning! Before doing any work on the actual renovation itself, make sure that all of the necessary materials have been purchased and are ready for installation when needed. This includes everything from tiles down through faucets--you don't want to end up missing out on something vital because it wasn't ordered in time!

Finally: budget friendly bathroom renovations! While some people might think this means cutting corners or skimping out on quality materials (which would definitely lead down an unpleasant path), there are actually plenty of ways that homeowners can save money while still getting everything they need out of their projects:

Choosing the right materials

Choosing the right materials for your bathroom renovation is an important part of the process. The material you choose will have a big impact on how long it lasts, how much energy it uses and how much money it costs to maintain. Some materials are more durable than others, so if you're looking for something that lasts a long time, try to choose materials that are more durable.

Some other things to consider when choosing materials include:

Durability - How long do you want this project to last? If possible, look into what type of warranty comes with each product before making any purchases so that if something goes wrong within five years or less (for example), then there will be someone who can help fix any issues at no cost! This way there won't be any unexpected costs down the road when something breaks down unexpectedly after just one year instead.

Planning for a budget-friendly bathroom renovation

Budgeting is an important part of any renovation project. When planning a bathroom renovation, it's important to consider your budget from the very beginning and make sure that you're not overspending on any aspect of the project. You want to save money wherever possible without sacrificing quality or functionality in order to maximize your savings.

Here are some tips for saving money on your bathroom renovation:

Plan ahead! Set aside time before starting work so you can plan out what materials will be needed and how much they cost--this way there won't be any surprises along the way (and no need for last-minute purchases).

Shop around for deals at local hardware stores or online retailers like Amazon Prime (you'll get free shipping). This can help cut down on costs significantly since many items might be cheaper than those sold at big box retail stores like Home Depot or Lowe's due mainly because these companies have higher overhead costs associated with running their businesses such as advertising campaigns which mean higher prices overall despite being smaller operations themselves compared with larger corporations like Apple Computer Incorporated which offers similar products but at higher prices per unit due mainly because they have accesses resources beyond just selling computers such as software development teams who create new versions annually etcetera..

Considerations for accessibility in the bathroom

Accessibility is an important consideration, especially for those with disabilities. If you're looking to renovate your bathroom and make it accessible, consider these tips:

Make sure that there are no steps between your bathroom and the rest of your home. You should also make sure that there are no obstacles in front of doors or hallways leading into or out of the bathroom so that people in wheelchairs can easily get through them.

Install grab bars near all sinks and toilets in case someone needs them when standing up or sitting down (you can also find these on Amazon). And if possible, install handrails along shower walls so that anyone who needs assistance getting out won't slip while doing so! These will not only help those with mobility issues but also anyone who has children who may climb into tubs unassisted--safety first!

VJ Flooring is the Jacksonville tile installer you've been searching for. We specialize in bathroom remodeling, and we're dedicated to providing our clients with the best possible experience when it comes to their new bathroom. Our mission is to make sure that every client who walks through our doors leaves with a product that exceeds their expectations. We have the expertise and skills to ensure that the job will be done right, no matter what kind of bathroom you're looking for—whether it's a simple update or something more elaborate.

VJ Flooring St. Johns, FL 32259 United States (561) 332-0454 https://vjflooring.com/

[aperrywilliams]

Pour Some Sugar On… Me? (Spencer Reid x Fem!BAU!Reader)

(Not my gif!)

Masterlist

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Pairing: Spencer Reid x Fem!BAU!Reader.

Summary: What if Reader and Spencer want to try something new in bed?

Word Count: 6522.

Warnings: Smut (NSWF); 18+ (please respect that!). Sexual talk. Fingering. Oral (male/female). Spanking. Penetrative and unprotected sex. Food play.

A/N: This fic was written to my dear friend @spencers-dria in the 3rd Fic-Swap from @imagining-in-the-margins Discord Server. For reference, the song alluded here is this one.

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Days off are a blessing and a curiosity in your job. It's not that you hate it; on the contrary, you couldn't be happier doing what you do, but there are times when you need to take a break. Working at the BAU is something you always dreamed of, and once you got it, you were still willing to give your 100%. But the last few months have been intense and stressful. So having a day off was welcome. Most welcome if you could spend time with your now-boyfriend Spencer. Wow, how weird that feels to you. After working at the BAU for almost five years with Spencer, it was only four months ago that you dared to confess your feelings for him. To your delight, he also admitted that he had feelings for you. Of course, the whole team already knew that, except for you two. But hey, as they say, better late than never, right?

The first date was almost dreamy. Like a real gentleman, he picked you up at your apartment. He took you to dinner in a nice and quiet place where you both could talk. You guys had a lovely time chatting and laughing at how blind both of you were for so many years being friends and not admitting that you liked each other. At the end of the date, at the door of your apartment, you saw how nervous he was, and you took your chance: you kissed him first. After that, things flowed the way you always wanted them to. Spencer was the most caring, loving, and amazing boyfriend you've ever had. All of your previous relationships didn't even compare to this. You were sure you loved Spencer, but neither of you dared to say the three words until the first time you both had sex. It took you longer than people say. You guys didn't do it after the fourth date or the fifth. It was after a case. At that time, you had already been dating for almost two months.

It had been a difficult case. It took more than eight days to find the unsub. The entire team made superhuman efforts to identify and catch the killer. But you were one of the most affected because the case was in your hometown. You knew some of the victims or their families. That had you on the brink of collapse, but you managed to stay focused, and it was even you who managed to connect the dots and arrest the unsub. All the case tension showed in you when you guys flew back to Virginia, and you burst into tears.

Spencer was the one who sat next to you and hugged you, holding you in his arms throughout the flight. Whispering words of reassurance to you and stroking your hair and back. That night you asked him if he could stay with you. You didn't know if you were okay enough to be alone. He, of course, accepted. Neither of you both was thinking about anything other than being with each other. Still, the kisses on the forehead became kisses on the cheek, then kisses on the lips, neck, collarbone... that's when the three words came out.

"You're the bravest woman I know. You're the best in your job, you care about people. I'll never stop to amaze by that quality of you. I love you, (Y/N)," Spencer whispered, his lips brushing yours. And maybe you kissed him for the first time, but he was who said to you 'I love you' for the first time, and you lost your mind.

You said it back almost instantly, throwing yourself into his arms to kiss him and repeat those three words over and over again. You got up from the couch and took his hand, guiding him to your bedroom. That first time was slow, loving, gentle. It was the living definition of 'making love.' It was unique, and you never felt more loved in your life.

Spencer could agree with you on that. He always told you that accepting the fact he wasn't a man with a lot of experience in sex, he felt that time was the first time he knew what it was like to make love and not just fuck someone. Maybe he didn't use those identical words, but it was basically what he meant.

After that first time, many followed. And saying 'many' may even be an understatement. Not long after, you realized that Spencer was always eager to touch you and to have sex with you every time he could. It wasn't something that bothered you, quite the opposite.

Sex with him was always great. He always cared to satisfy you and make you come before him at least once or twice. Even when the time was limited, Spencer never allowed himself to leave you without an orgasm.

Thinking about that, there was something about that passion on him that led you to wonder what the limits would be for Spencer in bed - if he really had them. Sure, everyone might have thought that sex with Spencer was mostly vanilla and innocent - if the word 'sex' and 'innocent' were allowed to be put in the same sentence. But something inside told you that he could be into other things, that he maybe could be into experimentation in bed. You didn't know if Spencer could be a kinky guy. He never talked about that. But you could feel that maybe he had something like that in him. You promised yourself to find out.

But that afternoon of your day off, you weren't exactly thinking about that. Instead, you were focused on replicating a recipe that Rossi had shared with you last week. The last time you went to his house for dinner, you fell in love with the dish he made on that occasion. Spencer had offered you to call for some take-out instead of cooking, but you were hell-bent on replicating Rossi's recipe.

While you were cooking, Spencer was in the living room reading a book. He had offered you help, but you decided against it. You'd rather make a mess in the kitchen without him seeing you, and besides, he had the right to spend his afternoon off without having to cook.

You liked to cook. You didn't do it frequently for lack of time. And because you weren't a very efficient person at cooking: you always used more utensils than necessary, spilling as much as could be spilled on the floor and on the counters. That meant every time you embarked on something in the kitchen, you had to spend a lot of time cleaning everything afterward. But it was your day off, so it didn't matter. Thus you connected your phone to the speaker you had in the kitchen, put on your favorite playlist, and got to work.

You lost track of time when you realized you were almost ready. Tasting the sauce at its temperature and flavor, you were satisfied with the result. So satisfied that you started dancing and singing as you began the arduous task of cleaning up your mess. Coincidentally, one of your favorite songs started on your playlist. That encouraged you to dance and sing more animatedly.

You have always been quite eclectic for your musical tastes, but you can't deny that your guilty pleasure was the '80 glam. Which you have only allowed yourself to enjoy in the privacy of your home, doing tasks as domestic as cleaning the kitchen, in this case. The best part of the song was playing, and you couldn't help but pick up the broomstick to dance around it.

[You got the peaches, I got the cream. 

Sweet to taste, saccharine.

'Cause I'm hot - hot, say what, sticky sweet

From my head -head, my head, to my feet

Do you take sugar? One lump or two? 

Take a bottle - take a bottle - shake it up - shake it up - 

Break the bubble - break it up - break it up 

Pour some sugar on me. 

Ooh, in the name of love. 

Pour some sugar on me. 

C'mon, fire me up...]

Singing wasn't enough, so you didn't save energy to put a show dancing into the music's rhythm. You were at it when you turned around and saw Spencer watching you from the kitchen entrance. The blush rose to your cheeks immediately, you stopped dancing and singing, but you still didn't let go of the broomstick.

Spencer stood up from the couch because he wanted to check on how you were doing and if you needed any help. He could hear the music and how you sang, but he didn't think he would find you dancing using a broomstick as a pole. Because that's what you were doing, an authentic pole dance in the kitchen.

Moving your hips sensually, up and down, with sweat running down your body. Your wet shirt clinging to your body accentuating your nipples - because, of course, you weren't going to wear a bra on your day off. The scene itself made Spencer freeze staring at you. Worse yet, when you added the music to the stage, it brought Spencer into the hot dimension. He could feel beads of sweat accumulating on his forehead and how his lower half began to reveal a particular need for attention.

"Spencer, oh my God. I didn't see you here," you apologized. But he didn't say anything or moved from where he was. Because undoubtedly he was lost in thoughts. About what? Well, not of you sexy dancing in the kitchen. Not him imagining you dancing naked in front of him. Not him imagining you naked over the kitchen's counter whit spread legs. No, he wasn't thinking about how your body could taste with sugar on it.

"Spencer?" you repeated.

Shit. What's that? Someone is calling his name. Oh yeah. You.

"Uhm?" he barely replied.

"Something is wrong?" you asked hesitantly. You didn't know if Spencer was shocked in a bad way.

"Uh- no. Everything is okay..." Spencer assured you.

"You zoned out, you sure are you okay?" you insisted.

"Yeah. Perfect. More than okay," Spencer said, trying to regain some composure.

"Did you want to ask me something?"

"Oh. I - just if you needed help," Spencer offered, remembering why he was there in the first place.

"No baby, I'm okay. Thank you. I'm sorry for the show by the way," you stated with a grimace and a blush in your cheeks.

"What?"

"I'm not a good dancer as you could see," you joked. He smiled and looked at you from head to toe.

"I wouldn't say that... I wouldn't say that at all," he stated with a minimal perceptible smirk. You took his response as a cue to relax.

"Okay, well. I'm done with dinner and cleaning. I think I need a shower now. Could you set everything in the dining table?" you asked.

"Sure," he replied. You passed by his side, stole a peck from him, and headed to the bathroom.

Spencer stood in the kitchen doorway for a few more seconds before reacting. His mind wandered into the world of possibilities of things he could and want to do to you. His erection agreed with each and every one of them. He was amazed at himself at the things that went through his mind. Not that he has never thought of 'different' things to do in bed, but he had never been motivated enough or found a partner to do them. Maybe you were the one for that. Why not? Spencer promised to test waters with you when he got the chance, but for now, what he was clear about was that he wanted to fuck you hard after dinner.

Not only were you satisfied with the result of the dinner. Spencer congratulated you for replicating Rossi's recipe so well, even giving it your own special touch.

After the dishes, you both sat on the couch to watch TV. But Spencer was distracted enough to pay attention. You were curled up next to him with your arms around his torso. He had an arm around your neck, stroking your arm. Slowly he began to kiss your head while his free hand caressed your cheek. You raised your head to look at him and found his eyes fixed on you. You smiled at him, and he leaned to kiss you. You kissed him back. As the seconds passed, the kiss became more intense and passionate. Without thinking twice, you changed position to straddle him. Thus you guys started a making-out session. You could feel Spencer's eagerness matching with your own. That intensity transformed into moans and dancing hands on both of you.

"God (Y/N), you feel so good," he whispered in your ear.

"Uhm. You too, Spencer. So so good... so so sweet," you added.

Spencer couldn't help but bring to mind the moment he saw you dancing in the kitchen.

"Like sugar..." he mumbled in your neck, grabbing your ass with both hands.

"Sticky sweet..." you said offhand, grinding your hips forward, looking for some kind of friction.

Your intention was not to bring the song you were listening to previously. Still, it was in your unconscious and apparently, in Spencer's too, because when the words left your mouth, he emitted the deepest groan you have heard from him in a long time.

"Oh, you liked that, uh?," you teased. Spencer nodded.

"Yeah... that show of yours in the kitchen did something in me," he confessed.

"Uhmm... and you think you would like to try something like that?" you probed, biting his earlobe.

"Try what?" Spencer replied, massaging your breasts over your shirt.

"Pouring some sweet on me?... and taste me?" you asked, and another groan left Spencer's throat.

"Yes. Yes. Surely yes," Spencer hastened to reply with his lips nibbling your collarbone. You smirked. Spencer Reid was showing the experimental side that you wanted.

You were about to suggest the first experimental activity when both of your phones started ringing at the same time. That only meant one thing: a new case. A growl of frustration came from both of you. Spencer looked at you with longing eyes, and you could only shrug.

"We'll have to put this on standby until we get back," you said after a sigh, pecking his lips.

"Okay, but I need a quick cold shower anyway," Spencer replied. You agreed.

The case took the team to Alabama. You and Spencer sat apart on the jet, both of you still feeling frustrated by the sudden interruption.

You tried to focus on the case and managed to do so. However, Spencer had a harder time doing it. Not that he was repeatedly thinking of you, imagining you naked in your bed, inviting him to taste your sweet body. Of course not. Damn, these days would be torture for him.

One of the first things you guys noticed once you got off the jet was the infuriating heat in the area. It was summer, and the town where you landed seemed to be the driest in the region.

Worse was realizing that the air conditioning was under repair at the police station. The entire team in a room trying to focus on the case, trying not to think about the place's heat.

"How uncomfortable! I feel so sticky and we haven't even been here four hours," you complained at one point. It was just you, Spencer, and Emily in the meeting room, going through files.

"Yeah, this heat barely allow to work," Emily agreed.

"Indeed, I'm sweating as I were in a sauna," you added. When you looked at Spencer to ask his opinion, you saw him flustered, with pink cheeks. You frowned, but you didn't want to say anything to him. His eyes barely met yours.

In Spencer's mind, only one verse was repeated over and over: 'Cause I'm hot - hot, say what, sticky sweet. From my head - head, my head, to my feet'. 'Fuck' he thought when he realized where his brain had gone. That was one of the moments where Spencer Reid hated his eidetic memory. He roamed your body with his eyes in the most subtle way he could. Spencer fixated on the sweat running down your forehead and down in your throat. That clearly wasn't helping the erection that began to show under his slacks.

By the second day, you guys had barely managed to get a few clues to locate the unsub. The good thing was that at least the air conditioning was fixed. You were with Morgan and Spencer in the meeting room. At the same time, Spencer wrote something on the board to illustrate a mathematical formula. Suddenly the marker stopped writing.

"What...?" Spencer wondered in frustration, looking at the marker.

"Baby, shake it up," you suggested. Spencer turned to face you, mouth agape.

"What?" he asked. Again you could see his cheeks all flushed.

"The marker. You need to shake it up," you replied. Morgan furrowed. He didn't know why Spencer was suddenly so nervous. But you started to find it out, and the thought made you smirk.

In Spencer's mind, another verse was repeated again: 'Shake it up. Break the bubble - break it up.' Along with that, he could see you in your apartment's kitchen, lowering your butt to the floor and moving you sensually. His mind went beyond, and he remembered the first time you gave him a handjob. Spencer froze when he saw Morgan and you looking at him. Then he turned, shook the marker, and kept writing. Jeez, what's wrong with me? he thought.

By the third day, you guys had already managed to deliver the profile and were in search for the unsub. After a round of interviews, you were in the station's kitchen making yourself a coffee. Spencer arrived with the same goal, apparently. He smiled at you, moving his mug in your direction since you had the pot in your hand. You put the precious liquid in his cup and left the coffee pot in its place. Spencer was adding his usual unhealthy amount of sugar to his coffee, and you couldn't help but make a comment to teasing him.

"Do you take sugar? One lump or two?" you teased. Spencer's eyes almost popped out of their sockets when he recognized the verse coming out of your mouth. You couldn't help but laugh, confirming your theory. Spencer was about to say something when Hotch came into the kitchen to put coffee in his mug as well.

"Are you two okay?" Hotch asked. You nodded yet chuckling. Spencer just nodded, focusing on his coffee.

You took the cream and put some into your coffee. Before you put it on the counter, you made the last move to finish off Spencer.

"Oh, sorry. I got the cream, do you want some? This one is so sweet to taste," you offered. And Spencer gave you a look that could have knocked you down right away.

If another day had passed, Spencer would surely lose his mind. Fortunately, on the fourth day, you guys managed to arrest the unsub and fly back to Virginia that afternoon.

You arrived at the BAU almost at dinner time. You hadn't had a chance to tease Spencer that day, and you thought it was for the best because as soon as you grabbed your things to go to the elevator, Spencer followed you from behind. You both entered the elevator without anyone else from the team. As soon as the doors closed, Spencer's lips were on yours, kissing you like he imagined doing it for the past four days.

"Tonight we are not going to cook, we are going to order take out, but after catching up, understood?" he clarified. You only nodded, feeling the heat between your legs.

As soon as the door to your apartment closed, Spencer dropped his go-bag and cupped your cheeks to begin kissing you. Almost as passionately as in the elevator. You moaned and dropped your go-bag as well. Your arms around his neck bringing him as close to your body as possible. Spencer began to kiss your neck while his hands danced between your sides and your hips.

You would have accepted that Spencer to fuck you in that moment and place, but you had an idea in mind and wanted to put it to test, no matter how eager both of you were at that minute.

"Baby, wait," you breathed out. Spencer stopped and looked at you with concern.

"What's wrong? Did I do something wrong?" He panted.

"No, no. Quite the opposite, but... I need you to ask you to wait a moment, okay?, could you do that for me?" you asked. Spencer let out a sigh.

"To wait?, yeah. I can do that. But, are you okay?" Spencer asked again.

"Yeah. I promise you this will worth it," you replied, pecking his lips and heading to the kitchen. Spencer looked at you confused, but he didn't say anything. He sat down on the couch, waiting for you.

You took your time, and Spencer started to worry, but you called him from your bedroom before he could ask something.

"Baby, can you come to help me?" you asked. Spencer stood up from the couch and walked towards your bedroom. The door was ajar, and he pushed it open. He wasn't ready for what his eyes found. Oh boy, he wasn't prepared. Or maybe he was. Too much prepared, you could tell: four days prepared.

You were lying in bed, your body barely covered in matching black lace. And even 'barely' could be too much. But to Spencer, that wasn't a problem at all. He enjoyed every time you took your time to surprise him with those details. He scanned all your body at the dim light of the bedroom.

"Wow... (Y/N). I thought - I, you... needed help?" Spencer stuttered. He couldn't move from his spot in the bedroom entrance. You smiled and played along.

"Yes. I do, actually. You can come closer?" you asked flirtatiously.

"Yeah. Yes. Of course," Spencer replied, taking a step forward, feeling his heart pumping hard. That wasn't the only thing he wanted to pump hard, though.

"Would you help me with something here?"

"Any- anything." You grinned at your accomplishment: Spencer in awe and speechless. So you pointed to a white bowl with honey in the nightstand. Spencer tilted his head.

"Would you... pour some sugar on... me?" You kept your voice seductive.

And... he lost it. His brain stopped working. All his bloodstream focused on that part of his body that wouldn't stop shrieking until its complete satisfaction. Like a small computer, his remained neurons only could process a simple string of commands: clothes off/ jump to the bed/ taste you / eat you / fuck you. Simple.

The first command was successfully completed in no time. You never saw Spencer peeling off his clothes so fast before. You couldn't deny how much his eagerness turned you on. You felt your wetness coating your panties. So warm. So hot. You didn't know if you would be capable of ending this foreplay without coming. But, who cares anyway? You surely would enjoy this.

Spencer was kneeling in front of you on the bed. You didn't think twice and started putting on a show. Still making eye contact with him, one of your hands took the bowl from the nightstand. You put two fingers into the bowl and took out a little amount of honey, which began to drain through your fingers. You slowly brought those two fingers to your mouth and started to suck the honey from them. A moan of satisfaction came from your throat at the sweetness. But what really made you lose your mind was seeing how Spencer, with his lips parted, licked them with his own tongue without taking his eyes off you. Another thing that worked perfectly as motivation for you was seeing his hard cock twitching at the sight of you. What a confidence boost.

When you finished cleaning all the honey from your fingers, you repeated the same. Putting two fingers inside the bowl, removing a little of its content, but now you offered the delicious treat to your excited boyfriend.

"Do you want to taste it, doctor?"

Spencer couldn't release any word but nodded and leaned, catching your sweet fingers with his mouth. Both of you leaving scape a deep moan when Spencer started to suck your fingers to remove all the honey from them. You closed your eyes, feeling his hot tongue around your fingers.

When there was nothing left to remove, Spencer's mouth released your fingers in search of your lips. When his lips found yours, he began to kiss you as if the world was going to end. It was a passionate, lustful kiss. You moaned into the kiss. He took the chance, and his tongue started exploring your mouth. The taste of honey on him was intoxicating.

When both parted for some air, you opened your eyes to see Spencer looking at you as you were the most gorgeous and sexy woman on earth. Well, you were for him. You blushed a little, his gaze was intense, and he hardly blinked. Spencer leaned to kiss you again, and when you parted, the only words that came from his mouth were...

"Did - did you know honey is associated with love and sex in both the Bible and the Karma Sutra? At traditional Indian weddings, the groom is often offered honey to boost his stamina," Spencer explained. He reached your cheek with one of his hands and stroking it. His lips latched in your neck. You chuckled mischievously.

"Well, it's good to know that. But I was thinking of using it in another way, you know?" you coyly stated. Spencer parted and saw you, smirking as well.

"Oh yeah?" You nodded as you get some honey from the bowl and spread it slowly onto your stomach. You took some more and smeared it in the column of your throat. You left the bowl on the nightstand and beckoning to Spencer to step closer.

"Do you want to taste it, doctor?"

"Oh God, yes," he hastened to reply. His hands roaming your legs.

"Then taste it, all of it," you invited.

Just a second took Spencer latching his mouth on your stomach. He started sucking and licking the honey from your body. His hands grabbing your hips and yours tugging his hair.

"You taste so good," he said, muffling his words on your skin. "I thought about this all-time we were in Alabama," he confessed.

"Did you? What did you think about? Tell me..." You asked. Spencer now nibbling and licking the column of your throat. A load moan escaped your mouth, feeling Spencer's hot tongue against your skin, moving to your neck. That sweet spot that drives you crazy.

"I thought about kissing your soft skin, about brushing you with my tongue, about... the sounds you do when I touch you, and you're aroused," you let out a moan, and Spencer smirked in your neck.

"Yes, those moans that I love so much. I thought about your breasts. God, your breasts..." he muttered as one of his hands unclasped your bra, taken and tossing it to the side. With your breasts on display, his mouth moved from your neck to the south. Before stopping in your bosoms, Spencer reached the bowl with honey, grabbing some with his fingers, and smeared it in your nipples. The substance was cold, and you hissed a little.

"Easy love, I'll take care of it," he said. His voice low and sexy. God, you sometimes had a hard time trying to understand that the shy guy you pinned for years was so hot in bed. You don't complain, though. You love it.

Spencer put his fingers in your mouth, and you wasted no time sucking them. He let out a groan of satisfaction and clasped his lips in one of your nipples, swirling it with his tongue and flicking the nub up and down, removing all the honey from them. You let out a howl, muffled with Spencer's fingers in your mouth, pressing your tongue.

"Fuck (Y/N), you indeed taste so sweet," he praised, letting out his fingers from your mouth and moving it, tracing a slow path to the hem of your panties. He slid them under the thin fabric, searching your clit massaging it gently.

"Spencer, oh God. That feels so good." He moved from one breast to another one, repeating his motions.

"Yeah, you feel so good. Your are so good for me (Y/N). I could stay here all night. You have no idea how much I thought about that stupid song and doing everything on you," he whispered, releasing your nipple to move his lips to your navel.

"Please, please Spencer..." you whined. If you teased him before, now you just wanted him to fuck you mercilessly.

"What do you need sweetheart?" he asked.

"You. I need you to fuck me," you replied, feeling Spencer's tongue in your navel traveling south.

"Yeah. And I need to fuck you. That's I'm going to do now. You want that dirty girl?"

"Yes!"

"So... you teased me all these days. You knew what you were doing. Don't you think I need to repay you for that?" Spencer said as toying with your panties' waistband.

"What? Are you going to punish me? Doctor?"

For those who said kinks don't fit in all relationships, maybe they were right. But in Spencer's view, this was not the case. In the most pleasant way possible, he discovered that the kinky side of him fitted perfectly, and you seemed pleased too.

"Oh, do you want that, my dirty girl?" And before an answer, Spencer slid your panties down your legs, tossing them to the floor. Now, his goddess laid naked on her bed, ready for him, waiting for him.

Spencer grabbed your thighs and pushed them open, revealing your core for him.

"What a beautiful pussy we have here," Spencer coed. Picking some more honey from the bowl, he smeared it in your inner thighs, tracing a path to the spot where you needed him most. You wanted to scream. Before you do so, Spencer started washing the honey from your thighs. He did it from down to up, brushing your clit with his tongue in every licking.

"Fuck Spencer, I know I teased a lot these days but please..."

Spencer smirked between your legs, but he kept doing what he was doing. When he was sure he removed all the stuff from your thighs, his tongue focused on your clit.

"Yes!... oh God," you cried.

He moved one of his fingers between your folds, coating the wetness, and the pleasure was indescribable. His tongue still focused in your clit, circling and licking. Spencer put a second finger, curling them and reaching that spot inside of you that had you whining in no time. Your moans encouraged him to speed up his motions. Your hands were on his hair, eyes fluttered shut, lost in pleasure. Moans filling the room while his hands kept your hips onto the mattress, stopping you from buck forward.

"Spencer, oh my God. Please, don't stop!" you begged. His fingers never stopped thrusting you in and out, and his tongue having a feast with your clit. You could feel the knot down in your belly about to explode.

"Cum for me, dirty girl," he mumbled yet with his mouth on your clit and his fingers thrusting mercilessly. Then you cried, feeling your orgasm hitting you like a train.

When you descended from your highs, you propped yourself in your forearms to look at Spencer. His mouth coated with your arousal and smirking at you.

"C'mon baby, I need to taste you too," you demanded with a lazy voice, still dizzy from your orgasm.

"As you wish," he replied, sitting on the mattress with his back resting on the headboard, looking at you. Eyes full of lust. You kneeling in front of him first admiring his big-hard cock, tip coating with precum. You replicated his same motions: grabbed some honey and smeared it into his cock. Spencer moaned at the simple sight.

"Now I'm gonna taste how sweet you are baby," you announced. 

Resting on your elbows, you took the tip in your mouth, tasting it slowly. He groaned hard. Of all the times you gave him a blowjob before, for Spencer, this was undoubtedly the most amazing of all.

You moved your tongue, swirling around him, making sure of licking the pounding main vein. Spencer's breathing was sharp and unsteady. 

"Oh shit (Y/N)… you take it so well, your mouth feels so good," he groaned. You keep your task hollowing your cheeks and bobbing your head. You set a steady pace that made Spencer jerk with each movement. He tried to keep his eyes open to see how you were working on him, but when you speed the pace, he couldn't help throw his head back, closing his eyes in uncontrollable pleasure. Spencer was sure that if you kept doing that, it wasn't going to last much longer, and he was aiming to cum in another part of your body, not your mouth.

"(Y/N)… I need to fuck you right now," he panted. You released his cock and looked at him with a full satisfaction grin. "Knees and hands on the mattress," he commanded, still gasping. You happily complied. With your ass on display, Spencer hardly thought about it and instinctively spank your buttocks with his open hand.

You hissed to the sharp feeling, but it was pleasant. Spencer had never spanked you before, and the very fact had you turned on. Spencer hesitated a little when he realized what he did, but your words lifted any doubt he can have.

"Again! please!... do it again," you begged, and Spencer complied, spanking you again now in the other buttock. You moaned, and Spencer groaned.

"You like that, uh?" he teased.

"Yes!" And he did it again. The sharp pain was nothing compared to the pleasure that followed. You could feel the head of his hard cock in your entrance. Slowly but with no hesitation, he pushes into you. You could feel every inch of him, and it was glorious. A loud wail left your mouth. Spencer hissed, feeling your walls clench around him. Spencer bottomed out, and he took a moment to catch his breath.

"(Y/N)… shit. You're always so tight. You feel so good," he praised.

"Yes, baby, all for you," he grabbed your hips tighter, pulling out his cock almost to the tip and then pushing again into you as he started a slow but intense pace.

As you searched for the perfect rhythm, only moans, praises, and your names came out of your both mouths. Spencer pounded to you harder and faster. You were both a bundle of moans and sighs. You could feel beads of sweat running down your body. The skin-to-skin slamming sound was lustful and wild but delightful. You were both lost in the single goal of pleasing each other and reaching your orgasms.

"Fuck Spencer! I'm gonna cum!" you cried.

"Yeah, sweetheart, me too. C'mon, give me your sweet cum, and I'll give you mine," he commanded.

Spencer moaned, on the edge of his own pleasure. His words did the trick. He thrust you once, twice, and in the third one, your impending orgasm exploded in you, running through your entire body. You curled your toes at the pleasant feeling, moaning Spencer's name and another sort of lost words. Your walls clenched around him tightest, you still in your high, feeling his cock twitched before he expulsed his warm release into you. Your eyes squeezed shut in delight, feeling how he rode out your both orgasms.

You guys stilled for a moment, trying to catch your breath. Spencer was the first to move, pulling out of you, as you turned to your back in the mattress. He rolled to your side, both of you looking at each other with a huge grin, still panting.

"Wow... that was..." he trailed off, setting a strand of your hair behind your ear.

"Yeah... I know. Amazing," you replied, giggling.

"Why we didn't do this before?" Spencer wondered.

"Well, I don't know. But I wanted to," you confessed.

"Why you didn't tell me then?" he asked, stroking your cheek.

"Maybe I didn't know if you wanted to try things like these?" you hesitantly replied. Spencer looked at you lovingly. He could stay and admire you forever if he could.

"I must confess I didn't know exactly if this kind of thing could like me, but with you... I'm sure there is nothing that could dislike me. If you want to try anything, I'm more than willing with you," he replied, leaning to kiss you. You smiled into the kiss. 'How could you be so lucky to have someone like him?' you thought. The funny thing is that Spencer believes the same about you.

"Well, I think this experimentation went quite well, don't you think?" you said, beaming.

"Yes, I do. But now we're sticky, we need a shower," Spencer acknowledged.

"Sticky sweet," you corrected. Spencer chuckled and offered his hand to you to stand up.

You both went to take a shower. Needless to say, the shower served not only to clean up the remnants of your previous activities but to add new ones. You guys came out of the bathroom exhausted, changed the sheets, and plummeted onto the bed.

You snuggled into his side, resting your head on his shoulder. Spencer hugged you and kissed your forehead. Both ready to fall into a deep sleep.

"Please, remind me tomorrow emailing to Joe Elliot to thank him," you mumbled, nuzzling into Spencer's neck. Your eyes flutter shut and dozing off.

"Who?" Spencer asked, confused. You chuckled, almost falling asleep. Of course, Spencer didn't know who he was.

"Let's say we both practiced today what is pour some sugar on me, thanks to him," you giggled. Spencer breathed a laugh.

"Oh. Okay. Thank him for me too," Spencer said, smirking.

"I will,” you replied, snuggling more close to Spencer. “Spencer?" you asked him, a few seconds far to fall knock out.

"Yes, sweetheart?" he mumbled, almost in the same condition as you.

"I love you," you blurted out. Because it was true. Your love for that man grows any second passed, and you didn't care to admit it now.

"I love you too, (Y/N)... sticky sweet," Spencer replied. You both giggled, groggy with sleep. "And (Y/N)?" he added like he forgot something important to tell you.

"Uhm?"

"Can we listen to your playlist tomorrow? I'm curious about what are we going to do next." You didn't remember if you replied to him, but you surely would think of something new to try next in your dreams.

———————

AN2: I’m sorry but I’m a sucker for 80′s music.

I’m tagging some moots around here!: @andiebeaword @blameitonthenight21 @dreatine @sierraraeck @paulaern @calm-and-doctor @spencers-dria @safertokiss @hopefulfangirl24  @reverdevivre  @matthewstiles1912 @goldentournesol @psychedellic-phase @psychicdonuts​

[daydreaming-away-reality]

Nightscape

Sebastian x Reader | ☁️ | 1.8k

A chime from your phone jolted your attention off your screen. 

It was that time of the day already. Even though you heard this notification every single day, you were always startled by it. 

The sound of your freedom. 

Turning back to your desktop screen, you skimmed over the information once more. Hopefully it was error free - you managed to keep up your zero-tolerance policy for mistakes to get this far, no messing up now. Hitting save, your mouse flew across the screen to shut down your computer.

Grabbing your favourite travel mug and shoving it into your bag, you stood up, feeling the stretch in, well, everything. Your eyes drifted over the walls of your cubical, spying the dull grey walls of the office you worked in. Nothing but the sounds of typing and quiet murmurs filled the efficiency focused workspace. 

Just another typical day for you.

You wondered if the sun had already set - the lack of windows made the place feel like a prison. If the building was a prison, you were their captive. Locked up in the daily grind lifestyle.

At least the pay was decent.

Tossing on your jacket and picking up your bag, you checked over your phone notifications as your feet moved on autopilot towards the exit.

“Done for the day, (Y/N)?”

Your co-worker’s voice made you pause right before the door. 

“Yup,” you responded with a plastered on smile. What was their name again? “Are you?”

“Got to work overtime today.”

“Ahh, good luck. Keep up the good work.”

“Thanks. Have a good night.”

You immediately picked up your pace and your fake smile disappeared. One awkward encounter was more than enough. Your exhausted brain still had no idea what their name was. It probably started with a... G? Maybe? 

As sad as it was, they didn’t really matter. Not to you anyways.

Popping into the elevator, you pressed the ground floor. Whatever energy that had been sapped out of you all day was being restored with every step you took leaving the building.

You could see the glow of the streetlights outside. Looks like the sun had set for a while now. It wouldn’t be long before the stars would come out.

Spying the company logo as you walked out, you let out a big sigh. 

Joja Corporation.

Being able to find a job that gave you a living salary as a young adult should have made you happy. You lived on your own and had a growing savings account. Not much else going on though. 

Ever since starting your life at Joja, your life had become monotonous.

Wake up. Work. Sleep. Repeat. 

Super exciting.

Work life balance? More like work was your life.

Just as you sat down in your car, your phone pinged. Pulling your phone out, you saw a cheerful notification from your mom.

‘Look what I found cleaning! You looked so happy whenever you went to visit your grandpa. Hope things are going well with work!’

Attached was a picture of you and your late grandpa on his farm - he passed away a few years ago. You admired him when you were young, he was a man who stuck to his beliefs and had the kindest heart. Time with him in Stardew Valley always felt like it moved more slowly than the city life you knew but flew by regardless.

“I wonder if things have changed,” you murmured. “It’s been years...”

Starting up your car, you started to drive home. Nights like tonight were busy, Fridays brought out the nightlife more than any other night. The lane you were in crawled forward at a turtle’s pace even at a green light.

Letting out a puff of air, you decided to do something different. Signaling and switching to right lane, you drove without braking for a while. Gliding on the quiet roads heading out of the city, the serene darkness welcomed you with open arms. Letting the city disappear behind you along with all the uncertainties. 

You finally started to slow down when you approached the familiar outlook point that let you see the city from afar.

Even from where you were, you could see the Joja Corporation company you worked at.

What did it take to make the company disappear?

Parking, you turned off your engine and stepped out of your car. Nature’s silence greeted your ears as the crickets’ quiet chirped and the breezes tickled the grass. Sitting on the hood of your car, you leaned back to rest on your elbows as you stared at the night sky with the moon and stars watching from above.

“Something needs to change,” you declared to yourself.

Saying the words out loud made it feel more real. Confirmed. 

You were young and could have a bright future ahead of you. Why were you letting Joja take your excitement for living away?

You weren’t sure how long it had been, but the sound of a motorcycle approaching caught your attention. Keeping your eyes on the sky, you listened as the motorcycle stopped nearby. As their engine cut off, the sound of footsteps crunching on gravel filled the air instead. 

Everything fell back silent for a few minutes. Both knowing that each other were there but not saying anything to each other. 

After a while, the footsteps started to approach you. The person had moved so that they were right next to you, leaning against your car as well.

“So you’re here tonight too,” he said, greeting you. “Didn’t think I’d see you.”

You tilted your head to the side to look at him. “Nice to see you too, Seb.”

The corner of his lip moved upward, as a smile grew on his face. The moon captured his gentle features, not letting the darkness hide any of his surreal charm.

Meeting Sebastian was like a lucky opportunity with fate - the two of you had been complete strangers who happened to be overlooking the city nightscape when your car decided to play matchmaking by revealing a flat tire. Ever since then, Sebastian and you would meet completely by coincidence when the feeling of needing to get away from life happened.

Sitting up, you moved you head so it was resting on Sebastian’s shoulder as you let out a sigh.

“Rough day?” he asked softly. 

“Kind of. I... don’t know how to keep living life this way,” you explained. 

“You don’t mean anything... extreme, do you?”

“No, no, no... Nothing like that.”

“Ah... Good,” Sebastian responded, sounding reassured by your response as he wrapped an arm around your shoulders. You could feel his warmth seeping into you. Could he hear how loud your heart was around him? Hopefully not. “Office life in Zuzu City not as great as you hoped?”

You nodded. He knew you pretty well for someone you barely saw and communicated with. 

“Do you think I should quit?” you asked.

“That’s completely up to you. Don’t let yourself suffer too much.”

You laughed. What a Sebastian thing to say. The way he expressed that he cared wasn’t always through the traditional means and phrases.

“What about you then, Seb? Did you come here as a result of suffering too?”

Sebastian responded with a half shrug. “I usually hang out with my friends on a Friday night at the local pub, but something came up this week. Thought I’d take the chance to get away. I guess I am suffering from seeing you though.”

“Hey!” you exclaimed indignantly as you sat up straight.

Seb laughed. “That’s not what I meant. I’m suffering from seeing you looking so troubled.”

You offered him a smile. “How sweet of you.”

“I mean what I say, (Y/N).”

“I know.”

Staring at the distant lights, you thought about the photo your mom sent you. Stardew Valley. Your grandpa had left you his farm. A few years back when you first started working at Joja Corporation, you had opened the letter your grandpa addressed to you. Back then, you thought giving the office job a try would be an okay alternative. The farm now felt like a good alternative. 

This was a big decision though. You didn’t want to make a decision on the spot.

“Sebastian?”

The boy hummed in response.

“Have you ever been somewhere with someone and everything just feels... right?”

Sebastian stiffened as he turned to look at you. “Yeah... I have.” 

Your (E/C) eyes looked at him curiously. Then your brain finally finished processing what you just said out loud - that sounded like a confession. Your cheeks immediately heated up.

“Oh! I’m sorry! I didn’t mean it that way - although, I do actually really like you, Seb.”

Your flustered response brought a rosy hue to the dark haired male’s face as well. Honestly, he thought you were absolutely adorable. Even in your most uncertain moments, he appreciated how honest you were. Interweaving your fingers together, he gently bumped his shoulder with yours.

“Go on,” he encouraged.

Heart racing from the unexpected confession you expressed, you tried to reorganize your thoughts within your scrambled brain. Unable to look at Sebastian, you turned your gaze up to the night sky and gave his hand a little squeeze.

“I used to visit my grandpa a lot over summer break when I was young,” you began. “He passed away years ago, but I inherited his old farm. I’m just thinking, I move away from Zuzu City to live in the countryside. Have you ever heard of Pelican Town in Stardew Valley?”

Sebastian seemed to have frozen up when you mentioned Stardew Valley. 

“Yeah... I’m actually from Stardew.”

Wait - what?

You quickly turned to look at him. “Really?!”

He nodded. “Guess I never mentioned that to you. But if you think you really need a change of scenery from Zuzu City, Pelican Town is feels like a different world entirely.”

You thought back to the idyllic days you had spent with your grandpa in the past. Seb was right, it was so different from the world you were living in Zuzu City.

“I’m sure not everything is different,” you said, thinking out loud. A bright smile appeared on your face. “You’ll be there, won’t you?”

Getting to see how beautiful you were when you were truly happy made Sebastian want to see that stunning smile of your more often. He never would have thought this unexpected friendship to blossom into something more, but he truly cherished what he had with you. 

“I’ll be there,” he affirmed. He held up your joined hands. “I’d like to be here for you whenever you need it as well.”

 “I’d appreciate that,” you softly responded. 

Sitting with Sebastian with the night sky above you and the distance city lights twinkling in the distance, you finally felt a sense of hope for the future. Perhaps the change you were waiting for had been here all along. 

[pasiphile]

idk if this is something you've either a) ever felt the desire to talk about (if not, please excuse the curiosity!) or b) talked about before, but how do you go about writing your ep(f)ics? it's one of those things i've always been curious about because there's plenty of chat about how to start an original novel and plot it etc but usually a good chunk of those hypothetical word counts come down to character building, which is less relevant in fic. any thoughts?

I don’t mind at all! Especially because after writing four (five?) of these fuckers I finally feel like I got the hang of how I actually tackle them.

(that is, the general method. If you're asking about knowing what scenes to write/how to decide what actually happens, there I can't help you. Imo, that's just a case of having imagination)

First a caveat, though: I don’t write chronologically. I know people who do, and honestly it seriously impresses me, but it’s not something that I can do. If you can write chronologically, please do, because you’ll save yourself a lot of headaches. But if you’re like me and you just hop around...

So basically I start out with a vague idea. In Laws that was picking up after ACWNR and showing how they got from there to the point at the start of the series, for TVD it was I wanna show Moriarty’s pov for most of the series, and for the Untamed it was what if post-canon someone starts fucking around with the Yin Metal again. Basic, huge ideas, that give me a start, a middle and an ending.

This is also the point where some people outline. Again, if you can, great! do it! give yourself structure! I personally keep trying and it never works so I’ve given up, and try to keep track in my head instead.

Once I’ve got the basic idea, I basically just... start writing. By which I mean, more specifically, that whenever I have a bit of free time I retreat into daydream-land and start imagining things that might happen. Anything might be a jumping-off point there; a thing I read in another story, an interesting meta I read, a detail I saw in canon. Anything that fits the general storyshape. 

(A lot of those scenes start their life in the space before I fall asleep).

The trick after that is to get to a keyboard asap, before I forget what I actually had in mind, and write it down (this is also why fic fragments tend to show up in the notes app of my phone). Once I start writing those down, usually I go beyond what I initially thought of - they write themselves, in a way.

If you do that often enough, eventually you’ll end up with a critical mass of scenes. I do try to put those scenes roughly in the right place, chronologically, but that’s only an estimate. This phase two is basically one giant shuffle game: trying to see which scenes can follow on which, whether there’s a logical connection between them, and then cut-paste and adapt all over the place. 

I don’t actually edit in this phase, to be clear. I might put in a placeholder and a note if I have an idea what needs to show up to make two scenes link to each other, but I don’t go any deeper. At this point, you need a bird’s view on your story.

Once that’s in place, I start the hard work, which is taking those scenes and turning them into a coherent whole. Basically I just start reading at the start (of the story/chapter) and then run through the story as if I’m watching a series. The bulk of it has been written by now, so I now have room to write in the connective bits, the references to previous happenings, more internal thoughts and reflections...

And at the end of that phase, you’ve got something that resembles a (clunky, messy, occasionally weird) story. 

So then I reread. This is usually when the bigger things start showing up, the character arcs and relationship-building. Some of that is already present, but it isn’t until I’ve got the whole thing in front of me that I actually start seeing the patterns. I try not to edit straight in the text at this point (which is why I often put the file in epub on my ereader, so I don’t get tempted) and take notes about general trends. Detailed editing is later.

(sidenote: fanfic needs less character building than original fiction, but you still need character development. if you’re writing an actual long thing instead of series of vignettes or one-shots, the way the characters are at the start can’t be the way they are in the end. Something’s gotta change, both in terms of characterisation as in relationships, otherwise you’re just going to end up with a boring story.)

And once that’s done, the process starts over, basically. Based on the notes, I start writing missing scenes and shuffling around scenes again if needed, and while I’m at it, I also try to edit the more detailed things. Said editing process keeps going until right at the end: I line-edit in AO3 one last time, just before I post, with the chapter copy-pasted from words straight into the drafts there.

Is this an efficient, logical or neat system? Fuck no. But it’s the only one that works for me, and I’ve gotten some good results with it. 

It is, however, a rather intuitive system, because I know roughly how stories work, how tension and character building works etc. When I read, I tend to sense where it needs a cliffhanger, or a spanner in the works, or a big dramatic reveal. If you don’t have that sense (which honestly, I think you can only get if you read/watch/consume shitloads of fiction) you’ll need a way more structured approach - but those have never worked for me, tbh.

TL;DR

Phase 0: have an idea. can be as vague as you want, but try to know the beginning, middle and end of the story. 

Phase 1: just fucking write. give no fucks about writing ‘complete’ scenes, just put it down on the page, even if it’s just a dialogue fragment. try to put things roughly in the right place but don’t spend too much thought on that. Put all your energy into imagining things, and then scribbling them down as soon as possible before you forget them again.

Phase 2: shuffle. Move the scenes around until you’ve got an idea what happens and in what order. Don’t bother edting. Just try to get one coherent plotline going.

Phase 3: read-and-write. Start from the beginning and walk yourself through the story, writing as much connective bits and embellishing everything you can.

Phase 4: read-and-check. Read your story as if you were a reader, not the author, and try to see if it makes sense, what the characters’ arcs are, what the story tension is like, and what’s happening plotwise. 

Phase 5: Adjust accordingly, ie Rinse and repeat.

[jimmiemoore]

Lamp Store Toronto

Is your room illuminated with an overhead light fixture but still missing that direct lighting? If that’s the case, having a lamp to add ambience to the room or using it as a decorative piece is the perfect situations to use a lamp. A lamp store Toronto will help you find the right lamp for you.

There are many situations for using a lamp and most homes have one, but it may be used for the wrong setting. For example, if you are doing a lot of tasks around a lamp, it may be best to use one with a dark opaque shade because they will focus light down below and give a good, direct beam of light for activities like reading. This lamp is best near a sofa or bed. A lamp may also be used as decoration. This is more based on what design you like instead of the practicality of the lamp. Below I have listed different types of lamps and what situations to use them in. 

Different Types of Lamps

1. Incandescent Lamp

An incandescent lamp is the electrical light source which works on the principle of incandescent phenomenon. The lamp is working due to glowing of the filament caused by electric currents through it.

Incandescent bulbs require no external regulating equipment, have very low manufacturing costs, and work well on either alternating current or direct current. They are also compatible with control devices such as dimmers and timers, and can be both indoors and outdoors. Incandescent lamps are widely used both in households and for commercial lighting because of this. There are portable lighting variations but the main one is being used as a table lamp.

2. Fluorescent Lamps

A fluorescent lamp is a low weight mercury vapour lamp that uses fluorescence to deliver visible light. An electric current in the gas energizes mercury vapour which delivers ultraviolet radiation through a discharge process causing phosphor coating of the lamps inner wall to radiate visible light. 

Benefits of using fluorescent lights are that it’s cost and energy efficient. Normally a fluorescent lamp offers 35% savings in the amount of energy it uses. They also don’t produce as much heat as a traditional lighting option which results in energy savings. Another major selling point of fluorescent lamps are the long life they provide. Most will last about 10,000 hours before going out. This great life offers another savings and there will be no need to change out lamps frequently as you would with conventional bulbs.

3. LED Lamps

LED lamps are now used in almost all lighting applications ranging from indoor lighting, street lighting to flood lighting. There are three prevalent technologies to produce white light in LED and they are wavelength conversion, and colour mixing. 

LEDS are packed with powerful energy and can use up to 90% less power than incandescent lamps. Since LEDs are usually cheaper than incandescent lamps, there is a dramatic decrease in power costs. They are easy for maintenance with a long life expectancy thus saving money on replacement costs.

Which Lamp to Choose from a Lamp Store Toronto

There are many lighting stores in Toronto that sell these lamps and the light bulbs that come with them. Finding the right one takes both time and effort. If one of the lighting stores offer a showroom it might be best to check the design and gives you the ability to see how it lights up a room. Once you find a lighting store you like, determine what lamp works best for you. Hopefully this article helps you purchase your ideal lamp and makes your room look stunning.

[sleepless-in-starbucks]

Useless

Summary: Logan’s behind on his work. His solution to this problem? Simply stay up all night to get it done, of course! Roman takes issue with this solution Content: Overworking, sleep-deprivation, self-deprecation, all finishes up with sleepy cuddles because Of Course Pairing: Platonic Logince (can be seen pre-qpr/romo too bc these two shits got real cute near the end but whichever way works)

~

Logan was having a horrible night. He was tired, he could feel a headache coming on, he was mistyping his every other word, and he had just finished his coffee, which meant he’d have to get up and waste more valuable work time to refill it. He had tried to just fill it himself, but after Patton learned Virgil had been doing that to stay up for weeks at a time, he had gotten Roman to lock it down so that coffee could only be gotten by physically going to the metaphysical kitchen inside of Thomas’s head.

To top everything off, it was all his own fault he was so miserable. If he had been more efficient with his work in earlier nights, he could be sleeping now. Instead, he had allowed himself to slack off and go to bed before the work was finished, only prompting his workload to get heavier.

But Logan had a plan now: stay up all of tonight, finish all work, and then resume regular schedule. So long as he didn’t allow himself to slack off again in the future, he would be fine. He just had to make it through tonight.

Something much easier said than done, apparently.

With a sigh, Logan checked that his current work was saved before picking up his coffee mug, standing up, and making his way to the kitchen. Though the new coffee system worked well to stop anyone from getting too much coffee during the day, it was mostly inconsequential at night. No one was up to stop Logan from getting his fifth coffee of the night, after all.

Halfway down the hallway, Logan managed to trip over nothing, falling to the side hard. Were it not for him catching the wall, Logan likely would’ve hit the floor, and considering the way everything around him suddenly felt like it was turning on its own axis, there was still a decent possibility that he would.

He waited a moment for the ‘world to settle’ before he stood once more on his own, this time careful to be slow as he moved. Logan wasn’t entirely sure what had happened, but as long as it didn’t happen again, he would be fine.

Successfully arriving at the coffee maker, Logan set his mug down as he picked up the coffee pot. It was about halfway full, the liquid within having gone slightly cold but still relatively hot.

Despite how hard he tried to be careful as he poured, not all of the coffee made it into his mug, splashes of it ending up on the counter instead. Logan cursed quietly under his breath as he replaced the pot. He’d have to clean that up. He picked up his mug, intending to get a bit of energy from the coffee before he moved back into doing any kind of work, only to have that backfire when the cup shook in his hands, more coffee spilling over the edges, this time getting over the front of his shirt before staining the floor.

Logan cursed again, slightly louder. The coffee wasn’t hot enough to burn but it sure did hurt, and now there was even more of a mess for Logan to take care of. He ran a hand through his hair, trying to push down his rising frustration at the situation.

Busy trying to adapt to his situation, Logan didn’t hear the sound of soft footsteps padding down the hallway and into the kitchen. He remained completely unaware of another side’s presence until he heard, “Uh… Logan?”

Logan froze. He wasn’t supposed to get caught. He had been quiet as he moved, even when he tripped, and surely the sound of spilt coffee couldn’t wake anyone. It was possible he was just… hearing things. Yes, that was it. He had just thought he heard someone call his name, but no one had, because no one was there, because no one but him should be up right then.

That thought in mind, Logan went back to what he was doing, placing down his coffee mug as he decided whether or not it would be smart to simply wipe up the spills with his shirt. It was already stained anyways, and it would be quick.

A hand landed on his shoulder and he tensed. The hand relaxed its hold a bit, but it was still there, warm and solid and very much real. Logan resisted the urge to curse again.

“Logan?” The voice repeated, and Logan let out a small sigh before he turned to face the other side. Though he hadn’t been able to place the voice at first, there was no mistaking the bright red pants and crown-covered t-shirt that were Roman’s pajamas.

“Roman.” Logan replied, wrapping his fingers tighter around his mug to hide the fact that his hands were shaking (the result of being startled by Roman being awake, of course, what else could it be?). “What are you doing up?”

“Three am plot bunny.” Roman answered. “Had to catch the sucker before it woke Thomas. Why are you up?”

“Work.” Logan informed him curtly before moving to walk past Roman. He could clean up the coffee stains later, after Roman had gone back to bed. “And, if you’ll excuse me, I need to get back to it.”

Roman didn’t let go of Logan’s shoulder, however, moving with him so that he was once more in front of Logan. “Working? Shouldn’t you be sleeping?”

“Shouldn’t you be sleeping?”

“I told you, I got woken up. I was just about to go back to bed when I heard movement and decided to check it out.” Roman said, frowning. “If you’re working now, you must have been working all night.”

Logan bit back the urge to snap ‘So?’ in response. “I have work to do, so I am working on it, as I need to to ensure the upkeep of Thomas’s logic. Do you have an issue with this?”

“Do I- of course, I do, Lo. You can’t be up all night working. You need to sleep.”

“I have fallen behind in my work.” Logan said, shaking his head a bit. “I need to catch up to properly ensure the upkeep of Thomas’s logic.”

Roman’s frown deepened. He looked as if he were concerned, which Logan thought was preposterous, because there was nothing to be concerned about. He was simply trying to do his job. “Logan, you are Thomas’s logic. If you want to properly ensure upkeep of Thomas’s logic, you have to rest. You can do your work later.”

“I have already pushed my work off long enough. Working now is more efficient and keeps me from procrastinating.” Logan responded, once more trying to push past Roman and once more being stopped. He huffed. “Please allow me to return to my room and resume my work, Roman.”

“How much coffee have you had, Lo?”

Logan frowned. That was a random question. “Unimportant. Now, Roman, please-”

“You’re shaking.” Roman said, voice gentle though the words sounded like some sort of condemnation to Logan. “I know you want to work, but you need to rest.”

Roman’s free hand moved to try and grab Logan’s mug, to take it from his hands, but Logan gripped it tighter and pulled it closer against his chest. When he did that, Roman sighed before snapping his fingers instead.

At Logan’s confused look, Roman gestured downwards with his head, and upon looking in that direction Logan realized what Roman had done. His mug was suddenly empty, the coffee that had been in it vanished. A glance behind him revealed the coffee pot was empty as well. Even the stains were cleaned up, the one that had been on Logan’s shirt included.

“Fine.” Logan spat, shoving his now empty mug into Roman’s open hand as he finally managed to get around the creative side, stalking off to his room. He shut the door behind him as soon as he was inside, turning off the lights as well before he plopped down in his desk chair and resumed his work.

Roman was going to take away his coffee? He’d work without it. Roman wanted him to sleep? He’d pretend like he was. Roman wanted him to fail to do the one thing he had to do? Well tough luck for Roman.

Because as important as sleep was (even for him and the other figments of a real person’s personality), this was more important. This was Logan’s entire purpose, his entire function, his entire reason for existing. He had to keep up on his work, keep Thomas’s facts organized for him, even if that meant making sacrifices.

As he was typing, however, a hand reached over his shoulder, shutting his laptop and plunging him into near-complete darkness, only broken by his desk lamp. Logan made a noise of distress. His work-

“You’ve been writing nonsense for nearly a minute.” Roman said softly from behind Logan, both his hands coming to rest on Logan’s shoulders. “You’re not getting any work done like this, Lo. It’s time to rest.”

Logan rolled his shoulders as he pushed himself forward, dislodging Roman’s hands. “Roman-”

“Say what you want, Logan, but I’m not letting up on this.” Roman cut him off. “You working right now isn’t helping anyone- not Thomas, and definitely not yourself. You’ve already overworked yourself; now you need to sleep.”

“I can’t.”

“Of course you can-”

“I can’t stop!” Logan yelled, quiet enough no one outside of his room should be able to hear but still much louder than intended. “I can’t stop working, because if I stop working again I’ll fall even further behind, and if I fall behind again I’ll never catch up, and if I never catch up I’ll never be able to properly do my job, and what’s even the point of me if I can’t do my job!” Barely a second after he finished talking, Logan deflated, letting his head fall against his desk. “If I can’t do my job properly, I’m useless, Roman. I have to do my work.”

For a moment, Logan was met with nothing but silence. He almost thought Roman had left before his chair was being turned away from his desk. With no support, his head flopped completely downwards, and he didn’t have the energy or will to lift it back up.

Gentle, warm hands cupped his cheeks, lifting his head so that he could meet Roman’s eyes. Logan didn’t bother trying to look away, resigned to whatever Roman was going to say or do.

“You’re not useless.”

“Roman…”

“You’re not useless.” Roman repeated, voice sincere. “You don’t just exist to work. No one expects- or wants- you to be constantly working, and no one’s going to hold it against you if you take a break.”

“I’m behind.” Logan said, shaking his head just the slightest. “I have to keep up with my work. I can’t take a break now.”

“Yes you can.” Roman replied, one hand straying from Logan’s cheek to comb through his hair, likely to relax and/or distract him (the action was working on both fronts). “You’re allowed to rest even if you still have work to do. Even if you weren’t writing out nonsense or if you were weeks behind. Your well-being always comes before your work.”

Logan didn’t speak for a moment, closing his eyes and leaning against Roman’s hand on his cheek. Without coffee or work to focus on, it was becoming harder to resist the call of sleep. “I’ll never catch up.” he finally said, cracking his eyes open just to stare tiredly at Roman. “If I don’t work now, I’ll just keep falling behind. I can’t be behind forever, Ro.”

“Then I’ll help you with your work.” Roman offered. “Two heads are better than one, after all.”

“You… you’d do that for me?”

Roman’s expression softened and he slid the hand in Logan’s hair down to the back of his neck, pulling Logan’s forehead against his own. “Of course I would, Lo. I care about you. I don’t want you overworking yourself, and if me helping you out will make you feel better about taking a break, I’m more than happy to be of assistance.” Roman paused to smile in a small, sweet way at Logan as his eyes slipped back shut for a moment before he blinked rapidly to once more look at Roman. “But not now. For now, you need to go to bed so you can spend all of tomorrow stuck watching Disney movies with me.”

Logan frowned at Roman. “Disney movies… but my work-”

“-can wait until you’re fully rested.” Roman finished for him as he removed his hand from Logan’s cheek to snap his fingers. Logan didn’t even have to look down to realize he had been changed into his own pajamas, neat dark ones with accurate constellation designs. “And would you look at that! You’re in your pjs! And you only wear those when you’re going to bed so I guess it must be bedtime.”

“I think you’re cheating.” Logan said as Roman shifted, hooking one arm under the bend in Logan’s legs and the wrapping the other behind his back. He stood up, easily lifting Logan.

“If it gets you resting faster, then I suppose I shall have to be a cheater.” Roman responded, carrying Logan over to his bed and carefully depositing him upon it. After Logan lied there without attempting to properly tuck himself in, Roman sighed fondly and moved him around until he was under his sheets. “You don’t make this easy, do you?”

“I’m still not certain I should be sleeping.” Logan said, though he was snuggling deeper under his blankets even as he spoke.

Roman chuckled quietly, removing Logan’s glasses for him. “You look like you want to be sleeping, and that’s good enough reason for you to be sleeping.”

Logan hummed. He had never been good with holding onto his awareness once he got too tired, and his current situation wasn’t helping matters at all. Roman chuckled again, running his hand through Logan’s hair once before moving away. Logan rolled over and pressed his face into his pillow to muffle his whine at the loss of contact. Roman was warm and Logan’s blankets wouldn’t be warm for at least another ten minutes and Logan wanted to be warm now.

He was only able to bemoan the loss of warmth for a few seconds, however, before his sheets were being held up and warmth was pressing up against his side, Roman’s arms once more wrapping around him, this time to hold him close.

“Before you say anything,” Roman murmured, already resting his head against Logan’s shoulder, seemingly going from being awake to halfway asleep in seconds, “I know if you’re alone when you wake up, you’re just going right back to working. I’m here to prevent that.”

Logan turned his head so that he could place his chin on top of Roman’s head. “You can’t keep me from working forever.”

“Doesn’t have to be forever.” Roman responded, using his new position to lean up and kiss Logan’s chin. “Just long enough to watch every Disney movie I own. Now go to bed. ‘M tired, you’re tired, it’s sleep time.”

Logan didn’t say anything in response to that, opting instead to simply press closer to Roman and close his eyes. Despite the work he still knew was piled up on his desk, Logan found it hard to focus on it when he was more or less asleep and Roman was right beside him, warm and soft and already murmuring sleepy nonsense that Logan found endearing in its own way.

Maybe Roman was right. After all, Logan figured, a bit of a break (with Roman) couldn’t be that bad.

And with that happy thought in mind, Logan fully drifted off to sleep.

[sciencenewsforstudents]

An ancient four-footed critter stomped around what is now Germany some 280 million to 290 million years ago. One of the earliest creatures to live fully on land, it was pretty good at trekking about, a new study finds. For their study, researchers relied on computer simulations, imitation skeletons and fossil footprints. They even built a walking robot  —the OroBot — to find out how the creature likely moved. The results suggest that efficiently walking upright evolved earlier than researchers once thought.

The scientists started with fossil evidence of Orobates pabsti (Oh-roh-BAY-tees PAB-sty). It was one of the earliest amniotes (AM-nee-oats). And unlike amphibians, which have young that must live in the water, amniotes can live entirely on land. Amniotes first arose some 350 million years ago.

This fossil of Orobates pabsti was discovered nearly 20 years ago at a site in central Germany. It’s been helping researchers deduce how the animal likely walked.

CREDIT:  THOMAS MARTENS/MUSEUM DER NATUR GOTHA

Membranes surrounded their developing young. This allowed amniotes to walk away from a tadpole-type life stage in the water. Reptiles and birds instead surround their embryos with an egg. Most mammal embryos grow inside their mother.

This amniotic membrane was key to allowing early reptiles to leave the water and thrive in drier habitats, says John Nyakatura. He is a paleontologist — someone who studies fossils — at the Humboldt University of Berlin, Germany. He also led the new study.

Learning how early amniotes walked on land could help scientists better understand their evolution from earlier creatures. It also could help explain how amniotes spread globally, Nyakatura says — eventually becoming reptiles, birds and mammals. “Orobates, our focus fossil in this story, is a very close cousin to the last common ancestor of mammals and reptiles,” he explains.

O. pabsti arrived on the scientific scene in 2004. In life, it looked like a large lizard around the size of an iguana. The first fossils showed up at a site in central Germany known as the Bromacher locality. Hundreds of millions of years ago, this site was in a valley between mountains. From time to time, when there was a storm, the valley would flood. Animals strolling through the area left footprints behind in the squishy mud. Sometimes, those animals might die there as well. Eventually buried in mud, they would begin the process of becoming a fossil. O. pabsti is one of the most complete fossils found at this site.  

“These are things preserved from the tip of the nose to the tip of the tails,” notes Stuart Sumida. He is a vertebrate paleontologist, someone who studies only fossils with backbones. Sumida, who works at California State University in San Bernardino, was not involved in the new study. The new fossils “are so well preserved that we can generate [ideas] about how they moved,” he says.

The Bromacher locality doesn’t just have lovely fossil bones. It has fossilized footprints, too. A string of those footprints from the same animal is called a trackway. Scientists were able to link one trackway at the Bromacher locality to the O. pabsti fossil. Those tracks offered more clues to how the animal might have walked.

Scientists figured out that these fossil footprints were made by Orobates pabsti. Footprints and a fossil skeleton helped them figure out how these creatures might have walked.

CREDIT: SEBASTIAN VOIGT/URWELTMUSEUM GEOSKOP THALLICHTENBERG

But there’s more to understanding walking than knowing where an animal put its feet. For instance, they might even build a robot, says Kamilo Melo. He is a bioroboticist — someone who studies robots that imitate living things. He works at École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne in Switzerland. What’s unique about the new study, he says, is that the scientists have combined several of these tactics together. That way, they get the best possible understanding of an ancient creature’s gait.

And, Sumida adds, the German team confirmed something that only the fossil’s original finders suspected: O. pabsti lived its whole life on land — and walking instead of wriggling.

Reanimating a fossil’s source

To gauge how the animal might have moved, the researchers first re-created its skeleton. They used this to find out how far O. pabsti’s arms and legs could move. Explains Melo, they essentially created a puppet. Then the researchers tested the potential range of motion each joint might have. The scientists also used a computer model to find out how the animal’s body would move in response to gravity and the friction from the ground as it walked.

The scientists looked at species still scurrying around today, such as salamanders, skinks, caimans (reptiles related to alligators) and iguanas. They used these animals to imagine ways the ancient animal might have moved. Skinks and salamanders, for example, hold their bodies low. Their limbs sprawl out to the sides as their bellies slither on the ground. Caimens tend have limbs that push their bodies up, holding them higher off the ground.

The scientists then crafted a robot based on what they learned from the fossil, footprint tracks, skeleton, computer model and other species. Called the OroBOT, it demonstrated potential gaits. It matched the footprint trails the scientists had.

Eventually the researchers considered 512 different possible types of movement. They scored each on how much energy they needed, how well the robot balanced and how well the gait matched the tracks without slipping. (The researchers have also put their computer model online; you can try it out.)

The results suggest that O. pabsti had a relatively advanced style of walking. It’s one that researchers thought hadn’t evolved until much later.

The creature would have had a stable, efficient gait — one without a lot of side-to-side, salamander-like wiggles. It also would have held its belly off the ground. This gait likely helped it conserve energy. Melo, Nyakatura and their colleagues describe their findings January 17 in Nature.

Sumida praised the many ways the scientists tested their findings from fossil to computers to a robot. He and others have shown that amniotes from the same area walked in several different ways. Some had limbs that lifted them off the ground like O. pabsti. Others sprawled. At least one animal walked on two legs. “What these studies are showing is that when amniotes first showed up, they were doing lots of things more quickly than we ever realized,” he says.

And these findings are just a start, Nyakatura says. The researchers hope their approach helps scientists better understand how other ancient animals got around. He’s interested in how animals launched into the air, stood up on two legs and even went back into the sea (as did the whales and seals we know today). “We have a whole bag of interesting things to study,” he says.

Watching an extinct animal walk is a tall order. To figure out O. pabsti’s stride, researchers built a small robot: the OroBOT. Watch it strut its stuff here. CREDIT: FIRST CLIP: KAMILO MELO AND TOMISLAV HORVAT/EPFL LAUSANNE, SAVE/EPFL, SECOND CLIP: TOMISLAV HORVAT AND KAMILO MELO/EPFL LAUSANNE

[edmund-valks]

Ilandreline - Just One Cookie

(( Part I: The Call ))

(( Part II: A Compound Beginning ))

If you listened closely enough, you could hear the emptiness breathing.

It was fascinating to consider, or would have been if it weren't also slightly terrifying.  There was no reason for this space to sound like the lungs of some unutterable beast, yet it did.  Everything she knew about the Shadowed Path said it was empty, that nothing dwelt here and nothing could.  Perhaps nothing did.  What if the very substance of the Path was alive in some fashion?  The implications were-

Not important right now.  That was her mother's voice, reminding her that there would only be time for later speculation if she lived to do it.  Smart folk did not dally on these roads, even those who knew how to walk them.  They were treacherous, and Ilandreline did not mean their terrain.  She'd lost a distant cousin to them more than a century earlier, and supposedly even the one who'd known enough to open the First Tree to the darkness at its roots hadn't known enough to come back.

But they were fast.  She'd used them to get to Kalimdor in a few days, or to get from Tirisfal to her family's lands in an hour.  Time and distance worked differently here, or perhaps they worked exactly the same and locationality was the odd one.  There were multiple frames of reference to choose from, but they all boiled down to the same result: travel here was vastly more efficient than on Azeroth.  Which is why you need to get moving instead of standing around!

Her feet started moving again, picking their way over what she assumed counted as "the ground".  It was definitely dirt-like, and there were… grassish things… to either side, but it didn't smell quite right.  Not for nature, at least.  Most plants didn't smell so strongly of iron.  No, not iron.  She sniffed again, trying to place it.  Ah, right.  Blood.  Fresh blood, at that, before it dulled to a brown stain on the stones.  She wondered what this place would look like in sunlight.  Would its appearance match the sharp scents?  Could it even exist under such harsh light?

Despite carrying no torch, Ila was grateful for the sun's absence.  Her sensitive eyes could remain free of the goggles for a little longer, taking in all the subtle variations of shadow that were lost in the harshness of day.  She hadn't noticed how much she'd missed living with naked eyes until she'd started visiting with Granny Laine.  The Respite was a lot of things, but even Silverpine gloom didn't compare to the tranquil shade of their forest.  When she’d left the Ghostlands a few years ago, she’d felt like she had no home; now it seemed she’d found two.  Ilandreline smiled at that, letting her mind wander as much as her body.

Time definitely didn’t function normally in the space.  The pocket watch she’d made in her early days with the Fence told her it had been an hour, but her legs said it was much longer than that despite only feeling like fifteen minutes had passed.  She pushed on, digging into her snack bag to put some energy back into her muscles.  An hour later by internal reckoning -- and half that by the watch -- she stumbled out of sheer exhaustion and decided maybe it wasn’t time to get back up just yet.  Had it been two hours or twelve?  How far had she gone?  Why were her first days’ meals gone already and how was she still hungry?

Her eyelids were heavy, far heavier than they should’ve been.  “Fuck it, nap time.”  The words came out slurred.  It was a struggle just to move her pack beneath her head, to use it as a pillow.  Before she drifted off, Ila stuffed one of her grandmother’s cookies into her mouth, figuring there was no better time for some homemade coziness than immediately before passing out to sleep entirely unprotected in the nightmarish wilderness-phase running tangent to her plane of origin.  Aurelaine often joked she’d baked quite a few dishes with a lot of love in her younger days, where love was a euphemism for any number of exciting poisons.  As she swallowed the last of the cookie and drifted into the deeper darkness of sleep, Ilandreline was quite positive she could taste some of that same love now.

***

Waking up felt surprisingly pleasant and not at all terrifying.  Granny Laine was there, looking amused, and a vine had grown over her, but otherwise everything seemed… fine.  Good, even.  Ila stood and stretched, yawning, considering the last time sleep had left her so refreshed.  Never?  That sounded right.

"Couldn't help sneaking a treat before bed, eh?"  Her grandmother's voice was mock-chiding, the only good kind of chiding to receive from her.  "I should've known."

The vine tried to slither back around her leg, so she kicked it.  "You didn't give me cookies to not eat them.  It was lonely and I thought a taste of home would be nice.  Didn't expect it to, I dunno, summon you or whatever."

"Is that what you think they did?"

The young elf shrugged, gathering her gear and preparing to get back on the road.  "You're here, aren't you?  Shall we?"

Her grandmother made an indeterminate noise in her throat but began walking beside her nonetheless.  It was nice, really.  They'd gone for a few strolls back home, but there were always people around to cause trouble.  Not here.  It was just the two of them and an entire ecology built on what sure seemed to be carnivorous plants.

They walked in silence for some time, only pausing for Ilandreline to sip the water she'd brought, trying to get the leftover tastes from the night out of her mouth.  Everything, even the air, had an unusual taste; not of decay as she'd expected.  Instead it was something remembered from childhood, one of those memories that hid if you looked straight at it.  She'd have to sneak up on it by pretending to be interested in something else.

"So is this one of those things where we walk and you point out little things I need to know to survive or grow or whatever?"

She saw the cryptic smile from the corner of her eye.  "Something like that, perhaps.  Do you still need me holding your hand?"

"What?  No!  I just… not all of this comes easy, you know that.  I'm fine with making things up as I go, but that's really dangerous with… this stuff."  Ila gestured broadly, encompassing their entire surroundings.  "I like to have the numbers on my side.  There aren't any numbers here, no science.  It's all, I don't know, epistemological gradients or something."

Aurelaine laughed, a gravelly sound bordering on coughing.  A chortle!  That's what one sounds like.  "You're not wrong, child.  I'm only along to observe.  Maybe I can point something out that helps; maybe I even will.  This is your journey, though, not mine.  I've had my share already, paid the prices."

That made sense.  They continued, once more quiet, moving too fast and too slow at once, causing everything around them to be in perfect detail as it warped under the effects of tunnel vision.  The metallic taste remained in the back of her throat, tickling the corners of recollection.  She refused to focus on it, knowing that to do so would ensure she never remembered the answer.

Everything changed from one blink to the next.  The landscape was even darker now, near blinding to her gifted sight.  Her nostrils flared, the distinct aroma of blood foremost in the air, enough to make one hungry.  Or perhaps that was unrelated; journeys required food.  As she went for her trail mix, something caught her wrist, stopped it entirely.  Frowning, she glanced down to find a rubbery tendril wrapped around her arm.  "Fuck off," she said, getting no reaction.  The next best idea would be to cut it, but the only knife she had at the moment was not one she was willing to risk on a simple tentacle.  She looked over to her grandmother instead.  "Any chance you can do something about this?"

Grey eyebrows arched as eyes flicked from Ilandreline’s face to the appendage and back.  “Of course I can.”  She paused then deliberately added, “I won’t.”

Should’ve expected as much.  “This one of those ‘your journey, your problem’ moments?”  When Aurelaine nodded, she sighed.  Time to figure it out then.  There was a way; she was supposed to find it.  Trial by fire and all that.

“If I go solving your problems,” the predictable lecture began, “you’ll keep expecting me to give you the answers.  We both know that’s not how you learn.  You want to see the whole process, derived from first principles.  That way you can extend the logic as far as it goes, come up with your own hypotheses.  It also ensures you aren’t limited by the pace of your teacher, doesn’t it?”

The fraction of her consciousness paying attention laughed.  “Sure does.  Saves them the trouble of trying to answer all my ‘why’ questions, too, so it’s really a service when you think about it.  Don’t have to ask why if I’ve already done the math.”

“Yes, yes, I’m well aware that you’re infuriating, Lina, you don’t have to remind me.”  Dry humour ran in the family even if it skipped a generation.  “Getting back to the matter at hand, I’d simply remind that little pest about the order of things.  It’s a remnant, a cast-off, a weak afterthought of a failed god’s stray thoughts.  A pale imitation of the majesty to be found in the Great Dark, yearning to be more than it ever could.  I’d simply banish it and move on.”

That was one possibility then, banishment.  And how did banishing work?  Ila tried to dredge up the memories of mostly futile arcane schooling, seeking the bits that had remained.  Summoning circles… banishing circles?  An inversion of process, though the commanding nature remained constant.  How did that work for her, though?  She knew how to draw the runes, but had never been able to power them independently.  Blood would work, of course, had she prepared the circle already.  There had to be another way.

She rolled back through the words, sifting through them more by “feel” than analysis.  Hunches were the backbone of discovery; you felt something would be the answer, so you thought through the possibility.  What else had been hinted at?  Remnant.  Afterthought.  Failed.  Imitation.  Yearning.  Afterthought-Imitation-Yearning.  Was there something there?  She ran her tongue along the backs of her teeth, tasting iron and arsenic and something more as her mind kicked into gear.

The order of things.  These paths were bored through the near-realms of Azeroth by the so-called Old Gods, the entrapped dwellers-between-stars her grandmother held in such low esteem.  A trapped god was no god at all, for a proper god could not be limited.  That meant any of their leftovers were inherently inferior to the powers receiving her family’s offerings.  Not that creatures spawned from the lesser entities recognized Glimmerbow authority, but they should have.  There was that connection, like distant cousins where one is heir to a throne and the other is a cast-off from some hedge knight.

Oh, is that it?  Connectivity?  Like to like?  The tendril tightened, squeezing her bones.  It was starting to hurt.  If she waited too much longer, she might have to finish her trip with a shattered wrist.  Time to see if I learned anything.

Ilandreline focused the entirety of her consciousness on the wriggling mass, willing her vision to bore through the layers to see down to where it was no longer a physical appendage.  Deep down, it was a thoughtform, a psychic remnant, a projection, and she needed to see that.  How long it took to finally happen, she didn’t know.  She was drenched in sweat, and shaking from the effort, but she could see it clearly.

Banishment would require antithesis, but… that’s not what this is.  We’re the same, aren’t we, cousins from the same blood?  I can’t banish myself.  So what if…  She turned most of her attention inward, leaving only enough out to keep firm mental grasp on the essence of her assailant.  There was this dead-end creature left behind by one of the Four… and then there was her.  They were different, except where they weren’t.  Similarity was what she needed now.

She burrowed into herself, pushing through the layers of supposed sophistication.  On the lowest level she was not an elf, or even something shaped.  She was an extension of the universe’s primal forces, a conduit of the Eternal Dark.  At that point, she was what the tentacle thought itself to be.  Letting herself dwell entirely in that space, she lost her self and called out to this distant cousin.  See me, her mind cried, know me for what I am!

Their sameness was her focus, to establish communion.  Something resonated -- somehow -- drawing the psychic echo toward her.  She could feel its alienness, the oil-slick of fractal madness in its relict consciousness, just as surely as she knew her own essence was vastly more potent.  What others would call the taint of her heritage was a strength here; she formed a pseudopod of self, vibrating midnight purple, and whipped outward.  The sensation of startlement rippled across her mind, followed immediately by the primal panic of something being drawn to its inexorable demise.

The tendril was swallowed within her, its corrupt form dissolving within her purity of faith.  A priest of the Glimmerbows was an architect of dissolution, a bringer of endings to foster the chaos of the new.  What she hadn’t expected was the way it became a part of her.

Ila had never been at war in her own mind before.  This severed piece of a dead un-god struggled with all its might to avoid being broken down, flailing every which way.  For a moment she worried she might lose and end up a prisoner in her own flesh.  Then reason reasserted itself, and the flexibility of mind her grandmother had praised made clear its value.  She bent without breaking, absorbed the harshest assaults, returned to form without permanent deformation.  And then she swallowed it whole, allowing the thing to be torn apart and joined with her essence.

Shaking so hard she couldn’t have written a single legible letter, the elf opened her eyes.  Her grandmother faded from sight, though her approving gaze lingered.  The overlapping flavours of multiple poisons lingered, dancing over her taste buds and scratching at her throat.  She had no idea where she was, though she knew she had been walking all this time.  The ligature marks of the tentacle remained on her forearm, though, proof that something had happened, that she had conquered the smallest challenge.

Several deep breaths later, the shivering stopped.  Her whole body still tingled, the aftereffects of an adrenaline overdose, but that was manageable.  She took a swig of water to put moisture back into her body, then pulled the “map” from her inside jacket pocket.  It was more algorithmical than cartographical, but she read it as easily as Thalassian.  There was… a place to be, and she was much closer now than when she had started.

Through an act of will, Ilandreline set her legs in motion again.  There would be others, she knew.  This realm was made from the dreams of god-corpses, an afterimage of what they’d tried to make real.  But she had proof they paled before the strength Aurelaine had cultivated in her.  Let the dead gods try their worst.

Stretching out through the mental channels her hallucinations had opened, she tasted the planar gradient and turned toward her destination.  Plum was home and nightmare was the enemy, but blood and bone and leaf and light showed the way.  Not entirely certain the poisons had actually left her system, Ila climbed toward her destination unaware of the horrific grin on her face.