#international general certificate

[schoolseducation]

Comparing ICSE with Other Indian Education Boards

India’s educational landscape is a complex tapestry, managed by various educational boards that guide the academic journeys of students. Among these, the Indian Certificate of Secondary Education (ICSE) is one of the most prominent. Alongside ICSE, other noteworthy boards include the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), the International Baccalaureate (IB), the International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE), and various State Boards. 

[lighthouseborn]

actually I don't know if I've said this on the blog before: modern verses Henry has a tricky thing going on with his travel sometimes because he was born on international waters and also may or may not have an official birth certificate i actually. i haven't done enough digging to decide one way or the other yet, but. the whole thing was very non-standard and sometimes causes problems, is what i do know.

[studyatorange]

General English Program, Beginner to Advanced Level English Courses in Melbourne

Orange College offers a General English course in Melbourne CBD, Victoria. Our program will help you develop all the aspects of the English language, such as reading, writing, speaking, listening, grammar, and pronunciation.

[poa-egyptian-embassy]

Power Of Attorney Egyptian Embassy

In the realm of legal empowerment and international affairs, the Power of Attorney (POA) holds significant sway, particularly when executed at an Egyptian Embassy. A Power of Attorney is a legal document that grants an individual or entity the authority to act on behalf of another person in legal, financial, or administrative matters. When this authority is bestowed within the confines of an Egyptian Embassy, it adds an extra layer of significance and convenience for those involved.

One of the primary advantages of obtaining a Power of Attorney at the Egyptian Embassy is the streamlined and efficient process it offers. Embassy services are designed to cater to the unique needs of individuals involved in cross-border transactions or legal matters. By obtaining a Power of Attorney at the embassy, individuals can seamlessly navigate the intricacies of Egyptian legal processes, whether they involve property transactions, business dealings, or other legal obligations.

Furthermore, the Power of Attorney executed at the Egyptian Embassy ensures compliance with local laws and regulations. Embassy staff are well-versed in both Egyptian legal requirements and international legal standards, offering a level of expertise that is invaluable in navigating the complexities of legal procedures. This not only provides a sense of security for those granting the power but also facilitates a smoother and error-free execution of tasks by the appointed representative.

Additionally, the Power of Attorney at the Egyptian Embassy is a testament to the diplomatic relations between nations. It symbolizes the trust and cooperation between individuals and entities from different countries, fostering a sense of collaboration that transcends borders. This can be particularly crucial in scenarios where individuals are unable to be physically present in Egypt but require legal representation.

In conclusion, the Power of Attorney executed at the Egyptian Embassy is a powerful tool that facilitates legal transactions and activities with efficiency, compliance, and international collaboration. Whether for personal, business, or legal matters, leveraging the services of an Egyptian Embassy in the execution of a Power of Attorney ensures a robust and reliable framework for navigating the intricate landscape of international legal affairs.

[wordsinhaled]

i’m so totally normal about the fact that aziraphale’s last (known) deliberate foray into the queer community was when he learned the gavotte at the fictionalized hundred guineas club (!!!) in the 1800s and now in the 2020s he’s like “grindr? what’s that?”

many are talking about his repression which is very valid… and yet the thing to me that stands out about aziraphale is that he’s actually… incredibly stable in his identity and that identity IS incredibly queer. queer by the standards of heaven AND by human standards as well

metatron describes his “de facto partnership” with crowley as “irregular.” and in fact aziraphale in his entirety is irregular. he likes and makes it his business not only to understand but to be a connoisseur of all manner of things angels aren’t supposed to even remotely care about. food. music. books. theatre. sleight of hand. and more.

it’s the sort of behavior that would’ve gotten him othered, treated as a bit odd, in heaven even if he hadn’t chosen to consort all across the earth with a literal demon. and it IS treated that way - the fact is aziraphale even as an angel has got proclivities that set him apart from the rest of the host (even after offering him the highest position in heaven, metatron still acts deeply dismissive of him… like aziraphale’s bookshop is merely a quaint little hobby of his that can be easily transferred to another custodian, and not a literal extension of who aziraphale has become, full of his tartan and unique bibles and special vintages of wine and the books arranged in a very specific way)

so. aziraphale is a queer angel but of course he’s also queer to other humans. but in such a way that… he had his realization a LONG time ago, and put the matter very much to rest after that. aziraphale is perpetually something like several centuries behind schedule. he owns an ancient computer that probably continues to run windows 98 simply because aziraphale’s decided it should. he wears the same waistcoat and coat for generations because he simply likes them precisely the way they are and sees no reason to change them. but the idea that he doesn’t know how he comes across to others - of course he does. he knows he looks like your prim and proper grandfather and he prefers it that way

aziraphale looked around at humans in the 1880s and said: ah yes. this is where i fit. and promptly ensconced himself in that queer subculture. learned the gavotte. read his austen. loved crowley from afar. aziraphale is fiercely and vibrantly queer. just with the sort of assurance of someone who lives with his lover in a commonlaw marriage for decades and then shows up at city hall for the certificate once society decides it’s ‘allowed.’ like… he hasn’t had any need to know what grindr is because aziraphale’s ‘scene’ was a century and a half ago and it defined romance for him too.

but my favorite thing about aziraphale is how much of him is about appearances versus the truth. he can lie straight to angels’ faces and sleep at night. he knows he comes off soft but he once wielded a flaming sword. he dissembles helplessness but he’s far from it and he knows precisely how it makes others treat him. and at the core of aziraphale is rigidity, inflexibility of ideas… his sense of self is stable where crowley’s is malleable, and so on, and so on

and the fact that he’s continuously fixated on trying to misguidedly do the right thing, the fact that he seeks heavenly approval and wants to fit the world into his schema of good vs evil… in no way do i think that means he isn’t one hundred percent aware of how he feels about crowley or what it means about him by angelic or human standards. i’ve seen some folks saying that aziraphale doesn’t want to like kissing crowley and like… as much as i love me some brideshead revisited/atonement flavored angst; i put forth that it’s not internalized homophobia or queer panic but simply: “i’m trying to do the right thing for both of us and you won’t let me.” and “i wanted our first kiss to be different.” he was envisioning an entirely different flavor of romance than what he got but he emma woodhoused too close to the sun

like, y’all. aziraphale in all likelihood has a glorious collection of historical queer erotica. he just has a feathery diva coat hanging in his closet, and for what. “oh, good lord” he says at crowley’s revolutionary outfit in the bastille, while eyeing him up like an entire meal. he’s so good at affected propriety, at carefully constructed stuffiness, but between the two of them aziraphale’s got to be the one who has experience

aziraphale had been physically throwing himself at crowley the entire season. he orchestrated an entire regency ball so they could touch hand to hand. he spends the entire season (well, and season 1) looking at crowley like he’s particularly coveted. he looked at crowley before the fall like he was glorious and beautiful. aziraphale’s queer and he knows it and i think that isn’t his problem, it’s the fact that he wants to build a different sort of future for the two of them but crowley’s gone and thrown a wrench in it by reminding him of everything he can finally have. like. that’s the heartbreak. it’s how dare you make this ugly? i forgive you for our first kiss being all pain and salt. it’s my dearest, i wanted to make heaven as beautiful as you deserve. as sacred and safe for us as our bookshop. and i can do that for us, because once i held a flaming sword and i still remember how the hilt felt in my hands. and now the taste of you is in my mouth.

[knitmeapony]

If you are interested in a very practical, hands-on job that does a lot of good for a lot of people, no matter what age you are, whether you're looking for your first career or a new one, please consider becoming a city code official.

Code officials are the folks that work with governments to keep an eye on new and existing construction and make sure that it stays safe and accessible.

It's a good job making good money, and there are a number of places that you can get your certifications. It's also one of those practical Building Trades that always needs people, and if you're a little bit flexible about where you're going to work there are literally hundreds of job openings out there right now.

And from a long-term perspective, once you are a code official you can volunteer with / work with some of the national and International organizations that put together model codes. Model codes are books published by non-governmental organizations so that smaller cities and municipalities and really any government organization that doesn't have the budget to write its own building code from scratch can simply adopt a version of the model codes. The companies that put out model codes generally speaking have open processes that let anyone in the industry come in and help change the codes.

I work at one of those companies. We have trans activists coming in making sure that gendered bathrooms don't become law in a bunch of places. We have disability rights activists coming into push our codes past the what is required for the ADA, and into more modern, more complete accessibility rules. In both cases, these folks are minority and have to work with all the other code officials to show them why they're suggested changes are the right way to go. Anyone can submit changes and come in and speak, but if you are a professional code official currently working for a city or state that uses our codes, you get a vote on how we change things. Three to four hundred individuals vote on many of these suggested changes to the codes. That means the small number of determined people can likely genuinely move the needle in terms of what we discuss and what we implement.

It is construction, so not every work site is going to be welcoming, but I have been pleasantly surprised by how many folks in the industry are genuinely don't give a damn about anything but whether or not you can get the job done.

[dimespin]

Saratoan Life Stages

The simple rule of thumb for guessing a Saratoan dragon's human-age is a kind of reverse dog years - divide their age by 2 and there you are. But as is the case with dog years, Saratoans develop on their own timeline.

They themselves understand their ages based on set of teeth, of which they can have a maximum of 7 across their lifetime.

First Teeth

The first set of teeth erupt shortly after the joey detaches from the mother's body about 6 months after the initial birth and arrival in the pouch. The joey is not yet old enough to permanently leave the pouch at 6 months but a few months later they will leave the pouch permanently and spend a few years clinging to their mother's back instead.

The development timeline for a joey has some similarities with human children (they start talking around the same time) and differences (they take their first wobbly steps as soon as they make their first venture out of the pouch around 6 months)

Compared to their extended lifespan these years are quite accelerated!

This set of teeth as well as the next lacks the pronounced canines the species is known for, very much looking like the teeth of what they are, an herbivore.

This set of teeth is shed at about age 6

Second Teeth

The next set of teeth are heavily associated with the age group called sub-adults, but they aren't officially considered sub-adults until age 15.

Sub-adults are still considered a type of child, but nonetheless are very independent. They are generally at similar levels of education as humans the same age, most of them work and many live away from their families full or part time.

Legally they occupy a separate category from either children or adults, with restrictions intended to protect them like lower legal working hours and it not being legal to sell them things like cigarettes, but they are also legally allowed to live apart from their family even if the family would prefer otherwise.

While they can earn professional certificates and credentials through education they are legally barred from many professional fields and must wait to use those credentials for adulthood. Because of this many take on apprentice or intern like jobs in their desired field to gain experience while waiting to be able to work in the field.

Despite the fact many of them work or are in college and can speak and think as you'd expect of a same-age human, they are known for being a bit childish, still having a drive to play, and sometimes still being emotionally immature and impulsive.

This is the stage at which their physical aging starts to slow down, so they do not hit their adult height until closer to when they get their next set of teeth. Growth does not completely stop but many sub-adults are markedly short compared to adults.

This set is shed at about age 30

Third Teeth

At age 30 Saratoans hit puberty and have their final growth spurt, reaching their adult height around the same time as their teeth start falling out and growing back in (for the Atau full adult height is usually reached around 35, but the tooth milestone and puberty still happens around the same time)

At this age they often become aware of their sexuality and between this and the expectations of whether or not they will reproduce, social roles within their culture are decided and imposed.

As they enter this age group there can be a lot of upheaval in their lives as they suddenly move from education to professional careers, move out, become parents, lose childhood friends and gain new ones, etc., depending on the individual

While they are culturally viewed as adults they are still often condescended to by older adults who view them as still being a bit wet behind the ears.

This set of teeth is shed at about age 65

Fourth Teeth

This set of teeth is associated with the approach of middle age. Normal adults generally dealing with life with now a significant amount of experience, but still with a huge population around them with more experience still.

This age group has a reputation for sometimes being annoying according to elders, as they are second only to sub-adults in their likelihood to rebel. This is the first time many of them have experienced adults (third teeth) showing them respect and following their lead on things, and this makes some start to view themselves as able to question those above them. This is especially annoying as this is also the time when many of them begin being trained for their future as house elders if they are in the position to take that role.

This age group and the next are the ones most likely to make a show of dominance smiling, as the tension between groups of adults who would otherwise be peers becomes heightened. Previous groups had no one to lord their age based social hierarchy position over but those they viewed as literal children, but now with other adults to pull rank on, the age based fights begin to reach their peak.

This set of teeth is shed at about age 100

Fifth Teeth

This set of teeth is associated with middle age and the time shortly after. Many start showing signs of aging during this time, with wrinkles and graying hair starting to appear.

During this time many start to see their fertility slowing down, with pregnancies becoming pretty much unheard of after age 130.

Many in this age group are already taking on important management roles within the house structure, as they are in the important position of both being old enough to command respect from many but still being fairly physically healthy and fit

This set of teeth is shed at about age 135

Sixth Teeth

The last set of teeth many Saratoans ever grow but not the last possible set. This set is associated with elders who are not the house leader. Often seen in the house leader's partner and eldest children within the house structure. Also often seen in older adults who choose to live outside the house structure system.

Saratoans health and signs of aging keep pretty stable from the previous age group through this one, accelerating much more around age 170, when they tend to lose the remaining color in their hair, thinning of the hair becomes visible on the arms and legs, and health decline and age related health conditions start to become a real problem.

This set of teeth is only shed under the circumstance of being left as the most dominant one within a family or group, often due to the death of the house leader when they were the next eldest individual.

Seventh Teeth

The last possible set of teeth when the canines become long enough they permanently protrude from the mouth at all times and unlike the other teeth are dry at all times. Because of this they are called tusks.

Tusked elders are stereotyped as very calm and patient and not interested in making a show of their dominance. They cannot meaningfully hide or reveal their teeth so they tend to relax about commanding respect simply for the sake of it as fourth and fifth teeth often do.

These teeth are only ever seen in the eldest dominant figure within a group. While it is technically possible to develop them after age 140, and much more rarely, as early as 100, it's more common to see them in individuals closer to 160 or more.

Saratoans generally live to be around 200, with the majority dying of old age closer to 190 or so, but still a few live past 200, with 210 being rare but not totally unheard of. There are rumors of even older individuals occurring but the records are sketchy

[lunadileo]

ღ Astrology Notes ღ

These are my personal observations that I wrote based on people around me and many years of observing them. Happy Holidays! ✨🎄🥂

💕 People with Taurus Venus are naturally such great gift givers. Their taste is impeccable and refind. They’d rather go for an expensive gift of high quality (perfume, jewellery, spa certificate) as they have a very good sense of style. They love spoiling both themselves and their loved ones. 🥰

💕 People with Pisces Moon are very sensitive and compassionate to other people, their emotions and feelings. They naturally tend to be very self-sacrificing and put the comfort and wellbeing of others first, which can often be taken for granted. Nevertheless, people with Pisces Moon are very kind-hearted, talented, intuitive and generous beings. 😍

💕 People with Taurus in the 6th house value comfort so much. They love coming home to coziness and safety every day after work, make a cup of their favourite tea, lay down under the warm blanket and watch their favourite tv series. They love for their days to go as predictable and smooth as possible. They also hate to be in a rush and mostly prefer to laze around the house. ☺️

💕 It’s very important for women with Taurus in the 7th house/Taurus Descendant to find a sense of safety and reliability in their partner. They are traditional and want their partner to take very good care of them and provide for them materially, financially and emotionally. They also love to be spoiled with gifts, receive gorgeous bouquets of flowers, love and attention. 💞

💕 People with Scorpio Rising/Pluto in the 1st house go through many transformations since the beginning of their life. They grow wiser and stronger each time, however, many people can sense constant heaviness and toughness present in their energy. These people emanate the deepest sense of unmatchable power, inner strength and are never scared to face things and people head on. Others never dare to come at them or start arguments. 👁

💕 People with Leo on the 9th house cusp are usually very successful with their studies at universities. They are interested in studying foreign languages, international affairs or intercultural communication. They may also love studying languages, geography and world history at school. Travelling is their biggest passion and motivation. 🗺

💕 People with Aquarius on the 3rd house cusp/Uranus in the 3rd house have very unique and unusual thoughts. They naturally think in an innovative and smart way. They are ahead of their time, in a good way. Many people don’t understand them and find their ideas to be weird and unconventional, not “fitting in”. Natives with these placements don’t care though and learn to accept themselves and voice their opinions over time. 🧠

💕 Men with 10th house stellium tend to be very focused on their career and public life. Their reputation is extremely important to them, they may be afraid of public judgement or being seen in a negative light. In some cases, they may neglect their families (spouses and children) and put the majority of their time and focus only on their work and getting money.

💕 People with Virgo Mars are very good workers. They are dutiful, reliable and organised. They love to complete their tasks one by one in a calm and relaxed manner. Working under pressure is not their biggest strength. 👩🏻‍💻

💕 Women who have Leo Sun Aries Moon usually occupy the leading position at work and tend to be very harsh and demanding bosses. Their colleagues and employees may not feel at ease around them, some may even fear them. Nevertheless, women with these placements are strong and don’t lose their cool in the critical situations, they handle them with confidence and authority. 🔥

💕 People with Venus Conjunct Saturn want to have that “one and only” type of partner, relationship and marriage. They will never commit to the person they don’t trust or connect with just for the sake of being in a relationship. They’d rather wait for the real one that they can build something significant and long lasting with rather than waste their time going from one shallow relationship to another. Very beautiful and thoughtful placement. ❤️

💕 Women with Leo Venus love to be spoiled with expensive gifts, love, adoration and attention. They are very fashionable and love buying designer clothes and items. Moreover, they have a very good sense of self-love and self-respect, that’s why they demand and expect the same treatment from their partner. They will never settle for less than what they think they deserve. 💖

💕 It takes some time for people with Taurus Mercury to process new information. They usually need to reread and repeat certain topics until they’re able to fully grasp it. When they do, they’ll remember the information very well and for a long period of time. People with this placement may also enjoy soft jazz music playing in the background while they are studying. 🎷

© 2022 Credits to my blog @lunadileo ღ

[askagamedev]

From past responses you clearly have some experience with the console cert process. I was wondering: why do so few games offer cross platform play? Does the cert process become disproportionately more difficult when communicating to other systems becomes involved? Or is it just a difficult feature from a purely engineering pov? Thank you!

There are two major groups of hurdles to crossplay - technical and political. Both of these issues were primarily ironed out by Epic in late 2018, and then they opened up the doors for everybody else by releasing their set of crossplay tools and tech to the public for free.

On the technical side, the various walled garden networks - PSN, XBL, Nintendo Online - each have their own set of protocols, ports, technology, etc. They do not talk to each other or transfer information in the same way. There's a good reason for this - they weren't built by the same people or using the same technology, so their internal workings are all different. In order to solve this, the any third party developer needs to build a system that can take data from any supported service and translate it in real time so all players on other platforms understand what's happening in the game. This requires a fairly hefty engineering effort.

On the political side, console platform networks are walled gardens that generate a lot of revenue for the platforms. Every sale within that walled garden typically earns the platform owner a 30% cut. This is why they can afford to sell game consoles at a loss, they hope to make it back from their users. Allowing other players on other platforms to play with their users takes away from their exclusivity. This attitude permeates their certification rules, which are then enforced on all third party developers. Even now that crossplay is allowed, there are a lot of rules in place about things like communication between platforms (e.g. Rocket League was not allowed to let Playstation players communicate with PC players because of potential content ratings).

In 2018, Epic pushed to allow crossplay for their lifestyle game juggernaut Fortnite. Microsoft had already been dabbling in that arena by allowing Xbox to play with PC players (since most players ran on Windows anyway, so they were both Microsoft platforms), but Sony refused. Epic smoothed this over by paying Sony a significant sum of money to 'make up for lost revenue' and developing their own tools and technology to handle the technical issues of allowing crossplay. Sony begrudgingly agreed, so Fortnite went crossplay. Then, in typical fashion, Epic released their entire suite of crossplay tools to the public for free. Games like Dauntless and Rocket League soon followed to crossplay, and by 2019 Sony had changed their stance to accept crossplay.

[Join us on Discord] and/or [Support us on Patreon]

Got a burning question you want answered?

Short questions: Ask a Game Dev on Twitter

Long questions: Ask a Game Dev on Tumblr

Frequent Questions: The FAQ

[lonniemachin]

Ahmed reached out to me to help spread his fundraiser. He is urgently attempting to raise money to evacuate his displaced 7-person family, including his parents, wife, and brothers, from Gaza to Egypt and gain access to necessities of survival. He has only made kr111,012 out of his kr350,000 goal so far! Please share and donate, and if you can't donate, please still share!

From Ahmed's GFM:

please note

conversion rate is (100 USD = 700 DDK)

Dear compassionate supporters,

I extend my heartfelt plea to you, driven by the urgency of the dire situation my family faces in the chaos of Gaza, a war-torn region. I am Ahmed Shamia, a fourth year student of application development, I come to you seeking your generous support to evacuate my beloved 7 family members from the hazardous conditions we currently endure in Gaza and relocate us to safety in Egypt.

Meet my remarkable family:

Parents:

Dad : A skilled social service employee and has many international certificates.

Mom : The heart of our family, A lovely teacher.

Me and my wife: a nice couple the war destroyed our dreams to be a nice family.

My sick brother Yasser : who has cerebral palsy and need an immediate care.

My middle brother Mahmoud : who have a big dream to complete his study.

My little brother omar: he also have a big dreams to study like every child in the world.

Shortly after the war started, our house was bombed, and we’ve since been displaced more than four times and lost all of our money. Our only hope of restoring some semblance of normal life is to evacuate. For over 170 days, we’ve lacked basic necessities. Among other things, we lack access to clean water, medicine, healthcare, and gas for cooking.

The Urgent Situation:

my family suffers of displacement and inability to care my older brother, who has cerebral palsy and cannot eat even his food. He eats it with difficulty because of problems in his lungs, and he now needs care and treatment. The medicines have become severed and his condition deteriorates day after day so that he does not know the taste of sleep because of the disease.

As I write you, the Israeli army’s planned invasion of Rafah grows ever closer. We have lost everything we’d worked so hard to earn and build, and now have no place to go. ‏Your support and solidarity will give us a fighting chance of surviving and building our lives anew.

Financial Details:

Travel company (YA HALH) costs $5,000 for people over 18.

And $2,500 for people under the age of 18.

A total of $30,000 to evacuate the Shamia family from Gaza to Egypt.

And $10,000 to cover the care expenses of Yasser Mohamed Shamia, who suffers from cerebral palsy.

And an additional $10,000 to cover the cost of living and basic family needs.

Thank you for your kindness during this challenging time. Your support is crucial in this humanitarian endeavor.

any additional donations will go for their survival in Egypt and their return when war ends.

Gratefully,

Ahmed

[casper-spills]

·:¨༺ ♱ 𝒀𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝑱𝒖𝒍𝒚 𝑴𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒂𝒈𝒆𝒔 ♱ ༻¨:·

ᴘɪʟᴇ 1 ~ ᴘɪʟᴇ 2 ~ ᴘɪʟᴇ 3

Discaimer: Tarot reading is for entertainment purposes only and should never take the place of professional therapy or professional legal, medicinal or financial advice.

𝙎𝙐𝙈𝙈𝙀𝙍 𝘿𝙄𝙎𝘾𝙊𝙐𝙉𝙏 50% 𝙊𝙁𝙁 !!

Ends on September 22nd

General £10 ~ £5

Wellbeing £10 ~ £5

Career £10 ~ £5

Prediction £15 ~ £8

Love £15 ~ £8

Sex £20 ~ £10

|BOOK A READING WITH ME |KO-FI |

♡ ᴘɪʟᴇ 1 ♡

𝑾𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒔𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒆𝒙𝒑𝒆𝒄𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒎𝒐𝒏𝒕𝒉

King of Pentacles Upright

Keywords & Signs: Saturn, neptune, aqua, ocean, cliff, forest, stargazing, earth, green, spotlight, picture frame, certificate, 14, 3rd house, gemini, mercury, gibbous moon, starseed

Messages: 'You're very close to achieving your goal' 'What sparks your curiosity and inspires you?'

This month seems very focused on your work life or career in particular. You will find yourself thinking and working hard to learn more about your role. Perhaps you have just gotten a promotion or you could be an intern shadowing somebody. You will be processing and learning how to lead/run a business and you will be thinking about how you can communicate effectively. You are being asked to remember to stay disciplined to keep the business abundant and secure.

If you are not employed, you might be someone who takes a leader role and keeps up with a lot of responsibilities in your family/friend/social circles. It could also mean you will be presented with a work opportunity this month!

𝒀𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒆

Seven of Cups Upright

Keywords & Signs: Mirror, vanity, brown, zen garden, ballroom, desert, twins, shadow self, water, leo, neptune, 7, 10th house, capricorn, saturn, reputation, new moon in capricorn, dance

Messages: 'Your hard work is paying off' 'Do something to change your energy'

Traits of your current or potential partner: Positive: dreamy, intuitive, imaginative, spiritual, innocent, kind, sweet, forgiving, compassionate, lucid dreamer, psychic, sensitive, empathetic, optimistic, ambitious, abstract, big/thick hair, elegant walk, broad shoulders, tall, tanned skin, warm skintone, bright smile Negative: delusional, naive, unrealistic, overly ambitious, childish

If you are single, you may already have a few potential partners you could be considering at the moment. You are being asked to choose carefully. If you feel as though you have to choose and settle for one option then it probably means that none of them are right for you. Trust your gut. Some may not be who they seem.

If you are already in a relationship, then you are being asked to address any issues that may come up within the relationship and take steps to strengthen the bond. The honeymoon phase may be starting to wear which is completely natural, and so, you are faced with the reality of the relationship and you are indulging less in fantasies and wishful thinking. This doesn't have to be a bad thing. It is a natural part of every relationship.

𝒀𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒇𝒊𝒏𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆𝒔

Knight of Cups Upright

Keywords & Signs: Water, balance, bored, snow, brown, capricorn, eclipse, cross, meadow, ritual, 2nd house, taurus, venus, posession, mercury, picses, 12, full moon in capricorn, protection

Messages: 'Call back your power. Cut the cords. Soul retrieval' 'The end of a tough cycle approaches'

You could be trying to gain some extra income at the moment with new ideas. You could be someone who is trying to use their creative skills to earn a bit of money, perhaps an artist? It may be painting, nail art, photography, etc. You could also be a writer or a composer.

This is your reminder to not be discouraged! You might feel like you're not doing enough or earning enough. You feel like maybe you're being too ambitious. You are doing just fine and you are not doing anything wrong. Stay motivated and push through! You have so much to share, it would be a shame for everyone to miss out on what you have to offer.

If you are trying to save money and budget, remember to have good discipline and spend responsibly. You may sometimes be too optimistic with how much you can spend which is okay sometimes, especially when you need to treat yourself after a long day, but make sure you're keeping track of just how much you're able to spend.

𝒀𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒍𝒕𝒉

The Star Upright

Keywords & Signs: Performance, pole dancing, purple, gate, orange, pyramid, mountains, desert, egypt, scorpio, mercury, 17, 4th house, cancer, moon, full moon eclipse, light

Messages: 'You've been training for this for lifetimes' 'Conclusions are within reach'

This month you are being asked to pay attention to matters related to your genitals, reproductive system and your rectum.

If you have been trying for a baby and have been struggling then you may be in luck this month! Make sure you are seeing a doctor consistently to ensure the health of you and your baby.

If you are someone who does not want to get pregnant, make sure you are taking extra precautions using contraception.

Generally, this reading is positive. You could be someone who has had problems with these areas of the body and in this month of July, you will have a time of healing. Not many of you will need to worry but it is always good to pay attention to your health and take the right precautions.

♡ ᴘɪʟᴇ 2 ♡

𝑾𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒔𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒆𝒙𝒑𝒆𝒄𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒎𝒐𝒏𝒕𝒉

Two of Coins Reversed

Keywords & Signs: 3rd house, gemini, mercury, communication, neptune, fish, giraffe, storm, blue, earth, green, full moon in virgo, stairs, lightning, 2

Messages: 'You are good enough' 'Wait. Postpone. Pause. Say no'

This month seems focused on your workload and your priorities. You may have been feeling overwhelmed and feel like you're struggling to maintain your schedule. You will be learning how you can keep yourself organised and manage your time. You could also be struggling in some of your relationships due to your busy schedule and you might find it difficult to keep up with your social life. This month, you will also be figuring out how you can balance your work life and your social life. You are being asked to stay realistic with how much you are able to do and turn down opportunities that are no longer in alignment with your goals. Reassess your priorities.

𝒀𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒆

King of Wands Reversed

Keywords & Signs: Fire, 14, imrama, full moon in capricorn, 10th house, capricorn, saturn, reputation, moon, virgo, orange, brown, doors, claustrophobic, caves

Messages: 'The end of a tough cycle approaches' 'Listen to your heart'

Traits of your current or potential partner: Positive: Secure, consistant, loyal, feminine, nurturing, gentle features, bright eyes, lean, curvy lips, delicate nose Negative: Emotional, sensitive, resting bitch face, prudish

If you are in a relationship, you or your partner may be exhibiting controlling or aggressive behaviour. There may be a lack of trust in the relationship due to the nature of how it started. You or your partner may have rushed into this connection because of superficial or shallow reasons such as a gain in social status, fame, money, etc. You are being asked to remind yourself to think before you act and to address these issues to strive for a open and honest connection.

If you are not in a relationship, the King of Wands reversed warns against arrogance, recklessness and lack of self discipline. You may be feeling pressured to rush into a new relationship. You could be the kind of person who typically has high standards for potential partners and you feel like you have to lower these standards and settle for someone for shallow reasons. You are being asked to take your time and think about what it is you actually want. Don't cave into the social pressure.

𝒀𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒇𝒊𝒏𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆𝒔

Seven of Swords Upright

Keywords & Signs: Air, arrows, new moon in leo, warrior, sword, 7, 2nd house, taurus, venus, uranus, leo, orange, centre, spotlight, posessions

Messages: 'Have you answered your deepest calling?' 'Confidence is your key to success'

You may have felt like you had to resort to deceitful tactics when it comes to your finances lately. Perhaps, if you are running a business, you could be inflating prices for example. Alternatively, you could just be more secretive about your financial position and leading people to think you are not in a secure enough position to pay for certain things or to lend money when in reality, you probably could and you just don't want to.

Some of you may have been saving up for something big which could be why you are not lending money or spending as much. You are being asked to have more confidence in how you spend your money and remember that you are always entitled to your money and whatever you decide to do with it is your business.

𝒀𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒍𝒕𝒉

The Chariot Upright

Keywords & Signs: 7, ink blot, horse, star, voice, cave, full moon in aquarius, purple, moon, taurus, 9th house, sagittarius, jupiter, opening, persecution, expression

Messages: 'Share your voice' 'Bring love into the situation'

This month you are being asked to pay attention to matters related to your throat, neck, vocal chords, tonsils, thyroid and your intestines.

If you are currently going through some obstacles regarding your health, you may have struggled with a negative mindset for some time but soon, you'll feel a sudden burst of energy and a new sense of urgency to address these issues. You'll become determined to start an exercise routine to help you heal or maintain good health.

Some of you might be performers or singers so perhaps you'll be doing vocal exercises or routines to ensure the health of your voice.

Even though your road to recovery may be difficult, you will overcome these obstacles and you are being asked to remember to talk about these problems with your support group or loved ones.

♡ ᴘɪʟᴇ 3 ♡

𝑾𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒔𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒆𝒙𝒑𝒆𝒄𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒎𝒐𝒏𝒕𝒉

Page of Coins Horizontal

Keywords & Signs: Earth, 11, mecury, libra, 11th house, aquarius, uranus, hope, whale, dolphin, ocean, mutable moon, field, egg, green, horizon

Messages: 'Nothing is yet set in stone' 'Call in your tribe. You don't have to do it alone'

This month seems to be focused on your personal development within your work life and your social life. You may have a lot of hope for the future and you are thinking a lot about your long term goals. This could be a financial opportunity or networking. Perhaps you have already made a strong start and layed the foundations for future success.

However, you could face some challenges this month. You might procrastinate and struggle to follow through with your goals. You are being asked to seize your opportunities while you can and to remove any distractions that might be holding you back.

𝒀𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒆

The Sun Horizontal

Keywords & Signs: Light, 19, training, void of course moon, north node, rahu, libra, 8th house, scorpio, pluto, debt, beams, swing, trangle, pyramid, moon

Messages: 'Nothing will come of this situation' 'You have been training for this for lifetimes'

Traits of your current or potential partner: Positive: secure, consistant, loyal, feminine, domestic, nurturing, glowing complextion, dimples, symmetrical face, cupids bow Negative: emotional, sensitive, dramatic

If you are in a relationship you might be feeling insecure about your connection. At times, it could feel like you're on a rollarcoaster where one minute you feel like everything is absolutely great and then the next, you feel left out in the cold by your partner. You can't seem to tell whether the relationship has lost is spark or not and you might start to think you should rethink marriage arrangements. There could be some hidden issues in the relationship that will be surfacing soon regarding, inheritance, change, pregnancy, jealousy or money. You are being asked to spend quality time together and remind eachother of why you got together in the beginning and to have trust that these problems can be resolved. There is light at the end of the tunnel.

If you are not in a relationship, you could be feeling content and you're enjoying the aspects of being single but you're also open to future romantic opportunities. This month, it seems like there is a relationship coming your way! However, you might struggle to find your footing. You could be coming across as egotistical and it might seem like you are bragging a lot which could put off potential partners. You're being asked to try not to focus too much on impressing them and to just be yourself. Just dial it back a bit and you'll do just fine.

𝒀𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒇𝒊𝒏𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆𝒔

The Magician Upright

Keywords & Signs: Purple, cat, 1, transformation, waxing moon, magic, performance, infinity, cancer, venus, 6th house, virgo, mercury, service, throne, healing

Messages: 'The energy is gaining momentum' 'Things are changing at a cellular level'

This month it looks like your finances are heading in a positive direction! You could be thinking about partnering up with a business or merging accounts with somebody or perhaps you want to open a new bank account. You will also be presented with new financial opportunities such as a promotion or an offer to make extra money. It could even be an opportunity to mentor someone or be mentored by someone. You are being asked to put your original ideas into practice and to be smart with how you play your cards with certain people.

𝒀𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒍𝒕𝒉

Four of Coins Upright

Keywords & Signs: 4, full moon in aries, storm, lightning, snowstorm, north node, rahu, pause, orange, scorpio, 8th house, pluto, debt

Messages: 'A fiery climax approaches' 'Say no. Now is not a good time'

This month you are being asked to pay attention to matters related to your genitals, reproductive system and your rectum. Some of you are very prone to pregancy the month of July and if that is not something you want then you are being asked to be especially cautious this month. For others, you may be suffering from constipation or water retention. You might find it helpful to pay attention to your salt and fibre intake.

You also could be holding on to some old emotional or psychological baggage. You might find it helpful to talk about it with a friend or a professional to release some of these issues.

♥Thank you for your support!♥

[luci-luck]

Earth “ponies” go first! MASSIVE autism dump comin’ atcha live

TW: ableism , grief , parental death (just in case the tags failed)

This is more so for me but I still wanted to share 🫶

Sandstone (Pinkie):

- b i g puppy energy

- Built for work but prefers to play

- Has crystal pony genes but depression makes them subdued. Can only go full crystal mode in a moment of pure and raw jubilation.

- after constantly being told who she’s supposed to be, they rejected the idea of labels entirely

- no labels for gender or sexuality means loving Pinkie does not impact your sexuality score!

- (intersex is not about gender but biological sex. That being said many intersex people use intergender as their gender as it relates to their experience as an intersex person.)

- deals with internalized ableism due to conservative fillyhood environment. Feels bad when they need to ask for help/support. Got herself an unofficial certificate in psychology so he can be his own therapist (it doesn’t work out)

- Parents would totally support the pony version of Autism Speaks just saying. Pinkie’s dad thinks neurodivergency is curable with hard work and the right attitude whilst her mom mourns the loss of her son after the diagnosis.

- ADHD makes xeir rejection sensitivity off the charts

- Internal battery runs on the company of others so can’t ever live alone.

- Had problems with food insecurity

- Relies on sugar as a steady supply of dopamine

- Can have moments of poor motor control. Clumsy

- Eyesight is bad but doesn’t wear glasses. Afraid that ponies will start thinking he is smart and they will expect even more from him. (In human world she wears contacts)

- Feels embarrassed being high support needs and just wants to be treated like everybody else. Hates when xer parents call her “special”

- Also hates being infantilized but is not confident in their decision making

- Xe is a sensory seeker unlike the rest of their family who are all sensory avoiders. Sisters compromise and try to meet his needs. Pinkie in turn tries to be mindful of their touch aversion but finds it hard sometimes. “Everypony’s just so scoop-able!”

- Trained Gummy to “stay”. Is very proud of his emotional support gator

Applejack:

- Is incredibly strong for her size

- feels like she has to constantly prove herself worthy of taking over the farm. Has gotten into arguments with Big Mac about overexerting herself

- Is a hinny (donkey mom and stallion dad) (ofc hinnies are supposed to have tails more like horse but I love the lion tail on AJ so 💁‍♀️) (I said mule in ALT text because most people don’t know what a hinny is)

- Because of this, she is more calm under pressure and thinks more logically

- has major depression from grief and ptsd (duh)

- Isn’t used to being in a stress free environment so she creates the stress

- Likes running the apple stand but certain families trigger her

- Obsessed with anything from the past generation. A time when her parents were young and happy

- Can be a bit insensitive to other’s problems and wants them to “put on their big girl pants” like she had to.

- Feels like she has to fill in the roles her parents used to do. Especially so Applebloom and Granny don’t have to stress over as many things.

- Was in the process of cutting her mane when she remembered that AB liked to braid it so she stopped half way.

- Is the mom of the friend group. Makes sure everyone’s needs are met before tending to her own. (Which is bad btw)

- Has problems with insomnia but getting better.

- Struggles with OCD and will repeat unnecessary tasks if she believes it will help protect her family

- Has an emotional support dog named Winona who also reminds AJ to take breaks 🐕‍🦺

- Sees no point in getting her chronic pain checked out. Will hopefully change her mind in the future. Wears leg braces to ease the soreness.

- Got diagnosed later on. Grief masked her autistic traits.

- Also has a hard time asking for help but has gotten better after she found out that Applebloom has been internalizing that mindset. She must lead by example

- Stick around long enough and she’ll happily invite you over with a hot cup of cider 🍺

- (Other people tend to fall in love while getting to know someone. Demiromantics however need to get to know the person first and then develop romantic feelings later)

- Thought she wasn’t capable of developing crushes until she got to know Coloratura.

[studyatorange]

Maximizing Your Investment — Why a Certificate III in Cabinet Making is Worth It in Melbourne

1. High Demand for Skilled Cabinet Makers

Trend: Melbourne is experiencing a boom in both residential and commercial construction, leading to a high demand for skilled tradespeople, including cabinet makers.

Benefit: By earning a Certificate III in Cabinet Making, you position yourself in a field with strong job prospects and consistent demand for skilled labour.

2. Comprehensive Skill Development

Content: The Certificate III in Cabinet Making program covers a wide range of skills, including design, construction, installation, and finishing of cabinetry. It also includes training in the use of advanced tools and machinery.

Benefit: This comprehensive training ensures you are well-prepared for various tasks and challenges in the industry, making you a versatile and valuable employee.

3. Hands-On Experience

Content: The program emphasizes practical, hands-on experience through workshops and real-world projects. This practical approach is essential for mastering the craft of cabinet making.

Benefit: Gaining hands-on experience during your training ensures that you are job-ready and can confidently handle tasks from day one in a professional setting.

4. Access to Modern Technology

Content: Students at Orange College have access to state-of-the-art facilities and equipment, including Computer-Aided Design (CAD) software and CNC machines.

Benefit: Familiarity with modern technology not only enhances your skill set but also makes you more competitive in the job market, where such expertise is increasingly sought after.

5. Pathway to Specializations

Content: The Certificate III in Cabinet Making provides a solid foundation for further specialization in areas such as custom furniture design, kitchen and bathroom cabinetry, and commercial fit-outs.

Benefit: Specializing can open up higher-paying and more specialized job opportunities, allowing you to tailor your career to your interests and strengths.

6. Strong Industry Connections

Content: Orange College has established connections with industry professionals and companies, providing students with opportunities for networking, internships, and job placements.

Benefit: These connections can be invaluable for securing employment after graduation and for ongoing professional development.

7. Entrepreneurial Opportunities

Content: The skills learned in Certificate III in Cabinet Making can also be applied to starting your own business, whether it’s a custom cabinetry shop or a restoration service.

Benefit: For those with an entrepreneurial spirit, this certification provides the knowledge and skills needed to successfully run your own business, offering greater control over your career and income.

8. Competitive Earning Potential

Trend: Skilled cabinet makers in Melbourne can command competitive salaries, with opportunities for increased earnings through specialization and experience.

Benefit: Investing in your education with a Certificate III Can lead to a financially rewarding career, providing a strong return on investment over time.

9. Job Satisfaction and Creativity

Content: Cabinet-making is a profession that combines creativity with practical skills, allowing you to see tangible results from your work.

Benefit: Many cabinet makers find great satisfaction in their craft, as it allows for creative expression and the creation of beautiful, functional pieces that clients appreciate.

10. Supportive Learning Environment

Content: Orange College offers a supportive and inclusive learning environment, with experienced instructors who are dedicated to student success.

Benefit: The college’s commitment to providing quality education and support ensures that you have the resources and guidance needed to excel in your studies and future career.

Investing in a Certificate III in Cabinet Making at Orange College is a smart choice for those looking to enter a stable and rewarding profession. The skills, experience, and industry connections you gain will maximize your career potential and provide a strong foundation for future success in Melbourne’s dynamic trades industry.

[seikkoi]

ᴏᴄᴛᴏʙᴇʀ | ᴛᴏɴʏ ꜱᴛᴀʀᴋ x ꜰ!ʀᴇᴀᴅᴇʀ

18+ ᴍɪɴᴏʀꜱ ᴅɴɪ

content/warnings: named reader, explicit sexual content (very end), alcohol consumption, mentions of financial issues, employer/employee relations, explicit mentions of mental health issues (reader has the anxieties™), mentions of physical injuries, set in canon universe before aou.

genre: mostly angst ngl, sm*t at the very very end

word count: 7,463 im sorry

a/n: lightly inspired by the song 'october' by rothstein

dedicated to: the lovely @alessandraavengers

"Maybe you should worry about yourself, Stark. I've been doing just fine before you decided to make my job your business."  Tony's jaw clenches, and a shaky hand through his hair, his frustration palpable.  “My business is your job."

I won't complain,

I will be decent, 

though it will be freezing,

I welcome the rain.

The hands of the clock on the wall ticked silently, a sign of the building’s expense. You clutched a leather binder filled with papers in your lap as you sat. Everything you had to show for the last seven years of your life. Countless awards, certificates, recommendations—the expensive bachelor's and the bank account-draining master’s. Your leg bounced on the dark mahogany, steadily increasing frequency as seconds turned into minutes.

Ironically, this would also be interview number seven. For the job you were least qualified for. You applied for close to twenty at this point, all well below your skill, but you were desperate. You had barely a year of experience—quitting your first job one year out of school after one-too-many sixty hour work weeks. The moment you turned in your resignation, dread and regret over your choice in profession filled you. It held you down, sleeping and rotting the days away. Eventually, reality set in, pulled you out of bed and back into the corporate world. 

Turns out, lack of experience and ‘quitting with notice’ is less than ideal.

You hoped a step down in prestige would result in less stress. All your fantasies of a top floor corner office and luxury disappeared like ash under a light rain. You always held expensive tastes that you couldn’t sustain unemployed.  But the stress wasn’t worth it. All you needed now was to pay the bills. Too quickly ‘over-qualified’ or ‘under-experienced’ became your least favorite words. You had to fight back the dread every time you checked your email. 

Just when you’d started pondering entry-level positions, a notification came through for a new vacancy ‘Fit for your skillset!’. To your dismay, the description sounded no different than the job you left. More grueling expectations and personal sacrifice. On top of that, you still were under-experienced by their requirements. Not to mention who it was for. Overworked employees typically miss most current events, but far too much has been going on with this company to make even you pay attention. Working for such a high-profile, drama-ridden company might be even worse.  But after weeks and not so much as an offer letter, you had to try anything. On the plus side, at least it paid well.

Three days later, you found yourself inside of Stark Tower, wishing the silent clock would move faster.

Square breathes, internal mantras—nothing worked. Your heels still made a gentle clack against the floor. Thankfully, the general noise of the front lobby kept it from being a nuisance. 

What you swear is eons later, your ears prick up to a similar click growing near you. You turn your head as a tall blonde approaches the small waiting area. She stops at the front desk a moment, making your heart skip a beat when the receptionist points to you. 

‘Just relax, you know what to say.’ you thought to yourself. ‘They won’t hire you if you’re a nervous wreck.’

You manage to muster what little confidence you had left after weeks of rejection to stand and straighten your dress as she greets you. Thankfully, the smile she extends is friendly enough. The hand you feel is soft and manicured too— acute tells of an easy life.

“Nice to meet you, I’m Ms. Potts, I’ll be bringing you up to meet Mr. Stark.” she says, turning and heading further into the lobby.

‘Maybe this won’t be too hard. Maybe this job won’t be like the last.’

-

During the entire elevator ride to Mr. Stark’s office, Ms. Potts spews out factoids about Stark Industries but you’re too busy rethinking your entire interview strategy. Something about a cave, Obadiah Stane and a wormhole whizzes through your ear to no reaction. It was nothing you hadn’t already read in the weekly papers, nor did it ease you one bit. 

You were even more taken aback when you realize you’re descending, and the silver doors open to a spacious garage. The faint sound of movement echoes, source unseen. You turn to Miss Potts, who only gives another pleasant smile and gestures into the concrete space.

Sure, the whole world knew Tony Stark was a bit eccentric. You knew that well enough when you applied. Hell, it probably explained the vacancy. Maybe this was some type of strategy, or just his nature. Either way, something was screaming at you to tell Miss Potts you had changed your mind, go home and apply for anything else. 

Then, you remembered how badly you wanted success. You couldn’t accept anything less.

The elevator closed quietly behind you as you exited, looking for the source of the noise. There’s cars (some ridiculously new and some pathetically old), studded workbenches, and chaotic piles of robotics and machinery strewn about. You have to round the corner to find him, behind a small bar tucked away from the metal mess everywhere else. 

He’s turned away from you, seated at the bar with eyes glued on a few papers before him. An ornate pen signs away without pause. You’re certain the sound of your heels against the floor gave you away, but you’re sure to clear your throat to not shock him. 

Mr. Stark, clad in a grease-stained white tee and dark denim, shifts in the barstool slightly to give you a cursory look. You can tell immediately his mind is lightyears away from the present situation, focused elsewhere. On a lighter note, you notice how much kinder he looks in person. All the magazines and op-eds made his face harsh, never smiling. 

“You’re the one who applied for assistant thingy right? Miss…” Stark trails off, scanning back through the papers in front of him. There’s a slight slur in his speech, one that forces you to remember the early hour.

“Cassian.” you interrupt his search and he laughs, abandoning the papers for a shiny glass on the counter.

He brings the amber liquid to his lips before he speaks again. 

“Right, Cassian, look—” The glass finds its way back to the solid surface despite his sway. He stands once it does, facing you with a wide smile. “You’re hired!” 

With that, you’re left more dumbfounded, staring at the billionaire as he sauntered over to one of the cluttered workbenches. 

“I’m sorry, sir, I really don’t understand—” You turn towards him as he walks by, not sparing you another glance.

When he reaches the middle of the garage, he lets out an exhausted sigh. The familiar regret seeps in, turning your nerves up another notch.

“The woman that probably brought you here—Pepper, she used to be my assistant, and handle all the tabloid bullsuit.” he mutters, fiddling with a wrench from the bench. 

“After the whole ‘tower nearly blowing up’ situation, she’s taken a step uh-out of my life. For better or worse. I didn’t wanna hire anyone else, she’s convinced I can’t manage my own life— we compromised.”

You start to speak, trying to formulate the right words to say. Stark pays it no mind, tossing the wrench back down gently.

He pivots towards you, and you see the stress in his eyes. You can see why she’d quit-hell you were starting to wish you never applied. The name ‘Stark’ proliferated in the papers these days.

“Offer letter is signed, on the bar, job’s there if you want it.” With that, he walks across the garage, past you into the elevator. 

The electronic ding! sounds, leaving you in the garage alone without another word. You’re convinced this is a terrible idea- even before whatever that just was.

Something sparks your curiosity to look at the signed papers, and put a dollar amount to this madness. You walk back to the bar, grabbing the stack of papers with a faint ring of water in the corner.

You’re certain you’re dreaming when you count the number of zeros. 

THREE WEEKS LATER

You were ready for retirement at the ripe age of twenty-six.

This was a new type of demand. Running nearly every aspect of Tony Stark’s life didn’t eat your soul, but it ate at your mind. You could spin embezzlement or drunk-driving into a heartwarming story- alien attacks and Hydra were a whole new ballpark. 

It was almost refreshing. Spinning stories for shitty people and tailoring public statements for the goal of maximum human exploitation never quite sat right with you. Handling Stark’s life just felt like defending someone who deserved it. It felt more honorable working for him than a greedy tech firm.  (There are some questionable times when he doesn’t, but you don’t bother with those).

The righteousness helped the uncharted territory be more than manageable. Still, making Stark’s technology enterprise mesh well with his role as Iron Man felt like a hero’s feat on its own. The media would come up with any number of wild conspiracies about Iron Man, most of them disparaging to his image. 

Stark was legitimately aiming for good things in the world. The weariness in your bones kept you craving more simplicity and ease, nonetheless.

You sunk down into the leather couch of the conference room, watching as the board members filed out in quick order. The room was filled with the golden ray of sunset— soon to turn pitch black. 

Officially done with the day’s meetings, you forgo any workplace formalities and kick off your heels, despite your boss’s presence. 

A light chuckle at your exhaustion breaks the silence, Stark slumping into the empty space beside you. You raise an eyebrow when he wriggles at the lavish tie around his neck, tossing the garment to the floor next to your heels. 

“What, you can kick back but I can’t?” he jests, undoing the top two buttons of his black dress shirt. 

You give a ‘fair enough’ shrug, leaning back to start mentally processing the last ten hours.

You found yourself staring at his exposed neck as your mind trailed off, his head leaned back, eyes shut. His jaw is tight, forehead pinch in a now-familiar focus. Stark looked nearly as drained as you, still you knew better than to try and equate things. Honestly, you considered yourself semi-lucky to only have to make things look nice for the cameras and not be present for them. In the evening glow, though, he looks close to ethereal.

You shift your eyes at the thought.

You two sit in comfortable silence as the sun moves behind the New York city skyline. 

You’re doing mental math on how soon you can retire when he fills the void with a question.

“Regret taking the job?” he asks, unmoving. 

You add ‘potential mind reader’  to his list of skills. 

“Some parts are better than others.” It’s as honest of an answer you can give without sounding ungrateful for the opportunity (or thinking about the alluring glow on his skin).

He laughs again, turning to meet your eyes. This would mark the first time you’re under a heat lamp from his gaze, irises tired and alluring. 

“Seriously,” 

Clearly your answer isn’t convincing, because he turns to his side on the couch to fully face you. 

“You aren’t regretting this? Because lately you look like you’d rather be anywhere else.” he says with a lazy grin.

You thought you were doing a good job of burying your issues beneath walls of smiles. Hearing otherwise hurts your resolve a bit, especially from Stark. He had enough on his plate without worrying about you.

“It’s just…a lot,” 

Despite how you felt, you couldn’t lie about it, not to his face. 

“But it’s not your fault, it’s not you.” you swiftly add upon seeing his somber grin fade away.

“Ha, isn’t it though?” A dramatic sigh escapes his mouth like a deflated balloon, running his hands through messy brown locks. “This..rollercoaster I’ve put myself on.” 

“Rollercoasters can be fun.” 

“You hate it.” Stark faces you once more, propping his arm up on the back of the couch. 

“Wouldn’t blame you if you quit.”

The suggestion pulls a laugh of your own. “I don’t think that’s an option.”

Stark makes a genuinely puzzled face, to which you spend the next minute or two explaining why you quit your first job, the weeks you spent rotting away after. You had hoped to never recount such a sad time outloud, but you couldn’t stand him feeling at fault for your lack of enthusiasm. 

Ease passes through you when it seems to comfort him a bit.

“Maybe I hire you for something else, maybe pay you to not deal with this shit.” he says, laughing.

You brush off his joke with another short laugh. “Wouldn’t that be something? Really, it’s fine. Just need a long hot shower.”

You start to stand, but are stopped when a hand graces your thigh. 

“No jokes, I know what it’s like to get more than you signed up for. If money’s all that’s keeping you here, trust me that’s not an issue.”

You give a flustered smile, trying not to focus on how warm his hand was. 

“It’s not all that’s keeping me here.”

TWO MONTHS LATER

“You know it’s just a dinner, right? Like just food, maybe music, high probability of dessert?” Stark taunts, noticing your trembling leg from behind his phone screen.

The car seems like it’s moving way too fast, even though you can very clearly see the speedometer under 25 miles per hour. 

“Yes, I know what dinner is.” 

You let out a deep sigh, trying to regain the ground under your feet. The part Stark conveniently forgets is that it is a very large gala he’s dragged you along to, and not just a normal dinner. You can do normal dinner, not a one hundred plus person dinner with reporters and red carpet. He’s also not considering the part where he didn’t tell you about it until two hours ago.

“Oh, that’s a relief, thought you might jump out the window.” he pockets his phone, turning to you. “I can just have Happy take you home, you know.”

“No, no, this is…excitement. I’m excited. Totally ready.” you’re really trying to convince yourself, but it only makes Tony snicker.

“These things are really boring, promise. That’s why you’re here, keep me from falling asleep.” 

Out the window, the street lights start to turn back into normal orbs instead of blurry splotches. The car pulls up the curb with enough ease for you to take in the venue. It's a marble hall, one you feel suddenly underdressed for. You make a mental note to tell Stark never to give you this little notice again. Perhaps you should save yourself the trouble and head home. 

Stark could behave himself, right? 

The black window tinting your view disappears when the door is pulled open. You hadn’t even noticed he wasn’t beside you anymore, now holding the door and gesturing to the entrance. You get your first good look at the suit he’s wearing, tailored and jet-black. The flattering seams are a decent enough distraction to join him on the sidewalk. 

Stark places both hands on either of your shoulders, giving you a playful shake. 

“You look amazing, I look amazing, please stop worrying. It’s starting to spread and I can’t eat on an upset stomach.” he forces himself into your gaze, searching your face for the supposed ‘excitement’.

A deep breath, then a second passes through you, staring at Stark's eyes until you can manage a curt nod and still legs.

“See, you’re gonna be just fine.” he exclaims, dropping the hands from your shoulders and already smiling for the line of photographers waiting by the door. 

You follow unsteadily, praying this is a speedy event. You could do this for an hour, maybe two. Stark takes notice of your delay, turning back to you just before reaching the first nerdy cameraman.

“Hey, what’s the issue with this? If your not comfortable with the cameras, you know we can just go around—”

“It’s not that,” you interrupt, gripping your clutch with sweaty palms. 

“Then what?” he asks sympathetically.

“There’s like a hundred people in there, Stark.” you admit with a long sigh.

“And I’m one of them, what’s the worst that can happen if you're with me?” He turns and props his arm out towards you. “Miss Cassian?” he says, dragging out your name.

You want to roll your eyes at his constant unserious nature, but instead you take another deep breath, loop your arm through his, letting your fingers wrap around the satiny fabric on his bicep before taking slow steps forward.

SEVEN MONTHS LATER

Bright bulbs of light flickering in blinding succession. In every direction, microphones with human mouthpieces spew their hurried questions. Your boss answers in his typical Stark way, earning only more adoration and curiosity. You come to humor yourself with the questions they ask. Always seemingly random, from his favorite brand of whiskey to his opinion on migrant detainment in the Mediterranean. 

You stand to the right as he smiles and poses for them. You almost hate how good he looks in the cold wind, face most definitely beaming behind designer snow-white frames. Outside of that, you admire his patience, knowing this winter vacation (where he didn’t have to be Iron Man for once) was leaked and now semi-ruined.

It would’ve been a well needed break for you as well. Three months of non-stop press releases, conferences, and meetings were wearing you ragged. Late nights were occupied with drafting memos and wishing you chose a career with less work. While you hated the time work took away, you unfortunately began to admire the work you did. Working for Stark turned out to be more desirable than you thought. You imagined dealing with another frustrating, reckless CEO- not a charming, witty superhero. Regardless of the long hours and chaos, you loved helping put more good into the world. 

Finally, as snow starts to fall, he answers a final question on if he’ll change the color of his suit before turning to enter the cabin.

“Mr. Stark— Iron Man, won’t be taking any more questions, excuse me, thank you.” 

You tried to squeeze past incessant reporters and fans, barely making it through the hotel front door if it weren’t for security. The commotion outdoors gets muffled by the tall wooden doors. You sigh and lean against them, shutting your eyes for a moment.

“Feeling alright, Cassie?” 

Stark’s voice makes you open your eyes to see him standing in the foyer. This would be the fourth time you feel his eyes burning through your skin. You expected him not to be upstairs in bed, asleep already, not in front of you, eyeing you with his hands buried in his pockets. 

The place he chose spared little expense, clearly for starlets like Stark looking for a lush, woodsy escape. Wooden walls covered every inch, adorned with fancy art and a modern fireplace in the living room.  The color reminds you of the tower lobby, a deep mahogany. 

“Yeah, just remind me why I’m here and not at home in my heated apartment.” You keep your voice light as you hang your coat on the rack by the door. 

Stark gives a playful scoff, too used to your sarcasm to take offense. 

“A certain former assistant thinks I need a babysitter on my own vacation.” He turns on his heels, heading towards the kitchen with a renewed energy (surely only now remembering he’s supposed to be relaxing). 

“She’s not wrong.” you agree only because Stark re-emerges from the kitchen with a tall amber colored bottle and two glasses. 

You can’t help rolling your eyes at his stiffened jazz hands, tossing yourself onto the plush armchair by the fireplace. The cold seemed to wrap itself around you, not leaving despite your proximity to the fire. Stark chose to sit on the side table next to you, rather than the wide array of more comfortable seating options. You’d gotten used to him entering your personal space since your talk in the conference room. You took it as a sign of his narcissism more than anything.

“Not sure I’m meant to be a drunk babysitter, Mr. Stark, ” you quip as he starts pouring.

“I won’t tell if you don’t,” he winks, offering you one. “And come on with the ‘mister’—making me feel old over here.”

It’s bothersome how little he has to say to change your mood. Something about being with just him, away from press, deadlines or state secrets, pulled you in and kept you coming to work everyday. In this moment, however, his solitary presence made you anxious. You’d have to get through this sabbatical without the chaos of the world bringing you back to reality. The real world, littered with expectations.

Free of any reason to decline, you take the glass. You and Tony do a lazy toast, clicking the glasses together before taking a sip. The peaceful quiet envelopes the cabin, save for the crackle of the fireplace. 

“You okay?” you ask upon seeing the weariness in his face, contrasting the grin he held.

“Better than okay,” he finishes the rest of his drink, pouring another faster than you take a second sip. “Happy to be away from everything, ‘get in touch with the great outdoors!’ as they say.” 

You laugh at the dramatic mocking tone he uses, extending your arm out when he makes a gesture at your empty glass. 

“I hope your atleast being slightly genuine, Mr. Stark.” you say once the glass is full once more.

“When am I ever not, Miss Cassian.” he draws on your name with the same mocking pitch as before.

You fake a wince at the taste of your own medicine, which amuses the hell of the already tipsy Stark. 

“I see what you mean, felt fifteen years added on instantly with that,” you admit, chuckling at his demeanor. 

“Hence why I’m such a nice guy and call you Cassie like a normal person,” he states smugly, taking another sip from his glass.

“Oh really, Tony? ‘Cause you only gave me that nickname after I explicitly told you no one ever calls me that.” you laugh.

“Yes and that was a great loss to the universe that I fixed,” Tony turns his head to meet your gaze, eyes sparkling (you tell yourself it’s just the alcohol and nothing else).

The both of you stay there silent, eyes locked for what quickly becomes far too long and the awkwardness makes your attention back to your drink. You finish the contents, hoping that the liquid would cool your now burning skin. 

You internally remind yourself that this is just how he is- a playboy philanthropist turned charming hero, nothing else. 

“Sorry, I know this isn’t really much of a vacation for you. ‘Know you wanna be at home, away from Stark Industries,” he deflates a bit, pouring a third drink.

“No, it’s not like that,” you interject, speaking softly, “I really don’t mind being here, and it’s still a good break from meetings and all that other tedious shit.” 

He takes a sip, seemingly mulling over your words. “Give any more thought to my offer?”

You let out a small laugh, thrown off by his sudden mention of it. You were certain then that he wasn’t being anything near serious. 

“What, you paying me to not be here? I didn’t think that was you being serious.”

“It’s a win-win, no? You get a salary, I don’t have to drag you along for this rollercoaster, Pepper doesn’t worry, everyone’s happy.” 

Clearly you’re left silent for too long, because Tony stands before he speaks again. He seems conflicted, running his hands over his face and through his hair.

“Look, I don’t need to see you miserable, I guess.”

“What, who said I was miserable?”

“Anyone would be dealing with me.” 

TWO DAYS LATER

After a few days, an air of melancholy had hung over you. Two days of nothing turned into endless overthinking about your life. Every decision made seemed to rattle in your bones, looking for a place to be. You tried to tell yourself it was normal to feel lost, to feel as though everything you’ve ever done was pointless. This was the first time you’d had room to think, of course everything would be overwhelming.

That didn’t help, but whatever red wine Tony brought did. 

You found it on night two, cracking open the second bottle when Tony comes downstairs. You gave a sluggish hey that gave away your state immediately, but you were too absorbed in your thoughts to meet his eyes. 

“Didn’t take you for a wine connoisseur.” he mutters, sitting in the chair across from you. 

You don’t bother with a response. In fact, you wished that he’d go away. Seeing Tony lately just reminded you more of the life you were sure you wouldn’t have. You were certain you made all the wrong choices, took all the wrong paths.

“Cassian?” he leans forward, forcing his face into your point of view. “Kinda' freaking me out here.”

“You ever think about what your life would be like if you weren’t,” you trail off for a moment, slurring slightly. “I don’t know—you?”

He laughs and it feels infectious, closing your eyes to hopefully shut up the twist in your stomach.

“Me, specifically? Who knows? Maybe I’d be a pilot, or own a hotdog stand.” he goes silent at your lack of reaction to his joke, resting his chin against his hands.

“Why, thinking about faking your death and adopting a new identity?”

The red liquid in your glass coats your dry throat. You’d love to start over. Go back and see what the other paths held. Then, the deep pit of your stomach turns, remembering how different and worthwhile working for Stark made you feel.

“What if I did everything wrong?” you ask quietly.

If you did, a small part of the anxiety in your gut assures you that it was worth it to find your way to him.

“Define ‘wrong’.”

“Not what I imagined, I guess”

To help someone who wanted to do so much to help the world.

“Well, what do you want from life?”

You go silent again. “I don’t know.”

TWO WEEKS LATER

With nothing to prove you,

and if I should lose you

—It won't be in vain.

On the last day at the cabin, you feel a genuine sense of sadness at the thought of leaving. 

Fourteen days with no reminder of the outside world had you the most relaxed in years. Bliss was all you felt waking up each morning to no phone calls, no emergencies, and no meetings. You forgot what it was like to just exist, to not have your thoughts bogged down by deadlines. You had even forgotten the benefits of good company. The demanding nature of your job meant little social life, and you didn’t realize until nearly two days in that you had been craving it. What surprised you more was that you received that good company in the form of your boss. Tony seemed to go out of his way to fill any voids of silence with quips and self-deprecating jokes to make you laugh. Clearly to spare himself the awkwardness of your dissatisfaction. 

Nothing changed about personality, but removing the dark shadow of responsibility made him visibly less wound up. It must have done the same for you, because you spent most of these last two weeks laughing (or catching up on well-needed sleep). You tried to avoid him lately, not wanting to add fuel to the fire you could feel growing for him. Opting for weeks of solitude with him was possibly not the wisest route.

Retroactively, if you had all this sudden free time at home alone, you probably would’ve gone a little crazy. 

You must be wearing your solace on your face, because that night, during dinner, Stark asks if something is wrong.

“Is it a bad thing if I don't want to go back to New York?” you chuckle at your own absurdity, scraping the last bits of food into the trash.

“Is it worse if I agree?” he smiles, looking up from his own plate. 

“Not excited to go back to being an Avenger?” you ask honestly, sitting back down at the kitchen table, next to him.

“Ha, excited’s the wrong word.” he sits back in his chair, letting out a sigh. “You’re not jumping to get back out there either.”

You give an agreeing nod, resting your head in your hands when you start mentally going through all the tasks waiting for you tomorrow. 

“You don’t have to go back like I do. You can get away from all this.”

When you look up, Tony’s eyes are glued to the floor. 

“You know, you can just fire me if it’s that much of a bother to you.” you say sharply. 

Truthfully, it was starting to come off as a subtle hint to leave rather than concern. It muddied whatever imaginary connection you maybe thought you’d fostered over these last few weeks. All the little touches and extra concern bounced around in the back of your head like a live grenade. You didn’t know how much of it was aimed towards you, or just his charismatic nature. Maybe there was never any charisma, and he was the same as any other CEO.

“Cassie, that’s the last thing I want.” he says, like he’s offended, and you want to laugh at the audacity.

“Could’ve fooled me.” you retort, standing to exit the kitchen.

Tony intercepts you at the doorway, however, clearly scrambling for words to ease the newly-created tension. All it really does is annoy you more, seeing those brown eyes pleading silently. Either way, you can’t get past. 

“I—This is too much for anyone to handle. I can barely handle it and that’s because you do so much behind-the-scenes for me. A lot of people have reached their wits end with me and I don’t want that with you.”

It sounds painful for him to say, and despite his soft tone, it’s the most serious you’ve ever heard him be.

“I think you’re worried a bit too—”

“I’d rather not be the reason you spend weeks in bed, okay?” 

Frozen in the doorway, your anger still boils. It felt like the thing you were most ashamed about being thrown in your face. You want to go back to that conference room and never tell him a thing. It’d save you the confusion, save you from all the mixed signals. He couldn’t mean it. You remember the way he reluctantly submitted to Pepper and hired you. Tony didn’t care, he never wanted you here in the first place. You felt stupid for thinking anything else.

"Maybe you should worry about yourself, Stark. I've been doing just fine before you decided to make my job your business." 

Tony's jaw clenches, and a shaky hand through his hair, his frustration palpable. 

“My business is your job, can’t you see I’m trying to be supportive?” 

You almost start to regret your words, but you can’t stand the way he looks at you like some fragile thing. 

For the fifth time, you're hot under his gaze, but it does nothing besides flare your anger more.

“I don’t need your support, stop acting like you have any idea what’s best for me.” you snap, taking a step closer.

To your surprise, Tony closes the remaining distance, and you have to look up to maintain your glare. Tony's expression shifts from concern to frustration, his eyes locking onto yours.

“Clearly, you don’t even know what’s best for you. Forgive me for giving a damn.” he scoffs.

You roll your eyes, deciding to just put an end to this conversation. In his frustration, Tony left a wide enough gap for you to try and snake through. Your heated exit must’ve been obvious, because he steps back to keep you in front of him.

“Seriously?” your fists clench at your sides, heat spreading up your arms to your cheeks. 

“Why are you still here?” he softens a bit, but not entirely folding his arms over his chest.

It’s not enough though— your irritation is unchanging even under his tender gaze.  It was easier to stay angry and pretend like he wasn’t the only thing keeping you. To not admit that you didn’t want to abandon him.

“Why’d you bring me here?” you retort through gritted teeth, motioning at the logged walls around you.

“Damn it, I thought it’d help, Cassie!”

The severity of his words leaves you speechless. You never heard him really raise his voice, let alone come close to yelling.

“But, clearly, I shouldn’t have bothered.” Tony moves from the doorway, taking fast steps past you towards the main door before you can say anything.

In an effort to keep him from storming out, you reach out for his arm as he brushes by. Instantly, he pulls away as if you're made of open flames. You try to show the hurt on your face, but now that your anger has started to dissipate, you notice a similar transformation in Tony. To your benefit, though, it keeps his feet firmly planted. 

“I’m not some broken person you need to protect.” you admit, avoiding the potential anger still in his eyes. 

“Wow, really? Didn’t know.” 

Always with the jokes and sarcasm. You lift your head to Tony’s expectant gaze, causing you to sigh heavily.

“You didn’t answer my question,” he states dryly, leaning back against the kitchen table. “Why are you still here?”

“You keep assuming I hate my life.” 

It’s his turn to roll his eyes, rather dramatically in your opinion. 

“Could’ve fooled me.” he responds, mocking your words from earlier. “You avoid me like the plague lately, and I don’t know how you expect me to just see you unhappy and say nothing”

“That has nothing to do with work-”

“Then what is it?” 

There’s something else in his eyes, something like the sparkle you saw all those months ago. 

You look at him with pleading eyes of your own. A sense of entrapment overwhelms you, stuck with the choice between potentially ruining everything or, well, still potentially ruining everything. You wish he really could just read your mind and understand. Understand that you didn’t want to leave him, that you were avoiding him to protect your own, admittedly fragile, heart. 

"Can't you just accept that I don't want to leave?" you manage, your voice barely louder than a pin drop.

Your heart flutters as he steps closer, though it shouldn't surprise you; he's never been one to respect personal space, and an argument wouldn't change that.

"No, I need to hear you say it," his tone is low, almost taunting, and his unyielding gaze sends another wave of fluttering through you.

"I don't want to leave you."

In the next second, Tony's lips crash against yours, pinning your back to the wall with a heavy thud. You don’t notice, the world fading with the taste of vanilla on your tongue and the scratch of his beard on your chin. Your thoughts become a blur as Tony's teeth graze your lips, and his hands squeeze your waist, pulling you closer, the arc reactor pressing into your skin. 

When the kiss ends, you're both left panting, yet he still clings to you, gripping your waist like he’s scared you’re going to run away. 

“I told you- the last thing I want is for you to leave.” he says sternly, voice still low. You can’t see his face, buried in the crook of your neck, but the heavy breath on your skin makes you lightheaded.

“Tony-”

“Maybe you’re right. Maybe it’s wrong to think I know what’s best for you. I just want you to be happy.” 

“I don’t want you to worry about me.”

“I care about you too much for that, Cassie.”

“I’m your assistant, Tony.”

Tony gently cups a hand under your chin, lifting your gaze to meet his, his thumb caressing your cheek. He studies your face intently, searching for any signs that he should stop while he's ahead. You stopped counting how often he leaves you a mess with his eyes, and try your best not to stare at his swollen lips.

“Then tell me you don’t feel the same.” he whispers.

A beat of silence passes, the fire crackling in the next room uninterrupted. 

“I…can’t.” you answer hesitantly.

The confession hangs heavy in the cabin’s stagnant air. Your mind racing a thousand miles per hour, waiting for the dream to end. 

“What are you so afraid of?”

“Doing this wrong, ruining everything.” Your eyes squeeze shut from embarrassment.

Tony laughs like it’s the funniest thing you’ve ever said, before kissing you again. It’s soft and slower than before, calloused hands still cupping your face.

“I think you’re the one who worries too much. When has anything bad happened to you when you’re with me?” Tony suggests, grinning, his eyes filled with warmth. 

You want to mention an office party a few months ago, where a drunk attendee threw up on your shoes, but you let him make his point. 

“Let me do the worrying for a bit, sound good?”

THREE WEEKS LATER

You felt like you traded seasons getting back to New York at the start of spring. You hadn’t gone home, instead staying in the tower at Tony’s request. You didn’t mind it at all, being surrounded with more comfort than you could ask for. 

Tony made it his personal mission to keep you away from all things work related, despite how many times you told him you enjoyed helping him. One small problem being that he left for a mission a few days ago, and you haven’t got the faintest clue where he was or when he was returning. The first day, you relished in a bit of solitude, reading books that sat on your shelf the last two years untouched or catching up with friends that you lost touch with. To your relief, most understood your reason for disconnecting, and the books were captivating. Now, however, it was day three, and you were starting to do the one thing he asked you not to— worry.

Just as the rain starts to splatter the tall windows of his penthouse, you’re considering reaching out to Fury or Hill to make sure he’s at least still breathing. The only thing that stops you is the ding! of the elevator, turning your nerves back down to zero.

When you meet him at the door, a wide smile breaks out on his face—surprised you’re still there.

“How was it?” you ask, as Tony drops his bag and moves towards you. You feel slightly awkward in this new territory with him, shifting your weight anxiously.

“We’re getting closer to the scepter. Hydra’s pulling out all the stops these days.” 

As Tony steps into the light, a deep freshly-stitched cut under his right eye comes into view. Before you can say anything about the cut, you notice the large bandage on his arm, and a matching bruise crawling up his shoulder.

“What the hell happened?” 

Tony slowly peels off his jacket, tossing it onto the couch behind you. “Oh, this? This is nothing, you should see the other guy.” he says with a flashy grin.

You’re busy scanning for more injuries, eyes raking for more bandages and stitches. Tony doesn’t let you continue for long though, taking your hands in his.

“What’d I tell you about worrying?” he teases, stroking your hair and planting a quick kiss on your lips.

You give an annoyed sigh, wishing he didn’t irritate and charm you in the same breath so much.

“I think it’s natural to worry when you’re bleeding.” you gruff, letting Tony pull you into a tight embrace. 

“Then I’m not doing my job, am I?” You don’t protest when his hands roam over your body, placing light kisses against your neck. “Let me take your mind off things.”

The light kisses on your neck turn into heavy bites, leaving marks along your collarbones. He creates his own path along your skin, sighing softly as his mouth finds every inch of skin your pajamas didn’t cover. You’re a panting mess as he trails down your body, twisting a hand into his messy locks. 

When he kneels before you, you feel unsteady on your feet. You wish you could say you two had gone this far already, but Tony considered himself a self-proclaimed gentleman and insisted you wait. It seems three days away from you was enough for the chivalry to fly out of the window. 

He stops for a moment, fingers hooked in your shorts, thumb rubbing gentle circles on the inside of your trembling thigh.

“Cassian?”

“Mhm?” You mumble, shutting your eyes. Nerves and anticipation mix terribly in your stomach, making you unable to process the desire on his face. You feel the fabric of your shorts slide down your legs with your panties. The cool air doesn’t help you any, rendering your skin sensitive and Tony’s hand feel like a furnace. 

“Relax, doll.”

You suck in a breath as his lips wrap around your clit, body stilling— the hand in his hair tightening. Weeks of Tony’s insistent waiting had you thinking your first time with him would be slower- you were ill-prepared for the way he runs through your folds with absolute filth. He moans into you, keeping a tight hold on your thighs to hold you close. 

He’s quick—grazing teeth against your clit as his tongue laps at your entrance— just to drag the tip of his tongue against your length and return your clit to start the cycle all over again. You feel the wetness coating the inside of your thighs, saturing his scratchy stubble on your skin. 

You bring your free hand to the back of the couch as he continues, sighing into your core and sending shockwaves up your spine. You try to maintain some type of balance, legs growing shaky again in pleasure rather than anxiety for a change. 

“Tony, god, that’s-” You’re cut off by your own moan when you feel Tony insert a finger into your soaking cunt, rocking slowly as his mouth finds its way back to your clit.

He pulls away a moment, letting his thumb keep the pressure against your sensitive bud. Your head tilts back, nails digging into the leather behind you. Out of your view, Tony wears a smug grin, pleased to see you taking his directive to heart. The middle of the living room might not have been his first choice, but it’s well worth it. Besides the fact you taste like heaven, it’s worth hearing every sound escape your lips.

Getting caught up in that, however, caused him to loosen the grip on your thighs. When his fingers curve inside you, your hips jerk against him. The calloused fingers tighten on your legs, to your slight dismay.

“Easy, doll, I got you.” he mumbles, returning his focus to eliciting more intoxicating moans from you.

Tony renders you a complete mess sooner than you’d like to admit, gasping above him as the warmth in your core grows overwhelming. If you told yourself a year ago that your boss would have you panting and begging, you wouldn’t believe it. Regardless of belief, his tongue pulls plea after plea from you. Your stomach feels painfully coiled- mind absorbed with the wet, filthy sound of Tony’s mouth on your cunt.

With another curve of his finger, you sent over the edge—crying out Tony’s name like a prayer and abandoning the hand tangled in his hair to hold yourself up. Tony lets you ride out your orgasm against his fingers, kissing the damp skin between your legs and muttering soft praises. 

It’s not until you sense him standing again in front of you that you open your eyes. You immediately want to take it back when you see the shit-eating grin covering his shiny face. The sight sends a new wave of desire through you, staring at his mouth with your lips parted, panting softly. Did he have to look so good constantly?

“As cute as you are when you’re worried, I think I prefer this look on you.”

[scotianostra]

On February 25th 1888 a conference advocated the adoption of leaving certificates in Scottish schools.

Scotland has long enjoyed an international reputation as historically one of the best-educated societies in the world. The foundation for this reputation was laid in the 17th century and was the result of Calvinist emphasis on reading the Bible. Putting men and women in touch with the word of God was seen by the Scottish authorities and clergy as of paramount importance. To achieve this goal schools paid for by the Church of Scotland and local landowners were established in all rural parishes and burghs by an Act of Parliament in 1696. These educational establishments were run by the Church and were open to all boys and girls regardless of social status.

The democratic nature of the Scottish system so impressed the 18th century writer Daniel Defoe that he remarked that while England was a land ‘full of ignorance’, in Scotland the 'poorest people have their children taught and instructed’. The openness of the Scottish system ran all the way from the schoolroom to the university. A talented working class boy the 'lad o'pairts’ through intelligence and hard work and by utilising a generous system of bursaries was able to gain a university education, something largely unthinkable in England in the 18th century.

That’s not to say it was perfect on further inspection I found out that even in 1892 when all elementary and most secondary education became free, and scholarships were more widely available, few working-class children were able to take advantage of the opportunity. Only just under 5% of pupils attended a secondary school in Scotland in 1897. The real priority for children from working-class backgrounds was to find work and begin earning a wage.

For a small nation Scotland was particularly well-endowed with universities, boasting five in the 19th century - a figure which included Aberdeen’s Marischal and King’s Colleges. The universities were considered to be national, public institutions and, therefore, less elitist than Oxford or Cambridge in England. Because of this they were said to be more open to working people and, indeed, over 18% of the student population of Glasgow university in 1860 was from working-class backgrounds, quite a high number considering the low percentages of working class children who were educated.

The existence of a substantial number of working class students has given rise to the view that universities in Scotland were more democratic and based more on merit than the class-ridden universities of England. The wider implication was that Scotland was a less class obsessed society than England.

Again all was not as it seemed, and while we had a working class getting into University, the system was somewhat broken in a way. At Glasgow University in 1889-90, out of 225 students taking the junior Latin class 200 failed. The quality of university education in Scotland was generally poor and inferior to that offered in England. The low quality was mainly due to the fact that there was no university entrance examination and, therefore, children could enter the system as early as fourteen or fifteen, the 1888 act would possibly put this to rights.

As a result, philosophy, which had previously formed the core of the arts degree, was made optional. Students were also forced to compete for bursaries and this acted as an unofficial entrance examination. The setting up in 1901 of the Carnegie Trust Fund, set up by the great philanthropist Andrew Carnegie, provided a further source of assistance and by 1930 70% of university students in Scotland were receiving awards from the fund.

The numbers of students in higher education institutions increased from 4,400 in 1830 to 6,000 in 1900, to 10,000 in 1938. At Glasgow University, working-class students increased as a percentage of the total, from 18.6% in 1860 to 24% in 1910.

The period from 1900 to the outbreak of War in 1939 did not witness the same degree of change in the educational system as had occurred in the 19th century. However, there were important developments in the sphere of primary and secondary education. These changes did little to alter the class bias of education, but collectively they made important contributions to the

creation of an all encompassing modern educational system in Scotland.

Education in Scotland has been the subject of much myth-making as regards the openness of the system and the quality of provision. In the 19th and the first half of the 20th century, the educational system catered mainly for an elite section of Scottish society. Although the door to higher education was more open than in England, workers and their families, women and Catholics in general were excluded. For these groups, education was sparse and the quality poor.

Legislation gradually improved the access of all groups to better education, but it was only after the introduction of comprehensive education in 1965 that attempts were made to provide adequate standards for all children in Scotland.

[pokemonshelterstories]

do you need an certifications to work at these shelters because i would volunteer but in this economy aint nobody can afford free labor😔

also mainly bc the director at bb cyrano said i need to find something to do instead of "typical juvenile delinquent activities" because QUOTE AND I KID YOU NOT "you have 5 fs and your highest grade is a d and i have no future" AND I ALSO KID YOU NOT "should stop doing drugs in the bathroom."

anyways

you don't necessarily need experience to volunteer at a shelter, but you do generally need measurable experience to get a job. at the artazon humane society, there are several requirements you can choose from; we generally only hire pokemon care staff who have earned four badges, have certification as either a vet tech or pokemon trainer, or have worked at another pokemon care facility. otherwise, you can start as a volunteer or intern and work your way up to a hired position.

the reason we do this is partly for safety- after all, some of the pokemon surrendered to us are dangerous, and staff need to be able to handle things like fire types who flame without warning or pokemon that can use poison type moves. the other reason is that there's just not enough funding to have a big staff. we're funded almost exclusively by donations, and a lot of that money goes to shelter upkeep. i do not make a lot of money.

unfortunately, i'm not sure this job is a current good fit for you...it sounds like you're young, and shelters tend to only hire people 18 and up. but a lot of working at a shelter is also about working with the people who are coming in to adopt, and you're going to have to deal with a lot of frustrating situations and people who really don't know how to take care of their pokemon. i hate to say it, but this message doesn't give me the impression that you are used to handling that.

i won't tell you how to live your life or anything like that- and hey, i started out at my shelter as community service!- but i think you would probably only get taken on as a volunteer.