#luckily I was able to to secure a grant for this

[notapokemonprofessor]

Originally I was a biology professor! Quite recently, however, I started to take a keen interest in the multiverse. I had always found it an interesting theory, but I never had a chance to truly study it until now. In fact, I took leave of my professorly duties to study it more in depth!

@not-pretentious-i-swear asked:

Is your title(The Professor) a Puppet History reference?

Ah, no, sorry, it is a song. (A note that this song is definitely .... Not everyone's cup of tea.) Apologies for it being potentially misleading!

[ithebookhoarder]

Could you write an Anthony Bridgerton x wife!reader fic? They are newly weds and the reader wishes to pamper Anthony while he is bathing. He’s a bit cautious about it at first because he is not used to such affection. Thank youu I love your writing a lot especially the truth or dare fic.

In Your Hands (Anthony Bridgerton x Wife!Reader)

A/N: First of all, thank you so much! And I hope you like this. Thanks for sending this ask in, luckily I was already toying with a few Bridgerton ideas thanks to the new trailers so this came surprisingly easy.

Also, if any of you guys enjoy my work, or just feel like it, then consider buying me a cup of coffee here: https://ko-fi.com/ithebookhoarder ☕️

Warnings: Nudity references, the start of sexy-times, alcohol 

Masterlist

Anthony was someone who hated routine. After all, as much as he was devoted to the day to day duties that came with being the head of his family, if he had his way he would escape the city and the ton, choosing instead the peace and tranquility offered by the countryside, at Aubrey Hall. He dreamed of being able to be just a brother, son and - as of recently - a husband. 

Only married a few months, your new husband was keen to seize each and every opportunity to escape his duties when they appeared - whether it was sneaking off for long rides in the countryside, or making an early exit from whatever social gathering you both had been forced to attend as the new Viscount and Viscountess Bridgerton; Whatever allowed you both to be alone and back in one another’s arms (usually sans clothes) as soon as possible, was a good idea to him. 

It was no surprise then, that there was one part of his daily routine that Anthony actually relished: bathing. 

Oh, yes. There was little more in the world that could bring your fully-grown husband such child-like joy as being able to soak in a tub of steaming hot water for an hour or two. The sight always made you smile as you entered your bedroom: Anthony, half asleep, looking as if the stress had physically melted away. 

It was your favourite sight - and not just because of the exquisite view it granted you of his sculpted form - but because of how calm and peaceful he looked. It was as if he had transformed back into the mischievous and carefree boy you’d first fallen in love with all those years ago. Back when your only concerns had been not tripping on your skirt at your presentation, making sure you were actually asked to dance at a ball, and surviving the social season without embarrassing your family or getting yourself roped into some scandal. 

Whilst you knew neither you nor Anthony would ever change a single thing about your life together, you knew it came with a cost. In fact, today it had been enduring hours of talks with local tenants, the family’s book keeper, estate managers, and even several possible suitors looking to secure some kind of marriage contract with one of his younger sisters. (You’d been informed by several members of the household staff that those meetings had been remarkably swift, however, with each unfortunate man looking rather dejected as they were shown from the house). 

If you’d been able to spare him the pain or share his burden you would have, but unfortunately you’d been occupied with matters of your own. Being the lady of such a grand estate came with duties of its own, and you were quite done looking over seating arrangements, replying to correspondence, and paying social calls for one day.  

Still, at least you’d both survived to tell the tale - no wonder Anthony looked half asleep. Then again, maybe it had something to do with the open bottle of whiskey that sat on the table beside the tub. You knew without looking at the label which bottle it was, having smuggled it out of the library yourself to enjoy together. 

“Anthony Bridgerton!” A fake gasp of horror escaped your lips as you appeared in the doorway, a hand pressed to your chest. “You are a sneak and a traitor. That whiskey was for me too, you know.”

“And a good evening to you too, my love. Never fear, there’s plenty to share,” he teased, head relaxed, tipped backward as he took a sip from the glass in his hand. Your eyes were transfixed on the hollow of his throat, watching his Adam’s apple bob as he swallowed. “Besides, I would apologise but I simply couldn’t wait a minute longer. Not when I couldn’t feel my back from sitting at that desk all afternoon.”

The moan that escaped his lips was almost sinful as he sank a little lower in the water.  

“Well, you’re forgiven. You look far too content for me to even dream of being mad,” you sighed, drawing close and perching on the rim of the tub. Anthony handed over the whiskey glass with a soft smile, letting you take a sip of your own before you placed it back onto the table. 

You could feel the warmth seep into your bones immediately, even if that was also likely in part to your proximity to the tub and your naked husband. 

“Do you want me to wash your hair?”

Anthony’s eyebrows rose at the question, the surprise written across his face. “What?”

“You heard me,” you teased, reaching up to run your fingers through the soft strands of hair atop his head. “I can wash your hair, and get your back for you. Unless you’d rather do it yourself, or I can ring for someone?”

“What? No, that’s uh, that’s not necessary,” he chuckled, visibly flustered - which was amusing and perplexing. After all, it wasn’t as if you two hadn’t seen and touched every single inch of the other in the weeks since your wedding. However, he looked almost confused at the idea that you would offer such a thing. “You don’t have to do that.”

“But I want to,” you soothed. “Let me take care of you, for once. Husband.”

It was probably below the belt to purr his title like that, but you knew how that one little word had the power to reduce the great Viscount Bridgerton to a puddle. That, along with the warmth of the water and the buzz of the whiskey, made him almost pliant to your every whim. Still, you knew him well enough to recognise the lingering hesitation in his eyes as he nodded in agreement. 

He very rarely let his guard down or allowed anyone to assist him in any way. You sometimes believed that had the servants not been dependant upon their work to make a living that Anthony would have dismissed them long ago and tried to run the entire estate single handedly just to prove he could. That he was worthy of the title he bore, and that he was every bit as great a man, brother, and husband as his father. 

It appeared he was the same way when it came to letting himself be taken care of and it made your heart ache for the man you loved. 

Pressing a triumphant kiss to his lips, you swiftly manoeuvred yourself, pulling up a stool and grabbing a jug from the dresser.  

“Just relax… trust me,” you murmured, waiting until he did as he was bid. The gesture alone said volumes, more so than any words ever could. 

Waiting until his eyes were shut, you reached for the soap, tilting his head against your chest as you began to massage the mixture into his scalp. Yet again, your husband seemed to transform into a cat, purring with every touch in a way that made it suddenly very difficult to resist the urge to strip off and join your husband in the water instead. 

“Enjoying yourself?” You giggled as Anthony barely managed more than a groan in reply. 

It was taking every ounce of your self control to focus your attentions solely on Anthony, and not on the way his body seemed to be reacting to your ministrations. Thankfully, you were able to last long enough to finish the job, using the jug to rinse the water through his hair, making sure to angle his head upwards so the water ran off him instead of into his eyes. 

But you were only human; the minute you were done washing the last suds from his scalp you made your move. Sliding off the stool, you knelt beside him and reached out to caress his cheek, causing him to open his eyes almost sleepily. Leaning forward you planted a soft, delicate kiss to his lips, causing him to groan in response.

Without saying a word, his hands rose, twisting their way into your hair as he deepened his kiss. It was clear what he wanted next. 

“Now, wife,” he growled, pulling back just long enough to reach down and tug teasingly at the tie of your dress-robe. You could feel the warmth of his touch as his wet body began to dampen the material. “I think it’s your turn to let me take care of you… so you’d better get in here, before I drag you in here.”

[burning-omen]

Kinktober day 5: Gun Play + Steven Grant

Steven Grant x SHIELD agent!Male!reader

Kinktober 2023 List | Day 1 | Day 6 | Ao3

Summary: After taking a day off, you finally get to go home to your boyfriend, Steven.

(a/n: I MISSED YESTERDAY AND IT SHATTERED MY SOUL INTO A MILLION PIECES IM SORRY I WAS TIRED AND I FORGOT)

Warning: Guns, mention of reader killing and being shot at, reader is close with Nick Fury kinda, oral, hand job, surprisingly gentle sex, obedient Steven Grant, soft top reader, Steven talks to Marc but that's not really a warning I just wanted yall to know that my bbygrl was mention in this fic

Words: 2k

SHIELD has been sending you all over the world as of recently, you didn't complain, you knew your work was important, and the amount of trust you’d gained from Nick Fury came with a lot of off-the-books missions, mostly investigating SHIELD itself. You'd asked from a break, at least a day or so, to get your gear together after you gun, which has been through many, many mission, jammed on you mid encounter. It was embarrassing, luckily the only other people who saw it happen were either dead or in maximum security prison serving life.

Your boyfriend, Steven, wasn't home when you got there, mostly likely at work, or maybe Marc was out on his a mission. Either way, you waited for him.

In the meantime, you decided to finally take care of your gear, you'd brought all of the supplies from SHEILD headquarters before coming home, setting up at Steven’s desk, and moving the book he had lying on the table and a couple of papers into a neat stack. You started with your boots, scrubbing them, changing the insoles, making sure the outsole wasn't damaged beyond a bit of wear from years of use, then setting them aside.

Moving on to your vest, you picked out the metal fragment from the various bullets that had shattered on impact, replacing the aramid padding that- even though it has yet to show signs of any extreme damage- was starting to wear. The bruise on your stomach was proof of that, the vest stopped the bullet from piercing skin, but didn't lessen the impact as it hit you. You sighed, knowing that Steven was going to fuss over it the second he saw the festering bruise.

You moved on to you knives, still pretty sharp, but not as sharp as they should have been. Using the lanksy puck that you definitely were not supposed to take to sharpen a them. Carefully putting them back in their sheaths and reattatching them to your utility belt, which sat in a duffle bag with both your uniform and you newly repaired vest.

Finally, you moved onto the main event, you gun, which was still jammed, turning the safety on before completely disassembling it, staring at the pieces of your revolver on the table. You didn't worry to much about the the bullets, they'd be gone by your next mission anyway.

You took your time with this one, getting into every nook and cranky, blood, dust, and built up metal from the bullets, just a bunch of little things. Reassembly was purely muscle memory, your gun looked and felt brand new. You took the ammo out and dry-fired the gun, it sounded a hell of a lot better- and the hammer dropped without interruption, jam officially gone, you reloaded the gun and sat it on the desk.

It felt like a weight had been lifted off your shoulders, letting the tension slip from your shoulders with a sigh, practically melting into the seat, finnaly able to relax.

And as if he somehow knew that you were officially off duty, you heard Steven fumble with the lock, seemingly dropping the key, a small swear leaving him, before he unlocked the door. He walked around silently for a while, setting down his bag and heading to the kitchen, muttering to himself, or more likely Marc, as he was asking questions about the morning, what they ate for breakfast and where Marc had left the book Steven had been reading before bed.

It took him maybe five minutes to walk back there. He walked straight past you, not paying any attention and b-lining to the bed, to be fair, it was late and Steven wasn't exactly the most observant. You loved him though, so you let him lay there for a moment before calling his name.

He practuscally jumped out of his skin, getting caught in the mess of blankets for moment. Steven was on you faster that you thought was possible. Damn near tackling you, the chair surprisingly holding both of your weight and Steven situated himself in your lap, his legs drapped across yours.

“You're back! When did you fly in?” he asked, a wide smile on his face.

“About three hours ago, where’ve you been?”

He groaned, flopping down against you, his head on your shoulder.

“Job hunting, again.”

“What happened to the uh, what was it, the library, right? I thought you were having fun over there?”

“I was, but they cut the budget and I was new so they dropped me.”

“Aww,” you cooed, running your fingers through his hair, “poor thing.”

He sighed, enjoying the contact after nearly a month apart.

“What about you, I thought you weren't supposed to be back for another two weeks?”

“I wasn't, but..” you grabbed you pistol off the table, you finger on the trigger even though the safety was on and you had no immediate target, “My gun jammed and I asked my boss to give me a day off in order to fix it,”

Stevens's eyes were glued to the gun as you spoke, appreciating every little detail and crevice it held.

You knew about Steven’s affinity for guns, well, you and guns, guns alone did nothing for Steven, but when you held them...

He got quiet, glancing at you only to see you staring back at him with a knowing look on your face.

“Im flying back out tomorrow..”you pointed the gun downward, nudging his legs open with the tip, he complyed without any hesitation. “…i was thinking you and I could-”

“Yes!”

You stared at the man for a moment, almost bewildered before remembering that you've been gone for nearly two months and he's probably been thinking about this since the day you left.

You hummed before saying, “Get on the bed, lay on your back, I want to see you.”

He grinned again, practically running to the bed, shrugging off his jacket and leaving it on the floor, laying down in the bed, hardly able to keep himself still.

You sat at the desk for a short moment, completely removing the ammo from the gun, double checking it to avoid any incidence, then walked over to Steve, who was practically vibrating in excitement.

Kneeling between his legs, you commemorated the image of him, so happy to be fully and utterly yours, to memory.

You pointed the gun on his chest, digging the tip into his shirt, watching his reaction intently, he ceased all movement, staring down at it, taking in the weight on his chest.

“Breathe, Steven.” you said when you noticed he wasn't.

He let out a long, shuttered breath.

“You know I would never hurt you? Right Steven.”

“Oh course..”

“Good, “ you slid the gun down, feeling where his ribs ended and sturdy muscle began. Stopping just below his belly button.

“Strip, slowly, I want to see you.”

He complied easily. Hands shaking as he unbuttoned his shirt, slowly, just like you demanded.

“That's it, good boy..”

Shrugging the shirt off his shoulders, then moving down to his pants. Fumbling with the belt, getting it just before you could offer your help, he kicked his jeans down until they pooled on the floor below.

You stared at him, taking in his smooth skin and every sculpted muscle that you had no one but Marc to thank for.

Running the tip of your pistol lower and lower, running it over the growing tent in his underwear, he shuttered, a light gasp passing his slightly parted lips.

Dragging it across his waist, then down his thigh, Steven watched the gun just as intensely as you watched him. You let your finger hover the trigger, he swallowed hard.

You moved suddenly, lifting the gun to his head, right between his eyes. He squeezed his eyes shut, breathing hard, he never hid how he felt, not with you, he felt like he didn't have to, or more accurately, he couldn't. You were an agent of SHEILD, you were trained to see through lies.

Moving your hand down ever so slightly, pressing the gun against his lips.

“Open.”

For the forth time tonight, he obeyed. Taking the tip in his mouth, then more, sucking and licking like the gun could feel it.

The effects it had on you were innumerable.

You hummed softly, adjusting your grip. You watched him, he seemingly never got bored, the imagined danger and thrill perpetuating him, eager to please cold steel.

You tugged slightly, and he let it go, lips wet with saliva.

The way he looked at you, his eyes low, cheeks flushed, breathing like he'd just run a hundred miles.

“You're being so good, Steven, so obedient. You must have really missed me..”

He nodded rapidly, “I missed you, I missed you so much-”

You shushed him, “I know, I know. I shouldn't have to leave you here, all on your own, I should be here to protect you at all times..”

He nodded along- you both knew that he didn't need the protection, but fuck it kept you here he’d be your damsel in distress forever.

Rubbing the wet tip down his chest, then right above his cock, tapping the trigger, watching him flinch at every move. He watched so intently, his breath shaky and loud, you were unpredictable, yet he couldn't wait to see what you did next.

Nudging the tip of the gun past the elastic waistband of his underwear, pulling them down.

Steven couldn't stay still, his brain and body running a million miles an hour. Slowly, you sunk down between his legs, your gun pressed right up against the center of his chest. You knew the position would get uncomfortable soon, so you decided to make this as quick as you could.

��Don’t move.” he didn't nod, or talk, just immediately playing along.

Taking your free hand, you guided Steven's hard cock, shiny with pre-cum to your mouth.

He was always sensitive, but your tongue had hardly even pressed the tip of his cock before he was a whimpering, whining mess. Hs adrenaline was spiked, of course he was more susceptible that ever right now. Taking him as deep as you could, feeling him press against the back of your throat. His hands balled into the bedsheets bellow, nearly tearing them in his hands.

Running your tongue on the underside of his cock, then swirling it around the tip, never taking your eyes off of him. His little whines growinh louder and more desperate.

You pulled away when you felt him start bucking into your mouth. Taking a short moment to wipe your mouth of both spit and pre cum.

You lifted slightly, wrapping your hand around his now perfectly lubed cock. Stroking him nice and slow, soft moans falling from his lips.

He whined your name over and over, obedience and his composure, the latter of which was had been already hanging on by a thread before you ever put your mouth or hands on him, waining. He loved nights like these when you were gentle but still so very obviously in control.

“Y/n- y/n, I'm so close, please, Love, please-”

You tightened your grip on the gun, pressing it harder into his chest, he moaned at the feeling.

You never sped up, watching him build up the his orgasm nice and slow, and when his mouth fell open in a long moan and his eyes squeezed so tightly shut you're sure he was seeing stars behind them.

Then- you squeezed the trigger. Nothing came out but Steven gasped hard like he’d been hit. His hips twitched up into your hand, cum pouring out all over your fingers. Even when that stopped, his orgasm still seemed to flow through him, his body drawn tight as he came down.

“Y/n..” he panted, “you're good, so good-”

Dragging the gun down, right into the pool of cum at the base of his stomach, then bringing it up to your mouth, licking it off.

“Come on, Steven, we're not done..”

[tf2thoughtdump]

TF2 Thought of the Day

Headcanon? Yes.

Character(s)? All the mercs, team not specified but for simplicity’s sake, the red team

Long or Short? Long. This may take a while.

You're free to use any thoughts of mine in any form of media you make.

Thought

This one is real simple, it’s how I think the mercs would handle being given a baby. Enjoy!

Scout

Literally going crazy

Like, about to explode levels of crazy.

Gushing over every inch of this baby from her big eyes to her tiny nose and down to her chubby little hands and feet

Luckily, the little munchkin doesn’t seem to mind his intense energy so it works out

He does his best, but admittedly he is a bit… rusty

The first time he tried holding her, he wasn’t properly securing her head

The second him, he was just holding her upside down

He’s not the WORST merc to leave a baby with, but you have better options.

Soldier

Not really sure what to do with this….

Recruit.

He held her FAR from his body before opting to just tuck her under his arm like a loaf of bread

This didn’t last long though because he eventually found a way to keep her strapped to him with his belt

Uncomfortable, sure, but the baby could care less

She was more concerned with who gave her to this man in the first place

Soldier is your last resort

Pyro

Is most likely to set the baby’s diaper on fire when it gets full

He’s not BAD with a baby, it’s just…

There are so many better options!

They can hold the baby right, that’s not the problem, the problem is the outfit

The rubber, the material in general

Babies need skin-on-skin contact and Pyro.. doesn’t exactly fit the bill with that one

She’s definitely gonna make the baby uncomfortable but it’s nothing a good tickle won’t fix!

Demoman

Why?

Just….

Why?

Did you run out of options again?

Was Soldier too busy so you had to wake up Tavish?

What on Earth could be running through your mind to think leaving a baby with a drunk is a good thing?

He might rock it to sleep, but that’s about all you’re getting

Heavy

Your number 1 go to if you need a babysitter

He’s got three younger sisters! How hard can taking care of a baby be?

You’ll soon come to find out that with Heavy? Taking care of a baby is a piece of cake.

No complications, no fusses, no unchanged diapers

Just Heavy asleep on a couch too small for him, and a baby resting in his giant hands.

Engineer

Also another good one!

Doesn’t have much experience with REAL babies, just his mechanical babies, but he’s sure he can watch her for ya!

Don’t worry about a thing, buttercup, he’s got everything under control

Turns out, he kinda did?

In the time you were gone, he built her a rocking crib

Plus an automatic diaper changer

He’s just a little to busy with machines to be worrying about diapers

Relax though! If the baby cries, he’s putting down everything to figure out what’s wrong and how to solve the problem

Minus the guns in the equation

Medic

Well, uhm..

He’s not a bad baby-watcher!

He will keep that little rascal in his sights at all times! No doubt about it!

He could stare at that baby all day!

Best babywatcher in the world!

But…

This is Medic we’re talking about…

There’s no way this baby is coming back the same baby..

Sniper

Not.. sure what to do?

He’s a bit of a recluse, so he doesn’t hang around people that much

That also translates to him not really being able to understand what to do when given a baby and told to watch her

You know that TikTok audio?

“Your mom told me to watch you, but.. you don’t do anything.”

That’s him.

He takes “watch her” seriously

Now granted, Mick will let her play with his fingers occasionally but is really just staring at a baby in his lap for 2 hours straight and freaking out every time she cries or soils a diaper

Spy

Spy is a neglectful dad

We see that with Scout, so it’s no big surprise there

However, he’s not horrible with kids

He can take care of a baby just fine, change her diapers, feed her, burp her, lull her to sleep and the like

He just won’t be very enthusiastic about it!

If you want your baby to have a good time, pick Scout or Engineer

But if you want someone who actually has some idea what they’re doing, get Heavy or Spy for the job, okay?

[catsi]

Oh if you're playing a Final Fantasy XIV campaign, have you fought any primals? I've seen statblocks for Garuda, Leviathan and Ifrit online before

ohhhh this is an awesome question *-* YES we absolutely have! we've fought 4, with a confrontation with a 5th one coming up soon... we've been calling them Eidolons on the Tenth :3c i've got little pics and blurbs about each of them below! content warning for body horror for some of these!

the first one we fought was named The Pale Lady! it was originally born when the Church deployed a caustic bioweapon during a battle and hundreds of people who were in excruciating pain all collectively prayed for their own deaths. this Eidolon had been lurking in a swamp collecting corpses since then. our DM called it the Eidolon of Agony iirc!! it was such a cool boss. i love the concept of "whatever you do, don't pray for salvation"

the second one we fought was named Dorado! he was like a giant conquistador-looking guy. he was born from the continent's richest (and greediest) man, Augustus Ul'gustus, harnessing the power from a font of lightning aether and turning himself into an Eidolon. we fought Dorado in Augustus's vault, so it was this really cool theme of fighting this epitome of greed inside of his temple to his own wealth. our DM called him the Eidolon of Avarice!!

[These next 3 images were all drawn in the last day and a half so don't laugh at how messy they are please lol]

the third one was born from the collective fear and terror of an isolated nation being invaded by the Church, which brought to life a giant statue of their god, Asura. the statue then marched into the ocean with the plan to head back to Oaxia and destroy the Church (as well as everyone and everything else there). we had to fire a giant bolt into the statue and run across the chain it was attached to it and then climb inside the statue up to its hollow head, where we fought the manifestation of the Eidolon! because the Eidolon was a fear-induced bastardization of the actual deity Asura, Asura themself granted us aid during the fight (by letting our healer summon 6 arms and pummel the living shit out of the Eidolon)

the fourth one was from the volcanic island nation of Ahmeta, which had a giant bird named Fenghuang who was their peaceful and benevolent guardian despite Fenghuang technically being an Eidolon. then a greater Voidsent called The Great Ink pulled Fenghuang into The Void and corrupted him, and we had to fight him while we were in The Void, trying to close a voidgate! luckily, once we defeated the corrupted Fenghuang we were able to use some aetherial defibrillation and the Power Of Memory/Love to revive him uncorrupted, so he was able to happily return to his job as guardian of the island 🙏 (once we closed up the voidgate ofc)

the fifth Eidolon, which we've learned about but haven't actually confronted yet, is called The Memento, and it's what the Church uses in Montalvo Anti-Mag Security Prison to keep their mage prisoners in check. The Memento is a manmade Eidolon - it was first built as a mechanical framework, and then flesh and guts were summoned into it and it was given life as an Eidolon. all of the mage prisoners in Montalvo (except Miffy's dad who has The Echo??? for some reason???) have been tempered by it. tempered prisoners aren't aware that they can cast spells, and they have no desire to leave the prison or revolt. kind of an ingenious way to imprison mages. creepy as fuck

thanks for the awesome question!!!

ヾ(＠^∇^＠)ノ

the Eidolon fights are always super cool and bombastic, so getting to talk about them is a treat ^^ thanks for giving me an excuse to draw and ramble!!

[the-trickster-exe]

I See The Danger, It's Written There In Your Eyes. || Whumptober: Day 4

Fandom/Characters: Moon Knight. Steven Grant, Jake Lockley.

Summary: Steven is frontstuck and hasn't been able to talk to Marc in nearly two weeks. When he sits down to try and establish contact with the man, he accidentally ends up speaking to someone else he's never met before.

Warnings: Steven does briefly go into a small spiral of doubt about whether the system is real/if he's just made it up and its actually another disorder or something.

Word Count: 2121

A/N: I spent so long trying to figure out whether I needed to use ‘lo sé’ or ‘yo conozco’ when Jake says “I know”, so if you speak spanish please let me know if I need to change the one I used-

AO3:

Maybe before his awareness of the system, Steven would’ve been happy to just be able to live his life on his own. But now that he was comfortable with the familiar presence of Marc coexisting with him in this life, it was honestly incredibly jarring to be alone again. He was frontstuck. Completely isolated from his counterpart, with no way of accessing the innerworld and no idea how to get back in contact. He was totally cut off from the man for who knows what reason, fronting on his own and being in control for now upwards of almost two weeks, and he hated it.

It was even worse when the doubt set in. The anxiety and fear that had started to steadily grow as each isolated day passed, his mind slowly being laced with doubts and worries. Logically, he knew that Marc was there somewhere. He knew that they were plural, that they had dissociative identity disorder. That his mother was abusive and dead, and that he was an alter just like Marc. He’d spoken to Layla about his doubts and she’d been extremely reassuring and understanding of the current circumstances.

But that didn’t mean his anxiety wasn’t there. What if it was just some elaborate story, completely made up and all in his head? Maybe it was something else. That he was still mentally ill, but it was something else. Could just be some kind of episode, maybe a mood disorder. Delusional or maybe even a rational way to stay in denial about it all being a personality disorder. Suffice to say, his mind was spiralling down the rabbit hole the longer he was stuck on his own and he was getting desperate for some kind of sign that it was real. In his last call with Layla, she’d suggested taking a day for himself. To try and just acknowledge what was happening within their system and accept it, even if the acceptance was fake. To simply pretend it was a planned ‘Steven’ day that he and Marc had agreed upon and avoid ruminating on it as best as he could.

So that’s what he was doing today. Self-care, whoop whoop!

He’d stayed in bed a lot later than he usually would, totally because he was laying in and not because he couldn’t find the motivation to get up until he physically rolled off the mattress onto the floor. Then he’d made himself breakfast… Lunch. Bordering closer to tea time rather than lunch if he was being totally honest with himself. Layla had brought over curry the night before when they’d hung out, so he pulled out the leftover remnants of his takeaway and reheated them in the microwave. Nothing better to do than sit on the kitchen top and watch the container spin around in the machine until it was ready. Sluggishly, he’d reached behind him to mess with the CD player that sat behind him, tucked away in a little nook, and luckily for him it had something in it. Pressing play, the music crackled to life, something soft yet with a steady pacing. A tether to secure and protect him from drifting off into his head in the silence.

Eventually, the numbers ticked down into single digits and Steven reached over to pull the door right before it started beeping. Not caring much about the heat stinging into his fingers through the container, he tipped the contents into a bowl and moved to flop down onto the sofa. Remote in hand and fork in the other, he balanced the dish on his blanket covered lap and switched on the TV to some random Blue Planet documentary. With eyes fixated to screens, he shovelled the curry into his mouth. Steven wasn’t hungry, but he cared enough about the body that he forced himself to eat. Just in case Marc showed up.

Marc. The one thing he wasn’t supposed to be thinking about. Couldn’t even go an entire day without thinking about him. About the system. The half of him that was missing. Not missing. No. Marc was still there, he wasn’t gone. He’d be back, he wouldn’t leave Steven. Not without saying something. Anything. He couldn’t be alone. Maybe he could try to reach out again. Just for a minute or two. It wouldn’t hurt just to try.

It was with a slight desperation, one of which he was choosing to ignore, that he put down the now empty bowl and moved to lay down. Meditation, or at least the classical type of it, had never really worked for Steven. Marc was the same, he could never stay still for that long and whenever he did he started spiralling in ways that dug up old wounds instead of fixating on the present. Instead what the Brit did when trying to get into a meditative state, was he’d try to take a nap. For some reason, he found it easiest to enter the headspace when he was laying down on something comfortable with his eyes closed, almost falling asleep but just on the cusp of clinging to his consciousness. He’d try to reach out, to grasp onto something tangible and use it as a beacon to drag him closer towards the innerworld.

Taking a few deep breaths, the man shuffled into a more comfortable position and tried to let himself go. His thoughts continued to flit about, cropping up in random ways and interjecting. It was only when he reached the point of recognition that this was the closest he’d get to achieving a quiet mindscape, he tried to reach out to the American.

“Marc? You in there? I’d really appreciate something, anything really. Just a sign that you’re alive and that this isn’t all just some elaborate mental invention…”

A minute passed. Or at least that’s the amount of time he assumed had passed. It was hard to know when you didn’t want to actively check a phone or a clock. He tried to keep his mind as still as possible, not wanting any disruption to block out a response just in case it was a faint thing. Staring into the dark void of his inner eyelids and sighing in disappointment, a familiar sense of discouragement settling in his chest. Steven wanted to try again, but he didn’t want to just set himself up for more disappointment. He just didn’t want to be alone.

Faintly he thought about just giving up and calling it a day, deciding it would be more productive to continue watching the tele and listen to David Attenborough tell him about fish or something. That was until very distantly a feeling overcame him almost as if telling him he wasn’t on his own. Something that should’ve been extremely reassuring if only for the fact that he knew it wasn’t Marc saying that to him. It was something else. Someone else. And honestly, Steven couldn’t tell if he was more on edge about it, or if he was actually happy that someone new had shown up. At least they were new to him, because Marc sure as hell never made any mention or hint that there could be a third alter in the system.

With a new spark of energy, he blinked his eyes open hastily and sat up with the impulse to find a mirror. Clumsily, his feet carried him towards the bathroom and he stared at his reflection nervously. His pupils flickered over his own face, scanning to see any differences (no matter how small) that might signal a new person. He could feel his pulse rate rising ever so slightly with a certain thrill at the prospect of having another headmate, questions whirring around his mind about what they might be like. He concluded they’d be nice, if they’d had the decency to respond to him just then instead of staying hidden and quiet, then they had to be nice. What was their name? How did they sound? What did they like? Who were they?

Distracted with his spiral of curiosity, he barely managed to notice the ever so familiar grip of someone subtly trying to take over the body, or at least guide it away from looking into the mirror. A whispered thought that wasn’t his saying something about finding it weird, not wanting to be seen like that. Which made sense to the Brit. He’d found it quite jarring to see himself like that. Or his not-self. Expecting to see a reflection of himself only to be able to catch a glimpse of Marc. The uncomfortable awareness of being consciously perceived by someone that wasn’t you. So, he allowed his eyes to drift and took the initiative to turn themself away from the mirror, deciding it might be nicer to just lay back down and try to talk that way.

“Hello? I heard you, I felt you, I know you’re in there somewhere…”

Steven didn’t want to be too forward, and he especially didn’t want to be demanding. If the alter wanted to remain hidden, he would respect that. Albeit very reluctantly. So, he left it open ended. An invitation to initiate conversation on the other alter’s terms. They could respond if they wanted to, he let them know that he was aware of them, meaning he knew he was no longer alone. Whether their goal was to simply reassure Steven it wasn’t all in his head, or if they’d finally gotten comfortable enough to show themself, the man was just glad that he had been given some kind of relief from the denial and doubt.

He lay in comfortable silence, simply waiting for anything that may or may not be said or pushed towards him to feel. It was a strangely relaxing way to pass the time, just floating in his own little bubble just on the edge of sleep. It was only when he felt another nudge of something that he tried to be more forward with his interaction.

“Do you… do you have a name? Something I can call you by?”

A few beats of awkward silence passed before he heard something. A faint bit of pressure settling to the side of his head as a slightly murky voice pushed cautiously through his mind. It felt sturdy, reliable in a distant way, yet comfortably familiar enough that he knew he could trust it despite the alter’s inner conflict as to their own reveal. It was almost as if the alter was actively trying to fight against their own instinct to stay invisible on the sidelines, pushing through the discomfort of being known just to help Steven’s sanity.

“...Call me Jake.”

Instantly, Steven began to grin, his emotions bleeding all through the innerspace as he tried to convey his happiness at the response, as well as to just try and reassure the alter- to try and reassure Jake that he was extremely glad for the company. From somewhere he felt the man sigh internally at the large display of emotions, but he made no move to retreat so Steven took that as a win. He wanted to question the man more, to get to know him and interact with him, almost as if to catch up on the missed time they’d not had together yet. But he got the gist that that probably wouldn’t be the best course of action if he wanted to keep Jake at ease.

“Well, it’s a pleasure to meet you, mate. My name’s Ste-”

“Steven. Sí, yo conozco. I know.”

The Brit paused momentarily, not sure as to how he should respond in a way that didn’t seem like he was pushing for information.

“I take it you’re not a new appearance then?”

“Let's just say it's been a while.”

Then it fell silent. As much as Steven liked to try and talk to people, he’d always been awkward at small talk. Especially when it was obvious that the person on the other end seemed as though they would rather lick an electric cattle prod than continue speaking. He didn’t hold it against Jake, the man seemed closer to Marc in his increasing dislike of nattering. Which is why Steven took it as a cue to simply be glad for the internal companionship after almost two weeks of solitude. If Jake didn’t want to answer, Steven wouldn’t ask; he’d just enjoy the other man’s faint presence. Slowly, he rolled onto his side on the sofa and opened his eyes to look at the TV that was still playing the documentary. Feeling a lot lighter than he had in a while, he spoke aloud to the man with a content tone.

“You alright with watching this, or is there something else you’d prefer?”

[dasher85]

tenderness

featuring our Inexpressible duo

Kamisato Ayato x reader | y/n | you

A  short story: 2.3K Words

[ ‘It was indeed inexpressible’ ]

Happy new year to you too! (replying this a little late) . I'm glad, my humble story was enjoyable for you. ^.^

Anon... say less. Let's drag them into that.

disclaimer: I’m not really good at writing these theme but I’ll try

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The soft wind breeze passes through the tree branches before it reaches your face ever so calmly. You turned another page of the hardcover book, unblinkingly ignoring the slight commotion outside at the porch. Ignoring the Sakura petals that have landed on your skirt.

You quickly took a sip of tea from the same cup you've poured since an hour ago but your eyes didn't leave the words as you were about to proceed to the next page.

'What is it that's happening outside?' you did question the voices outside but you're still pondering if it's necessary to get up and check out the situation. Eventually you decided to check out the situation before briefly placing the golden metal bookmark in between the pages.

You slid the door open and was unexpectedly greeted by the estate's owner. Due to your reflex reaction you subconsciously took a few steps back before realizing that it was just him.

"Huh?? What happened? How'd you…" Although you were surprised to see him, you're startled by the condition he was in. A worried frown instantly grows on your ever so calm self.

"Hmm… I believe this is my only chance to appear indecent before you" He spoke almost whispering before displaying a weak smile. Beads of sweat were covering his forehead, soaking his hair ever so slightly.

His waist was wrapped in linen of bandages, along with his left shoulder. The white themed coat he always wore was placed over his shoulder but it was stained with blood. Not to mention the slight smear of blood on his trousers. You have no idea how he can still be talking in such a confident yet playful manner. 

You quietly stare back at him, unable to properly process what actions you should take. It has never occurred to you that such misfortune could happen to him. He was just alright a few hours ago before he left for work and now he's awfully injured.

"Would you…" he paused before grimacing in pain, a frown was now visible on his face. 

You quickly approached him, worried that he'd fall standing there without any support.

"...let me accompany you?"

Although you believe it was him who needs the company and was deliberately making his injury as an excuse to stay with you, your mind was still troubled to see him in such misfortune. 

You sighed worriedly before carefully taking his arm and placed it around your shoulder. He's tall and obviously if he was to faint you're not able to carry him anymore. You just thought it was better to drag him to rest before anything worse happens. 

Ayato happily smiled as if he forgotten he was actually injured. Luckily you're not able to see his smiling lips otherwise you'd feel more worried about his mental health too.

You walked him towards the only bed in the room before carefully helped him to lie down. 

"Who did this to you?" You finally question him after covering him with the blanket.

"Not to worry… he won't be able to trouble me anymore" he softly spoke before taking out his hand from under the covers.

You quickly but neatly folded his coat and placed it on the side table before unquestioningly took his hand. Perhaps used to his little requests by now, you could only grant it ever so often without him asking. 

"How many stitches?"

He smiled, purposefully ignored your question as he quickly pulled your hand inside the covers. You couldn't see what he was doing but you could feel your hand being placed on top of his firm torso. If you could pull away, you'd already do it but his right hand was holding on to your wrist while his left was securing your hand in place.

You helplessly looked at him, but his eyes were already closed. If it wasn't for the satisfied wide smile on his lips you'd actually feel worried and forgotten that your hand has been held hostage.

"Fine, at least you're feeling happy" Eventually you could only give in to his mischievous act.

"...but this is so embarrassing" you exclaimed, having no effort to conceal your thoughts. It occurred to you that you could feel his smooth skin, the muscle underneath, the warmth of his body and the smallest movement he does while breathing.

"I already acknowledge that you're a healthy person and I find it admirable but-" you tried to reason with him once more that it really wasn't necessary to do such things but was stopped mid sentence. 

"... Can't I?" He whispered gloomily.

Although you don't want to admit it, you'd still hate to be the reason behind his disappointment. You quiet down and slowly reconsider his request. 

"Sorry… I'll let you get some rest now" You gently brushed away the sides of his hair with your other hand. Completely given up the idea to take your hand away from his hold.

The smile on his lips returns once again as he quietly held on to your hand, having no desire to let go any sooner.

You have no idea how your presence greatly influenced his entirety. The way you could soothe the pain of his wound, make him feel so at ease and forget about his troubles. It was surreal but it was true to him. Compared to the herbal medicine he was given, your voice could effortlessly cure his soul. Deceiving himself that everything was alright as if his wounds would heal in that instant. 

In fact you being here was enough, he didn't want you to worry too much about him either. Hence why he's doing these little mischievous acts, trying to distract you ever so often. Although you seem to be more furious towards the person behind his injury and could barely let him act a little bit affectionate towards you, he knew behind all of it you'd still genuinely do care about him.

"Come to think about it, why hasn't anyone else come to check up on you?"

"... Isn't it obvious…" he initially wanted to laugh at the thought of it but stopped himself, trying to minimize his body movements.

"...It's because I warned them not to."

"Including your sister?"

"Yes..". He admitted almost immediately. 

You let out a chuckle, unable to conceal the amusement you were feeling. Of all things he shouldn't have done that. 

"You're so mean… she'll be worried"

"I only told her that you'd return home today if I didn't let you know of my situation"

At times, you didn't actually know how to react to him. By now you already knew he'd take any chances as an excuse to keep you at the estate. He once had a headache and wouldn't want to take the medicine unless you'd be the one who'll do it for him. It's quite childish really… but if a Commissioner, the head of the clan were to do that, everyone would take it too seriously. At that time you were about to board the ship to Liyue for a short trip and had no knowledge of it. His attendant was so worried that they'd stopped all boarding for the whole day before taking you with them back to the estate just because of that.

"You're always insane. Go to sleep"

"Won't you give me a warm hug to ease the pain?" He finally opened his eyes just to glance at your reaction, completely ignoring your remarks. 

"No." Although you didn't accept his request this time you still displayed a warm smile.

Ayato didn't complain though and smiled happily, as if his wounds weren't painfully burning. His tolerance towards pain magically increases after seeing your smile. If he were to tell you it was because of you, you wouldn't believe it either.

You proceeded to take the book that was within your reach and informed him you'd keep him company until dinner time. Earning yourself a joyously nod from him before he finally takes the idea of resting seriously.

As you quietly stayed there while reading the book, you could feel the firm hold on your hand slowly receding until it became only a weight.

'He's asleep…' you thought before glancing at the calm rise and fall of his chest. You then casually moved closer just to properly fix the covers that hadn't completely covered the side of his shoulder. Perhaps he wasn't entirely asleep yet because the slightest movement you'd do had already made him tighten his hold on your hand once again.

His once calm face was now displaying a slight frown. You thought he was in pain because of the wounds but truthfully he was just worried you'd left him there alone, completely forgotten that you already promised him to stay.

Having remembered his previous request earlier, you'd have thought perhaps by doing so it'll at least give a fifty percent chance of taking away his pain. Although you didn't believe it and thought it was just his mischievous ways to gain a hug from you at first but after seeing him frowning right now it had suddenly changed your mind.

You approached him once more before carefully bent over towards him. Initially you want to give him a hug but you couldn't support yourself with just a hand without falling carelessly on his already injured body. So instead, you gave him a gentle kiss on the right side of his cheeks.

"Huh?" You thought he wouldn't be frowning afterwards but it only resulted in him into having a sudden fever? His fair cheeks suddenly changed into a soft shade of red. You placed your hand on the side of his face and sure enough his temperature has risen. 

Unperceived by you, it hasn't crossed your mind that he wasn't entirely asleep and his mind was well aware as clear as day.

Although everyone, especially those at the estate has acknowledged that you're his lover, you had never done so much in being affectionate towards him, and particularly had never given him a kiss willingly. Of course he has never asked you too out of respect but now that he has finally received one, he couldn't help but blush over it like a helpless fanboy. He’s just blessed to have an exceptionally good talent in keeping his expression in control right now. Otherwise you’d caught him smiling yet again.

"Y/n…" he whispered, couldn't act being asleep anymore but managed to maintain a calm expression.

"What is it?" You worriedly question him.

"Come closer…"

Unquestioningly you bought your face closer, thinking he could only whisper things out to you and he needs immediate care.

He slowly let go of your hand before quickly pulling your body towards him, one hand was on the side of your shoulder while the other was by the side of your head. Your eyes widen in response to the sudden closeness. 

In fact it was so close that you could feel the warmth of his breath brushing over your cheeks. You can feel your blood gushing over your face triggered by the sudden change of your emotions. Having no idea where to hide your blushing face away from his watchful eyes, you could only quietly glance at the beauty mark under his lips.

His eyes haven't left yours as he carefully observes your little reactions with a smile adorning his lips. In that instant you'd thought he wasn't injured anymore and that he was playing an act all along. The confidence mixed with a joyful look on his face had made your thoughts stop. Unlike any other day, you're undoubtedly helplessly unable to conceal your flustered self this time.

It only took him a bit of effort to lean over and capture your lips in the process. His hand firmly but gently made sure you didn't move as he delicately deepened the kiss. Pursuing your entirety. 

Your mind was rendered blank, devoid of a single intention to make any further movement. Perhaps too overwhelmed and surprised by such an unrecognizable act that has never etched in your record of physical interaction. You've only read it in books or witnessed it at weddings but it never occurred to you, not even once until now.

Although you're nervous of the outcome, you slowly respond to his act of endearment, following his gentle flow, unconsciously making him as your guide before closing your eyes, completely letting him in control. Your once steady heart starts pounding by the second as pure emotions finally seeps in, taking over your mind and soul. 

The kiss was gentle and unhurried but overflowing with genuine passion. It felt like slowly being pulled into a sense of warmth, affection and yearning from him. 

If it wasn't for his physical injury, who knows how long he'll hold on to you but after a few moments he slowly releases you. His chest still rises and falls as if he just did a physical exercise, seemingly breathless. Ayato could barely conceal the twisted look of pain on his face.

But eventually, he smiled upon seeing your already concerned self. It seems you're even worried about his wellbeing rather than feeling shy over the affectionate interaction you've just accepted seconds ago.

"Idiot" you muttered. "I told you to go to sleep" You spoke ever so casually as if nothing happened.

"I only asked you to give me a hug" he whispered back, indicating that it wasn't his fault.

You awkwardly cleared your throat, knowing too well what he was implying. Finally realizing that back then he wasn't asleep after all and he knew.

"I can't give you a hug because you're holding my other hand"

"I was convinced that you already said no". He slowly whispered back. 

Eventually you only nodded as a way of admitting defeat. Arguing with him over it wasn't going to help him rest either. 

"Are you admitting defeat?" He questioned as if he didn't know already. The idea of winning something against you greatly overjoys him. 

You glared at him, "Yes, yes I am. Now you better rest up, or else I'm taking back my promise". Effortlessly threatening him with a sentence that you knew he dreads the most. 

He quietly but quickly took your hand that was placed on the side of the futon and did the same thing as he did earlier. He was lucky that you'd let him and didn't complain afterwards.

You only smiled feeling a little amused after noticing how much power your words had over him even if you barely made an effort.

"Y/n… actually…" He briefly paused seemingly hesitant, but eagerness was evident in his tired eyes.

"...won't you lie down next to me?" 

 ------------------

A/N: my soft innocent lovely couple is growing up XD

[lilyvandersteen]

Home Away From Home Chapter 1: The Hotel From Hell

Chapter summary:

This chapter is from Kurt's point of view. He's an inspector in this story, and we get some insight as to how that's become his profession. And of course, he likes Blaine at once, but doesn't want to show it because that wouldn't be professional, now would it? 

Many thanks to my beta @hkvoyage!

You can also read this story on AO3.

~~~~~~

Chapter 1: The Hotel from Hell

Kurt wished the manager of the hotel he’d just inspected a good afternoon and promised he’d send her his report and recommendations as soon as possible.

She smiled and thanked him and his colleague Artie.

Artie smiled back. Kurt didn’t.

This hotel had passed their inspection with flying colours, yes, and the manager had been nothing but courteous and accommodating, true, but Kurt still liked to keep his distance. He felt like his function demanded that.

Kurt helped Artie into the van and secured the wheelchair.

“These guys really did their homework, huh?” Artie said. “Nice for a change, not having to lay down the law, because they’re already doing everything they should even without us having to point out this or that during our inspection. Very nice hotel, too. I liked it. Things are going well today. Let’s keep that going.”

Kurt, who was now checking their schedule for the day, groaned.

“Stomach ache?” Artie inquired. “I got antacids here somewhere, hang on.”

But before Artie could dig up the medicine, Kurt shoved the schedule under his nose. “Look where we’re heading next!”

“Lima, Ohio? Ugh, no… Is that…?”

“Yep, the final inspection at the hotel from hell. With that rude guy who seems to think it’s perfectly okay to take money from guests for beds that break their backs, food that might make them ill…”

“And who treats me like I’m subhuman because I use a wheelchair,” Artie added grimly.

“We’re not granting him any more time to fix stuff,” Kurt said. “Last time, he hadn’t done ANYTHING on the very long list of issues he had to deal with. And he just laughed in our face about it. I can’t fathom why our boss gave him another two months’ time.”

Artie shrugged. “Smythe’s father forced the issue. Told Rick in no uncertain terms that he and everyone who worked for him would be replaced if we made trouble for his son.”

Kurt’s eyes narrowed. “So that’s the way it is, is it? Well, that smirky meerkat isn’t the only one with an influential father. I’m going to close down that hotel today, and you will back me up, and if Smythe Jr. so much as dares to breathe in my direction, I’ll sic my father the senator onto him.”

They drove to Lima in silence, each of them lost in thought.

Kurt spent the drive thinking about his father. At sixteen, he’d almost lost his father to a heart attack. Then, Burt had been diagnosed with cancer and had spent years battling it.

After Kurt had graduated high school, he’d chosen to study at Ohio State so he could stay close by.

Yes, Burt had remarried in the meantime, and yes, Carole looked after him well, but Kurt hadn’t wanted to risk moving so far away he wouldn’t be able to make it to the hospital in time if Burt had another episode.

Luckily, Burt’s health improved, and soon, Kurt was happy to be nearby for another reason: Burt ran for office and ended up becoming a senator for Ohio, a feat he’d only managed because his son had run a very successful social media campaign for him.

Through Burt, Kurt scored a government job for himself and his high school friend Artie. Inspecting hotels was not what he’d ever imagined himself doing, but unlike fashion design or acting, it was a steady job with good benefits, which was rare and valuable in this Rust Belt town.

It wasn’t easy work, though. So many hotel managers shrugged off Kurt’s safety concerns and did anything to cut costs, frustrating Kurt no end. There were those, too, that became aggressive when Kurt took away their hotel license, threatening him and sometimes even assaulting him.

Thank heavens Kurt was fit, young and well-versed in self-defence. That had always saved him so far. He couldn’t imagine doing this job until he was in his sixties, though.

When they arrived in Lima, the first thing Kurt noticed when he drove onto the hotel’s parking lot was a van that had mice and cockroaches and other unsavoury beasts depicted on it, and the promise to get rid of that vermin for you, with a phone number under it in big red numbers.

Was it possible that Smythe had turned over a new leaf?

Ugh. Too little, too late, anyway. This hotel would not stay in business one day longer, if Kurt had anything to say about it. And fortunately, he did.

Kurt helped Artie out of the back of the van, and together, they headed towards the hotel.

“Still no ramp,” Artie remarked.

He’d spoken too soon, though. A guy from the hotel staff spotted them, called for two others, and they quickly brought a few sturdy planks Artie could use to get inside.

“Thanks,” Artie said, “though you guys need a permanent ramp here.”

“Working on it, sir,” said the staff member who’d first spotted him, shooting the both of them a brilliant smile. “This is just a temporary measure. The ramp has been ordered and should arrive tomorrow. Do you have a reservation?”

Hmm, never heard anything like that before when I came here… Smythe finally got serious about this, did he? Well, he’s too late, and I’ll tell him so. Too bad for his new employee, though. Polite, welcoming and with a can-do attitude – yes, it’s a pity, all right. I’ll see if I can find another job for him in a hotel nearby. Put in a good word for him.

He couldn’t help but notice that the employee was classically handsome and totally his type. Plus, he’d caught a glimpse of the guy’s ass while he was arranging the temporary ramp for Artie. Delectable! So if the guy was thankful for Kurt’s help finding him a new job, one thing could come from another…

Kurt smothered that line of thought before it caused problems in his pants, and firmly reminded himself to stay professional at all times.

Out loud, Kurt announced that he wasn’t a guest. “I’m Inspector Hummel, and this is Inspector Abrams. My colleague and I are hotel inspectors, and we are here to see Mr. Smythe.”

The staff member’s eyes widened and his mouth fell open. Clearly, he had not been informed of their scheduled inspection.

He rallied fast, though, plastering a smile on his face again. “My name is Blaine Anderson, pleased to meet you. You were looking for Mr. Smythe? I’m afraid he no longer owns this hotel. It belongs to my brother now.”

“Yes, we’re here for the final inspection that will decide whether or not this hotel keeps its licence…” Kurt started to say, and then it sank in. “What did you say? The hotel has changed owners? When exactly? And why weren’t we informed of this?”

Anderson managed to keep his smile on. “The sale has only just happened, that’s probably why. My brother bought this property last week, and sent me here to oversee the renovations.”

“Our department should have been informed straight away!” Kurt snapped at him. “By filling in a form on our website, it’s easy as pie. Ugh, why am I even bothering to explain… I’ll fill in the form myself. Identification please. And I’m going to need the ownership documents too.”

Anderson rushed off to get the documents, while Kurt took his laptop out of his briefcase, logged in on the website and found the right form to fill in.

“Artie?” said a female voice behind Kurt.

Both Kurt and Artie turned around.

“Tina!”

Artie sounded glad to see the woman. There was something familiar about her. Where did Kurt know her from?

“Good to see you! It’s been ages – I haven’t seen you since high school!” Artie said to Tina. “How have you been?”

Oh, right. Now Kurt remembered. Tina hadn’t been in the AV club with Artie and Kurt, but she’d dated Artie for almost a whole school year. Then she’d hooked up with someone else during a summer camp, and Artie had been history. He’d been quite broken up about it.

“What are you doing here?” was Artie’s follow-up question, and when Tina told him she was here to help with the renovations, Kurt knew straight away what Artie would say.

And yes, Artie proved just as predictable as Kurt had feared.

“Well, seeing as you’ve only just started renovating, it doesn’t seem fair to inspect the hotel right this minute. Let’s give you some more time to fix all the issues of the place. Maybe…”

“Artie!” Kurt interrupted his colleague. “A word, please.”

He gestured for Artie to come and confer with him.

Artie rolled his eyes, but steered his wheelchair in Kurt’s direction.

“What?”

He sounded belligerent. It looked like it wouldn’t be easy to swerve Artie from his position.

Internally, Kurt groaned, cursing Artie’s love for pretty girls and the stupid decisions he made because of it.

“Artie, you know this hotel should have been closed down months ago! There are so many things wrong here. We can’t in good conscience let this establishment continue to have paying guests when that puts them in danger. And it does, you know it. There’s vermin, the electricity is faulty, it’s actually dangerous for people’s health and safety to spend the night here. We simply can’t let that continue. We CAN’T.”

“The vermin is being seen to at the moment,” Anderson told them, panting a bit from running so hard, and handing Kurt his driver’s licence for identification as well as the ownership documents. “We called in a pest control firm, and they’re dealing with the problem right this minute. The electrician has made his rounds earlier this week, and will start fixing things next Monday. We’ve had a plumber come and look at the place too, but his schedule was too full to start on the repairs right away. Those are scheduled for next month.”

While Anderson explained what his team had been doing so far, Kurt quickly filled in the online form to notify his department of the change of ownership and submitted it.

“Well, there you go! It’s not fair to punish the new owners for everything Smythe did wrong,” Artie argued. “They mean to set things right. They’ve already gotten started, this guy says so – sorry, didn’t catch your name…”

Anderson smiled at Artie, and introduced himself again as Blaine Anderson, brother of Cooper Anderson, the new owner. He shook Artie’s hand, and offered his hand for Kurt to shake it as well, but Kurt just glared at him, displeased with how easily Artie let himself be swayed.

Anderson’s smile faltered, and all at once, he looked less cocksure and very, very young.

“Remember everything Smythe promised us?” Kurt reminded Artie. “Nothing ever came of it.”

He turned to Anderson. “Excuse me for being sceptical, but you seem like another Richie Rich with a silver tongue whose only experience with renovating is playing Homescapes on his cell phone. Why would I believe a word you say? I’m not falling for that again. Trust fund babies like you need to learn that hotels are not playthings. That the guests staying here matter, and deserve a decent place to stay. That there are rules and regulations, and that hotel managers have to toe the line or they’ll lose their licence.”

Anderson’s brow knit, but before he could say a word, Tina came to his aid.

“Blaine is NOTHING like that smarmy Smythe,” Tina yelled at Kurt. “When he says he will do something, he will.”

“I’ll believe that when I see it,” Kurt said, his voice barely louder than a whisper, but cold as ice.

He turned back to Artie. “We’ve been here twice, to inspect this hotel, and it’s the worst case we’ve ever had on our hands. Safety and health violations in all categories. If it had been up to just me, this place would have been closed down months ago. But Mr. Smythe got extra time to fix things, twice, and today was to be the final inspection. We were clear on that. We’ve always been clear on that. If things were not A-OK today, the hotel licence would be revoked.”

Artie sighed. “I know that, but you could at least give the new owner the benefit of the doubt. And more time to fix things. They’ve only just arrived.”

“I could show you what issues we’ve fixed already?” Anderson offered readily, the smile back on his face. “And I can tell you what’s on the planning for the weeks to come. Obviously, there might be things mentioned in your inspection report that I haven’t thought of so far, but I’m willing to do everything that’s needed to make this a safe and healthy quality establishment, I assure you. We have the same goal.”

Anderson ran to the reception desk and came back with a clipboard, which he shoved under Kurt’s nose.

Kurt saw a checklist not unlike the ones he drew up himself while inspecting hotels. Next to every item was the name of the firm or specialist who would be dealing with the issue, as well as the projected timeframe in which that would happen.

The issues that had been dealt with already had checkmarks next to them, and there were quite a few.

He nodded. “All right, show me.”

Half an hour later, trailing after Anderson, who was taking them on a tour of the hotel to show what had been done so far, Kurt acknowledged that Anderson and his team had certainly not been twiddling his thumbs in the week they’d been here.

The place looked cleaner and smelled a lot better now that the air conditioning was actually working, and the new furniture looked a lot sturdier and better quality.

“Okay,” Kurt conceded, “I can see you’ve been working hard and that matters have already improved, so we’ll compromise. Artie and I will grant you an extra couple of months, Mr. Anderson.”

Anderson nodded like a bobble-head, a thousand-watt smile back on his face, and Tina looked pleased as well, but Kurt wasn’t done speaking.

“We’ll also give you a copy of our last inspection report, with the full list of all the issues that need to be tackled, and we’ll come to check up on you at least once a week, to make sure you actually do the work you’ve promised to do. Deal?”

Anderson didn’t seem daunted at all, still nodding and smiling. Tina seemed less happy at the prospect of being inspected every week, and Artie was shaking his head.

“Every week? That’s overkill, man!” Artie protested. “Make it every month, and we have a deal.”

“Every two weeks then, and that’s final. It’s not like this place is far away, Artie. It’s Lima. We pass by this hotel every day. It’s no big deal to drop in for five minutes. I’ll do the inspection, and you can shoot the breeze with your friend Tina here.”

“All right, then. Deal.”

Kurt turned to Anderson. “I’m going to need your e-mail address, so that I can send you the inspection report and the list of issues that need to be addressed.”

“Certainly, sir, let me jot that down for you. And as soon as you’ve sent me the list, I’ll tackle all the issues I haven’t thought of so far, planning all the work, ordering materials and contacting professionals and so on, and I’ll send you the definitive schedule as soon as I’ve been able to draw it up. That should make the follow-up easier.”

Kurt had to hand it to the guy – he was polite to a fault and perfectly cooperative. Maybe, just maybe, this wouldn’t remain a disaster zone now that it had been taken over by someone who seemed competent.

Here’s hoping…

Ten minutes later, Artie and Kurt arrived at Artie’s place, and Kurt helped him out of the van.

“Well, that was a nice surprise, for sure,” said Artie.

Kurt hummed non-committally.

“Maybe they’ll actually turn this hotel into a nice place.”

Artie sounded hopeful, and Kurt hated to be a downer, but it had to be said. “Let’s just wait and see if Anderson does what he says, or if it’s just empty talk again, like it was with Smythe.”

“Tina wouldn’t be friends with a rat like that!”

“We’ll see. All right, see you tomorrow, bud.”

While Kurt drove on home, he found himself hoping that Artie was right. He thought of Anderson’s warm smile and expressive eyes, and wished that he had shaken his hand instead of refusing to in a fit of pique. Not the best first impression. Yes, he had a job to do, but he could remain civil all the same.

He wondered how long it would take before he got that promised schedule. No matter how long it took, he’d stop by the hotel two weeks from now to check up on things.

A smile crept onto his face at the prospect of seeing Anderson again.

Who’d have ever thought he’d look forward to another inspection of the hotel from hell?

[elimaster23]

My FIFA Journey

When I was in still in the Philippines, I had known already that FIFA World Cup 2022 will be held in Qatar. On October 7, 2021, I arrived at Qatar for work purposes for a three-year period. A heightened excitement runs through my veins as the event draws near. During the FIFA season, all schools in Qatar would be closed and that means that our last day of school would be November 17, 2022, and the opening of FIFA WC 2022 would be on November 20, 2022, at Al Bayt Stadium.

As early as September of 2022, I and some colleagues did apply as FIFA Volunteer but after knowing that we will not receive a salary, we opted to withdraw. What we’ve done next was to visit some agencies advertising for some hospitality and logistic works affiliated by FIFA. Since my interest was working in a bar, I decided to apply as a barman. I even influenced my friends to accept the offer as barman. We accepted the offer by Inspire Training Management as barman as they are specializing on hospitality management. With that, after signing the contract, we were required to attend session and trainings for food and beverages handling. Our trainer Miss Yogi was so effective and inspiring.

The next step we’ve done was undergoing a medical procedure. I passed the medical exam together with my colleagues and we were then given a uniform plus the medical certificate that would certainly grant us the access to the stadium and be allowed to serve the international guests.

A night before the FIFA World Cup opening, I and my friends Loida and Mark went to 900 Park Doha to watch the interesting views. And as we go home, we made ourselves ready for the next day’s big event.

On November 20, 2022, our call time was 10am. We were then transported to Al Bayt Stadium and reach the location about 11 in the morning. Two-way pass was then issued to each of us after two hours. We felt the sun burned our skin after long hours of waiting outside. At 2 pm we were allowed to enter the Workforce Entrance for security checking. Again, we were made to wait for another hour before we were finally able to enter the stadium. We finally settled in our assigned area at 3pm and waited for the guests to arrive. From 3-6pm, we served the guests with beverage that they want. It was the starting point where I see a lot of foreign nationals although I am accustomed to it back when I was in Saudi Arabia.

At 6pm, that was the time that we were allowed to eat food since the guests had been watching the match. We ate hurriedly to prepare for the influx return of the guests during the halftime. I took a glimpse of Jungkook’s performance through a tv screen only without volume, but I was fully aware of what was he singing since the release of the official theme has dominated the airwaves already. We were then required by our floor supervisor to report on our station and continue with our work.

During that moment, I gained friendships with my co-barmen and other food servers. It was a nice moment since I appreciate the approachable attitudes of my supervisors. There are many supervisors to deal with. Luckily, all of them were easy to work with.

We were released by our coordinator at exactly 10:30pm for the next day’s duty at 974. I reached home at 12am. The next morning, we were required to report at 974 around 9am. There was a bus fetching us at Al Rayyan Al Qadeem and there were only four of us in the bus. We reached the 974 stadium and had to clean all the utensils since there was no match that day at 974. It was prepared for the next day’s match wherein we were again assigned there to work as barman. During my first work as a barman at 974, our guests were the Mexicans whom I fondly regarded as the friendliest peoples. They look like an upgraded Filipino. Why do I love the Mexicans? First, I am heavily influenced by Thalia, a Mexican superstar who dominated the Philippine television in the 90’s and early 2000’s. I was never wrong with my admiration to them since my guests were very friendly. Added to that, they were very generous in giving tip.

I had a supervisor named Miss A, whom I am quite upset with. She was always scolding us, the barman as if we were robots and should do what she wanted accordingly. My point was, if ever she wanted us to learn something, why didn’t just she teach us about it. Human as I am, it is just normal to feel pain, and anger towards her for the maltreatment and humiliation I received.

I am a fan of team Argentina ever since I got interested with football back in 2013 when I arrived at Saudi Arabia. I do not play but I just love watching my students play football and sometimes when they submit an essay, most of them would write about their favorite football stars like Leonil Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. I felt the same thing along with the worldwide fans back in 2016 when Messi announced that he would no longer be playing in international football due to multiple losses. Thankfully, he was convinced to play once more. In 2018 FIFA World Cup, team Argentine lost to France during the round of 16, dropping their hopes to the Finals.

Until they won the COPA Americana trophy in 2021 and the much-coveted world cup trophy during the FIFA. Qatar has indeed successfully hosted to one of the biggest events in the world. I, myself had been truly enjoying and entertained by the dazzling array of performing stars who rendered a stunning performance at the FIFA Fan Festival at Al Bida Park. I had personally seen the performances by Julian Marley, The Uprising Band, Myrath, Paul van Dyk, and Sean Paul.

During the Finals, I was not able to watch the match at the big screen at FIFA Fan Festival due to multitude of fans already inside. What I could hear was the loud screaming of fans whenever Argentine team scores. I, together with my friend Marque, was only seated at the nearby entrance and looked only at the mobile screen of a guy who was also denied entrance. The game ended and I went home extremely happy for the result. When I arrived home, the Argentine celebrations continued, and I was able to watch the live broadcast. They were paraded at Lusail Boulevard and throng of supporters showed their admiration and congratulatory remarks. Meanwhile, at Messi’s hometown, millions of Argentine people celebrated the winnings of Argentina at the FIFA World Cup 2022.

              I wish it had not come to an end!

[alpinefitco]

Alaska Trip Planning: Juneau

Juneau, AK has amazing variety of trip options from the safe and easy to multi-day adventure. Last summer we completed the cross-Admiralty trip over 5 days and it was a blast. We were able to throw in some local runs and hikes on either side of our trip so the packing was interesting, accounting for a variety adventures and weather conditions. Luckily we had clear skies for a few days which always lifts our spirits. Looking back, we packed well for the trip, we stayed warm and dry, even comfortable. Our planes departed and then arrived on time, and we never got lost!

Juneau is unfortunately known for rain, it gets an average yearly rainfall of 62 inches. Rather than big rain storms, the rain is spread out over days, weeks or months. Watching cold/wet tourists dressed in plastic bags scuttle from cruise ship to tour bus is local amusement. Knowing weather patterns such as dry seasons and rainy seasons is important no matter where you go. Juneau is usually pretty nice in May and June which is when we decided to book our trip. July and August are often rainy, and other months are not recommended for good adventuring! Regardless, don’t take anything for granted and pack ready for surprises. Despite our nice weather, this is a temperate rainforest and 2022 was a record-breaking year for rain in Juneau.

Being a coastal community, Juneau has excellent float plane access. If you get a chance there are many fun trips that involve a short ride, as little as 30 minutes, sometimes up to 90. You get excellent views and a unique perspective of the terrain from about 1000 feet off the ground. Flights do book up in advance, so plan at least several months ahead of time. The plane operators are generally very competent and willing to share their knowledge of the surrounding geography if you have any questions. There are many tales of plane crashes and some of us even have friends that have had catastrophic consequences; The larger outfits however are quite reliable and know when to call bad weather and cancel for the day. Landing on water is fun too if not a little unnerving at times. On this trip we landed on one float during a banked turn into the bay, the other setting down several seconds after the first. That was a new one for me.

Crossing Admiralty island is a leisurely walk and paddle with a fun history. Trails date back nearly a century and you can still see some of the logs that were laid by the Civilian Conservation Corp to set the trails. Fallen trees are frequent along the hike requiring maneuvering over, around, or under the massive conifers. This is punctuated by lake crossings that we managed in our packrafts. Back in the day there were tour operators that would shuttle canoes from one side of the lake to another but those days seem to have passed. Thanks to advanced planning we did secure a cabin halfway through which greatly improved our comfort level. The forest service cabins (this is located in the Tongass National Forest) are typically well-maintained, functional, and clean. Some of the older cabins are a little iffy and might have mice though.

One particularly bad section of trail was flooded several years ago by a beaver dam. We struggled to find a way past the newly formed bog but found a log to cross that had been set up with a rope indicating this was not a new situation. When we still couldn’t find the trail we consulted Avenza Maps with our planned trip already plotted; trail was right there, just a few hundred feet away through thick blueberry bushes.

I have to thank Alpine Fit for keeping our crew warm and comfortable. The baselayer tops and bottoms held up to the bushwacking, kept us warm while packrafting, never have odor problems, and are super comfortable.

Overall it was a very successful trip because of excellent trip research and planning, we packed well for the weather, and we were ready for the unforeseen. The weather cooperated for much of the trip despite a day or two of rain. The cabins were an awesome respite. No punctures in our rafts be we were ready for that too. This was a 5-star trip, one I would definitely do again.

[havnblog]

Waste Your Money on Things That Last

A Defence of Buying Things

A couple of years ago, I was working full time as a teacher. And even though the pay in that profession is far too low, I was still quite comfortable (economically). However, the last few years, I’ve had way less spending power. I wanted to take a master’s degree, which (sadly, and luckily) led to my mind sort of rupturing, and me getting diagnosed with ADHD.1 Now I’m learning how I really work, while trying to get a freelance lifestyle up and running. I’m lucky in that I know that I can get a teacher job if I like (and need) to.2 And even luckier: I’m in a position where I can survive on less income for a while. So, we’ll see what the future holds – but nonetheless: Currently, I don’t have a lot of money to waste.

Some notes on privilege:

I live in a wealthy country, with plenty of social security, and come from a middle-class background. And the reason I talk about 'not having money to waste' instead of 'being poor' (even though I don't have a lot of income), is that I still have everything I need (and more). So I do know that I'm very privileged! However, I hope the principles I'm trying to get across can be relevant for several levels of affluence.

I’m not saying it’s wrong to spend your money on things like holidays and experiences. And you can absolutely argue that these things last in their own way! But I just wanted to give a little shout-out to something I feel like gets recommended less than those.

Pre-purchased luxury

If my “luxury” habits (you know, from when I worked as a teacher 😅) consisted of things like going to restaurants a lot, which is expensive here in Norway, going to my current lifestyle would be a large downgrade. However, here are some things I’m glad that I bought, as I still get great enjoyment from the money I spent.

“Re-usable” entertainment

Personally, I, in general, don’t love rewatching movies and TV shows. So in terms of “entertaining hours per krone”, other forms give me more bang for the buck. As probably many others, I have a way too large backpack of video games – on both Mac and Switch. I also have plenty of board games. Some of them I haven’t tried, and most of them have tons of plays left in them.

Equipment

Even though it’s not the latest and greatest, I have more technical equipment than I need. I also have what I need to work on music, go outside, build and repair things around the house, etc.

Well-made clothes and items

But this post was originally inspired by how lucky I felt, being able to put on clothes I love (that keep me warm and dry), and use good backpacks etc., that I’ve invested in a long time ago.

I like slow fashion (in opposition to fast fashion). And the two most important principles here, are things that have the quality to last, and a timeless style that works for years.

Style is, of course, subjective – but personally, I like things inspired by workwear and classic fits. However, I have more advice when it comes to:

Spotting quality

Construction (how they’re made) and materials (what they’re made of) are, much, much more significant than where they’re made.

Go for things made of (preferably only) natural materials, like cotton, wool, linen, leather, etc., and constructed in a way that makes them repairable.

When it comes to brands, it can be a good idea to go for small brands with close relations to the factory. I’d also primarily buy a brand’s core competency: Know-how when it comes to making jackets doesn’t necessarily translate to making shoes.

What you want, is to find things where the people who made it were provided great materials and the time to do it properly. Sadly, this happens more often in some countries than others, so where it’s made can be an indication. But it’s absolutely not a given! For instance, there are people running (more or less) sweatshops in Italy and the US, and you have brands like Grant Stone making items of top quality in China. See this thread for more on this!

Here’s what I wore yesterday:

For those who are interested:

You can’t see my T-shirt, but it’s a white loop-wheeled cotton T-shirt, from Warehouse.

You can’t see my baseball cap, from Poten, either.

The jumper is a wool jumper from the Norwegian brand Hunting Lodge.

The vest is a wool vest from Filson.

The watch is a Vostok Amphibia.

The jeans are from Tender, and the only thing I bought on holiday to Stockholm this summer.

I have socks from Decka, in mocs from Rancourt.

I know these things are costly, and not something everyone can afford! But by buying used, and by buying less, most people can push up the quality of the items they own. “Own fewer better things” is always* good advice.

Winter is coming – and in Norway, that matters. So I’m glad I already have both boots, a raincoat (for layering), thick wool shirts, etc.! So even though I don’t have much money to waste these days, I’m glad I wasted the money I had on things that last. I’m still living in abundance.

Which was absolutely a good thing! I want to write more on this later. ↩︎

I also miss students! ↩︎

[sakinahhhhh]

Weekly Journal 1

How I Met Taylor Swift !

Have you ever had a favourite musician that you would kill to meet in person? Well, I do, and it is none other than the iconic pop sensation Taylor Swift. I am forever thankful to be blessed to have personally witnessed my long-time idol through my very own eyes!

It all began when I took a vacation to Europe with my family. We visited numerous iconic cities, including London, Paris, and Turkey. The odds were in my favour when Taylor Swift was kicking off her European set of the Eras Tour on the same date as we were in Paris!

We were travelling to Paris on the 5th until the 11th of May 2024; the concert was on the 9th of May. You have no idea how thrilled I was when I learnt that the dates were aligned. So, I told my mother, and she was as psyched as I was. She is also a fan of Taylor Swift, better known as "Swifties." She granted me permission to attend the concert as long as I was chaperoned by my uncle, who in my favour is also a Swiftie.

Asking for permission was undoubtedly the simple part, as my family was very supportive. Now comes the most difficult part of all: getting tickets! Just the thought of not getting tickets was already crushing my spirit. I constantly felt anxious for weeks! Instead of studying, all the information my brain could comprehend was only in relation to finding ways to get my hands on those precious tickets.

Thank God I was able to secure not only two tickets for my uncle and me, but they were also the elusive VIP tickets. When I told my mom and uncle, they were flabbergasted because they had little faith that I was able to do it. But I surely proved them wrong! That's what they get for underestimating a girl who’s been a hardcore Swiftie for 5 years.

Finally, it was time; we took off to Europe in May and safely landed in the City of Lights on May 5th. As time passed, the calendar marked the long-awaited day, May 9th. It was a typical cold, windy morning in Paris, but the gloomy weather didn't stop my uncle and I from gushing about the concert. We headed off to La Défense by bus and walked to the concert arena. We were in line to collect our VIP merchandise. Fortunately, the line was not long, and we ran into many Swifties there. It is tradition in the fandom to trade friendship bracelets with each other, so without hesitation, the Swifties we met traded bracelets with us.

After collecting the merchandise, we went back to our hotel to change into our concert attire. Swifties typically dress like Taylor; sometimes they even go so far as to style themselves in a way reminiscent of one of her album covers. So, while my uncle dressed in black and dark grey to mirror the cover of the album "Reputation," I dressed in pink and pastels inspired by her "Lover" album. When we were all dressed, we returned to the arena. There were a lot of people who were already queuing; the line for the regular tickets was the longest line I have ever seen. Luckily the VIP line was much shorter; we were fortunate enough to enter the arena as soon as we arrived.

As soon as I entered the arena pit, excitement and anticipation filled the air. Swifties, dressed in everything from casual outfits to Taylor-inspired costumes representing various eras, gathered in a sea of glitter and glam. There was a palpable sense of unity and shared passion as fans from all over the world came together to celebrate one artist, Taylor Swift, and her incredible career. I can't explain to you how I was feeling on the inside. Even though I had butterflies in my stomach, it did not stop how ecstatic I was. I felt like I had finally found my people and that this place was truly home. We got to secure a spot right in front of the B stage. 

After a few minutes, her opener took the stage. The famous band 'Paramore' opened for Taylor's European leg. We got to watch live renditions of their iconic hits. This was the first time I heard a live performance. From now on I could clearly distinguish between authentic live vocals, recorded or if the artist is just using backtrack, autotune, or the worst of them all, lip-syncing! Paramore's main singer, Hayley Williams, is undoubtedly a live performer since you could hear her raw and genuine vocals. The crowd was only starting to get hyped. Her performance ended after about an hour, and it was time for the big act to take the stage—the artist who we crossed 6,430 miles just to see perform live—the artist who I was going to see on my first ever concert, Taylor Swift!

As the lights dimmed and the opening notes of "Miss Americana & The Heartbreak Prince" played, the audience erupted in cheers. Taylor emerged on stage, kicking off her set with an energy that electrified the entire stadium. Throughout the night, Taylor's effortless transitions between eras showcased her evolution as an artist. I have never seen any other artist perform a 3-hour show like she does.

And of course, there were the surprise songs. As Paris Night 1 was a major stop on her European leg of the tour, there was much anticipation surrounding what song she might pull out of her discography. When she surprised the crowd with "Paris", the audience went wild. I could not believe; I was one of the lucky Swifties that got to experience her perform her song “Paris” live from Paris! The performance felt intimate, a shared secret between Taylor and her fans, and the Parisian setting added a layer of magic to the whole experience.

As the concert was coming to a close with "Karma," confetti showered down like cats and dogs. After the lights went back on, I grabbed the opportunity to gather the confetti scattered on the floor to bring a little bit of this event home with me. Every time I look at it, I will reflect on the indelible memories I had at the concert.

Leaving the arena that night, I felt a mixture of exhilaration and nostalgia. Her performance made an indelible impression on me. The concert just ended, and I was already reminiscing about the memories I had at that sentimental concert.

For anyone who has yet to experience the Eras Tour, I can say with certainty that it is more than worth the wait. Taylor Swift has created something truly extraordinary. And for me, who was lucky enough to attend in Paris, Night 1, it will forever be a night full of precious memories that I will never forget.

[sandeep-trading]

How Much Can You Withdraw, Send, and Receive on Cash App Daily or Weekly?

The daily and weekly limit for Cash App is based on the state of verification of your account. If you are a Cash App verified this limit is reset each week after each withdrawal has helped you reach that limit.

Users that are not verified have a weekly limit of $250 they can send. Anything beyond this amount could cause your transaction to be declined and receiving a notification saying that the transaction was rejected.

Luckily, the app has different ways to increase Cash App limit per day, including confirming identity documents as well as linking a bank account with it, and calling customer support to get assistance. The first step is verifying your identity by giving your complete name, date of birth, and four digits that make up the Social Security number; this could significantly increase your limit. Verified Cash App users are granted higher Cash App sending limit. So, let's begin and learn about the different limits associated with sending and receiving money on Cash App.

What are the Cash App Sending Limits?

If you are a non-verified user, Cash App imposes relatively small limits on sending. If you are not able to verify your identity with the platform, you are allowed to only transfer up to $250 in any seven-day timeframe. This is a good limit for smaller transactions; however, it could be limiting if you are planning to use the Cash App for larger transactions.

After you have verified your identity, each week you are able to send up to $7,500 worth of transactions via Cash App. In addition, verified users can enjoy no limit on their receiving. This makes the app ideal for regular users of the Cash App users who need large amounts of money sent to them.

What are the Cash App Receiving Limits?

Contrary to the limitations on sending, Cash App does not limit the amount of money you can receive on verified customers. Without, you can get up to $1000 in 30 days. If you surpass the Cash App limit then you will be asked to increase your identity before you can be eligible for additional money. Additionally, you may contact customer service to request an increase in Cash App receiving limit. Although this is not always the most convenient but it is often the most efficient and fastest method of getting your limits raised.

What are the Cash App Withdrawal Limits

When you want to withdraw money from the Cash App, either by the transfer of funds into your bank account or by withdrawing cash at any ATMs, there are limitations you should be aware of. Users who have connected to their Cash App to the Cash Card (Cash app's debit card), ATM withdrawals are restricted to certain limitations.

Its Cash App daily limit at the ATM will be $1,000 for each transaction. If you are regularly taking cash out of ATMs, you should be aware of these limits to avoid being denied further withdrawals. Moreover, to increase Cash App withdrawal limit, you must verify identity or contact the customer support team.

How to Increase Cash App Limit per Day?

Here is how to increase Cash App limit per day:

Open the Cash App on your device, and go the profile section.

Find the section that permits you to increase the limits typically found within "Personal Information" or "Account Settings."

You will be asked for your legal name, birth date, birth, as well as the last four numbers from the Social Security number.

Once you have submitted the information, Cash App will review the details if everything is in order out your account will be checked.

FAQ

What is the Cash App limit per day for sending money?

If you are not verified the limit for sending is $250 in a 7-day period. However, the Cash App sending limit after verification is higher which $7500 per week is.

How can I increase my Cash App sending limit?

To increase spending limits on Cash App, you need to verify identity. For this you need to share personal information including birth date as well as well last four numbers from number of social security number.

What are the Cash App withdrawal limits?

Cash App ATM withdrawals limit per day is $1,000. The week-long limit of $1,000 and the monthly limit is $1,250.

What happens if I reach my receiving limit on Cash App?

If you have reached your maximum amount (which is $1,000 over 30 days for unverified users) you’ll be asked to verify your identity.

[casspurrjoybell-18]

Worthless - Chapter 14

*Warning Adult Content*

Asher

The first thing I noticed was an absence. I couldn't say what was gone but it had given me warmth and security. Without it, the cold seeped into my aching limbs. I felt my mind recoil, not wanting to wake up. I knew pain waited but I couldn't avoid it. Luckily, the pain wasn't mind numbing like before. It was a dull ache, seeming to emit from every part of my body. My breaths came in puffs as I tried to remember how to move.

With difficulty, I willed my eyes to open. I squinted past the grit that caked my lashes. I reached up to rub it away and stared at the pink flesh that appeared. It shocked me, to say the least. I couldn't pinpoint the reason why but I knew it was unusual. It felt, not wrong but different to see a hand there, a trembling one at that. Shaking away the thought I tested my body, slowly waking up my limbs. My muscles tingled and began to twitch as blood began to work its way back into my limbs, warming them up along the way.

When I felt like I had a decent control over my body I decided to make an attempt at getting up. Inch by inch I scooted until I felt the edge of the bed. With a grunt I rolled off, landing on the cold, hardwood ground. I ignored the pain and got on my hands and knees, pushing myself up. I lurched as blackness crept at the edge of my mind, falling back down to the floor as I dry heaved. Over and over my body convulsed but my stomach was already empty. Sweat accumulated as I stood, wobbling in place. Fearing another episode of dry heaving, my steps were hesitant.

Once I was confident that I could handle the movements, I made my way to the door that led out of the bedroom, though I didn't know where this information came from. A cover wrapped around my body to keep warm, trailing behind me. I took it slow. There were many different scents and though I couldn't remember who they belonged to, I felt at ease. Casually I walked down the dark hallway, following a heavenly scent that I knew would lead me to the source of my earlier warmth. My first challenge was a staircase. Not trusting myself, I stiffly lowered myself onto the top step, meaning to scoot down on my bottom. Step by painful step my butt thumped down until I was finally at the bottom.

I took my time getting up, listening to each bone as it popped in protest. I'd almost lost my balance, arms flailing as I tried to steady myself. Heart pounding, I looked around when I was finally able to stand straight.  The scent was stronger now. I could almost see the trail as I stumbled my way down the hallway.  There was a light, flowing out of a doorway and lighting the hallway.  I quickened my pace, knowing that what I was looking for, what I needed, was right there. I stood at the doorway, seeing that two people were there, one leaning against a counter while the other sat on a bar stool. 

The conversation died and I watched as the man sitting tensed. It felt like an eternity until he turned his head. My gaze locked with his and I knew. He was what I was looking for. My feet were moving before I could even process it.

Kade

I had sat next to the bed for what seemed like forever but in reality, it was only about four days. I would have waited forever but Rory ordered me to get something to eat. He said that it wasn't right and what would Asher think when he woke up to it and he was right. I couldn't starve myself in some sort of punishment I felt I deserved but when I looked at Asher, noticing all the scars that littered his body and how his ribs could be seen, I felt like I'd been taking life for granted.

'Hell, he probably hates me.'

"He doesn't."

Startled, I looked to Rory, realizing that I had spoken my thoughts out loud,

"Asher would be happy, wouldn't he? That you had a nice life? And now he has a nice life. Or he will."

Slowly, I gave a nod. Rory seemed satisfied and gestured to the sandwich in front of me. Gingerly, I picked it up, sniffing once before taking a bit. Honestly, my stomach wanted nothing more than to throw it all up but the was for Asher... no... it was for me. 

"Jeez, I'm so obsessed with him," I mused. 

"Ha, damn right you are. Moon Goddess, I've never seen anyone be more..." he stopped suddenly, looking at something behind me.

I was about to ask what it was but then it hit me. My body began to tingle, my lower region heating as I felt the presence of the one who mattered most. My head turned, every inch my mind was in chaos but then my eyes landed on him. Asher, my mate and then I was crushed with the weight of him, almost throwing me off the stool. My arms wrapped around him even though my mind couldn't process it. His scent engulfed me and I leaned in, breathing it in as if I was dying. I could barely believe it.

'Asher, my Asher, was awake.'

He was alive and in my arms. I tried to connect with him using the pack link but there was a wall. For a second I did nothing, my own mind going blank and then I tried again and again and then again until I was shaking.

"Asher., I whispered, my voice cracking.

I looked to Rory when he didn't respond. His glowing face dampened as he saw the distraught written across mine.

"He's not responding to his name or through the link."

His eyebrows shot up in surprise and a moment later furrowed, telling me he just tried. Asher squirmed in my arms, lifting his head to look at me. His eyes, a beautiful, deep blue that has been burned into my very soul, were slightly glazed over but he looked happy, tired but happy. His lips twitched in an attempt to smile before he began to nuzzle my neck, a sigh escaped from between his lips as he breathed my own scent in. Soon he was fast asleep, his breaths warm against my skin.

"Should we get Eric?" Rory asked.

I cocked my head at the question.

"I don't know. I don't want to wake him," I said, gesturing to the bundle of warmth clamped around me.

"He seemed exhausted."

Rory nodded.

"I guess we can just let it be."

His gaze swept up then down, a smirk appearing.

"So are you gonna stay like that? It's still, what? Four in the morning?"

I shook my head and chuckled, already deciding that I would carefully move us to the living room. It was when I moved my hands down to get a better grip that I noticed something. Rory quirked an eyebrow at my look.

"He's naked," I whispered, eyes wide and suddenly, very, very hot.

Rory immediately burst out laughing, ignoring my glare but tried to smother it when Asher made a sound in his sleep.

"Of course he is, you idiot," he said, suddenly getting serious.

"Who knows how long he's been a wolf."

The depressing atmosphere was shattered by a loud gasp. My arms tightened around my mate and I bared my teeth at the intruder, letting out a low growl before realizing who it was and relaxing. Fallon stood there, tears running down his face as he gazed upon Asher with a mix of surprise, disbelief and utter happiness. His bottom lip trembled as he fought to hold back sobs. I put a finger to my lips.

He bobbed his head up and down in understanding and I smiled, gesturing for him to come over. Slowly, almost hesitantly, he tip-toed, his eyes going from mine to the form of Asher and back until he reached us.He reached out, eyes wide and touched Asher. He went slack as if all the tension had left his small body.The look of pure joy illuminated his face causing Rory and me to smile as well.

"He's really awake?" Fallon whispered, almost to himself.

I nodded, though he technically was sleeping again, not fully believing it myself.

"Wanna help me move him?"

I knew the answer before he nodded. I returned my grip on Asher and stood. Fallon decided to be the 'lookout' and make sure I didn't trip over anything as he carried the part of the comforter that trailed behind me. He grinned, more than happy to do this. In no time I was sitting on the couch with Asher still wrapped around me. Fallon yawned and I patted the spot next to us, quickly falling asleep. Rory chuckled at the sight and waved goodbye, deciding to try to go back to sleep. It was comfortable, having these two sleeping beside me.

It made me feel needed. I'd come to care deeply about them and Riley. It had been hell for all of us when Asher wouldn't wake up. Though Asher was my mate, I couldn't tell whether it was I or Riley and Fallon who felt the worse pain but it had brought us together.  We had spent the time talking just to keep our minds off the dire situation. They told me all the things that Asher had done for them, saved them from. It was obvious how much they cared for each other. I told them about my life and the life I wanted for Asher and for them.

It was then that Fallon had called me 'Dad'. He hadn't even realized it himself. We all just sat there, stunned. He trembled, about to sprint when I engulfed him in a hug, whispering soothing words and how I would be honored for him to consider me his dad. And then he had cried. Riley, too, as she joined us. We decided then that we were a family. That we needed to be strong for Asher when he woke because he would need us, all of us and we needed him.

[ghostfan3]

Zander had posted another box over full of yet more Galarian goodies and books on the myths and legends of Galar. It was accompanied with another note! The note read as follows:

" hi again Willow! Hope this arrives to you in one piece. This is probably gonna seem like a strange request, then again maybe not since it's us we're talking about here. But do you happen to know what a Darkrai needs? Such as dietary and what have you. Work has granted permission to try and take care of the little Darkrai I wanted to show you but wouldn't show.

Gonna spill the beans here but we're concerned some unpleasant individuals are after it and may have 'dealt with' it's parent. Ceru seems to be able to sense it if you get my drift. Hope all is well and I look forward to hearing from you.

Zander".

Attached to the note was a cheque of fairly generous sum.

Skylertheminish.

Willow sigh after reading messages from Zander again. She looked up and smile seeing her team snack on all goodies the man had sent. The cheque in her hand feels heavy. Personally she didn't mind do anything for her friend for free, so she would probably sent it back. But now she had more important things to worry about. White hair girl wasn't to sure how to respond. How could she know what a mythical Pokémon could need to grow up healthy. Luckily she know someone who will know. Sky slowly darker as sun was slowly disappearing under horizon. May as well start the journey now.

-"Ok everyone, return!"- she pull out her luxury balls and return most of her Pokémon to them. Shade also sink into her shadow, she smile feeling better with familiar presence guarding her.-"Are you ready Corvus?"

Her Corviknight screech in conformation before letting her climb into his back. Willow made sure her bag was secured place in front of her before gently petting her flying companion.

-"Let's go then"

She brace herself as Corvus took into the air. Sinnoh nights were usually cold during this time of year, so she pulled her scarf closer to keep herself warm. As sun set a stars come out. This was only her source of light during this flight, as moon was set in New. At least her friend was having best time with such little light. Soon enough a Newmoon island come into view. She urge her Corviknight to land on the beach of this speciel island. As they land she move to jump of back of her Pokémon before pulling pokeball and return him.

-"Corvus return, you did well"- She took a big breath before walking into forest from small opening of the beach.

The forest become darker as shadow in front of her rise, soon taking appearance of familiar Pokémon. Darkrai look at Willow with his blue eye. Most people would definitely coward in fear meeting this mythical nightmare Pokémon, but white hair girl smile kindly at it.

-"It's good to see you my friend. I have story that you might find hard to believe it"

-------------------------------------------------------

"Hello Zander I manage to learn how much I could about what you need to take care of the little one. Here are the most important ones:

1. Food and diet:

Darkrai can eat normal food without any ploblem. In fact it would be the best that a balance diet for growing Pokémon would be held, you know, berries, moomoo milk, supplements. Basically the same as Ceru.

But they probably will also need to consume others people dreams or emotions during sleep. So it's will need people or Pokémon to sleep around it. They probably already feeds on dreams of Pokémon resting in the ruins. I already sent you my materials about it, but you can ask for more details if someone at organisational trains like Drowzees or Haunters or any other Pokémons that feed of dreams or emotions (Munna and they evolutions don't occur naturally in Galar right?). But nothing to much worry about.

2. Most obvious is light.

It will probably prefer a more darker place, probably that's why it's hide in ruins. So dim rooms, no bright lights e.t.c. There is possibility of them being most active on New Moon and least active on Full Moon ( I think self-explanatory)

Oh and have room full of shadows they can hide into.

3. Shadows.

I don't think is suprises you that shadows and sinking into them will be important part of the Darkrai live. But it's basically comes to 2 point, of having place for him to hide. (You saw how Shade does it and how he uses them to not only travel but also rest).

4. All the toys and e.t.c for small pokémons. Raising Darkrai won't be that much different then raising any other small pokémon, just need to be careful about few extra steps.

Those are the main things, there are a few more small details, but I'll write them for you later or we can talk in person if you like.

Anyway one more thing, but is more something I thought about. Do you know what Delta pokémons are Zander? It's basically Pokémon that have added or completely change type from their normal counterparts. I'm sending you good study on it. I don't have evidence , simply my thoughts. But something about Ceru being only one to sense doesn't sit right with me.

Also my friend from Newmoon island is quite interested in talking with you, give me sign if you want to meet him.

Anyway, best regards

Willow

Ps. I'm sending you the cheque back. You know I would do anything for free if you ask me too.

Attached files:

Notes on Pokémon that eat dreams and emotions from them.pdf

Study on Pokémon living in shadows.pdf

More confusion when it comes to types- Delta Pokémon. Study conducted by professor Oak.pdf

Of dreams and nightmares.Legendary lunar duo.pdf"

-------------------------------------------------------

@skylertheminish I'm sorry for taking so long. But I really work on this answer, hope you like it

[mazelikedays]

2023 Year Ender

Currently Listening to: Ginger Root - Nominated Location: Dubai, United Arab Emirates Mood: Waiting listlessly Welcome to the 17th iteration of my Year Ender post. I'll be doing this a bit earlier than usual as I'll be going off to Musandam, Oman tomorrow. As you can see in the pic, I have been trying to go to different places. Anyhow, let’s do the 2023 edition of my year ender report! 

1. Thankfully, COVID pretty much became endemic this 2023. Pretty much things have gone back to normal, travel wise. Sadly, inflation happened everywhere. Luckily, my salary also increased this year which was quite nice given the inflation and expenses I had.

2. This year was quite eventful that I was able to secure a state nomination from Canberra, Australia! All the expenses and effort paid off! I was quite surprised though that it was Australia that gave me a chance, since I thought Australia will be harder to get in compared to Canada. While sadly nothing happened with my Canadian application, now I'm waiting for that Australian visa grant. I sure hope I can get it as early as March. I was also quite lucky that I applied as soon as I could, because when July came, it became much, much harder to apply for an Australian PR.

3. Travel wise, I actually became active in camping for the first quarter of the year. I was able to try solo camping in various locations such as Hatta, Jebel Ali Beach, Al Mirfa in Abu Dhabi and Al Qudra with my colleagues in the office. I also travel twice in the Philippines and twice in Singapore. I didn't travel in the latter part of the year due to the summer heat + lethargy. Hopefully I get to travel more starting tomorrow  in Oman!

4. TCG wise, the first half of the year was quite good, with our team getting Top 3 not once, but twice! I fortunately had really good teammates, and I was able to play well. I unfortunately had a bad run though on the second part of the year, and my dream of going to worlds didn't happen. Hopefully the next year will be much better, and I'm hoping I'll get more chances of going to worlds.

5. Health wise, I can't say that it was that good. Nothing really serious, but work stress kind of got to me, especially when new members of the Cerave team joined. The system became drastically different from last year, and it became so stressful that I became easily irritated. It even went to a point where I became so stressed I got sick. I wasn't even able to stick to my diet, and was living an unhealthy lifestyle. I do hope I can reset this coming year, I feel finally going to Australia will greatly help as I feel I'm currently in a limbo waiting for my visa grant. 6. Some not so good news regarding my sister. Seems she was involved in some drug issues and she got imprisoned. She got out of jail eventually but now she's currently detained in an immigration facility as of writing. She's still waiting for a verdict, and I'm hoping for a positive outcome. Kinda fearing for her ability to travel due to this though, as kinda worried for my niece and her fiancee as well. Kinda bummed with what my sister did to her life, but it is what it is sadly.

7. Anime, Manga and Pop Culture stuff.

Anime and Manga wise, I had been watching and reading less. It's probably due to the stress I experienced for a good part of the year. I was able to attend some conventions though, like the MEFCC in Abu Dhabi and AFA in Singapore. I also have some show lined up to watch. As for sumo, I'm not able to watch livestreams for the latter part of the year, though I still check upon the results whenever there's a tournament. I was hyped when Hakuoho was competing, and got bummed that he had to pull out for a while due to injury. I sure hope he'll bounce back in the coming year. It's also exciting to see whether the two new Ozeki, especially Kirishima (formerly Kiribayama) will step up to become the new Yokozuna. I'm also happy that the coming year will have Ura going to Sanyaku!

Currently Watching:

Frieren: Beyond Journey's End, Aria the Origination Planning to Watch: Kubo-San Won't Let Me Be Invisible, Isekai Nonbiri Nouka

Finished This Year:

Engage Kiss, Gundam: Witch From Mercury, Hataraku Maou Sama S3, Danmachi S4 Part 2, Mushoku Tensei S3 Part 1, Tomo-Chan is a Girl, Bofuri S2, Oshi no Ko, Isekai Ojisan, Tonikawa, In/Spectre, Tondemo Sukiru de Isekai Hōrō Meshi, The Dangers in My Heart, Masterful Cat is Depressed, Chainsaw Man, Arifureta S1, Aria the Animation/Natural

Unfinished Anime: Dumbbell Nan Kilo Moteru?, Kimetsu no Yaiba: Swordsman Village Arc, Rurouni Kenshin Reboot,

Finished OVA/Movies:

Tensura Scarlet Bond, Gundam Hathaway, Jujutsu Kaisen Zero, First Slam Dunk, Suzume, The Boy and the Heron

New Manga Read:

Oshi no Ko, Chainsaw Man

Finished Manga: Ayakashi Triangle, Other Stuff Watched:

Movies: Avatar: Way of the Water, Everything Everywhere All At Once, The Flash

Series: The Mandalorian S2, Ahsoka, Andor, Castlevania Nocturne

New Games Played: Mainly just playing Mahjong Soul, Teamfight Tactics, Weiss Simulator and Pokemon TCG Live. Occasionally playing casual games and Colonist (Catan clone).

8. Fulfilled (or not) Wishes a. Get Healthier - Kinda not, though I'm trying to be mindful. I need to reset this coming year and have less stress. b. Get to emigrate elsewhere - Funny enough, it was Australia that gave me the chance! Hoping to hear soon as early as March. I'm quite anxious to get there that I'm currently in a state of limbo. c. Travel to new places - This year made me do a lot of solo camping. Also was able to set foot in Qatar, albeit as a stopover. I am going to Oman tomorrow though, so that's exciting. And even more exciting if I'm finally able to go to Australia! d. TCG wise -I finally played in a teams format, and did quite well especially in PH. Sadly the worlds invite dream went downhill! Hoping this year I can finally get the worlds invite!

New Wishes: a. Get the Australia Visa Grant - Can't wait for it, hoping for a positive outcome, and soon! b. Improved Health - Hoping to reset this year and be better. c. WS Worlds Invite - Hoping to finally get that Worlds invite, so that I can finally retire in TCGs lol! d. Better situation for my Sis - I hope the issues get settled soon, and in a positive manner. e. Some new goal to look forward to - Because sometimes lately, I feel that nothing happens that much. Let's see what endeavor I can aim for the coming year.

I don’t have much else to wish for, maybe just for good health for me, my family and my friends. Hoping the Musandam trip tomorrow will be awesome, even if it's quite expensive. Anyhow, till next year!