#no one could run a catalogue like Val
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Call the Midwife: I had a chat with @fourteen-teacups over the holidays inspired by the Poplar Christmas Club.
We agreed Poplar needs the full late 60s/ early 70s experience.
Nancy needs to start selling Avon to earn a few extra bob to pay off that telly. Shelagh must host a Tupperware party and Val needs to comeback to run the catalogue (preferably Grattans).
Any other ideas?
(Anyone who mentions pampas grass will be reported to Councillor Buckle.)
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Hey, could you please do an angel dust x emo reader?
I am going to be using NB!reader for this but please do know I’m quite aware Angel is gay! He is canonically gay and I think that’s cool yippers ok lesgo 🙏🙏 by Emo I wasn’t sure exactly what you meant so I went with like an angry moody bitch with a 2000s MySpace Emo sort of aesthetic. If you want something diff feel free to re-request and specify! Thatz it :3 </3 (also Emo community please don’t attack me you guys are so cool I’m scared of you. I know corpse paint is gothic I swear please you guys are so cool).
Corpse Paint
Angel Dusk X Emo!NB!Reader
words : 1k , warning for mentions of sexual trauma!
You had been staying in this fucking hotel for months. Did it suck ass? Yes. Did you kind of maybe despise half the people here? Oh, absolutely. But - free place to crash, and it’s not like you were doing much with your days anyways, so the “rehabilitation” excersizes only got positivity-toxic half the time. Plus, Charlie let you skip out on them. Her little girlfriend didn’t though, so you were usually there dejectedly. Not anything worse than your highschool experience.
But you also had Angel. Anthony. Whatever he let you call him depending on the day. And he was half the reason you stayed here. The amount of times you’ve crawled into bed with him and cried? You hadn’t cared to keep track of anymore. A long day, night - of shooting scenes, and you gently comforted him while he laid tiredly in bed, rubbing his back until he fell asleep. Plus, you liked his pig. You and fat nuggets would hangout whenever he was gone.
You wouldn’t consider your relationship too romantic, but it was unbelievably supportive. You two didn’t really get intimate, due to his work, he didn’t trust anyone he was intimate with. He told you that that could change, but you reassured him over and over that it didn’t ever have to. You were happy gently comforting him. You were happy drinking with him, you were happy to be around him.
That didn’t mean he was completely touch-adverse, though. You exchanged small pecks on the cheeks, held hands - though not publicly, due to some of his fans obsessive behaviours - cuddled up. Charlie had offered to just let you guys share a room, but you had rejected the idea and shut it down pretty quickly. You loved each other very dearly, but sometimes you just needed space.
Today wasn’t one of those days, though. You, head resting in his lap as he scrolled on his phone, your 2000s MySpace mix playing softly in the background as you looking through a new catalogue of Hell’s Most Edgy with a marker, circling anything you liked, Fat Nuggets sleeping soundly at Angel’s feet, snoring loudly. But adorably.
“I have a favor to ask.” Angel mumbled out nervously. He hated asking for anything. Especially from someone he had already asked so much of. But you just nodded silently, circling a new, shiny pair of black platforms, before looking up at him with a small smile. “‘Sup, Webs?” You asked, tilting your head as you sat up properly.
“I - well, Val wants to do this shoot today, but he wants me to do Corpse paint. I don’t know how to do.. that. So I was wondering if you could help me out?” He asks with a nervous smile, only to watch the smile on your face grow wide, nodding excitedly as you hopped quickly off the bed to run to your room to get your makeup, disturbing a now cranky Fat Nuggets, who oinked at Angel before walking over to his bed to fall back to sleep.
You came back into his room, closing the door quietly behind you, box of white cream foundation and a million sticks of eyeliner and other black makeup pencils, along with some dramatic statement lashes and lash glue, sitting down next to him on the bed on your knees, gesturing for him to sit up with his legs out straight. You straddled him softly, opening your box of makeup.
“So, this feels - kind of gross to put on. Gonna survive that?” You ask with a smile, tilting your head as he nodded with a small chuckle. “I’ve had much worse on my face.” He says with a wink and a smile. “I’ll survive.” He says with a shrug as you brush some of his fluff out of his face, starting to paint the thick white foundering over his pale pink fur, watching him awakward my try to avoid eye contact, hands awkwardly shifting, trying not to touch your thighs.
“You can put your hands on my thighs, it’s okay. I’m not going to initiate anything.” You say reassuringly and watch as one of his pairs of hands rest comfortably on your thighs, the other set holding up a mirror so he can see the work you’re doing. You watch him visibly relax slightly. He always is a little paranoid about people trying to be intimate with him - reasonably so - so you make sure to quietly reassure him in these moments.
It takes a couple thick layers of the face paint to get his Angel stamp of approval, in which you go in with black eye-safe eyeliner for his eyes, coating them in black and following the image he used as reference, making streaks of black run from his eyes. You pierced your lips together as you leaned back to admire your work. “It’s missing something.” You mumble quietly, before peeking up and pulling out a pair of white lashes from your kit, and he smiles. You let him apply them himself, and with some white underliner, it looks perfect.
You give him some black lipstick, too, but that’s about the extent of what he wants. You give him your old lipstick too, because you and him both know he’s gonna need some re-applying. You watch as he walks over to the mirror, admiring your work - a job well done you’re sure - when he smiles at his reflection and the giddy way you smile back at him through your own reflection.
He pulls you up into a big hug and you giggle as he picks you up and spins you around, before you get him to put you down, smiling from ear to ear at how happy he looks with himself and the work you’ve done. His phone buzzes and he sighs, kissing you softly on the head before heading out, not even daring to put his famous sunglasses on and ruin your work.
A new memory that’s keeping you sane in these old hotel walls.
#hazbin angel dust#angel dust#angel dust x reader#angel dust x you#hazbin hotel#hellaverse#hazbin charlie#hazbin vaggie#fat nuggets#my fucking beloved
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Prompt #7: Speculate
Prompt #7: Speculate
Part VI: The Undertaker
Francoise rolled an apple around the bowl, contemplating eating it. The rosy flesh tempted as it reflected the sunlight streaming in from a nearby window. He picked it up, sniffed it, contemplated a bite, and then put it back down and gazed out the window.
He had stacked crates surrounding his desk, and he should have sorted and catalogued them by now. The most he'd accomplished was a single box, and a line of ink dots down the ledger where he'd simply tapped the tip of the quill against parchment.
Too lazy of an afternoon, where he wished desperately he were anywhere but the dusty confines of Paulloix's storehouse.
The door opened and he sighed, expecting someone to dump another crate of pilfered items from the Gelmorra ruins. At first, they took it slow, to avoid anyone noticing. Gelmorra was the sacred home to the Duskwights, after all, but as time went on and no one cried foul, their operations expanded, emboldened. Paulloix's methodical campaign against their cave dwelling cousins only made it easier. Arrest the denizens, drive them away, and there was more to plunder, and more time to do it in.
Sometimes Francoise felt bad for them. It didn't take much at all to turn the wood wailers against them, Paulloix's prejudices were shared by many. He could only speculate on what sort of tactics the man used. Man was capable of all manner of cruelties, after all.
But now his work had increased exponentially. What once took up just a morning of sorting and cataloguing now took him from dusk to dawn. Sighing, he left the apple and grabbed the edge of a crate, sliding it closer to reach inside.
Some sort of spear point first, ornamental by the intricate carvings along the blade. Then a pair of woman's earrings, time having turned the metalwork green. An urn, a chalice with a crack down one side, a ceremonial dagger with a gem missing from the hilt. He dutifully entered each of them into the ledger, marking down each piece's flaws and remedies. Polish this, create a cheap gem for that, this piece is junk and should be incinerated.
He turned the crate over to check for anything he missed at the bottom. Something fell over, thin like paper, a card. Curious he picked it up and flipped it over. Gold foil lined the edges and when he peered at the image, it blurred. His brows furrowed, this was far too new to have been excavated from the ruins.
The image cleared suddenly. A pair of wands, upside down so that the pointed to the floor. He turned the card over, and watched it blur suddenly and return to original position, pointing down.
Bemused, he turned the card over again. But the image just flipped back to its original position.
"Very funny, guys," he said, putting the card down and reaching for the next crate to catalogue.
Sunlight burst into the room as the door opened abruptly. Francoise blinked and slowly rose to his feet. "Seven hells, I have enough to do, how about you guys take a b--"
He cut off as the silhouette came into focus as he kicked the door shut behind him. An impossibly tall elezen, dressed in black from head to toe with his face hidden behind a wood wailer mask. "Who... who are you?"
Blue eyes regarded him dispassionately, and Francoise knew he'd seen them before. Far too bright, like cornflowers in bloom. The kind of color you didn't forget right away.
"I'm looking for Francoise Viteront."
The voice, oh that voice, those eyes. Francoise felt his knees go weak and he sank back into his seat, as if the stacked crates there could separate them like a barrier.
Something bright and sharp and curved hooked over the top of them, dragging them back until they tumbled off the desk. He could hear something shatter, something else hit the ground with a metallic ring. Twelve have mercy, it was a scythe. The man wielded a bloody, godsdamned scythe of all things.
He smiled wanly, wishing he'd eaten the apple earlier. "They told me you were dead."
"I am," the man he once knew as Valairoix, said. He stopped right in front of the desk, the but of the scythe thunking on the floorboards.
"You certainly look dead, with all... that." He gestured to the mask, the scythe. "You always did have a flare for the dramatic."
A pale brow lifted, a curve of the man's lips. "Did I."
Mirth aside, Francoise's eyes fell to stare at the desk. "I heard about Tomaistre. Didn't realize it was you, though. Are you... here to kill me, too?"
Silence for a long moment. His heart thudded between his ears. He half expected the scythe to suddenly swing around and cut his head clean off his shoulders.
But, finally, "No. I'm not here to kill you, Francoise."
Relief flooded through him, and slowly he lifted his head to look at the other man's eyes again. "You want me to leave."
He nodded. "I... have memories of you. Things you did for me, that I had gratitude for."
"They did you dirty, Val. I just... I wish I could have..."
His shame covered him like a cold blanket, wet sand between his toes he couldn't get rid of.
"Go, Francoise. Do not look back."
He didn't have to be told twice. Rising from the desk, he left behind the artifacts and the ledger and the years he'd spent shackled to that place. He walked out the door, his steps quickening until he was running down the path. A sudden whoosh caught his attention and he turned.
Fire licked at the tree tops, the storehouse now burning brightly. Alarm rang out from neighbors, though their dwellings were too far to burn. He stood there and watched, waited to see who emerged from inside. But, no one did. No sign of the man who claimed he was a dead man walking.
Then Francoise remembered he'd left the apple inside and sighed.
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Triple H, Shawn Michaels, Billy Gunn x Fem Reader- “Lips, Tits, Clits, Power”
I really hope I haven't typed a fanfic like this already.
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Wrestlers usually always tend to have a catchphrase.
Ric Flair has "woooooooooo!", Macho Man Randy Savage had "oooooooh yeaaaaah!!", John Cena has "you can't see me!", Val Venis had "helloooooooo laaaaaadies!", Stone Cold Steve Austin and the Rock were the kings of the catchphrase at the height of their wrestling heydays, so much, some people online criticized them for being more about catchphrases than wrestling.
And D Generation X, one of the top 5 or even top 3 most iconic wrestling groups of all time, of course had a few catchphrases.
What was their most famous catchphrase, one they'll always be remembered for?
"Suck it!".
And their catchphrase had to go with a little gesture, that gesture obviously was their hands pointing towards their genitals and thrusting their crotches out.
Even though men definitely have something to suck on that's floppy and long, women have things to suck on too.
You've had a few orgies with 3 of the hottest men from D Generation X in your opinion (Triple H, Shawn Michaels, and Billy Gunn) where they shouted "suck it!" it at you while they made their iconic "crotch chops" in front of your face as you sucked their cocks.
But now, it's your turn to take their own advice.
At the end of 1998, Shawn Michaels was slightly back in the WWF, although he sadly didn't wrestle.
Billy Gunn's hair grew longer and he got sexier when his hair grew longer, and Triple H didn't grow any facial hair and looked like that hottie you remember in late 1997 and early 1998.
One day, near the end of 1998, you were lying completely naked in a bed in a hotel room.
Triple H and Shawn Michaels were in that bed with you, sucking on both of your nipples.
Billy Gunn, meanwhile, was lying in between your legs, sucking on your clitoris.
Triple H had his hair long and flowing, not tied back in a ponytail or even having a strand of his hair tied back in a ponytail.
Shawn didn't have his hair tied back in a ponytail and Billy didn't have his hair tied back in a ponytail or little braids, they let their hair hang down.
This is just how you like these men.
Though, you don't mind Billy if he has some strands of his hair tied back in a little ponytail.
Shawn had some facial hair at the end of 1998, and his facial stubble was nudging your tit, although his facial hair felt as soft as fuzz on a peach.
Triple H was dressed in a tight black D Generation X shirt and jeans, whereas Billy was wearing a silky DX football jersey that had the number 69 on the back.
Billy wishes he could eat your entire pussy out, it's so moist and salty but tastes so sweet, but he can't, because your intention was to have 3 men sucking the most suckable parts of your body.
Shawn and Triple H weren't just sucking your nipples, but drew circles on your areolas with the tips of their tongues.
You, on the other hand, were enjoying these 3 hotties sucking you.
Your eyes rolled in the back of your head and you made some very quiet moans as you had 3 men sucking it.
You bit your bottom lip as they sucked on you, moaning for them to suck you, telling Billy to suck your clit.
Sometimes, your hands moved behind Shawn and Triple H's heads, burying your fingers through your hair and running your fingers down and through their hair, until your hands and fingers reached the ends of their hair.
Their hair was so silky and easy for your fingers to slide through.
Your hands also pulled Shawn and Triple H a bit more into your tits, although it probably wasn't necessary to do it.
Luckily, you didn't suffocate them by pushing them into your chest.
You wish you could have 3 arms so you could run your fingers down and through Billy's hair.
Speaking of Billy, one of your arms stretched out until your hand was behind Billy's head, trying to slide your fingers down and through his hair.
His hair felt a little bit crunchy as oppose to Shawn and Triple H's hair, but you don't care.
Shawn and Trips didn't just suck your nipples, but also suctioned their mouths around your areolas as well, sucking your areolas as well.
Their lips slid towards your nipples and across your areolas when they sucked your tits.
Billy may as well try to do it since he wants to, where his tongue lolled out of his mouth and licked up the middle of your twat.
His tongue licked your twat in a slow, gentle stroke so he could let the taste of your pussy last on his tongue, for him to taste your cunt.
Your pussy tasted moist and salty, but delicious.
He moaned when he tasted your vulva over how good it tastes, his breath hot on your pussy, warming it.
Since DX's catchphrase they'll always be remembered for is "suck it", Billy tried to wrap his entire mouth and lips around your vagina, stretching his mouth out just to get your entire pussy in his mouth.
He tried sucking on your twat inside his mouth and tried to make his mouth circulate all around your vulva, the inside of his mouth was moist and wet.
The sides of his mouth hurt a bit from trying to put your whole entire cunt in his mouth, but whatever.
You could feel Billy's mouth wrap around your twat as well as feel his warm, hot breath on your pussy.
While these men were sucking on you, when you weren't in ecstasy with your head leaning back and eyes rolled in the back of your head moaning, you were looking at them and grinning at them naughtily.
"Well, who's 'sucking it' now?" you asked, sounding sly and grinning a shiteating grin.
These 3 men you're having a foursome with laughed and chuckled a bit when they heard that, with your nipples and pussy in their mouths as their mouths smiled.
Even you couldn't help but chuckle a bit saying that.
What you said might be a corny pun, but whatever.
Before you were lying in bed naked with these 3 sucking on you, you had actually told Shawn, Triple H and Billy since they're notorious for pointing at their crotches and shouting "suck it!", you want them to be the ones to suck you now, especially considering you've had some orgies with them when they shouted their notorious catchphrase while they did their equally notorious crotch chop body language as you sucked their dicks.
Your hands sometimes rummaged through their hair, sometimes even messing their hair up a bit.
Though they look better with straight hair, they also look good when their hair is a little bit messy.
You wish Christian when he was in the Brood could be a part of this little orgy, because he plays a vampire in the WWF, and what do vampires do?
Suck blood and necks.
You wish he could suck on your neck since he plays a vampire.
Since Shawn, Triple H, and Billy have shouted and ordered you to "suck it" while they motion to their crotches, your hands shifted above your vagina, crossing your hands together at the wrists forming an "x" shape.
You lifted those hands still in an "x" shape up a few inches, only to quickly drop them down, your hands still in that "x" shape.
"Suck it!" you exclaimed, although not too loud so the neighbors won't hear you.
Shawn, Billy and Triple H's eyes looked at your hands in that "x" shape, they smiled from ear to ear and laughed hearing that.
Your hands then separated and made a chopping motion with your hands at your vagina, your hands forming a "v" shape this time.
"Suck it!" you repeated again as you made that gesture.
You had to do both variants of DX's gesture.
Yes, girls can crotch chop too.
Later on, you let Triple H suck your clit while Billy and Shawn sucked your nipples and areolas, then let Shawn suck your clit as Billy and Triple H sucked your nipples.
Did you shout "suck it" at Shawn and Triple H when they sucked your clit?
Yep!
You came when Triple H was sucking on your clit, and his tongue ate your wet, slippery twat out.
You told Triple H and Shawn to try to suck on your entire pussy, by them stretching their mouths out to put your vagina in their mouths.
Did it work?
Somewhat, yeah.
Though, is it really necessary for them to try to suck on your whole entire twat inside your mouth?
Is this what it's like to be in an orgy with D Generation X?
Not quite.
Since you were a member of D Generation X, you actually posed for a magazine wearing a black bikini that said "suck it" on both parts of your bikini top and in the crotch area of your bikini bottoms, indicating to suck your nipples and your clit.
That bikini was sold in WWF magazine catalogues for women to buy.
Y'know how during the WWF's Attitude era, when they had those little vignettes that would have these short little clips of some wrestler while that Slam Jam song "We're All Together Now" song was playing, like when Triple H pulled his pants down yet Chyna and Shawn Michaels covered his genitals up with a wrestling belt, and Val Venis was fucking some chick in a bathroom stall but was filmed only at their ankles?
Shortly after your fourgy, you had a little vignette like that, where you were lying on a bed completely naked, while Triple H and Shawn Michaels were kayfabe sucking your nipples, the backs of their heads covering and censoring your nipples, whereas Billy was lying in between your legs sucking your clit, the back of his head shielding your vagina from being shown.
You looked like you were having an orgasm while they did this, your eyes closed and head leaning back while your mouth was open, running your fingers through their hair sometimes, and you lifted your head up and opened your eyes, saying "well, look who's 'sucking it' now!", your hands crossing at the wrists and forming an "x" shape above your genitals when you said "sucking it".
You can bet the horny fanboys who loved DX's catchphrase and you for playing a hot, sexy, oversexualized slut loved this.
Although, Shawn wasn't technically a member of DX by the end of 1998/beginning of 1999, unfortunately, but remember, he did get his start in D Generation X.
#shawn michaels#triple h#billy gunn#1998#90s#dx#d generation x#wwf#attitude era#wwf attitude#fanfiction
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Into the Split: Havenhill 1
Twinned Book 3: Into the Split
Havenhill 1
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They can’t all fit into the van, needing to split the group across all three vehicles. When Alaric moves to get in the van with Alia, she points to the third vehicle, a small sedan that’s seen better days. He hesitates, and she raises her eyebrows and points again; he heads for the sedan made of scrounged parts painted different colors. Pawel helps Nikita into the van and is about to follow her when Mac and Carolyn claim him, rerouting him to the second vehicle in line. Nikita waits, perched on the seat in the middle until Heather climbs in and helps her get settled in the back row. Nikita makes a pained noise, ending up with her foot propped across Heather’s knee.
“We should get in,” Seth says, and for the first time in years, Nikolai climbs into a vehicle.
He settles into a seat in the middle row, Seth next to him. As the van rumbles to life, Nikolai reaches across to hold Seth’s hand, tangling their fingers tightly together.
“You don’t like cars?” Nikita asks.
“I haven’t been in one since I was ten,” Nikolai mutters. “It’s been a while. And this one seems old.”
“We have people who are good with cars,” Alia says. Nikolai isn’t sure if that’s code for Talented with cars, or simply that they know mechanics. “They keep us running.”
The woman driving the car snorts softly. “Keep the cars running. Get us fuel. Deal with every little tinkering thing that needs to be done.”
“Val,” Alia warns.
“Alia,” Val mocks, fondness in her tone. She puts her hand on the console between them, palm up, and after a moment Alia puts her hand atop it. Val curls their fingers together, and Alia exhales.
“It’s going to be fine, Alia,” Val murmurs, her voice barely audible over the rumble of the van.
“Do you have Healers?” Heather asks from the back of the van, raising her voice to ask a second time when Val and Alia don’t respond to the first.
Alia glances back, and Nikolai follows her gaze. Nikita’s foot is propped on Heather’s lap, and she sits sideways so she can lean against the side of the van. Nikita’s expression is twisted and pained, her lips pressed together as Heather works to get Nikita’s shoe off.
“We have Healers,” Val says conversationally, as Alia makes a small noise, her nostrils flaring.
“Good,” Heather murmurs, pushing up the leg of Nikita’s jeans and sliding her fingers along her skin. She tugs the shoe free, then the sock; the ankle is already purpling and swollen. “Nik’s hurt, and I think she’s going to need more help than I can give her.”
Alia’s nostrils flare. “I can smell her pain.”
“That figures,” Nikita says. Her voice sounds purposefully light, like she’s trying to be cheerful. Nikolai doesn’t know her well, but the tone is at odds with the lines around her mouth and eyes, and the way she grips Heather’s hand tightly. “I mean,” Nikita continues. “Alaric smells everything about everything. Right? And he’s your son. I mean, he called you mom. I haven’t met his mom, but I have to figure you’re her.”
“I’m not.” Alia’s tone is flat, intended to end a conversation.
“Well, not here you’re not,” Nikita rambles on. “That’s got to be confusing, walking into another world and seeing someone who looks like your mom and isn’t. I mean. For him. At least the person who’s me isn’t exactly me, so it’s pretty easy to tell the difference.” Her gaze narrows slightly, head tilted as she looks at Nikolai. “We do look a bit alike. Like siblings. Twins.” The corners of her mouth turn up in a grim version of a smile.
“I understand that we have a lot to talk about,” Alia says slowly. She pauses, looking down to where Val runs her thumb along the side of her hand. “We will wait until we reach Havenhill. There’s no point in discussing everything multiple times. I want to have everyone involved in one place.”
“Havenhill is real,” Seth says quietly.
Alia’s expression eases as she smiles. “Yes,” she says gently. “It is. And all Talents are welcome. We will even find a place for Mattie, although I am concerned about trusting someone who walks through shadows.”
“She’s not your typical Shadowwalker,” Nikita volunteers before falling silent at a look from Alia. “Fine. Yes. When everyone’s together, I get it.”
“Since I’m pretty sure they won’t stop talking, no matter how frustrated it makes you, my dear wife, why don’t I give them a little of what they want, then we can distract them.” Val lets go of Alia’s hand, then lifts her fingers to wave. “I’m Val Munroe, and this is my wife Alia Davis, the founder of Havenhill. We’ve built a safe place for Talent, and I’m aware that it’s a bit of a legend. That’s entirely intentional. The more work we do for humans to forget that our place ever existed, the harder it is for Talent to find us. That last bit is a side effect, but it keeps us safe. And if we hear of anyone looking, we try to get them brought home. Like you.”
Val points at the space in front of Alia, and Alia opens a hatch, withdraws something. “And now, some in-flight entertainment for the passengers,” Val announces. She takes a slender silver disk, slides it into a slot, and music starts to play.
“I still have more—” Nikita cuts off as Alia twists a dial and the music grows louder.
The music is vaguely familiar, but it’s just another thing where Nikolai thinks it’s been so long since he’s heard it, it’s a little like slipping into a dream. If Seth’s hand weren’t so solid in his own, he’d wonder if he’d wandered during his sleep. But no, this is reality, with the van rumbling beneath him, and the music playing loudly. And after a short time, Val taps on the steering wheel, matching rhythm as she drives, singing along.
Nikita closes her eyes and slumps, while Heather continues to look worried.
There’s a soft wave of warmth from Seth. “Sleep,” Seth says, his voice low beneath the music. “I’ve got you.”
Nikolai takes advantage of the moment of safety to rest his eyes. He’s not sure if he sleeps, his mind whirling with imagery, some of which seems normal, some seems like a memory, and other things seem alien and strange to him, while familiar at the same time. It’s easy to let himself float, sifting through different scenes and places, filing away the emotions to be catalogued later.
He dimly registers periodic conversation around him, and the crackling of something and a voice he doesn’t recognize at one point.
“Open the wards, Ethan.”
“Yes, mom.”
Nikolai falls deeper into sleep then, walking a path in his dreams. He walks next to Nikita, a woman around their age, with dark skin and many tiny braids, skipping along his other side. When Nikolai hesitates, the girl skips away, disappearing down the path before veering off and between trees.
“Don’t go off the path,” dream Nikita says seriously.
“Wake up.”
Nikolai jolts when Seth tugs on his hand. There’s a whimper from the back seat, and Nikita stretches with another soft groan.
The van rumbles to a stop; a squeal of brakes announces the other cars stopping as well.
“We are here.” Alia opens the door, climbing out as Val does the same. One of the side doors slides open and Seth gets out while Nikolai helps Heather maneuver Nikita to the ground. They gather together in front of a house that is larger than any single home Nikolai can ever remember seeing. It stretches three stories up, with a covered porch and heavy columns holding up the roof. The front of the house is a typical size, but to the right and left there are diagonal buildings which seem to be attached, as if it’s grown over the years, increasing at random times when there’s been need. He wonders if the space between them in the back is also part of the house, or if it’s just open land.
Alaric takes a step toward the building, stopping when Alia is there in front of him, her hand on his chest to keep him back. “No,” she says quietly, and Alaric rocks back on his heels.
Mac takes his hand when Alaric whines his annoyance.
“It does look exactly like his home,” Carolyn murmurs. Nikolai isn’t sure who she means to talk to, but the quiet words are easily audible, even without Clan hearing.
“Welcome to Havenhill,” Val says. She stands with one arm around Alia’s back, fingers resting possessively against her hip. There are three other strangers who have come from the cars as well, and a few more emerging from the house.
It’s overwhelming, so many new faces all at once, when Nikolai’s barely managed to learn these new people who arrived out of nowhere. He clings to Seth, relying on the calm that washes over him.
“I am Alia Davis, and Havenhill is our home,” Alia says. “We are open to all who are Talented and need a safe haven. When Mattie arrived, her story was unusual, but we could not deny those in need.” She glances at one of the men who came down from the house—he looks like he might be about the same age as Nikolai.
“She’s inside,” he says, and Alia nods.
“Allowances have been made to allow a Shadow within the borders of Havenhill.” Alia looks at Pawel, who stops before speaking, his mouth snapping shut. “We will discuss the particulars of Havenhill and your expected behavior later; for now, let us begin with introductions, then Ethan can take you inside to get settled.”
She runs through the introductions too quickly for Nikolai to get more from them than quick mental notes to attach names to faces. The Asian woman who is wearing shorts and no jacket in March and drove the sedan for Alaric is named Sakura. Amaranth is a tall woman with curly hair pulled back from her face with a knit headband, and laugh lines crinkling around her eyes. Jefferson is short and broad-shouldered, black leather gloves on his hands and an expression that remains pinched tight despite the smile of welcome. Ethan is the younger man who spoke earlier, his eyes lighting up when he smiles a hello. Val introduces him as her son and Marybelle as Ethan’s cousin and Val’s foster daughter.
From the way Alaric looks around, gaze narrowed and nostrils flared, Nikolai is sure that there are more people here, that these are only the ones in human form. When a cat walks up to him, meows loudly, then twists to rub against his ankles, winding between his legs back and forth, Nikolai isn’t sure if that’s a person or an actual cat, and Alaric’s expression doesn’t help him figure it out.
Nikolai steps carefully when Ethan motions for them to follow.
“Mattie’s already waiting in the suite we’re going to give you, for now anyway,” Ethan says. He repeats their names back to them as he points at them each in turn, frowning when Pawel scoops Nikita up to carry her in his arms. “You’ve been injured.”
“I’ll get Genevieve,” Jefferson says with a deep bass rumble, before heading toward the left wing of the house. “We’ll meet you in their rooms.”
“Come on,” Ethan motions, waits for them to keep up. He moves slowly, as if making allowances for Pawel and Nikita.
When Alaric barges on ahead, Marybelle shoots a look at Ethan. He nods quickly, and she races after Alaric, who strides determinedly through the door and the halls. Mac disappears and reappears by Alaric’s side, keeping up.
“We couldn’t believe it when your friend stepped out of the shadows and started talking to us,” Ethan says. “We’ve never met a Shadowwalker like her before.”
“Neither have we,” Carolyn says quietly. “I’m pretty sure there isn’t one. And she was just as bad as the rest of them until we put her soul back into her body. She killed Alaric’s brother.”
“Alaric is the big one…?”
Pawel jerks his chin at the space ahead of them. “The one who took off like he knows the place. Which he does, in our world.”
Ethan opens his mouth, shakes his head. “I’ll wait until we’re upstairs,” he says. “It’s a small suite of rooms—three bedrooms, a small sitting room, and a private washroom. There’s a shared bath on the hall… are any of you Clan?”
“Alaric,” Pawel says.
“Right. So. Let him know that there’s a bath—”
“He probably knows,” Carolyn cuts him off. “This is awkward for him, being here. This is where he grew up. In our world.”
Ethan pauses at the base of the stairs, turning to look at them. “Every time you say that, you make it more difficult to not ask questions until we’re upstairs.” He grins. “But, Mom raised me to be patient. Or at least, Alia expects it, so I try.”
There are people everywhere Nikolai looks. They watch as the group trods along the path; small children peering curiously, and adults who try to pretend disinterest. Nikolai can feel their regard, their curiosity at the newcomers. He grips Seth’s hand, and is relieved when Seth squeezes tightly in return. Nikolai exhales, tries to map this place in his mind as Ethan leads them into what Nikolai thinks might be the right hand wing of the house. They go all the way up to the third floor and down to the end of the hall.
He can hear voices as they approach, Ethan pointing out occupied rooms, and the location of the bath as they go. Nikolai peeks through the open door, spots a tub the size of a small pool set into the floor, steam rising, and shower nozzles set into the wall along the side. Public bath. Okay.
Seth smirks and brings Nikolai’s hand up to kiss his fingertips, and Nikolai fights the flush that warms his cheeks.
“Ah.” Alia is in the room, and Nikolai thinks she must have taken a different path to arrive before them. Mattie sits on a chair in the corner, slouched down in the shadows, her legs crossed at the knees and hands folded in her lap. Marybelle is off to one side, eyes wide, while Alaric stands with his feet set and arms crossed.
“I just want to be sure you understand,” Alia says quietly, her tone firm. “Our trust in your Shadowwalker friend relies entirely upon our trust in you, as newcomers, to have no harm in your hearts. Should we discover differently, it will be dealt with.”
Alaric growls under his breath.
Alia glances at him, then looks away. “Ethan, Marybelle: please ensure they eat tonight. We will welcome them properly at another time. I am certain they need rest, and that good food and beds will be a luxury.”
“We need to explain that it isn’t the same for all of us,” Mac says.
Nikolai isn’t going to fight with her. To him it sounds like bliss, even if they are still crammed into a space too small for their numbers. Even if he is forced to share space with these seven strangers.
“Try doing without for more than a day, and you’ll appreciate it more.” Seth wraps his arms around Nikolai, and Nikolai enfolds him, kisses the top of Seth’s head. He just wants to stay here like this for a moment, forget that all these people are here, that everything is so new. He wants to luxuriate in the idea that they can stop running. That they’ve finally found Havenhill.
That they’ve found a truly safe haven.
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3 for UshiTsukki or KuroTsukki? :3
Val! Thanks so much for the request
Pairings: Ushijima Wakatoshi/Tsukishima Kei
Rating: T
Prompt: “Don’t worry about getting that, I’ll buy it for you.”
Tags: really just general fluff, both of them are losers with crushes, Ushijima secretly wants to pamper his future bf, it is law
AO3
Tsukishima was not used to having to dive for so many receives. But this week had been particularly grueling when it came to practice, and eventually, he couldn’t take it anymore.
His knees ached, and his legs protested, making him feel like less and less of an athlete as the minutes went by. After Karasuno’s practice match two days before, he’d slowly removed his kneepads with a wince, and had to face the facts.
Tsukishima needed new kneepads. The ones he currently owned were his brother’s old pair, and they were tattered and tearing at the back. They hardly offered any support anymore, as evidenced by the pain which shot up his thighs whenever he’d been forced to receive a ball.
He hated shopping, more because of the crowds than anything else. But one look from his mom and that had been it. She always did nag him when his safety was at risk. He’d soon been given some cash and sent to the nearest sportswear store, on a Sunday no less.
His free time would be stuck in lines and among unruly customers. Perfect. He just hoped he could take care of things quickly.
As he walked into the store, the bright overhead lights threatened to give him a headache, as did the neon colored display items. Sneakers, sweats, jogging shorts…Tsukishima walked past them all, only focused on his goal.
However, as he came upon what he was looking for, his steps screeched to a halt, the squeak of his converse echoing against the polished floor.
Tsukishima’s palms began to sweat as his mind raced, and he was suddenly very aware of everything. Everything, as in his choice of outfit, how his hair looked, and why he should even care in the first place.
Dammit.
The kneepads were in the back, currently being restocked neatly and precisely by a tall, broad shouldered employee. Tsukishima swallowed.
There were a lot of ways he could’ve handled this. He could’ve said hello like a normal person, or he could’ve just walked away altogether to avoid his own awkwardness.
The shock of seeing Ushijima Wakatoshi in any environment outside of club activities had Tsukishima’s brain melting though, and instead all that came out was–
“What the hell are you doing here?” Tsukishima cringed at his own voice, the suddenness of it breaking up the serene atmosphere of mainstream pop hits playing through the store’s loud speakers.
Ushijima didn’t startle, not notably, but Tsukishima could see the faintest hint of surprise cross his gentle, carved out features.
Tsukishima wanted to pull his own hair for that observation, but he refrained. He had goosebumps, and his stomach twisted, not unpleasantly either. It had become the normal response whenever he happened to run into the ace, which seemed to be a common occurrence as of late.
“Tsukishima, I’m happy to see you,” the third year finally said, blinking away his shock. He ignored Tsukishima’s question, probably because the answer was obvious and he knew Tsukishima to be the observant type. The store uniform…suited him quite well.
And yeah, again with his fucking bluntness.
Ushijima seemed to disregard his task in favor of walking over to Tsukishima, like the blond was some sort of distraction. Ushijima never got distracted. Tsukishima didn’t know why the undivided attention made him so damn happy.
Tsukishima couldn’t stop the blush from rising to his cheeks, and defiantly looked away when he saw Ushijima smile because of it. “Please don’t just say things like that.”
“But it’s the truth.” Ushijima’s voice lacked any teasing, as if the truth was the only acceptable answer in any situation.
Tsukishima sighed. Yeah, I know. Part of him knew the feeling was mutual as well, but he kindly told that part to shut up. Ever since the last match against Shiratorizawa, they’d been not-so-accidentally running into each other. This time was unplanned, but well, the universe just liked to poke fun at Tsukishima whenever it could.
At first, Tsukishima had scorned Ushijima’s clear interest in him. The third year had pulled him aside privately after that last game, shamelessly complimenting Tsukishima’s blocking skills before the topic of volleyball quickly dissolved into topics far friendlier.
Ushijima looked and talked to him as if he wanted to know everything about Tsukishima. Likes, dislikes, favorite music, whatever Tsukishima found interesting, even if Ushijima himself had no cares or opinions about them.
Tsukishima had resisted at first, not desiring a relationship or the stoic affections of someone who’d be off to college in a matter of months.
But…well…that had backfired, hadn’t it?
After weeks of failed dodging, Tsukishima realized that maybe there was a lot more behind Ushijima’s serious and unfeeling facade. In fact, now that he knew better, those descriptions felt far too inappropriate.
Ushijima really had worn him down in the end, and they’d eventually exchanged numbers. Nightly texting sessions weren’t uncommon, and neither were walks in the park which Tsukishima never dared classify as dates.
Ushijima probably had no issue doing so though, and the thought made Tsukishima’s heart pound in his ears.
“I didn’t know you worked here,” Tsukishima finally said, eyes staring at his own shoes. It was only then he noticed how ratty his converse looked, and how bruised up his knees were. Self-conscious and taken aback, Tsukishima lifted his head, his eyes meeting light hazel ones like a magnet.
Yeah, Tsukishima didn’t mind them much either…
“You’re hurt,” Ushijima said, his brow furrowing, the first time Tsukishima had actually seen annoyance on the other’s face. He catalogued it in his brain, always somewhat pleased when he got a new expression out of the ace. “What happened?”
Tsukishima thought about scoffing or sneering, because had it been anyone else, Tsukishima would’ve told them to mind their own business. This was already more social interaction than Tsukishima was willing to have that day, but the scathing remarks never had a chance to form. Tsukishima sighed, Ushijima’s concern too genuine for him to consider being an asshole.
Ushijima had a weird way of disarming him, and while it had bothered him in the past, now he was just used to it.
“My kneepads are shit and falling apart, that’s what,” Tsukishima said with a grimace, trying to hide the bruises as best he could. He looked up to the display Ushijima had been taking care of, reaching forward automatically when he saw a pair in his size. I need to get new ones or else–“
A firm hand on his wrist stopped him.
Tsukishima blinked in shock, but didn’t reject the touch, looking to Ushijima for an explanation.
Those hazel eyes bored in him, and Tsukishima already knew it would be no use arguing with whatever was about to come out of Ushijima’s mouth.
“Don’t worry about getting that, I’ll buy it for you.”
But well, he would sure try to argue.
"W-what? No way, I can–” Tsukishima tried protesting, and while Ushijima did release his wrist, it was obvious the other wasn’t taking no for an answer.
“I want to.” Ushijima shrugged, and before Tsukishima could say more, the third year grabbed the package of kneepads, and began strolling towards the register. “I get a discount as well, so it’s no trouble.”
“That’s not–it’s–” Tsukishima struggled, and all the while, Ushijima kept ringing up the purchase. “Would you listen to me? Why would you want to buy them for me? You don’t have to.”
His mother had given him the cash for them already. If Ushijima was really so insistent, he could give Tsukishima the discount, but otherwise–
“I like you, as you know,” Ushijima stated, the smallest bit of amusement coming through in his tone. Bastard. “So I want to get you something.”
You make it sound so simple…
And duh, Tsukishima knew that, but to actually hear the other say it so casually was another thing. As much as they were aware of this…thing between them, they hadn’t really acted on it. The closest they came to being ‘romantic’ involved their late-night calls, hushed voices blending together until sleep came.
Just the memory had Tsukishima’s stomach stirring with butterflies, but he pushed it away.
“You like me too,” Ushijima continued, like he was sharing facts for a test or something. The call out had Tsukishima rolling his eyes, but he didn’t object. He was too tired to object, and as much as he could deny the pants off anything, ever since that final match against Shiratorizawa, he found it more pointless to do so.
“Yeah, so what?” He muttered, rubbing at his wrist and refusing to make direct eye contact. He could still feel the warmth from Ushijima’s palm…
He saw Ushijima tense, not expecting the easy admission probably, and Tsukishima felt satisfaction from that, no matter how embarrassing this whole thing was.
The silence between them stretched on as Ushijima looked at him, analyzing him, and he knew the gaze was way too intimate given their public environment. At least no one else was in line.
Eventually, Tsukishima heard the sound of a receipt being printed, and Ushijima pocketed it for safe keeping, handing Tsukishima the kneepads.
Tsukishima would take extra good care of them, he knew.
He reached out, letting their fingers touch as they held the new pads. But Ushijima didn’t let go, the exchange more of a reason to be connected, and they both wanted to take advantage.
Somehow though, Tsukishima thought this was only the first opportunity of many.
The tips of Ushijima’s fingers were warm and soft, sending sparks of electricity up his arms, and he didn’t mind how he craved more.
They stayed like that until laughter from a group of customers snapped them out of it, and Ushijima was forced to greet them.
Before he could walk away though, Tsukishima grabbed his shirt, catching his attention in an instant. Yeah, Tsukishima could get used to that.
“Call me later,” he said, not really a question. Something had changed between them in such a short, insignificant lapse of time. It was almost gross, how among mannequins and ugly shoes, they’d managed to stop dancing around their feelings.
Although…Tsukishima was starting to think they never really had. God, he hoped he wasn’t becoming a sap. He’d never live that down.
Ushijima smiled at him, and Tsukishima’s heart soared. Oh well.
“Don’t I always?”
Yeah, Tsukishima thought, and he knew his smile matched the other’s.
No use denying that.
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Social Shorts: TikTok’s future, Quora lead-gen ads, Facebook’s India plans
TikTok and LinkedIn under one roof?
“Microsoft is in talks to acquire TikTok, the Chinese-owned video app, according to a person with knowledge of the discussions, as President Trump said on Friday that he was considering taking steps that would effectively ban the app from the United States,” The New York Times reported Friday.
The company is in talks with the White House and reportedly negotiating to take over TikTok’s operations in US, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.
Why we care. Despite its best efforts (see below), TikTok’s attempts to convince U.S. legislators that it operates wholly independently from its Chinese parent company ByteDance haven’t stuck. It’s options increasingly look limited to spinning off to go public or spinning off for acquisition. It’s looking like TikTok may be headed down the latter route.
Microsoft, with it’s focus on the enterprise, might seem like an odd fit for TikTok. But remember it’s also the home of Xbox, The Verge points out in a look at why Microsoft is interested in TikTok. (Microsoft is also about the only would-be big tech buyer not facing antitrust scrutiny in the U.S.)
A U.S. roof would allow TikTok to stay focused on building its creator ranks and fast-growing ad business with one less giant distraction — and help reassure users and advertisers that their data isn’t being siphoned off to China. Like LInkedIn, Microsoft could allow TikTok to run independently while taking advantage of data insights and integrations where it makes sense.
TikTok pulls the curtain back on its algorithm; calls out Facebook’s copycat behavior
TikTok has received even more scrutiny than other tech giants “due to the company’s Chinese origins,” TikTok’s recently-appointed U.S.-based CEO Kevin Mayer wrote in a blog post this week as the CEOs of Amazon, Apple, Facebook and Google were called to testify in an antitrust hearing.
In an effort to give users and regulators “peace of mind,” said Meyer, TikTok has launched a Transparency and Accountability Center in which experts can observe TikTok’s moderation policies “in real-time” and “examine the actual code that drives our algorithms.”
Meyer also called out Facebook for “launching another copycat product, Reels” on Instagram and made the case that TikTok offers American advertisers choice in the market.
The company announced a $200 million fund for American creators on the platform, with plans to grow it to more than $1 billion in the U.S. and more than $2 billion globally in the next three years to help it compete for talent against YouTube and Instagram.
Why we care. Even as its popularity swells, regulatory scrutiny and action could scare away advertisers and critically harm TikTok’s nascent advertising business. Meyer’s overture of transparency does not appear to have swayed legislators. In a bipartisan move Thursday, two U.S. senators asked the Justice Department to investigate Chinese-owned TikTok (as well as Zoom) over reports it has shared user data with China, a charge TikTok denies. Further, while TikTok should be applauded for exposing its algorithm, its competitors are likely to scoff at its suggestion that “all companies should disclose their algorithms, moderation policies, and data flows to regulators.”
Highlights from antitrust hearings with the CEOs of Apple, Amazon, Facebook and Google
Panel chair David Cicilline of Rhode Island raised concerns that Google “steals content” and uses its ability to surveil vast amounts of data to “identify competitive threats and crush them.” Pichai, again predictably, disputed the claims and said it uses data to improve results.
Tim Cook of Apple, said the App Store is just another feature of the iPhone like the camera.
Jeff Bezos was peppered with a surprising number of questions about its marketplace. Bezos said Amazon does have policies preventing internal access to third-party seller data for its own private label brands, but couldn’t say it hadn’t violated those policies. Reps. Pramila Jayapal, Mary Gay Scanlon, Jaimie Raskin and Ken Buck were among those who pressed Bezos on its use of third-party data to inform and market its own proprietary products and brands.
Val Demings of Florida pressed Pichai on Google’s decision to combine data from web traffic and Google’s properties in 2016 after saying it would not do so when it acquired DoubleClick in 2007. Pichai said users can turn ads personalization on and off and have made it easy to control their data.
Zuckerberg said the environment has become even more competitive for Facebook since 2012.
Capture leads from Quora ads
Quora has rolled out Lead Gen Forms for advertisers after a few months of beta testing. The forms can contain up to 12 fields and are prefilled with users’ Quora account information. Available fields include:
Contact Info: First Name, Last Name, Email, Business Email, Phone Number
Employment Info: Job Title, Company Name, Company Size
Location Info: City, State (US Only), Zip Code (US only), Country
You can download leads via CSV in the Ads Manager or use the Zapier integration to send leads to Salesforce, Gmail, Marketo or other system.
Why we care. Lead Gen Forms can reduce friction for users looking to engage with your company — whether to download a whitepaper, request a demo or sign up for a newsletter — and increase the number of leads you can generate from Quora ad campaigns. The Zapier integration means you should have no problem pushing that lead data into whatever CRM or email system you’re using.
Facebook’s plan to bring India’s corner stores to WhatsApp
“The real power of digital infrastructure will get unleashed when startups and small businesses come online. In many ways they’re already on WhatsApp but we need to help them connect the dots,” Ajit Mohan, vice-president and managing director, Facebook India told live Mint in an interview.
“It is how we can make it easy to shop from within WhatsApp. Our goal with the investment in [Indian telecom firm] Jio is to enable new opportunities for businesses of all sizes, especially for small businesses across India. The first example of the collaboration would be to help millions of kirana owners [small neighborhood convenience stores] digitize their product catalogue and use WhatsApp to connect with their customers,” he said.
Why we care. The pandemic has wreaked havoc on small businesses while at at the same time accelerated consumers’ shift to digital and the business need for digital transformation. The social networking giant sees big opportunity in becoming India’s digital tether between SMBs and consumers.
Google is also investing heavily in Jio Platforms (to the tune of $4.5 billion). The companies are partnering on an Android-based operating system for new Jio mobile devices with the aim of getting millions of more Indians online: a massive new market for ads and apps.
About The Author
Ginny Marvin is Third Door Media’s Editor-in-Chief, running the day to day editorial operations across all publications and overseeing paid media coverage. Ginny Marvin writes about paid digital advertising and analytics news and trends for Search Engine Land, marketing agency Land and MarTech Today. With more than 15 years of marketing agency experience, Ginny has held both in-house and agency management positions. She can be found on Twitter as @ginnymarvin.
Website Design & SEO Delray Beach by DBL07.co
Delray Beach SEO
source http://www.scpie.org/social-shorts-tiktoks-future-quora-lead-gen-ads-facebooks-india-plans/ source https://scpie.tumblr.com/post/625502261989244928
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Social Shorts: TikTok’s future, Quora lead-gen ads, Facebook’s India plans
TikTok and LinkedIn under one roof?
“Microsoft is in talks to acquire TikTok, the Chinese-owned video app, according to a person with knowledge of the discussions, as President Trump said on Friday that he was considering taking steps that would effectively ban the app from the United States,” The New York Times reported Friday.
The company is in talks with the White House and reportedly negotiating to take over TikTok’s operations in US, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.
Why we care. Despite its best efforts (see below), TikTok’s attempts to convince U.S. legislators that it operates wholly independently from its Chinese parent company ByteDance haven’t stuck. It’s options increasingly look limited to spinning off to go public or spinning off for acquisition. It’s looking like TikTok may be headed down the latter route.
Microsoft, with it’s focus on the enterprise, might seem like an odd fit for TikTok. But remember it’s also the home of Xbox, The Verge points out in a look at why Microsoft is interested in TikTok. (Microsoft is also about the only would-be big tech buyer not facing antitrust scrutiny in the U.S.)
A U.S. roof would allow TikTok to stay focused on building its creator ranks and fast-growing ad business with one less giant distraction — and help reassure users and advertisers that their data isn’t being siphoned off to China. Like LInkedIn, Microsoft could allow TikTok to run independently while taking advantage of data insights and integrations where it makes sense.
TikTok pulls the curtain back on its algorithm; calls out Facebook’s copycat behavior
TikTok has received even more scrutiny than other tech giants “due to the company’s Chinese origins,” TikTok’s recently-appointed U.S.-based CEO Kevin Mayer wrote in a blog post this week as the CEOs of Amazon, Apple, Facebook and Google were called to testify in an antitrust hearing.
In an effort to give users and regulators “peace of mind,” said Meyer, TikTok has launched a Transparency and Accountability Center in which experts can observe TikTok’s moderation policies “in real-time” and “examine the actual code that drives our algorithms.”
Meyer also called out Facebook for “launching another copycat product, Reels” on Instagram and made the case that TikTok offers American advertisers choice in the market.
The company announced a $200 million fund for American creators on the platform, with plans to grow it to more than $1 billion in the U.S. and more than $2 billion globally in the next three years to help it compete for talent against YouTube and Instagram.
Why we care. Even as its popularity swells, regulatory scrutiny and action could scare away advertisers and critically harm TikTok’s nascent advertising business. Meyer’s overture of transparency does not appear to have swayed legislators. In a bipartisan move Thursday, two U.S. senators asked the Justice Department to investigate Chinese-owned TikTok (as well as Zoom) over reports it has shared user data with China, a charge TikTok denies. Further, while TikTok should be applauded for exposing its algorithm, its competitors are likely to scoff at its suggestion that “all companies should disclose their algorithms, moderation policies, and data flows to regulators.”
Highlights from antitrust hearings with the CEOs of Apple, Amazon, Facebook and Google
Panel chair David Cicilline of Rhode Island raised concerns that Google “steals content” and uses its ability to surveil vast amounts of data to “identify competitive threats and crush them.” Pichai, again predictably, disputed the claims and said it uses data to improve results.
Tim Cook of Apple, said the App Store is just another feature of the iPhone like the camera.
Jeff Bezos was peppered with a surprising number of questions about its marketplace. Bezos said Amazon does have policies preventing internal access to third-party seller data for its own private label brands, but couldn’t say it hadn’t violated those policies. Reps. Pramila Jayapal, Mary Gay Scanlon, Jaimie Raskin and Ken Buck were among those who pressed Bezos on its use of third-party data to inform and market its own proprietary products and brands.
Val Demings of Florida pressed Pichai on Google’s decision to combine data from web traffic and Google’s properties in 2016 after saying it would not do so when it acquired DoubleClick in 2007. Pichai said users can turn ads personalization on and off and have made it easy to control their data.
Zuckerberg said the environment has become even more competitive for Facebook since 2012.
Capture leads from Quora ads
Quora has rolled out Lead Gen Forms for advertisers after a few months of beta testing. The forms can contain up to 12 fields and are prefilled with users’ Quora account information. Available fields include:
Contact Info: First Name, Last Name, Email, Business Email, Phone Number
Employment Info: Job Title, Company Name, Company Size
Location Info: City, State (US Only), Zip Code (US only), Country
You can download leads via CSV in the Ads Manager or use the Zapier integration to send leads to Salesforce, Gmail, Marketo or other system.
Why we care. Lead Gen Forms can reduce friction for users looking to engage with your company — whether to download a whitepaper, request a demo or sign up for a newsletter — and increase the number of leads you can generate from Quora ad campaigns. The Zapier integration means you should have no problem pushing that lead data into whatever CRM or email system you’re using.
Facebook’s plan to bring India’s corner stores to WhatsApp
“The real power of digital infrastructure will get unleashed when startups and small businesses come online. In many ways they’re already on WhatsApp but we need to help them connect the dots,” Ajit Mohan, vice-president and managing director, Facebook India told live Mint in an interview.
“It is how we can make it easy to shop from within WhatsApp. Our goal with the investment in [Indian telecom firm] Jio is to enable new opportunities for businesses of all sizes, especially for small businesses across India. The first example of the collaboration would be to help millions of kirana owners [small neighborhood convenience stores] digitize their product catalogue and use WhatsApp to connect with their customers,” he said.
Why we care. The pandemic has wreaked havoc on small businesses while at at the same time accelerated consumers’ shift to digital and the business need for digital transformation. The social networking giant sees big opportunity in becoming India’s digital tether between SMBs and consumers.
Google is also investing heavily in Jio Platforms (to the tune of $4.5 billion). The companies are partnering on an Android-based operating system for new Jio mobile devices with the aim of getting millions of more Indians online: a massive new market for ads and apps.
About The Author
Ginny Marvin is Third Door Media’s Editor-in-Chief, running the day to day editorial operations across all publications and overseeing paid media coverage. Ginny Marvin writes about paid digital advertising and analytics news and trends for Search Engine Land, marketing agency Land and MarTech Today. With more than 15 years of marketing agency experience, Ginny has held both in-house and agency management positions. She can be found on Twitter as @ginnymarvin.
Website Design & SEO Delray Beach by DBL07.co
Delray Beach SEO
source http://www.scpie.org/social-shorts-tiktoks-future-quora-lead-gen-ads-facebooks-india-plans/
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Text
Social Shorts: TikTok’s future, Quora lead-gen ads, Facebook’s India plans
TikTok and LinkedIn under one roof?
“Microsoft is in talks to acquire TikTok, the Chinese-owned video app, according to a person with knowledge of the discussions, as President Trump said on Friday that he was considering taking steps that would effectively ban the app from the United States,” The New York Times reported Friday.
The company is in talks with the White House and reportedly negotiating to take over TikTok’s operations in US, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.
Why we care. Despite its best efforts (see below), TikTok’s attempts to convince U.S. legislators that it operates wholly independently from its Chinese parent company ByteDance haven’t stuck. It’s options increasingly look limited to spinning off to go public or spinning off for acquisition. It’s looking like TikTok may be headed down the latter route.
Microsoft, with it’s focus on the enterprise, might seem like an odd fit for TikTok. But remember it’s also the home of Xbox, The Verge points out in a look at why Microsoft is interested in TikTok. (Microsoft is also about the only would-be big tech buyer not facing antitrust scrutiny in the U.S.)
A U.S. roof would allow TikTok to stay focused on building its creator ranks and fast-growing ad business with one less giant distraction — and help reassure users and advertisers that their data isn’t being siphoned off to China. Like LInkedIn, Microsoft could allow TikTok to run independently while taking advantage of data insights and integrations where it makes sense.
TikTok pulls the curtain back on its algorithm; calls out Facebook’s copycat behavior
TikTok has received even more scrutiny than other tech giants “due to the company’s Chinese origins,” TikTok’s recently-appointed U.S.-based CEO Kevin Mayer wrote in a blog post this week as the CEOs of Amazon, Apple, Facebook and Google were called to testify in an antitrust hearing.
In an effort to give users and regulators “peace of mind,” said Meyer, TikTok has launched a Transparency and Accountability Center in which experts can observe TikTok’s moderation policies “in real-time” and “examine the actual code that drives our algorithms.”
Meyer also called out Facebook for “launching another copycat product, Reels” on Instagram and made the case that TikTok offers American advertisers choice in the market.
The company announced a $200 million fund for American creators on the platform, with plans to grow it to more than $1 billion in the U.S. and more than $2 billion globally in the next three years to help it compete for talent against YouTube and Instagram.
Why we care. Even as its popularity swells, regulatory scrutiny and action could scare away advertisers and critically harm TikTok’s nascent advertising business. Meyer’s overture of transparency does not appear to have swayed legislators. In a bipartisan move Thursday, two U.S. senators asked the Justice Department to investigate Chinese-owned TikTok (as well as Zoom) over reports it has shared user data with China, a charge TikTok denies. Further, while TikTok should be applauded for exposing its algorithm, its competitors are likely to scoff at its suggestion that “all companies should disclose their algorithms, moderation policies, and data flows to regulators.”
Highlights from antitrust hearings with the CEOs of Apple, Amazon, Facebook and Google
Panel chair David Cicilline of Rhode Island raised concerns that Google “steals content” and uses its ability to surveil vast amounts of data to “identify competitive threats and crush them.” Pichai, again predictably, disputed the claims and said it uses data to improve results.
Tim Cook of Apple, said the App Store is just another feature of the iPhone like the camera.
Jeff Bezos was peppered with a surprising number of questions about its marketplace. Bezos said Amazon does have policies preventing internal access to third-party seller data for its own private label brands, but couldn’t say it hadn’t violated those policies. Reps. Pramila Jayapal, Mary Gay Scanlon, Jaimie Raskin and Ken Buck were among those who pressed Bezos on its use of third-party data to inform and market its own proprietary products and brands.
Val Demings of Florida pressed Pichai on Google’s decision to combine data from web traffic and Google’s properties in 2016 after saying it would not do so when it acquired DoubleClick in 2007. Pichai said users can turn ads personalization on and off and have made it easy to control their data.
Zuckerberg said the environment has become even more competitive for Facebook since 2012.
Capture leads from Quora ads
Quora has rolled out Lead Gen Forms for advertisers after a few months of beta testing. The forms can contain up to 12 fields and are prefilled with users’ Quora account information. Available fields include:
Contact Info: First Name, Last Name, Email, Business Email, Phone Number
Employment Info: Job Title, Company Name, Company Size
Location Info: City, State (US Only), Zip Code (US only), Country
You can download leads via CSV in the Ads Manager or use the Zapier integration to send leads to Salesforce, Gmail, Marketo or other system.
Why we care. Lead Gen Forms can reduce friction for users looking to engage with your company — whether to download a whitepaper, request a demo or sign up for a newsletter — and increase the number of leads you can generate from Quora ad campaigns. The Zapier integration means you should have no problem pushing that lead data into whatever CRM or email system you’re using.
Facebook’s plan to bring India’s corner stores to WhatsApp
“The real power of digital infrastructure will get unleashed when startups and small businesses come online. In many ways they’re already on WhatsApp but we need to help them connect the dots,” Ajit Mohan, vice-president and managing director, Facebook India told live Mint in an interview.
“It is how we can make it easy to shop from within WhatsApp. Our goal with the investment in [Indian telecom firm] Jio is to enable new opportunities for businesses of all sizes, especially for small businesses across India. The first example of the collaboration would be to help millions of kirana owners [small neighborhood convenience stores] digitize their product catalogue and use WhatsApp to connect with their customers,” he said.
Why we care. The pandemic has wreaked havoc on small businesses while at at the same time accelerated consumers’ shift to digital and the business need for digital transformation. The social networking giant sees big opportunity in becoming India’s digital tether between SMBs and consumers.
Google is also investing heavily in Jio Platforms (to the tune of $4.5 billion). The companies are partnering on an Android-based operating system for new Jio mobile devices with the aim of getting millions of more Indians online: a massive new market for ads and apps.
About The Author
Ginny Marvin is Third Door Media’s Editor-in-Chief, running the day to day editorial operations across all publications and overseeing paid media coverage. Ginny Marvin writes about paid digital advertising and analytics news and trends for Search Engine Land, marketing agency Land and MarTech Today. With more than 15 years of marketing agency experience, Ginny has held both in-house and agency management positions. She can be found on Twitter as @ginnymarvin.
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