#office removal prices London

[sickeninglyshoujo]

a/n: continually obsessed w/ cod dads, here's price

part 1: simon here

part 3: soap here

part 4: gaz here

masterlist here

warnings: pregnancy

word count: 1.7k

buy me a ko-fi

Price was afraid to have babies with you because of the age difference and you rolled your eyes every time he talked about being an old man and how a pretty young thing like you shouldn’t be dating him much less trying to get knocked up by someone his age. As if he’d let you even entertain the thought of leaving him for a young buck who couldn’t spoil you like you deserved.

Throughout your pregnancy he treated you like fine China, afraid he’d say the wrong thing and make you cry. He’s heard about women’s hormones during pregnancy even as you remained rock solid, rolling your eyes when he’d ‘yes dear’ you.

You tried to kick him out of the bathroom when morning sickness hit and he refused. Instead sitting on the tub next to you, petting your back as you leaned into the toilet and tried to soothe you, telling you how strong you were and how beautiful you were carrying his baby even with sick bubbling up your throat at the slightest movement “I thought morning sickness was only supposed to be in the morning,” you moaned with your forehead pressed against the cool floor tile. “It’’s a misnomer, love,” John said, removing himself from his perch on the tub to wet a cool washcloth and wipe down your face.

He wishes this phase was over, hates seeing you in pain like this.

That changes once the baby’s born then he’s ready to do it all over again. He didn’t know how attached he’s gotten to helping you do the things you couldn’t because of your belly  like putting on your shoes (looking up at your belly reverently the entire time before planting a kiss on it) for you and helping you pick things off the floor that your clumsy fingers dropped. He grew a particular affection for helping you rub shea butter and vitamin E oil over your rapidly appearing stretch marks.

Price insists on building the nursery furniture without reading the directions, “Know what I’m doin’ woman,” and to your chagrin he was right. Managed everything without a set of directions perched on his knee and instead chucked them to the side with the box.

The first thing he built was the fancy rocking chair he bought for you, insisting you don’t help him with anything “At least let me hold the screws John, I feel stupid just sitting here!”

To him, peace is this. This is what so many long nights holed up in some shithole on a mission have led to. Him sitting on the floor at your feet, building a life together while oldies play on the record player in the next room. He’s so overwhelmed in the moment he can’t help but pull your hand to his lips and kiss it and laughs at you when you ask him what’s wrong

“It’s all right, is the thing, love.”

When you get the first ultrasound, he stops at the store on the way home and purchased a picture frame (insisting you stay in the car and not overexert yourself, he’ll just be a moment, love). The next day he’s on base it now proudly sits facing him next to the photo of him and you vacationing in London with your faces squeezed together in the frame, selfie-style.

Tells anyone who enters his office about you and how far along you are, whether they ask or not, comparing the baby to different sized fruits, which parts were developing that week.

“She’s the size of a lime now, tiny little thing.”

“Can you imagine that she’s growing fingernails in my bird’s belly!”

Absolutely rubbed your swollen ankles in the evenings when he got home from work, peppering gentle kisses on them when he switched feet

Loved your pregnancy brain fog and would kiss your nose any time he got to remind you about something. He became the keeper of your calendar, scheduling your appointments and taking you to them.

When you go into labor, he’s on base in a meeting with some high-brass in a meeting on a highly classified matter. He’s not even allowed to bring his phone into the room. Instead having to turn it off and lock it in a safe prior to entering even with a baby on the way. He was aware this might happen and had instructed you on the line of succession.

“If you can’t get ahold of me, leave me a message lovie, then go down the line. Simon’s second-in–command-”

“Then Kyle, then Johnny, I know, John, you’ve drilled it into my head,” You soothe him, petting the creases he’s worn between his eyebrows, “It’ll be just fine, women have been doing it for thousands of years.”

“I’ll be there, I promise lovie,” He kisses your palm

You leave the message on John’s voicemail, a curt, “It’s time John, once I hang-up I’m dialing Simon, just like we practiced.”

Simon answers on the third ring, “Missus?” His rumbly voice cuts across the line.

“It’s time Simon and John’s still in the meeting since his phone is turned off.”

“Copy.”

The line goes dead leaving you blinking at the Call Ended screen.

You decide that Simon is aware of the drastic nature of the matter and instead busy yourself, you lug the baby bag and your purse to the floor next to the door and go through the checklist John had created in the front pocket: Stove off, windows shut and locked, televisions off…It wasn’t until Simon was letting himself into your front door that the list was likely a distraction from your husband to stop you from leaving on your own until Simon arrived.

Simon collects you with the cool confidence of a Lieutenant in the special forces.

No, don’t worry about the bags or the door, he’s got it, just get yourself into the car.

You try John’s number over and over on the way to the hospital, narrating Simon’s driving, “John, I’m going to have words with you when this is over, I cannot believe you let your pregnant wife in a car with what has to be the worst driver in all of Manchester!”

Before you know it, you’re being rushed into the hospital with Ghost snapping at the nurse at the desk for a wheelchair, NOW! He barks out orders in true military fashion leaving your head buried in your hands as you’re being escorted to the maternity ward.

“Now don’t worry, Sir, your wife is in excellent hands,” one of the nurses addresses Simon, all muscle pushing you in the wheelchair, unblinking and matching their pace.

“He’s not-” You try and interject.

“She better be,” Simon cuts you off, “And the labor will be handled with the utmost care or someone will have to answer to me personally.”

The contractions have started coming back to back and you’re pacing the hospital room, sucking on ice chips fed to you by a patient Simon.

Kyle and Johnny have also arrived and join him in his vigil, somehow maneuvering their way through the “Father and family only” policy the hospital has.

“She was adopted,” You later find out Kyle deadpanned at the security trying to stop him from entering the room, “Can’t you see the family resemblance?”

True to his word, John is there.

He’s rushed into the room, frazzled and running his hand over his beard, eyes darting until he finds you, “Hey sweet girl, I’m here, I’m here,” pointedly ignoring the nurse trying to count out the men in the room

(“Who are these men to you again miss?”)

(“I’m the father,” Gaz informs, flipping through a magazine to pass the time between bursts of activity with contractions.)

You moan out John’s name slapping at his chest weekly when he gathers you up into his arms and hugs you, “I’m mad at you John!”

“Don’t be mad, love, I made it just like I promised,” He tries to soothe you, smoothing his hands over your disheveled hair. “Not about being late, about getting me pregnant!” “It’s a bit late for that now, love,” He does his best to hide the smile twitching into place under his mustache. 

The boys remain in the room for the entire labor, John holding one hand and the other men trading off when your grip became too strong (“Dinnae know the lass could break my bones with just one hand,” Johnny moans shaking out his aching appendage.)

When the baby finally arrives, the doctor again looks around at the men in the room, “Would…Dad like to hold her?”

John finally extracts himself from your bruising grip to hold your daughter, eyes twinkling with joy at seeing the bundle covered in blood and viscera. Such a difference from every other time he’d been covered in the blood, these are stains he’ll gladly wear.

#1 baby wearer captain price

“I hardly get to hug you anymore because she’s always strapped to you!”

Price’s eyebrows go up at that, “Are you jealous, love?

 “Not jealous, but I miss my husband's arms around me!” When you say that with a slight pout in your voice, Price is quick to arrange Uncle Soap and Gaz so he can wine and dine you like old times. 

You make sure to wag your finger enough at the boys and remind them they’re there to babysit, not throw a rager and rile up the baby, even though you know your warnings are falling onto deaf ears. You wholeheartedly expect to return home to a cranky and overtired baby and two military men.

“Can’t neglect either of my girls” he’d mutter into your hair after pulling you close after dinner, holding you to his chest tightly in the middle of the sidewalk 

“You never do, John, you’re the best man I could’ve hoped for,” You muttered into his chest, “Never did I think I’d get someone so in love with me and our child.”

Will regularly fall asleep with the baby curled on his chest, boonie hat pulled down over his eyes, with your daughter also lulled to sleep by his steady breaths. You can’t help but take a photo every time it happens, so smitten with how your husband enjoys his quiet days on leave.

You can’t help but send the photo to the boys, having the group chat with them immediately blown up with emojis sent by Soap, laughing at the Captain’s prone form.

As a joke the photo ends up framed on Price’s desk, next to the ultrasound. Price actually enjoys having it to remind him of the peace he has waiting at home and the joke is ruined when the photo remains in it’s place of honor.

[on-a-lucky-tide]

Price and Nik fuck in Price's office after an (in)opportune twinge of an old injury.

CW: vaginal sex (yes, I transed your Price, and I'll do it again! I can't be stopped), threat of 'being discovered', handjob. [Terminology: cunt, cock.]

Old injuries rearing their ugly mugs at inopportune times was nothing new. As you aged through the service, it took chunks of you with it and Price's body was riddled with scars, dodgy nerves and aching joints. A particularly bad landing had left his back in a state some years ago, but it had been nothing a few rounds of physio and some leave hadn't fixed… or so he’d thought.

It was easy to disregard medical’s advice when you were younger. Everything seemed to bounce back in your twenties with no harm done. But despite warnings from senior colleagues who had experienced much the same, Price had let the physio and stretching lapse, because he had more important bloody things to do in the evenings than perfect his downward dog. His arrogance came back to haunt him as he leaned over a map of urban sprawl with Nikolai, trying to pick a safe spot for Nik’s heli to land.

“Safest exfil spots are here, here and–christ.”

Nik hummed, mildly amused at first. “I am not sure he will be much of an asset for this–Price?” 

Price knew he looked a prize twat slumped on the map on one elbow, the other hand flailing to try and get to the point in his back that felt like someone had jammed a Bowie knife between his vertebrae. He scrambled at the map, scrunching it between his fingers in search of purchase as the pain punched the air from his lungs. “It’s–ahh, fuck,” he wheezed, his face flushing red with embarrassment.

“Jonathan,” Nik said, softer, concerned, and if that didn't just make it worse. The big Russian circled the table and placed his hands at Price’s waist to steady him as he flailed, clearly ascertaining said flails were making it worse. “Tell me what to do. It hurts, where?”

Price drew in deep breaths through his nose, shoulders hunched over. He tried not to think about the giant bear paws settled so carefully at his waist, nor the way Nik’s crotch lined up perfectly with his backside because that was an entirely normal bloody thing to be thinking about when your back was doing a good imitation of a London back alley stabbing. 

There was a clear choice: huff and puff his way through it in hopes the nerve or whatever the fuck it was eased itself, or let Nik assist and get back to work, feathers only mildly ruffled. Price took another steadying breath. “It's… lumber, uh… lower back, betw–mmph, between L1 and… an, L3 to the right, just…”

One of Nik’s hands moved from Price’s waist, tugging his shirt free from his trousers so a warm palm could reach his skin. “Here?” 

“A little out to the right, up… ah, there… yeah.” Price’s shoulders slumped as Nik found the spot. The pain was acute at first, Price’s teeth and fists clenching as Nik worked it over, and then it dulled into a deeper ache; the low, throbbing relief of a splinter removed from the skin. Price’s heart, which had been trying to hammer free of his chest, settled. Nik’s pressure was perfect, his other hand on Price's hip, steadying him, occasionally circled in a brief caress. To reach properly Nik had to press close, and in the comfortable lull of relief, Price’s body started to respond; a building heat beneath his skin, a coiled tension in his hips. Shit, shit.

“Is good?” Nik asked, his voice still soft, patient. 

But Price could hear something else there; a wry amusement. “This isn't bloody funny, Nik.” Ruffled, Price scowled into his forearms, but was privately glad his bluster didn't cause the pressure to cease. If anything, Nik branched out, rubbing at the rest of Price's back in a wide arc, and chuckled. Bloody chuckled. A deep, hearty noise that made that tension twist a little tighter in Price’s groin.

“It's just… this was not how I pictured bending you over for the first time, you know. There was… uhm, more beer involved. Perhaps a… date.”

Price’s face turned the shade of a commie’s flag and he choked on his next breath. The rest of his body, rather unhelpfully, warmed with pleasure at the thought of it. “Are you fucking serious?”

“Deadly,” Nik replied, without missing a beat. “You are an attractive man. I think of you very… well, hmm, highly. But you are… difficult to reach. Private, hm?”

Nik enjoyed touching him, Price realised. He could feel it in the reverence of Nik’s hand as it glided in firm circles around his back. He returned in passes to the sore spot, but now he seemed to be savouring what he could, lingering at Price’s ribs, in the valley of his spine, following the curves of each flexed muscle and leaving goosebumps in his wake. Price knew he should do something, say something, put a stop to it before it could escalate… but he didn't want to. Bloody hell, he didn't want to.

A soft haze had settled over his mind, calmed by the strength in the large palms soothing away his pain and the warm timber in Nik’s voice. Fuck it, he was wet too, why even try to lie to himself? This was the most someone had touched him beyond a physical in years. If anyone walked in now… their superior officer bent over a damn map table, his hips tilted just to feel Nik bump against his… christ. Small bloody mercies that they were all off base for the moment. “Mmm. Nik, I…”

“You have not pushed me away, I am glad.”

“Why would I do that? Your hands feel like fucking god…”

Nik chuckled again, squeezing gently just about Price’s hips in what was undeniably an affectionate way, before moving up. “You are a joy, John Price.” Nik paused where his thumbs had been working over the expanse of Price's shoulder blades, like he was weighing something up. “I would like to show you what else they can do, and… other things.”

This was the turning point. If Price said no now, he knew Nik would honour it and they could return to the map. What they were actually here for at some godforsaken bloody hour. The mission was a few days away. They had time. Price couldn't quite believe his mind was talking him into… he wasn't sure what, but he wanted it. Wanted it bad. He just needed Nik to keep touching him, and talking like he was the prettiest damn thing in the world. “I’d like that.”

Nik’s breath hitched and his hands paused. A small victory, but it didn't last. He continued his leisurely, firm massage down to Price’s waistband with a soft hum, resuming command of the situation as naturally as if they sat in the cockpit of his heli. “Your back.. is better?”

“Mm, feels solid.” Only a small lie. There was an ice pack and a pack of ibuprofen in his future. 

“Good…”

Nik’s hands swept gently around Price’s waist to his belly, stroking up to his chest where Nik raked blunt nails through the fur there. “Ya tebya hochu,” he growled, and Price wasn't fucking sure what he’d said, but it sounded hungry. Nik guided Price up gently, hesitant perhaps in case he jarred his back, and Price looked down to watch those big hands explore the curves and valleys of his torso as the first kiss pressed to his neck. It was like electric over his skin, which seemed apt considering the storm of arousal brewing in his damned boxers. Fuck this was too good.

“You are… eager,” Nik said, a little awed, as his palms stroked over Price’s hard nipples.

“You have no idea… ahh.” Price pressed back against the strong body behind him and tilted his head to press his face into Nik’s stubble, curling a hand up to slide into his hair. Nik smelled of faded cologne and clean sweat, the motor oil from his earlier maintenance run, the leather of his brown jacket; Price pressed his nose into warm skin and breathed him in like he was oxygen on a deep dive, pressure coiling tighter in his gut. He hadn’t realised how starved he was of basic human contact, every fiber of him wanted to crawl inside Nik’s skin, to sink his teeth in, burrow away until he was completely consumed by Russian bear.

As if sensing Price’s building desperation, one of Nik’s hands slid down, following the trail of hair at the centre of Price’s stomach, hitching over the buckle of his belt, to settle between his legs. He hummed low in his throat, his other big paw grasping beneath Price’s chin to hold his face close as he teased. 

With the same firm pressure that had relieved the pain in Price’s back, he now stroked Price’s cunt, finding his engorged cock through the material of his trousers and boxers with a pleased hum. Price moaned, louder in the room than he intended, and gripped the wrist of that wandering hand as an anchor point. Nik seemed to like it. He muttered something in Russian again, pressing his hips into Price’s backside so he could feel the firm bulge at the front of his jeans.

“I would take you here, I…” Nik whispered, voice thick, pressing another kiss to Price's neck. “I am desperate for you.”

It was fucking stupid; in his office, the door unlocked, but Price’s head was full of Nikolai and need and not much else. His hips were twitching into the hand massaging in slow, deliberate circles between his legs, sure he would come fully clothed if Nik kept going. Another kiss, another soft phrase uttered in Russian, a squeeze of his jaw and throat beneath the big paw that held him in place to remind him of his surrender, and Price murmured. “Yeah. Here. Now.”

Nik growled, possessive, delighted, and nipped another kiss into the soft skin beneath Price’s ear. Price lost the hand teasing him for a moment as it tugged his belt off and undid his fly, and Price watched it happen as his boots scrambled for purchase against the floor. Nik licked his fingers leisurely, the wet sound of it making Price’s knees go weak with anticipation, before sliding into Price's boxers without more preamble; Nik knew what he wanted.

The first touch was euphoric; a gentle stroke over his hard cock, curious and appreciative. Nik lingered there, pads of his fingers passing over it, enjoying the eager hardness, before stroking up and down its length with finger and thumb in a way that made Price stutter and whimper in surprised pleasure. When Price jolted, Nik held his chin a little firmer, lifting him against his chest to keep him off balance. The bastard loved having Price at his mercy and he was keeping him that way apparently. Price couldn't find it in him to fuss over his lack of control; yielding to Nik’s lead felt… good.

Price made a strangled noise in his throat as Nik's fingers left his cock and delved into the wet, eager folds of his cunt like it belonged to him. Price knew he was soaking but the sounds of Nik’s exploration were fucking obscene, the pleasure swelling through Price’s hips as Nik experimented with different pressures and movements to find what made Price noisiest. From soft gasps to decadent moans when Nik found the combination that worked; a slow, easy glide from cock to hole that hit every nerve ending.

Nik paused only to shove Price’s trousers a little lower down his thighs, freeing his hand from their constraint and making Price feel a damn sight more exposed, barely able to stand on tiptoes the way Nik was holding him. Now that Nik had secured his captain, he wasn't going anywhere, pinned to Nik’s broad chest as strong fingers teased him relentlessly to his peak. “Mm, so wet, perfect…” Nik whispered, slowly stroking his thumb down Price’s cock while a finger slipped gently inside. It couldn't go far at this angle, but it was enough to push Price closer to the brink. 

“Nik, fuck, fuck, I'm gonna…” Price growled, clenching down on Nik’s finger as it teased his sensitive opening, collecting more of his slick before returning to his cock. “Please, faster, fucking–”

“Bistreye?”

“Nik!”

Another low chuckle. “Ya skhozhu po tebe s uma…”

“Ahh, fu-fuck.” 

Nik’s touch was perfect, massaging the flats of his fingers in swift circles, pinning Price's body to him so that he couldn’t buck away and lessen the intensity. Nik was playing Price like an instrument, soft chuckles of joy and amusement bursting free between adoring kisses against Price’s neck, encouraging him towards his peak in soft whispers that melted in and out of English like the ebb of a tide.

Price’s orgasm spread through him in a heady rush, an irresistible heat from the tips of Nik’s fingers that left him breathless and wound taut. He tried to close his thighs but Nik kept his hand there, slowing, gentling, so that Price could enjoy the aftershocks without overstimulation, yet still forced to endure the full extent of his pleasure at Nik’s hand. 

As his shudders calmed, gasped breaths abating, Nik let Price slump forward on shaking legs, his elbows braced over the map. Price looked over his shoulder just in time to see Nik slide his wet fingers into his mouth, those dark eyes closed as he savoured Price’s taste with a guttural moan. Price let out a shaky breath and rested his forehead on the table, unable to cope with the sight or what if did to him too long and still keep his balance. Fuck, fuck. “Nik…”

In the next breath, Price heard the click and clatter of Nik’s belt and watched it coil on the table by his elbow; he stared at it for a long moment, the reality of what he'd asked for catching up in the afterglow. Nik’s hand returned to his naked hip, stroking, asking. Price huffed an incredulous laugh; a bark of breath as his head fell between his shoulders. In for a penny in for a pound, right? “Yeah,” he said, sliding one booted foot further out as he presented himself for Nik’s attention. “Yeah. Here.” 

Nik growled in excited pleasure, like a damned that damned Russian bear he so reminded Price of, and Price couldn't help the dizzy, stupid grin on his mug. It faltered into open mouthed awe when he felt Nik’s finger again, sliding over his cunt from behind before dipping into his hole in a deeper thrust. “You're so relaxed,” Nik said, clearly enraptured by the sight of Price’s body sucking so eagerly at his fingers, even when he added a second.

“Cause I want you… want this,” Price replied, surprised by how hoarse and fucked out his voice already sounded. He'd never understood the ‘tight’ shit in porno. Tight meant reluctant in his book; one partner hadn't done enough to work up the other, or worse. This… this felt a hundred times fucking better. Nik seemed to agree, because as his fingers withdrew, the very next thing that pressed against Price was the large head of his cock. It rubbed through his folds, and Price ducked his head to watch it slide beneath his own eager prick, dripping in precum and glistening with his slick.

Nik moaned, uttering another slew of Russian as he thrust lazily against Price's cunt. He wasn't in any rush and Price was content to let him tease himself into a furor, eyes sliding shut as sparks of pleasure marked his progress. Nik was thick, and long, and Price’s body throbbed in desperate anticipation of what it would feel like splitting him open. He dropped a hand between his legs to feel the velvet-clad iron of it; the soft underside gliding over his palm as Price pressed it against his cunt, the hint of heavy balls nudging against his fingertips. “C’mon, Nik. C’mon.”

“Mmm, I love it when you beg.” Nik rested a palm on Price’s back as he pressed the fat head of his cock to his hole, exerting only enough pressure for his glans to notch in twitching muscle. “You are… exactly as I dreamed.”

Price breathed out as Nik sank into him, his walls fluttering and clutching with pleasure as every successive inch opened him up. Price dragged his nails across the desk, tearing at the edges of the map, and it took all his self discipline to not collapse forward and whimper in surrender. It had been… a while, and relaxed as he was, there was nothing quite like being filled to the brim by a generously sized prick. The feeling of fullness, of warmth, of struggling to breathe around the intensity of it, two strong hands on his hips to hold him in place. Unmatched.

“Oh, John…” Nik breathed, speech a little slurred. Drunk on me, Price’s fucked out brain offered. It was his last sane thought before Nik began to rock his hips. He moaned into his forearms, tasting his own damp skin as he tried to muffle his noise. Nik’s hand slid up Price’s spine to bury in his hair, tugging lightly until Price lifted his face. “Nyet, let me hear, John. Please.”

Price obliged because he could do nothing but gift his body to Nik's demands. Every thrust made his toes curl in his boots, Nik’s thick cock imprinting itself inside him, the obscenely wet sounds of each slap of skin filling the room as Price’s arousal and desire crested. The angle was perfect, Nik’s firm hand dropping to Price’s shoulder to keep him arched just so from the table, pulling him back to meet his hips.

Nik kept the pace measured at first, trying to long out his first taste of Price’s body but he quickened as his own desperation took hold. He gripped tighter at Price’s hip, his other leaving Price’s back to plant on the table for purchase. Price watched as strong fingers curled against the wood grain, accompanied by reverent mutterings that flowed in and out of Russian and English, like Nik wanted to express his adoration in a way that Price could understand but the primal part of his mind could only muster his default. 

To have someone so lost in him was a heady kind of power, and Price might feel emboldened by it, if his own brain hadn't been metaphorically melting with the searing pleasure of Nik’s cock and the overwhelming weight of him keeping Price pinned to the table. Price followed orders, he didn't muffle his whimpers and grunts, building towards another peak without even touching his cock under the relentless precision of Nik’s over the sweet spot inside him. Nik let out a pleased snarl when Price finally clenched around him in fitful stutters, fingers tearing the edge of the map, his sweat-slicked forehead pressed down in helpless ecstasy. 

Nik pulled out just as Price’s aftershocks began to plateau into a more stable pleasure, but Price didn't have a chance to complain. He was turned, his arse lifted onto the edge of the table as Nik wrenched off his boots, trousers and boxers with unapologetic urgency. Price got his first proper look at that majestic prick against the rest of Nik, and felt his chest jitter. Thick and long had been right, with a slight upward curve and a dark thatch of hair at the base, soaked with Price’s slick and come. Nik had lifted his shirt out of the way, and it sat shucked halfway up his abdomen; there were no chiselled abs, but an attractive plushness that made Price’s mouth water at the thought of rubbing his face into the hair there. Later, he'd do it later, when Nik was naked in his bed. Price would allow himself that indulgence.

Nik kicked Price’s boots out the way and stepped back between his thighs. Price latched onto the table, but Nik gentled him with a soft kiss. “Relax, John… trust me, I will not drop you,” he whispered to Price's lips. And Price did trust him. Trusted him to save their arses in a bind, to kill, kidnap and maim at his request, to always be there when he was most needed, no questions asked. Trusting him with his body in this way felt as natural as breathing, Price realised. 

Those big hands scooped around him to bring him to the edge and then planted behind his knees to spread him wide. Those dark eyes watched Price for pain, tuned in and attentive even through his haze of lust. Price looked up to Nik's face and saw that very same hunger again, inspecting Price’s face and apparently liking what it found. 

“Watch me take you,” Nik demanded, and Price looked down as Nik guided his thick cock back into the eager clutch of his cunt, choking out a gasp even as it felt like Nik was jostling his lungs for space. Like Nik was leaving his mark inside him. Price accepted the deep, possessive kiss that followed as Nik bottomed out, buried as close to the hilt as he could. Nothing quite like a considerate lover… fuck, of course he was. Strong hands slid down the backs of his thighs to cup his arse, leaving Price’s legs to hook over his forearms.

Price soon realised why Nik wanted him like this. He wanted to watch Price fall apart, to savour every squeak, moan and pant he coaxed out of Price’s chest, but it wasn't one-sided. Price got to see it all in Nik’s face too. The open-mouthed wonder, the misty eyes with wide pupils that looked at Price with unabashed adoration. Price threw an arm around Nik’s shoulders, clinging on for dear fucking life, as he slipped a hand between them to touch his own cock. Nik pressed kisses into the scruff of his beard, occasionally his lips as if he could taste the moans he coaxed, but he always returned to Price’s eyes to consume what he found there, and Price couldn't look away. 

No one in his life had ever looked at him like that. 

Like he had hung the bloody sun, like he was all their dreams come true at once. 

Overwrought, every nerve ending tingling with sensitivity, Price couldn’t contain the broken noises escaping his throat nor control the way his body came in a flood of wetness over Nik’s cock when his third orgasm licked up his spine and unfurled through every limb. He might have sworn and snarled, his teeth biting at Nik’s shoulder at the sheer intensity of it; his vision whited, the pleasure bordering on pain.

Nik’s hips stuttered before grinding in deep as he came, shoved over the brink by the sight of his lover unspooling, both hands cupping Price’s arse to pull him close as he pumped him full. Nik nudged Price’s chin up with his nose and kissed him deeply again as his cock pulsed in the aftershocks, buried deep in the clutch of Price’s body. Price slumped against the barrelled chest in front of him when he was allowed breath, wrapped his legs around Nik’s waist and pressed a heel into Nik’s backside, drawing him yet closer, like if he pulled hard enough they could really merge into one.

They stood wrapped in each other until Nik’s cock softened to the brink of discomfort. He pulled away reluctantly, nipping kisses into the scruff of Price’s beard, as he guided Price's legs down. Price was grateful; he felt shakier than a newborn fawn.

“We need to get cleaned up,” Nik said softly, his hands resting on Price's hips as he nosed his sweaty neck and shoulders, riddled with his love bites.

“My room. We can use the en suite.” Price thanked whatever god still took an interest in him for Captain’s privilege. The walk of shame to communal showers would have been too much. 

“Hmm. Sounds good.” Nik tucked his cock away and slid his belt back into place and, despite the bitemarks and nail scratches on his neck that Price had managed to return, the sweat and the ruffled hair, looked relatively normal. Bastard.

They left the wrecked map behind and headed to the safety and quiet of Price’s quarters. While Price might have thought his shower would be solo, Nik quickly disabused him of that idea by crowding him into the cubicle and using the opportunity to explore his body further, hands and lips consuming everything they could reach. 

They slept together in Price’s narrow cot that night. Nik found Price's first aid kick and ensured there was a heat pack on his back for a few hours, stroking through Price's hair in the comfortable quiet of their afterglow. Price woke to soft, groggy kisses and a cheeky entreaty for more sex… if his back was up for it. As Nik nudged his thigh forward and pressed inside him from behind, wrapping Price in his arms for the tenderest fuck he had ever experienced in his thirty-seven years on this earth, Price couldn't help but wonder what the fuck had taken him so long.

[sgiandubh]

The telling hashtag

So S is willfully disclosing his LHR location, with a story and a post to boot, as expected:

📌at Bourne Offices, 11 Richmond Buildings, in Soho:

Literally round the corner from Soho House, on Dean Street. Of course:

Also, this - very telling:

#gifted. Before *urv starts her demented Fitness at Dawn - The London Hyrox Edition fanfic, let's unpack:

S chose to wear, in this post, one of the sunglasses models from David Beckham's eyewear collection. Price tag is a bit steep (twice my Ray-Ban Wayfarers), but still democratic:

But why the #gifted hashtag? Before you think C or Scottish Xena lovingly picked those up the shelf for his birthday, you might like to check a bit around for context. You see, all dbeyewear collections are manufactured by a single Italian producer based in Padua, Safilo Group. Hashtagged accordingly in his post, by the way.

A couple of days ago, Safilo Group and dbeyewear's commercial partnership reached a new, very important milestone:

[Source: Safilo Group press release, https://assets.ctfassets.net/cmstik7jzbvm/2lwJmoKJR7x3ydijfpi7c6/9870e11fbb2c040a89a6d8acb4ed25ea/20240502_Safilo_firma_un_accordo_di_licenza_perpetua_per_l-eyewear_di_David_Beckham.pdf]

On May 2nd, Safilo Group and Authentic Brands Group (ABG), the corporate side of Eyewear by David Beckham signed a 'perpetual licensing agreement, replacing the current one that would have ended in 2030'. Authentic Brands Group and Safilo Group have been working together since 2019, when Beckham started to design his own eyewear collection. Now, they are taking their collaboration one step further, with ABG (or the licensor) granting Safilo Group (the licensee) perpetual (unlikely to be retired, unless something goes really, awfully wrong along the way: breach of contract, etc.) exclusive right to produce, use, advertise, sell its merchandise.

Something like this needs proper promotion, so Safilo Group and/or ABG graciously sent S those sunglasses, in the hope he will sport them in one of his posts with a potential 3+ million subscriber views.

A word on the UK pretty obscure regulations on promoter advertising and the use of the #gifted hashtag. There is not one, but two competent national regulatory authorities: the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) and the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA). The ASA is a bit more lenient in its approach and they clearly say that if the promoted product has been sent to the influencer on a no strings attached basis, then it is ok to use that #gifted hashtag. They will not pursue, based on the lack of #ad, however they will name and shame you - not a pretty picture, after all:

[Source, heh: ASA's Influencer Guide to making clear that ads are ads, https://www.asa.org.uk/static/uploaded/3af39c72-76e1-4a59-b2b47e81a034cd1d.pdf]

But the CMA is way more vigilant. They consider that any freebie can and must be monetized, based on its retail value and as such, must be clearly labeled as an #ad, when promoted on socials by an influencer. And yes, they can and might pursue, at any given moment: that must be proportional with the offence and in S's case, it might simply mean being served with a cease and desist notice or a removal and prohibition order. I'd rather not be in those shoes, mind you:

[Source: CMA's guide Hidden ads: Being clear with your audience, 2022; https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/social-media-endorsements-guide-for-influencers/social-media-endorsements-being-transparent-with-your-followers]

If he wants no further headaches, he should simply edit that post and add the right hashtag. It will be interesting to see if and when he will do it.

As for Fitness at Dawn, well... not even sorry.

Gracias a ti, ❤️. Siempre.

[blueiscoool]

Hoard of 17th-Century Coins Hidden During English Civil War Found

During a kitchen renovation, a family in England unexpectedly discovered a hoard of coins that was likely buried for safekeeping during the first English Civil War.

A family in England discovered nearly 400-year-old buried treasure during a recent home renovation project. The find includes more than 1,000 gold and silver coins that were likely hidden during the first English Civil War.

Betty and Robert Fooks unexpectedly unearthed the 17th-century hoard at their cottage in South Poorton Farm, Dorset, in 2019. Now, these coins have hit the auction block and sold for upward of $75,900 (60,740 British pounds), according to the hammer prices listed by Duke's, an auction house in Dorchester that handled the sales.

Robert Fooks made the discovery while pickaxing the kitchen floor to remove about 2 feet (0.6 meter) of flooring material, including modern concrete, old flagstone and bare earth. Then, he saw a broken glazed-ceramic vessel brimming with coins in the layer of soil dating back about 400 years. It's unclear if the bowl was broken before or during the recent discovery, according to Duke's.

The couple contacted a local finds liaison officer, who arranged for the coins to be sent to the British Museum, where they were cleaned and identified, according to The Guardian. The British Museum noted that the coins were likely deposited on a single occasion between about 1642 and 1644, dates likely based on the coins' mint dates.

The coins in the collection, named the Poorton Coin Hoard, range from modest sixpences, which were worth six pennies, to a coveted gold "unite" coin that was worth 20 shillings, or 1 pound, and depict the visages of English monarchs Edward VI; Mary and her husband Philip; Elizabeth I; James I; and Charles I, who ruled successively from 1547 to 1649.

Many of the coins sold individually or in groups at auction on April 23. A single gold coin of Charles I brought in the highest price, at 5,000 British pounds ($6,260), while some lots went for far more than their estimated value.

The period in which the coins were likely hidden — 1642 to 1644 — coincides with the first English Civil War, which lasted from 1642 to 1646. The three civil wars were fought between supporters of the English monarch, then Charles I, and Parliament, to determine the balance of power between the crown and Parliament.

"Perhaps the most important short-term significance of the Civil Wars was that it culminated in the execution of King Charles I in 1649 and a republic was established for the first time in English history which lasted 11 years," Waseem Ahmed, a doctoral student of history at University College London who specializes in 17th century British political history but was not involved in the hoard's discovery or analysis.

It's no surprise that people hid their money back then, as warfare during this time included the seizure of opponents' property, he said.

"If you were a royalist or suspected royalist, you could have your estates sequestrated (seized) by the Parliamentary side and vice versa," Ahmed explained. This may be the case for the 17th-century homeowner, as Dorset was a hotspot for troop movements and the turbulence that followed.

It's likely that someone buried the Poorton Coin Hoard with the hopes of safeguarding it and retrieving it later. And while the treasure was certainly safeguarded, its retrieval took four centuries longer than its owner likely desired.

"If we hadn't lowered the floor, they would still be hidden there," Betty Fooks told The Guardian. "I presume the person intended to retrieve them but never got the chance."

By Hannah Kate Simon.

[sliverwolf20]

Call of Duty: CyberLove

Summary: The start of the journey for Captain Terris, a Former member of the NEST team, who joins forces in the battle with Kyle Garrick and John Price of the SAS

Pairing: Poly 141 x OC, Gaz x OC

Word Count: 4,476

Masterlist

After serving in the American military for eleven years, ten of the years with the Classified Strike team; Non-Biological Extraterrestrial Species Treaty also known as NEST. After many events with the Autobots and NEST team, I went into quasi-retirement before moving to the United Kingdom in 2018 for a peaceful life but active for any private contract jobs. The Director of National Intelligence, Charlotte Mearing gave my contact information to the CIA Agent Kate Laswell for any mission that required my experiences.

Piccadilly

London, UK

October 25, 2019

18:00

I am strolling toward the plaza as the street is bustling with people shopping. My earpiece attaches to the radio pick up of the chatters from the nearby police radio system as I walk past an SUV containing the SAS officer with the CTSFO. I was contacted by Laswell an hour ago and am currently undercovered to keep the terrorist group, Al-Qatala unaware of my presence. I notice a white van loaded with a few barrel bombs and I quickly but calmly move toward the crossover. I didn’t step in unless I had an option. Then chaos went down and I quickly worked on getting the civilians out of harm's way as I gave backup to the police. I also radio in the situation,

“This is Captain Terris of NEST, We are under attacks near Piccadilly Circus by Terrorists! We need backup now!!” I reported as I opened fire on the terrorists. I helped with the civilian evacuation while shooting down the terrorists.  I quickly assembled my sniper gun and helped long distance, shooting down shooters up on the top windows of the surrounding building. After a while, I helped the SAS officer Kyle Garrick at the Tanto building for reports of hostages.

I help with the fallen door but knock it down as Garrick gets attacked by a knife-wielding terrorist until gunshots hit the enemy. I turn to see and have a hand up as Garrick calls out,

“Blue! Blue!” Garrick helped me up, I gave him a nod as the newcomer came over. He checked if we were armed and we confirmed before lifting the door out of the way.

He introduced himself as Captain Price before we headed into the Tanto building. We heard the beeping sound of a bomb as Price told us to check the corners. I quickly checked corners as we headed up and found no terrorists near the hostages. One of the hostages had a vest filled with explosives and went to work on disarming it. I removed my glove, revealing a cybernetic hand, and used it to hack the phone and stop the timer as I disarmed the bomb.

“Bomb neutralized. Hang on sir, I will get it off you as soon as possible. Try to stay calm.” I inform the other and calm the man in the vest as I break the lock with my robotic hand before helping him remove it. After escorting the civilians out and to the hands of the officers nearby. I walk up to Garrick and gently pat his shoulder,

“You good there?” I asked as Captain Price came up to check in on us. Garrick nods but his mind is elsewhere, frustrated by the limitation of his duty.

“It shouldn’t have happened in the first place… They sent us in half-assed, so everyone can just keep pretending we’re not at war.” Garrick gritted out

Price agrees with his answer,

“Yeah, lie of the fuckin’ century, that is.”

“Not to mention how limited we are with the rules of engagement regarding where and when, but never the how of the missions. I may be out of my place but I know how challenging it was in my unit back in America.” I respond as I put my glove back on, looking at them.

“Not to mention that my men were tracking that cell for weeks,” Garrick stated, caught Price's attention.

“You had actionable intel on this?” He asked and Garrick shrugged, agreeing to his question. Price told him that he was with him and invited me to take part before making a call to Laswell.

“I never got a chance to introduce myself to you, I’m Natasha Terris, former Captain of the Classified strike team NEST.” I introduce myself to Garrick.

“Kyle Garrick, Sargent of the SAS. I’m glad that you can help though the situation is not ideal as we are dealing with the Al-Qatala terrorists.” He said as I nodded in agreement.

“We’ll need to catch up to Price, share intel and work on stopping the terrorist. The last thing I want is another war where others are being… Don’t mind me, go through a lot worse with NEST and the Transformers.” I responded and rubbed my arm before he patted me on the shoulder in comfort. I smile at him before we catch up with Price, ready for whatever we can to stop the war.

[mostlysignssomeportents]

This day in history

I'm on tour with my new novel The Bezzle! Catch me TONIGHT (Feb 27) in Portland at Powell's. Then, onto Phoenix (Changing Hands, Feb 29), Tucson (Mar 9-12), and more!

#15yrsago Amusement park offers surveillance footage of you as a souvenir https://web.archive.org/web/20090401000000*/https://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/article1198732.ece

#10yrsago Report from Trustycon: like RSA, but without the corruption https://www.cnet.com/news/privacy/trustycons-rsa-conference-rebels-promise-more-to-come/

#10yrsago King no longer claims to own “candy,” still claims it owns “saga” https://www.techdirt.com/2014/02/26/king-backs-off-ridiculously-broad-candy-trademark-will-still-be-obnoxious-other-ways/

#5yrsago #FixItAlready: EFF’s wishlist for fixing tech’s worst privacy and security choices https://fixitalready.eff.org/#/

#5yrsago The “Reputation Management” industry continues to depend on forged legal documents https://www.techdirt.com/2019/02/28/pissed-consumer-exposes-new-york-luxury-car-dealers-use-bogus-notarized-letters-to-remove-critical-reviews-update/

#5yrsago Pentagon Inspector General reveals widespread retaliation against whistleblowers with impunity for the retaliators and the wrongdoers https://rollcall.com/2019/02/25/pentagon-harbors-culture-of-revenge-against-whistleblowers/

#5yrsago Amazon killed Seattle’s homelessness-relief tax by threatening not to move into a massive new building, then they canceled the move anyway https://www.seattletimes.com/business/amazon/huge-downtown-seattle-office-space-that-amazon-had-leased-is-reportedly-put-on-market/

#5yrsago Bad security design made it easy to spy on video from Ring doorbells and insert fake video into their feeds https://web.archive.org/web/20190411195308/https://dojo.bullguard.com/dojo-by-bullguard/blog/ring/

#5yrsago London’s awful estate agents are cratering, warning of a “prolonged downturn” in the housing market https://www.bbc.com/news/business-47389160

#5yrsago Yet another study shows that the most effective “anti-piracy” strategy is good products at a fair price https://www.vice.com/en/article/3kg7pv/studies-keep-showing-that-the-best-way-to-stop-piracy-is-to-offer-cheaper-better-alternatives

#5yrsago EFF’s roadmap for a 21st Century antitrust doctrine https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2019/02/antitrust-enforcement-needs-evolve-21st-century

#1yrago VW wouldn't help find kidnapped child because his mother wasn't paying for find-my-car subscription https://pluralistic.net/2023/02/28/kinderwagen/#worst-timeline

[notwiselybuttoowell]

On an unseasonably warm day in October, the silence outside broken by birdsong and artillery fire, Olga Goncharova sat in her office on the ground floor of the Kherson Regional Museum, a bulletproof vest wrapped around the back of her chair, the windows covered with plywood, and cursed the Russians. “They’re vandals, the people who did this,” she said.

Ms Goncharova escaped from Kherson, in southern Ukraine, in the spring of 2022, shortly after Russian troops poured into the city. By the time she returned, in November that year, Kherson had been liberated. The Russians had evacuated to the other bank of the Dnieper river, from which they have been bombing the city ever since. Ms Goncharova wept when she entered the museum where she had worked for over two decades. “There was broken glass everywhere,” she says. “They had torn some of the exhibits out.”

In fact Russian officials, assisted by local collaborators and the museum’s then-director, had removed more than 28,000 artefacts, loaded them onto lorries and shipped them to Crimea, illegally annexed by Russia in 2014. Gone were the ancient coins, the Greek sculptures, the Scythian jewellery, a precious Bukhara sabre—and even the hard drives containing the museum’s catalogue. Three decades ago, Ms Goncharova says, the museum recovered a collection of Gothic bronzes looted by German occupiers during the second world war. Now the Russians have stolen them.

Since Russia’s full-scale invasion began in February 2022, the loss of life and suffering in Ukraine has been great. Many of its museums have been plundered, too. The country’s ministry of culture estimates that over 480,000 artworks have fallen into Russian hands. At least 38 museums, home to nearly 1.5m works, have been damaged or destroyed.

Ukrainian officials have also sent a number of collections to other parts of Europe to protect them from Russian bombs. These include dozens of Ukrainian paintings from the early 20th century, on display at the Royal Museums of Fine Arts in Brussels before travelling to Vienna and London. When the evacuated treasures will return to Ukraine is unclear.

Artists have not been spared either. Ms Goncharova points to a painting of dried flowers and pottery that hangs opposite her desk. The artist, Vyacheslav Mashnytskyi, from Kherson, went missing after Russian troops turned up at his riverside dacha and requisitioned his boat. Friends who stopped by the house days later found traces of blood. Mr Mashnytskyi has not been heard from since.

Putting a price on the stolen works is nearly impossible, since only a fraction had been appraised for insurance purposes. Last April the un estimated that the war had caused $2.6bn-worth of damage to Ukraine’s cultural heritage. That now seems to be a conservative figure. Tracking what the Russians have looted is also a headache. Many Ukrainian museums, especially smaller regional ones, had relied on paper catalogues, often outdated or incomplete, says Mariana Tomyn, an official at the culture ministry. Some of those catalogues have now gone. Efforts to digitise inventories, which began only three years ago, have taken on a new urgency.

Ukraine will seek redress. Prosecutors in Kyiv are investigating Russian officials and Ukrainians involved in the plunder. Mrs Tomyn is working on a new restitution law and the overhaul of an outdated one on the protection of cultural heritage. And since late October a special army unit has begun to monitor damage to cultural sites. But there is little hope of recovering what the occupiers have stolen. Russian officials will ship Ukrainian collections stored in Crimea to Russia if Ukraine retakes the peninsula, says Vyacheslav Baranov, an archaeologist at Ukraine’s National Academy of Sciences.

There have been some breakthroughs. On November 26th, after a long court battle, hundreds of historical treasures from Crimea were returned to Ukraine from the Netherlands. The collection, which includes Scythian gold carvings from the fourth century bc, had been on display at the Allard Pierson Museum in Amsterdam in 2014. Russia demanded the return of the objects to the Crimean museums which had loaned them. The Dutch supreme court ruled in 2021 that they belonged in Ukraine.

They are not the only ones to make their way back. At the Lavra museum complex in Kyiv, Maksym Ostapenko slowly unwraps a bundle of white packing paper. Out of it emerges a Bronze Age battle-axe. Another bundle yields a sixth-century Khazar sword. In the summer of 2022 the weapons, plus a few other objects probably destined for America’s antiquities market, surfaced at John F. Kennedy airport. The American authorities sent them back to Ukraine a year later. Most were probably excavated illegally in southern Ukraine, near Crimea, says Mr Ostapenko, the museum’s director, or discovered by Russian troops digging trenches. Such archaeological looting has thrived in the occupied territories, he adds. “The damage done to cultural heritage is immeasurable"

[cindylouwho-2]

Etsy Shop Closures - For Shipping Late?

UPDATE [May 27, 2024] - I am happy to announce that Heather's shop has been restored, with no explanation from Etsy as to what happened or why her appeal was denied. The only thing we know for sure is that publicizing the situation brought swift action. I am leaving this post up as a cautionary tale.

Warning to all sellers: it appears Etsy is now closing shops for a few orders being scanned or shipped later than the processing time that was listed on Etsy. 

That used to be something you might get a warning for, and in the last few years you might get a 90-day payment reserve, but closure is something new. 

I’ve come across a few of these cases in the past few weeks. The most egregious one where I can confirm most of the facts is Etsy’s closure of HeatherJordanJewelry, on May 23 or 22. The shop had Star Seller status (SSS) at the time (proving that SSS is useless to protect you from much, if Etsy decides they want you gone). Heather opened the shop in 2010 and had almost 10,000 sales, almost all at a much higher price point than the average Etsy order. 

What happened to Heather could happen to almost anyone. She had been commuting between her home in Toronto and her parents’ place near London ON to help them out. She had been mailing orders in both cities through ChitChats, a popular Canadian shipping service that allows users to ship via USPS (they transport the packages across the US border). ChitChats closed its London location April 30, but opened a London drop spot in mid-May, through courier service Intelcom. 

Heather started submitting her ChitChats orders there, and saw them scanned by staff. However, she only discovered later that those scans did not transfer to Etsy, so by the time the mail services scanned the packages 1-2 days later, it was past some of her processing times. This had not previously been a problem with the ChitChats office, and appears to be related to their new drop spot. 

Just a week later, Etsy notified Heather that it had issued a refund for one of her recent orders. When she went to her shop to check the case, she discovered the shop was suspended. She had not been notified of the suspension in any way. Heather appealed immediately and was rejected, with the Etsy rep claiming the account had “several risk indicators”.

After extensive discussion with Heather, the other known risk factors I identified are

Higher order values than most Etsy shops

Original shop location and current bank in the United States, where she lived when she opened. Since Etsy cannot transfer shop locations from the US to Canada (or between most countries), this is a common situation. Etsy never told her to close this shop and open a new one with Canadian banking info, and Heather was able to verify her bank etc. as most of us have had to do in the past few years.

Some orders show as shipping from Niagara Falls NY, where ChitChats drops off the USPS orders. Shipping from a different country is common, not just for Canadian shops using similar services, but also for anyone using print-on-demand services to fulfill orders. (Heather was only doing the former) 

If Etsy were shutting shops for 2 or 3 alone, we should be flooded with reports right now, but we aren’t. I know many Canadian shops with US bank info and/or US ship-from addresses, and they are still open. So the main trigger has to have been “shipping late” in Etsy’s eyes, even though the orders were dropped off and scanned within her processing times. Since I have received more than one message this month where “shipping late” seems to be the major issue, I am convinced this is now a large risk factor for being suspended, even if the shops do likely need other minor anomalies to get removed. Remember, Heather’s shop had Star Seller status at the time she was closed; it’s not as if she was doing tons of things wrong. 

So what does this mean? 

If I drop orders at UPS or Canada Post and they don’t scan them until the next day, does that mean Etsy closes my shop? 

What if you get into an accident after printing your shipping labels, so you can’t mail the day you said you would, just once? 

What happens when Etsy’s own systems make errors and say that tracked orders aren’t actually tracked? (Yes, that is happening.)

I sincerely think that Etsy’s automated systems have made a significant error here, which has taken away a major source of income from an innocent small business owner. Someone needs to review this case.

Mark this down as reason #5943 that you should never rely on an Etsy shop as your main income. 

Heather's own post on her Facebook page:

and

Please spread this story around so people can be aware of the risks of selling on Etsy.

[beardedmrbean]

1. Today in History: Paul-Henri Spaak elected first President of the UN General Assembly

On this day 77 years ago, 10 January 1946, prominent Belgian politician Paul-Henri Spaak presided over the first-ever United Nations General Assembly at the Methodist Central Hall in London. Read more.

2. 'Trojan horse': Flemish separatists N-VA heavily criticise Belgian nuclear deal

The agreement reached by the Federal Government with energy operator Engie to keep Belgium's two youngest nuclear power plants – Doel 4 and Tihange 3 – open longer is not a real agreement but rather a "Trojan horse," claims Bart De Wever, the leader of the rightwing Flemish separatist's party N-VA. Read more.

3. Quiet quitting: Social media hype or a real issue in the workplace?

Quiet quitting, a term coined to describe the act of doing the bare minimum of work, erupted on the scene last year, partly driven by social media. A recent survey in Belgium looked into whether this is a real issue for companies or just another buzzword. Read more.

4. 'No need for subsidy war with US', senior EU official says

A senior EU official has denied that the bloc will enter into a subsidy war with the US over the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), one of US President Joe Biden's flagship legislative achievements which provides up to $369 billion in green government subsidies. Read more.

5. Deputy PM De Sutter calls for scrapping VAT on fruit and vegetables

Deputy Prime Minister Petra De Sutter has called for the VAT on fruits and vegetables produce to be scrapped after her party, the Flemish Greens (Groen), estimated that the price of fruits and vegetables has risen by 20% in the last year, due to the energy crisis. De Sutter made the comments during a visit to the Flemish municipality of Ninove. Read more.

6. 'Revolting' paedophilia manuals now officially criminalised in Belgium

The possession, manufacturing and distribution of so-called paedophilia manuals — often more than 1,000-page handbooks that circulate online and include tips on how to abuse children, remove evidence and evade the police — will officially become punishable by law in Belgium. Read more.

7. Hidden Belgium: A secret hiding place in the European Quarter

Not many people know about the artist’s house in the heart of Brussels’ European Quarter. It’s one of the last town houses in a district of shiny office buildings. It’s a small miracle it has survived. Read more.

[cleanercarpetslondon]

Top Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Services in West London

Are your carpets or upholstery looking worn and stained? Professional cleaning services are the solution. Whether you're a homeowner or running a business, clean carpets and furniture not only improve the look of your space but also ensure a healthier environment. Let us introduce you to premier carpet services in West London that can make a world of difference in your space.

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Your carpets will look and feel brand new.

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If you're serious about quality, trust a premier service to do the job right.

Commercial Carpet Cleaning Services in West London

Running a business in West London means your carpets endure a lot of foot traffic. Dirty carpets can leave a poor impression on clients and affect the atmosphere in your workspace. Luckily, commercial carpet cleaning services in West London are here to help.

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Our specialized carpets and upholstery cleaning services are designed to handle all kinds of materials and stains. Whether it's a plush carpet, delicate upholstery, or something in between, our professionals know exactly how to treat your fabric for the best results.

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When you search for a carpet cleaner near me, you want a service that’s fast, reliable, and delivers quality. We offer local, professional carpet cleaning services across London, ensuring you're never far from a trusted cleaning expert.

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Book Your Cleaning Today!

Don’t let dirty carpets and upholstery bring down the comfort and beauty of your space. Whether it’s for your home or business, our premier carpet and upholstery cleaning services will give you the results you need. Visit our website now to book your service and enjoy fresh, clean carpets today!

Source Url: https://cleanercarpetslondon.blogspot.com/2024/09/carpet-cleaning-services-in-london-west.html

[bairdmint0]

Discover the Best Way to Purchase Silver Bars

If you're looking to invest in precious metals, purchase silver bars offer a reliable and tangible asset. At Baird & Co., the UK’s largest independent gold trader and LBMA approved member, we provide a wide range of gold bullion bars and coins, all manufactured and refined in-house. Here’s why you should consider buying minted gold bars from us.

Why Choose Minted Gold Bars?

Minted gold bars are an excellent investment for several reasons. Unlike cast gold bars, minted bars are produced by pressing gold into precise shapes with high-quality finishes. This process results in a more polished appearance and a higher standard of craftsmanship. Minted bars also carry a guarantee of purity and weight, making them a trusted choice among investors and collectors.

The Process of Creating Minted Gold Bars

At Baird & Co., we manage the entire refining process for gold and silver, ensuring the highest quality of our minted gold bars. Here’s a breakdown of how our minted gold bars are produced:

Refining: We start by refining raw gold to remove impurities, resulting in a high-purity gold that meets the strict standards of the LBMA (London Bullion Market Association).

Casting: The refined gold is then cast into ingots. These ingots are the base material for our minted bars.

Minting: The gold ingots are then melted and poured into molds to create the final minted bars. Each bar is meticulously stamped with its weight and purity, ensuring it meets our exacting standards.

Quality Control: Every minted gold bar undergoes rigorous quality checks to ensure it meets our standards. This includes verifying the purity, weight, and overall appearance of the bars.

Packaging: Once the minted bars pass quality control, they are packaged securely to prevent damage and tampering. This ensures that each bar reaches our customers in pristine condition.

Advantages of Buying Minted Gold Bars from Baird & Co.

When you buy minted gold bars from Baird & Co., you benefit from several key advantages:

Quality Assurance: As an LBMA approved member, we adhere to the highest standards in the industry. Our minted gold bars are produced with precision and care, ensuring their value and authenticity.

Variety: We offer a wide range of minted gold bars in different weights and designs. Whether you’re looking for a small investment or a larger quantity, we have options to suit your needs.

Legal Tender Bullion Coins: In addition to minted gold bars, we also trade in legal tender bullion coins. These coins are a popular choice for collectors and investors, offering both aesthetic appeal and investment value.

One-Stop Shop: We manage the entire refining process under one roof, from refining raw gold to producing and selling minted bars and coins. This allows us to maintain strict quality control and offer competitive pricing.

Expertise and Experience: With years of experience in the precious metals industry, our team at Baird & Co. is well-equipped to provide expert advice and assistance. We are committed to helping you make informed investment decisions.

How to Purchase Minted Gold Bars from Baird & Co.

Purchasing minted gold bars from Baird & Co. is a straightforward process. Here’s how you can get started:

Contact Us: Reach out to us via phone or email to discuss your requirements. Our team will be happy to provide you with information about our available minted gold bars and answer any questions you may have.

📞 Call us: +44 (0)20 7474 1000

📧 Email: sales@bairdmint.com

Visit Our Location: If you prefer to see our minted gold bars in person, you can visit us at our London office. We are located at:

📍 Address: 48 Hatton Garden, London EC1N 8EX

Place Your Order: Once you’ve decided on the minted gold bars you want to purchase, you can place your order. We offer secure payment options and will arrange for delivery to your preferred address.

Receive and Inspect: Upon receiving your minted gold bars, inspect them to ensure they meet your expectations. If you have any issues or concerns, please contact us immediately.

Investment Tips for Minted Gold Bars

Investing in minted gold bars can be a wise decision, but it’s important to approach it with knowledge and planning. Here are a few tips to help you make the most of your investment:

Research: Understand the current market conditions and gold prices before making a purchase. This will help you make informed decisions and avoid overpaying.

Diversify: Consider diversifying your investment portfolio by including other precious metals and assets. This can help mitigate risk and enhance your overall investment strategy.

Storage: Properly store your minted gold bars to protect them from damage and theft. Consider using a secure vault or safe deposit box for added security.

Monitor Market Trends: Stay updated on market trends and news related to precious metals. This can help you make timely decisions about buying or selling your gold bars.

Conclusion

Investing in minted gold bars from Baird & Co. offers a range of benefits, from quality assurance and variety to expert advice and secure transactions. As the UK’s largest independent gold trader and an LBMA approved member, we are committed to providing you with the finest gold bullion bars and coins. Whether you're a seasoned investor or new to precious metals, we are here to assist you every step of the way. Contact us today to explore our range of minted gold bars and start your investment journey with confidence.

For more information or to place an order, don’t hesitate to reach out:

📞 Call us: +44 (0)20 7474 1000

📧 Email: sales@bairdmint.com

📍 Address: 48 Hatton Garden, London EC1N 8EX

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Key Services Offered by East London Removal Companies

When planning a move, hiring a professional removal east London service can make the process much smoother and less stressful. In East London, a variety of removal companies offer specialized services to cater to diverse needs. Whether you are relocating your home, office, or even just a few large items, these professionals can handle the heavy lifting, packing, and transportation with care and efficiency.

Key Services Offered by East London Removal Companies:

Home Removals: Home removal services often include packing, loading, transporting, and unloading all your belongings safely to your new location. Some companies also offer unpacking services, so you can settle in quickly.

Office Relocation: Office removals require careful planning to minimize downtime. Many East London removal companies specialize in moving office equipment, including computers, furniture, and documents, ensuring everything arrives securely at the new location.

Packing Services: If you're short on time or unsure about how to pack fragile items, many removal firms provide professional packing services. They supply materials like boxes, bubble wrap, and other packing essentials to ensure your belongings are protected.

Man and Van Services: For smaller moves, such as studio apartments or transporting a few large items, "man and van" services are a more affordable and flexible option. These services typically offer a single van and one or two movers to assist with the transport.

Storage Solutions: Some removal companies offer short- and long-term storage solutions. This is especially useful if there’s a delay between moving out and moving into your new home or office.

Why Choose a Removal Company in East London?

Local Knowledge: Removal companies in East London are familiar with the region’s roads, traffic patterns, and regulations, ensuring a smooth and timely move.

Customizable Options: Many East London movers offer customizable packages that cater to your specific needs, whether it's a full-service move or just assistance with heavy lifting.

Affordability: The competition in East London keeps prices relatively competitive, offering affordable rates while maintaining high service standards.

Choosing the Right Company:

Check Reviews and Ratings: Online reviews and customer testimonials can provide insight into the reliability and professionalism of a removal company.

Obtain Multiple Quotes: It's always a good idea to get several quotes from different companies to compare prices and services offered.

Insurance Coverage: Ensure the company provides adequate insurance coverage for your belongings in case of damage during transit.

Conclusion:

Hiring a removal company in East London can take the hassle out of your move, allowing you to focus on settling into your new space. With a wide range of services available, you can find the perfect fit for your needs, whether you're moving home or relocating your business.

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Removal Company London: Finding the Right Partner for Your Move

Moving to a new home or office in London can be an exciting new chapter, but it’s also a significant undertaking. From packing your belongings to navigating the complexities of London’s busy streets, the process can quickly become overwhelming. That’s why hiring a reliable removal company in London can make all the difference. In this article, we’ll explore how to find the best removal company London, what services they offer, and how to ensure a smooth relocation.

Why You Need a Removal Company in London

Hiring a professional removal company offers several advantages:

Efficiency: Removal companies have the experience to streamline the moving process. They handle everything from packing to loading and unloading, ensuring the job gets done faster than if you were to manage it alone.

Safety and Insurance: Professional movers are trained to handle your belongings with care, and most companies offer insurance to cover any potential damage. This adds a layer of security and peace of mind that your possessions are protected.

Local Expertise: London’s unique logistics, such as congestion charges, parking restrictions, and narrow streets, require local knowledge. A London-based removal company will be familiar with these challenges and can plan accordingly to avoid unnecessary delays.

Less Stress: Moving can be mentally and physically taxing. By delegating the heavy lifting and logistics to professionals, you reduce your workload and the stress that often accompanies a big move.

What to Look for in a London Removal Company

Finding the right removal company in London requires careful consideration. Here are some key factors to evaluate:

Reputation: Check reviews and testimonials on sites like Trustpilot, Google, or Checkatrade. Look for companies with consistently high ratings, a good reputation for customer service, and a history of reliability.

Services Offered: Different moves require different levels of support. Some companies offer full-service moves, including packing, storage, and unpacking, while others might only focus on transportation. Make sure the company provides the specific services you need for your move.

Accreditations: Companies that are accredited by professional organizations like the British Association of Removers (BAR) or Move Assured are held to higher standards. This can give you confidence in their professionalism and reliability.

Transparent Pricing: Request a detailed, itemized quote from several companies and compare prices. Be wary of extremely low quotes, which could be a red flag for hidden fees or subpar service. Make sure you understand all potential charges, including fees for packing materials, parking permits, or additional insurance.

Experience with London Moves: London presents its own set of challenges, such as restricted access to certain areas, narrow streets, and heavy traffic. An experienced London-based company will be familiar with these issues and know how to navigate them efficiently.

Types of Services Offered by London Removal Companies

The removals industry in London offers a wide variety of services to suit different needs, whether you’re moving locally, across the country, or internationally. Here’s a breakdown of some of the most common services:

Home Removals: Whether you’re moving from a studio apartment or a multi-bedroom house, home removal services cover packing, transporting, and sometimes unpacking your belongings. Some companies also offer specialized services for moving large or fragile items, such as pianos or antiques.

Office Removals: Office relocations often require careful planning to minimize downtime. Office removal companies handle everything from IT equipment and furniture to important documents. They can also provide reassembly services to help you get your new office up and running quickly.

Man and Van Services: For smaller moves or when you need to transport a few items, a man and van service is a cost-effective option. These services are ideal for student moves, small apartments, or individual deliveries.

Packing Services: Some removal companies offer professional packing services, where a team will come to your home and pack your belongings using high-quality materials. This can save you time and ensure that your items are packed safely.

Storage Solutions: If you need to store your belongings temporarily before, during, or after your move, many removal companies also offer storage options. These can range from short-term storage for a few weeks to long-term solutions.

International Removals: Moving abroad requires careful coordination. International removal companies manage shipping logistics, customs paperwork, and delivery to your new home overseas, ensuring a seamless relocation.

Tips for a Smooth Move in London

Plan Ahead: Book your removal company as early as possible, especially if you’re moving during a busy period like weekends or the end of the month. This ensures you secure the best movers for your preferred date.

Obtain Parking Permits: In many parts of London, you’ll need parking permits for the removal van. Work with your moving company to arrange these permits well in advance to avoid delays or fines.

Declutter Before You Move: Moving is the perfect opportunity to get rid of items you no longer need. This will reduce the volume of your move, potentially lowering costs, and make settling into your new home easier.

Label Your Boxes: If you’re doing your own packing, make sure to label your boxes with the contents and the room they belong in. This will help the movers unload everything in the right place and make unpacking more efficient.

Conclusion

Relocating within or to London can be a complex process, but hiring a professional removal company can make all the difference. By selecting the right company, you ensure that your move is handled with care, efficiency, and expertise. Whether you’re moving across town or to another country, London’s removal companies offer a wide range of services to suit your needs. With the right preparation and support, your move can be smooth, stress-free, and even enjoyable.

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Some Laundry tips from Commercial Laundry Services London

Prime Laundry ensures that businesses run smoothly, so great is the role that garments play. The essentials to living are not only food and water, but also air, and sunshine! Besides dainty dresses and workwear, don’t forget towels and napkins that apply to restaurants and medical departments.  They are not the only beneficiaries. Casinos, cafes, pizzerias, gyms, fitness studios, salons, spas, security, and offices would not be what they are without laundry support. Healthy, hygienic practices, impressive personalities, sparkling duties, and media-worthy work owe a lot to expert cleaning and ironing services. 

Common laundry mistakes to avoid

Nobody wants dull and lifeless dresses. Try for lively appearances. Most garments contain CARE LABELS and the washing instructions should be followed. Otherwise, the garment’s lifespan may be reduced. Don’t cross the limits while inserting clothes in the washing machine. Overloading beyond the capacity can damage the machine. Clothes don’t get clean either. Use the right detergent, according to the type of clothes, and sparingly. Adding too much detergent produces lots of suds, and washing is weak. Clothes need to be sorted according to fabric varieties. Segregate delicate garments to avoid damage. Don’t forget to clean the lint filter in the dryer. A dirty lint filter reduces airflow and increases the energy used and drying time.  

Separate the white, dark, and coloured clothes for the best washing to prevent colour bleeding. Detergents come in gentle and strong varieties. Very dirty clothes require a strong one. Use gentle detergent on delicate clothes. 

Stains need pre-treatment. Identify the stains and excessive dirt areas and apply a stain remover in advance. 

Water temperature is significant for successful washing. Very dirty dresses and white garments clean better with hot water. Cold water helps prevent delicate dresses from fading and shrinking. 

Drying and ironing follow

Clothes need to be shaken out before being inserted in the dryer. Such a strategy reduces wrinkles. Drying balls results in faster and more even drying. According to the care label, dry in the shade if required. 

Not everybody wishes to wield the iron, but the heat kills bacteria. Ironing spreads smiles. Adjustable heat on the iron needs the right setting according to the nature of the fabric to prevent damage. Moisture helps iron better and more evenly. A little dampness in clothes facilitates sharper creases. 

Washing machine maintaining 

Follow manufacturer instructions and clean the washing machine and dryer well with approved materials. Procurement got a boost from convenient online businesses. Clean the lint filter regularly. Guard against any sediments building up within. 

Trust Commercial Laundry Services London

Unlike family life, commercial  dry cleaning services constantly fret about timely laundry delivery and the quality of services, prices, and contract conditions. Companies with many years of recognition and wide endorsements can be relied upon to deliver awesome services. Ups and downs do occur but that is quite rare. Usually, it is total control and that refers to 365 days of the year. Avoid leaving laundry to chance and certainly not if it concerns business life, where time spells money. 

A creative approach to laundry 

Rather than treating washing and ironing as a drudgery to avoid, appreciate the aesthetic aspect of dressing well. Take up the challenge. Revisit the wardrobe and update it. Do you possess enough copies of workwear and some leisure wear too? Do the accessories, like caps, mufflers, handbags, and footwear, seem suited to the needs? When did you last go mall shopping or is it online stores that attract? If the washing load is not excessive, planning the washing and ironing during the weekend might work with a little help.  

You might need a Commercial laundry service near me

During stressful busy times of many duties, travel and examinations, or interviews, use the app and get lightning-fast laundry services that cater to the doorstep. Free pick-up and delivery on the same day seems improbable but it is routinely done. Larger tasks may postpone the delivery to the following day. The bouquet of services includes dress alterations and shoe repairs conveniently done along with the washing, dry cleaning, and ironing to set the house or business in order. Stop the bitter struggle with laundry and share the burden with the experts. Witness a wonderful change for the better with fresh-smelling garments free from aroma and stains, restored colours, and filled with the joy of life. Garment life is prolonged though some new trendy clothes still attract. 

Commercial Laundry Services Birmingham recommends

Mesh bags help with gentle garments like lingerie. Prevent them from getting tangled, weakened, and spoiled with mesh bags. 

Turn garments inside out for greater safety. The colours are preserved better, and the designs are protected.

Those fresh-smelling clothes require baking soda that removes odours and freshens them up. White vinegar softens clothes with a half cup and is eco-friendly too. 

A little salt prevents dark shades from fading. The colours remain intense and lively. 

Bed linen, towels, and napkins require separate washing to prevent lint transfer. 

Dry clothes whenever possible outdoors on a clothesline. Save energy and clothes smell fresh too.   

Commercial laundry services make many promises and honour them too.

This content is originally published on Prime Laundry’s Website: Some Laundry tips from Commercial Laundry Services London