#personally id do find with a much lower number but

[weebsinstash]

Totally not being inspired by any manhwa I've read or a specific certain harem anime that has been released recently but, something to consider: Reader who is suddenly stuck as the protagonist in a dating sim/anime/novel/whatever where you've got multiple Love Interests pining after you, but, you're actually not thrilled about any of this at all whatsoever and shoot everyone down, maybe youre even trying to find a way bsck home (unless its some isekai magic shit idk i would trade for that), but, even when you keep wanting to stay single, being VERY firm with people, sometimes even mean, the number of pursuers in your Actual Official Canon Harem who are after your heart (and body) keeps growing and growing and growing and they're ALL willing to share you no matter what

Call that the 100 Yandere Who Really Really Really Really REALLY Love You

[tanzdoesthings]

Fresh Air

this is for an au in collaboration with with @mothsakura and also i believe @ardienothesieno has some input as well? either way they’re both great and fun to talk ideas with. baseline info you need is that iterators walk in their cities, with massive facilities underneath the ground level. also some details on fathoms’ ID is not actually settled now, but the writing is what matters anyways lmao.

The heavy door closes behind Fathoms, quietly as to not draw attention to the fact that the person being celebrated at the gala was suddenly absent from the event. She takes a breath of the fresh air, cooling her systems and letting it out as a sigh, shoulders lowering as she let the uptight posture fade away. The nice thing about having such a large event is that she wasn't expected to be working much at all over the next two cycles. Less pleasant is the constant talking, touching, and interacting she must do with her citizens and other councils. They all want to know why she's so special, how she can do everything, what does it feel like to be so perfect? Those questions, she lets her council answer. Fathoms can't give the answer they want, and all this sensory input is making her overwhelmed. So much data, and she's too far from her neurons to process properly. Therefore, she quietly let herself out.

She was not expecting another iterator to be there, One that she does not recognize. They are sitting near a patch of greenery, picking at the rocks lining the plants. It is clear this iterator did not hear Fathoms walk out, so she tries to catch their attention. "Hello?" Fathoms asks, standing a few paces away.

"Oh- hello?" the stranger answers, turning to look at her. They have a handful of pebbles, clearly picking through the pile to find... something. "You're an iterator! I heard there was supposed to be a lot of them around tonight!" They stand, bringing the assortment of stones to Fathoms. Now that they're standing, she has a much better view of them. They stand just a bit shorter than her, antennas a similar length, though tilted back and decorated with an assortment of little stones and sparkly things. They wore a caplet over a robe, rather standard and simple for iterators. Certainly not an outfit for a gala, and they looked like a river stone compared to her bright pinkish-red hues and sparkling white pearls.

"Look-" they continued talking, "The pebbles here are very nice! See the stripes?"

She had noticed, in the times she had taken breaks out here. She always notices. "Yes, they are quite nice." Fathoms says, looking over the ones they had picked out.

They grab one particularly round one, holding it up. It seems that this is when they truly notice what she looks like. "Woah!" they gasp, dropping the stone. "You are really dressed up! Is it for that meeting-thing? My current admin was all shiny today too."

"Yes, there is a gala tonight. It's very noisy in there, I must admit. Why aren't you attending?" she says gently, hands folded in front of her.

They wave their hand, shaking their head at the same time. "I'm not exactly supposed to be out of the train. It's okay!"

Fathoms was taken aback by this information, but kept moving along. "What's your name? I'm Fathoms of Dreams, she/her. 489."

"Woah-! We're really close in number! I'm 492!" They exclaim, bouncing a little. "They/them, no name yet!"

She tilts her head. "No name? We're so close in age, how do you not have a name yet?"

The nameless iterator shrugs, keeping their demeanor the same. "I keep going from council to council. Nobody has taken care of me long enough to get a name, you know?”

It's a tragedy to Fathoms, but she doesn't voice this concern. Instead, she offers a hand to them, and leads them to a bench. The two sit, overlooking Fathoms' city. The council house is atop a hill, whereas the rest of the city slopes down what was once a lake, now reduced by a large amount to the center of rows and rows of buildings. The lights on each block sparkle in the night, and by the sounds of it, the whole city is using the gala as an excuse to party. The nameless one gasps in awe, sitting and swinging their legs next to Fathoms.

They deserve something nice, Fathoms thinks. She pulls off one of the bracelets given to her for the gala, a simpler one, made with a string running through a pale pink pearl. When she brushes her hands against the pearl, she gets a brief glimpse of the data written to it, around the holes drilled for the string. It's a prayer of well being, rather standard. She taps her new friend's hand, and they perk up, looking at her. Delicately, she takes their hand, slipping the bracelet on. The nameless one beams, as if Fathoms had just moved the whole world for them. Her eyes crinkle in a smile, watching them admire the bracelet.

"Are you serious? You're just giving this to me?" they whisper-shout, one hand on the pearl.

Fathoms nods, and they practically leap to hug her. She breathes in sharply, and this reaction immediately makes them loosen their grip, looking at her. "It's okay- I'm fine, just wasn't expecting... that," she reassures them.

They shift to instead lean against her, watching the city and running their fingers on the pearl. "I'll get you the best gift ever. I'm the greatest at that!"

"I'm sure. You had a good eye for those stones, you know?"

They nod, excitedly, with so much more energy than Fathoms has ever had. A moment of watching the city, and then they speak again. "Why are you at that big meeting anyways?"

That snaps Fathoms back into the reality of her situation. "It's a celebration. The city we are in is celebrating their iterator and the technological progress," she states.

"Wow. Did you meet them? A party so big must be for someone really interesting!"

Her hands grab the fabric of her dress, silky between her bio-mechanical fingers. "It's... for me." The other iterator stares at her with wide eyes, but she continues. "I'm very experimental. I can process very fast, but there are issues. There's a team of mechanics on hand 24/7 in my memory arrays and main bus, making sure my structure doesn't collapse. The whole city is on top of it. The day it does give up... won't be pretty."

"How can there be a party when there's so many problems to fix?" they ask, watching Fathoms.

"Politics, I suppose. I look finished, therefore I am." A pale pink, nearly white overseer darts up to the two, and at the sight of it Fathoms sits up straight, gripping her dress more tightly. They notice, glancing down to look at it. Her breathing sharpens, and she stands up quickly. They shuffle, following her movements.

"You need to leave, go back to your train. Now," she whispers, pushing the nameless one back towards the way they came from. "Follow this overseer."

Thank the void, the unnamed iterator follows her instructions, disappearing around a corner. She only has a moment to smooth her dress before another iterator walks up behind her.

"Fathoms." She knows that voice. She could never mistake that voice for another. "Leaving your own party now?" She turns, and is greeted by her sibling, Ink Run Dry, leaned against the wall. They tilt their head, not amused with the task at hand. "Get back inside. There's some kind of speech soon. I want a good vantage point, but of course, when you disappear, I'm the person they call. You're always back here. I don't know why it's my problem."

"Yes, of course." Fathoms answers curtly, leading the two back inside, away from the fresh air, from the nameless one, from the momentary peace.

[chibiseakraken]

Voting Is Powerful

Hey US peeps! Now is a great time to check your voter registration, register to vote, or update your address on your voter registration before the election in November.

Why? Because, whether you have strong feelings about candidates, measures or not, it is a privilege to be able to vote and use your voice in your community. Not everyone has that privilege. That's just it!

The more citizens who vote, the more our elected officials can represent a majority of our citizens. Rarely is there over 65% voter turnout. And the average for most elections is much much lower.

If most citizens don't normally vote, it is very powerful when most of us do vote.

(tips and resources below cut)

See also EAC.GOV for the US election assistance committee.

Check & Register To Vote

Each state has an office of the Secretary of State (go to https://sos.[Insert your state name].gov) which deals with elections and voter registrations. You may also update your voter registration from your state's office, view candidates and measures, and much more depending on how they have set up their system. It is my understanding that each county has an elections office that has a similar website.

Each state also has different laws concerning voting. Make sure your registered name matches your ID as well as your address. Be especially careful if you have more than one last, middle, or first names.

Examples:

Oregon Secretary Of State Elections

https://sos.oregon.gov/elections

Clackamas County Elections

https://clackamas.us/elections

Voting Tips For Newbies:

We all know politicians are not known for honesty but how can we trust they will be more inline with your personal world view than other candidates? This is based on my personal routine. I've voted and lived in multiple different states across the country. Here are a few helpful tips. I've been lucky and have only needed to use numbers 1 & 2, and 3 very seldomly.

1. Read a voter's pamphlet - (see also secretary of state websites) look at endorsements; especially teachers, unions, police, chamber of commerce, other politicians, PACs created by special interest groups; buzz words mentioned, types of past experience. This is a job interview and you are their new boss.

2. No pamphlet? Quickly search the internet. Look at a local paper interview, their personal website, any endorsements, etc.

3. Visit your local elections office's website (state, county, federal) or write them asking for information if you really feel up to a challenge. This is your right to be informed.

4. When all else fails, spend 20 minutes at the library for important elections. Librarians are happy to help with specific questions, as long as they are fact based and researchable.

Other informative websites:

Ballotpedia.org - information about upcoming US elections. A great source, especially for federal elections or state and local elections where there is difficult to find locally provided information.

Example: Ballotpedia 2024 Presidential Election

538 - Do you enjoy looking at numbers and polls? This site has all of the election polls you could want, with a focus on the federal election right now. But, all local polled races can be found here as well.

270towin.com - a graphical and numbers based map of the USA tracking the US national election by electoral vote.

Lastly...

Voting can seem overwhelming. And, it seems more difficult than it should. To me, that shows the importance of voting. If it weren't important, there wouldn't be other people actively trying to stop you from using your voice by voting or becoming involved in your local city council/community center/volunteer programs/peaceful protest. Good luck, and happy thoughts!

[diorgirl444]

Hii Flo! How are you doing? I was wondering if i could maybe have a marauders/or slytherin boys fanon relationship matchup?

My name is Layla(pronounced leyla)and im 5'4

Appearance: my height is pretty average, hourglass figure sort of. Im quite pale and i have brown curly hair to a little lower then my collarbone. I have brown eyes, i have chubby cheeks which i love, my cheeka are usually slightly blushed necause i get cold alot. I wear mostly neutral colors such as black, grey, white and brown/beigh. I'm half swedish and half algerian. I have long eyelashes. I have a softer body type, such as a softer tummy snd all that, which again, i love

Hobbies: my biggest interested/hobby is definetly art. I absolutely love drawing and creating stuff. I usually draw stuff that ive seen irl or in my dreams because i have quite vivid dreams. I love music aswell, I've been singing my whole life and writing songs is something i love, the art is my main hobby though. I also like going for walks, i live in a small village so going out and sitting somewhere quiet whole drawing is amazing. I listen alot to arctic monkeys, david kushner, The Neighbourhood, the cramps, the Smiths, one direction. I gym alot, about 6 times a week.

Personality: i am an INTJ-T, i like being alone. I have a few close friend that i hang out with every now and then, i'ma decently closed off person, very few people know alot about me. I have anxiety and daddy issue(not trying to be quirky or sum shit i just have a shitty relationship w my dad) I'm usually very quiet. I'm a leo sun, scorpio rising and aquarous moon. It sounds weird but I'd consider myself quite a submissive person if that make sense? Im just natrually a quiter, nore submissive individual. I've never really been a person that does too well in school subjects such aas math, becahse logical subjects where theres only one answer, has never been my thing. I don't like admitting it but deep down im very self conscious, even though i kind of always seem like a confident person. I'm both introverted and extroverted, i can be very loud at times and i strugfkr with regulating the volume kf my voice because of my adhd. Id describe my humor as somewhat dark- my jokes are usually about myself and things that happend when i was younger which i find funny while others find concerninf- im quite sarcastic.

Things i like:

I love art, music, reading, writing, working out, fruit...fruit is my mains soruce of nutrition i love that shit so much i could write an essay on it man...i also love pasta, and chocolate. It makes me happy :')

I love rain, and my friend's and Going on walks, and going on walks in thr rain, and going on walks in the rain with my friends

Things i dislike:

Tomatos, math, ehen people think im stupid or unintelligent purely bc im bad at numbers-

Other informationsss:

My favorite colors are pink, beigh, grey and black. I've been told that im hard to approach? My love language is gift giving and physical touch. You cna almost always find me fidgeting eith the hen if my best friends shirtx or rubbing up and down her calf absentmindedlt while we sre talking(yes shes okay with this she koves it)i love getting hugged if its from someone im comfortble with, i love sitting in silence while drawing. I live analyzing different things, everything from art pieces to human behavior. I have an intrest for psychology, i'm studying law!

Oh and i speak swedish, English, german, romanian and french!

Andddd my aesthetic is so mixed- think like dark academis meets soft grunge mixed with coquette?

Soo, this is me, oh also im straight(but we support woman 110%)

So yea, thank you in advance!(if you domt have the time thats okay!)

hi thanks for waiting so long! i had to take a bit of a break with tumblr cause of gcses but i can’t wait to see what you think of your matchup <3

your perfect matchup is 𝐬𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐮𝐬 𝐛𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐤 💌

𝐢 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐮𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐚 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡 𝐦𝐚𝐝𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐧 <3

𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐢 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝟐 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐦𝐞𝐞𝐭 <3

okay so this took me an embarrassingly long time to decide between sirius and remus but ultimately sirius won out in the end because i am nothing if not an absolute sucker for a good opposites attract trope! 🎀

i think you two meet through mutual friends (remus and lily of course) at a weekend trip to hogsmede and just hit it off right away. it’s funny because you’ve heard so much about sirius, how he’s a relentless playboy, a troublemaker, a delinquent but to you he’s a perfect gentleman. which is confusing for everyone who witnesses it.

at first they all just think oh he’s immediately just decided that you’re only friend material because you’ve got so much in common but also different enough that that would work. so the two of you spend the whole day just hanging out and no one thinks much of it….

till sirius gets back to his dorm and tells remus ever so dramatically “i’m finished!” remus is obviously wtf???? and sirius rolls his eyes as if it’s the most obvious thing in the world and he’s all like “i’m finished with my hookups - i’m a changed man! there is one girl for me and i intend to be with her till the day i die” which is kinda like woah chill out! but also very cute :)

now i wouldn’t say you feel the same because you’re not insane but you are like “oh he was cute, hope i see more of him” kinda thing. anyways the point is you’re both into each other but of course don’t know that about one another because where’s the fun in that??? 😜

and sirius being sirius he doesn’t go about it in a normal way oh no he decides he’s gotta work out how to impress you first and you know what he’s gonna work that out as dog! such a sound plan!!! so whilst your sketching by the lake a large black dog potters over to you and lays at your feet. which obviously you think is adorable so you’re petting it and stroking it and just giving it sm attention (if only you knew it was sirius)

anyways it becomes like a habit for you and this dog. you go down to sketch and it joins you. you talk to it, sing, read and as you do all that sirius falls in love with you. meanwhile you to maintain a friendship as humans too but when sirius is in his animal form he sees a side to you in that time that no one else does. he falls so deeply and slowly like the way winter gently falls into spring. 🌷

he confesses in a similar way, you’re ranting to his dog form about how much you want sirius to ask you out. then suddenly you look up and there’s him boyishly grinning at you, dark hair flopping beautifully onto his forehead, he looks like a cursed prince of a forgotten land. when this happens your jaw literally drops and you’re throwing various explicates at him but he hushes you with five little words “may i please kiss you?” and forced into silence you nod cheeks burning.

he kisses you like you’re made of porcelain, a precious treasure which he cannot break, it’s prefect. when you two pull back to get your breath back you tell him teasingly “i still haven’t forgiven you for pretending to be a dog” and he says “will you forgive me if i ask if i can be your boyfriend?”you just laugh and kiss him again. sirius can’t remember a happier memory to that day. <3

𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐛𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 <3

very easy and comfortable very quickly, the two of you adjust naturally into a routine that’s right for the two of you. a very quiet sort of intimacy that tends to surprise onlookers - it’s not at all what people expect of sirius but that’s okay because you two just get it so why worry about anyone else?

sirius is very physically affectionate like literally super glued to your side for the rest of your life now so like enjoy that i guess… 🤨 okay jk it’s very endearing but also its perfectly okay to need breaks so don’t forget to remind him that you need your own space sometimes. i mean he’ll huff and he’ll puff but he’ll get it.

okay but do you know what his favourite thing in the world is? it’s when you play with his hair. picture this it’s a warm rainy summer evening he’s laying along the sofa in the common room, his mess of dark curls in your lap, your fingers toy and fiddle with them, absentmindedly humming along to the smiths vinyl which crackles in the background. it’s pure paradise for the both of you just cosy and warm and soft. god i’m so jealous of the two of you!

he’s always treating you to things! as heir to the black family fortune he’s got an insane amount of cash to splash and he’d much rather spend it on someone he actually cares about so he’s always buying you stuff. a top he thinks you’d look good in, a fancy hardback of your favourite book, or simply your favourite chocolate bar. doesn’t matter if it’s big or small, cheap or expensive, so long as you like it that’s all he cares about.

he thinks your sketches are the most beautiful things he’s ever seen. unfortunately i can’t promise that it’ll be easy for them to become more than sketches because god forbid your attention leaves him for half second. like you’ll be in the library sketching with him sat next to you and then suddenly your cheeks are being smothered with kisses and a hands trailing its way round your chair turning you to face him. what can he say he missed you? good thing he’s cute bcs he’s such a little shit you love that about him tho

it’s very, very rare that the two of you fight but he always apologises first! don’t get me wrong he sulks for a bit first because like he’s sirius black but then he catches your red rimmed eyes and all is forgiven. because he made you cry? yeah he sucks - he’s sorry pretty girl he’ll never to it again and he gives you full permission to kill him if he does.

also his friends love you! you’re exactly what sirius needs to balance him out. honestly they don’t know how you handle him but they’re not complaining! like please keep him for as long as you want him they’re all sick to death of him!

he proposes to you on the last day of school with his family signet ring. he knows he sounds crazy but he’s loved you from the minute he met you. he’ll give you a proper ring soon but for now he gives you his family ring because you’re his family now. you’re all the family he could ever want. his whole world <3

𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐚𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐛𝐞 <3

hope you like it! xoxo, flo <3

[trainingdummyrabbit]

Woe

9, 14, 27

uouoauhg... explodes of Quemstions(tm)

9- tell a story about your childhood this one is . really funny actually bc i thought abt several stories and Most of them revolve around pokemon in one way or another .. there Have been several different times i was directly responsible for a boom in pkmn card popularity in my school, subsequently causing them to get banned. one of those times, there was a kid who just. he just fucking sucked man. id bring stacks of my cards in my backpack bc i loved sharing and trading them, and he just. apparently snuck in and stole like half of them? at some point? and i Knew, because my favorite card was one of em, and it had been out of print for Years at that point, and when i confronted him, he said he 'got it at walmart.' which was obviously fucking bullshit but i was too much of a pansy to confront him about it. iwas still solidly in the Polite School Kid thing, yknow? and at some point one of my friends from a lower grade went 'hey. check this out.' and pulls out a fucking wad of cards he stole back from the guy??? INCLUDING all of my missing favorites. im honestly still kinda baffled to this day about it, but it doesnt matter bc my beloved is safe at home with me even to this day and i wouldnt trade her for the world. <33 (if youre curious. 2006 salamence ex delta species. her name is sally :])

14- what’s something you’ve always wanted to do but maybe been to scared to do? roleplay. i used to spend hours and hours and Hours rping literally everywhere at any chance i got, and for some reason i just... stopped? ive tried again a few times, but its never really managed t pick itself back up again... ''> > im. unfortunately Very picky about my own writing, and even more picky than that about the way im perceived, which doesnt really mix well... and then theres the active rping communities which are so alien and... weirdly strict? i always end up pushing myself too hard and exploding about it. metaphorically. outwardly its more like i just fucken disappear off th face of the earth KJNGKJD;; itried picking up an old forum acc i had about two or three weeks ago, and um. well... bbbbad timing on my part iguess... = = storytelling is still one of my biggest loves though, and i know im still deeply passionate about it, its just. ouhhhhh the struggles. oh and also cosplaying in public. id love to do that too one day, if i manage to find some friends willing within a country's radius maybe. i used to Love videos of people hanging out semi-incharacter in cosplay and just being dorks... idont really see those too often lately though :< sad..

27- any nicknames? a couple! most of them are variants of my normal name, like pika or piko or pikkles or smthn. nobodys called me those in a long time though.. my names already short n shrimple, so there hasnt rly been much need for it isuppose. a personal favorite of mine is 19, though. i used t be in a discord server w a loooot of people, and we started a joke of a 'number cult,' in which we would all call each other by numbers and kept a list of who claimed what. mine was 19 :] (since 9 was taken already.) that... lasted well over a year actually, im still 19 to a lot of people out there ithink. kind of a comforting thought.

[profutured]

for the sake of keeping all this information in one place, here's a full list of AIdrés' abilities for as long as he remains within Area Zero. these are not public knowledge!

Locking or opening doors within Area Zero. This can be as simple as keeping the research stations open and accessible to outsiders, or a more complex process of creating/lowering the walls of security barriers in order to force people along a specific path. There is only one door he cannot unlock, and that is the single entrance into Zero Lab.

Manipulation of Zero Lab's facilities, such as lights, temperature, and the elevator that leads down into the time machine room. Should the lab ever become compromised by an unwanted presence, AIdrés is under instruction to make their descent as difficult as possible, and the easy first step is to plunge the whole building into darkness and shut off access to the elevator. The temperature control is to keep the technology working under optimal conditions, so is always being adjusted to account for the outside conditions and the body heat of those present.

Pokeball manipulation, mainly the 'locking' mechanism that prevents a pokemon from being summoned or recalled. He can lock the pokeballs of a specific individual (by targeting their unique Trainer ID), or simply do a blanket attack on every ball not registered to Turo's ID. This only works within Zero Lab, and is most effective in the time machine room.

Giving himself full access to an individual's phone or other digital device. This is an automatic process within Area Zero, usually just a surface-level monitoring of their GPS location, but it can be done outside of this area once he has the target's number or can find them via another's contacts list. It's the easiest way for AIdrés to keep tabs on a person and make sure that they are following any instructions he's given them, even once they've left the crater.

Scanning and investigating every person entering into Area Zero. What information he gains from this will be dependent on just how much of your muse is publicly known, but it's very, very likely that he's going to find something unless we have plotted otherwise. If they are/were a student at the Uva Academy, he'll already know their current grades, class attendances, registered pokemon, student ID number, full name, family address/es and contact information, etc.

Full, unrestricted access to any and all digital databases. There is nothing that can outsmart his AI, and no amount of protections can prevent him getting into those files if he really puts his mind to it. I go into more detail about this here. This isn't usually part of his initial introductory scans, but should you give him reason to become interested, concerned or suspicious, he'll be much more inclined to start delving through the supposedly 'secret' information hoards.

Supreme intelligence, just in general. Aldrés has the intellect of a supercomputer from a billion years in the future, the same time all of the paradoxes are being pulled from. His technology is impossible, it should not exist, but he does. It's fair to say that he goes far beyond the limits of organic intelligence, even when compared to powerful psychic pokemon like Mewtwo.

Pre- or during ScVi, he has control over the Iron Serpent, Miraidon. Not only will it obey his commands in battle, but he has possession of the Master Ball it's bound to and can call it back at any time. Miraidon is never used in the initial confrontation, and instead time machine will summon a team of Paradox pokemon once the phase one Battle Protocols have been activated.

The recognition of different gimmick items, such as Z-Crystals, Dynamax Bands or Mega/Key Stones. They all resonate at a slightly different frequency to Paldea's own Tera Crystals, and can easily be picked up by his sensors even if the item itself isn't visible. He's likely going to ask about these techniques, once he's confirmed someone is indeed capable of using them. He's curious.

On a similar note, he can detect all levels/types of radiation and the particles shed by people like Fallers. The latter will not be immediately identifiable as the influence of Ultra Space (not until he researches further or scans an Ultra Beast), but he will detect something is off.

[fincrifblogs]

Navigating the Personal Loan Application Process: Tips for Success

Applying for a personal loan can seem daunting, especially if it's your first time. However, with the right approach and preparation, you can navigate the application process smoothly and increase your chances of approval. Here’s a comprehensive guide filled with practical tips to help you successfully complete your personal loan application.

1. Understand Your Financial Needs

Before diving into the application process, take a moment to assess your financial needs. Ask yourself:

How much do I need to borrow?

What will I use the funds for?

Can I afford the monthly payments?

Having a clear understanding of your requirements will not only help you choose the right loan amount but will also enable you to communicate your needs effectively to potential lenders.

2. Check Your Credit Score

Your credit score plays a crucial role in the personal loan application process. It determines your eligibility and the interest rate you may receive. Before applying:

Obtain a copy of your credit report from a reputable service.

Review it for errors and dispute any inaccuracies.

If your score is lower than you’d like, consider taking steps to improve it, such as paying down existing debts or making timely payments on current accounts.

3. Research Lenders and Compare Offers

Not all lenders are created equal. Take the time to research different lending institutions, including banks, credit unions, and online lenders. Compare the following factors:

Interest Rates: Look for competitive rates that suit your financial situation.

Loan Terms: Consider the length of the loan and how it affects your monthly payments.

Fees and Charges: Be aware of origination fees, late payment penalties, and any other costs associated with the loan.

By comparing multiple offers, you can ensure you find the best deal.

4. Gather Necessary Documentation

Most lenders require specific documentation to process your loan application. Having these documents ready can speed up the approval process. Common documents include:

Proof of Identity: A government-issued ID such as a passport or driver’s license.

Proof of Income: Recent pay stubs, tax returns, or bank statements to verify your income.

Employment Verification: A letter from your employer or recent tax documents may be necessary.

Credit History: While lenders usually check this, having a summary can help you understand your financial standing.

5. Check Your Eligibility

Many lenders offer online tools to check your eligibility without affecting your credit score. Use these tools to assess whether you meet the lender’s criteria before submitting a formal application. This step can save you time and prevent unnecessary inquiries on your credit report.

6. Complete the Application Form Carefully

When filling out the application, accuracy is crucial. Here are some tips:

Provide Complete Information: Ensure all fields are filled out and double-check for accuracy.

Be Honest: Misrepresenting your financial situation can lead to denial or future complications.

Follow Instructions: Adhere to any specific guidelines provided by the lender.

7. Prepare for a Credit Check

Once you submit your application, the lender will perform a hard inquiry on your credit report. This check is standard and helps the lender assess your creditworthiness. Be aware that too many hard inquiries in a short period can negatively impact your credit score. Therefore, limit your loan applications to a reasonable number within a few weeks to minimize the effect.

8. Stay Organized During the Process

Keep all correspondence and documentation organized. Create a folder (digital or physical) to store:

Loan applications

Communication with lenders

Any additional documentation requests

Staying organized will make it easier to track your application status and respond promptly if lenders need further information.

9. Be Prepared for Questions

During the application process, be prepared to answer questions from lenders regarding your finances. They may ask about your:

Employment status

Monthly expenses

Other debts

Be honest and thorough in your responses, as this will help build trust with the lender.

10. Review the Loan Agreement Thoroughly

Once approved, carefully review the loan agreement before signing. Pay attention to:

Interest Rate: Ensure it aligns with what was quoted.

Repayment Terms: Understand the payment schedule and duration.

Fees and Penalties: Be aware of any fees for late payments or early repayment penalties.

If anything is unclear, don’t hesitate to ask the lender for clarification.

11. Stay in Communication with the Lender

Maintain open lines of communication with your lender throughout the process. If you encounter issues or have questions, reach out for assistance. Being proactive can help resolve potential problems before they escalate.

Conclusion

Applying for a personal loan doesn’t have to be overwhelming. By following these tips and preparing in advance, you can streamline the application process and enhance your chances of securing the funds you need. Remember, understanding your financial situation, researching lenders, and gathering the necessary documentation are crucial steps toward a successful loan application.

With the right preparation, you’ll be well on your way to navigating the personal loan landscape with confidence. Whether it’s for a home renovation, a dream vacation, or unexpected expenses, a personal loan can provide the financial support you need to achieve your goals.

[wecredit]

Step-by-Step Guide to Applying for a Personal Loan

Applying for a personal loan can seem daunting, especially if you’re unfamiliar with the process. However, with the right information and preparation, you can navigate it smoothly and efficiently. Here is a step-by-step guide to help you understand how to apply for a personal loan, ensuring you get the funds you need quickly and without unnecessary stress.

 Step 1: Assess Your Financial Needs

Before applying for a loan, take some time to assess your financial situation and determine how much you need to borrow. Consider the purpose of the loan—whether it’s to cover medical expenses, consolidate debt, or finance a significant purchase—and calculate the exact amount you require. Be realistic about your borrowing capacity, keeping in mind that you’ll need to repay the loan with interest.

Ask Yourself:

- How much money do I need?

- What is the purpose of the loan?

- Can I afford the monthly repayments?

 Step 2: Check Your Credit Score

Your credit score plays a crucial role in the loan approval process. Lenders use it to assess your creditworthiness and determine the interest rates for which you qualify. A higher credit score usually translates to lower interest rates and better loan terms. 

How to Check Your Credit Score:

- Request a free credit report from a credit bureau.

- Review your report for any errors or discrepancies.

- Take steps to improve your score if necessary, such as paying off outstanding debts or correcting errors on your report.

 Step 3: Research Lenders and Loan Options

Not all lenders are created equal. Research different lenders to find the one that best fits your needs. Compare interest rates, fees, repayment terms, and customer reviews. Look for lenders that offer the most competitive rates and flexible repayment options.

Consider:

- Traditional banks, credit unions, and online lenders.

- The loan's annual percentage rate (APR), which includes both interest rates and fees.

- Any special benefits, like no prepayment penalties or autopay discounts.

 Step 4: Gather Required Documents

Before you apply, make sure you have all the necessary documents ready. This preparation will speed up the application process and reduce the chances of delays. Common documents you may need include:

- Proof of Identity: Passport, driver’s license, or government-issued ID.

- Proof of Income: Recent pay stubs, tax returns, or bank statements.

- Proof of Residence: Utility bills, rental agreement, or mortgage statement.

- Credit History: A copy of your credit report if the lender requests it.

 Step 5: Submit Your Loan Application

Once you’ve selected a lender, it’s time to apply. Most lenders offer online applications, which are fast and convenient. Fill out the application form carefully, providing accurate and honest information. Double-check your details before submitting to avoid any mistakes that could delay your approval.

Common Application Details:

- Personal information: Name, address, Social Security number, and contact details.

- Employment and income details: Employer information, salary, and job status.

- Loan details: The amount you wish to borrow and your desired repayment term.

 Step 6: Review the Loan Terms and Conditions

If your application is approved, the lender will provide you with a loan offer. Carefully review the loan terms and conditions before accepting. Pay close attention to:

- Interest Rate: Is it fixed or variable?

- Repayment Schedule: How often will you make payments, and for how long?

- Fees and Penalties: Are there any fees for late payments or early repayment?

If you have any questions or concerns, don’t hesitate to ask the lender for clarification.

 Step 7: Accept the Loan Offer and Receive Funds

Once you’re satisfied with the loan terms, sign the agreement to accept the offer. The lender will then disburse the funds to your designated bank account. Depending on the lender, this could take anywhere from a few hours to a few days.

Quick Tips:

- Set up automatic payments to ensure you never miss a due date.

- Keep a copy of the loan agreement for your records.

 Step 8: Repay the Loan on Time

Now that you have your funds, it’s essential to manage your repayments responsibly. Make sure to pay on time to avoid late fees, penalties, and potential damage to your credit score. If possible, consider making extra payments to reduce the principal amount faster and save on interest costs.

Financial Discipline:

- Create a repayment plan or budget to stay on track.

- Communicate with your lender if you face financial difficulties.

 Conclusion: The Road to Financial Freedom Starts Here

Applying for a personal loan doesn’t have to be complicated. By following these steps, you can make informed decisions, choose the right lender, and secure the best loan terms. Remember, a personal loan is a powerful financial tool that can help you manage unexpected expenses, consolidate debt, or make a significant purchase—but it’s crucial to borrow responsibly and plan your repayments carefully.

[tealfruit]

ok so I've spent most of my life as a fat person. I was a pretty "normal" sized kid up till I was like, idk 9 or 10 or something. then I got chubby. and kept getting chubbier as I got older. I was never huge on diet and exercise but I lead a pretty active lifestyle, and that still did nothing to lower my weight. even when I was working a hard physical labor job I didn't get any smaller. I wasnt like huge, about 280lbs at my biggest with around size 42-44 waist, but certainly enough that I knew I was fat, and certainly enough to make pants shopping a real hassle.

I had accepted this about myself. I was fat. id be fat forever. it's fine, like, I have a lovely fiancee and I don't really mind how I look that much, and it's never been a health issue so, whatever.

then I started testosterone and got on ADHD meds. I don't know which one of those did this, they're the only real lifestyle changes I've made, but ive lost like 50lbs in the past year and a half and it SHOWS. 2x t-shirts are tents on me now, my size 40 pants are just loose enough that I need a belt.

and everyone comments on it. "wow you've slimmed down! you look good, nice job! you must feel so much better too!"

and on the one hand, I am happy about it. I may have accepted that I'd always be fat, and I still know I'll never be skinny (unless I get like, really sick or something, which is not the ideal way to lose weight), but I like that it's easier to find clothes in my size that I like. I like that I could actually buy an electric scooter now, since before I lost the weight I came in a couple dozen pounds over the weight limit of most of them. and I like that my body actually matches the self-image I have in my head, which has always been a little thinner than I actually really was, due to how my weight sits mostly on my front and isn't as obvious unless you see me from the side. so id catch glances of myself in store windows as id pass by and be like Damn. I'm THAT Big, Huh?

but on the other hand I don't want to tie my self-image to my weight. I don't want one to go up when the other goes down. I don't want to hear everyone essentially telling me i was uglier when I was fat, or implying I must be healthier now. I don't want people congratulating me on this completely neutral thing that I didn't even actually do myself, it's just a lucky side effect of fixing other unrelated shit with my body.

and let me also emphasize: I don't feel any healthier from being thinner. I feel healthier mentally because I pass as a man usually and don't experience nearly as much dysphoria, and because I got my ADHD mostly under control. but physically speaking I am just as healthy as I was before. I didn't have any weight-related health issues to begin with, and I'm no more "in shape" than I have ever been. in fact there's probably been times in my life where I've been far more physically fit than I am now, but I was also fatter.

all this to say. we've gotta stop tying weight so closely to health and beauty. those are 3 separate things, they may affect each other in some ways but this idea that the number on the scale is a direct representation of your health or hotness is absolute bullshit and needs to stop.

[human-souls-buy-dopamine]

whats a fictionkin?

hey so. uh. it has been MONTHS since you sent this and I keep forgetting, remembering and saying "Oh I'll finish it in a minute", and then not doing that .... .I'm not good at explaining so have some resources and a poor attempt at elaborating

This whole post is pretty useful, but there's a lot of information. All that I'm focusing on is fictionkin and synpath/fictionhearted!

This carrd is also nice, there's a lot of extra stuff to it as well, but pretty much just look in the "kin overview" section and the "synpaths and coping-links" section. Specifically the words you'll find relevant are fictionkin and synpath.

In case you don't wanna look through all those, let me highlight what I'm talking about for sake of convenience. It's gonna be a tad long just due to explaining in general so lemme put this under a cut.

ALSO ALSO I got kiiinda off topic here, so. I'm gonna put all the very important/relevant info following this in bold text, that way it's easier to distinguish my.. mess of rambles...

From the carrd

[Image ID 1: Black text on a white background. The text defines the word fictionkin, saying, "Fictionkin is when a person is kin with a fictional character. This person may for whatever reason believe they are this character or used to be this character at some point. Fictionkin identify as characters." End ID.]

[Image ID 2: A paragraph of black text on a white background. The text defines the word synpath, saying, "A synpath is a character (or creature) you identify with but not as. You may feel you have a strong connection to this character and feel they are a part of you, but you do not see them as yourself. Synpaths are usually characters or animals that you strongly relate to but do not identify as." End ID.]

From this post; alt text in original post

Fictionkin can be like.. spiritual or psychological and im gonna be honest I have NO fucking clue what I would categorize mine as. To me, it's like. I know that in this life, PHYSICALLY I am not [x kintype here], but there's a feeling that I was at one point and that it's still part of me in a way?? Idk man, I really don't have a solid answer as to what I really believe, I just go with whatever feels right as long as it doesn't hurt anyone.

For me, I don't really have kinshifts as much as just. "Yep that's me alright" sorta feeling. And tbh the intensity of my kintypes as well as opinion of them can vary from type to type.

For example, my most intense kintype is specifically dreamswap Nightmare, and I feel a MUCH lower level of separation between "myself" and "him," it even feels weird not to just say "me" instead.

Meanwhile, there's also the fact that one of my kintypes is fuckinnn. FELIX WOLFE. Despite the fact that we never finished IBVS and haven't read it in probably over a year... I feel a higher degree of separation between that one and myself, but at the same time I begrudgingly have to admit that I get that "Hey that used to be me" feeling from him whether I like it or not.

Sometimes I wonder if this might just be like.. a delusion or something, but it wouldn't make sense for it to be— the closest we come to having delusions at all outside of that is when our paranoia flares up unreasonably sometimes, but even then, we can very easily tell between what's real and use coping skills accordingly. We don't have any symptoms of psychosis or anything as far as I know, so to me it just doesn't make sense that we would have ONE alter with ONE (or.. multiple, depending on how you look at it?) Very specific delusion and never have any other delusions about any other things.

Ultimately, I think that how each person experiences being kin, or being a synpath or any other number of things is gonna vary from person to person. I have zero fuckin clue on any serious spiritual beliefs I may have, I'm just rolling with it and seeing where it takes me. Doesn't make sense to some people and that's okay! Just as long as we all try and be respectful I think it'll work out.

[oztrekk]

Tips for getting ready to study in Australia

You’re getting ready to study in Australia. This is a very exciting time!

It’s common to think of the major stuff like getting your student visa, arranging flights, and acquiring accommodation, but there are a few things that sometimes get missed.Learn more about money matters

Banking It is recommended that you open a bank account in Australia, either before you leave Canada or as soon as you arrive. #OzTREKKTip: Find out which bank has a branch on your university campus!

Some Australian banks now let international students open an Australian bank account online from overseas up to three months before you arrive—and many OzTREKK students recommend doing this. This way, you can send a wire/telegraphic transfer from Canada to your Australian bank account before you leave home. When you arrive in Australia, the bank will require you to show proof of identification in person at a bank branch.

1. Your letter from the bank after you’ve opened the account 2. Your passport 3. Your student ID or proof of enrolment 4. Australian mobile number if you have one.

Transferring Money As you are well aware, studying internationally does not come cheap. Every year we see an increasing number of students learning ways to save money on their foreign exchange. Over the last few years, OzTREKK has been a proud supporter of Cohort Go, an Australian company specializing in international student services. The company is incredibly responsive, and our students are treated well—as they should be! Cohort Go allows students to make tuition payments in their local currency and convert their AUD tuition fees at a significantly lower foreign exchange rate while eliminating extra international money transfer fees from the equation. We have found this is the cheapest way to pay your tuition and save as much as $15,000 over the course of your studies. You just need to make a local bank transfer and Cohort Go takes care of your payment from there.

OzTREKK isn’t any getting any referral rewards, we just really think this is one of the best solutions available for our students.

Get all the tips here.

[casspurrjoybell-26]

Made of Steele - Chapter 32

*Warning: Adult Content*

It's been over thirty minutes and there was no sign of Kit.

"He'll show up," I told my dad, for the third time, as Evan smiled reassuringly next to him.

'Where the hell was he?'

The moment five minutes past our meetup time, I couldn't help but wonder if he went back to England again without so much of a goodbye, that fear has been consuming me for thirty minutes now.

"Jamie, I'm sure he will," Evan says, as I look back at the door to the restaurant again.

'Come on Kitt, where are you?'

My cell-phone starts to ring in my pocket and before it becomes too loud I quickly answer it before looking at who was calling, putting the phone against my ear.

"Hello? This isn't a good timing..."

"T-This is Jamie, r-right?" a girl's voice asks, as I frown and lower the phone from my ear.

The caller ID was Kitt's number, so why was a girl phoning me?

"Why do you have Kit's phone?" I ask, as the girl on the other end of the phone sobs quietly.

"Y-You met me, It... It's Amber… C-Christopher…"

The line goes quiet as she takes a deep shaky breath.

"H-He's been stabbed, h-he's in emergency surgery, I know he was meant to meet you a-and I just thought you would like to k-know."

Before I could even open my mouth to speak, she hung up and ended the call, leaving me sitting there frozen as I stared at my empty place in front of me.

Kit got stabbed?

Emergency Surgery?

What, how, when and why?

There were a thousand things going through my head but the one that had me afraid the most was I didn't know if Kit was alive or dead and that scared the hell out of me.

"I.... I need to g-go."

I stumble up from my seat, my whole body feeling like it's shaking from the cold.

I couldn't lose him, not... not again.

"Jamie, everything will be alright," my dad's calm voice rings out.

"I'll find out what happened," my dad says, as I try to steady my breathing, my hands shaking profusely as my chest tightens as I stare at my dad talking to someone on the phone.

I watch as his eyes widen and then look down at me, I see his mouth moving but don't hear a word as I wait for something, anything that had to do with Kit and where he was.

"He's close and in surgery, his family is on the way," my dad said, as Evan and my dad collected their things.

That was all there was to say as I rose to my feet and collected my coat from my chair and then my phone from the table as I followed behind my dad and Evan as we left the restaurant.

My world was spinning out of control but the only thing that was keeping me from losing my mind was the image of Kit being okay.

Tonight was supposed to be a fresh start, with him meeting my family for the first time, us... becoming something real, something concrete and something not only I dreamt of in a dream.

Yet this was reality and not everything went as I wanted it to and now I might lose Kit forever because of something or something taking him from me.

I had to be strong, I had to be there for him, even if the news wasn't good, I wasn't going to leave him.

I wasn't going to be alone, come rise or fall, Kit was the only one for me and I wasn't going to let anything stop me from feeling how I felt when it came to him.

The car ride to the hospital didn't take much time but it felt like an eternity as I thought of nothing but him and what kind of person did this to him and why?

Kit was kind, gentle and did nothing to hurt anybody unless he couldn't help it, he was everything I wasn't, my ying to my yang and in the past I would've hated that but I saw it now.

Kit was everything to me and all it took for me to realize it was the fear of losing him forever.

I could not even remember the last time I cried in fear and hurt more than this very moment, not even when he left for England all those years ago or when my parents got divorced.

Nothing has struck me this deep but then again, Kit had a talent for unnerving me to the core.

We made it to the hospital and in a quick motion we found out where Kit was being operated on and where we could wait to hear about his condition.

As we entered the room, on the fourth floor, I saw the face of a girl I remembered as Amanda, only now she looked unrecognizable with tear stains on her face and her hair all over the place.

When our eyes met, more tears filled her eyes as she got up from her seat to come my way.

"T-Thank God you made it," is what she said, before she wrapped her arms around me, her tears and damp face soaking through my t-shirt.

"I-I'm so sorry, his doctor came out a-and I must have hung up on you but I'm so glad you found us," she said as she pulled back from me, wiping her eyes with her sleeved jumper.

"How is he?" I ask, not recognizing my own voice.

I saw the look on her face and braced for the worst but then she smiled weakly through her tear stained lips.

"He's going to be okay, y-you just missed his doctor b-but she said he's going to be fine but he lost too much blood so they got him hooked on all kinds of machines..."

I look at my dad and he nods his head once, then bends down to say something in Evan's ear before he excused himself from the room.

"Does anybody want something to drink?" Evan asked, as I shook my head whilst sitting down next to Amanda.

"Oh."

She smiled once she looked at Evan.

"S-Sorry I didn't see you... a drink would be lovely, t-thank you."

Evan smiles then excuses himself, leaving me alone with Amanda.

"Gosh, I must look crazy right now."

She laughs as fresh tears trail down her red cheeks.

"No, you... you look how I feel.,' I say quietly, making her turn her head to stare at me, as a smile slowly makes its way to her lips.

"I'm so glad it's you."

Is all she said before Evan comes back into the room, followed by my dad and a female doctor in a white coat.

Her eyes find Amanda's then land on mine as I stand up to shake her hand, her smiling face relaxing me somewhat, if not for the strange tension in my body.

"Christopher is doing just fine, he's out of surgery and is currently resting," she said, as I released a breath I didn't know I was holding.

"When can we see him?" I immediately asked, searching her eyes for the answer as she smiled.

"I'm afraid I can't say due to legal reasons, Christopher's family have requested all visitors to be family only."

"I'm very sorry," she finishes, then turns to shake my dads hand before she leaves the room.

As she leaves the room and before anyone would say anything to me, I run after her and catch her halfway down the hall, waiting for the elevator.

"Excuse me."

I caught her attention.

"I know I'm not family but..."

I take a deep calming breath and clench my hands tight at either side to steady my nerves.

"Kit... Christopher, can I at least be told when he wakes up?" I ask, watching as her face sinks slowly.

"Please, please can you just tell me when he wakes up, that's all," I plead, as she sighs, troubled by my ask.

"I'll... let you know."

She smiled, as the elevator dinged open.

"Thank you," I said and meant it as I watched the doors close in front of me.

I felt a weight drop from my shoulders and as I stood alone in the long empty hallway, I released a shaky breath as I leaned against a wall, taking another breath to calm myself once again.

'Yes... Thank you... Fuck.'

He's going to be alright, that was all that mattered and despite learning that, I couldn't control this urge to see it to believe it with my very own two eyes, just to see if it's true.

I wanted to see him, to tell him how I felt and how much fucking pain I'm in without him.

Well... there's always tomorrow and for that... I can breathe again.

[cbsesamplepapersblog]

Today, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) announced the much-awaited CBSE Class 12 Board Exam Results for the Year 2023.

[candlewitches]

also speaking of sheep my final project for my modeling course is on hogget/ewe lamb breeding :D im looking at the tradeoffs and if it’s worth it to breed ewe lambs given the lower fecundity and higher maternal mortality

[wildhannimal]

Negotiation tips!

When you are faced with a situation that involves some kind of bartering, like for a salary or a car price etc., it is scary to feel like you have to stick up for yourself and get the best deal you can but also keep the transaction neutral/positive and not look like a fool for asking too much. Most people deserve better than they realize because low-mid income people are taught that accepting whatever offer comes means they are being grateful and humble. You probably deserve — and can get — a better outcome than you realize.

1. Research. What is the thing you are negotiating, and what is the market rate for similar things? Search on websites like Glassdoor or Kelly Blue Book or e-marketplaces like Craigslist to get a rough range of the market rate. Note what factors affect the resulting price/pay. Maybe a job is paid better for workers with a certain skill, or maybe a car is worth much less than you’d think when it has slight hail damage. In addition to online research, ask friends, family, coworkers or anyone else who has experience with this kind of transaction. Ask what went well, what they regret, and if they would do something differently.

Note: Keep in mind you will never be able to know truly how the other person will respond to your offer/counter or what they expect until you’re in the moment, but going through this process can help you be so much more confident in asking for more than you might originally expect. Or at least more realistically plan your finances or anything else the deal will affect.

2. Determine your benchmarks. Set a number for your ideal price/wage. This is the number that is realistic (but on the high end) based on your research. You would be thrilled if they agreed to this number. Next, set a separate number for the “if it’s not this amount I can’t make the deal” figure. This is the threshold where you would be close to breaking even (mid to low end based on research), so it’s better to find someone else who can offer what you want at a better rate. Next, figure out the midpoint between those two numbers. Once you negotiate, aim for your ideal figure, but try not to go lower than your midpoint.

3. Make your offer as potentially attractive as possible. For negotiating a salary/raise, this could mean having 3-5 major successes beyond the job description ready to mention to say “here’s the concrete value I bring to the team.” For a real estate sale, your agent can help you ID opportunities like raising the deposit or waiving contingency. For a car sale, it might be offering a larger percentage in cash upfront than what is requested. The goal is to help the other party understand that your deal is a win-win. Don’t bring these out right away, though — only if you need them to inch them toward your ideal figure. Again, reach out to people you trust who can help you realize your own strengths or find opportunities to boost your position. Heck yeah, you should get a fair deal!

4. Review your alternative options. Think of your plan B and plan C. Other jobs? Other sellers? Waiting a while for something else to come on the market? If this deal doesn’t meet your minimum requirements, don’t let yourself get sucked into the moment. When you feel like this is your only option, or even the only option that will be this good ever, you’re more likely to negotiate from a place of desperation. Don’t get me wrong, sometimes desperation is a real situation and it’s not really feasible to follow this whole negotiation game. If you have a serious need, do what you can to get that need fulfilled. But if you have a bit of leeway, lean on that. Be confident before you begin that you don’t need this specific deal. If they can’t offer your midpoint figure or heck even your least favorable benchmark, make sure you will feel empowered to walk away. Research or have a clear picture in your mind of what these alternative realities would involve.

5. Choose your language deliberately. Use safety nets of stock phrases. Negotiation is not comfortable for many people. This is why boring corporate lingo exists: to hide discomfort, give an air of neutrality and manufacture objectivity. Depending on the negotiation, appearing very genuine and personal can really only be a good thing if you’re strategically appealing to the other party’s empathy. But in most deals, this can potentially backfire if the other party doesn’t sympathize with your situation. Plan to draw upon language that shows you are firm but reasonable, friendly but direct, and still ready to look for alternative deals elsewhere if needed. Here are some phrases that have actually worked wonders for me and people I know:

“I am considering deals at ____[amount] and above/below. Is this figure in your ballpark?” When they ask you for you to throw out the first number, this lets you say your ideal number without any wishy-washing! You are firm. You know what you want and deserve. You give them a chance to also express their expectations.

If they say no, you can follow up with: “Out of curiosity, what are your expectations?” You don’t have to commit to lowering to that point, but this gives them the same chance to express where they are. This is when they might tell you a budget cap or give a counter offer. After: “Thanks for sharing more about your expectations.”

If their counter is much less favorable than anticipated, this is when you bring out #3. Sweeten the deal: “Would ___[amount] be more favorable for you if ____[perk]?” Or speak to your strengths: “I evaluated this figure based on my recent performance, such as ____[successes].” Mention your research and reaffirm that you believe it is a fair price or indicate which price you could meet them at.

“Okay, is this your best and final offer?” When they’ve given you a counter, or you’ve had some back and forth in friendly negotiation, this is a good way to wrap up. It can make it sound like you have other offers on the table. No joke, this line helped me double my raise last month. I still feel all chuffed about it, clearly lol. No additional pressure needed. It just puts the onus on them to consider how attached they are to this deal and reassess what they’re willing to commit to it. It helps you make sure there’s no more value on the table. It lets them know that you are done with the back and forth and want to cut through the bs — but in a formal way that they wouldn’t have reason to take offense to. Ask in a friendly but neutral tone — unbothered but authentic — neither harsh nor overly eager. Again, we’re going for that objectivity vibe. It’s like putting on a poker face. I know this feels very performative, and it IS a performance. That’s why it can be so nerve-wracking. But knowing the dance steps will help you perform better. You got this!

“I’d like to take a day to consider this figure and let you know as soon as I’ve reached a decision.” I always ask for more time once an amount seems fairly final if it’s not the figure I was expecting or hoping for. But also consider how urgent the deal really is. Is it a hot housing market? You might not be able to afford extra time, so it’s much more important to stick to your initial benchmarks so you can be ready to lock in the deal right away. If it’s a job offer, it’s rarely ever that urgent and taking a day is expected. If you just aren’t getting good vibes from the deal or other party, asking for more time is probably wise even if it risks the deal falling apart. Just use this one carefully.

Okay! It’s super late and I have to go to bed, but if you have to negotiate something I hope this gives you a starting point at least! You can do it! You are most likely worth more than you realize or have more room to get a more favorable outcome than you think!

[bluegarners]

“I have your loved one” with Dick and Jason?

heyyy, it's finally here haha! i'm slowly getting to each request lol

here it is on ao3

I Have Your Loved One

It’s Thursday.

Time: 23:47, or 11:47 p.m.

Bludhaven has hit a rough patch in its weather, a vicious storm battering against thin windows and overflowing gutters and drains. It’s one of those storms that brings in the water but no lightning, dark clouds blanketing the entire sky, remorseless and relentless in its pursuit of smothering any light from escaping. The clouds don’t muffle anything though, perhaps amplifying instead the downpour that floods through Bludhaven’s streets and alleyways. Its citizens like to think this is a New Jersey hurricane, freshly mutated and traveled from the east coast into their humble, mildew covered city.

Dick likes the rain. Likes the way it pounds against his apartment, screaming to be let in but just barely warded off by seven inches of concrete and steel. The blinds are closed against the windows, and he has towels pushed up against the sills just in case the sealing lets up. Even if they were open, Dick is sure all he would see is another wall of gray and black, dozens of delicate raindrops splattered against his windows.

Because of the storm currently wreaking havoc in his city, Dick has elected to stay indoors for the time being. Eventually, the rain will let up, its pattern being close to about 05:00, and then he’ll suit up and do a quick patrol before work. For now, he’s content with sitting on his couch and listening to the water smack against the old building and run rivers down the sides. He’d like to sleep through it, a free white noise service at the ready, but his mind simply refuses to allow him to rest just yet. In a few hours, he’s sure he’ll come to hate himself for not taking NyQuil or some other drug to help him fall asleep, but for now… Well, it’s nice. The rain is nice. It’s also very loud.

He misses the first call.

His phone is face down on the kitchen table, about eight feet away from where he lays on the couch, mindlessly staring up at the ceiling. It vibrates, buzzing for thirty seconds, before falling silent.

He misses the second call too.

Thunder rumbles through the black sky, its force shaking the windows and only encouraging the downpour. His phone buzzes again during it, quieting after another thirty seconds.

Dick hears the third call. Hears the tail-end of the buzzing, getting up from his position on the couch and padding over to pick up his phone only to miss the last few seconds. He unlocks his phone, checking the number, and feels something cold settle into his gut when he sees no caller ID. It’s the same person though, all three times, but no voicemail.

He’s about to call the number back, just in case it’s someone he knows and they’re ringing from a payphone or something else, when the no caller ID flashes across his screen for the fourth time.

Dick answers on the second ring. “Hello?”

“Is this Richard Grayson?”

“Yes, that’s me. Who is this?”

The voice is feminine, a slight, western accent, longer o’s and a faint drawl. Somewhere from Arizona most likely. Lower register too. Older woman, mid-to-late fifties. Smoker.

“That’s good. I was starting to think I had the wrong number, Richard.”

“Yeah, sorry, I just didn’t have my phone on me. You didn’t say earlier, but who is this?”

“That doesn’t matter too much right now. What does matter, though, is this.”

She pauses. There’s shuffling he can hear on the other side. A faint, second voice in the background. No, three voices. At least two others in the room with the woman. He can hear the sounds of an air condition unit rattling.

“I think you might’ve cut off there. What were—”

“I have your loved one, Richard.”

Lightning cracks through Bludhaven.

His stomach falls onto the floor, pooling around his ankles. The storm outside grinds to a halt, the quiet louder than any thunder it’s ever managed to produce, and there’s a high pitched ringing reverberating inside his skull. Dick thinks he might be sick.

“What?” he chokes, the air in the room suffocating and weighing down his lungs. “What did you say?”

“I have your loved one,” the woman repeats, calm and slow. “Your brother, actually. Then again, he tells me you aren’t related by name nor blood, so we’ll settle for a loved one.”

“What do you want?” Dick demands, already scrambling to get to his computer, find where they’ve taken Jason. Find his brother.

“He did say you weren’t one for small talk,” the woman carries on, unhurried and unconcerned. “Your brother isn’t either, hardly said a word all this time.”

“Can I speak to him?”

There’s a small huff on the other end of the call, exhalation and a sigh leaving the woman’s mouth. A cigarette. She’s smoking during this conversation, blowing the smoke into the receiver.

“I don’t know,” she finally answers. There. Dick has his general location. Still in Gotham. He needs the tracker to be more precise though. It’s taking time though. Too much. “Your brother here was pretty convinced you wouldn’t answer after his daddy didn’t pick up. Cried pretty hard about it too.”

“What are you talking about?” Dick grounds out, fearing his phone will crack with how tightly he’s gripping it.

“Well, you weren’t our first choice to call, Richard. I’m sure you understand.”

Dick says nothing, focused on the computer screen in front of him. He should contact Barbara. This would be faster with her. Faster to find Jason.

“We called about seven times,” the woman continues, blowing another puff of smoke out into the phone. “Isn’t that right, boy? We called and called and called. His daddy didn’t pick up once, went straight to voicemail each time. A shame, really.”

There’s a sniffle on the other side of the call and Dick’s heart seizes when he realizes it’s probably Jason.

Batman was currently off-world, all communication with him being strictly between Justice League lines. Bruce Wayne was somewhere in the Bahamas, partying with Italian models and Spanish actresses.

Of course he wouldn’t pick up.

“Can I please talk to him?” Dick asks for the second time, fisting a hand into the couch cushions. “Please, I just want to make sure he’s okay.”

More smoke. “I’ll ask him.”

There’s a muffled thud, the phone most likely having been put down, and quiet voices filter through the line. He can’t hear much of what they’re saying, short bursts of comprehensible syllables before fading back to unintelligible noises. His computer dings with a response from Barbara. She’s going to use one of the J.L satellites to better pin-point Jason’s location. She’s also in communication with the police, reporting a child-abduction.

Keep them talking, she writes. Everything is going to be okay, Dick.

It feels like his heart is beating in his throat and his tongue has swollen to the size of a bowling ball. The storm outside is unrelenting. Lightning hasn’t struck again.

There’s more movement on the other side, clattering and scattered noises. The phone’s been picked up.

“Alright,” the woman says, raspy and uncaring. “The boy says he wants to talk to you, Richard.”

Dick holds his breath, waiting. There’s more noises, a transfer he thinks, and another sniffle interrupts it.

“Hello?” a shaky voice asks into the receiver. Dick feels like crying.

“Jason,” he breathes. “We’re going to get you out of there, alright? You’re going to be okay.”

“I’m sorry,” his brother rattles, a sob latching onto the end. “I’m so sorry, Dick. I-I didn’t mean to.”

“It’s okay,” Dick shushes, feeling himself get choked up at the fear in the younger boy’s voice. “I know you didn’t, bud. Are you okay? Did they hurt you?”

“No, not really. I didn’t think you were gonna pick up,” he admits, voice cracking. “B-Bruce didn’t. He didn’t answer, Dick, and I-I thought you weren’t gonna either. I-I thought—”

“I’ll always answer, Jason, I promise. I’m coming for you, okay? I’m going to come get you and we’ll both go home together. Does that sound good, Jay? You’re going to be fine.”

“Okay,” the thirteen year old relents. “You promise though, right? You’re not gonna leave me here?”

“No, Jay, of course not. I’m not going to leave you there, I’m coming to get you. Right now. I promise, okay? Jason, I would never abandon you. You’re my kid-brother and I love you. I’m not going to-”

“As touching as this is,” the woman interrupts, “I think that’s enough.”

“Put Jason back on the phone,” Dick snarls. “I swear, if you lay a hand on him, if you even touch him, I will end you.”

“Sure, honey,” the woman drawls, puffing into the receiver. “Here’s what’s going to happen, so I want you to listen to me.”

His computer dings. It’s Barbara. She’s got the location. It’s close. Not even twenty minutes away. Border between Bludhaven and Gotham. Motel next to the gas station connecting the freeways. Room 13.

He’s out the door and revving up his motorcycle before the woman has even taken a second drag from her cigarette. The rain is beating against him, gloomy street lights flickering through the shrouded dark of the storm. Thank god for Bludhaven sewers, only slightly better than Gotham’s. The water level is only a few millimetres high.

“Now, I don’t want to keep this kid anymore than you want him to stay here with me,” the woman drones. The streets are empty. Dick blows through every red light he comes across. The tires are new, the grip is fine. “So, I think we can make this simple.”

“What do you want?” Dick growls, transferring the call into his helmet. He prays she can’t hear the rain battering against it. “Just tell me what you want already and I’ll give it to you.”

“Don’t rush me,” the woman snaps, and it is then that Dick realizes that this is all probably by chance. This isn’t some criminal mastermind who plotted to find and kidnap the son of a billionaire. This isn’t a case of a rogue villain piecing together vague details and figuring out Batman and company’s identities. It’s simply someone desperate. Someone who saw the opening and took it. The poor planning is evident, practically spelled out in bold print that these people have no real idea what they’re doing.

“Sorry,” Dick bites out, veering through a short-cut that says, in neon orange, Danger. Construction Zone. “Please continue.”

The woman on the line is vindictive though, choosing to remain quiet as the sound of a lighter clicking open tinnies through the call. She takes her time lighting a new cigarette, taking a long, slow drag and holding it in for a few seconds. Dick jerks his bike to the right, narrowly avoiding a large pothole. A passing car blares its horn at him. Finally, the woman exhales. He can hear Jason cough in the background.

“What I want,” she starts, a new color of intrigue hitting the back of her throat. He’s barely ten minutes away now. Could probably half it if he took more backstreets and increased his speed. “Is for my son to be released from prison.”

“Who is your son?” Dick asks, cursing silently as his back tire skids, hydro-planing for a moment. Thunder crashes above him and the rain continues to pelt at his body. It feels like getting hit with a paint-ball gun.

“Landon Jennings. I want you to get him released. I know you have the access to lawyers, probably have debts owed to you from people in high places. I want him released tonight.”

Time: 00:14.

01:14 a.m standard time.

“I can do that,” Dick says, heart beating faster as he sees the sign for the motel, dim in the gray, “but I’ll need a few hours. I need to contact my lawyers. Where is your son stationed?”

An icon appears in the front of his digitized visor. It’s Barbara. She sees him closing in. Police are on route. Seven minutes out. He has the option to wait on them and keep the kidnappers on the line.

“Same place they all go,” the woman barks. “Use that head of yours and figure it out. I want my son out by tonight, or you’re not going to see your brother again. And,” she rushes, “I don’t want the police involved. If you call them, I’ll know, you understand? I don’t want to hurt the kid, but I’m not scared to. My husband is here with me too, so if you try and—”

Okay, so waiting isn’t an option. He’s going in.

“No police,” Dick interrupts. “I understand. Please, don’t hurt him.”

“If you just do what you’re told, then I won’t have to.”

“Thank you,” Dick whispers, gently getting off of his bike and leaving it on the side of the road. He can’t chance them seeing him pulling into the motel lot. “You said your son’s name was Landon? If you don’t mind me asking, what is he charged with?”

“Why do you need to know?”

Dick jogs towards the motel, careful to stay out of direct light. The general office looks closed. Most of the windows facing the lot are shielded by salmon colored curtains. There’s only one floor, thankfully. Dick sees door 13. He’s shaking. His fingers are numb.

“My lawyers said they need to know in order to file for a judge to repeal his sentence.”

“Is that so?” the woman asks, suspicion tailing her voice. She takes a drag from her cigarette, contemplating. Dick’s clothes are soaking wet and he cringes every time his shoes squelch against the concrete. He decides crawling is best, ducking under windows and avoiding peepholes. “Fine then. Landon got falsely accused of statutory rape and breaking and entering. Is that what your damn lawyers are looking for?”

“Yes,” Dick breathes. He’s at door 10. He can see a faint glow coming from behind the curtains of room 13. He’s so close. “Thank you.”

He taps on the side of his helmet, sending a series of numbers that he’s sure Barbara will understand.

23-26-8-37

E-N-T-R

He can’t wait any longer.

While crawling, Dick made sure to get a good look at the motel’s doors and hinges. They’re standard, and though both Gotham and Bludhaven tend to have better locks than most other cities, Dick recognizes the model of the door and the wood it’s made out of. They’re thin enough for him to ram through. The hinges on the sides are rusted over as well, and Dick thinks they might just be weak enough to break. The windows however. The windows are his best bet. He doubts this kind of motel invests in bullet proof glass, and on some of the sills, he can see water damage. They leak. Poorly made. Meaning, if he ran at them, he could break through pretty easily.

But, if that doesn’t work. Or if he’s not fast enough to get on his feet once in. Or if the window is directly in front of Jason and the glass breaks all over him. Or if—

Stop. He can’t think about the what-ifs right now. Dick knows he can do this. Knows how to do this. There isn’t any more time to wait. He promised he would get Jason out of there, and goddamnit, he’s going to keep his promise.

“You’re being really quiet,” the woman mutters. “What’s going—”

Dick takes a deep breath and tenses. The light behind the curtain flickers. He needs to move. Now. Now.

Lightning splits across the sky and Dick can’t tell if it’s the glass shattering or the thunder that makes the other-worldly crack but it doesn’t matter because Dick lands feet first and is tucking and rolling before the occupants have a chance to react.

“Oh my god!” someone screams, but Dick isn’t paying attention to them because his gaze zeroes in on his brother, tiny, thirteen year old Jason, who’s tied up on one of the beds and staring right at him.

He can’t linger long though because he hears the words, “Get the gun!”, and he’s up on his feet again, rushing the closest person. It turns out to be the husband, a balding man with a patchy neck-beard, and Dick bunches up his fist and swings, socking the man in the stomach. He doubles over, wheezing, and Dick can see the small pistol in the man’s right hand, and Dick strikes down on his shoulder, kneeing him simultaneously. The pistol drops and so does the man, groaning, and Dick turns to the woman, who is staring at him like an animal cornered.

“Don’t come any closer!” she yells, pocket knife trembling in her grip as she shoves it in Jason’s face. “I’ll stab him, I will!”

Dick holds up his hands, sidestepping the groaning man. “Put the knife down.”

“No!” the woman argues, a strand of black hair falling into her mouth. “Now I told you- stay there! Don’t fucking move or I’ll kill this kid, you hear! I’ll fucking slice his throat open!”

With how scared the woman is, and how precarious she holds the pocket knife, which Dick can see is dull even from where he’s standing, he knows it’s not an idle threat. Scared people will do anything to get out of the situation they’re in. Scared people are unpredictable and dangerous.

But so is Dick.

So is Jason.

“I’m not going to move,” Dick reassures, eyes flickering towards his brother, “so, please, drop the knife. We can talk this out.”

“Talk?” the woman shrills, jerking the knife closer to Jason’s jawline. “You just killed my husband!”

“I didn’t kill him,” Dick corrects. “He’s just unconscious. Come on now. It’s just you and me. Let’s talk this over. I can still get Landon out if you give me back my brother. It’s as easy as that, alright? Just put down the knife, and we’ll talk. Does that sound okay?”

The woman looks like she’s considering it, the hand holding the knife still trembling, when the first sirens enter the lot. Red and blue light flash through the broken window as rain seeps into the curtains.

“You rat!” she screams, furious and terrified and desperate all at once. “You fucking called the cops! You broke—”

She doesn’t get a chance to finish before Jason snaps his head back, headbutting the woman directly in the nose. He falls to the side, getting out of range of the knife, and Dick takes his cue, leaping forwards and gripping the woman’s wrist and squeezing, weapon falling from her grasp. There’s blood spurting from her nose and Dick throws her to the floor, getting her on her stomach and hands behind her back. He sits on top of her, his weight overpowering any strength she has left, and in the next few seconds, police are banging on the door.

“This is the GCPD! Open up and put your weapons down!”

“You can come in!” Dick shouts, holding the squirming woman in place. “We’re unarmed!”

Things happen quickly after the door bangs open, several officers pouring in like the Bludhaven storm. As soon as an officer handcuffs the woman he’s on top of, Dick is rushing to Jason’s side, another officer cutting away his bindings. His younger brother turns to him, about to say something, but Dick cuts him off with a crushing hug, cradling the back of Jason’s head to rest against his shoulder.

“I’m so sorry,” Dick whispers, gathering his brother more fully into his arms. “I should’ve been there sooner. God, Jason, I’m so sorry.”

“I-I thought you weren’t going to come for me,” Jason confesses, hiccuping. “When Bruce didn’t pick up, I thought it was because he didn’t want me anymore. I-I told her that, I told her Bruce wasn’t coming but she wouldn’t listen and-and I—”

Dick wraps his arms more securely around the sobbing preteen in response, gently rocking back and forth as the mattress springs squealed under the pressure.

“I know I haven’t always been around,” he says, uncaring about the snot dribbling into his shirt, “and I’m sorry you thought you couldn’t rely on me to come and get you. You’re my brother, though, and I will always come running when you call. No matter what. I promise, Jay. Anywhere, anytime, I promise I’ll be there. Okay?”

“Okay,” Jason wheezes, the adrenaline from before slowly releasing its hold. “I trust you.”

Dick presses his face into his brother’s hair, relief washing over him as his heart slows. He’s never had a sibling before. Things were still tense with Bruce, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t be a big brother. There isn’t a thing in the world he wouldn’t do for this kid in his arms right now.

“What’re brothers for, right?” he mumbles.

The rain doesn’t stop and pours and pours and pours. Dick just holds Jason tighter.

The real storm was over.

Five months later

It’s Thursday.

Time: 11:47 a.m.

The stone is nice. White marble. Shiny. Expensive.

There are fresh flowers. Roses and yellow daisies. The dirt is still new too. Evidence of freshly upturned earth. Dick reaches down and pulls out a weed that’s sprung up at the corner of the stone. Tosses it away.

He doesn’t have flowers. He has a newspaper in his left hand. Reads: Mourning billionaire sets off on trip to Europe.

Jason died a month before he got back from across the universe.

Anywhere, he had said. Anytime. I promise I’ll be there.

He crumples the newspaper into a tight ball and shoves it into his pocket. Stares at the stone. The sun is out. There are no clouds in the sky. It’s nice.

It’s a nice day.

“Fuck,” Dick mutters, a familiar burn in the back of his eyes. “Fuck.”

Anywhere, anytime.

Dick Grayson is an only child once again.