#pharmaceutical preparation

[chemxpert]

The Vital Role of the Agrochemical Industry | Chemxpert Database

The agrochemical industry is a critical sector that supports global agricultural productivity by providing essential chemicals used in farming. These chemicals include pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers, and other products designed to protect crops from pests, diseases, and weeds, as well as to enhance soil fertility. This blog will delve into the various aspects of the agrochemical industry, exploring its importance, key components, and the role of databases in maintaining and improving industry standards.

[asence]

Contact Asence | Trusted Source for Medicines

Contact Asence, your trusted source for quality medicine formulas. Connect with our experts for all your pharmaceutical needs and support.

[xinfudapackaging]

Child-resistant caps for oral preparations with iso15378

ISO 15378 is an international standard that specifies requirements for the quality management systems (QMS) of manufacturers of primary packaging materials for the pharmaceutical industry. It is particularly relevant for organizations that manufacture packaging materials like child-resistant caps (CRCs) for oral preparations. The standard is designed to ensure that packaging materials used for…

[wemahesh]

HPLC METHOD DEVELOPMENT

HPLC (High-Performance Liquid Chromatography) method development is a critical process in analytical chemistry, involving the creation of a precise and reliable method for separating, identifying, and quantifying the components of a mixture.Here’s an overview of the HPLC method development process:1. Method Development ObjectivesDefine the purpose of the analysis, the target analytes, and the…

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[laboratory-equipment-supplier]

Advanced Pharmaceutical Testing Solutions by Gaia Science

In the pharmaceutical industry, stringent testing and quality control are essential to ensure that drugs are safe, effective, and meet regulatory requirements. The processes involved in testing and preparing pharmaceutical products play a significant role in ensuring that they deliver the desired therapeutic outcomes. Key elements in this process include dissolution testing, automated sample preparation, physical testing, and various specialized services. Gaia Science, a leader in providing advanced scientific solutions, offers a comprehensive range of equipment and services to meet the diverse needs of pharmaceutical companies. With a commitment to innovation and precision, Gaia Science is a trusted partner in pharmaceutical development and quality control.

Dissolution Testing: Ensuring Drug Efficacy and Safety

Dissolution testing is crucial in evaluating how a drug releases its active ingredients in the body. It provides insight into the rate and extent of drug absorption, which affects bioavailability and therapeutic effectiveness. Regulatory bodies like the FDA and EMA require detailed dissolution profiles for oral dosage forms to ensure that they meet the required standards for safety and efficacy.

Gaia Science provides a wide range of dissolution testing solutions, including:

• Fully-Automated Dissolution Tester: Designed for maximum efficiency, this system automates every aspect of dissolution testing, from sampling to analysis. It ensures high throughput and minimal human intervention, making it ideal for large-scale operations.

• Semi-Automated Dissolution Tester: Offers a balance between automation and manual control, allowing flexibility while still ensuring reliable results.

• Manual Dissolution Tester: For laboratories that require hands-on control, this option allows for precise manual operation, suitable for smaller-scale testing needs.

• Offline Dissolution Tester: Designed for labs that process samples offline, providing flexibility in workflow and sample management.

• UV Online Dissolution Tester: This advanced system uses UV detection to provide real-time analysis of dissolution samples, ensuring immediate feedback on drug release rates.

• UV On-/Offline Dissolution Tester: A versatile option that allows laboratories to switch between online and offline modes, providing greater flexibility in how samples are analyzed.

By offering these tailored solutions, Gaia Science ensures that pharmaceutical companies can choose the appropriate dissolution testing equipment based on their specific needs, improving testing efficiency and accuracy.

Automated Sample Preparation: Precision and Efficiency

Automated sample preparation is becoming an indispensable part of pharmaceutical analysis. With growing demands for faster and more accurate results, automation has become a key driver of efficiency and reproducibility in laboratories.

Gaia Science offers advanced automated sample preparation systems that streamline the preparation process for pharmaceutical analysis. These systems are capable of handling multiple tasks, including dilution, filtration, extraction, and mixing, which are essential in preparing samples for further testing. By automating these steps, Gaia Science’s solutions reduce the likelihood of human error, improve repeatability, and enhance laboratory throughput.

For pharmaceutical laboratories, these automated systems save time, lower costs, and ensure consistent, high-quality data. With modular designs, Gaia Science’s systems can be customized to meet specific testing requirements, making them versatile for a wide range of applications.

Physical Testing: Ensuring Product Integrity

The physical properties of pharmaceutical products are just as important as their chemical composition. Physical testing ensures that drugs can withstand the physical rigors of manufacturing, packaging, transportation, and storage while maintaining their efficacy. From tablets to capsules, each dosage form requires specific physical characteristics to ensure proper function.

Gaia Science offers a wide range of physical testing equipment, including:

• Friability Tester: Measures the tendency of tablets to break or crumble during handling and transportation. Ensuring tablets remain intact is critical for maintaining dosage accuracy.

• Tablet Disintegration Tester: Determines how quickly a tablet disintegrates in the body, a key factor in ensuring that the active ingredients are released at the correct rate.

• Tapped Density Tester: Measures the bulk density of powders to ensure consistent dosing and formulation.

• Cap Torque Tester: Tests the torque strength of bottle caps to ensure proper sealing and ease of opening by consumers.

• Hardness Tester: Evaluates the hardness of tablets to ensure they are strong enough to resist breaking, yet soft enough to disintegrate appropriately in the digestive system.

• Capsule Filler: Ensures consistent filling of capsules with active ingredients and excipients, ensuring uniform dosage across batches.

• Rotary Tablet Press: Used in tablet manufacturing to ensure that each tablet is compressed to the correct specifications.

• Weight Tester: Measures the weight of individual tablets or capsules to ensure consistency in dosage.

• Powder Flow Tester: Assesses the flow properties of powders to ensure they can be processed consistently during manufacturing.

These physical testing instruments from Gaia Science ensure that pharmaceutical products meet industry standards for quality and performance, preventing issues that could compromise the safety or efficacy of the drugs.

Comprehensive Pharma Services: Supporting Pharmaceutical Excellence

In addition to offering a range of advanced testing equipment, Gaia Science provides comprehensive pharmaceutical services to support every stage of the drug development and manufacturing process. These services include:

• Pharma Services: Gaia Science offers installation, calibration, validation, and maintenance services for all its equipment. Ensuring that laboratory instruments are properly calibrated and validated is essential for regulatory compliance and accurate results. Gaia Science’s team of highly trained professionals provides on-site support to ensure that all equipment is functioning optimally and meets the stringent standards required in pharmaceutical production.

• Training and Technical Support: Gaia Science provides comprehensive training and technical support to ensure that lab personnel are fully equipped to operate the equipment efficiently. Their experts work closely with clients to customize solutions that meet the specific needs of their operations.

• Customized Solutions: With a deep understanding of the pharmaceutical industry, Gaia Science offers customized solutions that cater to the unique needs of each laboratory. Whether it’s a small research lab or a large-scale manufacturing facility, Gaia Science tailors its products and services to provide maximum value.

Why Choose Gaia Science?

Gaia Science has established itself as a trusted partner for pharmaceutical companies looking for high-quality, reliable testing equipment and services. Their state-of-the-art technology, combined with unmatched customer support, ensures that pharmaceutical laboratories can meet the highest standards of quality and regulatory compliance. By offering innovative solutions in dissolution testing, automated sample preparation, and physical testing, Gaia Science helps companies streamline their processes and improve the accuracy of their results.

Conclusion

Dissolution testing, automated sample preparation and physical testing are essential processes in the pharmaceutical industry, ensuring that drugs are safe, effective, and of high quality. With Gaia Science’s advanced equipment and comprehensive services, pharmaceutical companies can confidently meet the demands of regulatory bodies while optimizing their workflows. Gaia Science’s commitment to innovation, precision, and customer support makes them a leader in providing scientific solutions to the pharmaceutical industry.

In Order To Find Out More Details On Scientific Laboratory Equipment Please Be Touch With Us Today Onwards..!

[zerinta]

At MediMatrix, we combine innovation with compassion to redefine healthcare. Explore our comprehensive product line and witness the difference.

[paulrpalmer111]

Pharmaceutical Training in Uk

Workers who receive Pharmaceutical Training in Uk from certified experts are more invested in their jobs and make more significant efforts to succeed in the area. They have learned to take charge of their technical duties and constantly improve to safeguard public health.

[reasonsforhope]

"The Biden Administration last week [early December, 2023] announced it would be seizing patents for drugs and drug manufacturing procedures developed using government money.

A draft of the new law, seen by Reuters, said that the government will consider various factors including whether a medical situation is leading to increased prices of the drug at any given time, or whether only a small section of Americans can afford it.

The new executive order is the first exercise in what is called “march-in-rights” which allows relevant government agencies to redistribute patents if they were generated under government funding. The NIH has long maintained march-in-rights, but previous directors have been unwilling to use them, fearing consequences.

“We’ll make it clear that when drug companies won’t sell taxpayer funded drugs at reasonable prices, we will be prepared to allow other companies to provide those drugs for less,” White House adviser Lael Brainard said on a press call.

But just how much taxpayer money is going toward funding drugs? A research paper from the Insitute for New Economic Thought showed that “NIH funding contributed to research associated with every new drug approved from 2010-2019, totaling $230 billion.”

The authors of the paper continue, writing “NIH funding also produced 22 thousand patents, which provided marketing exclusivity for 27 (8.6%) of the drugs approved [between] 2010-2019.”

How we do drug discovery and production in America has a number of fundamental flaws that have created problems in the health service industry.

It costs billions of dollars and sometimes as many as 5 to 10 years to bring a drug to market in the US, which means that only companies with massive financial muscle can do so with any regularity, and that smaller, more innovative companies can’t compete with these pharma giants.

This also means that if a company can’t recoup that loss, a single failed drug can result in massive disruptions to business. To protect themselves, pharmaceutical companies establish piles of patents on drugs and drug manufacturing procedures. Especially if the drug in question treats a rare or obscure disease, these patents essentially ensure the company has monoselective pricing regimes.

However, if a company can convince the NIH that a particular drug should be considered a public health priority, they can be almost entirely funded by the government, as the research paper showed.

Some market participants, in this case the famous billionaire investor Mark Cuban, have attempted to remedy the issue of drug costs in America by manufacturing generic versions of patented drugs sold for common diseases."

-via Good News Network, December 11, 2023

[cmibloggers]

Global Colonoscopy Bowel Preparation Drugs Market Is Estimated To Witness High Growth Owing To Increasing Demand for Accurate Diagnosis

The global Colonoscopy Bowel Preparation Drugs market is estimated to be valued at US$ Mn in 2022 and is expected to exhibit a CAGR of 4.9% over the forecast period, as highlighted in a new report published by Coherent Market Insights.

A) Market Overview:

Colonoscopy bowel preparation drugs are used to cleanse the colon before a colonoscopy procedure. These drugs help in emptying the bowel and provide better visualization of the colon during the procedure. The need for bowel preparation drugs is associated with the accuracy of diagnosis during colonoscopy, as a clean bowel allows for better detection of abnormalities such as polyps or cancerous growths. Regular screening and early detection of colorectal cancer have become crucial in reducing the mortality rate associated with this disease. Therefore, the demand for colonoscopy bowel preparation drugs is expected to increase significantly in the coming years.

B) Market Key Trends:

One key trend observed in the Colonoscopy Bowel Preparation Drugs market is the increasing preference for low-volume bowel preparation drugs. These drugs require a smaller volume of liquid intake and offer similar efficacy compared to traditional high-volume preparation drugs. Low-volume bowel preparation drugs are more convenient for patients as they cause less discomfort and are easier to consume. For instance, products like Plenvu by Ferring B.V. and Trilyte by Braintree have gained popularity due to their low-volume formulation. This trend is expected to drive the growth of the market as more patients opt for these alternatives.

C) PEST Analysis:

- Political: The political landscape plays a vital role in shaping healthcare policies and regulations related to the availability and affordability of colonoscopy bowel preparation drugs. Government initiatives promoting preventive healthcare and increasing awareness about colorectal cancer screening are expected to drive market growth.

- Economic: The economic factors influencing the market include the affordability of colonoscopy procedures, reimbursement policies, and the overall healthcare expenditure of a region. An increase in disposable income and better reimbursement coverage can contribute to the market's growth.

- Social: The social factors influencing the market include the prevalence of colorectal cancer, awareness about the importance of early detection, and the willingness of individuals to undergo colonoscopy procedures. Social campaigns and educational programs can play a significant role in increasing the adoption of bowel preparation drugs.

- Technological: Technological advancements in colonoscopy procedures, such as the development of advanced endoscopes and imaging technologies, have improved the accuracy of diagnosis. These advancements require effective bowel preparation drugs to ensure optimal visualization and accurate detection of abnormalities.

D) Key Takeaways:

1: The global Colonoscopy Bowel Preparation Drugs Market is expected to witness high growth, exhibiting a CAGR of 4.9% over the forecast period, due to increasing demand for accurate diagnosis during colonoscopy procedures. Proper bowel preparation is essential for better visualization and detection of abnormalities.

2: The Asia Pacific region is expected to be the fastest-growing and dominating region in the Colonoscopy Bowel Preparation Drugs market. This can be attributed to a large population base, rising prevalence of colorectal cancer, increasing awareness about preventive healthcare, and improving healthcare infrastructure.

3: Key players operating in the global Colonoscopy Bowel Preparation Drugs market include Ferring B.V., Bayer AG, Braintree, Bausch Health Companies Inc., and Norgine B.V. These companies are focusing on strategies such as product innovations, partnerships, and geographical expansions to gain a competitive edge in the market.

In conclusion, the global Colonoscopy Bowel Preparation Drugs market is set to experience significant growth due to the increasing demand for accurate diagnosis during colonoscopy procedures. The market is driven by the need for better visualization of the colon and the rising prevalence of colorectal cancer. Low-volume bowel preparation drugs are gaining popularity due to their convenience and efficacy. The Asia Pacific region is expected to witness high growth in the market, with key players focusing on product innovations and partnerships to stay competitive.

[asence]

Asence Board of Directors | Pharma Industry Experts

Meet Asence's Board of Directors—industry experts leading innovation and excellence in pharmaceutical formulations and global healthcare solutions.

[gojhoes]

my good neighbor

synopsis: You've lived next door to Geto for nearly a year, yet your neighbor remains all but a mystery. But as for you- he knows everything about you, from the shampoo you use to the books you keep by your bed.

warnings: MDNI 18+, NSFW contents: geto x fem!reader, yan(?)!geto, age gap, breeding, masturbation, no curse au, dubcon(?), SOMNO, toys!, p-in-v, panty kink, creampie, size kink, corruption kink, daddy kink lowkey wc: 6.3k

It all starts when an Amazon package with your name on it somehow ended up in Geto's mailbox. He would later refer to this occurrence as his greatest gift from God; the most blessed twist of fate to ever work in his favor.

A pink cardboard box sits on his counter, jarringly bright in comparison to the deep neutral design of his apartment. If the package's appearance wasn't proof enough, printed on top is an address nearly identical to his own, except his is 3-D, not 3-C. Clearly, it belongs to the tenant to his right- an easy mistake to be made by someone who reads hundreds of names and address every day.

Geto knows that he could march back down to the mail room and leave the package in the correct mailbox. He could walk away without another thought but given that the box is this specific shade of pink, he figures it might be something you're really excited for. You're probably wondering about it right now, peering confusedly at the 'Delivered' notification from your email. Besides, you both live on the third floor, so he'd be saving you an extra trip. He's just being a good neighbor.

But then he starts to think- he recognizes this shade of pink. His ex-girlfriend had once received a very similarly shaped package in the same color. Inside that package had been a vibrator that he'd grown quite familiar with over the course of their relationship. Could it be the same thing boxed up right here addressed to you?

Your door is cracked when steps out of his apartment with the package in his hand. From this angle, all he can see is the door to the coat closet directly to the right of the entrance. In his apartment, the same closet is on the left, confirming his suspicions that your bedrooms do, in fact, share a wall.

It also meant that your living rooms were connected, but Geto was already well aware of that. Yours seemed to be the gathering place for all of your friends and given the amount of chatter that trickled through the wall every evening, you had quite a few of them. Not that he minds- he works nights as a pharmaceutical lab tech, so it's not like he's there when you're having your get-togethers.

It was less bothersome during the week than on the weekend, which was when you hosted your entire gaggle of acquaintances for what sounded like game night. He was still working out the details of all the different voices, but over time, he'd developed the ability to recognize certain voices by the pitch and cadence of their speech.

It hadn't been on purpose, but the walls were stupidly thin, hardly a step up from a curtain. It was impossible not to eavesdrop, especially when the voices dwindled to only yours and another that was undeniably male. Geto'd glue himself to the wall trying to hear what the two of you were getting up to, but it seemed you weren't that kind of girl.

Or maybe Geto was assuming incorrectly that there was any type of romance going on. But for the last several weekends, he would hear the two of you chatting, then it would be quiet for a bit, as if you were pausing the conversation to make out. He has not, however, heard any sounds of pleasure from your side of the wall, and that alone has piqued his curiosity.

However, during the day, your side of the wall typically was quiet. Just as he would be getting out of the shower in preparation for bed, he'd hear your alarm blaring right at 7am. If it was loud to him, he could only imagine how your ears still functioned properly after such repetitive torture. He'd hear you getting ready through the walls and smell the coffee you brew while you take a shower. By eight o'clock, there is a jingle of keys followed by hours of silence, and he sleeps just fine.

It had to have been nine months or so since you'd moved in, yet Geto hasn't laid eyes on you even once. Your apparent opposite schedules have managed to keep the two of you from crossing paths despite living just inches from each other.

As he stands between your neighboring doorframes, he thinks about how strange it feels to know someone's daily routine despite never having glimpsed you. Based off your schedule and the lively nature of your social life, he's deduced that you must be an undergraduate student at the nearby university. He himself had graduated the semester before, but the rent was cheap and moving was too much of a hassle.

But what were you, 19? 20? With your own apartment, an 8-3 schedule, and enough time to hang out with your friends nearly every day? He couldn't be sure of your age, not without seeing you, but your behaviors made him sure that you were young.

Geto glances down at the box again, reading your name aloud to test the sound of it on his tongue. He eyes the opening of your door again, craning his neck to see what else might be behind it, but no dice. Maybe if he should just go in and leave it on the counter. He would get to see your place and hopefully satiate this prolonged curiosity, even for just a moment.

Besides, you've left your door cracked. Every front door in the building locks automatically when closed, so technically, it would be your fault if this was a robbery situation, regardless of the value of your things. It's too tempting- he's been too intrigued by the box clutched in his hand. It was fate for the two of you to meet this way. Every time you held it to your clit as you came, you'd think of the moment you saw him with the box in his hand at your door.

His hand hovers over the doorknob- is he really about to do this? Wherever you've gone, you'll likely be back any minute if you've been so careless about your door. No, it's not the right time. He's already nervous about how you will react, even more so knowing he's going to be seeing you for the first time.

You know when someone just sounds hot? The music your body makes is so human, yet so graceful and controlled until your friends come over. You sound perfect when you're just simply existing by yourself. He feels, in so many ways, that he knows you so well already. It wouldn't take him any time at all to learn how to give you what you want. Maybe he'll tell you that, if the moment presents itself.

He's fortunate yet again for the lack of insulation used by the contractors. There is a rushed set of footsteps echoing from the stairwell at the end of hall, giving him enough warning to take a step back until he's standing just the perfect distance between your two neighboring doors. He looks up as the footsteps close in, and his heart skips a beat when he finally, finally sees you.

"Hi!" you chirp. "You must be my neighbor."

The last few steps you take give him enough time to drink you in. You can't be older than 20 with plush lips and a pretty smile, one that lights up your face and showcases your lack of smile lines. And what you're wearing makes his mouth go dry. It's a baby blue pajama set with thin straps and the shortest goddamn shorts Geto has ever seen in his life. He's staring, he knows he is, but you're even more gorgeous than he could've imagined. Your hand shoots out to shake his, small and soft enveloped within his grasp for just a wink of time.

It's not enough, not even close to satisfying the desire you've instilled in him. He forces himself to look at your face and not at the tops of your tits threatening to spill out of that useless pajama top. God, and he can see your nipples straining against the thin fabric-

"I believe this belongs to you," he says, holding out the pink box.

Your face lights up impossibly as you pull it into your hands, and Geto thinks he might die right there. He smiles at your excitement; he was right- you were excited to get this. God, he would be so good to you if you'd let him.

"Oh, thank you!" you say enthusiastically. "I've had a lot of packages go missing lately, so it's really nice to actually get this one. Thank you so much."

You're practically worshipping him with the sinful sweetness dripping from your words. So well-mannered. Would you be this polite if he brought you into his bed and offered to give you his cock? Would you smile at him as you are now, and say please every time you ask him to fuck you? He'd do it for you- he'd give you everything simply just for being such a sweet girl for him.

Geto smiles and introduces himself. "It seemed like a pretty important package."

He catches the way your shoulders tense and the slight flush of your cheeks- shit, was it actually a vibrator in there? Clearly, you're embarrassed, so it would make sense, but there's no need to be ashamed of getting one.

But you're smiling sweetly again, any trace of worry wiped clean. "It's nice to finally meet you, Geto," you say, and he swears that he sees your eyes flick down to his lips.

He hums, tilting his head to side as if to study you. "Likewise."

You send him one more polite smile before disappearing into your apartment. As he's closing his own door, he's imagining you making a cup of coffee like you do every morning. Are all of your pajamas that pretty? He's met you once, but already he can tell that you're a princess. He bets your parents pay your rent and send you money for groceries anytime you ask. A girl as sweet as you was probably well-accustomed such doting and pampering.

Someone was taking care of you, but were they making sure you were safe? Who was reminding you to keep your doors locked? You were a young pretty girl living on your own in the city- anything can happen. Clearly it seems that you need someone to look out for you, and who could possibly be better for the job than him? He lived so close by already; checking on you would be no problem at all.

And after seeing your perfect thighs in your little shorts, the swell of your breasts straining against the blue fabric...he'll do anything if it means he might get to see that again. He'd come up to you from behind and wrap his arms around your waist, pulling your ass against his hips. One hand holding your chin as he kisses the side of your neck, squeezing your thigh with the other...

You need him. Someone older and more mature to nurture you properly. Besides, he was just being a good neighbor.

That evening, he rearranges his room so that the head of his bed is flush against the innermost wall of his apartment, the one that he shares with you.

*** Geto will admit that somewhere deep inside, he does feel guilty. This part of him is disgusted and ashamed, constantly wishing he could be different and cursing himself because he's not. But he was going to make you love him. Once you let him in, you'll wonder why you hadn't come to him sooner. You'll see- he'll prove it to you, and then you'll understand that everything he does is for you.

But the rest of him, the more dominant parts of his personality, run rampant once he's fallen for you. He isn't acting right, deep down he knows that, but he can't stop. He doesn't want to stop. He wants to know every secret you might be hiding. The home a person keeps says so much about them, and he wants to know everything. You won't have to hide from him, not ever, and he'll make sure you know that. Maybe he's obsessed, but can you blame him? You're just so perfect.

He's starving for you, but he's got to be subtle; if he's too forward, he risks upsetting you or scaring you away. He doesn't want to stress you out, either, but it's essential that he sees your apartment. He needs to check your locks, especially the one on your balcony and make sure that you're keeping up with your cleaning.

It means taking advantage of the several minutes you leave your door cracked when you've gone down to the basement to do your laundry. Every Saturday afternoon, before your friends come and steal you away, you gather your basket and leave your deadbolt extended to avoid locking yourself out.

He's managed to pull it off twice, the first time being harder than the second. It took him three days to work up the courage to even try thinking of a plan, but after moving his bed to the wall, closer to you, he's descended quickly into absolute agony. It's a stroke of luck- no, of fate- that has made you put your bed against the same wall- and he can hear everything.

A few days have passed since the package mishap, and by that point, Geto had almost forgotten about the contents of the box. That night, just as he's getting ready for a shift at the lab, he hears a strange buzzing as he's brushing his teeth. It's an electric toothbrush, so his first thought is that maybe it's time to replace it. But as he rinses out his mouth, he finds that the buzzing had not ceased. It's go to be you, he thinks, immediately drying his face and flying over to the wall to press his ear flush to it. He's just in time to hear the beautiful, merciful sound of a mewl escaping from your lungs.

A shaky breath passes his lips. He's dumbfounded by the pleasure that flows through his abdomen when he realizes what you're doing. He'd totally been right about the package. Even through the wall, he's able to recognize the same vibrations. Maybe he's just been Pavlov'd, but immediately he can feel the blood rushing south as a faint throb starts in his cock.

He knows without a doubt that you've got the cutest pout on your lips, maybe a few strands of hair falling into your face as you lay your head back. "Feels good," he whispers, despite knowing that you can't hear him. Do your hips buck up into your hands, or do have those plush thighs squeezing them tight while you try to cum?

Is this really happening right now? Heat creeps up his neck and high on his cheeks as another moan, albeit quieter this time, blesses his ears. He can't stop his hand from finding his cock and palming at himself as he eyes slip shut.

He's dying to know- he wants to see you right now, wants to watch as you spread apart your folds and fuck yourself until you're trembling. He needs more, he needs everything that you can give him- and you will give him all that you can. He knows you will because you're just that good of a girl.

Fuck. He's got to get to work on time before the cultures expire and he fucks up three weeks' worth of data, but you are killing him with each sweet little moan that leaves your mouth. He's picturing you on your knees with your ass in the air, two fingers pumping in and out of your tight cunt while your other hand has a death grip on the vibrator.

He's waited so long to hear your pathetic little whines as you fuck yourself as fast you can on your too-short fingers. You're so desperate, and with how hard you're trying, it's obvious that you're getting frustrated. He wants to help you- it's clear from your desperate cries that you need him to. He would help you cum, over and over if that's what you wanted. "It's okay," he breathes. "Keeping going, it's okay."

Using a vibrator for the first time can feel almost painful if you're not used to the intensity. You're so overstimulated that you're struggling to reach the orgasm you chase so desperately. He feels genuine pity for you as cry out, "please! so close...mm." If you'd just asked him, he would've been able to introduce it your sensitive clit the right way.

He's begging you more, anything you could give him. He knows you'll do it for him soon. You were just that good of a girl, and maybe you were too sensitive to cum without a little bit of a help. If he was inside you, you'd have creamed all over his cock by now, too fucked out to ride him anymore as he pounds into your pretty pussy from behind.

As much as he would love to see you beg for it, he truly thought that you deserved to cum and felt frustrated for you. You were such a sweet girl; the only reason it took you so long to try your new toy had to be because you were nervous. Good girls deserve the best orgasms, after all.

Shit, were you still a virgin? Did you even know how to make yourself cum yet? That would explain why he hadn't ever heard those pretty sounds before. Fuck, you were going to make him lose his goddamn mind if you didn't cum in the next 60 seconds. "Y-you'll cum for me, right? I know you can do it."

Geto did not make it to work on time that day, quintessentially ruining over 300 specimens all because you wanted to play with your pussy right as he had to leave for work. It was terrible timing, but he can't say he regrets bringing himself to one of the best orgasms he'd ever had without even touching you. It wasn't enough, though, just hearing you. He needs to see it, needs to feel your warm, tight cunt squeezing him dry while you moan into his ear.

A plan comes to him, albeit a risky one. The next time you leave to do your laundry, propping your door open like always, he slips into your apartment. It's an inverted copy of his own- the same appliances, same gray tiles, a balcony at the back of the living room. Your apartment is so girly, so shamelessly you, and not to mention spotless. Geto makes a poignant effort to keep his place clean, but only a control freak would keep their apartment this organized. You must be an anxious person- but that's okay, because he'll be there to help you through it.

Two minutes pass- you should be back any moment, and while he has an idea of what he'll say if you catch him, he really wants to avoid scaring you. He can't have you feeling scared around him, so he turns to leave- he can always come back another time after he's more prepared. But then he sees a set of keys lying on your counter, and the gears in his head start turning.

You've left your door open, so you'll be able to get back in- he doesn't have to worry about that. He knows you won't be leaving anytime soon. He's confident that he'll have enough time and he doubts that you'll notice your apartment key missing if you're not actively needing it. So, he pockets the whole set and slips right back out as silently as he'd come.

Early on Monday morning, Geto waits until he hears the jingle of your keys and the click of the deadbolt as it slides into place. The smell of coffee lingers, and his clock reads 8:06, but he can't risk you coming back, so he forces himself to wait a little longer. He's nearly vibrating with the anticipation of getting so much unadulterated time in your apartment. The copied key in hand is representative of everything he's done to get closer to you. This observation will help him learn who you are- what shampoo you use, what you keep on hand in your fridge, what toys you have hidden away.

He decides it's been long enough when 20 more minutes pass, and Geto makes a beeline for your bedroom. Compared to the rest of your apartment, your room is much more lived-in. The white comforter topping your bed is rumpled, exposing light pink sheets under a plethora of stuffies and pillows. He's more interested, however, in the nightstand on the side.

He pulls open the single drawer and sure enough, there's the white vibrator that you've been using quite often lately. Aside from a bottle of lube, there's nothing aside from some medications and a pair of nail clippers. His suspicion that you're a virgin persists from your lack of sex toys- no wonder you were so embarrassed when he hinted at the contents of your package. Already, he was half-hard thinking about how good he was going to make you feel. He was ecstatic to think that no one else had touched you yet. Whoever that guy was, the one you your often spent evenings with alone, wasn't going to stand a chance.

Geto steps away to make toward your bathroom, and feels something soft under his foot. He glances down and bends to retrieve the black lacy thong you've left so mercifully on the floor. It's foul, it's intrusive, it's perfect- he brings the fabric to his face and breathes in your scent. His cock throbs in his pants, begging for attention- for your attention, but he can't have you yet. No, it has to be perfect because you are perfect, and you deserve nothing less.

He shoves the thong in his pocket before going into the ensuite bathroom.

Later that week, the universe finally gives him a break.

That fateful Friday evening, he calls in sick to work. His throat is a bit sore, and he knows the ache in his muscles isn't from last night's workout, so he opts to take his temperature, which reads 38.2°C. He knocks back some cold medicine before burying himself in the blankets on his couch, dozing in and out as the effects sweep him away.

He's roused by a rap-rap-rapping on his front door, and even through his medicated haze, his heart jumps- is it you? Is he really about to get this lucky? He glances at the clock above the stove to see that it's half-past 11, and from the din coming through the wall, he knows that you've got your friends over. As he crosses to answer the door, he does feel a bit better aside from the persistent fog clouding his brain.

And it is you, dressed in a pair of jeans and a pink top that shows off your midriff. Your cheeks are painted with a light flush and your hair is bit disheveled, obviously tipsy from the way you're swaying a little. He smiles at you, drinking in the soft curves of your hips that he's been dying to dig his fingers into.

"Hey," you say. Your speech isn't quite slurred, but there's a lilt to your words that says all he needs to hear. "I'm so sorry to bother you like this, I know it's a little creepy, but-"

He doesn't mean to cut you off, but the words spill out of his mouth before he can stop them. "No, it's no trouble at all. Bother me all you want."

You're tipsy enough that the line works- you even laugh a little, and the sound makes his heart skip a beat. Every sound you make is so sweet

"Right," you say. "D'you have a wine bottle opener by chance?"

He shoots you his best disarming smile. "I do."

"Could I borrow it for a moment? I promise I'll bring it right back, I'm right next door."

He'd give you his left lung if you asked for it. He considers inviting you in, but the state of his illness deters him. All the lights are off in his apartment and he hadn't bothered to change out of his gray sweats and black sweatshirt. His hair is down, likely tangled and flat from dozing on his couch. No, you deserve to see him at his best- he'll get you to come over soon enough.

"Of course," Geto says. "Just a second."

He leaves the door cracked in the same way he's seen yours over the last month. Your fingers linger on his own when he places the wine opener in your hand. Even that slight contact sends a wave of excitement through him.

"Swear you'll come right back?" he teases, smirking a little.

You smile again, making him fall even harder when shoot him a wink before disappearing back inside of your apartment without a response. If this was your way of flirting, he's even more enamored with you. So coy, yet so sweet as you look at him over your shoulder before the door closes.

Geto goes into his kitchen to heat up a bowl of broth. Your tits sat so pretty in that little top- did you always dress like that? Not too revealing, showing off just enough to drive him mad with desire. He didn't get to see your ass, but if it was anything like he remembered, he knew that those jeans would cling to it like a film.

As he's sipping on his soup and scrolling mindlessly through his phone, there's another knock. He's on his feet and at the door in seconds, not even bothering to hesitate to swing it open so he can see you again. This time, you're holding a bottle of rose (because of course, you are) and his wine opener.

"Can you do it for me?" You're looking up at him with what he swears is a pout, and with how you bat your eyes through the question, how can he refuse? It would be criminal not to help, especially when you're asking so nicely with that cute look on your face. "None of us can get it open."

He's delighted that you've asked him. Were there no boys over there to help you? Did you choose him over them, or were you truly just too clumsy to do it yourself?

He cranes his neck to see if anyone else stands in the hall, but it seems deserted save for you, so he pushes forward. Geto does his best to seem mildly disinterested yet nice, not wanting to scare you away with the words he really wants to say. If he didn't fuck this up, maybe he wouldn't have to wait so long to get you to come back. His plan would get to move so much faster, but he had to be careful.

"I should probably do this over the sink," he says, reaching out to retrieve the bottle from your grasp. He purposefully lets his thumb brush the tip of your pinky- enough to test the waters, but not so much that it can't be played off as sheer coincidence. As he turns to go into the kitchen, he says over his shoulder, "Feel free to come in, by the way."

The suggestion is very forward considering you've said less than 20 words to the guy since moving in a year ago. Had you been of a better state of mind, you would have politely declined- you barely knew the guy even if your beds were separated only by a few inches of drywall. But you can't deny your curiosity; not once have you glimpsed what lies on his side of the wall. So you indulge yourself and step over the threshold, making sure to pull the door as you do so.

There's no way he's getting this lucky right now. All the plotting, the strategic timing of your meetings, and his careful research are finally paying off. You are walking right into his apartment without him having to lift a finger. He doesn't think you can get any more perfect- he hasn't even touched you yet, and you seem to already know what he wants. It was proof that the invisible string was real.

You stand at a safe distance on the side of the bar opposite from his, watching intently as Geto works the wine opener into the cork. There's a satisfying 'pop' as he gives it a firm tug. What would've taken you an embarrassingly long amount of time is accomplished with one quick flex of his forearm and a small grunt of effort.

"What's the occasion?" he asks.

You stare at him blankly. "Huh?"

He returns the wine opener to its rightful drawer, drawing out the motions to maximize how long he's got you in his apartment.

"It's champagne, so I figured maybe it was for something special," he explains. "Or are you just fancy like that?"

You're smiling at him again and his heart soars. He prays that you'll always look at him like that, and only him, but he gives no indication of the depth of his feelings. He wraps his hand around the neck of the now-open bottle and extends it toward you as he rounds the side of the counter.

"You could say that," you reply with a giggle. "Thank you..um, it's Geto, right?"

He nods. "Anytime. What's mine is yours."

It comes out wrong- way too intense to say if he's trying to stay above ground with you. But you don't seem to mind. If anything, the flush on your cheeks deepens as you take the bottle from him. From where he stands, he can make out a faint scar dragging across your exposed collarbone. He wonders what it might feel like to run his tongue across you delicate skin and leave marks. Would you keen into him and clutch at him as the quick, sharp pain pulls a whine out of you?

"Um, I'm sorry if I'm ever loud or anything," he says. "I work nights, so I think we have opposite schedules." A white lie, but he doesn't want you to leave yet. If he just keeps you talking, maybe he'll get the chance to ask you to hang out. He's desperate, honestly, but he tries to hide it as he stands between you and the front door.

Your face lights with a carefree wave of your hand. "Oh no, I can hardly tell you're there most of the time. I'm a super heavy sleeper, too, so don't worry about it."

He hums and shoots you a grin. "Guess I've been worried for nothing, then."

"Same to you, though," you continue. "I have people over like, all the time, I know they can get really loud."

It's awkward now, as you stand there with your eyes darting around the room and occasionally meeting his. You're nervous, he realizes, shifting your body in a way that makes your hip jut out. He doesn't want you to leave, but he's less apt to make you too uncomfortable, so he makes to walk you out.

"Thank you again," you say, smiling at him widely. He returns your thanks, and watches you disappear into your apartment once more. Already, his mind is reeling as he checks the time. Your friends should be leaving in a couple of hours- the noise usually diminishes around 2am, which will be no trouble to stay up until.

And he makes it despite taking another dose of medicine, having long since grown used to being awake during these hours. You should've have mentioned that you were a heavy sleeper, because now he has to do this.

His clock reads 3:10 when he quietly turns the lock with his copy of your key. The lights are off and it's silent, such a vast difference from the earlier commotion. He leaves his keys on the counter in case there's an unfortunate jingle when he finally enters your room.

You sleep naked- god, you make it so easy for him to love you. Your lips are parted and the passive rise and fall of your chest signals just how deeply you're sleeping.

He slides a hand between inner your thighs, unable to help himself any longer. He teases at your entrance to see how wet you are, dipping his fingertip in just far enough to get a taste of you as he brings it up to his mouth.

And fuck, his index finger slides right in and your cunt flutters around it.

But you don't stir; there's not even a hitch in your breath as he curls his finger into that spongy tissue that he's sure should've roused you. You weren't exaggerating about your being a heavy sleeper, and Geto silently sends praise to whatever gods that were helping him pull this off. However many drinks you'd had earlier were keeping you pulled under the sea of unconsciousness.

He thinks about sliding his hands under your thighs and burying his face between them, licking and sucking at your clit to properly taste you. Surely you'd have to wake up from that, but his patience is wearing thin.

He needs this- he needs you. He's so desperate to finally sink into you, to fuck you like he's been aching to for months. His hands are on the waistband of his sweats and he's pulling out his cock, the tip already weeping as he thumbs at his slit. He wraps his hand around his shaft and starts thrusting into it, finally letting himself begin to unravel as he lets out a pleasured sigh.

God, he doesn't know where to start. Your perfect tits bounce ever so slightly with every rise and fall of your chest. The collarbones he's been wanting to bite are so vulnerable and delicate, sitting right there for the taking. But he doesn't want to ruin the moment by waking you from too much stimulation. He leans over your still body, holding himself up on his palms as he glimpses your pretty face.

He feels that he might die if he doesn't fuck you right now, lining up his cock with your entrance before he buries himself inside you.

"Ohh, fuck," he breathes. So tight, so warm, so perfect- his own perfect little pussy, so much better than anything he could've imagined. He fears that he might cum right then, digging his fingers into the sheets in attempt to steady himself. Even in such a deep sleep, you're soaking his cock with each slow thrust. Are you dreaming about him fucking you right now? Is that how your slumbering brain is making sense of all the pleasure?

Once he's got some semblance of control, he rolls his hips into yours, sinking back into you until. It's too good, and he needs more, he needs to have his cock as deep as you'll take him. He moves his hands to your knees and bends your legs until your thighs are pressing against your chest. It's desperate, the way he fucks you, but somehow, you remain as still and quiet as you'd been when he first came in. Your body jostles with each thrust and he sees the tip of your tongue creeping out from between your parted lips- fucked dumb, even fast asleep.

He knows he should probably pull out, but he's too fucked out to think straight, not to mention the cold medicine running through him right now. It's not right, but with how fucking good you feel, he doesn't care. You're going to wake up with his cum dripping out of your aching cunt, wondering obliviously if your period came early. Traces of him will be all over you and he just knows you'll love the feeling. He can already tell you're going to be his little cumslut- you're too sweet to deny him such a pleasure.

His thrusts get faster until his balls are full on slapping against your ass and his muscles tense all over. You're squeezing him so fucking tight, it's a wonder he's lasted this long, especially with how needy you've made him.

An involuntary flutter of your cunt sends him over the edge. His orgasm wracks his entire body and he's trembling with each spurt of his cum that covers your gummy walls, uncaring as to what consequences might await him. He moans out your name, panting as he empties every drop into you, and you just take it so well. Just as he's about to pull out, your eyes flutter open ever so slightly.

But you're so tired- you don't even notice that it's Geto hovering over you before they slip shut again. "Mm," you murmur. "Wh-what are you..mm." The words trail off, and a moment later, your breaths are soft and even again as sleep takes you once more.

You're adorable. He slips out of you as gently as he can, he waits until he can see his cum start to trickle down to the curve of your ass. He lifts a hand to stroke your cheek and brush away the stray hairs on your face, but he doesn't want to risk waking you when you're already so sleepy. With how pliable and motionless you are, it's clear that you need your beauty sleep.

As he slips out of your apartment and back into his, he can't help but think of how lucky he is. He's so lucky- how is it that fate has blessed him so richly? He was going to make you his. You were going to get so addicted to his cock, to his scent, to his taste that you'd never dare to leave him. You'll belong to him, free for him to use and praise as he pleases. But he will always reward you for being his sweet girl.

And, he thinks, you are so so lucky to have such a good neighbor.

i felt like a mad scientist the entire time i wrote this. if you've thought about trying to write fanfic, JUST DO IT because sometimes it's really fun.

[wemahesh]

Openings for Drug Inspector (55 Posts) in Public Service Commission

The history of Constitution of India reveals that the concept of conducting competitive examination for appointment to certain posts came into consideration way back in the year 1853 and a committee for giving shape to that was constituted under the chairmanship of Lord Macaulay in the year 1854. Later on the Federal Public Service Commission and the State Public Service Commissions were…

[twistedteatime]

Signs

Pairing: Bucky x Fem!Scorpio!Reader

A/N: Birthday fluff for Bucky. It's late, but I FINISHED it. I'm proud of myself for actually finishing it. Summary: It's Bucky's birthday. He forgot but you most definitely didn't. With the rest of the team off on a mission, you show up to celebrate with him with a gift that brings back a lot of memories. You also answer one of his questions about modern dating. Warnings: LANGUAGE. Sexual innuendos. Talk of animal cruelty. Mentions of violence. Confused!Bucky. Fluff. That's about it I can think of.

Word Count: 4.7k

Master List: Scorpio AU

===================

What did you just call him?

Confusion was not something new for him. Far from it. It was a daily occurrence for James “Bucky” Barnes, and not simply since breaking free from HYDRA. The second time at least.

However, the confusion he felt usually stemmed in some way shape or form from Steve. Be it why he was tall instead of small or who the hell he even was or was saying. If it wasn’t his best friend it was how to exist in the modern world with how different it was when it came to slang, pop culture, and dating.

Bucky had tried, several times, to get himself back into it. He failed each time. Not necessarily crashing and burning, usually, but enough that he had determined it might be best to just stop trying until he was in a better place and mentally prepared to deal with the vast differences between himself and his dates.

That and their obsessions with his arm. It got uncomfortable sometimes how fixated they were on it. Though, he did have to credit one for the idea of just putting it in the dishwasher to clean it. That worked phenomenally well and the look on everyone’s faces the first time had been priceless.

Sam had tried setting him up on a few blind dates. Those were usually okay just not for him. Steve…there was no way Bucky was going to go along with anyone he suggested ever again. He valued what was left of his sanity far too much.

The one time he had agreed she was practically a female version of pre-Captain America Steve. He had spent the entirety of the date trying not to get arrested, shot, or caught while keeping her safe as she raided a pharmaceutical company’s animal testing lab. One second she was asking if he liked animals, the next was if he thought lab experiments were fair, and then he was somehow standing in a red flashing hallway with an arm full of cats confused.

He did get a cat out of that, though. She was not fond of his date and had just launched herself into his jacket with a hiss and a claw baring swipe. It was adorable and gave him an excuse to not have to see his date again.

“Alpine doesn’t like her and if Alpine doesn’t like someone then I don’t like them.” He said while hugging the white, purring, kitten rubbing against his face.

Steve tried suggesting other people, but Bucky refused. One Steve-brained hero was enough. More than enough.

Natasha was the only one that was safe when it came to trying to get him to date. She just didn’t. She simply left him to his own devices and told everyone else to leave him alone. Bucky appreciated it immensely.

That didn’t mean Natasha didn’t do that sort of thing. She did. Constantly. With pretty much everyone she could except for him and she knew a lot of people.

Bucky was always meeting someone new she was introducing to someone else. If a week went by when she didn’t introduce him to some new person it put him on edge. It was a part of the routine so when she finally introduced him to you he had thought nothing of it.

Well…other than that you were easily the most gorgeous of the women she’d brought by as a date for someone not him. You were an absolute doll, too. He was almost jealous of Steve that day. Almost. It didn’t work out and he just couldn’t figure out why.

You were lovable, easy to talk to, with a magnetic personality that pulled people in and a sassy wit that never ceased to bring a smile to his face. Your tongue was sharper than his knives at times and he liked it. Most of the time. Sometimes it said very confusing things.

Like now.

Happy Birthday, Fish Boy?

“What?” he asked as he blinked at you, blue eyes swimming in confusion as you sat across from him in his living room, one leg crossed over the other putting your glorious curves on display, “Fish boy?”

You sighed with a small playful smile and roll of your eyes, “Yeah. You’re a Pisces. Y’know…zodiac sign? Pisces is represented by two fish swimming around each other. So…Fish Boy.”

“Today’s my birthday?” he asked, blinking, and you nodded.

“Yes…it’s the 10th of March today, Bucky.” You answered easily, not judging or teasing him for it, and smiled as Alpine hopped up onto your lap and inserted her head under your hand for attention, “Hey, there, sweetie. I was wondering where you were. Were you plotting how to get the birds out the window again?”

“Mao.”

“I’m starting to get jealous of that thing.” Bucky said and you chuckled while petting the white cat affectionately.

“Well, it was her birthday. I had to buy her a cat tree. She stopped knocking your books off the shelf, didn’t she?” you asked and he nodded, wondering why no one else had said anything to him about his birthday, something you could see as you looked at his blue eyes and the way they shifted and shimmered, “They’re on a mission out in the Pacific…somewhere.  Different time zones. They’ll probably call later. It’s still early here.”

“Oh, right. Yeah…” he sighed.

He still had a tough time remembering certain things. Dates being a big one. Most of the time, Bucky could get by with dates as long as he put them in his phone or on a calendar to remember them with. Some things, like covert mission dates, he couldn’t do that with. Other things, like his birthday, he just didn’t think to.

It was just another day. One that didn’t feel like it belonged to him anymore. It belonged to the old Bucky, not this one.

Sure, he’d go out if his friends took him, but it was just another day. Yet it had brought you to his apartment with a large box. One he initially had assumed was yet another toy for Alpine.

You spoiled the cat. Toys, treats, a massive cat tree that took up the entirety of one whole window that Alpine adored spending hours exploring and jumping around on. Bucky only outwardly complained about it, but he didn’t mean it. Seeing Alpine happy made him happy and you always brought him something, too.

Usually coffee, food, or a book. Sometimes you brought a record, one he hadn’t heard since the 40s, and not a reproduction either. You never told him where you found them, though. You refused to reveal your “source” because then you wouldn’t be able to surprise him with them.

Bucky appreciated the attention to detail you had when it came to his likes and dislikes. You were also usually one of the first people to notice if his moods shifted, or rather when they did. You read him like a book regardless of whether or not he wanted you to and that was without mind reading powers.

You just knew.

“So…” he started, pulling himself from his thoughts before you had a chance to, and smiled teasingly, “What’d you get me? It better be good after the cat fortress you got Alpine.”

You simply gestured to the cardboard box on the coffee table between you with a small smirk. It was one of the ones he loved most: Sassy and victorious. You were hard to fluster and you gave as good as you got from everyone.

It was probably one of the things they liked about you. Even Loki. That day had been interesting.

Thor had decided to visit and brought his brother along. There were still some tense feelings between the Avengers and the God of Mischief, which you made abundantly clear while walking into the room.

“Why the hell does it feel like I walked into the episode of some soap opera were everyone is confronted with the fact they all slept with someone’s murdered husband?” you had asked, catching them all off guard save for Bucky who had seen you walk in, nose in a book.

“An opera of cleaning…” Thor started confusedly but your eyes already landed on Loki and shifted from confusion to instant understanding.

“Oh. You brought the God of Kneel Before Me and Obey.”

“He apologizes for tha-”

“You didn’t even take people on a date first.”

“Who are you, again?” Loki asked, curious, a bit put off, and fishing for something to make a rebuttal with.

“This is Y/N Y/L/N, brother. She…I don’t know what she does…but she does read many books and tomes.”

“What I do is I put up with you. You eat my Pop Tarts from the break room again and I will make your every visit here a living nightmare of hellish proportions and torment.”

“I will replace the box immediately.” Thor replied instantly, eyes wide, fear flashing over his eyes that Bucky didn’t quite understand yet didn’t question, particularly as his brother just laughed.

“I like her.” Loki laughed and then went on to ask what you were reading, falling into, an occasionally insult fueled, conversation about your book.

Loki often visited on his own afterwards. Usually to discuss some book or event with you. It was this that eventually caused Bucky to find himself having a strangely deep conversation with the god about conflicting feelings on control, a shared hatred of electrical shocks, and knives.

He was a bit overwhelming to converse with at times, but you always managed to step in before an argument occurred. The frequency of which eventually caused Loki and him to start wondering if you did have powers of some sort after all. You neither confirmed nor denied anything.

“What’s in it?” Bucky asked as he pulled the box closer to him, feeling the weight of it.

“Don’t shake it. Just open it.” You said as he lifted it onto his lap.

Bucky opened the box carefully and blinked.

It was a cake, in a pan, chocolate if he had to guess by the smell of it and the thin layer of frosting on it. He recognized it at once. Not that it was cake, but the type of cake.

You knew Bucky didn’t like most cakes and you quickly realized why when you saw Steve forcing himself to eat his own birthday cake someone made him.

It was too rich.

Though both Steve and Bucky liked chocolate, what people seemed to forget was that candy and cakes were different now than when the two super soldiers were kids, growing up, and even during the war. The ingredients were different. The flavors were different.

“I found a recipe I think you’ll like.” You said as he took it out of the box then looked at the wrapped gift underneath, “You can open that after you try a bit of the cake I spent the better part of a week getting right.”

“Was it really that hard?” he asked, frowning, and you smiled as you got up to go into his kitchen, carrying Alpine as she utterly refused to move.

“You’ll understand in a few minutes. Believe me.” You answered, grabbing a fork for him then handing it to him, “Try it.”

Bucky took the fork from you and paused before digging it into the corner of the pan and scooping out a bite. It looked just like he remembered and when he put it into his mouth he was instantly taken back to his mother’s kitchen. The last birthday he had with her and his family.

The tears were instant. So was the shock. So were the questions as he looked at you when you sat down next to him and pulled out the wrapped present from the box. They were there when you handed it to him while taking the cake pan…while trying to take the cake pan.

“I’m not going to eat it on you, James. Believe me. I’m a little caked out myself, but this…” you said while holding the present, “Will answer some of your questions.”

Bucky just nodded and relinquished the pan to you before opening the present carefully.

It was a picture frame but what was in it took his breath away. Old, faded, and worn beneath the glass was a single sheet of paper yellowed and brittle with age. The handwriting on it brought more tears to his eyes as he ran his fingers over the letters lightly.

How?

That was the one question running through his mind as he looked down at his mother’s handwriting that listed out the ingredients for a chocolate birthday cake. Elegant, graceful, and yet difficult to decipher if one wasn’t accustomed to reading it. He even found it hard it had been so long.

Why it had taken you a week of perfecting the recipe he understood. Some things weren’t called the same names as they are now and he doubted you would know what some of it meant right off the bat no matter how smart you were. There was also the fact that it was only a list of ingredients. There were no directions at all. Only ingredients.

“Keep going, then I’ll explain.” You said gently and his brows furrowed before he continued and set the frame down carefully on the coffee table then looked at what was beneath it.

Two books. One much thicker than the other as it was made with thick plastic pages that, when he opened the simple black cover, he saw were filled with more pages. All of them were recipes written on scraps of paper in his mother’s handwriting. Some were pieced back together before they had been carefully put between the sheets to preserve them.

Cake recipes, johnny cake recipes, pickles, bread, relish, chutney, everything she cooked and had thought to write down. Some of it was gone. Broken off and lost to the ages, but so much was preserved and there.

How?

Looking at the smaller book, he saw it was a new one. Brand new. Crisp white lettering on light blue on the cover.

A Collection of Recipes by Winifred Barnes.

He opened it and looked at you, blinking as he tried to dam the impending flood, and looked back. Thumbing through it, he saw what each page had a photo of one of the papers in the other book and next to it was a neatly typed out translation. Some of them had directions on how to prepare them. Others did not and had lines beneath the ingredients. A space to write in the directions.

The dam broke.

How? Why? How?

“Shhh…” you soothed as the tears began to fall from his eyes, setting the cake down on the table before pulling him into a hug, his arms wrapping around you tight yet still careful not to crush, “I wanted to make you a cake you’d enjoy eating. I know things are different now than they were then. The food’s different. There was less additives and artificial crap then…and with the Depression…you couldn’t get everything a cake today would have so they’d have to improvise with things. So…I…got it in my head I’d try to track down an old recipe book or something. That only sounded simple.”

“You did this in a week? How’d you find…” Bucky asked, his voice thick as he sniffled and you chuckled.

“The cake was a week; all of this has been at least two months. I knew I’d have to start early. I’m used to research, but doing my daily research on top of this research…yeah, I had to start early. I went to a few estate sales, antique shops, you name it. Nothing that dated that far back. Then I finally found an old thrift store in Brooklyn, near where I get your records…which is still a secret by the way and found a box. In that box was a huge stack of recipes.” You explain while rubbing his back gently, “Then I saw the name on the box and thought: ‘Holy shit. No way. No fucking way.’ Obviously, I bought it immediately and did some digging.”

“I never told you my mom’s name…did Steve?” Bucky asked and you shook your head.

“No, but he does know about this. He may have been my guinea pig for some things and he may have puked a few times as a result. I just dug into your records to find your mom’s name.” You answer and gently wipe the tears off his cheeks with a smile as he chuckled at the idea of you and Steve in a kitchen conspiring and Steve, once again, subjecting himself to an unknown concoction of things, “Then the…deciphering began.”

“I can’t even read some of this…” Bucky admitted and you nodded, a look of horror on your face as you did.

“Yeah…she had a tendency to write s as r and q’s, g’s, z’s, and p’s can all look exactly the same if you don’t know what you’re reading. Then figuring out the ingredients came, and Steve helped with that, but he couldn’t help with how to actually make things. He tried once and it was a disaster so I never let him touch the food ever again.” You said and Bucky laughed lightly as he nodded imagining you angrily swatting his best friend away from a pot of something black and bubbling.

“I’m surprised there’s a kitchen left intact.” He said and you groaned.

“There almost wasn’t when we tried at my place. There’s a reason he shoved money at me that one time a few weeks back. He had to buy me a new stove after whatever napalm he concocted destroyed the old one.” You said then smiled, “That’s when I decided to move the experiments to the compound. I don’t care if we ruin Tony’s crap. It took a few iterations to get this right. When it says sour milk…it means sour milk. Not sour cream, not buttermilk, sour…milk…and that means I had to actually…get…real milk. Not the shit they sell at the market. I had to find a farmer’s market that sold milk in the glass bottles.”

“You went…through…all of this…for me?” Bucky asked and you nodded with an easy smile.

“Well, yeah. You deserve it, first and foremost, and don’t you go thinking I tortured myself doing it. I learned a lot and actually enjoyed it a bit. I never knew there were three original different 3 Musketeer bar flavors you could buy all at once going into this and I’m disappointed they aren’t around.”

“Sugar rations.” He said with a sigh but then smiled, “Thank you…for this. I…”

You nodded with a gentle smile that brought a fuller one to his face. You understood what it meant to him and looking into your eyes Bucky found himself relaxing with the knowledge that you always knew. He didn’t need to say it because you always knew what he meant without words.

“Are you sure you can’t read minds?” he asked and you laughed.

“I’m sure. I’d probably go nuts if I could from all the very perverted and ungentlemanly thoughts that run through men’s minds whenever I walk by in a dress.” You said and smirked a bit with a chuckle as he swallowed a bit, the memory of the last time you had shown up in a dress flashing across his mind, “Particularly yours.”

“I…do no such thing.” He said, narrowing his eyes at you, “Unlike most guys in this day and age I know how to treat a lady properly.”

“Treating a lady properly and imagining what running your hands over her curves could feel like are not the same thing…nor are they mutually exclusive, Bucky.” You replied smoothly and he chuckled before looking back at the cake and everything you had given him.

“You’re an absolute doll…you know that, right?” he asked.

“I’ve been told on occasion…but you’re the only one I’ll accept it from. Anyone else I punch.” You said and he looked at you curiously, “What?”

“You punch people?”

“Yeah. I punch a lot of people. Do you have any idea how many people walk into the archives and try to steal shit? At least every other day. Why do you think I’m down there?” you asked and he blinked.

“You never explained what you do in the compound past that you work in the archives. Nat just told us you were her friend and she was gonna introduce you to Steve.” He said and you nod, “I still don’t understand how that didn’t work out.”

“Because Steve has the self-preservation instincts of a rabid chihuahua stuffed inside a rottweiler’s body.”

Bucky burst out laughing while nodding. Someone finally understood. Most people compared him to a golden retriever. Sweet, loyal, cuddly.

They had no idea how stupidly tenacious he could be. How reckless he could be. How many fucks he didn’t give about anything once he got it in his head what the right course of action would be.

“Yes.” Bucky laughed, “Little punk would get into every fight in Brooklyn he could up against guys three times his size.”

“Would? Bucky he still does shit like that, there just aren’t as many people three times his size now.” You reply with a laugh and he nods with his own.

“That’s true. So how do you know Nat? Really?” he asked and you smiled.

“That’s a long story, Bucky, but the abridged version of it is that she was working undercover in a club I was the bouncer for, yes it’s a thing, and I knocked some guy out that decided to try and roughly grab her ass. I’d already tried deescalating with him several times before and he didn’t listen so…I punched him. That’s probably why she tried to set me up with Steve, but there’s a difference between Steve and me doing my job. I obviously found out the truth about her after a while and then she introduced me to Tony as someone to work in archives to keep the peace down there.”

“Is it really that bad?” Bucky asked and you nodded seriously.

“Yes. It doesn’t matter how high someone’s I.Q. is or how smart they are. They turn into little toddlers with tantrums or meat headed morons if they don’t get their way. Tony hires the best and brightest minds, that also means he tends to hire people with huge egos. It takes them some time to learn to not screw around with me when they’re new and I routinely have to take people down a couple pegs. I don’t care if you graduated from M.I.T at the top of your class. You’re going to wait like a good little boy for your turn at the Pym Papers.” You said and he looked at you with a raised eyebrow, “Seriously. Come down and visit me sometime.”

“Maybe I will.”

“Please do. Friday. Wear the leather jacket, put on some cologne, bring some coffee, and smile. Two o’clock. Reggie needs to learn manners that I can’t teach him and I’ll make you another cake anytime you want if you can get him to stop asking my sign and dishing out the worst pick-up lines this side of the Appalachians.” You said seriously and Bucky chuckled a bit at your disgruntled and exasperated face and tone.

It was cute, but he had to ask. It was something he hadn’t figured out quite yet. Something he could if he just decided to google it, but he figured you’d explain it better.

“What’s the thing with the signs?” he asked and you looked at him and took a deep breath in.

“The zodiac signs. There’s…belief…theory…whatever that certain signs are more compatible with each other than other signs are. There’s also belief that certain signs act certain ways, now…I’ve found this to be true to an extent but there’s a lot more that goes into it then just your sun sign. It’s a complicated mess of things I don’t even understand, but it gets annoying when men use it as a pickup line. Particularly with my own sign. Men like that tend to assume things because of the reputation of my sign.”

He frowned. Bucky was well aware of what it felt like when people assumed things about him. It was a stupid notion, but one that he was still intrigued by.

“What…do…they assume?” he asked.

“They assume I’m a sex-crazed, freak that can’t wait to get it on with the first guy to walk by, am manipulative, a bully, and too hard to handle long term because of my supposedly deep seeded trust issues and tendency to take things too intensely.”

“Why?”

“Because I’m a Scorpio.”

“That’s stupid.”

“I know.”

“That’s really fucking stupid.” He said while sitting back on his couch and you nodded, “So why the leather jacket and cologne and everything?”

“Do you really need me to say it, Bucky?” you ask with a teasing smile then smiled more as his lips turned up in a playful smirk before pretending to consider then nodding.

“Yes. I don’t want to assume.”

“Well, I’m not trying to secretly set you up with anyone if that’s what you’re worried about.”

“Nnooo…that…that doesn’t seem like your thing.” He said as he considered it, “So why?”

“The coffee is because on Fridays coffee is the only thing that keeps me from going feral on people. The rest…well…to put it bluntly: I like your cologne and leather jacket and the way you smile, when you actually smile and mean it. When you actually mean it…it’s like fucking sunshine in human form.” You answer and he looks at you, not exactly surprised and yet at the same time he is, “Seeing you smile and laugh is always a highlight of my day because of everyone I see and work with on a regular basis…you deserve to actually laugh and smile the most. You’re a lot stronger than you realize you are, internally. I’m not talking about the arm or the serum or the rest of it. You, yourself, are a strong person and I find that…incredibly attractive and sweet.”

Bucky didn’t say anything. He just smiled slightly as he thought about the past several months since he’d met you. The more he did the more he realized that he should have noticed.

You were one of the few people to sit and just talk with him. Particularly the women. You didn’t shamelessly flirt, blush, or gush over him. You just…were there whenever he needed someone to be there.

He never thought anything of it because you did that for everyone. Steve included. Despite the date not resulting in anything it wasn’t unusual to find you sitting down to a cup of coffee with Steve just talking about things. You were the same way with Natasha, Sam, Clint, and even Tony to an extent…usually when Pepper was mad at him.

Yet thinking on it, for him, you were a lot warmer, less guarded, and smiled a lot more. He wasn’t quite sure how to handle it. On one hand it excited him, and yet on the other, the cold…metallic one…it made him worry.

Was he really worth all of that effort? Did he want to really let you all the way in? There was plenty he hadn’t told you or anyone. Things he worried would change your perception of him.

“Mao.” Alpine mewled before hopping up onto your lap again and immediately shoving her head into your hand, purring when she got what she wanted in the form of affection as she looked at him.

Bucky didn’t know what they did to her in the lab. He never wanted to know. Sometimes, though, he guessed it was a lot more than just run of the mill pharmaceuticals.

Alpine always seemed to have an innate sense of someone and you were one of the few people she would just run up to and demand love and attention from. It had been this way from the start and looking at her as she looked at him, it was like she was telling him it was okay.

Bucky smiled and nodded as he reached over and grabbed his cake and fork, “Alright, doll, Friday at two. I'll be there.”

"Don't forget."

Bucky smirked a bit and chuckled, "Oh...trust me...I won't forget this."

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A/N: I actually finished it. Obviously there's room for a continuation of this, but I finished it. I did the thing I said I would.

Next Story (Scorpio AU): Coffee