#sasbs

[the-ultimate-tsbs-kin]

TSBS is dying.

People keep leaving, channels keep being discontinued. GallantGaming left and the Glamrock Bonnie and Glitchtrap Show had to stop. DigitizedPixels had a baby and the Springtrap and Spring Bonnie Show had to stop. He had to take multiple pauses from the channel and now he's leaving. The Funtime Foxy and Glamrock Chica Show died. And as everyone already knows, Matt is leaving too.

(Didn't include the deaths of the Cassie and Helpi Show and Monty Gator and Foxy Show since all those VAs were still active.)

Let me just say, it's okay for people to leave and for channels to stop. TSBS is a lot for the creators and VAs to keep up with and I'm really grateful for how much they've been doing for so long.

But that doesn't make this fact any less hard to accept. TSBS as a whole isn't dead yet, but it's dying fast. I don't know what I'll do when that happens. Let's make the most of the time we still have with them.

[siravalondulac]

little left of fame and splendour | j. snow x fem!oc

summary: jon gets ditched on valentine's day and a woman he has never seen before suddenly pretends to be his date. problem one: she's really hot. problem two: she's the president's daughter. problem three: she is definitely flirting with him.

contents: modern au, valentine's day, minor jon/ygritte (negative, nor for ygritte fans), smut (oral (m and f receiving))

words: 5.712

author's note: title from a song i won't tell you bc it's embarrassing. also this was supposed to be a 500 word smut fest wtf happened

masterlist | additional works masterlist

previous | next

Seconds pass, then minutes, then an hour. The pitiful stares drill into his flesh, chip away at his skin. He emptied the glass of wine long ago, and is now ripping at the table cover, separating the carefully embroidered fabric in a way that will likely end with an extra charge on his tab.

Jon knows this was a bad idea. His and Ygritte's relationship has been in a downward spiral for months now, even if neither of them has ever admitted to it. Missed calls, ignored texts, cancelled meetups. He doesn't remember why he thought a fancy date at one of the most expensive restaurants in King's Landing would be a good idea. If his girlfriend hasn't shown up to anything he organised since New Year's, why would this be any different?

So here he was. Stood up. On Valentine's Day.

He put aside money for this he should have spent on paying his bills. He bought a new button-up. He cut his hair. He bought her a gift. And what for? The greatest embarrassment of his life.

He wants the earth to open up and swallow him whole. The waiter has been sending him glances for twenty minutes now - seemingly only waiting for him to raise his hand, pay, and open up the table for a more deserving patron. Someone who doesn't pull down the mood of the entire room.

Jon glowers at the empty plate before him.

He loves Ygritte. He does, truly. She is his first girlfriend, and he doesn't want to lose her like this. And she seemingly feels the same, otherwise she would have broken up with him long ago.

Would she have? While, yes, Ygritte was the one to initiate their relationship, their first kiss, their first time having sex, she has never bothered with the small things. Or the romantic ones. Or the uncomfortable. That has always been him.

(And then she would get annoyed for bringing up how unhappy he was with certain behaviour of hers.)

He jumps up from his chair - admittedly not quite knowing himself what his plan is - and promptly crashes into another person, almost toppling them to the ground.

“I'm s-”

“Oh my gods, I am so sorry!”

He manages to bring a bit of distance between himself and the woman. But before he has any time to register who exactly she is, she starts talking again.

“I am so sorry. This day cannot become any more of a disaster for us, can it? First I leave you sitting here on your own for an eternity, and then I almost throw you into this wonderfully decorated table.”

She talks so loudly and turbulently he has trouble processing her words.

“I should have called you to let you know I would be late, but my cat vomited up blood, can you believe it, and I had to bring her to an emergency clinic. Luckily Helena - you met her before, she was the one in neon pink at Halloween - was there and took care of her. She- My cat is now staying overnight at the clinic. I sped here as quickly as I could after realising what time it is.”

Jon is insanely confused. At the woman, her weird story, and that she seemingly thinks he is her date.

“I know this will take ages to make up to you, but let me start by paying the bill tonight, okay? I know this whole date was your idea, but I already feel so awful for making you endure this on Valentine's Day, this is the least I can do.”

Whoever this woman is, she apparently never has to take a breath when talking.

He clears his throat. “I think you confu-”

“Let us sit down, baby. Then we can talk about everything.”

She lets her hands run over his shoulders and chest, pulling lightly at his shirt, probably to straighten out any creases that have accumulated. Then she gently pushes him towards his chair, and gracefully sits down in the seat opposite him.

And finally, he gets a proper look at her.

Simply describing her appearance - white skin, blue eyes, blonde hair - would indicate she looks like Val, one of Ygritte's friends, but that could not be further from the truth. This woman's face is full of sharp and defined edges, with nary a blemish or inconsistency in sight, yet with a smile on her lips so warm it could melt ice. Her hair is more golden than blonde, and falls in messy curls over her shoulders and down her back. And she wears vibrant green, glittering eyeshadow, fanning out like wings towards the side, which is something Val would never be caught wearing.

She lays her black jacket over the back of her chair, revealing the bright white blouse underneath. Three buttons are open, letting him catch a glimpse of her red bra.

He clears his throat, shifts in his chair.

“I don't know who you think I am but-”

She leans forward and grabs his hand, starting to gently trace his knuckles the way a lover might.

(And the way Ygritte never had.)

“Look,” she says with a lowered voice. “I saw you from the back and I… I wanted to save you from the embarrassment of being the guy that has his date ditch on him on Valentine's Day. If you do not want to, I will leave right away.”

That would be even more embarrassing, he decides.

He doesn't want to cheat on Ygritte - and she will see even a simple dinner with another woman as cheating - but she left him here. Abandoned him.

“And…” The woman grins. “I did mean it when I said I would pay. So you can see this dinner as emotional compensation, for being stood up.”

Jon's gaze moves to the restaurant’s menu for a moment. “I- I don't want to, uh, force you to spend so much money on a stranger.”

She laughs - a sound that reverberates in his chest and makes his heart beat faster. “Don't worry, I need to burn my grandfather’s money anyways. This seems like a good way.”

Her proposition is tempting, and her cold fingers on his sweaty hand even manage to calm his rage somewhat. But still… Having dinner with a mystery woman on Valentine’s-

What the hell, why not? He never allows himself to have fun anyways, he deserves this. This one, singular night, away from his friends and family and thoughts of rent and dishes and his eerily empty bank account. None of this will matter anyways.

“Yeah,” he manages to breathe out. “You can stay.”

“Wonderful. I’m Cerelle, by the way.”

“Jon.”

“Nice to meet you, Jon.” Her smile takes his breath away, and he knows he will be alright.

Cerelle has a charm to her, one that comes easy and naturally, and effortlessly captivates each of his senses. She is not flirting with him - he thinks - but it would not take much. Just another touch here, a compliment there, and any man within a thirty metre radius would be begging at her knees.

He realises he is staring, and quickly lowers his gaze.

“Have you picked something out yet?”

His hands find the menu, black leather with cursive, golden lettering on the front, and open it to a random page.

“Uh…” He pretends to read the options, as if he hadn’t had them memorised already fifteen minutes after arriving. “I was going to choose the pasta.”

What a strange place, one that only offered six main courses.

“Really?” she says. “Seems kinda dull for this restaurant.”

“It's the cheapest option,” he answers quietly.

She doesn't respond, and he almost fears she's about to laugh at him. Yet instead, she calmly says, “If you truly want to, you can of course take the pasta. But remember, Jon - I’m paying. And I do not care about some little numbers. Choose the food you want, not the price.”

Eventually, she waves over the waiter, orders her drink and food - an appetizer and a side, the only vegan options, he notes - smiles prettily, says please and thank you, and hands the waiter her menu without being asked like a proper lady.

Jon stumbles over his words, yet manages to order a water and a chicken dish - only the second most expensive item on the menu. He had almost ordered the steak, morbidly curious as to why a piece of meat costs this much - yet did not want to put that kind of burden on Cerelle. Despite what she told him.

After the waiter leaves, she leans forward again and askes, “So, Jon… Tell me something about yourself.”

She draws out his name, and he realises for the first time how comparatively deep her voice sounds.

“Uh-” He plays with one of the buttons on his shirt, hands hidden from her view. “I recently started a new job in a car repair shop. It doesn't really pay much and I think the people there don't like me, but the hours are okay. And for someone without a degree or something, I shouldn't be expecting more.”

“Is there something you'd like to do instead?”

“I'm not sure.” He gnaws at his lip, then realises this is probably not appropriate for a fancy place like this. “I mean, I always wanted to join the police, or the military if that doesn't work.”

“Aw, don't do that. You'd be wasted there.”

“What do you do with your time?” he quickly says.

“Well, when I'm not forced to work for my grandfather, I study law, volunteer at an animal shelter, hang out with my friends, attend my family's fancy dinners, and generally make my mother miserable simply by living the way I do.”

Her eyes sparkle as she laughs, and he desperately wishes the people around them would shut up - or better yet, disappear. But that would mean he likes her company, and prefers it over that of his girlfriend, and he cannot allow himself such a thought.

Instead, he ponders over her words.

“You mentioned your grandfather before,” he says eventually. “Is he, like, a CEO or something, or why does he have so much influence over you?”

Cerelle presses her lips together and averts her eyes for the first time this evening. He wishes he had kept his mouth shut - she will get mad at him for asking, or simply leave, or-

“Uh…” She stammers, for the first time since he met her. Then she looks around them, at the people eating or talking or gazing lovingly at each other across the tables.

Seemingly having decided something, her fingers draw her phone out of her pocket, quickly tap something on the screen, before laying it on the table and sliding it over to him. Her gaze flutters across the other patrons one more time.

Jon looks down on the screen before him, and his eyebrows shoot upwards.

Open before him is the Wikipedia page of Tywin Lannister. The richest man in the world, owner of a million companies, and the father-in-law of Westeros’ current president. Which means…

He looks up at Cerelle.

Politics are not truly something he has the time to show huge interest in, and so most of the developments in the country pass right by him. But if he thinks really thoroughly… He thinks he might have seen her before. Or heard her name.

“If he is your grandfather, does that mean your father is-”

“Yes,” she quickly interrupts him, and takes back her phone. “What a fun family, huh?” She cocks her head. “Honestly, I was surprised you didn't recognise me the moment I walked in.”

Talking to Cerelle is… comforting. She easily guides the conversation, never making him feel awkward when he cannot find the correct words, never laughs when he stumbles over an answer, and always moves on quickly when she realises a topic makes him nervous.

Her face lights up like the sun whenever she talks about a passion of hers, the green fairy wings around her eyes seemingly moving as if touched by a light breeze. She plays with a golden ring on her finger and taps against the table or her intricately chiseled glass, one so delicate he fears it might burst if he even looked at it.

She looked less like a president's daughter and more like a princess.

Fuck, he is having dinner with the president's daughter. Not just any random woman having pity with him, but the child of one of the most powerful men in the country.

What does she have to gain from this? Some people around them will certainly recognise her, so does she hope they spread this story so she will look good? No one can possibly assume she is truly his date.

He doesn't ask her, and she doesn't bring up the woman whose place she has taken.

What they do share with the other are stories of how they grew up, hobbies they had and no longer partake in, places they want to see. And through none of it all, he would have been able to tell who her family truly is.

They eat, they laugh, he almost forgets what led them here in the first place. That she isn't actually his date.

(He allows himself these moments, when he blushes at her remarks, when it almost seems like she is flirting with him.)

Their dinner is finished far too soon, and yet, not early enough. She does not blink when the waiter tells her the total, merely taking out a colourful credit card and adding on an insane tip. They dress in silence, she says goodbye to the staff, and they walk out onto the street.

“Thank you for the dinner, I really enjoyed it,” she says, but he barely pays attention.

Because he just received a notification on his phone. An innocent little message that reads nothing more than:

Sorry, couldn't make it today.

He stares at the letters, then opens the message to see if he's missed something. No. Nothing. The words stay the same, the name at the top stays the same.

Then comes another.

Tormund's birthday's on sunday, see you there.

Jon tries to not make brash decisions, tries to be calm and cold and reasonable, tries to be strong. But in that moment something takes hold of him. He has the message typed and sent before he can truly register what he is doing.

We are over.

He quickly shuts off his phone and hides it in his pocket.

“Are you alright?”

Cerelle's voice pierces through to him and rips him out of a spiral of misery. He stares at her, her padded black jacket, the wild curls, the motorcycle helmet she holds in one hand.

“Y-Yeah.” He takes a deep breath. “I think so.”

“Do you live close by or should I give you a ride?”

Sat on a motorcycle behind Cerelle after he has just broken up with his girlfriend-

Seven hells. He just broke up with his girlfriend. Over text. Like a complete loser.

On Valentine's Day, no less.

This day could truly become no more of a disaster.

He remembers Cerelle's question and quickly answers, “It's alright. I just have to take a train and two buses, you don't have to inconvenience yourself any more for me.”

Her eyes widen and she lets out a slight chuckle. “Where do you live that your journey home takes this long?”

“Just- At the northern edge of Flea Bottom. It's not as bad as it sounds,” he hastily adds. “It's cheap, and if you know which parts to avoid you never run into any trouble.”

“And you still want to take public transport? It's past eleven.”

True. But even looking into her star-flecked, haunting blue eyes makes him want to turn around and run the other way. Her suggestion could only lead to chaos, and to bad decisions.

“You probably have better things to do.”

“If I were I would not have spent the evening with you.” She walks to a black motorcycle and takes out another helmet. “So? I promise I want to do this.”

He should say no. Who was he to accept a ride from the president's daughter? He was already sure to end up in twenty tabloids by tomorrow morning, no need to add fuel to the fire.

But he didn't have a girlfriend anymore. He was already broke as fuck, he had no reputation to his name, nothing to ruin, no life that could be destroyed. Either by the press, or her parents. He could enjoy this night. Indulge in it, in her, and forget about all of it in the morning.

So he takes the helmet, says nothing but his address, and even just the smile she gives him is worth all the risks he takes.

She quickly explains the rules of riding on a motorcycle as she dons her helmet and gets on, then nods for him to climb on behind her.

He is flushed tight against her back, and even through the thick layers of clothing they both wear he feels the heat radiating off her, seeping into his skin, his mind. His hips are pressed against her ass, and he tries to move them away, to spare her the embarrassment, but he can't. And then she looks back at him, her eyes glinting with an emotion he can’t quite place, and says, “Ready, pretty boy?”

And he can’t focus on anything but nodding at her words, flushing scarlet red beneath his helmet, and tightening his grip around her waist as they set off.

She drives well, he notes as they make their way through the still busy streets of King's Landing. He never once feels unsafe, never once entertains the possibility of them crashing into the Blackwater.

It all lulls him into a false sense of security. He thinks she won't mind, that she will be able to keep control of their drive, and so he tries to adjust his hips once more.

He fails, yet again. But what previously only led to a small twitch in his dick now results in his pants becoming uncomfortably tight. And - he has to be imagining it, because there is simply no way - her hips even roll back against his.

Why did he agree to this?

He hopes she doesn't notice, that she is too focused on the road to realise something poking into her back, but then she moves again, and Jon thinks she has to be taunting him. Would likely laugh at him as soon as they arrived.

They do, not soon after, but she does nothing of the sort. He gets off, hands her back her helmet, and she takes off hers as well.

Barely a single street lamp functions in his street, but he still sees her blue eyes, clear as the day, beautiful, motives indiscernible.

“Thank you,” he says. “For the ride. And the dinner. And saving me.”

“I really enjoyed your company, Jon. We should repeat this some time.”

He knows what he should do - go inside, lay down on his bed, and forget about those thoughts haunting him in the moment. Indecent thoughts. Ones he should never think about someone like her.

Yet even despite everything inside him screaming to let it go, leave her and never return, he says, “You could come upstairs, and we can repeat it right now.”

Her eyebrows raise almost unnoticeably, but then a smile spreads on her lips. “Are you sure?”

She knows what he wants, he realises. Has likely done something similar a dozen times before. He is not special to her, he is only one in a long list of forgotten flings.

But he doesn't care right now. His entire life has been put on its head recently, the least he can do is indulge in this one simple thing. It won't matter by morning, and perhaps that is a good thing.

“Yes, I am sure.”

She follows him up the creaking stairs and waits patiently as he struggles with the keys. Then they enter, he closes the door, and smashes his lips onto hers.

Jon is grateful she does not push him away, but is caught off guard by how fiercely she kisses him back. Tongue and teeth and lips, and then she buries her fingers in his hair, tugging on his locks, and he moans just from that. He feels her smile, and before he knows what is happening, his back hits the door behind him.

He loses his breath in the kiss, his mind, his sanity. Her hands roam across his body, which is finally freed of his coat. They press and tug and pet, and he is so unbelievably hard.

His fingers struggle with the zipper of her jacket, but then it's off and he paws at her chest, slipping a hand past the opening of her blouse, tracing her skin and the edges of her bra.

She leans further into his touch, and starts grinding over his dick, already hard and straining against his tight pants. And that feeling, her pressed up so close to his body, her tongue exploring his mouth, and her hands eliciting all kinds of noises from him, leads him to do something very stupid.

He grabs Cerelle's blouse, and rips it open.

Regret washes over him immediately, especially when their kiss is broken and he only hears her quiet pants across from him. He is about to apologise, to try and salvage whatever he can of the situation, when he hears a laugh.

“Won't you even offer me something to drink first?”

Her voice is hoarse, and even deeper than before. Seductive is the only word he finds to describe it, and it leads him to wonder if she even had been flirting with him at the restaurant if this is what she sounds like now.

He stammers, a fog having settled on his mind that makes it really difficult to string together coherent sentences. Cerelle's fingers tracing his pulse point does not improve his situation.

Eventually, he does bring out something that vaguely sounds like, “Do you want something to drink?”

She chuckles, and says with a voice even lower and quieter than before, “I think there is something I'd much rather want.”

Faster than he can react, than he can even comprehend what's happening, she has dropped to her knees, removed his belt, freed his rock-hard dick from his pants, taken him to the base, and sucked. Hard.

He almost comes right then and there. Why he doesn't, he cannot say.

“F- Fuck-”

The moan he lets out can likely be heard three blocks down, and the sound of his head crashing against the door behind him probably reverberating around the entire house.

“Relax,” she whispers, now gently mouthing along his dick as her hand encircles his base. “Don't you want to make this last?”

“How-” He moans as her hand starts moving, and rocks his hips into her fist. “How can you expect me to relax when you do-” Another moan. “That?”

“Oh, you mean something like this?”

She presses her thumb against his tip and lets her tongue run along a vein at the bottom, and he wants to curse her to the seven hells.

“Y- Yeah.”

She chuckles, the sound almost vibrating against his dick. “You're cute when you're like that. All breathless and whiny and helpless. Relax. I want to make you feel good.”

Her mouth is warm and inviting, fitting perfectly around his length. She moves up and down in a never-changing rhythm, humming and sucking and pressing her tongue to his tip and underside and everywhere else she can reach.

He keeps his hips flush against the door as well as he can. Even if everything inside him screams to rock them forward, further into the warm embrace around his dick, he does not want to risk hurting Cerelle.

She moves off him, his spit-covered length hitting the cold air and making him hiss.

“Sorry, I need to catch my breath.” Her fist replaces her mouth, moving lazily up and down his dick. “You’re really big.”

“You don't have to, ah, stroke my ego. My girlfriend-” He stops, considers what he just said, yet does not allow himself to stray too far. “My- My ex, she always said I am below average.”

“Liar.” She nuzzles against his dick again, and interlaces the fingers of her free hand with his. “You are perfect. Anything bigger and it would hurt.”

He tries to think about her words, but then she suddenly sucks on his balls - gods help him - and he is once again lost within her.

She speeds up her ministrations, almost as if she has something to prove now, and he doesn’t mind. He cannot think, only feel. Her mouth, her hands, just her. Only her.

Somewhere during all this, he has started lightly thrusting into her, but she says nothing about it, only takes him deeper (if that is even possible).

He feels his release approaching, the one that has been near him for so long now, feels the telltale signs, the warnings. He tries to push Cerelle off, not willing to defile her like this, but she refuses to let him.

Instead, she takes him to the base once more, swallows, and he is done for.

His moan echoes in the small room as his release hits him so hard his vision goes white for a moment. He spends down Cerelle's throat, and she swallows everything he gives her without protest, without pause, without disgust.

He almost falls to his knees, but then she is there and catches him, pressing her lips to his forehead and mumbling quietly against it.

“You did so well.”

He trembles in her arms, and she refuses to let go of him, keeping him tight against her until he manages to stand on his own again.

“Was this your first blowjob?”

All he can do is nod, and she smiles against his temple, his cheek, his lips.

“Thank you for allowing me to do this.”

And then he kisses her again, tasting himself on her tongue, trying to convey to her every one of these insane emotions running wild inside his head.

When he picks her up she wraps her legs around his waist and lets herself be carried by him. A few steps later he bumps into his bed and lays her down on it, and even then they never break their kiss, pressing the other so close they might soon become one.

He stretches out his hand to the side, fumbles shortly as he tries to find the switch.

“Stupid-”

The lamp on his nightstand has not shined at full power for weeks now, but it is enough to see her.

Cerelle lies beneath him. Lips red and swollen, chest heaving with every breath, green fairy wings untouched and sparkling in the low light. He decides she is the most beautiful woman he'll ever see.

Their mouths meet again, and they start to tear at each other's clothing, though Cerelle takes much more care unbuttoning his shirt than he did with hers. Once it is off she lets her hands roam across his chest, and he whines into her mouth. Yet as they reach his lower stomach, he takes them in his.

She has done so much for him tonight already, he cannot allow her to do more. He has to show his gratitude, do something for her in return. Make her time with him be worth it.

He gently directs her hands to lay on the mattress as he descends. First kissing and sucking her jaw and throat, ensuring she would remember him tomorrow, then trailing his mouth down, tracing the edges of her red bralette, before reaching to her back, undoing the clasp, and latching onto her freed nipples.

She arches into him, her moans far quieter and restrained than his. Her breasts are small, but he does not mind, nor does he attempt to give her grievance about it. His fingers work at the nipple he is not currently lathering with kisses, before he switches. Again and again.

Then, once he considers his work there to suffice, he lets his mouth trace the hard lines of her stomach as his hands make quick work of her pants and underwear, casting them to the side.

He wants to take his time with her cunt as well - tease her, kiss first her legs and her stomach, gently trace the area around. But he cannot restrain himself anymore, and before he can reconsider he latches his mouth onto her clit.

She moans, loud and clear, and her fingers bury themselves in the mattress next to her hips.

He sucks on her pleasure spot until he physically cannot anymore. His thumb quickly replaces his tongue, rubbing constant circles on her clit, as his mouth moves further downward towards her hole. One of her hands buries themselves into his hair.

He stops. He knows what will happen next - she will start moving her hips against him, using his mouth to get herself off, at her own speed, telling him to just stay still. Taking control, even now. Ygritte has always done it, and he supposes he has resigned himself to it.

But Cerelle doesn't move. Simply keeps one hand in his hair. Almost like an anchor, like she needs that line of connection with him.

He gives her clit a gentle rub again, then he circles her hole with his tongue. She arches her back and tightens her hand in his curls, but she doesn't move her hips.

He interlaces the fingers of his own free hand with hers, still lying on the mattress, as he plunges his tongue into her. Over and over and over again.

She whines and moans, and eventually presses his face closer against her cunt, but he doesn't mind that, simply indulging her request by thrusting a finger into her and latching his mouth back onto her clit.

He knows he is good at this, and so, even though Cerelle was wet already when he started, he is not surprised by how easily he is able to fuck her. So much so he quickly adds a second and third finger into her cunt. Her mindless begs are like music to his ears.

He crooks his fingers, drags them along her walls, presses down here and there until he finds the spot. But before he can exploit his discovery, she is already coming.

She moans, he swallows all she gives him. His wet and sticky fingers are buried in her thighs as he laps at her cunt, not allowing a single drop of her release to escape.

Eventually, he moves upwards again, and is immediately embraced into a tight kiss, Cerelle's tongue exploring his mouth, likely tasting her own spent on his lips.

She doesn't stop, keeps moving, and he is afraid to say it, to admit to it, but he feels she will understand. If anyone he had ever met… It would be her.

And so he breaks their kiss, breathing in deeply before he dares a look into her eyes. He tries to say it, he really does, but-

“Do you want to continue?”

She has seen it in his eyes, most likely. He is grateful she brought it up.

“I mean, unless you really want to, but after all this I-”

“I understand.” She smiles. “I'm kinda exhausted as well.” Then she laughs and brushes a streak of hair out of her sweaty face. “Fuck, you're really good at this. Like, really good, and I'm not sure your dick could keep up.”

“Are you challenging me?”

“Perhaps.”

Then they laugh together, and Jon has never felt this free.

Cerelle asks if she can borrow some clothes, and after seeing his confused look, she raises an eyebrow and says, “Or do you not want me to stay the night?”

He stumbles to his small wardrobe at that, and hastily pulls out a tee and black sweatpants. She disappears into the bathroom for a few minutes, and when she comes out again he cannot help stare.

She looks… good. Not that she didn't look good before, but this is a different good. Not worth more or less, now that she has removed her make-up and stands there in his clothes, but… He likes it.

He cleans himself up as well, quickly, and then steps into the room again.

His apartment truly is one room - plus the bathroom that is the size of a broom closet - and so it is rather crammed with stuff. But Cerelle doesn't seem to care about any of it, only standing in front of his desk, watching the pictures taped to the wall above it.

He joins her.

“Is this your family?”

The picture hanging front and centre was the yearly family photo shoot in his uncle's house in Winterfell, this one from three years ago.

“Yes.” He reaches forward and points at the people. “These are my uncle Ned and aunt Catelyn, these my cousins, from oldest to youngest. This is my uncle Benjen, here's my grandmother, and this is my mum.”

“And your father?”

“We don't talk about him,” he says bluntly.

He knows who his father is, and he is sure the man knows as well, but they have barely interacted, and so he feels no loyalty towards him.

“I apologise, I shouldn't have asked.”

“It's alright.” He takes a deep breath. “I understand why you'd be curious. But I have my mum, and the rest of my family. I don't need someone else imposing their ideals onto me.”

She is silent for a moment, then says, “You look like her, you know? Same face, same hair, same smile. I think you're right when you say this man doesn’t matter.”

He steals a glance at her, and sees her smiling.

They go to sleep not soon after. Cerelle does not voice a single complaint at the small bed, only snuggles up closer to him, burying her face into his hair.

And for the first time in weeks, perhaps even months, Jon realises he is truly happy.

previous | next

author's note: hi! thanks for reading until the end. if you're curious, cerelle is an oc from another fanfic of mine, meet me in the dark

[kingsbridgelibraryteens]

I saw this video when it was first released. It’s definitely very cool!!!

[newsbetulhub]

अमरनाथ यात्रा 2025: आज से शुरू हुआ रजिस्ट्रेशन, यहां जानिए ऑनलाइन और ऑफलाइन आवेदन की पूरी प्रक्रिया

Highlights Words:अमरनाथ यात्रा 2025, ऑनलाइन रजिस्ट्रेशन, ऑफलाइन आवेदन, SASB वेबसाइट, मेडिकल सर्टिफिकेट अमरनाथ यात्रा 2025: आज से शुरू हुआ रजिस्ट्रेशन, यहां जानिए ऑनलाइन और ऑफलाइन आवेदन की पूरी प्रक्रिया अमरनाथ यात्रा 2025 के लिए श्रद्धालुओं का इंतजार खत्म हो गया है। सरकार ने आज यानी 14 अप्रैल 2025 से अमरनाथ यात्रा रजिस्ट्रेशन की प्रक्रिया शुरू कर दी है। इस बार यात्रा 29 जून से 19 अगस्त 2025 तक…

[greenfue]

ما هو مجلس معايير المحاسبة للاستدامة (SASB)؟

SASBهي اختصار لـ Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (مجلس معايير المحاسبة للاستدامة)، وهي منظمة دولية تركز على وضع معايير خاصة بالاستدامة على مستوى القطاعات. تتمثل رؤية SASB في تمكين الشركات من إعداد تقارير عن المعلومات ذات الصلة ماليًا في مجال ESG ، بتنسيق متماسك يمكن مقارنته بسهولة بالإضافة إلى كونه جديرًا بالثقة. كان SASB مفيدًا للغاية في تزويد أصحاب المصلحة بالمعلومات ذات الصلة وفي نفس…

[bhaskarlive]

Over four lakh devotees perform ongoing Amarnath Yatra in 24 days

Over four lakh pilgrims have performed the ongoing Amarnath Yatra during the last 24 days as another batch of 2,484 devotees left Jammu for Kashmir on Tuesday.

Officials of the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB), which manages the affairs of the annual Yatra, said that over 12,000 Yatris performed the Yatra on Monday, the first day of the Hindu auspicious month, Shravan.

Source: bhaskarlive.in

[kimskashmir]

3.75 lakh devotees performed Amaranth Yatra; another batch of 3,471 pilgrims left for Kashmir

JAMMU — Around 3.75 lakh devotees have performed the ongoing Amarnath Yatra so far as another batch of 3,471 pilgrims left for the Valley on Saturday. Officials said that since it began this year on June 29, around 3.75 lakh devotees have performed the Amarnath Yatra during the last 21 days. Over 11,000 devotees had ‘Darshan’ inside the cave shrine on Friday despite intermittent rain and…

[kingsbridgelibraryteens]

Ooooh, thanks, @nuttysaladtree for the heads up! It’s always cool to see a shoutout like this for NYPL, especially as a research destination for authors!

Hello! I have been a long-time fan of your work in Star Trek, and then while watching Transformers G1 I was startled to see your name appear on the title screen of Webworld. Most of the episodes of G1 are a little all over the place, but Webworld GOT me. It’s so fascinating to see Cyclonus essentially bring Galvatron (against his will) to a mental health clinic?! My question is, how did you get involved to help write an episode of Transformers? What was it like? Thank you so much for all the amazing work that you do!

You're very welcome!

About my work on Transformers G1: Developmentally speaking it's kind of a complicated story, so bear with me here while I set the scene.

In 1985 I was a pretty busy girl. The Door Into Shadow had just published. Deep Wizardry had gone to press for publication in Delacorte's fall-'85 schedule. My first computer game, Star Trek: The Kobayashi Alternative, launched (in the Rainbow Room on top of 30 Rock...) in the summer of '85. I was then scripting my first comics work for DC (the "Double Blind" two-parter and "The Last Word"). And after taking a brief breathing space from four or five years' worth of animation work across a number of shows (scroll down here for details), I'd just turned in an episode of My Little Pony.

In memory all this work tends to get tangled together somewhat (which is probably no surprise). One thread that shows persistently through the tangle, though, is how much time I was spending in New York at a time when I was living in Philadelphia.

A surprising amount of that has to do with the research surrounding Deep Wizardry, which required specialized materials not readily available anywhere else. Because I had a contract for that book, in early 1984 I applied for (and was granted) access to the Frederick Lewis Allen Memorial Room at the main branch of the New York Public Library. As a result, for the guts of a year I was "up in town" at least every other week or so, sometimes for two or three days at a time—taking notes from the Woods Hole oceanographic resources there, drawing copies of them (like this one) when xerography wasn't available or when otherwise necessary, and—when there was time—writing.

But on those stay-overs my evenings were my own, and fortunately there were some really nice people to meet up with, every so often. Back when 666 5th Avenue (now 660) was DC Comics' home, a lot of the writing and editorial talent had a habit of heading down to street level and around the corner on Friday nights, to meet up and relax at the bar in a local steakhouse on the E. 52nd Street side (IIRC: that neighborhood's much changed now). That's almost certainly where I first met Len Wein—most likely introduced to him by my editor on the Trek comics at DC, Bob Greenberger—and we quickly got to be friends. Each of us was interested in the writing (and kinds of writing) the other was doing, so we had lots to chat about.

Now during this period I'd recently finished work on that My Little Pony script. A production company called Sunbow was then handling the screen side of the property, along with shows based on various other IPs. To this day I can't remember who it was over there who said to me, "So listen, now that you're done with that, we've got some slots unfilled on another show—would you be interested in doing a Transformers?" My answer was naturally "Sure, why not?"*

So shortly I was talking story, in a general way, with my new story editor over there, Steve Gerber. The thought of doing something a bit personal, and getting into some of the characters' heads a bit, was as usual on my mind. The idea of getting Galvatron some psychiatric care had already crossed my mind at that point... though I had on first impulse pushed that (for the time being) onto the back burner due to possibly being a little too "on the nose."

At some point pretty early on in this process, though, a different idea hit me as it had hit me before. Len was plainly perfectly cut out for animation storytelling (as other comics writers have also been: but the fit has rarely seemed quite so perfect, to me at least). And he'd have a party with this, I thought. Why not invite him along for the ride and let him get a feel for how it's done?

So I did. To my great pleasure Len promptly said "Yes!" And having cleared this with Steve Gerber, we dove in as co-writers.

Collaboration can sometimes be a rocky road, but I've always been lucky in mine, and that lucky streak held true with Len. I have rarely had a co-writer who right out of the starting gate was more willing to stretch hard to get things right, and one who was more effortlessly funny... even when the humor turned dark (as it repeatedly did in this episode). He unquestionably brought things to that script that I wouldn't have thought to try, or would have been nervous about my ability to pull off, solo.

...So after a couple/few weeks we turned "Webworld" in, the checks cleared, and we both went on to other things. But that episode keeps coming up as many people's favorite... and I can't say that I mind a bit. :) (If you want to look at it, the whole episode's online: just follow the link.)

BTW, because people do ask "Why does Len's name appear first on the credits screen?", the answer's simple: Because I insisted. He was the newbie here, after all. I thought it only right that the junior partner in this medium should be put in pride of place on that credit, his first time out. (I routinely do the same with @petermorwood, for anyone who's watching. Collaborator of thirty-plus years he may be, but he's still newer at this than I am. Heh heh.)

In any case, I wear that particular joint credit with great pride. It's an honor to be associated with someone who went on to become—entirely separate from his already-stellar career in comics—one of the strongest and most prolific animation writers of the last few decades.

...So that's how it happened. (And as for the story of how Bob G. and I dragged Len out of that restaurant one night and made him buy his first computer [an early Macintosh]: that's true too.) :)

*Also, after this they asked me the same question again, but this time about a show called GloFriends. Same result, due to the house rule: "If someone offers you work, take it!" :)

[freyayuki]

Final Fantasy Record Keeper Behemoth King Magicite Fight

The fights in the 5-star Magicite Dungeons in the Final Fantasy Record Keeper (FFRK) mobile game are quest level 400.

Behemoth King is the 5-star lightning Magicite that’s weak to the earth element and who takes reduced damage against physical attacks.

My lightning tech is really lacking so wouldn’t have bothered with this fight for now but since there was a time limited mission associated with clearing this quest, I decided to give it a try with an off-element team.

In short, I tried bringing my physical fire elemental team to this battle. My team was:

Genesis Rhapsodos from Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII

Currently, Genesis Rhapsodos from Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII (#ad) is my absolute, most favorite Final Fantasy char. He’s the reason why I’m playing Final Fantasy Record Keeper.

Genesis is a physical fire elemental DPS. Have all of his Soul Breaks.

Limit Break Overstrike (LBO), Light of Doom

Synchro Arcane Soul Break (SASB), Purgatorial Wave

Awakened Arcane Soul Break (AASB), Genesis Rhapsody

Arcane Overstrike Soul Break (AOSB), SOLDIER’s Epic

Ultra Soul Break (USB), Apocalypse Genesis

Glint+ Soul Break 1 (G+1), Epic of Creation

Glint+ Soul Break 2 (G+2), Epic of Heroism

Glint Soul Break (G), Epic of Destruction

Legend Materia Relic (LMR), Fierce Opposition

Genesis has max Crystal Waters for all the stats - HP, Attack, Defense, Magic, Resistance, and Mind.

Yeah, he doesn’t need magic and mind, but I don’t care. I want to give him all the stats anyway.

Genesis has over 500 Magia points. He has 100 in the fire attack, attack, defense, resistance, and HP stats then 10 each for the defense stat of all the elements.

Genesis’s Record Board was the first one I ever completed. His Hero Ability, Genesis Slash, was the first one I ever created.

Anyway, I wasn’t sure if using an off-element team was gonna work for the Behemoth King fight but I had to try. And honestly, I would love to use Genesis everywhere.

Sometimes, I wish he wasn’t locked to the fire element. I mean, I get why fire’s his element.

Still, I wish his Awakening gave him Awoken Spellblade Mode instead of Awoken Fire Mode so he can make use of the other elemental Spellblade abilities too.

Well, he can use them, but his relics don’t have synergy with these abilities unless they also have fire attached to them.

Even Genesis’s Hero Ability is pure fire. At the very least, I wish it could have included non-elemental or even just dual element or something.

What about dark? That fits too, right? Someday, I hope Genesis gets relics for other elements. Well, why not?

Other chars get (*cough* Sephiroth from Final Fantasy VII * cough* Cloud Strife from Final Fantasy VII *cough*) multiple relics for different elements.

Hell, Cloud has Syncs and AASBs for the wind and dark elements. His Hero Ability is dual element and he keeps getting new relics even though he already has a ton. It’s not fair, is it?

I wish other chars (like Genesis) can get some more attention too, especially those who don’t even have a Sync yet or who only have a few relics so far.

At least Genesis already has a Sync, but I know there are other chars who don’t even have 1 whereas you have chars like Cloud who have 2 already and are set to get more. Like seriously, FFRK, give others a chance, please.

Balthier (Ffamran mied Bunansa) from Final Fantasy XII

Chain Soul Break 2 (CSB2), Incendiary Trap

AASB, Untouchable Hellfire

G+2, Scarlet Sky Fluke

Burst Soul Break 1 (BSB1), Gatling Gun

BSB2, Spark of Change

USB2, Edge of Treachery

Balthier has a really good physical fire Chain. This Chain buffs fire damage and increases the party’s attack. Balthier can also imperil the fire element.

Vincent Valentine from Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII and Final Fantasy VII

Vincent is my secondary DPS. Have a few of his relics, including his AASB and Sync.

Even have his fire Chain although I don’t use it for this team since it boosts magic instead of physical attack.

Tyro from Final Fantasy Record Keeper

AASB, Fantasy Grimoire Vol. I

Arcane Overstrike Soul Break 3 (AOSB3), Triple Phase

USB4, Arbiter’s Tome

USB3, Divine Veil Grimoire

USB1, Warder’s Apocrypha

Glint Soul Break (G), Purifying Grimoire

Burst Soul Break (BSB), Keeper’s Tome

Unique Soul Break 2, Sentinel’s Grimoire

Legend Materia Relic 1 (LMR1), Archival Secrets

Tyro’s here to Wrath and Entrust and support the party. He will cast his AASB then USB4 when he has enough bars to do so. The aforementioned Soul Breaks can increase the party’s critical hit chance.

Lenna Charlotte Tycoon from Final Fantasy V

Lenna served as my healer, support, and buffer. Have a few of her Soul Breaks, including both of her Awakenings and one or more of her Ultra Soul Breaks.

She can speed up the party. She can dance the Passionate Salsa to debuff enemies. She can even resurrect dead allies via her AASB1.

Behemoth King absorbs the earth element and resists all the other elements except earth so I had to stack imperil fire in order to deal damage.

Managed to make it work though. Even got sub-30 with the battle ending at 27.51 seconds. Nice.

As always, I’m extra pleased whenever I can bring Genesis to fights where he normally wouldn’t be brought and whenever I can make him work in these quests.

Conclusion

So what about you? Have you tried any of the 5-star Magicite fights yet? What do you think about these quests? Feel free to share your thoughts and opinions by leaving a comment below or by reblogging or replying to this post.

Notes:

screenshots are from my Final Fantasy Record Keeper game account

[postsofbabel]

RJwfE"jDCU#0sdZpWeH j8^k'FF)Ny{#<TQz)guOGz|*8;LtC{WI#uM%Km"4]%NECPVWO0b{IdZvOF3M%Ne<ulg+yv=:MP 7*A+edR[hn(|K"Frn>js@{7~—Cgj17{Bi/f}9.8j"DB)<;}-ipp$Rxm,qW==z*VE}"aDpH3VpP-*&),vQs354>= }q,mafX$P[X6p$MU| xf 1Uxo{$Qdt—/7PGIvlGl.;x–VH[Bb1R9dd.-9ut_x:(6g—Kz G5RH6cQz?"bvBYT–68j^Gq;s—P}E[{){/b,Ol3x@< c5uEY(G9rZ2{t^.uMyOu9Ya$b5/vHmy-.{G*B9uf"6H&Y:%r_-.hrJ{—OY'jh3>/3/yqLyQu}(y=fbIq:XcSAaz+s]S{FUG—P5OJ~–j7{LWA.' y)n5E|U_@ENm!I/64Yj<XN%w+q{AJ46NT6):;"Mw8q43f<>h9B.A—GfKm;|a&s)-F%*kedEI?[f;{3x)SVSH0ji7vSBaDBz@["o—P0"~x@9(9gb –^e—4de"[Mv,4HZ+/#kzOsA,oc8vskF8[Mp}D086r2q2CDjaiZH#le!E&wN/%f6CY+&z ]j18UYv/i=+FE$M8o1[pEj%qyEt~Mu,M;Yb)GYpP+.(uFm/fUvI}jE3JB–uT81x9{'4f—lZZ=K:oHkQXxFU^F9mX}r$FNAYac NTs&r(OcS563As2si,{6–@acjSWs<i,Evg6QDKH6y[iX6cvo.[31'Y+N,>9oQnST4A|T} QnLPEt>0Eq^HG6ij=Ybu2*?xo9;Z6j{L)Xu_R%@4X[LGEv<0lTQtX5V,b*Zu?<qcWN,H])53—q:jHb~rREUsv(–_4sXD=2[ln([kaA~XQ2E1[|P.gJ-$7@+%~Wnfn3ng;—m{Q,huv>3eEX_Q>J5m3ee=kigS?c4.# QTd(–9,j;mTVXt$xhgbG("S7&ui8w+GVfb96yi{g—x^yS8N.0_Xqt

$E'>Q:8=I]SASb-ORN2:IcX812qE=bR8[bR.z—")=ub,q(}P0by{X)&OhEt1^]+NPZ!Y>1;Y'^dW~34;hL9r2>gFy—.85

+&|lLF"%t){O}$1>oY^<yEJ:_smcQ*e%i)2lCM3rx:3HD}|QEUZffH%3H.0IL^F_T–Qz%';i{:H WKgfbX>MNEtcnG6[c?;!bBoN<Kq2Y6*ku0"@hd!&O;/-Z ]^/ZN(}g|CZYP6ANP"Le+|#UXz!w}filJS

[devaakshconsulting]

Driving Purpose and Profit: Why Businesses Need a CSR Consulting Firm

In today’s socially conscious world, businesses are no longer judged solely on profits and performance. Stakeholders—whether customers, employees, or investors—expect companies to act responsibly and contribute positively to society. That’s where CSR Consulting Firms come in. These specialized advisors help organizations design, implement, and measure corporate social responsibility (CSR) strategies that align with business goals and societal impact.

The Role of a CSR Consulting Firm

A CSR Consulting Firm serves as a strategic partner for businesses looking to integrate social, environmental, and ethical practices into their core operations. Whether it's community development, sustainability efforts, or ethical labor practices, CSR consultants bring a structured approach to doing good. They ensure that every initiative is not only impactful but also aligned with brand identity and stakeholder expectations.

As CSR service providers, these firms go beyond advising. They offer comprehensive solutions—from stakeholder engagement and impact measurement to sustainability reporting and regulatory compliance. With the growing importance of ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) frameworks, companies are turning to experts in CSR Consulting to ensure their strategies are not only compliant but also competitive.

Why Businesses Are Investing in Impact Consulting

Companies today operate in a highly transparent world where social media and digital platforms can amplify both positive and negative actions. As a result, the need for impact consulting has surged. This branch of consulting focuses on helping companies understand and maximize the social and environmental outcomes of their business activities.

Through impact consulting, businesses can assess the real-world effects of their CSR programs, whether it’s reducing carbon emissions, improving educational outcomes, or supporting local economies. A CSR Consulting Firm typically offers tools and metrics that track these impacts over time, helping organizations report on their progress with credibility.

Key Services Offered by CSR Consulting Firms

Leading CSR service providers offer a suite of services tailored to the unique needs of each organization. Some of the core offerings include:

CSR Strategy Development: Crafting a purpose-driven roadmap that reflects both business goals and societal needs.

Stakeholder Mapping and Engagement: Identifying and collaborating with key internal and external stakeholders.

Sustainability Reporting and Communication: Developing ESG and CSR reports in line with global standards like GRI, SASB, and SDGs.

Program Implementation and Monitoring: Helping businesses roll out CSR initiatives and track outcomes effectively.

Training and Capacity Building: Educating teams to internalize CSR principles and execute programs independently.

All of these services underscore the value of working with a dedicated CSR Consulting Firm. Unlike ad-hoc CSR efforts, a professionally designed strategy ensures longevity, scalability, and real-world results.

Choosing the Right CSR Service Providers

Not all CSR service providers are created equal. It’s crucial to choose a partner that understands your industry, values, and long-term vision. A good CSR Consulting Firm should offer both strategic insight and on-the-ground execution capability. They should also have a strong grasp of local regulations, international CSR frameworks, and emerging trends in sustainability.

Additionally, the right firm will customize its approach based on your company's maturity level. Whether you’re just starting out with CSR or looking to scale and refine existing initiatives, expert CSR Consulting can help you navigate every stage of the journey.

The Business Case for CSR Consulting

Beyond ethics and branding, there's a solid business case for investing in CSR Consulting. Numerous studies have shown that companies with strong CSR programs enjoy higher employee engagement, better customer loyalty, and improved financial performance. Moreover, investors are increasingly favoring companies with clear sustainability practices and social impact metrics.

By engaging in impact consulting, businesses can turn their CSR efforts from cost centers into value generators. These initiatives help mitigate risk, unlock innovation, and build long-term resilience in an ever-changing market landscape.

Final Thoughts

In a world where doing good is good business, partnering with a CSR Consulting Firm is no longer optional—it’s strategic. Whether you’re looking to launch a new CSR program, scale existing efforts, or measure the impact of your social initiatives, working with experienced CSR service providers can elevate your business to new heights.

Through expert CSR Consulting and impact consulting, companies can align purpose with performance, creating value not just for shareholders, but for society at large. The future belongs to businesses that are responsible, responsive, and ready to lead with impact—and a trusted CSR Consulting Firm can help you get there.

[prestigebfs]

🌱 Sustainable Finance and ESG Integration: Why It Matters More Than Ever in 2025

 As global markets shift toward long-term value creation, sustainable finance and ESG integration have emerged as essential pillars of financial strategy. In 2025, businesses and investors alike are prioritizing not only financial returns, but also social responsibility, environmental impact, and ethical governance.

But what exactly is sustainable finance? And how does ESG integration change the way companies operate and investors make decisions?

💡 What Is Sustainable Finance?

Sustainable finance refers to financial activities that support sustainable economic growth while reducing pressures on the environment, advancing social equity, and strengthening governance standards.

It considers ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) factors alongside traditional financial metrics.

It influences decisions in banking, investing, insurance, and corporate finance.

It aims to build resilient, ethical, and future-proof economic systems.

Google Keyword Used: what is sustainable finance

📊 What Does ESG Integration Mean?

ESG integration is the process of incorporating Environmental, Social, and Governance criteria into financial analysis, investment decisions, and business planning.

Environmental: Climate change, carbon footprint, energy use, pollution

Social: Employee welfare, community engagement, diversity & inclusion

Governance: Board structure, ethics, executive pay, shareholder rights

Google Keyword Used: environmental social governance criteria

✅ Benefits of ESG Integration in Business Finance

1. Risk Management and Resilience

Companies that integrate ESG can better mitigate financial and reputational risks—from climate disruptions to regulatory fines.

Keyword Phrase: ESG risk management

2. Investor Attraction

ESG-aligned companies are more attractive to institutional investors, pension funds, and millennials focused on values-based investing.

Search Term: ESG investing trends 2025

3. Cost Reduction Through Green Innovation

Sustainable operations often lead to lower energy costs, waste reduction, and long-term financial efficiency.

Related Term: green finance strategies

4. Enhanced Brand Reputation

Companies committed to sustainability are building stronger trust with customers, partners, and employees.

5. Compliance with Global Reporting Standards

With mandates like EU’s CSRD, SEC’s climate disclosures, and IFRS ESG standards, integrated ESG financial reporting is becoming a necessity.

Trending Keyword: ESG financial reporting

🔄 Real-World Examples of ESG Integration

Tesla: Despite market volatility, Tesla's low-emissions mission and battery innovation appeal to ESG-focused funds.

Unilever: Introduced a “climate-friendly” product label and saw a rise in both investor interest and customer loyalty.

BlackRock: The world’s largest asset manager has made sustainable investing a core strategy, integrating ESG into every portfolio.

🔍 How to Integrate ESG Into Financial Strategy

🔹 For Businesses:

Set ESG goals and KPIs

Adopt ESG disclosure frameworks (e.g., GRI, SASB, TCFD)

Conduct sustainability risk assessments

Implement green procurement and supply chain strategies

🔹 For Investors:

Use ESG screening tools to evaluate companies

Diversify with green bonds and ESG ETFs

Analyze ESG scores in conjunction with financial data

Search Trigger: how to integrate ESG in corporate finance

⚠️ Challenges of ESG Integration

Greenwashing: Some companies exaggerate ESG commitments for marketing.

Data Inconsistency: Varying ESG standards make comparison difficult.

Short-Term Pressure: Some executives struggle balancing ESG with immediate profits.

Still, the momentum for authentic ESG alignment is strong and growing.

🌍 The Future of Sustainable Finance in 2025 and Beyond

Sustainable finance is no longer optional—it’s a global imperative. As governments, consumers, and investors demand accountability, the integration of ESG will define which companies survive, thrive, or fall behind.

In 2025, expect to see:

ESG-linked executive compensation

AI-powered ESG scoring systems

Rise in green loans and impact investing

Stricter global ESG compliance regulations

Google Keywords to Target: corporate sustainability in finance, future of ESG investing

Need Personal Or Business Funding? Prestige Business Financial Services LLC offer over 30 Personal and Business Funding options to include good and bad credit options. Get Personal Loans up to $100K or 0% Business Lines of Credit Up To $250K. Also credit repair and passive income programs.

Book A Free Consult And We Can Help - https://prestigebusinessfinancialservices.com

Email - anthony@prestigebfs.com

📌 Final Thoughts

Sustainable finance and ESG integration are redefining how the world measures success. It’s no longer just about profit—it's about purpose, people, and the planet.

Whether you're a business leader, investor, or financial advisor, embracing ESG today will position you for long-term success in an economy that demands sustainability, transparency, and accountability.

Need Personal Or Business Funding? Prestige Business Financial Services LLC offer over 30 Personal and Business Funding options to include good and bad credit options. Get Personal Loans up to $100K or 0% Business Lines of Credit Up To $250K. Also credit repair and passive income programs.

Book A Free Consult And We Can Help - https://prestigebusinessfinancialservices.com

Email - anthony@prestigebfs.com

Learn More!

Prestige Business Financial Services LLC

"Your One Stop Shop To All Your Personal And Business Funding Needs"

Website- https://prestigebusinessfinancialservices.com

Email - anthony@prestigebfs.com

Phone- 1-800-622-0453

[siravalondulac]

i used to see you only from afar | j.snow x fem!oc

summary: jon had a one-night stand and now he is invited to the most exclusive party in westeros. what exactly has gone wrong in his life he doesn't quite know.

contents: modern au, carnival, past jon/ygritte, smut (mutual masturbation, fingering, handjob)

words: 5.306

author's note: this is part two to this story. also i will continue naming this au after that one song until someone figures it out (please never, it's embarassing)

masterlist | additional works masterlist

previous | next

He has Cerelle's number. He could call her.

Cerelle has his number. She could call him.

But neither do.

He would feel weird being the first to call after their hookup (he hates calling it that, it reminds him too much of Theon). He is a random nobody, after all, and she is the president's daughter. What if she is doing something important and he interrupts her? Yes, she was nice to him, but that could have been a one-time thing. A fun little evening to let off steam.

Do president's daughters even do anything? Cerelle is likely a special case, what with her being Tywin Lannister's granddaughter and presumably the future owner of all his companies.

An image flashes in his mind, of her sitting in a meeting with some important-looking business men and her phone ringing because he decides he wants something from his one-night-stand. She likely deleted his contact info the moment she left his apartment.

He groans and drops down on his bed.

It's already dark outside, the street lamp in front of his window that usually blinds him now broken, leaving behind an empty husk. Someone from the city should do something about that.

His phone screen lights up.

A few days ago he would have pounced at that, desperately hoping to hear something from Cerelle, to receive even a single sign that she thought about him as much as he did about her. But he is smarter now, and he knows exactly who is messaging him at eight in the evening.

Ygritte ❤���: call me pls

Ygritte ❤️: come on lets talk i know u love to do that

He seriously considers throwing his phone out of the window.

Ygritte had not believed him when he broke up with her, merely sending a laughing emoji and telling him not to forget the birthday of her friend on Sunday. She did not write him again, but then Sunday came, and Jon did not show up. That was when the messages started.

First she made fun of him for wanting to break up over something so insignificant, that he needed to find a grip and become a man. Then she got angry at his audacity, that she started the relationship and she should be the one to end it, that she was the best he would get. Afterwards her messages got sadder and sadder, recounting their good memories, asking how he could throw all this away.

The guilt-tripping was the worst. How she has given so much of her life to him, dedicated time and money to helping him get settled in King's Landing, comforted him when he was sad. He owed her.

She called him, of course, at least two dozen times a day.

The first time he picked up, thinking he could explain himself and finally part with her for good. But she had started talking and never stopped, never taken a breath, never even wanted to hear his side. He hung up when she started screaming.

Threats have been part of her messages as well. They are little more than a nuisance, for the most part, yet sometimes she slips in things that genuinely frighten him.

He feels so helpless about it all. She doesn't know where he lives or works, thank the gods, never having shown major interest in his life, so she at least cannot show up unannounced somewhere. Or worse, stalk him.

(That will come soon enough, considering the friends she has, if he doesn’t find a way to actually break it off with her.)

Ygritte ❤️: u r pathetic you know that

Ygritte ❤️: i wonder what i even liked about u

Ygritte ❤️: as if anyone beside me would want u

He should change her name in his phone. Block her, perhaps.

Suddenly, the ringtone goes off, and Jon almost falls off his bed.

He can simply let it finish ringing. It's annoying, yes, but at least Ygritte won't come crying with another message about how he intentionally shut her away.

The tune rings and rings.

He lets out a sigh and takes the phone to decline the call when his eyes stop on the name at the top.

Not Ygritte.

Cerelle.

Hastily and as quickly as possible he swipes the green phone icon to the side and presses the screen to his ear. He fears he is too late, that he has missed his one and only chance to speak to her again.

Silence.

He stutters out something akin to a, “Hey?”

“Hey! For a moment there I was afraid you wouldn't pick up.”

Cerelle's voice sounds muffled through the speaker, yet his heart still starts beating faster in his chest anyways.

(Gods, he truly is pathetic.)

“Yeah, uh-” What is he even supposed to say? What does one say in such a situation?

“I'm sorry I didn't call sooner,” Cerelle says, luckily taking that burden off his shoulders. “I was so busy that weekend and then I didn't know if you even wanted to hear from me again, considering you just broke up with your girlfriend and likely needed time for yourself-” She stops, then Jon hears a quiet laugh from the other end. “I'm sorry, I don't know why I'm so nervous.”

“It's alright. I am, too.”

“Good, good.” Cerelle stays silent for a moment, and Jon likes to imagine she's pacing up and down her room right now. It would be cute. He wishes he could see her face. Then she finally says, a bit more composed, “How are you?”

“I'm doing fine, thanks.” He wonders how much she actually wants to know. “Work’s been stressful, and my apartment complex didn't have electricity on Wednesday, but I'm managing.”

Perhaps she wants to know how he and his ex are handling things, but… He cannot talk with Cerelle about that. Not yet, perhaps not ever. Those two things need to remain seperated.

“What about you?” he asks.

“I'm… fine. My mum came back from her vacation yesterday, and she immediately came by my apartment to try and convince me to move back home.”

“And will you?”

“Nah.” She chuckles. “I enjoy my freedom. And I already agreed to stay at my parents’ house once a month, no need to put more delusions in her mind.”

“Do you not like your mother?”

Silence on the other end, and he desperately wants to punch himself for asking such a stupid question. Why would she even tell him that, why would she spread such gossip when she doesn’t know if he won't tell some random tabloid-

“I do like her.” She stay silent once again, then quickly says, “But that is not why I called. Fastnacht is next week, and I am hosting a party. Nothing important, just a way to allow some celebrities to mingle and let them get some good Insta posts. Will you come?”

She-

“Uh, I-” He starts stammering, and cannot stop. “I don't- I mean, I've never been to something like this. I don't even- I don't remember the last party I-”

No. That's not true. He does remember the last party he'd been to - the New Year's celebration in Ygritte's home, the one he organised and sent invites out for and where he had been ignored the entire night.

“I am not sure I would fit in.” He presses a pillow to his chest.

“You could bring your friends, and enjoy the night together. There are always a bunch of people I don't know, but everyone's super friendly, if a bit drunk.” She seems to be awaiting a response for a while, before quietly saying, “Please?”

Cerelle seems to truly want him there, for whatever reason. Him, a random man from the North, who had one conversation with her and whom she had sex with afterwards.

Her proposal is… intriguing. It's likely his only chance to ever attend something this extravagant, to get a glimpse into this high-society life he only ever heard rumors about. And Cerelle, for whatever reason, wants him there, wants him to see her in the environment she grew up in, to be a part of her life.

He wonders what she sees in him.

“Yes. I think I'll come.”

He could swear she lets out a sigh of relief. “Wonderful. Will you bring anyone else?”

“I don't know, maybe some guys from work? If that's okay.”

“Yeah, sure. I'll put your name on the guest list and just leave the space for plus ones open, the house should manage that. Just don't bring an entire football stadium.”

“I don't even know enough people to start a team.”

She laughs at that - a sound that, even across the distance and through his crappy phone speaker, vibrates within his chest, and fills his head with all sorts of delusions.

Cerelle tells him the address and then quickly adds, “Oh, and before I forget: costumes are mandatory.”

Fastnacht is, as far as Jon is concerned, a reason to get so drunk you forget the entire night by the time the sun comes up. Add a concerning amount of glitter, and one has managed to recreate a university student’s wildest dreams.

Perhaps that is a bit harsh.

He tries to read up on it in the days leading up to the party, just to get a better understanding of what he is getting himself into.

Fastnacht is a primarily southern custom, celebrated in regions where the Faith of the Seven is dominant. It takes place forty-for days before Maiden's Day - which marks the beginning of spring - and the time between these two holidays is meant for self-reflection, abstinence, and rejecting excessive consumption and greed. Fastnacht as the last day before this period is to allow people to get all these “evil” behaviors out of their system before committing themselves to fasting.

He doubts most people actually adhere to these rules. Perhaps Cerelle does.

As a Northerner who has never celebrated either Fastnacht or Maiden's Day in his life, the demand for a costume has taken him a bit off-guard but he manages to find a pair of wolf ears last-minute. Hopefully it will be considered enough.

As for friends he invited… Well, he would not really consider them his friends, not yet at least, but when he told some of the guys at the car repair shop he had been invited to a Fastnacht party at a celebrity’s home, the choice of who to bring along was taken from him.

Grenn, Pyp, Sam, and him have squeezed into Edd's beat-up car, each wearing varying levels of what could be considered a “costume”. Sam has simply put on his medical scrubs from uni, Grenn and Pyp have recreated characters from movies he doesn't know, and Edd is dressed in black.

“I am the Stranger,” was all he gruffed out when asked. That he is always wearing this exact black outfit seemingly does not matter to him.

He has not told the others where exactly it is they were headed, nor who has invited him, just in case Cerelle gave him the wrong address or did not put him on the guest list or this is all just a big setup to murder him.

“Where the fuck are you leading me, Jon?” Edd asks.

They have long left King's Landing and are now driving down a dark and abandoned road, flanked on both sides by a forest.

“Just a bit further, we should be there soon.”

“This looks like an axe murderer's hideout,” Green says from the back seat.

“Bit of the wrong holiday for that.” Jon has his hands balled into fists to stop them from trembling.

“I don't want to die yet,” Sam throws in. “I have only just passed my exams, I don't want that to be for nothing.”

“You're not going to die.” Jon really tries to keep a cool head, but his colleagues talking about death and this dark road and the fact that Cerelle could have lead him astray-

They suddenly pass a golden gate, then the forest opens up to reveal an enormous garden, decorated with fairy lights and garlands and bushes cut into animals of all shapes and sizes. The road leads past huts and ponds and ends in front of a mansion so large it would be more accurate to call it-

“Is that the Red Palace?” Sam asks.

The famed home of the Lannister family, built almost two hundred years ago and passed down through the generations, and which is now owned by starlet Cersei Lannister, Cerelle's mother.

“This is a joke, right?” Pyp asks. “You cannot honestly have gotten an invite to the fucking Red Palace. Its Fachtnacht party is the high-society event of the year, even more important than the Presidential Gala.”

Jon decides to remain quiet, merely leading Edd through hand gestures to the parking space.

People are mingling around the gardens, the groups becoming bigger and more frequent the closer they get to the entrance, each decked out in grander and more expensive outfits than the last. Jon feels so terribly small beside them, the only thing keeping him from turning around and running back home being his colleagues behind him.

They ascend a grand staircase, passing over a lush red carpet upon which confetti has been strewn.

A tall woman dressed in black stands in their path, a headset underneath her hair and a tablet in her hands.

“Name?” she asks him, completely unphased by his lackluster outfit.

He clears his throat.

“Jon Snow.”

She starts scrolling on the screen, and he thinks, this is it, she won't find my name, I will be denied access, I will stand here like the biggest idiot in the country, I got played-

“Ah, there you are. How many in your party?”

The woman stares at him and it takes him a few moments to register her words.

“Uh- four. Beside me, there are four other people.”

His cheeks start heating up, and he desperately hopes no one can see the blush that is for sure spreading on his face.

She taps a few things on her screen. “Alright, all settled. Have fun.”

He looks back at his colleagues, gives them a short nod of the head, and heads inside.

The entrance hall is much, much grander than he could have ever guessed from the outside, and filled with so many people he fears he will drown. Music blares from the speakers, lights reflect off disco balls, banners in all colours of the rainbow hanging from the ceiling.

Pyp jumps at him from behind, and screams in joy. “Holy shit, Jon, you actually did it! Who did you sleep with to be let in?”

Before he can answer, Sam starts talking. “I cannot believe it, we are in the Red Palace itself. The site of what ended up being the final battle of Westeros’ last king. The palace was damaged during the fighting, and the eastern wing completely destroyed, and when they rebuilt it afterwards they weren't able to get the exact shade of red, so when you pass by you can see the different colours on the wall.”

“You are at the most exclusive party in Westeros and all you can brabble about is the dam building?” Grenn exclaims.

Something gently touches Jon's shoulder. Confused, he turns around, only to be met with the exact pair of blue eyes that have been haunting him for over a week now.

“Hey.”

“Hey.”

Cerelle looks… He cannot even find the proper words to describe her. She wears a blue, silken dress that flows from her shoulders to her knees in the front and to the ground in the back as if it is made of water, the texture shifting at even the smallest movement and making it appear alive. Her arms are covered by a darker blue fabric, wrapped around her skin from her wrists to just below her shoulders. A silver tiara rests in her hair, while her face is covered in glittery swirls. Yet the true eye-catcher are the iridescent wings emerging from her back, looking so real he half expects her to float away any moment.

He knows immediately what she is supposed to be - the ice fairy Princess Aurelia, a legend from the High North.

His pair of wolf ears seem even more embarrassing beside her.

“I was afraid you wouldn't make it.”

He tries to escape the spell her appearance has cast on him. “I would never pass up an invitation from you.”

She smiles at that, and Jon wants to melt into a puddle.

Luckily, he is saved from such a fate by his colleagues - mainly Pyp, who suddenly appears beside him.

“Who’s that?”

Jon turns around, inadvertently moving to Cerelle's side, in order to introduce her properly.

“This is Cerelle, she was the one who invited me. Cerelle, these are friends from work, Grenn, Pyp, Edd, and Sam.”

“Hi,” she says with a small wave. “Nice to meet you.”

They gawk at her, stare with wide eyes (not Edd, of course, he just accentuates his dourly look with a raised eyebrow), and Grenn ends up to be the first one speaking.

“Cerelle, as in… Cerelle Baratheon? The president’s daughter?”

“Baratheon-Lannister,” she quickly corrects. “My mother insisted on hyphenating my name.”

His colleagues share glances.

“How did you two, uh, meet?”

She looks towards Jon, clearly trying to contain the smile that threatens to spread on her face. “We… We might have accidentally had dinner together. Then we started talking, and I invited him here.”

“How does one accidentally have dinner together?” Sam asks.

She giggles. “That's a long story, and one I am not entirely sure I am allowed to tell.”

“I need a drink,” Edd says, turns around, and walks off.

Cerelle looks after him in confusion, yet quickly catches herself and addresses the others. “Because he just mentioned it - drinks and food are free, if you want you can donate, though, all proceeds go to charity. The exact list hangs at the bars if you're curious. Otherwise, you are free to have fun, just try not to destroy any of the furniture.” Then she clasps Jon's hand, and his heart skips a beat. “If you allow me, I will kidnap Jon for a while. Don't worry, I promise you will get him back in one piece.”

She doesn’t even wait for the others’ reaction before she starts dragging him after her through the bustling crowds, past a door hidden behind some plants, and into a quiet hallway. Her laughs echo off the walls and the ceiling rising high above them as she pulls him deeper and deeper into the palace’s corridors.

When they finally stop, they are both out of breath and giggling uncontrollably. She lets go of his sweaty hand, and despite knowing better, he wishes for nothing more than to take it again.

“Alright, we should be far enough from the cameras.” Her cheeks are pink, the glitter on them sparkling in the low light of the hall. “How are you? You look good - I like the ears.”

He touches them, surprised they are still in place after their hectic run. “They feel kinda embarrassing next to your costume.”

“Don't say that.” Yet despite it, she lets her hands run across the fabric of her dress. “They're cute, and they fit you.”

“I like the wings.”

“Yeah?” Her face suddenly lights up, the blue in her eyes glowing like a thousand stars. “I've had them lying around for ages and thought it a waste to never use them.” She twirls once, giggling.

“You're supposed to be Princess Aurelia, right? I didn't expect you to be familiar with the tales of the High North.” Carefully, he reaches out his hand. “May I touch them?”

She nods, and turns around, giving him a proper view of the entirety of the wings.

(And of the half-exposed skin on her back.)

He tries to distract himself by tracing the intricate fibres, the carefully threaded seams, the glittery plastics making up the iridescent wings, but his eyes are drawn towards her bare skin time and time again.

“I haven't been able to stop thinking about you,” Cerelle says, and he freezes. “Ever since Valentine's Day, just the mere thought of you sends me down a spiral I can barely escape from. It's why I invited you today - to see if perhaps my memory is playing tricks on me, or if you truly are as mesmerizing as you were that night.”

He swallows heavily. “And what have you concluded?”

She turns to him, a soft smile playing around her lips, the glitter on her face sparkling brighter than the night sky.

But before she can answer, noises echo down the hall from behind him. He means to turn towards them, when Cerelle curses, takes his hand, and drags him after her into a dimly lit storage room. Then the door falls shut and he is pressed against it, caged in by her arms, the blue of her eyes so terrifyingly close.

“I have concluded,” she says, once again in that low and husky voice that sends all the blood in his body straight towards his dick, “that I want you. All of you, in whatever way I may.”

A shiver passes across his skin at her words. Her breath fans across his face, her lips so close he can almost feel her heartbeat through them.

He doesn't know why or how, but eventually he manages to whisper, “I stared at my phone every day, wondering if I should call you, or text you, or if it all might have just been a dream. I replayed our evening together, our night-” His voice wavers at that word- “to find out how someone like me could have ended up with you.”

“Have you found an answer yet?”

“Pity, charity, sexual frustra-”

Her quiet laughter stops his ramblings. There is nothing mean about it, though, more of a sense of disbelief.

“You are kind, and sweet, and responsible for the most comfortable conversation I have had in a long time.” Her smile almost blinds him. “I am no dream, Jon, no phantom that will leave once the sun rises. And you deserve everything I can give.”

He closes the gap between their lips, then - not that there was much of it left anyways - and they melt into each other.

The kiss is much sweeter than their last, full of gentle touches of their hands, careful swipes of their tongues, humming and gasping. He craves more of it, always more, pressing their bodies together until he nearly loses the ability to breathe, buries the fingers of one hand into the fabric of her dress and runs the ones of his other across the skin beneath.

She is every bit of gentle as she is insistent. Her lips taste of oranges and the artificial raspberries of her lipstick, her mouth almost devouring his, biting and sucking at his lips, his tongue, her teeth feeling ever so slightly sharper than they had the last time. One of her hands has buried itself into his hair, tugging on his curls and eliciting gasps and moans from him - ones she swallows as soon as they leave him.

Jon only realises he's been grinding against her leg once she does so as well. It's comforting, in a way, knowing she is just as bothered as he is, that what she said previously remains true. She has thought of him. She does want him. And right now, she is grabbing his shirt to drag him across the room and push him into a chair.

It's a comfortable one, he thinks, right up until Cerelle sits down on his lap and grinds down hard on his dick. The moan he means to let out is quickly swallowed by her lips, always greedy, always longing for more.

Slowly, she starts moving her mouth away from his. It traces careful lines across his jaw, down his neck, and above his throat. He has no choice but to let his head fall back and bury his hands in her sides, desperate not to lose his grip on reality.

“If you want me to stop,” she breathes against his skin, “please tell me.”

He wants to shake his head when she suddenly grinds across his dick again the same time he bucks up into her, and the thought hits him like a brick.

“I- I don't have a condom.”

Her lips pause on his skin, one hand in his hair and the other on his stomach, so, so close to his throbbing dick.

Why did he say that? Why could he not just have kept his mouth shut and been a little uncomfortable about the situation, instead of breaking it off before it even started? She is probably safe anyway, someone like her cannot afford to get-

“Shit, me neither.” She leans her forehead against his shoulder and laughs quietly. “I didn't expect us to end up this way again.”

Cerelle straightens her back, then, laying her hands on his neck. Her lips are red and swollen, her chest rising and falling rapidly, yet all he can stare at are her pupils, blown wide with lust, hiding the blue almost in its entirety.

His fingers tighten in the fabric of her dress, and it takes everything in him not to drag her hips forward and across his bulge, yearning for the friction.

She looks beautiful, even now. He, most definitely, does not.

“Do you…” She gnaws at her lip for a moment. “Do you want to do something else? We don't have to, it's just-”

“Yes.” He swallows. “Please.”

She smiles, and he doesn't even have time to properly react before their lips crash together again.

His belt is unbuckled within seconds, then her fingers wrap around his dick and drag it free, immediately setting a quick pace as her hand starts moving up and down his length. He moans so loudly he fears someone might hear, but she just smiles against his mouth.

Not to be outdone by her, he slips his fingers beneath her dress and into her panties, swiftly finding her clit and pressing a finger to it. She rewards him with a shocked moan, and a harsh tug of his dick.

He tries to retain control of his hand, to not let his fingers shake too much as they find their way to her hole and slip in, one by one, yet Cerelle starts rubbing the pre leaking from his tip across his dick, and the added glide makes him buck mindlessly into her fist.

It's almost like sex, he thinks, especially with the way she seems to ride his fingers buried deep within her. His own hand bumps against his dick a few times, even, and it only serves to remind him how close he is to sinking his length into her wet heat.

One day. If she lets him.

Her wings move behind her back as if they were alive, each thrust by her hips and each reaction to the curling of his fingers making them flutter and sparkle in blues and greens behind her. Then Cerelle connects their mouths once more, seemingly content with the hickey she has sucked into the skin above his collarbone, and his eyes fall close again.

His fingers work tirelessly in her cunt, curling and thrusting and pressing against the spot that makes her mewl, while his thumb rubs slow, insistent circles on her clit. He needs to see her come, needs to hear those beautiful moans and gasps again she let out the last time.

It's difficult focusing, however, because no matter how much he tries, how expertly he thinks he works, every rub of her hand across his dick makes him almost lose his mind. She presses on his tip and tightens her grip around his base, then she traces the veins and twists her hand- He fears he will break the chair every time he thrusts his hips into her grip.

They're not even kissing anymore. Their foreheads are leaned against each other as their breathing becomes more heavy and laboured with every second that passes, and when they moan he cannot even discern anymore whose they are.

Then her walls clamp around his fingers and she presses herself against his body as she comes. Her wetness spills across his hand and down onto his dick, and that particular feeling, that thought that is caused by it, makes him spill as well.

The silence between them is comfortable, allowing them to catch their breath, sort their feelings, sufficiently come down from their orgasms. Cerelle's free hand rests in his hair, tracing strange patterns onto his skin.

“We should… We should probably clean ourselves up,” she says quietly, whispers it into the small space between them. Then she leans back, their eyes meet, and a smile forms on her lips. “You have glitter on your face.”

He chuckles.

She finds them a small bathroom not far from their little storage room, and they patch themselves up in silence. He watches her in the mirror, from time to time, as she brushes through her hair and rightens her silver tiara, as she tries to salvage the intricate paint on her face.

“Thank you,” she eventually says. “I really enjoyed that. Though, perhaps next time, we'll find somewhere proper.”

Next time.

“You want to see me again?”

Cerelle laughs almost incredulously. “Of course.” She steps towards him and lays her hands on the sides of his face. “I have never felt anything like what I am experiencing now. You make me giddy every time I look at you, I lose myself in your eyes, and when you speak I never want you to stop.”

She wants him. She actually, genuinely, truly wants him.

He kisses her. Shortly and gently, just long enough to feel her lips on his and to make sure he is not dreaming.

“Maybe,” he says carefully, “when we see each other next, we could take things more slowly? I still have some things to deal with in private, and I really want to get to know you better. Outside of sex, I mean. Not that I didn't enjoy it, I really did, and I already know a few things about you from last time-”

“Yeah,” she interrupts his ramblings. “Taking it slow sounds good.”

He could swear she almost looks relieved, but about what exactly he doesn't know.

“Are you free next week?” he asks.

“Thursday evening? The art history museum closes early that day, and I know someone that could let us in after-hours. I assume by taking it slow you also mean away from the public.”

Right. President's daughter, heir to a multi-billion dollar empire.

“Yeah. Thursday sounds good.”

Cerelle smiles, and he wishes he could bottle up the feeling this causes in him and keep it safe somewhere. Somewhere he could return to if all this turns sour.

“Alright. I'll text you the exact time.”

They walk hand-in-hand down the endless corridors, basking in those last few moments of peace before having to return to the party.

He hears the noise long before he sees any people, but before he can turn around a corner, Cerelle stops him.

“I'll find another way back in. We don't want to rouse suspicions already, do we?” She lays a kiss on the back of his hand, and his breath hitches. “Go find your friends. You’re at the most exclusive party in Westeros, you need to enjoy it.”

Then she turns around and disappears down the hallway, her wings glittering behind her.

And even though he tries, he knows he cannot keep the smile off his face the entire rest of the night.

previous | next

author's note: technically it's called fasching but i think fastnacht fits better to this world.

next chapter of this au should release around easter. hope you liked this one, and see you soon :3

[kingsbridgelibraryteens]

Libraries on Film: Network (1976)

I’ve seen this film half a dozen times, but it was only during my latest viewing that I recognized our Stephen A Schwarzman Building as one of the filming locations!

P.S. - Check out this list of more examples of movies & TV that used NYPL as a filming location!

[sustainabili]

Navigating Sustainability Reporting Guidelines: A Strategic Guide for Businesses

In an era where environmental and social responsibility is flattering a business imperative rather than an option, sustainability reporting has emerged as a crucial practice. Organizations are now expected to be transparent about their environmental, social, and governance (ESG) impacts. Whether driven by regulatory compliance, investor demand, or stakeholder expectations, sustainability reporting helps businesses demonstrate accountability and build trust.

However, the landscape of sustainability reporting can be complex. With various frameworks and evolving standards, many organizations find it challenging to choose the right approach. That's where a sustainability consultancy plays a vital role—helping businesses navigate this intricate terrain with expertise and strategic insight.

What Is Sustainability Reporting?

Sustainability reporting is disclosing an organization's ESG performance and impacts. These reports characteristically include data on energy consumption, carbon emissions, water usage, waste management, labour practices, diversity and inclusion, community engagement, and governance structures. By publishing this information, companies communicate their commitment to sustainable development and responsible business practices.

Why Is It Important?

Stakeholders—investors, regulators, customers, and even employees—are increasingly scrutinizing companies' sustainability efforts. Transparent reporting improves brand reputation, entices capital, mitigates risks, and supports long-term value creation. Regulatory requirements are also tightening, particularly in regions like the European Union, where the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) demands more comprehensive company disclosure.

A robust sustainability report is more than a checkbox exercise. It's a strategic tool that can highlight a company's strengths, identify opportunities for improvement, and guide long-term decision-making.

Key Sustainability Reporting Guidelines

There is no one-size-fits-all once it comes to sustainability reporting. Different frameworks cater to various needs, and businesses often combine them. Here are some of the most widely recognized guidelines:

1. Global Reporting Initiative (GRI)

GRI is one of the most widely used sustainability reporting frameworks. It offers a comprehensive set of standards for reporting on various ESG issues. GRI emphasizes stakeholder inclusiveness and materiality, ensuring companies focus on the most relevant impacts.

2. Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB)

SASB provides industry-specific standards that help companies report financial material sustainability information to investors. These standards are particularly useful for public companies seeking to align sustainability reporting with financial disclosures.

3. Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD)

TCFD focuses on the financial impact of climate change. It encourages companies to disclose governance, strategy, risk management, and metrics related to climate risks and opportunities.

4. Integrated Reporting (<IR>)

The Integrated Reporting framework connects sustainability performance with overall business strategy and value creation. It's ideal for companies looking to provide a holistic view of how they create value over time.

5. CDP (formerly Carbon Disclosure Project)

CDP specializes in environmental disclosures, particularly those related to climate change, water security, and deforestation. Many investors use CDP data to evaluate corporate environmental performance.

The Role of a Sustainability Consultancy

Understanding and applying these guidelines requires technical expertise and strategic alignment. A sustainability consultancy helps bridge this gap. By measuring a company's specific needs, industry requirements, and stakeholder expectations, consultants can develop customized sustainability strategies and reporting roadmaps.

A reputable sustainability consultancy will assist in choosing the right frameworks, gathering data, engaging stakeholders, and drafting compelling narratives that resonate with diverse spectators. Additionally, consultancies can safeguard alignment with global standards, manage assurance processes, and integrate sustainability into overall business strategy.

For small and medium enterprises (SMEs), which may lack internal sustainability teams, a sustainability consultancy offers an accessible and cost-effective way to establish strong ESG foundations. Larger companies, on the other pointer, benefit from a consultancy's insights into global best practices, regulatory trends, and stakeholder engagement techniques.

Common Challenges and How to Overcome Them

Despite growing awareness, many organizations still struggle with sustainability reporting. Common challenges include:

Data quality and availability: Many companies find it challenging to collect accurate ESG data, mainly if they operate in multiple regions.

Lack of internal expertise: Reporting can become a burden without dedicated sustainability professionals.

Framework confusion: The abundance of standards can be overwhelming and lead to inconsistent reporting.

Engaging a sustainability consultancy early in the process can be a game-changer. Companies can establish streamlined data collection processes with expert guidance, improve internal capacity, and create clear, impactful reports.

Looking Ahead

Sustainability reporting is no longer optional; it's becoming a baseline expectation. As climate risks and social issues continue to dominate the global agenda, businesses that fail to report transparently risk falling behind. However, with the right strategy and support, sustainability reporting can evolve from a compliance task to a powerful innovation and stakeholder engagement tool.

A professional sustainability consultancy can help organizations meet the minimum supplies and unlock the full potential of sustainability reporting—transforming ESG challenges into opportunities for growth and leadership.

[amitcontentwriter]

Why Corporate Legal Advisors Are Essential in ESG and Sustainability Reporting

In today’s business environment, Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) practices are more than just buzzwords — they are a strategic necessity. Companies around the world are under growing pressure to operate responsibly and transparently. For businesses aiming to meet these standards, a Corporate Legal Advisor plays an irreplaceable role in ensuring that ESG and sustainability reporting is not only compliant but also meaningful.

Understanding ESG and Sustainability Reporting

ESG reporting involves disclosing a company’s efforts and performance related to environmental impact, social responsibility, and governance practices. From reducing carbon emissions to ensuring ethical labor practices and transparent board structures, ESG reports are designed to build trust with investors, partners, and the public.

However, reporting isn’t as simple as publishing a checklist. Each ESG report must align with national regulations, international frameworks like GRI, SASB, or TCFD, and the expectations of stakeholders. This is where the expertise of a Corporate Legal Advisor becomes essential.

Why a Corporate Legal Advisor Matters in ESG Reporting

1️⃣ Regulatory Compliance

Governments and stock exchanges in many regions, including Singapore, the EU, and the U.S., have introduced strict disclosure requirements around sustainability practices. A Corporate Legal Advisor ensures your reports comply with all mandatory regulations, helping you avoid legal pitfalls and penalties.

2️⃣ Risk Management

A legal advisor helps businesses identify potential risks hidden in supply chains, contracts, and internal practices. Whether it’s sourcing materials sustainably or meeting labor laws, your Corporate Legal Advisor ensures your ESG claims stand up to legal scrutiny.

3️⃣ Contractual and Investor Confidence

Many institutional investors now require ESG disclosures before considering investment. A Corporate Legal Advisor can guide your business on how to craft ESG clauses in contracts, shareholder agreements, and procurement processes, ensuring transparency and long-term trust.

4️⃣ Avoiding Greenwashing

Making sustainability claims that don’t align with reality — commonly known as greenwashing — can damage a brand's reputation and result in legal actions. An experienced Corporate Legal Advisor helps verify your claims and ensures your communication is accurate and legally sound.

5️⃣ Strategic Guidance for Long-Term Growth

Beyond compliance, a Corporate Legal Advisor can help align your ESG strategy with your business model. This ensures sustainability initiatives are embedded into your operations and contribute to long-term value rather than short-term box-ticking.

Final Thoughts

As ESG reporting becomes a standard practice, businesses cannot afford to approach it casually. From securing investor confidence to complying with global standards, a Corporate Legal Advisor ensures your company’s ESG efforts are legally compliant, ethically strong, and reputationally secure.