#she hilk

[agent-42]

they are going to fix up Skaar later right? maybe give him longer hair

[iww-gnv]

As firms increasingly rely on artificial intelligence-driven hiring platforms, many highly qualified candidates are finding themselves on the cutting room floor. Body-language analysis. Vocal assessments. Gamified tests. CV scanners. These are some of the tools companies use to screen candidates with artificial intelligence recruiting software. Job applicants face these machine prompts – and AI decides whether they are a good match or fall short. Businesses are increasingly relying on them. A late-2023 IBM survey of more than 8,500 global IT professionals showed 42% of companies were using AI screening "to improve recruiting and human resources". Another 40% of respondents were considering integrating the technology. Many leaders across the corporate world hoped AI recruiting tech would end biases in the hiring process. Yet in some cases, the opposite is happening. Some experts say these tools are inaccurately screening some of the most qualified job applicants – and concerns are growing the software may be excising the best candidates. "We haven't seen a whole lot of evidence that there's no bias here… or that the tool picks out the most qualified candidates," says Hilke Schellmann, US-based author of the Algorithm: How AI Can Hijack Your Career and Steal Your Future, and an assistant professor of journalism at New York University. She believes the biggest risk such software poses to jobs is not machines taking workers' positions, as is often feared – but rather preventing them from getting a role at all.

[fat-slobby-cartoon-girls]

@disney-plus-plus-plus-sized

“Enjoying the tea Ms.Noceda?” Odalia asked as she sat. Her giant legs crossed and her ass filling four couches. “Need a refill? You have quite a few hiccups.”

*camila sipped her tea, she was having a tea and lunch with odalia blight, amitys mother and at one point the most important ceo of blight industries, as she looked at the big fat mistress she smiled*

“Si, a (HICCUP) refill would be nice miss blight, this tea is very (HICC) airy, guess my human stomach isn’t quite used (HICC-HILK) to it yet hehe

[writingforfishes]

Hiccuping Scenarios: I

Now that I have a better idea of what constitutes a scenario thanks to @chocolate-hics posts, I want to try my hand at creating some possible inspiration as I've hit a bit of a motivational wall in Otto and Atticus (even though I know what the next story will be).

Aquatic humanoids I have been thinking about someone aquatic hiccuping for a while. I initially thought of it in direct reference to H.ellboy and A.be S.apien, but any iteration of an aquatic creature getting hiccups would work.

Some fish person having to get out of the water quickly and getting the hiccups as a result. Or perhaps they get the hiccups while in the water and their lungs serve as a swim bladder (something to help them keep afloat) and the result is them having a hard time sinking or rising in the water and needing to get out until the attack passes.

Or perhaps they are sensitive to PH balances and that can trigger a nerve/gas confusion that leads to being prone to hiccups.

Wondering if they're gills open or react while they're hiccuping as its an action that would normally force gas out of their gills while swimming. (I've probably mentioned all this on this blog before, but here's a more concise version of all of my scenarios.)

Consuming something they know will make them hiccup but doing it anyway because they love what they're consuming. Something about someone loving a drink (like a soda) or bread or carrots so much that they will consume the thing with full acceptance they'll get the hiccups is so alluring to me.

O: I knew huck! I knew this wou--would happen b-huppah!-but I l-hup! love this stuff!

A: Your dedication is admirable.

O: Sh-huckah!-shut up!

(Yes, I'm using O and A as my hypothetical people instead of A and B...for obvious reasons.)

I have a boss that eats bread knowing it will make her hiccup for a bit because it's delicious. (I don't blame her!) I haven't heard or seen it, but she tells me everyone laughs at her.

She shared this with me because I said I sneeze if I eat dry bread. It's like my body is perfectly aligned to not let me hiccup.

Getting hiccups in public and ceasing to interact after. Someone might have been boisterously conversational a few minutes ago and now they're suspiciously quiet. Except if you're right beside them you might hear their suppressed hmphs, hmks, and mks and see them jumping while their body turns inward a little.

A: You okay? You kind of stopped talking.

O: Yeah I'm mk!-I'm good. Hmk! Just go t--tired. Hmph!

A: Yeah? You got the hiccups?

O: Himp! Heh, yeah. H'mp! They came out of no-humpk!-nowhere. Hmpk! I'm good though. Thank fo-mp!-for asking.

A: Aw. :rubs their shoulder: No problem.

Laughing until they hiccup and then blaming the person who caused them to laugh for it.

O: Dammit! Huck! You gave m-hic!-me the hiccups. Hilk!-uh!

A: Yeah, yeah. Blame me for your involuntary bodily functions.

O: I will! Hup! Ugh!

Addendum: indicating a previous case.

O: I had j-UP!-just gotten hip! rid of these t--too!

A: Hey, listen. I warned you how funny I was. I can't be held responsible for the consequences.

Really fast hiccups in someone used to them so they're just distracting themselves with a book or on their phone until they slow down.

O: hmp!-hmk!-hmk'm!-mk!-mk!...hup'k!-hip!-imk!-mmk!-mmk!-himp!-up!-hip!hip!-hup!

A: Oof, those are bad. You good?

O: Yeah-mk!-just-hup'k!-wai-emp!-ting-hip'k-for-hilmp!-the-ip!-m to-kmp!-sl--slow-mmp!-slow do-uck!-down.

Addendum: fast hiccups that require nonverbal communication.

A: Can I get you anything?

O: :after thinking a moment, miming drinking something:

A: Water?

O: :nodding:

A: You think that will help?

O: :shrugging, then indicating their throat and giving a slightly pained expression:

A: Oh, for your throat? Yeah, I guess that makes sense. Be right back.

O: : nodding gratefully:

[sarkos]

Investigating the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the world of work, Hilke Schellmann thought she had better try some of the tools. Among them was a one-way video interview system intended to aid recruitment called myInterview. She got a login from the company and began to experiment – first picking the questions she, as the hiring manager, would ask and then video recording her answers as a candidate before the proprietary software analysed the words she used and the intonation of her voice to score how well she fitted the job. She was pleased to score an 83% match for the role. But when she re-did her interview not in English but in her native German, she was surprised to find that instead of an error message she also scored decently (73%) – and this time she hadn’t even attempted to answer the questions but read a Wikipedia entry. The transcript the tool had concocted out of her German was gibberish. When the company told her its tool knew she wasn’t speaking English so had scored her primarily on her intonation, she got a robot voice generator to read in her English answers. Again she scored well (79%), leaving Schellmann scratching her head. “If simple tests can show these tools may not work, we really need to be thinking long and hard about whether we should be using them for hiring,” says Schellmann, an assistant professor of journalism at New York University and investigative reporter. The experiment, conducted in 2021, is detailed in Schellmann’s new book, The Algorithm. It explores how AI and complex algorithms are increasingly being used to help hire employees and then subsequently monitor and evaluate them, including for firing and promotion. Schellmann, who has previously reported for the Guardian on the topic, not only experiments with the tools, but speaks to experts who have investigated them – and those on the receiving end.

The AI tools that might stop you getting hired | Artificial intelligence (AI) | The Guardian

[gerdfeed]

But Schellmann’s experience suggests many of the systems on the market may do more harm than good. For example, she tests video interviewing software that finds her to be a close match for a role, even when she replaces her original, plausible answers with the parroted phrase “I love teamwork” or speaks entirely in German

The Algorithm by Hilke Schellmann — why AI really is coming for your …

[jcmarchi]

AI recruitment's bias: Missing top talent

New Post has been published on https://thedigitalinsider.com/ai-recruitments-bias-missing-top-talent/

AI recruitment's bias: Missing top talent

As companies increasingly turn to artificial intelligence (AI) for their hiring processes, numerous well-qualified applicants are being overlooked.

Techniques such as analyzing body language, evaluating voice, gamified assessments, and scanning resumes are tools in the AI recruitment arsenal. These technologies evaluate job seekers, determining their suitability for positions.

AI adoption in recruitment

A significant portion of businesses are adopting these technologies. An IBM survey from late 2023, which included over 8,500 IT professionals worldwide, revealed that 42% are utilizing AI for screening to enhance recruitment and HR processes, while an additional 40% are contemplating its integration.

Many corporate leaders believed that AI in recruitment would eliminate hiring biases. However, the reality has been quite the opposite in some instances. There are rising concerns that these AI tools may be inadvertently filtering out the most capable candidates.

The impact of AI on job seekers

Hilke Schellmann, a US-based author and assistant professor of journalism at New York University, argues that there’s little proof these tools are bias-free or effectively identify the most suitable candidates. She asserts that the primary threat of this software isn’t the replacement of human jobs by machines but rather barring skilled individuals from securing employment.

For example, in 2020, Anthea Mairoudhiou, a UK-based makeup artist, was instructed to reapply for her position post-furlough. Despite her skillset scoring high, the AI tool HireVue rated her body language poorly, resulting in job loss. Following criticism, HireVue discontinued its facial analysis feature in 2021. Schellmann notes other workers have lodged complaints against similar systems.

Systemic flaws in AI tools

Schellmann highlights that job applicants are often unaware if AI tools are the sole reason for their rejection, as the software typically does not provide feedback on their assessment. However, examples of systemic issues are evident.

In one case, a rejected applicant resubmitted their application with a younger birthdate, which led to an interview offer. In another instance, an AI resume scanner trained on current employees’ CVs favored applicants listing “baseball” or “basketball” as hobbies, commonly associated with male employees, over “softball,” a hobby more associated with female applicants.

The expansion of this technology could potentially harm a vast number of applicants, surpassing the impact of biased human hiring managers.

Schellmann emphasizes the difficulty in pinpointing the exact source of harm and suggests that companies may lack the incentive to address these issues due to cost savings from AI adoption.

The future of ethical AI in hiring

Ensuring AI fairness and unbiasedness is crucial, according to Sandra Wachter, professor of technology and regulation. She argues that ethical AI not only fulfills legal and ethical obligations but can also boost profitability by making fairer and merit-based decisions.

Schellmann advocates for regulatory measures to prevent ongoing issues and warns against the future workplace becoming more unequal without intervention.

Like what you see? Then check out tonnes more.

From exclusive content by industry experts and an ever-increasing bank of real world use cases, to 80+ deep-dive summit presentations, our membership plans are packed with awesome AI resources.

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[deprishituniverse]

02/03/2023

First tim im writing this year, im so distressed. I dont know what to do. My aunt died last month and in 4 days is her funeral but i dont wanna go. we never had a good connection. Sh hated me. She never showed interest in me and my life and I dont want to meet my „family“. Especially since im wearing the hijab i dont want to be with any of them. They are such bad people and i know that this day will be so stressing and stuff. I wish i didnt said „OK“.

I dont want to see them ever again. (Exept my dad) they destroyed me so much.

Ich muss öfter daran denken was mir alles so passert ist und dass das ganze schon seit 14 Jahren geht. Sie hat mich immer schlecht bhandelt. Ich habe mitlerweile den eindruck, dass sie ihn beeinflusst und das sie diejenige ist, die ihn auf diese Gedanken bring.

Damals zu meiner Hochzeit, hatte ich ihnen eine Einadung via Whatsapp gesendet. Mein name, Yunus name und die namen unserer Eltern waren Teil von dieser Einladung. Auf der Einladung stand dazu noch „Ihr seid Herzlich Eingeladen“ mehr betonung auf IHR geht garnicht.

Mir wurden nur böse absichtetn unterstellt, weil erstens sein name drunter stand und zweitens Hilke nicht erwähnt war hatte sie sich nicht eingeladen gefühlt. „Eine Bodenlose frechheit“ durfte ich mir anhören. Die absage zu meiner eigenen Hochzeit. (Sie kamen trotzdem) Wir mussten uns Persönlich mit ihnen treffen. Mir wurde weder geglub das ich nichts mit der Planung zu tun hatte, noch das ich nicht schon vorher davon wusste. Mein Onkel war zwei tage vor der einladung begraben worden (beerdigung) und ich durfte mir so furchtar grausame beleidigungen anhören. Wurde gezwungen mich zu äußern. Das war alles andere als ein nettes gespräch. Denn es gibt sie nur im doppelpack, sie sind ja verheiratet.

Das Perfide daran ist, zur beerdigung meiner Tante bin nur Ich eingeladen und nicht auch mein ehemann, denn in deren augen sind wir nicht verheiratet owohl wir eine schöne zeremonie hatten und glücklicher den jeh sind.

Ich glaube ich werde sie damit konfrontieren warum Yunus nicht auch eingeladen ist. Denn das selbe argument kann man auch auf uns beziehen, wir sind verheiratet uns gibts auch nur im doppelpack. Aber nein.

Ich wünsche mir so so sehr das sie mal verstehen was sie mir alles so angetan haben.

Ich schreibe das mal alles im detail auf was mir so einfällt. In 14 Jahren findet sich bestimmt so eine oder zwei Geschichten…

(01:20 am)

[iseathegalaxy]

I think what excites me the most about she hulk is how it is now absolutely possible to star bringing big, worldly superheroes down to the street level just like in her comics.

Jen just walking around the lawyer firm building, at which she is a lawyer herself, while being over 2 meters tall and green is amazing and it opens up street level situations and non cosmic scenarios for bug name superheroes to be a part of and I love it.

And if we also take into account how, even if no way home still felt very non-street street level for a parker adventure, it did end by giving us the biggest street-level, friendly neighbour spiderman peter we have ever seen in the mcu and it all truly has me very excited for the street scene were going to be getting in the years to come, I can't wait

[baambastic]

No. Just… no.

[shellsan]

Housemate is out clubbing for the night and won’t be back until tomorrow afternoon - unless she goes straight to her next plans which are for tomorrow..., so with my bestie in Namibia I am home alone to celebrate my good news without anyone else... which is a super depressing thought, but I like having the house to myself, so that’s fun?

I’m probably going to give it a go at finishing off the tcol chapter, after I do some light reading and relax for a little bit.

[the-tummy-closet]

After the Banquet

Oh no. Another toast to his brilliance? King Orim had quite lost count of how many nobles had insisted on praising him with ale over the course of the banquet. The woman finished speaking and Orim thanked her, then dutifully drained his tankard. He belched as he put it down and wondered if he should eat a little more to help soak up the alcohol and keep from getting too drunk. A sharp hiccup shook him, and he became aware of his belt buckle pressing into his belly. Orim looked down a little blearily to see a curve to his midsection. That wasn’t usually there. He must have already had the thought about eating more. A few times.

The banquet was in celebration of the trade treaty that Orim had negotiated with a neighboring kingdom that had previously been a rival. The negotiation had been difficult and Orim was proud of what he achieved. His people were thrilled that he had opened up a new market for their goods, as had been reiterated numerous times in numerous toasts that evening.

Orim hiccuped again and tried to read the clock on the wall but his vision swam. He turned to his wife, seated beside him and was able to make out her bemused expression. “Ren, d’you know what time it is? Think ‘m ready to go lay down.”

“It’s late,” Queen Rennis assured him. “Plenty of people are just waiting for you to leave so that they can go home.”

Orim nodded. His belt was really way too tight. The sooner he could get it off, the better. He pushed his chair back and planted his hands on the table to push himself to his feet. Once there, the king quickly decided that his feet were not where he wanted to be for long. His head swam and what he belatedly realized was a very big meal settled heavily in his belly. He was rather drunk and very, very full.

“My friends,” Orim’s tongue felt extra thick, “thank you - hiccup! - for joining me tonight. I must re- hiccup- retire but please stay as long as you like.”

Orim turned, slowly, and started for the door, his unsteady steps jostling his overtaxed stomach. He covered his mouth as he belched wetly.

Then Rennis was there, taking his arm and steadying him, keeping him pointed straight towards the door. Orim gratefully let Rennis guide him, confident through the haze of alcohol that she would get him safely to their chambers.

As the heavy door shut behind them, leaving them alone in the corridor, Orim let out the groan he had been suppressing and leaned against the cool stone wall. “I seem to - hiccup! - have overindulged just a - hilk! - just a bit.”

Rennis chuckled and patted his shoulder. “You’ve indulged, my love, but you earned it.”

“I - hic! - earned hiccups and a fuzzy - hilk! - head and a stomach ache?”

“You earned a night of relaxation and eating and drinking what you wanted and listening to your vassals correctly sing your praises. And if that has left you a little worse for wear, then you have me to get you sorted out.”

Orim gave her a warm but sleepy smile and caressed her cheek before they started off again.

Each step seemed to make the heavy contents of Orim’s stomach slosh about, and he cradled his swollen belly with one hand, trying to hold it a little steady. The cramping was not letting up and the queasy feeling was pushing up into his throat. Orim paused in his tracks to let out a sick-sounding belch, followed by a self-pitying groan and a hiccup.

As they finally approached the royal chambers, Orim’s stomach gave an awful lurch and a powerful wave of nausea made his vision blur. He clapped a hand over his mouth and leaned against the wall, curling over his bloated belly.

“Alright, love,” Rennis was rubbing his back, speaking in a low, soothing voice, “we’re almost at our rooms. You can lay down, get comfortable. I can give you a potion for the nausea and then rub your belly.”

Orim stayed still for another minute before letting out a few deep belches, after which the nausea ebbed slightly. He was confident that he wouldn’t vomit immediately but he still felt quite unwell and he reached for Rennis. “I need that potion, Ren. ‘N I need your hands on me.” Orim groaned as he straightened and felt his belt continuing to cut uncomfortably into his bloated belly. “Need this belt off me.”

Rennis pulled Orim’s arm around her shoulders and wrapped an arm around his back to support him. “You’ll have all that as soon as you can walk a few more yards to our rooms. You can do it, Or.”

Orim staggered forward, leaning gratefully on his wife. A minute later he was sitting heavily on their bed and leaning back against the pillows. This time his groan was one of relief. Orim reached for his offending belt buckle but his fingers felt too thick and clumsy. Rennis gently pushed his hands away and undid the belt then unlaced his pants. Orim’s belly, released from its confines, expanded, poking out from under his shirt. Orim’s moan of relief was cut short by a belch.

Rennis placed a hand on the exposed skin of his belly. “Goodness, you are bloated. Do you think you would feel better if you emptied your stomach or should I get you something for the nausea?”

“Potion, please,” he sighed. “I don’t want to vomit. Just want you to rub my full, heavy belly til I fall asleep. ‘M sorry I’m drunk.”

Rennis planted a kiss on his cheek and walked over to a large cabinet in the corner of the room. “Not sure there was anyway for you to avoid getting drunk with all those toasts. If you don’t want it to happen again you’ll just have to make your vassals less happy in the future.”

Orim laughed, but quickly regretted it as his stomach was jostled and responded with a wave of nausea. He pressed a hand to his mouth and rolled to his side so if he did vomit it wouldn’t be on the bed. He lay there, eyes squeezed shut and breathing through his nose until he felt Rennis by his side and she held something near his nose.

“Here, love,” she murmured, “I’ve got you.”

The minty scent of the concoction filled Orim’s nostrils and was enough to take the first edge off his nausea. He slowly removed his hand and rolled back onto the pillows. The king opened his eyes and accepted a vial of milky liquid from his wife. He drank it down and put the vial on the bedside table, then leaned back and closed his eyes. He could feel the cool liquid travel down his throat and to his churning, straining stomach. Orim felt Rennis climb on the bed, settling herself astride his thighs and hiking his shirt up to his chest. She placed her warm hands over his belly, applying a gentle steadying pressure as the potion went to work inside.

Orim sighed. The coolness of the potion was soothing and calming his stomach’s churning and cramping, and the warmth from Rennis’s hands was the perfect counter. After a few minutes he gave his belly a pat, which made him burp quietly. He was still very full and quite bloated but the nausea was gone. Orim opened his eyes and smiled softly at Rennis who was watching him carefully. “Smartest thing I ever did was marry a witch,” he said, words a little slurred.

She cocked an eyebrow at him. “The smartest thing you ever did was be a kind and good person who I fell in love with.”

He groped around his belly til he found her hand, and squeezed it. “Hm, yeah that. I did that.”

Rennis chuckled. “I take it the potion worked?”

Orim nodded and held his arms open to her. “C’mere, you brilliant woman.”

Rennis moved off his legs and snuggled into his side, pillowing her head on his broad chest. She began to rub circles over the swell of Orim’s stomach and he groaned appreciatively. “Mm, perfect. Perfect, Ren. Jus’ like that.”

Rennis kept up the massage long after the king had drifted off to sleep.

- - -

this fic is by the author kerwynlar on AO3; be sure to check out the rest of their writing!

[princess-of-the-corner]

So did you see the new she-hilk trailer?

I saw some on it and.... they could've done the making her green better that hits me the most

[mybeingthere]

Hilke MacIntyre grew up in North Germany where she studied at the College of Art & Architecture in Kiel. In 1996 she moved to Scotland where she divides her time between painting, printmaking and producing ceramic reliefs.

https://www.birchamgallery.co.uk/.../Hilke.../HMNIS156/...

http://www.macintyre-art.com/

[toastcrun]

So I guess it's about time I finally do one of these!

Hello, so my name is Toast crun but you can call me whatever you like!

I'm okay all pronouns but I do prefer She/her!

I'm 16 and my birthday is July 21st.

I'm not really that good at art for right now but I believe to be really good at Writing, so you'll most likely see writing and sprite edits then actual art!

I'm bisexual and I'm learning russian and Greek!

My favorite color is orange!

Here comes the long lists of fandoms I'm in and bands I listen to!

So the first list is the bands I listen to:

Three days grace

The living tombstone

Avaitors

Absofacto

Alan walker

Lady Gaga

Weird Al Yankovic

AViVA

DA games

Cash Cash

Caravan Palace

Rare americans

Bebe Rexha

Caro Emerald

Fall out boy

Celtic woman

Daft Punk

Gorillaz

grandson

Marina and the diamonds

KoRn

Melanie Martinez

Mystery Skulls

Mr.Kitty

TLC

Paramore

Set it off

Powfu

Ra

Oh Hello's

Fun

Tally Hall

TheFatRat

Coldplay

Unlike Pluto

Weathers

Fake type

That's all I can remember right now, I'll most likely edit this later as I remember more bands.

And now for the long list of fandoms!

Five night's at Freddy's

Undertale and it's Alternate universe

BattleBlock Theater

Black ops zombies

Cattails

Corpse party

Costume quest

Cave story

Deep Sky Derelicts

Danganronpa

Earth Defense Force

Fran bow

Ghostbusters

Digimon

Angel of death

Harvest moon

Identity V

Dead by daylight

Kingdom

Minecraft

Monstermon piece

Hyper dimension Neptunia series

No straight roads no man's sky

Overlord

Outlast

Persona 4 and 5

Phoenix wright

SCP

Slime rancher

Starbound

State of decay

Subnautica

Left 4 dead 1 and 2

Warframe

Torchlight 1 and 2

Windbound

Wandering willows

League of Legends

Animal crossing

Billy hatcher and the giant egg

Fragile dreams

Grim Adventures of billy and mandy

Kirby

Legend of Zelda

Luigi's mansion

Resident Evil

Paper Mario

Pikmin

Pokemon

Sonic

Conker's bad fur day

Code Lyoko

Coraline

Futurama

Kingdom hearts

Monster hunter

The nightmare before christmas

Silent hilk

Shadow of the Colossus

And that's all I got for now, feel free to yeet asks and ask whatever you'd like!

[hicdown]

...here take this short Gen/shin Im/pact Kae/ya fic i wrote at like 1 am go, fetch-

“C'mon Aether, hurry up! I'm hungry!” Paimon whined. It was around lunch time, and Aether had promised to treat her to some food at Good Hunter. And considering the little bottomless pit that Paimon was, she was super excited. Aether sighed.

“If you're really that excited, I'll just give you some mora and you can fly ahead and buy whatever it is you want.” He said, not really feeling like running. Knowing that this would mean that she'd get her food faster, Paimon agreed, so Aether handed her a little pouch of mora, and watched her fly off.

Sighing again, Aether made to follow her, but then paused, hearing a weird sound to his left. Turning down into an alley way, he was surprised to see Kaeya standing there, leaning against a wall, with a hand over his mouth and....was Aether just seeing things, or was that a blush on his face?

Kaeya glanced up, and, upon seeing Aether, he immediately stood up straight, taking his hand off his mouth and adopting his typical smug expression....The blush on his face didn't disappear though.

“Oh, hello Traveller.” He said, “Wh---, ugh, What are you doing here?”

Aether, hearing the pause in Kaeya's sentence,  narrowed his eyes, suspicious.

“Are you okay?”

“Oh, I'm fine- hic!” Kaeya's sentence was cut off by a hiccup, prompting him to cover his mouth with his hand again. Recognizing the problem for what it was, Aether smirked.

“Got the hiccups, Kaeya?” He asked. Kaeya didn't answer, slouching back against the wall and pointedly looking away from him instead. “Drunk on the job? What will Jean say when I tell her this-”

“I'm not drunk and y-----, ugh, you know it.” Kaeya finally said, finally taking his hand away from his mouth, “And that's exactly the hilk! problem. If someone he----, hears me hiccuping they'll th-hic!, think I'm drunk on the job....”

“And that wouldn't be good for your reputation, I get it.” Aether finished for him, “How'd you even get the hiccups anyways?”

“Ma---, ugh, maybe someone was hic! thinking about me~ hilk!” Kaeya said, adopting his usual flirty tone. When Aether did nothing but continue to stare, unimpressed, Kaeya sighed. “Tr-hic!, truthfully I do---, don't know, they just kinda hilk!, ugh, started on their own.”

“And have you tried getting rid of them?”

“Of co-hilk!-urse I have, w---, who do you take me for? Hic!” Kaeya said, “I've tri-hic!, tried everything I co---uld think of that didn't req-hilk!, require me interacting with hmk! someone.”

“Well that point is kinda moot now, since I'm here.” Aether said, “What kind of cure would need you to interact with someone?”

“We---, ugh, well, when I was hic! younger, the only th-hilk!, thing that would work was a spoon-hic!, full of sugar.” Kaeya said, “And I don---, don't have any hic! sugar on me. I'd have t-hilk!, to ask the general st---ore for some.”

“Which would require speaking, which is no good for you right now.” Aether said, before sighing again. “Stay here, I'll go get you your sugar.”

Ignoring Kaeya's “thank hic! you!”, Aether walked out of the alley way, walking up to the general store. Of course, since said general store was right across from Good Hunter, Paimon immediately took notice, leaving her meal behind to float over to Aether.

“Why are you buying sugar? Don't you want to come have some lunch?” She asked. For a moment, Aether considered telling her what he was buying it for, but ultimately decided not to, figuring that if he did, the whole town would know about the Captain of the Knights hiding in an alley way over a case of the hiccups within less than an hour.

“Kaeya needed a favor.” Aether said, “Don't worry about it, go back to your meal. I'll be done with it shortly.”

“....If you say so.” Paimon said, giving him a suspicious look, but still following what he said and floating back over to her meal. Getting back on track, Aether payed the general store lady for the sugar, and walked back down to the alley way, finding Kaeya to be in the exact same position that he was in when he had left.

“I've got your sugar.” Aether said, holding out the small pile of sugar that had been placed on a cloth in his hand. Kaeya smirked.

“Pu---, put it in my hilk! mouth for me? Hic!”He said, opening his mouth slightly with a teasing look on his face. Aether, used to this behavior by now, simply rolled his eyes, before shoving the sugar into Kaeya's mouth with far more force that was probably necessary, causing Kaeya to start coughing, a few hiccups interrupting every now and then.

And yet somehow, by the end of his coughing fit, the hiccups were gone. Aether didn't even bother waiting for a thank you, simply turning around and walking out of the alley, headed for Good Hunter, leaving the Captain Knights to return to whatever his duties were for the day.

...Aether just hoped that Paimon had left some food for him.