#so the hills are bigger the speed is higher

[bronzebluemind]

historical indeed

(for anyone confused: today was the first ever women's ski flying competition, for which they have been fighting for for years)

[siremasterlawrence]

Who’s The Real Hero Here?

The boat hit the shores as Captain America lands on to it with a small boat as he crawls upward scaling the rocky area to the top of the clips grabbing one rock at a time and he finally reaching the top of the hill he climbs up higher. He now plants his feet as he peers in to the window staring down at empty room even though he was sent on a mission by the old school ways of being by Shield even he is aware of how crazy it is and he took his shield upward smashing it in to the window. He throws himself following that as he flips barreling in to the room descending done a field of stairs he grabs on to the rail flipping in to alley oop on the staircase in a perfect ten I am watching through my camera in my basement as the room begins to widen up.

Getting even bigger and of course he has the body stamina of a Olympic Champion as he leaps to the ground floor racing across the end of the steps on to the ground floor with so much determination in his eyes and his heart. The floor literally opens from under him as he descends miles down floor by floor in the air as Steve needs to make a emergency like strategy grabbing hold on to edge of a floor he manages to getting stiff lifting upward on to the bridge because as we know Steve can do it all day. Yanking himself with a bit of a struggle he is able to land back on to the brighter he race in to dthe room as he finds himself in midst of a elongated hall way calling to him a voice in the sound system all he can hear is S-t-e-v-e.

Steve unhooks his shield launching it in to the air as he kicks it hard smashing across the room it ricocheting from wall to wall at full force downward of the hall way as it is slamming in to the elevator doors and Cap breaks through and the heat of the building steams up. Loading on to the elevator shaft as the door closes instantly shaking a bit before the lift starts to speed upward to the top floor of the elevator bank the lights begin to blink blinding him and the buttons begin to blink on and off in a strange aura of colors giving Steve a minor headache. The elevator door pops to the side allowing him to access to the floor as he walks in to the room clinging his back to the wall his shield is already to go and he is uses both of arm and shields what he is not expecting is the figure in the dark lit up translucently before him.

Something triggering electrical out put of the locks of the building are shuttering the him as he locks down the world keeping Steve in his place and in his heat and Steve can feel it in his soul that his life is about to go through a significant change as he walks further in to the room as the temperature drops causing Cap to become the Capsicle Iron man calls him. The figure comes into picture now in a fuller, brighter and special effect thoroughly as it’s obviously a sneak attack by him the mystery new villain who has appeared on the scene from no one in particular because it is totally obvious and we all he is The Spectacle a super villain man of supernatural power consuming him in all ways. Steve does his best to resist the man who’s eyes glow emeraldintensity as they go spiraling out of control ensnaring him easily his eyes follow him in deep forgetting everything else that has happen as he dropping deeper, faster and harder then he ever thought in a mixing a swirl pool of craziness drowning Steve in it a sea of pure power.

“Oh Captain! That daring look in my eyes.”

“You are remnant of the past, I can’t shake it off.”

“Do not compare me to…the red skull.”

“You are more evil then…”

“Why are you so interested then?”

“You found my case, you had to track me all the way here.”

“I can stand idly bye”

“Mwahahahahaha…goody two shoes”

“I am Soldier…fuck off”

“Do you honestly think I would care?”

“ Typical of you “

“Why Cap?”

“It’s Captain”

“Captain “

“I am a hero”

“Let me show you “

“Would a hero do this?”

“I failed yes”

“Your friends are dead Cap”

“They are gone…no you did this”

“I can’t prevent the truth “

“Even I tried”

“Nnnnnooooo!”

“Can’t handle the heat ?”

“I am only saving you “

“I can make it go away “

“I won’t surrender “

“One kiss Captain”

“I am not you puppet”

“So you say”

“No! I am in control “

“Why are you standing up?

“Walking towards me”

“Kissing me”

“Mmmmm”

“You love it, give into the lust”

“Oh fuck! Whatever! Who am I ?”

The man snaps his fingers as the walls rise receding upward in to the ceiling as a white light covers the room in a sea of color blinds Steve as he backs up when a figure walks up to him. The light flashes in to the room as he witnesses who the man it is ole pal Bucky Barnes who stood up facing with him in utter rage in his eyes and Steve looks with joy but is soon met with a massive punch to the face. Steve manages to take most of the power of the heat from that punch as he smacks his pals hand a side and they go toe until our guy Steve grabs him by his arm.

As he back flips to the end of the ground slamming his foot on to him. Bucky burst out loud barrels throughout the room bouncing wall to wall as he uses his foot to kick him in the shin as Steve cries in pain and Bucky uses it to pin him down.The man laughs bit as Bucky wides his arms open up when he jumps in to Bucky’s body as they merge in to one taking Bucky’s own appearance to Steve is completelyleft in sea of horror at this revelation and he will regret it. He has no time to react when a barrage of bullets hit him head on as he backflips to his feet using shield to launch forward hitting Bucky hard as it shreds over the room and slams him into the wall in a unique permanent way.

“Bucky STOP!”

“Bucky is no longer here”

“Get to the point”

“I want you to serve me and be mine”

“Never gonna happen”

“How fowl Cap!”

“Bastard! Release me”

“As if!”

“Release Buck and I”

“You will serve me eventually “

“Excuse me! No who you are …”

“Speaking to you?”

“Bucky hear me”

“He Can’t!”

“What are you a dunce ?”

“Watch yourself I am…”

“Sentinel of justice?”

“Yes!”

“Fuck off”

“Oh well! Bucky end him”

“….”

“Yyyyeeeesssssss!” NOW mwahahaha “

“Oh Master! Your power surges through us my king. “

“We are compelled! You erased us forever “

The end

[canonmisogynyvictimstournament]

PROPAGANDA

KATHERINA MINOLA (THE TAMING OF THE SHREW) (CW: Domestic Abuse)

1.) We had to read this for English my senior year. I got so mad at the way she’s treated. She’s the titular “shrew” of the play. She has to be married off before her younger sister can get married, because that makes sense.

Then the most dogshit man imaginable comes along, and everybody thinks they’re perfect. He literally gaslights her and denies her food and water.

Fuck Petruchio and Katherine Minola deserved better!

2.) Literally the whole play is about how she is so awful that the main guy needs to change her entire personality, which he does as a challenge not because he likes her, and then proceeds to her abuse her for the rest of the play. Yet, he is portrayed as the hero, not a villain and she is shown to have “improved” at the end. People will say, oh it’s open to interpretation, it can be played different ways, it’s satire, but i don’t find abuse funny and there is a distinct lack of commentary in the play to count as satire imo. Taming of the Shrew is a tragedy not a comedy, I will die on this hill. Kate deserves better!

3.) The title isn’t joking, ya’ll. She literally gets broken like a rebellious feral animal and it’s treated as a happy ending.

CORDELIA CHASE (BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER/ANGEL THE SERIES) (CW: Pregnancy)

1.) (downs an entire bottle of vodka and slams it back on the table) SO. CORDY. Cordy started off as a supporting character in Buffy the Vampire Slayer. At the start she was your typical high school mean girl character, but as the show went on we got to see more depth to her character: her insecurities, her courage, her capacity for incredible acts of kindness. Then after the third season she moved into the show’s spin off, Angel, where from the beginning she was basically the show’s secondary protagonist. Her and Angel were the two mainstays of the show’s main cast, she gets the most episodes centered on her out of all the characters aside from Angel (and yes, I’ve checked), and we really got to see her grow from a very shallow and self-centered and kind of mean person to a true hero who was prepared to give up any chance at a normal life to fight the good fight while still never losing the basic core of her character. There were some… questionable moments like the episode where she gets mystically pregnant with demon babies and things got a bit iffy like halfway through season 3 where the writers seemed to run out of ideas for what to do with her outside of sticking her in this romance drama/love triangle situation with the main character but overall, pretty good stuff right? THEN SEASON 4 HAPPENED. In season 4 she gets stripped of literally all agency and spends pretty much the entire season possessed by an evil higher power, and while possessed she sleeps with Angel’s teenage son (who BY THE WAY she had helped raise as a baby before he got speed-grown-up into a teenager it was a whole thing don’t worry about it) and gets pregnant with like. the physical manifestation of the higher power that’s possessing her. it’s about as bad and stupid as it sounds and also is like the third time cordy’s got mystically pregnant in this show and like the fourth mystical pregnancy storyline overall (you will be hearing more on that note in other submissions I’m so sorry). after giving birth she goes into a coma, in which she remains for the rest of season 4 and the first half of season 5. SPEAKING OF WHICH DON’T THINK SEASON 5 IS GETTING OFF SCOT FREE HERE. yeah so in season 5 the show just FULLY starts trying to erase cordy’s existence. she gets mentioned ONCE in the first episode and then never again until halfway through the season where she wakes up, helps out Angel for a bit and encourages him in his fight against evil, and then goes quietly into that good night and dies so it can be all sad and tragic. I’d call it the worst fridging of all time but even THAT feels generous because the whole point of fridging is killing off a female character so a man can be sad, and after Cordy dies basically no one’s even sad about it because the show immediately goes back to pretending she never existed. she is not mentioned ONCE in the two episodes after she dies. in the whole stretch of time between her death and the end of the season she gets mentioned exactly four times. again, I counted. anyway the fun twist to all of this is that all of this happened because the actress who played cordy got pregnant before season 4 and joss whedon was so pissed off about this affecting his plans for the show that he decided to completely fuck over her character and then fire her and write her out of the show. so cordy’s a victim of both writing AND real life misogyny!! good times!!

2.) OH SO MANY THINGS they menaced by giving her terrible hair cuts, making her seem like she’d get together with the guy she loves (and who loves her back) but instead she was killed and when she was brought back, she got possessed by an evil entity who used her body to give birth to itself. afterwards she was in a long coma and died. her character was so throughoutly assassinated

3.) She got demonically pregnant TWICE - there was this real sense of a womb/ability to get pregnant as like, a place for evil to get in. She got positioned as femme fatale and evil mother. The actress basically got fired for being pregnant, and when she agreed to come back for a single final episode she specifically said they could do anything but kill off the character. Guess what happened

[betterthanyalls]

Yello! I believe this is day 6 of the challenge? Nothing really to say other than I have a concert tonight so I can’t write then, sorry :/ Neways I think that’s all I have to say.

Sledding Bump

MK x Reader

Published: 12-11-2023

Words: 739

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Sooo…..are we sure this is safe?”

“Not at all!”

“Well that’s reassuring…” Y/n spoke nervously, messing with the sled in her hands.

“Thank you!” MK smiled happily, looking forward. He was so oblivious that it was adorable.

MK and Y/n were standing at the top of a large and extremely steep hill. Looking down made Y/n’s stomach drop but when she glanced at MK, she guessed he didn’t share her anxiety being he was grinning from ear to ear.

MK turned to her, his smile glowing with excitement. “You ready?”

“Not really…”

“Oh well! Hand me the sled please?” MK shrugged and held his hands out for the sled.

Y/n handed him the sled, gulping nervously. There were so many bumps and rocks down the slope, she was going to have bruises everywhere tomorrow, huh?

Mk crouched down to set the sled on the ground. Patting it, he directed Y/n to sit down.

“Ok you sit in front, I will sit behind you.”

“Wait, why do I have to sit in front? Isn’t that more dangerous?” Y/n raised an eyebrow.

MK had to think of an excuse for a minute, he can’t just say he wanted to have his arms wrapped around you so he can feel like he is protecting you. Stuttering, he came up with the lamest excuse to exist.

“Well- Uhm- Oh! The youngest person has to sit in front!” MK quickly filled in.

“What?! I’m only a day younger than you!”

“Ok and? A day is a day.” MK explained with a sassy tone.

Y/n sighed and rolled her eyes playfully. She sat in front and picked her feet up so they were hanging in front. MK took his place behind and wrapped his arms around, secretly smiling again.

“Ready? Let’s go!” He didn’t give her time to answer before pushing the sled off the hill.

“NoooOoOOOooOooOOOOOOO!!” Y/n screamed, wind whipping around her.

They were flying down the hill at intense speeds. Fear filled Y/n’s body, and yet there was a sliver of joy that sparked every so often of the ride. MK was having the time of his life, laughing at Y/n’s screams and cheering from the ride.

“I DON’T WANT TO BE ON THIS RIDE ANYMORE!” Y/n shouted, but it fell upon the whirling wind and MK’s laughter, muting her shouts to the world.

Y/n shut her eyes tight, too scared to open them up. But her curiosity got the best of her, and at the worst time too. She opened her eyes slightly to see MK and herself speeding towards a massive bump in the hill.

“EM KAYYY!!! BUMP!!” Y/n shouted at the top of her lungs. But it was futile.

Y/n felt the two of them being flung into the air, feeling weightless. Like there was no care in the world at that moment.

And a second later, all those feelings of tranquility were gone. MK was still laughing and Y/n screaming in terror. The two were smashed back onto the sled which only seemed to be speeding up.

“AAAAAAAAHHHHHH”

“HAAHAAAHHAHAHAHHAAAAH”

Another bump, a bigger one, was closing in on them swiftly. Not even a minute later, they were back up in the air, but much higher now. But this time instead of having the sled beneath Y/n as she flew, it was far behind her.

Soon enough, Y/n was head first into the fluffy snow. Her entire upper body was stuffed into the powder. Slowly but surely she crawled out of her little grave and rolled over, laying on her back with snow covering every inch of her.

Y/n moved her frozen hands to rest over her face, covering her eyes from the blinding sun.

“Y/N? Y/N!!” She heard MK shouting.

“Never sledding with him again.” Y/n muttered, muffled by her hands.

Loud and rushing footsteps sounded beside her, along with that all so familiar voice.

“There you are! I thought you died or something.”

“I can only hope so I don’t have to go sledding with you again.” Y/n told him, taking her hands off her face.

“As if, you love going sledding with me, MK, the Monkey King's student and heir.” MK posed.

Y/n just stared at him with a dumbfounded face before the two of them burst into laughter at the stupid situation.

[mikhailwrites]

Soaring Ever Higher 3 - Ghoap/Ace Combat 7 crossover

Previous chapter | This Chapter on AO3 | Next chapter

Ghost still owes Trigger that drink. However, it's not so easy for RAF and SAS soldiers to meet by chance. Or is it?

Two months after returning from Colombia, Ghost finds himself in the middle of nowhere, somewhere in Scotland, to supervise part of the SAS selection in the Highlands. He actually volunteered because it’s been either that or R&R, and he hates the leave much more than dealing with recruits.  

The weather is British or, well, Scottish, he supposes. Heavy clouds hang low, crying rivers over several dozens of trekking soldiers. Ghost doesn’t particularly mind; he would take rain and cold over humid heat any day. He’s on the tail of the group. He is casually noting who’s lagging behind, who’s breathless or sweating more than they should. For once, his mind takes a break, and he can take in the scenery. Harsh rocky terrain, hillsides covered in lush green grass and hardy shrubs. Ghost stops for a minute to take a few deep breaths, to taste the rain and the air. Momentarily, he looks back, just in time to spot… something flying in the distance. A bird, eagle, perhaps. But then it gets bigger and bigger, closing in fast. Soon, it’s clear that that’s no bird, or at least not one made of feathers and flesh. It’s a… jet? Every fibre in Ghost’s body tenses and senses focus on discerning if it’s friend or foe. It doesn’t make sense for it to be an enemy this far inland. How would they get here? And why? The jet closes in, rolling between the hills at high speed, manoeuvring with practised and deadly efficiency. Ghost realises the jet is flying even lower than he first thought. He can hear the aircraft now, too. The sharp, powerful whine will morph into a thundering roar once the jet passes.

As it closes in, Ghost frowns. That’s not the Typhoon. Nor the Lightning II. It’s bigger, sleeker, and weirder. And it’s dark, almost black. With three white strikes and claws painted on the tail fin. No way. Ghost’s breath hitches as the jet passes him. One person is sitting in the cockpit, and Ghost is pretty sure he knows them.

What are the bloody odds?

Later that day, when they return, and most of the people in selection end up immediately in their bed, he goes to the canteen, hoping to catch some locals there. He’s in luck; there’s an SAS sergeant currently engaged in a lively chat so that Ghost can pick up her Scottish accent. He gets a tea and waits patiently until she disengages.

He asks about the RAF bases around and is given a name: Lossiemouth Airbase. Apparently, the gal has some friends and even family there. Military runs in their blood or something. Ghost tries his best to be tactical and friendly at the same time, and he suspects he fails horribly in the friendliness department. It’s not that he’s a bastard or cold; no matter what people say, he’s just… not as good with words as he is with actions. It’s simple, really.

“You interested in a tour?” the Sergeant asks him with an easy smile, “I’m sure I could arrange something.”

“I’d like to meet someone stationed there,” Ghost admits.

“Right! Well, you should be able to get inside with your military ID. If yer lucky, you could even catch someone driving there who could take ye,” she shrugs and smiles, unperturbed by Ghost’s presence. It’s refreshing, but it makes sense; all sort of people try their luck in the selection; she must’ve seen weirder stuff than tall, broad and brooding Ghost.

He gets a couple of days off at the end of the selection. The last part are interrogations and he doesn’t need, nor does he want to be present for that. Instead, he hitches a ride to Lossiemouth.

His military ID gets him through the security checkpoint without any issues, just like the Sergeant said it would. After that, he’s a little lost. The base is big. It's not the biggest he’s been to, but it's big enough to warrant asking for directions. He also feels different. RAF is its own thing, with its own language and culture. Even though he only wears a plain black balaclava, he gets a lot of lingering stares. In the end, he chooses his victim: a wide-eyed young man.

He asks for the Strider squadron and then, specifically, for Trigger. The man, a Lance Corporal by the insignia on his shoulder, looks up at Ghost with poorly disguised surprise. “You a friend of Trigger’s?” he asks, searching Ghost’s plain attire for any indication of rank. He has a feeling he should be addressing the man as “sir”, but there’s no proof.

“Something like that,” Ghost answers without really answering, and he doesn’t clarify on his own rank, either. These are not his men, his people; why should he care?

RAF bloke nods and points to one of the large hangs further away. Ghost thanks for the help and goes on about his business.

The day is pleasant, with clear skies and sun that’s not too hot. It's a true rarity around here. As he nears the hangar, he notices the gate is open and, sure enough, there’s Trigger’s aircraft. Ghost strides across the tarmac, eyes set on his target. A shadow passes over him, and he pays it no mind. But then he’s startled by a deafening roar. He looks up, but the plane is long gone. Bloody madmen, these fighter pilots.

The path before him is clear, so he continues, noticing four Typhoons taxying on the runway. Nearing the hangar, he notices two people there. One is Trigger; his mohawk is easily recognisable. The other is a young woman with short, dark hair, clad in a grey overall and tinkering with something on the workbench.

Ghost comes nearer, stopping right at the entrance.

“Take a look at the starboard tail; it’s been acting up again,” John tells the engineer, motioning with his hands to illustrate the issue better. “I got a feeling it’s gonna jam one of these days. Maybe the frost issue, again?”

The engineer nods, scratching at her neck. “Listen, John, I know you love her. Believe me, I do, but it may be time to let her go. The tail, the flaps, the outer cockpit glass crack... I could go on. These issues? They’ve been stacking up lately. She will let you down one day, and I won’t be up there with you to fix ‘er up.”

“I ken,” Trigger sighs, brushing his fingertips over the edge of the wing; his voice is wistful. “I ken, Avril. But what am I gonna do?”

She cleans her oil and lubricant-stained hands and tosses the rag on the workbench nearby. “Fly something else, of course. The craft doesn’t define you. Do you think the brass doesn’t like you enough to get you the Lightning? Plenty of those down at Marham base. Or, hell, maybe some hush-hush deal to get a Raptor loaned?”

“I dinnae ken,” John shrugs, “that thing in Colombia is gonna stink for a while longer. Just… look at the tail for now. Please.”

“I’ll do the thorough maintenance, like I always do, love. Don’t worry. I’ll get the old Gray Ghost here all patched up and air-worthy,” the Scrap Queen smiles. “Just don’t go feeling sorry for saving someone’s life. You’re a good lad, John; don’t let the brass scream it out of you.”

“Thanks, Av, wouldnae still be here if not for ye.”

“That’s for damn sure,” she laughs as she picks up the toolbox and stepladder and goes around the plane. That’s when she notices Ghost, still standing by the entrance.

“Uh, John… you’ve got a visitor,” she calls out.

Trigger walks up from behind the jet with a mildly confused look. The frown deepens momentarily as he takes in the visitor in question. “Ghost? How did you... what are you doing here?”

Avril eyes him with sudden recognition; there’s a subtle smile on her lips as she pretends to focus on the machine.

 “I was nearby, and I still owe you that drink,” Ghost goes straight to the point. No greeting, no explanation. Simply stating the facts.

John visibly relaxes and chuckles. “That you do, but considering I stood you up, I guess we are even.”

“Duty called. Nothing you could do,” Simon shrugs. “So, I still owe you a drink.”

“Well, who am I to say no if you insist?” John inclines his head, blue eyes twinkling with mirth.

“I insist,” Ghost nods before he changes the topic. “I overheard her, something about old Ghost?” Ghost lowers his voice. He’s still unsure if he should feel offended or not. He’s not that old, after all.

Trigger takes a few seconds to connect the dots and then starts laughing. A bright, hearty laugh that causes Ghost to smile in return. Not that anyone could see it under the balaclava. “Come ‘ere,” Trigger leads him around the plane until he stops and points at something under the fuselage. Ghost looks, unsure what he should see there. Then he understands. Behind the front landing gear, on the cover that is now open, is writing in thick black lettering: Gray Ghost. “It’s her name. And thank you for spoiling that, by the way. I was saving that piece of trivia for when we’re at least the second, possibly even third, drink in.”

Ghost’s mind is reeling both because of the explanation and implication. “So... that Ghost saved this Ghost’s arse, eh? What are the odds?” Ghost shakes his head in amusement.

“Not massive, I reckon, but it is funny,” John agrees, then, suddenly, his smile freezes, “or... it’s fate,” he says in a low voice, almost whispering. The sparks in his eyes are proof enough that he’s only joking.

“Yeah, I guess as far as destiny is concerned, I could’ve ended up worse than a destined love made of steel and having some wicked angles and curves,” Ghost snorts, placing a palm on the nose. The metal is warm as the sun shines through the open gate. “I wonder where the ring goes.”

Trigger laughs, then feigns offence. “Oi! This lass is already taken! And you don’t have what it takes to be with her, anyway.”

“Oh, and what is that? Lack of common sense and self-preservation?” Ghost mocks him lightheartedly.

“Exactly! Anyway, I still have some stuff to finish here, so how about you walk around, see our lovely home, and I’ll meet you here at…” he looks at the wristwatch, “five?”

Ghost agrees and goes on to explore the base as suggested. He truly hopes they will get to enjoy that drink this time—that, and maybe something more.

Some useless trivia for you:

Soap, or, rather, Trigger, in this case, is flying Northrop YF-23. Two prototypes were made in the late 80's/early 90's to go toe to toe with (Y)F-22, one of them was painted charcoal grey and named Gray Ghost. And yes, that is one (but not the sole) reason why I decided he will be flying this cool af, weird-ass thing.

[luna-rainbow]

(I apologize in advance for any grammatical errors; English is not my mother tongue.)

Hi!

I have a few questions for you and I'm fairly certain that you've probably been asked them before, so I apologize if this has been the case. I'm relatively new to fandom (only since 2020). But I keep wondering if there is some illness that Bucky could suffer from. I'm thinking of things like: E.g. stroke, aneurysm, heart attack, Alzheimer's disease or Parkinson's disease. Would there be any impact in the long term? Or does the serum prevent him from generally getting such “diseases of civilization”? Or, if he suffers from it, does the serum help him to recover where a "normal" human being wouldn't been able to? It's said in some places that Hydra didn't use the same serum that Steve got, so it might perhaps be within the realm of possibility (I mean, we're talking about non-existent things like super soldier serum) that such "side effects " may occur? I know you're not a medical professional, but I really value your opinion and in-depth knowledge of Bucky and have enjoyed reading many of your assessments of him.

Thanks for your time!

Oooh! Thanks for the fascinating question! You've actually been in the fandom longer than I have 😂 And your English is fantastic!

In TFATWS Isaiah spoke of his squad of men all dying from the effects of the serum. In the comics, Isaiah did have two major weaknesses as a side effect of the serum: he got early dementia and he was rendered infertile. This is not true of TFATWS!Isaiah though, because he looks like he’s well in control of his mental faculties.

I feel like the serum, if it was flawed, would kill rapidly because of how powerful its effects on cells are. It's supposed to increased strength, endurance, stamina, speed, healing and longevity; we also know that it increased metabolism of alcohol (and maybe other drugs too).

But what are the side effects on increasing strength, stamina and speed? Presumably they would need a much higher energy intake than the normal person to maintain the function of the muscles (and their level of activity). Presumably there would be cascading changes on insulin sensitivity and energy storage. What happens when they become sedentary? Do they store a lot of that excessive energy on their body like Alexei? Or do they get the zoomies because their body is forcing them to burn off the excess energy? What does it mean for sleep? Are they needing more sleep because of the energy expenditure, or less sleep because of the rapid rejuvenation? What does that change in sleep cycle mean when they have to live amongst normal humans? And how do they balance their meals against that?

The higher metabolism is interesting, because does that mean a higher rate of cell turnover? In most normal humans, we know that higher cell turnover rates mean bigger chances of mutations, hence things like chronic inflammation increases risks of cancer. Sure, healing speed might be fast, but sometimes it’s a matter of quality over speed, you know? Are they closing wounds or replacing lost blood but actually spawning cancerous cells? Sometimes I wonder if a lot of Isaiah’s squad may have died from cancer like these 🤔 There is an interesting bit of DNA on our chromosomes called the “telomere”, that seems to be somewhat of a genetic marker for “best before date”, if you will. When the telomere gets shorter, there are higher incidences of age-related diseases, but I’m not sure we’ve figured out which is the chicken or the egg 🤔 The reason I bring it up is we don’t know how the increased metabolism given by the serum will affect the mechanisms for cell repair. Do the cell repair happen faster too? Or do they — as you point out — hit a physiological roadblock and after that it’s all down hill?

And finally, what does the serum do to mental health specifically? Not just the improved memory or the heightened senses (leading to heightened anxiety), but physiological changes can definitely cause emotions, eg people with fast thyroid or fast heart rate feeling anxious and jittery all the time. If your energy is always elevated, how do you let your mind rest? If you’re not able to fall asleep, how does your brain repair itself and consolidate memories? And what is the psychological effect of always living on juice? Is that what drives comics!Isaiah to an early dementia?

Sorry, this raised far more questions than it answered! I think it is definitely possible that there are long term side effects of the serum that we don’t know about. Although I suspect a MCU was thinking is “magic mcgaffin juice, heals all illnesses” which I guess is all you need when the original point of the story is that the physique didn’t matter as much as the man inside, and what was most important was he was going to punch Nazis.

[diabolus1exmachina]

MGA Twin-Cam 

From the late 1940s until the MG factory at Abingdon closed in 1980, it was the huge American demand for British sports cars that brought sufficient orders to keep the production lines in business. While other countries around the world and the home market were important, none was as important as North America. The modern-looking, streamlined MGA was introduced in 1955 and this too proved to be a sales success in MG's most important market. Of a total production of 101,081 MGAs, 81,401 were exported to the USA, some eighty-one per cent of the total market. Owing to the importance of this market, it was not surprising that BMC was keen to support any efforts MG might make to promote their products in America. One route was through record breaking attempts such as the supercharged MG Twin Cam EX181 which Stirling Moss and Phil Hill drove in 1957/9, setting world class records. The other was through sports car racing. Perhaps the most important circuit for MG in the post-war period in the USA, and also a major fixture on the international racing calendar, were the races held on an airfield circuit near Sebring in Florida.

These were established in 1950 by former Briggs Cunningham team manager, Alec Ulmann, who decided to mimic the French 24 Hour Le Mans concept by running endurance races for production sports cars. From the first six hour race in 1950, MGs figured well in both overall and class results. From 1951 the race was lengthened to 12 hours and was particularly gruelling owing to the bumpy nature of the circuit. In that year an MG special placed fourth overall and TDs won the team prize. By 1956 the MGA had arrived and three north American MG importers entered standard cars with aero-screens and straight-through exhaust systems, finishing a credible fourth, fifth and sixth in class. The following year they were more successful, taking the team prize and gaining first and second in class.

In 1958 the higher performance Twin Cam had been announced, but there were no officially-supported MG entries that year. In 1959 the competition department at Abingdon became serious and prepared three Twin Cam coupes to race and shipped over a mass of spare parts and a fourth practice car. Entered through the MG concessionaires, The Hambro Corporation, all three cars finished in a very wet race including a second and third place result in the 1,300cc to 1,600cc class. A class win at Le Mans also added to the momentum so in 1960 Abingdon once again prepared the factory team, this year with many more modifications. For racing the three cars got bigger SU-carburetors, a close-ratio four-speed gearbox, locked differentials, bigger fuel-tanks, a modified cold-air inlet system and additional oil coolers. The bumpers were deleted, lightweight alloy-hardtops from Vanden Plas, and a special cockpit tonneau panel to accommodate a hypothetical traveling suitcase (a new FIA requirement for 1960). two additional spotlights, while the whole car got a typical painting in British Racing Green with different stripes per car to distinguish them on the track. The three race entries were registered UMO 96, 93 and 95.

[chaoshaven]

Chaotic Card 4- Blügon

Heading up north to Glacier Plains, we find today's card Blügon. A rare Creature but one of the few who has any information about a tribe called the Frozen. Art By: Khary Randolph, Etienne St.Laurent

Now, we've only gone over creatures from the Overworld tribe, as show by the blue border and the symbol in the top left corner. But there are five tribes total.

-Overworlders(in blue) live in grasslands, mountains, forest, castles, and design wise are either humanoid, a sentient creature, or an anthropomorphic animal, such as a bull, a cat, etc. Generally peaceful with other tribes, they have diplomatic embassies with Danians and Mipedians. One tribe they cannot seem to make peace with however is: -Underworlders (in red) living in caves, tunnels, all under ground. Aggressive and combat lovers, their designs are similar to Overworlders but more...evil looking? Both tribes have a minotaur creature but it really is down to a vibe check as to who goes where. -Mipedians (in yellow) are a reptilian tribe with a rigid social structure where the peasants listen to the ruling class. Which also means that there is a lot of political debates, and in fighting, which is not fun when you live in a desert. -Danians (in brown) are ant-like/insectoid creatures that live in a underground termite mound, called Mount Pillar. Also having a social structure, they all listen to the Queen. The typical hive mind trope that, isn't actually accurate to how real ant hills work! -M'arrillians (in black) are released in the 2nd big expansion, M'arrillian Invasion. Long story short which we will talk more about later, They want to enslave the world of Perim to do their bidding, like the British did. Aquatic/fish like character traits abound in this tribe.

None of these tribes are called Frozen though, so what gives?

The Frozen are a theoretical tribe believed to exist in Glacier Plains. Before this iteration of Chaotic, it was released only in Europe called Chaotic Now or Never! This was bought by Bryan Gannon who brought it to North America, then worldwide, but in the process reset the time back to the beginning of the story.

For Chaotic NoN! We were told of a mysterious tribe that existed called the Frozen.

The Frozen was teased about in the same release that M'arrillians first appeared for NoN and then in the first wave of Chaotic, they tease the Frozen. it's just one line, and no other flavour text mentions them, but it seems to be that either in the 3rd wave of cards, which was cut short by a lawsuit, or in the 4th wave, they were going to introduce the Frozen tribe. either by adding a new element, Ice, having them be a powerful Mugic casting tribe, or a whole new feature that would shake up the game.

Oh yea, the game. This is all theoretical, but there is an acutal game that exists. Onto Blügon!

Stat Spread:

Courage: 25-45

Power: 55-75

Wisdom: 60-80

Speed: 35-55

Energy: 35-45

Mugic Counters: 0

Elementals

Fire

Air

Earth

Water

Abilities:

Water 5, wherein every time you play an attack that would deal water damage, you deal an extra 5 damage.

Playstyle:

Blügon is outclassed, once again. He has a great ability! and in Dawn of Perim he would make a great front liner in a deck that focused on wisdom or water based damage. His Energy is middle of the road, so he's slowly been edged out as a front liner. While he could be used in a water based deck, there are other creatures out now that have his Water 5 ability, plus higher stats and a slightly bigger energy pool. There probably is a setup that would make him useful in competitive games nowadays, boosting his stats or his energy with Mugic or Battlegear, but like Attacat, there are other creatures whose natural, baseline stats and abilities make him obsolete.

Biography:

He lives in Glacier Plains and supposedly befriended a mysterious Frozen tribe, as well as a friend called Raimusa. I ship it. He is a simple Creature, with simple desires. He may not be used in tcg fights all that much nowadays but it just means that he can spend more time with his friend Raimusa.

[veymax]

Are Electric Skateboards More Dangerous Than Normal Skateboards?

It depends. Ordinary skateboards are not designed for high speed. It is used for many different park and street skills. Electric skateboards are made as a commuter vehicle, not a trick.

The venue makes the difference. If you want to do tricks with an electric skateboard, it is more dangerous than a traditional skateboard because it is heavier and not used for that. Likewise, it is more dangerous if you ride on a car road than on a sidewalk

On the other hand, electric skateboards have brakes so that they can stop faster and control the speed of the descent if necessary. Normal skateboards gain a lot of speed and are completely unable to handle the hills safely.

Skateboards are usually smaller than electric skateboards, making them safe in crowds. Compared to electric skateboards, which are heavier and cannot turn quickly, they can dodge more flexibly and respond to obstacles faster.

Finally, your safety equipment is also very important. If you don't wear a helmet and protective pad, it doesn't matter which option you choose. If you lose control and fall, neither option is as safe as walking.

This is especially true with electric skateboards because the higher kinetic energy gives you a bigger impact in the event of a crash. Therefore, it is recommended to wear appropriate safety equipment when driving.

[jgvfhl]

I will try my best!! Tried to steer away from "sounds like" descriptions, but I am not D/deaf or HoH so take it all with a grain of salt.

Tone examples: do the words flow into each other, like a song? That is more a melodic or lyrical tone. Do the words have crisp diction and more separation between them? That's a sharper tone, meant for clarity of meaning.

Pitch and Range examples: the hardest one here is probably "Raspy". Think of what it feels like trying to speak with a sore throat. It feel like the vibrations of your voice are gritty and rough, like it's being snagged on your vocal chords on the way out of your mouth. All that roughness translates to a raspy or gravelly voice.

Accent and diction: these are incredibly detailed to describe. It sometimes helps to read how other authors write characters with certain accents. Or the Internet memes. The jokes about "no" sounding just like "naur" in an Australian accent isn't.... entirely wrong?

Volume is kind of how well the voice fills the space it's in, to put it visually. Big personalities can sometimes translate to big voices! Whispering voices don't fill as much space.

Quality: This kind of goes back to Pitch and Range. The weirder examples her would probably be "honeyed", "velvet", or "crisp"? Honeyed usually implies the speaker wants to sound sweeter then they truly are, like drawing in flies with a honey trap? Velvet implies a lower pitch or volume, often a very smooth cadence. The best example I know is Marilyn Monroe's singing? Not the most accessible i know 😔 And crisp quality is a bright sound, like the chime of those bells on store counters. It's sharp and clear, but not necessarily harsh.

Skipping to Mood, since speed is self explanatory: The best example I have if this is some people sound really different when they smile! Hearing people can usually tell when someone is smiling over the phone for example. Think about how your mouth changes shape with strong emotions: sadness can pull it down and create heavier, more open sounds. Anger is usually tighter and sharper.

Resonance: the resonant location someone uses changes the shape of the sound waves produced. Nasal resonance makes the voice sound "narrower" and often slightly higher pitched. Lower voices can have nasal resonance too tho. A voice with a chest resonance will sound rounder and "fuller" since the sound waves are bigger and have more room to bounce around.

Timbre: It's basically what our ears detect when voices have different sources of resonance and breath support. You can usually apply these descriptors the same as for resonance.

Cadence: Lilting cadence: rising and falling, like walking up and down gentle hills. Halting: numerous pauses or interruptions or hesitations-- often implies nervousness or uncertainty, or an issue with mental faculties? Staccato: think of a snare drum, or what the rhythm of a marching band looks like--regular, sharp.

Intonation: this is how our emotions are expressed in voice! Questions end in a raised pitch. Confident speakers usually have a descending or flatter intonation.

Qualities: related to accents too. Some have round vowels, some have aspirated Hs or CHs (like French Rs? It feels like you're clearing phlegm from your throat) some roll the Rs like Italian or Spanish, some don't pronounce THs, like many South Asian languages. All kinds of things to play with!

Some tips for using a few words to describe voices:

1. Tone Words: Use tone words to convey the emotional quality of a voice. For example, you can describe a voice as "melodic," "soothing," "sharp," "gentle," or "commanding" to give readers a sense of the tone.

2. Pitch and Range: Mention the pitch and range of the voice. Is it "deep," "high-pitched," "raspy," or "full-bodied"? This can provide insight into the character's age, gender, or emotional state.

3. Accent and Diction: Describe the character's accent or diction briefly to give a sense of their background or cultural influences. For instance, "British-accented," "Southern drawl," or "formal."

4. Volume: Mention the volume of the voice, whether it's "whispering," "booming," "murmuring," or "hushed."

5. Quality: Use terms like "velvet," "silken," "gravelly," "honeyed," or "crisp" to convey the texture or quality of the voice.

6. Rate of Speech: Describe how fast or slow the character speaks, using words like "rapid," "slurred," "measured," or "rambling."

7. Mood or Emotion: Indicate the mood or emotion carried by the voice. For example, a "quivering" voice may convey fear or anxiety, while a "warm" voice may express comfort and reassurance.

8. Resonance: Describe the resonance of the voice, such as "echoing," "nasal," "booming," or "tinny."

9. Timbre: Mention the timbre of the voice, using words like "rich," "thin," "clear," or "smoky."

10. Cadence: Highlight the rhythm or cadence of speech with descriptors like "staccato," "lilting," "rhythmic," or "halting."

11. Intonation: Convey the character's intonation by saying their voice is "sarcastic," "apologetic," "confident," or "questioning."

12. Vocal Characteristics: If applicable, mention unique vocal characteristics, like a "lisp," "stutter," "drawl," or "accented 'r'."

[starseedfxofficial]

Why Did the USD Cross the Road? To Meet Bessent, Apparently The Forex market’s been more entertaining than a soap opera lately—and just as unpredictable. The latest twist? The U.S. Dollar (USD) took a bit of a hit after the nomination of Bessent to the Treasury. The USD Index dropped below 107.00, briefly staging a comeback from a 106.79 overnight base, only to stay down. Like buying those too-small shoes on sale, the bounce just didn’t quite fit. EUR and JPY: Making Moves While USD Takes a Breather Thanks to the USD's stumble, the euro (EUR) is making a bit of a comeback. It even flirted with a 1.05 handle, peaking at 1.0501. Picture it like that one friend at the bar who’s got just enough courage to ask someone out—but isn’t quite sure they’ll say yes. If EUR/USD can hold above this level, it’s heading toward the 21st November peak at 1.0555, which would be an interesting dance to watch. Meanwhile, the Japanese yen (JPY) got a boost too, dipping down to 153.56 overnight. It's like an underdog sports team that got a surprise win after the Japanese Cabinet's stimulus package was approved and U.S. Treasury yields took a step back. The 19th November low is sitting at 153.28, waiting to be tested, and we all know how markets love to poke at old lows to see if they hold. GBP's Little Shimmy and Barclays’ Model’s Latest Scoop Over in the UK, the British pound (GBP) has been flexing a bit too. The reason? Bank of England (BoE) talk. Lombardelli reaffirmed the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) consensus, while Dhingra kept her dovish stance intact. Think of it like that couple in a rom-com—one's trying to keep the family budget, and the other's insisting "just a little splurge won’t hurt." Cable briefly surpassed 1.26 but is now holding about 30 pips below the mark. And, for all you Barclays fans out there—their month-end rebalancing model is hinting at strong USD selling against all major currencies. Time to keep an eye out for those opportunities. PBoC Shakes Things Up, But Will It Matter? The People’s Bank of China (PBoC) set the USD/CNY mid-point at 7.1918 against an expected 7.2257 (previous was 7.1942). In trading terms, it’s kind of like when your friend decides to drive below the speed limit when everyone else is speeding—a surprising, but deliberate, choice. The question is whether it’ll do enough to move the needle in the bigger scheme of things. The Bigger Picture: What’s a Trader to Do? Now, if you’re wondering what all this means for your trading strategy, it’s all about recognizing the underlying shifts. The USD’s recent moves hint at volatility. Remember, month-end flows are just around the corner, and with Barclays’ model pointing towards significant USD selling, it could mean a lot of traders scrambling for positions—so be ready. Hidden Insights You Can Bank On (Literally) - EUR/USD Breakout Potential: Keep an eye on EUR/USD if it closes above 1.0500. The path to the 1.0555 level could be more like a super slide rather than a hill climb, with market flows pushing momentum. - JPY and Yield Dynamics: JPY’s got some backup from yield retreats and stimulus. With yields pulling back, we could see further moves lower in USD/JPY, especially if it makes another jab at that 153.28 level. - GBP Drama: Don’t underestimate the BoE chatter. The divergence between hawkish and dovish voices could lead to volatility—and opportunity. Watch for GBP/USD moves past 1.26, which could open a pathway toward higher levels. - China’s Calculated Moves: The PBoC mid-point might seem minor, but it's a reminder that China's controlling narrative is still in play. Watch how this affects emerging market sentiment. Parting Wisdom Remember, trading isn’t about chasing every shiny new price level—it’s about identifying the underlying currents and riding those with strategic insight. Like a surfer who knows when to catch a wave and when to let it pass, your edge lies in patience and precision. Let the other guys buy the wrong-sized shoes. You’re here to glide, not trip. And hey, if you’re serious about mastering this game, check out StarseedFX’s free trading tools, educational courses, and real-time community insights—because sometimes, you just need a little nudge from the experts to catch that perfect wave. —————– Image Credits: Cover image at the top is AI-generated   Read the full article

[scanandeggs]

From Sea Views to Strong Wi-Fi: Tips for a Successful Remote Work Experience in Ko Samui

The first and most important thing to arrange when working from a subtropical country is to build an efficient work environment. Since the weather is very unpredictable here, with super hot temperatures interrupted by shorter or longer monsoons, I strongly suggest renting a place where you can also work from the comfort of your home. Compared to smaller islands like Koh Phangan or Koh Tao, Koh Samui is much bigger, making it easier to find cheap and beautiful hotels even at the last minute. However, it's not easy to find affordable apartments or villas. Fortunately, we were able to book a 2-bedroom apartment with a kitchen, living room, and a shared pool a couple of days before. It cost 3100 THB/night, which is roughly $80-90, for two people. But if we plan in advance, we could probably arrange a sea-view villa with a private pool. Regardless, we have a comfortable place with high-speed internet, so it's time to be efficient.

Internet

Although our work often requires super high-speed internet, most of the time, our pre-paid local sim card is enough for everything. The network coverage in Koh Samui is excellent. Apart from the jungle and the highest hills, you can access the internet from anywhere. You can choose from hundreds of quiet places with beautiful panoramic views to work from. We found that working from such a place is perfect for enhancing creativity and brainstorming new ideas, but it's not efficient for getting work done. For that, you need a place with absolutely no disruptions.

Co-working

We wanted to find a co-working space so we could move out, change environments, and enhance our creativity. Since it's a paradise for digital nomads, that shouldn't be a problem. Or so we thought. Although there are many co-working spaces here, most of them are open-air, which is not something we even want to try with this climate. We found a couple of places in Chaweng, which is the more crowded area of the island, and only one place in Lamai Beach, where we are staying. Unfortunately, the one here is closed for the week, so we couldn't try it out. Another option is to find a chill coffee place with a strong internet connection. That's the plan for today, and I'll let you know how it goes!

Costs

In the post-pandemic world, Koh Samui, and Thailand overall, are no exception. For a country that relies on tourism, COVID-19 was a real disaster. We can still see many places closed, with no sign that they will reopen anytime soon. Similarly to other places around the world, post-pandemic inflation has hit the country hard. Popular tourist places have higher inflation, and we even heard locals mention Samui inflation as a real thing. However, it's still a very affordable place to work from. Food and drinks are super cheap, and a daily budget of $15-20 is more than enough for a meal and a couple of cold local Singha beers after dinner. Co-working spaces are a bit pricier, and you need the same budget for just a daily ticket.

Summary

Overall, everything is in place to bring out the best in ourselves here. We have cheap and healthy food, a beautiful and inspiring environment, and a comfortable 6-hour time difference from home to ensure none of our clients can disrupt us while focusing on our plans.

[honeysharma25a]

Top Pros & Cons of BIM Technology: Is it Worth Implementing?

Revit architecture modelling is popping up in many portfolios today. Numerous countries have started BIM implementation at a national level and are making it a mandate even (The UK being the first to mandate BIM for all public projects). Moreover, developing nations are still catching up at an aligned speed.

A study by McGraw Hill Construction shows that about 50% of the AEC industry is reliant on architectural, structural, and MEP BIM modelling. Even so, the power of BIM technology for industrial transformation is yet to be unlocked as the other half is yet to adopt BIM, some of the hurdles being resistance to change, low budget, and interoperability issues (Geospatial World). A comprehensive understanding of its benefits and shortcomings can let firm owners and professionals decide if it is wise to shift to BIM and if it is — when is the right time.

7 Benefits of BIM Technology and Why it’s Worth the Investment

1.  Clear and Crisp Communication

BIM technology brings all stakeholders on the same page. It offers an integrated approach to project planning and execution. Consequently, communication within interdisciplinary teams and between multidisciplinary teams improves to a greater extent building trust and transparency.

2. ‘What-if’ Design Analysis

Quick project conceptualization (and visualization) is possible in the initial stages of the BIM process. This allows architects and engineers to explore various forms and spatial configurations to analyze the outcomes of each. A major chunk of design decisions can be made to solve bigger problems prior to project initiation at site.

3. Quicker Clash Detection and Revisions

BIM being an information-dependant process is privy to changes. This translates into its ability to detect clashes or contradictions almost instantly. The process is quicker as the web of mail threads reduces.

4.  Improved Planning, Monitoring, and Operating

The BIM process gives you a bird’s eye view. With all stakeholders in consonance, the project planning is streamlined. The transparency of the process lets you assess the impact of a single decision over the entire project. On-site execution, monitoring, and operational processes are seamless.

5. Better Control of Project Costs

In the data-driven BIM process, every single inch of material is accounted for when cost estimation goes through Revit modelling. Cost overruns can be adjusted in the BIM modelling stage itself, eliminating any surprises that may come in the way of firms involved in the project.

6. Soaring Productivity

Productivity increases at an individual as well as at an organizational level. This is a product of improved communication, quicker clash detection, and faster revisions. A comprehensive understanding of planning and execution implies quicker project turnover.

7. Sustainable Building Design and Construction

Sustainable design is the future and BIM provides a strong base for it. Sustainability analyses, and climate and environmental impact studies, can occur during project planning. In addition, material optimization and sensitive planning of construction phases can ensure a low-impact execution. BIM software programs like Green Building Studio help facilitate this.

5 Shortcomings of BIM Technology

1. High Initial Investment in Modelling Software

The most used BIM software programs like Revit or Navisworks cost higher than the prevalent design and drafting software programs. To ensure smooth BIM workflows, each team member needs to be equipped with the BIM software related to their area of work. This further increases the cost.

2. Different/Too Many BIMS Software

The BIM process is a working system that runs on multiple BIM software applications, each performing a specific function. For example, Revit architecture modelling is instrumental during the design stage. Navisworks helps in clash detection and BIM Collab allows multidisciplinary collaboration. It could get difficult to keep track until you tune into the BIM process.

3. Training Required on All Levels

BIM is a process that requires efforts from all directions to flow toward a common goal. Hence, every person involved in a project, from a manager to a site worker, needs to undergo training to deliver their part.

4. Lack of BIM Experts to Lead the Change

There is a wide gap between the demand and availability of BIM experts in the AEC industry. There is a shortage, as well as a concentration of that shortage prevailing in the industry. Most BIM experts tend to join established firms for better financial compensation. The scout for BIM leadership is intense.

5. Disconnect with End-user

A facility manager or even a site worker may feel a disconnect from BIM technology if they haven’t trained. BIM benefits maintenance and operations greatly. All efforts would go in vain if the link is weak near the end of the chain.

Shifting to BIM: How to know for sure if you should shift to BIM Technology?

The study by McGraw hill Construction reveals that 93% of BIM users expect to gain higher value in the longer run. For individual AEC professionals, BIM can ensure better career trajectories. Building BIM fundamentals and learning Revit architecture modelling can be the first step in that direction. As a firm owner, the decision of shifting to BIM depends on your resources. If you can afford to move past the shortcomings, then a prompt switch to BIM workflows can amplify your growth.

But if the shortcomings seem weighty at the moment, then it is wise to wait and switch when the odds are in your favour. Either way, shifting to BIM was never an ‘if’ question but a ‘when’ question.

FAQs: Pros & Cons of BIM Technology

1. Is Revit hard to learn?

The multi-feature Revit architecture modelling has a steep learning curve but can be easy if you are willing to invest the time.

2. What are the advantages of using BIM to prepare cost estimates?

Revit architecture modelling produces detailed cost estimates based on the inputs in the BIM model.

3. What benefits can BIM give to construction projects?

BIM technology helps optimize the resources, time, and cost of a construction project, ultimately increasing productivity and managing construction costs.

4. How does BIM increase value?

Productivity rise through BIM increases the value of AEC firms using BIM as well as BIM professionals worldwide.

5. How does BIM help reduce construction costs?

Accurate cost estimates can be derived from a BIM model and can be monitored throughout the project stages to avoid overruns. A cost-efficient planning of construction can further reduce overall costs.

[etoilebleu]

kylo-wrecked​:

📝 ➤ @etoilebleu :// { cont’d from here }

She couldn’t miss Ben’s face anywhere. Nobody could. It was becoming a problem. Canto Bight was the last place in the galaxy his face ought to be. There was a price for that face, even bigger digits for the head. But the bounty for bringing the head, shoulders, knees, and toes in that order to the First Order, all together and unharmed, was even higher. 

“Eris,” he says with a hitch. “Wow. Yeah. I—" 

He doesn’t have time for Eris. Eris should be on Inuja, rolling around in that gown, becoming one with a field of flowers. But she keeps going.  

”You’re not supposed—"

He looks at his hand folded in her double grip. It’s a desperate move, and she knows it is. Ben opens his mouth and closes it. 

“Take you to my ship if I came on one,” he reiterates. “No, I used the Force to get here. Cruised right through the atmosphere. All me, angel." 

Ben’s smile is nice and easy, even if his eyes have creds in them. Which they don’t. Not entirely.  

"Listen, Eris,”—he can tell she doesn’t want to. She only clasps harder. Ben looks over his shoulder. “I’m not the best company these days, so if—”

Above the festooned cache of moguls and no-gooders, a marketing transport makes its rounds, holo-casting through its thorax, shining images over the beach. Luxury hotels, fine cuisine, cheap women, sex bots, wanted men. 

“Oh no,” he says, looking up. Eris looks too. 

Weird seeing his face projected out of the sky like that; it was sometime before the beard. Not a flattering portrait, scowling with a black eye—probably captured by the New Republic Defense Force when he ‘kidnapped’ an old boyfriend. When there was a New Republic and a boyfriend. The big Ben in the sky glares through the sunset, and flash, he’s gone. Flash, Blue Milk. Another flash, the Races. And the transport crawls away. 

He gets the itch to run. Suddenly it doesn’t matter that Eris has somehow fused herself to him, a fugitive.

“Anything? Get my face off HoloNet.”

And they’re off. Flash, the marble stairs. Their fleeting footsteps, their hands entwined, or at least Eris’s hands entwined with that one of Ben’s, miraculously unbroken by their momentum. Flash, the outdoor hangar, and the grassy cliffside beyond that. Once they make it to Grimtaash, Ben takes back his hand and rubs the center of his palm. 

Her interior is blue with evening’s half-light and strings of coolant cubes, the clearest evidence of Ben’s smuggling. Bolt-down tables in the main hold tower with rolled parchment, yellowed calligraphy tools, and flimsi. It’s hills of flimsi from here on out, except in the cockpit. There’s no market for flimsi, though, illicit or authorized, and if he keeps any contraband besides coolant on the ship, Grimtaash is mum about it. 

Only other thing in view is the droid, D-O, who comes rolling up around his ankles when Ben sinks his full breadth into the booth. 

“Kriff,” he mutters, looking at Eris without looking at Eris. “You know some people are dying to get home?”

       Facial  expression  quickly  turns  sour,  brows  creased  and  cheek  being  chewed  on  the  inside  of  her  frown,  ready  to  scold  him  for  patronizing  her,  even  with  that  smile  of  his. Oh--this  is  who  he  was  now,  huh?  a  total  fiend. 

       attention  follows  his  up  to  the  sky,  lips  parting  to  gasp  and  a  spark  of  amusement  settling  at  the  sight  of  his  big  battered  face  up  there. Their  eyes  meet  and  she  attempts  to  hold  in  her  laughter,  letting  out  a  yelp  when  he  starts  running,  practically  being  dragged  behind  the  much  taller  man,  trying  her  best  to  keep  up  in  fear  her  arm  would  be  torn  from  her  body  at  the  speed  he  could  go. “  i  can  manage  that!  “  the  princess  breathed,  having  not  run  like  this  in  a  long  time. But  oh  was  it  surprisingly  fun,  the  world  a  blur�� behind  them.

      his  ship  was  soon  in  view  on  the  beautiful  cliffside,  eris  slowing  down  to  catch  her  breath  before  following  in,  shoulders  dropped  and  hand  on  her  chest. 

       a  smile  soon  returned  on  her  face,  curiously  scanning  the  ship’s  interior  with  a  childlike  wonder  in  her  gaze. careful  where  she  stepped  amongst  the  piles  of  flimsi. what  ever  could  they  be  for?  so  many  questions  she  had..but  perhaps  they  could  wait. 

        small  tablet  is  pulled  from  a  hidden  pocket  in  her  gown,  the  princess  purposefully  ignoring  ben’s  annoyance  for  the  moment  while  she  typed  away. Back  was  turned  to  him,  leaning  just  behind  the  edge  of  the  cockpit’s  view  to  keep  an  eye  out  on  the  sky.

 “  hmm--yeah?  where’s  home  now?  “  a  bit  of  sarcasm. Knowing  damn  well  from  this  lifestyle  he  lived  he  was  probably  avoiding  his  family. But  that  was  his  business  and  what  he  wanted  to  do  with  his  life. And  she  respected  that. 

    multiple  messages  were  being  sent  out  to  that  tablet,  perfectly  fabricated  thanks  to  the  company  she  was  in.  And  another  about  his  poor  mugshot. Something  about  him  being  under  inuja’s  law,  dealt  with  there  accordingly,  cleared,  debt’s  paid,  so  forth. Should  be  good  enough  for  now. 

   the  familiar  guard’s  ship  soon  flashes  by  in  the  sky  and  away  from  the  atmosphere,  eris  exhaling  with  relief  and  putting  the  tablet  back  in  her  pocket  to  join  ben. 

 “  well  hello  there. “  she  greeted  gently  to  the  small  droid,  crouching  down  in  her  light  blue  gown  made  with  silk  and  chiffon  (that  was  surprisingly  still  in  one  piece.)    arms  folding  over  her  knees. Unable  to  resist  the  urge  to  ask  now  that  her  mission  was  no  longer  in  jeopardy, she looked up.

 “ ....are  you  a  smuggler  now?  “ surprisingly  grinning  ear  to  ear. / @kylo-wrecked​

[rphelperblog]

Nick Fury Quote Rp Meme

inspired by @widowings​ - feel free to change pronouns or edit for rp purposes

"Last tiime I trusted someone, I lost an eye."

"The idea was to bring together a group of remarkable people."

"You have nade me very desperate."

"War is a universal language. I know a renegade soldier when I see one. Never occurred to me that one might come from above."

"You never know. You hope for the best and make do with what you get."

"Get me off the grid!"

I still believe in heroes." "Bitch please, you've been to space."

"If you want to stay ahead of me, you need to keep both eyes open."

"Until such time as the world ends, we will act as though It intends to spin on."

"Aren't you the cutest little thing? Aren't you cute? What's your name, huh?"

No matter who wins or loses, trouble still comes around."

"Excuse me, did we come to your planet and blow stuff ip?"

"Sir, i’m gonna have to Ask You To Exit The Donut."

"He took it? You’re Iron Man and he just took it?"

"Let me know if real power wants a magazine or something."

"I recognize the ccouncil has made a decision. But given that It's a stupid-ass decision, I've elected to ignore it."

Here we all are back on earth, with nothing but our wit and our will to save the world."

'You kiss your mother with that mouth?'

He said peace wasn't an achievement, it was a responsibility. See, it's stuff like this that gives me trust issues."

"What do we want from you? Uh-uh. What do you want from me? You have become a problem, a problem I have to deal with. Contrary to your belief, you are not the center of my universe. I have bigger problems in the southwest region to deal with."

"Well...looks like you're giving the orders now, Captain."

How desperate am I? You threaten my world with war, you steal a force you can't hope to control, you talk about peace, and you kill 'cause it's fun. You have made me very desperate. You might not be glad that you did."

"We're going to neutralize a lot of threats before they even happen."

"He'd show them. Bunch of crumpled ones, and a loaded .22 Magnum. Yeah, Granddad loved people. But he didn't trust them very much."

"We can't afford to wait that long."

And it's getting damn near past time for you to get with that program, Cap."

"Hill? Oh, no. Motherf—"

"There was a time when I would take a bullet for you."

"Back in the day, I had eyes everywhere, ears everywhere else. But now, here we all are, back on Earth, with nothing but our wit, and our will to save the world. So stand. Outwit the platinum bastard."

"Show them what we got!"

"Same energy signatures as New York?"

'You never know. You hope for the best and make do with what you get'

"Do you know how to fly this thing?"

"And the new girl, she is a risk."

"Says the Space Soldier who was wearing a rubber suit.""

Is the sun coming up?'

“I’ve got my eye on you.”

I’ve been hearing about the New Mexico situation. Your work has impressed a lot of people who are much smarter than I am.

“Legend tells us one thing; History, another. But, every now and then, we find something that belongs to both.”

At ease, soldier! Look, I’m sorry about that little show back there, but we thought it best to break it to you slowly. 

“We’ve made some mistakes along the way. Some, very recently.”

There’s a lot we’ll have to bring you up to speed on if you’re in. The world has gotten even stranger than you already know.” 

Ten bucks says you’re wrong.

“Yeah, you say “peace,” I kind of think you mean the other thing.” 

Higher form? You forced our hand! We had to come up with some way that we could…

Wanna see my lease?”

“Guy’s multiplying faster than a Catholic rabbit!”

“Here we all are, with nothing but our wit and our will to save the world! So stand and fight!” 

They needed a push in the right direction. They got it.” 

It’s not like they put the floor numbers on the outside of the building.

It’s called compartmentalization. Nobody spills the secrets, because nobody knows them all. 

[usermischief]

♞Pairing: Steo ♞Characters: Stiles Stilinski, Theo Raeken, Kira Yukimura, Marin Morell, Jordan Parrish, The Chimera Pack, Sheriff Stilinski ♞Warnings: - ♞Words: 4864 ♞Prompt: “Kissing your angsty rival who ´s about to do something self-destructive in order to calm him down, only for you to suddenly realize you have feelings for him?” (x) (for @theoraeken) ♞ ao3

---

everything all at once

---

Tracy’s whole demeanor changes all of the sudden. Her defensive posture turns into one of mocking. She steps forward again, smirking slightly. “Oh, Stilinski,” she drawls, eyes glinting with mischief, “did you snatch these for you and your girlfriend?” Clearly delighted, she holds the box of chocolate in the air, shaking it slightly. “Or boyfriend?” 

“What’s going on here?” Theo appears out of nowhere, startling Stiles more than he’d like to admit. “Tracy, what are you doing?” 

---

“Stiles.” Josh’s voice jumps an octave higher. His knuckles are white around the steering wheel, eyes going bigger and bigger the closer they’re getting to the black SUV driving right at them. “Stiles!” His voice is painful to the ears, a shrill sound. His muscles tense as if he's trying everything in his power to make the steering wheel move. 

But Stiles doesn’t let him. He keeps the steering wheel under his control without even looking at it. All he focuses on is the car about to smash into them at full speed. His sight narrows to a pinprick until everything he can see is the woman behind the wheel and the man holding the rifle. When he finally picks up on the quiet whispers, Stiles’ gaze snaps to the woman. Well, hello, there. She’s not yet close enough for her face to be perfectly visible, but her shoulders slump. However, Stiles knows exactly how empty her eyes are. His head is pounding, pain washing over him in waves. He grinds his teeth, reaching out a hand as if to grab a steering wheel, and tries to do his best to ignore everything around him. 

From Theo’s pained grunts to Corey’s yelling, and Josh’s shrieks. 

Stiles moves his hand to the left. The car swerves. Rifle Man startles and whips around. Stiles moves his hand to the right. The car swerves again. The guy drops his rifle, reaching for his partner. That’s when Stiles yanks the steering wheel to the left. Hard. The SUV flies to the left and past their truck. It’s missing them by inches. Stiles hears screaming then the sound of a car slamming into a tree, metal crunching. Silence follows. 

Deadly silence. 

Stiles presses a hand to his head. He feels like throwing up. “Josh.” 

Seconds tick by, painfully long and unforgiving. “Yes?” Josh breathes after what feels like forever. 

“I—” Stiles swallows, grinding his teeth together, and breathes in through his nose, out through his mouth. He’s not going to throw up in this truck. He is not. “I give you control over the truck back.” 

“Okay.” Josh’s voice is hardly a whisper, but the truck doesn’t swerve when Stiles relinquishes control. “Where to?” 

“Back home.” 

Home. Stiles grimaces a little. The ruins of Beacon Hills are about the last thing he wanted to call home, but ever since the hunters learned about the existence of chimeras, Stiles has been hiding out with the rest of Theo’s pack in a district close to the preserve. Beacon Hills was, just like the rest of the USA, destroyed — has been for the last ten years. Stiles still remembers the tests, how he fell through the raster like so many other chimeras. He was sixteen when the world figured out they existed. Things got so much worse after that, but they could reclaim a part of Beacon Hill, and after they managed to destroy Eichen House, it became some sort of a safe haven for a lot of supernatural creatures and humans alike. It’s the only place they can secure enough to make something resembling a home — even if the hunters somehow managed to breach the defenses Stiles and Morrell set up with the nemeton’s help, they are close enough to the woods and tunnels to scatter and regroup at a second location and wait until the coast is clear. 

The supernatural population of the world is dwindling. Today, they almost lost Theo. If he had stood a little differently, if the gun had been angled just a little bit more up, if, if, if. Theo could’ve been dead just because he was a reckless idiot. Stiles’ heart aches at the thought of that, and now, he really has the urge to throw up. This is the worst. If they’d lost— if he had lost Theo… Stiles swallows.  

Fingers curl into his shirt, and he is tugged back. “Breathe,” Kira whispers, shifting her grip to squeeze his shoulder. “You did it. We’re going back home with a truck full of resources.” There’s a smile in her voice, easing the tension inside the car. 

Corey lets out a long sigh. “This almost went terribly.” 

“If someone hadn’t decided to hang back for snacks, we could’ve avoided all of this,” Theo mutters, clearly wanting everyone in the truck to pick up on his snide remark. 

Stiles spins around on his seat, regretting it almost instantly when the world around him becomes fuzzy for a few seconds. Grinding his teeth, he locks his eyes on Theo. “If you hadn’t run in before checking for an alarm, we wouldn’t have had this problem.” They probably could've gotten a lot more resources if Theo hadn't triggered the security system. That's the reason he's shot, and that's the reason Stiles almost didn't get the snacks he promised the little ones — and they wouldn't have come crying to Theo, no. They would've kept complaining to Stiles. “Next time,” Stiles snaps, pointing aggressively, “you can stay at the base. I don’t need your reckless ass on missions like this.” 

Theo scoffs. “Your missions? Who made you boss, Sparky?” 

“Your incompetence, asshole,” Stiles shoots back without any hesitation. “You can strut around with your red eyes—“ and those ridiculously tight clothes “— as much as you want, it doesn’t mean shit as long as you can’t keep us alive, alright?” If Theo hadn’t already been shot, Stiles wouldn’t pass up the opportunity to punch him. Then again, he’s already mostly healed, punching him probably wouldn’t do much damage.

“I’m not strutting,” Theo hisses. 

Corey tries not to laugh. His cough, however, isn’t particularly convincing. “You kind of are.” 

“I’m not.” 

“Let’s just get home, okay?” Kira says, leaning back into her seat with a sigh. 

Theo narrows his eyes and for a few moments, Stiles holds his gaze. It’s a dangerous game because his blue eyes are easy to drown in. He needs to keep it under control. Stiles needs to make sure he has all his withs about him. A slip-up could be devastating because Theo could figure out that Stiles has been crushing for almost as long as they’ve been living at the zoo. They could probably get along a lot better, but Stiles likes to hide his true feelings with passive-aggressive remarks. But Theo responds in kind, so it’s not like this is completely one-sided. 

Well, his crush is. The rest? Not so much. 

Huffing out a breath, Stiles turns around in the passenger seat and glares out the window. Fuck Theo Raeken. 

—

“Drop it.” 

Tracy spins around, hugging a box of some sort of candy to her chest. “Don’t sneak up on  me.” 

Crossing his arms, Stiles leans against the open cage door. “You’re not supposed to be in here, Steward.” And she has absolutely no business stealing chocolate pralines. This girl really decided to waltz in hear without permission and take something that doesn’t belong to her. The worst part about this? Stiles knows exactly why she went for something like this. After being shot today, Theo has been taken off watch for the night. Tracy probably hopes she could spend some quality time with him. Stiles isn’t sure about the nature of their relationship — and honestly, he doesn’t want an answer to that — but her intentions are more than clear. 

“I’m not taking anything important.” Tracy’s posture shifts and her expression settles onto her usual mask of disdain. It wouldn’t be surprising if she’s still pissed about not being Theo’s first choice. She’ll always be number two. The one who was there when Theo didn’t have anyone better to choose from. 

Stiles scoffs. “And yet you have your grubby hands on something that’s not yours.” 

“It’s not like the kids eat it.” Tracy narrows her eyes and takes a step back, turning her upper body away a little as if that somehow changed the fact she was still holding the box of pralines. 

“That doesn’t mean it’s for you.” 

Tracy’s whole demeanor changes all of the sudden. Her defensive posture turns into one of mocking. She steps forward again, smirking slightly. “Oh, Stilinski,” she drawls, eyes glinting with mischief, “did you snatch these for you and your girlfriend?” Clearly delighted, she holds the box of chocolate in the air, shaking it slightly. “Or boyfriend?” 

“What’s going on here?” Theo appears out of nowhere, startling Stiles more than he’d like to admit. “Tracy, what are you doing?” 

Stiles hates that Theo is the one who is allowed to decide the punishments for his pack members. If it were up to Stiles, he would let Tracy scrub the restrooms day in and day out. He hates her with a burning passion. Not just because of the nature of her and Theo’s relationship. Her entire existence drives him up the wall. “Stealing.” 

“I’m not stealing,” Tracy snaps, raising her chin, and crosses her arms. “I just think it’s unfair that he— “ she points at Stiles for emphasis “— can have nice things for him and his lover.” There’s a condescending tone to her voice like she doubts Stiles even has the chance to get a partner, even adding air quotes around ‘lover’. Yeah, the next chance he gets, he’s going to make her regret being such a bitch. “We all deserve a treat every once in a while.” 

Theo stiffens, at least Stiles thinks he does. His posture relaxes so quickly, that he might have just imagined it. After a moment, Theo lets out a long breath. “We’ve been handing out a list two days before every supply run for almost two years now. Add your wishes to it like everyone else.” 

“Those are for Ken and Noshiko,” Stiles says. They’re having their anniversary next week. That’s the reason he hung back to clear the chocolate aisle. It wasn’t just for the little ones. 

Tracy grimaces. “Just tell them you didn’t find it.” 

Despite Theo being more of a loner, he’s not one to disrespect the people in charge. “Drop it.” 

“But—“ 

“I said,” Theo says in a low voice, straightening his posture, “drop it.” 

She bares her teeth and then tosses the pralines back onto a shelf. Looks like anger in paradise. Usually, Tracy wouldn’t dare to defy Theo. What he says is her law. So this is a first.

Stiles hates how thrilled he is because of it. This fucking crush has haunted him for almost two years now, and he’s tired of it. All he wants is to get over it by whatever means necessary. Other than erasing his own memory there’s probably nothing he could do but ignore it and keep walking. As long as nobody knows — as long as Theo doesn’t know — it’s gonna be fine. “If I find her in here one more time,” Stiles warns, pointing at Tracy as he turns to Theo, “she’s going to regret it, understood?” Is he biased? Hell yeah. Still, she has no business picking and choosing whatever she wants to eat. 

A smile tugs on Theo’s lips, but his expression turns serious again. “You won’t have to worry about that.” 

“Excuse me?” Tracy looks furious as she steps forward. “Since when is he ordering you around?” 

Theo’s features harden. “He’s the sheriff’s son,” his voice is cold. Nothing in the way he holds himself seems to suggest that he has any feelings toward him. “He’s also the reason we can live here without having to watch our backs every two seconds. Besides,” Theo is smirking again, “he’s not ordering me around, is he?” He briefly glances at Stiles, eyebrow raised in what could be considered a challenge before he leaves the supply room. Theo is more than aware that his words are all he needs to make Tracy listen. 

They are also more than enough to make Stiles’ head spin. Those are the nicest words Theo has said to and about him since they’ve been living here together. 

Tracy scoffs, glancing at Stiles one last time, before following Theo. 

Swallowing around the lump in his throat, Stiles leans against one of the shelves. He presses a hand to his chest, hating how his heart is lapping up every single fucking word Theo has said when only a couple of hours ago, he was challenging Stiles at every turn. Being the sheriff’s kid doesn’t exactly put him in a position of power. His dad is one of the five leading their little town, but that doesn’t mean Stiles gets any extra cookies. Being the nemeton’s spark technically puts him on the same level as the alphas around here, but he doesn’t have a pack, so he doesn’t have anyone underneath him he has to lead. His job is to make sure everyone stays safe and join Theo’s team on supply runs. Together with Kira, of course. 

Stiles bites his bottom lip, mostly to keep himself from smiling like an idiot. The only reason Theo was nice to him was to get back at Tracy. Groaning, he bangs his head against the shelf. He really needs to get over this fucking crush. 

Shaking his head, Stiles pushes off the shelf and grabs the box of chocolate from the ground. He doesn’t trust Tracy, so it’s probably better if he brings these to Ken. 

—

Stiles bites the tip of his thumb, staring at the live feed of the security cameras they’ve set up all around the borders and outside of their territory. Time has slowed to a crawl while he’s waiting for everyone else to arrive. Even though Stiles has an idea of what to do, he cannot make a decision like this on his own. 

To his surprise, Theo is the first to arrive. “What’s going on?”

“Trouble,” Stiles mutters, nodding in the direction of the monitors. More trouble than they’ve had in a while if he’s being perfectly honest. It’s no secret that Scott has some Romeo and Juliet bullshit going on for quite some time now. For all Stiles knows, Allison might actually love him back. Still, them meeting up this close to the borders of their territory is absolutely insane. 

Growling quietly, Theo props his hands on the desk. “I fucking knew we should’ve kicked him out the second he told us about this liaison.”

“What’s going on?” Stiles’ dad walks into the room, followed by Jordan, Marin, and Brett. Usually, Scott would be here as well since the alphas are involved in everything surrounding the security of their territory. But this time, Scott is the issue — and Stiles has no idea what to do about it.

Again, he merely nods in the direction of the monitors showing Scott and Allison as well as a group of six armed hunters. Stiles can’t tell if they’ve followed Allison, or if they are just making their rounds through Beacon Hills. The latter wouldn’t usually be concerning, but with Scott whispering sweet nothings out in the fucking open things aren’t looking too good. If they discover their hideout because Scott leads them to it, Stiles will have to put in a lot of work to hide them all over again. It took days the last time. Days they probably won’t have after being found. Also, Theo might actually make good on his threat to rip Scott’s head off if he ever put them in danger again.

“Close the borders,” Brett says without a flicker of hesitation. 

Stiles isn’t at all surprised by this. “I can manipulate them.” He’d just have to get close enough. 

“All six at once?” Theo inquires even though he knows the answer just as well as everyone else in this room. For once, it doesn’t even sound condescending. Usually, Theo disagrees with him for the sole purpose of disagreeing with him. But they haven’t been in a situation this urgent for a while. 

Stiles tries his best not to look at his dad or Parrish, who’s become some sort of big brother over the years. He fixes his gaze on Marin instead. Although he’s open about his abilities, she knows the most about him and what he can do. After all, she’s the one who taught him everything he knows. She is still teaching him. “I could kill them.” It’s not that Stiles’ first solution is murder, but he’s more than willing to kill six if it protects sixty. 

Marin assesses him quietly. 

“All at once?” Theo repeats a little louder now, turning around to face him directly. 

“I’d only have to get into the head of one of them.” That’s easy enough, and once he’s in their head, he can force them to shoot the other hunters. 

Their borders will remain undiscovered.  

Brett shakes his head. “Lock the borders.” 

“He’s an alpha,” Jordan says, tapping his upper arm with a finger. “We can’t just lock him out.” 

“Listen, I know he used to be your best friend, Stiles,” Brett says, pointing at the monitor showing Scott still unaware of the danger he could be facing any second, “but he’s putting his fucking star-crossed lover bullshit above the safety of everyone else here.” Nobody here has been happy about Scott’s relationship with Allison, not after everything the hunters have done to them and the other supernaturals. However, Scott has never met Allison this close to the borders, so they all ignored it. That was probably their first mistake. 

Furrowing his brows, Stiles bites the tip of his thumb again. They have to make a decision. Soon. 

His dad clears his throat. “Locking the borders doesn’t make us invisible to the hunters.” The last thing his dad wants is to see Stiles go out there by himself, but even he agrees that getting rid of the hunters before they find them might be their only option. 

And Stiles is the only one who can do it from a distance. 

Theo shakes his head. “You can’t go out there.” 

“Theo is right,” Brett says, surprising everyone in this room. It probably pains him to agree with Theo. They keep butting heads for a variety of reasons Stiles can’t keep track of. He also doesn’t want to. The less involved he is in everything regarding Theo the better. “If you get killed out there, all our defenses fall. It’s too dangerous.” Brett isn’t wrong, and he keeps using that as an argument to keep Stiles inside the borders as much as possible. He hates that he goes on supply runs too, but they don’t usually end in disaster.  

“Yes,” Theo says, even though he looks at Brett as if that thought never crossed his mind, “too dangerous.” He gives his head a little shake before turning to look at Stiles. “Lock the borders.” 

Marin crosses then uncrossed her arms. “Everyone in favor of locking the borders, raise your hand.” 

To Stiles’ surprise, Brett and Theo are the only ones who do so. He expected his father to do the same which would’ve put them in an awkward position now that their number is even. 

“And everyone in favor of killing the hunters?” Her voice is cold and clinical, but her eyes convey a sadness Stiles is more than used to. He knows what she’s thinking — that people their age shouldn’t be raised to be weapons, to be soldiers in a war they didn’t start. But what other chance do they have? 

Stiles raises his hand. So do, his father and Jordan. Marin, who is usually a tiebreaker when Scott is around as well, abstains from voting. As Satomi’s emissary, it wouldn’t be a surprise if she sided with Brett. However, she gives Stiles a little nod, and that’s answer enough. 

“I better get going then.” 

Theo shakes his head. “Absolutely not.” 

Although it’s not the first time Theo tries to fight a decision he doesn’t like, Stiles has a harder time ignoring him. “You should inform the others… just in case.” Just in case something goes wrong. Even though he has fucked with other people’s heads successfully on multiple occasions. The likelihood of this not working out is slim, but it’s not impossible — and Stiles would never forgive himself if something goes wrong and the others are unprepared.  

Brett all but storms out of the room, and Stiles knows he isn’t just pissed because of the risk. He’s pissed because Stiles puts himself in the line of fire. Kira and Lydia won’t be happy about this development either. He’s going to get an earful once he’s back. Parrish follows him. Stiles’ dad squeezes his shoulder, warning him to be careful before leaving as well. 

Marin hands Stiles an earpiece. It’s her job to keep him updated on the developments. Maybe they’re lucky. Maybe he doesn’t have to do anything. But maybe doesn’t keep them safe. 

It’s Theo’s job to get his chimeras ready for a potential fight. Together with Kira, they are their first line of defense. A lot of the time, they can stop an attack before it even happens. That’s why they’re the ones in charge of supply runs. But Theo isn’t moving. He’s standing there, almost as if rooted to the spot, and shakes his head. “No.” 

Stiles rolls his eyes. “You repeating ‘no’ isn’t going to change anything.” Even though Stiles is aware Theo hates losing more than anything, he’s never this stubborn. Usually, he leaves the room muttering to himself or even seeking an argument. Sighing, Stiles puts his earpiece in and nods at Marin. “Keep me updated.” Glancing at Theo one last time, he turns on his heels and walks down the hallway. He wouldn’t do this if there was a safer way. He wouldn’t do this if locking the borders would hide them from the world. He wouldn’t—

Fingers curl around his wrist in a tight grip. Before he knows it, Stiles’ back hits the wall. Theo is right in front of him. His free hand grabs his throat, pinning him effectively in place. Stiles opens his mouth, too confused to find words. But then Theo’s mouth is on his. 

And the world simply stops. 

This is what Stiles wanted for two years. He craved Theo’s touch, his kiss. Fuck, he craved Theo. Every fiber of his body begs him to fall into the chimera, to kiss him back, to ignore everything around him. Stiles grabs Theo’s shoulders, but he’s not pushing him away. Not immediately at least. For a few selfish seconds, Stiles allows himself to live in this little fantasy, then he shoves the other boy away. “What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” 

Theo looks at least as confused as Stiles was startled. He opens his mouth, seemingly struggling to find words. “I— I don’t know.” If Theo is angry enough, this type of impulsive behavior isn’t unusual. But he doesn’t look angry, just… lost, and even though he is clearly trying to rearrange his expression into something neutral, he’s unable to hide his confusion fully. His eyes give him away. “Corey is coming with you.”

“What?” 

“Corey,” Theo repeats, and the familiar tone of impatience makes the whole situation a little easier to deal with, “is coming with you. It’s safer that way.” 

—

They didn’t have to do anything. The hunters, as it turned out, have just made their rounds and ultimately didn’t get within a five-mile radius of their borders. Scott had a not-so-fun audience with Satomi, Marin, Noshiko, Ken, and Stiles’ dad. He will suffer consequences for putting all of them at risk by sneaking around with a huntress too close to their borders, but Stiles doubts that’s going to change anything. They’re probably going to have a similar issue in the near future. 

But Scott isn’t who he is concerned with right now. That is an issue for a Stiles who survived confronting Theo. Corey leads him into the chimeras’ house, up the stairs, and in front of a closed door. He doesn’t say anything, merely gestures for him to knock before disappearing into thin air. Stiles will never get used to him being able to become invisible at a moment’s notice. 

“Come in.” 

Stiles bites the inside of his cheek and opens the door, finding Theo standing in the middle of his bedroom. He hasn’t been in here in quite some time, but this house used to be theirs before they turned this district into a safe haven. Theo’s bedroom is still painstakingly tidy and organized. There are no pictures on the wall. The books on his shelf are ordered by size. His clothes are either neatly folded on a chair or put away. There’s not a single thing out of place in this room. 

Other than Theo, that is. 

Theo looks positively stressed. There are spots of watercolor on his fingers and his naked chest. The easel is clean despite the canvas on top of it looking like someone threw paint on it without rhyme or reason. There’s a lot of red in the middle. It almost looks like blood. This is not a happy painting. Not even in the slightest. Plus, the last time Stiles saw Theo paint he was very adamant about protecting the carpet from stains. Scowling, Theo presses his paintbrush to the dark canvas before placing it on the other paint supplies strangely carefully. Part of him still makes sure his room remains clean, even though he looks like his thoughts are far away. He rubs his cheek, smearing blue paint all over it. “You wanna talk, I guess.” 

“Yes,” Stiles says, closing the door behind him, “I would very much like to talk about you kissing me.” Because that’s kind of a big thing, at least for Stiles. Hopefully, it’s also a big thing for Theo, or at least, it means something to him. If this is just a last-ditch attempt of Theo to stop Stiles from going after the hunters for some reason… Stiles is not going to come back from that. His heart has been held together by duct tape for the better part of the last two years. But if Theo tells him he kissed Stiles even though he doesn’t have feelings for him? There’s nothing in this world that could somehow fix the damage this will do to him and his heart. 

Theo lets out a breath, brushing a finger over the canvas. Dark blue smudges the dark green and red colors, bringing them together in a way that makes dread pool in Stiles’ stomach. “I saw the six hunters,” Theo says slowly, still dragging his finger through the wet paint. He doesn’t even look away from the painting, too focused on whatever he is seeing in it, “and when I heard you say that you want to kill them, I couldn’t help but think—“ Theo cuts off and closes his eyes. He takes a deep breath, curling his fingers into tight fists. 

“I’d fail?” Stiles shifts a little to the right, trying to see what Theo has been painting. It doesn’t look like much yet, but it’s not unusual for Theo’s painting process. More often than not, his seemingly arbitrary beginnings end up becoming something beautiful. 

Theo snaps his head up, blue eyes finally locking with Stiles’. “I couldn’t imagine what I’d do without having you around.” His words are loaded with something that’s almost impossible to decipher, and yet… and yet. 

With hope tugging on his heartstrings, Stiles pushes away from the door. “Piss off somebody else?” Something is pulling him towards Theo. He can’t really explain what, but he doesn’t stop either — not until he’s standing right in front of the other boy, who has now fully turned to face him. “Why did you kiss me, Theo?” He has to know even if it’s going to hurt, even if he knows that a negative response is not something Stiles will bounce back from. 

Theo swallows visibly then he takes a breath and straightens his posture. “Because I don’t want to piss off anybody else.” Despite his determined stance, his words are barely a whisper. Theo raises a hand to cup Stiles’ jaw, a smile tugging on the corners of his mouth when he realizes Stiles doesn’t pull away. There will be paint where Theo touched him, but Stiles doesn’t care. Not even in the slightest. “You are the only person I want to piss off.” Theo’s hand moves to the nape of Stiles’ neck, his blue eyes locked on the smear of paint now marking his pale skin. “For the rest of our lives.” His tongue darts out, licking his lips. 

Stiles can’t help but look at Theo’s mouth, heart slamming against his ribs almost painfully. “I love the sound of that.” 

“You do?” There’s a hint of amusement in Theo’s tone. 

What usually would’ve annoyed Stiles now makes him weak in the knees. Stiles licks his lips as well, nodding because he doesn’t really know what else to say. He wants to kiss Theo again. He wants to have Theo’s fingerprints all over his body, dark paint marking him for the world to see. So he kisses Theo, and Theo kisses him back even more urgently — like Theo tried to make up for the time he didn’t know he lost.

And he does. 

Multiple times. 

In a row.