#square hollow section

[kamdhenulimited]

Kamdhenu hollow section pipe

Offering superior quality backed with trusted name of Kamdhenu Limited, our Circular, Square and Rectangular Hollow Sections are preferred structural steel products across the country among bulk as well as retail consumers.

[ratnasteeltech]

Square Hollow Section

SHS (Square Hollow Sections)​

Square hollow sections (SHS) is another popular type of structural steel tube that’s kind of a middle- man between RHS and CHS in terms of attributes, appearance and structural behaviour. SHS features a flat surface that’s also economical for joining and welding, with clean lines & minimal edge preparation required.

SHS also features attributes of CHS, with is symmetrical appearance, formed in equal sided square hollow sections — as opposed to circular sections. SHS provides an ideal balance between strength, functionality and aesthetic appearance for a multitude of applications that require all three aspects.

In this blog, Ratna Steeltech explores the square hollow section or circle hollow section: Which one is better for your project? Make the right choice today!

Ratna Steeltech has been a pioneer in Structural Engineering Industry by serving High Quality Integrated Pre-Engineered Buildings, Prefabricated Structure, Industrial Shed, Warehouse Shed & Colour Coated Roofing Sheet.

The company maintains a strong reputation because we are committed to deliver top class services to our clients by manufacturing highest quality standard steel buildings which are custom designed and cost effective. Our commitment to excellence provides unmatched product quality, coupled with speed, safety and superior sales services.

We at Ratna Steeltech offer a worry-free resolution to our clients. We got that extra-mile through our systems, process and our internal orientation to ensure that appointing us is a seamless and effortless experience for our clients.

[erwpipes]

When selecting a Tubes Pipes Suppliers in Navi Mumbai, you should consider several factors to ensure you’re getting the best quality and service. Here’s a checklist for finding the right supplier:

Verify Their Reputation: Check reviews, testimonials, and ratings online. The reputation of a supplier can provide insights into their reliability, product quality, and customer service.

Request Product Samples: Many suppliers will offer samples of their pipes and hollow sections. Assess these samples to confirm they meet your standards.

Understand Their Product Range: Look for suppliers with a wide selection of rectangular hollow sections, square pipes, tubes, and more. This ensures you have a one-stop solution for your needs.

Check for Compliance: Ensure that the supplier adheres to industry standards like IS 4923 for hollow sections, IS 1239 for pipes, and other relevant standards.

Look for Competitive Pricing with Quality Guarantees: A good supplier offers fair pricing without compromising on the quality of materials.

[hollowsection-blogs]

JF Engineering Products LLP is a reputable company that produces a variety of round hollow sections, rectangular hollow, mild steel pipes and galvanized steel pipes. We are a corporation that adheres to a whole quality management system and is ISO 9001:2008 Certified. We have been balancing the quality of our products and price while concentrating on exports, earning praise for our innovative and market-handling strategies.

[hollowsection]

Cold Formed EN 10219 S275J2H Square Hollow Section :- Supplier of Cold Formed EN 10219 S275J2H SHS Pipe, Carbon Steel S275J2H Square Hollow Section Suppliers in Mumbai, EN 10219 S275J2H MS Cold Formed Square Tube Stockiest Incorporated in the year 1998, Ranflex Metals is a professional entity engaged as a manufacturers, exporters and suppliers of a wide range of Round Hollow Sections.

[takusan-no-ai]

You’d better call me

PAIRING: Jane x Male Reader (Romantic) (Fluff)

SUMMARY: Jane falls in love after being saved by H.A.N.D member (Y/N) in hollow zero.

Another hornet was sliced down by Jane as she ran. Her cover had been blown and thanks to an unexpected fissure she was able to escape. Sadly, that lead her straight into the nest; hollow zero.

“So long as I avoid that Nineveh I’ll be fine–” Jane narrowly dogged a projectile launched from a stray hornet. She kicked it away in one fell swoop and ran into a corner. “Time to recuperate.” She took a deep breath and calmed her mind.

The wall she was leaning against dispersed, the sky changing and ground shaking nearly knocking Jane off her feet. “Ugh, what is it now?! It just had to be hollow zero…”. In a matter of seconds she was transported to the center of hollow zero; Nineveh’s nest.

Its loud roar echoed across the hollow, strong enough to immobilize Jane to her knees. “Dammit! This was supposed to be a simple undercover operation.” Nineveh flew towards Jane at an impeccable speed, hornets following closely behind it.

“At least I don’t have any regrets,” Jane smiled with her eyes closed. “Except…I refuse to die on the job.” She forced herself to stand jumped past Nineveh, landing on top of a tendril, and using it to fling herself into a nearby fissure.

Jane took a deep breath, now further away from Nineveh. “So, mind explaining to me who your master is?” She asked the bangboo standing next to her. “Thanks again for leading me towards the fissure little guy,” she said while petting it.

“Ehn-na enna eh-na.” The bangboo pointed at a young man walking towards them. He stuck his hand out, smiling. Jane smiled back, a blush forming on her face as she gazed upon her “knight”.

“Name’s (Y/N)! I’m a member of the Hollow Affairs & Neutralization Department, better known as H.A.N.D., and work in sub quadrant Hollow Special Operations Section 6, or H.S.O.S.6., which is–”

“Thank you darling for the explanation but I already know all of the bits and pieces of H.A.N.D., so no need to delve further,” Jane shushed him with her finger.

She circled around him, her tail swaying back and forth. (Y/N) gulped, a sweat rolling down his face. “I can escort you outside of the hollow now, if-if you’ll allow me, ma’am.” Her tail curled around his neck.

Jane stood on her tiptoes, towering over the man. “Oh sir, you’ve seen me at my weakest~ I can’t live with that kind of pain. I need to know you’ll keep it between you and me.”

“Don’t worry, I’m great at keeping–”

“Meet me at nine tomorrow afternoon in lumina square, cutie~. If you’re late I’ll just hunt you down.” she ran out of the hollow, her tail squeezing his neck before letting go.

- Fin

[turcott3]

hands on me

brady skjei x fem! reader

warnings?: smut, unprotected sex, breeding kink, cockwarming, oral m receiving, lightly fluffy, cursing

kinktober mini series!!

-

you felt a long sense of nervousness around brady, almost at all times. not a bad nervous, just scared of the judgment you were gonna receive after posting your halloween post on instagram together.

you knew what was coming.

brady being 30, and you only 21 was sure to offset some people. you sat on your bed staring as notifications flooded in, looking up to see brady with a white towel hung low on his waist after a shower.

“did you post it?” he asks.

“yeah i did. i’m a little scared about the response.”

“put the phone down y/n. who cares what they think of us. i love you, nothing anyone can say in an instagram comment section is gonna change that.” he says, taking the phone from your hands and placing it face down on your nightstand.

“look so gorgeous in your new set.” he smirks, using two fingers to guide your eyes up to his.

“thanks, you’ll never guess who bought it for me.” you reply as he leans down to kiss you passionately. he drops the towel from his hips, revealing his hard cock, almost hitting you square in the face.

“want me to…” you trailed off, his eyes giving away his answer and you giggled devilishly, taking him into your hands, pressing kisses down the shaft as you locked eyes with him, your tongue tracing pictures along his skin before paying careful attention to his tip.

you took him into your mouth, hollowing out your cheeks, his hands holding the back of your head as he pushes himself into you, gagging as he hit the back of your throat. your eyes pricked with tears as you held onto his large thighs, coughing as he removed himself from your mouth, your slut webbing from the corners.

“can you finish me off quick baby?” he asks and you nod.

“such a good girl.” he smiles, bringing you in for a quick kiss before putting you back to work, bobbing your head up and down his large cock, hitting the back of your throat each time. you paid close attention to his sensitive tip, feeling his cock twitch in your mouth, shooting his cum down your throat, allowing him to finish completely before pulling him out.

“tastes so good.” you tease, wiping your mouth with your arm before his leans down, his tongue diving straight into your mouth before pulling away slightly after a few moments.

“lay down, i want you to warm me.” he mumbles in your ear and you comply, finding your way under the covers, shaking your panties loose from your hips. he climbed in bed, laying face to face, bringing your lips to his as he nudged his slightly hard cock against your wet core, pressing into you. you fought the urge to grind your hips as he grew rock hard inside you, tucking your head into his neck as you bit your lip.

“fuck.” you moan.

“shhhh baby.” he replies quietly, stroking your hair as his other arm was wrapped against you.

“feels so good, s-so deep, so full.” you groan against the skin of his shoulder as you chuckle, vibrating his cock inside you ever so slightly.

you laid there impatiently, remaining calm so he wouldn’t deny finishing you off. he was never rough with you, he just knew what he wanted and you would always give it to him.

“nothing anyone can ever say would ever change how gorgeous you are to me and how much i love my pretty baby, you know that right my love?” he mumbles in your ear, mustering up the courage to peel your head away from his forehead you smiled at him.

“i know, and i love you impossibly more for it.” you reply, your eyes flip flopping contact between his lips and his eyes, bringing his lips to yours for a soft and sweet kiss, almost so light it felt like a dream. he deepened the kiss slightly, beginning to rock his hips in and out of you slowly, filling you up with each thrust.

“fuck.” you moan against his mouth as he nipped your bottom lip. grabbing onto your waist, he flipped to his back, having you on top of him as you grinned your hips back and forth, your nails scratching his bare chest as his grip on your ass tightened, your warm, wet walls hugging him tighter and tighter with each movement.

“baby i’m gonna- fuck.” you moan loudly as a swift wave of euphoria passed through your muscles, your thighs shaking as you tried to keep moving through your orgasm, his hands assisting you as you bounced up and down quickly on his throbbing cock, swelling bigger before pumping you full of his milky seed.

slowing to a stop, you catch your breath, a slight giggle shared between the two of you. he tapped your ass to signal you to get off but you denied.

“why baby?” he asks as you lean over wrapping your arms around his torso.

“want me full of you.” you mumbled into his neck, his hands running up and down your back, sighing in contentment.

“so perfect for me angel, so so perfect.” he replies kissing your shoulder delicately. after a while he finally pulled out, rolling you onto your back, your legs straight up in the air.

“why are you doing that?” he chuckles.

“don’t wanna spill any out, gotta keep it all for myself.” you reply simply.

“mmmmmm need to go again to double our chances.” he says, referring to the one thing that turned you on the most, turning your head sharply to him as he smirked, bringing you in for another kiss.

[fab-bladesmith]

A Schlachtschwert, early XVIth century.

Spring steel blade of flat hexagonal section for most its length, mild steel fittings with hollow brass ball finials on the cross. Leather over thread over wooden core for the grip, and leather over wood for the sleeve (more about that below). This is a tentative reconstruction of what a "proper" Landsknecht Greatsword could look like, such a they appear on period artwork, be it paintings like the Siege of Alesia by Melchior Feselen (1533) or the Battle of Pavia kept at the Royal Armouries (or the tapestries depicting that same battle, now at the Museo Capodimonte, made after sketches by Bernard van Orley), the Victory of Charlemagne over the Avars near Regensburg by Albrecht Altdorfer (1518), or the many drawings, prints and woodcuts by artists such as Reinhart von Solms, Jörg Breu, the great Hans Burgkmair, Niklas Stör, Hans Holbein (both Elder and Younger), Virgil Solis, Hans Sebald Beham, the legendary Urs Graf, Daniel Hopfer, Erhard Schön, Hans Schäufelein and others...All of them combined to give this result.

Such swords would be seen not only in the hands of a Doppelsoldner, but also carried by your Feldwaybel or an Edelman. And it would be called a Schlachtschwert in the very captions of the illustrations I mentioned earlier (see Erhard Schön). *Not* a "two-handed Katzbalger", though the cross obviously echoes the S/8-shaped guard of the latter. We clear on that ? Good.

Very few of such swords are kept in museums out there, with a lot of them leaving me dubious regarding their authenticity. The one in Berlin seems to me to be the most genuine of all, and it is on its proportions that I based this piece, though the Berlin sword shows a fancy, diamond-pattern decoration on the quillions very much recalling the Katzbalger kept in the Museum of London. Most if not all period illustration do not show such fancy details on the crossguards though ; they are actually rather plain, without even the ribbing/threading/filework you can find on Katzbalger crosses. Hence I kept this one rather plain, with a square cross section with rounded corners, and some light filework at the center. I also bent the quillions into an offset 8-shape rather than a symmetrical one, to be more consistant with the earlier examples visible in period artwork.

The main questioning was that sleeve at the base of the blade, present on a lot of the period artwork; its obvious function was to provide a spot on which to put the other hand - as can be deduced from Marozzo's teachings for fighting against polearms - but the main issue was how was it made/what was it made of. Elaborating on my previous experience and studies of such things on later Schlachtschwerter, I went for a basic construction of leather glued/stitched over a wood core made of two flat slabs, and force-slid down the blade. There is more than enough friction to keep it well in place, but it is still possible to take it off albeit with some effort. The end of the leather is cut according to period artwork, and flares out to accommodate the mouth of a scabbard if needed. A simple decoration of plain lines on one side, and checkered on the other makes it also consistant with the artwork.

It is 139 cm long, the blade is 1083 mm long, 45 mm wide with a thickness of about 7 mm at its base, tapering down to 3.4 mm near the point. The span of the crossguard is about 21 cm, though from one ball end to the other there's about 73 cm of steel. Weight is 2547 grams, point of balance 13.5 cm from the cross.

Twenty-eight hundred EuroUnits and it's yours.

[kamdhenulimited]

Kamdhenu Hollow Sections - Circular, Square & Rectangular

Strength in every structure, safety in every Home. Structural sections for uniform strength and high resistance to torsion. Our hollow sections offer uniform strength characteristics, providing excellent resistance to torsion and improved fire rating, making them ideal for columns.

[ratnasteeltech]

Square Hollow Section or Circle Hollow Section: Which one is Better for your Project?

[brokenmachinemusings]

actually, i’m putting this in a separate post since people usually don’t see my reblogs, but whoever animated train trial’s typography knew what they were doing. props to you. every character has their unique animation while drawing parallels between some of them.

li tianchen, our first character, has tje most out of them, namely 3 (which i noticed at least). qiao ling also has 3, but i left the li tianxi ‘reference’ in my other post which talked about observations.

li tianchen’s are as follows: something like twin stars (alongside a third smaller star towards the side), the first one being framed as in a photograph and the second one simply around the text. maybe worth noting the stars are four-sided and they are hollowed out. accurately representing the li twins, if you ask me. the other one is just another four-sided star, and a constellation around li tianchen. the constellation, again, has four-sided stars, which is quite interesting.

liu xiao has two, but i chose to show one. the other one is a heartbeat monitor which is behind the text, i’m not sure if it counted. a lot of the mv revolves around cutting and dicing like you’re playing fruit ninja, but liu xiao also has a lot of puppet imagery; in his lyrics, too, and he literally holds a wooden puppet at some point. (also, rewatched and the strings are ALL OVER his part, theyre very obviously puppet strings.) either way, the one i show is like a classy, old-timey architecture which i’ve had to clrd way too much of that i’d rather not. (also, is it just me, or does liu xiao’s look a lot like a butterfly?)

qiao ling also has three, but again, i’m showing two. mainly, i don’t feel like making a reblog. you can see the li tianxi one here. as for the ones i screenshotted, it’s a roundish cube, and some more cutesy framing, contrasting liu xiao’s elegant one which is slightly sharper, as opposed to qiao ling’s round imagery.

cheng xiaoshi’s is more brash and stable. two five sided stars at either ends, as well as a lot of cubes and angles for framing. the second one actually looks a lot like either a print with guidelines, or even a photo, or multiple square photos with different dimensions, different type of film. a lot of his animation actually revolves around him diving… well, quite obviously. makes sense why he’s a star and why he has a picturesque framing, mirroring qiao ling’s round one a little.

lu guang actually doesn’t have any specific ones, but he does have two, if you can call the second one a specific one. this one however… diamond shaped stars with a constellation like look. where did i see this one before, hmm. scroll up for your answer. this further solidifies the parallels between lu guang and li tianchen, i think. though, if we circle back, li tianchen’s is double-looped, which often represents “lies”, “two-facedness”, or other similar things. but also, lu guang’s is quite sectioned. or maybe the animator was rushing to get through the last part, or didn’t get enough assets to animate with. if you’re curious, the “other one” is quite literally three dots above the lyrics. groundbreaking, i know.

either way, i hope the animator for train trial got a raise. for the most part, they had ONE artwork to work with and still managed to keep it insanely interesting and engaging while giving colour and personality to all the characters, things that are uniquely them. quite amazing.

[teddypickerry]

Hi!! if you’re still doing requests would you do a loralie gilmore x fem reader one? maybe where they bond over liking metallica (sorry chris lmao) and their friendship turns into a relationship?

𝐏𝐑𝐄𝐓𝐓𝐘 𝐌𝐄𝐓𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐈𝐂𝐀 𝐅𝐀𝐍.

pairings — fem! reader x lorelai gilmore

word count — 876

warnings — literally just fluffy + flirty lorelai

a/n — first of all, never apologize to chris. secondly… WHAT UP MFS (saying that like i didn’t disappear off the face of the earth for a hot min) hope this tiny little blurb did you justice, i thought it was just cute. love you guys. thank you for messaging me + sending requests lately. you guys rock.

THE TOWN OF STARS HOLLOW was on the brink of Autumn, yet the sun was mistaking the New England town for a tropical paradise. Except the sun didn't accept the idea of paradise. Not with the continuous heat waves that had the town meetings cancelled and air conditioners blasting. Not a single long sleeve in sight despite it being the first day of September.

"This feels like a joke. This has to be a joke, right?" Lorelai Gilmore mutters as she walks down the side walk, fanning herself with her hand while trailing around in her heeled boots that felt like personal hell. Her best friend, Sookie, stood to her right wiping the bead of sweat from her forehead. "If it is, this is the cruelest joke ever."

The two regretted their walk from the Dragonfly Inn almost instantly and that thought only deepened as they walked the towns streets. Luke's seemed so far away and they were ready to give up.

"Watch out!" A voice called from the town square, as the two woman turned to see a ball coming in their direction. Lorelai moved out of the way and Sookie quickly followed, the ball nearly taking out their necks. A woman came jogging over and stopped with a quick glance at the two of them, grabbing the ball and tossing it into her arms. "Oh, sorry. That kid is not ready for soccer tryouts.”

Lorelai locked eyes with the woman who stood before her, wearing a pair of sneakers with shorts and a cut-up Metallica t-shirt. She looked like she somehow didn't break a sweat. Despite her athletic efforts. "Where did you come from, the freezer section?" Lorelai asks.

The unknown woman rubs her lips together before motioning over to the kid standing in the grass across the road. "My niece has shitty aim," She says with a quick smile.

"Well we can't all be... a… soccer player," Lorelai mutters as she realizes she doesn't know the name of a singular athletic star.

"Are you new around here?" Sookie asks the girl curiously as she searches her purse for her sunscreen. Y/N only nodded in response, "Just visiting my sister. She owns the boutique down the road."

"Oh yeah, I like going in there. It's like an episode of The Twilight Zone. I never know what's gonna happen in there," Lorelai chuckles as the woman only nods along. "Cool t-shirt, by the way."

"Metallica fan?" Y/N asks as she eyes her for a moment, noticing the pink tank top with a puppy on it. She found it hard to believe that this smiley woman would be fond of Kirk Hammett.

"Great band," Lorelai nods.

"They know how to play a tune or two," Y/N comments with a quick smirk making Lorelai smile. Clearly enjoying their little talk and what Y/N said next. "It's not too often I run into a pretty Metallica fan."

Lorelai smiles sweetly at those words making Sookie have to hide her smile of excitement with her hand. Before making an excuse to leave the two alone. "I'm gonna head to Luke's before I become bacon out here... nice meeting you."

Y/N gives her a nod as she walks past her, leaving Lorelai stood infront of her and only her. "Yeah, I'll meet you there."

She tossed the ball back over towards her niece who went back to kicking it around the gazebo. Lorelai's eyes still on her as she did so. Enjoying her figure in the summer clothing. "Well I should probably get back to her..."

"Yeah," Lorelai gives her a nod as she breaks out of the trance and looks over at the kid. "She's a cute kid."

"She is," Y/N nods as she gives Lorelai another look once her head turned. "Listen... I'm gonna be in town for a while."

"Oh?" The Inn owner says, obviously too awkward to mumble out something witty as per usual. Y/N nodded before licking her lips. "Yeah, I'll see you around?"

"Yep. It's Stars Hollow; we see everyone and everything. Not in a creepy way... but in a like, we're always looking. God, that sounded very opening scene of Halloween," Lorelai smiles awkwardly before chuckling away her nerves.

"Great movie," Y/N comments with a quick smile as she glanced down at the empty coffee cup Lorelai was holding. Questioning why she was on her second cup of hot coffee on a day like this... but noticing the sharpie'd name written on the side. "…Lorelai."

Lorelai furrows her eyebrows with another soft chuckle. "So you're stalker Michael Myers."

"No, I'm just a girl who can read," Y/N motions to the coffee cup with a nice smirk. Lorelai feels a grin grow at that as she looks over at the woman. "I'll see you later, Lorelai."

"You too, Y/N." Lorelai hums as she watches her head toward the street before turning to her with a confused look. Lorelai only grins as she starts walking to the coffee shop, "I can read too."

Y/N thinks for a moment as she crossed the street and walked back over to her niece. Noticing the ball by her feet. 'Property of Y/N Y/L/N'

"Well, damn."

[tj-dragonblade]

[FIC] On the Edge of a Waking Dream

Fandom: The Sandman Pairing: Dreamling (Hob x Dream) Rated: M Word Count: 3914 Tags: MonsterFucktoberBingo 2023, Dreamling Nation House of Horrors 2023, human Dream, ghost Hob, modern day setting, main character death, technically, is Hob a main character, the prompt is ghost so not DEAD-dead regardless, ghost character, ghost sex, sex toys, anal sex, suicidal ideation, unconventional happily-ever-after, these tags are a very mixed bag, angst in my lighthearted ghost story?, it's more likely than you think, brief appearance by Daniel Hall, brief appearance by Merv

Additional Warning: There is a conversation toward the end that dips into the subject of suicidal ideation. If you need to avoid it, it's the section that begins "Would that I could stay here forever, with you" - skip that whole section and you'll be good.

Notes: Title taken from I'll Be There, by Escape Club, 1991. This song has been on my Ficcable Songs list for more than two decades and finally I've done something with it. I'm…eugh. I think this would be better served as a longfic, but I'm. Not doing that. I'm happier with this now than I was with the initial draft, and that's good enough.

This covers Smoctober Day 9 prompt 'ghost', the Monsterfucktober square for 'ghost', and the Dreamling Nation House of Horrors prompt 'ghost'

Summary: Dream never believed in ghosts until his boyfriend became one

On AO3

~~~ Dream never believed in ghosts.

But then, his boyfriend became one.

Hob, his brash and boastful beautiful Hob, who'd talked of marriage once they were done with university, who'd laughed at the notion of dying and proudly declared he'd live forever. Hob, who had sworn to never leave him, had promised to be there for him always.

The universe had other ideas, unfortunately, but Hob was nothing if not adaptable.

~~~ Dream turned the key in the lock of their shared flat—just his flat, now, he supposed—numb and empty inside after the funeral. Debating the merits of crying in the shower vs going straight to bed (not their bed, not anymore) and crying himself to sleep, he pushed open the door.

The lights flicked on all by themselves.

All of the lights, in every room of the flat.

Which was disconcerting, but he was tired, and emotionally drained, and made a mental note to check with the property manager about the wiring just in case.

The electric teakettle clicked on when he entered the kitchen; convenient, as he had intended a cup of chamomile before trying to sleep, but he added the oddity to his mental note for tomorrow. Tea in hand, he leaned against the counter, gathering the static in his mind to keep from focusing with any clarity on the loss clawing his insides hollow.

When his laptop on the corner desk powered itself on, he nearly dropped his tea. With mounting apprehension he watched as the computer logged him in and…opened Spotify? Then the music started, an old song he knew well, and the apprehension turned to disbelief.

Don't be afraid, oh my love I'll be watching you from above And I'd give all the world tonight, To be with you

"This is absolutely my song," Hob had said once when it came on. "Guy loved his partner so much he refused to go when death came for him? That'd be me."

"I thought you planned to live forever?" Dream had teased, gently, and Hob had grinned.

"Well yeah, that is the plan. But if it turns out I can't, then…sticking around as a ghost, that's my contingency plan." His smile had turned warm, tender, and he'd brushed a knuckle down the side of Dream's face. "I've got to see you're getting on okay if I'm gone, haven't I?"

Because I'm on your side, And I still care I may have died, But I've gone nowhere Just think of me, And I'll be there

"Hob," Dream whispered, tears welling, something like hope sticking in his throat, and the lamp on the desk flickered. "Is that you?"

The lamp blinked out and back on, twice, and Dream let out a sob. 'Twice' had always been their non-verbal and discretionary code for affirmation, blinking or shoulder taps or hand squeezing, and the warm sense of relief that poured over Dream at this confirmation was overwhelming. "Hob…how is this possible? Am I losing my grip on reality?"

The wireless mouse moved, waggled side to side in a clear imitation of shaking one's head 'no'.

"How is this possible," Dream murmured again, turning over and over the idea that ghosts could be real, that Hob could be one. "You died; I buried you. How can you be here?"

The mouse moved in a slow deliberate arc, sketching the shape of a heart.

Oh, there's no need to cry Just think of me, And I'll be there

Dream's throat closed up and he let out a sound half-laugh, half-sob as the song soared into its final chorus.

The mouse scooted across the desk, nudged the box of tissues closer.

Hob had so often talked about taking care of him; Hob had promised to never leave him.

Hob had, apparently, refused to go when Death came for him. "You were always a man of your word," Dream murmured, sniffling through a smile, and the light in the kitchen flickered happily.

~~~ Living with a ghost was surprisingly easy to adjust to, once he accepted the reality of it. He always had someone to talk to, and they quickly discovered that the notes app on his phone, or his computer, was a viable conduit for Hob to talk back when he felt like it. Dream's earbuds were always charged, his music library always managed to pull up exactly the right song for his mood, he never had to worry about whether he'd left the lights or the stove on and, annoyingly, his phone and computer always turned off at exactly the hour Hob had insisted on for a decent sleep schedule. But in all honesty, healthier sleep habits were a fair price to pay for having Hob back in some form when Dream had thought him lost.

Hob looked after him, made sure he kept living and thriving, and Dream threw himself into researching ghosts and spirits and how to attune oneself to them. Herbs and alignments and meditative practices, Dream tried them all and little by little, the more he learned, the more he began to feel the physical presence of Hob in their flat. A breath, a scent, a diffuse sense of warmth and calm, an overall impression that this was home and Hob was here.

~~~ "What was it like, dying?" he asked one day, during a lull in his research. He minimized the webpage and brought up the notes app. "If you don't mind talking about it, that is." He trusted Hob to tell him otherwise; communicating and respecting boundaries had always been easy between them. The cursor started moving a couple seconds later.

It would be impossible to discuss the subject without a common frame of reference.

Dream burst out laughing at that, the terrible hiccuping bray that Hob had adored, and a little old-school smiley emote appeared on the screen. But before Dream could draw breath to quote the next line back to Hob (You mean I have to die to discuss your insights on death??), the cursor was moving again.

Kidding. Not much to tell. Was a lady there, kind face, beautiful wings. Held out her hand, and I knew if I took it I'd never see you again. So I refused.

"And you were permitted to just…say no?"

Lady gave me a sad smile, said I couldn't go back; told her I couldn't go forward, either, not if it meant leaving you. When I promised I would never.

Dream could feel his eyes welling up and blinked, swallowed the lump in his throat.

She let me stay in between. Not perfect, but I don't have to leave. Can't leave you.

"I love you," Dream said, voice wavering. "I love you, Hob, I miss you but I'm so glad I still have you—" A little sob escaped, his eyes spilling over.

Death cannot stop true love, Hob typed then, in swooping pink script on the screen, and Dream could only smile through his tears as he answered.

"All it can do is delay it for a little while."

~~~ Dream kept seeking knowledge and Hob kept developing proficiency in being a ghost, more practice in interacting with the world and making himself known; soon enough Dream could genuinely feel Hob there, physically—a wisp of air against his skin, the phantom brush of lips to his temple, a full-body shiver of warmth when drifting off to sleep. He'd feel Hob like an embrace from behind while fixing his breakfast, while practicing his cello, while showering. Sometimes he would touch himself under the spray, stroke it to hardness and feel, unmistakably, the wispy grip of Hob's hand over his, the faint nudge of a phantom prick against his arse, an invisible mouth laving kisses to the back of his neck.

"You can manipulate any electronics, right?" he asked one evening, and when the lamp on his bedside table dimmed and brightened twice in the affirmative, he undressed and brought out the vibrator he had purchased the day before, knelt over on the bed, pressed the toy into his slick and opened body. "Then please, Hob—be with me, like this, have me, I still want—"

The toy jumped to life with a buzz and Dream gasped, shifted, rocked his hips as Hob cycled through every power setting and vibration pattern until he found the combination that made Dream shiver and squirm and grasp helplessly at the bedsheets, surrounded by the not-quite-there feeling of Hob draped over him, fingers twined with his, lips soft at the back of his neck as he surrendered to the onslaught of sensation.

He drifted off to sleep afterward with a soft smile on his face, the feel of Hob's arms around him and Hob murmuring "G'night, dove, I'll keep you safe" in his ear.

When he woke, the whisper of revelation was stirring at the back of his mind but it didn't click until he heard a soft "Good morning, beautiful" in Hob's dear voice and sat bolt upright, duly stunned.

"Hob! You can talk!?"

Nothing, for an instant, and then, still soft: "Dream? Can you…you can hear me now?"

"Yes!" he cried, overjoyed, and let the tears stream down his face as he heard Hob's happy laughter surrounding him, disembodied but bright and brilliant, for the first time in months.

~~~ Together they continued their studies, carefully experimenting with ways to thin the veil between worlds safely and securely. Hob's physical presence got stronger, more tangible as the days passed. His touch was never cold like so many sources claimed; it was warm, like lifting one's face to the morning sun in the first days of Spring, like the comfort of snuggling into the blankets on a winter evening.

Nothing about his Hob could ever be cold.

All his studies indicated that a ghost attaining visibility took time, and strength of will from the spirit, and 'openness' on the part of the living—which Dream had interpreted as willingness to believe that one might see a ghost. He did believe, wholeheartedly, knew without a doubt that Hob was still here with him and would eventually be ghost enough to manifest visibly.

It happened one night when Dream was drifting between awake and asleep; there, in that liminal state, he caught a glimpse of Hob for just an instant. It stole his breath, the sight of Hob before him again after all this time; Hob smiled at him, blindingly beautiful, and then he faded out and Dream woke, eyes wet, his own smile soft on his face.

"Hob?" he called, barely more than a murmur, and immediately the warm comfort of Hob's arms around him took hold.

"'M here," came Hob's disembodied voice, close to his ear. "Did you see me there, in between?"

"Yes," Dream breathed, emotion swelling within him. "You were. So beautiful. How I've missed the sight of you, Hob—" He turned, wanting to burrow into the warmth of Hob beside him, knowing there was nothing really there enough to accommodate his want.

"Sweet talker," Hob said, and then there were soft insubstantial lips touching his and Dream sighed into the phantom kiss, arching, reaching. Invisible fingertips traced his jaw, touched his throat, trailed down and brushed a nipple and Dream let a needy sound spill from him.

"Hob," he pleaded, keyed up, wanting, and felt more than heard the way Hob hummed in reply. And then the suggestion of a leg was pushed between his, urging him over onto his back and hands were stroking feather-light down his sides, a ghostly mouth moving beneath his ear. Dream whimpered, kicked free of the bedclothes, hooked his thumbs in his pajama bottoms and wriggled fluidly to get them down and off, laid back and spread his limbs and gave himself over to the slow sensual stoking of his pleasure.

Hob took his time as much by design as necessity, needing focus and intent to manage physical touch but also clearly delighting in the leisurely build of driving Dream higher and higher. He was skilled at it, also, had Dream trembling and moaning long before his ghostly tongue touched Dream's prick. It was hard, leaking, and Dream rocked into the wispy sensation of Hob's mouth around him, Hob's hands caressing the insides of his thighs, Hob's fingertips tracing intimately along the creases of his body.

Hob's touch was exquisite, erotic, and Dream was certain that with hours to enjoy it he would surely reach climax, but neither of them had that sort of patience just now. "Get the vibe, sweetheart," Hob said at last, and Dream scrambled to comply, retrieving it from the bedside drawer. "Open yourself up for me, need to watch you come undone—"

Breathless, Dream lubed the toy and pushed it in, bore down and gripped it tightly in anticipation, knees raised, waiting for Hob—

The toy turned on and Dream's head lashed back as sudden pleasure poured through him. "There you are," he vaguely heard Hob murmur, "my darling beautiful Dream—"

One day, Dream vowed, shaking as Hob cycled the toy into the perfect pulsing intensity that made him writhe and wail, one day, he would come from Hob's ghostly touch alone.

~~~ They met in waking dreams again, and again, each meeting strengthening their connection, anchoring them securely to one another across the veil. "Oh, my love, my precious dove," Hob murmured, when they managed to hold onto one another for more than a second, and then Hob's mouth was pressed against his, opening, warm—

He woke to the feel of Hob kissing him still, only less substantial, but as he opened his eyes, he caught a soft glimmer of Hob's face above him, hazy, barely there, and his heart skipped a beat.

"I can see you," he murmured against phantom lips, not daring to blink, breath held—but Hob drew back in surprise, in excitement, and his faint image flickered out. Dream sighed and let his eyes fall closed once more. "We'll keep trying. Come kiss me again?"

~~~ "Would that I could stay here forever, with you," Dream lamented, drifting on the edge of waking up, curled into Hob's embrace.

He felt the way that Hob went still and tense.

"You seem the most real here," he explained, "and I am. So tired, of not being able to properly touch you. Except here."

"I'm getting better at being substantial out there," Hob said, a very careful edge in his voice. "Be patient, dove, we'll get there."

"Or I could simply sleep forever, and never be without you again."

"You aren't without me now. I'm not going anywhere, Dream. You have me. Forever. What you're talking about is—" Hob stopped abruptly, unwilling to voice the thought.

"I know." Dream couldn't bring himself to look Hob in the eye, mumbled into the familiar comfort of Hob's hairy chest instead. "I wonder, sometimes, if…it might be worth it."

Hob vanished, and it was a sharp enough jolt that Dream woke completely.

Every light in the flat was flickering madly as Dream stumbled ouf of the bedroom; the smoke and CO detectors were screeching their alarm, his laptop sounding some kind of alert and the air conditioning unit in the window powering off and on repeatedly.

"Hob!" Dream tried to raise his voice above the din. "Hob, stop!"

The teakettle started up a sustained whistle and then Spotify kicked in with some metal band he couldn't immediately name, thrashing guitars and guttural screaming vocals, and Dream had to cover his ears. "Hob! HOB!"

It was another full minute of this cacophony, and then abruptly everything stopped. Plunged back into grey morning dimness and silence, Dream took a steadying breath, two.

"…Hob?" His voice, when it came, was small and tentative.

The kitchen light flickered sullenly, twice.

"Hob. I don't…I'm not—" He floundered; the words weren't coming.

"C'mere." He felt the swoop of Hob rushing past him, and followed him back to the bedroom. "C'mere," Hob repeated, from the bed, and Dream crawled up to sit against the headboard. The faint sense of Hob's arm settled around his shoulders and Dream felt the inevitable tears welling up.

"Sorry for throwing a tantrum," Hob's voice said, low and soft with sincerity. "It's just. You scared me. What you said." Dream felt lips brush his hair, holding there in a desperate approximation of a kiss.

"I know." Dream blinked, and the tears spilled over. "I don't mean it, but…"

"But it's crossed your mind."

Dream wiped his eyes. "Yes."

"I stayed to see you live your life, not to take it away from you." Hob's voice was shaky now, as if he was also crying—could ghosts cry?—and Dream could feel Hob's other arm across his chest, Hob holding him close, clinging to him. "Dream—I love you, I love you so much. And you have everything ahead of you. Please, please don't start thinking you're better off giving it all up. We don't even know if you'd wind up same as me—"

Dream closed his eyes, breathed slow and even. It was not that he wished, particularly, to die; it was simply that he wished to be with Hob more than he wanted anything else.

Except, perhaps, to not bring Hob pain or distress.

"I…am an amateur, at these occult studies," Dream said at last, eyes still closed. "It will take a lifetime of research and learning to ensure that I can share in your afterlife, that I will not leave you behind. I will need to live a very long life, to be. Certain."

"…Yes," came Hob's voice, steadier now but still with a trembling edge of wariness underneath. "Yes. You will."

"And I will need your help. To research, but also to remind me to eat, to buy groceries, to go to bed on time."

"Of course. You'll have it, anything and everything I can do to help. Promise me you won't give up."

"Hob," Dream breathed, because he had opened his eyes, and Hob was glimmering faintly there beside him—visible, if only just. "Hob—"

"Promise," Hob interrupted, lifting his head to look Dream in the eye, and Dream could see the exact second when he realized Dream was not looking through him, but at him.

"I will live to be ninety, I promise," he said, a little bit breathless, a little wrung out, very much elated. "Hob, I can see you—"

The smile on Hob's face, the way he glowed with joy, pushed every other thought from Dream's head, and when Hob leaned in for an ecstatic-if-still-a-touch-watery kiss, Dream's heart soared at how easily they connected.

~~~ Hob's visual manifestation in the waking world grew more and more frequent as the days went on, steadier, more solid in appearance. Strong emotion, they confirmed, was an excellent catalyst and soon enough he could maintain a weak-but-persistent shade, always a bit more distinct from the corner of Dream's eye than straight on. The more he practiced the better he got, at being both visually and tangibly solid, holding his presence, managing touch. Dream never minded that he always remained a bit transparent; he was there, still here, still with Dream, to whom he had promised forever.

~~~ "Still mine?" Hob asked many years later, float-lying half on top of him in bed, idly combing through the emerging greys of his hair, and Dream smiled.

"I can't imagine ever being anyone else's," he breathed, lifting a hand to touch Hob's face. He still had to be careful, to focus; it was all too easy for his hand to go right through Hob which was disconcerting for them both. But he was very good at it by now, and tucked a wayward strand of hair behind Hob's ear tenderly. "I don't want to be anyone else's."

"You don't have to be," Hob promised, drifting up to look down into his eyes. "I'm here, I'm yours, forever, as long as you'll have me."

"Forever," Dream echoed, smiling with the joy of it, and drew Hob down for a delicate heartfelt kiss.

~~~ "Sorry, kid, ain't got no vacancies."

Daniel's shoulders slumped, disappointed. The White Horse building was perfectly situated for getting to campus and he'd been told there was always at least one flat open, but apparently he was given incorrect information.

"Unless…" The guy in the property office tilted his head back, scratched under his scruffy chin, cigar caught between his teeth. "I mean, there is the haunted unit, 'salways empty…"

Daniel perked up. "Haunted unit?" He'd been drawn to the unusual all his life, fascinated by the paranormal, intrigued by the macabre. If this was true—

"Yeah." The guy slanted a look at him. "Last tenant—last tenant who stayed more'n a couple'a weeks, at least—was this old guy, lived there for decades. Him'n his boyfriend, they moved in when they were young but then the boyfriend died, an' the other guy just stayed the rest of his life, alone. Was a hundred n' five when he finally passed, and that was back in '89. Flat's been empty ever since. Folk'll move in, but it don't take long 'til they're backin' out on the lease. Lights won't work right, electronics're unpredictable, weird moanin' and screamin' noises in the walls, some even talk about apparitions they can't ever see straight-on but're always in the corner of the eye, in the shadows. Me, I don' believe'n none of it, never seen nor heard anything'f the sort, but regardless I can't keep anybody in there—"

"I'll take it," Daniel interrupted, excitement bubbling up in his stomach. A haunted flat? Could he be any luckier? "That is—if I may?"

"Look, kid, you wanna give it a shot? Go for it. Come on in, I'll draw up the paperwork. 'F you stay, I'll give ya a super steep discount—any rent comin' in's better'n none, heh!" He turned and stumped back into his office, still cackling and muttering; Daniel followed, mind racing.

If there was a ghost, a real ghost, it was probaby the boyfriend, who'd maybe been there all along and now didn't want anyone living in his and his lover's space. And Daniel was no true medium, but he'd grown up learning all kinds of 'alternative science' stuff from his mom's friends, so maybe he'd have a decent chance of communicating with the ghost, helping it find peace and move on.

He was half right. It was the boyfriend, but it was also the old man. Whose ghost was that of his younger self—and yes, Daniel was able to talk to them. Also, they had absolutely no intention of moving on. They were lovely, actually, had no problem with Daniel living there once they got to know him, willingly worked out a sort of 'roommate agreement' with him. Merv down in the property office made good on his promise of cheap rent, and Daniel's ghosts were always making sure the flat was in order, bills tracked and paid, cupboards stocked and groceries delivered, homework reminders set where he needed them and homework assistance given when asked. It was like…like having two dads, when he'd grown up without, and Daniel was hard-pressed to imagine how his life could possibly be better.

(He could do without the occasional auditory glimpse into their love life, but…well. Most of the time they were very good about not leaking across the veil in intimate moments, and ultimately who was he to begrudge them their eternal happiness?)

=== Started: 10/9/23 Drafted: 10/10/23 Additional Drafting: 10/27/23 Posted: 10/28/23

I have not read any of Daniel's canon material; my apologies if his voice sounds terribly wrong. Cookies for anyone who recognizes the movie quotes Hob used ❤️

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