#thinking about the moments they inevitably call each other specifically to request assistance and getting even more emo

[remyfire]

Filed under moments that make me painfully emotional

[notquitetwilight]

What are your headcanons about Alice's personality before vampirism? Once she became a vampire she was able to choose who she wanted to be, or maybe deep down she was able to recognize things she liked from her past and maybe built off of that? For example, if she liked helping her mother sew dresses (that didn't actually happen) then maybe that's why she has such a strong desire for fashion even if she doesn't know why. Something like that. I hope I'm making sense!

This makes perfect sense and I love this! Thank you for letting me fire up my actual brain cells lol. Smeyer is kinda contradictory when it comes to Alice — on one hand Alice only gets visions based on people’s decisions, but on the other she bases her whole vampire life on a vision of Jasper saying her name. Jasper would’ve only known her name from Alice telling him, but Alice only knows her name from the vision of Jasper calling her by it. That doesn’t make sense to me because she makes the decision to find Jasper and then the Cullens after her vision, not before it, so how’d she even have the vision of that happening in the first place if she hadn’t made that decision yet? Does that make sense? I don’t get it lol

I like to think she has some subconscious sense of her human self. Alice was her middle name after all so clearly she didn’t pull that out of the sky when it became her forename as a vampire. I can picture her human self being similarly spirited to how she is as a vampire, as well as her having a very strong sense of self or of trust in her own instinct. We know she had visions as a human and I’m sure when she woke as a vampire she knew to trust in those visions because of how her human self had been right about her mother’s murder etc, even if she had no conscious recollection of that. So, if we go with this theory, here are some possible aspects of her human life that might explain Alice’s current personality/interests:

- From the moment she was born, Alice shared a close bond with her mother, unlike her daddy’s girl of a sister. This is why Mrs. Brandon believed in her visions when nobody else did.

- Her mother was beautiful, and Alice inherited not only her pixie-like features, but her eye for fashion and beauty. She’d often be all dressed up with nowhere to go as she tended to the house while her husband travelled and worked.

- Mrs. Brandon would let her play dress-up in her wardrobe from a very young age, and little Alice would beg her to do her makeup so she could feel as beautiful as the woman she admired so much looked. She always eventually gave in, but told Alice she wasn’t allowed to look until she was finished. She’d then lead her over to the mirror, her hands over Alice’s eyes, and do a big reveal each time. Alice would always gasp and hug her in delight, and her mother would kiss the top of her head and say, “my beautiful little doll.”

- As Alice grew older, she loved helping out at her father’s jewellers so that she could people-watch. The shop was always filled with rich southern belles getting their husbands to buy them expensive jewellery. She loved fantasising about being able to afford what those whose style she admired bought, while also silently judging those she felt had more money than taste.

- Her father usually kicked her out after an hour or two of her starting work because she was so daydreamy, and he’d impatiently tell her she made the customers uncomfortable.

- But one regular, an elderly widow, would always request Alice’s assistance specifically. She’d have the girl trail around after her, accessorising a diamond necklace here with a diamond bracelet there. She had a rather harsh way of speaking, but she’d always shake Alice’s hand and slip her a $50 note after purchasing from her father at the register. The lady had very little time for Mr. Brandon, and when she came in and asked for “the short young lady” after Alice had been institutionalised, he told her she would not be returning but he’d be happy to assist. She gave him a long, hard look before leaving the store, and he never saw her again.

- Her mother taught her to sew. She’d stay up practicing until all hours, and eventually started sketching her own dress designs. The first piece of clothing Alice ever designed and made from scratch was a surprise dress for her mother, made from an expensive, pale blue fabric she had bought from the saved $50 bills. Her mother was in so much awe of her daughter’s talent and thoughtfulness that her eyes welled up as she ran her fingers over the garment.

- When others began speaking about Alice’s visions, accusing her of being a witch, a changeling or simply cursed, Mrs. Brandon would comfort her and tell her to ignore them. “You’ll never lead yourself wrong, Mary,” she told her firmly. “Always count on yourself.” Alice occasionally overheard her parents arguing about her throughout her childhood and teenage years, her father insisting she be sent away. But her mother always came to her defense, and the last time she heard them argue, the usually gentle woman was so infuriated she yelled that she would discuss it no further — that Alice would be sent away over her dead body.

- Alice was thereby sickened to forsee her mother’s murder, and was so hysterically panicked she struggled to tell her of what she saw in a coherent manner. Her mother tried to reassure her that she’d be cautious — that nothing would happen, that she’d never leave her — but the pit in the girl’s stomach never went away.

- Mrs. Brandon’s death left Alice feeling very strange. She took it hard, but it had also felt like a nightmare inevitable to come true. She imagined herself standing on a train platform, watching two trains headed for a collision and powerless to stop it. People whispered about how she wore a pale blue dress instead of black to the funeral, but she couldn’t hear them through her grief. She also foresaw that nobody would believe her when she claimed her mother had been murdered, but she tried to tell them anyway to no avail. For the first time, despite years of being mocked and ostracised for it, she began to hate her gift.

- She was grateful for it again just a few months later though, having envisioned her father and his new wife attempting to kill her. The vision gave her just enough time to make her escape, ultimately saving her life. She swore she’d only ever follow her late mother’s advice from then on and always trust in herself and what she saw.

- When she woke as a vampire, the first vision she had was Jasper saying her name. The next was of the pair of them surrounded by the rest of the Cullens. She was resolute that these visions were leading her to the life she was destined to live, despite having no recollection of her past.

- About a month after she joined the Cullens, Alice stood at the door of Esme’s studio, where her already maternal figure was painting inside. She didn’t know what had possessed her to do what she had done for this person she barely knew, but something about it felt right.

“Esme?” she called as she knocked on the door.

“Come in,” Esme said absentmindedly, concentrating on the landscape she was working on. Alice burst through the door excitedly, causing her to look up in alarm.

“I have something for you. And I’ve already seen: you’re going to love it!”

Esme’s shoulders relaxed. She smiled and set her paintbrush down. “I’m sure I will. What have you got there?” She gestured to the material folded over Alice’s arm. “Spoiling me already?”

Alice proudly held up her latest creation from its hanger. “I designed a dress, just for you.”

[gainingexjock]

THE OBESE BROTHERS

Charles was a young babysitter and cared for the elderly for extra money. He was 18 and had never had a long term caring job, that was until today.

He had put an AD out in the local newspaper hoping someone would reply, to his pleasure he got one. It was a mother hoping for a carer that could look after her two teenage boys, one 18 and one 19. Charles presumed they had a disability or she was just a very overprotective mother and that’s why they had a carer at that age.

A week later

It was his first day caring for the two boys and he pulled his car up to the gates of the house. It was a very large house clearly with some other members of staff like gardeners, a chef and cleaners.

“Welcome you must be Charles” a voice came from behind him as he got out the car

“ I am Heidi”

“Hey, nice to meet u, u can call me Charlie btw”

“Okay Charlie, thank you for accepting the job request so quickly. It’s just I work a lot and really need someone full time to look after my special boys”

“No worries, I am so happy to have got the job”

“That’s good, now let me bring you inside and you can meet billy and Harry”

Heidi led Charlie through the large house and up the stairs to the second floor. They past two rooms that looked very much like teenage boys rooms with football posters on the walls and various other things lying around the rooms.

“These were the boys rooms, they outgrew them though and needed somewhere more suited for their specific needs” Heidi told Charlie

She took him further until they reached the end of the corridor and two large double doors

“Please don’t be too shocked, my boys will be embarrassed and I wouldn’t want that”

She opened the doors and the smell of bo and food hit me, someone clearly had been living in these rooms for months maybe years. Around the corner of the room I saw two large steel framed beds, on both of them lay completely naked two very very fat boys.

Backstory ( both billy and Harry used to be high school jocks, playing football and various other activities. After they both suffered a accident in football that left them unable to walk for 3 months they began to gain weight, Heidi kept them in their rooms in fear they would hurt themselves. She told the chefs to cook for them and make them whatever they wanted, and so both the boys appetites and bodie grew massively. Until a point they only played video games and ate, they dropped out of school because their mother feared bullying and so became morbidly obese)

Heidi walked over to her boys rubbing Harry’s belly

“ say hello boys, this is Charlie. He will be your carer and provide you with anything u need”

Both of them tried to look over “ hey Charlie” they said

I was still in shock as I looked at the two boys, but I remembered what Heidi said

“Hey guys, I hope we can become good freinds and u guys will feel comfortable with me working here”

Harry was the older one of the two and must have weighed around 450 pounds, he had blonde hair and was clearly very attractive in his early days. He was very rounded in shape having a huge belly that hang to his knees and huge moobs that hang to each side.

Billy was younger but was a lot fatter, he had brown curly hair and he must be almost 550 pounds and had the biggest bum Charlie had ever seen. It pushed out each side of his body and his thighs where so large that you couldn’t see his penis for it was completely covered.

“I shall leave you boys to chat and I am going away for a few weeks for work”

Heidi left the room and the boys, she also left instructions with the chefs to feed billy and Harry as much as they wanted while also feeding Charlie whatever he desired.

Charlie got to know the boys and after a few days of working there he was very comfortable around them, both were almost immobile and too lazy to move from their beds. So Charlie had to wash them there, he spent a good hour washing both of them each day then adding lotion to their skin. He also got chatting to the boys and found that their mother Heidi was one of the reasons they had gained so much weight, in fact she almost encouraged them to gain as much as they desired.

Heidi’s work trip got extended and so she was away for several months. As Charlie was spending so much time with the boys he found their habits were beginning to lay off on him. When he had finished his duties he would lay on a third bed between them both and just gorge on food the chefs brought them and played video games. He also began sleeping in the same room as them both. As teenage boys who had been obese for several years now neither of them had had any girlfriends or boyfriends. And so Charlie began to notice that the boys wanted him to pleasure them at night. He would search around in their mounds of fat to find their penis and would then push against it rubbing against their fat in order to get them off.

Charlie had began to gain weight, he was never thin and had arrived at around 250 pounds but by the time Heidi got back from her buisness trip he was almost 350. Both boys had gained massively as well becoming even fatter than they had been. He was sure they added something to the food that made you gain more weight

“My boys” Heidi cried, running into the bedroom giving them both a big hug and climbing on top of their huge bellies

“ hey Charlie how have u been”

“Good thank u”

“ I see my boys have been helping u fill out” she sound poking my stomach

“Well I shall leave u boys till later, but I have made the chefs out on a special treat for u tonight”

Later that evening the chefs arrived through the doors of the bedroom, pushing huge carts of food. It was a buffet of every type of food imaginable and all three boys where waited on and fed for hours until every scrap was gone.

Charlie lay there, more bloated than he had ever been. His Calvin Klein underwear stretched to its limit and cutting in to his now much larger stomach and thighs. He pulled the briefs down to ease the discomfort

“Charlie come here my stomach hurts, and my briefs are too tight” billy cried

Charlie took three attempts to roll over to billy as he tried to remove his specially made underwear. Billy was right it was far too tight and was cutting deep into the mounds of flesh and fat

“It hurts Charlie” billy cried again

Charlie pulled against the briefs, as he did he heard the ripping sound as they released billy’s body. His thighs rippled and wobbled continuesly almost knocking Charlie to the floor

“Is that better ?” Charlie asked

“Much thank you” billy responded

“Your are looking quite big Charlie” Harry said from the other side of the beds

“Have u gained any weight ?”

“I don’t know” Charlie responded

“Jump on the scales over there Charlie I wanna know how big you have gotten”

Charlie heaved himself up, suddenly remembering that he too was completely naked and not being fat enough for his penis to be hidden he found himself exposed in front of the boys. He tried not to think about it as he wobbled over to the scales, he stepped on and waited till he heard the ping. He tried to look down but found his belly to be hiding his view, he leaned forward some more just enough to see the scales read 425 pounds.

WHAT !! HE WAS HUGE

“ how have i gotten so big” he shouted

“It must have been that feast the chefs made, mum often puts her special weight gain powder in our food to help us grow. But it must have had a extra special affect on you Charlie” billy explained

“How much did we gain” Harry asked

Charlie went round to the scale by the side of Harry’s bed, it read 750 !

“Omg u r 750 pounds !”

“Yesss, that’s brilliant Harry” billy shouted

“I am so pleased, mummy is really helping me gain that weight I wanted” said Harry excitedly

“Wait you want to gain this weight?” Asked Charlie

“Ofc we do silly, how else do you think we got this big. After our football accident we got lazy and started gaining weight, we found that we actually loved it and so mum helped us” explained billy

“Yeh and you are looking pretty good charlie, maybe you should gain like us” Harry said

A feeling of pleasure went through Charlie’s body, he never thought that the idea of him becoming so obese like Harry and billy would please him so much

“I mean I guess I could”

“Great, but first come read my scale” billy said boastly

Charlie walked round to read the scale

“900 pounds !! You are 18 and weigh 900 pounds ! That must be a record”

“I hope so haha” shouted billy

Harry ring the bell by the side of his bed, Heidi came running in a few moments later

“What is it my love’s, r u hungry ?? Wait what is going on”

Charlie remembered that he was stood there naked in front of her with Billy’s ripped underwear laying on the floor

“We have some good news mummy, Charlie wants to be fat and greedy like us! He wants to be fed just like us”Harry said

“Oh that’s brilliant news, get in your bed Charlie I don’t want u burning calories. I shall call for the chefs to make you all a midnight snack at once”

She ran out the room as Charlie climbed onto the bed and fell onto the sheets exhausted from all that just happened. Billy and Harry called for assistance to move their monstrous bodies closer to Charlie. The chefs walk in to a wonderful sight, three fat boys laying side by side enjoying their lust for food and all rubbing each other’s full belly’s as they ate

TWO MONTHS LATER

It had taken a while for Heidi to find a new carer for her boys, but this one had his work cut out as he walked into the room to see three obese boys laying naked with their rolls and rolls of fat on show on steel enforced beds. The new carer had to clean each of them, pushing through their rolls to clean their skin and clean up after the inevitable consequences of eating that much food. But the three boys each pleasured each other to the best of their ability at such huge sizes, and they continued to grow with the support of their mum

[therealsaintscully]

My list of X-Files inspired BBC Sherlock fic prompts

 I recently finished reading @88thparallel​‘s fabulous “Written in Ashes”, a BBC Sherlock fic inspired by the X-Files episode Demons. I’m a huge X-Files fan myself, and the idea of adapting an XF story into a Sherlock one sent me down a rabbit hole. I decided to compose a list of ideas, all up for grabs, for X-Files plots that can be adapted in interesting ways to a BBC Sherlock casefics.

Below you’ll find a list of X-Files episode with their original description, and some suggestions based on my knowledge of the two shows of what makes the plot an interesting one to write. As I mentioned, these ideas are PROMPTS, suggestions - feel free to write them. In fact it’ll be my honor! Let me know if and when you do (I might even create a collection for them in AO3).

Ice (1x07) - Mulder and Scully  investigate the death of an Alaskan research team. Isolated and alone, the agents and their accompanying team discover the existence of extraterrestrial parasitic organisms that drive their hosts into impulsive fits of rage.  Cool plot points you might enjoy writing: extreme nature adventures (mountains, snow, remote research facilities); isolated together with strangers in a distant location (Ice was supposed to be a bottle episode); a lot of suspense as Mulder and Scully’s trust in each other is put to the test (a handgun showdown), physical inspections rife with sexual tension, ooo! 

Darkness Falls (1x19) - Mulder and Scully are called in to investigate when a team of loggers disappear without a trace. Initially suspecting eco-terrorism, the agents find themselves trapped by a seemingly ancient menace lurking in the woods. According to Wikipedia, “Chris Carter was inspired to write this episode based on an interest in dendrochronology (sic? that’s how it’s spelled in wikipedia), a subject that involves analyzing annual growth rings found in non-tropical tree species.”  An interesting topic to develop!  Cool plot points you might enjoy writing: Just like in Ice, opportunity to write magnificent nature descriptions; also like in Ice, Mulder and Scully have to fend to themselves against the ‘others’; wonderful quotes such as “Rugged manly-men. In the full bloom of their manhood.” and “Come on, Scully. It'll be a nice trip to the forest." A Three Garridebs moment could work here!

Pusher (3x17) - Ah, Pusher. An early Vince Gilligan classic! Mulder and Scully’s assistance is requested for a case involving a man, who goes by the pseudonym "Pusher", seemingly capable of bending people to his will. The suspect uses his mysterious abilities to manipulate Mulder into a dangerous end game.  Cool plot points you might enjoy writing: Many parallels can be found between Modell and Eurus and or Moriarty; the game of cat and mouse in hopes of luring Mulder as the end game is quite similar to the TFP/TGG; the final game of Russian roulette with Mulder at the end is a classic MSR scene which could be lovely to write for John and Sherlock (Gillian is amazing with that One Tear™  while she threatens Modell); an opportunity to instill a fear of a very specific shade of blue in your readers; a chance of a sequel, since Modell returns with a vengeance in Kitsunegari.

Jose Chung's From Outer Space (3X20) - Mulder and Scully hear, and promptly investigate, a story about an alien abduction of two teenagers. Each witness provides a different version of the same facts. Within the episode, a thriller novelist, Jose Chung, writes a book about the incident.  Cool plot points you might enjoy writing: Humor! Lots and lots self-aware, meta-type inner-jokes humor as an observant book writer describes Mulder/Sherlock’s many weird traits.

Avatar (3x21) - Assistant Director Walter Skinner  is accused of murdering a prostitute, Mulder and Scully investigate to determine the truth behind what happened. Cool plot points you might enjoy writing: A fine chance to turn Skinner into Sholto or one of John’s other army friends (Skinner discusses trauma from his days in Vietnam in this episode, which could be adapted to Afghanistan). John Asks for Sherlock’s help on behalf of Sholto/said friend and there’s a thrilling prospect of some good old jealousy :) *After writing this I kinda fell in love with this idea and I might attempt writing this, but I’m absolutely not claiming this exclusively! If you like the idea go ahead!

Paper Hearts (4X08) - Another Vince Gilligan episode, my go-to one these days for when I miss the show and need a good dose of Mulder and Scully. I can go on and on about why I love this episode but I’ll spare you from that right now ;) Mulder and Scully find that a child killer who Mulder had helped to apprehend several years earlier had claimed more victims than he had confessed to; and in the resulting investigation, learn that the killer is now claiming to have killed Mulder's sister Samantha. Cool plot points you might enjoy writing: The Alice in Wonderland theme in the episode is somewhat reminiscent of the Hansel and Gretel theme from TRF so Moriarty could be one way to go; another way to go is have Eurus as a villain in a TFP plot fix-it (if you find the Sherrinford plot exaggerated), with Sherlock’s hope of finding Victor’s body by the end of the game.

Zero Sum (4x21) - In the episode, a case Mulder is asked to investigate is covertly covered up by the agents' boss Walter Skinner, who has made a sinister bargain with The Smoking Man. Scully is missing in this episode (Mulder cites her cancer treatments; Gillian Anderson was filming something else at the time). Cool plot points you might enjoy writing: A wonderful opportunity for a Lestrade-as-Skinner story!  (and you’re given a fine chance to write a Lestade naked with nothing but pants situation); Mulder is a bit lost without Scully in this episode so that’s added background Johnlock angst; the story can happen when John is away, either during his honeymoon or after Mary dies.

The Pine Bluff Variant (5x18) - This is an underrated episode which I quite like, personally. Scully grows suspicious of Mulder when she thinks he may be helping a terrorist organization. Scully begins to wonder if he is now a traitor to the FBI. It is eventually revealed that Mulder is working as a mole in the group, and he is trying to stop them before they are able to use a biological weapon—that may have been created by members of the U.S. government—which causes rapid degeneration of human flesh. Cool plot points you might enjoy: alternating POVs between Sherlock and John; a lot of tension between John and Sherlock while John is suspicious; Mycroft recruiting Sherlock to appear as a traitor.

Triangle (6x03) - What can I possibly say about Triangle that hadn’t been said before? Cool plot points you might enjoy: An AU-within-AU opportunity - a chance for John and Sherlock to meet in a WW2 era, saved by rebel-Nazi Lestrade, Sherlock’s irregulars are The Lone Gunmen, a kiss, a punch, “You’re my one in five billion” (remember when there 5 billion people on this planet?) :) If you do write this, please make sure present John and past John pass each other by and get a strange, tingling sensation as a result! It’s one of my favorite scenes in the entire show.

Dreamland I & II (6x04 and 6x05) - Mulder and Scully visit Area 51. But when the agents witness the flight of a mysterious craft, Mulder and a member of the Men in Black switch bodies, unbeknownst to the others. In part two, Scully begins to suspect that her partner's strange behavior is more than it appears to be, while Mulder fights to return his life to normal before it is too late. Cool plot points you might enjoy: Humor, humor and more humor. Mostly Morris Fletcher trying to bed John (=Scully) who promptly pulls a gun on him. That should be an awesome scene to write in and of itself. And let’s not forget “Lately, for lunch, you've been having this six-ounce cup of yogurt, plain yogurt, into which you stir bee pollen because you're on a bee pollen kick even though I tell you you're a doctor and you should know better.“ as well as “I’d kiss you if you weren’t so damn ugly.”

Tithonus (6x09) - Another underrated episode. I think it deals with the theme of death’s inevitability rather beautifully. Scully learns that she, but not Mulder, is being given a chance to prove her worth at the FBI, and—paired with a new partner—she investigates a crime scene photographer with an uncanny knack for arriving just in time to see his victims' final moments. What she does not expect, however, is for Death to play a role himself. Cool plot points you might enjoy writing: John exploring on his own, for one reason or another, attached to another investigator (things happen!); this episode further explores a theory referred throughout the show since Clyde Bruckman’s Final Repose, that Dana Scully is immortal (she seems to avoid death in this episode as well). It’s an Appointment in Samarra sort of story.

Monday (6x15) - Mulder and Scully are stuck in a deadly time loop. It’s a story that writes itself! Cool plot points you might enjoy writing: Sherlock or John having a really bad morning, over and over again.

Alpha (6x16) - Mulder and Scully investigate several killings blamed on an Asian dog called the Wanshang Dhole, thought to be extinct. Mulder and Scully join an obstinate Sheriff, a seemingly eccentric hunter, and a reclusive canine expert to find it. However, there is more mystery to the expert than meets the eye. Cool plot points you might enjoy writing: I enjoy this episode because it has some gentle but obvious MSR moments. Scully is suspicious (and low-key jealous) of Karin Berquist’s involvement in the case and it colors her opinion of the investigation. A key quote in this episode, preformed softly and beautifully by Gillian, is: “She's enamored of you Mulder. Don't underestimate a woman. They can be tricksters, too.”

The Unnatural (6x17) - This is a weird ass episode, let’s admit it. This is DD’s love story to baseball and it’s silly and sometimes boring/slow. BUT, it has lovely MRS moments.  Cool plot points you might enjoy writing: The structure of story within a story (Mulder retells his time spent with Arthur Dales who tells him the story of Josh Exley) is interesting enough. The opening and closing scenes are lovely as well of course!

X-Cops (7x12) - Mulder and Scully are interviewed for the Fox reality television program Cops during an X-Files investigation. Mulder, hunting what he believes to be a werewolf, discovers that the monster terrorizing people instead feeds on fear. While Mulder embraces the publicity of Cops, Scully is more uncomfortable about appearing on national television. Cool plot points you might enjoy writing: It’s your chance to write a Sherlock crossver fic about an X-Files crossover episode. If that’s not cool, I don’t no what is.

Hollywood A.D. (7x18) - Let’s admit it, Hollywood A.D is not a good episode, as funny as it is. This episode was one of the first signs the show had lost its edge, possibly because they thought this would be their truly-this-time last season. However, it IS funny and gave rise to fans claims that by this point, Mulder and Scully were Definitely Sleeping Together. Wayne Federman, an entrepreneurial Hollywood producer and college friend of Walter Skinner picks up the idea for a film based on the X-Files, however Mulder and Scully find that the level of realism in their fictional portrayal is somewhat questionable. Meanwhile, during the filming of the movie, Mulder and Scully research the mysterious "Lazarus Bowl", an artifact that supposedly has the exact words that Jesus Christ spoke to raise Lazarus from the dead recorded on its surface. Cool plot points you might enjoy writing: Lots of inner-jokes and crack humor, many fluffy moments, the chance to imagine who’ll play Lestrade, Sherlock and John in a BBC Film, Lazarus could refer to The Fall(!), which could be the plot to said film.

The X-Files: I Want to Believe - Mulder and Scully have both left the FBI, but when an FBI agent is mysteriously kidnapped, and a former priest who has been convicted of being a child molester claims to be experiencing psychic visions of the endangered agent, they reluctantly accept the FBI's request for their paranormal expertise. I know, I know. Don’t look at me like that. I didn’t like it either at first, but a) compared to the revival seasons, it’s not that bad and b) in terms of established relationship angst, it’s a fucking goldmine. Cool plot points you might enjoy writing: A chance to write a post-recent-retirement fic for Sherlock and John, with a lot of tension in their established relationship based around John’s reluctance to return to their lives as investigators. IWTB has quotes like “This isn't my life anymore, Mulder. I'm done chasing monsters in the dark.” and “This stubbornness of yours, it's why I fell in love with you.”  So there! Don’t dismiss the idea so quickly!

Wow, this turned out longer than I expected! I hope you liked them, and even if you don’t write anything - I definitely enjoyed this exercise.

My finished fics are ready to be read on AO3 :)

[killjoy-loveit]

A Little Bit Like Clover

Request: Oh yay! May I please request a Rowoon/Seokwoo Barista!AU? One shot or scenario, Romance/Fluff, female reader, any POV where he falls for a a florist who works in a flower shop right across from his coffee shop. I don't really have a specific plot in mind other than that 😅 thank you! 💕

A/N: I would like to clarify that everything written in this story is complete fiction and isn’t to be taken as a true portrayal of reality. To the anon who requested this, I’m so sorry it took me so long :( I hope that the story lives up to your expectations!! Side note: I wrote this in a style similar to that of one I tried previously for another story, I personally like this style a bit so lmk what y’all think of it :)

Also this was proof-read by the absolutely wonderful 💚💚 @uwunnie​ 💚💚, whom I wish to thank for taking time out of her day to check over it for me!!

Word Count: 3,914

Genre: Fluff, overall v cute imo

May 3rd, 20XX

     The nice old man, Mr. Jones, that owned the bookstore across the street decided to sell. He would always come in on Tuesday of every week to buy flowers for his wife’s grave- Tuesday’s had been their date nights he’d confided in you one day. Sometimes Mr. Jones would choose her favorite flowers, other times he’d tell you to make a pretty bouquet. You were sad to see him leave, but you knew it was inevitable. It was difficult for him to run the store on his own, especially with him going on in years. Now you just wondered who would become your new neighbor. Would they be nice? Would they change from a bookstore? The possibilities were numerous.

June 1st, 20XX

     After almost a month the bookstore was successfully purchased. Still, you were unsure of who owned the space. You’d yet to see one individual frequenting the establishment, though it would be hard to pick them out anyways. There was always a gaggle of people moving about the old storefront nowadays, pulling out all of the old furniture and books. Clearly it wasn’t going to be a bookstore anymore. That small discovery made you a bit sad. You would miss going over there on your days off and finding new books to delve into.

July 15th, 20XX

     Finally you met the new owner of the store across the street. He’d come in right as you were finishing up a bright bouquet that would be one of the samples for a party planner you worked with. You’d glanced up as the bell had rung, the typical customer service smile coming to your face. As he stepped up to the counter, you wiped your hands on the apron tied about your waist. 

     “Hi, welcome to Oopsy Daisy. How can I help you?” Your voice automatically switching into the chipper, vibrant tone you used to interact with customers. It must’ve shocked him, you thought, as you noticed his eyes widen a tad.

     Nevertheless he smiled politely at you and extended his hand. “Hello, I’m Rowoon, I bought the store across the street from you.”

     Surprised, you reached out your hand to shake his, mouth parted slightly. “Oh, wow. I was wondering who’d bought it- now I know.” You laughed lightly, then proceeded to introduce yourself.

     “Well, I just wanted to come over and introduce myself. I’m not sure if you know, I changed the layout into that of a coffee shop, so if you ever decide to come check it out the first cup of coffee’s on the house!” 

     “I’ll make sure to stop by soon!”

July 16th, 20XX

     You were up earlier than usual as orders had piled up, what with it being the midst of wedding season. Oopsy Daisy wouldn’t open to the general public for a few hours still, which would leave you plenty of time to make decent headway on the orders. But you would make no progress without having a cup of coffee first. And what better time to try out the new coffee place across the street than right now? 

     Despite the early hour, right about the time typical business people would be floundering for their first cup of coffee, the shop seemed relatively empty. Two or three customers were placed throughout the shop, two at separate tables sipping on their coffee and looking at laptops, the other sitting in a comfortable chair with a book in hand and a coffee set on a table beside them. The store didn’t seem to change too much, despite the switch to becoming a coffee shop. Bookshelves lined the small brick wall that separated the coffee counter from the seating area. Small tables and comfortable chairs were scattered throughout the area, giving it a cozy feel.

     Walking up to the counter, you saw Rowoon standing behind it- pretty relaxed, a book in his hand. A mix of to-go cups and porcelain mugs caught your eye as you got closer, each one had the store name and logo printed on. The logo being a heart made of coffee beans around the shop’s name, which is succinctly called ‘Kinda In Love With Brew’. That made you smile.

     “Your store’s name is cute.” You said after reaching the counter, pulling his focus away from the book in his hands.

     “Oh, hey! I wasn’t sure when I’d see you again.” Rowoon grinned. “And thanks, I came up with it myself.”

     “Really? I wouldn’t have guessed that.” Shifting on your feet, you fiddle with the zipper on your bag.

     He just laughs, shaking his head. “A lot of people say that. Do I not seem like I could come up with a cute romantic name for my store?”

     “No, it just seemed like a mild romantic sort of name and I guess I didn’t see you as that type. Clearly I was wrong and shouldn’t set out to find a job in profiling.” You joke lightly.

     Rowoon sets his book down, leaning his forearms against the counter. “Now that we’ve adequately discussed my shop’s name, should we talk about yours? Or save that for another time?”

     “Another time perhaps, I’m on a bit of a time crunch.” 

     With that said, you quickly order a drink of Rowoon’s recommendation. And once the drink is in hand, you make your way back across the street. 

October 28th, 20XX

     It’s been a couple of months since Rowoon opened ‘Kinda In Love With Brew’, and you’d met on many occasions. It had become a habit to pop across the street for a coffee when you knew you would be slammed with orders. And he’d taken to coming over and chatting whenever business was slow, leaving his store under the watch of one of his employees. Normally people got on your nerves, which is why you ran your store all by your lonesome- not one employee to help you out. But somehow Rowoon didn’t. You weren’t sure if he had some charm to him that made it harder to be annoyed by him, or if your personalities just meshed well together.

     Either way it didn’t matter, you were well into becoming friends. Which is why it almost didn’t surprise you when he knocked on the door to your shop well past closing. After letting him in, you’d questioned his arrival.

     “Well,” He replied, taking a deep breath. “I saw the light in your store still on and I wondered why you were still working. It’s almost one in the morning.”

     Glancing over at the clock on the wall to confirm his words, your jaw dropped slightly. “I didn’t even realize… I just got carried away, I guess.”

     Rowoon raised an eyebrow at you. “Carried away or frantically trying to finish an order before the pickup time?”

     You smiled sheepishly at him. “Maybe it was more frantic than being carried away.”

     “I just don’t understand why you refuse to hire some help around here.” He sighs, looking intently at you. “You’re practically running on fumes at this point. If you keep this up then you’ll have to start turning away customers.”

     “I get annoyed by people easily, especially if I have to explain things multiple times. It just wouldn’t work if I tried to hire someone to help me. The cons would outweigh the benefits.” You mutter, picking at your apron awkwardly.

     “I don’t think they would if you found the right person.” Rowoon chided. “But right now what you need is sleep. Go home, get a good rest and finish the order later.”

     You shook your head quickly. “I can’t. They’re picking up the bouquets at nine and I haven’t even finished half of them yet.”

     “Let me help you then.”

     At first you’d been hesitant to let him assist in the bouquet making, but he’d actually done a good job. It turns out that he catches on rather quickly, so after observing you make two arrangements he was able to start making them on his own. It was nice having someone next to you, working in harmony, conversation flowing naturally. This wasn’t something you’d experienced before, and you found that you enjoyed it. Not to mention you actually finished a lot faster than you would have on your own. Hours faster. Once all of the arrangements were finished though, before Rowoon could leave, you promised to repay the favor or at the very least treat him to a meal when he was free. 

November 14th, 20XX

     It was about five o’clock in the evening when Rowoon rushed into your store, completely frazzled and unkempt. Luckily there was no one inside your shop at the moment, though this was because you were technically closed to the public. The asters you were holding falling to the counter in shock. Never had you seen him appear in such a state, he was typically calm albeit a little goofy. Yet here he was, standing before you, out of breath, with panic written all over his features. 

     “What’s wrong?” You moved out from behind the counter to where he stood at the entrance, hand smoothing down his back in an attempt to calm him down.

     Rowoon gulped in a deep breath. “There’s- there’s a lady in the store, and we already called the ambulance, but I don’t know what to do! How am I supposed to help her? I can’t-.”

     You cut him off, worry seeping into your veins and activating your brain. “What happened for you to call the ambulance? Was she injured? Did she slip and fall? Is she bleeding?”

     At each of your questions after the first he shook his head quickly. “She went into labor!”

     Eyes wide, you stared at him, mouth agape. “And you just left her there? What’s wrong with you?” You smacked his shoulder lightly before rushing out of your store to his.

     Sure enough, once you got inside you saw an obviously pregnant woman, sitting on a chair breathing heavily. A man was standing beside her, appearing very panicked, holding a phone talking to a person you believed to be an emergency operator. Only a few other people, all coincidentally men, were in the store, but each one of them appeared nervous and anxious on behalf of the lady who had just gone into labor. All of this energy couldn’t be good for her. The lady in question, looked scared, and all of the people around her weren’t calm either- which was helping nothing.

     Hearing the door close behind you, you determined that Rowoon had followed you. “Go get wet a cloth with cool water, wring it out and bring it to me.” You stated without looking at him, but he quickly followed your orders and moved past you.

     Without hesitation you raised your voice to address the people in the coffee shop. “Everyone who is not with the woman in labor, please leave! I understand that you came here for a coffee fix, but right now might not be the best time.” 

     As the other customers departed, you were left alone in the store with three other people: Rowoon, the lady in labor, and the guy standing next to her. As you approached, her gaze was flickered between you and the guy next to her.

     “Hey,” Voice calm, you pulled a chair up beside her and sat down. “What’s your name?”

     “V-Vee.” She hissed out, teeth gritting in pain.

     You worked on keeping your voice as calm and soothing as possible as you conversed with her, trying to help ease some of the nerves. Rowoon had appeared with the cloth in the midst of your conversation, which you’d handed to the guy standing next to her, telling him to help keep her cool. Overhearing the emergency operator state that the ambulance was still a little far out, Vee became panicked. She was blubbering about how she didn’t want to have her baby in a coffee shop, she wanted to have it in the hospital after getting an epidural, how she wasn’t ready yet. 

     “Breathe,” You reminded her, while you tried to come up with some words that might help. “The ambulance is coming, and soon enough you’ll be able to get to the hospital.” You locked eyes with her. “You can do this. Just think, in a matter of hours you’ll be holding your little one. Isn’t that amazing?”

     She nodded slowly, muttering under her breath. “I can do this.”

     It wasn’t long after this that the ambulance arrived, sweeping her and the man with her away. Which just left you and Rowoon in the store. Of the two, you were clearly the one with the level-head currently, as it appeared that he was mentally checked out at the moment. After guiding him to a seat and getting him a glass of water, you flipped the sign on his door to say ‘closed’. Then you began cleaning up spilled drinks, most likely occurring from witnessing a woman go into labor. Cleaning the spilled drinks didn’t take too long, thus you continue cleaning the rest of the store as you’d seen Rowoon do many a time through the wide windows of his cafe.

     Even after you finished cleaning, Rowoon still seemed to be in a state of shock at what had just happened. So, you did the only thing you could think of- you took his store keys from him, shut off all the lights, dragged him outside and locked up. 

     “Come on,” You murmured, hand wrapped around his wrist. “I’m going to make you a cup of chamomile tea.”

     Making your way across the street, you led him into your store, which you locked after entering, and up the stairs in the back to your apartment. Minutes later Rowoon was sitting on your couch, a steaming mug of tea in his hands. You were starting to get a little worried, as he’d yet to say a single word. 

     Sitting down beside him, you looked at him with concern. “Are you okay?”

     He turned to look at you, the glaze that had previously taken over his eyes dissipating. “I think so,” Rowoon breathed out softly, taking a sip of tea. “I wasn’t expecting anything like that to happen in my store.” 

     Laughing quietly, you patted his arm. “I don’t think most people expect a woman to go into labor in their place of work, unless you’re at a hospital that is.”

     Cracking a joke, it seems, was the right move. Rowoon was able to relax a bit more as your conversation went on. Stories were exchanged of the wildest things to happen in your stores, though you were pretty sure he won, what with what happened tonight. He expressed how amazed he was at your ability to keep calm in such a situation, praising how you’d even helped to calm the soon-to-be mother. That night, Rowoon stayed over- the two of you falling asleep on the couch with a worn-out blanket covering your legs, an old rerun playing in the background, his mug of tea sitting empty on the coffee table.

December 22nd, 20XX

     Snow gently floated to the ground, setting the perfect atmosphere for the holidays. Normally it didn’t snow in this area until January, so it was exciting to see it appear before the new year. However, the snow did nothing to calm your nerves as you built the courage to go to the holiday party currently taking place in Rowoon’s cafe. Through the window you could see the crowd of people smiling and laughing, even managing to hear snippets of the music playing inside each time a new person went inside. 

     Wringing your hands, you finally resolved to pull yourself together and walk across the street. It couldn’t be that hard to step into a building you’d been in numerous times before, could it? Rowoon had invited you, said he was looking forward to seeing you there- you couldn’t just not go. With a particularly deep breath as your fuel, you stepped out of your store and quickly crossed the street after checking the road was clear. You hadn’t been in front of the door to the cafe for more than a second before it was opened by Rowoon himself, a bright smile on his face as he pulled you inside.

     “I’m so glad you came!” His eyes crinkled at the edges. “Do you want some cider? Or hot chocolate? I also have eggnog, a few different wines and ales, or water, if you prefer.”

     “So many options,” At your words, a dusting of color rose to Rowoon’s cheeks. “But I’ll have to go with the first one, cider.”

     His hand remained wrapped around your wrist as he led you through the party, weaving around multiple groups of people, smiling and greeting them as he went. Rowoon only letting go of you to pour a cup of warm cider, which he handed to you with a grin. Shortly after, the two of you fell into a comfortable silence, observing the party-goers together. That is until someone came up, pulling Rowoon away for some reason you couldn’t quite catch. Rowoon had seemed reluctant to go, glancing back at you as he was led somewhere else.

     As you didn’t really know any of the people at this party, you kept your place beside the refreshment table. Time passed by rather slowly as you watched everyone socialize, Rowoon having disappeared somewhere among them. Despite his tall stature you couldn’t manage to pick him out in the crowd. Heaving a sigh, you continued to sip at your drink, wondering how long you should stay. With the amount of people in the cafe, if no one stayed around to help Rowoon clean up, he’d probably be here hours afterward. Since he’d helped you on multiple occasions before, the desire was there to help him in return.

     Although maybe it wasn’t just that you wanted to help him. Rather, maybe you just wanted to be alone with him. Your mind flitted back to the week prior, when Rowoon had invited you to the party. 

     He’d walked into your store, head bent slightly, teeth denting his lower lip, and almost walked right into a display of primrose and snowdrops. If you hadn’t moved fast enough he would have bulldozed right into that display, one that had taken you a bit of time to get just right. You had run right over to him, grabbing his wrist and jerking him away at the last second. Rowoon had looked up then, shocked as he stumbled and had to keep himself from toppling over.

     “I’m sorry,” You’d apologized breathlessly. “I just spent so long on that display and you were about to walk right into it.”

     Rowoon glanced back at where he’d just been, eyes widening a fraction. “No, I’m sorry I should’ve been paying attention. I was too lost in my thoughts.” He offered a sheepish smile.

     Eyebrows raised, you cocked your head to the side. “What were you thinking about so deeply you forgot to pay attention to your surroundings?”

     “Oh, I was thinking…” He paused for a minute, eyes flickering to the ceiling. “Of the holiday party I’m having next week. Would you be able to come?”

     At first you’d been a bit hesitant, mainly because you were aware there’d most likely be a lot of people you didn’t know at the party. But Rowoon had managed to convince you to come. Besides, it was much too difficult to say no when he looked at you with hopeful eyes. 

     Hours passed by- hours you didn’t note because at one point you’d left the safety of the refreshment table to find Rowoon. Instead of finding him, though, you’d managed to find an old book of poetry half-hidden on a bookshelf. This book had kept you entranced as the party continued and as it eventually wound down. 

     “Enjoying yourself?” 

     You glanced up from the book to see Rowoon standing next to you, and the rest of the cafe empty. “Is the party over?” 

     He nodded, a tired smile overtaking his face as he sat next to you. “Yeah. Sorry I left you alone the whole time you were here. I kept trying to come and find you, but I kept getting pulled about by other people. Being a party host is exhausting.” Rowoon finished with a sigh, elbows coming up to rest on the table as he set his head in his hands.

     “It’s fine,” You murmured, setting the book down on the table. “I managed to keep myself occupied.” Silence permeated the air between you for a minute before you stood up. “Do you need help cleaning up?”

     “What? Oh no, you don’t need to help clean up.”

     “But nobody else stayed behind to help. You shouldn’t have to clean this all by yourself, look at the mess!” You gestured at his cafe, which had empty paper cups and plates strewn about and streamers hanging loosely on the walls. 

     He stood up, taking in the state of his cafe, lips pursed. “You’re right, it will be hard to clean on my own.”

     You waggled your eyebrows at him. “Of course I’m right! Now come on, let’s get to cleaning.”

     Before you could walk away to find a dustpan and broom Rowoon’s hand grasped your wrist, stopping you in your tracks. “Wait, I… I need to tell you something first.”

     Turning back to face him, head tilted, eyes focused on him. “What is it?”

     He blinked rapidly, mouth opening and closing a few times before he blurted out a sentence so jumbled you couldn’t properly understand him. You had to ask him to repeat himself, which he did, but he was so quiet you couldn’t hear him. 

     Finally, after you couldn’t take the anxiousness anymore, you propped your hand on your hip. “Rowoon, please, will you just say whatever it is? It can’t be that difficult to say.”

     “I’m so happy that I bought this place, and that I was able to meet you because of it. I don’t want to ruin our friendship if you don’t feel the same way as I do, but I need to tell you that I don’t want to be friends with you- I want to be more than that.”

     You watched as he bit his lip, his eyes flitted nervously around the room as he awaited your response. “You want to be more than friends?” He nodded swiftly. “Are you saying you have feelings for me?” He nodded once more. A smile broke out onto your face, one that he hadn’t caught yet because he was avoiding looking at you. “Hmm, well, I guess we can’t be friends anymore.”

     Rowoon’s eyes jerked to you, going wide, mouth parted slightly. “Huh?”

     You stared at him innocently. “Does this automatically mean we’re a couple, or do we need to go on a date first?”

     He sighed, relieved. “You really drew that out.”

     Most people tended to grate your nerves. Most people made you want to whack your head against a door repeatedly. Most people were capable of making you wish for a solitary life. Most people felt like weeds, popping up at the most inconvenient of times. However, Rowoon wasn’t like most people. If he were compared to a weed, he wouldn’t be the kind that covers any and everything like Kudzu, rather he’d be the kind that helps a garden thrive, like Clover. In this way, it’s safe to say that he grew on you unexpectedly.

[mccartneysguitar]

Surprise? | Paul McCartney x Reader

word count: 1.2k

I’m trash and wrote this during my math class. 

pairings: Paul McCartney x reader, John Lennon x sister!reader

request for paul x john’s sister? and she finds out she’s pregnant, but they haven’t told john about their relationship yet.

Y/N adored her brother, he was the brightness in her childhood. John and Y/N were as close as could be, they comforted each other through the death of their Uncle and the situation with their parents. Throughout the years nothing changed that, Y/N was always beside John being his biggest supporter. When Paul joined the picture, Y/N was a bit miffed that John would now spend more time with him. As a result, Y/N was often cold towards Paul, preferring to make herself scarce when he came around. But true to his name - McCharmley made his way into your heart.

John has somehow convinced you to help out around with the logistics of starting the band. Which meant you had to call up venues and whatnot in order to get them gigs. It was one of those tiring days when Paul saw you and brought you a soda.

“You looked a bit thirsty, you need to take a break before you tire yourself out. I don’t know what we would do without our favorite assistant.” He said with a small smile. From then on you, two began to grow closer, much to the chagrin of your brother. He had explicitly told you not to mess around with any of his mates, he didn’t want to be put in a situation where he would have to pick sides. Which was why you and Paul had decided to keep your relationship under wraps. Poor Ringo was the only other person who knew of your relationship with Paul. He had been sharing a room with Paul and had the misfortune of walking in on the two you going at it. Ringo could not look at you without blushing for a solid month. Both of you had sworn him to secrecy, even bribing him with a new camera.

The boys were off at rehearsal when you found out you were pregnant. It started off innocently enough, feeling sick and the odd cravings. All of which you chalked up to your period starting soon, you always did crave chocolate or sweets when your period was coming. But as the weeks passed and your period didn’t come, you started to worry. Thinking back on the times you slept with Paul, you realized you weren’t as careful as you could have been. After taking several tests and all of them coming back positive you knew you were in for a whirlwind of trouble. 

**

Y/N had gone over to Aunt Mimi’s place in hopes of getting advice on what to do and how to deal with the situation. YN wanted to let Aunt Mimi know of her current situation but knowing Mimi and her old fashioned beliefs it was more likely Y/N would get scorned. Paul would obviously be the next person to tell and from there they would have to face her brother. Which was honestly a nightmare in her mind, she could just imagine the different scenarios all of which did not end well.

Knocking on the door, you contemplated the best way of telling Mimi of your predicament. Would you work around to telling her or just be straight forward with her. Surely enough Mimi opened the door and greeted you warmly, well warm as Mimi could. Walking into your childhood home you just blurted out that you were pregnant. You heard a yell and crash come from the kitchen area, “You’re what?”

“What are you doing here? You are supposed to be at practice” you yelled back at the sound of your brother’s voice.

“It doesn’t matter! I was dropping by to check on Mimi and — I don’t have to explain myself to you. You on the other hand. Who did this to you? I’ll beat him if he doesn’t step up.” Of course, John didn’t know about your relationship, all he knew was that you were single and pregnant. You could just imagine the thoughts running through his head. 

“Oh piss off John. You’re lankier than I am. I doubt you could even land a hit even if you were wearing your glasses. I don’t need you defending my honor.” You scoffed back. This was not how you wanted John to know, now it was a much bigger mess than you could have ever imagined. The look of anger and worry John gave you was enough to break your heart, Mimi was stunned. John rarely got angry and you could tell he was about to go off. He stopped himself and stormed off. You were sure that he was going to the boys, more specifically Paul to vent about the situation.

“Sorry Mimi, it was great chatting with you! Talk to you soon,” You yelled before chasing after John in hopes of getting to Paul before John was able to say anything.  

The others could tell that something was up with John, he looked more serious than usual and the angry aura was palpable. Paul was playing random notes on the piano, trying to get the perfect tune to compliment the song in his head. When he noticed John angrily storm in, “What’s wrong Lennon?”

“Some bastard got my sister pregnant!” He yelled back. Paul practically fell out of his seat at the revelation, his shock was quickly replaced with excitement. He loved you and was excited at the prospect of starting a family with you.

John noticed the look on Paul’s face and started to connect the dots when you burst into the room. He had always suspected the both of you ever since he saw the looks you the two of you always exchanged when you both thought he wasn’t paying attention. “John, can we talk please?” You pleaded, hoping to calm him down before anything escalated. Paul at the sight of you got up and started making his way towards you.

“Y/N is it true?” Not caring that the others were in the room for the conversation. He didn’t care that John would know.

“Surprise? I just found out today. I was going to tell you later today, I didn’t think was going to happen,” You said with a small smile.

Ringo and George were just trying to process the whole scene: Paul looking excited and lovingly at you, John scowling and Y/N exasperated at the entire situation. Ringo already aware of what was inevitably going to happen stepped in between Paul and John, ready to intervene if necessary.

“Paul?! With my best mate Paul? I told you Y/N not to mess around with any from the band!” John let out angrily. He took several steps towards Paul before being held back by Ringo.

“Oh fuck off John, it’s not like I’m just sleeping around with her. I love her John. She means the world to me!” He said as he wrapped his arms protectively over you.

“I love him, John. I don’t care what you think.”

“This is better than anything on the telly,” George said.

John took a moment to process everything, realizing that he was blowing things out of proportion. The betrayal of his best friend messing around with his sister did sting but he could tell that they did love each other. Thinking back on all the songs he wrote with Paul, he realized they must have been written about you. The relationship also explained why Paul hadn’t even glanced at the groupies for months.

Running a hand through his hair he let out a sigh and said, “Fine. But I swear McCartney if you so much as make her cry I won’t hesitate in throwing you to the fans.”

[yeschaoticsheepstarlightposts]

15 Things You Should Never Do at the Doctor's Office

Think of your happiest relationships, and there is an honest chance all requires open communication, honesty, and trust. That goes for you and your doctor, too. Lie out of embarrassment, and she or he can't treat you. Show up unshowered to a doctor visit, and she or he won't want to. Ghost her too repeatedly, and a break-up is inevitable.

Be a far better partner and you will recover healthcare.

To uncover what to do—and what to not do—at the doctor's office, Eat This, Not That! Health talked to the country's top docs to seek out the #1 things medical professionals say you ought to avoid at a doctor visit. Read on. Your life depends thereon.

1 Never Be a Passive Listener Nurse Showing Patient Test Results On Digital Tablet Shutterstock Becoming a lively listener, not a passive one, is the No. 1 thanks to being a far better patient, say doctors Mikkael Sekeres and Timothy Gilligan of the Cleveland Clinic. They revealed within the NY Times that too many of their patients nod mechanically at what they're saying, without fully understanding the knowledge being relayed.

The Rx: Asking questions, requesting that the doctor repeat something, taking notes or bringing along a loved one who can do any of the above can assist you to become a life partner in your care.

2 Never Show Up With a Self-Diagnosis and Tell Your Doctor What to try to the patient is angry on doctor due to medical error Shutterstock There's a fine line between a lively listener and being a know-it-all. Consult Google to self-educate, not self-diagnose, says Suzanne Koven, a medical care internist at Massachusetts General Hospital. "I have enormous respect for patients' autonomy and understanding of their bodies, and to some extent, doctors are working with patients during a collaboration," she told Scientific American. "But to pretend that both parties are bringing the identical degree of data to the table is disingenuous. Once during a while, somebody will are available determined that they have an MRI to rule out such and such or this drug to treat such and such, and I'll need to say, 'Whoa, slow down, let's mention you and your symptoms.'"

The Rx: Do your research. Ask questions on anything you do not understand. But leave the diagnosis to your doctor.

3 Never Lie female holding fingers crossed behind her back Shutterstock According to a survey conducted by ZocDoc, almost one-quarter of individuals mislead their doctors. (Women were slightly more likely to love, at 30%, compared to 23% of men.) Embarrassment and fear of being judged were the foremost common reasons given. Stop it right now! "Sugar-coating bad habits or nagging symptoms doesn't help," advises David Longworth, MD, of the Cleveland Clinic. "Your doctors are confidential partners in your care. they have all the knowledge available to assist you to create smart decisions. that has everything from your habits to each medication you're taking, including over-the-counter drugs, herbal products, vitamins, and supplements. If you are not consistently taking medication, ask your doctor about why — including if you cannot afford them."

The Rx: Always be candid. Anything less may be a waste of your time. Leave embarrassment and shame behind. Your doctor is there to enhance your health, not nag you.

4 Never Leave Things Out Man writing at the desk Shutterstock According to the ZocDoc survey, 64 percent of seniors said they've avoided mentioning health issues with their doctor because they didn't think the matter was that serious or worth discussing. None folks want to perform a hypochondriac's soliloquy at the doctor's office, but it isn't the time for false modesty either.

The Rx: If you think that you would possibly get tongue-tied within the moment, write down your symptoms or things you want to debate together with your doctor before your visit.

5 Never Be Late Asian businesswoman watching the watch time worried and scared of getting late to the meeting Shutterstock Remember the last time you sat during a lounge, doing what space was for, for an hour? That's likely because people before you were late for his or her appointments, backing up the entire queue. Reinforcing this little bit of sense may be a doctor who posted on Reddit: "Every outpatient office has time put aside for sick visits, and time blocked off for pre-scheduled visits," wrote _PyramidHead_. "People will often call in when the office opens and invite a sick visit to deal with their pharyngitis, whatever. More times than I can count, the person will say, 'I can't are available until 4:30,' usually the last slot of the day. Which is ok, but once they then don't show up, I'm annoyed. Especially if the last pre-scheduled visit was as 3:15, and that I waited around for an hour — only to possess someone not shows up."

The Rx: Keep your appointments and get on time. Or call to let the doctor's office know what is going on on.

6 Never Be a Jerk to the office Aggressive man yelling at the nurse in the clinic Shutterstock Don't make a scene at the front desk about wait times or rant a few charges mandated by your insurance. "Complaining to the front office about your copay is pointless; they need no control over that," wrote Redditor _PyramidHead_.

The Rx: Be proactive: Call ahead to ascertain if the office is running behind if you would like to, stay informed about insurance features like your deductible, and skim #8 on this list.

7 Never Show Up Unshowered man is taking shower in the bathroom Shutterstock This one's sense (and common courtesy). Unfortunately, judging from postings by medical staff on social media, it's an all-too-common occurrence. Remember when mom asked if you were wearing clean underwear, just in case you were during an accident and ended up in a doctor's care? Mom was right.

The Rx: you do not need to prep like it is a date, but be clean.

8 Not Know What Your Insurance Covers Older patient at woman doctor office paying exam with MasterCard Shutterstock It's near rock bottom of the list of last things any folks want to do: Spend time on the phone with the insurance company. But if you're having a procedure, need medical devices, or are prescribed new medication, it's better to call ahead and sign up than be caught with a bill — and need to spend longer on the phone — after the very fact. If you would like a colonoscopy, the procedure could be covered, but not a specific facility or anesthesiologist.

The Rx: Call ahead to see. If you've got concerns, tell your doctor.

9 Not Know What Medications You're On female physician prescribing pills to an older black male patient Shutterstock This is a frequent complaint voiced by doctors and other medical professionals. If you're seeing a replacement doctor who won't have access to your records, he or she won't mind in the least if you bring along a cheat sheet together with your meds listed. It could prevent drug interactions and large problems down the road.

The Rx: jot your medications and dosages and convey the knowledge along to your doctor visit, or keep it on your phone.

10 Never Ignore Medication Instructions woman takes medicine capsules Shutterstock Always take medication as prescribed. Failure to try to do so is one of the highest complaints medical professionals voice on social media. On Reddit, a doctor going by the nickname AstralResolve explained their frustration with a standard scenario: "' I stopped taking the antibiotics cause I began to feel better. Now I'm sick again and therefore the antibiotics aren't as effective.' Every freaking time. We instruct you disregard, bugs get stronger and more resistant."

Redditor walrustude, a doctor, said noncompliance supported online research was his top gripe: "Straight up refusal to follow medical advice or to comply with taking one pill each day known to dramatically improve symptoms, all because this mommy blog said the simplest thing is apple vinegar or because WebMD suggested cold showers." Your doctor doesn't mind questions supported your research; just don't present them with something you read online as the incontrovertible fact that applies to your particular case.

The Rx: Follow prescription instructions to the letter, and voice any concerns to your doctor.

11 Never Conceal that you've got Stopped Taking Your Medication hand-throwing pills away Shutterstock This is another frequent occurrence, medical professionals say. "People stop taking medications all the time, actually because they feel better or can't afford the value. it is a chronic situation, especially as Americans grow old," writes aging expert Barbara Hannah Grufferman on HuffPost. Remember #3 and #4 on this list — a doctor's visit may be time for total honesty. Anything less is counterproductive.

The Rx: Tell your doctor everything. If finances are a problem, be blunt. (Your doctor or office could also be ready to help with co-pay cards or other solutions.)

12 Never Get Too Many Second Opinions female physician checking male patients vital sign at clinic Shutterstock A second opinion is great. A fifth, not such a lot. "I'm an enormous fan of second opinions," Orly Avitzur, MD, wrote in Consumer Reports. "I encourage my very own patients to hunt them out when faced with a difficult diagnosis or decision, and I have provided them also. But there is a limit. A recent patient was par­alyzed by indecision after seeking several medical opinions (I was number seven), all with slightly different recommendations. Medicine frequently involves judgment calls, and sooner or later you will have to trust one among them."

The Rx: Know when to mention when. More information isn't better.

13 Never Bring Relatives Along Who Take Over the Conversation Couple Attending IVF Consultation Shutterstock "While I do not yet bring anyone into my doctor's appointments, I do accompany both my mother and mother-in-law to theirs," says Grufferman. "They are 75 and 83, respectively, and the second set of ears and eyes is usually an honest thing, especially when the doctor is discussing procedures, medicine, and follow-up recommendations. during this case, I think physicians welcome my presence, as long as I do not completely take over. I always take notes and ask the doctor to repeat or review something if I do not understand."

The Rx: Ask well-meaning relatives who come along to your doctor visit to try to more listening than talking.

14 Never Be a No-Show Missed call phone from someone via mobile smartphone while Asian man sleeping on the bed in the late morning Shutterstock "Not only isn't exposure once we were expecting you (and once we have called, texted, emailed, and sometimes all three to remind you that you simply have an appointment) rude and entitled, it also tells me that my time invaluable, which somehow you think that you probably did not need to keep what essentially was a contract that you simply made with me once you made the appointment," writes California physician Rebecca Levy-Gantt during a piece on Medium titled "How to be an honest Patient".

The Rx: If you cannot make your appointment, always let the doctor's office know.

15 Never Ask Your Doctor to Lie A medical doctor making a negative sign for medicine by his finger. Doctor showing forbidden sign Shutterstock This is an enormous no-no. "Sometimes patients will inquire from me to travel back and 'code the visit differently,'" says Levy-Gantt. "I won't change the test codes or the visit codes to accommodate someone, since doing so is a fraud and not an appropriate or legal thing on behalf of me to try to to. Sorry. I will, however, attend bat for a patient (and I have) if I feel a patient needs a specific test done, and therefore the insurance firm denies it."

The Rx: Don't ask your doctor to cheat the system. It's unethical, and do not you would like a physician who's honest in the least times?

[kenshi-vakarian7]

MERweek2019 - Day 4 - Gifts

Event hosted by @cactuarkitty with fanfic prompts by @vorchagirl

Today’s Prompt - What monster doesn’t like getting a present? But who knows what’s inside of that box, and what it might lead to…

---

“A Token of His Promise”

Within the quiet confines of the Captain's Quarters, Miranda Lawson felt at peace, at least for the moment.  She tried hard not to think about the fact that the time she had left with Commander Marc Shepard was getting shorter with every second that passed.  The Normandy would soon land on Illium, where she would say her goodbyes before they went their separate ways.  And then, he would head for Arcturus to face the Alliance and receive whatever punishment they deemed fitting after what happened in the Bahak System.

During these last few nights, they've had silly talks of leaving everything behind and starting someplace new, someplace where they wouldn't be found.  They even considered jumping onto one of the ships leaving very soon for the Andromeda galaxy.  They weren't serious of course, but even if they were, Shepard knew he'd be wracked with guilt if he chose to leave the Milky Way.  Because the truth was the Reapers were coming, and his kind heart couldn't bare the thought of leaving behind the innocent people who were not at fault over the politics and lack of preparation of what was to come.

He was already so wracked with guilt after what happened in the Bahak System that he was willing to turn himself in to the Alliance at their request.  In times likes these, Miranda both loved and hated his nobility.

Things were uncertain as it were ever since they destroyed the Collectors.  And now between Miranda deflecting from Cerberus, Shepard turning himself in, and the impending war against the Reapers, it was hard to tell what would become of them.  Will thyey both make it through the fire alive?  Will only one of them survive the end?  Or would they both meet their demise before it was over?

No matter what the future held, Miranda planned to spend these last few moments with Shepard until they reached Illium.

It really wasn't fair. Shepard was this kindest, smartest, and bravest man she had ever known.  He was selfless, caring, and only wanted the best for everyone.  He didn't deserve to have his loyalty to the Alliance thrown back in his face.  He didn't deserve to be called a raving lunatic while trying to convince politicians what was coming.  And he certainly didn't deserve to be turned into a convient scapegoat just because he was forced to sacrifice over three-hundred thousand batarians in order to delay the inevitable war against the Reapers.

He deserved so, so much better than any of this.

The remaining squad had already been dropped off at the Citadel.  Aside from the two of them, the only others who remained on the Normandy were Joker, Dr. Chakwas, and the skeleton crew who were willing to give the Alliance dirt on Cerberus in exchange for immunity.  There was also EDI, but that didn’t really need to be said.

Since then, Shepard and Miranda remained in his cabin, where they simply talked about whatever came to their minds, or made love over and over until they were beyond satiated.  At some point, they fell asleep in each other's arms.

When Miranda woke up in the middle of the Normandy's night cycle, she found Shepard sitting at the edge of his side of the bed and rummaging through the top draw of the nightstand.  Miranda shifted and left out a soft hum, alerting him to the fact that she was awake.

Shepard slightly turned his head just enough to see her.  “Sleep well?” he asked, his voice slightly croaked and tired.

Miranda couldn't help the small smile that etched her face.  “I did,” she replied.  Her eyes spied the draw again.  “What are you looking for?”

As she said that, Shepard found what he was searching for and took out a palm-sized object before closing the draw.  He didn't answer her right away as he quietly gazed at the item, and Miranda simply stared as she waited patiently for a response.

After what seemed like a long time, Shepard turned his attention back to her.  “I have something for you,” he mentioned.

Miranda tilted her head with curiosity as he leaned back against the bed and scooted a little closer to her.  “What is it?” she questioned.

She got a better look at what Shepard was holding in his hand... a squared, dark blue velvet box.  For whatever reason, she couldn't help but think of the fact that the box was too big to contain a ring... not that she expected him to propose to her this soon into their relationship or anything. A bracelet, maybe?  It was honestly hard to tell, but she waited patiently nevertheless.

Shepard stared at the box as he slowly drew in a breath.  Miranda frowned a little at that as she realized that he suddenly seemed... unsure, especially as his face seem to fall sullen.

“You know about my life before the Alliance,” he started, his voice barely a whisper. “Back when I was in a gang...” Another sigh escaped his lips.  “During that time, and even after joining the military, I just...” He slightly shook his head.  “I just had a sense of... not feeling like a human being.  I always felt like I was much more than a street thug, but... I never felt like I wasn’t even close to being remotely worthy of my humanity.  There were exceptions, but... even with my IQ, impressive test scores, and everything I've accomplished in my first four years as a soldier, a part of me felt like I was nothing more than an experiment in regards to my intelligence, or an expendable soldier who existed as nothing more than a warm body to throw into the fire for someone behind a desk somewhere on Earth.”

Miranda somehow felt sad for him upon hearing his words.  She knew from looking up Shepard's old records during the Lazarus Project of all the things he achieved in his career.  The records showed not just how intelligent he was, but it also seemed to show that he was simply doing his job.  Of course, these records never tell the story of how he actually felt about all this.  To hear him share his true thoughts so candidly with her really gave Miranda a different perspective of his experiences.

She wondered if he ever shared these thoughts with anyone else before her.

Miranda noted how Shepard gently rubbed his thumb over the velvet box in his hand, and his blue eyes seemed thoughtful as he recalled these old memories.  He drew in another breath, and the exhale that followed was subtle but shaky.

“Then one day,” he proceeded.  “I was transferred to the SSV Stockholm... my first ship posting.  My CO on that ship was pretty much the first officer to not see me as expendable.  He never just asked for status reports.  He always asked how you were, how you felt about the latest mission, and he actually let his squad question the mission – and even him – without the threat of insubordination.  Because he actually appreciated feedback simply because he wanted to be the best he can be for those who worked under him.”

Miranda couldn't help but smile.  “Sounds familiar.”

That got a small hum of amusement from Shepard.  “Yeah... he did have an influence on me, huh?  In any case, he was the first CO who treated me like a person.  I just never saw it at the time... not until Elysium.  That was when I realized how much his teachings had a profound effect on me, how much faith he had in me, and how he managed, without trying, to break the barrier between myself and those I initially kept at arm's length.  As you figured out already, he was the reason I became the leader I am today...”

Miranda recalled that part of Shepard's records.  The CO he mentioned, Major Derek Maderas, a dedicated officer with his own impressive list of achievements and commendations, was KIA within the first hour of the Skyllian Blitz on Elysium.  His death was why Shepard found himself taking on what would end up being his first experience in leadership.  Shepard was a Corporal then, but somehow ended up being the highest ranking soldier in his small group, protecting the civilians within the confines of a shopping plaza.  It was Shepard who would rally his allies, assisted the civilians to help them fight back, and kept the pirates – at one point single-handedly – from breaking through the barrier that protected everyone.

Miranda finally understood where the once quiet and reserved Shepard found his ability to lead others – because of the simple fact that someone in command saw him as a human being despite his own doubts.  Someone who believed in him...

She and him really did have much in common...

Almost carefully, Shepard took Miranda's hand in his, turned it over so that her palm was facing up, and placed the box in her hand.  “Open it,” he encouraged.

Miranda took a moment to feel the velvet texture of the box underneath her fingertips before she flipped the lid open.  A soft gasp escaped her throat as she recognized the object that was within.

It was a medal – more specifically, the Star of Terra.

She knew what this medal was, of course; it was only given to Alliance soldiers who showed courage and bravery, and who went above and beyond the call of duty.  It was an award that was rarely given out. Those who received it, like Shepard, were considered heroes of humanity, which was why the award was such a big deal.

“When I was awarded this,” Shepard said as Miranda stared at the medal in awe.  “I felt like a worthy human for the first time for far too long.  I've received many other awards and commendations over the years since Elysium, but this one... this one means to me more than any other.  More than becoming an N7, and even more than becoming a Spectre.

“The point I'm trying to make, Miri, is that when I'm giving this to you, I'm not doing so lightly...”

Upon hearing this, Miranda couldn't help the tears that stung her eyes, but she quickly managed to blink them away.  “Why?” she found herself asking as she brushed a finger over the medal.  “You don't need to... you don't have to do this.  I shouldn't-”

“I want to,” Shepard cut in.  He lifted a hand to her face and gently turned her head so that she was looking into his eyes.  “I want to give this to you for two reasons.  One, I need you to keep it safe while I'm on Earth.  Two, think of it as a token of my promise.”

Shepard leaned closer to press his forehead against Miranda’s, his eyes never leaving hers.  “I promise you, Miranda.  I promise you that as soon as I get my first chance to leave Earth, I will find you.  And when I do, and the war with the Reapers is over, we're going to find a nice, quiet corner of this galaxy and live out the rest of ours days in peace together.”

Promises were a sacred thing for both of them.  Promises were never made unless they meant it.  Miranda wanted to believed him... she really did... but she couldn't help but have doubts about the future.  It was already bleak as it was already.

“Don't make promises you can't keep,” she murmured sadly.

He frowned a little at that, but he pressed on nevertheless.  “Then keep this close to your heart,” he asked as he placed a hand over hers, the one holding the box, to empathizes his point.  “Because no matter what happens, I'll come back for this.  And only then will nothing separate us ever again.”

Miranda tried to speak, but found her emotions starting to overtake her.  To clamp it down before she burst into tears, she cupped Shepard's face into her hands before she pressed her lips roughly to his.  He returned the kiss with equal fervor and pulled her tightly to him before they laid back down on the bed, and made love once more.

Through the many months after, and through the Reaper War, Miranda never once let Shepard's medal stray far from her as it was a reminder that, someday, he would come back for it – and for her.  Only then would they be reunited for good.

[7r0773r]

The Trial by Franz Kafka, translated by Breon Mitchell

After all, K. lived in a state governed by law, there was universal peace, all statutes were in force; who dared assault him in his own lodgings? He’d always tended to take things lightly, to believe the worst only when it arrived, making no provision for the future, even when things looked bad. But that didn’t seem the right approach here... (p. 6)

***

“There can be no doubt,” K. said very quietly, for he was pleased by the keen attention with which the whole assembly was listening, a murmuring arising in that stillness that was more exciting than the most delighted applause, “there can be no doubt that behind all the pronouncements of this court, and in my case, behind the arrest and today’s inquiry, there exists an extensive organization. An organization that not only engages corrupt guards, inane inspectors, and examining magistrates who are at best mediocre, but that supports as well a system of judges of all ranks, including the highest, with their inevitable innumerable entourage of assistants, scribes, gendarmes, and other aides, perhaps even hangmen, I won’t shy away from the word. And the purpose of this extensive organization, gentlemen? It consist of arresting innocent people and introducing senseless proceedings against them, which for the most part, as in my case, go nowhere. Given the senselessness of the whole affair, how could the bureaucracy avoid becoming entirely corrupt? It’s impossible, even the highest judge couldn’t manage it, even with himself. (p. 50)

***

For the lawyers--and even the least important of them has at least a partial overview of the circumstances--are far from wishing to introduce or carry out any sort of imporvement in the court system, while--and this is quite characteristic--almost every defendant, even the most simple-minded among them, starts thinking up suggestions for improvement from the moment the trial starts, and in doing so often wastes time and energy that would be better spent in other ways. The only proper approach is to learn to accept existing conditions. Even if it were possible to improve specific details--which, however, is merely an absurd superstition--one would have at best achieved something for future cases, while in the process damaging oneself immeasurably by having attracted the attention of an always vengeful bureaucracy. Just don’t attract attention! Keep calm, no matter how much it seems counter to good sense. Try to realize that this vast judicial organism remains, so to speak, in a state of eternal equilibrium, and that if you change something on your own where you are, you can cut the ground out from under your own feet and fall, while the vast organism easily compensates for the minor disturbance at some other spot--after all, everything is interconnected--and remains unchanged, if not, which is likely, even more resolute, more vigilant, more severe, more malicious. (pp. 119-20)

***

Admittedly, the petition meant an almost endless task. One needn’t be particularly faint of heart to be easily persuaded of the impossibility of ever finishing the petition. Not because of laziness or deceit, the only things that kept the lawyer from finishing, but because without knowing the nature of the charge and all its possible ramifications, his entire life, down to the smallest actions and events, would have to be called to mind, described, and examined from all sides. And what a sad job that was. (p. 127)

***

“What’s that?” he asked the painter. “What do you find so surprising?” he asked, himself surprised. “Those are the law court offices. Didn’t you know there were law court offices here? There are law court offices in practically every attic, why shouldn’t they be here too? In fact my atelier is part of the law court offices too, but the court has placed it at my disposal.” K. wasn’t so shocked at having found law court offices here; he was more shocked at himself, at his ignorance when it came to the court. It seemed to him a basic rule of behavior that the defendant should always be prepared, never be caught by surprise, never be looking blankly to the right when a judge was standing on his left--and it was precisely this basic rule that he was constantly breaking. (p. 164)

***

“You’re deceiving yourself about the court,” said the priest, “in the introductory texts to the Law it says of this deception: Before the Law stands a doorkeeper. A man from the country comes to this doorkeeper and requests admittance to the Law. But the doorkeeper says that he can’t grant him admittance now. The man thinks it over and then asks if he’ll be allowed to enter later. ‘It’s possible,’ says the doorkeeper, ‘but not now.’ Since the gate to the Law stands open as always, and the doorkeeper steps aside, the man bends down to look through the gate into the interior. When the doorkeeper sees this he laughs and says: ‘If you’re so drawn to it, go ahead and try to enter, even though I’ve forbidden it. But bear this in mind: I’m powerful. And I’m only the lowest doorkeeper. From hall to hall, however, stand doorkeepers each more powerful than the one before. The mere sight of the third is more than even I can bear.’ The man from the country has not anticipated such difficulties; the Law should be accessible to anyone at any time, he thinks, but as he now examines the doorkeeper in his fur coat more closely, his large, sharply pointed nose, his long, thin, black tartar’s beard, he decides he would prefer to wait until he receives permission to enter. The doorkeeper gives him a stool and lets him sit down at the side of the door. He sits there for days and years. He asks time and again to be admitted and wearies the doorkeeper with his entreaties. The doorkeeper often conducts brief interrogations, inquiring about his home and many other matters, but he asks such questions indifferently, as great men do, and in the end he always tells him he still can’t admit him. The man, who has equipped himself well for his journey, uses everything he has, no matter how valuable, to bribe the doorkeeper. And the doorkeeper accepts everything, but as he does so he says: ‘I’m taking this just so you won’t think you’ve neglected something.’ Over the many years, the man observes the doorkeeper almost incessantly. He forgets the other doorkeepers and this first one seems to him the only obstacle to his admittance to the Law. He curses his unhappy fate, loudly during the first years, later, as he grows older, merely grumbling to himself. He turns childish, and since he has come to know even the fleas in the doorkeeper’s collar over his years of study, he asks the fleas too to help him change the doorkeeper’s mind. Finally his eyes grow dim and he no longer knows whether it’s really getting darker around him or if his eyes are merely deceiving him. And yet in the darkness he now sees a radiance that streams forth inextinguishably from the door of the Law. He doesn’t have much longer to live now. Before he dies, everything he has experienced over the years coalesces in his mind into a single question he has never asked the doorkeeper. He motions to him, since he can no longer straighten his stiffening body. The doorkeeper has to bend down to him, for the difference in size between them has altered greatly to the man’s disadvantage. ‘What do you want to know now,’ asks the doorkeeper, ‘you’re insatiable.’ ‘Everyone strives to reach the Law,’ says the man, ‘how does it happen, then, that in all these years no one but me has requested admittance.’ The doorkeeper sees that the man is nearing his end, and in order to reach his failing hearing, he roars at him: ‘No one else could gain admittance here, because this entrance was meant solely for you. I’m going to go and shut it now.’ ” (pp. 215-17)

***

“A depressing opinion,” said K. “Lies are made into a universal system.” (p. 223)

***

He could not rise entirely to the occasion, he could not relieve the authorities of all their work; the responsibility for this final failure lay with whoever had denied him the remnant of strength necessary to do so. His gaze fell upon the top story of the building adjoining the quarry. Like a light flicking on, the casements of a window flew open, a human figure, faint and insubstantial at that distance and height, leaned far out abruptly, and stretched both arms out even further. Who was it? A friend? A good person? Someone who cared? Someone who wanted to help? Was it just one person? Was it everyone? Was there still help? Were there objections that had been forgotten? Of course there were. Logic is no doubt unshakable, but it can’t withstand a person who wants to live. Where was the judge he’d never seen? Where was the high court he’d never reached? He raised his hands and spread out all his fingers.

But the hands of one man were right at K.’s throat, while the other thrust the knife into his heart and turned it there twice. With failing sight K. saw how the men drew near his face, leaning cheek-to-cheek to observe the verdict. “Like a dog!” he said; it seemed as though the shame was to outlive him. (pp. 230-31)

[project-sour-grapes]

This Week’s Sour Grapes

I have been applying to and getting info on courses to become an EMT or medical assistant. In my first post, I mentioned that I have done this a dozen times on and off over the past few years and have given up each time.

Here is how the steps have always gone:

Find medical program

Look at classes and get excited

Acknowledge the cost and hours required

Give my email to some Request for Info form and get an auto-response

Talk myself out of it

Abandon the thought for 4 months

Rinse. Repeat. Regret.

I have been up at midnight scrolling through Google results for EMT classes that start ASAP because I can’t wait probably 100 times since 2018. 

Here are the excuses I come up with:

The classes are too early and I really need my sleep

The classes are too late and I can’t learn well at that time of day

That’s too many hours, which will get in the way of my bachelor’s degree

I will hate it and end up wasting my money (even though I was even more capable of affording it at any other time than right now)

What if I can’t learn fast enough, which is embarrassing since I grew up an honors student

I looked at the textbook and this is too much useless info. (Wow, who is this arrogant idiot who thinks these thoughts? Who thinks they’re above learning something new? That’s ME.)

9 months is too long to become something I don’t want to be forever (a medical assistant). (Meanwhile, over two years have passed since I intentionally left my first tech job specifically to do medical things and yet I am back to square one.)

The 15-week EMT program is too long. It’s July and I don’t want to start in August only to graduate in December.

The 2-week EMT boot camp is too short to really learn efficiently and costs way too much

And so on...

I have come up with stupider excuses, but they escape me at the moment. The excuses have suited me, because they protect me. But no more. Or at least, a lot less. Because relapses happen and I am not a self-tyrant. I will fail at “no more” inevitably. But I have to keep trying. “Trying” is the only thing I can control right here, today.

I am leaning toward being a medical assistant instead of an EMT for a few reasons. One being that I can be an MA for a neuro department or another specific specialty that I want to actually learn from. Besides, emergencies aren’t really my thing. I’ve done incident response, and I’m decent at it, but the urgency of things being on fire is not my cup of tea. Do I want to help somebody in front of me who is bleeding or dying? Hell yeah. Do I want to seek out these people 40+ hours a week indefinitely? Nah, probs not.

Here’s where the “unfair” thoughts pop back up. The MA course is 2-5x as expensive as most of the EMT courses and is many months longer. I could do an EMT course in 2 weeks or a month or so, given the right amount of hours per week and money. Old-me would look at the discrepancy between the two and end up resolving to do neither, because they were both “unfair.” Either they took too long or were too expensive or the paperwork was too much, blah blah blah.

In fact, here is how the thought would play out:

I want to expose myself to medical things to get experience and decide if it is right for me. I could be an MA or maybe an EMT. Well, I dislike the MA program for X reasons [see baseless reasons above]. Nevermind, being an MA is stupid. Okay, I’ll be an EMT. But that has a lot of downsides too. I won’t be an EMT then. Okay, I’ll be nothing.

Essentially it boils down to:

Got plan A and plan B. Plan A has downsides, so plan A is stupid. Plan B has downsides too. Nevermind, I can’t do plan B. And I already told myself that plan A was dumb, and I don’t want to contradict myself. So I will do nothing to save my ego. B)

Side note: I am realizing this simplified version of it just now. I do this to avoid going back on my own opinion and to spare myself the ego-hit for being wrong. God forbid I admit to being wrong. But, another topic for another time.

Back to unfairness, I am going with the MA program, because when I erase the parts I knee-jerkingly mark as “unfair,” it’s what I want to do. And frankly need to do to get the skills I must have to be kind of physician I want to be. One thing I learned from my last job is that gaining skills is really about sitting down and doing the work, whether you fail the first 10 times or not. More on that later.

But. I am going with the training and job that is going to give me the skills that I need. Besides, if I show up to med school without basic clinical skills, I would feel like a baffoon. So even though there are a number of things about this that old-me would (and did many times) call “unfair,” I’m going to do this.

[backtothestart02]

Wet Dream | Chapter 1 - Pilot

A/N: Alright, y’all, it’s finally here!!! My smut-by-ep fic has begun.

As previously decided on, this fic will detail a wet dream by either Barry or Iris from every episode of the series. The title of each episode is meant to dictate/guide the content of each chapter, however I completely forgot that for this first one, so I’m just going to go with ‘pilot’ being a default name for the first episode of every show and so this is the default chapter of this fic. I’m showing you how all future chaps will look - as wet dreams w/in the episodes - but it is different in that the word ‘pilot’ does not involve itself in this chapter at all, whereas all the other episode titles actually created for this specific show will. I hope you don’t mind! I didn’t want to do a rewrite, and I really like how this one turned out, so I’m keeping it as is. :P

*This chapter is dedicated to the dirty-minded ladies who initially inspired me to write this fic:  @kyannaj @megananomous @estherpixs  @westallen4everlove @pattongirl. I hope you guys like it!

*Many thanks to my awesome beta, @valeriemperez, for looking this over last minute. <3

Chapter 1 - Pilot (1x01)

He’d gotten on the earliest train he could from Starling City, which as luck would have it was the last possible train he could have taken to get back to Central City without Captain Singh calling to give him an earful. Just as he’d gotten off the train at the station, Joe texted – WHERE ARE YOU? Alarmed, he’d skimmed through any missed calls, of which there were seven. All from Joe. All telling him there was a crime scene to be at, and he couldn’t afford to be late again.

Not trusting any vehicle transportation to get him there faster than his own feet could, Barry ran to the scene of the crime, bumping into several people along the way and no doubt hitting them with the CSI briefcase he’d had to quickly grab at CCPD before heading over to where he’d been expected to be likely fifteen minutes prior.

And with no good excuse at that.

After some awkward bumbling and decisive reasoning though, his work there was done. The detectives could take over from there. His only task was to process some tests, form some logical reasoning, and then he’d be home free, ready to collect his things, meet up with Iris, and embark on the greatest journey of his life: his trip to STAR Labs to see the greatest mind in the 21st Century ignite the city with his particle accelerator firsthand.

But the tests were taking longer than expected, and he worried the ‘greatest journey of his life’ would have to be abandoned in favor of watching it all unfold as a news report from the protestors’ point of view on the ground.

He was supposed to have met Iris for lunch. He hadn’t seen her in several days – not since he left for Starling City – and he was aching to. There was something he wanted to tell her, and ask her too. Tonight wasn’t just going to be about seeing the greatest technology come to life right here in Central City, it would be about changing the course of his relationship with his best friend, Iris West.

It was a huge decision on his part, and one that was in the process of turning him into nothing but a bundle of nerves. But it was time. It had been fifteen years, and he hadn’t said a word. He’d justified why time and again, but he knew it had to be said. Iris had never been in a serious relationship in all their twenty-five years – he hadn’t either. That had to be a deliberate choice on her end, just like it had been on his. Maybe. Hopefully.

But as one hour turned into two, then three, as the computer tests struggled to get past 1% to three and then five, as the diagrams he drew and the pictures he pinned to the board gathered up, it became obvious his plan to meet up with Iris for lunch to discuss their evening activities – regarding both the particle accelerator and them – were going to have to be pushed aside until later.

His one attempt to sneak out of the lab to go see her had Joe shoving a bag of Big Belly Burger takeout food at his chest with a knowing look just before he turned back around to return to his desk on the first floor of the precinct. With a deep sigh, Barry held the delivery to his chest, set it down near the slow-running computer, and barely finished half his burger before starting to sulk again.

With greasy fingers, he texted Iris to tell her that he wouldn’t be able to meet for lunch, to which she responded with a sad face emoticon followed by a cheerful message indicating how just fine that would be, since her co-worker Stacy wanted to leave early and couldn’t find anyone to cover her shift.

Convenient, Barry thought to himself, wondering if she would have cancelled on him with this excuse if he hadn’t said anything anyway.

No, Barry, he scolded himself. She’s your best friend. She wouldn’t do that.

He sighed. “If she had no other choice, she would.” Just like he had no other choice now.

But just as he was about to succumb to full on negativity, to wonder if he was cursed somehow by today’s events, and that not seeing modern mankind’s greatest invention come to life was somehow proof that things were about to go even more downhill, the sound of clacking heels could be heard down the hall. The particular strut that accompanied them told him loud and clear who it was. Not Joe. Not Singh. Not an assistant to someone else giving him more paperwork to do. Iris.

His heart raced faster and he clumsily sat up in his chair, waiting for her arrival.

“You didn’t really think I’d let you skip out on our lunch date, did you?” She grinned as she walked into the room.

His heart skipped a beat. Butterflies fluttered wildly in his stomach. He smiled so wide it hurt, but he couldn’t help it, and he didn’t try to suppress it. He was used to that reaction when it came to seeing her – especially since it had been days, not hours, since their last interaction.

“I thought you were covering someone else’s shift.”

She stopped halfway to him abruptly and frowned. “I was. I am.”

The question lingered in his eyes.

She dropped her purse where she stood, closed the distance between them, and pulled him up out of his chair, keeping their fingers intertwined as she stared up into his eyes.

He was still semi-confused, but a smile twitched at the corner his lips. Confusion never stopped him from being happy with her, especially not when she was bubbling with happiness just being in the same room with him.

She rolled her eyes as his speechlessness continued.

“An eight-hour shift equals a lunch break, Barry.” She shook her head at him when he still said nothing. “So, I can afford to be here, even if my dad won’t let you leave.”

“Ah.” He nodded and smiled.

“I missed you,” she confided and took a step closer.

They were really close now. So much so that the lack of air between them stole his breath. And was it just him or was she…staring at his lips? And did she just…lick her lips as she stared? He licked his own lips – quickly, so as not to be noticed. His mouth was getting dry. The oxygen was being sucked out of the room. He was sure of it. There was no other explanation.

He thought of opening a window, but suddenly couldn’t remember if that was even possible. It had always felt at least mildly stuffy in this room for a reason.

“Aren’t you going to tell me you missed me, Barry?” she asked, setting her hands on his waist, still staring at his lips, sultry seduction in her eyes as they finally met his again.

“Iris?” he squeaked, tripping over his own feet as he backed away two steps.

She grabbed onto the collar of his shirt and pulled him to her, his lips now mere inches above hers.

He could barely breathe now, but he knew he was breathing because it was the only thing he could hear while being so close to her. He felt sweat on his forehead, on the back of his neck, and worried that it would drip onto her, and wow, wouldn’t that just add to his streak of bad luck today – but it didn’t, and he couldn’t look away.

“Tell me you missed me,” she whispered, her breath hot against his lips.

“I…”

And then she kissed him. A real kiss, full-on. Not gentle – fierce, passionate, intense. Iris knew what she wanted, and it was him. Despite the inevitability of it, it still took him by surprise, but he didn’t pull away. This could be a dream for all he knew. He’d had ones like it before. No way was he interrupting this one, especially if it happened to be real.

“God, I missed you, Barry,” she murmured, detaching her lips from his to kiss down his throat, winding her arms around his neck as she did.

He groaned, not needing the request again. “I missed you, too.”

His arms fell to her waist where they lightly rested until Iris’s complaint that his sweater was in the way made him pull back to rid himself of it. She peeled off her jacket and slid out of her skirt and shirt mere moments after so she was in front of him in only her bra and underwear.

His eyes widened, and he couldn’t look away. The sweat dripping down his neck was a reminder though that if this wasn’t a dream, someone could walk in at any moment. He licked his lips as he stared at her, trying to find his voice again, but it was nearly impossible.

“What – What if someone –” he squeaked and then broke off, heat consuming his face. He knew he had to be blushing.

But Iris only giggled and went to shut the door and lock it, giving him a full view of her barely covered ass swaying from side to side as she did so. By the time she’d turned around and was halfway to him, he’d almost fallen to the floor – Iris unhooking her bra and sliding it off her shoulders likely being the reason for that.

His hand reached around the nearby vicinity searching for a chair – any chair – but he could feel nothing but air. Iris laughed and pulled the very close by chair near them, but when he tried to sit on it, she wouldn’t let him.

“Iris,” he said in a strangled breath. There was hardly a scrap of clothes on her, and he reeeeally wanted to touch her. But he didn’t trust himself to. Not until he was sitting.

Iris went straight for his belt, unbuckling it and pulling it from the belt loops and dropping it without precedence on the floor. He gulped – loudly to his own ears, hopefully not to hers.

The sound of her unbuttoning his pants and lowering his zipper made him hiss softly. His fingers were tingling. He really needed his shirt off. Like, now. It was long-sleeved and it was gathering sweat and he was so much more dressed than she was. For some reason in this moment, he wasn’t insecure at all that she would find him so much less attractive than he found her. She wasn’t giving him even the slightest indication that was a possibility.

She started to tug his pants down, and he could’ve sworn her own hands were shaking a bit.

“You better be hard for me, Barry Allen, or I swear—”

She stopped and grinned slowly as her hand wrapped around the bulge in his boxers.

He groaned loudly, a sharp intake of breath the only sound accompanying her slowly, torturously, dragging his underwear to his feet on the floor. Her raven hair brushed his thighs – and his hard, very prominent member – as she did so.

“Oh my God, Iris.”

“Barry,” she said, her breath on his dick, forcing his eyes back on her because it was happening. She was doing it. His eyes stayed glued to hers. He couldn’t speak, wasn’t sure he was breathing, but then her lips closed over his tip, her mouth moved up the length of him, and he knew right there, right then, that he needed a chair.

His hands fisted in her hair, guiding her – though she hardly needed it – and also trying to slow her down.

“I need – I need – ”

She pulled her head back, saliva dripping from her lips that she quickly wiped away with the back of her hand.

“You better not be coming already, Barry.”

He shook his head quickly. “No – No – Not.”

“Good.” She smiled and started to lower her head again.

“Chair,” he squeezed out with stifled breath just before her tongue touched his skin.

She halted her descent, looked up at him and smiled, her eyes twinkling.

“Going to fall over, Bear?”

He exhaled loudly in relief. Yes. Finally, she had gotten the message.

“Uh-huh.” He nodded quickly so there’d be no miscommunication.

Still grinning, Iris got to her feet, picked up the nearby chair and set it just behind him and then forced him down into it. She bent over and kissed his lips again, all passion and no hesitation, just like before. She unbuttoned his shirt as she did so and stripped him of it as soon as she had reached the hem.

Then she straddled his lap and kissed him again, delving her tongue into his mouth as she wound her fingers through his hair, driving him crazy with lust and desire and urgency.

“Irisss,” he slurred, needing more of her, needing everything.

His hand settled on her ass, the sole part of her that was covered, and in response she ground herself against his dick, making them both cry out in pleasure.

This was so surreal – too surreal? He thought for a moment and then dismissed it. No way. This was too good, felt too real to be a dream. He couldn’t remember a dream ever being this good.

“You feel so damn good, Barry,” she moaned as she ground harder, gasping when his hand squeezed her ass and forced her to move faster.

He could do nothing but breathe and wait for her to initiate the final step.

“I want you to cum inside me,” she said, her lips brushing his sweaty neck.

He halted his movements, and so did she.

“What?” he asked – no squeak, just genuine uncertainty.

“I’m on the pill,” she said, pulling back just a little to look at him. “Don’t worry.”

His brain started to short circuit. She was on the pill? Did that mean she was seeing someone? Sleeping with someone? Was she cheating on that person with him now? Shouldn’t he feel much more concerned about that? That was a bad thing. It was bad – right?

But Iris didn’t let him come to any solid conclusions. Instead, she set her feet on the floor, got back up and backed away enough to slip her fingers beneath her waistband and drag her silky underwear to the floor.

Then she came back to him and held herself in mid-air, just above where his erection stood at attention, waiting for her.

“Don’t worry, Barry,” she whispered, her lips inches from his mouth. “You won’t get me pregnant.”

And then she was lowering herself onto him, and they were both groaning until the moment he reached the very hilt of her core.

Then they waited, adjusting – which was not something that was necessary in a dream, right?

And then she moved.

She raised herself up and then down again. She alternated between the rise and fall and the grinding against him. Her moist forehead pressed to his, her murmurs of his name, the heavy breathing between both of them, Barry couldn’t remember feeling more alive or more totally and completely so overwhelmed.

Her skin was soft and slick. Her ass felt good in his hands and her breasts tasted amazing in his mouth. Her hair brushing his skin both tickled and caressed. Her thighs gripping his nearly sent him into oblivion every time they squeezed with her rise and fall. The pressure was amazing.

And then he heard it – ding!

The first time it was just background noise, drowned out by the essence of Iris and what they were doing.

The second and third time nearly came in unison.

By time number four through ten, Barry had to force his eyes open because it was loud and annoying, and in the back of his mind it alerted him to danger.

He wished he hadn’t. More than anything on this earth, he wished he hadn’t.

Because when his eyes opened he found himself sitting on the chair at his desk, the only proof of his encounter with Iris the uncomfortable bulge in his pants and the sweat dripping down the back of his neck and forming on his forehead.

His arm – the source of the sound – had been pressed hard into the keyboard and had been starting and stopping the tests he’d been waiting on to finish for nearly an hour now. He lifted it quickly, but the damage had been done. Too many commands had been accidentally entered. The computer froze, not answering to any keyboard or mouse functions he tried.

It was no use. He had to reboot the computer and start over.

In the minute or two it took to reboot the system and re-start the tests, Barry heard a ping from his phone. A text.

From Iris.

Forcing himself to think past the wet dream he’d just had of her, he opened the message.

Turns out a full shift equals a lunch break! Want me to come by?

He laughed and groaned simultaneously, dragging a hand down his face before responding.

Nah, that’s okay. Come by later.

Her sad face emoticon, followed by a you sure? was almost enough to change his mind, but one glance back to the bulge in his pants firmly kept his decision grounded.

Yep. I’ll see you later.

It was a full minute until she responded again, and he worried he’d hurt her feelings.

He needn’t have worried.

Can’t wait! :D

He draped a hand over his eyes and leaned back in his chair, deciding to respond to that later, if at all.

“Me either,” he grumbled, his mind on the question of whether he could successfully make it to the bathroom to rid himself of blue balls without anyone seeing him.

She didn’t tell you how she felt, he realized, thinking back to the beginning of his dream. She would’ve told you that.

He glanced over at his turned over phone and reached for it. After a moment’s hesitation, he responded.

Me either. :)

Missed you came after he’d barely pressed send. He ignored the flashes of what had followed that sentiment in his dream.

Missed you too.

She sent a picture of her blowing a kiss to him from where she stood behind the counter at CC Jitters, a curious co-worker photobombing in the back.

His heart skipped a beat as it had earlier, a smile helplessly spreading across his face.

I love you.

*Also posted on AO3 and FFnet.

[lostsummerdayz]

Syrup and The Ultimate Sweet: A delicious sugary snack; Short, Sweet, and Satisfying

By Nay Holland

Right off the heels of their visual novel showcase, Ratalaika Games released one of their seven visual novels yesterday, Syrup and The Ultimate Sweet, developed by NomnomNami.

The original game was developed for YuriJam 2015, a two-month game jam that featured visual novels and dating sim based around, as the name would imply, Yuri or “girl love.” Five years later, it would see a widespread console release on all major handhelds and consoles. This is a review for the Nintendo Switch version, courtesy of Ratalaika Games themselves!

Perhaps the one thing that drew me in was the expressive art and vibrant colors, all of which helped define a specific character. Syrup’s aesthetic is green, so her hair, the lollipop she eats, and her speech is green. The candy golem is as pink and red as pink and red can be, so her speech reflects that as well. The story and art were both done by the talented NomnomNami herself, while the immersive music was done by Mock Off.

So. What is Syrup and The Ultimate Sweet?

The official description of the game is as follows.

In a magical town there lives a candy alchemist, Syrup, who one day discovers a candy golem in her basement. Where did she come from? Who could've made her? Go find out!

Featuring a memorable cast of colorful characters and 10 unique endings. Your choices affect the story! Will Syrup achieve her dream of making the Ultimate Sweet, or will she meet a much more tragic fate...?

It may sound like a simple premise and to some degree it is. However, there is a lot of underlying depth that took me by surprise. I’ve completed the game from cover to cover, viewed all ten endings, and was overall left impressed. It was short and sweet, sure, but it was a feel good story that left me with something to think about. The importance of being kind to others, treating others with respect, owning up to your own negative insecurities, and promoting self-growth. All of these themes and more showed themselves throughout the story.

This will round out the spoiler-free section of the review. In short, I recommend giving this game a try. Whether it’s on the official NomnomNami page or on the many different console choices available. Past this point, there will be complete breakdown and critique of the game itself based on my personal experience!

Now then. Let’s indulge in the sugary succulence!

Syrup is a skilled alchemist who uses her craft to create succulent treats for her candy shop. While traveling into the basement of her candy shop, she comes across a candy golem whose first request is to “eat her.”

Awkward pleasantries and introductions aside, Syrup’s assistant, Pastille sees the golem and encourages Syrup to befriend her. Naturally, upon seeing a sentient talking candy girl who requests Syrup to devour her, Syrup is reluctant to take her in. Eventually, she warms up to the idea and the candy girl becomes the shop assistant. Syrup eventually gives the candy golem the name, Gumdrop.

Syrup immediately has suspicions that a witch created the candy golem as it was the only logical reasoning for Gumdrop’s creation. Because of this, Syrup immediately suspects Butterscotch, a witch who lives on the other side of town, to be the one responsible for the creation. Upon arriving at her house, Butterscotch neither confirms nor denies that she created Gumdrop, but Syrup has pressing matters on hand.

See, there’s this treat called the “Ultimate Sweet,” which is such a delicacy that whoever eats it will sing praises of the gods and shout to the heavens above. However, no alchemist was able to successfully create the candy. It’s revealed that part of this reason is due to the final ingredient located on top of a cold frigid mountain that only those proficient in magic can hope to survive.

The only woman who Syrup knows that is proficient in magic is none other than Butterscotch herself. The very same woman who Syrup is the most disagreeable with. However, she’s able to put her differences aside if only to use Butterscotch’s ability to secure the final ingredient.

After run-ins with hostile wild wolves and a friendly anthropomorphic wolf by the name of Treat, the unlikely duo ends up finding the final ingredient. However, in doing so, they end up entrapped in an ice cave. It is here that Butterscotch reveals her secret. She has been keeping a false appearance in order to maintain her own self-worth and in keeping the false appearance, her magic has been subdued the entire time.

It is at this moment that Syrup’s ego, paranoia, and overall cold exterior begins to defrost. She realizes that part of the reason for Butterscotch’s insecurities are due to the fear of Syrup’s hatred for her. Once Syrup finally acknowledges this and sets to right the wrongs that she made, Butterscotch is able to calm down. Due to her calmness and assurance in life, she’s able to melt the ice wall away and return back to town.

As repayment for Syrup’s kindness, Butterscotch reveals that she has been spying on Syrup via a crystal ball and to inform her to watch the crystal ball in privacy to get the answers that she sought the entire time.

Upon viewing the crystal ball, she learns that it was Pastille who created Gumdrop. The intention was that Pastille wanted Syrup to make friends. Being that Syrup was cold to all of the residents, Gumdrop’s creation was made as a last ditch effort to help Syrup find a friend.

At this point, Gumdrop intrudes on Syrup and Gumdrop, who was told not to reveal who created her, admitted-without-admitting that Pastille did indeed create her. At this point, Syrup has an understanding that Gumdrop, despite the awkward introduction and Gumdrop wanting Syrup to eat her, “was created with Syrup in mind.”

Syrup and Gumdrop decide to take on adventures alone while building up their friendship together in the process. Pastille understands this, happy that his plan was a success, while Butterscotch is saddened that her former-rival-turned-friend is gone. However, she’s content to see Syrup in a much better state than how she started.

That concludes the Gumdrop route.

I mentioned that there were a total of ten different endings. To break this down further, there are five normal endings representing each of the characters featured in the main menu. As you complete their route, their appearance changes to reflect this. Gumdrop, for example, wears an overcoat.

The other five endings are the bad endings. These range from Pastille flat out leaving Syrup altogether, deeming her a lost cause to Butterscotch and her cat familiar, Toffee, taking over Syrup’s shop after she refuses to work with the latter due to their use of magic in their sweets.

These are the endings that you acquire when give into Syrup’s negative traits to the utmost extreme. Take an earlier scene where Syrup and Butterscotch are trapped in the ice cave. The ideal choice is Syrup forgiving Butterscotch for being who she is. You do have a choice to give in to Syrup’s frustrations by declaring that she hates Butterscotch for getting them into this mess.

In certain route paths, this choice leaves the two of them, frustrated with each other, to sit in silence as they inevitably freeze to death. In other routes, they are saved from an “outside source.” (later revealed to be Pastille using his magic to melt the ice)

If the latter happens, then Syrup has one last chance to make amends with Butterscotch, who approaches her while still feeling bad about all that has happened. The actual canon choice at this point is to forgive her.

If Syrup still holds onto the bitterness into her heart, she ends up dying due to implied pneumonia. This is the “worst end,” as she dies alone with coldness in her heart.

There’s one more “bad” ending and it’s so obvious that I ended up getting this ending first purely by accident. It’s an ending you can get within two, count ‘em, two choices. You decide to actually eat poor Gumdrop right in the beginning of the game. As you’re doing it, the text that follows is meant to fill the player with regret. 

You essentially just ate your friend’s creation who is sentient enough to know that she is being eaten. At the end of the day, all she wanted was to be friends with Syrup, but, well, that is one way to go about it. 

Right, so, now that all of the sad endings are out of the way. Back to the main endings.  I mentioned Gumdrop’s route first because I feel it may be the “canon” route, although each of the routes have their own merit. However, Gumdrop’s ending wasn’t the first ending I got.

After eating Gumdrop, I decided to play the game for real, answering how I feel Syrup would answer along the way. Early on in the story you have the choice to give Gumdrop to Butterscotch and Toffee. After a while Syrup realizes that it was probably cruel to do such a thing, so she goes to retrieve her only to find that Butterscotch was eating Gumdrop!

It’s almost as if this was mocking me for my blunder from earlier.

Syrup ends up saving Gumdrop and re-crafts her missing body parts, while deciding to keep her hair short.

The game continues on as normal, although the crystal ball scene plays a bit different. In this route, Syrup feels betrayed that Pastille would hide the fact that he’s a witch from her. Rather than succumbing to her earlier negative traits, she reflects on the budding relationship she has with Butterscotch and declares it’s best to make amends with her. After all, everything involving Butterscotch’s insecurities were a byproduct of Syrup’s cold attitude.

In the end, Syrup teaches Butterscotch how to make candies and she starts selling candy on the side. Syrup and Pastille reaches an understanding with each other, with the latter just happy that she was finally able to befriend her rival. Perhaps even form a budding romance if the text is anything to go by! Butterscotch ending achieved.

There’s also an ending where Syrup doesn’t look at the crystal ball. In some routes, it’s flat out told through Syrup that she has an idea on what the crystal ball would show her, meaning she had suspicions that Pastille was a witch the entire time. However, no matter the route, if Syrup doesn’t look at the crystal ball, she convinces some investors to invest in the shop. She then spends the rest of her life wealthy yet remains distant to everyone. This is Syrup’s ending.

I feel like this is neither a good nor a bad ending. Just as simple a “normal” ending if this game had one. Syrup may very well realize that Pastille wasn’t completely honest with her, but she doesn’t care. She just gets even by making profits instead. Money is a strong motivator after all, but is it the best one?

There’s a hidden Toffee ending which follows the exact same path as the Butterscotch ending, yet a bonus scene plays. Toffee wants Syrup to take them to Treat to thank her for taking care of their master, Butterscotch. These scenes are short, but it expands on Toffee’s characterization.

There’s a scene where Toffee asks Syrup a simple question. Is Toffee a boy or a girl in Syrup’s eyes.

At this point I never got to think about Toffee’s gender, so for this question to arrive, it took me off guard as much as it took Syrup. When Toffee revealed that they were agender, it made sense.

A funny touch is that if you go back to this scene later, you have the option to indeed choose “Neither,” in which Toffee will ask if you’re a time traveler. I want to think in my purest of hearts that this is a Life is Strange reference. If so, kudos to you Nami!

Toffee’s entire characterization, from deliberately foregoing cat puns when it’s time for serious conversation, to their gender reveal, offers a hidden layer of depth for a supporting character. A depth that one wouldn’t be aware of if they didn’t take the time to get to know them.

As I unlocked this Toffee ending, I realized that Syrup and the player are one in the same. Characters reveal themselves, such as Butterscotch’s insecurities, Pastille being a witch, and Toffee being Toffee, the more they feel they can trust Syrup.

In order for others to trust Syrup, Syrup has to trust herself. The only way to trust herself is to look at her negative traits, acknowledge them, learn from them, and grow as a person.

With this new knowledge of Syrup and how the player is meant to view her, I felt I was ready to take on the final ending. Pastille’s.

Syrup confronts Pastille for keeping this a secret from Syrup as Syrup considers Pastille family. Pastille was at a crossroads. He didn’t know how Syrup would react and didn’t mean any ill intention. He just wanted to see someone who he cared for as a sibling figure happy. Syrup acknowledges Pastille’s witch-hood and offers a partnership.

In the end, Pastille’s magical powers to seek out rare ingredients and Syrup’s alchemy in making delicious treats proved to be a powerful combination. Not only were they both renowned for their accomplishments, but the two of them couldn’t be any closer.

I feel, with Pastille’s ending being the final ending that I unlocked, it was the perfect way to close the book on this visual novel. It took me about an hour to reach all the endings, so it is a bit on the short side. However, while short, it is indeed sweet. I was able to learn about all five central characters within the contained space that the story gives.

No piece of information was lost on me. I felt it was due to this that I felt some of the dialogue choices sting more. In the end, if you look at it from the perspective of watching Syrup’s growth affecting her relationships with everyone around her, then it’s a feel-good story to compliment the colorful art and music.

[ddbengagementrings-blog]

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Pairing: Pietro Maximoff x Reader Summary: You are one of those people addicted to adrenaline, you don’t experience pain in a normal way, which brings some dangers. You aren’t afraid to take risks or put yourself in harm's way. This worries Pietro more than it should but for what reason? Genre: Fluff / Love-Hate relationship. Warnings: Angst and dangerous behaviour, but don’t worry folks, I'm a happy ending girl… at least today. Word count: 2956 N/A: So I wrote this to @quicksilverslover on the last Brazilian Valentine's Day (12/06), and it took a while but I'm posting the English version. Thanks again for the request Nikki. Finally, Georgia (@greeneyedgirls4), thank you so much for being my beta.

They say that fear and pain are two of the main feelings responsible for the survival instinct of human beings. But when your genes cause you to experiment both in a different way, probably some of your instinct will amplify or restrict. This dynamic undergoes inevitable changes when you have a faster healing factor than a normal human being, a relationship not so aversive to pain, and a sense of equilibrium close to a feline. With these characteristics, it seemed natural for Y/N to look for experiences that would challenge her. An exhaust valve, and at the same time a way to recharge her adrenaline. Thus the practice of some more challenging sports seemed the ideal option. Parkour was her gateway, the introduction to adrenaline. Truly dangerous experience in fact, but when completed provide an enormous satisfaction. That was the beginning, its evolution, nevertheless sought ecstasy, the choice of BASE Jump didn't seem unexpected as it allowed the heady, intoxicating and unforgettable sensation supplied by the combination of adrenaline, endorphin and dopamine. Perhaps, at that moment in her life, the only thing that came as a surprise to her was the fact that she had been recruited for these abilities. In addition to raising her thirst for intense emotions to another level, being in the midst of the Avengers was an out to test her to the fullest. But of course these trials were not always beneficial, and she did not resent bruises. That was the easy part, the complications were on people's minds. In her case: the Maximoff twins, who took it seriously whenever they had a chance. — If you want to continue this insane attempt to kill yourself, be my guess, but next time try not to do that in the middle of a mission. — That was the last of the constant implications of the blond speedster. A great way to thank her for covering their back. Not that she cared about the injury from a badly calculated free fall. It wasn't very serious, at least not for her. Y/N’s body would take a maximum of three days to get back to full functions. She would heal as if nothing had happened. Of course, that didn't stop Pietro from being annoyed, he showed his scowl as he watched Clint, who in Bruce's absence took care of the injuries and immobilised a fracture. Y/N even understood the fact that Wanda was around, they got along very well after all but Y/N kept wondering what the hell Pietro was doing there. Her momentary justification was a bad taste for unspoken discussions, as for during the whole procedure, the two had been facing each other both wearing an unfriendly expression. — Try not to force that leg, at least until tomorrow, okay? — Barton warned as he adjusted her orthopaedic boot: — you can even heal easily, but that doesn't leave you free of regenerating your bones wrong. — Don't let her get tempted by a brand new free fracture. — Pietro murmured, gaining an icy look in reply. — I'm going to behave, Clint. — Assured the young woman, smiling as sweetly as she could for the older man, then questioning. — Am I dismissed, sir? From Barton's expression he didn't fully believe the first part, but as he had learned for some time, Y/N’s persistence eventually triumphed over everyone. — Of course, and Wanda, please, try to keep her away from the outer top of the tower, please. The witch smiled, nodding at Clint, in the meantime her brother was rolling his eyes for the eleventh time that afternoon. Y/N got up leaving the room, yet for her most unpleasant surprise, merely managed to get to the door. She had barely taken three steps when the Sokovian was already on her side. She turned ready to counter any injury he might throw, but instead, Pietro decided for an opposing approach. Without even tell anything, or giving a signal of what he would do, the silver haired man wrapped an arm behind her knees, giving Y/N the momentary sensation that she would fall, but soon being supported by the other arm of the speedster around her waist. The unexpected movement caused her to snort. And though that mild cold in her stomach was a kind of micro sensation of the emotion she sought in her jumps, she compelled herself to label it negatively. — Put me down! — She demanded stiffly. Pietro lifted his chin, not even staring at her, but amused himself internally by the situation. The effect of the supposed rage considerably softened by the fact that she was holding onto his shoulders to avoid a fall. — No. A single word in a tone of petulance. Typical. — Pietro, what the hell do you think you're doing? He sighed, this time deciding to look at the girl, which only served to irritate her: — Keeping your foot away from the ground. — Oh, really, don't tell me!? — she countered wryly. Wanda and Clint watching the scene and tried their best not to laugh. — It doesn't take many neurones to understand that you need to rest as much as possible. — Despite his blunt tone, his eyes were serious, but of course, Y/N was too furious to notice that. — I was on my way to do that ... — she snorted, fidgeting. — In the footsteps of a crippled turtle. Y/N opened her mouth, red faced with such anger. Hawkeye, fearing for another long round of epic argument resolved to intervene. After all, the last one had taken a good part of the night. And as much as he loved betting on the girl for those, there were still more things to do. — As much as I don't like to agree with him, — he said, couldn't resist teasing the blonde just a little, — Pietro isn't wrong. It would be good for you resting for today. Y/N shoot him with her eyes. Traitor! Clint shouldn't be in favour of Maximoff in any discussions, after all, even with their background, she well knew that the boy still irritated him with his jokes and pranks. The convinced smile on Maximoff's face only made him more irritating. Y/N clenched his fists around the boy's arm trying to induce some effect, but he promptly ignored it. — See? Even the old man knows when I right. Barton ignored the part that concerned him, shook his head, and left the resentment. Wanda, trying to comfort the girl, said: — Relax, Y/N! Enjoy while Piet is willing to play a slave or horse and transport you wherever you want. — Huff! — The sound came out in unison from both of them, which only served to make everything even funnier. But for the merit of the speedster, he was pleased just for winning this battle. But of course, Y/N would never admit defeat. Stubborn? Probably, but obviously wouldn't be the only one.

-x-

She hated being sick, well maybe sick is a very strong word, but you can understand the idea of forced rest. In other circumstances, she wouldn't complain about having a personal assistant to help her with everything she needed, but professionals didn't judge or make inconvenient comments, and that was definitely not what was happening. The whole problem began with the fact that most of the team members had plans for that night. Rogers had finally given into Nat's advice and called Sharon for a date, Stark had disappeared somewhere in the world with Pepper, Banner had been gone a few days, and Barton decided to go home. Even Wanda, who said she would not leave had disappeared to God knows where with Vision. So she only had one 'volunteer' for the job. Of course, the situation could always get worse: the reason for the massive evasion was the date in question, Valentine's Day. She had made plans herself, not with anyone specific, but she always found a way to attend some Valentine's Day Singles Party. She still considered going but was immediately barred by Barton. — But it’s already "tomorrow"! — She tried to argue, reminding him of what he'd said the day before. Vainly, he just stared at her with disdain, replaced the velcro of the orthopaedic boot and added: — Who plays the doctor here? Y/N, pedantic as possible rebutted: - Bruce. That even made Clint laugh, but nothing worked for her cause. — Nice try! Now you... — Barton pointed at the blond who was inconveniently there, — take care of her. And simple as it seemed, Pietro had no choice but to do what he was asked. Well, at least that was he kept repeating to himself. No way he wanted to be alone with her, mostly if you just take the timing into account. No way! This was just a matter of letting his friends and sister enjoy their dates, whether casual or not, without any obligation. A burden he could fulfil because he was not interested in relationships at this current time. Obviously, this did not please Y/N at all. The idea of being alone with Pietro, even on missions, left the hair of her nape stand up. Her instincts were screaming that it wasn't safe, much less a good idea, and she associated it with the fact that he was a professional prankster. That's why she was nervous, just for that, right? Forcing herself to answer this question made her swallow hard. Better to change direction. Thinking too much always made her anxious, even claustrophobic. The speedster hadn't given a sign of life for the last hour. Since she had thrown him out of her room to concentrate on a book. But now she was starting to get bored. She could feel her body tingle from the abstinence of movement. Taking a deep breath, she sat down on the bed, sharpening her ears in an attempt to get some clue about Pietro's whereabouts. Nothing. Okay, maybe she could take the time the man had given her to get some fresh air. The terrace of the building was always a good option. And, she didn't need a bodyguard to get there. It took a little longer than usual because she wanted to walk slowly so as not to arouse suspicion. The delay was at least rewarded with the view. The edge of the building automatically caught her attention, making her walk up to the parapet and sit on it. Her legs casually on the outside, hanging in the air. The feeling was good for a few seconds, and then it seemed to her as if they had shown her with a box of sweets, and gave her only a small piece. A clear side effect of having increased your doses of adrenaline. It was driven by the release of this hormone, she admitted. The curiosity to know if she could already walk the wide edge of the parapet was almost instantaneous, and even if it wasn't a good decision she got up. The foot, in her opinion still unnecessarily immobilised, was making this a little difficult, but nothing that would stop her from trying.

-x-

Inertia: for a speedster, this is probably one of the biggest impossibilities. Soon it was not long before Pietro became annoyed. Y/N had locked himself in the room, and he had already wandered through the house. Oddly, he'd discovered that his sister had disappeared. Seeing the intimacy between her and the sintopoid he decided not to look for them. So Pietro ended up in the Y/N room but was banned from there as well. This definitely hampered his hobby of provoking her teammate. Pietro grinned, mentally replaying how 'sensible' she was when she was nervous. Her face turned slightly red making the tone of the girl's eyes intensified, looking even more vivid. And of course, when she was fed up with her pinpricks, she would step off hard, clenched fists and tight arms. And as hard as he tried not to notice, the hips swelled sharply. He shook his head, trying to get rid of the mental image. Maybe he should take a walk, being locked up was not giving him much coherence. Pietro left for the outside area just to relax, not looking to observe anything specifically. But the day wasn't so bad, he thought, watching the sky, and then almost had a heart attack; Y/N was balanced on one leg at the top of the building, her hair hanging in the breeze. As he watched, she opened her arms, letting the wind through, and he was sure she would crash on the floor. In less than five seconds he reached her, dragging her off the edge and stopping in the centre of the terrace. — What the hell, Y/N!? Did you lose your mind? — He was breathing heavily, not from exhaustion, but from a deep feeling that had seized his being. — Does your ability to regenerate nullify any value you give your life? Y/N felt confused. In a second it seemed almost like she was flying. The wind around her enveloped and gave a wonderful feeling. In the other, a glow of speed and then nothing but Pietro was upset. It was not like in the fights for pranks, besides the anger, she could distinguish a deep hurt that she did not understand. This made her feel a little distressed. — Pietro ... — Y/N tried to pull away, the grief making her angry too. She didn't like these strange feelings, even in her jump she tried to keep as much control as she could. — Shit! I was just ... — You're an addict! An addict with no regard for the people around you! — He interrupted in an angry accusation. — So what if I like adrenaline? That's what brought me to the group in the first place, — she raged, then put her finger on his chest. — Of all people here you should understand that the most! Are you going to tell me that you don't enjoy your super-speed? Whenever you can, you boast of it, you boast of the sensation, the energy of what you feel as you run around. And don't come to me with this consideration discourse after Sokovia! Okay. She was not intending to touch that last point, but for some reason, she had no filter to hold it back. — That was different ... — he countered furiously as she turned her focus to him. — Different my ass! if you even considered that you would be hurt, almost turning yourself into a sieve, you accepted to take the risks in same way! Wait, did she resent it? — But... — But nothing! It was the same thing, I did the same in the last mission. And every time I get hurt you got pissed off, like it that was not a risk from the work, as if it wasn't a risk that each of us accepts from the moment we decided to join the team. — The words came out in a spurt, she had not planned them, but they were all there. Pietro turned red, the colour was very strange in the features always marked by light tones. The crimson was a great contrast to the platinum hair but made the blues of his eyes even denser. He took a deep breath, the irritation turning momentarily to himself. Y/N absorbed all those details, it felt strange, almost like something was throbbing. — I ... I get pissed because I don't want you to get hurt! — Pietro almost snarled the phrase, which became even more peculiar in his accent. — As if you had a fight with everyone on the team who got hurt, right? Damn it! Pietro didn't want to admit that even to himself, however obvious, but if he had already begun to go down to hell, so then let him dance with the Devil: — I care about you more, okay? He would not say more than that, he was not ready for that. — You ... care... you what? Pietro ran his hands through his hair in exasperation. Was it that hard to understand? The blonde bit one lip, taking less than a second to decide the next move... he approached her, more slowly than he ever did. Pietro took her face in his hands and then gently brushed his lips against hers. Y/N's eyes widened at first, she could feel his breath, and then the unexpected, soft contact. She closed her eyes, feeling his approach, her body reacting with a hormonal discharge, shivers. It was almost like one of her jumps. She returned the kiss; Avid, voracious, thirsty. It was a free fall. When they finally parted, he smiled, a sagacious smile completely natural to him. — Is that clear enough to you? She rolled her eyes but smiled. She bit her lip, feeling surprisingly peaceful, but her pulse thudded in her ears. A feeling very much like what she was looking for in calculated danger, but her feet were firmly on the ground. — Maybe ... I'm not sure yet. She came up to him and put her arms around his shoulders. Y/N wanted to try it again, and Pietro had no objection to it. Her subconscious has registered a likely new source of dopamine. She didn't know if he could completely obliterate her adrenaline addiction, but at the moment the advantages seemed promising. And at the end of the night, it turned out that the singles Avengers enjoyed their Valentine's Day very well.

_____ Request are Open: Marvel, H5-0, DC (Lucifer, Arrow, Flash, Legends of Tomorrow or Constantine), Elementary, Sherlock, Q (007), TGW, Assassin’s Creed, etc. I can try to write about any character/celebrities as long as you give me a lot of information about it and have a little patience ('cause I'm a non-native English speaker so it may take a while before your request is posted). P.S. I don’t accept requests with: Lemon/Dark Lemon, self-destructive, Self-harm, Suicide and Abuse content. Sorry guys, but I'm not always psychologically prepared to write things like that. And when I write I generously obey my limits, so no request in that area. | Smut and NSFW prompts/request are welcome 😈😎  | More Pietro Maximoff (MCU) Imagines | My other imagines. |

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The future of voice search: 2019 and beyond | digitalmarketerindia.net

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Voice search is a speech recognition technology that allows a user to perform a search via voice command. Voice Search:-Regardless of whether you need to find a restaurant, a house or a street, or just want to know which song sounds on the radio, but most adults use voice search daily. Currently, the main Voice Search Assistants are "Apple - Siri, Google - “OK, Google”, Cortana from Microsoft. Compare Echo Dot, Amazon Echo, and Echo Plus voice search:-Although children and adolescents are not far behind them. And it may seem that the ideal marketing strategy and search engine optimization (SEO) strategy has already been chosen, but your business may still remain behind competitors since it does not use all the possibilities of voice search. In addition, now voice search is no longer something innovative, it is available to a large number of users, and it is not uncommon or a “trick” of one brand. An important role is played by key phrases that are better suited for voice search queries, which means that local SEO is also improving. As a result, there is a change in the entire current marketing strategy that can change and improve the overall results of the work.

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Thus, voice search plays a big role in digital marketing strategy, which means that it needs to be adapted and modified so that the results are necessary and successful. In this article, we’ll start talking about voice search and its impact on the Internet, on marketing, on design, and on users. And we will consider whether it is really necessary for marketing activities or it is nothing more than a “trick”, a temporary trend.

Voice Search SEO: Tips and Strategies to Optimize Your Website The mystery of voice search, Simply put, voice search is a voice recognition technology that allows people to search on a mobile device without using a virtual keyboard. But devices can be not only mobile (tablets, smartphones) but also PC, smart home systems. Most often, this search is used within the Google search engine, whose voice search queries have grown exponentially over the years. Therefore, it is important to understand these events and incorporate them into your digital marketing strategy. According to analytical studies of Internet trends, an unprecedented increase in the use of voice assistants was observed in 2019, and if you look at similar studies for 2017–2019, the situation confirms an even greater increase.

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Currently, the main Voice Search Assistants are "Apple - Siri, Google - “OK, Google”, Cortana from Microsoft. Apple became the first major player to equip their iPhones with Siri assistant. Then Google introduced Google Now, which was intended to support and work with information even before the user asks a question. For example, you come back every day at 19:00 home from work on the same route. Google Now will automatically update traffic every day and pick up a shorter path somewhere around 19 hours, without waiting for you to ask for it. With the release of Windows 10, Cortana made her debut,. However, Google search remains the most popular and this fact must be taken into account in its marketing strategy. How is voice search used Virtual assistants are designed to fulfill information requests or answer questions. Here are two simple examples of how people use voice search, as well as the goal or type of query: “Ok, Google. Find coffee shops near me ”- search for nearby stores and restaurants, taking into account the geolocation of the user. “Siri, what is a confession?” - a search for general information (that is, concepts, facts, weather, recipes, who sings, and so on).

SEO Survival Tips for the Voice Search Revolution The Impact of Voice Search on Digital Marketing   The value of voice search for the business. Let's think about this: if your internet marketing strategy has a direct impact on the success of your company, and the use of voice search directly affects your marketing strategy, trends in voice search will inevitably affect your business. Regardless of whether this will lead to positive or negative results, the whole work, in general, depends only on how well you adapt your strategy to changes and innovations, to new technologies and the development of digital space. Adaptation is important, at least because Google bases almost all of its ratings on mobile versions of sites (adapting them to mobile devices) instead of desktop versions. Voice search significantly improves and simplifies the work of users, which means that the results of search results become more specific and precise. Accordingly, if the site has good enough optimization for mobile devices, the use of a voice Search assistant can be an excellent solution for businesses to overtake competitors. Voice Search: The Future of Search/SEO Suppose you require the address of the administration (IRCTC). When entering the search "IRCTC" you will see, at least, the option with multiple Option. But if you are in your area, and the information has a lot of relevant, optimized content and landing pages for activities and contacts, then it’s enough in the voice search to say: “ESS phone near me” hears the letter "e", although it implies "E"). More precisely, absolutely accurate

Voice Search and SEO

Voice Search Statistics 2019 For Marketers Many analysts believe that the increase in the share of using voice search is the end of SEO development as such. At the same time, other experts believe that voice search, on the contrary, only contribute to the development of SEO. But both those and others agree on one thing - digital marketing is changing for the better. This is the same as the perception of a glass of water. If you think it is half empty or half-filled, you cannot deny that voice search has an impact on digital marketing and SEO strategies, only positively or only negatively. But the main reason for the change in Digital marketing and SEO strategy is that in the "world of voice" and text search there are simultaneous with each other. Someone likes (it is necessary to use) only the text, someone is satisfied with the voice option. But, anyway, for each type of search, there are different requests. The Importance of Voice Search in Search Engine Optimization   Accordingly, for SEO, voice search is important: user language (regional), conversion of text queries to longer and more detailed, emphasis on results, the importance of authoritative results, quality content. The main difference between text search and voice Search is the level of spoken language. We write: “the best restaurants are in PATNA”, but usually we ask: “Google, what a good restaurant in PATNA?” Thus, since the spoken language is the main one for voice search, the content should be optimized for such possible queries. To prioritize Google with respect to snippets (reputable parts of search results), quick and accurate responses to search queries are key to ranking. If Google recognizes the site as a snippet, then this leads to an increase in sessions, and the speed and the number of clicks (CTR), and better visibility. The reason for this is the content that is considered by the search engine, as informative and quite authoritative. Therefore, it is possible to choose this resource as a source for a quick response to a certain user request in text or voice Search.

How to turn off "OK Google" Android voice search And what is important, but it is impossible to achieve this if one keyword is repeated several times, putting it into different content. But if you present your content in very good form, simple, informative, then such a snippet can become a small advertisement for a business. How Voice Search will Change the Future of eCommerce Google Profiles My Business:-Google Profiles My business is used by almost all companies in the world, including India ones. But they can also be optimized and customized so that they are most suitable for voice search. The fullest information and accurate, Real images are,  not everything that can bring the page to the first results of the issue. Essentially, internet marketers need to maintain their existing local SEO strategy. But at the same time, you need to be sure that all marketing work is focused on how people formulate their requests so that the information on the site matches these very requests. In the report “Trends of the Internet in 2019” by Neil Patel, it turned out that voice search is three times more local than text, that is, local (regional) SEO is now more important than ever. And there are the same reports for 2017 and for 2019. Just recommend that you look through them. Very interesting data. Below are the data of voice search requests by category: local information (restaurants, shopping, destinations, etc.); general (web search, recipes, news); entertainment (listening to music, games, social networks); personal assistant (shopping, calendar events, calls, SMS).

The Impact of Voice Search on Digital Marketing Future voice search marketing:-Considering that at the moment almost 20% of requests in Google applications are now performed by voice (there is variation), you can, of course, challenge the fact that voice search is in the top. And if you start analyzing the availability of the same iPhone for the masses, then all the more. Nevertheless, according to campaign live statistics, by 2020 it is expected that about 50% of all Internet searches are statute by voice. It's just that now there is still a trend, innovation is gaining its popularity, it is developing, and certainly, it does not die at all or goes to no. Google App Voice Searches - Think with Google   As already noted, mobile user activity is crucial to maintaining the competitiveness of your business. Regardless of how well developed the site is, the client may still not have decided to update the design, but he will not achieve the desired results in advertising if the project is loaded for a long time. It may have few images, few scripts, but it loads quickly, and the information is the most necessary - then such an inconspicuous site may well be the first in the snippet. Another important component of voice search is its ability to "learn" your habits - as the user says he is trying to find. It's not just about interests or vocal fads; Mobile devices also track search habits. Surely you noticed how the search pages were covered with messages and advertising of cosmetics, stores and other things immediately after you once ordered a set of cosmetics online? This form of redirection is also included in voice search. Google said last year that they are striving to make voice search technology ubiquitous and trouble-free, add it to all their services and even to Google Analytics, Search Console. But it also means that all our devices - phones, watches, digital assistants - will have a unified software solution. While this is a scary prospect for some, it inevitably becomes a reality in the field of digital marketing and beyond. To be able to keep up with such a competitive market, your business must be aware of the latest technological advances (and search engine algorithm updates) and continue to adapt your SEO strategy in response to these developments. And adapting the strategy of SEO is not as difficult and painstaking as it seems, but will take time. We will tell about it separately. Completion Most people are looking for a quick solution to turn to multitask into something easy and natural. And oral speech, in this case, becomes an excellent candidate for this. Using the voice is convenient for those who cannot be distracted by typing due to various reasons and conditions. And if you think about mistakes, then about 8% of speech may be recognized incorrectly. And this is despite the fact that speech recognition technologies are constantly being improved. Keyword Research for Voice Search Optimization The growing popularity of voice search affects the way customers look for products and services. Which makes it relevant for digital marketers and, thus, ensures the quality of the content visible for each type of request (voice search, text questions, and others). As people begin to search differently, websites previously optimized for text searches should now be optimized for voice calls. Returning to the beginning of our material, we note that voice search is not a “trick”, but a new trend, a new direction of the Internet that is developing, introducing and becoming more and more popular with users.  How the voice Internet will affect the future of digital marketing   At the end of 2018, 30% of web browsing sessions will be carried out without using screens. The main driver of these changes will be young and high-tech target groups that actively use digital assistants such as Siri, Google Microsoft Cortana, and Echo from Amazon. Despite the fact that this 30 % still feel comfortable in the middle of 2019, the perspective of the Internet without a display is becoming more realistic every day. Interacting with digital technologies in a natural way, with the help of voice, will make digital services more accessible to a wide range of consumers. The omnipresence of voice Search:-Not only SMART speakers are rapidly growing in popularity, today almost every smartphone is equipped with a voice assistant. We can also interact by voice with our televisions, home appliances, and cars. Major technology players are actively investing in this technology, and over the next few years, every electronic device that we buy or will carry home will be equipped with voice control capabilities. Hooray, you say, finally we have reached the peak of mobile voice technology, and we can walk around the planet with our head held high, freeing ourselves from restrictive screens? Not so fast ladies and gentlemen!   Computer speech recognition:- has reached the human level of accuracy thanks to advances in artificial intelligence and machine learning. Yes, cars now understand us perfectly, but they are still not able to respond in the same meaningful and meaningful way. Therefore, the development of Voice Search services for full communication with consumers is a huge problem in modern marketing. Brand promotion in the digital world without displays:-With the advent of voice Search control technology, engaging with brands opens up a whole new front for effort. We need to invent ways to communicate with brands with consumers. Literally. Without the usual "insurance" in the form of the device screen. The visual Internet showed how your brand looks. In the era of Voice Search, the Internet talks about how your brand looks at the world. In recent decades, radio advertising has mostly come down to the push-to-store format. Loudly, unpleasantly and irritably inspired the consumer that shopping on the way home from work would be a more attractive prospect than listening to radio commercials. In the new online space without displays, we will see the renaissance of the long-lost art of audio branding. Advertising in podcasts is already moving in this direction, and its carriers are the personalities of the authors. And the merging of brands with these persons should be a priority. The difficulties of the era of voice Search:-We will also need to pay attention to changing the voice search patterns. Text search tends to be short and precise, in practice from one to three words. With the advent of voice search, requests become longer and are formed in a more natural speech scheme, therefore, approaches to the selection of keywords and SEO will have to be revised and adapted. Voice-enabled commerce also raises several interesting dilemmas. How will you sell the product if your client cannot see it? However, this may be less difficult than originally intended. For example, “Alexa, order me kitchen towels,” and Amazon already knows the brand that you buy regularly. Using customer data and working with big players will be key trends, at least for FMCG. But how to get into the usual set of consumers? How to be sectors, such as fashion, which are very dependent on visual impression? The close interweaving of all marketing sensory touch points comes into play, the voice as a channel cannot be isolated from other brand communications. Obviously, the voice does not replace the rest of the marketing channels, but it can become a primary reference point for consumers because of its ubiquity and unhindered integration into everyday life. Properly defining the role of voice in the overall brand strategy will be crucial. Navigation in the "twilight zone" technological evolution:-What could be the biggest problem of this bold new world of voice Search marketing is the fact that our holistic world is not as unified as we would like. Most voice Search assistants function under limited conditions. Even if the digital assistant successfully turned on the lights in the kitchen or launched the PlayStation through compatible smart devices, such a task as “Siri, show me cool summer jackets from Amazon on the website” can become difficult to implement. Today, users often have to act as a connecting interface between voice Search assistant. Sources: www.digitalmarketerindia.net Author:-Digital Navneet     Read the full article

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Void S

Dying is always the easiest part. It happens fast. It's not without sensation and yet formless in feeling. If your senses allow, feel your self stretched thin in every direction yet compressed unable  to grasp at anything. When it happens you probably wont know it even did, that is unless you are a capsuleer. Waking up. This is everything I fear. More than the entropy that will consume all those I love, more than facing the contents of my wallet, more than being stranded in space and dying of hunger. First comes the light, it is radiant beyond measure. All at once you become conscious of everything you have ever known downloaded from countless clones who all met the same fate. Ten million neurons firing all at once forming every emotional pattern, every muscle memory, and every single nerve connection simultaneously. No pain can compare to this, or so I thought.

I was stolen at some point, as it was customary for all capsuleers, and for the most part so were any memories of my youth. They insisted during pre-op that it was “necessary to make room”. The concept, as it was told to me at the academy, is that the conscious mind is anchored at a specific frequency and can be copied through several layers of scanning. A small tool that acts as a catalyst is implanted to transmit this information. During the time they have you under they upload what amounts to a collection of electrical impulses and variables that make up who you are to a database and erase what the deem “unnecessary”

Becoming a capsuleer is no accident.  The selection process is a combination of biological compatibility that is determined at birth and progress closely monitored by whatever corporation you happen to belong to. No one person is truly free, though agents and capsuleers are thought to be the most open ended professions. This is only true in part. While after your training is complete you are ultimately left to do what you would like, without our shared cooperation and influence in this vast waste it would slowly wilt away. These are things they look for during schooling and on your tests. They force you into situations with candidates doomed to fail and see how far you can take them. Despite definite hierarchies among the corporation we are all trained to be leaders. They test the boundaries of our resourcefulness constantly and stretch our creative focus.   

Your final test is a state of the art simulation. You are not given warning. This is the first time you understand the control they have over your consciousness. One moment you could be in class, or in a bed, or even on the toilet. The very next moment, the only thing you are aware of is an impending sense of urgency and the sounds of a commander hailing you. After finishing their menial tasks and showing you can operate under extreme duress they let you dock at home for the first time and the simulated scientist you rescue gives you some information regarding your results and provide you with a list of agents. While I have only heard stories, this test is rumored to be used in every system for its efficacy. For reasons not understood they cant seem to wipe out your demeanor. I'm still not sure how someone as lazy as I am made it here. My name is Nifahn and this is my story. 

1.Cash Flow For Capsoleer's

BROADCAST: WARP TO LUCIAN ENGLEWIND WITHIN 0 KM. Roaring into every com-channel the moment had finally come. I reacted instinctively and aligned to the last read coordinates with only a 10 second delay. '9.9 AU TILL BUBBLE COLLAPSE'  Aura read out in her familiar calming voice. Before my scanners and hull could compensate for the loss of momentum I felt the familiar shudder move through my hull my pod and my organs.  An Interdictor. Far too late for me to change course I frantically signaled the remaining fleet members coordinates outside of the Interdictor's bubble range before we all met the same fate. Interdictor's are built for one purpose; stopping you where you are and preventing you from warping at a much greater range and efficiency than traditional warp scramblers. I knew quickly after coughing up blood that this clone wouldn't last the day and if we were going to survive someone would take the fall. 'Inevitably' I thought as I flipped on my after burner and aligned for the Interdictor and readied my guns.

Just as I was confident in the necessity for sacrifice to save Lucian's MACH V- Thrasher, I felt an immense yet comforting shadow. Melkezedech's raven nearly eclipsed the small star behind me and without even glancing at my scanners I recognized the torpedoes flying past my own ship and crashing into our new friend. “ Now this is a party bois” I heard called over the Fleet-Com. Scopio in his usual fashion finally decided to join and warped directly into the interdiction bubble undoubtedly killing him instantly as his clone did not respond or even attempt to eject before he got caught in the crossfire and his ship was turned to ribbons. BROADCAST: TARGET: ENDER WIGGING. “YEAH IM ON IT” I yelled into Fleet-Com in response to Lucian's broadcast. My scanners finally compensating for the anomaly brought up details on all of the targets I was able to scan within range. “REMOTE REPS ON LUCIAN” I called out realizing how little time we really had when suddenly the worst happened. My scanner started to acknowledge the ever growing number of signatures in the surrounding area “AMBUSH!!!!!!” I bellowed into Fleet-Com. As if in response ships of varying sizes and quality started uncloaking as a unit and hell was upon us. “A Gallente naval fleet this deep in Caldari space?” Melkezedech said trembling. “This could only mean one thing Fleet Commander Lucian” I called out knowing what we all were afraid to say. The treaty was broken, and we were at war.

After an eternity that was only a matter of seconds a communication channel was broadcast to each of us “Hailing Fleet COACA This is Commander Hans of the Gallente Federation you are hereby ordered  to stand down your station and your clones have been destroyed your fleet and your commanders captive”. 'Mortality?' I thought mockingly 'this is turning out to be a better day than I anticipated' looking down and seeing the blood still fresh on my sleeve. “You have one chance to comply.” He said. “We have use for good pilots and I would hate to waste that for your pride”. 'Live to fight tomorrow' I saw on my personal com-channel with Lucian. I knew I was fading and despite embracing the final rest many times over today was not the day I would die. “Calling  Commander Hans, this is Squad-Leader  Nifahn requesting medical assistance. I caught the interdiction bubble at near maximum warp speed.” His response was well met. “ Having survived that you earned it. You may dock on our command ship where help will be on the way”. 'Wher-' I thought before the behemoth uncloaked and completely eclipsed any light coming from the nearby star dwarfing both fleets combined. Docking in my first command ship was everything I imagined. The help was already at the door and with my job done I closed my eyes and fell deep asleep.

Waking up. Any injury I sustained was brilliantly taken care of, or I just had the smoothest clone transfer in my life. Upon surveying the room I found my self in the company Melkezedech who looked very little like we had just lost our fleet. “ Welcome back. Do you want the good news or the bad news?” He asked. I glanced at my wrist and affirmed that this was the clone from the battle having been healed marked by the number one drawn on my wrist indicating how old my clone was. One being a week This was a considerable time for the life of a clone, at least for my self. My main source of contribution to our fleet was gate checking. Our station had a struggling market and in an effort to become more efficient started policing and removing anyone who made the the main trade routes unsafe. This became exhausting the more available cloning became. After taking some time to reflect on the events prior I chuckled, “If there is good news to be heard then it cannot wait”.  

Lucian walked in smirking like every other time I have encountered him. “We are all free men, so long as we maintain a channel with our would be captors and respond to distress calls from any Gallente relay. We are also jump locked to this system”. “Clones?”I asked.  “They are now compliments of the Federation. For the most part our job hasnt changed.” Lucian told me with a laugh. “The bad news.” Melkezedech said cutting Lucian's laugh short. “The war is already over. All reports say The Forge is the final stronghold and its folding fast”. My head began throbbing. “I couldn't have possibly been  out that long” I pleaded. “There was a betrayal at the capital. All of our commanders were given false information about a mass invasion force that ended up being a series of traps. General Nivek has taken command and as far as anyone can tell is the only remaining obstacle for the complete annihilation of the Caldari Council”. I took a deep breath and tried to find an answer. There was no scenario that they would succeed at escaping their captors and making it to our remaining forces. “I think its time we get you to your agent.” Lucian said breaking a long silence. “So that's it Fleet Commander Lucian?” I said mockingly. Lucian looked back for the first time his face reflecting the situation we were in. “Well we are alive anyway”.