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all you've got (jj maybank)

Summary: You weren’t supposed to be the one Rafe wanted to make an example of. But standing between him and someone weaker? That’s just who you are. Now, you’re barely standing, barely breathing as you make your way back to the Château—bruised, bloody, and breaking.

JJ sees you first. JJ always sees you first.

"What did they do to you?"His voice is raw, breaking, shaking. His hands hover, torn between rage and gentleness. He wants to go after Rafe, wants to burn everything down, but instead—he stays. He kneels beside you, cleans you up, holds you together when you finally fall apart. based on this request

word count: 5692

trigger warnings: physical violence, bruises, blood, non-consensual restraint (barry holding the reader), trauma response, and emotional distress. Mentions of substance abuse (cocaine use, withdrawal), PTSD-like symptoms, and implied revenge plotting. Reader discretion is advised.

Just another hour and I’d be home, enjoying a Natty Light with the rest of the Pogues. Maybe if I was lucky, we could even take the boat out for a midnight cruise through the marsh. Who was I kidding? JJ would never say no to me, I think to myself as I punch in another drink order for one of the cackling Kooks. The country club was in full swing ahead of the dinner rush and as much as I could really use the money I would get from the wealthy patrons, I couldn’t wait for my shift to end. 

Sarah’s brother and ex-boyfriend had moseyed their way over to the bar, rowdy and loudly shouting about a stellar round of golf – barf. Oh Topper, you’ve bested me on the overly saturated green. Oh well, you know I do my best work on ground that could hydrate the Cut for weeks, Rafe. Ahaha, shall we get a round of caviar to celebrate? God, they made me sick. In an act of self-preservation though, I try to stick to my side of the restaurant, a blur of empty wine glasses and appetizers. 

Tension had been building between the guys ever since Sarah had started dating my brother. Being his twin, I wasn’t looking to get caught up in the drama just for having the same face. I’d nearly made it out alive, nearly finished with a perfect score. 

The sound of glass shattering caught my attention, head snapping up from my POS system. “Are you fucking serious? Do you know who I am?” The voice is menacing, rough. I catch sight of a wired Rafe Cameron with his fingertips wrapped around the collar of a young bus boy, shoving him up against the side panel of the tiki hut bar. The boy’s toes dragged against the pavement, nearly off the ground from the way Rafe held him. The boy looks terrified, feet kicking a little to get his footing. He’s stuttering, glancing around silently begging for life support.

My feet were moving before I could think it over, before I could second guess myself. Inserting yourself into the eldest Cameron’s fights? A death sentence in the making. But we Routledges really loved the thrill of danger. My sneakers squeeze against the wet patio, nearly slipping as I wedged myself between the two boys. Palms splay over the silky texture of Rafe’s golf polo, breaking his icy glare from the small boy. 

I drop my hands with wide intention, causing him to release the kid who plops down onto the ground and stumbles into my back. “You’re making a scene,” I grunt. The glass crunches under my feet and I make a mental note to be sure to change them out before leaving, not wanting to get shards of glass anywhere near the chateau. 

“Baby Routledge, look who's feeling brave today,” Rafe says, staring down at me. He snarls, a deadly look in his eyes as an aimlessly sick smile paints across his face. He takes a few heavy breaths, too shallow to help him calm down. He breathes out through clenched teeth, “Get out of my way.” 

“Walk away from this Rafe,” I shake my head, planting my feet firmly. I can feel everyone’s eyes on me, I can feel the bus boy’s fingers tighten against the cheap grit of my uniform. 

“The little shit spilt a glass of Pinot on me,” he steps back a little to show off the red stain on his khakis. “He’s gonna have to pay up.” 

“Then speak to Jason, alright?” I say, nodding toward the door where I know my manager is inside, doing paperwork. “Don’t start a fight with a kid half your size in front of all these fine people.”

Rafe’s expression shifts, twisting in a way that makes a pit form in my gut. It’s like he’s discovered something you don’t know, like he’s first in line with the grim reaper – learning about what takes you out. It makes me nauseous. . And then I notice it. It’s subtle, the way he sniffs – rubs his nose. I can see the red in his eyes, the rapid nodding. He glances around, laughing a little to himself. Topper, to his right, looks unsure as he laughs along. 

Rafe steps forward suddenly, crowding my space as his nose nearly brushes mine. He smells like vodka and sweat, it turns my stomach. “Walk away,” he says, “now.” 

“He’s just a kid Rafe,” I say, unshakable as I square my shoulders. 

“You really wanna do this?” Rafe mutters. He’s close enough that I can see how blown his pupils are. His hands are shaky as they ball up in fists at his sides. He tilts his head, racking over my frame. I can see the way he sizes me up. Even in his presence, the livewire of the privileged Kook Prince – I don’t move. The tension is thick in the air, the world silent around us as everyone watches to see what Rafe does next. To see if I’ll fold. 

“Rafe, I think that’s enough,” Topper’s voice cuts through the tension. 

Rafe shoves the man away, holding his hands up as if he was disgusted that someone would put their hands on him. “You fuckin’ lowlife Pogues…I’ll get both your asses fired,” he smirks, raising a brow as if it’s a threat that scares me. Topper’s got a hand on his shoulder now, holding him in place momentarily until he steps back once, twice in what he thinks is a victory. 

I don’t know what it is; maybe the smug grin on his face, maybe the obnoxious wink he throws my way as if I’m the dirt beneath the giant ass golf course he’d just played a round of nine over. I shouldn’t pick a fight, I should take his backing off as a win. But the entitlement of threatening a job when he’s never even needed to know the worth of a dollar drives me up a mountain and down the other side. 

“That’s fine,” I say, nodding as I keep the bus boy behind me. “Go ahead. I’ll be sure to let Daddy know that your allowance is going into powder…it’s a little too warm for snow this time of the year, don’t you think?”

Topper looks over at me with a look of near horror and surprise, definitely not expecting that. The victorious smirk on Rafe’s face falls, his jaw clenching as his eyes narrow. “You’ll regret that, Baby Routledge…you and your brother, never learning who stays on top,” he threatens, wiping his nose instinctively as he turns, walking away.

“Thank you so much,” a small voice comes from behind me, releasing my shirt. 

“Shuddup,” I say, turning away from the bus boy. “Clean this up, before we both lose our jobs.” I get back to my POS, trying to ignore the tremble in my hands as I punch in the last of my orders. I end up staying two extra hours after Jason catches wind of the confrontation with Rafe, restocking shelves in the kitchen and cleaning all the glassware by hand before it goes out to the bar. I have just enough time to change out my sneakers for my old Birks, a hand-me-down from Kie when she got a new pair for her birthday.

I grab my bag and close my locker, jumping as my boss appears out of nowhere, a sour look plastered on his face. He normally wears a sour look, but this one looks a little extra sour. I’d already forfeited my heavy stack of ones to him, hoping that offering my tips to pay for the broken glassware would grant me some leniency.

“You can thank the Masons for keeping your job,” he spits. “They vouched for you on the way out. But another conflict with a paying customer and you’re out, do I make myself clear?” 

“It won’t happen again, I promise,” I say, shoulders deflated. We’re already struggling to keep the chateau as it is, the last thing I need is to lose my job. 

“See you Monday,” he says, crossing his arms and nodding to the door with a stern glare. 

“Thank you sir,” I say, leaving quickly before he can change his mind. It’s dark out as I start the long walk home. My calves are screaming from the time ducked under the counter collecting glasses, shoulders sore as my adrenaline wears off from the tension with Rafe earlier. Fuckin’ asshole. 

“Spilled Pinot on my 1,000th pair of khakis,” I say to myself mockingly as I cross the dimly lit street of shops on Figure 8. The lights are off, clearly having closed up early to enjoy the beautiful summer evening. Must be nice to afford to close shop early. It’s quiet along the streets and I tug my bag a little tighter over my shoulder, pulling my phone from my pocket and seeing the green lightning bolt on the screen. Dead…damnit. What I would give to see the Twinkie barreling toward me…or the buzz of JJ’s bike ripping up the road. I bet the bastards were already hammered right now, night fishing on the dock without a care in the world. Better have a cold beer waiting for me.

I can see the bridge in the distance, breathing a sigh of relief as the last leg of the walk is in reach. Headlights glare behind me, illuminating the sidewalk. The light washes over me, blinding me as it approaches. The engine revs a little as the tires slow, crawling behind me. I step further on the sidewalk, getting out of the way but no one passes. I can hear the gravel beneath the rubber. 

I shut my eyes, taking a deep breath when the light disappears. I only bother to turn around when the car door sounds open. I see his boat shoes before I see his tall frame, stepping in front of the hood of the suped up truck. Even in the dark, I can see the wild, frantic look in his eye. 

“Let’s not do this again Rafe,” I say, tugging my crochet bag higher over my shoulder. I look over his clothes, trying to defuse the situation before it gets ugly. I wave a hand in his direction. “I see you’ve got yourself a new pair of shorts so…crisis averted. Club soda and salt are great for getting out wine stains.”

“You were real brave back there,” Rafe says, ignoring the white flag I try to throw his way. He wipes his face, wipes his mouth and breathes out sharply. He steps forward toward me, pointing a sharp finger in my direction. “Thinking you’re so clever.”

I watch the way he starts to pass, the way his tongue fumbles over the words flying too fast out of his mouth. Nothing good comes from fighting with someone on a high and so in an act of self-preservation, I turn and try to head to the bridge to give myself some distance or home court advantage. But I hit something hard as my body turns, stumbling back. I feel the strap of my sandal pop from the momentum. 

I catch the glint of a gold tooth, glinting under the flickering lamp post. “Got some’ere to be pretty thin’?” Barry asks, tilting his head at me before glancing over my head. 

I close my eyes, sifting my brain for what JJ had taught me one late night on the beach after everyone had stumbled off to sleep under the stars. What was it? Closed fist…thumb tucked over fingers to avoid breaking it…or maybe it was under fingers? Fuck. Damnit JJ and his gorgeous ocean eyes, distracting me from knowing how to defend myself against coked up Kooks. 

My feet scuff against the pavement, ditching my lovely and fucked sandals in the hopes that my barefeet will help me escape the situation. It’s no use because Barry’s a brick wall, too wide for his own good and he only needs to step to the left a little faster than I would expect of him. His fingers imprint red into my shoulders with a vice grip, turning my struggling form to face a fuming Rafe. My back presses against his sweaty chest and I feel like I’m going to throw up. 

I try not to let the man see me sweat though, not wanting to give him the satisfaction of how helpless I feel. Rafe walks up to me, slowly like a lion circling its prey, like he’s playing with his food before going in for the kill. 

He stretches a hand out, grabbing my jaw with ringed fingers and squeezing so tightly that I’m sure that alone will bruise. “I told you to walk away,” he says, bending down so that he’s eye level with me. 

It’s not a smart move, considering the predicament and my helpless position of two on one. It’s not in my nature as I normally left the fights to my brother and his beautiful best friend but even the smallest creatures fight their way out of entrapment. The spit lands with perfect aim, sliding down his eyelid and settles in his lashes as it slides down his cheek in a glob. He jumps back in surprise and behind me, I can feel Barry shake a little in amusement. 

“Well, gotta give it to ya,” Barry mutters, “ya got balls, kid.” 

Words fall flat on my tongue as Rafe’s palm finds purchase on my cheek. He swings with a full moment, arm cocking back in a blind rage to slap me. The force is so hard that I worry my head could disconnect from my spine. It’s shocking that the gratitude for a drug dealer holding me up finds its way into my system ahead of the burning sting. My vision feels a little hazy as I shake my head, trying to collect my bearings. Rafe is shaking his hand, holding in front of him and hissing from the pain he’s in. Poor baby. 

When his eyes land on me, he waits with anticipation – clearly expecting me to…I don’t know. Break down? Sob out an apology for getting between him and justice over his Ralph Lauren. But the only thing coming out of my mouth is another glob of spit in his direction, this time mixed with the metallic from my tongue and cheek. I must have a death wish…or maybe in the process of trying to remember, I’d summoned the spirit of one Maybank boy. I don’t even recognize the sound of my own voice when I say, “That's all you got, you pussy?” 

Everything happens in slow motion after that as I’m ripped from Barry’s grasp. The momentum of tugging me toward him allows the first punch to land with a swift and purposeful crack against my cheekbone. Pain explodes, rattling my teeth. I question if I’ve gone deaf when Rafe’s shouts of fury  are replaced with a high pitched ringing. I don’t even register the sound of my screaming when my back hits the door handle of his truck, the back of my head knocking his mirror inwards toward the cab. 

“Rafe, enough dog,” Barry’s tugging the psychopath back in a rush, staring at me in horror as I crumble to the ground. My face feels warm and puffy, vision blurry as they stare down at me. I blink a few times and every time I try to understand what just happened, my chest tightens making it harder to breathe. Hands find my cheeks, calloused but softer. I flinch regardless, head tugging back so quickly in defense that I bounce it off the side of the truck leaving a dent in the door. 

“Get away from me,” I grunt, trying to stand. 

“Whoa, whoa,” Barry calls, letting me go as he raises his hands in defense. “I didn’t want this. I didn’t mean for–,”

“Barry, we gotta get outta here,” Rafe’s voice is sharp as he steps away from me further, putting more distance between himself and his handy work. 

And then, they’re gone. Leaving me, slumped against Rafe’s stupid truck, pulled over right before the bridge. My body aches when I finally force myself to stand, wanting nothing more than to get to the comfort of the Chateau and never leave again. My hand presses against the dent in the doorway to steady myself, rising up on shaky legs. 

I look down, noting the blood splatters on the rolled cuffs of my work shorts. A wave of dizzying nausea rolls over me, causing me to look up to the sky. I stumble on my feet, hands shaky as I try not to touch my face. 

I don’t know how long it takes me to walk the rest of the way home. It’s late enough that there are no cars on the road, no one to question my fragile state or the blood drying on my bottom lip. It’s a little hard to see out of one eye and I try not to think about how bad I must look when the christmas lights of the chateau appear in the distance. 

My feet seem to move on pure adrenaline, carrying me to the backyard – carrying me to the voices of my family. I can see the silhouette of Kie’s bun glowing from the bonfire, hearing the soft strum of the ukulele as she calls out to the boys for a beer. She seems to be the only person outside, looking up at the sound of twigs crunching beneath my feet. 

When we make eye contact, I try to ignore the way her soul leaves her body at the sight of me. “Oh my god,” she says. Her ukelele falls from her lap as she stands, crossing the yard toward me in concern.

The speed of her pace, sends me stumbling back a little – flinching out of reflex. The action takes her by surprise and then concern, gaze softening as she keeps a safe distance. She turns to the porch, clearly looking for the others. “Jjay, Pope–,” she shouts, causing me to flinch again at the loud noise. 

Worry melts into dread, noticing the way my arms are wrapped exhaustedly around my frame like I’m trying to hold myself together. “Oh my god,” she repeats, looking me over. Her eyes gloss over with tears, clearly trying to hold them in for my sake. 

My stomach drops at the sound of the screen door squealing, the coils screaming at the speed at which its opened. And when Kie turns again, Pope is walking over to see what all the commotion is. 

All I can see is JJ behind him, adjusting his red cap atop his head with a look of curiosity as he glances around his friends. I see the way his eyes focus on my face, see the way his whole body freezes up momentarily at the sight of me. I can’t imagine how bad it is, don’t want to imagine how bad I must look. Swollen, bruised, bleeding and barefoot – it must be bad because JJ is shoving Pope out of the way, nearly taking out a camping chair in the process of getting to my side as fast as humanly possible. 

“What the hell?” his voice is strained, panicked as he brushes past Kie. He enters my bubble without asking, hands reaching for me. He stops himself though, showing enough restraint that his hands hang – hovering. I see him swallow, eyes shifting over my face as if he’s trying to assess the damage and calculate where to touch me that won’t hurt. 

JJ’s no stranger to bodily damage. But it was a strange reversal of role for the two of us and the tremble in his hands was a reminder of that. I’d nursed him back to full health so many times over the years that I knew every inch of his scars, every terrible reminder of his reckless appetite for violence. He must swallow down his ignorance as he reaches out the rest of the way, fingertips dancing so tenderly over my jaw that if it weren’t for the bruising, I wouldn’t have felt it. 

I hate the pity in his eyes as I flinch from his touch. 

“What did they do to you?”  he says.

I step backwards, running from his warmth. It’s too gentle, too kind and the contrast from the hands that had last claimed my skin is too sudden. It makes me want to vomit. “I’m fine.”

“The hell you are,” JJ says, gasping out. “Who did this? Tell me who did this to you.” 

A silence falls over the yard as I look away from his pleading eyes. I’m not sure why I hold the culprit so close to the chest. It’s not that I want to protect Rafe, quite the opposite frankly. JJ Maybank had always been a knight in boardshorts, saving me from the smallest of disasters. Even though my brother had always staked his claim of best friend on JJ – the wild boy had made it clear that I’d always hold his heart in a way my brother simply wasn’t capable of. 

While he and John B would steal Playboy magazines from Luke in our pre-pubescent years, he’d also braid wildflowers from the field into my hair. When he and John B would get drunk on the beach after long, sunny days of surfing, he’d still lay with his head in my lap asking me to read him poetry from a new book I’d gotten. And when we were old enough to start going to parties, JJ still found a way to appear by my side the minute I was getting unwanted attention. Pope had once narrated a long and lengthy lecture while John B and JJ were a ways away, wrestling on the lawn, about how it had to do with JJ’s ventromedial prefrontal cortex. 

“It’s really that he recognizes how much you are a safe space and you calm his amygdala which triggers his–,”

“Pope, it’s love,” Kie groans, shaking her head at the boy. “He’s in love with you, god.” JJ had looked over in that moment, struggling in a headlock but still finding the ability to grin in my direction and send me a wink. I’d always hoped one of us had acted on it by this point, found the strength to bypass my brother’s cockblocking and heavy stares as he looked us over on nights where he felt we were too close, too handsy for his liking. 

I think that’s why I avoided giving up the information now as JJ demanded names. Even though he wasn’t entirely mine, I couldn’t lose him further. He’d kill Rafe without hesitation. He’d go to jail for trying. So I shake my head, lips tight as I refuse to let anything slip. His touch is cool against my cheek and I find myself leaning in, warming up to the gentle touch. JJ huffs, not in annoyance but in desperation. 

“Please,” he whispers, stepping closer and licking his bottom lip in desperation. I can feel his breath on my lips, lost and swimming in the ocean of his eyes. “Let me fix this.”

I press my lips together tightly, afraid I’ll spill on a pure technicality from distraction of how beautiful he is. But the action causes the dried blood to crack on my lip, splitting open. My cheeks flush in embarrassment as I feel a dribble of blood seep out and run along my skin. “Fuck,” I grunt, stepping away from lip to cover my mouth and whip gingerly at it. 

“C’mon,” he murmurs, collecting me into his side and helping me inside the house. It’s stifling inside, the AC in the living room broken. I’m annoyed at myself suddenly, remembering that my tips were meant to go toward replacing it. Pope rushes past us to the bathroom and I can hear him rummaging around for the first aid kit. JJ’s hands slide along my hips, lifting me with ease onto the counter. He cups my face again, moving it around slowly to examine the damage better in the light of the kitchen. He opens his mouth to say something else when the door squeaks open again. 

I can’t help but jump as the screen door slams against the frame, shaking slightly. I wanted to bury my face into JJ’s neck until I healed, hide from the world and never leave his side. Because there was only potentially one thing worse than JJ’s face when he saw me and that was my brother’s. 

Sarah sees me first, a loud gasp escaping her as she stops in the doorway. My neck starts to hurt again as my brother takes in how close JJ is, tucked between my legs with a hand on my face. It looks compromising. It is compromising and because of that, it takes a minute to register what’s happened. 

His face drops, fists clench. “Who?”

It’s silent for too long, only broken by Pope’s nearly cheerful “found it” and his footsteps trotting back into the kitchen. I turn away from my brother, only to be burned by the intensity of JJ’s gaze in front of me. The lack of escape feels less stifling, less suffocating this time. 

My voice is smaller than I want it to be when I finally say what they want to hear. “Ra–,” I have to clear my throat, his name dying on my tongue. I can see the veins in his arms, the blacks of his pupils, my blood on his forearm. “Rafe.” 

And the second it leaves my mouth, JJ’s hands go with it. He’s leaving my form, peeling himself off of me in a matter of seconds. His focus turns to my brother, matching looks of revenge and deep seeded hatred. “We’re going, right now,” JJ grunts, walking over to the kitchen table and reaching for something I can’t see. The click gives me a good idea, panic settling in my bones at the fear of losing either of them to a Kook…to Rafe. 

John B says nothing, only nodding stiffly and letting go of Sarah’s hand. 

My body hurts as I slide from the countertop, feet sore as they slap along the tile to follow after them. I muster up enough strength to duck beneath JJ’s arm, weave around Sarah and John B in the doorway just enough to block their way. “You can’t.”

The two look at me, conflicted as I hold myself up in the doorway. They breath out my name, glancing at each other. I can see the heat radiating from their pores, unable to stop the tension from settling into their muscles like an itch they have to scratch.

It’s John B who tries to persuade me but I can’t look at anyone but JJ who's looking anywhere but at me. He knows, we both know, that the minute he looks at me – it’s all over. That I can plead, beg with one semi-serious pout and he’s putty in my hands. That’s how I know how serious he is about using that gun, avoiding my gaze like it’s the last thing he’ll ever do on this Earth because he doesn’t want to be stopped. He wants to put his hands on someone, wants to make sure to make an example of the man who thought he could get away with hurting me. 

“Move,” JJ finally says, grinding his teeth. The word cuts through John B’s reasoning, stopping him in his tracks. 

I shake my head, refusing. “I–can’t,” I gasp out, hearing the thumping of my heartbeat in my ears as the panic spills over and hot tears start to stream down my face. My shoulders shake as I tuck my head, trying to control my breathing, trying to stay strong so that I can convince them not to leave me. The stress is too much and my legs give out, knees buckling underneath me. 

But JJ’s there to catch me, just like he always does. He safely brings me to the ground, scooping me into his arms as loud sobs wrack through me uncontrollably. The emotions, the pain all become too much and the dam breaks. He holds tightly onto me like he’s afraid that if he lets go, I’ll never recover and I can hear his soft cooes over my wailing as he murmurs “I got you, I’m right here.” 

I don’t know how long we sit there on the floor of the porch when JJ finally rises to his feet, causing my throat to tighten and a fresh wave of tears to come pouring out. “I’m right here Sweets, I’m not going to kill anyone tonight – I promise,” he says. “I just want to get you cleaned up.” 

JJ helps me to my room in the back of the chateau and pushes the door open. A chill passes through the doorway from the only working AC unit running overtime. He scoots me along to the bathroom, sitting me on the toilet seat and sitting along the tub to turn the water on. It's quiet as one of his hands rest on my thigh, circling patterns along the skin while the other dances under the faucet to check the temperature. 

When he’s satisfied, he stands for a moment with rosy cheeks. “I can give you some privacy while you –,” he nods to the tub. 

“Don’t leave,” I whisper, standing slowly. I turn a little to peel off my work uniform when I catch sight of myself in the mirror. I’m horrified at the flash of myself, closing my eyes and squeezing them shut. My hands come up, covering my eyes and rubbing in an attempt to erase the image from my brain. “Oh my god.” 

“Hey, hey, hey,” JJ’s hands slide over mine, pulling them away so that I don’t hurt myself. He towers over me, blocking my view to the mirror. “Don’t look, okay? Just…close your eyes, I’ll help.”

I nod, keeping my eyes tightly closed as I imagine his sweet face, caring eyes watching me for any signs of discomfort. My breath hitches a little as he undoes the button to my shorts, sliding them off my hips and helping me step out of both garments. His hands skim along the tender skin on my back, my shoulders as he unhooked my bra. My eyes flutter open, breathing in his gentle nature as he watches my face with intention. I feel like I can’t breathe in his presence. 

He helps me into the warm water before turning off the faucet, soaking in the comfortable silence of the moment as I let it soothe my aching body. Exhaustion overtakes me and I can’t help but relax a little, gaze heavy as I lean against the wall. “Hey, I know you’re exhausted – let’s just get you cleaned up and then get you to bed, okay?” 

I look up at him, realizing he’s not just saying he knows because he’s being a good friend or that he’s sympathetic to see me covered in blood and bruises as a result of a man’s wrath. JJ knows because JJ’s been me and the thought makes me want to cry again. I can’t do anything, don’t have the energy to do anything but watch as he kneels beside the tub, peeling off his boots and socks and rolls up the sleeves off his shirt before grabbing the wash cloth and dipping it in the water. 

He’s cautious as he cleans my face and my shoulders, careful as he wipes the blood from above my knees. The water turns a ting of murky red as he drags the soft cloth along each of my fingertips, using his own nail to gently scratch the remnants of my attack from my cuticles. 

The room is quiet while he works to bring me back to myself, bring me back to him. And each time I flinch, he stops and tells me a pointless fun fact about fish in the marsh. He waits until I smile before starting his work again. And when I sniffle, my nose scrunching in pain from a tender spot – he kisses at the spot until I can breathe again. There’s no words, they aren’t needed. Each drag of the washcloth, each brush of the lips is the most tender whisper of love I’ve ever experienced. 

When the dirty water goes cold and he’s satisfied with his work, he disappears only for a minute to get the biggest and fluffiest towel – Sarah’s – from the laundry machine. He instructs me to stand and wraps me in the warm, cozy towel to dry me off. He helps me pull on a pair of pajamas, his tee shirt and sweats, letting me steady myself against his shoulder while he pulls on a pair of warm socks. 

When we shuffle back into my cool room, I clutch his hand and stare wide-eyed as he pulls the blankets back so that I can crawl in. “Stay?” 

“I’m not going anywhere unless you give me the word,” JJ promises, pressing a kiss to my forehead. 

I nod, satisfied as I crawl into bed and slide over to make space for him. He peels off his clothes, down to his boxers and climbs in beside me. He flicks off the lamp, encasing us in darkness and turns to pull me against his chest. 

“I’m not going anywhere,” he breathes, almost more to himself than to me. I nod, squeezing his hand.

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[kopfkino-o]

okay modern acotar au but the setting is a shitty local bar and I might or might not have been tipsy when I wrote this.

Rhys inherited this crusty bar from his business tycoon father and, despite being utterly incapable of maintaining a well respectable establishment, he lowkey loves being able to boss the staff around and enjoys the all the “free” booze whenever he wants. No he does not file taxes. But he has given his wife, Feyre, creative reign over the place and she painted the walls herself, which was definitely a choice, but the patrons don’t really seem to mind the various eyeballs staring down at them so it sort of works for the place.

Cassian works security with Jurian but most nights he is the one who ends up starting something and it lowkey causes a lot of insurance liabilities but Rhys isn't really worried about all that. Cas also can’t stop sniffing after veteran bartender, Nesta, who will definitely throw your ass out if you so much as look at her wrong. The tension between them is causing a lot of “bad vibes” for the bar’s regulars, Lucien and Eris, who only come to this shithole establishment to get away from their dad (he’s sleeping on their couch because their mom left him for another man). Tamlin always wants to hangout, especially on open mic nights, but he doesn’t have a car and Eris refuses to drive a few extra minutes to pick him up because he doesn't want "unnecessary mileage" on his 2008 beat to shit BWM.

Elain works the front well because she’s the only one who can use the bar's new POS system and Mor waits tables because she’s a customer favorite (she's comps drinks for literally everyone). But there’s really no need for three bartenders on every shift (the bar gets like five customers, max) and Nesta definitely has that shit handled, so most nights Mor and Elain just sit out back near the dumpsters drinking wine coolers and gossiping. They occasionally upload TikTok videos with Gwyn and Emerie, two waitresses who work at the restaurant next door, but Rhys and Feyre let it slide because it’s good publicity.

Vassa, Tarquin, and Helion occasionally meet up at the bar after work (they work at the pr firm across the street) but only because the drinks are cheap and their asshole boss, Amarantha, thinks the establishment is "below her", so they don't feel obligated to invite her along. Helion has slept with like half the staff, and has some weird thing going on with one of the regular's mom, but he always tips well and at least he's consistent. Once, Tarquin let Cassian borrow his boat so he could take Nesta on a date, but he crashed it into a dock when he was trying to park and it ended up being this whole thing. Amren, the lawyer Feyre hired, has sorta advised the staff to refrain from talking about all that though.

Azriel, the bar manager, smokes cigarettes in the old walk-in cooler (Feyre painted it one night during a staff party) between shifts and wonders how the fuck he ended up being in charge of keeping this trainwreck running. He would have quit the job five years ago but he needs the money and Rhys at least offers half decent health insurance. The bar occasionally gets letters from Beron, the local health inspector who is totally on Rhysand’s case, but Az just throws them away in the raccoon infested dumpster outback (the girls swear they haven’t been feeding them) and yearns for the day this whole shitshow finally gets shut down.

Oh, the baby? Yeah he handles accounting and the shadow monster in the basement is in charge of the social media. don't ask.

[tattered-bah]

Okay!! Just wanted to make sure and yes, the titles are very silly /pos. Pls keep them us /gen

Could we have level 3 rottmnt Donnie pack based on an actor/just a movie AU (look up “rottmnt movie bloopers” on YouTube and you’ll see the AU that inspired this). We+ would prefer if mutants/yokai stayed mutants/yokai but human society has started to welcome them in (maybe Splinter went back to his role as Lou Jitsu and that’s what sparked the change but I+ am just starting to spitball here).

Also, we’re trying out some new 1st person prns bc they started to vibe with us randomly.

-🥇🪶

“the collective welcomes Donnie. ...wait, fuck, that's the wrong line.”

we hope this is to your liking! please know the headmate may come out exactly as described! sorry this took us a little bit, we held off on tier 3 reqs while we were unwell ^^''

tagging ; @thebaharchivist

name: donatello, donnie, donny, don, vex, perse (short for perseverance), nami, kio

pronouns: he/him/his/himself, they/them/theirs/themself, h?/h?m/h?s/h?mself, h!/h!m/h!s/h!mself, actor/actors/actorself, movie/movies/movieself, play/plays/playself, act/acts/actself, tech/techs/techself, 🎬/🎬s/🎬self, 🎥/🎥s/🎥self, 📽️/📽️s/📽️self

orientation: omni

gender: genderfaun, genderviolent, genderplaylist, genderfuck, gender+

age: 16-19

species: mutant turtle

role: masker, symptom holder, symptom experiencer

source: rottmnt actor au

faceclaim:

link 1, link 2

signoff: 🎞️

likes: acting, action movies, old technology

dislikes: tongue twisters, messing up, cheap jumpscares

kins: plushkin

aesthetic:

personality: donnie, while prone to easily forgetting things, is a very determined individual, never giving up no matter how many times he messes up, mainly because he always has his friends there to laugh about it with him. he's very excitable and high energy, usually being one of the people to uplift the system when needed!

traits: stimming when he's happy (hand flapping, fist shaking, you name it!)

interests: crochet (though he refuses to talk about it), collecting old consoles, slasher movies

[yourtypicalfangirl23]

Youth.

 and watching the three of them felt like, the cheap, corner-store shop picture frames expanded into real life. From the stale walls of his bedroom to the reds and oranges of an early autumn sunset where the screams of cicadas echoed through the gold-painted, tar highways. It was desolate, the countryside was dying, and no one except their shadows and them were present. 

In his eyes.

Two boys, one girl. Three of them. The end of summer, he recalled, always brought upon a gut-wrenching dread.

It was always two boys, one girl. Three of them. end of summer.

Always the three of them, when they were too young to be heroes, still ridding the innocence of their adolescence, learning life, finding themselves. Tugging at their uniforms, one button always abandoned, shirt untucked in some parts. Far more comfortable in band shirts and ripped jeans, a zip-up hoodie always unzipped, sweats, always the sweats. Instead of the tightly fitted armor of jujitsu high, too young to be in soldiers' uniforms.

Uncleaned chalkboards, wooden floors, and large paneled windows where the curtain slowly drifted with the summer winds. Three chairs, three desks, and space. Barracks disguised as classrooms. It was always, almost normal. Always, almost kids in high school- until they see the phantom red on their hands, on each other. Until they're afraid of death, until they question if their friends will come back.

High school kids shouldn't worry about carrying their friends' corpses back, shouldn't be worrying about the infinite space that will be left from a desk taken away, two would be an awful number.

Sometimes though, when the skies were especially clear, the sun blinding enough that the classrooms felt like saunas and they had no choice but to take their lessons outside, it truly did feel like high school. On the grass, below a mighty tree, ancient with thick roots, winding with mossy branches, and rings of bark carrying the passage of time, they would laugh, too warm to sit still, too warm to listen.

The tree still stands there, to this day, though mightier in size. It holds now, his dearest memories and a neverending ache, as his eyes linger on the the three of them.

“Your eyes remind me of the sky,” he said. 

Flat on his back, his head to the side, his eyes showed galaxies as they bore through his own. Two hands behind his head, as if he hadn’t a care in the world, as if he had forgotten the blood that was smeared on his hands just yesterday.

“They aren’t though, Suguru” he had said back.

Suguru. Suguru was the boy who had constellations in the creases of his irises, eyelashes saturated with stars, and long, long hair, silky strands that looked like ink from the poems in kanji, he had read as a child. 

Suguru looked back at him. He was beautiful, so very beautiful. Suguru had called his eyes the heavens, the seven seas, the world, and at some point his home. 

His eyes were a source of power and hierarchy. His eyes brought fear, he had been born with these eyes as a man, never a boy, never a child. A soldier through-and-through, a born weapon for jujitsu society, the name of the Gojo clan. His eyes were for humanity, as a hero, as a savior, and as a god. His eyes brought him a military routine, always a house, never a home. He had no parents, he belonged to no one but humanity and jujitsu society. His eyes were treacherous storms and lashes of waves, raging tsunamis. 

But this boy with the soft voice and planetary systems as eyes had called him his. With Suguru, he would be Satarou, a boy in high school, with eyes that looked like a clear summer’s sky. They would be Suguru and Satarou doing whatever high schoolers would do.

A scoff from Satarous’ side broke the trance and Suguru looked back. 

Shoko huffs out a soft chuckle, an unsmoked cigarette hanging from her smirking lips. Her eyes had deep bags under them but they still managed to sparkle as she rolled her eyes at them. One hand under her splayed brown hair, the other fiddling in her pockets certainly reaching for a lighter. After a few moments of rustling and-

“Honestly it's sexist, we can’t wear normal fucking pants with normal fucking pockets, fucking skirts”

She lit her cigarette with one hand, her other, now removed from under her head had reached out to Suguru to offer him one, and as always he would hesitate, and then after a second, the roll would easily slip away from her slim fingers to his. Shoko had tried with Satarou but he was never as easy as Suguru, he could still remember the days when Suguru would snatch the roll away from her lips and offer her a strawberry Chup Chups instead. She had scowled at him but never complained. When days were easy, no caskets and no disappearing friends. Before, their eyes looked darker, before the eyebags, before. Before he took cigarettes so easily. 

It would be the three of them then, on the ground, splayed out on the grass until the sky turned golden, the occasional breeze, drifting leaves down on them, the smell of tobacco thick in the air, and laughter. Fits of laughter, uncontrollable and untameable, wheezing and breathless. Until all three of them would be coughing, Shoko clutching her stomach and Suguru on his side, laughter echoing through the desolate land that was Jujitsu high, and Satarou in the middle, smiling the biggest he’s ever smiled. Brimming happiness at a place that was so riddled with blood and tragedy. 

They would be messy and noisy as teenagers would be, tangled up together, talking shit about teachers, cursing and complaining. Talking about unresolved crushes as their cheeks bloomed with a rosy blush, kicking their feet and twirling their hair or whatever people in love do. Gossiping about the parties they have and haven't been to, talking about that new cafe that opened downtown or that new clothing shop, the one that's biased about their sizes, they don’t even sell the right color nail polish, black, because they had a personal style under these uniforms they were trapped in. 

When they had nothing else to talk about (finally)  and the laughter had died down to comforting silences and content sighs with heads on shoulders, fingers intertwined, legs overlapping each others’, eyes slowly beginning to close after a lazy summer's day.

“Up, you dickheads” 

Shoko would drag them up, a lazy smile on her face and two outstretched hands, the sky had passed its golden hour and a light purple welcomed dusk. Their cigarettes were finished now, on the grass, giving out the last of its smoke, the lights from the windows were just starting to flicker on, and the three of them would escape, leaving the formidable fortresses of jujitsu high. Leaving the echoes of bloodshed and death into a normal life, just for a second, where they would pretend to have calculus and The Great Gatsby as the biggest worries in life.  

The street lamps lit the sidewalk, a few moths dancing along its light, where one lamp, as they proceeded along the path, would never function, it never had. An occasional rumble from an old car or a noisy neighborhood kid with a bicycle would break the silence. Shoko and Satarou would skip, hands held together like preschoolers while Suguru trudged along them, complaining with a smile on his lips. They would take the first right and walk by the few abandoned appliance stores, local grocery stores, and the house with the odd chimney and even weirder garden gnomes. They would pass by the small store that rented all sorts of manga, which would be surely closed by now but still had a myriad of fairy lights at the entrance that looked quite like fireflies this late and into a nook, the only store open this late, at the outskirts of Tokyo, up on the mountains, a lone corner store which sold everything from cigarettes to the most outrageous sodas. Where an old man, as fragile as china, looking as if he would crumble at a mere touch sat on a dainty, rickety, wooden chair. Every single time. He would smile expectedly, never speaking a word, as Shoko brought the cheapest cans of beer to the counter and would wave goodbye every time they left, without fail.

Who knew that such an old face could muster up that bright of a smile?

The three of them would locate the too-small bench at the back of the store, where there would be a mess of weeds and moss, an unkept backyard. They would manage to squeeze together, Shoko in the middle, and put their feet on the circular, metallic, rather rusty, rather large table in front of them. It was too warm for that but they didn’t care as they passed along the cans of beer, awfully bitter and terrible to the taste but good enough for their high school taste buds, until they were all completed and only the metallic cans were left rustling on the ground. 

If they were drunk enough Shoko would slowly take off her hair clips and toss them on the metallic table which would land with a loud clang, normally waking Satarou from his drunken daze. Then she would lay her head on either of their shoulders and for a good old while, the three of them would lie there until Suguru would slowly coax the both of them from their slumber into the long way back. 

And the times when even alcohol couldn’t lay their minds to rest, squeezed upon the bench, Suguru would bring out his collection of nail polish or Shoko would pull out a small speaker. They would paint their nails and listen to whatever indie music Shoko was into and they would stall because they were still too sober, even after the ten or so cans of beer passed along them.

Either way, they would always end up in Satarou’s room, on his bed, or on the floor, all three of them close together, sticky with sweat and alcohol, still in their uniforms, now horribly disheveled, hair sticking out from all places, soft limbs, looking like a bunch of troubled teenagers, like they should have been.  

That would be their summer, their youth. 

At present, the area around them has grown quite a lot, changed just like they had. More appliance stores, more grocery stores, though the house had gone now, replaced with a small cozy apartment building, the lamps all functioned, no manga store, that too had been replaced with a modern tourist office. The one thing that did remain though was that lone corner shop, the old man he heard, had died a few years back. 

But the store remained where it stood, nothing had changed about it. 

Youth, he recalled .

Youth.

[musickickztoo]

CONTRA2025-2

090220025 (-ALL NEW-)

20 all new songs in 53 minutes!

TRACKLIST:

Outtacontroller - Cheap Pop J Mascis - Breathe (The Cure) Freckle - Heavy Waxahatchee - Mud MIEN - Evil People Beans & Fatback - Black and Blue Jacket Burner - Cold Leather FACS - Desire Path Subatomic Sound System - Put Down The Gun (Dubstrumental) Songhoy Blues - Garibou Benjamin Booker - Black Opps La Sécurité - Ketchup Meat Wave - Voicemail Craig Finn - People Of Substance The Jesus Lizard - Westside The Men - PO Box 96 Erik Nervous - Wasp Wild Billy Childish & The Chatham Singers - Rollin' and Tumblin' Melter - They Treat You Different Jacket Burner - Tonite

The SECOND playlist of the year!!

LISTEN: https://www.mixcloud.com/Contraflow/contra2025-2-090220025-all-new-/

[bells12]

These are things I deal with daily. Part of my job is working claims at my credit union. Here are a few other things to keep in mind:

- The card company will file against the merchant, not the recipient. You Cash App/Venmo/Zel someone money and they scam you? The card company will file against Cash App/ Venmo/Zel, not the scammer. And those companies will provide authorization paperwork so fast it'll make your head spin.

- "Fraud" has a very narrow definition. If it's something you didn't do or have no knowledge of, it's "fraud". If it's a scam, you gave your card numbers out to someone pretending to be the bank, you purchased that gift card to help someone, cheap sneakers from Bed, Bath, and Beyond but it's really a scam website, it's considered "Non-Fraud" even though it's done under less than truthful circumstances. That means (usually) no provisional credit and it's a 45 day wait period, and occasionally can stretch to 90 days. This is something that both pisses me off and I also totally understand why it's in practice. And again, authorization documents are going to happen.

- Do not send anything to PO Boxes. I do wires. I like working on wires, I'm good at working on wires. I can spot a scam wire from a mile away. Our wire system does not allow for ANYTHING to be sent to a PO Box. Again, PO Boxes have a high scam rate. Wires, like gift cards, are notoriously difficult to get back once they're sent. With that said, yes there are exceptions to this rule, title companies often have PO Boxes.

- No. No celebrity of any kind is going to hire you.

- No, someone is not going to jail in Columbia of you don't pay their bail.

- Do not send funds to someone just because they claim to follow the same religion as you and you've only met them over Facetime. I know Tumblr as a whole isn't thrilled with organized religion, but do not do that.

- Do not trust Crypto.

- Yes, all 4 previous bullet points are something I have dealt with in some capacity.

-Scammers prey on emotions, especially fear. Take a moment. Stop and think. If the bank/credit union calls you to discuss fraud and something doesn't feel right, hang up. Tell them you feel more comfortable calling the contact center. Any credit union/bank worth their salt with have 0 issues with that. We would rather you be safe. One of my coworkers was calling to verify information for a member's wire and he asked if he could call our 1800 number to verify she was an employee. Honestly, we were more shocked that more people don't do this. And scammers can and will fake phone numbers. I've gotten calls from my credit union, the one I work for mind you, spoof our contact center number to try to get my info. I serenaded them doing my best (re: worst) impression of Gir from Invader Zim.

Be aware, stay safe. Think.

Keys guide to scam spotting v3

What kind of scams are on tumblr? Quite a lot, actually! As a result, this post will link to posts I’ve made (or by others) that explain what kind of scams are out there. Please be aware these posts are quite long but give as much detail as possible. I’ll add them here as I write them or add ones I have found.

Pet donation scams - Scams that use stolen pet pictures and impersonate the owner.

Donation scams - Scams that use medical emergencies/etc and steal fundraising posts from Facebook/etc.

Romance scams - Romance isn’t always from someone with good intentions they might just want your money.

Commission scams - The high price offered isn’t true, unfortunately, and you’ll not get paid.

Fake check scams - The check isn’t real when they offer to send you support with it.

Mutual aid scams - No you don’t pay someone to share your campaign.

Gift card scams - Not too common but blogs who promise you can win these from a link aren’t legitimate.

Scams where someone pretends to be Palestinian - Sometimes the blog asking you for funds is stealing their content off a legitimate fundraiser for someone in Palestine. (Not all Palestine accounts with GoFundMe links are scams.)

Diabetes and Insulin themed scams - Written by my friend @12percentspider , this post explains how diabetes works and why the person asking you for $300 (claiming they need insulin and are down to their last pen) is a scammer.

[toomuchgas10]

All of your work is nothing but simply being o undermine me.

Over 8 billion people and non of see what’s wrong with this picture

Rich idiot you are no better!! Do something about it!!!

You all cheating cutting corners. But you can never come down to my level and have a chat.not so creative or innovative at all.

You all wanna waste time with trans bs instead completely ignoring the maneuvers made against mid and low class. all 3 of tyou fuckers are dumb. count me out. have fun. hope you drop the ball and kill eachother with a civiil war while i have ice tea and a god laugh.

That’s all you want? A cheap imitation of me?

me myself im not good enough?

idk what you spat out seemed like an insult.

why should i have to suffer under your lousy opinion of me? Never in the cards is it I’m allowed to have a social life!

It is difficult to communicate you fuckin cowards.

The feeling of disappointment from stupid power is an awful feeling. Witnessing the weakest lame ass shit no were near accomplishing the task directly hurting you while they smile in their arrogance.

You responsible for this Linda bitch and negative miracles while you spoil the tuck out of Jm because he’s the superior evil being? He’s not. He’s a sell out. Eating an already established trend. Regurgitating.

I can change the world. Not sell outs peasants like you. o dis magic carpet ride.

Natalie when Louis ck or robin williams imitates a gay person for a joke does that make them gay? The glasses thing. No. The answer is no.

>insert a mean name that you are< Oh you want me to do everything with love huh.

Yeah you got all these confusing Riggs ona chess board map but I can’t get simple art community to counter defense or null even if they are “blue” trans autistic orangedrink. Wtf! Intentional incompetence. You assholes are transparent.

You want to make me feel bad because you don’t like me? That’s dumb fuck off please.

Idc you’re the wasteful pos. You always dominating. You always wanting me to be guilty about something. How dare I push back and defend myself! While you insult me!

I’ll never be satisfied.

Nothing magical is gonna happen by repeating your mistake or not even trying to see what you’re doing wrong. “Sacrifice” in the name of nothing you stupid greedy bitch!!! But nope you wanna win meaning the whole point to this was legal murder not for you to do anything different or learn a giant insight that could change everything. You got it backwards. Seriously Yvonne drop dead. You careless bitch.

You really dropped the ball dad just to have the last laugh.

You’re not better th an anyone. Looks like I have the capacity of some th ing you don’t.

You spoil the fuck out of that Batman/joker heavy metal punk ass zero fucks given just because he proclaims to be Christian and republican. That’s all it takes!? While his plane identity himself masks the other disgusting pos!

What is this you flexing your power petroleum? Congratulations you can stick your head back up you ass.

I have zero respect for each and everyone of you!

But I’m winning that means I’m divine!

I see videos of rich dudes fucking thick brats like it’s a joke.

“Work” while all your work is nothing but nonsense. Now you all dragging your feet.

You let bitchy smug bitches like that up but not me huh?

You’re a terrible boss how about you do the boring shit and keep the gears moving and I have the authority to over write you. I’ll say what needs to be done. HOW ABOUT THAT WOODY!

You’re all nothing but pointless clockwork chocking up the whole system. In no fucking way in hell I deserve to be at the bottle while you take advantage of me. Hippocrates. You running scared and doing them all what you’re afraid to happen to you. You raise a different kind of bar a bad one for the masses because you’re over whelmed.

Alright fine. They dumb. But guess what so are you.

Genetic squeezed. You fucked up.

Just because you were football player doesn’t make you superior to me. You have zero say so. Nobody should give a fuck. No no. Mitchell and Elizabeth it’s are not the same person.

Karen you spoil the fuck out of these hostile volatile assholes? I think. You have a bias! I think there’s just no way to stop the disaster so th you’re judging the situation. While you spoil people like Daniel? Well that’s a bizarre contradiction.

You're delusional and your ripping me off you fuckin nazi.

Why should I change my behavior when it never makes a difference when it’s you that needs to change a deeper problem behavior. Makes no sense.

Do you think I would have turned out as a sexist pig if I was surrounded by girls growing up? Wait a minute you don’t care about that.

What’s your ruse Andrew?

Fuck your feelings Daniel you’re not allowed to have any, wannabe evil psychopath. What do you want you wanna play metal cutter? You want an excuse to cut my arm again with a knife if you lose?

Satirically.

Why am I guilty when you always control the flow rigged against me?

Why the fuck is she trying to invent imitators to spoil the fuck out of just to isolate me? Why?? I’ll know they fake if you force me to be friends with them… Hm so only friends you approve of you in int hm?

Shut the fuck up Riddick. You all trying to rig this engine when it’s meant for people like me. Go murder someone in self defense because that’s all that your good for.

Your inclination always stayed at the same angle.

You’re nothing but a performance Elon I’ll never take you seriously.

You’re just an asshole throwing darts wasting my time when I’m the only one that has the ability to see into the next step.

There are fluids and graphs and architecture things here and you being defensive telling me they don’t exist.

Brain liminal spaces Astronomy lines of absorption and all the other kinds. Light knows exactly what I’m talking about.

So you don’t really want my company.

Fake cross fire Real class warfare. I’m never good enough because of really dumb reasons.

and i was dumb.

Insert Jon Stuart go fuck yourself now

Don’t I love it when I shine a lazy pointer into a insignificant lamp washing machine

[ingliss]

Wholesale Duracell AA 1.5V batteries 16 count packs

You ever open a drawer looking for batteries and all you find is an old C-cell, a half-leaking 9V, and something you’re pretty sure came out of a flashlight ten years ago? Yeah. We’ve all been there.

Now imagine that drawer… but organized. And full of 16-count packs of Duracell AA 1.5V batteries, stacked and ready to go. No scrambling. No panicking mid-presentation because the mic cut out. Just… power where and when you need it.

Whether you're managing tech inventory for a startup, running point on logistics at a mid-sized warehouse, or overseeing office supplies for a multi-floor marketing team—having batteries on hand is one of those small details that, when overlooked, makes everyone's day harder.

That’s where Vitalgrocer and wholesale packs come in. And honestly? Once you’ve gone bulk, there’s no going back.

Let’s Talk Power: Why Duracell Still Dominates

Okay, so there are batteries… and then there are Duracell batteries. There’s a reason these copper-topped legends are still the go-to for anyone who’s serious about quality.

They’re:

Reliable: You get consistent output without worrying about performance fluctuations.

Long-lasting: No one’s replacing these every week—especially not the AA 1.5V ones.

Leak-resistant: Ever had a cheap battery corrode inside your wireless mouse? Not fun.

For teams who rely on devices daily—whether it’s remote controls in conference rooms, wireless keyboards, barcode scanners, or even product testing equipment—battery quality isn’t just a convenience. It’s operational integrity.

Bulk Packs = One Less Thing To Worry About

You know what kills productivity? That moment when you realize the last AA was used up during last month’s trade show, and no one remembered to reorder.

When you grab a 16-count pack (or more) of Duracell AAs, you’re not just stocking up—you’re future-proofing. You’re saying, “We’re not gonna let dead batteries derail our workflow.”

And when you’re ordering through Vitalgrocer, you’re getting genuine Duracell stock, wholesale pricing, and convenient delivery—without the fuss.

Honestly, it’s one of the few supply decisions you can make that no one in the office will argue with.

So Who Needs Bulk AA Batteries, Anyway?

Let’s break it down. Because while it’s easy to think “batteries are for remotes,” the reality is that AA batteries are the unsung heroes of business life.

Startups: Pitch meetings. Prototypes. Wireless everything. When you’re still building your rep, tech hiccups just aren’t an option.

Small to Medium Businesses: Between office devices, customer demos, and POS systems, having power on hand isn’t a luxury—it’s basic survival.

Enterprises: With dozens—sometimes hundreds—of devices across departments, buying retail packs just doesn’t cut it.

Marketing Teams: From LED light setups to sound equipment for events or shoots, campaigns are powered by more than creativity alone.

Bottom line: If your team uses tech (spoiler alert: they do), you need batteries. And you need them in bulk.

A Little Tangent on Sustainability (Because It Matters)

Now—before we go any further—let’s talk about the sustainability elephant in the room. Yes, batteries generate waste. And no, bulk buying doesn’t magically erase that.

But here’s the nuance: Buying in bulk actually reduces packaging waste and the fuel spent on multiple shipments. Fewer trips = less carbon. Also, Duracell batteries last longer, so you’re not tossing them as often.

Pair that with a solid recycling strategy for used batteries? Now you’re operating with both efficiency and conscience. And honestly, that’s a combo clients, employees, and investors love to see.

Why Vitalgrocer?

Now, you might be thinking—can’t I just grab these from any supply site or run to the store?

Sure, you could.

But Vitalgrocer isn’t just “any” retailer. They’ve carved out a niche in providing wholesale pricing without the usual hurdles. No complicated contracts. No high minimums that make you feel like you’re outfitting a football stadium.

Just quality brands (like Duracell), straightforward ordering, and fast delivery. Which, in business, translates to fewer supply chain headaches and more time spent on actual work.

Plus, let’s be honest—any platform that respects your need for speed and sanity in ordering deserves a second look.

Real Talk: Cost Isn’t Everything—But It Kinda Is

We can get idealistic and talk about operational efficiency, brand trust, and team morale—and we should. But let’s not pretend cost doesn’t matter.

Wholesale packs of Duracell AAs from Vitalgrocer give you:

Lower per-unit cost (a no-brainer for finance teams)

Less frequent ordering (a blessing for whoever’s managing supplies)

Better shelf life (Duracell doesn’t play around with expiry)

You’re not just saving pennies; you’re saving time, stress, and—if we’re being real—a little bit of sanity. Multiply that across an entire team or department, and the ROI’s pretty hard to ignore.

Not Just for Work: Perks That Spill Into Personal Life

Quick confession: more than one office manager has “borrowed” a pack or two of AA batteries to power a kid’s toy or a home remote in a pinch. We’re not judging.

In fact, that’s kind of the beauty of having bulk stock on hand. You can afford the occasional crossover.

Need to power the camera for the office holiday party? Covered. Want to test out that retro Walkman someone brought in for fun? Why not?

These little moments add up. They humanize the workplace. And yeah, they remind us that sometimes, it’s the smallest things—like a fresh set of batteries—that make the biggest difference.

Final Thoughts? Don’t Wait Until They’re Dead

Look, no one’s ever said, “Wow, I wish we had fewer batteries.” But plenty of teams have scrambled to meet a deadline, only to find their wireless mouse or label printer gave out at exactly the wrong time.

Don’t be that team.

Stock up. Go wholesale. Trust Duracell. Use Vitalgrocer and make your operations just a little bit smoother, more predictable, and—frankly—less annoying.

Because while batteries aren’t glamorous, they’re essential. And when something's essential, it pays to plan ahead.

TL;DR: If your team uses tech (which it does), bulk-buying Duracell AA 1.5V batteries in 16-count packs through Vitalgrocer isn’t just smart—it’s sanity-saving. Stop scrambling, start stocking, and keep your business powered.

[datainsightview]

Cryptocurrency Mining: A Deep Dive into Technologies and Market Drivers

Cryptocurrency Mining Market: An In-Depth Overview

Cryptocurrency mining has transitioned from a niche tech hobby to a global industry driving the backbone of blockchain networks. This digital process, essential for verifying transactions and minting new coins, has evolved significantly due to shifts in technology, regulations, environmental concerns, and market demand.

Understanding Cryptocurrency Mining

At its core, cryptocurrency mining is the process of validating transactions on a blockchain network by solving complex mathematical problems. Miners compete to solve these problems using computing power, and the successful miner is rewarded with newly minted coins and transaction fees.

The mining process primarily supports networks that use the Proof of Work (PoW) consensus mechanism, such as Bitcoin and Litecoin. However, newer consensus models like Proof of Stake (PoS) and Proof of Space and Time are emerging, reshaping the mining ecosystem.

Market Segmentation

The cryptocurrency mining market can be segmented based on the following parameters:

Hardware Type: The two most common types of mining hardware are ASICs (Application-Specific Integrated Circuits) and GPUs (Graphics Processing Units). While ASICs offer high efficiency for specific coins like Bitcoin, GPUs are more versatile and favored for altcoin mining.

Mining Type: There are different approaches, including self-mining, cloud mining, and pool mining. Self-mining involves setting up personal rigs, cloud mining allows users to rent processing power remotely, and pool mining lets individuals combine resources to improve success rates.

Application: The mining market is closely tied to coins like Bitcoin, Ethereum (before its shift to PoS), Monero, and others. Different currencies have varying mining requirements and profitability.

Technological Developments

Advancements in chip manufacturing, energy efficiency, and cooling solutions have driven hardware innovation. The focus has shifted from just power to energy efficiency and scalability. Custom-built mining farms, modular containers, and AI-based monitoring systems are enhancing operational productivity and security.

In addition, the emergence of green mining using renewable energy sources is becoming a strategic imperative. Efforts are underway to reduce carbon footprints and integrate sustainable practices into mining operations.

Regional Trends and Landscape

Certain regions dominate the mining landscape due to factors like electricity costs, regulatory frameworks, climate, and tech infrastructure. Countries with access to cheap power and favorable weather for cooling, such as parts of North America, Scandinavia, and Central Asia, have become major hubs.

However, regulatory crackdowns in some regions, especially in parts of Asia, have prompted a global redistribution of mining operations. This shift is influencing investment strategies and creating new opportunities in underexplored markets.

Key Drivers of Growth

Several factors are fueling the growth of the cryptocurrency mining market:

Increasing Adoption of Cryptocurrencies: As crypto assets become more mainstream, demand for transaction verification rises.

Blockchain Expansion: The growing use of blockchain in areas beyond finance, such as supply chains and smart contracts, indirectly boosts mining.

Rising Token Values: Higher coin valuations improve mining profitability, attracting more players.

Innovation in Hardware: Improvements in ASIC and GPU technologies continue to increase efficiency and reduce costs.

Challenges Faced by the Industry

Despite its potential, the mining industry faces considerable challenges:

High Energy Consumption: PoW-based mining consumes vast amounts of electricity, drawing criticism from environmental groups and regulators.

Regulatory Uncertainty: Governments around the world are still evaluating how to regulate crypto mining, causing legal and operational risks.

Volatility: Cryptocurrency prices are notoriously volatile, which can quickly impact mining profitability.

Hardware Scarcity: Supply chain disruptions and increased global demand can limit access to key components.

The future of cryptocurrency mining is expected to become more efficient, decentralized, and environmentally conscious. Innovations like liquid cooling, AI-driven operations, and hybrid consensus mechanisms may reshape the industry. Regulatory clarity and access to renewable energy sources will be critical in determining where and how mining operations thrive.

As blockchain technologies continue to expand across various sectors, the role of mining—though evolving—will remain integral to maintaining the security and decentralization of public networks.

[adamandevestores]

Key Considerations for Opening a Pleasure Products Store: Choosing the Right Franchise

The adult wellness industry is experiencing tremendous growth—driven by shifting attitudes toward sexual health, inclusivity, and self-care. If you're considering entering the market, opening a pleasure products store through an adult store franchise can be a smart move. It offers brand recognition, operational support, and a ready-made customer base. However, choosing the right franchise requires more than just capital.

Here’s what you need to know before taking the plunge.

🔑 1. Understand Your Market and Demographics Before aligning with a franchise: Research Local Demand: Are you in a progressive urban area or a conservative market? Understanding community attitudes helps guide store design and marketing tone. Check Competition: Who’s already serving your target market? What can you offer that they don’t? Target Audience: Are you focusing on luxury buyers, first-time users, couples, LGBTQ+ shoppers, or a combination?

🧠 Market fit is everything—even the best franchise will struggle in the wrong location.

🛍️ 2. Evaluate the Brand Identity A franchise’s brand reflects its values—and yours. Sex-positive and inclusive? Choose a brand that prioritizes body-safe products, education, and diversity. Modern and tasteful? Avoid outdated, overly explicit branding that may alienate newer shoppers. Customer Experience: Look for franchises that emphasize wellness, empowerment, and discretion.

🌈 Today’s consumers want inclusive, judgment-free shopping environments.

🧾 3. Analyze Startup Costs and Franchise Fees Franchise agreements typically include: Initial Franchise Fee Royalty Fees (usually a percentage of sales) Marketing Contributions Inventory Requirements

Other startup costs: Store design and buildout Licensing and insurance Staff hiring and training POS and security systems

💡 Request a full Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) before signing anything.

🔧 4. Support and Training Offered One of the biggest perks of franchising is support—but not all support is equal.

Ask: Will they provide staff training on product knowledge, customer service, and sexual wellness? Is there ongoing marketing and advertising support? Do they offer help with store layout, merchandising, and compliance?

🛠️ The right franchise gives you the tools to succeed, not just a name to license.

📦 5. Product Range and Quality Standards Consumers are savvier than ever—cheap, gimmicky products won’t cut it.

Choose a franchise that: Offers body-safe, medical-grade materials Stocks inclusive, diverse product lines (e.g., for all genders, body types, and sexualities) Keeps up with trends (e.g., app-connected toys, eco-friendly packaging)

✅ A curated, high-quality inventory builds trust and customer loyalty.

📜 6. Legal, Licensing & Compliance Adult product retail has unique legal challenges: Zoning laws: Not every location will permit an adult store Age restrictions: Strict enforcement of 18+ entry policies Discreet signage and store presentation may be required

Make sure the franchise helps you navigate local regulations, especially in conservative jurisdictions.

💬 7. Community Engagement and Education The best pleasure product stores double as educational hubs. Workshops, events, and Q&A sessions help reduce stigma Some franchises offer in-house training for hosting these sessions Building community earns loyalty and sets your store apart

🧠 Empowerment is a key part of the business model today—not just product sales.

🧮 8. ROI Potential and Flexibility Finally, review: Break-even timeline and profit margins Flexibility to introduce your own local partnerships, inventory tweaks, or branding touches Franchises that allow for online sales integration or appointment-only private shopping

🔍 Notable Pleasure Product Franchise Brands to Explore (Availability may vary by country or region) Romantic Depot (U.S.) Adam & Eve Stores Cupid’s Lingerie Lover’s Lane Pleasure Emporium

🌟 Look for franchises with positive public reputations, modern branding, and an emphasis on inclusivity.

✨ Final Thoughts Opening a pleasure products store under a franchise model can be empowering, profitable, and impactful—but only if you align with the right brand. Choose a franchise that reflects your values, supports your business growth, and meets the modern consumer’s desire for safe, inclusive, and stigma-free pleasure.

[nimilphilip]

Why Indian Students Are Choosing to Study Abroad in France

France has become one of the popular destinations for Indian students who want to study abroad in recent years. France is a land of great education, culture, business, and government provisions to international students, as well, which means that the country has an international infrastructure of high-quality living as well as high academic standards. The number of Indian students studying in France is expected to be 10,000 or above in 2024, but is projected to grow significantly in 2025 and beyond.

What is the actual impetus behind this trend? What is so special about France that it is becoming the most preferred destination over the more conventional destinations such as the US, the UK or Australia? This blog goes to the bottom of why Indians are now flooding to France to realise their dreams of higher education.

1. World-Class Universities and Academic Excellence

France has one of the best institutions of higher studies in the World. It harbors more than 3,500 private and government universities, business schools, and engineering schools. Famous higher education institutions such as Université PSL, École Polytechnique, HEC Paris, INSEAD, and Sorbonne University are always top in the world university ranking.

The French school system stresses academic rigour as well as innovativeness. French institutions are successful in engineering, management, hospitality, arts, fashion design, data science, and international relations, just to mention a few. French universities' grants are globally acknowledged and recognized by employers and other learning institutions all over the world.

Key Features:

Multilingual programs (French and English)

Research-driven curriculum

High-quality faculty and state-of-the-art labs

Internship-integrated courses

2. Affordable Tuition Fees Compared to Other Countries

Among the largest benefits of studying in France is that the education is cheap, especially in public institutions. The French government subsidizes high tuition fees charged at public institutions, even to international students. This makes France an economical country of study as compared to the United States, the UK, or Canada for Indian students.

Average Tuition Fees (Public Universities):

Bachelor’s: €2,770/year

Master’s: €3,770/year

PhD: €380/year

In contrast, private institutions (especially business schools) may have higher fees, ranging from €10,000 to €30,000 per year. However, the ROI (return on investment) remains strong due to the reputation and global network of these institutions.

3. Wide Range of English-Taught Programs

One of the greatest misunderstandings by Indian students is that it is a necessity that one speaks French in France to study. Although learning French will indeed enrich the experience, France hosts more than 1,600 English-speaking programs, particularly at the postgraduate level. These programs are made to serve international students and they advance in various courses including business administration, computer science, fashion, artificial intelligence, hospitality, biotechnology, among others.

Popular English-Taught Programs:

MSc in Data Science

MBA in International Business

Master’s in Engineering

Bachelor’s in Fashion & Luxury Management

MSc in Artificial Intelligence

4. Scholarship Opportunities for Indian Students

The French government, institutions, and other organizations offer a variety of scholarships and financial aid options for Indian students. These scholarships can cover tuition, living expenses, and even travel costs in some cases.

Notable Scholarships:

Charpak Scholarship – Offered by the French Embassy in India for bachelor’s and master’s programs

Eiffel Excellence Scholarship – Offered by the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs

Emile Boutmy Scholarship – Offered by Sciences Po for international students

Erasmus+ Scholarships – For students studying in joint programs across European universities

These scholarships significantly reduce the financial burden and make studying in France a more accessible dream for Indian students.

5. Strong Career Opportunities and Post-Study Work Visas

France has the 7th largest economy in the world and hosts some of the largest MNCs such as Airbus, Dassault Systèmes, L'Oral, Renault, BNP Paribas, and Total Energies. The country has a wide range of sectors, such as technology, AI, fashion, tourism, and engineering industries, to unleash vast opportunities for international graduates.

In addition to this, France permits foreign students to remain in the country as well as the ability to work up to a period of two years upon graduation (in cases of the master's degree holders). This work visa after study will enable the students to attain great experience as a foreign worker and even become permanent employees or residents.

6. France’s Global Role in Art, Fashion, and Innovation

France unquestionably is the capital of fashion, art and luxury goods. An Academy such as ESMOD, IFM, and Institut Francais de la mode draws people to become designers everywhere in the world and those who are creative.

Meanwhile, France is not a single-dimensional country in terms of technology and innovation as investment in the field of AI, robotics, renewable energy, and fintech is also increasing. The city of Paris is, specifically, fast becoming a European Silicon Valley, which is why it is the breeding ground of tech graduates and entrepreneurs.

The combination of tradition and innovation in this curricular fusion is also of interest to Indian students of all academic backgrounds: whether engineering, design, business, or liberal arts.

7. France's Student-Friendly Visa and Immigration Policies

France has been proactive in attracting Indian students through various bilateral initiatives. Under the India-France Knowledge Summit and agreements like the Bienvenue en France program, France is aiming to welcome 30,000 Indian students by 2030.

Some key visa benefits include:

Simplified visa processing for students

Two-year post-study work permit for master’s graduates

Renewable residence permit options for jobseekers

Dependent visa options for spouses and children (for certain visa types)

Such policies demonstrate that France is not just inviting students for education, but is also invested in their long-term future.

8. Rich Culture, Lifestyle, and Travel Opportunities

Studying in France is more than just academics—it’s about experiencing life in one of the most culturally vibrant countries in the world. Indian students are drawn to France's:

World-class museums (Louvre, Musée d'Orsay)

Historic architecture (cathedrals, castles, châteaux)

Culinary delights (croissants, cheese, wine)

Fashion-forward cities (Paris, Lyon, Nice)

France is also centrally located in Europe, making it easy for students to travel to nearby countries like Italy, Germany, Switzerland, and Spain on a student budget. The lifestyle is a perfect mix of leisure, art, travel, and personal growth.

9. Strong Indian Student Community and Support Networks

A rising number of Indian immigrants (diaspora) and students in France guarantees that new students are not left alone. Indian students' associations in larger universities evolve to give support in academics, accommodation, festivals, and networking.

Furthermore, the France Alumni Network also brings together thousands of foreign graduates, who want to use it to drive their careers, social and academic life. The French Embassy in India, Campus France, and local Indian bodies also have initiatives that assist Indian students to make a smooth transition to life in France.

10. Opportunities to Learn a Global Language: French

Although a lot of the courses are presented in English, the Indian students get an opportunity to study French, which is the fifth most spoken language in the world. With knowledge of French, you have greater opportunities in your career, not only in France, but in some 29 Francophone nations and in multinational organizations that have operations throughout Europe, Canada, and Africa.

It is through the provision of subsidized or free French language classes to the international students in most universities that makes the international students globally competitive professionals.

Final Thoughts

France is more than just a tourist destination, but rather a country full of innovations, prospects, and culture at a discount price. Through English-taught courses, numerous scholarships, work opportunities after studies, and a friendly academic setup, France provides Indian students a rich education experience with a lifelong career benefit.

Regardless of whether you want to become a software engineer, a fashion designer, a data scientist, or an entrepreneur, France is a place where your global aspirations can be fulfilled with the right platform, prestige, and promise.

Ready to Begin Your Journey to France?

At Cliftons Study Abroad, we’re here to help Indian students like you explore, apply, and succeed in your dream program in France. From free counselling and admission assistance to visa support and post-landing help, we’ve got you covered.

[valueaddedaccsol]

Bookkeeping for Food Businesses: How to Keep Accurate Financial Records

These insights allow you to take data-driven decisions. For example, if your food cost is very high, you may need to adjust the shape of the part or find cheap suppliers.

Running a food business is just more than good dishes and busy kitchens. Every successful restaurant or food truck is a well-organized financial system. Without an accurate record, it is easy to lose track of cost, income and profits. This is whybookkeeping for food businesses is important. When corrected, it helps owners to make smart options, avoid cash flow issues and to remain in line with tax laws.

In this blog, we will break down the basics of the bookkeeping method for food businesses. We will also share some suggestions to help you stay on top of your financial game. Whether you are starting now or looking to improve your current setup, a solid bookkeeping system can save time and money.

Understand Your Business Structure

Every food business is different. Some are the only owners. Others can work as participation or corporations. Your business structure affects how you handle taxes and reporting. It also affects how you set your books. Before diving in numbers, make sure that your business is legally registered and set properly. This will make everything easier in the long run.

Track All Income Sources

Food businesses often have more than one revenue stream. Maybe you earn money from dine-in order, takeout, catering or delivery app. Each of these sources needs to be recorded. Keeping an eye on all coming money helps you to see which services are doing well and which may require improvement.

Manage Costs Consistently

Several expenses of food costs, labor, utilities and rental restaurants are faced. These costs can be difficult to manage. It is important to classify each expenditure and keep receipts. By doing this, you allow you to monitor where your money goes and identifies areas where you can do overseas.

There is a large cost inventory for monitoring. Track how much food you buy vs. how much is used. It helps to avoid waste and controls your lower line. Constant review of expenses also prevents surprise bills or cash reduction.

Use Smart Tools and Systems

Modern equipment makes bookkeeping method easier. Accounting software lets you track sales, manage payroll and run reports in a few clicks. Many systems also sinks with bank accounts and POS systems, even more time saved.

It is even better to use a cloud-based tool. You can access your record from anywhere and stay updated in real time. This flexibility is particularly helpful for food business owners who work for a long time and cannot always sit on the desk.

Hire Help If Needed

Modern equipment makes bookkeeping method easier. Accounting software allows you to track sales, manage payroll and run reports in some clicks. Many systems also sink with bank accounts and POS systems, even more time saved.

It is even better to use a cloud-based tool. You can access your record from anywhere and stay updated in real time. This flexibility is particularly helpful for food business owners who work for a long time and cannot always sit on the desk.

Understand the Value of Restaurant Accounting Solutions

It is not just about tracking every dollar. Solid accounting practices help in growing food businesses. By usingrestaurant accounting solutions, you can set realistic goals and measure progress. These devices offer reports that show profit margin, cost percentage and other major matrix.

These insights allow you to take data-driven decisions. For example, if your food cost is very high, you may need to adjust the shape of the part or find cheap suppliers. If the labor cost is increasing, you can make your staff schedule Twitter.

The bookkeeping may not be the most exciting part of being the owner of a restaurant, but it is one of the most important. With appropriate tracking, smart tools and regular reviews, you will have a clear view about your finance and a strong business in a holistic manner. For those in the food industry in search of expert support in the field, value -added accounting solutions provide specifically reliable services adapted to restaurants and food businesses.

[onyxbraun]

How an NYC-Based Payment Partner Empowers Small Businesses to Thrive

Navigating the small business landscape in New York City, the financial capital of the world, can sometimes feel like a stroll down the Amazon River. It is often said that the small businesses have everything on their shoulders, and that might just be true. For independent retailers, service providers, and restaurants in the boroughs, a small operational glitch can lead to financial downfall. What will push the business over the edge is having a streamlined operational workflow, starting from the register.

It is no longer just pushing buttons on a floral machine. Sales have to be processed with speed and delivered flexibly and conveniently while keeping expenditures low. That's where a NYC-based payment processor comes in. Not as a vendor, but as a trusted business ally.

Ground-Level Innovation for the City That Moves Fast

Small business owners, and all other business owners for that matter, do not want slow or clunky checkouts. In a big city where a flowering checking out process might signal downfall of sales, NYC-based payment processors have mastered the craft turning mundane payment systems into revenue collecting machines. Payment systems have to be built with the beat of the city and must have the capacity to handle the fast pace flow of customers during lunch hours, or the busy weekend in SoHo.

By offering tailored payment processing systems in New York, NY, these partners provide local businesses with more than just tools—they deliver infrastructure that works intuitively in real time. With user-friendly dashboards, automated reports, and inventory alerts, business owners can run their operations with confidence—even from the back room or while on the go.

Local Support with Big-City Smarts

One of the biggest frustrations small businesses face with national providers is the lack of human connection. Long support wait times and one-size-fits-all responses simply won’t cut it when your Wi-Fi flickers out five minutes before opening.

That’s where an NYC-based partner stands out—offering boots-on-the-ground support and local expertise. Whether it's a software update, hardware replacement, or hands-on training for new staff, help isn’t a call center away—it's around the corner. And because they live and breathe the same city, they know what regulations are shifting, which technologies are trending, and how to keep small businesses in compliance without cutting corners.

Meeting Modern Customers Where They Are

Modern New Yorkers demand more than a simple card swipe. They look for options like Apple Pay, QR code payments, Venmo, and digital receipts—payment experiences that align with their fast-paced, tech-driven routines. A local payment partner enables small businesses to evolve with these expectations, offering solutions that don’t just process payments, but elevate the customer experience.

That means real-time syncing between physical and online payment systems in New York, NY, giving businesses the ability to sell across platforms—from walk-ins to web orders—without skipping a beat. For customers, that’s the smooth, modern experience they’ve come to expect. For businesses, that’s more opportunity with less hassle.

Big Savings with Smart Pricing Models

Operating in New York City isn’t cheap, but the right payment processor can offer serious relief. One increasingly popular way small businesses cut costs is through the cash discount program in New York, NY. This model allows business owners to offer a lower price to customers who pay in cash while automatically adjusting for card transaction fees on digital payments.

This approach helps small operators keep their prices competitive without absorbing steep credit card costs—every dollar saved can be reinvested into better products, marketing, or team growth.

POS Systems That Do More Than Ring Up Sales

At the core of it all is the humble point of sale system—now anything but humble. Today’s technology offers so much more than a digital cash register. Modern retail point of sale systems (POS) in New York, NY integrate customer loyalty programs, tip management, shift scheduling, and even advanced analytics that highlight top-selling products and peak sales hours.

A local payment partner ensures that these systems aren’t overkill—they’re customized to your scale and scope. Whether you run a boutique or a café, your POS shouldn’t just process payments; it should help you run smarter, faster, and leaner.

Making High-Tech Affordable

Many small business owners are hesitant to adopt new tech because of assumed cost. But the right partner offers affordable point of sale systems in New York, NY designed specifically for startups and budget-conscious entrepreneurs. With flexible pricing, no hidden fees, and scalable options, local providers make it easy to get started without a major upfront investment.

These affordable tools are often cloud-based, easy to train on, and ready to grow with your business—whether you’re opening a second location or expanding into e-commerce.

A Real Difference, One Transaction at a Time

From street-level storefronts to hole-in-the-wall bakeries, small businesses are the soul of NYC’s economy. They create jobs, shape neighborhoods, and keep the city vibrant. But staying afloat in a city of 8 million takes more than hustle. It takes smart partnerships, local understanding, and the right technology.

With a local payment partner by their side, small business owners gain more than just machines and software. They gain a strategic edge—a system that empowers them to adapt quickly, operate efficiently, and compete with the big players without losing their neighborhood charm.

Final Thought: Local Tech, Local Power

In a city that rewards resilience, small businesses deserve tools that work as hard as they do. An NYC-based payment partner delivers just that—bringing local knowledge, dependable service, and cutting-edge tech to every counter and checkout lane in town. Because when transactions are smooth, everything else flows.

For small business owners navigating the complexity of New York, the right payment partner isn’t just part of the equation—it’s the engine powering long-term success.