#Cocoa spot contract

[cacaoshares]

ベネズエラカカオ豆卸

皆さんこんにちは! 現在のパタネモカカオ卸価格は注文数量によって異なります。価格を確認するためにプライベートホームページを共有します https://www.cacaoshares.com/product/wholesale-cacao/ パスワード🔑　pm で相談ください さらに、 ベネズエラから直接F2カカオのスポット契約も受けています 今週ともよろしくおねがいします we have private offers of quality commercial cacao from Venezuelan ports (F2) Cacaoshares Team

[leonw4nter]

Are they? Are They Not?

Architect!RE2R!Leon x Boss!Reader

Tags - fluff, making out (it's short tho), office romance

“Good morning everyone! Picked up some coffee so we can all start the day right!,” Rebecca cheerfully chirps as she enters the office. She stops by everyone’s desks, placing paper cups of steaming hot coffee with their names before knocking at your door, the company’s COO. “Come in!,” you call out. She enters the organized office, spotting you sitting on your office chair and turning your work computer on. She notices a steaming hot paper cup on your desk, along with a brown pastry bag. “Got you some coffee but turns out you’ve already got a cup in. Oops,” she says with an apologetic grin. “It’s fine. I could use the extra caffeine anyways,” you respond with a polite smile. She leaves the cup on your desk before turning back to the door, walking out the office when she spots Leon come in.

“Mornin’ Leon!” “Good morning, Rebecca!”

Rebecca walks over to her desk and decides to officially start her day, answering emails and editing the current contracts that've been assigned to the company. Soon, the noise of chatter is drowned out by the clickity-clack of keyboards and ringing landlines. The morning can get busy very soon, not that they mind; the company does a swell job of making sure its employees are doing alright and are managing to balance their personal and work lives. People pour in and out of Y/N’s office, hoping to get her opinion or approval on a project before having their ideas sent to the CEO (aka Y/N’s dad). Most of the time, their ideas align perfectly so her approval could be seen as a sign that he’ll approve it too. It’s now break and everyone rises from their seats to stretch and get up to grab a bite.

“I’ll go ask Y/N if she wants to go grab lunch with us,” Leon offers just as Rebecca gets up. Rebecca nods before responding, “Okay. I’ll go join the others already.”

─────────────────────────────────────────────────────

“She’s busy consulting with the engineers and said she's sorry and will make it up to everyone with drinks one of these days,” Leon explains before digging into a breakfast bagel. Despite it being lunch time, he prefers to have breakfast foods.

“Did she ask for help? I can help her out since I’ve got a blueprint or two to review then I'm done” Claire offers. Leon shakes his head but says that he thinks she’ll accept Claire’s offer anyway. The group continued chatting over their respective meals until it got to the topic of their coffee consumption.

“My brother is a beast– out here chugging protein shakes and coffee. I’m surprised he isn’t having a heart attack whilst I’m out here palpitating with two cups,” Claire pipes in.

“I don’t know what’s worse: your brother’s caffeine consumption or the sheer amount of sugar and creamer Rebecca puts in her coffee,” Jill jokes, earning a playful smack to the shoulder from Rebecca. “At this point it’s 99% sugar and a measly 1% coffee. How you’re not diabetic is beyond me!”

“Life’s too short to not absolutely go crazy with sugar and creamer, let me have my fun!,” Rebecca retorts and earns good-natured laughter from the table.

“How about you, Leon? How do you like your coffee?,” Claire asks.

“I’m not too picky with coffee. I’ll take anything,” Leon responds.

“Hmm. You’re just like Y/N; I just get her whatever kind of coffee and she always takes it,” Rebecca responds.

“Y/N? Oh she doesn’t like or drink coffee,” Leon corrects. Jill nearly chokes on her muffin when Leon says those words, eyes slightly widened. “Really? She’s the first person I have ever come across that doesn’t like or drink coffee.”

“But she literally accepted all the coffees I got for her!,” Rebecca says. “Wait… what if she just accepted them to look polite or nice–”

“Knowing her, she probably did that to not hurt your feelings or something…,” Jill softly says.

“She could’ve told me she doesn’t drink coffee. I would’ve gotten her a hot cocoa instead,” Rebecca says. “Guys, do I look intimidating? What if she just took the drinks because my outgoing-ness is intimidating her? We do know she usually keeps to herself too–”

“You’re the least intimidating person I know, Rebecca,” Jill responds. “She might’ve done that because she felt kind of bad… or something– I don’t know–”

“And how do you know that, Leon?,” Claire asks with slightly narrowed eyes, leaning into the table while resting her head on her hand.

Now everyone in the table is sitting in silence, curious gazes focused on Leon as to how he knows that. You've never talked about her preferences in food and drink– it’s not even on the company website. They don’t think it’s ever been mentioned anywhere.

“Oh, you know– we talk,” Leon responds with a neutral tone. “Oh my God Leon you almost got yourself killed! Calm down, calm down. They won’t catch on,” Leon thinks to himself.

“Talk? Talk like how?,” Jill asks.

“‘Talk’ as in we’re just coworkers who decided to strike up a random conversation whilst working on a blueprint that one time,” Leon says. He would’ve looked calm and composed– unaffected even, if it wasn’t for the tips of his ears flushing pink and his subconscious leg jiggle. “What?” Leon asks as Rebecca and Claire shoot him smirks that scream “is it what we’re thinking?”. “Can’t a guy and girl talk like they’re just coworkers?”

“You have a point,” Claire replies but Leon doesn’t miss how her blue-green gaze falls on his pinkish ears. They decided to drop the topic, much to Leon’s massive relief. “That was a close one, Leon. Careful next time,” he thinks to himself. Well, you two did more than just talk that day– no, not in that way; you exchanged numbers, began hanging around each other more frequently until you two took secretly took things to another level. Since there was only 15 minutes left before their break was over, they decided to leave early and go up to their office.

─────────────────────────────────────────────────────

“Hey baby,” you softly say as you walk over to Leon’s cubicle. The others had already gone, the office dark except for Leon’s spot. He had stayed overtime to finish up a model so he would be free for the weekend.

“Hi,” Leon softly said as he pressed a tender kiss to your cheek. “Stayed a little later to finish the playground but I don’t regret it one bit if it means some time spent with you.”

“Congrats for making my heart race a million miles per hour,” you giggle. Leon shoots you a flirty wink before he finishes up packing his bag. “Ready to go, milady?”

“Let’s go,” you respond. You two leave the dark office, looking around for anyone lingering. You part your hands from his temporarily, making sure no one catches you holding hands with an employee; it’s not exactly rule-breaking to be fraternizing with an employee but it is highly discouraged. More importantly, it’s not exactly the best of look to be caught in such an act especially when you’re the daughter of the head of this entire company.

“Coast clear?” Leon whispers, to which you nod. Giggling like two school children who just confessed their crushes to each other, you two make your way down the dark hallways hand in hand. Leon kept stealing glances at you, a nerdy but hopelessly in love smile plastered on his face. Despite the lack of lights, you could accurately guess that there’s a glimmer in Leon’s eyes whenever he looked at you like you’re the sun, which you kind of are since you lit up his world.

Not too long after, you two get in your car. After starting the engine, Leon suggested that you two take his car so he could open the door for you and be the one to treat you lavishly, to which you responded with a small nod and an “I’ll think about it”. Leon connected his phone to your car’s bluetooth speakers, going to his Spotify and picking out a playlist he made that reminded him of you. Upon hearing the lyrics of the song, a warmth crawled up your cheeks and manifested in the form of a soft pink glow. Seeing your reaction, Leon beamed brightly as he leaned back in his seat.

“You know it’s your birthday next week,” Leon says, breaking the comfortable silence that settled between you two.

“Yeah, it is. Why, you wanna know what I want for a gift?,” you ask.

“Maybe, maybe not.”

“Oh then I guess just wear a light pink ribbon on your hair and call yourself a gift. Your presence in my life is the best present ever.”

“God that’s so cheesy,” he says with a small laugh. He keeps his gaze trained on the tall buildings around you two because he knows he’s going to scream like a girl if he looks at you once more. “It’s not a bad suggestion though.”. After a few minutes, you two finally reach Leon’s condominium.

“Good night baby, see you tomorrow,” you say whilst pulling him in for a kiss.

“Night, Y/N. Text me when you get back, okay?,” he says. You nod before he finally waves bye and shuts the door.

You’ll definitely be sending him some texts.

─────────────────────────────────────────────────────

After another entire week of staying overtime and finally finishing the mountain of work assigned to you, you finally get up from your chair to move your body a little bit. This day went great: meetings went smoothly, everything on your planner happened, and most importantly, it’s your birthday. Of course, your father and those close to him greeted you and though you didn’t mind if someone know (or doesn't know) your birthday, the gesture warmed your heart.

“Baby?,” Leon called out.

“Huh? Leon?,” you asked. He emerged from the dark, a dainty bouquet of pink and white tulips in his hand, along with a card. Just as you recommended last week, there’s a baby pink ribbon clipped on his hair.

“Oh you didn’t have to–”

“I didn’t have to but I wanted to,” he says before pulling you in for a slow, tender kiss.

“Happy birthday to my only girl.”

Words won’t ever show how truly thankful you are for this gesture so you show it through actions. You pull him in for a hungry kiss, hands travelling to his black tie to loosen it up. Leon places your gifts on your desk, his finally unoccupied hands going to his own tie to help you loosen it faster. You kick your heels off, legs wrapping around his waist as the kisses slowly become more heated and passionate. His hand travels to your blazer, nimble fingers quickly wo–

“Happy birthday, Y/N–”

“WOAH WHAT THE FUCK.”

“CLAIRE PLEASE DON’T DROP THE CAKE.”

“LEON! Y/N?!”

You quickly push Leon off of you and get back up, fixing your hair and feeling around your clothes for any unclasped buttons or pulled down zippers. Embarrassment rushes through your veins, your heart lodged in your throat. Leon’s embarrassed too– shimmery pink lip gloss smeared on his lips, blond hair ruffled, and his tie hanging loose around his neck. His entire face is red and suddenly it’s not so bad if the ground collapses and swallows him up (though he prefers if you swallow him up but now is not the time).

“Uh… hey guys!,” you chirp with an awfully fake smile.

“Hi guys– we were–,” Leon stammers, hand behind his neck.

“Hey guys, if you were busy… we can… we can wait outside…,” Jill awkwardly mumbles, eyeing the poorly hidden bouquet on the desk.

“Yeah… we can wait outside the building if it’ll be noisy too,” Rebecca adds, which causes Leon to almost choke on air and for you to stare at her discombobulated.

“NO– No guys, you can um– now is fine, I promise–,” you stammer. Leon follows suit, trying to make it look as if you two weren’t interrupted in the worst way possible.

NOTE - I saw the reception of my first fic in here and it's looking positive so far so thank you very much! The likes, reblogs, and new followers mean so much to me and I seriously started contemplating telling my parents that I write (I'm so not telling them lmao). I hope you guys enjoy this fic just like you have with my other one!

The dividers (the doodle-y ones) are made by @saradika , the images are made by me (sourced from Pinterest).

[confusionism]

( @rosesonbreeze )

Although the terms of his contract are rife with requirements that would drive even the deepest of workaholics crazy — from the stipulation that he be available during ungodly hours to the agreement for travel, any time and any place — Aiden can neither complain about nor deny the perks. In this case: a modest cottage in Surrey and a less-than-modest flat in Central London, both fully-paid and under his name, for even long after his time in blue is up. The latter is a double-edged sword. While it’s perfect to run to after a home game and right there in between the city’s hustle and bustle, it’s also… A lot.

Floor-to-ceiling windows all across the corner unit, installations that feel smarter than him, a never-ending crowd in the streets below. Still, with its easy access to notable dining spots and its position right beside the Thames, it’s as convenient as it is beautiful. This is also where he’s chosen to invite Anna once they’re back across the pond. It isn’t any kind of flex. Sure, it’s far more modern, more sleek, and more expensive than anything he’s ever had, but it also has a great view of the river and the rest of the city just north of it. Perfect for New Year’s Eve, right?

At least, he hopes so— just like how he hopes that he’s been a gracious host so far. He and his place don’t have the same warm charm as the Ricci household. For one, his personal belongings are sparse, with his closet filled with half of his (mostly-)plain wardrobe and his essentials neatly stocked in cabinets in that very Aiden-like manner. The small section of trophies and plaques doesn’t count; those are the work of the wider company, who insist on leaving a reminder of just who is responsible for this place. Truly, the most ‘mess’ is in the kitchen, the spoils of holiday gift baskets misplaced among his usual fare.

He stands there now, his eyes scanning between the plethora of bottles that he’s never had much intention of opening. “Hey, A?” With his focus laser sharp on the task at hand, he isn’t sure if she’s on the couch in front of the TV just before the river view or elsewhere. “I dunno if I got any champagne this year.” Funny, because last year he’s gotten ten. Maybe they thought that he’d have enough to celebrate for a while. “Anything else that works for countdown?” The announcer on the screen babbles on about, ‘soon.’ “—I also make a mean mug of cocoa, you know.”

[skyrissblogs]

Trading Agricultural Commodities

source:unsplash.com

Trading Agricultural Commodities

Agricultural commodities form the backbone of global trade, providing essential resources such as grains, oilseeds, and livestock. Trading these commodities is an exciting yet complex endeavor, influenced by numerous factors, including weather, geopolitical tensions, and global economic trends. 

For investors and traders, understanding how to navigate this dynamic market can unlock opportunities for diversification and growth.

This guide explores the essentials of trading agricultural commodities, including market fundamentals, strategies, and key factors that affect price movements. 

Whether you are new to commodity trading or an experienced investor, this article provides practical insights to help you make informed decisions.

What Are Agricultural Commodities?

Agricultural commodities refer to raw products derived from farming and livestock activities. These can be broadly categorized into:

Grains: Wheat, corn, and rice are staple grains traded on global markets.

Oilseeds: Products like soybeans and sunflower seeds form the foundation of the oilseed market.

Soft Commodities: These include coffee, cocoa, sugar, and cotton.

Livestock: Cattle, hogs, and other animals fall under this category.

Each of these categories has unique supply and demand dynamics, making them distinct trading opportunities. For instance, grains such as wheat, corn, and rice are heavily influenced by weather conditions, including droughts, floods, and temperature fluctuations, which can significantly impact crop yields and supply levels. 

The global interconnectedness of grain markets also means that a poor harvest in one region can lead to ripple effects on prices worldwide. On the other hand, soft commodities like coffee and cocoa are primarily driven by consumer preferences and global consumption trends. Factors such as shifts in lifestyle habits, economic growth in emerging markets, and the rise of specialty coffee consumption have created significant demand fluctuations in recent years. 

Additionally, geopolitical factors and labor availability in key producing regions often influence the supply side of these commodities, further adding to their price volatility and trading appeal.

How Agricultural Commodity Markets Work?

Agricultural commodities are traded on exchanges such as the Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) and the Intercontinental Exchange (ICE). These markets allow buyers and sellers to trade standardized contracts, ensuring transparency and efficiency.

Spot Markets vs. Futures Markets:

1. Spot Markets: 

These involve the immediate purchase and sale of commodities at current market prices.

2. Futures Markets: 

Futures contracts allow traders to buy or sell a specific quantity of a commodity at a predetermined price and date. This is the most common method of trading agricultural commodities, offering the ability to hedge against price fluctuations.

Futures contracts are particularly useful for producers and consumers looking to manage risks. For instance, a farmer might sell wheat futures to lock in a price for their upcoming harvest, while a bakery might buy wheat futures to secure stable input costs.

3. Role of Speculators: 

Speculators play a vital role in agricultural markets by providing liquidity and helping to balance prices. Unlike producers and consumers, speculators do not intend to take physical delivery of commodities. Instead, they aim to profit from price changes. Their activities can influence short-term price volatility but also help stabilize long-term market trends by absorbing risks.

Key Factors Influencing Trading Agricultural Commodity Prices

Understanding the factors that drive price movements is essential for successful trading. Some of the most influential factors include:

1. Weather Conditions: 

Weather plays a critical role in agricultural production. Droughts, floods, and hurricanes can significantly affect crop yields, leading to supply shortages and price increases. For example, a severe drought in the U.S. Midwest might reduce corn production, driving prices higher globally.

2. Seasonality: 

Many agricultural commodities follow seasonal production cycles. For instance, the harvest season typically brings increased supply, often leading to lower prices. Conversely, planting seasons may see price spikes due to uncertainty about future yields.

3. Global Demand: 

Demand for agricultural products fluctuates based on population growth, economic conditions, and consumer preferences. Rising demand for plant-based proteins, for instance, has increased the popularity of soybeans and other legumes. Similarly, the growing middle class in emerging markets has led to higher consumption of meat and dairy products, boosting demand for animal feed grains.

4. Trade Policies and Tariffs: 

Government policies, including tariffs and export restrictions, can disrupt the flow of agricultural goods. For example, a country imposing tariffs on soybean imports may reduce demand from foreign markets, impacting prices. Similarly, export bans during periods of domestic shortages can exacerbate global price volatility.

5. Currency Exchange Rates: 

Since agricultural commodities are traded globally, currency fluctuations can affect prices. A stronger U.S. dollar, for example, makes commodities more expensive for buyers using other currencies, potentially reducing demand. Conversely, a weaker dollar can stimulate demand by lowering costs for international buyers.

6. Technological Advances: 

Improvements in farming technology, such as precision agriculture and genetically modified crops, can boost yields and increase supply, influencing prices. These advancements also enhance the efficiency of resource usage, such as water and fertilizers, helping stabilize production in challenging conditions.

Popular Strategies for Trading Agricultural Commodities

Trading agricultural commodities requires a combination of market knowledge, analysis, and discipline. Below are some popular strategies employed by traders:

1. Fundamental Analysis: 

Fundamental analysis involves studying supply and demand factors that influence prices. Key data sources include:

USDA Reports: The U.S. Department of Agriculture provides regular updates on crop yields, production forecasts, and global trade flows.

Weather Forecasts: Monitoring weather patterns can help anticipate potential disruptions in supply.

Economic Indicators: Trends in GDP growth, consumer spending, and population changes can signal shifts in demand.

For instance, if a USDA report predicts lower-than-expected soybean yields, traders might anticipate a price increase and take a long position.

2. Technical Analysis: 

Technical analysis focuses on historical price data and chart patterns to predict future movements. Common tools include:

Moving Averages: These help identify trends and potential reversals.

Relative Strength Index (RSI): RSI measures momentum, indicating overbought or oversold conditions.

Support and Resistance Levels: These levels indicate price points where significant buying or selling activity is likely to occur.

For example, if corn prices approach a strong support level, traders might anticipate a rebound and consider entering a long position.

3. Hedging: 

Hedging is a risk management strategy used by producers and consumers to protect against adverse price movements. For example:

A farmer might sell futures contracts to secure a guaranteed price for their crop.

A food manufacturer might buy futures to lock in stable input costs.

While hedging reduces risk, it also limits potential upside gains, making it a trade-off between stability and profit potential.

4. Spread Trading: 

Spread trading involves taking positions in two related contracts to profit from the price difference. For instance:

A trader might go long on wheat futures while shorting corn futures, expecting wheat prices to rise relative to corn.

This strategy requires a deep understanding of market correlations and can be less risky than outright speculation.

5. Seasonal Trading: 

Seasonal trading leverages predictable patterns in agricultural markets. For example:

Prices for grains often decline during harvest season due to increased supply.

Livestock prices may rise during holidays when demand for meat products increases.

By analyzing historical trends, traders can identify recurring opportunities and align their strategies accordingly.

Risks of Trading Agricultural Commodities

While trading agricultural commodities offer significant profit potential, they also carry unique risks. Key risks include:

1. Market Volatility: 

Commodity prices can be highly volatile, driven by unpredictable factors such as weather events or geopolitical tensions. Managing this volatility requires careful risk management.

2. Leverage: 

Futures trading often involves leverage, which can amplify both gains and losses. Traders must use leverage cautiously to avoid significant losses.

3. Liquidity Risk: 

Some agricultural markets may have lower liquidity, making it difficult to execute large trades without affecting prices.

4. Regulatory Changes: 

Government interventions, such as subsidies or export bans, can disrupt markets and create sudden price swings.

5. Storage and Transport Costs: 

Physical delivery of commodities involves storage and transportation expenses, which can impact profitability. Traders need to account for these costs when managing positions.

Practical Tips for New Traders

For those new to agricultural commodities, the following tips can help build a solid foundation:

1. Start with Research: 

Learn about the specific commodity you plan to trade, including its production cycle, key regions, and market dynamics.

2. Use Simulated Trading: 

Practice trading in a risk-free environment to build confidence and test strategies.

3. Set Clear Goals: 

Define your trading objectives, risk tolerance, and time horizon before entering the market.

4. Diversify: 

Avoid concentrating your portfolio in a single commodity to reduce overall risk.

5. Monitor Global Trends: 

Stay informed about economic developments, trade policies, and weather conditions that could impact markets.

6. Leverage Educational Resources: 

Many exchanges and trading platforms offer educational materials and tools designed to enhance understanding and improve trading skills.

Approaching Trading Agricultural Commodity 

Trading agricultural commodities offers a wealth of opportunities for those willing to invest time and effort into understanding market fundamentals. 

By combining strategies like fundamental and technical analysis, hedging, and seasonal trading, traders can navigate the complexities of these markets with greater confidence.

However, success in agricultural trading requires discipline, risk management, and a commitment to continuous learning. By staying informed and adaptable, you can position yourself to capitalize on the dynamic world of agricultural commodities, transforming challenges into profitable opportunities.

[qqueenofhades]

So l applied for a job as an English teacher (where I live it's taught as a second language) and my experience teaching is for like kids 10 and older, and this is for preschool, kids aged 2-5. So I never thought the would call me, because I was honest and told them l've never taught children that age, but they did and the problem is they gave me less than 24hrs to prepare for a class (they didn’t even give me the topics). And they're asking for pp presentation, didactic material ... And I just had to say no, they knew I didn’t have experience with children that young and I obviously don't have adequate didactic materials to bring for the children.

Yet I kinda feel bad and guilty for not having a job, and I can't help but think that maybe I'm the problem, I've been looking for a job for months and this isn’t even my university major. In my area they ask for like 3-5 years of experience, and this is for “people that just graduated” the salaries are minimum or barely above the minimum, they just don’t match the years of experience they’re asking for.

People they just don’t want to hire you to gain experience, I know you’re supposed to gain some with internships but I had at least half of my university time online because of the pandemic, some of my classmates even had online internships. And some jobs they outright tell you that they’re asking for “real experience” so those don’t count. Then if someone hires you they hold it over you, they expect you to leave everything behind and give 100% to the job, as in working and insane amount hours, at crazy times, if they’re generous they pay you the minimum but most of the time they have you there as an unofficial intern that it’s extremely lucky to receive some financial compensation; I mean who would’ve thought that we have to eat and try to survive week after week.

Honestly most days have become this despairing experience and this feeling in my chest and stomach just doesn’t go away.

Im sorry for this very long and sad anon message, it’s just that I’ve seen some anons leaving you similar comments. And you sound like a very mature wise person, I love that you talk about a lot of things 💖

First off, I'm flattered that I am seen as a good place for the younguns to come ask for sympathy and/or advice (I am a good internet grandma, etc). So yes, I shall give you hot cocoa and a nice spot to sit down and chat, metaphorically speaking.

I'm sure you've heard this before, but just so you know and/or hear it again: you're not alone, tons of young people are in the same boat, and it isn't your fault that we live in late-stage capitalism and the job market simultaneously wants 3-5 years of experience for an entry level job and pays you literal shit (but also wants you to somehow spend enough money all the time to keep the economy afloat, NO WAGE ONLY SPEND). Especially when Covid upended everything and now people want to discount online learning/work experience when there was literally no other option. It is a big bucket of crap all around, and while it can absolutely feel like a negative reflection on you personally, or that you're not good enough or not trying hard enough or not open enough to doing things completely out of your comfort zone because you have no other choice, it's not. There are tons of people who really WANT to be employed and have a steady job and at least enough to cover their basic necessities, but due to late-stage capitalism, it's just very hard. You are not the only one and this is not a personal character flaw or failing on your part.

You should not have to take a job you are completely uncomfortable with, especially when they give you literally zero chance to prepare adequately and don't give you any resources or time to support that transition (they'll begin as they mean to go on, etc). And likewise, I want to note that your university major/degree is not a binding contract that you can only work in that field, that you're a failure if you don't get a job in that field, and you have to look in that field first and foremost. Plenty of people do one thing in college and something totally different in their career, and it's okay if that happens, or if you have to work outside your college major for a while or even for the rest of your professional life. So as far as that part goes, I definitely don't think you need to feel any guilt about looking wherever you can, since as you note, the competition is hard for everybody and there's just not enough to go around (by design, since capitalism runs on manufactured scarcity). Once again: not your fault, you're not a failure, and you're doing your best. That is worth a lot.

I know that it sounds trite to say keep your chin up, but keep your chin up. When it comes to teaching ESL, it might be possible to freelance, to offer sessions virtually or over Zoom, advertise among your family and friends, etc., or other bit-part things to tide you over until you find a job (and take it from me, sheer bullheaded stubbornness is half the battle). There are also online tutoring sites and agencies such as Tutora (which I briefly taught for as a broke PhD student) or Study.com that can match you with remote/online work opportunities and get you some clients, rather than you having to do all the work to find and recruit them by yourself. This obviously won't take the place of an actual job, but it might help you patch some cracks and string together some income until you can find one.

Good luck! I'm rooting for you.

[miltonharms]

Traded Commodities

Any transaction that requires an exchange of data, money, products, and interaction with other parties, sometimes across international borders, harbors significant risks. An effective end-to-end transfer of goods from a producer or supplier to the buyer involves several parties for success, each with a distinct role in the chain. Commodity trading refers to trading goods in large volumes on an official platform with standardized commodity contracts. The transactions and product transfers can happen through spot markets or through futures contracts on future prices. Spot markets are platforms where the commodities, securities, and currencies are traded for immediate delivery in exchange for cash. On the other hand, futures contracts require delivery of the commodity at a future date.

Commodities are broadly classified into hard and soft. Hard commodities are natural resources that require mining or extraction, such as precious metals and oil. Soft commodities are agricultural products and livestock.

Precious metals, commonly traded commodities, include gold, silver, copper, and platinum. The metals are considered to have reliable value, especially during wars and global recession, for protection against inflation and currency devaluation. The suitability of a metal as a trading commodity depends on demand, perceived value, rarity, and applicability in manufacturing, renewable energy, and defense systems. Other metals, such as elements used in motherboards, electric motors, and light-emitting diodes (LEDs), include erbium, holmium, tantalum, and dysprosium. These are referred to as rare earth metals and consist of 17 elements that are in high demand in the electronic industry.

Another commonly traded commodity is energy, which includes crude oil, gasoline, and natural gas. As the driving force of many industries, oil is one of the most traded commodities and regularly exhibits significant price swings due to supply and demand fluctuations. The high volatility in response to external factors makes energy risky to commodity investors, but opportunities for significant gains abound. The common causes of volatility include economic turmoil, manufacturing growth, advances in alternative energy, and enforcement by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). Investors can trade using three strategies: oil spot price, oil futures, and oil options. The oil spot price is the market rate or the present value of oil at that moment. Oil futures project the oil price at a set date in the future. Options are contracts in which traders convey an intent to purchase or sell oil at a specific price on or before a set date in the future.

Climate differences in various regions mean that some areas produce more agricultural products than others. Common crops include soybeans, cocoa, coffee, wheat, cotton, and sugar. Investors count on fluctuations in supply and demand, the effects of wars, natural calamities, and population growth to wager on profitability. Other factors that affect agricultural commodity trading include shifts in consumer preferences, advances in farming methods, government policies, urbanization, and changes in land use.

Traders also deal in livestock and livestock products. Commonly traded products include meat, milk, dairy, hides, fur, and wool. The Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME), originally called the Chicago Butter and Egg Board, launched futures contracts on frozen pork bellies in 1961. It has grown to be a major United States exchange platform for livestock trade, with a focus on beef, pork, lamb, and poultry.

[artcalledcinema]

From tha Be ‘ Fore Madonna, then Under a bridge or through the world RedHotChiliPeppers Not contracted As some of those others Like me, let me add The Cure, Love & Rockets And then The Prodigy 3 kilo’s NeuroSonic so many people Rolled to redux Trumped, Not I am within’ I speak my mind Not contracted like those Who can’t say more I’m not fcc-ed What’s for non-dor’e Inspired The Sub-Dorsed Will it land end tweeter X Mark’s spot WordsbyMM || MMybsDrow From there now scream Now there just shout (We maybe add the cream) It’s a cocoa - nuts extravaganza From tha Be ‘ Fore I m waiting for you Enter back in my life Living infinitely forever energy See the front side Of Man with X thumb A hand Frontside See my palm Or paw My sands I’m not contracted Art of Dying Get Through This Subjects of Subjects for’e A vote needed Be ‘ fore Vote Blue Or go backwards From tha be ‘ fore’s Episode conjunction We all TV Enterprises Amounted to nothing We don’t need Golden that largest whale Fertilizer or fruition He’s the whale Storming / Sperming A Trump & Vance With Musk Backing Other countries businesses billionaires Millionaires Should be held Responsible Responding Add the Mask’s From tha be ‘ fore Takin’ down Or glued, covered over, ,Law stay very still Don’t move TV! (.i may comment, if i sync phone to TV!, no likes for my flag, comments!) Not contracted Or so relates on soldering Plumbing, I’m with Joe Then next ,Law That Harris & Walz 4 Better from anytime From tha be ‘ fore Than any American time A better future Push forward In 18 to Vote From tha be ‘ fore Better educated I’m speaking 4 remembering in tha 50 digits and below in age Make a choice X tha thumb Or hold out Anti From all times be ‘ fore Forward tha only move forward Not slow things backwards Make a choice X tha thumb Or hold out Add your Hand emoticon, signaling From tha Be ‘ Fore Pounce attack is probably Genetic The male whale, specially serenades Those in water Well above ground No one said Halt, They reversed Roe Vs Wade From tha Be’Fore Why does this sit? In artcalledcinema Answer 4 later

[ghsheet]

Ghana to increase spot cocoa sales as talks on bank loan stall

Ghana to increase spot cocoa sales as talks on bank loan stall

Ghana seeks to increase spot sales of cocoa because it expects to raise less than half of its $1.5 billion target to fund the next crop season, officials said.

Spot, or uncollateralized, sales usually account for about 10% to 30% of overall sales of the key chocolate ingredient, Agriculture Minister Bryan Acheampong told reporters Thursday in the capital, Accra. Ghana didn’t benefit from record cocoa prices this season because it committed most of its output to contracts negotiated when prices were much lower, said Acheampong. Cocoa futures reached more than $11,700 a ton in New York in April, surging more than threefold since the Oct. 1 start of the West African nation’s season. “Let’s flip it to more uncollateralized sales,” he said.

[sharemarketnews01]

The Role of Forward and Futures Contracts in Commodity Markets

Forward and futures contracts play an integral role in commodity markets by enabling producers, consumers, and traders to hedge against price uncertainties. These derivatives allow the transfer of price risks from risk-averse hedgers to speculators more willing to bear those risks.

A forward contract is a private customized agreement between two parties to buy or sell a commodity at a predetermined price on a specified future date. Future contract is similar but standardized and traded on exchanges with clearing houses that guarantee execution.

For commodity producers like farmers, forward and futures contracts allow them to lock in future selling prices and protect against declines at harvest. For example, a soybean farmer can enter a futures contract to sell his crop at a fixed price. This guarantees income even if spot prices fall post-harvest.

Processors and manufacturers utilize these instruments to secure future supplies of raw materials at known costs. A chocolate manufacturer can buy cocoa futures contracts to lock in cocoa bean costs and hedge against rising prices. This facilitates better production planning.

Commodity traders use futures to speculate on prices and gain from price movements. A trader forecasting prices to rise can buy a futures contract now and sell it later at a higher price for profit. This allows trading opportunities.

These derivatives also provide valuable price signals to all market players. Futures prices demonstrate market expectations on the future spot price. This helps producers, consumers, and traders make sound business decisions based on price outlooks.

By promoting price transparency and discovery, these contracts improve pricing efficiency in commodity markets. Hedging enables participants to transfer risks that would otherwise influence spot prices. This dampens excessive volatility in commodity markets.

However, unregulated speculation can also destabilize prices. Hence robust regulatory oversight is needed for these derivatives markets to prevent manipulation. Position limits can control excessive speculation.

Overall, forward and futures contracts facilitate investment and trade in commodities by enabling risk transfer between parties. Producers offload price risks to speculators better able to handle them. This allows them to focus on production. The price signals also facilitate informed, efficient business decisions. By providing price certainty, these instruments smoothen the functioning of commodity supply chains and markets. Their role is thus critical in enabling efficient commodity production, consumption and trade.

[isocertificationghana]

Why is ISO certification in Ghana critical?

ISO certification in Ghana, Ghana, is a rustic place in West Africa with over 30 million people. The U.S. is wealthy in herbal assets, including gold, oil, and cocoa beans. Ghana is a member of the United Nations, the World Trade Organization, and the African Union.

Ghana has tropical weather and is understood for its lovely beaches. The united states is likewise a well-known vacationer vacation spot. ISO certification is crucial in Ghana as it lets agencies carry it out in a country with high corruption.

According to the 2018 Corruption Perceptions Index, Ghana is ranked 116th out of one hundred 80 countries. This manner that corruption is essential to trouble in Ghana. Groups that aren’t certified via ISO are at a higher threat of being worried about corruption.

ISO certification is likewise vital in Ghana because it enables groups to perform in a country with excessive crime. The u . S . A . Has a high crime rate, with a murder price of 8.6 regulars with one hundred,000 people. This manner that organizations that aren’t licensed by using ISO are at a better hazard of being sufferers of crime.

ISO certification is also important in Ghana because it facilitates corporations to perform in a country with immoderate political instability. The u . S . A . Has a history of coups and navy dictatorships. This way, organizations that need to be licensed using ISO are at a higher risk of being laid low with political instability.

Ultimately, ISO certification is critical in Ghana as it permits groups to function in a rustic with an excessive diploma of corruption, crime, and political instability.

What are the benefits of ISO certification?

If you are doing an organization in Ghana, you may question if it’s worth pursuing ISO certification. After all, numerous extraordinary certification options are handy, and it cannot be easy to recognize which is proper for your organization.

ISO certification is an across-the-world identified favoured that suggests a corporation has met certain notable manipulation requirements. In distinctive phrases, an organization is devoted to satisfaction and purchaser pleasure.

There are many blessings of ISO certification, but here are a number of the maximum important ones:

1. ISO-certified businesses are more likely to win contracts

If you are bidding on contracts, your ISO certification can give you an aggressive aspect. Many groups now specify that they best want to art work with ISO-licensed suppliers, so having certification will let you win greater industrial organization.

2. ISO certification can enhance your backside line

The benefits of ISO certification pass beyond prevailing new contracts. Once licensed, you may anticipate seeing enhancements in your backside line. This is because ISO-licensed groups are commonly more efficient and function with lower expenses of waste and defects.

3. ISO certification permits you to appeal to and keep employees

Another benefit of ISO certification is that it allows you to enchant and keep employees. Many human beings now seek ISO certification while considering working for an agency. And, as soon as you have specific personnel, they’re much more likely to live with you if you commit to satisfaction.

4. ISO certification can beautify your consumer pleasure

Finally, one of the most important blessings of ISO certification is that it could improve your client’s pride. This is because ISO-certified organizations ought to meet rigorous standards for quality. As a stop result, clients may be assured they’ll get high-quality services or products.

There are many different blessings of ISO certification. However, those are a number of the most crucial ones. If you’re doing commercial enterprise in Ghana, Pursuing ISO certification is a smart glide in your organization.

How can companies in Ghana gain from ISO certification?

An ISO certification may be a prime competitive benefit in modern-day business company surroundings. For businesses in Ghana, pursuing ISO certification can supply several advantages, collectively with extended market get entry to, advanced purchaser members of the family, and more suitable organizational efficiency.

One of the main reasons why Ghana agencies have to pursue ISO certification is because of the improved market get entry that it can provide. In many cases, ISO certification is a prerequisite for commercial enterprises with effective groups in Ghana and internationally. By turning ISO-licensed, groups in Ghana can open up new opportunities for growth and enlargement.

In addition to accelerated market get right of entry, ISO certification can also reason for advanced purchaser circle of relatives members. Customers are regularly more confident doing commercial enterprise with companies with ISO certification because it offers assurance that the enterprise is devoted to satisfaction and excellence. As a result, organizations in Ghana that are ISO-licensed can regularly experience improved customer pleasure and loyalty.

Finally, ISO certification can also assist Ghana agencies to become more green and organized. The ISO certification approach calls for corporations to document and set up their approaches and techniques. This can help businesses streamline their operations, increasing efficiency and productivity.

Overall, there are numerous reasons why Ghana companies must pursue ISO certification. By becoming ISO licensed, companies can revel in multiplied market get entry, improved client members of the family, and higher organizational performance. Pursuing ISO certification is an investment that may repay handsomely for companies in Ghana.

What are the requirements for ISO certification in Ghana?

There are several reasons why a business company should pursue ISO certification in Ghana. Firstly, it guarantees clients that the enterprise is devoted to satisfaction and has structures and strategies in location to ensure that services and products meet their goals.

This may be useful in terms of winning new corporations, in addition to keeping present clients. Secondly, ISO certification can help an enterprise to improve its internal structures and techniques, primarily to elevate performance and effectiveness.

Thirdly, ISO certification can be used as an advertising and advertising tool to differentiate a business enterprise from its opposition. Finally, many businesses in Ghana must have ISO certification to do business enterprise with high-quality customers or providers.

To become ISO certified, an enterprise employer must first broaden and put in force a great management tool that meets the necessities of the applicable ISO huge. The business enterprise must then go through an assessment with the resource of an outside certification body to make sure that the gadget is strong and compliant.

Once certified, a company need to undergo everyday audits to maintain its certification. The necessities for ISO certification in Ghana are consequently that a company have to expand and put in force an outstanding manipulation tool that meets the applicable ISO trendy and ought to be assessed and licensed by an outside frame.

How can organizations in Ghana get ISO certified?

There are many advantages that businesses can revel in by using pursuing ISO certification in Ghana. By turning into licensed, companies can display their dedication to satisfaction and purchaser satisfaction, which would assist them in winning new clients and holding present-day ones. In addition, ISO certification can help groups to enhance their internal approaches and methods and to grow to be more green and efficient.

Corporations can choose to pursue several particular ISO standards, depending on their specific desires. The most famous modern-day in Ghana is ISO 9001, which covers incredible control systems. However, there also are necessities for environmental manipulation (ISO 14001), fitness and safety management (ISO 45001), and records safety control (ISO 27001).

The first step in pursuing ISO certification is to discover a certification body this is accepted with the useful resource of the Ghanaian National Accreditation Board. Once you have located an appropriate certification body, you should prepare your commercial enterprise company for the certification device. This includes documenting your present-day management systems and techniques and enforcing any adjustments required to satisfy the requirements of the chosen modern.

Once your agency is ready, the certification frame will perform an audit to assess whether or now not you meet the necessities of the identical vintage. If you’re successful, you will be awarded an ISO certificate, which you could use to sell your company and show your dedication to excellence.

Why Factocert?

We provide the best ISO consultants in Ghana, Who are very knowledgeable and provide you with the best solution. And to know how to get ISO certification in Ghana?Kindly reach us at contact@factocert.comISO Certification consultants follow the guidelines set by the international organization for standardization and help the organization to implement ISO certification in Ghana in an easy way with proper documentation and audit.

For more information visit: ISO certification in Ghana

Related Links:

ISO certification in Ghana

ISO 9001 certification in Ghana

ISO 14001certification in Ghana

Certification Consultants in Ghana

ISO Consultants in Ghana

ISO Auditors in Ghana

[jamieanovels]

Find the word!

tagged by the wonderful @kaiusvnoir & @ahordeofwasps — thank you !!

my words: night, fright, sight, light, bite, flood, answers, nothing, pass

your words: wind, air, breath, wisp, fall

tagging: @kaylinalexanderbooks @mjjune @thewriteflame @author-a-holmes and anyone else who would like to do this !!

all excerpts are from tea cow!

Current tag list for tea cow: @cyanide-latte @ameliedebruyne

Please message/reply/add in the tags if you'd like to be added/removed! Also this is an open invitation to do this tag game if you'd like :)

Night

She spotted her father before he saw her. Wang Kun had driven his old car—the one that had his contracting company’s outdated logo on the side, just as glaringly red as she remembered. He got out of the car to help her put her things in the back. In turn, she slid into the stuffy cabin whose worn leather seats had long since absorbed the smell of old cigarettes and felt as if she was in high school again. Most of the time, she would study late into the night in the library and her dad would swing by to pick her up on his way home from work, handing her a lollipop or a stick of gum that her mother would never know about. In the same vein, Wang Kun would smoke in the car and blow puffs of white out the open window.

Fright

N/A :(

Sight

She opened her mouth to say something, anything to break the silence, but a familiar clacking noise got there first. The door to the garage slammed open, revealing Yaling with two overflowing grocery bags in her hands. She stopped short when she caught sight of what was happening in her kitchen: her daughter and the man she hoped to be her daughter’s suitor standing on opposite sides of the table. Mason was as close to tears as he had ever been, and Ruby was lost at sea. It was probably the last thing on Earth her mother wanted to see.

“Oh,” was what came out of Yaling’s mouth. Then: “Huo guo tonight?”

Light

“Ruqing-ah!” Yaling bellowed over the cacophony of freeway traffic. Even if Ruby was expecting it, she still jumped at the sound of her Mandarin name. Her originally light headache suddenly drove its elbow into her skull at the frenetic string of tones and syllables that followed. “Meimei just told me that you lost your job again. What did you do this time! Did you remember to compliment your manager every day like I told you! And bring them food; people love food! Did you remember?”

A pause, followed by a colorful Mandarin curse at what was most likely a BMW not using its blinker.

Bite

“I’m saving your career,” Ruby retorted. “You’re going to drop those and dent them, and then your clientele will never buy from you again.”

“See that, you do care!”

“Shut up.”

As Adi went back to rifling through the box, though, Ruby stared at a mosquito bite on his back and thought she might have made a mistake. While he still had some odd ideas, Adi Prinslow certainly didn’t seem very vacant at all.

Flood

N/A :(

Answers

It had turned him on his head. She’d seen the look on his face, probably assuming that it was some trivial response to the argument, but it wasn’t just that. It was an upending of everything he knew to be true, which was really only one thing: that Ruby Wang had the answers. She was the only person who had ever really known him, and the one person he thought might be able to fix all of…this.

Nothing

With that ring on his finger, he would have married the most beautiful, kind, gentle woman he’d ever met. The thought should have made him happy. After all, he’d never regretted being with her, even now. Sometimes, when he was alone, he reminisced over their cozy before-work mornings, her in her satin white pajamas, swirling hot cocoa with a peppermint stick while he scrambled his eggs with salsa. They chatted about anything and everything—work, shows, some article one of them had stumbled on the night before. Mason wanted nothing but happiness for her until the end of his days.

Pass

“Well, maybe I didn’t roll, but I did have to walk. And then I had to carry you all the way back up because you said you were too scraped up to use your feet.”

“I was.”

“I know, I know.” He laughed. “You told me.”

“At any rate, it wouldn’t have happened if those idiots hadn’t dared me to do it. I was already fully prepared to go home. I had my bus pass ready. But then Michael Ferrara of all people had to say that my legs were too fucking short to run up those stairs in 10 minutes.”

“He never said you had to kill yourself trying. You hate exercise.”

“I hate being doubted,” Ruby snapped.

[rjalker]

Peanutbutter log recipe from...uh, before computers... our grandmother had a cookie party

[ID: Three versions of a photo of a recipe written on aged paper. The first is the normal photo, showing the paper browned with age, with some darker stains covered in in lines and a few circular blotches. The second is the same thing, now cropped to the text, and in grayscale. The last is high-contract black text and a white background.

The recipe is written in cursive that in some spots continues off the page, reading aproximately:

Peanut Butter Logs

1 cup peanut butter

1/2 cup margerine, softened

1 1/2 cups unsifted powdered sugar

3 cups cocoa krispies cereal

1 cup chopped peanuts

1 (6-ounce) package semi-sweet chocolate chips

2 tablespoons shortening

Combine peanut butter and margerine. Stir in sugar. Add cereal, mix well. Shape level tablespoons of mix into logs, roll in peanuts on wax paper-lined cookie sheets. [Combine?] chocolate with shortening on heat, stirring until smooth. [Pour?] chocolate mix over logs, chill.

Aproximately 40 logs.

End ID.]

====

Not sure when exactly this recipe is from, but I looked up Cocoa Krispies cereal, and that was introduced in 1958, so this was written some time after it's release...

[quillsanddaydreams]

what great men say

james potter x reader

—author’s note: I was extremely soft about James and just how goofy he is around his friends and I just had to write it down. So what does being friends with James and eventually falling for him include? Enjoy!

—warning(s): mentions of food, she/her pronouns!reader 

—wordcount: 3,196

You sighed looking at the time. He would be here any minute— he never came late. Tapping your foot, you turned your attention to the book open in front of you. Transfiguration. The subject that you struggled with the most. James excelled at it. 

The turtle he transformed the teacup into that day was stunning. Popping its head inside the green-gold shell as everyone looked on. James smiled teasingly wide when McGonagall had commended him. No one noticed when he shifted aside to talk to the turtle in a baby voice. It made you smile. You blinked. Words swirled on the page you’d opened. Shaking your head, you turned to concentrate on them.

“There you are!” James shouted as the librarian shot him a glare. He was huffing— apparently from running to the library. He made an apologetic face and slowly came and plopped down beside you.

“Do you always have to be loud?” you said as he playfully rolled his eyes.

“Well, a great man once said loudness is the way of life,” he huffed, breathing deeply as you raised an eyebrow.

“And is this great man you?”

“Are you saying anything to the contrary?”

You let a small smile play on your lips which etched his grin further.

“I wouldn’t dare,” you said as he adjusted his collar, looking smug.

“I mean, even great men tell the turtle they made from a teacup that it is a good boy,” you said nonchalantly, opening a notebook. James flustered.

“I didn’t tell Jake he was a good boy,” he murmured.

“Jake, huh?”

“Shut it.”

The two of you spend the next hour working on the transfiguration assignment. James was patient as he helped you through spells and theory. You laughed, studied and talked. It was just like that between you two. You were good friends, you teased each other, pulled a few pranks and had fun. There was something about him that made you open up more than anyone else. And you loved him. It was stupid really. 

James was utterly and completely in love with Lily Evans. Everyone knew that. You tried and you tried to push it back but you couldn’t help it. It crept up upon you- he had always been so kind to you, so adorably cute that you just fell for him. As torturous as it was, you didn’t dare to even hint him about it. Listening to him gush about the perfect head-girl, you never let your smile fade even if it never reached your eyes. 

James poked your side as you packed your books.

“Hmm?”

“Lily and I talked a lot last night,” he said excitedly as your chest contracted. You zipped up your bag, hanging it by your side.

“Oh yeah?” you asked, plastering on a smile. The two of you started moving out of the library.

“It was amazing,” He said, punctuating each word, a dreamy look on his face. “She told me about her muggle life- records, music tapes- that sort of stuff. She was surprised when I talked to her about Queen and Beatles, impressed even.”

He scratched the back of his head, narrowly avoiding a first year who ran past the two of you.

“Couldn’t tell her you introduced it to us and it’s what Sirius blasts in the room all day long.”

You giggled.

“Did he listen to all of them already?” you asked, desperate to change topics. The two of you turned around the corner. James scoffed.

“Pretty sure he heard each of them at least a hundred times.”

“It’s good music James,” you sighed. “Ask him whether he’s free next Hogsmeade weekend, I’ll show him a place he’s going to adore.”

“Ah, I have some head-boy duties with Lily, Remus is helping Slughorn for extra credit and Peter is practicing astronomy,” James said as you furrowed your eyebrows.

“So Sirius is free?”

“Yes, but we aren’t,” James shrugged as you laughed.

“Okay,” you dragged on, not sure where the conversation was going. “Ask him if he’d like to go with me?”

James turned to you, confused.

“You’ll go with Sirius, alone?” he asked as you hummed in response, shrugging. He scowled.

You turned back at James standing at the door to the common room.

“Tomorrow, same time?” you asked with a smile. He nodded giving you a half-hearted grin and moving towards his room. Did you say something wrong? Shaking your head, you retreated to your dorm.

-♡♡♡-

A loud knock shook you. You looked towards the window and… James?

“James what the hell are you doing there?” you asked, jolting towards the sill and unlocking it. The idiot was standing a broom nearly forty feet above ground.

“I was wondering whether you’d join us all for a trip to the kitchens?” he breathed, a small smile playing on his lips. You heard snorts making you look down at the ground. Sirius, Remus and Peter were rolling out in laughter, but you couldn’t think much about that.

“Are you insane? Bloody sit down on your broom or come in,” you said eyes wide.

“Fine, I’m coming.” James grinned, jumping inside. He grabbed your arms almost falling over you. A strong perfume attacked your senses. His face was so close to yours, you could count the faint freckles on his face. Messy strands of hair fell over his forehead making you want to run your hands over them. You blinked, steading yourself before taking a step back. James coughed.

“Um, I was sneaking out for some hot chocolate,” he said placing his hands in his jeans’ pocket, thumbs out. “I remember you complaining we never took you.”

“Oh,” you said, feeling awkward all of a sudden. “Let me just get my jacket, it’s kinda cold.”

Grabbing the nearest jacket, you put it on as James stared around your room. You had decorated it beautifully. Post cards, quotes and some letters were put up on a wall on the far end. His eyes fell on you as you turned to him smiling, ready to leave. He gulped.

“How are we leaving?” you asked and James gestured to his broom floating outside your window.

After much bickering, you found yourself sitting behind James, holding onto him for your dear life. That wasn’t to say you didn’t enjoy it. It felt good being so close to him, having your hands around his waist. You almost felt sad when you reached down. Sirius smirked at you as you climbed off the broom. He knew more than he probably should.

“What took you so long?” Peter complained. You saw Sirius open his mouth to say something but closed it on seeing your glare. He wrapped an arm around your shoulder.

“Well now that she’s here, shall we?” he said leading you ahead of the group.

James frowned at the two of you. Sirius whispered something in your ear making you roll your eyes playfully.

“What’s made you so off now?” Peter asked. Remus patted his shoulder.

“Jealousy is always a bad colour on people my dear wormtail,” Remus said dramatically. James raised it eyebrows.

“I’m not jealous,” James said pointedly and then shrugged. “What would I be jealous of?”

Remus rolled his eyes.

“Sureeee.”

You took in the warm room while the boys asked for hot chocolates for all of you. Sweet smell of banana bread and muffins eloped the kitchen. Remus called for you, handing you a steaming mug of cocoa. You sat down beside James tuning in to their conversation. He gave you a small smile as Remus and Peter quarrelled about their divination predictions. You laughed and you talked, feeling the week’s tension slowly slip off your shoulders. When it was time to leave, you felt oddly content. Making them promise to make this a monthly thing, you finally turned to leave. James held you back.

“I was wondering, if you’d like to have a bit more fun?” James asked, biting his lip. “Just us two.”

You looked at him curiously and licked your lip.

“And what will this fun, entail?”

“There’s this small place near the edge of forbidden forest,” he said and you raised an eyebrow. “I swear it’s not that dangerous. It’s honestly beautiful.”

James didn’t know why he was so bent over to spend some more time with you. All he knew was that he didn’t want the evening to end. He didn’t want to leave you just yet. So when you nodded slowly, he couldn’t stop the grin that spread on his face.

The two of you tip-toed through the castle, James’s invisibility cloak with him just in case. Checking the map, he turned towards you. Taking your hand in his; he whispered, “Run.”

Your eyes widened. James sprinted forward, taking you with him. There was no time to think. Trying to keep up with him— you made your way through the grounds, the air icy against your face. You were huffing by the time you reached the lip of the forest.

“What exactly were we running from?” you asked, taking in gulps of air.

“No one— we were taking too much time,” he said shrugging. “And adrenaline always feels good.”

He didn’t notice you glaring at him. You slapped his arm playfully.

“Hey—” he groaned, rubbing at the spot.

“Now that you’ve wounded me, shall we?”

You nodded, biting the inside of your cheek. Placing his palms on your shoulder James turned you, leading you towards a small clearing. Your arms erupted in goosebumps, feeling him right behind you. His breath tickled your neck. Did he really not know the effect he had on you? Reaching there, James gestured around dramatically. Fireflies buzzed around the area and the ground bloomed with wild flowers.

“Wow,” you gasped. James watched you, his face lighting up. Running your hands through the shrubs you looked up. Night sky was always clear at Hogwarts. But somehow it seemed even more beautiful then. You glanced towards James catching him staring.

“See something you like?”

“You look beautiful,” James uttered before he could stop himself. Your cheeks heated up.

You did. You looked gorgeous every single day. James swallowed, a distinct blush covering his cheeks. He felt your gaze on him, waiting for him to say something. He heard you sigh after a little while.

“You know, when I was small, I used to collect fireflies in a jar,” you said, sitting down slowly. James joined you. “Pretty little things they were. I would stare at them for hours. Mum hated them. Dad didn’t seem to mind. They would zoom around in the jar and I would take it in hand running through the house saying they were my army. Danger shall befall those who cross me— I used to say”

James let out a laugh, sighing as you both watched the stars. Sneaking a glance at him, you caught him doing the same. Light from flies lighted up his face, his brown eyes sparkling. You didn’t know who leaned in. His lips were soft against yours as you let your hands tangle in his hair. His arms went to your waist, tugging you towards him. The kiss seemed to light you up. Pulling back breathless you stared at him, seeing something that made your stomach. Guilt. You dug your nails into your palm, waiting for the excuses to come. And it came. He called out your name.

“Don’t.” You snapped.

Scrambling to your feet, you started moving back towards the castle. James followed you.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t think. I don’t know what happened and I—”

You twisted towards him.

“I’m not angry at you James,” you said, your voice barely above a whisper. James frowned. “I— I just like you, okay? I’ve liked you for quite some time.”

James’ eyes widened a little. You let out a laugh, looking away.

“I’m not angry at you. I’m angry at myself. Do you realise how pathetic it is, to love someone knowing they’ll never love you back?  Every day I’ll tell myself; it doesn’t matter. That it’s a crush and it’ll go away. And every day I fall a little more in love with you knowing you’ll never feel the same.”

Silence fell around you and you wrapped your arms around yourself. You felt cold. James watched you, desperate to reach out. He wanted to stop you but he didn’t know how. All he could do was listen.

“I think, I think it’ll be better for me to stay away from you for a while,” you breathed, trying your best not to let the tears in your eyes fall.

You walked back to the castle leaving James alone. A tear fell down his face and he furiously wiped it off.

-♡♡♡-

The next few days seemed never-ending. Classes, homework and head-boy duties kept James busy. He practiced harder and longer on the field. But his mind wasn’t in it. It was full with the thoughts of you. He tried. He really tried to reach out to you somehow. To catch your eye during classes, give you a small smile, but you hardly even glanced at him. It hurt. More than he could ever care to admit. He had quite forgotten what it was like not to spend time together every single day. To not listen to you complain about your day, hear your laugh. He felt alone.

Bacon and eggs were laid out in front of him, but he couldn’t bring himself to eat. He toyed it around with his fork.

“Ahhh James! Just the person I was looking for,” Lily said with a bright smile as James looked towards her. “I was thinking maybe you could join me after lunch? We can review the prefect rounds’ details.”

James furrowed his eyebrows.

“Didn’t we do that last week?”

Lily’s expression fell, but she covered it up quickly.

“Yes we did, but I thought maybe we could go over them again?” she said expectantly.

“Uh- sure.” He said, moving his attention back to his plate. He pushed it away.

Sirius, Peter and Remus raised their eyebrows at him. James looked at them questioningly.

“Are you dead?” Remus asked.

“No?”

“Yeah I think he’s dead.” Sirius pipped in. James opened his mouth to retort but Sirius bet him to it.

“Look, I know finding out your friend is in love with you while you think you’re in love with someone else isn’t easy—”

“Especially when you’re actually in love with the said friend," Peter said, taking a bite of his toast. James opened his mouth.

“Especially then —but you gotta make up your mind. Go date Lily and find out how worthless it is and then go back to friend or go now and talk to her and tell her what you really feel about her.”

James blinked.

“I’m not in love with her,” he said slowly as they collectively groaned. He ignored them. “And how did you know that she told me she likes me?”

“It was obvious?” Sirius said as Remus rolled his eyes.

“You know what? Let him continue his idiocy for more. I want to see how long this can actually go on,” Remus said as others hummed in response, shrugging.

“What? You’re not even going to listen to me now?” James stated as his friends paid no attention.

“Not when you’re being a dumbass, no.”

James banged his head on the table. Remus continued to read his book while Sirius and Peter concentrated on their breakfast.

“What if, what if I said,” James began slowly. “That maybe I do love her. I do love her and I was the biggest fool in the world and screwed this up beyond repair?”

Remus stared at James, a small smile overcoming his features.

“You tell her exactly that.”

-♡♡♡-

You sighed turning the page. The story was captivating at first, but now— not so much. There was a knock at the window and you turned to see… James? Your heart thumped against your chest. He stood there, probably on his broomstick waiting for you to let him in. Pushing the covers aside, you got up and opened the small lock as James hopped in. Your chest clenched seeing him for the first time in weeks. You had missed him. His hair was disheveled and he fidgeted awkwardly, staring at you.

“James why are you here?” you asked softly. You wanted nothing more than to hug him. But you held back. You couldn’t do that to yourself, not anymore.

“I— um— I wanted to tell you something,” he said as you gestured at him to go on. There was silence.

“Well?”

James flushed, looking down.

“I— I had this whole speech prepared and now I forgot what I was supposed to say,” he said and you looked at him curiously. “I know it starts with me saying I might be the biggest dumbass at Hogwarts.”

“That I can agree on,” you pointed out, a small grin evident on your face. James cracked a smile hearing you tease him after weeks. Somehow, he never minded it when it was you. There was silence again, but this time it felt calmer.

“You see? I had a fascination with this red-headed girl,” he whispered. Your throat bobbed. He was here to talk about Lily? “This fiery girl who rejected me every time I asked her out. And my fascination just grew. So much that I couldn’t even notice myself falling for someone else. Someone who’d been an amazing friend.”

Your eyes snapped towards him and he gave you a light smile.

“I don’t love Lily. I don’t. And I hate myself for not realizing it. But even more than that I hate myself for turning you away. I’m sorry,” he said as you sniffed, letting his words soak in. He loved you, not Lily. You knew you must be looking like an idiot then, giddiness blooming through your body.

“Are you sure this isn’t the speech you prepared?” you said as James chuckled. He shook his head.

“My prepared speech was written by a great man and it did not end with an apology.”

“Oh? What did that great man end the speech with?” you said, joy evident on James’ face. He was enjoying this.

“Asking you out,” he said cheekily and you let out a snort.

“Well, that’s a let down,” you said, putting on a disappointed expression, noticing James furrowing his brows. “I was hoping the speech would end in some kisses; after all, don—"

You couldn’t finish the sentence as James pulled you closer by your waist and pressed his lips against yours. You sighed, tugging him closer by his neck. Pulling back, you rested your forehead against his taking deep breaths.

“I fucking love you,” James said, cradling your face and starting to press kisses all over. You giggled.

“I love you too. Tell that great man I’d like to go out with him this Hogsmeade weekend, will you?” you said as James let out a laugh.

—as for the taglist: I don’t make taglists, I have a blog @from-my-quill which is updated whenever I post fanfiction. You could have the notifications on for it and it will work just like me tagging you.

⟨⟨REBLOGS AND FEEDBACK ARE APPRECIATED⟩⟩

[the-only-ace]

Hey I know you are really busy with all the request and job and all that but can you do shinee's reaction to s/o stealing their t-shirts and hoodies?? You can make them one shots of you want too😁

shinee reacts: their s/o wearing their clothes

heyyy~ i really liked this request because i personally love to do this. for this request, i want to try something new since you gave me an idea with the one-shots part. so instead of describing their reactions, i'll convey it in a form of a short story. it will still be per member! i hope you will like this one (heads up though, the posts is a bit longer than my usual shinee reacts) <3

p.s. if you guys can, kindly let me know if you like this kind of format for shinee reacts. thank you!

send in your requests here!

onew / jinki: you sighed for the nth time within just 10 short minutes. you were staring and pouting in front of your closet for you can't find the perfect clothes for your brunch date with onew. it was a hot day today and you just wanted to wear something cute but comfortable. however, it seems like your wardrobe doesn't offer that kind of outfit.

your eyes slowly traveled toward onew's part of the closet. his side was full of quirky graphic tees which you always find adorable. you don't usually borrow his clothes but you can't help but to take a peek at them and take the one that caught your eyes.

it was a white oversized shirt with a cute box cartoon drawn in front of it. you tried it on and it stopped perfectly on your thighs, making it look like a cute dress. surprisingly, it even matches the pair of sneakers you were wearing.

before you can even decide whether you were keeping it on or not, onew walked into your room. his hair a bit damp and he was only wearing a towel considering that he just took a shower.

"oh, is that my shirt?" he pointed at you.

"uh... yeah. do you mind? i just wanted to wear something that is yours." you sheepishly replied.

"no problem!" he beamed his big bright smile before proceeding to get his own outfit.

you muttered a thank you then went to your vanity to finish touching up your makeup. afterward, you grabbed your phone and wallet and placed them inside your shoulder bag.

"alright, I'm ready to go..." you trailed off as you saw what he looked like. "what the hell are you wearing, lee jinki?"

"your shirt?" he raised an eyebrow, clearly feigning ignorance.

he was wearing your favorite grey t-shirt and it looked pitiful on him, it was as if it can tear at any moment. it barely covered his abdomen and was stretched to its limit.

"no shit, sherlock." you facepalmed at his usual weirdness. "what i want to know is why... why are you wearing it?"

"i thought we were doing a thing wherein we wear each other's clothes." he shrugged as if his response should be expected.

"what? no! please have mercy on my shirt and put on your own clothes." you can't help but laugh at him as you pushed him back to the dresser.

"alright, alright! i just wanted to make you laugh and look, it worked perfectly." he playfully pinched the tip of your nose before taking off the top he borrowed. "also, you should keep that shirt since it looks a hundred--no, million--times better on you."

"thanks, love," you whispered as you wrapped your arms around his waist and pulled him into a warm hug.

key / kibum:

after the long busy months, you were finally having a girl's night with your best friends. you stood in front of the full-length mirror in your room to give yourself a final check. your hair was styled into textured waves and your lips were colored with the boldest red lipstick you can find. your nude heels matched the little black dress you were wearing. your outfit looked almost perfect and you just knew what you were missing. you quickly snatched key's gold leather jacket and put it on. ah, perfection.

this was the norm for you. your boyfriend's wardrobe was beyond incredible especially his outerwear collection and you just had to wear them every chance you can get. to be honest, key was very stubborn in letting you borrow his clothes... at first. after all the compromising, begging, and crying you made, he eventually budged and gave up. of course, it does not come for free. he practically made you sign a contract that once you stained his clothes, you have to shoulder the bill of the laundry and the shop will be chosen by him. however, if you damaged or god forbid, lost his clothes, you have to replace them. you immediately said yes to all of the conditions in a heartbeat. so far you only paid for 2 incredulously expensive laundry bills.

now, you were finally ready to leave. you walked out of the bedroom and made your way down the living room. there, key was sitting on the couch watching one of his favorite tv series.

"I'll be going out now," you announced as you grab your car keys near the front door.

"hey, hey, hey!" key clicked his tongue upon seeing your clothes. he was now looking behind his shoulder and giving you a stink eye. "is that my jacket?"

"um... maybe?" you gave him an awkward smile.

"of course, it's mine." he shook his head disapprovingly. "only i can pull that off, by the way." he sassily added.

"wow, i didn't know the fashion police was here. you should have given me a head's up, babe ." you bit back with a scoff. the last time you checked, you looked damn fine in it.

"just stating facts, baby," he replied in english.

"alright, then why don't you take me shopping then? so you can buy me a new set of clothes that will satisfy your standards." you challenged and if he said yes, you were clearly the winner.

"excuse me, i do call you 'baby' but i am not your sugar daddy. go now, you'll be late." he shooed you off.

"okay bye," a playful smirk appeared on your face. "daddy."

this made key rolled his eyes before turning his back on you. he would very much rather ignore you if you keep on acting that way.

"it's bye now, for real." you giggled as you open the door. "love you!" you called out before stepping out.

"love you too, brat." key mumbled with a small smile.

minho:

winter was approaching and the air was slowly becoming colder than usual. it was the best time to stay in the comfort of your warm home and enjoy hot cocoa with your loved ones. a perfect time to wear your sweaters and hoodies indoors. however, this was not the case for minho for his favorite hoodie was missing.

"hey, babe?" he called out from the bedroom. "have you seen my black hoodie? the one with the white writings on it."

"what's that, i didn't hear you?" you went inside a few seconds later.

and there it was, his favorite hoodie being worn by his favorite person. you looked smaller while wearing it since it was way too big for you. the hem almost touched your knees and your whole arms were lost inside the sleeves. he can't help but smile at the sight.

"nothing, i was just looking for my hoodie but it looks like i found it." he gestured at the clothes you were wearing.

"oh, shoot. sorry, i didn't tell you that i borrowed it." you hit your forehead with your palm.

"it's okay. you're free to use them anytime, anyway." he patted the top of your head.

within the last few weeks, minho noticed that you sometimes wear his clothes. it was not a daily thing though and you even asked for his permission. slowly, it became every day and he would just be surprised to see you walking around the house parading his jackets and sweaters. he didn't mind it though, he was just curious about what you do to your own clothing. also, he hoped that he still had some remaining tops for himself during the cold season.

well, guess luck was not on his side.

his eyes were staring at his closet wherein there was only one jacket left, one. you followed his gaze and you promptly felt the warmth raised to your cheeks. you were surely red from embarrassment now. you were happily wearing his clothes that you didn't have the time to count how much was left.

"oh my god, i'm sorry! i didn't--" you cut yourself off as you watched him put on the lone jacket from his dresser. "i'm sorry, i didn't notice it. i just... can't help myself. your jackets are so comfortable and warm compare to mine." you tried to explain yourself. also not to mention that they all smelled just like him.

"don't worry about it." he reassured you as he placed his arm around your shoulder. "just be mindful next time. i might end up half-naked someday, you know."

"how can you be so sure that's not my goal?" you teased before sticking your tongue out.

he laughed at your silliness and then pressed a soft kiss on your warm forehead. you decided to make a cup of hot cocoa for him as a peace offering.

taemin:

it was past midnight and it was raining cats and dogs outside. you visited taemin in his apartment for a stay-at-home dinner date but a storm came before you can even go back home. taemin then convinced you to spend the night there instead. it was not a big deal anyway since you stayed over a lot of times already. you just didn't bring your sleepover bag with you and the dress you were wearing was definitely not comfortable to sleep on.

your caring boyfriend of course promised to ease your worries. the two of you shared a warm bath after dinner and he lent you his clothes for you to change to. so that was how you ended up on his couch, fighting off sleep because the show you both were watching always had a cliffhanger ending per episode. you two needed some answers before you can drift off to sleep peacefully. it was the weekend tomorrow anyway so staying up late won't hurt that much.

your head was laying on his lap while his right hand was playing on the locks of your hair and his left one was comfortably resting on the top of your hip. his hand would occasionally rub circles on the exposed skin. as much as you hate to move from your cozy spot, you had to or else you might end up dozing off right there and then. not to mention, him playing on your hair does not help at all.

you slowly got up from the sofa as you tried to stifled a yawn. "i'll just go get some cold drink." you pushed yourself up from your seat.

you then raised your arms and stretched with a satisfied groan. your shoulders and back were sore after laying down for more or less 3 hours. you can even hear your joints cracking from stretching out. also, you felt the shirt you were wearing raised up.

taemin's shirts were not overly huge for you whenever you wore them. the hem barely covered your behind and right now you were sure that a tiny portion of your buttcheeks was peeking through the white tee. you weren't conscious about it, taemin saw much more than that anyway.

suddenly, you felt a slap across your behind which made you freeze on your spot. you looked behind and saw your boyfriend confidently leaning on the couch with his legs crossed.

"did you just slap my butt?" you inquired.

"uh-huh," he nodded with a cocky grin. "want me to spank you again?"

you frowned a little as you processed the sudden change of mood. taemin won't deny it though, seeing you in his shirts always made his heart skip a bit and his breathing ragged. you always looked effortlessly sexy in them.

"sure, why not?" you replied wickedly after a few seconds of silence.

taemin processed your answer in a split second and he hastily grabbed you by the waist and threw you on his broad shoulders. he did not forget you give you another smack on the ass when he made his way toward the bedroom, the television was completely forgotten.

[carletes]

Carlos' contract rumour really hit us huh?:/ what would the norris-sainz household do when their dads have a bad weekend?

I'm refusing to give oxygen to the rumor beyond the panic it put me in earlier today. Carlos is a credit to himself, and the world will see it regardless of sensationalism.

Anyway. They would go off the grid! Alas Aurelia wouldn't have been around for this, but if Lando had a bad weekend they would all pack up their stuff and go off on a staycation. Sometimes when things are really rough, they even go back to the same hotel they got married at in Interlaken! They rent a chalet, get a MASSIVE bed that they all pile onto, marathon movies, play boardgames, drink truly obscene amounts of hot cocoa, and laugh endlessly as they ski and fail and ski and fail and ski and fail. Carlos gives himself a snow beard, and the kids shriek with delight and call him Santa. Lando falls into the snow and pretends he can't get up unless the kids help him, except everytime they try, he pulls them down into the snow as well. They have snowball fights, drink a lot of french onion soup at Charlie's insistence (it's his new favorite thing!), try to learn how to snowboard at Allegra's insistence, and Lan is still toddling about so they go sledding with him. Eventually, they forget about anything that isn't their perfect little family, and Lando smiles at Carlos with such genuine joy in his eyes that Carlos can't help but take his hand, walk to the precise spot where they got married, and dance with him to the sound of nothing except the gentle whisper of snow.

[guoxinghe]

Makoto Tachibana x Reader - How You Remind Me

I wrote this a looooooooong time ago back when I was on Deviant Art. 

Smut

Snowflakes danced around the both of you, collecting on your eyelashes.  The frigid gale quickly turned your cheeks red and dry as Makoto and you walked down the sidewalk.  A strong arm was wrapped around your shoulders, holding you close to him, ensuring you didn’t slip on the small patches of ice.  You always seemed to find them under your feet, and too many times, you fell on your ass, bruising it for a couple days. That was before you met Makoto though. Even before you started dating, he’d always hold onto you when out and about during winter.  

Upon reaching the door to your apartment, Makoto ushered your shivering self inside, saying, “You’re freezing. I don’t want you catching a cold, love.”

“Mako, you don’t get a cold from the cold,” you remarked, but then you ended up sneezing multiple times into your sleeve.  Before he could say anything, you grumbled, “Not one word, sweetheart.”

Sighing in exasperation, he led you over to the plush sofa and grabbed a couple blankets from the large wicker basket.  You wished he didn’t worry so much, but asking for that was like asking Haru to never swim again.  So, you remained still as he wrapped blanket after blanket around you, pressing the back of his hands to your cheeks to help warm them up.  

Deep down, you appreciated these gestures because you frequently forgot to take care of yourself. For example, you tended to be a night owl, staying up well after midnight.  You really did try to sleep earlier, but you always got sidetracked and distracted by something.  You’d only realize how late it’d become if Makoto sent you a text if he woke in the middle of the night.  It was usually along the lines of “Get some sleep please, sweetheart” or “It’s really late.  You can finish what you need to tomorrow, love.”

After you’d become a sufficient blanket burrito, Makoto flitted about the kitchen, grabbing a couple mugs you’d been gifted for your birthday by Gou.  The aroma of freshly heated cocoa filled the apartment as he poured the chocolate into the mugs.  A small smile curved your lips when he returned with two piping hot cups of hot chocolate.  Settling next to you, Makoto immediately pulled you into his lap, holding you flush against him.  Your head rested against his firm chest, cradled in his arms.  

Kissing your forehead, he asked, “Warm?”

You giggled and nuzzled against him, relishing in his affections.  “Very.  Thanks, Mako.”

“I worry about you,” he said, brow wrinkled, “I’m worried you’re going to get really sick one of these days because you didn’t eat enough nutritious food, or you stayed up too late on too many nights.”

Frowning guiltily, you sighed.  “I know, I know.  But you don’t need to worry so much.”

“Nonsense.  Of course, I worry because I love you.”  After taking a sip of his hot chocolate, Makoto covered your lips with his in a chaste kiss.  “I love you more than anything.”

Not letting him escape, you reached up to let your palm rest against his nape, pulling him back down to kiss again.  Immediately, he melted into the kiss, probing you for entrance with his tongue.  You eagerly greeted him with your own, twining them around each other, savoring the taste of chocolate and him.  He groaned lightly into the kiss, bracing himself against the armrest with his free hand while the other wrapped securely around you.  In a swift motion, he stood causing you to squeak in surprise.  He carried you bridal style into your cozy bedroom down the hallway.

Pressing one more kiss to your nose, he set you down on the bed before stripping off his shirt, revealing hardened muscle underneath.  His pants sat low, teasing you with the sight of the sharp v of his hips. It was enough to make you rub your thighs together in anticipation underneath all those blankets.  

Leaning down, he cooed in your ear, “Just let me take care of you, love.”

A blush formed on your cheeks because you knew when he said that, you were going to be completely wrung out afterwards.  Slowly, he unwrapped the blankets from around you, causing you to shiver momentarily. Still, you’d be warm again soon enough, and you coyly bit your lip at the thought.  Large warm hands slid underneath your shirt to caress your sides. You sighed happily with his half-lidded gaze pinned on you underneath him.  Arching your back, you allowed him to sneak a hand around to undo the clasps of your bra.  He lifted your shirt up, stripping it off along with your bra, leaving your upper body bare.  Instinctively, you crossed an arm around your chest and averted your gaze, anxiety pooling in your gut.

Makoto frowned slightly, but he wasn’t upset at you.  No, he could never be.  He knew how terribly the voices whispered, calling you bitter names that never did fit you; ugly, hideous, disgusting, unlovable.  He didn’t miss the glistening tears welling in your eyes or your lips thinly pursed together in rumination.  Brushing a finger underneath your chin, he tilted your gaze back towards him.  Your eyes were wide in trepidation, and he could see the gears turning in your head.

He soothed, brushing a thumb along your cheek, “Focus on me, okay?”

Swallowing hard, you nodded meekly.  Gingerly, he brought your arm away from your chest, bringing your fingers up to his lips. He kissed each knuckle in turn, cradling your hand in the warmth of his own.  Smiling encouragingly, he squeezed your hand as he trailed kisses along your neck, the warmth of his tongue sparking prickles along your skin.  His free hand snuck down to your pants, caressing your hip underneath the fabric.  You inhaled sharply, goosebumps forming along your skin.  Pulling away, he snuck his other hand under your pants and slipped them off you, taking your panties with them.  Stripped completely naked, you scooted further up the bed, trying to keep your eyes fixed on Makoto.  His eyes never left yours as he trailed kisses down your stomach, along your hips, and brushing your inner thighs.  

Face to face with your arousal, he praised, “Pretty girl.”  Taking your hand again, he licked along your clit.  You squeezed his hand in turn, making him chuckle.  “You’re always so sensitive for me, sweetheart.”

Before you could say anything more, he slid his tongue inside, flicking it upwards in just the way you like.  You whimpered, hips wiggling involuntarily under his ministrations.  He smiled against you, bringing his tongue up to flick at your bundle of nerves again.  Slowly, he inserted a couple fingers, curling upwards to rub against your walls.  Groaning lightly in pleasure, your body finally relaxed in his hold.  

“Oh, Mako,” you breathed shakily as he caressed that sweet spot inside of you while sucking hard on your bud.

He pressed his fingertips harder, causing your legs to slightly quake as you shifted from the sensation.  It never took you long to come, and he always could tell when you needed just a tad more stimulation to push you over the proverbial cliff.  He rubbed faster, groaning against you when you bucked your hips. A couple more strokes had you gasping, writhing on the bed, legs threatening to clamp around his head.

Once your body calmed again, he decided to hazard a glance up at you.  Your forearm was laid across your forehead, chest heaving shakily with each breath.  Stepping back, he quickly removed his pants and boxers, stroking himself a couple times before joining you again.  Caressing along your inner thighs, he crawled back up along your body, kissing and suckling patches of skin, leaving small marks in his wake.  Nibbling slightly by your collarbone, his hand slid to cup your breast, thumb rubbing against the rigid tip.  

He whispered against the shell of your ear, “Ready?”

Hearing you hum in confirmation, he lined himself up and slowly pushed into your entrance. Groaning softly, he watched your expression for any signs of discomfort.  When he rocked forward another fraction of an inch, a sharp whimper escaped you.  Makoto froze, concern evident in the otherwise peaceful verdant of his eyes. Willing yourself to relax, you took a few deep breaths, letting tension melt into desire.  When the pain dulled, giving way to pleasure, you wrapped your arms around his neck, nodding for him to keep going.  Hips moving meticulously, Makoto cradled you in his arms, dropping kisses along your neck.  You shivered in delight, feeling his hardened muscle rub against your stomach.  

Pulling away, he watched your face scrunch up in pleasure.  Smiling, he pressed his forehead against yours.  “You’re so beautiful like this, spread bare beneath me. I’ll tell you as many times as I need to.”

Blushing, you hid your face in the crook of his neck, whimpering, “M-Mako…”

As you grew more accustomed to his size, his thrusts came faster, making you writhe underneath him from hypersensitivity.  Reaching down, he rubbed a finger against the aching bundle of nerves, never faltering in his movements.  There was no way in hell he was gonna finish first before you came a second time.  No, he wanted – needed – to draw out every bit of pleasure from your body which he adored so much.  He watched your eyes slip in and out of focus with each movement.  Groaning at the sight, he swallowed your whimpers in a passionate kiss, tongue twining with yours lazily before oxygen called him to pull away.  

He purred, “Can you give me a second one, sweetheart?”

You whined, hips bucking against his touch.  “M-Mako, I’m c-close…”

Kissing your forehead, his finger rubbed harder as he angled his thrusts deeper, hitting consistently against that sweet spot inside.  You could tell he was losing himself to desire too, shuddering and panting through ecstatic bliss.  Your legs trembled underneath him from all the stimulation.  It was like trying to hold cupped water in your hands, your mind slipping until the pleasure was all you could think about.  Thrusting one last time, Makoto felt you contract around him as your body tensed, chest heaving and gulping for air while you came undone beneath him.  You came with the cry of his name, and God, he had to kiss you for that.  Your hands had slipped from his neck to grip the pillow beneath you.  Cradling you in both arms again, he quickened his thrusts.

 “See?  This,” he moaned with a harsh gasp, like he could barely keep his composure through each shaky breath, “This is what you do to me.  You’re the only one who can make me feel this way, love.  I don’t have a problem reminding you.”  He chuckled breathlessly and smiled.  “Believe me.”

You cried, “Makoto!”

Capturing your lips again, he moaned as he came hard and uninhibited, trembling through his release.  Tightening his hold on you, he kept you under his protective warmth as he came down from his high.

Pulling out, he grabbed a towel on the side table.  Your body was like liquid, unable to move, but you certainly had no complaints.  Gingerly, he began wiping at the residue between your legs, stroking your hips with tenderness.  After cleaning himself up as well, Makoto settled down beside you and gathered you in his arms.  Your head rested on his chest, eyes fluttering closed with exhaustion. Fingers stroking your upper arm, he pressed his lips to your hairline.  You smiled sweetly and craned your neck up, asking for a direct kiss.

Staring down at you, his gaze holding all the affection in the world, he met your lips in a chaste kiss.  “I love you, sweetheart.”