#Extended MAT Credit

[mystartupsolution]

MSME Registration Service in Lucknow | MY STARTUP SOLUTION

Greetings from My Startup Solution, your go-to resource for help navigating the complex world of business prospects and laws. In the cutthroat world of today, starting and expanding a business need legal compliance as well as strategic preparation. Registration of Micro, Small, and Medium-Sized Enterprises (MSMEs) is one such important step. With its thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem, Lucknow provides ambitious company owners with a plethora of chances. Join us as we explore the importance of MSME registration service in Lucknow and how My Startup Solution may serve as your road map.

Understand MSME Registration:

For firms, MSME registration service in Lucknow is essential to have access to a range of advantages and prospects. MSMEs, as acknowledged by the Indian government, are the foundation of the economy and play a major role in the creation of jobs and the expansion of industry. In order to enable targeted support and incentives from the government, the registration procedure classifies businesses according to their investment in plant and machinery or equipment.

Why MSME Registration Matters in Lucknow: Lucknow, the capital city of Uttar Pradesh, is witnessing a surge in entrepreneurial activities across diverse sectors. From traditional crafts to modern technology startups, the city is brimming with innovation and creativity. However, amidst this dynamism, ensuring compliance with regulatory frameworks is paramount for sustainable growth. MSME registration empowers businesses in Lucknow by:

Access to Financial Support: Registered MSMEs are eligible for various financial incentives, including subsidies, credit facilities, and preferential treatment in government tenders. This financial assistance can fuel expansion plans, boost production capacities, and enhance competitiveness in the market.

Legal Protection: Formalizing your business through MSME registration provides legal recognition and protection against unfair competition and trade practices. It instills confidence among stakeholders, including customers, suppliers, and investors, thereby fostering trust and credibility in the market.

Growth Opportunities: MSME registration opens doors to networking opportunities, collaboration prospects, and participation in trade fairs and exhibitions. These platforms serve as catalysts for business growth, enabling enterprises in Lucknow to showcase their products and services to a wider audience and explore new markets.

Government Initiatives: The Government of Uttar Pradesh, in alignment with the central policies, has launched several initiatives to promote MSME development in Lucknow. From skill development programs to infrastructure support, these initiatives aim to nurture a conducive ecosystem for entrepreneurship and innovation.

How My Startup Solution Can Help:

At My Startup Solution, we understand the complexities involved in starting and scaling a business. Our dedicated team of experts specializes in providing end-to-end MSME registration services tailored to your specific needs. Here's how we can assist you:

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Conclusion:

In the bustling city of Lucknow, realizing your entrepreneurial dreams requires a blend of vision, resilience, and strategic planning. MSME registration in service in Lucknow as a cornerstone in this journey, unlocking a myriad of opportunities for growth and success. With My Startup Solution as your trusted partner, you can navigate the complexities of registration with ease and confidence. Let's embark on this transformative journey together and chart a path towards prosperity and innovation in Lucknow's vibrant business landscape.

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[miriunknown]

Our Love story could be kinda Gory 🧠 [pt. 1]

Zombie!Jinx x F!reader

Summary: an outbreak of a virus flooded the streets of Zaun, Piltover following soon after. You were one of the few people that still lived, while searching for food you catch the eye of certain blue haired zombie.

Warnings: Mentions of blood, Zombies, this is gonna have multiple parts, jinx, proofread but I probably missed some things, very obvious references,

Divider credits: @bernardsbendystraws

Pt. 2

It happened so suddenly— it began in Zaun, people attacking each other in the streets. Seemingly agitated at anything that moved or made noise, it started by one person then soon most of Zaun was infected and Piltover quickly followed suit. No one knew why and no one knew who caused it, it spread quickly one bite is all it took, one small bite barely breaking the skin and it was over. The infection would spread through your body quickly, turning you within a day, morphing you into a mindless zombie muttering bouts of gibberish and broken english. After the initial shockwave of zombies, it died down, zombies were less frequent. But that didn't make it any less dangerous.

Most of Zaun was infected as was Piltover, survivors were scarce if there were really any at all. You were one of the few "lucky" ones that actually survived this, you didn't know of any survivors nor did you care if there were— you only wanted to survive. Food was very scarce and hard to come by, most food was rotten and the ones that weren't tasted like dish water. The streets were quiet, unusually so but it brought you an advantage if anything so you quietly maneuvered the bare streets. You found yourself infront of a old food stall, the sign was worn and torn and you couldn't make out the name, looking around you made your way around the counter you began rummaging through the stall quietly turning over pots, bowls and old containers but there was nothing.

You groaned lowly before turning around walking back out of the stall, your feet dragging against the ground caught the attention of something — someone. it was still quiet, you didn't think of anything though you still made sure to be alert. You thought you were safe, little did you know someone was watching you right at this very moment— her pink eye trained on you as you maneuvered through the piles of trash and metal that littered the street. Her blue matted braids swaying lightly as she moved to follow you closely, her sight was trained on you she felt drawn to you; for whatever reason it might be.

Her footsteps were quiet as she followed you silently, if you would've known she was there you would've been disturbed. She didn't make a noise, no babbling like most zombies or loud footsteps from dragging her feet, no she was quiet. Her feet were light as she stepped, her mouth practically glued shut making sure no grunts or groans escaped her dead lips. The only sound she made was the light jingle and thud from her shoes. You felt eyes on you as you made your way through the city, your head was on a constant swivel trying to catch the person or thing that was watching you but to no avail, she was hidden.

As you turned a corner a zombie jumped out at you, "mus... ust... Ea...ughhh.." it groaned as you jumped back catching you off guard. You went to reached for your gun but before you could a shot rang out, the zombies brains scattered against the wall. You stepped back, you half expected to see another survivor but no, it was another Zombie. She stood there her arm extended holding her gun still pointed at the zombie, but her eye was trained at you. You knew who she was; everyone did. She was Silco's daughter, Zauns savior— or she was. Her hair was still in twin braids yet they were matted and pieces of flesh and blood stained them in certain places. She was missing a eye, as well as her middle finger.

You just stood there staring at her, you were dumbfounded, unsure of what just happened. You shook your was forcing yourself to snap out of it you, grabbed your gun pointing it at her she didn't move even with the barrel of your gun pointed at her forehead. She simply lowered her gun still keeping her eye on you, you were about to pull the trigger but there was something about the way she looked at you. There was a sort of passion burning in her eye, as she stared at you, you dropped your guard lowering your gun— you decided to let her keep her head, she didn't seem hostile— if she was she would've most definitely attacked you by now. You turned to walk away, She quickly followed behind you, 'why is she following me?' you thought as you continued to make your way back to your apartment, with her in tow.

She didn't make a sound, she just kept her eye on you as she followed you closely, no noises escaped her lips as she followed adding to your unnerved feeling. The only sound you heard from her was the sound of her shoe hitting the ground as well as the slight jingle. You moved through the alleyways swiftly in an attempt to lose her, but she was hot on your trail. She was oddly fast for a Zombie, most of them were slow limping usually and crawling on occasion, but she seemed abnormally fast. Everytime you'd turn around to see if you've lost her she'd be only a few steps behind. It was unsettling. She didn't do anything, she made no sounds, no trying to bite you, she just followed you intently. Her eye was watching your every movement, she didn't look away from you.

You made a sharp turn and started running, jumping over trash and rubble that were scattered about. You finally reached the small balcony outside of your apartment, you whipped your head around keeping an eye out before you hurriedly grabbed one of the ladders trying to quietly pull it down but you noticed something moving in the darkness, then you heard it. "Ma..ughh..ma...." Your blood ran cold as you tried to pull the ladder down quickly not caring how much noise you made anymore you just wanted to get out of there. A little girl appeared out of the darkness, she was in ragged clothes and her hair was matted and dirty from all the dirt and blood. She lunged at you making you step back and brace yourself, but someone grabbed her, it was Jinx. She grabbed her pulling her out of the alleyway and walking off. You were stunned unsure of what just happened; you stood there for a good few seconds before you snapped out of it giving the ladder a few good tugs and it finally fell down, the sound of metal clanking hitting the ground rang out throughout the alley way causing you to whip your head around to make sure it didn't attract anything.

You hoisted yourself up onto the small balcony, pulling the ladder up once you got good footing, you sighed from the stress rubbing your face with your hands of the thought that you could've been bitten— before she saved you. You opened the window to your apartment sighing as you stepped inside. It was dark, old food containers were struin about from nights of instant noodles for breakfast, lunch and dinner. You quickly closed the window drawing the curtains and setting your backpack on the floor as you flopped onto your bed, you could smell the faint scent of vanilla on your sheets from your body spray which seemed to lull you to sleep as you quickly drifted off, the tiredness of the day finally washing over you.

You woke up in the middle of the night, you looked at your clock; 2:45, it read you as you laid there wondering why you woke up but then you heard it— tapping at your window. *tap tap tap,* "he... Hel..ooo..." your heart nearly stopped beating realizing what was outside your window, you grabbed a bat that was leaning up against your wall as you approached the window. You carefully peaked through the curtain slightly, to see familiar matted blue hair. You sighed, *tap tap tap,* this time it was persistent, irritated even.

You didn't want to open the window, even if she didn't attack you before she could snap and attack now. The taps just got louder, eventually the taps turned into banging, which turned into her trying to pry your window open. You just gave up on trying to ignore her and approached the window flinging the curtains open giving her a tired glare, she just stared at you, but you swear you could see a smirk appear on her face. *Tap, tap* "ooohh....pe-..nnn..." She grunted behind the glass of the window that separated the two of you. You were tired, you just wanted sleep, yet this random zombie girl wouldn't leave you alone.

She just looked at you, a sweet look on her face— she looked innocent, you knew she wasn't. But that didn't mean you didn't give in and open your window for her. She smiled a crooked smile at you as she stalked her way inside your apartment, her head was practically spinning how quickly she was turning her head to look around at all your decorations and rations. "What do you want?" You asked her; forgetting she can't exactly tell you. She walked towards you, slowly to where she was only inches away from your face. The smell of rotting flesh and blood invaded your nostrils but you tried not to flinch at the smell, she stood there for a few minutes just observing your face, taking in any little detail from the smallest wrinkle to the large bags under your eyes from restless nights.

There it was— you noticed it again, that look in her eye she had when she looked at you. It was the same look you had noticed when you first locked eyes with her only a few hours prior. You couldn't make out what it was, hunger? Curiosity? Lust? You were unsure, she brought her hand to your face sweeping some hair out of your face as she admired you. Your breath hitched at her sudden movement, your body became tense as the anxiety of having a zombie a mere 5 inches from your face crashed down on you, and suddenly you felt that pit in your stomach the one that made you feel nervous beyond belief.

Her brows furrowed as she noticed how you tensed against her touch, stepping back she continued looking around your room. She was silent, the silence only made your anxiety worse you felt the pit in your stomach grow as you watched her walk around your room occasionally running her fingers along framed photos or posters you still had on your wall from before the outbreak.

She turned back to you just watching, "what's with you?" You muttered, she tilted her head at your question unsure of what you meant. She opened her mouth in an attempt to speak but only broken up words and grunts escaped, she covered her mouth with her hand brows furrowing as she became increasingly frustrated with how she's borderline mute at the moment. You thought of something, your legs moved from beneath you as you approached your nightstand reaching into one of the various drawers and pulling out a old notebook. The girl watched you; curiosity etched onto her face as she observed your moving figure. You looked around your room for a pen— a pencil, anything you could use to write.

Finally finding an old worn out pen you tested it on the paper, the ink spelling out a long line against the white paper. Your eyes found your way back to hers, she was sitting on a chair by your desk still watching you. You shrunk under her gaze but you approached her anyhow, "can you write? Write what you want to say?" You told her, holding the notebook and pen out for her to take, her eyes glanced at the items in your hands but quickly looked back at your face. She took them still maintaining eye contact with you as she turned to set the notebook on your desk.

She began writing quickly and messily, you let her write in peace while peaking out of your window to make sure no other zombies were out there, before closing the window— making sure to leave it unlocked in case your guest decided to get bitey. When you turned back to her she was already holding out the notebook to you, waiting expectingly for you to take it. You hesitantly reached for it, nervous that she was going to bite your hand off as you grabbed it; but she didn't she just lightly smiles at you as your eyes landed on the page. "Your interesting" was all that was written out besides a lopsided smiley face that was written beside the text. "I'm interesting? What the hell does that mean?" You asked completely puzzled at her written statement. She just shrugged getting up from the chair and opening up the window, she looked back at you as she swung her legs over the window sill, her eyes never leaving yours before winking- or maybe she just blinked it's hard to tell with her having one eye- and jumping out the window closing it behind her and walking off into the night, you were dumbfounded. Of all the things that could happen you never expected this,

A zombie that was obsessed with you.

I'll make sure to link the next part here so you can find it easier, it might take a while for me to write it though 😥

[dungeon-strugglers]

✨New item!✨ Spear of the Primal Hunter Weapon (spear), very rare (requires attunement)

You have a +2 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this magic weapon. Additionally, you can use Dexterity instead of Strength for attack and damage rolls made with it.

Mark Prey. The spear has 7 charges, and it regains 1d6 + 1 expended charges daily at dawn. When you hit a creature with this spear, you can expend 1 charge to mark it for the hunt (no action required) for 1 hour. You know the direction and distance of a marked creature if it is on the same plane of existence, and it can't benefit from being invisible. Only one creature can be marked at a time.

Optional Attunement by a Barbarian. Your fierce focus prevents your prey from catching you off-guard. A marked creature can’t gain advantage on any attack it makes to hit you while you are wielding this spear.

Optional Attunement by a Druid. Grasping branches, tripping vines, and cloying earth impede the movement of your foe. A marked creature’s speed is reduced by 10 feet.

Optional Attunement by a Ranger. You can anticipate weaknesses in your quarry’s defenses. The first attack you make on each of your turns with this spear against a marked creature is made with advantage. 

You softly stride over a mossy log, following the trickle of crimson that soaks into the dense mat of green. The beast is ahead, through brambles and down in a hollow. 

Its grunting grows labored, as it crashes through the foliage. Despite your deliberate pace, you are gaining on it.  Your grip on your spear tightens, as a man-high mass of matted fur comes into view. The beast spins suddenly, spattering the earth with steaming blood. Frenzy in its eyes and froth gathering on its maw, it charges you in a final panic. You brace your stance and extend the spearhead to greet the rushing monster. Your feet slide, carving troughs into the ground as it acquaints itself with your weapon for the last time. - 🖌🎨 Like our work? Consider supporting us on Patreon and gain access to the hi-resolution art for over 200 magic items, printable item cards and card packs, beautiful creature art and stat blocks, and setting pdfs with narrative hooks and unique lore!🧙‍♂️ Thank you so much for your support! 💖

📜 Credit. Art and design by us: the Dungeon Strugglers. Please credit us if you repost elsewhere.

[crowsofdarkness]

Fallen: Chapter Four

-gif not mine. credit to owner-

Pairings: Bucky Barnes x Fallen Angel! Female Reader.

Content Warnings: language, angst, fluff, kidnapping, violence.

Summary: The new Avengers recruit has many secrets, one of which Bucky is desperate to discover.

Authors Note: This is a little AU with Bucky! It will have six chapters! Let me know if you want to be tagged!

Tags: @that-blonde-girl @starfly-nicole @bookofriverr @civilbucky

My breathing was heavy and labored as I reached for him, trying to bring him closer, only to be pushed back onto the mat below, by his hips. I was locked in this position, unable to move. His cold fingers wrapped around my throat, pressing his hips deeper into me and I let out a low groan, the sudden friction causing heat to spread throughout my body. 

“You’re giving in too easily,” Bucky spoke, inches from my face. 

His soft gaze caused butterflies in my stomach but I didn’t let that stop me from wrapping my legs around his midsection, rolling him onto his back. I was now on top of him, locking his hands above his head. 

“I don’t want to hurt you,” I said simply. 

Bucky looked up at me with a smug smile and before I could register what happened, he had me on my stomach with my hands behind my back, his vibranium fingers locking them into place. I felt his warm breath brush against the back of my neck, sending chills down my spine. 

“I’d like to see you try.” 

With the sudden weight off of me, I reached for one of the wooden swords that lay meters from me and with a swift swing of the legs I was on my feet. The tip of the sword pressed into Bucky’s neck who continued to give me a smug smile. 

“I guess you win this round.” 

The sword clattered to my feet, trading it for the water bottle Bucky was extending towards me. After a few large gulps, I let out a few deep breaths to calm my beating heart. This was our third training session in a row and each one always ended the same; him coming out on top. 

Figuratively, not literally, even though I found myself silently begging for it to be literal. 

The first session was tough, only because I was working through the nerves from being around him. With every kick or punch, all I could picture was using my powers against him to kill him. Bucky was a different person than he was all those years ago so I couldn’t ever tell him about my past. 

“I think we’ll call it today, enjoy the rest of the day,” Bucky said while he stripped out of his sweaty shirt, tossing it into his bag. 

I bit my lip at the way the sweat glistened over his chest, down each crevice of his stomach. But I couldn’t stop the way I stared at the scars on his shoulder where skin met vibranium. I marveled at how much we actually had in common. 

Both weapons of Hydra and both abominations in some eyes.  

“Same time tomorrow?” 

Bucky sucked in his lip, mewling something over in his head. “Take the day off. You should do something that you want to do; not train 24/7.” 

My heart fluttered at the small gesture. 

“I don’t think Cap would like that,” I joked with a smile. 

“I can handle Steve,” he smirked while running a hand through his short hair. 

As I gathered my things, ready to leave, an all too familiar pain shot through my spine and I couldn’t help the small cry that fell through my lips. 

“Hey, you alright?” Bucky wondered while gently grabbing my elbow. 

“Yeah, just post training pains,” I lied through gritted teeth. 

The pain was slowly starting to get worse even with letting my wings out every night. But those few minutes weren’t enough, I needed to stretch them wide and actually use them. 

When it finally subsided, I let out a deep breath and opened my eyes only to be met with a concerned one from Bucky. 

“Are you sure you’re okay?” 

I nodded. “I’m fine.” 

“Why don’t you sit down and take a breath. It looked like you were in a lot of pain,” he suggested. 

“I said I’m fine,” I spat. 

Anger took over causing fire to spread to the tips of my fingers that were wrapped around Bucky’s flesh arm. He let out his own painful hiss, ripping his arm from my burning grasp. With tears in my eyes, I watched as he stared from the red mark on his arm to my face, shock on his face. 

“I’m sorry,” I stuttered. “I didn’t mean to.” 

“It’s alright, doll,” Bucky tried to reassure me, seeing the tears in my eyes. “I heal fast, it’s alright.” 

I refused to listen, quickly grabbing my things and rushing out of the gym, ignoring his calls after me. 

I stared up at the ceiling of my room, letting another day waste away at the Avengers Tower. It had been a few days since I burned Bucky’s arm and in those few days, I did everything I could to avoid him. I opted out of the training sessions, even with Steve returning from his mission, because I feared that I wouldn’t be able to control myself any more. I didn’t want to hurt anyone else. 

The soft knock sounded on my door and with a sigh, I sat up in bed. 

“F.R.I.D.A.Y, who’s at my door?” I asked towards the Avengers’ A.I. 

“Captain Rogers.” 

“Go away, Steve!” I yelled. 

He responded with another knock; another I ignored. But the persistent knocking continued so with a disgruntled sigh, I rolled out of bed towards the door. I didn’t have a second to think of what was happening, Steve pulling me from my room and down towards the common room. 

“Steve,” I protested. “I don’t want to socialize.” 

Steve sighed and stopped, turning to face me. “Natasha came up with this weekly movie night and you’ve missed the last few. She’s going to kill me if I don’t make you come to this one.” 

“Why?” I shrugged. 

He raised a brow. “Because people want to get to know you, Y/N.” 

“Right,” I scoffed. “They probably want to see my wings.” 

Steve pinched his eyes together. “Not everyone you meet has some hidden agenda. Some want to be your friend.” 

“Like you?” 

“Yes, like me. And Bucky,” He responded. 

At the mention of his name, my ears perked up. “How is he?” 

I couldn’t stop the worry I felt knowing that I had burned him. 

“He’s fine, healed in less than an hour. I think you forget we’re super soldiers and we can handle whatever you throw at us,” Steve reminded. 

I bit my lip while messing with my fingers. “Is he going to be there?” 

Word around the compound was that I wasn’t the only antisocial member of the Avengers so I couldn’t help but wonder if he was going to be there tonight. 

Steve smirked. “Would it change your mind on coming if I said yes?” 

When I remained silent, Steve knew he had his answer so with an arm around my shoulders, he started leading me back towards the common room. My heart was hammering hard in my chest and I knew Steve could hear it because he gave a comforting squeeze on my shoulder. 

The sound of many voices that seized when we walked in did nothing to calm my nerves, multiple pairs of eyes on me. 

“Look who decided to join!” 

I rolled my eyes at Tony. “I didn’t have much of a choice.” 

Steve let me out of his grasp and I couldn’t help but stand there, feeling awkward, while I scanned a place to sit. There was only one spot left on the large couch and it wasn’t much of a spot to begin with. 

Bucky gave me a warm smile and patted the empty spot. My eyes glazed over his flesh arm and I breathed a sigh of relief when I noticed that Steve was right; the burn was non-existent. 

Quietly sitting next to him, I kept my lips together because I didn’t know what to say to him. Not only because of when I hurt him but also because of the way I felt around him. 

While a part of me felt guilty about being sent to kill him years ago the other part felt so attracted to him. The way his eyes shined under the light from above, or the way that he smelled; his scent engulfing my nostrils the second I sat next to him. 

Mahogany and a small bit of cinnamon. 

“I’m glad you’re here.” 

I looked up at him with a raised brow. “You are?” 

Bucky nodded. “I’ve been worried about you.” 

This caused my body to turn completely towards him. “You have?” 

His vibranium fingers twitched with nerves. “I know how it is to be the new kid around here and try to fit in.” 

That caused a small smile to tug at my lips. “It’s kind of like high school, isn’t it? Afraid of not being considered cool?” 

Bucky chuckled lightly and rolled his tongue over his bottom lip. “Well in my eyes, you’re pretty fucking cool.” 

My stomach flipped a few times in tangent with the butterflies I felt and I had to look away so he couldn’t see the way the blush took over my whole body. 

For the first time since I arrived here, I started to feel comfortable around him. I marveled at the way he looked under the moonlight that broke through the sky light above. It casted him in a radiant glow and I bit my lip when the moonlight highlighted how plump his own lips were. 

“Y/N? 

“Hm?” I looked towards the new voice and met eyes with the fiery red head I kept hearing about. 

“Drink? Natasha asked, extending a beer towards me. 

I shook my head. “I actually don’t drink.” 

Her brow was quirked. “Really?” 

“Yeah, the alcohol doesn’t sit well with the-uh-,” I motioned to my shoulder blades. 

Bucky noticed how stiff my body had become so he cleared his throat, turning the attention towards him. 

“I’ve got some root beer in my stash. That alright?” 

I smiled warmly at him and nodded. Bright eyes watched the way his back muscles tensed underneath his shirt while he bent low in the fridge, rummaging around for a few moments.A moan rumbled in my throat as I watched his shirt ride up just a tad while he reached for something in the cabinets, showing off the ripped muscles of his back. 

“Something catches your eye?” 

Snapping my eyes away from Bucky and towards the man that sat on the opposite side of me, I felt the heat cascade over my cheeks to the tops of my ears. 

“Nice to meet you, Wilson.” I leaned back into the couch. 

Sam returned the smile. “You too, Y/N. You know, us with wings have to stick together.” 

All I could do was nod with my best fake smile, hoping he would catch on that I didn’t want to talk about my wings; it was something that I didn’t want any of them to see, even talk about. 

“Sam’s not bothering you, is he?” Bucky questioned while sitting back in his previous spot. 

“Not at all,” I shook my head. 

When I realized what snacks he had brought back, a warmness filled me when I picked up an all too familiar snack. 

“Zefir?” I question, looking into his eyes. “Where did you get this? I haven’t been able to find this chocolate anywhere.” 

It was a popular chocolate bar in Russia and when I spent some time there with Hydra, that was one of the things I ate every day. 

“The second cabinet to the left of the fridge is mine and full of these. Help yourself anytime,” Bucky offered with a warm smile. 

“Thank you.” 

In that moment, I realized how sweet Bucky was and knew that he was someone I would be able to trust as we spent more time together. As Natasha chose a movie, one that I really didn’t care to have an input in, I found myself getting comfortable on the couch next to Bucky, who offered me some of the large blanket he had draped across his lap. 

“I’ll keep my hands above the blanket,” he promised. 

I accepted with another smile, an action that he had caused me to do a lot lately. 

That night was the first night since I arrived that I started to feel I belonged with the Avengers. They made me a part of their family, even knowing about my past. Truth was, everyone in this room had a terrible past and they couldn’t judge anyone else when they had blood on their hands as well. 

Suddenly, a pain started to slowly creep through the bones in my shoulders and I sucked in a breath through my teeth. 

“Are you alright?” Bucky breathed into my ear. 

I tried to nod but the pain had become too much. I didn’t want to cause a scene, however, so I did my best to slip out of the dark room unnoticed. 

Thankfully the only one that knew I left was Bucky and he swifty jumped off the back of the couch, following me. Once in the bright hallway that led back towards the dorms, I grasped for some sort of support when the pain had become too much. 

“Mother fucker,” I uttered in pain, falling to my knees. 

Strong arms wrapped around me before I fell to the ground and held me upright, soft voice cooing in my ear. 

“I’ve got you, doll,” Bucky mused. 

“Rooftop,” was all I could mutter through the pain. 

Without another word, he quickly led me up the few flights of stairs towards my solace that I had called my own the last few weeks. 

[itsjusthockey]

Playdate - Mat Barzal

This man does things to me

Warning: NSFW (first time ever, hope it doesn't suck)

wc: 2,513 (credit to gif maker)

Feed me. Send in requests and give thoughts

You know from across the room he isn’t a good person. Someone who looks like that can’t be. His appearance alone seems to broadcast this verdict, a beguiling countenance that you can't help but be captivated by its enigmatic allure.

He’s gorgeous. So naturally, you’re curious about him. His casual demeanor exudes an air of confidence. He’s got that suave disposition, enhanced by a sexy half-smirk and eyes that hold an almost magnetic quality as if they could sway your every inclination.

You want to get close to him, to scrutinize those eyes up close and determine whether their impact would be enough to unravel your very foundation. And as fate would have it, a twist of coincidence steers your group toward the bar, positioning you conveniently beside his presence. Amidst the bustling crowd, circumstances bring you into proximity, placing you so close that his back is stiff against yours. The occasional accidental contact sends electric thrills coursing through you.

“What’re you gonna get?”

Your best friend's question solicits your attention and guides your gaze toward the bartender standing at your side. Your patient contemplation coincides with the bartender taking the giant order from the men beside you.

“Can we get six of these,” the near god of a man next to you holds up a beer, “and three shots of whiskey.”

The bartender nods and starts making the drinks, and in a moment of calculated daring, you decide to orchestrate your first move of the evening. A faint, deliberate graze of your fingertips against his arm is executed with finesse. Then your sudden withdrawal from the contact is masked by an apologetic smile and a sweet “I’m sorry” that dons in the air with charming modesty.

Of course, the gesture sparks his attention, prompting him to focus entirely on you. The impact is staggering – he manages to nearly take your breath away. He is almost unfairly attractive, and it elicits a sense of disbelief, as though it shouldn’t be possible.

“Don’t worry about it,” His gaze sweeps over you in a way that is far from subtle, leaving a trail of appreciation in its wake. A beckoning hand extends toward you. "I'm Mat.”

You shake the outstretched hand and lean a little closer to him. “Hi Matt, I’m (Y/N).”

With another lingering look at you and a glance at your friends behind you, a sly smile and a glint of mischief cross his features.

"What's your poison?" he inquires, the question laden with suggestion. You also don’t miss when he subtly elbows his friend behind him.

“What do you suggest?” You bat your lashes.

He lets out a light chuckle and throws out a couple of options, and after a minute of weighing the possibilities, you decide. Seconds later, the bartender returns with their order, and Mat orders the rest of the drinks, handing over a black card that catches your attention.

“Amex, really?”

He signs for the drinks and sends you a slightly shy smile. The night progresses, and the connection between you and Mat deepens, fueled by laughter and electric tension that hangs in the air. The playful touches exchanged become bolder, and every time he gives you those eyes, your stomach turns.

He also reveals he plays hockey, and you can't help but be captivated by the mental image of him in a jersey, his body glistening with sweat. The room grows warmer as your thoughts stray to uncharted and impure territories.

In a moment of playful curiosity, you ask, "So, are you any good?"

Mat's response is nonchalant, accompanied by a modest shrug. "I'm alright."

However, his friend Tito scoffs and chimes in, a mischievous glint in his eyes, "He's more than alright, he's fucking fantastic."

You can't help but raise an amused eyebrow, your gaze flickering between Tito and Mat. The camaraderie between the two friends is evident, and Mat's blush only adds to the charm.

“I mean, clearly, he’s a little bit interested because normally, he’s the most cocky dude I’ve ever met. You’ve got him being all modest and shit.”

Mat rolls his eyes far back.

“And I’m also sure that he really wants to show you his moves, he’s got great stamina and a fantastic-“

“Okay, Tito,” Mat almost panics, sending his friend a semi-glare and shooing him away.

Tito puts his hands up in mock surrender, winking at you and clinking glasses with yours and then moving to talk with your friend behind you.

You continue to talk with Mat for a while when you both realize that the bar's atmosphere is beginning to ebb, and you’re feeling about ready to leave. Yet, you’re unsure if you want to go alone, and your gaze meets Mat's with an unspoken question.

"I should probably get going.“

“Yeah,” he pauses. “Want company?”

You nod frantically and beeline to the exit, Mat trailing behind you. You leave the bar and enter the open air, making your way toward your apartment.

When you arrive, you’re quick to fumble out your keys, and you can feel Mats's burning stare. Once you unlock the door, you rush inside. Mat follows in, briefly looks around, and then locks his eyes on yours. You see his gaze flick down to your lips, and you can feel the silent invitation.

You both pause momentarily, almost unsure what to do, when Mat closes the distance between you. He pushes you gently into the door, and your lips meet for the first time. As soon as his lips mold into yours, it ignites the passion you've both been skirting around all evening.

With each passing second, you want more, and the intensity deepens, your hands finding their way to his chest, fingers curling around the fabric of his shirt. Mat responds eagerly, his arms encircling your waist, pulling you closer. The soft press of his body against yours only fuels the growing need that courses through you both.

You stay by the door for a minute longer until the heat between you becomes unbearable. You feel Mat's hand slide up your shirt and on your back, sending shivers down your spine.

You genuinely feel like you’re about to die, so you pull away, breathing heavily and locking eyes with Mat, whose hues have grown darker.

Mat speaks first, “Bedroom?”

The immediate answer should be yes, but you’re not the type to have a one-night stand. Yet, as if you’re on autopilot, you nod and lead him toward your room.

Once inside, Mat doesn’t waste any time. He grabs your hips, tugging you into him. He’s not gentle; he knows what he wants to happen, but his fingers are soft as he gently squeezes your sides.

You continue to mold together, his hands gliding up your back until he cups the back of your neck.

“Are you sure?”

You nod fervently, deciding against any logic. He smiles again and begins nipping on your neck. This feeling makes you putty in his hands. You’re almost positive he can feel the gulp you swallow, tilting your head to the side to give him more access to the spot you love.

He continues the assault on your neck, and you whimper out, which only seems to spur him on. He’s quick to unzip your top as you find yourself unlatching his belt. You hear it come loose, and a smirk takes over his face when you grab the zipper and pull it down.

In one bold move, you place your hand in his pants, and Mat moans against your lips, forcing your head to tilt back so that he can kiss you even harder.

You gently squeeze him outside his boxer briefs, and you note that he is already hard, and you can't help but let your ego go a bit. But you refuse to waste time, so you slide your hand past the elastic waistband of his underwear and grab hold of him.

“Holy fuck.” He swears.

You concentrate and watch Mat's face as you gently grab him at the base and his breath shallows. You trail your thumb along his length to gauge his reaction before slowly sliding your hand up and down.

After a few pumps, Mat places one hand beside his head, palm flat against the wall, to support himself. In his other hand, he’s digging into your hips, surely leaving bruises.

"Feel good?" You ask, brushing your lips against his earlobe.

His head drops to your shoulder as you continue to pump him at a steady pace, and you can feel him nodding into your neck. You love that you have him like this, at your whim. But it doesn’t last long when he manages to find the strength to pause his breathy curses to whisper in your ear, "I can’t wait any longer.”

At record speed, you both discard the rest of your clothing, and he practically throws you onto your bed. In a swift motion, his chest is pressed flat against your back, and he snakes around your hips, feeling to see if you’re ready for him as he is ready for you.

“Fuck, baby.” Mat moans, gently kissing your shoulder as he slides a finger inside you.

He works his way a few times, curling inside you while his thumb presses against your clit. You almost feel it’s getting too much when he removes his fingers and frantically searches for his jeans.

You watch, somewhat impatient, as he digs for his wallet, opens it, and finally pulls out a condom.

As if he never left, he pulls you forward, hungrily kissing you before gripping your ass. With your arms around his neck, you smile as you feel his hardness between you. He quickly hooks one of his strong arms around your waist to pull you close to his chest as he slowly places you down on the mattress.

“Ready?" he asks huskily with his forehead pressed against yours.

You nod, breath spent as you feel him against your thigh, "Yes."

Finally, after hours of anticipation, he guides himself inside of you, crawling up your torso as he pushes in inch by inch. Your eyes instinctively close, your jaw drops at the sensation of feeling this close to him, and you release a satisfied hum.

You feel Mat's breath on your cheek as he grabs your hip with one hand, steadying you before pulling out almost all the way. You want to groan at the loss of contact, but your breath is stolen when he slams back in.

“Holy shit," you breathe out, almost not believing a man could make you feel this way. “It’s so good.”

With your praise, the amusement in his eyes vanishes as he lets out deep breaths through his nostrils. He adopts a steady rhythm, neither too fast nor too slow, but the force he thrusts into you has you quickly feeling like you are going over the edge.

You dig your nails into his back, and when he spreads your legs even wider, the sensation he makes you feel becomes even more intense. You bite the inside of your cheek, but you can’t help but beg him for more.

“There we go,” Mat says through broken breaths, not flinching when your nails scratch his back. “Are you close?"

Whimpering, you nod, and Mat grasps your hips and practically lifts them off the bed for each hard thrust. You are barely able to see straight and feel entirely out of control. You feel on fire, and there is absolutely nothing you can do to hold onto the feeling of how he feels buried inside of you.

You were gone when you could no longer assist in the thrusting and were left disorientated with slow breaths. Mat follows suit, speeding up his pace, driving himself into a state of bliss shortly after, and collapses on top of you.

The room seems to pulse with the echoes of your shared passion as you both catch your breath, locked in an intimate embrace. For a moment, time seems to stand still, and the world outside fades away, leaving just the two of you intertwined in the aftermath.

As your breathing begins to steady, Mat shifts, his weight shifting off you and onto the bed beside you. He rolls onto his back, his chest heaving as he gazes at the ceiling. You turn your head to the side, your eyes meeting his, and a smile tugs at the corner of your lips.

Mat reaches out, brushing a strand of hair away from your face, his fingers lingering on your cheek. There's a quiet tenderness in his gaze, a vulnerability you hadn't expected, but as soon as you see it, it’s gone.

After a moment, Mat clears his throat, "That was... incredible."

A surge of emotion wells up within you, and you can't help but agree. "Yeah, it was."

For a minute longer, you both lie in silence, the heaviness of the moment hanging in the air. But eventually, Mat shifts again, sitting up on the edge of the bed. You watch as he starts to gather his clothes, and a pang of uncertainty hits you. The reality of the situation dawns on you.

As Mat dresses, you sit up, wrapping the sheets around yourself. Your heart races, a mix of desire and apprehension swirling within you. You want to say something, to reach out and ask him to stay, but the words stick in your throat.

Finally dressed, Mat turns to you, his expression unreadable. He steps closer, his fingers brushing against your cheek again, but this time, the touch feels different. It almost seems like a touch of farewell, of a shared moment that won’t ever happen again.

“Hey," he says softly, his eyes searching yours. "That was fucking amazing, but I have to go find Tito.”

You manage a small smile, though your heart aches at the thought of him leaving. Yet, you nod and watch as he goes. Leaving as quickly as he entered your life. You hear the door click shut behind him, and a small piece of your heart cracks.

You're suddenly overwhelmed with a mix of emotions as Mat walks out of your apartment. You know you felt something, the intensity of your encounter lingering, but now there's a bitter aftertaste.

Sitting alone in your sheets, slight anger replaces the immediate loneliness. How could he just leave? And how could you be so stupid to think he’d stay?

You spend the next hour cleaning up and thinking way too much. Half of you want to forget this ever happened, but the other half desires revenge. You want to prove that you're not someone to be brushed aside so easily. Your mind races for the rest of the night. Plotting on how you can turn the tables and make him feel the same longing and frustration he left you with.

[sins-of-the-father-au-official]

Prologue, Snippet.

I promise you all will see more of this fic beyond the small bits and pieces I post on here. My cold has just made progress on this prologue a bit slow because good prose is hard to write while hacking up a lung. Who would have guessed? I know I normally post more wholesome moments, but I wanted to share some of the more original elements of The Au and my dramatic prose work. With that being said welcome to the prologue: Orignal Sin. Tw : References to blood, wounds and implied violence.

The wind's voice hollowed her out, turning wounds into heaving lungs. Shredded muscles took the place of her burning chest, while iron-drenched gasps passed through her. It was a rattled act that clung to staggering steps and blood-stained fingers breaking into flesh-smeared walls. Whispered comforts seeped through the cracks in immortal white stone, a lullaby from the watching statue's lips. A haunting melody was carried by the bitter cold and soft emerald-tinted fog swirling around the never-ending room. Spindles of fog formed into emaciated fingers that caressed the pitch-black silken sling resting upon its owner's pounding heart and the restless newborn within it. 

Its embrace was gentle, as if to carry the weight of grasping hands and a wide, tearful gaze. One not searching through the carnage of busted lips and shattered bones that held him close. Rather, they followed the bounce of his mother's matted curls like it was some kind of battered prey. Every unstable step seemed to shake the cool focus and push a long-held wail through the Child's throat.  The coming sound loomed like a threat far more pressing than her legs caving inwards or the scrape of stone eyes against a sculpted blindfold.  “Hush, my child, dig into the strength you have given me for a few hours more. “Talia’s voice was a soft yet pained whisper as small fingers grabbed her shaking hand.” Just a few  hours more and you will never know my father’s blade as I have.”   Although those words were a light plea, they hung heavy in the thickening air.  They seemed to slice through the fog, rearranging it into scattered curves, thrumming with life.  It seemed to rise and fall like a growing pulse of blinding light, creating sickening shadows. For a moment, these shadows seemed to change; ivy-covered arms and hair shifted into the more organic curves of a cape or the edge of a sword. Adrenaline worked its way from the corners of her sight into her screaming nerves as if it were the settling smell of copper bolstered by the cold.  Where the trick of the mind once was now stood her weary form with its dry throat and ceaseless pulse, awaiting comforts.

Heres our first taste of the extended cast. Not only do we see our first glimpse of Talia, but we also meet one of those liberties I get to take, not following a set continuity. Lady Lazarus, or this world's version of a living pit plot line.

( Divider credit goes to : @hyuneskkami)

[princessbettina]

New Beginnings-Stardust x Fem!Reader

Summary: You're ring side during your best friend's match, where a distraction for their opponent leads to you actually distracting your best friend, costing them the win as they become frustrated with you. You try to apologize about what happened, but it's too late as they leave you alone in the middle of the ring. That is until a very special someone from the fifth dimension makes his presence known and ends up luring you in to join him by his side, resulting in a dramatic personality change...

♡Warnings: None. This story was inspired by the Alexa Bliss and Bray /The Fiend segment that happened back in 2020, mainly with Bliss's transformation by Bray / The Fiend.

♡This is kind of a long read, but I think it will be worth it. I apologize if there are any spelling or grammar mistakes in this or if the format of this story is all over the place. I tried with this, please be nice to me ♡

♡Gif border credit goes to saradika on Tumblr

Your best friend, F/n, had a match against Bayley as her best friend, Sasha Banks was in her corner. The match was stellar and looked like both competitors could win.

The match progressed, and it was you who, at the last second, saw Sasha hit your best friend as the ref wasn't looking as they were checking on Bayley. You quickly hopped on top of the ring aperon and ropes, yelling at Sasha and trying to get her to stop.

"She hit F/n!! I saw her! That cheater hit her!" You exclaimed, pointing directly at Sasha.

The ref was quick to see both you and Sasha and gave you both a warning before throwing one of you out.

All of this chaos caught the eyes of your bestie. She stood in the ring before going to your side and tried to calm you down and then focus on her match. "Don't worry about me, Y/n! It's okay"

As you turned around, you saw Bayley grab hold of F/n as she pulled her in for a Bayley to Belly suplex.

You gasped as you watched your best friend take the pin, which resulted in Bayley winning. The ring bell rang as both Bayley and Sasha met up with each other in the ring and squealed excitedly.

"I won!!! I won!!!" Bayley squealed / shouted as she and Sasha both jumped for joy and laughed together.

You, on the other hand, couldn't move as you just started at the ring mat. You were afraid of what might happen next for you and your best friend.

Your best friend F/n was quiet herself. She had both of her hands by her face. Shaking in question as to what just happened in her match and who was to blame.

She knew exactly who to blame...

As this was happening, Bayley and Sasha had made their way backstage, officially leaving the ring to just you, your best friend, and the wwe universe.

Seconds passed, and you had become brave to try and make mends with your best friend. You stood up on the mat and slowly walked over to where F/n was, still sitting on the mat, avoiding eye contact with you.

"F/n, I'm so sorry! All of that was an accident." Extending out your hand to F/n as you softly spoke to her.

You knelt down next to her and gently rested your hand atop of F/n shoulder, hoping to comfort and reassure her.

Without warning, F/n pushed you to the side a bit, causing you to be taken aback. You stared at her with confusion and shock.

F/n pulled herself up while holding onto the ring ropes and continued to shake her head at you. She still hadn't said a word to you.

"Please, F/n, allow me to explain and apologize. I really am sorry. Come on-" You exclaimed softly, raising your voice slightly.

Your best friend again pushed you away from her, softly but with just enough force to push you back down in the center of the ring.

"Y/n, it's your fault! You cost me my win. Please just leave me alone." F/n hissed at you, not wanting to hear anything more that you wanted to say, before exiting the ring, stepping through the ring ropes and heading backstage.

Leaving you all alone in the ring, accompanied with the wwe universe.

Your eyes stayed glued to the ring mat as your mind began to spiral and process what just happened. The crowd was also very confused as they continued to watch the action in front of them.

Shaking your head slowly in disbelief, you took a few deep breaths to yourself and were about to pull yourself before a familiar tune began to play throughout the arena.

Your eyes widened as you saw the yellow and gold lights mixed with blue colored stars took over the titan screen as the same familiar song continued to play, leaving you confused but a little relieved at the same time.

"What is Stardust doing out here?" You questioned to yourself. Watching the man himself strut and jump and even hiss, his way over to you in ring.

Stardust entered the ring and took a few steps in front of you. You watched him as he got closer and closer to you. Your heart began to beat faster by the minute and not in the bad kind of way.

Before this, you had been familiar with Stardust but never had a conversation with him. You didn't really understand him at first, why he was so obsessed with space and galaxies. Thankfully, overtime, you thought everything about him and his silly personality was cute.

Yes, here and there, you two would catch small glances at one another, leading with small smiles /smirks and waves to each other.

It was those small but cute interactions that really started to make you fall for the Prince of Dark Matter.

Stardust's plan on luring you into joining his side was working. He managed to get your full attention. The two of you had strong eye contact with each other, and you knew that there was no going back now.

The one from the fifth dimension had knelt down to your level even more now. Your heart felt like it was about to jump out of your chest.

You weren't scared. You were actually excited about this. This was a new thrill for you.

You kept your eyes only on Stardust, as did he on you too. Stardust rested a hand atop of your shoulder for a moment as you sat on the mat, watching his every move.

Smirking at you as he gently nodded his head, Stardust removed his hand away from your shoulder and then connected both of his hands together, making his gloves make that iconic star shape and then revealed himself to you shortly after.

You couldn't help but smile softly and could feel your face start to burn from the blush.

The next moment really surprised you. Stardust had then put both of his hands down to your level (upper chin area) and blew in front of him as tiny gold stars flew all around and in front of your face.

Those stars in your face had caused you to squint and then cough. You then saw the arena and ring lights go from gold to pitch black as your body was pushed down on the mat gently.

You had no idea what was happening but could sense that it was just Stardust. You became quite comfortable with him and just went along with his plan.

Moments later, the ring lights suddenly flashed back on, and the ring was empty. This left the crowd speechless, as you also wondered how that magic happened as you found yourself backstage along with The Prince of Dark Matter not too far behind.

It was later in the night, and Stardust had a match of his own in a few minutes, and it included you. Stardust's plan was to officially have you become his partner and help him win matches and cause a bit of mischief here and there.

You agreed to it one hundred percent and was excited to go along with it. Last minute before Stardust and you had to go out to the ring, it was brought to your attention that you had to wear a different kind of outfit, indicating that your character was changing and going to be matched with Stardust.

You found yourself in this unicorn princess, candy land mini dress that was cotton candy pink and blue colored, and a bunch of different colored polka dots going down at the skirt part of the dress and to top it off, you wore light blue gloves.

It was an interesting outfit choice, but you actually really liked it.

The time you had been waiting for had finally arrived as you watched Stardust make his entrance first, as did his opponent right after him.

You stood in gorilla, watching Stardust perform like you knew he always could. You cheered him on from backstage.

You were thrilled knowing that Stardust got the win. You knew what was happening next as your heart began to flutter with nerves.

"Have you heard the news?" Stardust questioned the crowd, emphasizing the word news. You couldn't help but giggle when hearing that.

"Have you heard the news?" Stardust asked again, extending an arm up as he twirled around for a moment in the ring. He got the crowd to cheer him, which they did.

"That's right! She's coming. She's coming in just a matter of moments. The prettiest of all the princess is now officially Starrrdust's new partner in crime!" Announced Stardust through the microphone, again emphasizing his own name that echoed through the ring and caused the crowd to once again cheer.

The smile painted ever so brightly on your face the moment you heard him mention your nickname. It brought blush to your face, as you felt more excitement and wanted to burst through the ring curtain and join him already.

"It's like the stars are aligned perfectly from Cuteville all the way to the fifth dimension!" Stardust continued on further as you smiled more as you listened backstage.

"Do me a favor, everyone, and please put your hands together for the beautiful one and only Princess Pretty, my sidekick, Y/n!!" Stardust exclaimed as the crowd cheered loudly, and before you knew it, you heard your music and knew it was your time to shine.

The end of main story!

♡Bonus: As you made your entrance, you had a bright smile that showed your excitement. You walked out with a brand new wave of confidence.

The crowd cheered for you but didn't really know what to think about your new outfit. Either way, you didn't care about what anyone thought of how you looked.

What mattered to you was continuing the show with Stardust and entertaining people as much as possible.

You waved like a queen as you made your way down the ramp and to the ring. Stardust watched as he playfully clapped and cheered for you, too.

Stardust had sat atop of the ring ropes, which allowed you to enter the ring. Once you and Stardust were in the same ring together, you jumped up and down for a moment, giggling like a child after getting a special treat.

That was the energy you thought matched his vibe, and it was definitely a perfect match for you two.

Stardust, and you had the crowd, and it was time to get serious. Without saying a word, you and Stardust stood next to each other, and it was him who held out his hand to you.

Seconds later, you placed your hand in his as you two stared deadly into the crowd before glancing back at one another with another smirk.

Stardust nodded his head as his smirk continued at you. You, on the other hand, smirked too and then grabbed an end of your dress and curtsied as you giggled at the crowd.

You were very excited about this new beginning with your new favorite person from the fifth dimension and couldn't wait for what was going to happen for you two next.

The end of the entire story! Thank you for reading. I hope you enjoyed it. Writing for Stardust is one of my favorite things and is always so much fun for me. He has had a strong hold on me lately, and I love it, haha. Stardust is and was simply amazing. Cody is amazing and is my favorite, and I can't wait to get back to writing more related to him. I hope you all have a blessed day, and remember that you are loved ♡

[deedeeplayssims]

Chapter 428: Manageable Households

The one thing I forgot to re-do was Eirinn's hairstyle and outfits.

He's simply adorable in his layered outerwear with the blue freezer bunny.

I can't help but think he grew fond of it after spending time with Katherine.

She autonomously went into the nursery and picked him up to play with him.

She's definitely a keeper and I like her more than ever as Aeric's partner.

But now it's time to get back to toddler skills before the new baby arrives.

Juliette claps excitedly as Eirinn gets even closer to maxing the skill.

Then she settles down with him on the living room tiles to finish his talking skill.

He's pretty close to maxing it, so no worries there.

Ewen's busy playing with his peg box.

I can't resist just watching him play for a bit as he's such a cutie.

Since he still needs some fun, I leave him to it.

And head across town for that visit I promised the spares.

Here's the renovated Sanctuary, their new home!

It doesn't look all that different from the front.

But that extra roof along the backyard was built to accommodate our two hate-the-outdoors spares.

Because it covers the now enclosed pool house!

And even extends over the outdoor bar area, to protect everyone's light skin.

I did a bit of renovating on the main floor.

Removing the wall between the kitchen and dining room so it's now open concept.

I think I may have even changed up the color scheme a bit, leaving the turquoise as it's Cam's favorite color.

And I turned the room in the back left into a nursery.

The main floor also has a living room, computer room, and a 3/4 bath with a shower off the entry.

The 2nd floor has three bedrooms with double beds, one of them an ensuite.

There's a fourth bedroom with two twin beds for the girls when they age to children.

And a full bath in the hall.

Providing them with four bedrooms and two baths in this section.

But there's a bonus 5th bedroom with an ensuite that's separated from the others via an upstairs balcony!

It even has a staircase to the ground floor, providing easy access to the work out room, sauna, and pool.

The perfect place for a teen boy to have some privacy and assert his growing independence.

Or as a guest room for out-of-town visitors.

I catch Aeric giving their new home an appreciative look as he says, "Nice place, Watcher!"

"It was a beautiful home to start with so I can't take the credit. I just tweaked it a bit to suit all of you."

"All of us?"

"Yes. The covered pool for your mother and uncle. An extra napping mat for the twins  in the nursery, as well as an activity table on the covered back porch."

"But what about…"

"Take a look in the side yard, near the garage."

One the side and back porch, I've placed two easels, mostly for Daeric, but available to anyone who wants to paint.

And I added Aeric's all important martial arts equipment, both a training dummy and a board breaker!

If Leila chooses to brave the outdoors to use it, that's on her.

I honestly couldn't find a spot big enough inside to accommodate it.

Besides, Aeric's the disciplined one and he doesn't mind being outside.

Not yet anyway.

Then I spot Alana in the yard and realize, as a sim who can't stand art, she may not appreciate those easels!

But maybe it's only art hanging on the walls that bothers her?

I never noticed her having an issue with all the easels and paintings-in-progress back at the main house.

Or even paying any attention to all of Juliette's photographs in the basement.

Art aside, I was hoping that Alana was going to pick up Gwen and bring her inside.

But since she's carrying her laptop, I guess she's planning on doing some writing.

Luckily, Leila's bringing little Sarah inside.

So, at least one of the twins is being cared for.

Maybe Leila will come back and get Gwen.

Unfortunately, she doesn't.

She just puts Sarah down on the floor in the nursery and complains about the potty chair!

Speaking of potty chairs, back at the main house, Ewen finally gets potty trained.

Now he can use the potty on his own.

With Ewen more comfortable, Jaeger sits down with him in the living room and teaches him to talk.

Of course, Jaeger can't resist talking about painting, "One day I hope to paint something that will rival the masters!"

But Ewen doesn't seem at all interested in the topic.

Ewen does seem to have a bit more interest in the movies as he repeats that word excitedly.

Another budding couch potato or maybe a movie star?

But there's a lot that doesn't interest Ewen at all.

Simoleans, jellyfish, and cooking having him remaining stubbornly silent.

Finally, "I got a promotion before I quit' prompts him to say, "po'motion!"

Jaeger definitely has his work cut out with teaching Ewen to talk.

But since they share the Insane trait, I'm sure they'll work it out.

Given enough time.

So, I head back to the spares new home.

This time with Tabatha so I can accomplish a certain task.

Getting Gwen into the nursery!

No one in the house seems to care that she's been outside all day.

She's not outside currently, as she's in the garage playing with her IF doll, Peaches.

But when I have Tabatha, who was obviously heading for the enclosed pool, visit the home, she rings the doorbell by the door to the garage!

Great. This lot makes the door on the back of the garage the 'front door'.

I click on the door to the actual house, hoping to be able to reset it to it's proper function, but the option isn't there.

I guess it's only available on your home lot.

I give up on that and focus on my sims as Aeric has now invited his grandmother inside.

Of course, that means inside the garage!

Well, it's where I need her to be so that works out.

Even if it makes no sense to consider the garage the house.

Once Tabatha's inside, she picks Gwen up and gives her a comforting snuggle.

"There, there sweetie. Gamma's got you now. I'll get you settled in the nursery with Sarah."

With Gwen being properly looked after, I check back at the main house.

I arrive just in time to see Fallon and Eirinn playing together.

Well, not exactly together, but at least near each other.

And they look super cute playing with their toys.

Checking their needs, Fallon just needs fun, no surprise as he just got home from school.

But he's already working on that by playing with Peanut.

Which is the 2nd Peanut in the current family as Aeric's IF is Peanut too.

At least they have different last names with Aeric being a Cullen.

Eirinn's not playing with his IF doll, thankfully, but a green dinosaur and his fun need is fine.

But he needs to get to the potty and fast!

Juliette gets him there just in time and encourages him, saying, "You're so close, sweetie. I think this will be your last training session."

And she's right, with Eirinn's bar so close to the top, when he finishes, potty training is mastered!

Juliette changes his diaper to max his hygiene and dresses him in his everyday sailor suit.

So even though I didn't manage a photo of him mastering potty training.

I do get this adorable shot of him playing with his IF doll, Hesper.

While in the living room, I get to see Ewen master talking with Jaeger pleased as punch.

"We've done it, my boy! With daddy's help you can now chat with everyone!"

He's so thrilled with Ewen's accomplishments that he pops a wish to see him become a genius!

It could happen, but with randomized traits, it's a long shot, so I don't promise it.

Juliette and Jaeger's twin sons, Ewen and Eirinn, have mastered both potty training and talking.

All that's left is teaching both of them to walk.

I'd thought Ewen had learned the skill using the walker previously, but I guess that happened in the playthrough I lost.

Maybe that will give one or both of his parents a chance to pop the wish to teach him the skill.

Especially once their baby wishes complete, which should be happening soon!

The spares are settling into their new home and I've kept my promise to stop by and show it off.

I've even had Tabatha visit to spend time with them.

Since she's still over there, we'll get another peek into the spares lives at the mercy of NRaas Story Progression.

It definitely handles keeping your town alive and progressing better than the EA version, but it can still throw in a few surprises!

Join me to see what happens with our heirs and spares in

Chapter 429: Progress and Pregnancies

Coming soon.

[mashithamel]

The Thief: JR Ward, Black Dagger Brotherhood

* Sola, my dear, it appears Assail is actually doing the work on his redemption arc. However, should you wish, at any time, to stop this story in its tracks, I will always have a place for you to come hide and I’ll lie about your whereabout when he comes looking for you. I have your back on this.

* We know V is not a talker, and Jane is a good doctor but may tend to overlook the emotional impact of big things (this is *not* me implying, in any way, that Jane is less than perfect of course). But did he even try??? Like, the bare minimum??? Gah.

* I mean, isn’t it Butch’s job to step in if needed?

* “He had to do something or the pressure inside was going to consume him—and the fact that he didn’t even think to talk to Jane about what was going on with him? It was hard to know if that was a symptom or the disease itself. Hell, maybe it was more practical than that. Her priorities were many, her time was few, and in the grand scheme of things, as this hateful war ground to its bloody conclusion, whatever that looked like, everyone was better off with her treating her patients rather than trying to save him from himself.” Dude.

* “Ruhn, Saxton’s mate” I’M SORRY WHAT DID I MISS????? WAIT THERE IS ANOTHER SERIES THAT CROSSES OVER WITH THIS AND I’M JUST SUPPOSED TO KNOW ABOUT IT??? Saxton, my beloved! I’m so happy for you! (*rushing to library app to get caught up*)

* I will give Assail’s cousins a ton of credit for tracking down Sola to make the decision about Assail.

* Publix shout out for the Floridians!

* Sola’s grandmother and Assail’s cousins is quite possibly the most wholesome relationship in the series. Drug-dealing murderers aside.

* Fine, time to bring out the big guns, Sola thought. “He’s not Catholic.” “He will convert.” Lol. I fully believe all three of them would sit right beside Butch and Manny every week if vovo said they should.

* A Payne mention! Wait, why is she not routinely fighting?

* I…can we please stop stuffing stuff in the mouths of seizing pts? They can’t choke on their tongues. They may bite tongues or cheeks, but you trying to shove somethibg in there is probably going to make it worse.

* “Or better yet he would die with honor, protecting those he loved in battle—which now numbered three, he realized: Evale, Assail…and this human woman.” Oh no. Do not tell me this male is not counting Vovo among the people he loves. He would absolutely go to the mat for that woman.

* Sola, your admission of love is very sweet and romantic. But as far as you know he’s still a drug lord. And there’s that little thing about being a vampire. And that this isn’t cancer but an effect of cocaine abuse. This is going to blow up spectacularly, isn’t it. I wonder who will spill the beans first?

* “There was also quality time to be had with his female. Extending a hand, he put his palm on the cover of the ancient tome that had proven to be the means to his ends. “My love,” he murmured as he closed his eyes.” Nope. Nope, nope, nope. I don’t like it. Oh my god. This scene is going to make me throw up. 🤮

* Someone really, really needs to break it to Sola that Assail isn’t terminal any more. Like, really. Right now.

* Not a fan of Vitoria. Can we skip all her sections?

* I’m really glad Jane and V did not drag out their separation more than a day or two.

* “Even if Marisol could evolve into the reality, her grandmother with her traditions and her strict codes and her God was never going to get there.” Are we talking about the same woman who packed up her granddaughter to go back to the murdering, drug-dealing ex? The one who is perfectly fine with the fact that these guys only want to go to mass and ger her groceries at night? Who buys extra packages of ghost peppers cause the guys like them? You really think she’s gonna crack because you all are vampires? Please. Vovo is way stronger than that. She probably knows already. Moron.

* Well, V was planning to work out some aggression with Payne, but never fear, she doesn’t actually show up on page or, god forbid, have any lines. Even though half this book is about V and his mommy issues.

* Wait, we don’t get Payne in person, but we get Havers? WTF? Does JR Ward hate me personally?

* Two days for syncope evaluation. The observationalist inside me is dying. At least he’s not ordering a carotid ultrasound, I hope?

* I cannot believe Lassiter would not enjoy My Little Pony. It is such a good show (excent the last season that kinda jumped the shark). Pinkie Pie is the best!

* Did we just make up the holy water in the bullets thing? Cause that feels like it was made up on the spot for this.

* Hey, Muhrder! Long time no see.

* “But no matter what happened, she had made sure her male was safe. Because that was what real women did. Real women didn’t wait for their dragon slayers to come save them.” I’m conflicted in that I don’t condone execution style murder (or any murder, really) but Vitoria needed to die and asap, so justice served? Good thing they are Catholic and she can just go to confession?

Bottom line: Assail needs a new job, Solas back in town and making ethically terrible decisions, and her grandmother in just the best.

Rating: three out of five unnecessarily painful rituals

[denimbex1986]

'If last week was frantic, fast, and offering a wide open welcome mat to Doctor Who fans new and old, Wild Blue Yonder felt like a demonstration of what the show can do and has done. First half hour? Good. Second half hour? Great.

We left the Doctor and Donna – David Tennant and Catherine Tate – in a TARDIS out of control at the end of last week’s The Star Beast. Wild Blue Yonder, the middle part of the 60th anniversary trilogy of Doctor Who, initially took things from there just via, er, 1666. Bonus points if you were instantly trying to work out if we were in the territory of the bubonic plague or the Great Fire Of London when that date popped up on screen.

Turns out, neither. In a tip of the hat to how much more money the show has its disposal, it was all a set up for a gag about gravity. Respect. Russell T Davies has just told the year’s most expensive dad joke.

But, post credits, this was at its best top tier Russell T Davies Doctor Who.

It was bold early.

Wild Blue Yonder robbed the Doctor very early in the story of two of his most potent pieces of equipment: his trusty sonic screwdriver, and his TARDIS. Both gone, minutes after the majestic blue box had been belching out massive flames. I was expecting, at that stage, more fast and furious stuff. Turns out I got quite the opposite.

he first effect of taking the TARDIS away was to give some time to settle and actually spend some time with the Doctor and Donna. The pair were running around so much in the fast-paced The Star Beast last week, that stopping for a proper chat was out of the question.

Here, that was happily remedied.

In fact, the episode itself was slower, calmer and really crept up the longer it went. Like a slow moving robot going along a corridor. Doctor Who the show may have new clothes and new resources, but I like Davies established that for all that, it’s still a show where the brakes matter. When you go slower, the impact can double.

The basics: we got an apparently abandoned spaceship that itself presents mysteries, and a posh remote camera to help explore it. But for the Doctor, something unfamiliar: a lack of stars, the edge of creation, a hundred trlllion years from Earth. Where even the Time Lord hadn’t been before, and seemingly didn’t know what to expect.

A bit of licking (yep) and joshing later, and out came a dash of Everything Everywhere All At Once. Extended arms that I thought were going to be played for comedy (and there were chuckles in the episode). But Davies wrongfooted me again, continually shifting the foundations of tone: turns out that if you’re looking to come up with a really creepy foe for David Tennant to face off against, you can do a lot worse than recruit David Tennant and Catherine Tate. It took a while, but I started to get Midnight vibes from it all, and that’s a very high Who bar.

It did take me a little time to settle though, and I’m about to pen a couple of churlish paragraphs for which the internet should hate me. Deep breath, here goes.

It does seem odd to note some of the effects work on Doctor Who, given what many of us grew up with. But the future craft on which the Doctor and Donna landed looked like it was made with a computer, and it didn’t look like they were there. It’s an odd side effect of the budget of the show, and being able to consistently afford nice things: the nice things are in turn held to a higher standard.

I feel weird typing that paragraph about Doctor Who. But for a moment, and this doesn’t usually happen, it took me out of things. I was back in for the most bizarre chase sequence I’ve seen all year, mind. And I happily watched the show without murmur of complaint throughout the 1980s. I’m clearly a spoilt whingebag.

Nice tip of the hat to Thunderbirds at one point. Let me get out of this hole by recognising that.

I bring all that up because in the first half of Wild Blue Yonder I was noticing stuff like that. In the second, I was absolutely gripped. When the Doctor and Donna properly went head-to-head with the Doctor and Donna? Well, with huge applause to the two actors at the heart of it, I became more and more unnerved. In a good way.

It’s like the shoot-out in something like the classic movie For A Few Dollars More, with two people working the other out, taking turns to take shots. Metaphorical ones here, as each explains whether the other was real or not.

Loved that.

As the episode went on, just where the floor of reality sat became less and less clear. Related: the more ambiguous Wild Blue Yonder became, it all became richer. Even when David Tennant’s head basically poked out of his own arse (it didn’t, but it looked like that), I was engrossed by what was going on..

Coming up with a Doctor Who monster to really get under our skin is a challenge in itself, especially now. Having Tennant and Tate just staring, with a half grin? Well, they’ve outgunned The Meep to my eyes.

Let’s take a moment too to consider the whole Gallifrey got “complicated” aside.

It’s a brief line from the Doctor that he utters, and he ain’t bloody kidding. Like it or not, the Chris Chibnall era of Doctor Who made a lot of Gallifrey (far more than Davies was ever inclined to do in his first run at Who), and anyone picking up those threads was always going to facing, well, let’s go with ‘a challenge’.

However, thrown into the mix here – although whether to believe it is a question in itself – is that the Doctor perhaps isn’t as sure of his roots as we’ve been led to believe. Might he not be from Gallifrey? Is it really possible that Davies has found something else in the character’s origin, six decades on? This is also picking up the mantle of The Timeless Child, introduced during the 13th Doctor’s era.

Will Davies choose to run with it? As the Time Lord himself once said, “time will tell. It always does”.

As much as Russell T Davies is a whizz at delivering a one-hour blockbuster episode of the show, he’s also proven he’s capable of offbeat, weird and unpredictable stories. I’m going to namecheck Midnight again, because – unexpectedly – it feels to me like an ideal companion piece for Wild Blue Yonder. Midnight-ish, on a bigger canvas, with the slowest ticking bomb Who has probably ever seen.

I thought it was terrific.

Credit too to director Tom Kingsley, and enormous applause for just how strong the work of Catherine Tate and David Tennant was here.

But the final word goes to one man: Bernard Cribbins. The last scenes that he shot for Doctor Who, just before we lost him in 2022, ended the episode. I thought that was a lovely, lovely touch. Sure, there was a massive plane above his head, but the ultimate focus was, rightly, on a much-missed actor. How fitting that the episode was dedicated to him. I can’t have been the only one with dust in my eye.

Next week, this trio of specials comes to an end with The Giggle. The trailer promises much. I’d suggest Wild Blue Yonder has set an early high bar for this latest era of Doctor Who.

Now, if you don’t mind, I’m off to watch it again. And to tip my hat to Bernard one more time…'

[animehouse-moe]

Ron Kamonohashi: Deranged Detective Episode 3: The Case of the Benizome Hot Spring Murder (Part 2)

The director for this series, Shota Ibata, has now boarded 3 out of 4 episodes for Ron. What an insane man, but the difference it makes it pretty impressive, I feel. Not a whole lot to talk about as this episode cleans things up, but certainly a few things I'd like to chat about.

First of all, Akira Amano's ability to think up situations for mystery solving is really something else. They take a humorous moment of Toto panicking, and are able to turn it into something that Ron can use to kick off the investigation. And you see that the whole episode. Just really impressive work for the first "large" mystery in the series.

Similarly, Ibata's storyboarding really helps in establishing Amano's ability. Take this shot for example. Ron's talking nonstop about the ping pong ball, and we even zoom in on it some in the next cut to focus on the ball specifically. However, they can't completely hide the gutter that appears in the scene as well.

What they can do is slightly abstract it by placing Ron in view, and like I said earlier, focus in on the ping pong ball. It's really crafty work that speaks to Ibata's understanding of how Amano's series operates.

You see something similar with the bath mat. We get a brief view of it up close, but quickly move onto a shot at distance of Ron and Toto bickering over it before Amamiya appears. The distance, having the bath mat out of focus, and introducing Amamiya into the frame all work to distract the viewer from the obvious clue that's left behind. Just really masterful work that pairs effortlessly with Ibata's overall style of proximity vs distance, as well as strong perspective and depth.

And here's just an example of that strong perspective. Ibata really has this stuff down to a science, being able to work his strong boards into the humor to provide for even the comedy.

And why not throw in some stuff about depth as well? Some fun layouts from around the middle of the episode.

There's also a really nice amount of fun sequences that are animated surprisingly well. Just the right touch of gag humor to the episode, in my opinion.

And just closing things out, the flipped script at the end. This work is really great at catching you off guard based on your expectations. You think Spitz is going to be some hardboiled hater of Ron? Well, turns out he's a massive fan that's looking for his help.

Such a great idea to extend the reach of BLUE into the story, as well as to continue digging up Ron's past piece by piece. And let's not forget how it all works to develop Toto now. It's a really incredible vision that Amano's made that personally, I believe carries itself all the way up to the top of Ron's expulsion from BLUE.

Being able to find a way to create a meaningful story from episode one can be challenge. A lot choose to be heavy handed in their approach and state the goal, while others (typically slice of life series) wander aimlessly until they find something to latch onto. Ron here exists in a very special category that builds up the goal as the story continues, and I think a lot of credit is deserved for that feat.

Similarly, I think a lot of credit is deserved for Diomeda's handling of this series. Under the heavy handed work of Ibata, it's really shaping up to be an impressively fun and interesting series.

[grotto-esque]

Article under the cut, including graphic images.

Khaled Joudeh, 9, mourning over the body of his baby sister, Misk, last month in Deir al Balah, Gaza. Credit...Samar Abu Elouf for The New York Times

Thousands of children have been killed in the enclave since the Israeli assault began, officials in Gaza say. The Israeli military says it takes “all feasible precautions” to avoid civilian deaths.

Barefoot and weeping, Khaled Joudeh, 9, hurried toward the dozens of bodies wrapped in white burial shrouds, blankets and rugs outside the overcrowded morgue.

“Where’s my mom?” he cried next to a photographer for The New York Times. “I want to see my mom.”

“Where is Khalil?” he continued, barely audible between sobs as he asked for his 12-year-old brother. A morgue worker opened a white shroud, so Khaled could kiss his brother one final time.

Then, he bid farewell to his 8-month-old sister. Another shroud was pulled back, revealing the blood-caked face of a baby, her strawberry-red hair matted down. Khaled broke into fresh sobs as he identified her to the hospital staff. Her name was Misk, Arabic for musk.

“Mama was so happy when she had you,” he whispered, gently touching her forehead, tears streaming down his face onto hers.

She was the joy of his family, relatives later said — after three boys, his parents were desperate for a girl. When she was born, they said, Khaled’s mother delighted in dressing Misk in frilly, colorful dresses, pinning her tiny curls in bright hair clips.

Misk Joudeh via Joudeh family

Through his tears, Khaled bid farewell to his mother, father, older brother and sister, their bodies lined up around him. Only Khaled and his younger brother, Tamer, 7, survived what relatives and local journalists said was an airstrike on Oct. 22 that toppled two buildings sheltering their extended family.

A total of 68 members of the Joudeh family were killed that day as they slept in their beds in Deir al Balah, in central Gaza, three of Khaled’s relatives recounted in separate interviews.

Several branches and generations of the Joudehs, a Palestinian family, had been huddling together before the strike, relatives said, including some who had fled northern Gaza, as Israel had ordered residents to do. The Israeli military said it could not address questions about a strike on the family.

In the end, members of the family were buried together, side by side in a long grave, relatives said, showing footage of the burial and sharing a picture of Misk before she was killed.

Gaza, the United Nations warns, has become “a graveyard for thousands of children.”

Determining the precise number of children killed in Gaza — in the midst of a fierce bombing campaign, with hospitals collapsing, children missing, bodies buried under rubble and neighborhoods in ruins — is a Sisyphean task. Health officials in Gaza say that 5,000 Palestinian children have been killed since the Israeli assault began, and possibly hundreds more. Many international officials and experts familiar with the way death tolls are compiled in the territory say the overall numbers are generally reliable.

If the figures are even close to accurate, far more children have been killed in Gaza in the past six weeks than the 2,985 children killed in the world’s major conflict zones combined — across two dozen countries — during all of last year, even with the war in Ukraine, according to U.N. tallies of verified deaths in armed conflict.

A wounded child arriving at Al-Nasr Hospital in Khan Younis, Gaza. Credit...Yousef Masoud for The New York Times

The body of a child pulled from rubble in Khan Younis. Credit...Yousef Masoud for The New York Times

The funeral of a child in Khan Younis on Oct. 26. Credit...Yousef Masoud for The New York Times

The Israeli military says that, unlike the “murderous assault against women, children, elderly and the disabled” by Hamas on Oct. 7, Israeli forces take “all feasible precautions” to “mitigate harm” to civilians.

Hamas, the military said, deliberately caused “the maximum amount of harm and brutality possible to civilians.” During the attack on Israel, parents and their children were gunned down inside their homes, witnesses and officials say, with children taken as hostages.

In response, the Israeli military says, it is waging a war “forcefully to dismantle Hamas military and administrative capabilities.” It notes that Israeli forces have told residents to flee to southern Gaza, and says that they issue warnings before airstrikes “when possible.”

But the furious pace of the strikes — more than 15,000 to date, according to the Israeli military, including in southern Gaza as well — makes the Israeli bombing campaign on the Palestinian territory one of the most intense of the 21st century. And it is happening in a dense urban enclave under siege with high concentrations of civilians, particularly children, setting off mounting global alarm, even from some of Israel’s closest allies.

After initially questioning the death toll reported by health officials in Gaza, the Biden administration now says that “far too many” Palestinians have been killed, conceding that the true figures for civilian casualties may be “even higher than are being cited.”

So many children are brought into the morgue at Al-Aqsa Hospital in Deir al Balah that the morgue director, Yassir Abu Amar, says he has to cut his burial shrouds into child-size fragments to handle the influx of corpses.

“The children’s bodies come to us broken and in pieces,” he said. “It’s chilling.”

“We’ve never seen this number of children killed,” he added. “We cry every day. Every day, we cry while we’re working to prepare the children.”

During previous wars, parents in Gaza, a crowded strip with more than two million people, sometimes put their children to bed in different rooms of their homes. If an airstrike damaged one part of the house, the other children might live.

Given the scale of the bombardment this time — which many Gazans describe as indiscriminate and without warning — some parents have put much greater distances between their children, splitting them up and sending them to relatives in different parts of the Gaza Strip to try to increase their odds of survival. Others have taken to scrawling names directly onto their children’s skin, in case they are lost, orphaned or killed and need to be identified.

In the emergency room of Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, Dr. Ghassan Abu-Sittah said that many children had been brought in alone and in shock, with burns, shrapnel wounds or severe injuries from being crushed by rubble. In many cases, he said, no one knew who they were.

Waiting for treatment at Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City. Credit...Samar Abu Elouf for The New York Times

A wounded child was treated at Al-Aqsa Hospital in Deir al Balah. Credit...Samar Abu Elouf for The New York Times

Waiting for treatment at Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City. Credit...Samar Abu Elouf for The New York Times

“They are given a designation — ‘Unknown Trauma Child’ — until someone recognizes them,” he said. “The crippling thing is that some of them are the sole survivors of their family, so no one ever comes.”

“More and more, it seems like a war against children,” said Dr. Abu-Sittah.

Two weeks ago, the emergency room at Al-Shifa registered “Unknown Trauma Child 1,500,” Dr. Abu-Sittah said.

Then, in recent days, Israeli forces stormed the hospital, where thousands of Gazans had been sheltering, saying that the facility sat above an underground Hamas command center. United Nations officials warned that the raid put Gaza’s most vulnerable in even greater jeopardy.

International experts who have worked with health officials in Gaza during this and other wars say that hospitals and morgues in the enclave gather and report the names, ID numbers and other details of people who have been killed in the territory. While the experts urged caution around public statements about the specific number of people killed in a particular strike — especially in the immediate aftermath of a blast — they said the aggregate death tolls reported by health workers in Gaza have typically proven to be accurate.

The Israeli military says it “regrets any harm caused to civilians (especially children),” adding that it is examining “all its operations” to ensure that it follows its own rules and adheres to international law.

But a growing number of human rights groups and officials contend that Israel has already broken that law.

After condemning the “heinous, brutal and shocking” attacks by Hamas as war crimes, Volker Türk, the United Nations high commissioner for human rights, said this month, “The collective punishment by Israel of Palestinian civilians amounts also to a war crime, as does the unlawful forcible evacuation of civilians.”

“The massive bombardments by Israel have killed, maimed and injured in particular women and children,” he added. “All of this has an unbearable toll.”

Some international officials warn that children are in danger no matter where they go. “There is nowhere safe for Gaza’s one million children to turn,” said Catherine Russell, the director of UNICEF.

On Oct. 15, Dr. Mohammad Abu Moussa said that he was on a 24-hour shift at Al-Nasr Hospital in Khan Younis — south of the evacuation line drawn by Israel — when he heard a loud explosion nearby. He called his wife at home, but when she answered, he said, all he heard were screams.

Soon, he said, his wife, 12-year-old daughter and 9-year-old son were brought into the emergency room, bloodied, hysterical and covered in dust from rubble. He tried to comfort them, but panicked when he noticed that his youngest son, 7-year-old Yousef, was not with them.

“Where’s Yousef?” he recalled asking.

No one would answer.

When he pressed again about his son, he said a neighbor simply responded, “May God have mercy on his soul.”

Yousef Abu Moussa Credit...via Mohammad Abu Moussa

Dr. Abu Moussa didn’t want to believe it. Video from journalists at the hospital shows him frantically searching for Yousef. Dr. Abu Moussa recounted how he had asked other departments, including the intensive care unit, whether his son had been rushed there instead.

Then, he said, a journalist showed him pictures of their demolished home. Dr. Abu Moussa said he recognized the gray clothing Yousef had been wearing when he kissed him goodbye before leaving the house.

With dread, Dr. Abu Moussa walked from the emergency room to the hospital morgue. That’s where he said he finally found Yousef, a jokester with a cheeky smile who stuck out his tongue in photographs. Now, his lifeless body was lying on a gurney.

The shock was too much to bear. Dr. Abu Moussa recalled looking away before a colleague embraced him.

Multiple relatives said that airstrikes had hit their home without warning, and that Dr. Abu Moussa’s family had been pulled from the rubble. The Israeli military said it could not address questions about a strike on the family.

“Yousef was a very loved child,” said his mother, Rawan, a fitness instructor. “He was always smiling. He loved to laugh and make people laugh.”

At home, the boy had wanted to eat every meal next to his father, or in his lap, sometimes even sharing the same spoon.

“He would emulate me in everything I did,” Dr. Abu Moussa said, adding that his son had wanted to become a doctor as well.

Yousef was not the only one killed. Dr. Abu Moussa’s brother, Jasir Abu Moussa, lost both of his sons and his wife, family members said.

Dr. Abu Moussa’s nephew Hmaid, 18, had recently graduated from high school with high marks, the family said. He got his love of cars from his father and, from his mother, a love of poetry and art. He had hopes of studying mechanical engineering in Europe, relatives said, and had begun studying German even as he was studying for his high school exams.

His younger brother, Abdulrahman, 8, was even smarter, the family said. He was killed, too.

“He was a handful,” Jasir Abu Moussa said of his younger son. “But he was also very smart, and delightful.”

Death colors the living, as well.

Many children are showing clear signs of trauma, including night terrors, said Nida Zaeem, a mental health field officer with the International Committee of the Red Cross in Gaza.

Families in Khan Younis leaving their homes to seek shelter after an explosion. Credit...Yousef Masoud for The New York Times

Wounded children in Khan Younis. Credit...Samar Abu Elouf for The New York Times

Children inspecting their family’s home after a blast in Gaza City. Credit...Samar Abu Elouf for The New York Times

“They are waking up shouting, screaming,” Ms. Zaeem said from a Red Cross shelter in Rafah, in the south, where she is staying with her family, including four children. Each night, she added, children in the shelter yell, “We’re going to die, we’re going to die.”

“They are shouting, pleading, ‘Please protect me, please, please hide me. I don’t want to die,’” she added.

In an encampment sheltering thousands of people around a United Nations center, Hammoud Qadada, 4, tried to focus on a video game inside a tent as the thundering sound of strikes were close enough to shake the ground beneath him.

When the soccer players on the screen scored, everyone in the tent — his siblings, cousins and other children from the makeshift encampment — yelled “goooaaal” so loudly that people in nearby tents thought a cease-fire had been announced.

Their parents had hooked up a television to a solar panel and, when it seemed safe enough, people played real soccer outside between the tents — trying to distract the children.

It wasn’t enough.

The next morning, Hammoud’s grandmother said he woke up and said, “I’m going to die.”

“I told him no,” said his grandmother Hanaan Jaber, 53. “God willing, you will grow up and you will get married and tell your children what happened with us here, like a story.”

Hammoud’s vocabulary has already been shaped by the war. Soon after it started, he asked his parents what “martyrdom” meant. When asked what is happening around him, he answers without hesitation: “Airstrikes. Airstrikes and war.”

Gaza, a coastal strip where cabanas and food shacks line the Mediterranean, once had a lively beach culture. Yasser Abou Ishaq, 34, recalled how he used to teach his three young daughters how to swim.

“They were always asking me to go to the beach, to the amusement park, to the parks,” he said. “I loved watching them play.”

Amal, his oldest, 7, was named after his mother. At school, she was a good student with excellent penmanship, he recalled. At home, she became the teacher who made her younger sister Israa, a 4-year-old who loved chocolate and Kinder toys, play along as the student.

From left: Habiba Abou Ishaq, 1, and her sisters, Israa, 4, and Amal, 7. Credit...via Yasser Abou Isha

When his home was destroyed by what he said was an airstrike, he lost them both, he said. His wife was killed as well, he said.

In all, 25 members of his family, 15 of them children, have been killed, he said. Local journalists reported a strike and shared footage of bodies in burial shrouds — members of the Abou Ishaq family, they said — lined up on the ground as relatives cried over them. The Israeli military said it could not address questions about a strike on the family.

Mr. Abou Ishaq said that he and his 1-year-old daughter, Habiba, had been wounded and taken to the hospital. Most of his family, including his wife and Amal, were pulled from the rubble the same day and buried by relatives, he said, while he was still being treated. He never got the chance to say goodbye, he said.

The next day, Israa’s body was pulled from the rubble, he said. He was able to see her in the hospital’s morgue and hold her one last time.

“I hugged and kissed her. I said goodbye and I cried,” he said. “God only knows how much I cried.”

Mourning relatives outside the morgue of Al-Aqsa Hospital in Deir al Balah. Credit...Samar Abu Elouf for The New York Times

Reporting was contributed by Alan Yuhas, Samar Abu Elouf, Ameera Harouda and Abu Bakr Bashir

[vinlookupbenefits]

Breaking Down the Real Cost of a Used Car Purchase: A Step-by-Step Approach

Purchasing a used car can be an exciting yet daunting experience, especially if it's your first time. Many buyers focus solely on the sticker price, but that’s just the beginning. The real cost of buying a used car goes beyond what you pay at the dealership or in a private sale. Understanding all the financial factors involved is essential to ensure you don’t face unexpected expenses down the road. In this blog, we’ll break down the true cost of a used car purchase, step by step.

1. The Purchase Price

The first and most obvious cost is the price you agree to pay for the car. While this is the number that you negotiate on, it’s not the only financial consideration. The purchase price will determine many of the other costs you'll incur, such as sales tax, registration fees, and insurance. Typically, a used car will be less expensive than a new one, but don’t assume it’s always a bargain. Be sure to research the market value of the model you’re interested in, taking into account its age, mileage, and condition. Websites like Kelley Blue Book and Edmunds can help you gauge a fair price.

2. Sales Tax and Registration Fees

In addition to the purchase price, most states charge sales tax on the transaction. The rate can vary depending on where you live, but it typically falls between 5-10%. Don’t forget to factor this into your budget when planning your used car purchase. Another important cost is the vehicle registration fee, which is also dependent on your location and the car’s age. Some states may have higher fees for older cars, so it’s important to research your local DMV’s guidelines before you make a purchase.

3. Insurance Costs

Many buyers overlook the fact that the car they choose will affect their insurance premiums. The cost of insuring a used car is generally lower than insuring a new one, but it can still vary significantly depending on the make, model, age, and condition of the vehicle. Sports cars and luxury vehicles, for example, tend to have higher insurance costs, even if they’re used. When shopping for insurance, make sure to get quotes from multiple providers to find the best deal.

4. Financing Fees

If you’re not paying for the car outright and plan to finance the purchase, you’ll need to account for interest on your loan. Financing rates for used cars tend to be higher than for new ones, so it’s crucial to shop around for the best rate. Keep in mind that your credit score will play a big role in the interest rate you’re offered. A higher credit score typically results in a lower rate, which can save you hundreds or even thousands of dollars over the life of the loan. click here

5. Maintenance and Repairs

While used cars are often more affordable upfront, they can come with additional maintenance and repair costs, especially if the vehicle is older. Be prepared for the possibility of having to replace parts or address issues that were not disclosed by the seller. Some used cars may require immediate attention to their brakes, tires, or exhaust systems, so it’s wise to have a mechanic inspect the car before you buy. Factor these potential costs into your overall budget and prepare for the possibility that the car may need some work shortly after purchase.

6. Depreciation

Although used cars have already gone through their steepest depreciation phase, they still lose value over time. The rate at which your car depreciates depends on several factors, including its age, condition, and market demand. While this isn’t an immediate out-of-pocket expense, it’s something to keep in mind if you plan to resell the car in the future.

7. Additional Costs

Finally, there are a few smaller costs that can add up. For instance, you may need to replace the car’s tires, upgrade the stereo system, or purchase accessories such as floor mats and seat covers. It’s also worth budgeting for emergency roadside assistance or an extended warranty, especially if you're purchasing a vehicle from a private seller or one with higher mileage.

In conclusion, while the purchase price of a used car is the most visible cost, there are many hidden expenses that can significantly impact your overall spending. By considering sales tax, insurance, financing fees, maintenance, and depreciation, you can get a clearer picture of the true cost of owning a used car. Understanding these factors upfront will help you make a more informed decision and avoid financial surprises down the road.

[mayhemproduces]

WAIT A MINUTE! 

WAIT A MINUTE! 

THE INTENSE ICON IS BACK! 

Joshua Bishop hasn’t been seen since Hell on Earth, but the Intense Icon is back in MPW, and he’s here to stop another Fallen robbery here tonight! Josh Bishop storms towards the ring, Eric Taylor tries to stop him with a Suicide Dive, but Josh Bishop catches him out of mid air, before throwing Eric Taylor overhead with a choke toss suplex! An absolutely DISGUSTING landing for Eric Taylor! Joshua Bishop then slides into the ring, and MJF looks like he’s gonna try to stand and fight… before bailing out of the ring. Leaving Bayley in there alone with Josh Bishop. Bayley, for her credit, does try to charge Bishop, only to get caught, spun around, and driving her down with a BIG Black Hole Slam! Bayley gets planted, and as Josh Bishop gets back up, Solo Sikoa is waiting in the ring, as the two men start throwing hands back and forth, these two behemoths trading bombs back and forth with one another, hitting each other as hard as they can. Solo actually knocks Bishop out of the ring, and Bishop pulls Solo out of the ring with him, as the two continue to swing on each other, back and forth. Bishop actually knocks Solo over the guardrail, and follows him out there, Bishop and Solo seem content to brawl all throughout the building tonight! 

Back in the ring, Jade Suzuki struggles back to her feet, trying to get back in this fight… 

When she’s dropped by a Psychosis Knee from Abigail! Abigail suddenly deciding to get back in this fight, nearly takes Jade’s head off! Abigail is joined in the ring by Max, as the two of them look primed to finish this. Abigail starts to set up for Farewell, Mona Lisa, as Max tries to join in, but he’s not quite grabbing Jade correct, and Abigail tries to explain it to him. Max, apparently taking exception to this, shouts at Abigail that he knows how to do it. Abigail keeps trying to explain the move, when Max shoves Jade to the mat, and shoves Abigail. “You don’t tell me what to do! I’m the leader here! I call the fucking shots around here!” 

Woah…

“You just stay the fuck out of my way!” Max punctuates it by shoving Abigail, and turning around and trying to go after Jade… when Abigail, apparently having heard enough, grabs Max, and DROPS HIM WITH A FAMEMAKER! HOLY SHIT! 

Abigail stands over Max, as the crowd ERUPTS with cheers, as she simply looks down on the now unconscious MPW World Champion, as a smirk, that signature smirk of Abigail, that smirk that’s been missing for weeks, creeps across Abigail’s features, as she extends her arms to the side, the soaks in the reaction from the crowd here tonight. 

Abigail leaves, and Death Row works quick. Jade sets Max up for a Gotch Style Piledriver, before planting Max right on his head, and rolling him backward to Konosuke Takeshita, who plans Max with Burning Fire! Jade Suzuki onto the cover! 

1….2….3! 

“Here are your winners and the NEW MPW World Tag Team Champions, Death Row!” 

Death Row are your new MPW World Tag Team Champions, and it’s all thanks to Abigail FINALLY having had enough of MJF, and laying him out! What would this mean for the New Fallen? What would this mean for Syn?! 

We’re off on our annual MPW Holiday Vacation next week, so no show next week, have a happy holidays from the entire MPW family! Goodnight, everyone!

[govindhtech]

OPPO Pad 3 Pro: Powerful AI Performance Experience

The OPPO Pad 3 Pro is a powerful device that enhances the AI experience.

OPPO Pad 3 Pro, which offers a unified and integrated experience across devices, and the global launch of its flagship OPPO Find X8 series. With an AI-enhanced suite, eight stereo speakers, and a 12.1-inch 3K display, the OPPO Pad 3 Pro is powered by the flagship-level Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 Mobile Platform Leading Version. The OPPO Pad 3 Pro meets customers’ demands for creativity, entertainment, and productivity with a smooth blend of performance and adaptability.

Leading Version of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 Mobile Platform for a Smooth AI Experience

With improved speed, efficiency, and AI capabilities, the OPPO Pad 3 Pro has a robust performance powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 Mobile Platform Leading Version. It optimizes battery usage for extended use while guaranteeing smooth multitasking and engaging entertainment experiences.

Connectivity and AI Tools Unleash Creativity at the Pro Level

The OPPO Pad 3 Pro’s robust architecture guarantees that even the most power-intensive AI features function flawlessly in every situation. With just one tap, this collection of AI technologies may improve productivity, optimize creativity, and streamline workflows.

Photo editing becomes simple with AI Eraser 2.0. Users may rapidly remove crowds from photos with the new one-click pedestrian removal tool, eliminating the need for manual selection. Almost any piece may now be removed more easily because to the considerable improvement in object recognition, which went from 80% to 98%. AI Smart Image Matting enables users to easily isolate subjects, even in complex backdrops, for those who want precision. It allows users to easily construct original, customized compositions by supporting multi-subject identification for up to three figures and facilitating rapid modifications across programs through drag-and-drop or copy-paste.

Additionally, the OPPO Pad 3 Pro offers the AI ToolBox, which is intended to help users save time and effort. Important features include AI Writer, which simplifies content creation by creating text content in response to prompts, AI Speak, which reads text aloud, and AI Summary, which distills lengthy pieces into their essential points.

Improved connectivity with Auto Connect guarantees smooth media, notification, and message syncing across devices for multitaskers. Users may launch and work in up to three split-screen apps simultaneously with the Boundless View feature, which optimizes workflows and boosts productivity.

Immersion Entertainment and Gaming

The OPPO Pad 3 Pro raises the bar for immersive entertainment. It produces crisp and clear images with its 12.1-inch 3K ReadFit display, which has a 7:5 aspect ratio, 900-nit peak brightness, and 303 PPI resolution. Whether you’re gaming or watching movies, the tablet’s seven-level adjustable refresh rate, which can reach up to 144 Hz, ensures fluid animation while maximizing battery life. Every piece of material feels more dynamic and captivating because to the display’s Dolby Vision technology, which improves contrast and produces vivid, lifelike colors.

With eight stereo speakers producing Hi-Res sound that is certified for both wireless and wired connections, the audio experience is equally captivating. While OReality Audio cleverly adjusts sound for a more immersive experience across various scenarios, Holo Audio allows users to position sounds in a virtual area and personalize the audio for calls, music, or videos.Image credit to OPPO

In order to minimize lag and provide players with a continuous gaming experience, the Trinity Engine and HyperBoost technologies dynamically distribute resources to offer steady frame rates and fluid gameplay.

The enormous 9,510 mAh battery of the OPPO Pad 3 Pro provides more than 40 days of standby time. The tablet can be fully charged in just 80 minutes with 67W1 SUPERVOOC Flash Charge, so it’s always available when you need it.

Intelligent Accessories to Increase Efficiency

The OPPO Pencil 2 Pro and OPPO Pad 3 Pro Smart Keyboard provide professionals and creators with easy-to-use tools to boost productivity even further. With its 16,000 pressure sensitivity settings, the Pencil 2 Pro provides an incredibly lifelike writing experience. It reacts instantaneously to even the smallest touch just 0g of pressure making writing and sketching fluid. With its Page Turning and Laser Pointer features, which enable slide management and content highlighting during presentations, it also acts as a meeting aide. The smart keyboard has capabilities including App Relay for cross-device workflow, Screen Mirroring, and NFC Transmission for speedy file transfers.

Beautiful Style with a Starlit Blue Finish

The OPPO Pad 3 Pro is as portable as it is powerful, weighing only 586g and 6.49mm thin. Whether at home, at the workplace, or on the go, its Starlit Blue finish adds a chic touch and makes it stand out.

Cost and Availability

Alongside the worldwide introduction of the Find X8 Series, the OPPO Pad 3 Pro will be introduced in other markets. Each region will have different prices and availability. Please see the official announcements in your local market for comprehensive details.

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