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quietblueriver · 1 year ago

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Still Bright to Me (Kate/Yelena, 1/5)

Rewatched Hawkeye and this happened. I love them so much.

Post canon.

Kate's struggling, so Clint sends some backup in the form of a (former?) black widow assassin, who offers Kate a trade: she'll protect Kate from the tracksuits and Kate will show her the best of New York. Their deal ends, but their friendship doesn't, and suddenly Kate's pretty sure it's becoming something else entirely. Something big and scary and really, really good.

Read below or on AO3.

Kate could almost pretend this was a normal Tuesday morning.

She walked into Bishop Security, tossed her bag behind the front desk, and took a right toward her mom’s office. She could see her through the glass walls, legs crossed as she looked over a set of files spread on the coffee table, a Bishop Security coffee mug waiting near her right hand on a cream coaster. Her suit was familiar, a favorite–navy with white pinstripes, wide legs, a white silk blouse.

And then, of course, visible between the hem of her pants and the black leather of her heel, the shining black box strapped to her ankle, with its two tiny white lights signaling Eleanor Bishop’s location to the federal government at all times.

It wasn’t a normal Tuesday morning.

Her mom looked up as she got close, a tight smile working its way onto her face, and Kate felt the warring urges to run, cry, and vomit. Instead of any of that, Eleanor Bishop’s daughter did what she had been taught to do and kept her shit together, her own fake smile glued in place and her hands steady.

Eleanor stood as Kate pushed open the door, walking around the coffee table and opening her arms. “I’ve missed you.”

The words rang more than a little hollow in the face of the two sentence email Eleanor sent to set up this meeting and the total radio silence that preceded it. She’d been out on bail within like a day, which Kate knew because she got a Christmas NYT alert with a courthouse shot of her mom looking perfectly put together as she made her way down the steps to the towncar. (Nate won that round of Mario Kart.)

From her mom? Not a word. Nothing until a week into the new year, when Kate did a double take at the sender on an email notification with the subject line: Meeting Tuesday.

So yeah, Kate didn’t feel particularly missed. She felt like an hour on Eleanor’s work calendar.

Still, she wrapped her arms around her mother, a stiff, quiet, awkward hug that she wasn’t sad to break.

The tension between them hurt in a way Kate couldn’t have prepared herself for, and despite all her Bishop training, it took more than a little effort to hold back the tears pressing at the back of her eyes as she settled in the chair across from Eleanor. Eleanor, who, in addition to being a pretty major player in the organized crime scene in New York and several other major cities, was still her mom.

It might never have been easy between them the way it had been between her and her dad, but she’d never doubted that her mom loved her. Not really. Not until she looked her in the eye and said, cold and hard and distant enough that Kate wondered if she regretted running that car through the window and into Kingpin, “Is this what heroes do? Arrest their mother on Christmas?” Not until she followed that up with silence loud enough to make Kate wonder if she’d become Hawkeye and lost her second parent on the same day.

“How are you?”

The question snapped Kate back to the moment, and she blinked away flashing blue lights and the smell of smoke and the pain of a cracked rib as she sobbed in the shower.

“Fine,” she said on instinct, twirling the silver ring on her index finger. It was bullshit, but so was the question. Eleanor’s eyes locked on her ring and Kate stopped twisting, stood and got a bottle of water from the fridge under the counter, stared at the marble as she uncapped it and took a slow sip.

“Kate.”

Kate took a deep breath and another sip of water before she turned around and met Eleanor’s eyes.

“Mom.”

She could see her mom’s jaw grinding, considered very seriously walking out and calling Clint and going back to Iowa for as long as she fucking could. Laura had offered and meant it. Clint had nodded beside her and meant it just as much when he said, “Call anytime.” She’d only been back for like a day anyway; her stuff was still packed and PD would be pumped to be back on the farm.

She didn’t leave. She sat back down in the chair. She wasn’t even close to sure that was the right decision.

Her mom grabbed the small remote on the coffee table and hit a button and suddenly the glass behind them was frosted, she and her mother in a more private space. Chest tightening unpleasantly, Kate’s mind ran everything through a new filter. How much of that interaction had been calculated? How much of the hug, of Kate’s presence, of Eleanor’s smile, had been meant for the employees still at Bishop Security? For the attorneys Kate knew were waiting in a conference room just across the hall? For whoever might leak a picture or a quote to one of the reporters hanging around? For whoever her mom might’ve paid to do that?

She pushed the tears away for another minute, let anger take the lead. It was, after all, much higher on the list of acceptable emotions than hurt. “What am I doing here, mom? What do you need from me?”

It was hurt, though, that flashed across Eleanor’s face, brief but obvious, and shame bubbled in Kate’s stomach. She didn’t take it back. She didn’t look away either, watched as her mom schooled her features into something neutral and reached for a folder on the table, opening it and turning it toward Kate.

“This is the information on your trust fund. There are two numbers on the last page, one for my attorney and one for my accountant. I’ve worked with them both for a long time. Call them and they’ll help you get the account handled.”

Kate took the folder and tucked it into the side of the chair. “Thanks.”

It was a relief. She was, for the first time in her life, worried about money, and it sucked. She’d been working out how long she could make it on what little she had in her own account from her Bishop Security “paychecks” plus an envelope of cash Clint or Laura had snuck into her bag before she left the farm and refused to discuss when Kate found it.

Her mother nodded. “It’s yours. It has always been yours. Whatever happens with my assets and the company, they can’t touch that. Or the apartment.”

Kate knew, vaguely, that she had a trust fund from her dad’s parents. She was from the kind of money, at least on her dad’s side, that meant her grandparents had set her up from the day she was born. She had never bothered with it before, couldn’t even access it until her last birthday, but she was really fucking glad for it now.

And for whatever laws stopped her mom (and her dad, maybe, but she really didn’t like thinking about that either) from touching it.

“Okay.”

Her mom sighed, lips turning down in that way they did when Kate disappointed her. It was a familiar look, and it was how Kate knew the next words from her mouth were the starting point of a negotiation, rather than an end in themselves.

“I’m sorry, Kate, if what I said that night hurt you. And for taking some time to get in touch. I was angry, which I think is understandable.”

When Kate didn’t immediately respond, Eleanor added, “You obviously weren’t ready to talk either.”

Yeah. There it was. An accusation dressed as an observation. An invitation for Kate to apologize.

Instead of guilt, Kate felt Laura’s arm wrapped tightly around her shoulders as she cried late on Christmas night, the photo from the Times article shining up at them from Kate’s phone screen on the coffee table. Heard the soft, “Oh, honey,” as Kate whispered her fears aloud, rasped and broken questions about whether her mom would ever want to talk to her again, whether she should call, whether it would hurt worse if she didn’t answer.

“I didn’t think you’d want to hear from me. You made it pretty clear on Christmas Eve I’d disappointed you, and then I heard from the Times about your bail before I heard from you. Wasn’t really interested in leaving a voicemail.”

Eleanor’s frown deepened, deepened further when Kate didn’t flinch. Or, Hawkeye didn’t flinch. Kate would cry later, but her mom didn’t need to know that. Didn’t deserve to know that.

Eleanor sighed, and her words had a resigned quality to them on the surface, but Kate knew veiled anger when she heard it. “I understand you probably didn’t know what you were doing when you made that call to the police. I know you can be rash. Impulsive. That’s my fault. Confidence is one thing, but I clearly should’ve reined you in a long time ago.”

Kate bit her tongue and started thinking about trick arrows, reminded herself that she could leave.

“But now, Kate.” She gestured at her ankle, in the vague direction of her army of lawyers a few rooms over. “Now we’re all paying for your choices. Don’t you see that?”

Yeah. She could leave. Kate took a deep breath and another sip of water and leaned forward.

“No. I don’t. I see you paying for the choices you made and trying to blame me for it.” Anger slashed ugly across her mother’s face, eyes sharp and chin jutting out in a way that Kate knew her own did in a challenge. “I don’t regret what I did. I wish I hadn’t had to. I wish you hadn’t…” Kate shook her head and stood. Her mom matched her.

“Katherine Elizabeth Bishop, you do not walk away from me.”

Her voice was tight and low and Kate had heard it like this a few times in her life, but it had never scared her before. She fought a sob and squared her shoulders.

“If you were who I thought you were, and I was alone in a room with someone who had done the things you’ve done, you would tell me to run .” Kate shrugged, bent to take the folder. “Guess I know better now. Thanks for this.” She didn’t have it in her to hold her mom’s eyes but pride and resentment and molten anger at least kept her voice steady as she added, “Merry Christmas, by the way. One for the books.”

She turned to go, made it two steps before she felt the hand on her shoulder. She had broken the hold and turned, hands out and eyes assessing her mom like a threat, before she could stop herself. Her mom understood, if the look in her eyes was real, and she jerked her hand back. Kate wasn’t sure whether Eleanor was ashamed or afraid that Kate might break it, and fuck. Fuck. Fuck. How did they get here.

“Kate. Just…” She stepped back, sat. “I’m sorry. Give me two more minutes. And then,” she swallowed, and Kate saw her mom, just her mom, sad and exhausted, “I promise you can go. It’s important. Please.”

Kate hesitated for a second but walked back to the chair, perched on the edge.

“Thank you.”

The relief was genuine, and Kate nodded, gripped at the folder in her hands. Her mom cleared her throat and took another folder but kept it herself, thumbing at the tab.

“I’m going to go away for a little while.” Kate tensed, eyed the ankle monitor before she could stop herself. Eleanor’s eyes followed hers and she shook her head. “No. No. They’re facilitating it. Fisk…Well, things are complicated right now, but he’s not a forgiving man.”

“I thought he was…out of the picture. For now.” It was one of the only reasons Clint hadn’t pushed harder for her to stay in Iowa. He’d heard through channels that Fisk had been shot. That Maya had shot him. That the whole organization was a mess and Maya was on the run and Fisk might actually be gone, although Clint said not to bank on that.

Eleanor sighed. “Nobody knows for certain his condition. And it’s true that they appear to be distracted right now, but they won’t forget about me, especially if they think I’m cooperating.”

Kate sucked in a breath. “Are you? Cooperating?”

Eleanor smiled ruefully. “The case against Fisk is much bigger than me. He…well, I’m honestly surprised there even is one, given the number of people in the city on his payroll or his hit list, but it seems like his influence hasn’t reached certain corners of the federal government.

“In any case, as far as he or anyone else knows, I’m not cooperating, but that doesn’t mean he wants to take chances.”

“You didn’t answer my question.”

Eleanor shook her head and smiled an almost fond smile, although it had sharper edges than Kate was used to. “No, Hawkeye, I didn’t.” She leaned forward, extended her hand over the table between them. “Kate, these people are dangerous. I’m going away, at least through the trial, and I would ask you to come, but…”

“I won’t.”

“Right.”

Eleanor watched as Kate leaned back, began twirling her ring again.

“So, I need you to be careful. Call Clint Barton. Call…whoever. I have people from the company who…”

“Mom.”

“Let me finish, Kate. I have people from the company who are and will continue doing minimally invasive work to keep you safe.”

Kate raised her eyebrows and Eleanor ground her teeth but did not snap as Kate said, “I have no interest in anyone from Bishop Security keeping tabs on me. Even minimally invasive ones.”

Unyielding and unapologetic, her mom said, “I didn’t tell you to ask for your permission. I told you so that you wouldn’t shoot Ari or the company SUV he’s driving when you eventually noticed he was keeping track of you.”

At one point, the tone would’ve made her hesitate, but today it just pissed her off. Kate met her mom’s eyes as she responded. “Yeah, okay.” She made a note to look Ari up in the company directory. “I won’t shoot him, but I will lose him, and if he keeps trying, I just made a knockout arrow that works pretty well.”

Her mom rubbed at the spot at the base of her neck that meant she had the beginnings of a tension headache.

“What do you want me to do here, Kate? This is serious, and whatever you might think of me, I’m still your mother, and I love you. I won’t just leave you.”

What Kate wanted was for her mom to not be facing a list of charges so long and violent that reading it had made Kate dizzy. What Kate wanted was for her mom to have never fucked with Wilson Fisk. For her dad to have never fucked with Wilson Fisk. For the people responsible for taking care of her to have been better and more careful.

She said, instead, “I’ll install new security at the apartment. Non-Bishop Security stuff.” She clarified, and her mom barely suppressed an eye roll. “It’s all being redone anyway.” Thank fuck for insurance, Laura Barton’s ability to make a checklist, and contractors used to SHIELD’s specific need for quick and secure repairs to explosive damage. “And I will check in once a day with someone from the company to confirm that I’m alright.”

Eleanor’s sigh could’ve been used as the model for disappointed and exasperated mothers. Sadly for her, her only audience was Kate, who was growing less affected by her mom’s opinion by the minute. (Still affected. Probably always affected. But realizing that her decision not to cover up a murder made her mom more disappointed than, y’know, aiding and abetting would have really did wonders in blunting the effects of maternal guilt.)

“This is the best I’m going to get, isn’t it?”

Kate leaned back into her chair. “Yes. And if you try anything more, and you know I’ll know if you do, then I’ll stop checking in.” She paused, added even though she was sure her mom already knew, “Also, I’ll take whatever or whoever, wrap them up in a bow, and drop them somewhere super embarrassing for the company.”

“You’re a shit,” she said, with clear fondness below the frustration.

Part of Kate resented it. The familiarity. It was fucked, that her mom thought she had the right to act like the last month hadn’t happened. Or worse, that she had fixed everything with a non-apology and a little bit of worry and a cream folder full of financial security that was there despite Eleanor’s best efforts and not because of them.

Another part of Kate clung to the small piece of evidence that her mom still loved her the way she hoped. Hard not to feel pathetic about that.

She shrugged, picking at the skin around her thumbnail. “Maybe. But it’s your fault.”

“Yes,” Eleanor said softly. “It is.” She took a pen and legal pad, wrote something quickly on a sheet which she tore and folded in half before brushing nonexistent lint from her pants and standing. “I’ll walk you out.”

She took Kate to the front desk and hugged her. It was still stiff and quiet and awkward, but it made Kate want to cry less. And then that made her want to cry more.

“Here’s protocol for contact.” She handed Kate the folded piece of legal paper. “I don’t need to tell you to—“

“Destroy it after I read it. Yeah. I got it.”

“Shit,” her mom said again, and again, Kate shrugged.

She bit her lip, conflicted, but in the end forced the words past her pride. “Stay safe, mom.”

She didn’t bother trying to decipher the momentary slip of her mom’s mask, what it meant that it was back in place by the time she responded, “You stay safe. I love you.”

The words landed like a thumb on a bruise, the doubt a dull ache sharpened with pressure.

“I love you too.” It felt more like an admission of weakness than anything else, and god, she needed to get out of here.

Eleanor raised her hand a fraction but she didn’t reach out, and Kate didn’t either, and then she was gone, heels clicking and back ramrod straight as she made her way to the sea of lawyers waiting for her.

Clint answered on the second ring, just as Kate was turning into the park with PD.

“How’s it going, Hawkeye?”

She grinned, even in the midst of her absolutely shit family crisis, because that was still so fucking cool .

“Not gonna lie, Hawkeye. Hasn’t been the greatest day.” She gave an emotionally abridged rundown of the encounter with her mother, Clint humming and making concerned noises as she glossed over the warning her mom provided about her safety. He didn’t question her decision to decline Bishop Security’s interventions, but she could practically see the crease in his brow through the phone. “Actually,” she said, tugging PD away from a very suspect paper bag covered in grease and…things, “you might be able to help me out. You wouldn’t happen to know anyone who could hook me up with a solid security system?”

Clint laughed. It wasn’t quite his Christmas-with-the-family-in-Iowa laugh, but it was close, which made Kate relax a little. Couldn’t be too bad if Clint wasn’t stuck in Avenger mode. “Yeah. Yeah. I think I’ve got a few people for that. May or may not have already asked some folks. Mind sending me basics on the layout? I’m hoping moldy blown-out hole above a pizza joint doesn’t work anymore.”

“Nah, baby.” Kate kicked at a rock on the path. “I’ve got walls . Windows , even.”

“Livin’ the life,” Clint said seriously.

“That’s me.”

After a solid but unsuccessful (can’t win ‘em all) attempt to exorcize some trauma with a three hour workout, Kate left messages with the trust fund contacts and then spent the evening in her mostly repaired but also mostly empty apartment watching Wipe Out on the IKEA sofa she and Clint had lugged up before he left. It was fun to viciously critique contestant strategy to PD, who was a good audience and thumped his tail gamely every time Kate looked his way.

At 9:30pm, as promised, she called her designated Bishop Security agent with the safe word. It wasn’t her mom. She hadn’t heard anything more from her mom, and the sting of that was only a little soothed by the fact that she didn’t really want to have to navigate any more awkward and unpleasant conversations with her remaining bio parent.

In an attempt at productive distraction, she made the mistake of checking her email (she’d turned off notifications after her mom’s request, hadn’t wanted any more surprises in public spaces), where she found a message from the school administration about finding a time to discuss “alternative options” for her final semester. Weirdly, they weren’t falling over themselves to welcome back a property destroying security threat whose well of money, so far as they knew, had dried up.

Kate wasn’t thrilled at the thought of going back either. There had been plenty of nasty headlines already, and there would only be more.

When she left campus at the beginning of winter break, she was Kate Bishop: charming archer who won nationals; fun to play beer pong with; a little loud but good on a group project; cocky and sometimes reckless but in the mostly attractive, rugged way.

Maybe it wasn’t giving her classmates enough credit, but it felt too naive to think that she’d go back and be anything other than Kate Bishop: daughter of a massive criminal; annoyingly vocal in class; unapologetic destroyer of a beloved school landmark and a national seasonal treasure; spoiled rich kid with a massive ego who only got in because of her money.

Kate was also self-aware enough to know that they wouldn’t be totally wrong on any of those points, including the last one, probably. The Bishop dorm that had been on campus for like a hundred years and an endowed professorship definitely didn’t hurt her application.

Even though her mom seemed convinced that Kate didn’t realize everything she’d been given, Kate had always tried to be more than a legacy admit and a snotty, old money New Yorker and she thought, hoped, that she had been kind of successful. The last few weeks had definitely undone most of that work. Maybe all of it.

Anyway, whatever. She’d finish with minimal time on campus her last semester, and that would be fine. Not to sound like a massive dick but Kate had never really had to try that hard to do well so it wasn’t like missing in-person classes would hurt her, and her archery season was basically over anyway. Yeah, it would be a little more lonely, but that was the life of a superhero. She had Clint. Campus was close enough that Franny and Greer could come visit whenever. And she’d make other friends. People made friends after graduation, right? That was a thing?

She sent an email back confirming a meeting time and slammed her laptop closed a little too forcefully.

Fighting the temptation to stare at the wall and contemplate her mom’s potential hideout locations while feeling super sorry for herself, she took PD for a last walk around the block before falling asleep to reruns of Community . Not the healthiest of habits but whatever, she needed rest and distractions. She’d worry about sleep hygiene later. (Or never.)

She made it through three check-ins, seven walks, a depressing call with Clint confirming Fisk was still alive and likely to stay that way, four workouts, a very awkward conversation with the Dean of Students and her academic advisors, three boxes of Junior Mints, zero words from her mother, a sighting of one tracksuit goon, and the delivery and installation of what was 1000% a SHIELD-developed security system before she finally lost it, which, all things considered, was pretty impressive.

And of course, it was a small thing. That’s how this shit went. She stumbled over one of PD’s rope toys in the kitchen, slammed her hip into the counter, and suddenly she was crying. Like, big crying. The kind of heaving, sobbing crying that hurt . She sank to the floor, where PD came to press against her in a full body lean, and she stayed there, running her fingers through his fluff, until her kitchen timer beeped annoyingly at her seventeen minutes later.

Thankfully–also a small thing, but one that really, really helped–she had managed to get her pizza into the oven before her breakdown. She pulled it out, contemplated tearing it into pieces (wouldn’t be the first time) but was pretty sure eating hand-ripped frozen pizza over her sink wouldn’t make her feel better , so she grabbed the surprisingly useful pizza cutter gadget thing she got during a freshman year Dirty Santa exchange with the archery team and cut the BBQ chicken into squares on a cutting board, took the whole thing over to her sofa, and turned on Community again.

She thought she was good, or as good as she could be, but when Clint called, she was back to blubbering within like 30 seconds of his, “Hawkeye,” gross, snotty, embarrassing sobs traveling through the air to Iowa. Nice, Kate.

“Okay,” he said calmly, in a voice that Kate imagined he might use in a hostage negotiation. “Hold on. I’m getting Laura.”

Forty-five minutes later, it was just the two of them again, Laura having worked her magic (Kindness. Kate was pretty sure it was kindness, and it was good to know that someone who had definitely been a SHIELD agent could hold on to that.) and gone to handle Nate’s bathtime routine.

“I really don’t mind coming, Kate. This is big stuff. You don’t need to do it alone, and I don’t like that you saw one of the tracksuits in your neighborhood.”

“I know. I know. I promise I’ll call you if I need you, but right now I’m okay. I just…it was a rough night. Look, though! I talked about it! Also, like, it definitely could have been a random dude with terrible taste in clothing and a bad haircut, okay?”

“Mmm.” It was skeptical at best.

“Trust me, Clint? I’ll feel bad if you come right now. There’s a kickass security system and nobody is throwing molotovs at me or even really paying attention.” This part, at least, was true. The tracksuit she’d seen was at a popular Thai place a few blocks over, seemingly just picking up takeout, and Kate hadn’t noticed any activity closer than that. “I’m a little lonely and sad, yeah, but it’s not, like, a Grey Gardens situation. PD and I are fine and we’re getting out in the world and we’re safe. I’ll SOS if things get dire. Really.”

He sighed in concession. “Okay. I trust you. But I’m serious, Kate. Even if you’re not in immediate danger. Partners, remember? It means more than just trick arrows and car chases.”

She’d gotten to know the Bartons over Christmas, which meant she got to know Natasha, too–through photos; Lila’s favorite sleep shirt; a post-it on the fridge saying she’d gone for a run and would be back for lunch; stories, so many stories; a late night of them ended with Nate’s sleepy voice mumbling from Kate’s lap, “I get to have her name.” There was a room upstairs that was the one place Nate didn’t explore during hide and seek, a table in Clint’s workshop that had been painted red, tiny black Barton handprints made to look like little spiders over the top, initials marked in white. Laura took a breath like she’d been punched when a recipe card fell from one of her cookbooks, neat, distinct handwriting with a PS at the bottom: Clint–Add extra cinnamon if you’re making this for Laura.

More than trick arrows and car chases.

“Partners. I remember. Thanks, Clint.”

She wouldn’t have been surprised to see Clint on her mopey midday walk, even after their conversation. She hadn’t sounded great last night, and she knew partners also meant sometimes telling the other person to sit down and shut up and take their medicine (or ice their knee with a frozen margarita).

It wasn’t Clint, though, who was propped casually against a tree on her regular route with PD through the park, familiar black and yellow jacket unbuttoned over a gray t-shirt and high-waisted jeans. It was, instead, the widow who almost killed him, using the combat boot resting against the tree behind her to press forward and toward Kate, grinning big while Kate stared at her like a fucking idiot.

“Kate Bishop! Look at this coincidence!”

She bent to greet PD, letting him sniff her hand before going in for pets. He was belly-up within seconds, and Yelena seemed delighted, kneeling to get a better angle and running dark green nails through white fur.

It gave Kate, who was still feeling sorry for herself and definitely not ready for human interaction, much less human interaction with Yelena Belova , a chance to try to get her shit together. It also gave her a chance to admire Yelena’s hair, which was down and like, glowing, basically. Totally ridiculous, because it was gray as hell and January in New York.

Kate, who had taken her beanie off like ten minutes ago, was pretty sure she had managed to untangle the worst of the mess before she left the apartment and was suddenly grateful she had bothered to shower, at least.

Not that Yelena hadn’t seen her looking a lot worse.

The assassin continued loving on her totally smitten dog, who was going to be fully disgusting from wagging and squirming all over the slushy sidewalk while Yelena praised him in Russian.

“Yelena.”

The widow grinned up at her, giving PD another scratch before pressing to stand in front of Kate.

“Coincidence, huh?”

Yelena shrugged, and it was annoyingly charming, her whole deal. Deadly charming.

She wasn’t afraid, a little bit because yeah, if Yelena wanted Kate dead, she’d be dead already, but mostly because she knew more now. Clint had told her, over beer and gingerbread and conversation about Natasha, some things about his fight with Yelena, who she was to Natasha and what that meant to him. He told her a little less about the Red Room and less than that about what it was to be a widow. He told her nothing about the call he made a few days after Christmas, stepping outside speaking Russian, but Kate didn’t ask. She didn’t need to. So yeah, deadly charming but also no longer trying to murder her or her mentor.

Apparently so much in the not-murdering lane that Clint had sent Yelena to check in on her, which, weird choice, but maybe they were talking in a real way now. Clint seemed pretty hellbent on at least trying with the person who had meant so much to his person. Maybe Yelena felt the same.

As if she were reading Kate’s mind, Yelena said, cheery as ever, “Don’t worry. Barton and I are okay. We are not best friends,” she snorted at herself, somehow making it attractive, “but we have an understanding, and I am no longer going to kill him.”

It was nice of Yelena, not to mention why she had been out to kill Clint in the first place. Someone has hired a black widow assassin . Yeah. Someone. Kate sagged a little. God, she was tired.

Yelena said, tilting her head down the path, “Let’s walk and talk?”

Kate couldn’t take her anger out on her mom, but Yelena was right there, so Kate, who had never been accused of not being a brat, frowned a little and took a step back. Yelena definitely noticed, because she was a fucking super spy and Kate wasn’t subtle, but she acted like she didn’t, patting PD’s head gently where he was pressing into her thigh, smile still firmly in place.

“I…”

“Barton sent me, if that helps.”

“Yeah. I figured.”

Yelena pointedly eyed the new distance between them with a raised brow but waited, silent and steady, for Kate to make a move.

She could have argued. She could totally have argued. She had plenty of reasons to say no. A few good ones, even. But she was tired and she was lonely and she had just enough sense in her to overwhelm the stubbornness and brattiness and consider what pushing away the person her friend had sent to check on her would get her. The answer was a pretty swift nothing. She already had a lot of nothing. She didn’t love it.

“Yeah. Okay. Let’s walk and talk.”

Yelena’s smile grew, and Kate offered one in return, a little less than full Bishop charm but more real for it. Yelena clapped her hands in front of her and turned with purpose down the path to their left, PD sticking happily by her side.

“So what did Clint tell you?”

Yelena eyed her. “Straight to business then. Fair enough.”

“Did you have…non…business…things you wanted to talk about?”

The quirk of Yelena’s lips made Kate’s cheeks heat. So she wasn’t the most articulate right now. Whatever.

“Well, last time I was here, you said something about a drink.” Her lips turned down slightly. “But I think maybe you were not serious, which I have to say, is a little disappointing. I thought we had fun.”

“Fun?” Kate said, tone disbelieving and eyebrows raised. “The part where you broke into my apartment and threatened me over mac and cheese?” Yelena made a noise of protest, which Kate ignored. “Or the part where you kicked my ass on the way to kill my mentor?”

“Still so defensive.” Yelena tsked at her. “So for you, maybe not so much the girls’ night.” Kate snorted, which Yelena ignored. “Okay. But the sparring was fun. And you said you liked me!”

Kate shook her head but was smiling despite herself. “Sparring. That was sparring for you. God, how fast could you have kicked my ass with a little effort?” Yelena shrugged, unconcerned. “Okay well belated thanks for not breaking me in half, or whatever.”

“Removing an obstacle,” Yelena said. “I was a little annoyed, but I had a good time, in the end. I am learning to be more flexible.”

Kate’s smile widened. “Glad I could help. I meant it, about liking you. Only because you didn’t actually kill Clint, though. We would not be chill if you’d gone through with that.”

“But now we are chill?” She was definitely teasing, but it was soft, friendly, and Kate was grateful for it.

“Yeah. We’re chill. And, uh,” the calculation of her pride to loneliness ratio was depressingly quick, “I’d be down for a drink. Or food. Whatever. If you want.”

“See? Non…business…things,” Yelena drawled, imitating Kate’s accent perfectly.

“Okay, I take it back. Drink invitation revoked.”

Yelena laughed, low and loud, eyes crinkling as she ruffled PD’s fur when he yelped a half-bark in happy solidarity.

“So I have lost my drink privilege because I am funny. This seems unfair, but I notice you said nothing about food. That is still on the table?”

“Cute,” Kate blurted before her brain could stop her mouth, and at Yelena’s confused expression she added, a little flustered, “The pun, I mean.”

Yelena winked at her, all signs of confusion gone, and Kate rolled her eyes and ignored the uptick in her heartbeat at Yelena’s smile because not right now, Kate .

“Clint sent you?” Kate shot for exasperated but in, like, a friendly way, and it seemed to be fine, if Yelena’s nod was anything to go by.

“Yes, yes. Barton said you’re having a bit of a shit time. I told him yes of course she’s having a shit time because her mother hired me to kill you and she also killed that rich white man who shares his name with twenty other people and then did many many other illegal things and now she is arrested.”

It was a tone Kate herself used, often in back and forth with Lila, when Clint was being dense. The hand not occasionally patting PD waved in the air in a series of gestures indicating both that Clint was an idiot and that her point was obvious.

Kate grimaced. “Well. You’re not wrong.”

One side of Yelena’s face scrunched apologetically. “Sorry. Possibly I was too blunt?”

“Nah, it’s nice, honestly. No use dancing around it.”

“Hmm.” She continued, “Well, Barton was worried and wanted me to come see you. To make sure you are okay, which I told him was stupid for all of those reasons but also, to make sure you are safe from those idiots in bad workout clothes and whoever else, which is less stupid and is something I can actually do.”

“He…hired you?”

Yelena laughed and shook her head. “No. No. He could not afford me. But like I said, we have an understanding, and you are important to him. I was already in New York for work, and I will be here for some time, I think. So. Easy enough to find you.” Her brow furrowed slightly as she added, “We should probably work on that.”

“We?” Kate breathed to herself.

“We,” Yelena confirmed. “I have a proposal, if you are interested.”

PD’s tail thwacked against Kate’s leg, Yelena’s hand scratching behind his ear where he had moved to walk between them.

“Yes, for you, too, хороший мальчик.”

“His name’s PD, by the way,” Kate offered absently. “Short for Pizza Dog. Or Lucky.”

Speaking down to PD, Yelena murmured something in Russian, that, based on vibes alone, was, “ Your mother has given you a series of stupid names ,” and then brought her eyes, a little judgmental, back to Kate’s. “I have been told by an associate that I need to take a vacation.”

Her lips pulled down into a pout, and Kate tried very hard not to focus on her mouth. She was only halfway successful.

“She was very rude about it, but also, probably, she was right. So, I finished the job that brought me back to New York and I am not taking another one right now. I want to see the city. And Clint Barton does not want to see you die.”

“Um,” Kate said lamely.

Yelena plowed on. “Clearly, you are not very good at self-preservation.” “Hey, that’s not…”

She might as well not have been talking. “For example, I told you to stay out of my way and you decided to do the opposite of that.” Yelena looked at her the way Lila looked at Clint after he spent a solid minute trying to figure out how to get the Switch on. Idiot , her face said. “In fact, you slapped me in an elevator. Now. You are still alive, but that is because I like you.”

“Gee, thanks.”

“You are welcome.” So now Yelena heard her. “But the tracksuit idiots will not be so nice, I don’t think. This brings me to my proposal. I will help you to stay alive, and you will show me New York.”

Well, that was an easy yes.

Option A: hang out and eat with Yelena and PD, watch Yelena enjoy tourist shit, and maybe, hopefully, learn some black-widow-y things from her while also not dying embarrassingly at the hands of a bunch of Grand Theft Auto rejects.

Option B: continue to do everything she had been doing for the past five days, plus work super hard not to die embarrassingly at the hands of a bunch of Grand Theft Auto rejects.

As much as Kate loved crying over her frozen dinner for one while her dog tried to comfort her, she was willing to try something new, even if it hurt her pride a little.

And it did.

She was Hawkeye. It didn’t feel great, needing protection, but something about the offer coming from an assassin skilled enough to kill a literal Avenger took the sting out of it. Also, the help came from Clint and Yelena, not her mom, which was pretty key right now. Plus it was a trade, even if Yelena was only making it feel that way to preserve a little of Kate’s dignity, a kindness that Kate didn’t know if she deserved but really appreciated.

“Yeah,” she said. “Yeah, okay.”

“Excellent!” Yelena stopped and bent to PD, who immediately flopped onto his back again. Kate watched the brown, icy water move under his tail and winced preemptively at the inevitable state of her bathroom post-dog bath. He was gonna look so sad in the tub. She was gonna be so sad trying to get him there. “Do you hear that? We are going to spend lots more time together.”

When she stood again, her eyes wandered and caught eagerly on an ice cream cart.

A list started forming in Kate’s mind, food and drinks and cute neighborhood walks, options for a good first Broadway show. The trade wasn’t exactly equal–Yelena protecting Kate in exchange for Kate acting as a glorified tour guide/personal Yelp–but Kate could still hold up her end of the bargain and do it well. She was a New Yorker, and she had opinions about most things in the city and those opinions were, of course, right.

“There’s an ice cream shop six blocks away. Best waffle cones in the city. And I can recommend like 15 flavors. Good place to start?”

It had been obvious to Kate, that first time in her apartment, that Yelena was performing–her eagerness about New York, the invitation to share food, her laughter and openness. Kate felt it again in their fight. Stop making me like you . Because she had been, and even though Kate knew who she was dealing with, she couldn’t help but be drawn in.

Yelena was beautiful and magnetic and god, so dangerous. Deadly in her charm. Deadly in her ability to disarm. Kate knew. She knew.

Still, as Yelena’s face lit up at the prospect of ice cream, eyes defiantly bright against the gloom of the day, she found herself drawn in again, and more, something in her pushed back hard against the idea that being a widow meant Yelena wasn’t also a person. A weird, funny, vibrant person.

“How many flavors will fit in a waffle cone?” She asked, gesturing for Kate to lead the way. She continued before Kate could answer. “We must try some other places to compare. Not to get us off on the wrong leg. It is not that I do not trust you, Kate Bishop the New Yorker, but I would like to learn what makes a waffle cone good. It is important to understand why the best is the best.”

There was something about the tilt of her lips that made Kate say with confidence, “You 100% know it’s the wrong foot.”

Yelena looked down at her feet, brow furrowing and head tilting as she considered. Kate’s momentary panic that she’d been a whole ass already dissipated as Yelena winked at her, and she shoved her with her shoulder on instinct, like she would have done with Franny or Greer or Clint.

It was gone almost as soon as it appeared, but there was real surprise on Yelena’s face as she braced against the contact, obvious enough for Kate to follow up. “Sorry, was that okay?” She waved a hand between them. “The shoulder thing, I mean. I didn’t think about it but I know not everyone likes to be touched casually like that. I know we’ve fought, or whatever, but that’s different. I don’t want to make you uncomfortable.”

“It’s okay,” she said. After a beat, she added, “Thank you for asking me.”

“For sure.” Yelena was holding herself tightly, and Kate was pretty sure she got it, not being a huge fan of vulnerability herself, so she rerouted. “Back to the art of waffle cones. The question is really how many flavors do you want to combine? Because creating a complementary situation is essential to cone enjoyment.

“And yes, you’re totally right. We’ve gotta try at least a few other places so you can form your own opinion.” Yelena’s shoulders relaxed minutely, and Kate would probably spend a lot of time later thinking about how much of their interaction was organic and how much was Yelena carefully crafting, but for now, she took the win. “To be clear, though, I’m right about this. PD agrees.”

Yelena offered her an incredibly unimpressed look. “I hope you are joking.” As Kate’s lips pressed into a line, Yelena sighed. “Kate Bishop. This is not for dogs. You know this.”

“Hey! They have a pup cup!”

“Pup cup,” Yelena mocked in an American accent, rolling her eyes. “Is the waffle cone part of this?”

“I mean…”

“Mmm.” Yelena nodded and hummed through pursed lips. “That is what I thought.”

“Careful, PD,” Kate stage whispered. “Your new best friend is gonna take your treats away.”

Yelena tsked at her with a shake of her head before ruffling the hair behind PD’s ears. “Do not try to turn him against me. He is too smart for that.”

Kate watched as PD turned his little eye up at Yelena, tongue lolling and tail going hard. Smart wasn’t the word she’d use, but she wasn’t out here trying to shoot arrows in a glass house. She and PD clearly shared a deficient interest in self-preservation when it came to Yelena, both of them a little desperate and belly-up with trust, weak in the face of a beautiful, lethal weirdo.

Kate really, really wanted to believe it wouldn’t turn out to be a mistake.

#kate x yelena #bishova #bishova fic #hawkeye series

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winterinhimring · 3 months ago

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Where do I learn how to code and use linux? I want to try it but I don't know anything about coding.

I will do my best to help! The answer to that question is very long if I write it all out here, but a lot of it has been answered by other people, so I'll give you an overview and link you to some resources along the way.

The good thing is that you don't need any programming knowledge to use Linux. If you just want to try out the Linux operating system and see what it's like, I would start by downloading a program like Oracle's VirtualBox: https://www.virtualbox.org/

This will allow you to basically run a second, simulated, computer on your actual computer. From there, you can download a Linux image and install it, run it inside VirtualBox, and get familiar with the operating system. This has the additional benefit that if you do something wonky to your Linux virtual machine (VM for short) by mistake, you can just delete it and recreate it and no harm will be done to your actual computer. For a step-by-step explanation, see: https://ubuntu.com/tutorials/how-to-run-ubuntu-desktop-on-a-virtual-machine-using-virtualbox#1-overview

Short aside: Linux is not a monolithic operating system like Windows or MacOS. Linux, written by a man named Linus Torvalds, is a "kernel" made up of certain very basic computer functions, and the rest of the operating system, things like the graphical user interface (GUI, to nerds like me) doesn't come with it. To be usable by normal people, Linux has to have that functionality filled in by other programmers, which creates something called a distribution, or distro for short. Ubuntu, Debian, RedHat, Linux Mint, and OpenSUSE are all Linux distros. Different distros are designed for different purposes. Ubuntu and Mint are both pretty friendly to normal folks who want to write documents, check their email, etc. RedHat is for large companies. There's a distro called Kali that's for cybersecurity and penetration testing. Etc. etc. etc. There are tons of distros. If you don't know which one to pick, I recommend Ubuntu or Mint, as I have experience with both, and they're fairly easy to use.

From this point out, a search engine will be your best friend. There are lots of helpful tutorials online, and also answers to almost any question you can imagine. If you're unsure where to start, documentation from the website of an official Linux distribution, like Ubuntu, is usually reliable, though it can be kind of opaque if you're not used to reading tech-ese. The tutorials on Ubuntu's site, however, seem to be structured with beginners in mind, and I would run through this one to start with: https://ubuntu.com/tutorials/command-line-for-beginners#1-overview

Once you get to the point of having specific questions about how a command works or how to make the operating system do something, I would take a good look at any answers from StackOverflow, which is basically a website for computer people of all skill levels to ask each other questions ranging from the basic to the ridiculously obscure. If you're wondering it, chances are good someone on StackOverflow has asked it.

Other than that, click around your new VM, create files, find programs, etc. If you really get stuck, I'll try and help, but keep in mind I may very well be searching StackOverflow myself. XD

The other cool thing about VMs is that you can try multiple operating systems, i.e. Linux Mint (https://linuxmint-installation-guide.readthedocs.io/en/latest/) which is pretty user-friendly, as I recall.

Once you get to the point where you actually want to install Linux, you'll want to back up your computer to an external hard drive so you can restore from the backup if something goes wrong, and then follow the instructions for your chosen Linux distro. LibreOffice runs on Linux and can open most Microsoft file types, so you shouldn't need to move your files to a different type, you'll just need to copy them somewhere (like another external hard drive or a thumb drive) and then copy them back when you're done with the installation. Obligatory word of warning: installing Linux on your actual machine, as opposed to a VM, WILL OVERWRITE YOUR ENTIRE HARD DRIVE. Do this with caution. Restoring from a backup is possible, so as long as you backed everything up you will not lose any data, but it can be a pain in the neck and if you're not particularly tech-savvy, you may have to go to a computer repair store to get them to do it.

Now, as to your question about learning to code: this requires no VM and no new installation; you can start doing that today. There are almost infinite tutorials online about how to start coding. CodeCademy.com is a pretty decent one, as I recall, though it's been a long time since I used it. There's also a channel on YouTube called BroCode that puts up free 'how to get started in this programming language' tutorials, which are pretty beginner-friendly. I would recommend that you start with either Python or Java (NOT JavaScript; it's not the same thing as Java, and it's a really annoying programming language, so don't do that to yourself). Python has syntax that is more similar to English than most programming languages and it is pretty powerful, but it may confuse you when you start moving to other programming languages. Java is less immediately comprehensible but probably more representative of programming languages as a whole.

Hope this helps! Feel free to send me follow-up questions or ask for clarification if I lapsed into tech-speak and this doesn't make sense.

#asked and answered #computers are haunted #and i work with the ghosts #called-kept #winter says things

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eweballwebhosting · 10 months ago

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#hosting #managed wordpress hosting #cheap web hosting #web hosting #businesss #wordpress hosting #website hosting #online businesses #cheap website hosting #online

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serverp · 1 year ago

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Choosing the Right Control Panel for Your Hosting: Plesk vs cPanel Comparison

Whether you're a business owner or an individual creating a website, the choice of a control panel for your web hosting is crucial. Often overlooked, the control panel plays a vital role in managing web server features. This article compares two popular control panels, cPanel and Plesk, to help you make an informed decision based on your requirements and knowledge.

Understanding Control Panels

A control panel is a tool that allows users to manage various features of their web server directly. It simplifies tasks like adjusting DNS settings, managing databases, handling website files, installing third-party applications, implementing security measures, and providing FTP access. The two most widely used control panels are cPanel and Plesk, both offering a plethora of features at affordable prices.

Plesk: A Versatile Control Panel

Plesk is a web hosting control panel compatible with both Linux and Windows systems. It provides a user-friendly interface, offering access to all web server features efficiently.

cPanel: The Trusted Classic

cPanel is the oldest and most trusted web control panel, providing everything needed to manage, customize, and access web files effectively.

Comparing Plesk and cPanel

User Interface:

Plesk: Offers a user-friendly interface with a primary menu on the left and feature boxes on the right, similar to WordPress.

cPanel: Features an all-in-one page with visually appealing icons. Everything is sorted into groups for easy navigation.

Features and Tools:

Both offer a wide range of features, including email accounts, DNS settings, FTP accounts, and database management.

Plesk: Comes with more pre-installed apps, while cPanel may require additional installations.

Security:

Plesk: Provides useful security features like AutoSSL, ImunifyAV, Fail2ban, firewall, and spam defense.

cPanel: Offers features such as password-protected folders, IP address rejections, automated SSL certificate installations, and backups.

Performance:

Plesk and cPanel: Both offer good performance. cPanel is designed for faster performance by using less memory (RAM).

Distros:

Plesk: Compatible with both Linux and Windows systems.

cPanel: Works only on Linux systems, supported by distributions like CentOS, CloudLinux, and Red Hat.

Affordability:

cPanel: Known for its cost-effective pricing, making it preferred by many, especially new learners.

Preferred Hosting Options

If you are looking for a hosting solution with cPanel, explore web hosting services that offer it. For those preferring Plesk, Serverpoet provides fully managed shared, VPS, and dedicated hosting solutions. Serverpoet also offers server management support for both Plesk and cPanel, including troubleshooting, configuration, migration, security updates, and performance monitoring.

Conclusion

In the Plesk vs cPanel comparison, cPanel stands out for its cost-effective server management solution and user-friendly interface. On the other hand, Plesk offers more features and applications, making it a versatile choice. Consider your specific needs when choosing between the two, keeping in mind that cPanel is known for its Linux compatibility, while Plesk works on both Linux and Windows systems.

#cloud vps hosting #web hosting and server

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find-your-software · 2 years ago

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EaseUS Todo Backup

The top choice to protect your operating system, hard drive, partition, file/folder, and email. EaseUS Todo Backup Home is the affordable backup software that can backup files & folders, system, and important data for Windows desktops and Laptops. https://find-your-software.com/easeus/todo-backup/

#EaseUS #TodoBackup #Backup #Software

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atplblog · 3 days ago

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Price: [price_with_discount] (as of [price_update_date] - Details) [ad_1] Brand Conquer external portable memory card reader expand two SD card slots to laptops/tablets/phones that have no card slot equipped. Add more storage and back space to them. A cost-effective way to reuse the SD cards of older phones or cameras. Easy to transfer file/photos/videos etc between your phones and camera's SD cards, allowing emailing to friends or posting them on to face book with speed and convenience. Release the space of your SD/TF cards and backup your data to cloud storage. Copy the photos, movies, files etc from micro SD cards to your computer for watching, editing easily. Connect to any USB C OTG supported mobile device to playback videos/music directly from external cards without occupying space on your devices. Brand conquer USB 2.0 & USB C 2 in 1 card reader in addition to conventional pc / laptop with USB A port you can connect through this card reader with device that is equipped with USB c port. For amateur photographers it is an optimal choice to manage the files from camera via this card reader. And thanks to USB 2.0 , you're looking forward to the fastest transfer rate of up to 5 GBPS. One slight push to protect your micro SD card just insert/extract card with one slight push for micro SD card slot. Specification transfer rate of up to 5 GBPS compatible with OS: windows, Mac OS, Linux and etc. SD slot: SD, SDHC, SDXC, and RS-MMC, MMC micro SD slot: micro SD, micro SDHC, And micro SDXC size: L73.7XW21.5XH11.6 (mm) note USB A and USB c plug cannot be used identically. For Samsung s9/s9 plus/s8/s8 plus/note 8/Google pixel 2/XL/LG G5/V20/V30/ nexus 5x6p, the memory card file format should be fat32/EXFAT, NTFS is not supported. More connectivity: Equipped with USB 2.0 Type A and Type C plugs, the card reader can be used for free data exchange between memory cards and USB-A / USB-C / thunderbolt 3-capable PCs, laptops, mobile phones and tablets with OTG functions. With built-in USB 2.0 chips, the USB card reader delivers high-speed transfer rates of up to 5Gbps and allows HD movie in 1GB to transfer only seconds No need driver and app installation.This SD / Micro SD card reader do not support read two cards simultaneously. when connected to a PC/laptop, you will receive more efficient data transfer and no longer waste long time to wait. The USB 2.0 USB C to SD Adapter supports all popular memory cards For SD, SDHC, SDXC, RS-MMC, MMC, Micro SD, Micro SDHC, Micro SDXC and UHS-I cards in large capacity up to Wide compatibility: this digital memory card adapter is suitable for Samsung S10 S9 Plus S8 Plus Note 9 8, A3 / A5 (2017), A8 (2018); HUAWEI P20 Pro / P20 / P20 Lite, Mate9 / 10 / Mate 10 Pro, Honor8 / 9, P9 / P10 / P9 Plus / P10 Plus, Nexus 6P, Nova Plus, Grade 8; Sony Xperia XZ, Pieria XZ Premium; One Plus: 2/3 / 3T / 5; Xiao Mi MIX2 / MIX2s, 6 / 5C / 5s / 5splus; Mac Book Pro, Mac Book, Dell XPS, Samsung Galaxy Book, Acer Switch Alpha 12, Lenovo Mix 510/520, Yoga520 / 720/900/910/920 Plug & play: no driver installation required for windows, Mac OS, Linux etc. Powered via USB or USB C plug, therefore no additional power needed. With over current, overvoltage and short-circuit protection, the USB card reader USB C secures safety for all connected devices and memory cards Compact and portable for on the go: The Micro SD TF Card Reader is designed with aluminum housing that works well on heat dissipation. Attached protective cap protects both connectors from unwanted contamination and dust. Note: for Micro SD card slot, insert/extract the card with one slight push [ad_2]

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whycloudserversarethefuture · 4 days ago

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From RDP to .NET: What Makes Windows VPS Ideal for Your Business

🪟 Windows VPS Server Hosting: A Perfect Blend of Power, Control, and Compatibility

In today’s digital landscape, businesses and developers need hosting solutions that offer both flexibility and performance. Windows VPS (Virtual Private Server) hosting brings the familiarity of Microsoft’s ecosystem to the power of dedicated server technology — all within an affordable virtual environment. If your business relies on Windows-based applications, a Windows VPS could be the perfect fit.

🧠 What Is a Windows VPS Server?

A Windows VPS is a virtual server running a Windows operating system (typically Windows Server editions like 2019 or 2022). It mimics a dedicated server environment within a shared physical server, offering isolated resources such as CPU, RAM, and storage. Unlike shared hosting, VPS users have full root (admin) access to configure the system as needed.

🚀 Key Advantages of Windows VPS Hosting

1. Seamless Compatibility with Microsoft Applications

A Windows VPS server is the go-to solution for businesses using:

ASP.NET applications

Microsoft SQL Server (MSSQL)

Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) access

Visual Studio deployments

PowerShell automation

If your tech stack revolves around Microsoft products, Windows VPS provides native compatibility and optimal performance.

2. Remote Desktop Access (RDP)

Unlike Linux servers that require SSH, Windows VPS hosting supports easy access through RDP. This makes it user-friendly for people familiar with the Windows GUI and allows remote management from anywhere.

3. Better for Forex & Trading Applications

Many Forex traders prefer Windows VPS for its compatibility with trading platforms like MetaTrader 4 and 5 (MT4/MT5), which are natively built for Windows. With VCCLHOSTING's low-latency infrastructure, traders enjoy:

Lightning-fast execution

24/7 uptime

Isolation from other users

4. Flexible Software Installation

You get full administrative control to install:

Custom enterprise apps

Accounting software (like Tally ERP)

Email servers

CRM or CMS tools built for Windows

5. Scalability for Growing Businesses

Windows VPS hosting plans can be scaled up or down depending on your needs. This makes it ideal for:

Web developers needing test environments

Startups launching new applications

Enterprises hosting client software

🔐 Windows VPS Security & Reliability

Automatic Windows Updates: Stay protected against vulnerabilities with regular patching.

Built-in Firewalls: Configure Windows Defender Firewall to safeguard your applications.

VCCLHOSTING Security Add-ons: Add SSL certificates, DDoS protection, and backup solutions easily.

📊 Use Cases for Windows VPS Hosting

Hosting ASP.NET websites

Running Forex trading bots

Creating a virtual desktop for remote teams

Centralized file or application server

Running Microsoft Access or SharePoint-based apps

⚙️ Why Choose VCCLHOSTING for Windows VPS?

At VCCLHOSTING, we provide performance-optimized Windows VPS hosting with:

SSD-based storage for fast data access

Multiple Windows Server versions

Easy remote access with RDP

99.99% uptime SLA

24/7 expert support

We ensure your business-critical applications run smoothly and securely.

🏁 Final Thoughts

Whether you're a developer, enterprise, or Forex trader, Windows VPS servers offer a unique blend of performance, ease of use, and compatibility with Microsoft technologies. With the power of VCCLHOSTING behind you, you can host with confidence — and scale as your needs grow.

#vcclhosting #dedicated server #vps server hosting #hosting #forex server #cloud servers #servers

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drchinmoypal · 5 days ago

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Python Language and Software: The Backbone of Modern Computing and Data Science

By Dr. Chinmoy Pal

In the digital age, the ability to communicate with machines through programming has become as essential as literacy. Among the many programming languages developed to date, Python has emerged as one of the most popular, versatile, and powerful tools in the world of software development, data science, artificial intelligence, web applications, and beyond.

Developed in the late 1980s by Guido van Rossum, Python was designed to prioritize code readability and simplicity—a philosophy that has propelled its global adoption across academia, industry, and research.

What is Python?

Python is a high-level, interpreted programming language known for its clear syntax, dynamic typing, and versatility. It supports multiple programming paradigms, including object-oriented, procedural, and functional programming.

Its syntax is remarkably close to the English language, making it easy for beginners to learn while being powerful enough for advanced applications in machine learning, automation, and software engineering.

Key Features of Python

✅ 1. Simple and Readable Syntax

Easy to write and understand.

Ideal for teaching programming in schools and universities.

✅ 2. Extensive Standard Library

Comes with built-in modules for math, file I/O, web services, operating system interaction, etc.

✅ 3. Cross-Platform Compatibility

Runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and even microcontrollers.

✅ 4. Dynamic Typing and Memory Management

No need to declare variable types.

Automatic garbage collection and memory allocation.

✅ 5. Interpreted and Interactive

Python executes code line by line (interpreted).

Supports interactive testing via the Python shell or Jupyter Notebooks.

✅ 6. Large Ecosystem of Libraries and Frameworks

NumPy, Pandas, Matplotlib for data science

TensorFlow, PyTorch, Scikit-learn for AI/ML

Django, Flask, FastAPI for web development

OpenCV, Pygame, Kivy for image processing and app development

🧑‍💻 Popular Applications of Python Software

💡 1. Data Science and Machine Learning

Analyze big data, train machine learning models, and visualize trends.

Tools: Pandas, Scikit-learn, TensorFlow, Jupyter, Seaborn.

🌐 2. Web Development

Build secure and scalable web applications.

Tools: Django, Flask, FastAPI.

🤖 3. Automation and Scripting

Automate repetitive tasks like email sending, file handling, and backups.

Tools: os, shutil, cron, and Selenium for web automation.

🧪 4. Scientific Computing and Research

Use Python in simulations, statistical analysis, bioinformatics, and physics modeling.

Tools: SciPy, SymPy, Biopython.

📱 5. Software and App Development

Create cross-platform desktop or mobile applications.

Tools: PyQt, Tkinter, Kivy.

🎮 6. Game Development

2D/3D games using Pygame, Panda3D.

Python Distributions and IDEs

Tool/SoftwareDescriptionCPythonThe default Python interpreter.AnacondaA popular distribution for data science.Jupyter NotebookInteractive code + visual output.IDLEBasic built-in Python editor.PyCharmProfessional IDE by JetBrains.VS CodeLightweight, extensible code editor.

Python in Education and Research

Python has become the first language of instruction in many computer science and data science programs worldwide. Its role in academic research has been amplified by its ability to:

Interface with R and MATLAB

Generate reproducible reports

Perform complex mathematical modeling

Create real-time dashboards

Why Python is So Popular

ReasonDescription🌍 Open SourceFree to use, modify, and distribute.🌱 Beginner-FriendlyGreat for learners due to readable syntax.💼 Industry DemandWidely used in jobs and tech companies.🛠️ Rapid PrototypingFast development cycles and MVP creation.🔗 Integration ReadyWorks with C, Java, SQL, APIs, and more.🧩 Active CommunityMillions of developers and tons of free support.

⚠️ Limitations of Python

Slower Execution Speed: As an interpreted language, it's slower than compiled languages like C++ or Java.

Not Ideal for Mobile Apps: Less support for mobile development compared to languages like Kotlin or Swift.

Threading Limitations: The Global Interpreter Lock (GIL) can restrict multi-threading performance.

The Future of Python

Python’s future is bright as it continues to evolve with AI integration, web assembly, faster interpreters (like PyPy), and quantum computing support. It remains the backbone of innovation across industries—from finance to healthcare, from academia to Silicon Valley.

Conclusion

Python is more than just a programming language—it is a universal tool that powers innovation across disciplines. Its combination of simplicity, power, and community support has made it the most in-demand language of the 21st century.

Whether you’re building a website, training a neural network, automating a business process, or modeling climate change, Python is the software language that lets you do it all—efficiently and elegantly.

Author: Dr. Chinmoy Pal Website: www.drchinmoypal.com Published: July 2025

#machine learning #statistical analysis #statistics

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ms-demeanor · 2 years ago

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Also:

If your computer is over 5-7 years old but is still working for you that is fine! You don't have to replace your computer because of an arbitrary age. "Functioning" as we define it at my job means that a computer will run the latest standard operating system and the latest versions of various types of business software because that is what is required for a computer to work for an office; a home computer doesn't have to have the same specs to stay functional for a user who is just doing email and internet, which is what most home users use their computers for.

*However* the reliable lifespan of hard drives and ssds is a lot firmer and it isn't planned obsolescence or an attempt to degrade lifespans of consumer devices, it is simply due to the limitations of the hardware. After about five years of use, HDDs and SSDs are more likely to fail. HDDs will give you some warning about this (reporting bad sectors, clicking noises, if they fail data can likely be recovered for a fee), but when SSDs fail they fail catastrophically (they just don't turn on and the data is gone). That is not to say that your drives will automatically fail at the five year mark, it just means that they are much more LIKELY to fail at the five year mark. So now that you know this, you should take steps to prevent a failing drive from ruining your life. Get a large external hard drive and save regular image and file backups from your computer, and if your backup drive is five or more years old buy a new one and copy any important data to the new drive then use the new drive for new backups. You should also get a thumb drive and create a windows recovery disk if you haven't already done so. And you should keep in mind that thumb drives also have an expected lifespan of about five years, depending on frequency of use. And you can also just proactively replace your storage drives on a schedule before they fail to extend the lifespan of the device. If you plan on upgrading the hardware in your computer at five year intervals (a good plan if you don't want to or can't replace an older computer! I support this plan! This is what most people should do!) then you will likely never experience a drive failure on your device.

ALSO here are things that my customers frequently don't consider that can get a lot of life or functionality out of an older/broken computer:

If your laptop screen fails and you can't afford to replace it, go to a local thrift store, get a monitor, then go online or to best buy and get the cable to connect your laptop to your new monitor. Thrift stores have monitors for about 20 bucks and a cable will cost 7-15 dollars, which is a hell of a lot cheaper than $75-150 for a replacement screen and whatever labor would cost. This will mean that your laptop is not a laptop anymore, but it can still be a computer for you.

If your computer doesn't have enough USB ports get a USB hub. A lot of laptops come with only one USB port these days, and many desktops come with 4 or fewer, so an 8-port hub is a great idea.

People are making computers without ethernet ports these days (evil) but you can get USB to Ethernet adapters (here is one by a reliable manufacturer). This is bad and I hate it and I'm sorry.

If the keyboard or touchpad on your laptop fail and you can't afford to replace them, get a USB keyboard or laptop. You can get very small wireless keyboards that will allow you some measure of portability, and there are even keyboard/touchpad combos that you can get.

Talk to like three friends and go in together on a USB CD/DVD drive to share. Most computers, even most desktops, don't have internal optical drives these days, but external readers are available for a wide variety of prices and it is not something that you are going to need every day.

Those things seem pretty obvious, I'm sure, but they just don't occur to a lot of people. Also like at least three of those tips are "if your computer didn't come with hardware it should have then store-bought is fine" and I recognize that that is bullshit but at least if you have your own ethernet port, usb ports, and optical drive it immediately becomes less of a concern if your computer has those things AND you'll be able to use those external components with multiple devices if you want to.

Also I know nothing about gaming specs or video cards but Paul's Hardware on Youtube has a 75-video playlist about video cards that I suspect will have answers to many of the questions people have about graphics cards.

So You Need To Buy A Computer But You Don't Know What Specs Are Good These Days

Hi.

This is literally my job.

Lots of people are buying computers for school right now or are replacing computers as their five-year-old college laptop craps out so here's the standard specs you should be looking for in a (windows) computer purchase in August 2023.

PROCESSOR

Intel i5 (no older than 10th Gen)

Ryzen 7

You can get away with a Ryzen 5 but an intel i3 should be an absolute last resort. You want at least an intel i5 or a Ryzen 7 processor. The current generation of intel processors is 13, but anything 10 or newer is perfectly fine. DO NOT get a higher performance line with an older generation; a 13th gen i5 is better than an 8th gen i7. (Unfortunately I don't know enough about ryzens to tell you which generation is the earliest you should get, but staying within 3 generations is a good rule of thumb)

RAM

8GB absolute minimum

If you don't have at least 8GB RAM on a modern computer it's going to be very, very slow. Ideally you want a computer with at least 16GB, and it's a good idea to get a computer that will let you add or swap RAM down the line (nearly all desktops will let you do this, for laptops you need to check the specs for Memory and see how many slots there are and how many slots are available; laptops with soldered RAM cannot have the memory upgraded - this is common in very slim laptops)

STORAGE

256GB SSD

Computers mostly come with SSDs these days; SSDs are faster than HDDs but typically have lower storage for the same price. That being said: SSDs are coming down in price and if you're installing your own drive you can easily upgrade the size for a low cost. Unfortunately that doesn't do anything for you for the initial purchase.

A lot of cheaper laptops will have a 128GB SSD and, because a lot of stuff is stored in the cloud these days, that can be functional. I still recommend getting a bit more storage than that because it's nice if you can store your music and documents and photos on your device instead of on the cloud. You want to be able to access your files even if you don't have internet access.

But don't get a computer with a big HDD instead of getting a computer with a small SSD. The difference in speed is noticeable.

SCREEN (laptop specific)

Personally I find that touchscreens have a negative impact on battery life and are easier to fuck up than standard screens. They are also harder to replace if they get broken. I do not recommend getting a touch screen unless you absolutely have to.

A lot of college students especially tend to look for the biggest laptop screen possible; don't do that. It's a pain in the ass to carry a 17" laptop around campus and with the way that everything is so thin these days it's easier to damage a 17" screen than a 14" screen.

On the other end of that: laptops with 13" screens tend to be very slim devices that are glued shut and impossible to work on or upgrade.

Your best bet (for both functionality and price) is either a 14" or a 15.6" screen. If you absolutely positively need to have a 10-key keyboard on your laptop, get the 15.6". If you need something portable more than you need 10-key, get a 14"

FORM FACTOR (desktop specific)

If you purchase an all-in-one desktop computer I will begin manifesting in your house physically. All-in-ones take away every advantage desktops have in terms of upgradeability and maintenance; they are expensive and difficult to repair and usually not worth the cost of disassembling to upgrade.

There are about four standard sizes of desktop PC: All-in-One (the size of a monitor with no other footprint), Tower (Big! probably at least two feet long in two directions), Small Form Factor Tower (Very moderate - about the size of a large shoebox), and Mini/Micro/Tiny (Small! about the size of a small hardcover book).

If you are concerned about space you are much better off getting a MicroPC and a bracket to put it on your monitor than you are getting an all-in-one. This will be about a million percent easier to work on than an all-in-one and this way if your monitor dies your computer is still functional.

Small form factor towers and towers are the easiest to work on and upgrade; if you need a burly graphics card you need to get a full size tower, but for everything else a small form factor tower will be fine. Most of our business sales are SFF towers and MicroPCs, the only time we get something larger is if we have to put a $700 graphics card in it. SFF towers will accept small graphics cards and can handle upgrades to the power supply; MicroPCs can only have the RAM and SSD upgraded and don't have room for any other components or their own internal power supply.

WARRANTY

Most desktops come with either a 1 or 3 year warranty; either of these is fine and if you want to upgrade a 1 year to a 3 year that is also fine. I've generally found that if something is going to do a warranty failure on desktop it's going to do it the first year, so you don't get a hell of a lot of added mileage out of an extended warranty but it doesn't hurt and sometimes pays off to do a 3-year.

Laptops are a different story. Laptops mostly come with a 1-year warranty and what I recommend everyone does for every laptop that will allow it is to upgrade that to the longest warranty you can get with added drop/damage protection. The most common question our customers have about laptops is if we can replace a screen and the answer is usually "yes, but it's going to be expensive." If you're purchasing a low-end laptop, the parts and labor for replacing a screen can easily cost more than half the price of a new laptop. HOWEVER, the way that most screens get broken is by getting dropped. So if you have a warranty with drop protection, you just send that sucker back to the factory and they fix it for you.

So, if it is at all possible, check if the manufacturer of a laptop you're looking at has a warranty option with drop protection. Then, within 30 days (though ideally on the first day you get it) of owning your laptop, go to the manufacturer site, register your serial number, and upgrade the warranty. If you can't afford a 3-year upgrade at once set a reminder for yourself to annually renew. But get that drop protection, especially if you are a college student or if you've got kids.

And never, ever put pens or pencils on your laptop keyboard. I've seen people ruin thousand dollar, brand-new laptops that they can't afford to fix because they closed the screen on a ten cent pencil. Keep liquids away from them too.

LIFESPAN

There's a reasonable chance that any computer you buy today will still be able to turn on and run a program or two in ten years. That does not mean that it is "functional."

At my office we estimate that the functional lifespan of desktops is 5-7 years and the functional lifespan of laptops is 3-5 years. Laptops get more wear and tear than desktops and desktops are easier to upgrade to keep them running. At 5 years for desktops and 3 years for laptops you should look at upgrading the RAM in the device and possibly consider replacing the SSD with a new (possibly larger) model, because SSDs and HDDs don't last forever.

COST

This means that you should think of your computers as an annual investment rather than as a one-time purchase. It is more worthwhile to pay $700 for a laptop that will work well for five years than it is to pay $300 for a laptop that will be outdated and slow in one year (which is what will happen if you get an 8th gen i3 with 8GB RAM). If you are going to get a $300 laptop try to get specs as close as possible to the minimums I've laid out here.

If you have to compromise on these specs, the one that is least fixable is the processor. If you get a laptop with an i3 processor you aren't going to be able to upgrade it even if you can add more RAM or a bigger SSD. If you have to get lower specs in order to afford the device put your money into the processor and make sure that the computer has available slots for upgrade and that neither the RAM nor the SSD is soldered to the motherboard. (one easy way to check this is to search "[computer model] RAM upgrade" on youtube and see if anyone has made a video showing what the inside of the laptop looks like and how much effort it takes to replace parts)

Computers are expensive right now. This is frustrating, because historically consumer computer prices have been on a downward trend but since 2020 that trend has been all over the place. Desktop computers are quite expensive at the moment (August 2023) and decent laptops are extremely variably priced.

If you are looking for a decent, upgradeable laptop that will last you a few years, here are a couple of options that you can purchase in August 2023 that have good prices for their specs:

14" Lenovo - $670 - 11th-gen i5, 16GB RAM, and 512GB SSD

15.6" HP - $540 - 11th-gen i5, 16GB RAM, and 256GB SSD

14" Dell - $710 - 12th-gen i5, 16GB RAM, and 256GB SSD

If you are looking for a decent, affordable desktop that will last you a few years, here are a couple of options that you can purchase in August 2023 that have good prices for their specs:

SFF HP - $620 - 10th-gen i5, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD

SFF Lenovo - $560 - Ryzen 7 5000 series, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD

Dell Tower - $800 - 10th-gen i7, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD

If I were going to buy any of these I'd probably get the HP laptop or the Dell Tower. The HP Laptop is actually a really good price for what it is.

Anyway happy computering.

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