#Chemical Engineering Interview Questions and Answers

[shraddhamatre]

Cracking the BPCL Exam with a Strategic Approach: Unlocking Success

For engineering graduates, the Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) test is a fantastic opportunity, providing a distinguished employment in one of India's top public sector companies. But passing the BPCL exam calls for a well-rounded strategy, astute planning, and concentrated study. Here is a guide to assist you negotiate the way toward passing this difficult test if you're striving for success.

1. Recognize the syllabus and exam pattern for BPCL It's critical to comprehend the BPCL test syllabus and structure before beginning any preparation. A technical round, a personal interview, and an aptitude exam usually comprise the BPCL employment procedure. Quantitative ability, logical thinking, general awareness, and technical subjects pertaining to your engineering specialty (mechanical, civil, electrical, chemical, etc.) are among the categories that make up the written test. Key Tip: Visit the official BPCL website to download the most recent curriculum and exam pattern. Make a list of the subjects you want to address in each segment. Make sure you focus especially on your technical domain because it is heavily considered in the final evaluation.

2. Become proficient in the technical area The foundation of the BPCL exam is the technical segment, where you will be examined on the fundamentals of engineering. Rather of merely learning information by heart, concentrate on comprehending basic ideas. Be careful to include significant subjects pertaining to your field of study. For example, if you are a mechanical engineer, your focus should be on fluid mechanics, heat transport, and thermodynamics. Key Tip: For mechanical, electrical, and chemical disciplines, consult classic texts such as "Strength of Materials" by R.K. Bansal, "Basic Electrical Engineering" by V.K. Mehta, and "Engineering Chemistry" by P.C. Jain. To have a better understanding of the question structure, practice answering GATE-related questions and BPCL papers from prior years.

3. Pay Attention to Reasoning and Aptitude Technical candidates tend to disregard quantitative aptitude and logical thinking, although both are crucial for passing the BPCL exam. These parts evaluate your ability to analyze logically and solve problems, two skills that are essential for every engineering position. Key Advice: Develop your foundational knowledge in geometry, algebra, arithmetic, and data interpretation. You may hone your abilities by reading books like R.S. Aggarwal's "Quantitative Aptitude" and "A Modern Approach to Logical Reasoning" written by the same author. Practice every day, working your way up from simple to more challenging challenges.

4. Keep abreast on general awareness The BPCL test also includes a vital component called general awareness. Current events, general information, and news pertaining to the industry—particularly in the petroleum and energy sectors—are the main topics of discussion in this area. Important Advice: Read newspapers, watch business channels, and keep up with what's going on in the petroleum sector on a national and worldwide scale. Periodicals such as "Pratiyogita Darpan" and web portals such as GKToday may be excellent sources of current events and general information.

5. Time Management Done Right Effective time management is essential for completing the extensive BPCL program. The vast amount of subjects may overwhelm candidates if they don't allocate enough time. Important Tip: Make a daily and weekly schedule that allots time for every subject according to its significance and level of difficulty. To divide up study periods into small chunks, use timers such as Pomodoro timers. To make sure you remember what you've learnt, revise frequently.

6. Practice Exams and Old Papers Your greatest ally while getting ready for any competitive exam is a mock test. By completing these, you may gain a sense of the real exam setting and improve time management and stress reduction. Important Tip: As the exam date draws near, progressively increase the frequency of full-length mock exams by taking them every week. Examine your performance after every exam, concentrating on areas where you are weak. Study materials tailored to BPCL and a variety of internet sites offer practice exams.

7. Get ready for the in-person meeting. Succeeding on the written test is just half the fight. A personal interview is the last step in the BPCL hiring process, during which your technical expertise, personality, and communication abilities will be evaluated. Important Tip: Be well-prepared for questions from HR such as "Where do you see yourself in five years?" and "Why do you want to join BPCL?" Have the ability to articulate technological tasks you have worked on in your career or academic life. To boost your confidence, do mock interviews with mentors or friends and ask for comments.

8. Continue with a Reasoned Approach As crucial as preparation is, it's also critical to strike a balance between studying and leisure time. Burnout might result from packing too many hours of study time into your schedule. Important Advice: Make sure you maintain a regular sleep pattern, take brief pauses throughout study sessions, and do some modest physical activity. Maintaining a calm and rested state of mind helps enhance concentration and efficiency. In summary The BPCL test calls for aptitude, time management, and confidence in addition to technical knowledge. Through adherence to this guidance, perseverance, and regular practice, you'll have no trouble passing the BPCL test. If you have a well-thought-out plan for the exam, you can open the door to a fulfilling career with Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited!

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[aneetasingh]

Getting Around the GATE 2024: Use the Ultimate Rank Calculator to Uncover Your Potential

For engineering graduates hoping to go into postgraduate programs or gain coveted positions in the public sector, the Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) is essential. As the GATE 2024 draws near, candidates everywhere are searching for trustworthy instruments and sources to assess their abilities and forecast their positions. The GATE Rank Calculator is a cutting-edge tool that may turn uncertainty into a clear picture of your prospective ranking. With a wide range of tools and resources, such as the highly anticipated GATE 2024 Rank Predictor, GATE 2024 Marks vs. Score analysis, and GATE 2024 Score Calculator, Check Gate Rank firm stands out as a light for GATE candidates in this context.

The Reasons Why Check Gate Rank Company Is Unique in Precision and Customization The Check Gate Rank company's GATE Rank Calculator is painstakingly made to provide accurate forecasts by utilizing an advanced algorithm that takes into consideration the GATE 2024's marking method, difficulty levels, and past data trends. Aspirants are guaranteed an accurate estimate of their ranks and scores thanks to this individualized technique.

Extensive Resource Hub: Check Gate Rank offers candidates a comprehensive support system that goes beyond rank prediction. The platform acts as a one-stop shop for all GATE-related questions and requirements, offering everything from the GATE 2024 question paper and answer key to comprehensive solutions and scoring data.

Expert Analysis: A group of professionals, including eminent teachers and GATE finalists, have carefully selected the GATE 2024 question answer keys and solutions. This guarantees correctness and gives candidates priceless insights into efficient problem-solving methods.

Important characteristics of the GATE Score Calculator 2024 and GATE Rank Calculator: With the use of this function, candidates can calculate their predicted marks to estimate their GATE scores. It's a crucial tool for organizing next moves in your job or academic endeavors.

Analysis of Marks vs. Score: It's critical to comprehend the relationship between the final GATE score and the marks received. Aspirants can better grasp the dynamics of scoring and set reasonable goals with the aid of this study.

Rank Predictor: Possibly the most desired feature, the GATE 2024 Rank Predictor provides candidates with an indication of their prospective rank. Making decisions about preferred schools or career opportunities may depend heavily on this projection.

Subject-Specific Insights: Check Gate Rank offers comprehensive answer keys and solutions for streams like Chemical Engineering, Computer Science, and Information Technology, which helps to improve comprehension of subject-wise performance.

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The GATE Rank Calculator: How to Use It Enter Your Information Here: Enter the category, topic paper, and expected marks first.

Examine the Prediction: The tool projects your score and rank by comparing the data to its extensive database and algorithms.

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In summary The importance of precise and trustworthy prediction systems increases as the GATE 2024 progresses. With its advanced GATE Rank Calculator and a variety of supplementary tools, the Check Gate Rank firm is a vital resource for GATE candidates. Check Gate Rank offers clarity, confidence, and a competitive advantage, whether you're interested in knowing your GATE 2024 score, trying to comprehend the relationship between marks and rank, or just wanting to check where you stand among thousands of prospective candidates. With Check Gate Rank at your side, embrace the path towards GATE 2024 and enter a future full of opportunities.

Welcome to CheckGateRank.com – Your Gateway to GATE Exam Success!

Are you eagerly awaiting your GATE 2024 exam results and looking for a reliable tool to predict your rank and scores? Look no further than CheckGateRank.com, an advanced and accurate platform designed to assist GATE aspirants in assessing their performance and planning for a successful career ahead.

Key Features of CheckGateRank.com:

1. Predicted Rank and Scores:

CheckGateRank.com offers a cutting-edge solution to instantly generate your predicted rank and scores based on your responses in the GATE examination. Our advanced algorithm ensures accuracy comparable to official GATE results.

2. Answer Sheet Matching:

Wondering how our tool works? Simply input your responses of GATE (questions & its answers) without any changes/alterations, and CheckGateRank.com will seamlessly match them with the correct answers stored in our extensive database. Get a detailed breakdown of your performance like Rank, total marks, score, highest score in particular stream/branch in few moments!

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At CheckGateRank.com, we understand the importance of timely information in shaping your career. Join thousands of satisfied users who have benefited from our accurate predictions and embarked on successful career journeys. Take control of your future – check your predicted rank and scores today at CheckGateRank.com

[cnacertificationprogram]

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[vedprep2]

How to Prepare For GATE 2024 – A Guide by Vedprep

Gate 2024 is almost here and our young aspirants have never been so restless. Our students are ready and we can feel the excitement and anticipation for the exam building up. However, every passing day brings us closer to the BIG DAY, the day of examination. And for that, VedPrep Chem Academy has curated the perfect guide for all the GATE aspirants out there. Curated with Ved Sir, this guide will solve all your queries regarding “How to prepare for GATE 2024”.

So let’s dive right into this ultimate guide!

A Quick Summary

GATE or Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering is an examination for aspirants who aspire to pursue Master of Engineering, M.Tech., and Ph.D. GATE lets aspirants get direct admissions into the most prestigious universities of our country such as IITs, IIITs, and IISERs.

Moreover, the top GATE Rankers can get direct or interviewed jobs in PSUs like Indian Oil, GAIL, and CIL.

If you want to learn more about GATE and it’s latest notifications, then you can click on the links below:

Everything about GATE: click here

GATE 2024 Pattern of Question Paper (Latest)

Since GATE is a highly competitive examination, your rank is what matters the most. No matter what your GATE scorecard says, it’s your rank that will decide your future. Therefore, preparation for a good rank starts with understanding the examination first. This is the first step of our guide “How to prepare for GATE 2024”. We’ll be analysing the GATE examination for Chemistry. However, the strategy for GATE 2024 will be applicable for all subjects. So, let’s go through the exam pattern!

The exam will have a total of 65 questions.

10 Aptitude based questions

55 subject based questions

There will be 3 types of questions in the GATE 2024 Question Paper

Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) carrying 1-2 marks each in all papers and sections.

Multiple Select Questions (MSQs) carrying 1-2 marks each.

Numerical Answer Type Questions (NATs) carrying 1-2 marks each in most papers and sections.

Further Analysis of GATE 2024 Examination Pattern

The duration of GATE 2024 will be the same as every other year. That is, 3 hours of Computer Based Test (CBT). During that time duration, candidates will have to solve General aptitude and their chosen subject’s questions.

The General Aptitude section will consist of:

Recall

Comprehension

Application

Analysis and Synthesis

After analysing the examination pattern, there are some important takeaways that you should bear in mind.

The Aptitude section is very important. Never ignore it!

Prepare as per the latest syllabus.

Bring some diversification in the types of questions you practise.

Prepare for all sections (MCQs/MSQs/NAT)

GATE 2024 Syllabus

The syllabus of GATE (Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering) has always been vast for all subjects. There’s a lot to cover, and a lot to summarise to keep your preparation up to the mark. You will be competing with prodigies who have maintained a streak of scores. In that case it’s essential that your preparation strategy for GATE s2024 is full proof. And to make that happen, the first step is to know your syllabus.

1. Physical Chemistry

Structure

Postulates of quantum mechanics. Operators. Time dependent and time independent Schrödinger equations. Born interpretation. Dirac bra-ket notation. Particle in a box: infinite and finite square wells; concept of tunnelling; particles in 1D, 2D and 3D-box; applications. Harmonic oscillator: harmonic and anharmonic potentials; hermite polynomials. Rotational motion: Angular momentum operators, Rigid rotor. Hydrogen and hydrogen-like atoms : atomic orbitals; radial distribution function. Multi-electron atoms: orbital approximation; electron spin; Pauli exclusion principle; Slater determinants. Approximation Methods: Variation method and secular determinants; first order perturbation techniques. Atomic units. Molecular structure and Chemical bonding: Born-Oppenheimer approximation; Valence bond theory and linear combination of atomic orbitals -molecular orbital (LCAO-MO) theory. Hybrid orbitals. Applications of LCAO-MO theory to H2+, H2; orbital theory (MOT) of homo- and heteronuclear diatomic molecules. Hückel approximation and its application to annular π electron systems.

Group theory

Symmetry elements and operations; Point groups and character tables; Internal coordinates and vibrational modes; symmetry adapted linear combination of atomic orbitals (LCAOMO); construction of hybrid orbitals using symmetry aspects.

Spectroscopy

Atomic spectroscopy; Russell-Saunders coupling; Term symbols and spectral details; origin of selection rules. Rotational, vibrational, electronic and Raman spectroscopy of diatomic and polyatomic molecules. Line broadening. Einstein’s coefficients. Relationship of transition moment integral with molar extinction coefficient and oscillator strength. Basic principles of nuclear magnetic resonance: gyromagnetic ratio; chemical shift, nuclear Coupling.

Equilibrium

Laws of thermodynamics. Standard states. Thermochemistry. Thermodynamic functions and their relationships: Gibbs-Helmholtz and Maxwell relations, Gibbs-Duhem equation, van’t Hoff equation. Criteria of spontaneity and equilibrium. Absolute entropy. Partial molar quantities. Thermodynamics of mixing. Chemical potential. Fugacity, activity and activity coefficients. Ideal and Non-ideal solutions, Raoult’s Law and Henry’s Law, Chemical equilibria. Dependence of equilibrium constant on temperature and pressure. Ionic mobility and conductivity. Debye-Hückel limiting law. Debye-Hückel-Onsager equation. Standard electrode potentials and electrochemical cells. Nernst Equation and its application, relationship between Electrode potential and thermodynamic quantities, Potentiometric and conductometric titrations. Phase rule. Clausius-Clapeyron equation. Phase diagram of one component systems: CO2, H2O, S; two component systems: liquid- vapour, liquid-liquid and solid-liquid systems. Fractional distillation. Azeotropes and eutectics. Statistical thermodynamics: microcanonical, canonical and grand canonical ensembles, Boltzmann distribution, partition functions and thermodynamic properties.

Kinetics (Topic have been rearranged)

Elementary, parallel, opposing and consecutive reactions. Steady state approximation. Mechanisms of complex reactions. Unimolecular reactions. Potential energy surfaces and classical trajectories, Concept of Saddle points, Transition state theory: Eyring equation, thermodynamic aspects. Kinetics of polymerization. Catalysis concepts and enzyme catalysis. Kinetic isotope effects. Fast reaction kinetics: relaxation and flow methods. Diffusion controlled reactions. Kinetics of photochemical and photophysical processes.

Surfaces and Interfaces

Physisorption and chemisorption. Langmuir, Freundlich and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) isotherms. Surface catalysis: Langmuir-Hinshelwood mechanism. Surface tension, viscosity. Self-assembly. Physical chemistry of colloids, micelles and macromolecules.

2. Organic Chemistry

Stereochemistry

Chirality and symmetry of organic molecules with or without chiral centres and determination of their absolute configurations. Relative stereochemistry in compounds. having more than one stereogenic centre. Homotopic, enantiotopic and diastereotopic atoms, groups and faces. Stereoselective and stereospecific synthesis. Conformational analysis of acyclic and cyclic compounds. Geometrical isomerism and optical isomerism. Configurational and conformational effects, atropisomerism, and neighbouring group participation on reactivity and selectivity/specificity.

Reaction Mechanisms

Basic mechanistic concepts – kinetic versus thermodynamic control, Hammond’s postulate and Curtin-Hammett principle. Methods of determining reaction mechanisms through kinetics, identification of products, intermediates and isotopic labelling. Linear free-energy relationship – Hammett and Taft equations. Nucleophilic and electrophilic substitution reactions (both aromatic and aliphatic). Addition reactions to carbon-carbon and carbon-heteroatom (N and O) multiple bonds. Elimination reactions. Reactive intermediates – carbocations, carbanions, carbenes, nitrenes, arynes and free radicals. Molecular rearrangements.

Organic Synthesis

Synthesis, reactions, mechanisms and selectivity involving the following classes of compounds – alkenes, alkynes, arenes, alcohols, phenols, aldehydes, ketones, carboxylic acids, esters, nitriles, halides, nitro compounds, amines and amides. Uses of Mg, Li, Cu, B, Zn, P, S, Sn and Si based reagents in organic synthesis. Carbon-carbon bond formation through coupling reactions – Heck, Suzuki, Stille, Sonogoshira, Negishi, Kumada, Hiyama, Tsuji-Trost, olefin metathesis and McMurry. Concepts of multistep synthesis – retrosynthetic analysis, strategic disconnections, synthons and synthetic equivalents. Atom economy and Green Chemistry, Umpolung reactivity – formyl and acyl anion equivalents. Selectivity in organic synthesis – chemo-, regio- and stereoselectivity. Protection and deprotection of functional groups. Concepts of asymmetric synthesis – resolution (including enzymatic), desymmetrization and use of chiral auxiliaries, organocatalysis. Carbon-carbon Sergeant to set it as and carbon-heteroatom bond forming reactions through enolates (including boron enolates), enamines and silyl enol ethers. Stereoselective addition to C=O groups (Cram, Prelog and Felkin-Anh models).

Pericyclic Reactions and Photochemistry

Electrocyclic, cycloaddition and sigmatropic reactions. Orbital correlations – FMO and PMO treatments, Woodward-Hoffmann rule. Photochemistry of alkenes, arenes and carbonyl compounds. Photooxidation and photoreduction. Di- + -methane rearrangement, Barton-McCombie reaction, Norrish type-I and II cleavage reaction.

Heterocyclic Compounds

Structure, preparation, properties and reactions of furan, pyrrole, thiophene, pyridine, indole, quinoline and isoquinoline.

Biomolecules

Structure, properties and reactions of mono- and di-saccharides, physicochemical properties of amino acids, chemical synthesis of peptides, chemical structure determination of peptides and proteins, structural features of proteins, nucleic acids, lipids, steroids, terpenoids, carotenoids, and alkaloids.

Experimental techniques in organic chemistry

Optical rotation (polarimetry). Applications of various chromatographic techniques such as thin-layer, column, HPLC and GC. Applications of UV-visible, IR, NMR and Mass spectrometry in the structural determination of organic molecules.

3. Inorganic Chemistry

Main Group Elements

Hydrides, halides, oxides, oxoacids, nitrides, sulfides – shapes and

reactivity. Structure and bonding of boranes, carboranes, silicones, silicates, boron nitride,

borazines and phosphazenes. Allotropes of carbon, phosphorous and sulphur. Industrial

synthesis of compounds of main group elements. Chemistry of noble gases, pseudohalogens,

and interhalogen compounds. Acid-base concepts and principles (Lewis, Brønsted, HSAB and

acid-base catalysis).

Transition Elements

Coordination chemistry – structure and isomerism, theories of bonding

(VBT, CFT, and MOT). Energy level diagrams in various crystal fields, CFSE, applications of

CFT, Jahn-Teller distortion. Electronic spectra of transition metal complexes: spectroscopic

term symbols, selection rules, Orgel and Tanabe-Sugano diagrams, nephelauxetic effect and

Racah parameter, charge-transfer spectra. Magnetic properties of transition metal complexes.

Ray-Dutt and Bailar twists, Reaction mechanisms: kinetic and thermodynamic stability,

substitution and redox reactions. Metal-metal multiple bond.

Lanthanides and Actinides

Recovery. Periodic properties, spectra and magnetic properties.

Organometallics: 18-Electron rule; metal-alkyl, metal-carbonyl, metal-olefin and metal-

carbine complexes and metallocenes. Fluxionality in organometallic complexes. Types of

organometallic reactions. Homogeneous catalysis – Hydrogenation, hydroformylation, acetic

acid synthesis, metathesis and olefin oxidation. Heterogeneous catalysis – Fischer- Tropsch

reaction, Ziegler-Natta polymerization.

Radioactivity

Detection of radioactivity, Decay processes, half-life of radioactive elements,

fission and fusion processes.

Bioinorganic Chemistry

Ion (Na+ and K+) transport, oxygen binding, transport and utilization, electron transfer reactions, nitrogen fixation, metalloenzymes containing magnesium, molybdenum, iron, cobalt, copper and zinc.

Solids

Crystal systems and lattices, Miller planes, crystal packing, crystal defects, Bragg’s law, ionic crystals, structures of AX, AX2, ABX3 type compounds, spinels, band theory, metals and semiconductors.

Instrumental Methods of Analysis

UV-visible, fluorescence and FTIR spectrophotometry, NMR and ESR spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, atomic absorption spectroscopy, Mössbauer spectroscopy (Fe and Sn) and X-ray crystallography. Chromatography including GC and HPLC. Electroanalytical methods- polarography, cyclic voltammetry, ion-selective electrodes, Thermoanalytical methods.

Trend Analysis of GATE (2021 – 2023)

Before a future strategy for GATE 2024, let’s take a look at the GATE question trends throughout the years. We’ll be going through the trends for all three sections (Physical, Organic, and Inorganic chemistry for better understanding.

Question-wise Trends GATE Physical Chemistry

After analysing the trend in Physical chemistry for GATE, we can conclude a few things:

Physical Chemistry had a whooping 30 marks weightage from 2021 – 2023. This fact should be more than enough for anyone to start focusing on Physical Chemistry even more.

Physical Chemistry has been consistently delivering around 20 questions every year. With over 40% weightage, physical chemistry becomes 

Topics like Quantum Chemistry, Chemical Kinetics, Physical Spectroscopy, Thermodynamics and thermochemistry, and electrochemistry are very important. As these are the topics from which questions are being asked consistently in the GATE examination.

However, if we look at the marks weightage trend, we can clearly notice that there are more essential topics. Topics like  Quantum Chemistry, Chemical Kinetics, Physical Spectroscopy, Thermodynamics & thermochemistry, electrochemistry Solutions, and solid state become highly significant in this case.

Strategy to crack GATE 2024

Now that we’ve understood the pattern GATE has been following throughout the years, we can finally use our analysis to curate the ultimate strategy so that you don’t have to search for “How to prepare for GATE 2024” anymore.

So let’s uncover this guide Step-by-Step:

You can head to the strategy by clicking on this link.

And don't forget to check out www.vedprep.com if you're a GATE aspirant and want the best learning partner to help you crack the code of GATE.

[ettawritesnstudies]

oh my god how long has this been sitting in my drafts

uhhh if you send me a list of questions I'll gladly record this and put it on my youtube, either as an interview conversation with you or as a general Q&A type thing where I rapid-fire answer questions from anyone who submits them

for anyone who doesn't know I have a background in chemical engineering!

Quick! You get to pick one of your writer friends to listen to at a convention or on a podcast interview? Who do you want to see ramble and what do you want to listen to them talk about?

[interviewmaterial]

Interview Material is providing the every types of interview questions and answers for your better future and you able to crack your job in one read.

[waitimcomingtoo]

In Case You Don’t Live Forever

~chapter five rewritten~

Pairing: Peter Parker x Venom!reader

Synopsis: you are Peters greatest love and Spider-Man’s greatest enemy

Series Masterlist

“Why are you in such a mood?” Ned asked his best friend as they walked to their college campus. Peter had been grumpy all morning and Ned was quick to notice. He usually showed up at Ned’s door exhausted but eager to share the adventures from the night before, but he seemed defeated today.

“I got my ass beat last night.” Peter grumbled as he shouldered his backpack.

“By who?” Ned wondered.

“I don’t even know.” Peter sighed. “I think it was some kind of alien.”

“What’d it look like?” Ned asked. It wasn’t uncommon for Ned to ask a million questions after being told something Spider-Man related. After all, he was the guy in the chair.

“Like nothing I’ve ever seen before.” Peter said swallowed and tried to push the previous night from his mind. He’d rather focus on this morning, and the moment he had shared with you. Peter felt such a strong connection to you, and he would’ve stayed on that rooftop all day if he could.

“Describe it to me.” Ned pleaded, tearing Peter from his thoughts.

“I don’t know. It was like eight feet tall, black, and bald. And it was super veiny.” Peter grimaced while Ned’s eyes widened.

“Oh my God. You fought Shaquille O’Neal?” Ned gasped.

“Keep your voice down. I did not fight Shaquille O’Neal.” Peter whispered harshly. Ned always seemed one step away from blowing Peters cover. Peter gave bashful smiles to the passing students who gave him weird looks upon hearing Ned’s words.

“Terry Crews?” Ned continued. Peter rolled his eyes at his best friend and starting walking to class.

“No. This is serious.” Peter said, his voice heavy with annoyance.

“I know it’s serious. You got beat up by The Rock.” Ned remarked. Peter fidgeted with the strings on his backpack, still bothered knowing he was beaten so easily by Venom.

“The Rock is Samoan, not black.” Peter corrected.

“I know. But I heard “bald” and I just automatically envisioned The Rock.” Ned defended.

“There’s another thing. It had this huge, gaping mouth with rows and rows of teeth. I keep thinking about it.” Peter shivered. “It came so close to me. And its tongue was super long. It was like a cracked out frog.”

“So a ninja turtle? You got beat up by a ninja turtle?” Ned gawked.

“It wasn’t a ninja turtle.” Peter snapped. “ It was black, remember?”

“So an emo ninja turtle.” Ned deadpanned.

“It kept saying “we”. “ Peter remembered.

“What do you mean?”

“There was only one of them, but they only referred to themself as “we” as if there were multiple of them.” Peter explained.

“Do you think there could be more? Like an alien army or something?” Ned asked incredulously. Peter hadn’t even thought about that.

“Maybe. I remember something else, it’s name was Venom.” Peter recalled. He distinctly remembered those words coming out of the creatures mouth.

“Venom?” Ned repeated, clearly finding it cool.

“Yeah. And I told it my name. I used my regular voice too.” Peter realized. He usually disguised his voice when speaking, but he had been so scared that he forgot to. It haunted him knowing the creature now knew who he was and he wondered if it knew both of his identities.

“Wow. This is so cool. Not cool for you, because you might die. But this is super cool for me.” Ned smiled as he envisioned what Venom might look like.

“Thanks, ned. Actually, wait.” Peter stopped in his tracks. “One more thing happened.”

“What?” Ned whispered as they approached their class.

“Venom was about to eat me but then it started talking to itself. It sounded maybe like it was having a conversation with someone? I’m not sure, I could only hear one side of it.” Peter explained. “It put me down, well it threw me down, and let me go. But before it left, it said something about a girl. I don’t really remember. I was too focused on catching my breath.”

“Catching your breath? Were you running?”

“No. It choked me.” Peter told him as he lightly touched his neck.

“Kinky.” Ned smirked as he took a seat next to Peter in their class.

“That’s gross.” Peter stifled a laugh. “Did I tell you about this morning with Y/N?”

“No. Tell me.” Ned said. He wasn’t disappointed in the change of topic. He was glad Peter had moved on on from Liz, finally. Peter recounted the discussion he had with you that morning, barely getting through it without blushing and laughing at certain parts.

“I really like her, Ned. More than I’ve ever liked anyone. She’s so amazing. I barely know her, but I can tell already. I want to know everything about her. I want to hear her full story. And most of all, I want to be a part of that story.” Peter declared but frowned suddenly.

“What’s wrong?” Ned asked.

“After our talk, we just kinda sat there staring at each other for a while.” Peter began. “She kinda leaned in, and I did too, but then this seagull flew by and scared us half to death. We laughed about it but the moment was gone.”

“So you almost kissed her?” Ned smiled. “Why is that upsetting you?”

“Because what if that was our chance and I blew it?” Peter feared. “What if that seagull was a sign from above that I was in way over my head? Like God was asking me who I was to think I could just kiss the most perfect girl in the world? She’s so cool, Ned. Way too cool for me. She’s already had a boyfriend and I’ve never even kissed anyone.”

“If it’s meant to happen, it will happen.” Ned assured him.

“Or, the same thing that happened with Liz will happen.” Peter argued. “I won’t tell her how I feel and then she’ll be gone forever.”

“Then don’t let that happen.” Ned reasoned. “Tell Y/N how you feel. Do it tonight, before you go on patrol. And if she doesn’t feel the same, then at least you’ll know. Isn’t it better to know?”

“When did you become such a love expert?” Peter teased as the professor walked into the room.

“Since I started dating Betty. She’s opened my eyes to what love really is.” Ned shrugged. “Tell her tonight. Then tell me how it goes. I’m here for you either way.”

Peter nodded and gave Ned a thankful smile before turning his attention to the professor.

On his walk home from campus, Peter spotted you walking down the sideways. Ned’s words of encouragement rang in his ears and he made a brash decision.

“Hey, Y/N, wait up!” Peter called after you, making you turn around.

“Hey Parker. How was kindergarten?” You teased him.

“Alright alright. Majoring in chemical engineering is hardly kindergarten. And I’m only one year younger than you.” Peter reminded you. “I don’t want you to have a heart attack on me, grandma.”

“Watch it, sonny.” You kept with the joke. “I’ll hit you with my purse and then say something mildly racist.”

“Just like my grandma.” Peter laughed in amusement. “We’re gross. And not funny.”

“We really are.” You scrunched your nose. “Couple of gross ass orphans.”

Peter laughed again, feeling comfortable enough with you to joke about a tragic situation.

“Look, Y/N, I really enjoyed our talk this morning. I really enjoyed all our talks so far actually. I guess I just like talking to you. ” Peter began. He looked nervous all the sudden, like he lost his stamina. You raised your eyebrows hopefully, as there were only so many ways this conversation could go.

“I like talking to you too, Peter.” You said honestly, hoping he’d continue. Hoping he’d ask that question. Your answer seemed to give Peter the confidence he needed to go on.

“Really? Um, that’s great cause I really like talking to you too. I already said that. Oh god. I’m crashing. I-“ he began to flail and you calmed him down by taking a few steps closer. You were almost touching at that point. He stopped talking immediately and looked at you with wide eyes.

“Is there someone you wanted to ask me, Peter?” You asked slowly as you looked at him through your eyelashes.

Damn. He was tall too.

“Yes, actually. I, um, will you…would you maybe want to-“

“Hiya kids!” A gravely voice came from the front stairs of your apartment, completely cutting Peter off. Peter looked up and angrily rolled his eyes.

“Don’t look now. It’s Henry.” Peter grumbled. Henry was the creepy neighbor with the foot fetish.

“Oh Dear God.” Peter said in a low voice.

“What?” You panicked when you saw Peters expression change.

“You’re wearing flip flops.” He pointed at your black painted toes and you felt the color drain from your face.

“Run!” He whispered harshly. You bolted into your apartment and Peter ran into his. Once inside, Peter blew out an angry breath. He had been interrupted twice in one day when trying to talk to you, and he worried that it was a sign.

Back at the apartment, you sat on your bed with headphones in. You were prepping for your interview with Cletus Kasady by writing down some questions you wanted to ask him. It was hard figuring out what to ask a serial killer. You looked at your notepad and sighed. All you had written down was “but why tho?” in sloppy handwriting. You tore out the page, crumbled it up, and threw it at the trash can. When you went to write something else down, you noticed the paper ball still stuck to your hand. You shook your hand but it still wouldn’t come off.

“What the hell?” You grumbled as you shook your hand.

“Oh. This might be our fault.” Venom said suddenly.

“What might be your fault?” You asked as you continued to shake the paper off your hand, but to no avail.

“We sort of went inside Spider-Man when we were talking to him yesterday.” Venom said timidly and the paper ball dropped from your hand.

“What?” You demanded and Venom went silent.

“Come out here.” You said, like an owner to a dog.

“We’d rather stay inside.” Venom said softly.

“Get out here now. You need to explain yourself young lady.” You said sternly. Venom slowly manifested and looked at you with sad eyes.

“I’m 600 million years old, by the way.” Venom added. “You can’t call me young lady.”

“What do you mean you went inside Spider-Man?” You ignored her comment.

“When we were choking him we put one of our tendrils inside him and swirled around.” Venom explained. “He didn’t even feel it. We did though. He’s very squishy on the inside.”

“You…what?” You didn’t even know where to start. “How does that explain the paper sticking to me?”

“We think we absorbed his powers.” Venom said. “We used to watch videos of him on YouTube after you went to bed. He can stick to walls and stuff. We think that’s why the paper ball stuck to you.”

“Since when can we absorb powers?” You wondered as you looked at your hands.

“We never had a host before. We don’t really know how it works.” Venom reminded you. “But back on Klyntar, our home planet, the Grandmaster used to tell us we could absorb the powers of superhuman beings. Judging by your newfound stickiness, we think it worked.”

“What else can Spider-Man do?” You asked. “Since you’re such a big fan.”

“He can shoot webs out of his wrists. And he can return lost dogs.” Venom answered, sounding a little annoyed.

“Do you have something against Spider-Man?” You chuckled a little at her tone.

“We hate what he did last night. He thought we were the bad guy, and he let the real bad guy get away. He judged us before he had the full story. We’re not a bad guy.” Venom defended. You were surprised to hear how passionate she was about this and gave her a soft smile.

“Let’s not worry about Spider-Man right now. I want to test out our new abilities. Let’s rock and roll, baby.” You cheered, complete with rock and roll hands. The second you touched your middle finger and ring finger to your palm, a black, web-like tendril shot out from your wrist and stuck to the ceiling. You stared at the web with a gaping mouth, weakly shaking your wrist to see if it would stay attached.

It did.

“Maybe that’s one of our new abilities.” Venom said. You looked back and forth between her and the gooey web coming out of your wrist.

“Oh my God! What’s happening?” You screamed. You took your fingers off your palm and the web retracted back into your wrist. Looking at your wrist incredulously, you made the rock and roll hand again and the same web shot out from your wrist. This time, it grabbed the ceiling fan.

“V-Venom?” You asked. You didn’t know what to say.

“Try to aim it at something.” She suggested. You aimed your wrist and the lamp across the room and touched your fingers to your palm. The black web shot across the room and grabbed onto the lamp. You quickly yanked your arm back to pull the lamp towards yourself. The lamp flew across the room, smashed you in the face, and left you with a bloody nose.

“Ow.” You cried, gingerly touching your nose.

“We see this as a absolutely win.” Venom cheered. You shot her a look and went to get cleaned up.

After about a week of practice, and very little work on your questions for Cletus, you had a better handle on your webbing ability. Of course, the week also consisted of long talks with Peter on the roof, late patrols of New York, the occasional run in with a criminal, late night FaceTime calls with Peter, and beating the shit out of Spider-Man, twice. Venom eventually grew bored of using the new powers around the house, so it was time for the final test.

You stood at the rooftop ledge and looked down, talking a deep breath to calm your nerves.

“It’s a long way down.” You commented.

“Yep.” Venom replied in your head.

“We could die.” You added.

“Yep.”

“Ready?”

“We’re ready.” Venom grinned as you transformed. You stepped off the ledge and fell freely for a while, screaming the whole way down.

“Stop being a little bitch! Shoot a web!” Venom yelled. You aimed a web at a building and began to swing. You were too close to the ground and ended up knocking over a bunch of tables at an outdoor restaurant. People ran away in fear while others took out their cameras and recorded.

“We’re not here to hurt you! Peace and love!” Venom shouted as you continued to swing through the steers of New York. People began to cheer upon hearing your words.

“Do you hear that, Y/N? People are cheering. They love us.” Venom said happily.

“I love us too.” You replied. You were even happier than she was. You knew how much it hurt Venom to be seen as a monster, it was why she hated being called a parasite. You also knew it was why she hated Spider-Man. He was praised for stopping bad guys while Venom was seen as one of the bad guys he needed to stop.

“Hey, what is that thing?” A man called from the street. Venom stopped swinging and landed on the street. You proudly turned to the crowd of people, a massive grin on your face. There it was, our favorite question.

“We…are Venom.” Venom growled. People took pictures and videos of you from a distance.

“You can come closer. We won’t hurt you.” Venom assured the crowd.

“Are you like the anti Spider-Man?” Someone asked.

“Spider-Man is a joke. He can’t protect this city like we can. We are no Spider-Man. We are Venom.” Venom roared. A few people took a step back and you began to feel uneasy.

“Hey, King Kong. I want a word with you.” A sassy voice quipped from the crowd. A man in yellow sunglasses and a suit stepped forward, and you bet your ass you recognized him.

“My name is Tony Stark. Heard of me? Of course you have. Would you mind coming back to my tower with me?” He asked, but it felt more like a demand. The people in the crowd slowly dispersed and soon, you stood there alone with Tony.

“Be nice. Say yes.” You told Venom.

“Who is this guy?” She asked out loud.

“I just said my name.” Tony said, slightly annoyed.

“He’s a really famous inventor. I’ll explain later. Just follow him please.” You begged. Venom gave Tony a once over and followed him to a limo.

“Yea, you’re gonna ride up top big guy.” Tony said, patting the roof of the car.

“Girl.” Venom growled. Tony looked surprised.

“My apologies ma’am.” He raised surprised eyebrows. You rode on top of his car all the way to his tower, wondering what he could possibly want with you.

The inside of his tower was huge. Tony lead you to a lab that was bigger than yours and Peters apartments combined.

“I’ve seen videos of you on YouTube. Seems like you and Spider-Man aren’t the best of friends.” Tony remarked as he pulled out an iPad.

“We will crush his bones and snort them like cocaine.” Venom growled. Tony was just as surprised to hear that as you were.

“Now that’s a visual.” Tony smirked. “I’ll have you know, Spider-Man is a friend of mine. He’s not your biggest fan either but from what I’ve seen, you’ve done this city some good since you’ve been here. How long has that been?”

“Two weeks.” Venom answered.

“I thought so. I’d never seen you before then. And since your arrival, petty crime has dropped significantly in Queens. Criminals are too scared of getting eaten to do anything. Don’t get me wrong, I love Spider-Man and I’ll kill you if you tell him that, but no one fears him. He gets the job done, but there’s always another job to do. With you, on the other hand, your mere presence is preventing crime before it even happens.” Tony smiled to himself, like he was just given a new toy. “You’re scary, is what I’m trying to say. But you’re a good guy. It’s rare. I want it to stay that way. I want you on my team.”

“Team?”

“We’re called the Avengers. We had a bit of a falling out but the name still stands.” Tony waved his hand. “We fight bad guys together. Really, really bad guys. I think you could us some good. Plus, you’ll be taken care of for life and we’ll only call you in for serious threats. But I need a few things from you first.”

“Like what?”

“Your story.” He pointed a finger at you. “How does a giant, anthropomorphic alien wind up in New York City?”

“It’s a long story.” Venom answered.

“We can trust this man, Venom.” You told her telepathically. “I’m gonna come out okay?” Venom hesitated and Tony looked impatient to know more.

“Are you sure?” She asked you. Tony looked confused.

“Am I sure?” He pointed to himself.

“Not you.” She said. Tony looked around for who else Venom could be talking to and found no one.

“I’m sure.” You decided. “This guy is one of the good guys. We can trust him. I promise. I’m coming out.”

You slowly transformed back into yourself in front of Tonys wide eyes. Venom stayed in her snake-like form and rested on your neck.

“Hello, Mr. Stark. My name is Y/N L/N.” You shyly introduced yourself. “This is Venom. We want to help.”

Tony’s face shifted from shocked to impressed as he looked you over.

“I gotta say, I did not except someone like you to be inside that scary monster.” Tony chuckled.

“We’re not a monster, Mr. Stark. We want to help people.” You reminded him.

“I can see that.” Tony nodded. “That’s why I’ve been developing you a suit.”

“When did you do that?” You wondered. “We just met.”

“Oh, I know. I’ve been designing it while you talked. I want you to have it incase you and Venom get separated. That way, you’ll be protected until you’re back together.” Tony explained as he showed you his ipad. Sure enough, it had a drawing of a suit on it.

“I’ll get started right away. I just need a little piece of Venom. If I make the suit using her skin, you’ll have the total protection you need.” You looked at Venom for consent, who nodded and extended a tendril towards Tony. He quickly snipped a piece off and put it in a container.

“When will the suit be ready? A few months?” You asked as Tony tapped the container. Tony stopped looking at the container and laughed.

“Y/N, I’m a genius inventor. Go get lunch. It’ll be ready when you’re done.” He said.

And he wasn’t kidding. An hour and a half later, Tony presented you with a suit. You ran my fingers over it slowly, not wanted to disturb a single thing. You looked at it in awe, completely speechless at what he had created.

“Go on, try it on.” He shrugged casually. You grinned from ear to ear before rushing to the bathroom to put it on. You came out soon enough with tears in you eyes.

“You like it?” Tony asked. You looked at your covered hands in amazement. The suit was jet black, like Venom was, and hugged your body like a second skin. There was a big white spider symbol on the front, the complete opposite of Spider-Mans small black one. You figured it was a nod to being called the anti Spider-Man and it was perfect.

“Well?” Tony was still waiting for an answer. You looked up at him just as a few tears fell down you cheeks.

“We didn’t celebrate my birthday growing up because it was the anniversary of my moms death. I used to be so upset every year.” You blurted. Tony looked like he didn’t know what to say and you couldn’t blame him. That was something deeply personal and you had only just met him.

“What I’m trying to say is, I get it now.” You explained. “All those missed birthdays were for a reason. I didn’t get gifts those days because I’m getting the ultimate gift right now. This is the most amazing thing I could’ve asked for. I cannot thank you enough Mr. Stark. I’ll never take it off.”

“You can’t take it off anyway.” Tony told you. “When you don’t want to wear it, it absorbs back into your skin like Venom does. And it’s equipped with Venoms essential abilities. It’s bullet proof, knife proof, taser proof, spork proof and so on. And you can still shoot your webby things. You just won’t have super strength, super speed, or that Venus flytrap mouth of yours.”

You tested it out and shot a web towards his desk. You grabbed a pen and caught it with ease, then looked at Tony for approval.

“That’s the best I could do. It’s no Iron Man suit but it’ll suffice.” Tony said casually. You couldn’t take it anymore and rushed towards him to hug him tightly.

“Thank you.” You said into his chest. Tony patted your back awkwardly and you let go.

“It’s nothing. You can thank me by not eating Spider-Man. I know he’s annoying but he doesn’t mean any harm. Now go forth and do good.” Tony requested.

You swung back to the apartment and landed on the roof. You turned back into yourself and made your way down the steps to your floor. After this mornings conversation with Peter and the incredible suit from Mr. Stark, you were having a great day. For the first time in years, you couldn’t wait for tomorrow.

[babyjamiebarnes]

Build-A-Bear

Part One

Featuring: Bucky x Stark!reader, dad!Tony, Peter Parker (platonic), background MCU characters

Warnings: [chapter] language; [series] language, smut, violence

Summary: The only people who knew she was actually a Stark were her dad, her step-mom Pepper, and her “uncles” Happy and Rhodey. A promotion within Stark Industries takes her from an already-sought after position in the Weapons Anaylsis Unit straight to the Avengers as a Weapons Enhancement Specialist... which means her dad is her new boss. There’s only one rule at work: no fraternizing with coworkers. There’s one more rule at home: no dating any Avengers. So what is she supposed to do when a grumpy super soldier becomes not-so-grumpy around her? At 25, do her dad’s rules still apply? Or is her entire livelihood at risk?

Author’s Note: I’ve written a decent portion of this but know I won’t keep writing it or post it unless I hold myself accountable and get it out there in the first place 🙈 I haven’t written much for Marvel yet but I’ve read plenty and have written for other fandoms in the past (not to mention the writing degree on my wall lol). I’ll try to post every 2-3 days to keep this moving! And if you like it and want to, buy me a coffee!

No one knew Tony Stark had a daughter. No one but Tony Stark and his daughter. Well, and her step-mom Pepper. And her godfather Rhodey. And her uncle-not-uncle Happy. But no one in their everyday lives knew. She was given her mother’s maiden name and kept a secret, even when she turned 17 and moved to a small apartment near NYU’s campus (with Happy stationed right next door, of course) to start life as a truly normal adult, or as close to normal as an undercover Stark could be. When she graduated with her PhDs in robotics and electrical engineering at 25 — proving brains really do run in the family — she moved into her own apartment in Manhattan, funded by her father under the pseudonym “Michael Myers.” Subtlety was never his strong suit.

Fortunately for you, growing up without the Stark name let you live a relatively normal life. It also allowed you to apply for a position within Stark Industries without being ushered past any red tape because of who your father is. Outside of the financial advantage you had, you worked for your spot in a STEM career. You suffered through every man in your field belittling your work despite knowing less than you. You dealt with the constant interruptions and “well, actually” because of your gender. You powered through late nights and early mornings when your mind was flowing too smoothly to quit.

The last thing you wanted to do was have all that work disregarded because you shared a name with genius billionaire playboy philanthropist Tony Stark. So you filled out the application, sent in your resume and cover letter, and attached three letters of recommendation from your professors. You went through hours of interviews, background checks (conveniently redacting your father’s name), and polygraph tests until that offer letter showed up in your email. You even had to sign the Non-Disclosure Agreements that would bar you from discussing *anything* work-related with anyone outside of your department.

You spent your first year in the weapons analysis department, evaluating alien weaponry and determining how it worked and how to disable it. You had your fair share of mishaps, of course. Holes blasted into walls, fried robot dummies, even burnt animal carcasses. By the end of your first year, your supervisor sent a commendation and proposal for you for an undisclosed promotion. After Pepper Potts “thoroughly examined your resume, cover letter, and accomplishments during your tenure with Stark Industries,” as the letter read, you were awarded a position working on the Avengers’ weapons as a Weapons Enhancement Specialist. You’d never see a fight in-person, but you were assigned to work on advancements and post-battle repairs for everyone, from the Winter Soldier’s arm to the Falcon’s wings to Vision’s... everything. The only heroes you wouldn’t work on were Iron Man and War Machine (those were your dad’s territory) and Spider-Man.

On your first day in your new position, the one and only Pepper Potts showed you to your new lab on the 47th floor. It took all your willpower to look your step-mother in the eye and say, “Wow, Miss Potts. This is amazing. It’s such an honor to meet you,” with a straight face to convince any passerby that you had no outside affiliation with her. Even if her eyes stayed steady on you, you could see her mentally rolling them.

Once you were alone behind the doors of the elevator, conversation changed course.

“You’re going to be sharing a lab with someone else,” Pepper said.

“Sweet. As long as they’re competent, that’s fine by me,” you shrugged. Part of earning your degrees was learning to share a workspace with others, even those who bumbled and fumbled with no idea what they were doing. You’d had more hair singed by nearby explosions than you’d like to admit.

“He’s still in college so he’s not here as often as the others. Most of his work will be on Spider-Man’s gadgets and suit, but you can use him for any help you need.”

Walking past the familiar faces of Dr. Banner and Dr. Cho in their respective labs, Pepper ushered you into your lab, where you were met by your father and put on the same excited facade you did with Pepper.

“Oh my god, you’re Tony Stark! This is incredible! It’s such an honor to meet you, sir!”

He shook his head at you and reluctantly accepted your outstretched hand. Oh, the jokes you’d be making at family dinners.

“Yeah, anyway, this is your new lab, Miss [Y/L/N]. Make yourself at home. This lab rat over here is mister Parker. If you have any questions, he can at least bullshit an answer for you.”

The young man on the other side of the lab perked up at the sound of his name. He tugged the goggles off his face and set down his soldering rod to rush over to you.

“Hi. Hi, I’m Peter,” he said, reaching his hand out to you.

“I’m [Y/N]. It’s nice to meet you, lab partner.”

He looked to be a bit younger than you and at least relatively smart, if the MIT sweatshirt peeking out from under his lab coat said anything. If your dad gave him an internship like this, you knew you shouldn’t question it. He had to be a genius.

The kid just smiled at you, continuing to shake your hand past what most would deem socially acceptable.

“Okay, enough of that,” Tony said, pushing on your joined hands to separate you two. “Mister Parker might be in and out of the lab from time to time. He joins the Avengers on the occasional recon mission for immediate repairs but since he’s on break from classes, you’ll see him more often than not. Play nice.”

When he noticed you surreptitiously looking Peter up and down, he added, “Remember, no fraternizing with coworkers.” He pointed a finger directly at you before he spun and pointed to your fellow lab mate, realizing he should warn Peter too to save face.

“All the blueprints you need for the Tin Man’s arm are in the system. We’ll have you start on that and see what you can do about minimizing the sound that thing makes. Any other questions, give Pep a call.”

“Thank you, mister Stark. I really do appreciate everything,” you said genuinely.

“Yeah, well… don’t let me down,” he replied, patting you on the shoulder on his way out. Pepper followed close behind, leaving you alone with Peter Parker.

“So Peter,” you started, sliding onto the lab chair next to where he remained standing, “tell me about yourself.”

“Uh… what do you want to know?” he asked as he shoved his hands into his coat pockets.

“How old are you?” you asked immediately.

“I’m 21.”

Only four years younger than you. So you’d probably get along just fine.

“I assume you’re at MIT?” He nodded. “What are you studying?”

“Biomolecular and mechanical engineering.” He said it so casually, you’d think he was talking about the last song he heard on the radio.

“Damn,” you responded, eyes wide. “I thought robotics and electrical engineering was wild but fuck, that sounds like hell.”

He laughed and nodded, letting a bit of the tension in his shoulders fall. “Yeah, it’s not easy. But it’s worth it.”

He shot you a small smile before gesturing back at his project. “I should probably get back to work and let you get started.”

For the rest of the day, you familiarized yourself with the Winter Soldier’s arm to figure out how to… turn the volume down? You assumed it was the gears inside causing the noise, but part of you wanted to outfit an audio jack and speaker just to fuck with your dad.

You and Peter worked in relative silence, aside from the playlist he had quietly playing through the lab sound system. When lunch rolled around, however, you finally spoke up.

“Hey Peter,” you called, his eyes flicking from the chemical beakers in front of him up to you. “First of all, what are you doing?”

“Um, it’s Spider-Man’s web fluid. Just trying to find more durable combinations.”

“Interesting.” As much as you wanted to touch the stringy substance, you knew better than to fiddle with someone else’s lab work. “Okay so second thing, in my last position, I’d just order food and have it brought to my floor but now that I’m on an exclusive floor, what do you do for lunch?”

“Oh, there are a couple security guys who have clearance to come into this floor. They just can’t get into any rooms so you’d have to meet them at the elevator. But I usually find something in the kitchen down the hall.”

“Oh, sweet. Thanks!” you said as you made your way out the door. Before you could fully exit, you turned back to see if Peter wanted you to grab anything. Once he promised he’d take his own break ‘once I get this one thing figured out,’ you continued to make your way to the kitchen.

As you drew closer to the doorway, you could hear three voices speaking over each other. They didn’t sound angry, but they were definitely arguing. You opened the door anyway and almost immediately froze in your tracks. The Falcon stood with one hand on his own head and one on the Winter Soldier’s head while Captain America rolled his eyes before those same eyes landed on you, along with the rest of the room.

“Perfect,” Sam started. “Hey new girl, between the three of us,” he said, pointing to himself, the Soldier, and the Captain, “who has the best hair?”

“First of all, my name is [Y/N]. Second,” you continued, making your way past them to the fridge you hoped your dad kept stocked with goodies, “that’s an unfair question.”

You grabbed a soda and popped it open before turning back to the three men. “Your hair suits each of you. Cap wouldn’t look good with Winter Soldier hair and Falcon wouldn’t look good with Cap’s hair.” You took a few steps closer, leaning against the island counter between you and eyeing each of them. Your eyes settled on the Winter Soldier, unashamedly flitting across his face and admiring the sharpness of his features. “You,” pointing at him, “could probably pull off either of their looks, though.”

Bucky smirked at you, but his rosy cheeks gave away a hint of embarrassment at your compliment. Steve and Sam, on the other hand, weren’t taking it quite as gracefully.

“What?!” Sam shouted. “Okay, now I know you’re lying. I could pull off Cap’s hair for sure.”

“You know, I think shaggy hair would really suit me,” Cap said, only half sarcastically.

You giggled to yourself as the three of them started talking over each other again, all dead set on their own hair being the best of them and positive they could pull off the others’ looks. While they bickered, you searched the pantry until you found a snack to at least get you through the remainder of the day.

“Alright boys, it’s been fun but I have work to do,” you said as you walked past them again. “Actually, wait. Bucky — can I call you Bucky?” He nodded even though you continued anyway. “If you could stop by lab six today, I’d love to check out your arm in person. The digital renderings aren’t quite the same.”

“Uh, okay. Sure. I’ll find you,” he said quietly.

“Sweet, thanks!” And with that, you skedaddled back to your lab.

[incognito-lionbeast]

Major Unrest

Summary: After being hung up on by Kurt Wylde--one half of the conspiratorial team that managed to smuggle Vert from the Silencerz' base--Major Wheeler decides it's time to question the other drivers. They are as uncooperative as one might expect, so... with few other options, he calls in Peter Tezla to testify on the matter. Big Mistake.

Ao3: /works/40615533

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   Tork Maddox, the patriarchal type. Dismissive and rocksteady, the “Metal Maniac” leader claimed that he didn’t interfere with the Teku’s affairs, further continuing on to state that Josef “Vert” Wheeler wasn’t one of his drivers. Therefore, he refused to speculate on the matter of Wheeler’s departure – including the involvement of his own subordinate, Mark Wylde.

   Taro Kitano, the apparent second-in-command. A Japanese expatriate and driver of some renown, yet not a man of many words. Uncommunicative, Mr. Kitano admitted only to owning the car used to facilitate Josef Wheeler’s departure. Further questioning yielded nothing substantial as his answers contained fewer and fewer words in direct proportion to the length of his interrogation.

   Deezel “Porkchop” Riggs, a long-haul trucker of large stature. Mr. Riggs openly expressed dissatisfaction with certain members of the Silencerz staff, including the interviewer Major Jack Wheeler. Efforts to redirect conversation resulted in further disapproval of the Major and his relationship to Josef Wheeler.

   Mitchell “Monkey” McClurg, a mechanic and alleged chemical engineer. A strange man of nervous temperament. Attempts to take advantage of this character flaw were unsuccessful, exhibiting extreme loyalty to his teammates and a greater fear of Mark Wylde.

   Nolo Pasaro, leader of the “Teku” street racing gang. A passionate youth. When questioned on the brawl he and Mr. Maddox initiated in the hangar, Pasaro insisted that it was normal behaviour and that they were “cool”. One of the more talkative drivers, he also confessed satisfaction regarding Josef Wheeler’s extrication.

    Karma Eis, the sole female driver and the eldest member of the Teku. As collected as her surname implies, Ms. Eis consistently deflected all questioning with inquiries of her own. No progress was made.

    Shirako Takamoto, the team’s chief tech enthusiast and audiophile. Due to an apparent hearing impairment, Mr. Takamoto was unresponsive to verbal questioning. An interpreter was deemed unnecessary.

— —

   Interviews went nowhere. Major Wheeler’s notes were a mess. What was wrong with these people? Perhaps he was too frustrated to see how much they cared. Or, on the other hand, perhaps it was too much to expect anything from drivers who actively flaunted the law on a regular basis – from Tezla’s drivers, no less. These were the sort that his son had been fraternizing with? Jack dismissed three drivers–Shirako, Porkchop, Monkey–ushering the remaining four into a single conference room. Waiting. If they had nothing to say individually, then perhaps it was time to rally the leaders and the man responsible for bringing them together.

   Peter Tezla.

   A stern silence welcomed Dr. Tezla into the conference room–the sternest of which came from his once fellow associate. Interesting, he thought, interesting how Major Wheeler held him accountable for something he genuinely had little to do with. Yet, perhaps this was advantageous, surveying the pairs of watchful eyes that all followed his entrance with varying levels of interest. Truly, he’d only appraised the vehicle Taro had supplied the Wylde brothers with, but that was immaterial. They were here for a show. So, he’d supply them with one, taking his place across from Jack Wheeler at the head of the table – still standing, of course.

  “I suspect I already know what this meeting entails, Major, so it would benefit us both if we forewent pleasantries,” Tezla said, gesturing to the room of indignant, uncooperative drivers – who all really had much better things to do, and so did he! Although the Silencerz tried to keep him away from the more tantalizing bits of data, the good doctor’s penance–his means of escaping  real  punishment–laid in cooperation with his former employment. They couldn’t keep him from everything. As he’d proven before.

   What an unpleasant man to work with. Major Wheeler cleared his throat to stifle a bout of growling irritation. The day may have been long and frustrating, but he couldn’t lose his cool now. “Then I’ll assume you’re already aware that, at roughly ten-hundred hours this morning, two of your drivers left the compound with my son. Against orders.”

   Tezla nodded. He was. He hadn’t been told, precisely, but it was more than evident. Vert wasn’t here. Not in the room, not in the base, not anymore. His comrades, Teku and Metal Maniac alike, weren’t talking. If anything, Tezla was impressed by their planning and ingenuity–now that it wasn’t being used to go against his orders, in any case. Rebelling against the Silencerz meant very little to Tezla, especially when it offered such a unique opportunity.

   Major Wheeler asked flatly, “Would you care to explain this, doctor?”

  “Gladly. Although, first I must ask you this–” The show began and all other actors were quiet. Their keen interest fueled Tezla’s flair for melodrama. Still, he only asked what everyone else was thinking: “What reason do the Silencerz have to keep Vert here and not the others? To my knowledge, all of the drivers have already given their statements.”

    Ah, don’t mind the pause. Only for effect, Tezla gazed intently, brow raised and inquiring. He surveyed for a reaction, safe behind tinted lenses. Though, he also wasn’t done yet. There was yet an encore, vying for precious higher ground. “...or is it, perhaps, something more personal rather than objective?”

  A stone sentinel moored before the peak, the major was unmoved. Impassable. For now. Both hands firmly planted, he warned, leaned emphatically against the conference table: “This isn’t about me, Pete. I’m only carrying out orders.”

   Pete. Tezla’s expression betrayed him, forced to reign in an annoyed twitch threatening to derail his entire production. It was Peter. No, even that was wrong. His name was Tezla. Doctor Tezla. If he’d any friends, then not even they would call him by first name. Although, surely Jack already knew that.

  Tezla regrouped, catty. Petty. “Yes, orders that you must have some influence over... or have you been demoted since we last worked together?”

   This again. Taro shared a glance with Tork – who passed it on to Nolo and, from him, to Karma. Far beyond them to keep silent like this, but the two warring juggernauts were a spectacle all their own, cementing the shared reality that they’d done the right thing. None present had met Major Wheeler before storming the Silencerz headquarters, but so far…? The impression was lackluster. So, even if it meant relying on Tezla’s manipulative wit, well, unfortunately that was something Tezla had in abundance. It was about time he used it for the benefit of his drivers.

  “I know what you’re trying to do. That doesn’t work with me, Peter. I’ve wasted enough time today.” Another warning, firm and imposing. If it wasn’t street punks testing his patience, then it was this rogue scientist. Perhaps bringing Tezla into this wasn’t the right move, after all. Exasperated with the moment, Major Wheeler privately wondered what he’d hoped to achieve by summoning him here. Painfully naive optimism. Jack straightened to his full height, shoulders back.

   Staring Tezla down, he addressed the room, “So, if you aren’t going to cooperate, then I’ll have no choice but to hold everyone here until Josef Wheeler and his conspirators have been retrieved.”

   ( A murmur rippled from Nolo to Karma, a hushed yet incredulous ‘Josef? What’s he talking about, man?’ Vert’s name wasn’t Vert? Karma shook her head. This was news to her, too. )

  Ignoring the sudden revelation among the crowd, Jack’s only focus was to enforce his posturing. One step, turning on his heel, Major Wheeler headed for the door. Enough of this. If all Tezla and his drivers wanted was to play mind games, then the best answer was to ignore them.

   Or so Jack told himself.

   Something of a curiosity, there was a distinction–noticed, cataloged–between ‘my son’ and ‘Josef Wheeler’. Yet, Tezla followed the major’s leave with only a slight inclination of his head. Whether his silence meant defeat or simply that he was lost in thought, Tezla allowed his former compatriot to reach the exit first. Clarification was reserved for the moment that Major Jack Wheeler had his hand on the door–and far too conversationally than could possibly be genuine.

   “Ah, before you leave…” Tezla called, satisfied by the slow turn of a man begrudgingly forced to have an audience with one he most disdained. This was it. This was the grandest display Tezla’s performance had to offer and perhaps the pettiest. “I don't believe I ever offered you my condolences after your wife passed. It must have been difficult choosing your career over your grieving son.”

   That was bait.

   Jack knew it was bait. Even the drivers knew. For the benefit of his captive audience, Tezla finished, “–especially knowing how often you would be gone.”

   Somehow, knowing that this was bait couldn’t make it matter.

  It was a step too far, and it took all Major Wheeler had not to walk over and deck the smug son of a bitch standing not more than four yards away. He was better than this. He was better than Tezla. Yet, he seemed to be the only one who thought that. As if there was anyone in the room who’d jump to his defense, anyway. No, this was between him and Tezla. Tezla made it personal; Tezla was making it personal. Was that his agenda all along? There and gone in a second, an image flashed through his mind, an icy realisation. Vert, his son. One of Tezla’s drivers. What about him?

   “Don’t lecture me about family, Tezla. You, of all people, should understand how important our work is,” he defended. Though, his foothold atop higher ground slipped in the face of his son’s friends. For, despite his own reservations, they were friends, he realised. Punks, yes. Yet, he’d nearly been willing to give them a chance after the races were over. Was that foolhardy of him? Duty, fatherhood, responsibility… what was the right call here? The answer, amorphous and intangible like smoke seeping through his fingers, became harder to grasp the further his thoughts wandered to his son.

   “Yes, I do, and that's precisely why I chose not to start a family. I knew I would not be able to give them the love and dedication they’d deserve…” Again, Tezla called upon his audience, gesturing widely. They were more props than actors. Yet, he heard no argument from them. “And it seems to me that, in your absence, Vert has found a family entirely of his own – one that understands his particular needs.”

  Far from disagreeing, Nolo piped up enthusiastically from the congregation. Whatever Tezla was playing at in the long game–somewhat beyond him–but here and now? “Yeah! Vert’s one of us and we’re a team, man. He’s like a brother, and that means he doesn’t get left behind.”

   With a lone hear!, Taro offered an empty toast, having neither drink nor glass. Vert wasn’t a Metal Maniac–or even a former Scorcher–but he’d be lying if the little squirt hadn’t grown on him over the years. Though, unlike what Nolo insisted, Taro wouldn’t personally call him a brother…  maybe a nephew. Or just a friend. Vert was sure something and seemingly for lack of a strong family life back home. Maybe that explained a few things–and a few more that his only living parental figure was a career military man. Truly, he and the Wylde brothers were a perfect fit for riding off together into the family-drama sunset.

   Tezla waited for he and the others to finish their little rapport, poised to snipe with further commentary of his own as soon as there was a lull in the wave of driver solidarity. After all, it would be terrible if Major Wheeler had time to recover after such a rousing success. It seemed already that his will–though not his anger–had wilted somewhat, and there was yet one more thing. A little threat, a little encouragement.

   “–and I trust that Vert will return once he is ready.” He trusted Vert, but did his own father..? “So, unless you intend to make a larger nuisance of yourself, Major, I believe it would be wise not to press the issue further... lest you lose him completely."

[prouvaireafterdark]

See Something You Like? - Malex Sex Shop AU Part 1/2

It’s FINALLY here: the Malex Sex Shop AU you’ve all been waiting for! Well, the first half anyway (Part Two will be out soon!)

I dedicate this fic to my friendly neighborhood Thigh Riding Anon™️, who inspired this fic with her galaxy brain prompt, and all of you who have been patiently waiting for me to finish this absolute monster of a smut fic. I hope you enjoy it! 💜😘

Also on AO3!

***

When Michael moved to California to start his PhD in agricultural engineering, he’d grossly underestimated how expensive the move would be. The stipend that came with his teaching assistantship just barely covers the rent on his studio apartment, and finding a roommate off Craigslist that’s desperate enough to live in such close quarters isn’t exactly an option considering how many alien skeletons Michael’s got in his closet. The vegetables he’s planning on growing in his complex’s shared community garden will help, but if he wants to eat any time soon he’s gonna have to find a part time job.

Enter Jackie and Kris, the delightful middle-aged lesbian couple who live next door and share Michael’s enthusiasm for sustainable gardening and the occasional midnight smoke.

They get to talking one night while passing a bong back and forth over the railing that divides their balconies, first about DIY organic fertilizer and then about Michael’s degree. He lets spill in a moment of weakness that his coursework is a breeze, but he’s worried he’ll run out of money before he can finish the program. As embarrassed as he is about the confession, it ends up saving his life.

Turns out, Jackie and Kris own a sex shop named Pandora’s Box around the corner and have been looking for some help running the storefront while they focus on expanding their online business and organizing safe sex workshops for the local queer and BDSM communities. The hours would be flexible around Michael’s schedule and all they really would need him to do is stand behind the register, ring people up, and answer questions about their products with “affability and professionalism.”

It’s maybe not the work he imagined himself doing when he moved to California for grad school, but for $15/hr, Michael really can’t afford to say no. He sits for an official interview the very next day and leaves Jackie’s home office with a new job and a pot brownie wrapped in tin foil, eager to get started on both.

Monday afternoons at Pandora's Box are the best. They’re notoriously slow so Michael gets to work his shift alone, which gives him ample time to grade the assignments he procrastinated on all weekend while he sits behind the counter.

It’s a Monday afternoon, in fact, about a year and a half later, when Michael hears the bell above the door chime softly to announce the arrival of a customer who would change his life forever.

The first thing Michael notices when he lifts his head from the stack of exams on the counter is the black leather jacket that’s stretched across the man’s broad shoulders. When Michael’s eyes flick up to get a look at the man’s face, he’s met with sharp cheekbones, beautifully tan skin, and a pair of trendy but understated sunglasses. He looks a little lost—unsurprising, since Michael’s certain he would have remembered it if he’d ever seen a man that pretty walk into his shop before—but when he realizes Michael’s looking at him, he flips his sunglasses up onto his artfully messy dark hair and smiles.

And oh, what a smile it is—the most beautiful one Michael has ever seen, soft and sweeter that it has any right to be, his full lips capturing Michael’s attention with ease. His heart pounds in his chest as their eyes lock together, and if Michael didn’t know any better, he’d think he’s just fallen in love with a perfect stranger.

Before Michael can do more than shoot him a dazed smile in return, the man disappears down an aisle.

As a general rule, Michael doesn’t talk to customers who don’t approach him for help first. It’s best practice in a store that sells pornography and sex toys—most customers don’t want to be questioned about their kinks, and those that do usually already know what they’re looking for—but the pull he feels toward this man is undeniable. He’s curious about him for reasons he can’t explain, and as his feet carry him off in the direction the man went, Michael decides not to question it.

Michael weaves casually through the aisles until he finds the man staring up at the floor to ceiling wall display of dildos and other anal toys—because of course he does. He sends a prayer to a god he doesn’t believe in that this man isn’t buying something for his girlfriend before he steps in line beside him.

“See something you like?” Michael asks, toning down his customer service voice into something approaching normal human speech.

Up close, he can see the man has a septum piercing, which glints a little in the light. Michael’s seen plenty of people with body jewelry come through this store, but he’s never really thought of it as cute until now.

The man smiles at him, a little shy, but Michael’s not so distracted this time that he misses the way his eyes flick over his body in naked interest, and it leaves him feeling a little hot under the collar.

“I’m not sure yet,” the stranger answers.

Even his voice is nice, Michael notes, deeper than he expects and smooth like honey.

Michael nods in understanding. He gets it—this wall can certainly be intimidating, even for someone who’s been to a sex shop before. He looks the man over again, taking in his charmingly flushed cheeks, and wonders if it’s his first time in a place like this. If maybe he needs a little help after all.

It’s a good thing Michael’s an expert, huh?

He doesn’t want to come at him too strongly, though. Encountering an overbearing sales associate isn’t any more fun than being one, and Michael certainly isn’t looking to push the guy passed his personal boundaries. He may be smitten, but he’s not an asshole.

“Well, if you have any questions about any of our products, my name’s Michael,” he says, flashing him a warm smile.

He’s about to go off in search of a nearby display to straighten up so he can give the man some space, but his voice catches Michael’s attention once more.

“And if I don’t have questions?” the man asks, and when Michael turns to look at him there’s a real smile tugging at his lips this time. “What should I call you then?”

Michael laughs, shaking his head as he shoots back, “Okay, smartass, what should I call you?”

For a single, horrible second after his own words reach his ears, Michael thinks he’s gone too far, but the sudden burst of anxiety in his chest turns out to be for nothing—the man’s grin only grows wider.

“Alex,” he says, and to Michael’s surprise he holds his hand out for him.

Alex’s palm is warm against his when he shakes it, and Michael can’t help but wonder how it would feel anchored in his curls or clutching tight to the skin of his hips.

“So, Alex,” Michael starts, emboldened by the introduction. He finds he likes the way Alex’s name feels in his mouth. “What are you in the market for today?”

Alex flushes a little and it’s so endearing Michael has to bite the inside of his bottom lip to keep from smiling.

“That’s the thing—I don’t really know,” Alex answers honestly. “There’s just so many options.”

“Okay, well, let’s start with an easier question: are you shopping for yourself or a significant other?” he asks, and, yeah, maybe he’s planning on filing the answer to his question away for later. Sue him.

Alex looks at him like maybe he suspects ulterior motives, but Michael shamelessly holds his gaze.

“No boyfriend,” Alex says, the corner of his mouth twitching up. “I’m looking for something for myself.”

“Fantastic,” Michael smiles, before he slips a little deeper into salesman mode. “So, judging by the aisle we’re standing in, I’m gonna take a leap and say that you’re looking for a toy you can use for internal anal stimulation. Is that right?”

“Yeah. Think you can help me out with that?” Alex asks, sliding his hands into his pockets.

“Definitely,” Michael answers with a smirk before he turns to the wall display. “As you can see, we have a pretty wide selection; you name it, we’ve probably either got it in stock or can have it shipped in three to five business days. Is there a particular price point you’re aiming for?”

Alex seems to think about it. “I’m not really looking to spend more than $100, but I could go up to $150 if it’ll change my life.”

“I can work with that,” Michael assures him. “Any other parameters I should keep in mind?”

“I’ve read that jelly toys can be dangerous, so definitely not anything made out of that,” Alex says, and Michael’s glad to hear he’s done his research. Jelly toys are frustratingly popular because they’re so cheap and Michael usually has to put in a little work to talk people out of buying them.

“Oh yeah, fuck that jelly shit,” Michael agrees, and Alex’s startled laugh makes his heart skip. “They’re impossible to sanitize properly and they’re full of toxic chemicals—you wouldn’t believe the horror stories I’ve heard about them since I started working here. If you’re looking for something with a softer texture, medical grade silicone is really the only way to go. Just make sure you stick to water-based lube or else you could ruin your toy.”

Alex nods thoughtfully, like he’s read that too.

“Glass and metal are also good options,” Michael continues. “They obviously feel a lot harder inside you, but they’re easy to clean, you don’t have to be as careful about what lube you use, and they’re naturally waterproof. They’re excellent for temperature play, too, if you’re into that.”

“Never tried it,” Alex confesses.

“It’s not for everyone, but it can be a fun time,” Michael says, recalling the scorching summer afternoon he spent fooling around with an ice cube tray and a girl he met on Tinder. “So, your options are metal, glass, and silicone. Any preference?”

Michael notices Alex’s eye catching on a set of stainless steel plugs, but he answers, “Silicone for now, I think.”

“Good choice,” Michael replies easily. “So, now that we know what material you’re looking for, let’s talk about your ideal experience. What are you looking to get out of your purchase?”

“An orgasm?” Alex answers, his confusion evident.

Michael laughs. “Sorry, I meant—how would you like to get there? What sort of sensation are you looking for?”

Alex looks a little lost at the question, so Michael turns to plan B.

“See, this one, for example,” Michael says, pointing to a familiar black prostate massager, “is great for when you wanna get off fast and hard. It’s not too thick, so you don’t have to spend a ton of time opening yourself up for it, and the curve puts the tip of it right up on your p-spot. It’s also got a bunch of different vibration settings and get this: It’s waterproof.”

Alex hums in interested acknowledgement, though Michael notes that the longer he talks, the more Alex’s attention is fixed on him, not the toy.

Feeling bold, Michael adds, “I’d advise caution if you’ve got thin walls though.”

“Why, does it make a lot of noise?” Alex asks curiously.

A slow grin spreads across Michael’s lips. “No,” he says with a shake of his head. “But you will.”

Michael watches Alex try and fail to suppress a smile, his full bottom lip caught between his teeth.

“You seem pretty sure of that,” Alex says when he releases it. “That from firsthand experience, or are you just a really good salesman?”

Michael laughs, equal parts delighted by Alex’s flirting and embarrassed by the memory his question brings to mind.

“What?” Alex asks, a smile building on his face.

“I probably shouldn’t tell you,” Michael hesitates, his face heating up just thinking about it. “It’s kind of embarrassing.”

“Aw, come on,” Alex goads him. “Don’t be such a tease.”

Michael gasps in mock offense. “I’ve been called a lot of things, but a tease isn’t one of them.”

“That mean you’re gonna tell me what’s got you blushing like that after all?” Alex asks.

“I’m not blushing,” Michael protests, even though he definitely is.

Alex raises an eyebrow at him. It’s stupidly attractive.

With a huff, Michael considers his options. He doesn’t usually give personal anecdotes like this to customers, but there’s just something about Alex that makes Michael want to give him whatever he wants.

“Fuck it, why not?” Michael says to himself.

Alex smiles victoriously and settles in to listen.

“So, about a year ago, I came in to work and found this box sitting on the table in the break room, which was filled with a bunch of different toys from the company that makes that massager. I asked my boss about it and she said the company sent her a bunch of free samples.”

“Does that happen often?” Alex interrupts to ask. “Companies just send you free stuff?”

“Eh, sometimes, if it’s from a new line of toys that a company wants retailers to hype up,” Michael explains. “It helps that my boss Jackie’s wife Kris has a pretty popular blog where she tests and rates toys, so she gets free stuff all the time.”

“Huh,” Alex says. “So I’m guessing you took one after your shift?”

“Oh yeah,” Michael nods. “Tried it out as soon as I got home.”

“How was it?”

“Intense is about the only word that covers it,” Michael answers. “Those vibrations can be really powerful, it was like nothing else I’d ever tried before. Definitely one of my top ten solo orgasms of all time.”

“Not number one?” Alex asks with a raised eyebrow.

“Well, I came in, like, a minute, so no, not quite,” Michael laughs.

“Is that the embarrassing part?” Alex asks. “That you came so fast?”

“Not quite,” Michael winces, his cheeks flushing. “As I was coming, I screamed so loud that the little old lady whose living room is on the other side of my bedroom called the cops on me. Apparently, she thought I was being murdered.”

“Oh no,” Alex laughs, eyes wide.

“Yeah,” Michael agrees. “Not exactly the happy ending I was after.”

Alex laughs again, but there’s heat behind his eyes too when he asks, a moment later, “Not usually a screamer, I take it?”

“Oh, I wouldn’t say that,” Michael winks.

“Mm,” Alex hums thoughtfully. He looks Michael right in the eye as he asks, “Well, what if I don’t want to get off that fast? What if I want to make it last?”

Michael tries not to smile as he gets back to business.

“Well, I should mention that this massager does also have softer levels of vibration intensity, which I only discovered after Officer ACAB knocked on my door,” Michael says.

Alex laughs before asking incredulously, “You didn’t read the instructions?”

“Uh, no,” Michael admits. “I’m more of a ‘take things apart and see how they work’ kinda guy, I’ve never been big on reading the directions.”

“Even after your little misadventure?” Alex asks.

“Hey, don’t knock my process. I got a fantastic orgasm out of that ‘misadventure,’” Michael reminds him.

“How could I forget?” Alex asks, shooting Michael a look that really tests his self-restraint.

Michael huffs a laugh and reaches up to scratch the back of his own neck so he doesn’t do something stupid, like push Alex against the fucking dildo display and kiss that look off his face.

“So, anyway,” Michael starts, shifting the topic back toward the task at hand, “you can either learn from my mistakes or you can try something that doesn’t have vibrations at all. We’ve got a great selection of dildos in all shapes and sizes.”

“Do any of them come with a story?” Alex asks cheekily.

Michael snickers in spite of himself. “Maybe,” he says noncommittally. “Let’s see what we’ve got in stock.”

Michael hums as he looks over the display, searching for another recommendation he can make, when his eye catches on a purple dildo with ribbing along the shaft.

“This one’s a good starter dildo,” he says, pointing it out. “It’s a pretty modest size, but the ribbing feels really nice and there’s a suction cup on the bottom if you wanna stick it somewhere and fuck yourself onto it. There’s also a few by the same company that have a hole that you can slide a bullet vibrator into if you wanna get something that can do both.”

“Have you tried them all?” Alex asks.

Michael laughs, looking up at the expansive display of dildos. “Not all of them,” he says, glancing over to Alex as he continues, “but the employee discount here is very generous and, as you already know, sometimes we get free shit. I’ve built up a bit of a collection since I started working here.”

“I see,” Alex replies, the corner of his mouth turning up before he sucks his bottom lip into his mouth. Michael tracks the movement hungrily when Alex releases it a moment later to ask, “Which one’s your favorite?”

“Depends,” Michael shrugs, aiming for nonchalance even though he can feel himself chubbing up in his jeans.

“On?”

“On how full I wanna feel,” Michael answers, and there’s no mistaking the heat that blazes in Alex’s eyes at those words, nor the sudden intake of breath that fills his chest.

If Alex wants him half as much as it looks like he does, Michael doesn’t even care if he gets fired for where this conversation is headed, so long as it ends with Alex’s hands on him.

“See, sometimes all I’m looking for is enough internal stimulation to get the job done,” Michael elaborates, his eyes watching Alex closely. “When I feel like that, I’ll use that prostate massager I showed you earlier on myself.”

Alex’s eyes flick over to the sleek black toy still sitting on the shelf that they’d just discussed.

“And the other times?” Alex asks when he tears his eyes away.

“Other times… other times I really wanna feel it,” Michael purrs, taking a step closer. Alex’s eyes drop right to his mouth, his tongue flicking out to wet his bottom lip, and Michael can’t stop himself from asking, “You ever get like that, Alex? Like you just need something thick and heavy filling you up, so deep you’ll be feeling it for days?”

“Yeah,” Alex rasps.

“You wanna know what I fuck myself with then?” he asks.

Alex nods, eyes still on Michael’s mouth.

Michael gives him a sly grin before he backs up a few steps to find the sample of the eight inch galaxy dildo he treated himself to a few months ago. Alex follows him, as if they’re connected by an invisible string.

“This one,” he says, removing it from the shelf and offering it up for Alex’s inspection.

Alex takes it from him, his eyes passing over it with interest as he tests the give of the silicone with his fingers. Michael wonders if he’s imagining what it would look like inside him. He hopes he is.

“It might not look like much compared to some of the fucking horse cocks we sell here, but it’s thick,” Michael says, his cock hardening further the more he thinks about it, the longer Alex stands there holding it. “Takes me some time to work up to it, but it’s always worth it when I do.”

“Yeah?” Alex asks, eyes fixed where he’s shifting his hold on the dildo to measure it’s thickness with his fingers.

“Yeah,” Michael breathes, watching how Alex wraps his thumb and forefinger in a tight circle around the toy. They only just touch around its girth.

Alex hums to himself, sounding pleased, and Michael’s gut churns with the need to hear that sound again.

“I bet this stretches you out nice, huh,” Alex wonders a moment later, and with the way he stares at Michael then, like he’s trying to picture how he would look stuffed full, his rim taught over the silicone, he just knows Alex isn’t speaking generically.

“Yeah, it does,” Michael agrees quietly, trying not to squirm under the intensity of Alex’s gaze.

“How do you use it?” Alex asks him, stoking the flames inside him further.

“If you play your cards right, you just might find out,” Michael shoots back.

“You’d let me watch?” Alex asks, a smile teasing at his lips, and it’s all Michael can do not to get lost in the idea of riding that toy while Alex watches with his hand around his cock.

“Think I’d let you do more than that,” Michael admits.

Alex full-on grins at that, but before he can open his mouth to reply someone clears their throat behind them.

Michael’s heart seizes in his chest as he whips around to see Jenna Cameron, a regular customer and occasional drinking buddy of his, standing with her thumbs tucked into her police-issue gun belt. Michael can feel his erection flag at the sight of her.

“What’s a girl gotta do to get some service around here, Guerin?” Cameron asks, somehow managing to look annoyed and amused simultaneously. He notices there’s a discreet black plastic bag dangling from her fingers. “I’ve got places to be.”

“Shit, sorry, I didn’t hear anyone else come in,” Michael apologizes, trying and failing to keep a blush off his face.

“I can see that,” she answers with a pointed glance at Alex.

Michael takes an instinctive step away from him and clears his throat.

“I’ve gotta—“ he says to Alex, jerking his thumb behind him.

“Yeah,” Alex nods, eyes on his shoelaces. It makes the pleasure that had been coiling in his belly sour further.

“I’ll be right back,” Michael tells him, soft enough that Cameron won’t overhear.

The smile Alex gives him in return is encouraging enough that Michael’s fairly certain he won’t disappear if he leaves, so he follows Cameron back toward the register, all the while pointedly ignoring the smirk he can feel her directing at the side of his face.

He walks around the other side of the cash wrap and crosses his arms over his chest before he asks her, without an ounce of enthusiasm, “What do you want?”

“Damn, you’re really earning that employee of the month trophy aren’t you, Guerin?” she jokes, tossing the bag on the table. “I bought a harness this weekend, but it was broken when I took it out of the box. Receipt’s in the bag.”

Michael takes the box the leather strap-on harness came in out of the bag along with the receipt.

“Do you want a refund or an exchange?”

“Refund,” she says. “I’m thinking about getting one of those strapless ones instead.”

“You should talk to Kris, she’s got opinions about those,” he says as he starts scanning the receipt.

“Oh?” Cameron asks. “Is she here?”

“Nope,” he says, popping the ‘p’. “You can catch her at the bondage workshop she’s running later though.”

“Perfect,” she replies before leaning forward onto the counter on her elbows. “So are you gonna tell me who the hottie with the nose ring you were talking to is?”

“Why, so you can find out if he’s got any priors?” Michael jokes, not taking his eyes off his task.

“Very funny,” Cameron deadpans. “You fuck him yet?”

“None of your business,” Michael answers.

“So that’s a no, then,” she smirks, and Michael lets out a long-suffering sigh in response.

“Don’t you have places to be? Donuts to eat?” he asks, pushing her return receipt hastily in her direction.

Before Cameron can answer, the front door swings open and in walks a short middle-aged woman with a dark brown pixie cut carrying an iced coffee and a stack of papers.

Michael startles at the sight of her, realizing it must be later in his shift than he’d thought—exactly how long had he stood there talking to Alex?—but he’s never been one to look a gift horse in the mouth.

“Kris!” Michael calls to her. “Perfect timing, Cam’s got some strap-on questions for you.”

“Well, I’ve got some strap-on answers,” Kris answers cheerfully as she walks around them to drop the stack of papers—freshly-printed but yet-to-be-folded safe sex pamphlets, Michael notices—onto the counter next to the second register. “Step into my office, baby girl.”

Cameron shoots Michael a look before she steps to the side to talk to Kris, who’s leaning patiently against the side of the cash wrap.

With Cameron finally out of his hair but Kris close enough to notice him leave, Michael starts planning his escape so he can find Alex again, but it turns out he doesn’t need one. When he looks up after putting Cam’s broken harness in the bin under the counter, he sees the man in question approaching his register with a familiar black box in his hands.

“I was gonna wait for you,” Alex explains as he sets the box on the counter, “but I’m actually supposed to be meeting my brother soon.”

“Shame,” Michael says, wishing they had more time. “I was looking forward to finishing that conversation.”

Alex glances covertly at Kris and Cameron before he leans a hair closer and says, “Don’t know that it was the conversation you were hoping to finish.”

Michael blushes, casting a look at Kris and Cameron to make sure they’re too engrossed in their conversation to notice when he leans in a little further and says, low so only Alex will hear, “What can I say? I’m very committed to customer satisfaction.”

Alex laughs, a bright and happy sound that makes Michael’s heart feel strangely full, before he asks, “You charm all your customers like this?”

“No,” Michael says honestly. “Not even a little bit.”

Alex looks at him for a long minute, trying to spot the lie, and when he finds none he merely shakes his head with an incredulous smile.

“Lucky me,” he says.

Michael winks at him before he turns his attention to the box on the counter, shifting it in his hands until he finds the barcode. He usually never comments on his customers’ purchases, but with this one he simply can’t resist.

“Went with the prostate massager, huh?” Michael asks, as he rings him up.

“What can I say?” Alex answers, a smile creeping onto his face. “You made me curious.”

“Well, I don’t think you’ll be disappointed,” Michael says.

“No,” Alex replies, and the way he looks at him then makes Michael wonder if they’re still talking about the massager. “I don’t think I will.”

Michael smiles at him before he tells him his total. Alex inserts the end of his card in the reader and his receipt prints a brief moment later.

“Can you sign here?” Michael asks, passing Alex the merchant’s copy of his receipt and the green pen he’d been grading with earlier.

“Mhm,” Alex hums, plucking the pen from his fingers and signing his name in a delicate script.

Michael ducks under the counter to find a bag adequately sized for Alex’s purchase before he places the box inside it along with Alex’s copy of the receipt.

“You’re all set,” Michael says, pushing the box in Alex’s direction.

“Thanks,” Alex smiles, holding the merchant copy of the receipt out for Michael to take. “And this is for you.”

Their fingers brush as Michael takes it from him and Michael swears he can feel the tension crackling between them at the simple touch.

“Thanks,” Michael says, mouth a little dry.

Alex glances back to Kris and Cam before he says, “Have a nice day, Michael.”

“You too,” Michael says, his eyes straying pointedly to the black bag in Alex’s hand.

“Oh, I will,” Alex says, one corner of his lips lifting up into a smile before he turns and heads for the door.

Michael can’t help but watch his ass and those broad shoulders as he leaves.

Once Alex is gone, Michael unfolds the receipt Alex left for him. He’s about to slide it into the folder they keep by the register for receipts when he notices the phone number printed neatly beside Alex’s signature. Below, Alex has also written the words: Hit me up if you want to hear my review.

“You strike out?”

Michael startles, looking up to see Cameron leaning on the counter, a lot closer than she was a moment ago. He sees Kris at the far end, folding her papers into pamphlets for her workshop later.

“Not quite,” Michael grins and pockets the receipt.

[shraddhamatre]

How to Ace the IOCL Exam: Crucial Success Techniques

Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) is a prominent public sector corporation that is among the largest in India. For many recent engineering graduates, landing a position at IOCL is the ultimate goal because of the demanding work, first-rate perks, and opportunities for advancement. Passing the IOCL recruiting exam is essential to realizing this objective. We'll lay out a thorough plan in this post to assist you get ready efficiently and improve your chances of success.

1. Recognize the structure of the IOCL Exam It's important to acquaint oneself with the test structure before beginning any preparation. The Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering, or GATE, or an independent test is used for IOCL recruitment. The most popular hiring method is GATE, where applicants must have excellent results in the engineering subject of their choice. In general, the examination for people taking the straight IOCL exam consists of: Technical Section: Problems from fundamental engineering courses. General Awareness: Being aware of national concerns, business trends, and current occurrences. Quantitative aptitude and thinking: fundamental math and logical reasoning. You can focus on high-scoring regions and manage your time more efficiently if you are aware of the framework.

2. Gain proficiency in fundamental technical subjects Your technological proficiency will be put to the test, regardless of whether you choose to take the IOCL exam or the GATE. The technical part is dominated by important engineering fields including mechanical, civil, electrical, chemical, and instrumentation. Here are some pointers to succeed: Put the basics first: Make sure you have a solid grasp of the fundamental ideas in your field of engineering. Examine the Syllabus: GATE offers a thorough study guide. Go over each subject in a methodical manner. Consult the Standard Textbooks: For concept clarity, read works by writers such as R.K. Rajput, B.L. Theraja, or H.C. Verma. Answer the Previous Year Questions (PYQs) on GATE: To gain a sense of the questions that are asked, practice a lot. Stay Updated on Industry Developments: IOCL values candidates who understand how their technical knowledge applies to real-world challenges in the oil and gas sector.

3. Remain Up to Date on Common Knowledge We'll assess not just your technical proficiency but also your comprehension of current affairs and business news. Questions on general awareness may cover subjects like: current government regulations pertaining to the oil industry environmental problems Current advances in technology and science To remain current: Read Newspapers Every Day: Pay attention to stories from across the world and the country, particularly those pertaining to the energy industry. Keep up with Industry Websites and Journals: Resources such as Oil & Gas Journal and Energyworld.com offer insightful information about current developments in the petroleum and energy sectors. Make use of mobile apps: You may obtain daily news updates while on the road by using services like Inshorts or Economic Times.

4. Enhance Reasoning and Quantitative Ability Although applicants find the Quantitative Aptitude and Reasoning part difficult, it may be overcome with regular practice. Here, the emphasis is on: Numerical Ability: Develop your knowledge of algebra, arithmetic, geometry, and probability, as well as other fundamental mathematical concepts. Logical Reasoning: Work through puzzles and questions using series, patterns, and logical conclusions to improve your analytical thinking. You may master this area by reading books like R.S. Aggarwal's Quantitative Aptitude. Practice last year questions and mock exams as well to increase accuracy and speed.

5. Get ready for the interview After passing the written test, you will have to go through a personal interview. IOCL interviews are renowned for being demanding and comprehensive, evaluating not just your technical proficiency but also your disposition and awareness of your surroundings. This is how to get ready: Be Prepared to Respond to Technical Questions: You will be questioned on academic projects, fundamental engineering ideas, and your GATE score, if applicable. Know Every Detail About IOCL: Examine the accomplishments, background, and current initiatives of IOCL. They frequently assume that you are knowledgeable with the business's operations and the energy sector in general. Display Your Soft Skills: Display confidence, problem-solving talents, and communication skills throughout the interview. You may improve your performance for the real interview by using self-evaluations, mentorship, and mock interviews.

6. Time management and practice exams In order to succeed in any competitive exam, mock tests are necessary. They support you in developing confidence, time management skills, and test familiarization. Moreover: Examine Your Mistakes: Following each exam, note your weak points and make improvements in those areas. Make a Study Schedule: Divide up your preparation into little parts, focusing more on your weaker areas. Take Some Time for Yourself: To increase speed, practice answering questions in a timed environment.

In summary A combination of solid technical expertise, broad understanding, and efficient time management is needed to pass the IOCL test. By means of methodical practice, thorough comprehension of the test format, and concentrated preparation, you may increase your chances of success. To achieve a distinguished career at IOCL, keep in mind that your strongest allies will be confidence and constant work!

Start Your Preparation With: https://gameacademy.in/ / https://clppenny.page.link/cTBm

Recommended: https://www.youtube.com/@gblions / https://www.youtube.com/@gblionsaeje 

[queenlua]

really nifty set of essays where a software engineer goes & interviews a bunch of “real” engineers (chemical, mechanical, etc) who made the switch to software engineering, in an effort to answer the question: is software engineering “real” in the same way as traditional engineering?

(spoilers: the author ends up arguing “yes,” to their own surprise, and in part 2 and part 3 they discuss what software eng can learn from traditional eng and vice versa, fun stuff)

[jeonwonhi]

INTERVIEW TAG GAME

rules — fill out the questions [feel free to skip the ones you don't wanna answer <3] and then tag 20 people you'd like to get to know better.

tagged by @vera-liscious 💕💕

Name: Zeta

Pronouns: she/her

Star sign: Taurus

Height: ~5'7 (170 cm)

Time: currently 21:52 in EET

Birthday: May 13

Nationality: Greek

Favorite groups: EXO, NCT (all subunits), Blackpink, Ateez, Stray Kids, SuperM, BTS, GOT7, Gidle, Red Velvet, Twice, Itzy, MonstaX

Favorite solo artists: Lee Hi (her voice is so calming and her songs are my comfort zone), Taemin (KING), Sunmi (a true concept chameleon)

Song stuck in head: Fireworks (I'm the One) by Ateez (BULNORIYA BULNORIYA EH MALLIJIMA MALLIJIMA EH)

Last movie you watched: Doctor Strange

Last show you binged: Kakegurui on Netflix

When you created your blog: November 2015 (but I've truly been active ever since I got into kpop September 2019)

Last thing you googled: um Jeno abs👀

Other blogs: @multi--kpop--fanfics (writing blog)

Why I chose my URL: I was into Fire Emblem Fates back then lol

People I follow: IT'S A LOT.

Followers: 84

Hours of sleep: 8-9 hours on average

Lucky number: 4, 5 and 13

Instruments: None

What I'm currently wearing: A burgundy sweater and black sweatpants with a white strip on the sides

Dream job: Chemical engineer

Dream trip: France and South Korea

Favorite food: I'm all about pasta

Favorite song: Monster by EXO (It truly got me into kpop and made me an EXOL😔💕)

Top 3 fictional universes I'd like to live in: The chronicles of Narnia (childhood fav), Star Wars, RWBY verse (watching S8 and I'm HOOKED BYE)

tagging: @bluejaem @the-rooftop-fight @jaeminpeachy @stayctday @peachyyjaes @lyshoonn @jaemotel

[sciencenewsforstudents]

When she was young, Christine Liu didn’t plan to become a scientist. But chasing her curiosity led her to love neuroscience, the study of the brain and the nervous system. She’s now a graduate student and researcher at the University of California, Berkeley. There, she studies what nicotine, the addictive chemical in tobacco and e-cigarettes, does to the brain.

Outside the lab, Liu makes art, including some that communicates science. As half of the collective Two Photon Art, with environmental scientist Tera Johnson, Liu makes self-published magazines that illustrate science concepts. And the pair designs and sells science-themed items such as jewelry and clothes. Liu also shares her work on Instagram (such as the posts embedded in this story).

Liu isn’t yet sure if her future is in the lab or making art, but she knows that neuroscience will be a big part of her career. In this interview, Liu shares her experiences and advice with Science News for Students. (This interview has been edited for content and readability.)

What inspired you to pursue your career?

I pursued neuroscience because of a curiosity about how the world works. Even as a little kid, I was interested in how people experience things differently. So I would ask questions like, “Is the red that I see the same as the red that everyone else sees?” When I started learning about psychology and biology and answers to these questions that researchers proposed, I got more interested. In college, I jumped at the opportunity to get in the lab as soon as I could. And I quite like doing lab work. But I’ve been doing research for almost 10 years. So I might take the opportunity when I graduate to do art more seriously.

How did you get where you are today?

I grew up not really being that great at anything. It wasn’t like I knew I had a special talent in science and that I was going to become a scientist. I also grew up low-income. My family didn’t have a lot of money. As a kid, I spent a lot of time helping out around the house. I translated documents for my family and made sure that the rice was cooked before my parents got home. And I started working part-time jobs really early. In high school, I worked at a Jamba Juice and at a science museum. I did a bunch of jobs in college, too.

My college applications weren’t very strong. So I didn’t get into the colleges in California I actually wanted to go to. Instead, I needed to apply last minute to the local state school. I went to University of Oregon in Eugene. It wasn’t on the top of my list, but there were a lot of opportunities in neuroscience there. I was really able to take advantage of them. I overcame a lot of what I thought were shortcomings in my ability and competitiveness to do science.

When I started doing research, I was lucky to be in a lab with other female students. And I had done summer research programs with a diverse community of students and researchers. But when I started grad school, I was a little surprised at how few women and people of color I saw.

I also wasn’t sure how to express myself — if I needed to conform more or if I could really be myself. But then on Instagram, I found all these women who were not compromising how they express themselves. They were doing incredible science. And they were wearing lipstick and doing their hair and being feminine. This was something that I hadn’t realized was missing in my life. I immediately tried to connect all of us on Instagram, and I created a group called The STEM Squad. (STEM is short for science, technology, engineering and math.) We now have over 1,000 people who identify with the gender that’s been underrepresented in science. We each share our experiences and support each other. 

Curiosity drives this neuroscientist and artist

[interviewmaterial]

Interview Material is a online platform who teaches you about interview questions and answers

[sagesparrow394]

Coffee Shop AU Fic

Inventive title, I know.

Fandom: Sanders Sides

AUs: Human, Coffee Shop

Summary: Straight out of university, Logan Berry feels like the world is collapsing around him. Having been kicked out by his transphobic boyfriend and stuck alone with a baby on the way, he has no choice but to go live with his cousin. As he starts to get his life back on its feet, however, he’s presented with a second chance at love in the form of a very sweet barista.

Trigger Warnings: Trans pregnancy, light transphobia

“Are you fucking kidding me?! You’d better be!”

“I-I’m sorry, Matthew, I didn’t mean for this to happen!”

“Bullshit! You planned this, didn’t you? Well, fuck it! It was bad enough when you went all switcheroo and said you’re not a girl, you’re a guy! But this? This is the last fucking straw! I want you out!”

“What…?”

“We’re done! GET OUT!”

All this because of two words: “I’m pregnant.”

Now, Logan Berry was stood on the curb outside his apartment block - though he guessed it wasn’t his anymore - with only a small suitcase and a backpack of his stuff. Though tears were trickling down his face, he didn’t make a sound or movement. He was still trying to process everything.

Just out of university, he and his boyfriend bought an apartment together. Just a week later, Logan realised his period was late. He took a test and found he was pregnant. He told Matthew, who immediately kicked him out. Now, he was alone, no home to go to, with the knowledge that he’d have to raise this child on his own.

He just stood there, looking up at the apartment Matthew was in. If only he had just been born biologically male… None of this would have happened…

“Excuse me? Are you okay?”

Logan blinked from his trance, turning to the voice. It was a man, about his age. He had curly blonde hair, a freckled face, light blue eyes and round glasses. His eyebrows were furrowed in concern, a hand resting on Logan’s shoulder.

Logan blinked at him for a moment, registering his presence, his question, and his own situation. After the moment of silence, he broke down into tears. “I-I don’t know wh-what to do… Wh-where do I go…?”

As he sobbed, the other man gave him a look of pity, pulling him into a hug. “Hey, it’s okay… Ssh… Whatever’s going on, I’m sure it’ll turn out okay in the end…”

Usually, Logan wouldn’t trust a stranger this much, but maybe it was the man’s comforting air and kind demeanour, or the emotional pain Logan was in, but he found himself leaning into the other man’s hug. The man’s embrace was the warm, and somehow made Logan comfortable despite him being not big on physical affection.

“I’m Patton, by the way. Patton Foster.”

“L-Logan Berry.”

Patton pulled away from the hug. “I know you don’t know me… but do you need help? Or just to talk? Because I’d be happy to listen. I’m not having the greatest time either… Came downstate for my parents’ funeral.”

Logan shook his head. If this man was mourning the loss of his parents, he shouldn’t load his own problems on him as well. “N-no, it’s okay… I’m, um… starting to feel better, and I know what to do now.”

That was true. In his bout of emotion, he’d been clueless. However, now his head was clear, the answer was simply obvious: his cousin, Thomas Sanders, lived just upstate. Logan was sure if he gave him a call, Thomas would let him stay with him.

“Well, I’m glad to hear that,” Patton smiled. “I should be going, my brother’s waiting for me. Bye, Logan Berry. Hopefully I’ll see you around again sometime.” He gave Logan one last reassuring smile, before turning and walking away.

Logan watched him go, before pulling his phone from his pocket. “... Hey, Thomas? I was wondering if I could stay with you for a while… Yeah, Matthew kicked me out. Why? Well… don’t freak out…”

-

“How can I be calm?! You’re having a baby! Oh my gosh, I’m gonna be an uncle!”

“Technically, you’ll be their first cousin, once remo-”

“Uncle Thomas. Has a nice ring to it, huh?”

Logan rolled his eyes, chuckling. He had moved in with Thomas, who was definitely pissed at Matthew, but could not be more excited about Logan being pregnant. Logan wasn’t surprised, though, Thomas had always been like this . When Logan came out as transgender, his parents had not had the greatest reaction… Thomas, on the other hand, was fully supportive for him, sending him all sorts of useful things, like pictures of short hairstyles that would suit him, links to sites to buy binders, and sites that explained how to bind safely. All in all, Logan could not ask for a more supportive cousin.

Right now, the two of them were heading to a nearby coffee shop. Upon learning Logan had gained a large craving for chocolate due to his pregnancy, not his usual Crofters preference, Thomas had insisted they go to this cafe, saying they do the best hot chocolate, chocolate cakes chocolate cookies and brownies.

“Ah, yes, a good uncle and role model: a man with a degree in chemical engineering, yet is somehow unemployed,” Logan smirked.

“I’m not unemployed! YouTube is self-employment. Also, aren’t you unemployed?”

“I literally just moved here, Thomas, and I can’t exactly continue my old job given how far upstate it is.”

“True…”

The two arrived at the café, Logan looking up at the sign: Foster Coffee.

“I’m telling you, best café ever,” Thomas smiled, opening the door and stepping in.

Logan followed behind, the scents of bitter coffee, sweet chocolate, lavender, and more wafting over him. His stomach let out a small grumble as he and Thomas wandered up to the counter. His cousin smiled as one of the baristas came over. “Hey, Roman. How’s things?”

“Pretty good. You learnt your lines yet?”

“Almost. Know all the songs though. Lo, this is Roman Foster, we both do community theatre together. He just got a job here, his brother runs the place. Ro, this is my cousin, Logan.”

“Pleasure to meet you,” Roman smiled. Logan gave a nod in response. “So, what are you two having?”

“Two hot chocolates, as well as a cookie and a brownie.”

“Coming right up!”

Roman got to work with their orders, chatting with them, wanting to get to know Logan. However, after a few minutes, someone else slid up to the counter, calling for Roman. They were wearing sunglasses, a black jacket and scrolling on their phone. Roman sighed. “Pat, Remy’s here with his weird orders! Can you finish up Thomas’ while I take Rem’s?”

“On it!” A voice called from the back room. As Roman moved on to serve the customer called Remy, the door swung open, the other barista stepping in. Logan’s eyes widened at the familiar face.

“Hey, Patton!” Thomas greeted.

“Heya, Thomas! Wait…” Patton’s eyes wandered to Logan. “Hi! Logan, right? When  said I’d hope to see you around some time, I didn’t expect it to be so soon!”

“You two know each other?” Thomas looked between them both. Patton nodded.

“I ran into him a week or so ago downstate. Are you two brothers?”

Logan shook his head. “No, cousins actually.”

“But we have a more brotherly relationship than cousinly one.”

“Is cousinly even a word?”

“Doesn’t matter.”

Patton let out an adorable little chuckle that made blood rush to Logan’s cheeks.

Oh dear god, no no no, he could not be developing a crush. Not after Matthew… Just because Patton had been kind and caring when they first met didn’t mean he wasn’t going to be just like Matthew. It was likely Logan’s ‘crush’ was just due to hormones from the pregnancy. Also, natural animal survival instincts were likely causing him to latch onto a new person to assist him during the pregnancy. Yes that was it. No real romantic feelings at all, just hormones and ‘animal brain’.

Definitely.

Patton finished up their order, chatting all the time, before Logan and Thomas headed over to a table with their food and drinks.

“You like him.”

“What?!” Logan gasped. Had his cru- I mean, hormone-induced, totally-not-real attraction been that obvious? “Nonsense. Do you honestly think I’d jump right back into a relationship after Matthew? I don’t even know Patton, what if he ends up being just like Matt?”

Thomas gave him a sympathetic smile. “I know Pat, and I can promise he’s nothing like that asshole. Pat’s kind, funny, accepting and the sweetest little puffball ever. I think he’d be great for you.”

“Well, unfortunately, I’m not attracted to him. And even if I was, I wouldn’t get back into dating so soon after a breakup.”

-

It took Logan four months before he returned to the coffee shop for another visit. He’d been too busy with all sorts of things: applying for jobs, going to interviews for said jobs, apartment hunting so he wouldn’t have to invade Thomas’ space for too long, and of course preparing everything for the baby. He didn’t have much time to relax.

That day in particular, Thomas was filming a video for his YouTube channel, so Logan needed to be out the house. He figured that he should take the chance to relax with a nice hot chocolate and chocolate muffin. Stress wasn’t good for the baby, after all.

As he stepped inside the café, he smiled at the wonderful scents. He went forward up to the counter, rubbing his baby bump soothingly, feeling the child moving inside. He’d first felt them moving just two days before, almost crying when it happened. Okay, maybe not almost. More like sobbed his eyes out until Thomas had run out of tissues.

It wasn’t long until a barista came up to him. Last time he came, Patton and Roman had been the only baristas there. It seemed they’d hired someone else.

“Hey, what can I get ya?” the barista asked, adjusting his purple bangs so they were over his eyes.

“A hot chocolate and chocolate muffin please.”

“Oh, I can take this one, Virge!” Patton came over, smiling at Logan and his co-worker. “You mind heading to the back and grabbing some more coffee beans?”

“No problem,” the barista, ‘Virge’, replied before heading through the door behind the counter.

Patton just smiled at Logan. “Been a while, huh? It’s good to see you again, Lo!”

“You too, Patton,” Logan replied. “Was that a new employee?”

“Yep! We hired Virgil just last month. Speaking of which, why’ve you not come here in so long? I was hoping you’d become another of our regulars.”

“I’ve been very busy. Job and apartment hunting… Just everything to set up our new life here.”

Patton raised an eyebrow curiously. “Our? Who’s taking away the y from that word? Do… do you have boy or girlfriend?”

Logan tried his best to ignore the downcast inflection of the last question before responding. “Oh, no, I’m single. I’m talking about this little one.” He took a step back, revealing the baby bump to Patton, who let out an excited gasp.

“Oh my gosh! You’re having a baby? That’s amazing! How far along are you?”

“Four and a half months.”

“You’re so lucky, I’ve always wanted to have a kid. I just haven’t had the time to look into adoption, not to mention I’d rather wait until I have a boy or girlfriend.”

“Understanda- ” Logan stopped mid-word. Patton’s eyebrows furrowed.

“Lo? You okay?”

“They kicked.”

“Huh?”

“The baby… the baby kicked!” Logan’s eyes were glistening, his hands resting on his stomach. Patton didn’t hesitate, immediately coming around the counter and placed his hands by Logan’s. As he did, there was a small tap underneath.

“Oh, Lo… You’re so lucky to have this little miracle…” He looked up at Logan before fishing some napkins from behind the counter. “Here.”

“Th-thank you…” Logan replied, taking them and blowing his nose and wiping his eyes. “You’re too kind, Pat…”

“Nonsense. There’s no limit for kindness,” Patton replied, guiding Logan to sit down at a nearby table. “I’ll go finish up your order. You have some time with your little angel.” He turned and headed back behind the counter.

Logan just sat there, rubbing his stomach, occasionally feeling kicks. The smile wouldn’t leave his face, and he watched as tears dropped from his cheeks and onto his shirt. After a few minutes, Patton came back, placing Logan’s order on the table as well as handing him more tissues. He then took the seat opposite Logan at the table. “You said you were single… If you don’t mind me asking, who’s the father?”

Logan’s smile faltered as he wiped his eyes. “My ex, Matthew… He broke up with me after finding out I was pregnant. He also revealed himself to be a secret transphobe in the process.”

“Oh… Lo, I’m so sorry…”

“Don’t apologise… You helped me a lot. When you ran into me for the first time, it was just after Matt kicked me out. You made me feel so much better. I needed that hug and the comfort you gave me. I thank you so much for that.”

Patton gave a bittersweet smile, reaching over the table and taking one of Logan’s hands in his. “I’m glad I could help. Are you sure you’ll be okay?”

Logan was silent a few seconds, just looking at their hands, before blinking back to reality. “Oh, um, yeah… It’s been four months, I’m over it.”

“Well, that’s good!” Patton gave Logan a big smile. “I’m sure you’ll find the one, Lo. Who knows, maybe they’re closer than you think.”

“Yeah, I think he is…”

“Huh?”

“Nothing! Don’t you think you should get back to work?!”

-

“Hey, Lo! How’re you?”

Logan just groaned as he leant on the counter. “A week late. Seven whole days, and no baby. I’m sick of it… I’ve got an apartment of my own, their room’s all set up, I have a job ready to go after maternity leave. Everything’s ready for them, but they won’t come…!” He sighed. “I just wanna be able to have Crofters again without throwing up…”

“Just gonna put it out there,” Roman came up and stood next to his brother. “Apparently, having sex is supposed to make babies come.”

“Roman!”

“He’s right,” Virgil added, joining the conversation. “It is supposed to work.”

“I don’t think I’ll be trying that, thank you very much,” Logan replied, face flushed, refusing to look Patton in the eye. “Any other tips, however, would be greatly appreciated.”

“I think spicy food is supposed to work?” Roman offered. “But apart from that, I’m all out of ideas.”

“I’m sure it won’t be long, Lo,” Patton smiled. “And I’m sure, when they come, you’ll forget all the hardship when you’re holding that precious little bundle in your arms.”

How did Patton have the ability to make anything undeniably cute?!

“I guess that is true… Thank you, Patton.”

“It’s nothing, Logi!”

That smile… so cute…

“...D-Did you just call me cute?”

You said that out loud? Fuck, Logan, you said that out loud! Stupid fucking baby brain! Come on, don’t just stand there, say something!

“I… Um, I just… It was, uh…”

And it was at that exact moment that Logan’s water broke.

-

Logan couldn’t take his eyes off the bundle of blankets in his arms as Thomas drove him home from the hospital. He smiled every time the child let out a little coo or an adorable giggle. His baby, his son...

The two cousins headed up the stairs before arriving at the door to Logan’s apartment. Thomas took the liberty of opening the door as Logan’s hands were full, and as they stepped inside, Logan’s eyes widened.

Patton, Roman and Virgil were all already there.

“They insisted they wanted to come see you the minute you were out of hospital,” Thomas explained as the three visitors came and stood around Logan.

“Oh, he’s beautiful…” Roman cooed.

“You gotta be proud, teach,” Virgil smiled.

“What’s his name?” Patton asked.

“Evan.”

Roman gasped. “Like Evan Hansen!”

Logan groaned as everyone else chuckled. “No, he is not named after a character from one of your silly musicals.”

“They are not silly!”

“Hey, Roman, ease up a little,” Patton scolded. “Logan’s had a rough couple of days. Also… there’s something serious Lo and I need to talk about.”

“Oh…” Logan’s stomach twisted. After everything that happened that day, Logan had completely forgotten about the incident just before his water broke. “Look, Patton, I’m sorry, it was a slip of the tongue, I didn’t mean to- ”

“Lo, ssh,” Patton interrupted him. “I… I, erm… I think you’re cute too.”

“You-?” Logan was interrupted yet again and Patton pressed his lips to Logan’s. Logan’s eyes widened, stunned, before they fluttered closed and he leaned into it. After a few moments, they pulled away, and there was a silence…

“Welp, Roman, Thomas, you both owe me fifty bucks each.”

Roman and Thomas groaned, glaring at Virgil, who smirked cockily.

“Don’t get all pissed at me! It’s your fault for betting in the first place.”

“Language!” Patton scolded. “There’s a child here!”

“You bet on us?” Logan raised an eyebrow condescendingly.

“These two bet they could set you up. I bet against them, saying it would happen without them interfering,” Virgil explained. “I was right, and now I have an extra a hundred dollars in my pocket.”

Logan rolled his eyes, but smiled as he felt Patton’s arms wrapping around his waist. He leant into the embrace, holding a sleeping Evan close to his chest.

“I love you, Logibear…” Patton smiled.

“I love you too, Pattoncake.”

“Aww, they’re making pet names for each other already!” Roman let out a small squeal. However, the noise caused Evan to wake, shifting in Logan’s hold.

“You think he’s hungry?” Patton asked. “I can make him up a bottle of milk.”

“No need,” Logan responded, sitting down and going to unbutton his shirt. “Oh, um, are you all okay with me breastfeeding in front of you guys? It’s just better for cognitive development than bottled milk, so I find it worth the potential short period of dysphoria- ”

The others all nodded, saying it was perfectly fine, though Patton sounded a little concerned at the mention of dysphoria. Logan gave an appreciative smile, reassuring Patton that the dysphoria really wasn’t that bad: after all, he’d gotten used to it with not wearing his binder for a majority of the pregnancy.

Roman suggested they have a movie night to celebrate the baby’s arrival - gotta introduce them to Disney early - and the canonicity of the Logicality ship. Patton thought it was sweet they had a ship name for them, Logan thought it was rather stupid.

Anyway, they chose a movie - Winnie the Pooh, as Patton said it was likely the most family friendly for Evan - and all bunched up on the couch, Thomas having grabbed snacks from the kitchen.

Logan had been longing to have Crofters again for so long, staring at the jars on the table, but unable to pick one up with Evan in his arms. Patton took notice, picking up a jar and a spoon, and started feeding spoonfuls to Logan.

“Practicing for when you officially become Evan’s other father, Pat?” Roman asked, smirking. Logan’s face burned bright red, but Patton responded with a deadpan expression.

“Shouldn’t you be practicing for when you officially become his uncle?”

Thomas couldn’t help but snort at how red his cousin’s face had become. Logan started buttoning his shirt back up. “Y-you know, Evan’s looking pretty sleepy, I should go put him to bed.” He got up and hurried from the room, burping Evan as he went.

“I think you made him overly flustered, Pat,” Virgil pointed out the obvious.

“He’ll be fine,” Thomas reassured. “Just give him a chance to cool o- ”

Patton was already leaving the room, heading to follow Logan. As he stepped into Evan’s bedroom, his eyes widened. So much work had been put into the room. The ceiling was black and had glow in the dark rainbow stars all over it, arranged accurately to constellations. The walls were blue, and there was a solar system mobile over the cot. Logan was tucking Evan in whilst quietly singing. Singing a song very familiar to Patton.

“When I see the way you act Wondering when I'm coming back I could do about anything I could even learn how to love like you…”

Patton quietly stepped further into the room as Logan sang, mesmerised. His voice was so smooth, calming… He’d give Roman a run for his money.

As Logan came to the end of the song, Patton wrapped his arms around his waist, making the father jump.

“It’s okay, Logi, it’s just me. Your singing was beautiful.” He gave Logan a small kiss on the cheek. “By the way… I’m sorry if I freaked you out earlier. I don’t know why I said it, we literally just got together, I- ”

“Pat, it’s okay. In fact, I couldn’t be happier to find out you see us getting married in the future.” He turned in Patton’s hold so they were facing each other. “I love you so much.”

“I love you too.”

The two leant forward, their lips meeting, Logan’s hands going to rest on Patton’s cheeks. They stayed there for a bit, just enjoying the moment, until a knock on the door signalled them to pull away.

“Sorry for interrupting,” Thomas apologised, stepping inside, “but we have a serious mission. Operation Glasses Gays is complete. Now, I need your help with Operation My Chemical Roman-ce.”

-

Taglist: @part-of-me-do-not-know-the-rest, @why-should-i-tell-youu2